inlarge our heartes and soules to receiue the vse of these things that assured of wil and assured of power our praiers in fayth may pearce thy dwelling place win our good on Christ for euermore Amen Secondly these words serue to lift vp our hearts and minds from all earthly base and lowe conceites of the Lorde Yea euen to set vs as it were out of our selues and beyonde all remembraunce either of body or soule in our heauenly eleuation of inward powers to that throne so high glorious the seat of that mightie God we pray vnto And cōsequently to make vs aske nothing of him that might bee vnseeming so imperiall a maiestie to deale in and care for But euer to remember that hee being in heauen and wee in earth hee holy and we vnholy hee glory and we shame hee God and wee men it is true that the Prophet sayth his thoughts are not our thoughtes his wayes our wayes But as the heauens are mightier then the earth so are his wayes higher then our wayes and his thoughts aboue our thoughtes To which end it serued also in the Church of olde as Cyprian witnesseth that the Pastor being about to make publique prayers should cry to thee people Sursum corda Lift vp your hearts And the people did answere Habemus ad Dominum Wee lift them vp vnto the Lorde thereby declaring that they thought of no base and earthly lowe matters but of the Lorde and the Lorde in heauen euen as wee do and are euer taught to do by these wordes Which is in heauen Thirdly they serue to strike vs not a litle but euer thorow and thorow with a reuerence of his maiestie whom wee pray vnto For heauen and the height of heauen is his dwelling place and we ought most earnestly euer to thinke of it that wee may come humbly to him This caused the seruants of God not only to crouche their bodyes but to bowe their heartes when they came before him euen the knees of their hearts as thinking neuer their reuerence great inough towarde so mightie a God Heauen is his earth is his hell is his al is his Deuouring fire goeth before his face and mightie tempestes are stirred vp about him He rideth vpon the heauens as it were vpon an horse yea the earth shaketh the heauens drop at the presence of him His charets are twentie thousande euen thousands of Angels It is he that commaundeth the waters it is this glorious God that maketh the thunder It is hee that ruleth the sea it is his voyce that is mightie in operation yea and a glorious voyce Such a voyce as breaketh the Cedar trees yea the Cedars of Libanus such a voyce as deuideth the flames of fire and shaketh the wildernes euen the wildernes of Cades Let vs make hast therefore with the great seruant of God Moses and bow our selues to the earth and worship yea let vs in the true conceit and reuerence of this mightie maiestie couer as it were our faces with our mantels when we pray vnto him So shall we come before him rightly and shew the vse of his glorious dwelling in the heauens noted vnto vs. But alas where is it with thousands thousands that yet take thēselues to be great Christians We clap our selues downe to pray and we thinke of any thing rather then of the mightie maiestie of him before whom wee are come and and therefore we gaze here and gaze there wee note this man and that woman their gesture their apparell yea the least toy especially strange about them And yet wee pray well we huddle and tumble vp in hast the labour of lippes without touch of hart and the faster the better wee long to haue done for feare dinner bee marred and yet we pray well Wee gape and wee yawne we hem and we hawke not for necessitie of nature which is allowed but in the drowsines of our Spirits and to shew our authoritie we are chiefe men in the Church c. and yet we pray well But O we sencelesse wretches in this behalfe for then come we rightly before the Lorde as we learne here when remembring that hee is in heauen that is of such glory maiestie and power as hath bene declared wee throwe downe our soules and bodies in al reuerence and comly feare before him speaking to him as dust and ashes to the immortall king of heauen and earth humbly euen with a reuerent trembling as it were and affection of al our partes leasurely carefully heartily and with all true properties and testimonies of a mind considering the puissance the might the glory and imperiall maiestie of him to whom wee speake Which whether these things that I named declare in vs or no let all christian hearts be iudges It is too true they conuince vs of the contrary and therefore euen in dread of their witnesse to our wo at the day of doome let vs leaue them and vse the place of prayer as we should in all humble lowly and possible reuerence We are so willed and by Christ himselfe that shall iudge vs if wee doe not To this end wee say it euer thinke of it which art in heauen Lastly this notation of the place where our God dwelleth teacheth vs that our Prayers are not tyed to any certaine place as in olde times neither bettered by any place be it this mountaine or Ierusalem or whatsoeuer But the hower commeth yea now is that the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth and in euery place haue libertie and leaue to lift vp pure handes to his maiestie in euery place he sayth and marke it And why so For our God is in heauen and heareth euery where without respect of place now I meane without respect of place as then touching any commaundement from him of particular place but not hereby to ouerthrowe any ciuill order for better meeting together in appoynted Churches of Gods people Yet euen herein beware Superstition againe a fresh in respect of place more than elswhere when true warrant beareth me out as wel there then as in the Church at other times to make my prayer But of Churches and publique meetings there enough hath bene sayd before Where it may be read againe if you will Great is the vse I see well of this short preface so often said so little thought of but now I pray you let mee aske a question doth not this inuocation of God by the name of Father exclude both the other persons Sonne and holie Ghost from both our speech and meaning No indeede for the name of Father being opposed to creatures is taken essentially not personally and agreeth rightly to all the three persons in Trinitie being in essence nature and substance one and so is it here But if it bee put and ioyned with any other person of the Trinitie then is it not taken essentially
a sharpe sword That they are corrupt and become abhominable that there is none that doth good no not one And where ruleth all this euill that wee haue thus purchased to our woe O further griefe our bodies our soules our mindes our willes our harts our hands our feete and our whole man is corrupted sinne hath entered ouer all and by sinne Satan as Lord and King ruleth ouer all till this other kingdome come that here wee pray for For eratis tenebrae sayth the Apostle Ye were darknesse but now are ye light in the Lord. And more plainly before hauing their vnderstāding darkned being strāgers frō the life of God through that ignorāce that is in them c. Therefore you see the minde corrupted Of the hart and will it was sayd before that the imaginations of the thoughts thereof are onely euill continually And out of the hart now sayth our Sauiour proceede euill thoughts murders adulteries fornications theftes false witnesse sclaunders and this is stuffe that defileth the man With a thousand places moe crying out of the waywardnesse of mans hart and will the crookednesse stifnesse and stubbornnesse of it against the Lord all good Of the whole man sayth the Apostle Noui quod in me hoc est in carne mea non est bonum I know that in me that is in my flesh there is no good Our mouth our feete our throte our eyes and all are charged with their faultes in the worde of the Lord. That free will that was in man to doe good it is gone sayth Sainct Austen and homo malè vtens libero arbitrio se perdidit arbitrium Man abusing his free will lost both himselfe and it And now is it true that wee are not able to thinke a good thought as of our selues but both to will and to performe is of the Lord. Now is it true that our Sauiour sayd sine me nihil potestis facere without me you can doe nothing Non dixit sine me difficulter aliquid potestis aut sine me non potestis aliquid magni facere sed nihil potestis c. He did not say sayth S. Austen without me you can hardly doe any thing or you can not doe any great matter but simply and flatly you can doe nothing Meaning in spirituall matters for herein quid habes quod non accepisti what hast thou that thou hast not receiued Gratia dei sum quod sum By the grace of God I am that I am whatsoeuer it be if it be good And to goe no further in this sorte now must man and woman bee they neuer so righteous crie out vppon their vnrighteousnesse