petition we are to consider two things First the Kingdome it selfe secondly the Comming of his Kingdome Touching the first point it may be objected how it is that Christ teacheth us to make this petition for Gods Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and his Dominion endureth throughout all ages Psal 145.13 How then is it said to come For the answer of this doubt the Kingdome of God must be distinguished First God hath an Vniversall Kingdome such a Kingdome as ever was and for ever shall be of which it is said The Lord is King be the people never so impotent he ruleth as King be the people never so unquiet Psal 99. Secondly there is a Kingdome of Glory that whereof our Saviour speaketh Matth. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you c. And the thiefe upon the Crosse said Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome Luke 13. and this is the Kingdome which in the first place Christ teacheth us to pray for we pray for this Kingdome that it may come we pray for our owne good for it is a Kingdome of power and therefore able to defend us and therefore our Saviour in the conclusion of his prayer addeth this For thine is the Kingdome Matth. 6. According to which the Prophet David saith Thy Saints give thankes to thee they shew the glory of thy Kingdome and talke of thy power Psal 145.11 The government of his Kingdome is committed to Christ of whom it was said by God I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion Psal 2. In which regard he doubteth not to affirme of himselfe Matth. 28 Data est mihi omnis potestas c. All power is given â—e in Heaven and in Earth And notwithstanding God reigneth as King yet that is verified which the Prophet complaineth of Isa 26.13 O Lord God other gods besides thee have ruled over us for Sathan taketh upon him to be King and hath played the Tyrant and hath prevailed so farre as that the greatest part of the world are subdued unto him in which regard our Saviour calleth him the Prince of the world Iohn 14.30 And by the Apostle he is termed the God of this world for that he blindeth mens eyes and maketh them subject to the Kingdome of darknesse 2 Cor. 4. Secondly there is a Kingdome of sinne against which the Apostle exhorteth Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies Rom 6 â—2 which he meaneth when he saith That sinne hath reigned unto â—â—â—ath Rom 5.21 Thirdly the Apostle sheweth that Death hath a Kingdome when he saith that by meanes of sinne death reigned from Adam to Moses Rom. 5.14 These are enemies to the Kingdome of God for while the Devill reighneth by meanes of sinne as he doth so long as he worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes 4. he taketh away the glory of Gods Kingdome and Death takes away the power of it And in regard of Sathans Kingdome he is said to be a King over all the children of pride Iob 41.34 For he makes the whole world rebell against God so that they are not ashamed to deny him to his face and that is true not onely of the common sort of the world but even of a great many of the Church of which number are those that sticke not to say We will not have Christ to rule over us Luke 19.14 Againe there are many stumbling blocks for the hinderance of Gods Kingdome Matth. 13.41 that the Kingdome of God cannot come and therefore we doe worthily pray as well that the Kingdome of Sathan and sinne may be overthrowne as for the removing of those offences God having exalted his Sonne into the highest Heaven saith unto him Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy foot-stoole Psal 110. The last enemy that is to be destroyed is death 1 Cor. 15.16 Wherefore our desire is that there may be such a Kingdome as wherein the Law of God may be exactly kept and that it would please God in this Kingdome to tread downe Sathan under our feete Rom. 16. that not only death it selfe but he that hath the power of death being destroyed Heb. 2.14 God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 When we behold the state of the world and see that good men are trodden under feete and the vessels of wrath and sinne are exalted and prosper then we may know that that is not the true Kingdome and therefore we pray that God will set up his Kingdome in our hearts and governe us by his Spirit And therefore this point doth not onely concerne our selves but also God for unlesse his Kingdome come his name cannot be sanctified of us As there are temporall Kingdomes so there is a spirituall Kingdome called the Kingdome of Grace whereof our Saviour speaketh The Kingdome of God is within you Luke 17.21 As before we prayed for the Kingdome of Glory so now for this Kingdome of Grace for without this we shall never bee partakers of that other Kingdome The glory of other Kingdomes is the reformation of things that were before amisse but the glory of the Kingdome of Grace is that as during the tyranny of Sathan Sinne raigned unto death so now under this Kingdome Grace may raigne through righteousnesse by Iesus Christ Rom. 5.21 That we may have interest in both these Kingdomes wee must hearken to that which Christ proclaimeth Matth. 