144 Gen.B. LéNit. x7 The force ofPrayer. Hier.7: lob9. Ingratitude artier vo' punifhedofGod. Vpon theThurfeday after Noah, all that while that heewas building theArkeidnot any thing , though r G neuer folittle,without foreefpeciall order from od ; but as foone as heewas gone out of the Arke, without furtherexpeétingaduife fromHeauen, heedid prepare and make readie his facrifice . For, that a Soulefhould thew it felfe thankefull to it's God,itis not neceffary,thatit fhould fray waighting &looking for reuelarions ; but rather haftentoexpreffe it as fooneas it can, and to vfeall preventionofbeing put inmindofit.And therfore in approbationofNeahs for- wardneffe, the Text fayth, odorouseFt Domino odorem fuauitdtù, TheLordfinel. leda favourofref(. And fliewedhimfelfe fo well pleafed andappealed therwith that he fayd in hisheart, hewould thencefoorth curie thegroundno more for mans caufe. There is another circumftance,touching Ingratitude, which is very confide- rable,&deferues our artention,which is this,That albeit God is woont forne- times to diffembleother faults, and lets them runne on many yeares before he wil punifh them,yetthe fins of vnthankefulneffe,hewill not fuller them to fcape vnpunifhed,no not fo muchas tograunt them the forbearanceofa few houres. God fayth in Leuiticw ; dui maledixerit Deo fuo, portabit peccatum futtm, Who- foeuer(hall cartehia God, orfpeakeillofhim,(hall hearehiefin ; no farther chaftife- nlent beeing`there fet downe for him: But heethat Mallblafphéme thenarie of the Lord, vlfortemorietur, (hall beepatto death:that is the Law. The fecond (queftionleffe)is aleffer finnethan the former; Andyet God diffemblesthe for- mer,and will by nomeanesindure thefecond. And the reafon thereof (rendred byThomae)is, That thofe names,andattributes ofGod, doe flint vpas it were, and comprehend inthem thofe benefits which hee fo liberally beffowesvpon vs; andforthat the blafphemerfhoweshimfelfefo vngratefull vnto God , hee cannot hope forany pardonofhispunifhment. Our Sauiour Chrift thenfeeìng, that Iudea did draw poyfonout of treacle, and vnthankefulneffeand hardneffe of heart, from the many fauours and mercies that hee had (hewed towards them, Setefit inparses Tyri & Sydonis,Went into theCoatis ofTyre andSydon &c. Eccewilier Chananea. Many,and great mattersare fpokenof theforceand powerof Prayer. Gree- uous is that fayingof Godvnto feromie ; Noli orare propopulo f o, Hague afumes pro eis laridem& orationem,&nonobfaflan mihi, Thou(haltnot prayforthispeople,nei- ther liftvpcry orprayerfor them, neither intreat mee, leafs t houldheare thee, and fo divert mine anger. seeft thou not what they doe,&c ? Seeke not therefore tohin- der me inexecuting my vengeanceagainft them. None (fayth lob) is able to refift thewrath ofGod. But God aduifeth vs, how powerfull a thing Prayer is for theappealingof it;by feeking to preuent theProphet, byputting in thisca- ueat, Non obfaftae mihi, Rejigmeenot. Greeuous is that fayingofGod, vntoMo- fes, Define, vt irafcatur furormew, Standnot betwixt meeandhome, that Imay deftroy this people. O Lord,whocan holdthy hand,when thouart willingto ftrike t Who,forcetheeagainft thy will,tobe quiet e yes, ThePrayerof fuch a friend as cMofes, orabat autemMoyfes adDominum Deum form. Beeing one, whom God fo much refpeéted. And as the loueofa friend dothtye the hands of forme angryLord,andkeephimfrom ftriking ; foPray ersbindsGods hands when hee is angry with vs, not fufferinghim to draw his fword. This was no fmall comfort toDavid, whichmade himto fing thelongofThankefgiuing,Be- nedic7rr Dew, qui non amouitorationemmeans,d mifericerdiamfoam á me, Blefd be God, who bath notremoouedeithermy prayer, or hit ownemerciefrom mee. Saint Arflen
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