CHrist being wonderfull in his Natiuity , wonderful in his Ascension , and wonderfull in his Transfiguration , is here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , beyond admiration by his miraculous works . In this Chapter are specified 4. seuerall miracles first , the cleansing of a leprous man , 2 the curing of a woman troubled with a feuer , 3 the healing of the Centurions seruant , and lastly , the strange appeasing of the wind : & therefore this is rightly called by S. Ambrose , Scriptura miraculosa . the miraculous Scri●●●●● . This miracle is record●● 〈◊〉 such as are either sicke , or troubled , or oppressed , or beset with any danger , that whatsoeuer storme of aduersity shall strike our sailes , or what calamitie soeuer shal befall vs , we may remember , that the blessed Disciples , euen the neerest and dearest to our Lord Iesus , haue tasted of the same whip afore vs ; therefore in them , as it were in a Christall Glasse , we may view the common state of Christs Church militant : It is like the Arke that floated vpon the waters , like the Lilly , that groweth among the thorns , like the bush that burnt , and was not consumed , like Christs shippe , in this place , couered ouer with waues , and yet not suncke , praemuntur iusti , vt pressi clament , clamantes exaudiantur , exauditi glorisicent Deum , saith Leo the first , the righteous are therefore pressed with sore afflictions , that they might cry vnto the Lord , and crying might be heard , and heard might glorifie God , pessima necessitas , optima or andi magistra , saith Bernard , the sharpest Bernard de pug spirit . perplexitie is the best Schoolemaster or mistresse of Prayer . When the Disciples once perceiued , that there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : a mightie storme , a shaking tempest , which strongly had inuironed them : when the Lord had sent forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a vehement whirlewind , or as Lorinus termeth it , plurium conflictum ventorum , a conflict of many winds , which all at once smote the shippe on euery part , and broght the swelling waues euery way vpon it , as if in an instant they would haue buried both ship and passengers in the surges : when the mercilesse Ocean vnder them was thus billowing , the brittle ship about them reeling , the Mariners for feare of shipwracke , lamentably shreeking , and Christ their only hope and helpe in the sterne fast sleeping , when this great ieopardie had euen almost seized on them all , Then his Disciples came vnto him , and awoke him , saying , Lord saue vs , we perish . In which words ( not tying my selfe to tread precisely in the exact steps of logicall rules ) for our better instruction , and further light , we may obserue foure generalls ; first , who procured this calme , ( his Disciples ) secondly , of whom Diuision , parts 4. Quis , à quo , quid , quomodo . did they procure it , of Christ , ( they came to him ) thirdly , the effect of their comming , ( they awoke him , ) lastly , the manner how they did awaken him , by prayer : the forme which they vsed being here expressed , Lord saue vs , we perish . Vpon all these I intend to treat somewhat orderly and briefly , according to Gods assistance , and the times permittance . To begin with the first : Then his Disciples came to him , ( then ) that is , when the sea thus raged , the ship thus tossed , the tacklings thus shattered , the passengers thus trembled and shaked , then and not afore , the Disciples came to him : first , they would make tryall , whether the winds would cease or decrease naturally , and the stormes calme of themselues , but when they saw all dangers increased in greater extremitie , and more grieuous vehemencie , when they thought themselues past all hope of recouery , when they despaired of their owne safetie , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , then , when the last waue was ready to sweepe them away , They came vnto him , and awoke him , saying , Lord saue vs , wee perish . Discipulorum serotina mora , sit Christianorum maxima cura : t was an ancient Fathers obseruation vpon this place . 1 Obseruation . The Disciples most dangerous delay , must minister a great caution to all Christians , willing them to be wary in the timous preuention both of present and future euills . Time me thinkes should yeeld vs ( in these our contagious and deadly times ) a strong perswasion of a timely returne vnto the right way : wee are all out by sinne , and therefore wee must beginne againe by repentance , that wee may regaine our peace with God in time : for when the time is past , periit spes nostra , our hope is gone , now it is time , yea time , the appointed time is come , momenti transitus , anni transitus , aeui transitus , once lost , and euer lost . Will you shew mercy to your soules , by repenting your sinnes ? Deferre not from day to day , Deterrior posterior dies , saith deuout Bernard , delay is dangerous , the longer the worse : say not with thy selfe , I will amend hereafter , for how knowest thou , whether hereafter thy heart shall be hardned , as was Pharaohs , Exod , 14 , 4. or whether the grace of the Holy Ghost shall bee taken from thee as it was from Saul . 1 Sam. 16 , 14. or whether thou shalt repent , and lament in vaine , as did Esau , Heb. 12. 17. or whether thou shalt crie peccaui too late with Iudas , Math. 27. 4. It is true , beloued , that our sins shall bee pardoned whensoeuer wee repent : but wee cannot repent , whensoeuer we will , because repentance is the gift of God , and wee haue not God at our command , but as Saint Augustine truly saith , Qui dat poenitenti veniam , non semper dat peccanti poenitentiam . God which alwayes pardoneth the repentant sinner , doth not alwaies giue repentance vnto sinners , but as they neglected him , so he reiecteth them , and suffereth them to heape vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath .

Strike therefore whilest the yron is hote , make hay while the Sun shineth , hoyse vp sailes whiles the wind bloweth , time and tide tarie for no man : Behold now the accepted time , behold now the day of saluation , 2 Cor. 6. 2. Now God calleth vs per beneficia , per flagella , per praedicatores , by his benefits , by his plagues and punishments , by his Embassadors , all continually wooing vs , to apply that most soueraigne medicine of repentance to these bitter wounds , which the sting of sin hath made in our soules . Oh! let vs not deferre , and put off this necessarie cure ! One hath said verie well : Qui veniam per poenitentiam Diez . loco de poenitentia . repromisit , diem crastinam ad poenitentiam non promisit . He that hath promised to pardon vs , if wee repent , hath not promised vs , that to morrow wee shall repent . Wherefore let vs lay aside all excuses and delayes , lest by little and little wee grow key cold in loue , & rustie in sin : prolong not an houre , nay , not a moment , for the clouds of Gods ance may in an instant ouer-cast thy soule , and in ictu oculi in the twinckling of an eye , the plague tokens of the Lords wrath may take a deadly impression in thy body , and then furor arma ministrat , his fierce anger will quickly afford him weapons , & as Lactantius saith , tarditatem irae , grauitate supplicij compensabit , he will requite the slownesse of his wrath with the seueritie of his vengeance : for quanto diutiùs Deus expectat , tanto grauiùs vindicat : Aug. serm. 102 de tempore . how much the longer God expects and waits for our conuersion , so much the more grieuously wil he be auenged vpon vs , if we repent nor . Serior esse solet vindicta , seuerior : God vseth to come to punish on leaden feet , but hee payeth home with iron hands , hee will reach them far , and he will smite them full . And therefore to day if you will heare his voice harden not your hearts , deferre not till the last gaspe , for , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : vnseasonable good is not good at all , vntimely sacrifice auaileth not , prayer , that commeth out of time , is like a messe of meat set vpon the graue when the dead is no what the better for it .

How might I ( beloued ) vrge vnto you in all your weightiest affaires the presentest prensation , and speediest apprehension of the very forelocke of Time , but Cintheus aurem vellit , Time calls mee to the pursuit of my text .

It followeth in these words , ( his Disciples ) then his Disciples came to him : Disciple , is properly a Latine word , and doth signifie in English a Scholar , or learner : from the verbe Disco . The originall also is of the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Disco . expression : so that in a generall nification , all that professed the Gospel of Christ , were called his Disciples : but more strictly they onely did beare the name of his Disciples , who were learners of his Doctrine , Professors of his life & conuersation , & Preachers of both to others : and they were of two sorts ; first , and of a lower order , the 70 sent forth two and two before his face , into euery city , & place , whither he himself would come to preach the Gospell , and worke miracles , as they are specified by the Euangelist , Lu. 10. 1. who these 70 Disciples were though Eusebius , Epiphanius , and others , tell vs ; yet in the Gospell their names are concealed , and Christ bade them reioyce , that their names were written in Heauen , Luke 10. 20.

