4 He said to one complaining of sudden gripes and nips in the body, Of sudden •eares1 in the mind, that we should make our use of them: and though it were hard to search the particular cause of them, it was both easy and sure to attribute it to our failing in religion, in not doing some good which God required at our hands: or if we did it, because we were too ceremonial, and rested in the thing wrought. If we have failed in not doing, it may be the Lord calleth us to some thing to be done. Again, by these sudden fears and griefs, the Lord will sometime prepare a way to come unto us, not much unlike to a Prince, who before his coming hath a peal of guns as a warning piece, and then we are to meet the Lord with prayer: for now is the time, now is the fit opportunity of praying, because the Lord will shortly pass by us, and therefore we must stir up our selves. And having prayed▪ it is good to make an holy pursuit after him, as laying a godly claim to the promises of God, not in particular, but in general: for who knoweth, but the Lord, what is good in particular for our salvation. Here he showed by his own example, to commend the use of prayer, how he being once feared with deceivable and grievous visions, called to mind (being alone in the dark night) the unbelief of the Disciples on the Seas, where our Saviour Christ was asleep: then he asked his own soul whether he had prayed or no; or whether in prayer, he made not some haste out of it, as being desirous to2 be rid of it. Then considering that he gave himself to God, who was the Lord of the night as well as of the day; of darkness, as well as of the light, he prayed again, & to the praise of God he spake it, he slept more quietly than before, after he did so strive in faithful prayer.
4 He said to one complaining of sudden gripes and nips in the bodie, Of sudden •eares1 in the minde, that we should make our vse of them: and though it were hard to search the particular cause of them, it was both easie and sure to attribute it to our failing in religion, in not doing some good which God required at our hands: or if we did it, because we were too ceremoniall, and rested in the thing wrought. If we haue failed in not doing, it may be the Lord calleth vs to some thing to be done. Againe, by these sudden feares and griefes, the Lord will sometime prepare a way to come vnto vs, not much vnlike to a Prince, who before his comming hath a peale of gunnes as a warning peece, and then we are to meete the Lord with prayer: for now is the time, now is the fit oportunitie of praying, because the Lord will shortly passe by vs, and therefore we must stirre vp our selues. And hauing prayed▪ it is good to make an holy pursuite after him, as laying a godly claime to the promises of God, not in particular, but in generall: for who knoweth, but the Lord, what is good in particular for our saluation. Here he shewed by his owne example, to commend the vse of prayer, how he being once feared with deceiuable and grieuous visions, called to minde (being alone in the darke night) the vnbeliefe of the Disciples on the Seas, where our Sauiour Christ was asleepe: then he asked his owne soule whether he had prayed or no; or whether in prayer, he made not some haste out of it, as being desirous to2 be rid of it. Then cōsidering that he gaue himselfe to God, who was the Lord of the night as well as of the day; of darknes, as well as of the light, he prayed againe, & to the praise of God he spake it, he slept more quietly than before, after he did so striue in faithfull prayer.
- 1Of sudden gripes and nips in the body, and fears in the mind.Of sudden gripes and nips in the bodie, and feares in the minde.
- 2Prayer.
