if we repeate the same words to iterate the same petitions to God why is it more blameable in vs then in Christ himselfe who in the Garden is said to haue vsed three times seuerally the same words not the same petition onely Or then in Saint Paul who when Sathan buffeted him did three times pray the same prayer as hee confesseth Neither can I be perswaded that the contrite Publican in the Gospell did giue ouer with once saying Lord be mercifull vnto me a sinner no question he often pressed his humble suit The practise of the Church of Rome to say ouer so many Pater nosters like Parrets not vnderstanding what they say or thinking that God will take his seruice and our deuotions by number without weight is an abhominable abusing of the Maiestie of God and of the holy exercise of prayer it is also a foolish beguiling of themselues But the often repeating this prayer or any other made by the rule of this or any one petition of this is a good signe of that importunity which Christ commendeth in prayer and which we finde effectuall by the euents thereof in the parable of the Widow and vniust Iudge and of him that borrowed loaues of his neighbour It is a rule of charitie to make the best construction we can of any thing that is done or said by our neighbour and therefore in the directions of the holy Church of which we are members and parts and into which by our Baptisme we are admitted it is both piety and charity to make the best of all and not to abuse our wit to finde faults we are very happy in this that God hath by his owne Sonne taught vs both what good things to aske of God and in what fit words and I dare presse the frequent vse hereof vpon warrant of this plain and cleare text Quando oratis dicite quandocunque oratis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may beare a siquando Here is the wood for our sacrifice the very matter of prayer prouided to our hands and methodically put in order we haue rather the sacrifice it selfe prepared and nothing wanteth but fire from heauen to enflame it that is our holy zeale and that may be had for asking if by faith we demand it of God Plato finding that the people of his time were very ill instructed how to pray and did many times desire things to their owne hurt taught them this forme of prayer from an old Poet Iuppiter rex optima nobis vouentibus non vouentibus tribue mala autem poscentibus quoque abesse iube But we may say of Christ hee hath shewed thee O man what is good what thou maist boldly aske by faith he hath drawne thy petition himselfe and puts thee on vpon thy suit that thou shalt neither goe on thine owne head nor in thine owne name ne pecces lingua tua I will yet adde one note Christ saith when ye pray as putting it for granted that you thinke vpon it as a necessary duty that you resolue vpon it as a fit seruice of God to pray So when you Fast saith hee doe thus as supposing that you will finde times for these things if you make no conscience of prayer this direction is of no vse to you To pray you haue heard is an holy serious act of religion and a principall part of Gods worship when you really doe that say thus if it be but saying of prayers as good let it alone It is to no purpose to teach men how to pray that haue no meaning or purpose to pray neither is it to any purpose to teach them the way to heauen that set their faces not to Ierusalem but to Babylon It is a great fault in them that doe not pray and yet say Our father as all they doe whose tongues repeat the words and yet neither their vnderstandings are instructed either in the matter or order of the petitions nor their affections once moued at any thing they say This is a direction for none but such as desire to learne it for none but such as desire to make vse of it that is for such as would poure sorth their hearts and open their desires to God When you meane to doe so you may either vse these very words or you may frame your petitions in this order or if you haue any one of these petitions alone to sollicite God in this may be your rule and direction I must therefore call vpon you to pray and in your prayer to follow this holy direction and to make you more able for it I haue vndertaken to interpret this holy prayer to you wherein you shall see what you may aske and you must keepe you so precisely to this rule as not to dare to aske any thing else for Christ would not say when you pray say Our father but that he meaneth to giue you a full instruction and to set you in a good and perfect way of prayer Whatsoeuer you aske more then this or beside this is sinne and prouoketh God against you Our Father which art in heauen I come now to the prayer it selfe and herein I will not forsake a path so well beaten before me by so many great and learned iudgements both ancient and of yesterday who diuide this whole prayer into three parts 1 An inuocation in the first words 2 Petitions in the body of it 3 A conclusion giuing reason of both 1 Of the Inuocation This hath three words in it which containe the three parts of the inuocation 1 Father shewing who it is to whom our praiers are directed 2 Our expressing the interest that wee haue in him 3 In heauen pointing to the place from whence we looke for helpe and where this our heauenly father is 1 Father herein consider 1 Who is meant in that title 2 Why he is inuocated vnder that title 1 Who is meant No doubt is made that this praier is addressed to God and it is cleare that in this we are by Christ onely directed to God for when they sayd doce nos orare they desired the full instruction in all things concerning praier and when Christ answered them pray our Father he gaue them a full direction in which it is necessary mainely that they be taught to whom they must pray and if Christ doe onely direct them to God wee may conclude that none but God may be called vpon in our praier Our reasons for this onely inuocation of the name of God are 1 From this direction for if any else be to be inuocated Christ himselfe hath not giuen a full instruction who directeth vs onely to our Father in heauen But it is sinnefull to charge the wisedome of God with defect in his directions for if we aske wisedome of God hee giueth it abundantly as S. Iames saith this had beene short of giuing wisedome abundantly for he hath not giuen
