to eschue all his deadly eleceipts except God be his guide protectour The difficultie whereof is profitable to this ende lest any man presume too much of himselfe or one man depend too much vpon another but that euerie one should repose his hope and helpe in God Which to do none of the godly certainely make any doubt but that it is our better course by much CHAP. 61. That the Church militant vpon the earth consisteth of the faithfull liuing in this world which also is redeemed by Christes blood and vnder his protection THis part of the Church therfore consisting of the Angels and powers of God shall then as it is be knowen vnto vs when wee are vnited thereunto in the laten day to dwell together in eternall felicitie Wherfore this Church which is farre distant from that by reason of her peregrmation vpon earth is the better knowen vnto vs in that wee be in the same and because also it consisteth of mortall Creatures which wee are And this Church is freed from al sinne by the blood of the Mediator who was without sinne and therefore she vseth this confident speach If God bee with vs who can bee against vs Which God spared not his onely sonne but gaue him for vs generally For Christ suffered not for Angels Howbeit whatsoeuer freedome and deliuerie from destruction mankinde receiued by his death is therefore auaileable for Angels also because hee is likewise after a sort reconciled vnto them after those differences whereof sinne was the cause between men and holy Angels as also for that the number that was impaired by the fall of the Angels was repaired by the redemption of mankind TOVCHING OVR Reconciliation and Peace with the holy Angells CHAP. 62. That all things bee restored by the blood and death of Christ and that thereby the blessed Angels and faithfull amongst men be reconciled IN like manner the holy Angels doe knowe being taught by God through the eternall contemplation of whose truth they are made happie what an infinite supply the sanctitie of that Citie exspecteth from mankinde Whereupon the Apostle saith All things are repaired in Christ which were decayed either in heauen or in earth For as touching the ruine in heauenly things all was made whole againe by Christ in as much as whatsoeuer member was waÌ„ting in heauen by the fall of the Angels was restored out of the inhabitants vpon earth And on the other side they which liue vpon the earth are restored to integritie whereas mortall creatures predestinate to eternall saluation be renewed hauing put off their auncient corruption And so by that sole sacrifice wherein the Mediator was offered vp whereof the manifold sacrifices vsed in the old lawe were but figures there was an attonement made betweene celestiall and terrestiall earthly and heauenly things or creatures Because as the same Apostle saith In him it pleased the fulnesse of the Trinitie to dwell and through him to reconcile all things to himselfe by his bloodshed vniting whatsoeuer either in heauen or vpon earth in the bond of peace CHAP. 63. That peace is the fruit of this reconciliation which peace with God is alwayes aboue our vnderstanding and that also which we haue with the good Angels is a thing whereof wee are not capable in this life although in that to come wee shall vnderstand the same THis peace passeth as it is written all vnderstanding neither can it be knowen of vs vntill wee come where it is For peace is alwayes in that place ioyntly amongst all intellectuall Creatures as also with the Creator therof Which peace passeth as is said all vnderstanding particularly ours not theirs which alwayes see the face of the Father For wee mortall Creatures notwithstanding we haue all the vnderstanding that man can haue yet do we know but in parte our sight in this world being obscurely by a glasse But when wee shall bee associates to the Angels of God Then euen as they shall we also behould those things face to face and beare as charitable an affection towards them as they do to vs because we shall loue them as much as they do vs. And so shall their loue towards vs be made knowne vnto vs because ours shall bee such and as great towards them Neither shall it then passe our vnderstanding But the peace or loue of God which is in heauen towards theÌ„ shall without all doubt exceede both theirs and our vnderstanding For by God the reasonable Creature which is blessed is made happie and not God by the Creature Which being so it followeth vpon that which hath beene said that that saying The peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding is taken in the better sense when in that hee saith all no not the vnderstanding of the holy Angells may bee exempted but onely Gods For his owne peace or loue passeth not his owne vnderstanding TOVCHING REMISsion of sinnes and Iustification CHAP. 64. That remission of sinnes is necessarie to all the godly because although many of them liue without fault in action yet not without sinne NOw when as our sinnes be pardoned then be the holy Angels reconciled vnto vs and at peace with vs. Therfore after memorie made of the Church forgiuenesse of sinnes followeth the same as it is set downe in the order of the Creede For vpon this foundation standeth the Church which is vpoÌ„ earth By this also that is not lost which was lost and found againe For set a-part the gift of Baptisme which was bestowed to redeeme originall sinne whereby that which was vitious in our first birth might bee taken away by our second birth or regeneration freeing vs also from al