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
Ierusalem the spirit of supplications poureth also the spirit of grace to sanctifie the supplications So it is called in Zech. the Spirit of grace and supplications And Dauid can say If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me Obserue it in Saint Iames his directions Draw nigh to God and hee will draw nigh to you clense your hands yee sinners and purifie your hearts you double minded When God appeard to Moses in the bush and Moses was approaching to him he heard a voyce saying to him Put off thy shoes from thy feete for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground There is no Comming then to God without holinesse without which we may seeke but we shall neuer see the face of God 5 This mention of the heauens here doth put vs in minde of the wisedome of God who of nothing raised vp that glorious frame of those celestiall habitations that high Sanctuary for his owne dwelling for in wisedome he hath made them all Which teacheth vs to beware how we appeare before God in our praiers and holy deuotions not as fooles but as wise Take heed to thy foote when thou entrest into the house of God and be more neare to heare then to offer the sacrifice of fooles They that pray not in wisdome doe offer to God the sacrifice of fooles And Salomon saith God hath no pleasure in fooles There is no folly like to the folly that is vsed in prayer and deuotion when the God of wisedome hath vs in his eye and the iealous God who is tender of his worship discerneth that he is slighted That is one of the sinnes of our time a foolish worship without consideration care or reuerence which turneth our praiers into sinne Hath God any pleasure in the set words of a solemne seruice Did he not blame his owne people Populus hic honorat me labijs suis Dauid admonisheth to sing praises to God with vnderstanding It asketh a great deale of spirituall wisedome to addresse our suites to the Court of heauen where the highest King of glory doth wisely consider all the sonnes of men and beholds with what descretion and wisedome they come before him Take heed therefore that thou forget not our Father to be in heauen Heauen is mentioned for the height of Gods sanctuarie for God is in excelsis which teacheth vs in praier to sublime our soules from the earth and earthly things to an holy eleuation thereto agree those outward formes of lifting vp the eyes in prayer I lifted vp mine eyes to the hills from whence my help commeth Our helpe is in the name of the Lord who hath made heauen and earth And let the lifting vp of mine hands be an euening sacrifice Sursum corda It is the voice of the Church Our Conuersation is in heauen and it is the Apostles counsaile If ye be risen with Christ seeke the things which are aboue and not the things which are below where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God O that I had the winges of a Doue the wings of an Eagle rather to fly high there is the Carcase and thither the Eagles resort Our earthly Parents giue good things to vs but they haue them from hence the bread the fish the necessaries of life Sometimes earthly Parents proue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but our heauenly father is one whose compassion falles not when my father and mother forsaketh me the Lord taketh me vp Doubtlesse thou art our father though Abraham knowes not though Israel be ignorant of vs. Earthly Parents see vs sicke and in prison and in disgrace and in want they can sit downe and droppe their teares and viz their groanes with ours but there is no helpe in them they may be parted from vs by death but our heauenly father shall endure for euer his yeares change not he looked down from the height of his sanctuarie From heauen did the Lord behold the earth to heare the groaning of the prisoners to loose those that are appointed to death 7 The mention of heauen added to the title of our Father doth put vs in minde of his goodnesse for hee dwelleth in that place from which euery good giuing and euery perfect gift doth proceed From whence also we are directed in our Prayers not to aske of this Father that is nothing but good and perfect gifts In temporall benefits we must still haue an eye to the true vse of them to make them serue for spirituall and heauenly vses One thing haue I desired of the Lord that I will seeke after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple Let our eye be vpon the inheritance and the birth-right and for things temporal so far as they may be adjumenta or oramenta to vs to aduance this final desire of the kingdome of God so farre let vs desire and seeke and vse them Who will petition a King for beades and babies and such trifling things feare nto little flock it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a Kingdome Let our wisedome seeke it where it is to be found in heauen where Iesus Christ sitteth at the right hand of his father and maketh intercession for vs. Why should we aske stones where we may haue bread for asking bread of the finest wheat flower Manna Angels bread 8 The name of our father in the heauens doth put vs in minde of the country which we seeke for we are but Pilgrimes and strangers and we haue no abiding City here we are but soiourners as all our fathers were But we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolued wee haue a building not made with hands but eternall in the heauens For in this we groane earnestly desiring to be cloathed vpon with our house which is from heauen that mortalitie might be swallowed vp of life for Whilest we art at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. We are confident and willing to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. We sit here weeping by the riuers of Babel If I forget thee O Ierusalem c. Returne to thy rest O my soule Studie those heauens search and finde out the way to them there is one that is gone before to prepare a place there for vs in the many Mansions of his Fathers house and as the Church sweetely Hymneth He hath opened the Kingdome of heauen to all beleeuers by a new and liuing way which hee hath Consecrated for vs through the vaile that is to say his flesh Conducting vs to Mount Sion the City of the liuing God the heauenly Ierusalem and to an innumerable companie of Angels To the generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the iudge of all and to the spirits of
complaine of the great want of this zeale euen in his Church amongst those that make confession of his name For the common swearing by the name of God and the ordinary idle naming that holy name vnholily with long custome of euill doing is growne to such an habite of sinne that few of vs doe lay it to heart as we ought We do neither refraine from this iniurie to the name of our God our selues nor seeke to reforme it in others But where the zeale of Gods glory is truly kindled it both consumeth all this euill in our selues and it flasheth out to the combustion of it in others For that wee pray in this petition that the name of God may be hallowed not onely by our owne sanctification of it but by the preparation of others for it the prouocation of others to it and the reformation of others as much as in vs lieth who offend against it This zeale then of the name of God doth require of vs both a conscionable care of the glorie of Gods name within our selues expressed in thought word and deed but with it a charitable care of our brethren that we admonish them and reproue them if you heare them at any time speake vnreuerently of the name of God Remember the word of Gods Commandement Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour that thou beare not sinne for him Obserue that place well and therein note 1. That if a brother that is any man or woman with whom we doe conuerse doth doe any thing to the dishonour of Gods name we must not presently hate him for it as Gods enemie Therefore he is called our brother to endeare him to vs. 2 That we must seuerely rebuke him which is exprest in the Hebrew phrase in rebuking thou shalt rebuke him 3 This must be done as to a brother in loue of thy neighbour shewing him the right and conuincing of euill 4 Note the danger least thou beare sinne for him that is least thou make his sinne thine by thy silence Reproofe is Oleum Sanctorum let the righteous smite me and reproue me saith the Psalmist it is balsamum amicitiae it sheweth true loue and therefore must be performed very discreetly the Hebrew Doctors say Leniter molli Lingua let vs take heed of putting our brother to shame till it come to Dic Ecclesiae and thou spare him not that he may be ashamed and repent him of his sinne 3 The next duty is to sanctifie God in thy life that is confesse him with thy mouth to be holy beleeue him to be so in thy heart teach others that he is so and let thy godly conuersation testifie of thee that thou seruest him so that the name of God be not euill spoken of for thy sake For they be Gods enemies that take his name in vaine the Psalmist saith It is to no purpose to pray daily that the name of God may be hallowed if our life and carriage our words and workes doe dishonour God Therefore let this petition of ours to God remember vs of Gods command to vs Sancti estote the very Idols of the Heathen had that honour done them that the Law went for them Deos caste adeunto And if seruants must Count their Masters worthy of all honour that the name of God be not euill spoken of much more must we esteeme our heauenly father worthy of honour least he be violated in his name This Sanctifying of God in our life extendeth to the vse of his good creatures our food and raiment our dwellings and such like riches of Gods mercy when we doe 1 Preserue them from abuse 2 Employ them to the end for which they are ordained of God and bestowed on vs. 3 When we receiue them with thankesgiuing praising the name of God for them 4 When we suffer the want of them with patience learning as wel how to want as to abound I conclude this point Consider how the name of God suffereth without the Church by Turkes and infidels that worship a God without a Trinitie by Iewes that deny Iesus Christ come in the flesh by all the barbarous nations of the world who haue their seuerall Gods by Papists who rob God of his glory giuing it to images By Anabaptists Schismatikes that serue God in separation by the prophane of the world There are but few left to hallow his name let them doe it well 2 Petition Thy Kingdome come When we haue prouided for the honour of the name of our heauenly father that that may be beleeued and confessed to be holy and that due reuerence may be giuen by vs to it our next request is for the aduancement of the kingdome of God vpon earth This is another addition to the glory of God our father when we desire that he may reigne sole Soueraigne Lord of heauen and earth and that none may rise vp against him For our better vnderstanding of this petition we must consider 1 What is meant by the kingdome of God 2 How we would haue this kingdome come 3 What duties we are taught here 1 What is meant by this kingdome The Kingdome of God is three fold 1 Regnum potentiae 2 Regnum gratiae 3 Regnum gloriae 1 Regnum potentiae In the first we consider God as the Almighty Creator maker of heauen and earth and the high possessor of all that is in them contained as the mighty gouernour and protector of his creatures applying them al to his seruice and to the good of each other So he is called King of kings and Lord of all Lords of this the Psal The Lord hath prepared his throne in heauen his kingdome ruleth ouer all A voyce from heauen told proud Nebuchadnezar that his kingdome was departed from him that he must be humbled with great iudgements Vntill thou know that the most high ruleth in the kingdome of men and giueth it to whom soeuer he will This proues him a lyar who told Christ shewing him the kingdomes of the world All this power will I giue thee for it is deliuered vnto me and to whom soeuer I will I giue it For indeed the Lord is king and he doth whatsoeuer he will in heauen and in earth and in all deepe places Vnder this vniuersall dominion hee hath subiect to him all Creatures Angels and Men and Diuels heauen and earth and hell nothing is in being that is not in subiection to this vniuersall Monarchy 2 Regnum gratiae This is Gods speciall power and goodnesse in the gouernment of his elect people the throne of this kingdome is his Church Iudah is his Sanctuary and Israel his dominion The subiects of this kingdome are the faithfull people of God to whom he speaketh by his Prophet The meeke of the earth which haue wrought his iudgement who seeke righteousnesse and seeke meekenesse all those that feare the Lord and thinke vpon