Herod would reward the daughter of Herodias for her dancing he said Aske of me whatsoeuer thou wilt and I will giue it thee Great persons loue to be sued to for their fauours and thinke it an accession to their honour when they haue many petitions Christ would haue vs know that prayer is the key which openeth the full hand of God and that we haue no right to the bread we eate or to any thing wee possesse except we haue first asked it of God by prayer or sanctified it thereby And therefore it is religion and good manners to blesse our tables before we eate with prayer when you reade of Christs eating or feeding of others there looking vp to heauen and blessing goeth before breaking and eating or giuing to eate As if hee would haue vs know that our bread is the gift of God and we must aske it of him and they that haue learnt no other grace before meat to blesse their table and their food if they can say from a deuout heart but this Our father which art in heauen giue vs this day our daily bread no doubt but hee that put that prayer into our hearts and mouthes will see that it shall speed where it goes for hee onely maketh our prayers passable to God and acceptable with him Saint Paul telleth vs that euery creature of God is good for it is sanctified by the word of GOD and prayer Therefore ancient is the practise of sanctifying the table before meate which we call saying of grace Saint Chrysostome mentioneth the grace vsed by the Monkes of Egypt their manner was before their meat was set vpon the boord to repeate ouer the whole Psal 145. And when the meat was set on one said and hee a Priest Christe Deus noster benedic cibo ac potui servorum tuorum quoniam tu es sanctus nunc semper in saecula saeculorum Amen In the middest of the meale they stood all vp and one for the rest repeated these words Benedictus es Domine Deus qui misereris nostri pascis nos à iuventute nostrâ qui das escam omni carni reple gaudio laetitia corda nostra ut semper habentes animum presentibus contentum exuberemus in omne opus bonum in Christo Iesu Domino nostro In the Latine church ancient is this forme of blessing the table The Priest if any be present or the Master of the family if no Priest were in company standing with the guests about the table said Sacerd. Oculi omnium in te sperant Domine Conv. Et tu das escam illorum in tempore opportuno Sacerd. Aperis tu manum tuâ—m Conv. Et imples omne animal benedictione tua Sacerd. Gloria patri filio c. Conv. Sicut erat in principio c. Sacerd. Benedic Domine nos tua dona quae in tua largitate sumus sumpturi Mensae coelestis participes nos faciat rex aeternae gloriae And we may perceiue that the ordinary manner of blessing our tables is taken from these great and good and ancient examples of the seruants of God in times past Let me therefore admonish you in the feare of God not to lay hands vpon the dayly bread till you haue blessed it with prayer that God may feed you and susteine you with his prouisions for vnblest bread is not wholsome 6 Da teacheth vs the necessity of thanksgiuing for if we receiue our food of gift and God doth expect no other pay or reckoning but our thanks Dauid will tell vs that iustos decet laudare Therefore it was frequent also with those aboue named after their meale to stand vp and to render thanks to God for their food The Latine Church Sac. Confiteantur tibi omnia opera tua Con. Sancti tui benedicant tibi Sac. Gloria patri filio c. Con. Sicut erat in principio c. Sac. Agimus tibi gratias omnipotens Deus pre universis tuis beneficijs qui vivis regnas in saecula saeculorum Sac. Benedicam Domino in omne tempus Con. Et semper laus ejus erit in ore meo Sac. In Domine gloriabitur anima mea Con. Audiant mansueti et laetentur Sac. Magnificate Dominum mecum Con. Et exultemus nomini eius in id ipsum Sac Sit nomen Domini benedictum Con. Ex hoc nunc usque in saecula Sac. Deus det nobis suam pacem And this is the forme of blessing the table vsed according to the statutes of the Colledge where I had my breeding euen at this day In the Greeke Church after meales Gloria tibi sancte pater gloria tibi rex quoniam dedisti nobis escas ad laetitiam imple nos etiam spiritu sancto ut in veniamur in conspectu tuo accepti non confusi pudefacti quando reddes unicuique secundum opera sua To which they added Sicut in medio discipulorum tuorum coenantium adfuisti Salvator dicens pax vobis ita veni etiam ad nos et salva nos I shew you these ancient formes vsed in both the Churches both Greeke and Latine to stirre you vp to reuerence and thanksgiuing in the blessing of this bread which you beg of God that wee doe not like bruite beasts receiue our food from God without imploration of his blessing with recognition of his fauour 7 The last duty is a sober vse of our bread let it not be the bread of gluttony or the wine of drunkennesse We must take heed that the gift of God bee not abused to his dishonour lest it turne vnwholsome