The other , and higher order , were the twelue Apostles , many times called his Disciples , and made knowne by their names . Mat. 10. 1. Mar. 315. Luk. 9. 1 , 5. Tertullian , Ierom , and other learned Diuines , say ; herein the truth answered ancient types , Tertul. cont. Marci . l. 4. cap. 24. both of the twelue Patriarkes , and seuentie Elders , called their Sanedrim , as some , the 70 soules that came with Iacob into Aegypt : Ierom , Epist ad Fabi olam Mansio . 6. others , the twelue fountaines of Water , and seuentie Palme-trees in Elim . Who those Disciples were that came to Christ by Prayer in this extremitie of perill , is a question , because the text doth not cleare it : but out of all doubt they were Disciples , not one , or two , but ( as farre as may bee gathered ) euen all the Apostles ; and great reason , for as the penitent theife said to his fellow , they were all in the same condemnation : if the Luk 23. 40 ship had suncke into the waues they had all perished , Lord , saue vs , we perish . And therefore not onely Peter , Iames and Iohn , though counted Pillars , and in Gal. 2. 9. Mat. 17. 1. Mar. 5. 37. many things preferred before the rest , but all , goe to Christ to further the common good , and to helpe by their prayers to procure the common saluation . Yet take notice by the way , that as all the Disciples came , so none but Disciples came , and their comming was not tam passibus corporis , quam fide cordis , saith venerable Beda : not so much with the feet of their bodies , as by the faith of their hearts : hereby giuing vs to vnderstand 2 Obseruation . whose prayers are so powerfull with God to remoue both a publike and priuate calamitie , either from themselues or others : not the prayers of enemies to God , and alienates from the house of Israel , but of faithfull friends , fauourites and constant followers of our blessed Sauiour The Lord heareth the praiers of the righteous , and his eares are open to their cries , he will fulfill the desires of such as feare him , he is nigh to such as call on him in faith , Psal. 145 , 18. quia juxta mensuram fidei , erit mensura impetrandi , saith Ambrose , because the more faith we haue , the more grace wee shall receiue : therefore Christ teacheth vs to say Our Father , to make vs confident of obtaining , and concludeth with Amen , significare indubitanter à Domino conferri , quod fide petitur , to signifie , that wee shall vndoubtedly receiue whatsoeuer we faithfully desire , saith Saint Augustine .

It was Abraham the friend of Iam 2. 23. Gen. 18. Penult. Heb. 3. 6 : Exo. 32. 10. God that preuailed so much with his prayer for the Sodomites . It was his faithfull seruant Moses , would not let him alone , but stood vp in the breach , & turn'd away Gods anger , that he could not destroy the people , as he said Psal: 106. 23. It was religious Iosuah , that by his prayer commanded the Sunne and Moone to stand in the firmament Iosh. 10. 12. It was feruent Elijah whose tongue was Froenum coeli saith Austin , the bridle of heauen ; opening , and shutting it by Iam 5. 17. Numb. 25. 13. Psal. 106. 30. his prayer . It was zealous Phineas , that prayed and so the plague ceased . And the Apostle concludeth in generall , it is the praier of the righteous man that so much auaileth , Iam. 5. 16. Tūcor nostrum fiduciam in oratione accepit , cum sibi vitae prauitas nulla contradicit , therefore the godly haue confidence that God will bee answerable to their requests , because they are correspondent to his will , and then doe they stedfastly rely vpon the grant of their Petitions , when there is no prauity of life , nor any wickednesse of conuersation to contradict their profession saith Gregory in his Morals : and therefore St. Basil saith , that a prayer should bee filled vp , non tam syllabis , quam operibus , not so much with words , as with works ; because God heareth not sinners Acts 12. 7. but their best prayers ( as the Prophet speaketh ) are Psal. 109 , 6 turned into sin , and when they send them vp to the Almighty for Oratio de carne pudica , de anima innocenti , de spiritu sancto offerenda . Tertul . Apolog. cap , 30. a blisse , they double but a curse , for vsing his sacred name in their mouthes , and hating to be reformed : no matter therefore whether the wicked pray or no ? yea all their fasting , praying , and crying , not worth a straw , but oh ye meeke , ye true Disciples , yee that haue your hearts sprinkled from an euill conscience , and bodies washed with pure water ; ye Heb. 10. 11. that haue cleane hands & a pure Psal. 24. 4. heart , yee are Gods fauourites , pray for a calme ; ye are the Chariots 2 king 2. 12. and horsmen of Israel , stand in the gap day and night , keepe not silence , and giue the Lord no rest , till hee haue mercy on Esay 62. 6. Sion , and hath taken his sore plague from Ierusalem : So much for the first part , viz , the persons procuring this calme ( his Disciples . )