words and therefore some haue conceiued that these words haue their seuerall reference to each of the three petitions and are not a proper appendix to this alone but to the rest Hallowed be thy name in earth as it is in heauen so in the two following I approue the necessary implication of it in them all but I take it where I find it and it is a full Sicut a compleat example For in heauen are the Angels of God and Dauid saith of them faciunt voluntatem ejus there are the soules of iust men made perfect and now euer since his ascensiō there sitteth at the right hand of God he that taught vs to pray this prayer Who came into the world of purpose to do the wil of his father that sent him he continueth the office yet in heauen A mediator making intercession to the Father for his Church a mighty protector sending his Angels as ministering spirits for the good of them whom he hath called of purpose So that the example is full Iesus Christ the Angels in what difference so euer of ranke or degree the soules of the iust who are also tanquam angeli dei all these obey and fulfill the will of God in perfect obedience to the vttermost of what is exacted of them We pray fiat sicut That is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grudgingly but as Saint Paul saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to the Lord who knowes when he hath seruice that is due to him 1 They do the will of God willingly that is their meat and drinke as Christ said of himselfe here they haue no body of sinne to resist them they haue no flesh to oppresse and burthen them no temptation can fasten vpon them they alwaies behold the face of God attending vpon him to be commanded by him 2 They are exprest to vs as hauing winges wherein the holy Ghost doth declare to our apprehension the quicke readinesse of their expedition in the seruice of God So let Gods will bee done on earth speedily So Dauid I made hast and delaied not to keepe thy Commandements 3 They doe the will of God first for indeed they haue nothing else to doe here on earth wee haue many occasions for the necessities of the body to entertaine time and endeauour and God is so tender of our necessities as to dispense with his law in compassionate support of them But the Angels and heauenly spirits haue no other busines in heauen but to attend the will of God and to doe it at first their nature is so perfectly diuine that they are onely gouerned by the will of God there is nothing concerning themselues to be desired but the aduancement of Gods kingdome ouer all 4 They doe the whole will of God in full obedience For Dauid saith They doe Gods Commandements by obeying the voyce of his Word That is the right way of obedience to be directed by the voyce of the Word of God and to doe so as hee commandeth all that he biddeth Here note that this Sicut doth not imply aequalitatem that we should performe it in the same fulnesse of perfect complete obedience as they do which is impossible for them that dwell in houses of clay and who carrie about them Corpus peccati but qualitatem similitudinem so farre as in holy imitation wee can follow them as Iulus followed Aeneas Sequiturque patrem non passibus aequis This is the heroicall spirit of the elect of God they are therby carried towards perfection what they faile either in act of obedience or in endeuour of seruice that they supply with feruencie of holy desire God heareth the desires of the poore This is further holpen by our griefe of heart and holy sorrow for our weakenesse and holy indignation against our iniquities that hinder this obedience and holy carefulnesse to amend it and holy prayers to God to assist our endeuour herein It is obserued of Lot when hee laboured the conuersion of the Sodomites that his righteous soule was vexed from day to day with their vnlawfull deedes This also pleaseth God that our hatred of sinne in our selues and others do declare that wee seeke for the fulnesse of obedience that the will of God may be fulfilled according to the great example of heauenly seruice 4 What dueties are taught here 1 We must labour for the knowledge of the will of God so saith the Apostle That yee may prooue what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God That is first concerning the secret will of God wee must know that it is absolute not to be changed by God not to be resisted by man but implicitly to be yeelded vnto although we know it not we beleeue it doth decree all things out of wisedome and Counsaile with iustice and goodnesse and all for the best and when God shall by euents declare it to vs wee must know that God is to be praised and thanked for it How therefore we must remember in our deuotions to referre our petitions to this absolute will of God so that our petitions must be with reseruation of that will saluo semper decreto diuino For so Christ prayed his father to take the cup of his passion from him he hath warrant from the following petition to pray against all euill and against Sathan the suggester of it Libera nos a male But because it pleaseth God for some iust motiues in himselfe to determine the exercise of the patience of his Church in afflictions or for some other reason alwayes iust though often secret to let that euill come vpon vs against which we pray therfore our will in this stoopeth to the absolute will of God with that exception of our Sauiour Father if thou be willing remoue this cup from me neuerthelesse not mine but thy will be done Seeing this secret and absolute will of God is within himselfe the Saints of God by a generall warrant for prayer for all things needfull doe goe to God often for such things as in that free and absolute will he hath decreed not to grant and this may be done without sinne in the faithfull and without preuarication of this vnreuealed will of God So we pray for the peace of Ierusalem that is the Church of God when yet God may finde it fit in his wisedome to send the sword amongst them as we see in the Churches of Bohemia both the Palatinates and the French Protestants God hath declared his will to vs in that which they haue suffered and in that which as yet they endure vnder the Popish tyranny of those Iesuited Princes by whom the religion and truth of God is opprest Yet we pray still for their deliuerance from the hand of their enemies but neither disliking the effects nor doubting the wisedome nor quarrelling the counsell of God in this decree but submitting to it So we pray often for the recouerie of our
brethren and sisters from sicknesse the returne of our friends from long voyages the prosperous successe of our affaires yet God hath sometimes decreed against these yet wee may pray without sinne in all these cases We finde great examples hereof for the Prophets Moses himself haue praied to God against his will when he hath declared it and when God hath sent the Prophets they haue both threatned in the name of the Lord and yet exhorted to repentance and prayer to diuert the iudgement menaced Abraham for Sodome Dauid prayeth for the life of his childe which was appointed to death and so much Nathan told Dauid before Christ who came of purpose to taste that cup and knew that his fathers will was that he should drinke of it yet doth pray the Father to take it away Which he did 1 Partly to expresse the heauy sufferings that he was to sustaine for our sakes that wee may know wee were bought at a deere rate and an high price was paid for our redemption for it is applied to Christ by the Fathers and fulfilled in Christ Haue ye no regard all ye that passe by the way Consider and behold if euer there were sorrow like my sorrow which was done vnto me wherewith the Lord did afflict me in the day of the fiercenesse of his wrath No man can tell the Angels of God would faine know all the ingredients in this cup which Christ did deprecate It is best left with admiration and wonder at it with due consideration of it as the bitterest cup that euer was tempered by the hand of God not so much for the bodily passion as for the inward pangs and convulsions that the soule of Christ suffered for the sonnes of his Church 2 For our example to warrant our prayers against all euill for though wee know that the hand of God will smite vs and though wee be resolued with patience to beare it saying with Dauid Loe here I am let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eyes Yet we may lawfully pray reseruing our submission to the will of God that this cup tempered of purpose for vs by the decree of God may be taken from vs. Herein we oppose not the absolute will of God but we oppose the euill malum poenae which is against vs and contrary to vs. 3 For comfort in afflictions for Christ praying his Father though he preuailed not in the maine matter of his suit ad transitum calicis yet he sped another way for in his agonie when there was fire in his bones which melted him that he swet water and bloud There appeared vnto him an Angell from heauen strengthening him For our sakes that wee may see the fruit of our prayers which though they preuaile not for full deliuerance from afflictions yet they may speed for comfort in them and strength to beare them Therefore it is a blasphemous assertion that one of our nouellists vented in print that Christ did directly pray against the will of his Father This cleareth the question in my iudgement our first duty is rightly to know what may concerne vs in the point of Gods absolute and secret will that is that the absolute will of God is to turne all things to the best to them that loue him so farre wee may lawfully pray against that which God hath secretly decreed to doe that his will may bee done vpon vs for our good and his glory Wee deprecate onely that euill that may corrupt either our wisedome faith or patience which is not properly to pray against the will by which this euent is willed but against the sting of it And so Christ prayed transeat amaritudo calicis but euen that with reseruation of his fathers will entire and vnresisted 2 There is required of vs also knowledge of the reuealed will of God The Mine of this treasure of heauenly knowledge of the will of God is holy Scripture which Christ biddeth all men to search and which are profitable to make the man of God perfect absolutely perfect in all good workes These the holy ghost hath recommended to vs with all kinde of holy indulgence and fauour and the blessed man doth exercise himselfe herein day and night To assist this worke of knowledge of his reuealed will as he hath opened the booke of his will to vs the holy Bible so he hath opened the dores of his house to vs for our meetings and therein he hath ordained and established the Euangelicall Priesthood of the new Testament for he sendeth forth Ministers of his gospell to Preach the same and he furnisheth them with his holy instructions directing them what to say and he giueth them their errand then he openeth to them the dore of vtterance that he may declare his will in their mouthes to his Church Then he openeth the vnderstandings and moueth the affections of the hearers to receiue the word of Gods will both in Scientiâ and in Conscientiâ For how can the will of God be done there where it is not knowne nor vnderstood Surely they had no minde to doe the will of God that cried nolumus scientiam viarum tuarum And they that neither studie holy Scriptures nor good helpes in vse for the vnderstanding thereof nor come to Church to heare there what is good and what God requireth at their hands or heare there without profit not heeding or obseruing what is taught all these haue not the care nor conscience of doing Gods will They may giue ouer praying that the will of God may bee done that care not for the knowledge of his will It is said of Christ by his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many 1 Either scientia qua scit for he knoweth who are his and none are predestinate to this life but whom he hath foreknowne 2 Or Scientiâ qua scitur for they that know him and the vertue of his resurrection will trust in him Saint Paul esteemed all things as dung in respect of this knowledge This is life eternall to know thee It is a vaine hope that some haue that their ignorance of the will of God will be pleadable for excuse of their disobedience to it for this may tempt some to liue in ignorance to goe their owne wayes and to extenuate their sinne in the day of their account To put that pretence out of countenance 1 Know that ignorantia affectata is a most heinous sinne it selfe and it abateth nothing of the iudgement due to all the sinnes that are committed in it Noluerunt intelligere vt bene agerent this is the will of God which all know that God who would haue all men to be saued would haue all men come to the knowledge of his truth and we are renewed in knowledge to the image of God And God hath sent his Sonne to giue knowledge of saluation they that will bee darke in so cleare a sunne-shine shew that they loue darkenesse more then light These despise the