4.27 Repent for the Kingdome of God draweth neare as it draweth neare to us so wee must draw neare to it else we shall never enter into it for except a man be borne againe he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Iohn 3.2 And that we may beginne to draw neare to it there is an outward regiment to be used which is a token of the grace of God bearing rule in our hearts we must by the Kingdome of God within us cast out Devils Matth. 8. We must intreate God by the power of his Spirit to plant in our hearts that which is good and to roote out and remove out of them that which is bad Matth. 13.48 We must displace Sathan and sinne that they set not up their thrones in our hearts and in stead of it we must set up Gods Kingdome ruling in us by his Spirit for the Kingdome of God stands in righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 If we finde these vertues in us they are sure pledges of the Kingdome of Grace and we may assure our selves that after this life is ended we shall be received into the Kingdome of Glory And how soever he hath appointed Kings and Rulers over us for our outward safety and defence yet they have their Scepter from him and the end of their rule is to further Gods Kingdome as the Apostle speaketh That we may live under them in all godlinesse and honesty 1 Tim. 2. Touching the comming of his Kingdome it may be demanded why we pray that it may come to us seeing that
repentance The persons to be delivered are expressed in the word nos which implyeth a twofold reason the one in regard of the word libera We are thy servants therefore make us free and suffer us not to be slaves to Satan So the Prophet reasoneth Psal 116. 143. Secondly againe deliver us for we are thy children those whom thou hast taught to call thee Father therefore though we be Mephibosheths for our deformity and Absolons for our ungraciousnesse yet shew thy selfe a Father to us and of servants though we be not only unprofitable Luk. 17. but evill and wastfull Luk. 16. yet because we are thy servants deliver us Thirdly we are thy workmanship therefore despise not the workes of thine owne hands Psal 138. Fourthly We are thy Image Gen. 1. Fifthly the price of thy Sonnes blood Sixthly Vessels to carry thy Name we are they upon whom thy name is called therefore deliver us else wee shall be a reproach to them that are about us Dan. 9.18 Seventhly we are the members of thy Church which is the body of Christ Jesus our Saviour our head Rom. 12.5 Eph. 1.22 The other reason is from the word mala the devill as hee is our enemy so he is Gods and he hateth us because we are thine and therefore laboureth to draw us from thee but save thou us that wee fall not from thee as he hath done Lastly us for we may not pray for our selves alone but for our brethren also that God will be good to them likewise and though we be out of trouble yet because we be of the body we may truly say deliver us when we pray in the behalfe of our brethren that are under the crosse Untill the last enemy death be destroyed 1 Cor. 15.26 we shall never be fully freed but have one evill or other Therefore we are to pray for that time when we shall hunger and thirst no more when God shall wipe all teares from our eyes Rev. 7.16 at the least if he take us not presently out of the world yet to keepe us from the evill of the world Joh. 17.15 till that day when there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor paine Rev. 21.4 but God shall be in all to us for ever THE EIGHTEENTH SERMON For thine is the Kingdome Power and Glory for ever and ever SAint Paul willeth that all things in the Church be done orderly 1 Cor. 14. which no doubt he tooke from Christ whose answer to John Baptist Matth. 3.14 was Sic enim decet for so it becommeth whereby wee see that both Christ and his Apostles have alwaies observed a decorum or decency in all things So touching prayer our Saviour Christ to shew that it is an undecent thing for any having done his Petitions to breake off suddenly or to beginne his prayer without any introduction hath not onely made an entrance to his prayer wherein he acknowledged Gods goodnesse but also addeth a conclusion wherein hee confesseth his Kingdome Power and Glory which the Fathers call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hee tooke the patterne of this conclusion out of the old Testament where King David acknowledgeth Thine O Lord is greatnesse power and glory and victory and thine is the Kingdome 1 Chron. 