inlarge our heartes and soules to receiue the vse of these things that assured of wil and assured of power our praiers in fayth may pearce thy dwelling place win our good on Christ for euermore Amen Secondly these words serue to lift vp our hearts and minds from all earthly base and lowe conceites of the Lorde Yea euen to set vs as it were out of our selues and beyonde all remembraunce either of body or soule in our heauenly eleuation of inward powers to that throne so high glorious the seat of that mightie God we pray vnto And cōsequently to make vs aske nothing of him that might bee vnseeming so imperiall a maiestie to deale in and care for But euer to remember that hee being in heauen and wee in earth hee holy and we vnholy hee glory and we shame hee God and wee men it is true that the Prophet sayth his thoughts are not our thoughtes his wayes our wayes But as the heauens are mightier then the earth so are his wayes higher then our wayes and his thoughts aboue our thoughtes To which end it serued also in the Church of olde as Cyprian witnesseth that the Pastor being about to make publique prayers should cry to thee people Sursum corda Lift vp your hearts And the people did answere Habemus ad Dominum Wee lift them vp vnto the Lorde thereby declaring that they thought of no base and earthly lowe matters but of the Lorde and the Lorde in heauen euen as wee do and are euer taught to do by these wordes Which is in heauen Thirdly they serue to strike vs not a litle but euer thorow and thorow with a reuerence of his maiestie whom wee pray vnto For heauen and the height of heauen is his dwelling place and we ought most earnestly euer to thinke of it that wee may come humbly to him This caused the seruants of God not only to crouche their bodyes but to bowe their heartes when they came before him euen the knees of their hearts as thinking neuer their reuerence great inough towarde so mightie a God Heauen is his earth is his hell is his al is his Deuouring fire goeth before his face and mightie tempestes are stirred vp about him He rideth vpon the heauens as it were vpon an horse yea the earth shaketh the heauens drop at the presence of him His charets are twentie thousande euen thousands of Angels It is he that commaundeth the waters it is this glorious God that maketh the thunder It is hee that ruleth the sea it is his voyce that is mightie in operation yea and a glorious voyce Such a voyce as breaketh the Cedar trees yea the Cedars of Libanus such a voyce as deuideth the flames of fire and shaketh the wildernes euen the wildernes of Cades Let vs make hast therefore with the great seruant of God Moses and bow our selues to the earth and worship yea let vs in the true conceit and reuerence of this mightie maiestie couer as it were our faces with our mantels when we pray vnto him So shall we come before him rightly and shew the vse of his glorious dwelling in the heauens noted vnto vs. But alas where is it with thousands thousands that yet take thēselues to be great Christians We clap our selues downe to pray and we thinke of any thing rather then of the mightie maiestie of him before whom wee are come and and therefore we gaze here and gaze there wee note this man and that woman their gesture their apparell yea the least toy especially strange about them And yet wee pray well we huddle and tumble vp in hast the labour of lippes without touch of hart and the faster the better wee long to haue done for feare dinner bee marred and yet we pray well Wee gape and wee yawne we hem and we hawke not for necessitie of nature which is allowed but in the drowsines of our Spirits and to shew our authoritie we are chiefe men in the Church c. and yet we pray well But O we sencelesse wretches in this behalfe for then come we rightly before the Lorde as we learne here when remembring that hee is in heauen that is of such glory maiestie and power as hath bene declared wee throwe downe our soules and bodies in al reuerence and comly feare before him speaking to him as dust and ashes to the immortall king of heauen and earth humbly euen with a reuerent trembling as it were and affection of al our partes leasurely carefully heartily and with all true properties and testimonies of a mind considering the puissance the might the glory and imperiall maiestie of him to whom wee speake Which whether these things that I named declare in vs or no let all christian hearts be iudges It is too true they conuince vs of the contrary and therefore euen in dread of their witnesse to our wo at the day of doome let vs leaue them and vse the place of prayer as we should in all humble lowly and possible reuerence We are so willed and by Christ himselfe that shall iudge vs if wee doe not To this end wee say it euer thinke of it which art in heauen Lastly this notation of the place where our God dwelleth teacheth vs that our Prayers are not tyed to any certaine place as in olde times neither bettered by any place be it this mountaine or Ierusalem or whatsoeuer But the hower commeth yea now is that the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth and in euery place haue libertie and leaue to lift vp pure handes to his maiestie in euery place he sayth and marke it And why so For our God is in heauen and heareth euery where without respect of place now I meane without respect of place as then touching any commaundement from him of particular place but not hereby to ouerthrowe any ciuill order for better meeting together in appoynted Churches of Gods people Yet euen herein beware Superstition againe a fresh in respect of place more than elswhere when true warrant beareth me out as wel there then as in the Church at other times to make my prayer But of Churches and publique meetings there enough hath bene sayd before Where it may be read againe if you will Great is the vse I see well of this short preface so often said so little thought of but now I pray you let mee aske a question doth not this inuocation of God by the name of Father exclude both the other persons Sonne and holie Ghost from both our speech and meaning No indeede for the name of Father being opposed to creatures is taken essentially not personally and agreeth rightly to all the three persons in Trinitie being in essence nature and substance one and so is it here But if it bee put and ioyned with any other person of the Trinitie then is it not taken essentially