offences coÌ„mitted in thought word or deede which it meeteth with This great indulgencie therefore I say excepted from whence mans renouation hath his beginning and by which indulgencieâ—al guiltinesse or imputation of sinne as well originall as actuall is satisfied yet the rest of mans life after such time as hee hath vse or reason howsoeuer it excell in fruitfulnesse of good workes cannot run on his course in this world without remission of sinnes because the children of GOD so long as theyliue in the flesh haue conflict with death And albeit it is truely said of them that as many as be led by the spirit of God be the sonnes of God yet are they so prouoked by the spirit of God and as the children of God learne to become his as that also chiefly through the burthen of the bodie being corrupted euen by the weakenesse of their owne spirit and as they are the children of men are they imperfect in themselues sinnefull by reason of certaine humane motions wherin there is a difference as hath beene sufficiently said thereof For it followeth not that because euerie crime is a sinne therefore euery sinne should be a crime Wherfore we say that the life of godly men in this world wherein they liue may bee found to bee without crime but if we should say
beeing said to be a nature that is polluted and euil but that which is good is also euill and that coÌ„uertibly it cannot be euill which is not likewise good Because all which is called by the name of nature is good neither should any thing become euill if the thing it selfe which is euill had not an essence nature or being There can therefore bee none euill if there be no good Which assertion though it may seeme absurd yet the coherence of this argument doth as it were without euasion driue vs to this conclusion And we must take heed lest we stumble vpon that saying of the Prophet where we reade Woe be vnto them which say that good is euill and that euill is good who say that sweet is sower and sower sweet who call darkenesse light and light darkenesse But yet God doth say that an euill man out of the treasure of his owne heart doth bring forth euils Now what is an euill man but an euill nature because maÌ„ is that which we call nature And if man bee in some measure good or a kind of good because hee is nature what other thing is an euil man but an euill good Howbeit when wee separate and distinguish these two properties wee doe also find that he is not therfore euill because he is a man nor therefore good because hee is sinfull but good in as much as he is a man and euill because he is a sinner Whosoeuer therefore affirmeth that man as he is man is euill or saith that that which is called good is euil he incurreth the seÌ„tece of the Prophet saying Woe vnto theÌ„ which say that good is euill For he doth depraue the work of God which is maÌ„ coÌ„mendeth the fault of man which is sinne For all nature although it is vitious is good in as much as it is nature euill in as much as it is polluted and corrupted CHAP. 14. Good and euill which be in themselues repugnant may contrary to the rules of Logicke stand together and be in one and the selfe same thing yea and euill may spring out of that which is good WHerefore in these contraries which be called good and euill that rule of Logicke faileth affirming that two cotraries cannot stand together in any one thing For there is no firmament clowdy and cleere at one instant no meat or drinke sweet and sower together no mans body white and blacke in one the selfe same place no beauty deformity in one face at once Which thing is obserued in many and almost in all contraries that they cannot be in any one thing together Now seeing no man doubteth that good euill be contraries so may they not onely be together but also euils cannot simply be without good things or but in things which be good although on the contrary things which be good may bee without euils For a man or an angel may bee not vnrighteous because vnrighteousnes cannot be in any but either in a man or in an angel And these two contraries be so combined as if ther were not good wherein euill might dwell euill should haue no beeing at all Because corruption should not haue any subiect not onely where to abide but also from whence it may spring and haue a beginning except there were something that might be corrupted For if good were not neither should there be corruptioÌ„ which is none other thing than a banishmeÌ„t of that which is good Euils therfore take their roote froÌ„ goodnesses and bee not at all but in things that be good neither hath any nature of euil any other foudatioÌ„ For if it should consist of it selfe no doubt it should be good as it is a nature and beeing an vncorrupted nature should becom either a notable good or else could not possibly bee a nature subiect to corruption except it were also good in some measure and that good in like sort blemished with corruption CHAP. 15. He doth meete with a double obiection the one drawne from the words of Christ the other from the obseruation of nature it selfe NOw when we say that euils doe spring originally from things that be good let it not be taken to be repugnant to the saying of Christ affirming that a good tree cannot bring forth euill fruits for as it is truely said a Grape cannot be gathered from thornes because a grape cannot spring out of them And so by the selfe same reason as an euill tree cannot yield good fruits no more can an euill wil or disposition yield good workes Howbeit good ground may