faithfull repose of our trust in him for they who seeke to ingrosse things temporall for feare of want and had rather trust their own prouidence then God shew great weakenesse of faith and distrust in God If we obserue it well the greatest part of men vpon earth haue small certainty of their maintenance certaine charges yet liuing in lawfull callings though not sure of their employments not alwaies sure of the wages they earne of the vent of the commodities in which they trade yet still God supplyeth them from day to day and supporteth them in their wants which sheweth that there is no such thrift and good husbandry as to trust to the prouidence of God for our maintenance in the vse of honest and lawfull meanes he is Diespiter and euery day he looketh vpon the sonnes of men and surueyeth their wants and he that will not let the fowles of the ayre nor the beasts of the field want bread will not suffer his owne deare children to want the necessaries of life if they seeke them from him Men might make their liues much more happy to themselues much more quiet to their neighbours if they did wisely informe themselues in the doctrine of this daily prouidence of God for hee that knowes his duty to be labour in an honest vocation and prayer to God for his blessing vpon his labour needs doe nothing more but cast all the rest of his care vpon God who careth for him But partly the feare of wants and partly the desire of riches doe so transport vs that we can neither be good children to God in deuotion nor good neighbours to our brethren in charity because we doe not depend vpon this daily prouidence of our God If a man sit downe and cast vp the charges of his family and compare it with the short reckonings of his commings in he may say I and my family shall want bread but if religiously he compare it with the rich reuenue of Gods holy prouidence hee will finde a store there so furnished with plenty and an hand so open to giue it away to them that aske it that hee will resolue with the Prophet No good thing will God with hold from them that walke vprightly I conclude this point put thy selfe into an honest calling doe thy indeuour in it conscionably pray to God for his blessing vpon it and trust him with the rest If in this way I want bread I will be bold to tell my God as the holy Prophet did if I be deceiued thou Lord hast deceiued me But that imputation cannot fall on him They that haue put him to it haue found him full and faithfull in his promises and performances Our fathers trusted in thee they trusted in thee and thou didst deliuer them They trusted in thee and were not confounded But you demand Is therefore all prouidence for the time to come vnlawfull and must our thoughts and desires bee onely confined to the present all for to day and nothing for to morrow We answer that our desires must be limited to the present but our endeuours must not be so let vs labour honestly for the blessings of God with contentment in his gifts for to day but if our endeuours so bestowed extend to a further proportion of gettings thrift is allowed where it is not ioyned with distrustfull carefulnesse Ioseph may lay vp in the seauen yeares of plenty for the famine of seauen yeares to succeed when God reuealeth a dearth comming on and warranteth the prouision The good man may haue a treasure wherein is old and new so this treasure be filled for vses of piety and charity Goe to the Ant thou sluggard consider her waies and be wise She prouideth her meate in summer and gathereth her food in the haruest He that gathereth in summer is a wise sonne but hee that sleepeth in haruest is a sonne that causeth shame The sluggard will not plough by reason of the cold therefore shall he begge in haruest and haue nothing and the Apostle saith That Parents ought to lay vp for their children Religion doth not make men ill husbands and the possession of good things must not hinder our daily prayer to God for his blessing vpon them LVC. 11.4 And forgiue vs our sinnes for we also forgiue euery one that is indebted to vs In Saint Matthew we reade thus And forgiue vs our debts as we forgiue our debters But we commonly say and forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. IT is a consideration worthy to be continued to obserue the order and composition of this prayer the foundation of it is laied in the loue and power of God in the preface to it For when wee call him our Father we plead a speciall interest in his loue and when we call him our father in heauen we acknowledge him of power to performe whatsoeuer his loue intends to vs. Then in the first petition we declare our selues the loyall and louing sonnes to this father in seeking the exaltation of his glorious name first which we doe 1 For his sake whose name onely is glorious 2 For our sakes for it is not onely to vs Turris fortissima but it is oleum effusum Then in the second petition we pray for the aduancement stabilitie and propagation of his kingdome that he may onely rule ouer vs onely he may rule in vs. In the third petition we desire a conformity with that part of the Church that is with God in heauen by our obedience to the will of God And hauing made three petitions for the aduancement of the knowledge and worship of God we come in the fourth petition to begge for our selues the necessaries of life that we may liue to serue our God by his giuing and blessing our bread to our vse Now in that which remaineth we pray against all impediments of this holy worship and seruice That which hindereth this seruice of God is our sinne past present and to come therefore here we pray against sinne and we desire 1 The gratious pardon of past and present sinnes 2 The free and full preuention of sinnes to come This petition hath regard to the present guilt for sinnes past and present Saint Cyprian doth say well Post subsidium cibi sequitur venia delicti vt qui à Deo pascitur in Deo viuat nec tantum praesenti corporali vitae consulat sed aeternae ad quam venire potest si peccata donantur For our better vnderstanding of this petition 1 We must know what it is that we pray against 2 What we request 3 Of whom 4 For whom 5 The condition of our request or the manner of it 6 The duties depending vpon all this 1 Against what we pray Saint Matthew calleth them debts figuratiuely Saint Luke here calleth them sinnes literally and wee commonly call them trespasses because by euery sinne we trespasse our God and giue him
also telleth vs by his experience Man that is borne of woman is of few daies and full of trouble The best of Gods seruants commonly smart most in these daily grieuances for iudgement beginneth at Gods house Dauid makes great moane often in his Psalmes griefes in his body vnquietnesse in his soule persecutions from his enemies and innumerable vexations S. Paul complaineth of laboures stripes imprisonments shipwrack many perils by land and by sea wearinesse painfulnesse watching fasting hunger thirst cold nakednesse And who is he that walketh conscionably in the feare of God that hath not cause to complaine with Dauid Innumerable troubles haue compassed me about 2 The remedy of this Pater noster libera nos The deliuerance here desired of our father is that copiosa redemptio plentifull redemption which Dauid doth speake of which is By grace of preuention to keepe them off from vs ne ingruant 2 By grace of subuention to support vs in these euils ne opprimant 3 By grace of full deliuerance to remoue them vtterly from vs ne destruant 1 For the grace of preuention Dauid was very neare a shrewd turne when Saul the king threw his iauelin at him So was he when Michall conueied him away through a window that he might escape the messengers which Saul sent of purpose to kill him S. Paul had such a deliuerance In Damascus the Gouernor vnder Aretas the king kept the city with a garrison desirous to apprehend me And through the windowes in a basket I was let downe by the wall and escaped The Scripture is full of examples of this kind and he that obserueth well the course of his own life will find many of these gratious preuentions of euill wherewith the hand of our great deliuerer hath kept off many euils from him Destruction was come euen to the very gates of Niniueh and within forty daies all had perished had not mercy interposed In 88. when Spaine girded on her harnesse against this land and came hitherward with purpose to inuade with the Popes promise to conquer and possesse this kingdome here was the Deuill suggesting the Pope abetting and the Spaniard attempting and God preuenting In 1605 the machination of the powder treason by the sonnes of Belial men of blood the corroboration of the plot by the agents for the Pope the secret abetment of it from Spaine the prosecution of it to the day of destruction lost all their strength and spit their venome vpon themselues in the defeat of their treason the destruction of the traitours and in the perpetuall reproach of Popish religion to all the ends of the world and to the last period of time All this by this preuenting goodnesse of God who kept vs from the euill and would not suffer vs to fall into the pit that they had digged for our soules For this Christ prayed his father Pater si possibile est transeat hic calix And this is that which is promised to the faithfull There shall no euill befall thee neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling He shall giue his Angels charge ne offendas This is the chiefest of Gods deliuerances and the fullest of Gods temporall mercies this also is a common and usuall tendernesse of God to vs to preserue vs from danger but this is neither so sensibly perceiued nor receiued so thankfully as it deserues It may bee we may report our strange escapes with wonder and tell them for newes but we do not commonly giue God the honor due to his name for them by praysing him for them as we ought 2 The grace of subuention in euils This was the fauour that the father did to the sonne in the agony that he suffered in the garden for hee sent to him then And there appeared to him an Angell from heauen strengthening him Christ our louing Sauiour chose rather to be comforted in his sorrowes then to bee kept quite from them for he did vndergoe them for vs as S. Ambrose sweetly saith Suscepit tristitiam meam vt mihi largiretur laetitiam suam and againe Debuit dolorem suscipere vt vinceret And God sent to him his Angell to comfort him in this distresse as Beda saith Sicut propter nos tristis est propter nos confortatur that we might know that so many as are by faith vnited to Christ haue interest in Gods spirituall consolations in the