Preacher say that he had beheld an euill vnder the sunne and it was a great one much amongst men euē a man to whom God hath giuen riches and treasures honour and hee wanteth nothing for his soule of all that it desireth but God giueth him not power to eat therof but a straunge man shall eate it vp Sée you and marke it howe God is not onely the giuer of riches but euen of the vse also power to eat of them which gift he bestoweth and withholdeth at his pleasure The rich man layd vp for many yeeres but the Lord would not haue him to liue and inioy then the things he had the vse hee had not longer then God gaue it But euen when hee least thought his soule was called for and then like a foole he had heaped too much vp for other men This is that which the wise Syrach sayth Some man is rich by his care and nigardship and this is the portion of his wages meaning his reward is to haue them but not to vse them for when he should beginne to eate of them the time draweth neere that hee must leaue al these things vnto other men and dye him selfe Wherefore I say praying in this petition not onely for the things but euen also for the vse comfort Whē we say giue wee are taught that euen the vse also is of the Lord. And thus do you see what great profite this one worde hath in this petition and what we may learne by it Why do wee say giue vs and not giue me First to teach vs to remember our brethren as well as our selues to bee carefull for them and to wish them all needfull things as to our selues according to the true nature of Christian charitie which seeketh not her owne things onely but euen other mens also as well Which when it is considered what O Lord may those men say for the quiet of their consciences that haue neuer enough themselues but euen as if God and all his blessing belonged only to them and that they only should dwell in the world alone rake and scrape to themselues with might and mayne but of their brethren they neuer thinke No so farre are they from praying for them that God would giue them their daylie bread as that if they haue any part or portion of it they are hartely desirous to haue it from them yea sicke vpon their beddes often as was wicked Achab till they haue gotten Naboths vineyard inheritance do these men pray Da nobis Giue vs good Lorde our daylie bread that is giue my brethren as well as to my owne soule what is néedfull to them giue al thy children as to me their daylie wants No no if they might say it for shame they would say giue mée all and let the rest receiue of me if they will haue ought But what they shame to say they shame not to wish and therefore as often as they say this prayer they abuse the Lord and it is his mercie that presently hée striketh not so great hypocrisie as to say vs with lippes as if they meant many and mee with heart meaning but themselues Learne therefore beloued by a common word to haue a common hart It liketh the Lord that wee loue our brethren and it liketh him not that we loue only our selues We say not giue me but giue vs and let vs doe thereafter euen ioyne them in prayer with our selues and wish them bread as to our selues that is all necessaries Secondly wee are by this maner of speaking taught the true vse of such portion as God giueth vs namely so to haue it as that others haue part with vs. For wee are but Stewards of the Lords gifts And non tibi soli datur quod habes sed per te dat Deus alijs It is not giuen what thou hast to thy selfe alone but by thee GOD giueth the same to others His minde being that thou shouldest so impart them Thy meate is giuen to comfort others as thou mayst and a ioy it will be if thou canst say with Iob I haue not eaten my morsels alone but the fatherlesse hath eaten with me Thy wooll is giuen thée to clothe the naked and a comfort great it is when a man may say with Iob againe I haue seene none perish for want of clothing neither any poore without a couering but their loynes haue blessed me because they were clothed with y e fliece of my sheepe Iob had lodging and he thought it giuen to releeue the straunger he had authoritie and he thought it giuen to helpe the poore in iudgement not to oppresse them And so euer haue others of Gods children possessed for others not onely for themselues what the Lorde bestowed vppon them Wherefore if no other mouth should euer iudge thē their owne mouthes sufficiently charge all miserable wretches and wretched misers of this earth as often as they pray this prayer because they say giue vs in the plurall number and yet where they haue receiued they vse it scarce in the singular number being so farre from releeuing others with any comfort they haue as that they little may finde in their harts often to reléeue themselues Let vs be warned before wee smart for wretchednesse Wee pray not for our selues alone but for others we receiue not for our selues alone but for others and therefore let vs impart the Lords giuen graces both to our selues and to others So shal we shew our selues children of our heauenly father who is bountifull to all and hard to none dealing his gifts in such fauour and fulnesse euer that all tongues may speake of his praise and all harts conceiue of his mercie That God and Father make vs like him in this and all our dueties Amen The Prayer MIghtie GOD most louing Lorde after thinges concerning thy glorie it is thy gracious fauour to vs frayle wretches that we should boldly aske what concerneth our necessities and wants promising euen therein also to be merciful vnto vs and to heare our prayers Wherefore both in obedience to thy commaundement and faith in thy promises wee throw downe our selues here before thee beseech thee to giue vs this day our daily bread that is good Lord as thou hast taught vs all things needfull to the maintenance of this life Giue vs meate drinke and clothing for our bodies Giue vs of the dew of heauen and fatnesse of the earth as thy blessed pleasure shall vouchsafe vs to our good If it please thee to giue more O Lorde make vs thankfull and faithful stewards to dispose thy mercies to our brethren that shall haue neede If it please thee to giue lesse chaunging thy hand to bring vs with thy seruaunt Moses out of the Court to keepe a flock of sheepe and with Dauid from high fauours to many feares O God and father mercifull euen with that portion of bread