and hide their faces from the iudgement of the Lord if he should out of the comfort prouided for them seeke to iudge them Dauid the deere one of the Lord and a man according to his owne hart yet must confesse of himselfe with woe Beholde I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceiued mee Enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunts O Lord for in thy sight shall no flesh liuing bee iustified The great Prophet Esayas must say Woe is me for I am vndone because I am a man of polluted lippes Mary the virgin blessed amongst women must reioyce in her Sauiour and not in her selfe and so all others whatsoeuer For we are fallen Our lyfe that shoulde haue bene so pleasant beholde how bitter heauy and miserable Great trauell is created for all men an heauy yoke vpon the sonnes of Adam from the day that they go out of their mothers wombe till the day that they returne to the mother of all thinges Namely their thoughts feare of the heart and their imagination of the things they wayte for and the day of death from him that sitteth vppon the glorious throne vnto him that is beneath in the earth and ashes from him that is clothed in blewe silke and weareth a crowne euen to him that is clothed in simple linnen wrath and enuy trouble and vnquietnes and feare of death and rigour and strife in the tyme of rest the sleepe in the night vpon his bed change his knowledge A litle or nothing is his rest and afterwarde in sleeping he is as in a watch tower in the day he is troubled with the visions of his hart as one that runneth out of a battel c. Our daies that should haue ben without end now are few full of wo for life we haue got death for pleasure payne for good euill for heauen hell for endlesse ioye eternall woe O dreadfull fall Thus created then innocent God ruled but thus fallen from that innocencie Satan ruleth and wee are as hath bene sayd by nature the children of wrath walking after the Prince that ruleth in the ayre that is the Deuill But the Lord is gracious and his mercy indureth for euer there remaineth therefore hope by a restitution or regeneration which the Scripture teacheth vs thus much of namely That whereas Satan abuseth that corrupt nature of ours through the great power which hee hath ouer vs for our sinnes and driueth vs from the worde and all religion into all blindnesse ignorance and errors thrusteth vs into diuers miseries and calamities in the end into eternal death there being where he ruleth no true loue of God or any grace but sinning without sting touch or feeling the Lorde our God in a contrary course of loue where it pleaseth him beginneth with that corruption of nature wherby Satan before was strong and taketh it away by litle and litle begetting vs anew to a better life and restoring that Image of his in vs againe whereunto we were first created and which so fearfully we were fallen from Our minde hee illuminateth with some heauenly light whereby it beginneth to know aright God grace our will receiueth a new strength to imbrace the worde to rest in it and to incline it selfe to the testimonies of the Lord. Our heart is purged and loueth the Lorde and all the members of the body before the weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne becomme by measure the weapons of righteousnesse vnto God So sinne dyeth grace liueth and wee loue him feare him trust in him pray to him often and in all our wants with such like This is nowe the kingdome of grace this is that wee pray for here immediatly The kingdom of glory is that happy and eternall estate which followeth in heauen after this life which we also pray for here but mediatly as wee say that is when the kingdome of grace in this world is ended Thus much being sayd then for plainenes of these three kingdomes the kingdom of power of grace and of glory as also of which of them the petition is meant So now what we pray in plaine words namely thus much O Lord subdue vnto thy maiestie all power of
⧠A profitable Exposition of the Lords Prayer by way of Questions and Answers for most playnnes Together with many fruitfull applications to the life and Soule aswell for the terror of the dull and dead as for the sweet comfort of the tender harted By Geruase Babington With a Table of the principall matters conteyned in this Booke PSALME 119. O how sweete are thy words vnto my throte yea sweeter than honie vnto my mouth AT LONDON Printed by Thomas Orwin for Thomas Charde 1588. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE HIS VERY singular good Lord Henry Earle of Penbrooke Lord Harbert of Cardiff Marnion and S. Quintine Lord President of Wales and the Marches thereof and of the most Honorable Order of the Garter Knight and to the Right Honorable and vertuous Ladie the Countesse his wife G.B. wisheth all mercie and comfort in Christ Iesus both here now and for euer COnsider the olde generatiōs of mē ye children sayd that wise Sonne of Sirach Right Honorable and my very singular good Lord in his tyme marke them well VVas there euer any confounded that put his trust in the Lord Or who hath continued in his feare and was forsaken Or whom did he euer despise that called vpon him Agreeably truely to all Scriptures and experiences euer if they were searched For such a thing is it to cleaue vnto the Lorde with a faithfull heart that the Bride may forget to trim her selfe the day she is maried and the mother her Jnfant she bare of her bodie and esteemeth full deere before the Lord of heauen can forget such The Lorde knoweth the daies of the vpright men their inheritance shalbe perpetual They shall not be confounded in the perillous tyme and in the daies of famine they shall haue enough Though he fall he shall not bee cast of for the Lord putteth vnder his hand The Lord shall exalt them as themselues shall see and their ende sayth the Prophet shall bee peace Thousands of comforts hath the word mo yet these are both many and great ones if we marke thē Gayne is not godlinesse saith the Apostle but godlinesse is great gayne and hath the promise both of this life that to come VVherfore Right Honorable more ioye in this than in all the earth if it might be your owne For the earth must perish and all the glistring glorie of it passe away as a tale that is tolde burnt and consumed melted with heate but the feare of the Lord shall set her seruants before the highest for euer euer Now did the Apostle say to King Agrippa before so many O King Agrippa J knowe thou beleeuest Surely I may say it before as many I knowe Right Honorable your L. beleeueth both Prophets and Apostles and whatsoeuer the childe of God is bound to beleeue vnto saluatiō I say I know it and yet know I it not alone but others with me aswell as J attending your L. both in like and other places And if we should all denye it yet would the world steppe in and say it knewe what we denied God haue the glorie to whō it is due of his free election manifested both to your self and others by a true calling vnto sanctification And it remaineth Right H. that with a spirit flaming with thankefull loue to so gracious a God you let your light shine further further to a greater glory to the Lord a fuller cōfort to your owne soule Performe your selfe therefore in all truth of hart before the iudging eyes of a mightie God still more more as you do alreadie an honorable maintainer and furtherer of his truth A shield and defence to all the godly in their griefes and distresses Carefull to haue both your selfe and your familie gouerned by the precious and holy word of God maintayning and countenancing to that end as most honorably you do both at home and abroade the Lords poore seruants appoynted to that ministerie Be a rare example stil both worthy honoring and following of carefull bestowing of those liuings whereof God hath made your Lordship Patrone Multiplie as the Lord shall assist those your Honors zealous prayers which some can witnesse for the peace of Hierusalem that her rightuousnes may breake forth as the light saluation as a burning lampe And stil say with the Prophet Dauid we wish you good lucke ye that be of the house of the Lord. Your Honorable seruices for a most gracious Soueraine as euer the earth had any and for your deere Countrey let them still as they are be most sweete and ioyful to you In your Honorable place and gouernment carie your zeale as your L. doth euen more more agaynst the incorrigible aduersaries of Judah and Beniamin to note their doings to obserue their drifts and to ouerthrowe their plots Cut off still with your sword of holy Iustice as with exceeding trauell your Lordship most honorably doth those contentions disorders and offences that corruption both breedeth and feedeth ouer much And finally as the Apostle sayth if there be any vertue if there be any praise to God or to