29.11 In the beginning we heard that all Prayer and Invocation is nothing else but a testimony and confession The Petitions that are severally made in this Prayer are confession of our weaknesse want need and unablenesse to do any thing that may please God The beginning and end of it are an acknowledgement of Gods riches power and goodnesse whereby he is inclined to supply our wants for that hee is not onely willing as a Father but able as a King so that whatsoever prayer we make whether Tekinnah or Tehillah whether we pray that we may receive some good thing of God or praise him for good received is a confession and both these confessions make for Gods glory not only to him that was to make confession of his sin it was said Da gloriam Deo Josh 7.19 but the blind man that had received a benefit by the recovery of his sight was said to give glory to God Joh. 19.24 The beginning of this prayer was a confession of Gods goodnesse the end of his power for unto doing of good is required not onely willingnesse but power and ability To shew that God is willing we are taught to call upon him by the name of Father for any father is willing to do his child good but with this willingnesse there must concurre an ability to do good which howsoever it be wanting in earthly Fathers yet it is not wanting in our heavenly Father for whereas nothing doth more expresse power then the name of a King Christ acknowledgeth God to be such a Father as hath Kingdome power and glory and therefore is able to do us whatsoever good he will So God himselfe affirmeth of himselfe I am a great King Mal. 1.14 Rev. 19.16 he is called King of Kings and Lord of Lords so that if wee will pray to God the Father wee have cause to conceive hope that hee will heare our Petitions and help us because he is not onely willing as a Father but able as a mighty glorious and powerfull Prince Secondly if to God the Sonne his dying for us doth assure us of his good will and readinesse to do us good and his rising againe from the dead when he hath broken the yron barres doth assure us of his power Thirdly if to the Holy Ghast we shall not need to doubt of his willingnesse for he is the essentiall love of God which is shed in our hearts Rom. 5. Besides he is the spirit operative by whom God worketh all good things in the hearts of his people and therefore able to do whatsoever good for us and those two to wit the assurance of Gods goodnesse and power are the two parts of the anchor of our hope Heb. 6.18 19. and he gives us not onely audaciam petendi but also fiduciam impetrandi not only boldnesse to aske but also assurance to obtaine The make requests in our owne behalfe and acknowlegement to God of his love and power are both confessions but the principall is the acknowledgment of his gooodnesse and Kingdome power for to make request to God for good things that we want concernes men but to confesse Gods power and goodnesse is that wherein the heavenly Angels are occupied in they feele no want of any good thing and therefore they have no neâ—d to make petition to God as we on earth and therefore all the confession that they make is of Gods goodnesse and power whereof they cry continually Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts the earth is full of his glory Esay 6.3 The same is done by the Saints in heaven Blessing and glory and wisedome and thanks and honour and power and might be unto our God for evermore Rev. 7.12 Whereby we learne that wee
Chaldean paraphrast or to Ionathan or to Rabbi Shimâ—on tâ—e sonne of Ishai or to Rabbi Moses the sonne of Nichar or to Rabbi Haccodesh Whether Christ should be an earthly Monarch and to all the ancient Rabbins that lived before the comming of Christ then were the matter at an end But they give more credit to the latter Rabbins which all were moved with envie against Christ Rabbi Salomon Nizahon For the first whether the Messias comming should be an earthly Kingdome See Esay 53.2 but especially verse 6. Esay 53.6 8. The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all But they shift this off and say It s meant of the whole people But after he saith He shall die for his people And it were absurd to say the people shall die for the people neither could they die Psal 22.16.18 They pierced my hands and my feete Psal 22 16 17 18. they parted my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture which cannot be understood by David Zach. 9.9 Zach. 9.9 The King of Zion shall come to thee poore and kumble sitting on an Asse most plainely Dan. 9.26 And after 62. weekes Messiah shall be slaine Daniel 9.26 c. This the elder Jewes could not conceive and Philo Iudaeus understandeth it of the sanctification of the high Priest But he might easily