I haue sworne by my self the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse shall not returne that euery knee shall bowe vnto me c. In respect of our selues Prayer is necessarie if either wee consider the manifold woes and sorrowes which at times shall nippe our harts lying there and euen grating and grinding our inwards to pouder by day and by night till we haue eased our selues by Prayer and powred them into the lappe of the Lorde with suite for comfort and redresse or the infinite necessities of this wretched life which albeit the Lord is mercifull and readie to giue euen before wee doe aske yet good reason wee should aske them and euer bound to that gracious God that vpon asking will vouchsafe to giue them What hellish gripes of wringing woe do we thinke the seruant of God Dauid felt when ouer and ouer he mentioneth the sadnesse of his soule What Iob when the arrowes of the Almightie did stick in him the venome wherof did drinke vp his spirit and when the terrors of God did fight against him when he shriked out with mournfull voyce what my shrinking hande doth shake to pen O that I might haue my desire and that GOD would graunt me the thing that I long for And what was that O fearefull It followeth that GOD would destroy me that he would let his hand goe and cut me off What the persecuted Prophet when hee would so gladly dye What Ionas in the bellie of hell as he calleth it what thousands ten thousands of Gods children euer daily whilest the world indureth And how haue they bene eased doe we not see Euen by throwing themselues at the feete of the Lord powring out by Praier their greeuous complaints into the bosome of their gracious GOD whose eare harkened whose heart pitied and whose hande euer in his good time eased their shoulders from the burthen to their comfort Therefore Prayer in this respect wee see most necessary For the other we know the Scriptures also Aske saith God and you shall haue If hauing then be necessarie in respects of wants necessarie is also asking that is praying in respect of hauing So looke we at woes or looke we at wants necessary in respect of our selues is Prayer Goe we lastly to our Brethren and wee are commaunded to let our light shine before them to their example and confirmation Of which light this is a notable parte and braunch our often zealous and religious Prayer and therefore euen in respect of them also necessarie Thirdly the vtilitie and profite of it would very duely and earnestly of Gods children be considered wherein the saying may haue fit and proper place Aeque pauperibus prodest locupletibus aeque Aeque neglectum pueris senibusque nocebit That is It gayneth good to poore and rich if vse thereof be free And hurteth youth aswell as age neglected if it bee The Scripture woonderfully layeth downe the benefite of this holy exercise not in one or two respects but euen in euerie thing that may befall the childe of God in this life In afflictions as partly hath bene shewed it easeth the hart it staieth our steps still readie to slide into impatience it perswadeth the Lord it winneth his mercy and bringeth his gotten comfort at time appoynted to the panting soule all breathlesse almost in the scortching heate of such triall as pleaseth God to send And therefore pray saith our Sauiour Christ continually that ye may be coūted worthy to escape al these things that shal come to passe that ye may stand before the sonne of man But what things are they O reade and consider that singular Chapter see the fruit of Prayer False Christs shall come and deceiue to their endlesse woe thousands and thousands but pray wee to God against this fearefull fall and wee shall escape Warres and seditions shall bee heard of and seene dreadfull and terrible but pray to God and they shall not hurt vs no not once make vs iustly afraid Though it be nation against nation kingdome against kingdome though the earth shake and tremble in diuers places and we see hunger and pestilence and fearefull things and great signes in heauen aboue vs yet pray wee to GOD our guide and strength and we shall escape If hands be layd vpon vs persecuted and taken and deliuered vp to the Sinagogues and Prisons and brought before Kings and Rulers for the Lord Iesus sake pray wee to the same our gracious God and his word is past these shall all turne vnto vs for a testimoniall and not hurt vs. If we want learning knowledge or vtterance so that we feare of a truth any weake defence pray we to him that in weaknesse is strong and the power he hath promised both of speach and knowledge shall binde the very deuill that he cannot stirre and with the head the members with the Captaine the Souldiours with their life all the limmes so that not all the kingdome of perdition if their force could bee ioyned against the poorest man or woman of vs that euer shall professe Iesus shall bee able to resist or speake against vs. Let our deare Parents that brought vs into this world seeke by cruell vyolence in hatred against a truth to throw vs out of the same againe and our owne brethren kinsmen and friends betray vs and kill vs if it please God wee being hated euen of all men for the Lorde Iesus sake pray we still stedfastly vnto our God and if he bee the Lorde that hath made the heauen and earth whose word is truth and abideth for euer there shal not one heare of our heads perish but in patience comfortablie we may possesse our soules Let Hierusalem bee besieged that is our natiue land and countrie our townes and houses in which we dwell a token that desolation is neere let the heauie woman so great with childe begin to sigh for her selfe and weepe with woe for her deare birth within her with shiuering shrinkes to thinke of bloudie Speare to spit her sprauling babe vpon let our nation and people disobeying the Lord in the time of peace fall vpon the edge of the sword and be caried captiue into all Countries and our stately Cities Castles and Towers be troden vnto dust yea let the Sunne and the Moone and all the Starres of Heauen threaten by their fearefull signes the approching dreadfull wrath of God to men trouble and perplexitie bee vpon earth the Sea and the waters rore and mens hearts faile them for feare looking after those things that shall come vpon the worlde the very powers of heauen being shaken and the Sonne of man appearing in the Cloudes with mightie power and glorie yet let vs pray with a chearefull voyce and send out our faith to the Lord of life as we are euer bidden and amidst all