as wee see beare both grapes and also thornes In like maner from the nature of man which is good may spring both a will that is good and a will that is badde Neither hath that will which is euill and vitious any other roote originally but from the good nature of an angell or of a man Which thing Christ himselfe in that place where he speaketh of a tree and fruits most plainely sheweth For he saith Either make the tree good and the fruit thereof good or make the tree had and the fruit bad Giuing vs therby a sufficient caueat or example that euill fruits grow not of a good tree nor good of an euil and yet both these trees may grow in that ground to which â—e directed his speech CHAP. 16. How farre forth the knowledge of naturall things is necessarie for vs to the obtaining of true felicitie WHich matters standing thus as they doe although that verse of Viâ—gill doth like vs very well saying Right happy doe I coâ—nt that man Of things the reasons giue that can Yet doe we not think it enough and sufficient for the attainment of felicitie to know the causes of the wonderfull corporall motions of the world namely the motions of the planets and the reuolutions of the celestiall globes and spheres which causes lie hidden in the inscrutable bowels of nature namely What makes the earth to quake What swels the Ocean maine Where of the bowels beeing broke Do fall into their ioynts again With many other things of like nature but rather we ought to search out the causes of good euill and that also so farre-forth as it is in mans power and facultie in this life beeing full of errors and miseries For we are to direct our course to that marke of felicity where no miserie shal afflict vs nor any error intrappe vs. For if the causes of corporall motions were so needfull for our instruction then ought there none to bee preferred before the reasons of the health of our own bodies Wherein beeing ignorant our selues seeing wee seeke vnto Physicians to knowe the same who then doth not see a reason how patiently to content himselfe with his owne blindenesse and ignorance in that which to mortal creatures is vnseene as touching the secrets of heauen and earth TOVCHING ERROR and lying CHAP. 17. Here he meeteth with with an obiection teaching vs that neither euery one which is ignorat
chosen by God out of the number of mortall sinners vpon earth to inioy euerlasting life and heauen IT pleased therefore the Creator of the whole world and moderator thereof Almighty God that because the whole company of the angels did not sinne by forsaking God that the number of them which perished should remaine in euerlasting destruction And that the number of them which stood firmely vnto God should dwell in securitie of their most certaine knowen and euerlasting felicitie and that the other reasonable creature which was man because hee was generally in the state of perdition by reason of sinnes and punishments as well originall as personall by that part of mankinde which was restored that which the fall of the diuell had diminished from the societie of angels might be supplied againe For so it was promised to the Saints at their resurrection that they should be equals with the angels of God That heauenly Hierusalem therefore beeing our mother and Gods citie shal not be destitute of the full number of 〈◊〉 citizens but rather shall be more populous in her kingdome For we knowe not either the number of holy men or of these fowle fiendes that fell in whose places the succeeding sone of the Church that holy mother who seemed to be barren vpon carth shall haue their perpetuall habitations in that peace and tranquillitie from whence they fell and that without either terme or limitation of time But the number of those citizens which either now is or hereafter shall bee is inwardly seene to their maker and workman who calleth those which yet are not as wel as those which now bee disposing of all things in measure number and weight OF MANS FREE-will CHAP. 30. That sinnefull men cannot be redeemed nor saued other by the 〈◊〉 of their owne works or on the free-with of their owne minde BVt may that part of mankind to whom God hath promised freedome fruition of his kingdome be redeemed by the merits of their own workes God forbid For what good can a reprobate worke vnto himselfe except he be deliuered from the state of perdition Can his free-will performe that worke God also forbid that For man abusing the libertie of his free-will lost both himselfe and the benefit of his free-will For euen as he which killeth himselfe doth that facte while he is in life but is no more a liuing creature after hee hath murdered himselfe wanting power to reuiue himselfe after hee is slaine euen so when man did sinne in his free-will he lost the same after sinne had got the victorie For if any man be subdued he is a vassaile and slaue to him that vanquisheth him This saying is out of Peter the Apostle which seeing it is true what other libertie I pray you hath such a bondslaue except it be to take his pleasure in sinning For hee is a dutifull seruant which willingly doth his masters will By which reason hee hath free libertie and scope to sinne that is the seruant of sinne Whereupon also it followeth that no man shall haue freedome to doe well except he be freed from sinne and become the seruant of righteousnes For to reioyce in wel doing is true freedome as also to obey the commandement of God is godly â—eruitude Which libertie to doe well how can it be in man that is a slaue solde