and vnprofitable for vs. This is the fathers gift and it is the childrens bread it is no meate for dogges that is for greedy and vnthankfull deuourers thereof But a more proper vse of this point will follow vpon the word Daily 3 Da nobis 1 We must herein consider our first respect the beginning of our charity at our owne persons Christ that taught vs to pray teacheth vs to haue care of our owne maintenance and to seeke it of God for it is a true rule Qui sibi nequam cui bonus The Law makes vs a president of loue ut teipsum This doth reproue the Romish doctrine of voluntary pouerty for they taking aduantage of those words of Christ to the yong man Si vis perfectus esse vende omnia et da pauperibus doe count that a worke of super-errogation to doe so to giue away all and liue vpon almes Whereas that was not an euangelicall counsaile as they suggest but a precept and not a precept of obedience but of probation whereby God did proue the heart of that yong man that himselfe might see how his soule did cleaue to the world and the things thereof Or at the most it was but a particular precept giuen to that man and not a generall counsell extensiue to all persons and all ages and times for God would haue vs eat
one God but know not this way to him by Iesus Christ may aske but they shall neuer receiue they may seeke but shall neuer finde they may knocke but it shall neuer be opened to them Christ saith I am the way no man commeth to the Father but by me The Papists doe forsake this way in their multiplicitie of Mediatours for though they beare the world in hand that they acknowledge but one Mediatour of satisfaction that is Christ many Mediatours of intercession that is Angels and Saints the prayers that their Liturgies doe vent declare against them that they inuocate the Father in the mediation of Saints by way of satisfaction forasmuch as they plead with God the merits of Saints and ascribe as much efficacie to the milke of the Virgin Mother of our Lord as to the bloud of her Sonne This in a Booke allowed by authority which concludeth with this blasphemous peremptory prayer to God O Lord thou must pardon mee I cry aloud it is not bloud will serue my turne I long for milke But concerning intercession Christ himselfe hath reuealed no other way but quicquid petierit is patrem in nomine meo and in that we rest 8 We must pray in fit forme of words It is not euery mans abilitie to expresse the desires of the heart in a good composition of fit words wee must neither be ouernice as if we conceiued that God would bee taken with the oratorie and rhetorique of words and sentences with the musicke of fine and choice phrases figuratiue and affected flourishes of humane eloquence neither must we be ouer homely and rude and vnmannerly to sollicite God in such language as wee dare not tender to men sad and serious graue and gratious must our prayers be that they may declare an holy reuerent zeale with true and sanctified iudgement For neither courting with elegancies of wit and speech nor slighting with vnkempt and homely rusticity which with some doth passe for plainenesse doth please our God there is an art of praying as well as of speaking and the Disciples would learne the Grammer thereof We teach children how to aske our blessing how to call for such things as they shall need and we can minister vnto them and no mans owne iudgement without good information can direct him in the great duty of holy prayer which is our inuocation of God our asking him blessing and forgiuenesse our praising of his name 9 We must pray in methode for seeing God is our principall delight wee must first seeke the honour of God and seeing our selues are next to vs wee must let our charity beginne at home and so passe to our neighbours and seeing the soule is more excellent then the body wee must first desire spirituall then temporall gifts as Christ seeke ye first the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof You see that the mysterie of godlinesse in prayer is great and deepe and that we had need to be well directed to doe it aright Many turne this great part of Gods holy worship into sinne by being vntaught or not hauing well learned the doctrine of prayer it will be worth our consideration to take a short notice of the common faults committed in prayer 1 Prayer is of no validitie with God if it come from sinners God heareth not sinners If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me therefore wee must purge our conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God Vnderstand this comfortably that it is meant of knowne sinnes vnrepented such as know themselues faulty and doe not vse the best meanes to reforme themselues and to forsake sinnes cannot pray to bee heard In this case are all they that liue in the continuall practise or by the daily gaine of a sinne 2 Prayer is vnacceptable si timida if wee come to God as seruants not as sonnes there is an holy feare that maketh vs come reuerently that is a great ingredient in our preparation to prayer there is a seruile feare which breedeth in vs despaire we pray but haue no hope of successe 3 Si tumida Proud beggars shall bee said nay the Pharisee came proudly to God to giue him an inuentory of his virtues as one saith as if a wounded man should come to a surgeon and shew him all his sound parts and conceale his wound They that demand heauen of God as wages due to the merit of their works pray proudly and they shall haue what they deserue to their shame and smart 4 Si anxia God loues not that wee should come to him in distraction full of the cares of the world for they hinder