Prince to Countrey or to any Right Ho. thinke of that For so shall your L. establish your selfe both in earth and in heauen both here and for euer Yea your self your seede as the former promises haue giuen assurance And so shall you to your God and your self as many as knowe your vertues stand approued euer whatsoeuer either ignorance or vnkindnesse may effect in some VVithout this course care in a measure as the Lord shall giue well may a worlde continue a while flattring fauning with many delights God being patient and forbearing long but the end is destruction death and confusion God being iust and paying at last Your self Madame still more and more as your Ladiship doth partake with your owne what your place permitteth in these Honorable actions make them also your owne Let it still be your honorable iust true praise that you feare the Lord that you loue his truth fauour his followers and abhorre his foes For there is no praise shall continue as this there is no wisedome that may bee compared to it The feare of God is the beginning of wisedome a good vnderstanding haue all they that do thereafter the praise of it indureth for euer Againe let this be your wisedome sayd the Lorde of heauen to that people once euen to heare my wordes and to worke my will with a carefull hart For then shall all Nations say you only are wise and you onely haue knowledge of the best course Let it be your Posie Right Honorable as pleasant as euer it was And now Lorde what is my hope truely my hope is euen in thee Though the Lorde should kill mee yet will I put my trust in him And let that plaine Prophet strengthen your Ladiship still by his words to King Asa all Judah The Lord is with you while ye be with him
I haue sworne by my self the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse shall not returne that euery knee shall bowe vnto me c. In respect of our selues Prayer is necessarie if either wee consider the manifold woes and sorrowes which at times shall nippe our harts lying there and euen grating and grinding our inwards to pouder by day and by night till we haue eased our selues by Prayer and powred them into the lappe of the Lorde with suite for comfort and redresse or the infinite necessities of this wretched life which albeit the Lord is mercifull and readie to giue euen before wee doe aske yet good reason wee should aske them and euer bound to that gracious God that vpon asking will vouchsafe to giue them What hellish gripes of wringing woe do we thinke the seruant of God Dauid felt when ouer and ouer he mentioneth the sadnesse of his soule What Iob when the arrowes of the Almightie did stick in him the venome wherof did drinke vp his spirit and when the terrors of God did fight against him when he shriked out with mournfull voyce what my shrinking hande doth shake to pen O that I might haue my desire and that GOD would graunt me the thing that I long for And what was that O fearefull It followeth that GOD would destroy me that he would let his hand goe and cut me off What the persecuted Prophet when hee would so gladly dye What Ionas in the bellie of hell as he calleth it what thousands ten thousands of Gods children euer daily whilest the world indureth And how haue they bene eased doe we not see Euen by throwing themselues at the feete of the Lord powring out by Praier their greeuous complaints into the bosome of their gracious GOD whose eare harkened whose heart pitied and whose hande euer in his good time eased their shoulders from the burthen to their comfort Therefore Prayer in this respect wee see most necessary For the other we know the Scriptures also Aske saith God and you shall haue If hauing then be necessarie in respects of wants necessarie is also asking that is praying in respect of hauing So looke we at woes or looke we at wants necessary in respect of our selues is Prayer Goe we lastly to our Brethren and wee are commaunded to let our light shine before them to their example and confirmation Of which light this is a notable parte and braunch our often zealous and religious Prayer and therefore euen in respect of them also necessarie Thirdly the vtilitie and profite of it would very duely and earnestly of Gods children be considered wherein the saying may haue fit and proper place Aeque pauperibus prodest locupletibus aeque Aeque neglectum pueris senibusque nocebit That is It gayneth good to poore and rich if vse thereof be free And hurteth youth aswell as age neglected if it bee The Scripture woonderfully layeth downe the benefite of this holy exercise not in one or two respects but euen in euerie thing that may befall the childe of God in this life In afflictions as partly hath bene shewed it easeth the hart it staieth our steps still readie to slide into impatience it perswadeth the Lord it winneth his mercy and bringeth his gotten comfort at time appoynted to the panting soule all breathlesse almost in the scortching heate of such triall as pleaseth God to send And therefore pray saith our Sauiour Christ continually that ye may be coūted worthy to escape al these things that shal come to passe that ye may stand before the sonne of man But what things are they O reade and consider that singular Chapter see the fruit of Prayer False Christs shall come and deceiue to their endlesse woe thousands and thousands but pray wee to God against this fearefull fall and wee shall escape Warres and seditions shall bee heard of and seene dreadfull and terrible but pray to God and they shall not hurt vs no not once make vs iustly afraid Though it be nation against nation kingdome against kingdome though the earth shake and tremble in diuers places and we see hunger and pestilence and fearefull things and great signes in heauen aboue vs yet pray wee to GOD our guide and strength and we shall escape If hands be layd vpon vs persecuted and taken and deliuered vp to the Sinagogues and Prisons and brought before Kings and Rulers for the Lord Iesus sake pray wee to the same our gracious God and his word is past these shall all turne vnto vs for a testimoniall and not hurt vs. If we want learning knowledge or vtterance so that we feare of a truth any weake defence pray we to him that in weaknesse is strong and the power he hath promised both of speach and knowledge shall binde the very deuill that he cannot stirre and with the head the members with the Captaine the Souldiours with their life all the limmes so that not all the kingdome of perdition if their force could bee ioyned against the poorest man or woman of vs that euer shall professe Iesus shall bee able to resist or speake against vs. Let our deare Parents that brought vs into this world seeke by cruell vyolence in hatred against a truth to throw vs out of the same againe and our owne brethren kinsmen and friends betray vs and kill vs if it please God wee being hated euen of all men for the Lorde Iesus sake pray we still stedfastly vnto our God and if he bee the Lorde that hath made the heauen and earth whose word is truth and abideth for euer there shal not one heare of our heads perish but in patience comfortablie we may possesse our soules Let Hierusalem bee besieged that is our natiue land and countrie our townes and houses in which we dwell a token that desolation is neere let the heauie woman so great with childe begin to sigh for her selfe and weepe with woe for her deare birth within her with shiuering shrinkes to thinke of bloudie Speare to spit her sprauling babe vpon let our nation and people disobeying the Lord in the time of peace fall vpon the edge of the sword and be caried captiue into all Countries and our stately Cities Castles and Towers be troden vnto dust yea let the Sunne and the Moone and all the Starres of Heauen threaten by their fearefull signes the approching dreadfull wrath of God to men trouble and perplexitie bee vpon earth the Sea and the waters rore and mens hearts faile them for feare looking after those things that shall come vpon the worlde the very powers of heauen being shaken and the Sonne of man appearing in the Cloudes with mightie power and glorie yet let vs pray with a chearefull voyce and send out our faith to the Lord of life as we are euer bidden and amidst all