middest of all troubles Thus Saint Paul was comforted aboord the ship in his dangerous voyage to Rome the Angell of the Lord appeared to him and promised him his owne life and all their liues that sailed with him Thus was Noah supported in the deluge of the whole world Lot in the conflagration of Sodome Daniel in the den of Lyons the three Children in the fierie furnace Ioseph in the prison Peter also being in ward Our Father to whom wee pray euen as Ionah from the belly of hell is called the father of mercies and the God of all comfort who comforteth vs in all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort you which be in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selues are comforted of God So he himselfe is a comforter and he would haue vs comforters one to another and his Angels be comforters Yet for all this to make vp a full consolation Christ saith I will giue you another comforter and he promiseth his abode with vs for euer This grace of subuention though it doe not quit the afflictions yet it taketh away the euill of them so that the Saints of God are exprest reioycing in tribulations which they could not doe if the euill thereof were not remoued This mercy of subuention if neither charitie nor zeale desire it yet smart and paine will extort it from men for who suffers paine or griefe or losse or infamie but in the pang of the fit he cryeth God helpe me 3 The grace of full deliuerance Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of them all The snare is broken we are deliuered This fauour Noah and Lot had so had Daniel and the three Children first comforted in tribulations then deliuered from them and Ioseph of whom it is said that they put his feete in the stockes the iron entred into his soule He had the innocency of his cause to comfort him and though for a time he did suffer this affliction in the prison as a malefactor for so we must vnderstand the storie yet after some time of suffering God did giue him fauour in the sight of the Keeper and then he had comfort in his captiuity And as the Psalmist saith he abode there vntill the time that his word came the word of the Lord tryed him The King sent and loosed him the ruler of the people and let him goe free The time when his word came was the time when he interpreted to Pharaoh his double dreame then the word of
these things 3 We ascribe vnto him glory A great argument to moue him to doe all these things for his owne glory for this is his praise that he heareth our prayers therefore to him doth all flesh come and that is it we seeke in this prayer the three first petitions are addressed to the glory of his name of his kingdome and will we desire bread that we may liue here to praise and serue him We desire pardon of all sinnes past and release from our iniquities present and strength against all ensuing temptations and deliuerance from all deserued euils that we may be able to liue in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life 3 Our faith in this prayer is confirmed by these 3 reg potentia glor 1 A regno true that of earthly Kings the Prophet saith Trust not in Princes nor in any sonne of man for there is no helpe c. But the Lord is a King that may be trusted I am a great King saith the Lord of hosts King of Kings and Lord of Lords is his name Reuel 19.16 and he saith Per me reges regnant We begin at Our father whence we haue audaciam petendi we end at tuum est regnum whence wee haue fiduciam impetrandi he ruleth ouer all all things serue him feare not thou little flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome The Apostle calleth this kingdome the inheritance of them that are sanctified and he calleth all the faithfull heires and coheires with Christ This King sent the heire of his kingdome in the similitude of sinfull flesh amongst the sonnes of men of purpose to expiate their faults to reconcile them to his fauour and to inuest them in the rights of this inheritance Faith is the ground of these things which wee hope for and this King is the giuer of euery good and perfect gift whom we call our father What can we want wherein can our faith stagger if it cleaue to him and that we may once say cheerefully with the Apostle Scio cui credidi All the elect of God are not onely the subiects of this kingdome but fauourites also of this King his darlings his delight is in them Dauid makes so bold with God as to pray Keepe me as the Apple of thine eye hide me vnder the shadow of thy wings The Hebrew word signifieth the blacke of the Apple the very sight of the eye He that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of his eye God holdeth them so pretious that men had need to handle his children as tenderly as they would handle the Apples of their owne eyes aliqui intelligunt de oculis dei 2 A potentia there be many titulary Kings here on earth swolne with titles of great dominions wherein they haue neither foote of land in possession nor the obedience of any subiect it may be that there is ius dominij annexed to their Crownes for which they retaine the titles as our Soueraignes doe in France or they may be pretenders to some rights as the Kings of Spaine are to Ierusalem There be Kings that haue supremacie of dignity and possession of regalitie but their wings are clipt they are limited how farre they may flye Such a King was Achish in Gath who approued Dauid well but he could not keepe him with him for saith he Thou art not good in the eyes of the Lords wherefore now returne and goe in peace that you displease not the Lords of the Philistims Whether Princes be ouerawed by their Magnats or in their owne facility doe diuest themselues of their power both wayes here is kingdome without power or glory But thine is the power for God is the high creatour and possessour of heauen and earth as Melchizedech called him And as he holdeth possession vndenied so he maintaineth dominion vnresisted Hee doth whatsoeuer hee will Power is neuer fearefull when it is in a Father rather here is firme foundation to build faith on the Leper in the Gospell built vpon this rocke Thou canst make mee cleane The sister of Lazarus confest the power that Christ had with the Father quicquid petieris Our God is caput potentiae The powers that be are ordained of God they are but so many rayes or beames of this glorious sunne or if we esteeme them as starres for glory yet they borrow their light from this sunne God would haue this knowne and confest Thy Saints shall blesse thee they shall speake of the glory of thy kingdome and talke of thy power This power is the strong rocke and the high place the wall of defence to the Church The powers and principalities which are against vs may shake our faith with some terrours they cannot make it faile As the mountaines compasse about Ierusalem so is the Lord round about them that feare him and put their trust in his mercy 3 A gloria vbi regnum potentia ibi gloria The glory of God is threefold 1 In his owne glorious nature and essence 2 In his workes 3 In his word The glory of his nature is a light that no man can attaine to we conceiue it best by that which is reuealed to vs in the two great volumes of his workes which our eyes behold and of his word which he hath left in his Church for our learning that we may know him and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ There is that which the Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and wee haue no outward meanes to know it but by the workes and word of God within vs the spirit also helpeth our infirmities This glory of diuine nature doth consist in the holy attributes of God 1 His simplicitie for he is ens simplicissimum without permission a selfe-bearer 2 His eternitie for he is α and ω without beginning and end 3 His life for he is called deus viuens ita viuit vt sit sua vita ita est vt sit sua essentia 4 His immensity and infinity whereby he comprehendeth all things filleth all things and is in euery place 5 His authority perfection and selfe-sufficiency which extendeth not onely to the complement of his owne essence but is the originall of all perfection that is in his workes 6 His blessednesse for he is God blessed for euer blessed in being so and blessed in knowing himselfe so to be and blessed in the communication of his blessings to his creatures according to their capacity and vse 7 His omnipotencie for he alwaies worketh both in himselfe in actions immanent and without himselfe in actions transient in both he doth what he will 8 His wisedome for he knoweth and foreknoweth and decreeth maketh and gouerneth and preserueth all things by infinite wisedome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 9 His truth for his wisedome doth both apprehend all truth his operations be all in truth his onely is the reuelation of truth 10 His will secret done in and vpon all
tendernesse secondly immutabilitie 2 The name of Father putteth vs to search what right we haue to that name 1 There is a generall interest in that name which is communicated to all creatures by which all things that haue being must call God their Father because hee is to them all the author both of their being and conseruation for of him and by him and through him are all things And if Iabal may be called the father of all such as dwell in tents and of such as haue Cattell And Iubal the father of such as handle the Harpe and Organs Because these were the first beginners of these arts amongst men Much more may all things call God their common Father in whom all things liue moue and haue their being But thus God is the father of wicked men of the deuils and of hell as being the Creator of their substances and the author of their being The Church of God doth not vnderualue this interest in God though thus common to all creatures that haue being though the worst and most despised creatures of earth sea and hell doe participate with them therein Who loues the ayre the worse because euill men and noxious creatures hurtfull to man doe breath it in and out and liue by it Who loues the Sunne the worse because it shines vpon the good and bad vpon sweet gardens and loathsome stinkes and dunghils or the raine that fals vpon all grounds Amongst the benefits that wee thanke God for this hath good place wee giue him thankes that when we were not he gaue vs a being It is a great wisedome and it is attained by faith to vnderstand that the world was ordained by the word of God so that the things which we see are not made of things which did appeare And therefore the Prophet calleth vpon the creatures the Angels the hoast of heauen the Sunne and Moone and Starres and Waters c. Let them praise the name of the Lord for he commanded and they were created He also established them The donation of being and the conseruation in being be great fauours and therefore God is called Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keeping all things This putteth vs in minde to take heed that we turne not the blessing of our being into a curse by corrupting our waies and doing euill in the sight of God It is otherwise with vs then it is with other creatures many of them perish and loose their being Angels and men are created to immortality and they that possesse not the immortality of life and glory shall bee possessed of the contrary immortality of confusion and paine So that the doctrine of our creation doth admonish vs to remember our Creator betimes that we may addresse our whole being to him for we see that all other creatures in their kinde doe serue him and keepe the vse for which they were ordained 2 There is a more speciall interest in this title of Father belonging to men who haue receiued fauour in their creation aboue other creatures 1 For he made man in imagine suâ which he did to no other creature on earth 2 He made him in honour but a little lower then the Angels crowned with glory 3 Hee made him immortall for though his fall brought in death yet the death of Christ destroyed it and the soules of men cannot die and the dead bodies of men shall rise againe to an eternall reunion with their soules 4 He made him to rule And this putteth vs