bée vsed and our soules prepared therevnto by some fit meditation of it before Prayer This wanted the proud Pharisie therefore his prayer sheweth no zeale nor heate as the humble hart that commeth creeping to the Lord in humilitie confessing greefe for sinne and speaketh as one doth to him that hath no cause to giue but great and many to withholde Euer therefore bée carefull of this to kéepe vppon your soule as vpon a trée that you would haue growe broade and large but not high a weight of her owne true vnworthinesse and certainely you shall finde the power of it in quickening affection when you pray great The seconde meanes is a true consideration of the things that we aske for how profitable expedient and good for vs they are howe bad wee are without them c. By which thinges there shall growe in our hartes an heate and prayer for them more earnest and if this be wanting wée pray in an order and a forme but zeale is away forasmuch as wee knowe no great hurte if we spéede not and if ou◠wordes be more vehement than the true and simple desire of the thinges prayed for doth procure it is mockerie such as the Lorde will punish And therefore let this be an other Christian meanes carefullie vsed euer as we may in our prayers to worke a right affection in vs euen so much as euer wée can to consider of the things we want and aske before we aske them Then when we sée these two to wit our vnworthinesse to receiue and the benefite of the gift let the thirde be a true viewe of the want of any vnder meanes in this worlde to compasse our desire by or if we haue any as friendes riches and such like yet the great inabilitie that is in them all vnlesse the Lorde say Amen giue his blessing to their labours and prosper their indeuours for vs. For thus againe will growe a feruentnesse in our affections and a right godly zeale in our prayers Yea the more emptie that we come before the Lord in this respect the more life hath our Prayers alwaies For he that in truth doubteth his helpe at home to bee sufficient his suite for reliefe abroad will be more earnest He that secretly shrinketh to the conceipt of the power of any second cause whatsoeuer to giue him any good by and cleaueth not only to the Lord in a Christian renounciation of all the meanes in the world further then hee will vouchsafe to blesse them his Prayer shall be colde and more frosen as resting vpon other matters aswell as vpon his prayer and if he speede neuer so thankfull to the Lord neither Therefore you see a third care of the childe of God if he will haue his prayer pithie euen to emptie his hart of al such earthly bondage as we haue spoken of to goe to his knees either without them in déede or without any trust and confidence in them further then the Lorde shall strengthen them to him and for him A fourth is an eye to the sweete promises of God concerning the sutes of his children to him which are so manie and so intire as no heart if it be not flint or stéele but must receiue comforte and courage to speake vnto such a Lord. Aske and you shall haue seeke and you shall finde knocke and it shalbe opened vnto you Yea whatsoeuer you shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you Call vpon me and I will heare you Come vnto me and I will refresh you Whosoeuer shall call vpon the Lord shall be saued And a thousand such like Muse vpon them till the fire kindle within you and then speake with a spirit to so sweet a God as so cheareth his children to pray hartely And remember it often what once was saide I will come into thy house euen vpon the multitude of thy mercie and in thy feare will I worshippe toward thy holy temple The multitude of Gods mercies make a sweete entraunce into the house of Prayer yea say you with Dauid ioyfully and comfortably In Gods worde will I reioyce in the Lords worde will I comfort my selfe in God haue I put my trust I will not feare what man can doe vnto me Other meaner helpes also there be of affection not to bee contemned of the godly as to speake and pronounce our Prayers with words for sometimes our weaknesse is great and our minds begin to stray from our Prayer conceiued in silence and then it shall bee good to speake out yea euen to cry out that which wée but thought before to the ende that so wee may stay a starting minde and bring it to the sounde of the tongue This hath bene a wisedome of the godly euer and a meanes as wee reade to helpe them The Profite Dauid saith I cried to the Lorde with my voice and I saide thou art my hope and my portion in the lande of the liuing So that he vseth the pronountiation of worde and happelie euen for this cause that wée speake of Saint Augustine sayeth Deuotio nostra voce excitatur our deuotion and affection is stirred vppe and and quickened by the voyce And experience serueth for longer proofe in this matter The gestures of body as knéeling lying prostrate vpon the earth knocking of the breast and couering the face or turning to the wall lifting vp the eies and such like they are helpes also of affection Yea then are they lawfull and right in deede when they serue to this purpose in sinceritie and not to any outward shewe in hypocrisie And thus much of them Now on the other side as these be helps vnder God to quicken vp our Spirites in prayer if we bee dull and to make vs pray zealously and earnestly so are there impediments also that hinder vs and make vs that wee cannot pray with such affection as we ought As the contraries of these that I haue spoken of A proude hart puft with conceit of merit an ignorance or at lest not a through consideration of the thing or thinges we begge a leaning to second causes ouermuch a dulnes in the seeking of Gods promises such like which I may not nowe ouer againe folow at large One great let only will I touch and so conclude this poynt that is ignorāce of the speech or tongue wherein we pray Which I call euen a great let because it not onely hindereth our affection and zeale but otherwise dangerously hurteth vs by keeping from vs a singular fruite of our prayer as will appeare This great folly then of many in y e world that delight to pray in a straunge tongue not onely so but boldly to say no worse of them defende that they can pray with as right an affection thus as otherwise hath first God against it in his word most plainly by the voyce of Saint Paul the Apostle who saith flatly no man heareth their prayers that are so made