gather that this place was meant of the Messiah by Iohn the Baptist that sent two of his Disciples to know whether he were that Christ or no but especially that place of Daniel troubleth them insomuch that Nizahon falleth into these blasphemous words that the Prophet was deceived and over-seene Reason against the Jewes 1. Haggai 2.8 That the Messias of the world should be the expectation of the Gentiles How should it be a comfort to the Gentiles Reasons against the Jewes to have a stranger raigne over them which is forbidden the Jewes Deut. 17.15 16. There shall not be a stranger to raigne over them 2. For as much as it is plaine that the Messias should be that that giveth felicity to all the world I would know of them how Abraham Isaac and Iacob could be saved by an earthly Prince and temporall they being dead many hundred yeeres before his time This they shake off so weakely that they are faine to say It shall be as they say no bigger then it was before as also the City God will not call the Saints from the fell-city that they have with him to an earthly banquet Whether Christ be the Messiah that they and all the true Jewes shall returne to life againe But that is absurder than the first For first they doe themselves injury to thinke that the Land of Iury as also their Temple can hold all the Jewes that ever were 2. They are utterly injurious to the Heavenly soules to call them out of an heavenly paradise out of Abrahams bosome to come into an earthly paradise The third is common By this there should be no purgation of the soules from sinne for this earthly Kingdome cannot purge the soule it belongeth onely to the body The second part That Christ is not the Messias 1. Gen. 49.10 That the Scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a Law-giver from betweene his feet till Shiloh come It was sure that before the captivity it was altogether in Iudah till the leading of the captivity continued In the captivity they had it by one of their brethren that was called the King of captivity And after the captivity it continued till it fell betweene Aristobulus and Hircanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rex multitudinis deportatae who striving for it were both dispossessed and Herod an Idumaean placed in their roome and then was the time of Christ Now if they shift this off and say that the Macchabees were not of the Tribe of Iudah Object but of Levi and so deny the prophecy Sol. The prophecie is divided Sol. that either a King or a Law-giver should be of the Tribe of Iuda And that there was a Law-giver even till Christ was borne its manifest for they confesse that Simeon Iustus Note whose song we have in our Liturgy was the last of them and ever since the whole company of their Sanedrim dispersed The third answer Object They say that in the prophecy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth not a Scepter but a Tribe so that it is meant that Iudah should be a Tribe till Shiloah come Even that way they are confounded For ever since that time Sol. all the Tribes have beene promiscuae confused and the Emperours presently after that they had heard that In Iudaea nascetur orbis dominus the Lord of the World should be borne in Iudaea sought to roote out the Jewes and especially that Tribe that Christ should come of and so it made them to confound their Genealogies 2. Dan. 9.25 Daniel receiveth this Oracle from the Angell that from that time to Messiah c. What these seven weekes are it s shewed in the Gospell that they stand for yeeres so counting for every weeke seven yeeres 49. And so long was the Temple in building for three yeeres they were in building the walles and gathering themselves together the other 46. in building the Temple as the Iewes said to our Saviour from that time to the comming of the Messias 490. yeeres 3. Hag. 2.10 The glory of the last house shall be greater then the first But in the first Temple there was thâ— Arke of the Lord the pot of Manna Aarons rod the shew-bread c. the second Temple had none of these but the Prophet saith the second Temple should be more glorious This glory they cannot finde unlesse it be in the time of Christ for forty yeeres after his death it was destroyed so they make this no prophecie Petrus Galatinus de arâ—â—â—is Two Famous companies among the Iewes the schollers of Rabbi Shamma 2. Of R. Hillel but the latter the more famous Petrus Galatinus out of the third of their Talmud that the schollers of Rabbi Hillel considering thâ—se three prophecies Daniel Haggai Esay though they lived 50 yeeres before his time hoped that he should be borne in those daies being thereto induced by the end of the 60. chapter of Esay That God would hasten his comming In the same chapter of the Talmud on that place Esay 9.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is written with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 finale in all copiâ—s in that place onely against the nature of the letter Whereupon Rabbi Thalumma doth hold it is an Oracle sâ— that iâ— is the number of the yeeres betweene Esay and Christ his comming i 600. yeeres 3. They say This a principle among the Iewes that the vaile should not open not the voyce of the Lord faile till the comming of the Messiah that the prophecie of the second Temple should not cease which