in minde of a great debt of duty to God who hauing vs as his clay in his hand when he might haue made vs beasts or fowles and fishes wormes or flyes he chose rather to make vs men to giue vs the vse of reason discourse and speech Which though it be a gift common to vs with the wicked and vngodly of the earth yet let vs thinke neuer the worse of it for to be a man is to be an epitome a little Mappe of the whole world and there is a way open for men as much to excell men as men generally are more excellent then bruit beasts 3 There is yet a more speciall interest that some men haue in this title to call God Father then others haue which none but Christ can warrant vs to challenge and therefore none but he can teach vs to call God Father in this sense and that is by right of adoption For when we had lost the fauour of God being dead in trespasses and sinnes and separated from the life of God and thereby in a more miserable condition then all our seruant creatures associated also with those rebell Angels that kept not their first estate but forsooke their habitation Then it pleased God to send his sonne first in promises then in types shadowes and in the fulnesse of time in the fulnesse of performance to reconcile vs to himselfe and to purchase for vs an eternall inheritance that we might be called the sonnes of God and enfeoffed in all the liberties of Gods elect children so the Apostle We haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby wee cry Abba that is father This is the interest of all the faithfull in God and none but the elect doe call him by that name by a iust claime to the graces annexed to that name and deriued from it Rea. 3 This reuealeth to vs a third reason why we call God Father that is to shew that we goe to him in our prayers the right way which is by Iesus Christ for there is no other way to the Father One Mediatour betweene God and man the man Iesus Christ For in this last kinde of gratious paternity God is onely a Father to vs in Christ and for his sake And to shew our faith in God grounded vpon the sufficient merits of Iesus Christ wee seeke the face of God vnder that title which our Iesus hath bought with his bloud which is called the bloud of the euerlasting couenant So that the name of Father giuen to God in this prayer doth teach vs that all the prayers of the Church must be offered vp to God in the mediation of Iesus Christ For we call not God Father by Angels or Saints but by Christ onely therefore we must seeke this Father onely in and by Iesus Christ He himself hath taught vs this for he saith whatsoeuer you shall aske the Father in my name it shall be giuen you The Renegado of Spalato in his last Manifesto doth muster vp heapes of proofes to maintaine inuocation of Angels and Saints against the truth against his owne former auouchments of the contrarie against his owne conscience if he haue any left after his apostacie He laboureth to proue that Angels and Saints departed doe continually pray for vs wee deny it not wee know that there is a communion of charity in the whole body of the Church and doubt not of their perfect charitie who are released hence
iust men made perfect And to Iesus the Mediatour of the new Couenant and to the bloud of sprinckling that speaketh better things then the bloud of Abel 2. The Petitions These are of two sorts for some doe concerne the glorie of God and our spirituall and eternall good the rest haue reference to this life and the good thereof It is necessary that we be directed by our Sauiour both in the matter what we may aske and in the order where and at what we must begin there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If we put that out of the proper place wee may disorder our praiers and speed the worse Therefore our first petition here is Hallowed be thy name Which wholly is directed to Gods glory for that is first to be desired and sought of vs. In the handling of which words 1 We must search what is here meant by the name of God 2 What it is to Hallow this name 3 Who must doe this 4 Why we doe aske this of God 5 Why we make this our first petition 6 What dueties depend vpon this 1. What is meant by the Name of God Names were giuen to Persons to Creatures and things of old for distinction sake to distinguish one from another and that application by which euery thing is called is the name thereof Therefore God appointed the Creatures which he had put vnder the Dominion of Adam to take their names from him And whatsoeuer Adam called euery Creature that was the name thereof But God hauing none greater then himselfe gaue himselfe his names by which he made himselfe known to the sonnes of men and therefore Moses desirous to know the name of God demanded it of himselfe And God called himselfe I am that I am and bad him say I AM hath sent thee Which great name of Iehovah doth expresse him 1 Eternall in his owne selfe-being altogether independent Yesterday that is from euerlasting to day that is for the present and the same for euer that is both so long as time is and eternally after time is no more Which was which is and which is to come 2 It sheweth the omnipotent production and denuation of all existences from him as the Apostle saith Of him and in him and by him are all things 3 It sheweth his wise and powerfull prouidence in the gubernation and preseruation of all things for seeing the omnipotent hand of creation hath extracted all things out of nothing how easily could they be againe resolued into nothing if the faithfull Creator were not the wise and potent supporter of this creation Sometimes he is called El the strong God Sometimes Elohim Godds in the plurall to expresse the Trinity of persons And so the Preacher vseth the plurall Remember thy Creators in the daies of thy youth first the Father Sonne and holy Ghost Adonai is a proper name to God in respect of his Dominion and absolute Soueraignty ouer all the works of his hands I cannot blame the tendernesse of the Iewes whom the zeale of this glorious name of God restrained from taking it in their mouthes or pronouncing it but vpon great occasion for they were afraid of the terrour of that Commandement which saith The Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine And superstition in that kinde doth come nearer the virtue then profanenesse doth But neither that law nor this praier doth prouide for the honour either of so many letters written or such a word sounded by the tongue But as we vse to say that man hath a good name who hath a good estimation of whom report speaketh well So by the name of God in this place I vnderstand the estimation and good opinion and regard and honour of God And so I vnderstand our Sauiours praier to the Father Father glorifie thy name To whom the Father answered I haue both glorified it and will glorifie it againe His desire is that God would reueale his glory so to men that his name may be great and glorious in the world God is very carefull of this for the spreading of his name in the world for he told Moses and bad him say In very deed for this cause haue I raised thee vp to shew in thee my power that my name may be declared throughout all the earth To this end God doth exact obedience to his law That thou maiest feare this glorious and fearefull name The Lord thy God David O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth who hast set thy glory aboue the Heauens The name of God is also taken for the holy attributes of God his wisedome and power and holinesse and goodnesse and eternity or whatsoeuer may honour him euen as the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And for this God hath that glorious name and is so farre aduanced aboue all things insomuch as our Helpe standeth in the name of the Lord who hath made heauen and earth And so it is said by way of benediction The name of the God of Iacob defend thee And it is vsed in our praiers by way of Mediation Helpe vs O God of our saluation for the glory of thy name and deliuer vs and purge away our sinnes for thy names sake You see cause from hence that care be taken of the name of the Lord you heare what his name is not only his titles by which he is known but his glory in all his due attributes 2. What is it to Hallow this name It is nomen sanctum already So Dauid Holy and reuerent is his name and our praier is that it may be Sanctificatum that is so declared and reuealed and so accepted and confest Holinesse to the Lord it is his due Any thing is then sayd to be sanctified when it is vindicate and seperate from common vse to a speciall and reuerend regard the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quisi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 separate from all earthinesse and carnalitie 1 From obliuion the name of God must neuer be forgotten of vs as the Church protesteth The desire of our soule is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee 2 From Contempt When the name of God is remembred to be honoured and confest and praised and sworne by vpon iust occasion the temple at Ierusalem was built to the name of God and God put his name there and thither the Tribes went vp to giue thankes to the name of the Lord. 3 From prophanation either by Blasphemy which is the highest degree of abuse of the name of God or by any other pollution of that holy name Blasphemie is either as Aug. in lingua in vita 1. In lingua 1 When any thing is vnworthily attributed to God that becommeth not his holinesse or wisedome or power or goodnesse c. 2 When any thing is wholly derogated from God which belongeth to any of
his name The Lawes of this kingdome are the holy Scriptures and these are called often the kingdome of heauen in their Ministerie for by them the glory and power of Gods kingdome is declared on earth and they are The rod of his mouth The arme of God by which he directeth and aweth all his subiects Therefore the Scepter of this Kingdome is called Sceptrum iustitiae This Kingdome of God is 1 Outward in the visible profession of the same faith and coniunction in one body of a Church and so all that ioyne together in the one worship of the same God professing to be ruled and gouerned by his holy Lawes are the visible kingdome 2 Inward in the hearts of all the elect people of God And so Christ saith Behold the kingdome of God is within you For God reigneth in the hearts and consciences of all his chosen by their faith and obedience and loue and this kingdome is not meate or drinke but it is Righteousnesse Peace and ioy in the holy Ghost 1. Righteousnesse that is the iustification of his subiect by faith whereby Christ is made to vs of God righteousnesse because the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to vs. 2 Peace for the Gospell of the kingdome is called the Gospell of peace because it filleth vs with peace of conscience in the assurance of the pardon of all our sinnes and it giueth vs a loue of outward peace in the Church knitting vs so together with the bonds of loue that as much as in vs lieth we desire to haue peace with all men 3 Ioy in the holy Ghost for where righteousnesse and peace dwell there is all spirituall ioy The voyce of ioy is in the Tabernacles of the righteous for hauing once tasted how sweete the Lord is then the soule delighteth in the Lord. Then the Statutes of God taste sweeter then hony or the hony combe they are more pretious then all manner of riches they are the very ioy of our hearts Then the feete of them that bring vs glad tydings of peace are beautifull Then the house of Gods worship is the place of our delight we will begge of God that we may dwell there where his honour dwelleth Then we shall loue the holy assemblies and be glad when it is sayd to vs we will goe vp to the house of the Lord our feete shall then stand in the gates of Gods house And the assembly of his armies will seeme to vs to be in perfect beauty Then we shall call the Sabbath of the Lord our delight and we shall make conscience of doing our owne will vpon Gods holy day Then shall we be weaned from the immoderate loue of the world and contentednesse shall meete with godlinesse Then shall we find