the example of Gods chosen euer with such like and these are great causes to vse it What say you then of the third point concerning the persons to bee prayed vnto I answere that onely God and none but God is to be praied vnto or as the wordes of our faith and Créede hath one GOD in Trinitie and Trinitie in vnitie is to bee worshipped Which answere implying to things as you see to wit that God is to be prayed vnto and onely to bee prayed vnto Let vs see the truth of them both out of the word First then for the former it is mencioned vs in the law Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God serue him swere by his name And in another place Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him and thou shalt cleaue vnto him swere by his name With a number other proofes in euerie place where the word of seruing the Lord by a figure noteth al duties due vnto him in general so implieth this duty of prayer to him in special Euen as Dauid expoūdeth it in his Psalme saying I will worshippe towardes thy holy Temple then expresseth what one thing he meaneth by that worship I will praise thy name because of thy louing kindnesse truth that is by prayer of thanksgiuing and praise I will doe my dutie So than this is plaine and more plain I trust than that it should need proofe that God is to be prayed vnto If anie would haue reason as well as testimonies the Apostle giueth vs a strong one of contraries when he toucheth the Galathians with it as a fault no lesse than Idolatry that they did seruice vnto them which by nature were no Gods For it inferreth plainly our not offending but most right doing when we doe seruice vnto him that is by nature God But praier is a seruice and a great seruice therefore due and most due to the Lord for euer But it is not this that anie man doubteth of and therefore as I sayde not to bee stoode vpon It is the other that is a question to wit whether God onely is to be praied vnto or no and therefore let vs looke to that rather and see the truth Concerning this then is not the Scripture as plaine if wee will not wilfully bee blinde as in the other And doth not our Sauiour Christ put it quite out of doubt when he saith him only shalt thou serue Onely to God auouched by Christ should stand against not only to God affirmed by tenne thousand worldes if there were so many to doe it But the Lorde affirmeth further that he will not giue his glorie to any other and it is a parte of Gods glorie in any Christian iudgemēt I hope to praie vnto him and to make him the fountaine and welspring of all our good For Call vppon me saith the Lorde in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie me The lawe of God saith Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me which is an exclusion of all creatures in heauen and earth from partaking with the Lord in any worship we owe vnto him as our God The 17. Chapter of the second booke of Kings is a notable testimonie of the Lordes abhorring any partners in this behalfe For there we may see and heare him witnesse it vnto our soules who must one day come to iudge them in glorie dreadfull if wee haue not harkned that not to feare him onely is not to feare him at all and not onely to doe after his lawes and commaundements is not at all to doe after them For our additions to the wil of him ouerthroweth vtterly that which wee doe thereof because it is not as wee should doe it that is onely My couenant and charge with the Israelites saith the Lord there was euer this that they should feare no other Gods nor bowe themselues to them nor serue them nor sacrifice to them but onely mee which brought them out of the land of Egipt with great power and a stretched out arme And marke the emphasis Him feare That is as we may see plainly him onely him euer and none but him And therefore ouer and ouer he saith it there no other no other and againe the third time no other Which is proofe sufficient if wee bee the Lordes yet is the Scripture fuller and teacheth vs plainly that they euer were and euer shall bee blasphemous Idolaters iniurious to the Lord that call vppon any in their prayer but the same Lord alone whether it be in heauen or in earth or in the waters vnder the earth whether it bee of golde siluer or whatsoeuer The places are knowne and you may reade them It teacheth vs also that God hath made vs in his great mercie Lordes of all his creatures here and euen the Angels in heauen ministring Spirits to our good as shall please him to appoynt But whatsoeuer we pray vnto we make it superiour to vs and hauing rule and power ouer vs and therefore if it bee a creature we offende greeuously peruerting the Lordes appoynted course and seruilely submitting our selues to that which he in mercie hath put vnder vs not ouer vs in his maner and order Againe that we cannot pray to any thing without beleefe in the same but beleefe must onely be in God and therefore prayer to no other Wherefore it standeth true by the Iudge of trueth the eternall worde of God wee now well see that both God with his worship of prayer is to bée serued and honored and onely God also with exclusion for euer of all others whatsoeuer they may bee and so wee ende this question Your next is through whome or by whome wee must present and offer our Prayers to God It is so And it may bee that in the former question you expected some fuller spéech of Angels and Saints that be dead which many are of opinion may bee called vppon that yet greatly mislike that other folly or rather madnesse of praying to inferiour creatures And if you did it shal now be supplied God willing for I did referre it of purpose hether because no man iustifieth it amongst vs if he haue any cunning that they are simply to bee praied vnto as helpers themselues of themselues but as mediatours to him that is able to helpe that is God the Lorde Let vs see then this if euen but thus much may bee giuen vnto them And to begin at the beginning we know it true that betwixt God and vs a mediatour must needes bee For so sayth the Scripture No man commeth to the father but by me And as there is a God so there is a mediatour betwixt God and man The high Priest in the lawe by God assigned a figure and shadowe of Christ euen in his office taught the same And conscience in vs of our owne vnworthines to appeare before God in our selues and for our selues driuing vs away from his