is in no man else and in another there is that good and such a gift as is not in me and so I to honour it So is the place to the Philip. understood or in regard of the great masse of corruption in me may say with the Apostle Quorum ego maximus of whom I am chiefe But to submit the better to the worse as the gift of grace in me to the gift of nature in another or the good gift of nature in me to the evill gift of nature in another that is not Gods minde Meanes to Humility There is no grace in us that God might not have put in any other creature The meanes are manifold but they may be reduced to these 1. From the state of our bodies grounded upon good reason Basil in his Hexemeron saith that mans life is nothing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Schoolehouse of humility his ground is out of Psal 8.4 where the Prophet comparing his body with the body of the heavens and the spheres falleth into an admiration why God chose his body rather to put a reasonable soule into it then any of the celestiall bodies and out of Gen. 18.27 I have begunne to speake to my Lord and am but dust and ashes * * * Our nature is but an heap of dust and ashes and therefore Augustin cryeth out Good Lord what should move thee to give such an excellent soule to my body which is but a peece of clay passing over the glorious body of the Sunne the Moone and the Starres and all the celestiall spheres and to bestow it upon a pottle of choler and fleame and the Philosopher saith O homo si considerares quid per os quid per nares per reliquas corporis partes exiret nunquam tam turpe sterquilinium reperires O man consider but what filthinesse comes forth from thy mouth what from thy nostrils and what from the other parts of thy body and thou wilt easily see that there is no such dunghill as thy selfe 2. From the state of our soules Luke 18.13 Lord have mercie on me a sinner and as a Father well mendeth it mihi peccato that am nothing else but sinne for so it is with many of us and such sinners as that Rom. 7.14 we are sold for slaves to sinne and that as it is in the 18. vers in us i. in our flesh as of nature dwelleth no good thing in so much as we cannot once thinke a good thought of our selves 2 Cor. 3.5 And not onely this but if we consider that we have so multiplied our transgressions as that they be more in number then the haires of our head and as it is Psal 38.4 beside the number Psal 40.15 David the flower of our nature had both infinite sinnes for the number and intolerable for the weight that they are such a weighty burden to us as is intolerable The consideration of these will humble us if the Devill carry us up into our owne mountaine and shew us any good thing in us we must resist him with these and that we have no one good thing but we have received and that not of merit in us but to confesse with Jacob Gen. 32.10 that we are not worthy the least of his mercies nor of all the truth that he hath shewed us and if we use the gifts that we have received never so well yet to say as it is Luke 17.10 we are unprofitable servants that no gaine can come to him from us then shall we come to pray with Daniel chap. 9. v. 7. O Lord righteousnesse belongeth unto thee and to us open shame and confusion and say with the Prophet Psal 115.1 Not unto us Lord not unto us but unto thine owne name give the praise for thy loving mercie and truths sake Even in the wicked a kindâ— of humility A blessing to a blaze of humility in Ahab Adversity no great enemy to humility 3. Beside these when we consider the crosses of God which he hath or may bring upon us 1 King 21.29 the crosse falling on the wicked 〈◊〉 Ahab it brought a blaze of humility into him and that was not unrewarded of God Our conceit concerning adversity must be not that it is an enemy to us not to be humble for the Prophet Psal 119.71 confesseth that it was good for him that he was in trouble because he thereby learned the Statutes of the Lord when it pleaseth God to send his grace with it it driveth us to seeke comfort by the word and by prayer and to be willing to go to the houses of mourning and to them that have had a perplexity and to be a discipline to our selves in this want of it and to speake to others to tell them of their sinnes But the chiefe and best example is the example of Christ when he had many good things no doubt to be learned yet this especially and above all he would have us to learne of him humility Discite à me quia ego mitis sum humilis corde For his order and manner of preaching John 8.50 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I seek not mine own glory there is one that seeketh judgeth for his miracles Matth. 