to 〈◊〉 except he be redeemed by him whose saying iâ— is If the sonne shall make you free then shal yee be free indeede Which thing before it beginne to be in man how may any creature boast of free-will in any good action 〈…〉 ch hath not yeâ— a libertie giuen him to doe well except a man being puffed vp with vaine pride will arrogate that vnto himselfe which the Apostle forbiddeth saying By grace are yee saued through faith CHAP. 31. That we â—e not sâ—ued by the merit or worthinesse of our owne faith ANd 〈◊〉 not men so farre-forth arrogate this faith vnto themselues as they will not knowe that it is giuen of God according to the saying of the same Apostle in another place who confesseth that himselfe obtained the mercy of God to make him beleeue who addeth further in that place saying And that also not of your selues but it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast of himselfe And lest there should bee deemed any defect of good workes in the faithfull hee saith againe For wee are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that wee should walke in Then are wee therefore truely made free when as God hath made vs anewe that is to say doeth fashion or alter and create vs againe not as wee are men which is already done but that we may become good men which now hee accomplisheth by his grace that wee may bee made a new creature in Christ Iesus according as it is said by Dauid Create in me O Lord a new heart For God had already created his heart as much as pertaineth to the naturall perfection of the heart of man CHAP. 32. That wee are not in any part or sort the cause of our own saluation and of that will which is in vs to doe wel but that the same only and solely consisteth of the mercy of God NOw lest any man should boast of that liberty or freedome of his own will albeit he will not brag of works as thogh merit were deriued from free-will and that the libertie or facultie to doe well were to be ascribed therevnto as a rewarde due vnto the same Let him listeÌ„ vnto the same Preacher of grace saying For it is God which worketh in you both the will and the deed euen of his good pleasure And in another place So then it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Whereby it appeareth without all doubt that although a man be of that ripenesse of yeares as his own reason may direct him yet can hee not belieue hope or loue except he wil himselfe nor yet come to the crowne of that high calling of God except hee runne by his owne will How is it therefore said Not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie but because that the will it selfe as it is formerly written is prepared by God or else perhaps that this saying Not in him that will 〈…〉 nor in him that runneth is so written because it consisteth of both that is to say of the will of man and of the mercy of God to the ende that we may so vnderstand that saying of Not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy as thogh he said The will of man is not sufficient of it selfe and alone if also Gods mercy doe not accoÌ„pany it that therfore the mercie of God by it selfe and alone doth not suffice if also mans will goe not with it By which reasoÌ„ if it be truly said
yet the first death whereby the soule is compelled to forsake his body nor the second death whereby the soule is not suffred to depart out of the body that shall bee punished should euer haue happened to man if no man had sinned And truely the punishment of such persons shall be most easie who besides the guilt of originall sinne haue not added more thereunto of themselues and amongst those additionall sinnes euerie mans damnation shall be the more tolerable by how much the lesse hee hath sinned in the first life TOVCHING ETERnall life CHAP. 94. That the blessed in the state of eternall life which by Gods mercie they shall obtaine shall most fully perceiue the force of Gods grace WHen the reprobate of Angells and men shall remaine and haue their being in the place of euerlasting punishment then shal the blessed more sensibly feele and vnderstand what the fauour and grace of God hath voutsafed vpon them Then shall appeare in the euidence of things themselues that which is written in the Psalmes To thee O Lord shall I sing mercie and iudgement Because no man is deliuered from euerlasting destruction but by a mercie not due vnto vs by any specialtie of debt nor any againe condemned to eternall death but by a iudgement duely inflicted vpon him CHAP. 95. In the life eternall wee shall knowe why rather they then the other were the chosen of God AT that day it shall bee reuealed which now is concealed as touching the two infants whereof the one through the mercie of God was to bee chosen the other in his secret iudgement to bee refused in which iudgement hee that shall bee elected shall vnderstand what in iustice was due vnto him vnlesse mercy had holpen him why he rather then the other was elected wheÌ„ the cause was alike to both Why miracles or strange works were not done amongst some which if they had beene done such persons should haue repented and yet were done amongst those concerning whom God did know that they would not beleeue For the Lord doth plainely affirme Woe to thee Corazin Wo to thee Bethsaida for if in Tyre and Sidon those great workes had been done which were doâ—e amongst you they had long sithence repented in sacke-cloath and ashes Neither therefore would not God vniustly haue them to bee saued when as they might haue beene saued if they