and tast sweetnesse in afflictons and perciue it good for vs that wee haue beene afflicted and shal reioyce in our sufferings for Iesus Christ so then the kingdome of grace is two fold 1 Generall in the whole body of the Church where Christ reigneth King beeing head of his Church to guide it with his wisedome to saue and defend it by his power to Sanctifie it by his Spirit 2 Particular in euery elect member of the Church where Christ reigneth in the conscience and hid man of the heart gouerning and protecting and teaching and sanctifying the same to himselfe 3. Regnum gloriae 1 Nostrae 2 Dei This is that heauenly inheritance of the Church which Christ hath purchased for all the faithfull of which our Sauiour saith Feare not little flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you the kingdome And of this is said Come yee blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Of this Dauid saith I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse and before In thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand pleasures for euermore This is a place of glory 1 In respect of the holinesse of the subiects of it for no vncleane thing can enter into it it is called Ciuitas sancta He that is left in Ierusalem and he that remaineth in Sion shall be called holy euen euery one that is written among the liuing in Ierusalem When the Lord shall haue washed away the filth of the daughters of Sion and shall haue purged the bloud of Ierusalem from the middest thereof by the spirit of iudgement and by the spirit of burning 2 It is a kingdome of glorie because all the subiects of it are stripped out of all their infirmities and made like to the glorious Angels of God Yea the Scripture telleth vs more that we shall be like to Christ because we shall see him as he is More it saith that our vile bodies shall be like his glorious bodie Eternall health eternall ioy perfect and full knowledge blessednesse which shall neuer be taken away from vs and a full and finall abolition of all our wantes Here is that Crowne of righteousnesse and the reward of faith and the purchase of our Mediatour Here we are subiects and Kings our subiection is a royaltie for we reigne with Christ and the adoption of children is so complete in heauen and in glory that like the Elder sonne in the parable of the prodigall all that our father hath is ours The kingdome of grace is the way to the kingdome of glory it is the suburbs of this abiding city The kingdome of grace is that kingdome which Christ exerciseth in his Church here and which he deliuereth vp to God his father when the kingdome of glory cometh of which the Apostle saith Then cometh the end when he shall haue deliuered vp the kingdome to God euen the Father when he shall haue put downe all rule and all authority and power For he must reigne till hee haue put downe all his enemies vnder his feete Then shall the sonne also himselfe be subiect to him that put all things vnder him that God may be all in all Where the Apostle sheweth the vtter cessation of the kingdome of grace swallowed vp of this kingdome of glory This place of the Apostle is notable and containeth points of deepe consideration 1 Concerning Christs deliuering vp of the kingdome we must know that Christ is King as God and man so is the head of his Church and this kingdome hee holdeth by vertue of his office as hee is Mediatour between God and man and when that worke is accomplished in the fulnesse of his glory of the elect then that kingdome must cease and be giuen vp into the hands of the Father who gaue him the administration thereof for the gathering together of the Saints and for the bringing of all the elect to him 2 When he saith that Christ shall deliuer vp this kingdome to his Father let no man conceiue that the Father was all this while out of his kingdome and is now by the Sonne restored at
from his way and liue Turne ye Turne ye from your euill wayes for why will yee die O house of Israel So our Sauiour It is not the will of your Father that is in heauen that one of these little ones should perish To declare this to be his will he rose early to send his Prophets to his people to conuert them to him And our Sauiour in the Gospell doth resemble himself to that good shepherd that went into the wildernesse to seeke a straied sheep to bring it backe to the flocke to the woman that lighted a Candle and swept her house and sought diligently till she found her lost groat Both of them made merry when they found what they had lost Such ioy God hath in the conuersion of a sinner When a profane person becommeth holy when a couetous person turneth liberall when a drunkard becometh sober and a glutton temperate when a swearer feareth an oath a lier loueth the truth when a breaker of the Sabbath is glad when it is sayd to him Come let vs goe vp to the house of the Lord and answereth them My feete shall stand in thy gates O Ierusalem When an oppressor turnes mercifull and a proud man humble and a contentious man quiet and peaceable this is as God would haue it and this is ioy to the Almighty and the Angels of heauen reioyce in it for this is the will of God But in the contrarie our sinnes doe grieue the holy one of Israel grieue not the spirit of God our sinnes do ouercharge him hee complaineth that he is like a Cart ouerladen with sheaues Our sinnes put him into a storme of indignation therfore our conuersion is his will 2 Seeing out conuersion beginneth at the abnegation of our selues that also is the will of God he that will be my Disciple saith our Sauiour must forsake all and follow me Sua suos se as Saint Bernard and none is acceptable according to his wil but he that is a new Creature This maketh a perfect conuersion and this incorporateth vs in the body of the Church for God doth not will our forsaking of our selues and renouncing of the world for our hurt and losse but for our greater good that he himselfe may be our rocke and fortresse our refuge and exceeding great reward 3 The will of God is our obedience to his holy lawes which he hath giuen vs as his couenant that in keeping of them it might goe well with vs. His owne mouth hath reuealed his will in this point O that there were such an heart in them that they would feare me and keepe my Commandements alwayes that it might be well with them and with their children for euer Wherein God is not a seuere exactor of more duetie then we are able to performe but requireth our best endeuour to doe his will and taketh that for pay Neither doth he will this to make profit to himselfe of our obedience but for vs that it may be well with vs and our children for euer 4 The will of God is our holinesse in this obedience that we purge our Conscience from dead workes that we may serue the liuing God That we possesse our vessels that is our bodies in holinesse for they be Vasa animarum a treasure in earthen vessels of great price immortall soules in mortall bodies For this is the will of God euen your sanctification hee giueth the reason of it For God hath not called vs to vncleanesse but to holi 〈…〉 And this was figured in the washings and purifications of the old law and directly commanded by God saying Be ye holy as I am holy But ye are a royall Priesthood Gens sancta 2 The will of God concerning faith is that we beleeue in him and trust him they that know thy name will trust in thee that we cast all our care vpon him that we belieue in him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ and this also for our eternall good For so saith our Sauiour And this is the will of him that sent me that euery one which seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him may haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day This is the law of faith and it is the law of life For it is written The iust man shall liue by faith How needfull this petition is that the will of God may be wrought in vs this way by faith we may soone see 1 If we consider our naturall infidelity for the natural man is so far from beleeuing that he hath not the vnderstanding to discerne those things which belong to the spirit of God neither can hee saith the Apostle for they are spiritually discerned And without faith it is impossible to please God This infidelitie must be purged before the will of God can be done by vs and till this be purged the very preaching of the word the meanes ordained by God to beget faith in vs seemeth foolishnesse For it is as much labour lost to preach spiritual things to a man that hath no faith as to vrge naturall reasons to a man that hath no wit for neither of these vessels be open to receiue any of this pretious liquor stopt with ignorance and vnbeleefe 2 We haue reason to aske this of God because faith is his gift and though he suffereth vs to acquire it by little and little by the hearing of the Word yet the word of God is not any better then litera mortua in it selfe except the holy Ghost do worke by it to beget first then to nourish and encrease our faith 3 Because as Saint Cyprian obserueth well Nobis à diabolo obsistitur quo minus per omnia noster animus atque actus deo obsequatur and therefore he addeth Vt fiat voluntas dei à nobis opus est voluntate dei i. e. ope et protectione quia nemo suis viribus fortis est This is a potent aduersarie hath both his temptations to allure vs and his prouocation to vexe vs wee had need craue ayd against him and God hath laid help vpon one that is mightie to giue vs helpe we had need pray for faith to fasten our hold vpon that helpe If either by fight or flight we can put him off and lay hold vpon the hornes of this altar sub hac indulgentia et misericordia saith Cyprian tuti sumus This enemie hath a great aduantage of vs because of the treason of our owne wils for nothing is more prone and propense to euill then the will of man and there is nothing in man that man loues more then to haue his will euen the regenerate man findeth his will wilfull often and vnruly still We had neede to pray for the will of God to put in to correct and direct our wills 3 The manner how we desire this will of God to be done As in heauen so in earth The 3 first petitions that are addressed mainely to the honour of God end at these
his glory to giue it them by adoration and inuocation as the Romanists doe and teach but imitation The best examples are most safely imitated not sicut in terra for euen the Saints of God on earth had their infirmities and aberrations and though it would doe well if we did follow them yet their lame and imperfect example is dangerous lest we should fasten vpon some of their errours being naturally apt thereto but their example in heauen is without any danger there they are as the Angels of God and we haue no such way to make an heauen vpon earth as to maintaine the obedience of this holy will of God for it is not the place but the seruice that makes that to be heauen that is a glorious and happy place If Adam had preserued his innocencie and integrity in obedience earth had beene the temple of Gods holinesse and the sanctuarie of his presence and the paradise of mans happinesse still The way to heauen now is the way of obedience that is via pacis and there is no hope of the comming of Gods kingdome but to such as liue in the holy and humble obedience of Gods will And therefore to reedifie this obedience let mee admonish you to take heed of sinne 1 In the antecedents and occasions of it for he that maketh conscience of doing the will of God must remoue all the occasions and inuitations to the will of flesh as Iacob to preuent the Idolatry of his family tooke away all their strange gods and their eare-rings and burned them vnder the oake which was by Sichem When Paul preached at Ephesus many were conuerted and it is especially recorded there that Many of them which vsed curious art brought their bookes together and burnt them before all men Ioseph to preuent the euill which he feared from the temptation of his Mistresse hee both refused her offer and auoided her company 2 In the consequents of sinne for sinne doth leaue behind it some kinde of delectation especially sinnes that accord