8.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he chargeth the Keeper to tell it no man he would all the glory should redound to his Fathers praise and glory humble in his practise but especially that action was to commend humility to them John 13.15 after he had washed his Disciples feete he said Exemplum vobis dedi ut sicut ego vobis feci vos invicem faciatis I have given you an example that ye should doe as I have done to you His birth was humble his life * * * Luke 2.51 be obeyed his Patents in all things His first beatitude beati sunt pauâ—â—â—es spiritu humble but his death more humble as humble as could be even at hell gates inso much that he was faine to cry a little before his death Quare dereliquisti me Why hast thou sorsaken me so Matth. 5.3 his first Theame in his first Sermon is Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven the marke of his Church Zeph. 3.12 Then will I leave in the middest of thee an humble and poore people and they shall trust in the name of the Lord and it is the marke of his Apostles 1 Cor. 4. An ancient Father saith Ne contemnerent homines humilitatem placuit Deo plura largiri in humilitate sua For in his Majesty hee made the world and in his humility he remade it redeemed it quam in Majestate qui veretur humiliare se veretur ea facere quae Deus fecit Let no man lightly esteeme of Humility seeing it pleased God to effect more in Humility then in Majesty and he that feares to humble himselfe feares to doe that which God hath done The signes I dare not put Absaloms signes 2 Sam. 15.5
Act. 20. He saith He will be our God and wee his people Levit. 26. Hee will be our Father and wee his Children 2 Cor. 6. he our Lord and we his servants Therefore we may challenge at his hands that favour which Kings vouchsafe to their subjects which Fathers shew to their children that is to love them to defend them and to wish them all the good things they need If he have purchased us to himselfe by his blood then wee pertaine to him and we may say to him as his Disciples said to Christ Mark 4.38 Carest thou not for us that pertaine to thee but sufferest us to perish These words Kingdome Power and Glory being joyntly considered are a representation of the Trinity As Moses speaking of the Author of our creation reckons up the name of God three times Gen. 1.27 as in the blessings of the Law the name of God is there repeated Numb 6.6 and as the Angels cry there Holy Holy Holy Esay 6. to teach that there are three Persons in the God-head which the Heathen themselves have compassed So Christ in the New Testament doth by these words Kingdome Power and Glory signifie those three Persons which afterward he expresseth by the name of Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Matth. 28. If we consider them severally although they may all be ascribed to any Person of the Deity yet the Kingdome is to be ascribed unto Christ 1 Cor. 15.35 Power to the Holy Ghost Rom. 15.13.19 and Glory to the Father Rom. 6.4 that wee setting our selves in Christs Kingdome that is his Church by the power of the Holy Ghost may be partakers of that glory which God the Father hath prepared for us Againe these words are set to distinguish Gods Kingdome from earthly kingdomes Each King hath not power as the King of Israel saith If the Lord do not succour thee how can I helpe thee 2 Reg. 6.21 But Gods Kingdome is a Kingdome of power Secondly there are Kingdomes of Might but not of Glory such was the Kingdome of David hee had a Kingdome of Might but not of Glory for hee spent all his time in troubles but the Kingdome of Solomon his sonne was both a powerfull and a Glorious kingdome and there was a figure of the perfect Kingdome of Christ Wherefore we are taught by these words that as the Kingdome is the Lords so he hath not onely a Kingdome of power whereby he is able to defend but of glory whereby he can also reward his servants and subjects Moses desired of God that hee would shew him his glory Exod. 33. But hee that is of Christs Kingdome shall see the glory which Christ had from the beginning with the Father Joh. 17.21 To consider these words severally upon these words of the Prophet Knit my heart unto thee Psalm 86. one saith Religio dicitur à religando as there is a mutuall bond betweene the King and his people so is there betweene God and us The Kings duty is to defend his subjects from injury and wrong and to bestow on them all manner of benefits The duty of subjects is to be dutifull and yeeld all ready service to their Prince so God for his part is ready not onely to defend us from all danger but to bestow all good things upon us and therefore wee are bound to be religious and dutifull to him as to our King and Soveraigne wee must not onely love him as a Father but feare him as our Lord and King Matth. 