deuotion the heart that sendeth forth welcome prayers preuailing with God must be established with grace This holy ballast doth make vs steddy our own vanities put vs to the tosse of euery waue 5 Si multiloqua for God loues not babling the iuyce of grace is not prest out with the weight of words it was one of the follies of the heathen by our Sauiour reproued Thou art on the earth he to whom thou prayest is in heauen Sint verba pauca 6 Si nimium festina It was a good old counsell festina lentè nimis properè minùs prosperè Wee must be content to awaite the good leisure of God for the holy one will not be limited I wayted patiently vpon the Lord and he enclined his eare to me and heard me Qui credit non festinat Idoneus promissor est fidelis redditor tu tantum esto pius exactor 7 Si intempestiva There is a season for all things the foolish virgins lost it and they knockt too late And Peter was too soone faciamus hic tria tabernacula Seeke the Lord whilest he may be found 8 Si carnalis If we haue care to the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof As they that being in the chase of some high preferment doe pray God for the successe they desire and their thoughts are fastned on the good meat they will eate the good cloathes they will weare the great traine that they will keep whom they will aduance whom they will oppresse You speed not saith S. Iames because you aske amisse to spend it vpon your lusts if such speed in their suites it is a gift giuen to the owner of it for his hurt And now I thinke you will confesse that it is a great wisdome to be taught how to pray and if you loue your bodies or soules God or your neighbour you will not leaue till you haue learned how to pray 3 They come to Christ to teach them Therein the whole Christian Church was beholding to them for by this meanes we come to an absolute direction for prayer that will hold out and keepe in fashion till time be no more Donec cesset oratio And the word vsed in compellation which is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praeceptor but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth fit well to expresse the
seeth not and he walketh in the Circuite of heauen These are grosse and carnall opinions of God that his high habitation in heauen doth make him a stranger to vs and our wayes or maketh our prayers imperssions to him Am I a God at hand saith the Lord and not a God farre of This title of Gods being in the heauens doth not clip the winges of his presence spread and dilated ouer all the world Whither shall I goe from thy spirit or whither shall I fly from thy presence If I ascend vp into heauen thou art there If I make my bed in hell thou art there c. We must therefore search the reasons why God whose presence filleth all places is here called vpon as dwelling in the heauens He is said to be in the heauens in respect of his Maiestie and glory for as the throne of an earthly Prince is his highest place of greatnesse and glory so we can best conceiue God in his glory when wee cast our selues downe before him sitting vpon his throne so Christ saith Heauen is Gods throne and the earth is his footstoole So Dauid The Lords throne is in Heauen his eyes will consider his eye-liddes will try the children of men This teacheth vs to come before God in our praiers with all humble reuerence feare as before a Prince of highest glory sitting in the thron where he iudgeth right They forget this who come before him and present him with their rude and vndigested extemporall euaporations of their desires daring to petition the highest Maiestie with their vnstudied vnpremeditated supplications Salomon presseth this consideration thus Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hastie to vtter any thing before God for God is in heauen and thou vpon earth therefore let thy words be few If the Maiestie of earthly Princes do make thee study thy petitions and take counsaile what thou shalt desire and in what wordes and that thou weighest euery word in it that thou maiest giue no offence doe not make too bold with God who though he be thy father yet is he an heauenly glorious God whose seat is aboue all The sweet and gracious name of a father may peraduenture make vs too bold and therefore this addition of Maiestie is put to it to temper and moderate our presumption and to awe vs. 2. This mention of heauen in Gods title is a remonstrance of Gods omni-videncie for hee is aboue as in speculo in a watch tower from whence hee discerneth all that is done all the world ouer So Dauid Out of heauen did the Lord behold the earth his eye is ouer all the world Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and opened vnto the eyes of him with whom we haue to doe The Lord is in his holy temple He seeth all mens hearts and discerneth from what affectiōs their praiers are breathed forth into his hearing He seeth who come to him who neglect him he discerneth what it is that bringes to him whether our necessities and wants only or our loue to him he discerneth what vse we intend to make of his gifts if we preuaile with him how we will take it if we speed not in our suites for he knoweth all our thoughts long before So that we are hereby stirred vp to a further conscience of reuerence holy deuotion in our praiers for that we appeare in his presence whose searching doth so narrowly suruey vs from the height of his Sanctuary 3. This mention of the heauens in his title doth expresse the high power of God for what doth more expresse him to vs in fulnesse of omnipotency then this high throne of his greatnesse established in heauen The Heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-worke This addes yet more to our feare for that power is not to be dallied with The Lord killeth and maketh aliue hee bringeth downe to the graue and bringeth vp By strength no man shall preuaile Here is no contesting with this power and no resisting his right hand our father which art in the heauens Take heed that the presumption on the name of Father doe not dash thee against the rocke of his power for There is no rocke like our God Dauid hath secretly directed vs herein But there is forgiuenesse with thee that thou maist be feared This is the best composition of the heart that prayeth to God to loue and hope and beleeue and approach and sue and all with feare for feare will keepe vs within boundes that we offend not Now that we haue both these considerations in sight together in this compellation of our father in heauen we haue also matter of faith as well as feare There be two doubtes which may be cast in prayer which are both remoued in this title and our faith established against them 1. That of the Leper Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane He confest him a Lord he belieued of his power but his doubt was of his will But seeing he is our father there can be no cause of that doubt 2. That of Israel Can God furnish a table in the wildernesse here is doubt of the power of God and this is cleared when we confesse that our father is in heauen For his being in heauen which we here confesse is not a bare habitation there for so the Angels of God are in heauen but it acknowledgeth his Creation of the heauens his possession of them his dominion ouer them the heauens are his imperiall chamber wherein he sitteth as supreme Monarch in most absolute and independent omnipotenc y As Dauid He hath done whatsoeuer he would in heauen and in earth and in all deepe places There be two great hinderances to the preuailance of our praiers 1. Nimia trepidatio when we are too much cast down with the terrour of Diuine Maiestie that is healed in Our father 2. Nimia oscitatio when we beare our selues too bouldly vpon the confidence of his fauour and that is quash tif we consider him in the heauens the place of his high glorie 4 This mention of heauens doth call vs to the consideration of the holinesse of God for that is called the Lords Sanctuarie the Sanctum sanctorum and into that shall enter nothing that is vncleane Therefore in the law so many washings and clensings were in vse so many preparations for any speciall resort to God the people called vpon to sanctifie themselues for God that openeth his hand and filleth our empty vessels as the pottes at the marriage in Cana to the brimme will not powre his pure graces into vncleane vessels And hee that is pure and holy will not receiue the praiers that come from an vncleane and pudled spring of flesh and bloud hee that poureth on the house of Dauid and the inhabitants of
thou risest vp And Saint Paul doth admonish the Thessalonians Wherefore comfort or exhort your selues together and edifie one another euen as also ye doe This is done by priuate conference when wee enlighten one anothers vnderstanding when wee helpe one anothers memories when we inflame one anothers affections by animating of them in good wayes this is an holy building vp of our selues and others in the knowledge faith and loue of the will of God Men doe grow excellent in their mechanicall trades by diligent exercise of them in their owne persons and by frequent conference with such as vse the same course of life They that studie liuing bookes which are able to read lectures and to resolue doubts and to admit disputation doe learne more speedily and profit more compleately then they that onely conuerse with the dead letter of other mens labours The good man that would profit by the word doth with Dauid hide it in his heart it is an vnualuable treasure and therefore no part of him but his heart fit for the laying of it vp Yet our Sauiour to shew that this treasure is not buried there saith that a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things Which phrase of bringing forth doth agree with this point of doctrine that both to establish our owne memorie and to communicate the grace that is in vs it behoueth vs to speake one to another concerning the will of God that putting that alwaies in sight it may bee the rule of our words and waies For doth not the vncleane person forget that Gods will is his sanctification doth not the ignorant person forget that God would haue all men come to the knowledge of his truth therefore remember and forget not saith the holy ghost 3 To these wee must adde practise by obedience to the will of God that is doing of this will for by nature there is in vs a rebellion to the holy will of God and a desire to walke according to the imaginations of our owne hearts which must be corrected by our endeuour and striuing to liue in the obedience thereof according to the rule of Gods word The law is open written in two Tables we haue them from the hand of God by the ministerie of Moses reade and heare and study the statutes and ordinances of God for your good that it may be well with you and with your children after you for euer Christ fulfilled this law of God in perfect obedience not to exempt vs from the obedience of the same to the vttermost of the measure of grace giuen to vs but to satisfie the iustice of God offended at our preuarication of his law and to giue vs example that we should ambulare sicut ille And that the father of Iohn Baptist doth well expresse vt liberati seruiamus ei for there is a double effect of