Satan in vs by any meanes subdue our sinfull flesh and all the wicked lusts therof to the inlarging of thy kingdome here vpon earth and grant that all the powers of body and soule may be inabled by thy holy Spirite to worke acceptably in thy sight that thou mayest dwell in vs and wee in thee for euer and all thyne our enemies vtterly troden downe thou mayst gloriously reigne and triumph ouer all and wee by Christ may finally as thy children and heires be made partakers of thy euerlasting kingdome Now is not this brought to passe but by meanes and therefore as we pray for the thing that the Lord would graunt it so pray we also inclusiuely for the meanes that in mercy they may bee giuen to the effecting of it The meanes are these first the word euen this heauenly and blessed woorde of God so finally accompted of in the worlde and not onely so but euen hated despised and reiected of numbers For so sayth the Apostle it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth to the Iew first also to the Grecian that is it is the mightie instrument of GOD without which men are damned and cast away Yea such an instrument it is of power and force wher it pleaseth the Lord that it hath greater strength and authoritie than all the eloquence than all the wisedome than all the learning than all the pollicie power of the worlde Let the dayes before vs witnes to this truth I meane those primitiue times when the Lorde began to powre his mercy on mankind for Christ by the ministerie of his Christ and of his disciples wherein notwithstanding this diuine word of his was resisted by all the worldly gifts and powers which I named yet had it marueilous successe and did wonderfully increase Demosthenes and Cicero for their eloquence Solon and Aristides for their wisedome Plato and Aristotle for their learning Alexander and Pompey for their manhood were of power of fame and in the world when they liued able by these gifts to doe much Yet the best of all these had much to do euen a fewe yeres to keepe their owne Citizens their owne countreymen their owne subiects in obedience and to cause them to giue place to good and wholsome Counsel and to obey lawes prouided for their owne profit Yea euerie one of them almost to their owne confusion prooued of howe small force their wisedome their eloquence their power was and with the ende of their liues left their common weales welneere vtterly decayed and vndone But cōtrarywise the Apostles not learned but poore fishermen not with any inticing words of mans wisedome not commended or set forth with those giftes ornaments that men so greatly do esteem went foorth into the worlde preaching the disdayned Gospell of Christ crucified and by the simple doctrine thereof did in fewe yeres for the state of religion chaunge the face of the whole worlde notwithstanding that the Empire of Rome and other mightie principalities did to the vttermost of their power resist it and the reformation that by the Apostles in this maner was begun continued and spred it selfe mightily and marueilously euen against the assaults of most cruel and tyrannicall persecutions vnder Nero Domitian Traian Adrian Anthony Dioclesian and many mo A force farre passing the power of man that in the midst of al such bloody deaths most exquisite torments yet was able dayly to get children to the kingdome of Christ yea and that so plentifully that well were they that might runne and professe themselues Christians that they might dye the death for it continually It is a very notable storie that is written of such as this worde of the Lord had begotten to Christ in Edessa a citie in Mesopotamia who being as it is sayd banished out of all Churches by the decree of the Emperour made their meetings in y e fileds Which espied of the Emperour in a very great rage hee strooke his chiefe captaine with his fist and asked why therehence also they were not remoued according as he had commanded The Captaine the next day determineth to dispatch them but yet in pitie to them although himselfe a Pagan by secret meanes letteth it go abroad that the next day he would destroy al that were found at those méetings hoping thereby to warne them to absteine and so to saue themselues But sée y e power of this word in the harts of men The next day the Christians although thus admonished yet flocke thither in more plentiful sort than at other times yet runne headlong as it were and in great hast as men affraide to come to late to dye Amongst all the Captaines noted a certaine woman so hastely and with such speede to runne out of her house as that shee stayed not either to shut the doore of her house or to put on her clothes as womanhoode woulde and in her armes a litle infant When hee sawe it he commanded to call her to him and being come asked her whither she made all that hast Into the field saith she wher the christians meet And hast thou not heard sayth he that the chief Captaine is going thither to put to the sworde all hee findeth there Yes saith she I haue heard it and therfore I make hast that I may be there when hee commeth And what wilt thou do with this yong babe sayth he Take it with me also sayth shee that if the Lord will it may be vouchsafed martyrdome also When the Captayne heard this he stayed his course commanded his charet to turne and to the Emperour presently he goeth told him if it pleased his maiestie to cōmand him death he was ready but to do what he commaunded he could not for thus and thus had hee seene it and so declared vnto the Emperor all this storie Who by and by was appeased stayed his hande and restrayned his intended euill to such zealous louers of their God See nowe how true it is that the Apostle sayth it is the power of God that is potens instrumentum the mightie instrument of God to get men and keepe men to the Lorde They were accompted the men that troubled all the worlde yet were they not discouraged Ligabantur include bantur cedebātur torquebantur tamen multiplicabantur They were bound sayth S. Austen they were tormented and racked and yet for all this they multiplied and increased So was it euē in these latter daies of ours when all pitie and truth was buried as it were in the bottome of the Sea Antichrist of Rome in his ruffe power and strength exalting himselfe aboue all that was called God and made Princes and Emperours to kisse his feete yea when it was death almost to thinke of the restoring of true religion euen then I say did this word of the Lord in the mouth of one simple man at the first against the clamors of Monkes and Friers against the
