ISO WhyGodwill notalwaíes On heThurfeda after heave dur Prayers. Y rf&. 7. Gen: =s. 3. Kings ig rnú, s and thy louetowards mee ; Marryvnto others,it maygiue great offence. In theformer Chapter of this Storie , wee haue giuen fame reafonsofthis filence. Ofthofe whichhaue fineoffered themfelues, let the firft beethat of S. Chrsfofiome:Ifour Sauiour Chrift(faythhe)fhould haue made prefentanfwer to the Canaanitifh woman , her patience, her perfeuerance herprudence, her courage,and her faith, would not haue beene fo muchfeene, nor manifefted to theWorld. So that our Sauiourwas,notdumbe outofany fcorne orcontempt towards her, but hecaufe inthecryfollofthefe his put-byes,anddifdaines, hee ntight difcouer the treafure of her Verrues . And for this caufe did Chrift heapefo manydifgraces vpon her,oneon the neckeof another : one while, not kerning to take anynoticeofhergriéfs;anotherwhile filling the Iews,children, and herfelfe adog. Wherewith this poore.woman,was fo far frombeing offen- dedor taking any exceptionat it,that humblycafting her felfdowne at his feet, Thee did wort-flipandadorehim,allowing all that he faydtobe true,& thatthefe difgraces were worthily thrownevponher,confeffingherfelfe to bee nobetter thanadog, yetnotwithftanding fhee-cotnesvpon himagainewith anEtiamDo- mine, let thecrums ô Lord, &c. That withkindwordsand fairepromifes, and othergratious fauours, God fhould incourage his fouldiers , put ftrength and boldneffe into them, andWinnetheirloueandaffeEtion,itisnot much . but that withdifdaines anddifgraces, they fhould receiueaugmentation,' andincreafe, ( like Anteus,who the oftner he wasby Hercules throwneto the ground,theabler andftrónger hee grew) itis more than much. Hee that isin Loue, hathhis affe- étionratherinflamed than abatedby difdaines : And this Canaanitifh woman was faine fo farre in loue withour Sauiour, that his negleétingofher couldnot quenchthe heatof heraffeétion. In aword , becaufe to fightagainft thedisfa- uours ofGod, is one ofthe greateft proofes thataSoule canmakeofher prow- effe ; that this womans valour might beethe morefeene,2Zgn rtoltdit ei ver- óum, Heeanfwered not a word,&c. The fecond is ofSaintGregorie: Many times (faithhe)Goddothdeferthis or thatfauor whichwe beg athishands, and for noother caufe, but that he would hauevs to perfeuerinPrayer. God is fowell pleafed, that wee fhould prayand fue vntohim,that with him,hee is Magi, importunus,quiimportant minus, Moll troublefine, that isleaf! troublefome. Saint Auflen fayth , that out of thepleafure anddelight that hee taketh therein , God will haue vs to intreat him euen for thofethings,whichare alreadie decreed vponinhis diuine Cauncell. 'And as his prouidencegiuesvs the fruits of the Earth, by the meanes of trauell and tillage;fo,he giuesvs manygood things, &many rich blelfings,by themeansof prayer. Abrahamspofteritieratedvetie fecure,in regardofthepromifewhich God had made vnto them ; Andyet forall this , would heehaue /fursprayers to bee themeanes, that Rebecca ofbarren, fhould become fruitfull. Therewas great certaintie,that Godwould fend rain after that greatdrought, for tocom- fortthe childrenof Ifrael, yet would hee haue the prayer ofEliu tobeethe meanes toprocure it. Thehealth ofTobias and Sarah his wifeftoodvpon fure tearmes.of fafetie , yet was bee aduifed byRaphtelltopray, that the Deuill mightnot hauethe power to take his life from him -, as heehaddone from the ref}of her husbands. This made rhgmrrstobee ofopinion,thatourpredeftina- iionispropped vpand ftrengtheuedwith the prayers of.the Saints . And Saint Chryfaffome afrmeth ;That as thehands ofamari2renaturally , not onely ita- ftrunreutsof all things elfe,butofthevèrie inftrumentsthemfelues;fo is Praia inthatWilichis fpirituall. SaintloomsandSaint Rafi1, make mentionofa cer- tine
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