Christs obedience 1 It is effusiue spent in the worke of our reconciliation to iustifie vs before God 2 It is infusiue effectuall to our sanctification to frame our imitation to a conformity to his obedience in all holinesse They that apprehend and trust to the one without the other haue part in neither of them neither can any man say to his owne heart that he hath part in the effusiue obedience of Christ reconciling him to God vnlesse he haue his portion also in the infusiue obedience of Christ sanctifying him to newnesse of life and imitation of his holy and perfect example This law as you haue heard doth regulate not onely the outward man from doing any thing to the dishonour of God or the wrong of our neighbour but it extendeth to the gouerment of the tongue that neither euill words may corrupt good manners nor idle words may fill vp the euidence against vs in the day of our account It reacheth also to the gouernment of our thoughts and affections that neither in desire we imbrace not so much as entertaine in our fancie the opposition to the law of God or the declining in any the least obliquity from it Search the law then wherein God sheweth you what is good and what his will is doe that best to doe that will and take knowledged from this petition which our Sauiour putteth into your mouth how apt you are to breake this law how readie to omit the duties of it how propense to commit trespasses against it that you may craue helpe from him who is mighty and able to manage you against your corruptions And because this may seeme to you durus sermo and a taske more then you can performe let mee comfort you that the commandements of God in all the elect haue a treble strength 1 They serue for direction to guide the vnderstanding so it is said lex lucerna 2 They serue for correction to reforme the will and bring it into subiection to this will 3 They serue for corroboration to strengthen vs in our endeuour and to giue vs ability to performe in some measure that which is declared to vs to be the holy will of God It is a great secret which God hath reuealed to his Church concerning the reuelation of his will in precepts for the precepts of God are of three sorts 1 Precepts of tryall 2 Of conuiction 3 Of obedience 1 Precepts of probation are such as God doth but try obedience withall but he meaneth not to put them to performance as when God commanded Abraham to offer his sonne in sacrifice he did not meane to put him to it to performe it as the issue of it did demonstrate So Salomon bade to diuide the liuing childe 2 Precepts of conuiction are all the lawes which God commandeth the reprobate to keepe for he knoweth that they will not obey them yet he commandeth them to make them without excuse when hee shall call them to account 3 Precepts of obedience are those wherewith God giueth both light to see and delight to obey and grace to performe his will So when God biddeth an elect person repent he giueth with the precept the grace of repentance as hee commanded Lazarus to come forth of his graue and gaue him life and ability to come forth And that we pray here for that God with the knowledge of his will would giue vs the grace of obedience to doe it Which sheweth that prayer is the best meanes that we can vse to obtaine this grace of obedience to which our owne strength faileth vs but we can doe all things by the power of his might who is alwaies with vs by his spirit to strengthen vs. To worke this indeuour of obedience besides the imperious and royall law of our God we haue the example of heauen which is here added to make vs lift vp our heads to looke vp to that full president of obedience which is there giuen to vs in the tenants of the new Ierusalem This is the right way of honouring Angels and Saints not to rob God of
life may be fit to minister comfort to soules sicke of the leprosie of sinne yet none can purge this leprosie by forgiuing the sinnes and absoluing the sinner from the guilt and punishment of them but the ministers who are called and separated by the voyce of God to that office It is well exprest in the words of Christ for when he speaketh of this power of absolution and giueth it to his Apostles he vseth the same word to them which he vseth in the Lords prayer for in my Text he teacheth vs to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to them hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For as God hath reconciled the world to himselfe by Iesus Christ so hath he giuen to vs the ministery of reconciliation So that the Ministers forgiuing of sinnes is no intrusion vpon the rights of God no impeachment of the honour of God but it is his owne act declared by his own ordinance and by his appointment particularly applyed Yet haue we no warrant to say to our Minister forgiue vs our sinnes but hauing declared to him our repentance we may pray to God for his pardon and desire our Minister by the power giuen to him by Iesus Christ to pronounce it to vs. This power was in the Church long before the comming of Christ into the world as it may appeare by the words of Elihu to Iob. For he speaking of the remedy which God hath ordained for the restoring of sinners saith If there be with him an Angell an Interpreter one among a thousand to shew vnto man his vprightnesse Then hee is gratious vnto him and saith Deliuer him from going downe into the pit I haue found a ransome Obserue Gods ordinance in calling a Minister to bee his Angell or messenger euery man is not fit for this seruice such a one is one of a thousand to him God committeth the office of an interpreter to declare to man his vprightnesse