A26344:62
God's anger
God's anger ; and, Man's comfort two sermons / preached and published by Tho. Adams.
London: printed by Tho. Maxey for Samuel Man, 1652
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. How wonderful is the power of prayer? iLet me alone, saith God to Moses: who would look for such a word from God to man, as let me alone? As yet Moses had said nothing: before he opens his mouth, God prevents his importunity, as foreseeing the holy violence of ⟨p. 27⟩prayer▪ Moses stood trembling before the Majesty of his Maker, as fearing his dire revenge: and, yet that Maker doth (after a sort) solicit Moses for leave to revenge; let me alone. As it was afterwards said of Christ, concerning some places, that he could do no miracles there, because of their unbelief: So one would think, that God could do no Judgements here, because of Moses his faith. Let me alone; why, what can resist God? Yes, Prayer can resist him. Such is his mercy, that he hath (as it were) obliged his power, to the faith of our Prayer. He enables us to resist himself: Seipsum vincit. The fervent prayer of the faithful, can bind the hands of the Almighty. What is there that God can do, which Prayer cannot do? O mighty, I had almost said, Almighty Prayer! What a hand is that which can hold omnipotence? What wings are those that can overtake infiniteness▪ Yet alas, we may now mourn over Prayer, as David did over Jonathan; lHow are the mighty fallen! Prayer hath lost her force with God, when God is angry with prayer. Her wings are clipped, that she cannot mount: Her bow is broken; she cannot shoot an arrow that reaches the mark. mShe is become a widow, as it was lamented over Jerusalem, desolate and solitary, that was a Princess among the Provinces, and a Queen among the nations. She sits weeping in the dust, and hath almost forgot the use of speech. She mourns not so much for Mary's abstulerunt Dominum, for she knows where to find him; as that our sins ⟨p. 28⟩Abstulerunt Domini favorem, and she knows not how to pacify him: And how should she, when God is angry with his people that prayeth? Where is the strength of this Samson? What is become of that power, which was wont to command heaven and earth? The visible heavens have been opened by prayer: