A Golden Chain

The sixth point is, in what manner Christ prayed. Answ. He prayed to his Father partly kneeling, partly lying on his face, and that with strong cries and tears, sweating water and blood: and all this he did for our sins. Here then behold the agony of Christ as a clear crystal, in which we may fully see the exceeding greatness of our sins, as also the hardness of our hearts. We go vaunting with our heads to heaven as though it were nothing to sin against God, whereas the horror of the wrath of God for our rebellions, brought down even the son of God himself, and laid him grovelling upon the earth. And we cannot so much almost as shed one tear for our iniquities, whereas he sweats blood for us. Oh let us therefore learn to abase our selves, and to carry about us contrite and bleeding hearts, and be confounded in our selves for our sins past.

The sixth point is, in what manner Christ prayed. Answ. He praied to his Father partly kneeling, partly lying on his face, and that with strong cries and teares, sweating water and blood: and all this he did for our sinnes. Here then behold the agonie of Christ as a cleare chrystall, in which we may fully see the exceeding greatnes of our sinnes, as also the hardnes of our hearts. We goe vaunting with our heads to heauen as though it were nothing to sinne against God, whereas the horrour of the wrath of God for our rebellions, brought downe euen the sonne of God himselfe, and laide him groueling vpon the earth. And we cānot so much almost as shed one teare for our iniquities, wheras he sweates blood for vs. Oh let vs therefore learne to abase our selues, and to carrie about vs contrite and bleeding hearts, and be confounded in our selues for our sinnes past.

The last point is the event of the prayer, which is to be heard, as the author of the Hebrews saith,¹ Christ Jesus in the days of the flesh, did offer up unto his father prayers, and supplications, with strong cries and tears, unto him that was able to save him: and was also heard in that thing which he feared. But some will say, how was Christ heard, seeing he suffered death and bare the pangs of hell, and the full wrath of God? if he had been heard he should have been delivered from all this. Answ. We must know that God hears our prayers two ways: I. when he directly grants our request. II. when knowing what is good for us, he gives not us our requests directly, but a thing answerable thereunto. And thus was Christ heard: for he was not delivered from suffering; but yet he had strength and power given him, whereby his manhood was made able to bear the brunt of Gods wrath. And in the same manner God heareth the prayers of his servants upon earth. Paul prayed to be delivered from the angel Satan that buffeted him: but the Lord answered that it should not so be, because his grace whereby he was enabled to resist his temptation was sufficient: and Paul finding the fruit of his prayers on this manner,