In France, the time was when their persecution was great, and their fears many ; then they did trust on the king of NavaiTe, Oh what great matters he would do ; but he failed them at their need. God indeed paid him home for disappointing the prayers and hopes of his people. Why did God suffer this ? We may imagine this as a main cause, lest they should too much exalt the means, and say, the king of Navarre, the king of Navarre, the prince of Conde hath done this (b). God did cashier them, and set up another means of his praise. Judges vii., Gideon's army likewise is brought from thirty-two thousand to one thousand, and yet the Lord says they are too many, he will save Israel by three hundred only. Why ? Lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, ' My own hand hath saved me.' He knows how ready we are to attribute and sacrifice the fat of the offering unto man, and set up the means, forgetting him, the author and fountain of all the good things we enjoy ; in all which and the like is verified, that which Saint Paul speaks, 1 Cor. i. 27, ' God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise ; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty ; and base things and naught, and things that are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are : that no flesh should glory in his presence ; but all the praise be of him, and to him.'
These are the causes why God doth answer our prayers so often by those means we do not trust unto. If we send in a message at one door, what if we go about to another for an answer ; let him appoint the means, and thy deliverance shall be so much the more speedy and comfortable. Many want comfort long for this causa, that they appoint unto themselves such and such means thereof. In afllictions, you shall have some say, Oh if I
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might speak with such and such a man I should be satisfied, he would ease my mind, when in the mean time, with this there is a sinful neglect of other men's ministry nearer, whose help we are bound to require. In this too much doating on the means, if we profit not, and our prayers remain unanswered, in this case, let us blame ourselves, who have prescribed him how to do his own work.
IV. The fourth circumstance is, the limitation of the manner of rj ranting.
We must distinguish of this,
(1.) First, God irill not be tied to the manner. Sometimes when we ask, God doth give just the same we ask for, as 1 Sam. i. 11, Hannah prayed for a man-child unto the Lord, and she was heard, obtaining Samuel. If not so, yet then the Lord may answer us in value, though not in kind, giving us as good as we have desired. This is all one, if one pay us a sum in silver, do we ask him why it is not in gold ? Moses, he desired to see the land of Canaan, God brought him not in thither, but yet he shews him it, Deut. xxxii, from the top of mount Nebo, whence he saw more of it by probability than he could have seen in- any place of the land. He had his desire in value, though not in kind. So 2 Cor. xii. 7, alluding to Judges ii. 3, where it is said the Canaanites should be as thorns in their sides. A thorn in the flesh was sent to buffet St Paul, called the messenger of Satan, against which he prayed and prayed again (for nothing doth more grieve the child of God than to be humbled and buffeted with base tempta- tions), but it was not removed. God's answer was, ' My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.' Paul had it in value though not in kind. So many times our prayers are heard when we least think and perceive the same, and the good we desire done us, as it were, against our will. As apothecaries and surgeons use to deal with us, 60 many times God deals with men ; when the plaster smarts, men cry to take it off, when in the mean time, by holding it on, the cure is done; and so it is with us, we cry out unto God to take away this pain, that he would pull away such a plaster, such a corrosive from us. Why ? Oh, say they, that we may serve him better, and yield him more obedience, when indeed, with holding thee to it, and by binding, as it were, this cross fast upon thee, the very same thing God worketh in thee.
(2.) Again, in prayer, you shall have many complaints of some. Oh that I had more life ! oh that I had more sense and feeling ! oh that this lumpish heaviness were removed ! when indeed the holding them off' and delaying them in this suit is the highway to help them to their suit.