that is to comfort him against the terrours of his sinne by preaching to him the doctrine of Iustification by the righteousnesse of Christ To him is committed the office of deliuering a sinner from the pit that is from hell and that is by absoluing him from his sinnes this is the greatest power that is left vnto any creature vpon earth For to vse the words of the holy Ghost to which of the Angels did God say at any time that he should deliuer a soule from going downe into the pit To the King is committed the ciuill gouernment of vs in policie to the Lawyer the care of our goods and good name to the Physitian the care of our health of body to the Souldier the care of our goods and liues but our soules are committed to the care of the Minister to saue them So saith the Apostle Thou shalt be able to saue thy selfe and those that heare thee which made Saint Ambrose say Nihil in hoc saeculo excellentius Sacerdotibus Our power is to deliuer men vp to Sathan by binding and to saue them from going downe to the pit by loosing of them from their sinnes Master Caluin is iudicious and moderate in this point for he aduiseth sinners that are burthened in their consciences for sinne rather to seeke the remedy in the meanes ordained and setled by God in the Church then any other way which is to exonerate their conscience of the burthen of sinne to some godly learned and discreet Minister of the word Cuius officium est publicè priuatim pop dei euangelica doctrina consolari But such an euen course must be held herein vt tyrannidem abesse velint a se a populo superstitionem Therefore let me admonish you in the holy feare of God to seeke the forgiuenesse of sinnes and the peace of your consciences in the holy and good way which God hath ordained and especially vpon your sicke beds when you are enditing your whole life to God neglect not the establishing of your hearts in the remission of sinnes by confession and absolution Let not a iealousie of Popish superstition discourage you from this for what is there in christian religion which they haue not corrupted but doe you separate the cleane from the vile and forsake not the holy direction of Gods word It is againe obiected if I must onely aske forgiuenesse of God for my sinne why is there mention here of my forgiuing such as doe trespasse against me Is it lawfull for me to aske man forgiuenesse of any sinne I answer that euery sinne that wee commit doth trespasse God being the preuarication of his law but if that sinne doe trespasse our brother also we must goe and be reconciled to our brother for if it be possible so much as lyeth in vs we must haue peace with all men Man may forgiue the offence done by his brother to him but the offence done to the law of God none but God can forgiue I will speake a bold word it is a truth God may forgiue a sinne committed against man so farre as it is a breach of the law of duty and obedience to him without man but God cannot forgiue a sinne done by one man against another except the man trespassed doe forgiue it for there can be no reconciliation betweene God and vs so long as there is warre between our brother and vs. Our Sauiour hath exprest as much When thou commest to offer thy gift vpon the Altar and remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thy gift goe and be reconciled c. It may appeare also in the very case of debt he that is a debter to his neighbour and refuseth to make him satisfaction doth breake the law of the kingdome and is an offender against the King and therefore is the kings prisoner for breach of the Kings law the King may forgiue his prisoner the breach of his law wherein hee is trespassed but he cannot forgiue the debt which hee oweth to his subiect If wee would haue a full forgiuenesse of our sinnes wheresoeuer they offend let vs labour to giue satisfaction but if we meete with harsh natures to whom no reasonable satisfaction is answerable they begge their owne iudgement in this petition for so shall they bee forgiuen as they forgiue and they shall finde God as inexorable and as implacable as themselues are 6 Another duty we learne here in the word nobis for we are taught charitably to pray for the forgiuenesse of one anothers sinnes not of our owne onely We doe not pray God for the pardon of the sinnes of the Angels that fell they kept not their first estate and the holy Ghost hath reuealed to vs that there is no possibility of their reconciliation to God for Saint Peter saith God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them downe to hell and deliuered them into chaines of darkenesse to be reserued vnto iudgement The God of spirits spared not the spirits that transgressed but the Prophet
the rest is resumed and more prest then the rest both in the affirmatiue and in the negatiue 1 In the affirmatiue for if ye forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly Father will also forgiue you 2 In the negatiue But if ye forgiue not men their trespasses neither will your father forgiue you your trespasses The reason is because this pardoning of wrongs done to vs is a supernaturall grace and doth testifie of vs that we haue the image of God in vs for naturally we returne euill for euill eye for eye tooth for tooth one euill word one euill worke for another Therefore to fixe this holy duty in vs our Sauiour bindes vs to it by this petition to looke for no more mercy in heauen then we doe shew to our brethren here on earth with whom we liue The parable of our Sauiour doth make this reasonable our debt to God is 10000. Talents our neighbours debt to vs 100. pence the oddes is great if wee would be