Evil things, either evil in themselves, or to the petitioners: in themselves one calls Prayer Petitio decentium, a Request of convenient things. What a good father will not give, let a good son not ask;p not a serpent instead of a fish, nor a stone for bread. We must not beg a serpent, lest it should hurt our selves, nor a stone, lest we should hurt others. Non petitur in nomine Salvatoris, quod petitur contra rationem salutis. August. That is not requested in the name of our Saviour, that is requested against the rule of salvation. The Disciples asked many things, and had them: but when they askedq fire from heaven, they had it not. If it be not fit f•r God to give, it is not fit for us to ask. The Lord hears ever Q•u•d finem, though not ever Quoad formam: audit ad sanitatem, if not ad voluntatem. If our will be not according to our weal, God denieth the form of our requests, and gives us the end: he withholdeth the worse, and affordeth the better.r Paul besought the Lord thrice that the thorn in the flesh might depart from him. God did not hear him in that particular, but heard him in the general; my grace is sufficient for thee: my strength is made perfect in weakness. He was not quite delivered from the temptation in himself, but he was fortified with the sufficiency of God. The man sick of the burning fever cries to his Physician for drink; he pities him, but does not satisfy him: he gives him proper physic, but not drink. So God, saith Augustine, Non tribuit quod volumus, ut tribuat quod malimus: he does not give us what we would have, but what we should have. Perhaps he crosseth us in our affection, but blesseth us in our salvation. The younger brother shall not have all his portion, lest he run to riot: nor the gallant ever enjoy health, lest he be too proud. Saepe Deus facit opus quod non est suum, ut faciat opus quod est suum. Thus a man is afflicted, that he may be humbled and many sores are on the flesh, that fewer sins may be in the soul.
Evill things, either evill in themselves, or to the petitioners: in themselves one calls Prayer Petitio decentium, a Request of convenient things. What a good father will not give, let a good sonne not aske;p not a serpent instead of a fish, nor a stone for bread. We must not begge a serpent, lest it should hurt our selves, nor a stone, lest we should hurt others. Non petitur in nomine Salvatoris, quod petitur contra rationem salutis. August. That is not requested in the name of our Saviour, that is requested against the rule of salvation. The Disciples asked many things, and had them: but when they askedq fire from heaven, they had it not. If it be not fit f•r God to giv•, it is not fit for us to ask. The Lord heares ever Q•u•d finem, though not ever Quoad formam: audit ad sanitatem, if not ad voluntatem. If our will be not according to our weale, God denyeth the forme of our requests, and gives us the end: he withholdeth the worse, and affordeth the better.r Paul besought the Lord thrice that the thorne in the flesh might depart from him. God did not heare him in that particular, but heard him in the generall; my grace is sufficient for thee: my strength is made perfect in weakenesse. He was not quite delivered from the temptation in himselfe, but he was fortified with the sufficiencie of God. The man sicke of the burning fever cryes to his Physitian for drinke; he pitties him, but does not satisfie him: he gives him proper physicke, but not drinke. So God, saith Augustine, Non tribuit quod volumus, ut tribuat quod malimus: he does not give us what we would have, but what we should have. Perhaps he crosseth us in our affection, but blesseth us in our salvation. The yonger brother shall not have all his portion, lest hee runne to ryot: nor the gallant ever enjoy health, lest he be too proud. Saepe Deus facit opus quod non est suum, ut faciat opus quod est suum. Thus a man is afflicted, that he may be humbled and many sores are on the flesh, that fewer sins may be in the soule.
- pMatth. 7.9.
- qLuke 9.54.
- r2 Cor. 12.8.