such as do Gods wil both wittingly willingly Which perfect obedience of ours as oftē as the Scripture speaketh of it vseth to cal vs to that coeleste 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that heauenly regimēt wherin perfectlie and faythfullie the Lorde is obeyed So doth our Sauiour teach vs and therefore addeth heere these wordes Sicut in coelo as it is in heauen You see then the reason of them and why they be added euē to teach vs the measure of obedience that wee are to desire and thirst after and praie for not halt not lame nor maymed but all full whole and perfect such as is in heauen That looke with what spirite measure affection and will with what readinesse and alacritie the heauenly Angels and blessed spirites Sunne Moone and Starres obey God euen with the same we may do it also that as in heauen so in earth there bee no rebellion nor repining agaynst his holie will The obedience of all those heauenlie creatures I need not to describe looke but at the Angelles and you shall see three properties of their obedience such as ought to be in ours They obey God lubentissime citissime and fidelissme most willingly most readilie or speedely and most faithfullie If they be sent to performe anie seruice they neuer murmure but doe it and therefore sée their willingnes If to execute iudgement vpon the enimies in one night one of them dispatcheth an hundred foure score and fiue thousand of them and then see their speede Yea they spare no creature neyther giue ouer euer till the Lorde saie it is sufficient staie thy hand and therefore faithful They are not lyke Saul to saue eyther king or fatlings no there is no meanes to corrupt them in their seruice such willingnes then such readie speede and such faithfull obedience wee are taught to desire and praie for by addition of these words As it is in heauen For these Angels we know are there And this obedience of theirs with the circumstances hath the Prophet Dauid layd downe if you marke it Psalme 103.20 Why but still I saie can we performe such obedience as this in this life No in deede Whilest here we liue both knowledge and obedience are in part And the most regenerate that euer was must praie Forgiue vs our trespasses It is Anabaptisticall to dreame of a perfection heere Yet for all that so perfect wee ought to be and so desirous of Gods greater and greater pleasure in vs and glorie by our seruice as that we should neuer stick down our staffe as hauing obtayned inough tyll this be brought to passe in vs. Therefore then praie wee for it not as accounting to get it in this world but as professing our desire to haue it and our discontent with our obedience whatsoeuer it bee till it bee such And if anie man will conclude anie thing vpon this forme of speech lette him conclude that such perfection wee shoulde performe not that such heere wee euer can performe And if we ought to performe it as dutie due from vs then may we pray for it that it may be such still stil till it be such and our prayer becommeth vs well What more then will you say touching this petition You must remember how we haue said that in euery petition are required of God as well the meanes ordayned of GOD to worke such things as the things thēselues that we aske For Expetito fine expetuntur etiā quae ad finē The end being desired those things are also desired which belong to the end Wherefore vnderstanding now what we aske in this petition euen abilitie to performe that reuealed will of our heauenly Father in his word wholy and fully after the example of his heauēly creatures we must consider the meanes wherby this is had and knowe that in these wordes we beseech his Maiestie likewise for them to be giuen to vs. And what are they They are chiefely two the knowledge of his will and the strength of his grace or direction of his spirit The first hath relation to his word for therehence onely is his will to bee learned and therefore it hath pleased him to giue it the name of his testament or last will and most straitely charged that nothing bee added to it or taken from it The second is that whereby the first is profitable and sanctified to our good For illumination without sanctification auayleth not but is euen in the reprobate And they that knowe their masters will and doe it not shall their knowledge saue them Had not Iudas knowledge there is no questiō but of Christ hee had learned many misteries had not the Scribes and the Pharisées the knowledge of the lawe Yes they were able to teach many trueths out of the same vnto others and whilest they sate in Moses chayre that is whilest they deliuered truely the doctrine of Moses they were to be heard by the commandemēt of our sauiour and to bee followed also in that they sayd But because this Spirit of the Lorde did not sanctifie their knowledge to them and make it powrefull in them to the death of sinne and the life of righteousnesse but that they knew and did not therefore for all their knowledge they perished a man may speake with the tongues of men Angels and not perish a man may haue the gift of Prophecie and knowe all secretes and all knowledge and yet bee no body in Gods eyes 1. Cor. 12.1 2. Spiritus est qui foecundat animos It is the spirit of the Lord that maketh our minds fruitefull Yea that maketh our heartes good earth to receiue the good séede of the worde to our comfort that blesseth our knowledge to vs to crucifie vs to the world and sinne and to renewe vs to the Lorde in dayly obedience more more This Spirit also inspireth our mindes to will and after giueth the effect and execution of that inspired will Deus enim ille est qui in nobis operatur velle perficere pro gratuita sua beneuolentia The Lorde is hee that worketh in vs both the wil and the deede to wit by his holy spirite euen of this good pleasure And it is the God of peace sayth the Apostle that brought againe from the dead our Lorde Iesus the great shephearde of the sheepe through the blood of the euerlasting couenant that maketh mē perfect in all good workes to do his will working in them that which is pleasant in his sight through Iesus Christ Wherunto agreeth that of Cyprian Vt fiat a nobis dei voluntas opus est dei voluntate quia nemo suis viribus potens est That is to doe the will of God we haue neede of the will of God to wit his assistance and strength for by his owne power no man is able Wherefore since knowledge to vnderstand Gods will out of his word and the grace of his spirite to blesse that