isto Patre sunt dominus seruus imperator miles diues pauper All faithfull Christians here in earth sayth S. Austen haue diuers fathers some noble some vnnoble but they make their prayers but to one father in heauen and vnder this father is Master and seruant Emperour and Souldier rich and poore Trueth it is and sweete it is to vs poore wretches in this world vpon whom the magnificous of this earth looke so bigge as if wee neuer shoulde bee worthy to wipe their shooes much lesse accepted as their fellowes yea peraduēture before them in a place of greater honor than this sea of glasse here can euer bee Wherefore let vs ioy in it and remember it to schoole our selues in our places euery one to shew fauour fit due regarde to euery man in this present world the prince to the subiect the Master to seruant euery man womā one to another If I did contemne the iudgement of my seruant sayth holy Iob or of my mayde when they did contend with mee what then shall I doe when God standeth vp and when he shall visite me what shall I answer He that made me in the womb hath he not made him hath not hee alone fashioned vs in the womb And receiue him now sayth the Apostle Paul not as a seruant but aboue a seruant euen as a brother beloued so forth Thus we sée the christian humility towards al our brethren in this world y t is noted vnto vs as a thing fit for vs euer in this word Our father But it seemeth by this forme that we may not at any time say in our prayers My God or my father neither yet pray particularly either for our selues or any other But in common euer No you mistake it For as this communitie of affection is taught vs this prayer that extendeth the desire to the good of others so is the Scripture full of warrants also for both the particular application of God vnto a mans selfe by the terme of my God and Lord and Father and also for particular praier for our selues and others Our sauiour sayth my father the Apostle my God the Prophet Dauid in euery Psalme almost and the prayers of Gods children for themselues priuatly are extant Dauids Pauls Annaes with many moe But the matter is this we should not neither euer did any of these so particularly pray for themselues or any but that there was euer in them although not expressed an eye to commit by the fruit of their action that thing either tending to the inabling of thē better to serue in gods church which is a common good or els as willingly wished though not in words yet in truth of meaning to all to whome it may stande in like steed and for as much vse and good So are wee but spoyled of all filthy selfe-loue without care for others not forbidden to regard our selues with like wish to others Why say we next which art in heauen Two things in God our fayth ought euer to be assured of or els we pray not wel to wit will to helpe vs and power The one hath beene sufficiently declared in the word Father the other now in these is confirmed vnto vs. For by his being in heauen appeareth his maiestie might and power his rule dominion ouer all things whereby he is able to goe through with the purpose of his good will towardes vs that in nothing our hope of being hearde may bee hindered I haue sworne by my selfe the worde is gone out of my mouth in righteousnes and shall not returne that euery knee shall bow vnto mee and euery tongue shall sweare by mee This Lorde of ours reigneth let the people tremble hee sitteth betwixt the Cherubins let the earth bee moued This Lorde is great in Sion and he is high aboue al people Let the kinges of the earth band themselues and the Princes assemble together against this Lorde and against his anoynted Let them purpose to breake his bands asunder and to cast away his coards from them Hee that dwelleth in the heauens shall laugh them to scorne and this powrefull Lord of ours shall haue them in derision When hee purposed to doe his Church and children good who or what could euer resist y t will Blesse he or curse prosper or punish giue he or take whatsoeuer he will that doth he in heauen earth and none can let him His power is almightie and therefore able euer to performe his will This is one the doctrine deliuered vs in these words and the vse of it is great For many are the assultes of this life the troubles of the flesh and the griefes of our minds dangerous are the darts of Satan against vs often and wee haue no way to win reliefe but from the Lorde by prayer then steppeth in the greatnes of the matter the multitude of enemies against it the weakenes of our selues in faith in friendes in Counsell and meanes and in conclusion a very impossibilitie as it were in reason of the thing appeareth But oh feare auant fayth bee strong for what will wantes in a tender father or what power to him that dwelleth in the heauens And wee are purposely by Christ remembred of both those in this prayer that wee might neuer doubt of either he is our father and hee is in heauen that is he is most willing and euer able thē feare away This comforted Christ in the pride of power against him that euen then his father was able if it pleased him to giue him more then twelue legions of Angels to fight for him against them And this is written for vs whilest the world indureth to be our comfort God would deliuer Ioseph his innocent seruant and hee could doe it though the credit of false report in respect of the accuser were neuer so great God woulde defend his Daniel and he could doe it against all the spite of man and power of roaring beastes so great and terrible God would giue passage through the mayne sea on foote and hee could in the moment of time performe his will What should we say Many haue beene the troubles of the righteous and euer the Lorde able to deliuer them out of all Hee is the same yeasterday and to day and for euer And therefore whatsoeuer befalleth vs in this world pray in the comfort of this sweet conceit that hee is in heauen that is God and Lorde of all able as willing and willing as able euer both to do vs any good if we pray for feare not the deuill nor death nor hell nor man nor matter euer in this earth but looke to the power of thy God to defend thee to helpe and succour thee in all distresses and that power ioyned with the will of a Father whose bowelles melt vpon his childe O God and father sweete and strong increase our faith increase our feeling and
his compassion towardes vs then is he sayd to be farre of Thus is it meant in the Prophet Call vppon him while hee is neere that is I haue nowe shewed whilest his arme is stretched out to you and his mercie offered in such sorte as it is This also considered teacheth vs how God may bee sayd to bee more in one man than another and more in one place than in another namely still not in respect of essence which is equally in all places and wholy in all places but in respecte of more or lesse after the gifte of his grace to one person than another or to one place than another Of which it may bee true that Gregorie sayd Deus qui omnia tangit non aequaliter omnia tangit God that toucheth all things yet toucheth not all things alike By this may the third thing partly be vnderstood to wit how GOD is sayde in Scripture to come and goe awaie and yet no breach made of his vbiquitie namely because such speeches are neuer to bee meant of his essence or mutation of place for so departeth hee from none but of inward or outward effects of his holie spirit according to which giuen or taken awaie the Lord is said to come or to go from men and places as hee departed from Dauid when hee lefte him iustly for his grieuous sinnes destitute of the peace of his conscience of the chéerefulnesse of his minde the cleannesse of his heart the quietnesse of his affections and other giftes of his holy spirite which before Dauid had in great measure Wherevpon he was forced to crie O Lord create a cleane heart within mee and renue a right spirit O Lord giue me the comfort of thy spirite againe let the bones which thou hast broken reioyce On the other side hee is sayde to come when againe he beginneth to worke by his holy spirit and to stirre vp faith repentance loue hatred of sinne such like Thus meant our Sauiour when he sayde I and my Father will come vnto him dwell with him And this of inward graces Outwardly also the Lord is sayde to come ergo when either by outward crosses he so humbleth vs as though he had forsaken vs and departed in anger from vs so that we are constrained with Dauid to say My God why hast thou forsaken me or when hee so defendeth vs comforteth vs and blesseth vs that the world that seeth it is driuen to saie and see as Saul did of Dauid that the Lord is with vs. So his absence is the absence of his effects in vs and for vs and his presence or comming is the presence and gift of them either inward or outward Wherefore to goe no further I hope it is playne inough now that though we saie our Father is in heauen yet wee are farre from denying therein or therby his diuine vbiquitie and presence euerie wher But euen as the soule of man which is wholie in the whole and in euerie parte yet is sayde to be in the head or heart more than else where because there more than elswhere it exerciseth his power effects So God though by essence euery where in all places wholy yet by action operation communication of grace gifts not equally in all partes but in heauen more than in earth in the godly more than the