Now secondly , to whom goe they ? where doe they seeke it ? ( to him , ) that is , to Christ , their Lord and Master . The Heathenish Ionah 1. 5. Mariners in Ionahs storme did cry euery man to his God . In nothing were the Gentiles more sottish then in this , ascribing particular tutelar gods , to particular places : Babylon had Belus ; Egypt , Isis ; Athens had Minerua ; and Ephesus , Diana : The Caldeans had Baal ; Sidonians Ashteroth ; Ammonits Moloch or Milcom ; Moabites , Chamos ; Syrians , Rimmon ; and Philistims , Dagon : Yea , the Elements had Other Countries had other gods , the Reliques whereof are recorded by Tertullian in Apol. c. 23. Angelici quia in Angelorum cultum inclinati . Ang. de bar . c. 39. Angelici vocati , quia angeles colunt . Isidor . Origen . l. ● . c. s. their seuerall gods , to rule ouer them : as the Heauen had Iupiter , the Aire Iuno , the Sea Neptune , & Hell Pluto : yea , for euery purpose & occasion , for euery time & season , they had one god or other to call vpon . And doe not the Antichristian Angelites , or Angeliques rather ( for so doth Saint Augustine , and Isidore name those heretiks , that either did adore , or were inclined to the worship of Angels ) parallel the Ethnicks in euery respect ? nay , doe they not transcend them in folly , as much as their Hyperdulia to the Virgin Mary , doth their Dulia to common Saints ? Surely many learned Authors will make them confesse no lesse : for what Arithmetician is so perfect in the calculations of the Algebra , that I ooke Francis de Croy. G. ARTH. in his three Cōformities . cap 4 , 5. he can number the infinitenesse of diuers Patrons , Aduocates , and tutelar Saints , whom they haue canonized , for the vse of euerie Countrey , place , creature , and disease . Our Disciples are better taught ( Poperie was not then hatched , nor this point of invocation knowne in the Church , for the space of 360 yeares together after the birth of our Sauiour ) they doe not in this dangerous storme and tempest , invocate Saint Grache , St. Barbara , Saint Alivirgo , Saint Andoche , or Saint Nicholas : no nor Noah , Moses , or Ionah , who had beene indangered by Seas , and waters before , but they come to Christ the true and only Lord of Sea , and Land , and all : whose President must bee our imitation , whose patterne 3 Obseruation . must be our direction , guiding vs to call on God onely in our dayes of trouble , that hee may heare vs , and we may praise his most glorious name . Rome would make vs beleeue , that during the time of Pestilence wee must pray vnto none but Saint Sebastian , and his successor Saint The latter pestilent God is worshipped in Venice . Roche , Saints inuented to intercede against such a deadly disease : wilfully and directly opposing & contradicting the command and counsell of the Lord of Hostes , Psal. 50. 15. Call on me in the day of thy trouble , & I will deliuer thee : Athanasius hath obserued that Dauid , Athan. ●rat. 4. cont. Arian pag. 260 though oftentimes plunged into many perplexities , and beset with those prim weapons of the Lords wrath , the sword , famine and pestilence , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : yet hee neuer prayed vnto any other , but God himselfe for his deliuerance . Could Isis or any other God or goddesse haue freed Pharaohs land from those ten plagues , sent vpon them for open rebellion ? surely then the Magicians might haue preuailed : but that Iehouah who was the Egyptians onely punisher , was the Israelites onely deliuerer : and the same Lord , whose iustice was the reuenger of our sinnes by this mortall disease ; his all-sufficient mercy can onely succour , aide and deliuer vs . And therefore let vs all with weeping , fasting and praying , returne vnto God , and say with Saint Augustine , Cui alteri praeter Aug. Confess . lib. 1. cap. 5. te clamabimus ; To whom else should wee cry in our sore afflictions besides thee : and with Chrysostome , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; Chrysost. in 1 Cor. Hom. 1. Let vs not mediate this Saint , or that Saint , this Angell , or that Angel , but onely the name of the Lord Iesus .

