Why God will not alwaies the firf Sunday inLent. Serm.9. heare our Prayers. rainHereticke, who faid , Seeing Godknowes what I Band in needof, why fhould I féeke to troubleand importune himt Whereunto their anfwer is,That withGodwe are nottomake ourfelues,Relatores necefsnatis noflre,fedreos,Net re- porters, butpetitioners. Andas there is agreat inequalitie betwixt Relatorem, and Reim ; fo is there likewife in their importunitie. Saint Augu /tine is ofopinion, That hewho is not importnnate,fhewes he bath no great mind tothat thing bee fues for ; and that Godwill nor grant him his requeff, becaufe he feemes to fer fo lightbyit. The third is this God dothnotonely from thyprayersreceiue pleafure,but honour. Marcia/treatingof Idolaters, fàyth, That there is this differencebe- twixt theArtificerthatmakes the Idoli, and him that prayesvnto it and adores it ; that the Artificer onelymakes the Image ; but that hethat prayesvnto ir,and adores it, makes (asmuch asin him lies)a Godof it; forby praying thereto,and adoring ir, he doth openlyproteftand manifeftlydeclareitsDiuinitie, and for his part,doth willingly acknowledgeall reuerence and worlhipdue tothe fame. duifiogitfacros,auro,velmarnmore values, 7jnfachdeDees, qui rogat, illefacit. To Gold,or Starve, afacredlake whofaines, Makesthemnot Gods ;whopray's,thatpraifeobtainer. Which kindof language is likewifeviedinScripture. The Childrenof Ifraell cried out, Fac nobidDeos qui nosprecedent , tMake vs Gods togee before vs. but Of Aaron it is faid, That hemade thema Calfe ; it was Aaron thatmade the Calfe, but they,that madethe Calfea God. Thou entreft intoaSiluer-Smiths Shop, thou feeft him at worke, thouaskefthim, What heis a doing hetells thee,Hee ismaking the GodCapid; He fpeakes amifT , andnoes not faywell in it; for it is he that bowes before him,prayes vntohim, and'adores him that makes him a God : for thou for thypart makefthim neitherworfe nor better than an Idoli ; it is he that fues vntohim, he thatfalls downe andworshipshim, equalling him in his feruice-with God , that makes him aGod. Offuch Gods,God faithby David, They that make themare likevat) them andfo areallfuchas put theircraft in them. Sothat to begor aske any thingofGod, is to honour and praife him,ma- kingpublique proteftation andopen acknowledgement of hisdiuine power. Dignity-eft Agnate accipere dignitatem, Worthie is theLambethat waskilled(Saint lob's pointingat our Sauiour) toreceivepower,andriches, andwitdome, and Ifrength, and glorie,andpraife; Towhom allthecreatures thatare inHeauen,and on theEarth, and intheSea;and all thatis in them, fhali fingpraife,andhonour,and glorie, and power, tohim that fitteth upon the Throne, andveto theLambe for euermore. God, (and foour Saviour Chrift)wherefoeuerhe is, hath ftill his diuinitie with him Thon dooftnot denie it; but God is not contented with this, buthee will haue thee otvthyparttogiveit him , bycalling vporihim , crauing his helping hand, and byacknowledginghimto bethy God. Accordingto that prophecie ,ofFfay, IpfùnmGentes de racabuntur, The Earthfhalpbefullof theknowledge ofthe `-Lord, andthe tiorisfba/Jfgke'vntohim. Daniel chofe ratherto beéaft into the Lyons Denne, thanto leaueoffhis praying vnto God. Darfur would needes makehimfelfe aGod for thirtie dayes, and gaue command , That nonefhould dare tomake any fupplication toanyotherbut himfelfe It was arafli and vnad- iiifed aéìionin him tofeekeo makehlmfelfe.aGod ; butitwas no ill courfe in him; that he madethis troubleofhearing their petitions. titions,themeansto remedy what IS[ Importunity in prayerplea fing to God. Difference betwixtthe maker of the image Sc the worfhipper. Fxsd. are. Pfal. 115. ,gpoc. g. Fl7rr: DaA.1.
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