wicked and in one of his childrē more than an other in the Saincts in heauen more than in the Saints in earth and in the humane nature of Christe more than in anie creature eyther in heauen or earth as in whome the fulnesse of grace spirite without measure was Howbeit yet in a more excellent maner God dwelt in Christ than by fulnesse of grace and giftes or by manifestation of his vertue and power as might be shewed if the place required it But thus much of this matter Now if you thinke good to the petitions themselues WIth a good will And herein for more plainnes of spéech let vs generally obserue the diuision or number of these petitiōs the order of them and the matter and meaning of them Touching the diuision of thē I will not curiously stand vpon it S. Austen and many after him by his example make 7. diuiding the last into two but their reasons are very insufficient as may bee seene And Austen himself contrary to him selfe confesseth that those words But deliuer vs from euill are an explication of the former Leade vs not into temptation And therfore by consequence vnfitly made a petition of it selfe for in so short a summe of so fewe petitions one to be confounded with an other to be all one is not probable Others make sixe and they rather are to be followed For the order of them this is to be obserued that 3. of them respecting immediatly and chiefly Gods glorie other 3. our necessities wants those that cōcerne the Lord are placed before the other euen as in the lawe of God those 4. commandements that containe mans dutie to God are set before the other 6. that containe his duetie to his neighbour Which being done of purpose in the depth of his vnsearchable wisedome that layd this forme downe for vs Christ Iesus contayneth in it a lesson of great regard to a minde possessed with the feare of God and care of bounden duetie Namely that the honor of God ought to be more deere vnto vs than either bodie or goods or any benefite of ours whatsoeuer in this world yea which is farre more then the very soules within vs the saluation of them in the world to come For so both the Lord God himself the composer of this Prayer and the giuer of bodie goods and soule and all teacheth in the sixt of Mathew And the power of his holy spirite in the practise of his seruants confirmeth and sheweth euidently For principally and aboue all sayth the Lord Iesus seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and all these other things shalbe cast vpon you Which wordes if a man would demaunde a reason of the order of these 3. petitions before the other of our Sauiour contayned as you see euen a full aunswer to wit Gods glorie is more chiefe therfore ought to be first but these 3. petitions immediatly respect that and therfore ought to be first The power then of Gods spirite in the practise of the godly wee see also in Moses the great seruant of almightie God and in Paule his elect vessell to beare his name vnto the Gentiles who both of them in the flaming heate of a burning zeale to the glorie of the name of God wished the same w t the rasing of them selues out of the booke of life curse of his wrath to y e wo eternal of their owne soules for euer in y e place of perditiō death as is laid doune vnto vs. A fruit in thē of a mightie working
thousands that happely thinke not of it as they ought we open our lippes vnto the Lorde of heauen and pray that we may bee holie we would bee thought by him the whole world to meane good faith and yet what is holy we euen hate to be drawne to misliking none more neither wishing any cōpanie lesse thā theirs y t either perswade vs to it or seeme to expect it at our hands and what is vnholy we wallowe in we tumble in we ioy in and wee euen wish to liue and grow olde in Wee pamper the flesh both with foode and rayment aboue all Christian licence so cherishing so coying so lulling and lapping yea so bathing in pleasure and ease in softnesse and tendernesse in mildnes and wantonnesse that matter of earth and wormes meate as if wee neither thought there were corruption to rot it heauen to receiue it or hell to burne it The minde wee robbe of all meditation that is holy and feede it with matter of all hellish impuritie The Lords booke is layd in a corner and the deuils banners are displayd in euery windowe Our tongues cannot tast the testimonies of God sweeter than honey or the honey combe but they can discourse the delights of sinfull flesh that shall sende to hell Our chéekes are red to talke of Christ as wee goe to Emaus and wee blush apace to seeme so holy but the Morian blusheth as fast as we when fearfully and foully we sinne against the Lord. We loue the wicked wee lothe the godly we freeze in loue wee boyle in malice wee sell vertue we buy sinne wee refuse Christ and choose Barrabas we lay away life and play with death but O pleasureles play in the ende Let the Prophet Ose speake for me to you and hee will tell vs surely that there is no trueth nor mercie nor knowledge of God in the land That by swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring we breake out and bloud toucheth bloud And is this holinesse is this to pray Thy will be done For Gods sake thinke of it and knowe with me now in time what I would be loath you should know past time that you may euen aswell spit vppon Christ Iesus buffet him and beate him with a Reede kneele before him and say Hayle King of the Iewes with those cursed mockers as kneele in this Church or any where say Thy will be done and yet neuer care how you doe it in a holy life For it is horrible mockerie this horrible hypocrisie and the ende will bee euill You must with prayer to bee holie ioyne care to be so to bee faithfull and feruent you must indeuour it and you must performe it in some measure as truely as begge it or els as truely you perish for euer The Lord wil not be mocked alwaies the Lord will not haue such seeming prayers made and such sinning liues retayned still Of our owne mouthes shall he iudge vs therefore once againe as you loue the Lord thinke of it and to day harden not your hearts against that you heare You heare the will of God is that we should bée holy and wee pray that this will may bee done Prayer accepted of God may not bée without earnest care that it may bee done care to bee holie casteth away the loue of loosenes cast away then what shall cast away you if you doe not and care for that which shall cause a comfort for euer and euer Let not that Father speake it of vs Ad Deum omnes ire volunt post deū pauci to God would all goe but after God will fewe goe To liue in heauen together is better than to liue in Wilton together and parting will bee payne if wee part in that day Be moued then now that you be not ouermuch moued then euen to crye to the mountaynes to fall vppon you and to the hilles to couer you Alas why should I bee a minister of death vnto you that so truely wish your life or a sweete smelling sauour to my God in your destruction because I haue done my duetie when I crye to the Lord y t I may be crowned with you and neuer loose you As then hereafter you care to bee what in this petition you pray to be so loue you GOD so loue you your selues so loue you me so loue you heauen so feare you hell and the GOD of mercie giue my speech a blessing to vs all Amen I beseech him now in time before the doore bee shut and the bridegroome come For in vain did the foolish virgins knocke when the time was past But what duties else wil you name that God requireth and we praie for in this petition One moe and that is this It is the Lordes will that in this world we shoulde take vp our crosse and followe him as many as will be his Disciples that through many tribulations we should enter into the kingdome of heauen and that all that will liue godlie in Christ Iesus shoulde suffer persecution that if we be sonnes we should not be without correction but now and thē chastned of our God that wee may not bee condemned with the world This will we beseech the Lord may be done in vs and we inabled by his holy spirite still more and more whatsoeuer we perceiue to betide in this life by his good pleasure to receiue it and suffer it not onely with contented but also with gladsome hearts And this is a chiefe vse of this prayer for truely it is a small thing in comparison beloued during the time of prosperitie and comfort to saie Thy will be done O Lord but if in aduersitie when the world lowreth the storme ariseth Princes persecute and our owne houses are diuided our Fathers betraying vs our children forsaking vs our friends defying vs for the cause of God if wee can then saie both with content and ioy Thy wil be done this is a strength and a grace of God aboue all treasure to be honoured If it bee not so high a matter but losse of goods by some occasion losse of friendes want of health and weary times by bittrr paine in bodie or soking sorrowe in minde yet if we can herein say it with true content comfort truely it is a measure that noteth a childe of heauen and happie we But O hard hard yet not so hard but God is able For behold examples before our eyes Old Eli in the booke of Samuel when hee had receiued from the Lord of heauen an heauy message by his young waiter little Samuel to wit that the Lorde woulde iudge his house that the wickednesse therof should not be purged with sacrifice nor offering but vtterly destroied for euer what said he but euen what here we pray for our parts we may be able to saie in our aduersitie It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good That is it is my God and my Lord wherefore with