forgiuen this great summe should not we forgiue that small debt We are apt to aggrauate the wrongs we suffer one from another and to extenuate the offence that wee doe to God But be it that from our neighbour we suffer in our good name let vs consider how much the glorious name doth suffer from vs in our swearing and blaspheming in our euill conuersation which causeth the name of God to bee euill spoken of amongst those that are without yet we would make God beleeue that nothing is so deare to vs as his holy name because we make it our first petition Hallowed be thy name Be it that our neighbour offend vs in our goods by taking vniustly from vs that which belongs to vs let vs consider that we haue nothing but from the hand of God and all that we possesse is his and wee can call no more ours then what hee giueth and we vse to his glory and the maintenance of our life in sobernesse and honesty In all that we spend from these vses wee our selues are not owners but vsurpers of all that we so misemploy and for 100. pence that we lose of our right by the iniury of men we mis-spend of Gods treasure 10000. Talents lewdly and dishonourably to him offensiuely to our owne soules and iniuriously to our brethren Compare all that pride and gluttony and drunkennesse and vanity and wantonnesse and contention spendeth prodigally all that couetousnesse congesteth and hideth from the vse of thy brother wretchedly with that which either thine owne necessities or thy christian charity doe demand of thee thou shalt finde that the wrong thou dost doth more exceed the wrong thou sufferest in thy goods then 10000. talents doe exceede 100. pence Be it that thy brother wrong thee in thy friends by seeking to distast them to thee dost not thou by euill conuersation corrupt the affections of thy brother to alienate his heart from the holy seruice of thy God If thy brother seeke thy life dost not thou in thy rebellion against God offend thy God in a more high degree vngodding of him and taking away his honour which is his life and destroying in thy selfe and in thy brother the image of God Therefore consider thy selfe maior parcas insane minori The God to whom thou prayest is the God of peace the Gospell which thou professest is the Gospell of peace the kingdome that thou seekest is the kingdome of peace the way to it is via pacis It was a good obseruation of King Henry 7. that the proclamation of Christ comming into the world was peace vpon earth and the legacie of Christs going out of the world was pacem meam do vobis and thence he concluded that the life of a Christian man should be a prosecution of peace The Apostle doth presse it earnestly If it be possible as much as lyeth in you liue peaceably with all men The soule of man doth not animate and quicken the members that are cut off from the body neither doth the holy Ghost quicken the members of the Church that are not vnited to the Church Therefore peace-makers are called the sonnes of God for so doth God loue peace that hee gaue his onely Sonne By him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe and to set at peace through the bloud of his crosse both the things on earth and the things in heauen The Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it is one of the hardest lessons that is taught in the schoole of Christ to forgiue our enemies and most contrary it is to flesh and bloud Saint Peter thought hee had offered faire when hee asked Christ quoties how often he should doe it and then added vsque ad septies but Christ made nothing of it non dico vsque ad septies Therefore as when we haue a worke to doe that requireth force wee put our whole strength to it so the Apostle biddeth as much as in vs lyeth to striue for peace Our Sauiour by this petition doth tell vs plainely that his care in this precept is not all for our neighbour that he may be forgiuen his trespasse It concernes vs our selues so neare as the forgiuing of our owne sinnes doth import for if we cannot plead our actiue pardon we cannot desire this passiue pardon we must be pardoners if we will be pardoned It is true that in the parable the Master pardoned his seruant his debt to him first but when after he heard complaint that his seruant would not forgiue his fellow his small debt he reuoked the pardon and redemanded the debt Therefore our Sauiour would haue vs worke sure first to forgiue trespasses done to vs then to pray for forgiuenesse of our trespasses 2 Where we say forgiue vs as we forgiue wee doe make profession of our forgiuenesse of our debtors that is of such as haue trespassed vs. Which admonisheth vs to be sincere in our forgiuenesse as Christ saith if ye from your heart forgiue for we pray to him who is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a seer who seeth our hearts and knoweth whether we deale faithfully and sincerely with him or not therefore let vs consider how we would be forgiuen of God that we may so forgiue 1 We would be forgiuen presently 2 We would be forgiuen heartily 3 We would be forgiuen totally 4 We would be forgiuen so as there should remaine no roote of bitternesse in stocke to make a new quarrell which we call forgiuing and forgetting it is not forgiuenesse if all that meete not so 1 Some delay the pardon of their brethren and so liue in prosecution of reuenge and in retribution of euill for euill and when they haue either failed of their reuenge or effected it then they forgiue When God sent Nathan to reproue Dauid for his double sinne Dauid charged with this debt confessed it at the first voyce of reprehension and Nathan replyed to him The Lord also hath