with our corrupt will as the wanton can hardly so be conuerted to the will of God in sanctification and keeping his vessell cleane but hee will remember the delight of his vncleanenesse with some titillation The rich man that hath mended his heape or enlarged his walke by sinne can hardly recouer so by repentance but that he shall sometimes thinke how deare it costeth him to recouer the fauour of God The auenger of his owne wrongs cannot so put off that sinne but that the sweetnesse of his reuenge will leaue some relish behind it And he cannot preuaile so perfectly against his angry passion but that if there be not vltio a full reuenge yet there may remaine retentio Both these precedents and subsequents of sinne doe hinder the course of the due doing of the will of God and therefore are to be warily declined as the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen as much as in vs lyeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and and grace be asked of God for it 4 There is also required a patient submitting of our selues to the will of God when it is reuealed to vs that is fiat voluntas tua super nos which is well paraphrased by the Apostle in whom you haue these three duties put in order according as I haue taught them For this cause we also doe not cease to pray for you and to desire that ye may be fulfilled with the knowledge of his will in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding That is the first dutie of them that pray this petition to know and informe themselues rightly of the will of God to which we haue added a Retention of the same in the remembrance helped by meditation cōference It followeth That ye might walke worthy of the Lord vnto all pleasing being fruitfull in euery good worke that is the dutie of obedience in labouring to fulfill the will of God doing that which he commandeth and declining that which he forbiddeth To this he addeth strengthened with all might according to his glorious power vnto all patience and long-suffering with ioyfulnesse And this being one branch of our petition that God would strengthen vs with his might to beare his will with patience doth teach vs that the duty required of vs is 1 Patience to beare the hand of God 2 Long-suffering to beare it out 3 Ioyfulnesse to beare it with comfort and contentment in it without reluctation or murmuring against it resting in the will of God as the full and finall answer to all obiections that may arise against our patience of it Saint Iames his precept is Let patience haue her perfect worke that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing And this is the way to perfect the worke of patience which S. Paul doth teach the Colossians It is an hard lesson but they which will goe in the narrow way and enter in at the strait gate that leadeth to life must looke for no easier lessons in the schoole of the Crosse Flesh and bloud doth deprecate all euill therefore to be put to suffer which is the doctrine of patience seemeth harsh and distastfull And because all affliction for the time is grieuous and painefull therefore when we are in paine we pray thrice to God that this euil may depart from vs as Saint Paul did But to be put to suffer long and to continue vnder the crosse which is the doctrine of long-suffering in calamities that goeth more against the heart all this is against vs. But to reioyce in afflictions to take them for medicines to swallow them for health and to beleeue them to be the fauours of God Flesh and bloud hath neuer an eare to heare of this paradoxall diuinity yet patience hath not her worke perfect and wanting nothing till all these meete in the worke thereof Patience is not perfect except it beare all that God inflicteth on vs. It is not entire except it beare so long as God shall thinke it meete to visit It is not wanting nothing yea it is wanting al things if it want ioyfulnesse which through the bitternesse of the physicke doth tast the sweetnesse of health and through the darke cloud of calamities behold the cleare light of Gods countenance There is nothing wherein the faith of the Church is more tryed then in suffering the hand of God vpon vs when hee smiteth vs and in bearing the Crosse of Christ Saint Iames saith that the Trying of our faith worketh patience Saint Paul seemeth to inuert the proposition for hee saith that patience worketh experience or tryall they are thus reconciled Saint Iames speaketh of tryall actiuely as it is the worke of God by afflictions trying our faith and so whilest wee are vnder the rod of God God maketh proofe tryall of our patience how we can beare what he inflicteth Saint Paul speaketh of this tryall passiuely as it is the experience which we haue of our selues and
which doe endanger vs. 1 A naturall propension in vs to sinne which maketh vs like tinder apt to take fire from a little sparke conceiued and borne in sinne and iniquity 2 There is in temptation a deceitfull appearance of good that tendreth to vs a sensuall delight which flesh and bloud doe soone relish and tast This petition doth put off both these when we desire the preuenting grace of God to sanctifie our vnderstanding and affections so that temptation may not fasten vpon vs. The coherence and scope of this petition thus cleared let vs proceed in this order 1 To enquire what temptation is 2 How God leadeth into it against which we pray 3 What duties are here required to be done of vs that make this petition 1 What temptation we pray against There is a temptation whereof often mention is made in Scripture whereby God doth make tryall of the wisedome faith hope and loue of his children of their patience and other vertues both to make them better acquainted with themselues and to make vse of their good example abroad for confirming such as are in the Church and for recouering such as are departed from the Church and for bringing in such as are without the Church This is a fanne by which God doth diuide the chaffe from the wheate it is the fire which purgeth the mettall and refineth it God euer vseth this for the good of his holy ones this kinde of temptation Aquin. describeth thus it is Probatio alicuiu◠an sciat an passit an velit And let no man suppose that God vseth this temptation to informe himselfe concerning the knowledge power or will of his seruants for hee knoweth all that is in man better then the spirit that is in him for his hands made man and fashioned him and his spirit searcheth all things euen arcana dei Thus was Abraham tempted when God commanded him to offer his sonne And it came to passe after these thinge God did tempt Abraham It is noted that the word rendred to tempt in that place signifieth a lifting vp of a thing for a signe which expresseth both what God did and why he did it 1 What he did in this tryall he did lift vp Abraham aboue former examples of obedience and faith 2 Why he did it euen for a signe that the eyes of all posteritie might be fixed vpon him as a memorable president The author to the Hebrewes proclaimes this amongst the great examples of faith and obedience By faith Abraham when he was tryed offered vp Isaac c. So Iob was tryed and made an example of patience so well knowne in the Church that Saint Iames saith ye haue heard of the patience of Iob. But of this tryall no more because that is not the temptation here meant This is a prouocation to euill against which we pray lest after God hath pardoned our former sinnes we either relapse into the old or fall into new sinnes The word here vsed is significant and expresseth the thing meant very fully for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth an vndertaking of any thing by strength and fraud for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both force and deceit thence Pirates take their name And wee pray against that malice and cunning wherewith the old Serpent assaulteth vs. This kinde of temptation is double 1 From without vs by Sathan whose deceiueablenesse too often mis-carryes vs to euill and therefore hee in his attempt against Christ in the wildernesse is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 From within vs and that is from the corruption of nature and that seed of euill which we deriue by seminall traduction from our first transgressing and faulty Parents of which the Apostle saith Euery man is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne lust and intised In which words the Apostle well describeth this temptation against which we pray for it consisteth of two parts 1 Our concupiscence draweth vs away from the rule of Gods law and the obedience of it as in the first of the Angels that sinned they were drawne away from that content that should haue established them in the liking of their high and glorious creation by entertaining an aspiring sublimation of themselues to an equality with God whereas the condition of their creation should haue beene a law to them to haue reposed them on the prouidence of their maker So in the temptation of Euah the Serpent began with her to question the law of the forbidden fruit and to moue doubts concerning the equity of that law And euer since our concupiscence corrupted with originall impurity resisteth the law of God so farre as the law against sinne doth become an occasion of sinning 2 This concupiscence enticeth to doe euill for so the Angels being diuerted from the content in the law of their creation were entised to that sinne of rebellion which lost them heauen And our Mother Euah seeing the fruit was faire good to eate and to bee desired for the knowledge of good and euill was enticed to eate thereof And euer since after we are once drawne away from God and the obedience of his law we are enticed by our owne concupiscence to obey the law of our members giuing our concupiscence leaue to neast in vs to conceiue and breed and bring forth and hatch sinne Against both these we pray that we may neither bee carried away from the obedience that wee owe to the law of God nor caused to affect or doe those things which are contrary to this holy law the rule of our life 2 How we say to God Ne nos inducas Some obiect what need this petition when S. Iames saith let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with euill neither tempteth he any man To tempt there as the scope of the place doth declare is to draw from God and to entise to doe euill for so the Apostle doth expresse himselfe and in that sense God doth tempt no man for he that Would haue all men to be saued and come to the knowledge of his truth cannot be suspected of vnfaithfulnesse to his creature to betray him to his ruine for he is called a faithfull Creator but as Saint Cyprian saith Dat potestatem aduersum nos 1 Vel ad poenam cum delinquimus 2 Vel ad gloriam cum probamur Both these wayes God tryeth vs sometime by withdrawing his grace from vs and leauing of vs to our selues that we may know by our yeelding to the temptations of Sathan how weake wee are in our owne strength that we may not presume vpon our selues but depend wholly vpon him for he is our rocke and strong hold Sometime by expressing vs with sundry tryals of our faith to see if any thing will support vs from the loue that we beare to God Against this we pray not wholy for the Apostle doth bid vs to count