knowledge to vs are meanes to make vs able to performe this petition and to doe his will therefore wee pray also herein for these meanes and the woordes are with the Lord as if wee shoulde euen in playne tearmes say O Lorde giue vs the knowledge stil dayly more and more of thy will out of thy word and giue vs the grace of thy Spirite to that knowledge that we inabled by these meanes may woorke thy will in this life as we ought What else do we aske in it Againe as we pray for all these things so do we as I told you before and must stil tel you in euery petition pray against their contraries For if the one be confirmed the other must be ouerthrowne Now the contraries of these things may be sayd to be of two sorts to wit either such as doe vtterly and wholly and euer resist his holy will or such as are but certaine impedimentes whereby wee do it not so readyly as either we ought or happely would do if they were not Of the first sort is Satan Sinne and the effects of sinne whatsoeuer the flesh or the old man his concupisence the world and such like For no man can serue two masters especially contrary masters such as God and Satan are the Spirit of God and the flesh the new and the old man Of the second sort are ouermuch care for worldly matters feare of men and a number of things that like weightes or burdens vpon our backes presse vs or like fetters about our feete hinder vs that wee go not on altogether so readyly and so fully in this way of doing the will of God as wee in deede ought and would if these lets were not Whatsoeuer they bee then and of whether sort so euer they be forasmuch as they are against that obedience that we pray for in this petition therefore we desire of the Lorde that they may bee remembred and that no let or least impediment may be to hinder that in vs which both in respect of his goodnesse to vs and our duties to him ought with all perfection both of will and worke be perfourmed And thus might we end this petition sauing that some profitable collections or obseruations may bee made of the words as they are layd downe here by our Sauiour I pray you then adde those also The first may be this Wee may obserue and see here both the beginning of mans misery as also the way to draw nere againe to that olde and former innocency Mans misery sprang by disobedience to the will of God as we all knowe and the waie to returne to that good estate againe wherein we were is obedience to that wil as here we learne when wee are taught to praie Thy will be done For we pray for the restitutioÌ„ of those graces in some measure which in our first parents were most perfectly And looke then howe much wee performe to the Lord obedience so much drawe we neere to an happie estate again Wherefore the Lorde sayde it Not euerie one that sayth vnto me Lord Lord shal enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the wil of my father which is in heauen And agayne Whosoeuer shall do my Fathers will which is in heauen the same is my mother sister and brother Obedience then to his holie will is that which will sette vs in good place agayne And therefore trie beloued what measure of this is in you and so lyke or dislyke of your selues Trie with what loue you heare the word with what care you are filled to doe therafter what conscience you make of sinne what name so euer it haue what ioy you haue in the workes of righteousnesse what griefe if frayltie câ—use a fall If you find these in some measure so much bee glad if in greate measure much more bee glad for trulie so much haue wee lefte the waie of death into which we are fallen all by our first parents and so farre haue profited in the waie of lyfe which is true obedience But if our consciences accuse vs in this trial that we haue no desire to know Gods will out of his word although it bee with many mercifull circumstances offered vnto vs no care to liue holily no conscience of sin but some little seruile feare for dread of punishment no spirituall ioy in well doing no inward sorrow for euill doing then tremble we and feare we before the Lorde of heauen and earth for as yet we are in the waie of disobedience which is the waie of death whereinto our first parents fell we are buried in our corruption and dead in sin not risen with Christ wee are heapers vp of wrath against our soules in the daie of wrath contemners of the word which in such sorte hath beene preached vnto vs for which cause that same worde shal iudge vs in the last day and we shal perish Trye then I say and so lyke or dislyke Secondly learning by these wordes As it is in heauen that our obedience ought not to be lame or maymed but euen such both for will and worke as that of the heauenly spirites we are notablie taught what colde comfort there is for vs in our selues and how farre it is off that we or anie liuing should be saued by theyr works For dare any of vs saie we obey the Lords will in earth as it is obeyed in heauen and that there is no imperfection in vs more heere than there If wee dare not if wee cannot then you see wee haue not done all that is commaunded and therefore farre from being iustified by that meanes when we haue not done our dutie Cleaue wee therefore fast vnto our true safetie Iesus Christ the righteous and awaie with such dreames Thirdly doe we not see that this prayer wholie called the Lordes prayer and this petition particularly is prescribed by the Lord vnto al Christians men and women of what degree estate and calling so euer they be and none exempted We see it playnly for to all it is sayde in the Disciples that haue bene are and shall be to the worlds end wheÌ„ you pray pray thus We see it then by consequence agayne that all degrees estates and callings are bound to performe vnto the Lord such perfect obedience as heere is noted and not Monkes Friers Nunnes or some certaine sorte of this order or that onely which yet hath ben taught vs and that others taking some more libertie might find mercie with God for theyr prayers and strict obseruation in truth not of Gods will but of some ceremonies of theyr own deuising But it hath mightely ben shewed to the world and our eyes al that euery plant which the heauenly Father hath not planted shal be plucked vp and therefore let vs beleeue no such follies If we be the Lords we acknowledge our selues bound to performe as full obedience as is performed in heauen and that is
as much as anie of these deuised orders could performe and a litle more to I trow And therefore no immunitie to vs neither further yoake to them that I know of if this petition stand Fourthly we may here verie wel learne the true cause of all such hurlie burlies in y e worlde of warres of schismes of heresies of strifes amongst neighbours and finallie of all calamities euen this Quod neglecta voluntate Dei suo quisque sensu rapitur that euery man setting aside y e will of God which aboue al should be regarded is carried with his owne liking and will in all things Wherefore as one sayth Oremus Deum vt spiritum filiorum det nobis c. Let vs beseech the Lord to giue vs the spirites of sonnes and children that renouncing our owne will we may readily hartely submit our selues to his will and not with lippes but life shew that wee praie it earnestly Fiat voluntas tua Thy will bee done Fiftly praying that his will may be done in earth wee acknowledge euen in this worlde also a place wherein God ought to rule and not onely in heauen And therfore are iustly occasioned as ofteÌ„ as we say this prayer to groâ—e in our spirites and sighe with right sorrowful hearts to see yet how farre that is of To see what disobedience there is in euery degrée yea what stubborn rebellioÌ„ and defiance as it were with this will of God where it is knowen but much more to see what thousandes and millions there be that knowe it not what whole nations kingdomes and Countries And if they knowe it not ill can they doe it But where are these grones and sighs Where is that plentie of water that gushed out of Dauids eies for like cause Assuredly beloued if we