woulde Then shall that appeare in the clearest light of wisedome which the godly in this world doe apprehend by faith That is to say howe certaine immutable and most effectuall the will of God is how much he can do and yet will not and that he willeth not that thing which he cannot performe as also how truely it is sung in the Psalme Our God which is in heauen aboue hath done all things in heauen earth which hee would Which assertion is not true if hee would haue had somthings yet did theÌ„ not and which had been more derogatorie did not therfore accomplish it by reason the wil of man did hinder the performance of that which the omnipotent would haue done And therfore there is not any thing acted vnlesse the omnipotent would haue it so either in suffering it to be done or effecting it himselfe TOVCHING GODS Omnipotencie CHAP. 96. That God is said to be omnipotent because all thinges that bee are by his wil or permission neither can hee bee crossed by any creature NEither ought wee to doubt that God doth well in suffering of euills whatsoeuer to bee done For his permission thereof is not without a iust iudgement And no doubt but that euerie thing is good which is iust Although therefore these thinges which be euill in that they are euill cannot be also good yet is it good that there be not onely good but euill actions also For if this were not good that there should be also euils the Almightie who is good would not by any meanes suffer the same To which Almightie as it is no doubt easie to doe what hee will so is it as easie for him not to permitte that which hee will not haue done Which vnlesse wee doe beleeue it shaketh the verie foundation and beginning of the confession of our faith whereby wee doe confesse that we do beleeue in God the father almightie Neither is he truely called omnipotent for any other cause but because he can doe whatsoeuer hee will Neither is the will of the Almightie interrupted by the will of any creature TOVCHING GRACE and Predestination of the Saints CHAP. 97. The question is whether certaine things which God would haue done may bee crossed by men that they cannot take effect WHeÌ„refore wee are to consider how it is said of God in that which the Apostle most truely affirmed Forasmuch as God would that al should be saued For seeing not all but the most part or greater number is not saued it seemeth therefore that that which God wold haue done is not done mans will forsooth resisting Gods will For when the cause is examined why all bee not saued it is wont to be aunswered because they themselues will not haue it so Which saying cannot bee extended to infants in whom ther is no power to will or nill For that which infants do by instinct of nature if the same were ascribed to their wil when in baptisme they resist and shrinke from that water as much as they can by that reason wee should affirme that they were saued against their wils But the Lord speaketh more plainely in his Gospel talking with the wicked Citie How often sayth he would I haue gathered together thy children euen as the henne doth her chickens and thou wouldest not as though Gods will were ouerruled by mans will and that men being most weake of all creatures by their vnwillingnes hindering the same the most mightie could not accomplish that which hee desired Where then is that his omnipotencie whereby hee did all things in heauen and in earth which hee would if hee would haue brought home the lost children of Israell and did it not Or rather would not that Citie that hee should bringe home her Children and yet notwithstaÌ„nding whether shee would or noe did not the Lorde reduce such of them as hee would for as much as both in heauen and in earth hee did not will certaine thinges and doe them not dooing some other things which hee would haue done but hee did whatsoeuer hee would CHAP. 98. Albeit God can when hee will conuert the euill dispositions of men yet doth hee iustly although hee doe not reforme the same and when hee turneth them vnto him hee doth it of his owne meere grace and mercie WHo moreouer is so wickedly vnwise as that hee will affirme that God cannot make good when hee will the euill dispositions of men which of them hee will when he will and where hee will Howbeit when hee doth it hee doth it of his owne mercy and when hee doth it not he doth it not by reason of
send amongst them were comne to passe as for example King Ezechias To this I aunswere that this their own reason doth teach that thinges done heere vpon earth or in this world doe not belong at all vnto those which be dead nor be felt by them For to what purpose should this prouidence for them bee made by death if they should be partakers of them after death and how should they become quiet and happie indeede if the vnquiet life of the liuing should trouble them sayth Augustine But the godly are happie and quiet as it is in the Apocalipse cap. 14. v. 13. Finally if no man can perform that office of repentance for the dead as the schoolmen themselues confesse how can he mitigate their punishment All this collected out of Danaus Comment CHAP. Cxi There shall be two companies vniuersally after the day of iudgement the one of the godly as well Angels as men the other of the wicked consisting of both the others NOw after the resurrection the generall iudgement being done and finished the two Cities shal be setled in their final or last estate the one being of God the other of the diuell the one replenished with the good the other with the bad