crucis non haberet signo tamen crucis samuniri curabat To that place came a congregation of euill spirits declaring to their chiefe an account of the euill they had suggested that day One of them told how he had tempted one Andreas a Bishop to some loose desires the chiefe of them and all the rest vrged his further proceeding therein After espying themselues ouer heard by the Iew which lay quietly by them they thought to haue done him a mischiefe but he was so fenced with the signe of the Crosse that they could not but left him and disappeared The next day the Iew told the Bishop what hee had heard what he had done and the Bishop was by him preserued against Sathan he by the Bishop catechised and baptised Thomas Cantipratanus a suffragan Bishop a great collectour and register of miracles reports from his own eyes he saith Proprijs oculis vidi hee trauailed 40. miles of purpose and there laet is oculis vidit One Voluandus a Prior of the Predicants vsed euer in life often to signe his brest with the signe of the Crosse his bones after being taken vp to be deposited in another place they saw vpon his breast bone the signe of the Crosse of a massie and bony substance quasi scutum cordis I should surfet your christian patience if I should recount to you the legend of Saint Francis and the Wolfe how he saued himselfe and ouercame the cruelty of the Wolfe onely by the signe of the Crosse and after by gentle perswasions made the Wolfe as tame as any Lambe and made the Wolfe promise him neuer to vse any cruelty againe For why should it not bee as possible for a Wolfe to speake as an Asse These things the Roman faith doth follow as Esau did the red potage that lost him the blessing And such lying Legends as these doe beget such an opinion of the signe of the crosse that many simple ignorants thinke themselues sufficiently fortified against all euill by that signe George Dowley a Priest set forth a Catechisme in English in An. 1616. 1 Chapter of the signe of the Crosse Where he perswadeth this manner of blessing our selues against all euill Making with the thumbe a crosse vpon the forehead against all euill thoughts Another vpon the mouth against euill words The third vpon the breast against euill workes which proceed from the heart saying By the signe of the holy Crosse from all our enemies deliuer vs good Lord. This is modest blasphemy compared with that in the Breuiary of the Church of Rome where vpon the feast of the Inuent of the crosse the people are required to prostrate themselues before the crosse and to say these words O crux splendidior astris salva catervam in tuis laudibus congregatam Is not this a flying from our father which is in heauen to seeke helpe against euills from a creature the work of mans hands thus doth the idolatrous Church of Rome dishonour God with highest contumely and blasphemy In like manner their desertion of God is further declared in their inuocations of the virgin Mary of Angels and Saints and their images their Agni Dei hallowed graines and Medailes which the superstitious papists doe beare about them as their munition and defence against euils that God may renew his old complaint My people haue committed two euils they haue forsaken me the fountaine of liuing waters and hewed them out Cisternes that can hold no water Against this damnable error and practise let vs learne of him that teacheth vs here to pray of whom we may seeke for deliuerance from all euills let vs obserue the way of the faithfull in all ages of the Church and see who gaue them deliuerance and whither they resorted in all feares and pressures and we shall find that all the faithfull haue sought and found deliuerance no where but in the arme of our father which is in heauen 3 The duties of such as moue God in this petition Let vs see where this petition is placed for it is the last request that we make to God in this prayer teaching vs that none are capable of deliuerance from the power and fury of the Deuill but such as desire of God heartily and zealously 1 That the name of God may haue right done to it by him by hallowing of it 2 That the kingdome of God may rule him 3 That he may liue in obedience of the holy will of God all his life 4 That he may liue vnder the prouidence of God seeking his meat from him and receiuing it with his blessing thankfully and contentedly 5 That he may be pardoned all his sinnes in the mercy of God and shew mercy himselfe to such as offend him 6 That he may be free from new defections or relapses He that faithfully beleeueth and feruently desireth and heartily prayeth for these spirituall graces may safely pray it out Libera nos à malo Therefore all the duties of zeale and piety of knowledge obedience charity temperance mercy repentance godly life are required of him that sollicites this sute to God to be deliuered from all euill for hee that would not suffer ill must take heed as much as hee can to doe none The first caution directeth vs how to compose our selues for this petition that we may preuaile with our God for deliuerance that is by seeking first the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof by desiring to liue in the sober and thankfull vse of his creatures and maintaining a good conscience toward God and men 2 Seeing we pray for deliuerance from all euill wee are admonished to decline and avoid all the occasions of euill he that would not haue his teeth set on edge let him not taste of sowre grapes it is the forbidden fruit that embroileth vs in all the calamities of life that vnparadiseth vs and turnes vs ouer to labour and sorrow It is a certaine signe of our regeneration if wee haue a care to keepe our selues from these euills As S. Iohn saith We know that he that is borne of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not Which words doe shew that there is a seed of grace in the elect whereby they may keepe themselues from the touch of Sathan The way to keepe our selues from this danger is by Saint Paul thus opened Holding faith and a good conscience 1 Holding faith that is depending only vpon God for our safety louing him and cleauing to him trusting him and resting vpon him desiring the constant course of his vnchangeable loue to vs in Christ Iesus For nothing doth more establish our hearts in faith then the sweet experience that we haue had of Gods former mercies and loue to vs from which we conclude the vndoubted assurance of his future prouidence This was Dauids plea. By thee haue I beene holden vp from the wombe thou art he that tooke me out of my mothers
Arias Montanus giues this note vpon these words in Saint Matthew Animaduerte lector hanc clausulam non esse de textu he addeth also that in the Greeke Church the congregation doth neuer repeate this clause but when they haue with the Minister said libera nos a malo The Priest onely pronounceth these words quia tuum est regnum c. And learned Erasmus thinkes that these words might be added to the Lords prayer by the vse of the Church as at the end of the Psalmes we added that holy acclamation of Gloria patri filio spiritui sancto yet neither of these Apocryphicall or without diuine authority for Dauid is said to blesse the Lord before all the congregation saying Thine O Lord is the greatnesse power and glory and the maiesty and the victory for all that is in the heauen and earth is thine Thine is the kingdome O Lord and thou art exalted as head aboue all Therefore approuing the vse of this conclusion of the Lords prayer we proceed in it 1 And call it by the name which is giuen to it by the holy Ghost our Blessing of God after prayer this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 We will consider it as a motiue to God to grant vs the requests made in the seuen petitions 3 As it is a strengthening of our faith to aske all these things at the hands of God 1 This is a blessing of God We are said to blesse God when we doe praise him and giue him the honour due to his name So Saint Paul meant it Blessed be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort And it agreeth well with our duty that we petitioning this father in this prayer for all mercies and all comfort and wrastling with him in our prayer as Iacob did for his blessing vpon vs should also blesse him and praise his name Rea. 1 And for our direction herein we haue our Sicut in coelo in terra for Iohn heard euery creature which is in heauen and in earth and vnder the earth and such as are in the sea saying Blessing honour glory and power bee vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne and vnto the lambe for euer and euer Rea. 2 Let vs consider what Dauid saith Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised We pray in our first petition Hallowed be thy name for the name of God is great and Dauid saith According to thy name O God so is thy praise vnto the ends of the earth thy hand is full of righteousnesse We labour to open that hand by our prayers that we may partake of his righteousnesse therefore to him belongeth praise for his names sake We are created to this end to glorifie God in our bodies Rea. 3 and in our soules and this is the way to honour him ipse dixit Who so offereth praise glorifieth me Dauid often calleth it Sacrificium laudis And he calleth these kinde of sacrifices the sacrifices of righteousnesse These be called vituli labiorum in Hose they are called fructus labiorum confitentium nomini eius by the author to the Hebrewes The Saints of God haue vsed to cast themselues downe at his feete that in their humiliation he may bee exalted when we kneele or prostrate our selues to one that standeth by vs we make him shew high ouer vs therefore when the Lords faithfull seruants come to him to worship they fall low on their knees before him They euacuate themselues and put off all honour and estimation from themselues to giue it all to him this is blessing of God So doe we in this prayer all petition then confession 2 Consider this as a motiue to God to grant the petitions herein contained 1 Wherein obserue that we haue no arguments to induce God to goodnesse towards vs but such onely as are drawne from himselfe and his owne holy and great attributes Therefore Daniel renounceth all respects drawne from himselfe as vnpleadable Wee doe not present our supplications before thee for our owne righteousnesse but for thy great mercies therefore he prayeth O Lord heare O Lord forgiue O Lord hearken and doe deferre not for thine owne sake O my God So Nehemiah in his prayer doth make a contrite confession of his sinnes to God and the sinnes of all the people and his plea for mercy and forgiuenesse and for further grace and fauour of God is the promise of God Remember the word that thou commandedst by thy seruant Moses So we pray remember thine owne kingdome thy power and thy glory when we aske of thee these petitions for we haue nothing of our own worth the remembring for whose sake thou shouldest grant our requests 2 Let vs consider how these may be motiues to perswade our God to heare our prayers we doe herein acknowledge and ascribe to God 1 Kingdome as Dauid saith The Lord is King the earth may be glad thereof he is no tyrant but a King to whom belongeth the procuration of the good of his Subiects Hee is our King of old saith Dauid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is therefore the breath of our nostrils he is the common father of vs all ruling vs with authority and loue And because thou art our King we pray thee to glorifie thine owne name in thy Church to let thy kingdome come to it To aduance thy will in it To sustaine vs thy subiects with all the necessaries and conueniences of life To seale thy pardon of all our sinnes To keepe vs from the infection of new sinnes from relapses into our old ones To defend vs from the power of the deuill and to saue vs from any thing that may offend and hurt vs. 2 Power is ascribed to God Wherein we appeale to the omnipotency of our Father we acknowledge him able to doe whatsoeuer hee will in heauen and earth So Nehemiah beginneth his prayer O Lord God of heauen the great and terrible God So began Daniel O Lord the great and dreadfull God This confession of Gods power doth incline the greatnesse and might of God to stoope it selfe to vs for power takes no ioy in aduancing it self against weaknes Amongst men there be of those barbarous and inhumane natures which abuse power to vnmercifull tyranny and oppression but when we confesse the power of God we submit to it and thereby moue the God of power to declare the same to our good He hath power in spirituall graces to bestow them on vs that we may serue him in the hallowing of his name his power can extend his kingdome ouer all his power onely can make vs able to doe his will this power commandeth heauen and earth to minister to our necessities He hath power to pardon all sinnes and to preserue vs from temptation and euill Therefore the consideration of our confession of his power moueth him to grant our requests in all