There are three vnanswerable Reasons 3. reasons why we should only pray to God ; first , because hee 1. Because he is onely omniscient onely is omniscient , that is , such a one , as knoweth all things : he that heareth our prayers must be able to search the secrets of our hearts , and discerne the inward disposition of our soules , for the pouring out of good words , & the offering vp of externall sighes and teares , are but the carkasse only of a true praier ; the life there of consisteth in the pouring out of the very soule it Psal. 62. 8. 1 Sam. 1. 13 , 15. Rom. 8. 26. Rom 8. 27. selfe , and the sending vp of those secret groant of the spirit which cannot be vttered . But the Godhead onely searcheth the hearts , and onely hee knoweth what is minde of the spirit : he heareth in Heauen his dwelling place , and giueth to euery man according to his wayes , for hee , euen hee onely knoweth the hearts of all the children of men , as Solamon teacheth vs in the prayer , 2 Chron. 6. 30. which hee made at the Dedication of the Temple . May not therefore Romish Doctors worthilie bee taxed , from whom mentall prayers are presented to the Saints as well as vocall : and with whom they are beleeued to receiue both the one and the other .

Me thinkes Anselmus Laudunensis in his interlineall Glosse vpon that Text , Abraham is Augustinus dicit , quia mortut nesciunt , eti am sancti , quid agant vivi , etiam eorum sil●● Gloss. interlineal . in Esai . 63. ignorant of vs , and Israel knoweth vs not , ( Esa. 63. 16. ) should make them blush for shame , where he noteth , that Augustine sayth , that the dead , euen the Saints , doe not know what the liuing doe , no not their owne sonnes : with whom concordeth Hugo de Sancto Victore , in his booke de spiritu & anima , Aug de cura pro mortuis cap. 13. cap. 29. Ibi sunt spiritus defunctorum , vbi non vident quaecunque aguntur , aut eveniunt in ista vita hominibus . The spirits of the dead bee there , where they doe neither see , nor heare the things that are done or fall out vnto men in this life . And if they are ignorant of outward acts and gestures , then much more of inward requests and motions : therefore seeing , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , God alone searcheth the reines , and beholdeth the hidden things , as Athanasius speaketh ; Let vs conclude this reason with that golden sentence of Dauid , O thou that hearest prayer , vnto thee Psal 65. 2. shall all flesh come .

Secondly , we must call onely vpon God , because hee onely is omnipotent , which can onely helpe vs . None but the Almightie could haue deliuered Israel out of Egypt , that house of bondage and furnace of affliction : Exod. 13. 3 Daniel out of the Lions Dan. 6. 5 , 13 , 22 , 28. Zach. 3. 2 , ●d 5. denne : Iehoshua out of that long Captiuitie of the Iewes : Ioseph out of the pit , slauery , and false slanders : Moses , Ieremie , Paul and Peter out of their varietie of persecutions and troubles : And therefore those Prophets , Apostles , and holy men of God did cry vnto God onely , to saue and deliuer them .

A third reason as pregnant and forcible as the two former , is obserued by Saint Augustine , Quoniam creaturae exhiberemus Aug lib. 1. ●ont . Max. cam seruitutem , quae vni tantum debetur Deo : because in so doing we should wrong our selues in giuing that to creatures , weh is due onely to the Creator : but why should I alledge any mortall men , when as all Christians haue beene taught from God himselfe , that no part of his worship is to bee communicated vnto any creature : For it is written , Math. 4. 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God , and him onely shalt thou serue . But prayer is such a principall part of this seruice , that it is vsually put for the whole , or at least , as Lactantius doth most truly say , Summus colendi Lactant. de vero cultu . l 6. c. 25. f. 399. Dei ritus est , exore iusti hominis ad Deum directa laudatio : the chiefest part of Gods worship is an humble faithfull prayer and praises out of the mouth of a righteous man : and therefore Saint Paul setting downe the whole armour of a Christian , putteth prayer as the chiefest part of all : and so Zanchius saith Zanch. in c. 6. ad Eph. that this is Optimum genus , ideoque vltimo ab Apostolo armaturae explicatum ; the best part of all our Christian weapons , and therefore last expressed by the Apostle , because that vnlesse Gods helpe be craued by prayer , reliqua arma parum prosunt , all the other armour will auaile vs nothing : and therefore Clemens Alexandrinus might very well conclude , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; Clem. Alex. lib. 7. stromat . Wee doe not without cause honour God by prayer , and with righteousnesse send vp this best and holiest sacrifice . Wherunto learned Ignatius hath added a monon in his sixt Epistle to Philadelphia , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; haue God alone before your eyes in your praiers : and great reason , for to be prayed vnto , is so proper vnto a Deitie , that to giue it to any creature is truly iudged sacrilegious impietie , which robs God of his glorie , Christ of his office , & the agent himselfe of saluation : and God himselfe , to signifie no lesse to the whole generation of Adam , hath giuen the publike place of his worship the denomination Esay . 56. 7. For denominatio fit à principaliore causa . of the House of Prayer .