had sent forth these messengers to the Lorde and deliuered these tokens of inward zeale for his glorie and our bretherens good ere this day long they had perced the heauens and the Lorde of the vineyard had sent foorth labourers to breede knowledge knowledge had displaced ignorance rebellion and wrought true submission in many thousandes of soules to this heauenly will that here we speak of Sixtly if we did not see this rebellion of the world agaynst the Lord plaine inough yet doth this verie petition so teach it that we cannot denie it For why should we be taught to praie that his wil may be done if it were done and that he may be obeyed in thoughtes wordes and deedes if he were not fearefully disobeyed in them all If then both one and other sheweth it alasse what cause haue we to delight heere to liue and dwell as we do Nay what true matter herehence may we gather to defie it and to weane our soules froÌ„ it as the Lord wil strengthen It is a place of rebellioÌ„ against our God a sink of sin a cage y e Lord knoweth it of vncleane birds a sepulchre though outwardly faire painted yet full of rotteÌ„ bones yea rotteÌ„ bodies and defiled soules with horrible pollutions Mundus totus in maligno positus in hoc virtus et pietas patiuntur in hoc mille technae ad fallenduÌ„ quocunque respicitis impurus est totus et sordesciâ— indies magis magisqúe c. This worlde is wholy set on mischiefe in it vertue and godlinesse suffer in it are a thousand subtilties to deceiue which way so euer thou lookest in it altogether impure is it and the impuritie of it still daily more and more increaseth sometimes tyrantes disturbe the publique peace sometimes heretiques oppugne the truth sometimes priuate perils molest and grieue and what euer comfort yeeldeth it that is true and permanent He that had the most proofe of the pleasure of it that had euer anie and by proofe might speake what hee founde in them hath thus deliuered to al eares for euer that they are vanities all and vexation of Spirite The worlde will promise her seauen yeeres seruants faire and wished Rachael but when performance should be theÌ„ commeth Leah with her sore eyes that is a subtill sleight to disappoynt thy paine a worse reward than thou seruest in hope of It will promise promotion high and lofty to prodigalitie but it wil pay the contempt bitter and grieuous for thy beggery when al is spent in hope of that promotion By mariage it promiseth many comforts but howe often payeth it many cares with sops of sorrow that soke full deepe The world is full of false Prophets that will keep Achab from good Micheas councell full of false marchants that will shew foorth the better end of the peece and saie the rest is like when it is farre otherwise ful of cunning fishers that vnder pleasaunt baites haue hidden hookes to destroy vs if we bite full of such golden strumpettes as that of Babylon which in cups of gold giue drinke that killeth euen to hell full of smooth alluring Iahels which stand in their tent doores saie to men Turne in my Lord turne in vnto me and feare not but if in they come and fall to sleepe the nayle and the hammer walke to theyr wofull ende and fall full of flattering Ioabs that can saie with a smiling face how doest thou my brother Amasa and stab him in that he shall not answer ful of trecherous Iudases that with a kisse betray theyr deerest maister And alasse what place is this Runne ouer the greatest things that here we haue or can haue and see what is linked to them If a man haue riches what feares and cares hath he with them If honours what burthens and feares againe of a fall If a man haue friends what a do to keepe them Our bodies haue diseases our mindes haue passions neighbors be comfortable and to liue sole is solitarie yet see discoÌ„forts one toutheth our goods by law another our name by slander this hateth vs that enuieth vs another flattereth another deceiueth another beareth false witnesse against vs with a thousand such And if we be discontented and crossed but in one thing see the misery of this wretched world though we inioy a thousand contentes yet grindeth that daie and night vpon vs and al our contents are as nothing to vs because of that one discontent The triall was had of that wicked Haman who though he had many great preferments to reioyce in yet felt hee them all eclipsed and as it were taken from him by this one griefe the life of Mardocheus before his face And what shoulde I saie Would God wee did it often with profite what wee may doe euer with griefe to the better weaning our selues from this world of woes euen search and see into the manners of it in euery place in euerie age and in euery sort of persons Shall we not see of all the things that are accounted of nothing so little accounted of as sinne Shal we not see iustice solde veritie wreasted shame lost and equitie despised Shall
Preacher say that he had beheld an euill vnder the sunne and it was a great one much amongst men euē a man to whom God hath giuen riches and treasures honour and hee wanteth nothing for his soule of all that it desireth but God giueth him not power to eat therof but a straunge man shall eate it vp Sée you and marke it howe God is not onely the giuer of riches but euen of the vse also power to eat of them which gift he bestoweth and withholdeth at his pleasure The rich man layd vp for many yeeres but the Lord would not haue him to liue and inioy then the things he had the vse hee had not longer then God gaue it But euen when hee least thought his soule was called for and then like a foole he had heaped too much vp for other men This is that which the wise Syrach sayth Some man is rich by his care and nigardship and this is the portion of his wages meaning his reward is to haue them but not to vse them for when he should beginne to eate of them the time draweth neere that hee must leaue al these things vnto other men and dye him selfe Wherefore I say praying in this petition not onely for the things but euen also for the vse comfort Whē we say giue wee are taught that euen the vse also is of the Lord. And thus do you see what great profite this one worde hath in this petition and what we may learne by it Why do wee say giue vs and not giue me First to teach vs to remember our brethren as well as our selues to bee carefull for them and to wish them all needfull things as to our selues according to the true nature of Christian charitie which seeketh not her owne things onely but euen other mens also as well Which when it is considered what O Lord may those men say for the quiet of their consciences that haue neuer enough themselues but euen as if God and all his blessing belonged only to them and that they only should dwell in the world alone rake and scrape to themselues with might and mayne but of their brethren they neuer thinke No so farre are they from praying for them that God would giue them their daylie bread as that if they haue any part or portion of it they are hartely desirous to haue it from them yea sicke vpon their beddes often as was wicked Achab till they haue gotten Naboths vineyard inheritance do these men pray Da nobis Giue vs good Lorde our daylie bread that is giue my brethren as well as to my owne soule what is néedfull to them giue al thy children as to me their daylie wants No no if they might say it for shame they would say giue mée all and let the rest receiue of me if they will haue ought But what they shame to say they shame not to wish and therefore as often as they say this prayer they abuse the Lord and it is his mercie that presently hée striketh not so great hypocrisie as to say vs with lippes as if they meant many and mee with heart meaning but themselues Learne therefore beloued by a common word to haue a common hart It liketh the Lord that wee loue our brethren and it liketh him not that we loue only our selues We say not giue me but giue vs and let vs doe thereafter euen ioyne them in prayer with our selues and wish them bread as to our selues that is all necessaries Secondly wee are by this maner of speaking taught the true vse of such portion as God giueth vs namely so to haue it as that others haue part with vs. For wee are but Stewards of the Lords gifts And non tibi soli datur quod habes sed per te dat Deus alijs It is not giuen what thou hast to thy selfe alone but by thee GOD giueth the same to others His minde being that thou shouldest so impart them Thy meate is giuen to comfort others as thou mayst and a ioy it will be if thou canst say with Iob I haue not eaten my morsels alone but the fatherlesse hath eaten with me Thy wooll is giuen thée to clothe the naked and a comfort great it is when a man may say with Iob againe I haue seene none perish for want of clothing neither any poore without a couering but their loynes haue