howbeit both consisting of Angels and men wherein the good shall haue no will at all nor the euil any power to sinne or to die in any sort the good liuing indeed and ioyfully in that euerlasting life the wicked being cōtinued with al vnhappines in eternal death without dying because both their states are perpetuall But in this blessednesse allotted to the good the conditiō or state of the one shall be better then the other and in the miserie or-ordained for the bad one shall haue lesse torment then another TOVCHING THE punishments of the damned CHAP. Cxii That the punishments of the damned be euerlasting and the least of them are exceeding great fearefull in respect of the weaknes of our nature DIuers therefore nay verie many doe vainely out of humane affection lament the euerlasting paine of the damned and their perpetuall torment without intermission and doe beleeue that it shall not be so indeed wherein though they wil not contradict the scriptures yet doe they priuately in their owne conceipts mitigate the seueritie therof drawe God to a more merciful sentence supposing that the report therof in the holy scriptures is more terrible then true For say they God will not forget to be merciful or shut vp his louing kindnes in displeasure This saying is indeed contained in a godly Psalme but it is meant without all doubt of such as be called the vessels of Gods mercie Because they are deliuered out of their calamitie miserie nor in respect of their own merites but of God who hath commiseration of them Or if this may be thought to be generally spoken it followeth not therefore that they should think there may bee an ende of theit damnation of whome it is spoken And they shal goe to eternall punishment lest by this means the felicitie also of them might be thought to hau an ende and determination in time to whom it is also saide The iust shall go to life euerlasting But let them suppose if that may content them that the punishmōts of the damned bee mitigated in some measure betweene whiles For so it may bee vnderstood that Gods anger remaineth stil vpon them that is to say their damnation is euerlasting For this damnation is called the anger of God and not a perturbation of Gods minde So that in his anger or during the continuance thereof his mercies should neuerthelesse not bee shut vp howbeit the same should not make an end of eternall punishment but onely giue an intermission or some ease of their torments Because the Psalme sayeth not to make an ende of his anger or after his anger was past but during his anger The which his anger if it were alone and by itselfe or howsoeuer it may bee thought to be the least and smallest punishment to leese the kingdome of God to bee exiled from that Citie to bee a straunger from the life of God to want the infinite choice of loyes with God which he hideth from such as despise him and affordeth to all such as put their trust in him yet is it so great a punishment as no torments which wee haue knowen may equall the same in case Gods anger bee eternall and these torments doe last but for certain ages how long soeuer CHAP. Cxiii That in the world to come neither the feticitie of the godly not the punishment of the damned afterwards shall be equall THe death of the damned shal bee euerlasting and haue none ende That is They shall bee estraunged for euer from the life of God and this miserie shall bee common to them an whatsoeuer men imagine being led by their humane affections touching the difference of their punishments the mitigating or intermission of their paines As also the happie life of the Saints shall likewise indure for euer In which consideration they shal be all equall howsoeuer they shine and glitter in great varietie and difference of degrees in happinesse yet with absolute peace and sweet agreement amongst themselues OF THE LORDES Prayer CHAP. Cxiiii That the Lords Prayer containeth all those things which wee are to hope for and to desire of God OVt of the Confession of faith which is briefly comprized in the Creede and which being imperfectly vnderstood is milke for babes but more fully and spiritually conceiued expressed is meate for stronge men springeth and groweth that good and happy hope of the faithful which is alwayes accompanied with holy loue But among all those things which the faithfull must beleeue they onely appertaine vnto hope which are contained in the Lords prayer For cursed is euery one as the Diuine oracles doe testifie which putteth his trust in man so euerie one is wrapped vp in this curse which putteth his trust in himself Wherfore we must not seeke but at the hands of our Lord God any thing which wee hope we shall well performe or for which well performed wee looke for any prayse or reward CHAP. Cxv. That the Lords prayer consisteth of seauen petitions and what the meaning and scope of them is VVHerefore the Lords prayer as it is deliuered by Mathewe the Euangelist seemeth to containe seauen petitions in three of the which wee aske for things eternal in the other fower for things temporall which yet notwithstanding are necessary for the attaining of things eternall For whereas we say Hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen which some men haue not vnfitly vnderstood that Gods wil should be done both in our spirit and in our body all these things are such as must be cōtinued for euer being here begun by dayly proceeding are increased in vs which being perfected which thing wee hope shall bee performed in the other life wee