And therefore concerning the blessed Virgin , wee honor her name , wee reuerence her memoriall , and with all generations wee call her blessed : but to pray vnto her wee may boldly say with Saint Bernard , libenter certe gloriosa Uirgo tali honore carebit , The glorious Virgin is willingly content to want such honour .

Likewise of the blessed Angels and Saints , wee gladly confesse , that their commemoration , is like the composition of the perfume , that is made by the Art of the Apothecarie ; it is as sweet as honey in all our mouthes , and more delightfull then Musicke at a banquet of Wine : and as for the triumphant Saints , whilest that they were concumbitants in the Church militant , wee willingly did enioy them as our fellow-souldiers , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 striuing Ro. 15. 30. together with vs , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , helping together with their 2 Cor. 1. 11. prayers to God for vs , yea , and being receiued vp vnto glorie , Honorandi sunt propter imitationem , non adorandi propter religionem ; they are to bee honoured for imitation , not to bee adored Vide Aug. lib. de quantitale anima & de moribus Eccles. Catholica , et Manieh lib. 1. cap. 30. for religion , saith Saint Augustine : to inuocate any of them wee haue neither precept from God , nor practice in the ancient Church , nor promise in Gods word , to bee heard , and they themselues cannot possibly deserue it , neyther doe they in the least manner desire it . But if it were possible for them to heare such vnlawfull prayers of men , they would with both hands ( as wee say ) put them from them , and labor to purge themselues from such flat Idolatry , with their song of obedience , Not vnto vs Lord , not vnto vs , Psal. 115. 1. but to thy name be such honour ascribed .

But our Romish Doctors , to maintaine their inuocations of celestiall Spirits , do cozen simple people now a daies , ( as their predecessors did the Christians in the Apostles times ) vnder the Col. 2. 18. pretence of humilitie , saying , Uide Theod. ibid , that the God of al things was inuisible & inaccessible , & incomprehensible : and therefore ( as Theodoret testifieth ) they counselled their followers to procure Gods fauour by the meanes of Angels : like as the heathen Idolaters , to couer the shame of their neglecting of God , were wont , miser a vti excusatione , dicentes , Ambr. in Rom. cap. 1. Per istos posse ire ad Deum , sicut per Comites pervenitur ad Regem , saith Ambrose , to vse this miserable excuse , that by these they might goe to God , as by Officers we goe to the King . The very selfe same rag our Romanists haue borrowed from them to couer their superstition with , that the wickednes thereof might not appeare . But Saint Ambrose hath met well with them , and sufficiently discouered the vanitie of such a grosse and carnall imagination : Men ( saith he ) go to Kings by Courtiers , quia homo vtique est Rex , because the King is but a man ; ad Deum autem quem nihil latet promerendum Copiosiùs legas apud Ambr. in Rom. cap. 1. suffragatore non opus est , sed mente devota ; but as for the Lord , from whom nothing is hid , wee need no spokes man to make him fauorable vnto vs , onely there is required a deuout minde . But aboue all others , S. Chrysostome may suffice an indifferent Reader , dashing all such replies with this full answer , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ,

Chrysost. in dimission . Chananaea . Tom. 5. edit. Savig . pag. 195.

Vide cund . Serm. 7. de poenitent . Tom. 6. edit. Savil. pag. 802. & in Psal. 4 :