blessed me because they were clothed with y e fliece of my sheepe Iob had lodging and he thought it giuen to releeue the straunger he had authoritie and he thought it giuen to helpe the poore in iudgement not to oppresse them And so euer haue others of Gods children possessed for others not onely for themselues what the Lorde bestowed vppon them Wherefore if no other mouth should euer iudge thē their owne mouthes sufficiently charge all miserable wretches and wretched misers of this earth as often as they pray this prayer because they say giue vs in the plurall number and yet where they haue receiued they vse it scarce in the singular number being so farre from releeuing others with any comfort they haue as that they little may finde in their harts often to reléeue themselues Let vs be warned before wee smart for wretchednesse Wee pray not for our selues alone but for others we receiue not for our selues alone but for others and therefore let vs impart the Lords giuen graces both to our selues and to others So shal we shew our selues children of our heauenly father who is bountifull to all and hard to none dealing his gifts in such fauour and fulnesse euer that all tongues may speake of his praise and all harts conceiue of his mercie That God and Father make vs like him in this and all our dueties Amen The Prayer MIghtie GOD most louing Lorde after thinges concerning thy glorie it is thy gracious fauour to vs frayle wretches that we should boldly aske what concerneth our necessities and wants promising euen therein also to be merciful vnto vs and to heare our prayers Wherefore both in obedience to thy commaundement and faith in thy promises wee throw downe our selues here before thee beseech thee to giue vs this day our daily bread that is good Lord as thou hast taught vs all things needfull to the maintenance of this life Giue vs meate drinke and clothing for our bodies Giue vs of the dew of heauen and fatnesse of the earth as thy blessed pleasure shall vouchsafe vs to our good If it please thee to giue more O Lorde make vs thankfull and faithful stewards to dispose thy mercies to our brethren that shall haue neede If it please thee to giue lesse chaunging thy hand to bring vs with thy seruaunt Moses out of the Court to keepe a flock of sheepe and with Dauid from high fauours to many feares O God and father mercifull euen with that portion of bread
Thess Hom. 4. Act. 3.1 Psal 42. Confess 19.13 2. Machab. 12.44 2. Machab. 2.29 2. Machab. 15.39 Machab. 9.18 An. 152. An. 188. 2. Maca. 1.10 1. Maca. 6.8 vers 16. Greg. in Iob. lib. 19. cap 16. A great goodnes of God to teach vs a forme of prayer What forme some heatheÌ„s vsed The Lords prayer hath three parts A father by Creation RedeÌ„ption SaÌ„ctificatioÌ„ The vse of the word father to our Soules The second vse of the woord father Rom. 8.32 Math. 7.11 Esay 49.15 vers 16. Ambros lib 50. de Sacram. cap. 4. A third vse of the word father Malach. 1. Cypria 1. Peter 1.13 14. 15. 17. Ephes 4.1 Ihon 9.31 Psal 119. 94. 173. Note 1. Iohn 3.22 The fourth vse of the word father The perfection of the worke of Christ for vs prooued The wickednes of the Masse Hebre. 9.12 10.14 1. Charitie We must neuer pray for our selues with such a priuat hart but that wee wish the like mercy to all that haue the like neede Ephes 1 23 Ephes 4 4. Gal. 6.1 Hebr. 13.3 1. Peter 4.10 Iam. 5.16 1. Cor. 13.5 August Confess Chrysost in Cor. 2. Vnitie The great danger of schisme Math. 5.24 Math. 6.15 Ephes 4. 62. 3. Humilitie Act. 10. Note Galat. 3.28 Aug. Ser. 135. Iob. 31. 13. 14. 15. Math. 26. Philem. His being in Heauen what Spirituall vse it hath to our soules Esay 45.23 Psal 99.1 2. Note Math. 26. 53. What God euer would doe he euer could doe The second vse of our fathers being in Heauen Esay 55. 8. 6. The third vse Psal 50. Psal 60. 4. 8. 17. Psal 29.3 c. Exod. 34.8 A foule fault of many in the Church and elswhere Note A right coming before God to pray Marke it Ihon. 4. The vse of Churches not ouerthrown by libertie of place to praye in vnder the Gospel The name father agreeth to Sonne and holy ghost vers 6. 1. Cor. 8.6 The name father set downe because it is principium deitatis the beginning of the Deitie Vbiquitie Psal 103.19 Esay 66.1 Num. 14. 42. Iere· 23.24 Psal 19.2 Hose 2.24 Rom. 118. Esay 66.1 Num. 14. How God is sayd to be nere or farre of Esay 55. Esay 55. How God is sayd to be more in one man or place than in an other Tom. 2. In Ezek hom 8. pag. 130. How God is sayd to goe and come Psal 51. Psal 22.2 1. Sam. 18 28· Three things considered Enchiridion Chap. 116. The petitions concerning Gods glory first Math. 6.33 Exod. 32.32 Rom. 9.3 Gods glory more to be cared for than our owne saluation if they should come in comparison together Note Luke 1. Sam. 2. Malach. 1.11 Ihon. 12.28 Math. 28. Mar. 16.17 Act. 3.12 16. Philip. 2.10 vers 11. The name of God what it is Exod. 33. 19· Exod. 34.5 c. Of the greeke article Danaeus pag. 108. Ihon. 3.33 What halowing the name of God is Psal 148. vers 12. Psal 104. Rom. 1.20 Ezek. 36.23 vers 25. 26. 27 1. Peter 2.12 Math. 5.16 Esay 52. 5. Rom. 2.24 1. Timoth. 6.1 Thirdly what we praye against in this petition Psal 104. 35. Atheists Libertines Marke it and thinke of it Psal â—4 Rom. 12. Psal 84. vers 11. That the names of all fayned gods being vtterly abolyshed the onely diuine name and maiestie of God the heauenly father be had in honor and called vpon with pure mindes by men of all ages countries and parts of the world How Gods name is vnhalowed and polluted you may further see in the 2. Com. Rom. 12. 2. Pet. 3.9 vers 8. vers 10. He sanctifieth vs by making vs holy we him by confessing him holy c. Apoc. 22.11 Permissiue The order Regnum Potentiae Regnum Gratiae Regnum Gloriae Fatum Psal 135.6 Rom. 11.36 Ephes 11. Iob. 5.10 Iob· 9.5 vers 2. Exod. 4.11 Creation Syrac 17.3 Ephes 4. Corruption Rom. 5.12 Gen. 38. vers 7. vers 12. vers 13 Gen. 6.5 Esay 64. Rom. 7.14 19. 21. 23. 1. Cor. 2. Ephes 2. Psal 57. Psal 14. What is corrupted in vs by our fall Ephes 5. Gen. 6. Math. 15.16 Rom. 7.18 Rom. 3.13 c. 1. Cor. .4 1. Cor. 15. Psal 51. Esay 6. 5. Syrac 40.1 c. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Regeneration Rom. 6.13 The Kingdom of glorie The sense of the petition brefely Rom. 1.16 The meanes whereby this Kingdome of God ariseth in vs. The Apostles powrefull ministrie by the word Ruffin lib. 2. cap. 5. Marke this historie Rom. 1.16 Act. 17.6 De ciuit Dei 22. 2. Cor. 10.4 c. Iam. 1.18 Ihon. 17. 1. Cor. 4.15 Philemon 1â— Galat. 4.19 Galat. 3.2 Peter 1.23 Luk. 16 31. Esay 55.1 Amos. 8. Ephes 4.13 The meanes prayed for aswell as the thing The word of God is either read or preached Two dangerous extremities to be auoyded of all men Deut. 31.9 Act. 13.15 Luc. 4. 16. Act. 15.21 Iere. 36.6 Bullingers iudgement of the ministers reading A faithfull minister Socr. histor Eccle. lib. 7. cap. 2. Theodoret. histor ecclesias lib. 4. cap. 5. Possidon in vita August cap. 5. Vrsinus catechis Defence against D. Br. pag 46. AppeÌ„dix to the answer of the obstr pag. 214. Calu. aduersus Anabaptistas artic 2. pag. 582. Apol. pro christianis The profite of the Scriptures read Papists call reading a spiritual dumbnes Ihon. 5. Psal 1. Psal 119. Act. 17. Coloss 3.16 Ephes 6.16 Augustine requireth reading of the word at home in our houses Chrysost Consider this well 2. Timoth â— 15 Math. 23. Irenaeus lib. 3. cap 5. Amos. 6.10 Confess lib. 8. cap. 12. Hylarie de vnitate Patris et filij Preaching aboue reading Ephes 4.11.12.13 Math. 26.19.20 Math. 6. Luc. 4.18.19 Luc. 24.27 Act. 2. Act. 8. Act. 10. Act. 13. Similitudes expressing the profitte of preaching Fearfull exceptions against hearing the word preached Caluin aduersus Anabap. artic 5. pag. 583. Iam. 2.2 Calu. aduersus Anabap. artic 5. pag. 583. O good and faithfull seruant Yet degrees Gods blessings when worthily had Hebr. 13.17 1. Sam. 2.25 2. Cor. 2.15 Rom. 10. 1. Cor. 9.16 Exod. 28.35 Euery man in his measure 1. Cor. Num. 22.31 Deut. 29.4 Chap. 30.6 Esay 57. 15. Ezek. 36.26.27 Luc. 24.45 Act. 16.14 Ihon. 16.13 1. Ihon. 2.20.27 Ephes 1.16 Chap. 3.14.15 c. vers 20. Psal 119. Esay 49. Ezek. 33.32 Rom. 8.26.27 vers 9.14.15.16 Ihon. 4. Iosua 15.19 Ioel. 2. 1. Thess 5. Ephes 4.30 Psal 51. The good Magistrate a great meanes to rayse vp gods Kingdome 1. Timoth. 2. 2. Rom. 13. 3. 4. 1. Kings 15.12 Ezek. 10.17 16. Loue due to Magistrates Deutro 1.21 All contrary things to gods Kingdome prayed against in this petitioÌ„ Amos. 8. Math. 13. Rom. 8.12 A fearefull thing if we thinke of it Ministers thinke of it Magistrates thinke of it Priuat persons thinke of it A Communion of good by prayer Psal 40.8 Ihon 5.30 Ihon 6 38. Math. 7.21 Gen. 6. â— 1. Cor. 2.14 The error of freewill is agaynst this petition Oculta reuelaâ—â— Deutr. 29.29 Psal 36.6 Rom.