knowledge to vs are meanes to make vs able to performe this petition and to doe his will therefore wee pray also herein for these meanes and the woordes are with the Lord as if wee shoulde euen in playne tearmes say O Lorde giue vs the knowledge stil dayly more and more of thy will out of thy word and giue vs the grace of thy Spirite to that knowledge that we inabled by these meanes may woorke thy will in this life as we ought What else do we aske in it Againe as we pray for all these things so do we as I told you before and must stil tel you in euery petition pray against their contraries For if the one be confirmed the other must be ouerthrowne Now the contraries of these things may be sayd to be of two sorts to wit either such as doe vtterly and wholly and euer resist his holy will or such as are but certaine impedimentes whereby wee do it not so readyly as either we ought or happely would do if they were not Of the first sort is Satan Sinne and the effects of sinne whatsoeuer the flesh or the old man his concupisence the world and such like For no man can serue two masters especially contrary masters such as God and Satan are the Spirit of God and the flesh the new and the old man Of the second sort are ouermuch care for worldly matters feare of men and a number of things that like weightes or burdens vpon our backes presse vs or like fetters about our feete hinder vs that wee go not on altogether so readyly and so fully in this way of doing the will of God as wee in deede ought and would if these lets were not Whatsoeuer they bee then and of whether sort so euer they be forasmuch as they are against that obedience that we pray for in this petition therefore we desire of the Lorde that they may bee remembred and that no let or least impediment may be to hinder that in vs which both in respect of his goodnesse to vs and our duties to him ought with all perfection both of will and worke be perfourmed And thus might we end this petition sauing that some profitable collections or obseruations may bee made of the words as they are layd downe here by our Sauiour I pray you then adde those also The first may be this Wee may obserue and see here both the beginning of mans misery as also the way to draw nere againe to that olde and former innocency Mans misery sprang by disobedience to the will of God as we all knowe and the waie to returne to that good estate againe wherein we were is obedience to that wil as here we learne when wee are taught to praie Thy will be done For we pray for the restitutioÌ„ of those graces in some measure which in our first parents were most perfectly And looke then howe much wee performe to the Lord obedience so much drawe we neere to an happie estate again Wherefore the Lorde sayde it Not euerie one that sayth vnto me Lord Lord shal enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the wil of my father which is in heauen And agayne Whosoeuer shall do my Fathers will which is in heauen the same is my mother sister and brother Obedience then to his holie will is that which will sette vs in good place agayne And therefore trie beloued what measure of this is in you and so lyke or dislyke of your selues Trie with what loue you heare the word with what care you are filled to doe therafter what conscience you make of sinne what name so euer it haue what ioy you haue in the workes of righteousnesse what griefe if frayltie câ—use a fall If you find these in some measure so much bee glad if in greate measure much more bee glad for trulie so much haue wee lefte the waie of death into which we are fallen all by our first parents and so farre haue profited in the waie of lyfe which is true obedience But if our consciences accuse vs in this trial that we haue no desire to know Gods will out of his word although it bee with many mercifull circumstances offered vnto vs no care to liue holily no conscience of sin but some little seruile feare for dread of punishment no spirituall ioy in well doing no inward sorrow for euill doing then tremble we and feare we before the Lorde of heauen and earth for as yet we are in the waie of disobedience which is the waie of death whereinto our first parents fell we are buried in our corruption and dead in sin not risen with Christ wee are heapers vp of wrath against our soules in the daie of wrath contemners of the word which in such sorte hath beene preached vnto vs for which cause that same worde shal iudge vs in the last day and we shal perish Trye then I say and so lyke or dislyke Secondly learning by these wordes As it is in heauen that our obedience ought not to be lame or maymed but euen such both for will and worke as that of the heauenly spirites we are notablie taught what colde comfort there is for vs in our selues and how farre it is off that we or anie liuing should be saued by theyr works For dare any of vs saie we obey the Lords will in earth as it is obeyed in heauen and that there is no imperfection in vs more heere than there If wee dare not if wee cannot then you see wee haue not done all that is commaunded and therefore farre from being iustified by that meanes when we haue not done our dutie Cleaue wee therefore fast vnto our true safetie Iesus Christ the righteous and awaie with such dreames Thirdly doe we not see that this prayer wholie called the Lordes prayer and this petition particularly is prescribed by the Lord vnto al Christians men and women of what degree estate and calling so euer they be and none exempted We see it playnly for to all it is sayde in the Disciples that haue bene are and shall be to the worlds end wheÌ„ you pray pray thus We see it then by consequence agayne that all degrees estates and callings are bound to performe vnto the Lord such perfect obedience as heere is noted and not Monkes Friers Nunnes or some certaine sorte of this order or that onely which yet hath ben taught vs and that others taking some more libertie might find mercie with God for theyr prayers and strict obseruation in truth not of Gods will but of some ceremonies of theyr own deuising But it hath mightely ben shewed to the world and our eyes al that euery plant which the heauenly Father hath not planted shal be plucked vp and therefore let vs beleeue no such follies If we be the Lords we acknowledge our selues bound to performe as full obedience as is performed in heauen and that is