1.6 And this mixture shall keepe us in the way of salvation wee shall neither too much despaire nor presume of his goodnesse this feare we must testifie both by a reverend regard of his Law and of his Officers Hee is no good subject that rebelleth against the lawes of his Prince no more are we when no more can be gotten at our hands but by the precepts of men Esay 29. when the statutes of Omri are kept for feare of temporall punishment Mich. 6. and the lawes of God are had in no price then it is a signe that we are not so dutifull and loyall to our heavenly Prince as wee ought to be Secondly we must testifie our feare of God by a reverend regard of his Prophets and Priests which are the Ministers and Officers in his kingdome When the Jewes mocked the messengers of God and mis-used his Prophets they shewed their contempt of God himselfe and therefore the wrath of the Lord arose against that people 2 Chron. 36.16 Contrariwise if wee have an honourable conceit of them and receive them as the Angels of God Gal. 4. then we shew our selves to be dutifull vassalls to our heavenly Lord and King Next for power as S. Peter saith God is able both to respect the righteous and to shew vengeance upon the wicked 2 Pet. 2.9 So whether we respect the power of his grace inward whereby hee worketh all good things in the hearts of his people or the outward power whereby hee defends them from evill whether it be the power of his holy Spirit or of his right hand wee must confesse with the Saints that all power and strength and might belongs to God Rev. 7. And therefore whatsoever power we have whether inward or outward we must imploy it all in his service Fortitudinem meam ad te servo I will keepe my strength or reserve it unto thee Psal 59.9 So we must not spend our strength in thoughts of vanity but imploy it to his use and to the setting forth of his glory to whom onely all power belongeth Thirdly Christ teacheth us to ascribe all glory to God that whatsoever praise or commendation doth come unto us by any thing we do wee should make a surrender of it to God to whom all glory is due and say with the Church Non nobis Domine c. Not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy Name give all glory Psal 115. For as the Prophet saith The Church is a place wherein the voyce of gladnesse is heard and the voyce of them that sing Praise the Lord of Hosts for he is loving and his mercy endures for ever Jer. 33.11 The faithfull are taught to returne all glory to God which is given to them God himselfe saith Gloriam meam alteri non daho Esay 42. If he gives his glory to any other it is to such as deserve it and have all power of themselves but there is no creature which hath any power but what is given of God and therefore God doth by right reserve his glory to himselfe and wee ought willingly yeeld all glory to him alone because he promiseth them that honour mee I will honour 1 Sam. 2. that we glorifying him here with a verball glory we may be glorified of him with a reall glory when he commeth to judge the world 2 Thess 1.12 and with an exceeding weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. But yet wee do not fully see wherein the glorious Kingdome of God differs from the
that Bel in the Scriptures which the broader dialect of the Hebrewes call Baal Deifying of beasts how it came first For the deifying of beasts Plutarch in his Isis Osyris saith that Osiris King of Egypt whom Porphyrie proveth to be the Bacchus of the Gentiles dividing his Kingdome into certaine Provinces and to every Province giving a certaine signe or cognisance agreeable to the nature of that that most abounded in that Province as to the part most arable an Oxe that had most woods a dogge to the part most full of medowes a clod with a little greene grasse on the top of it where most waters were a Crocodile the posterity comming after him not knowing his purpose conceived of them as of some divine natures and every one worshipped that by which he had his living most especially as they that lived by tillage the Oxe calling it Apis they which followed their hunting the Dogge calling it Anubito they that lived by their medowes their Clod i. Isis and this was the beginning of idolatry How miracles and Oracles came among the Heathen Difference betweene good and bad miracles 3. How then came their miracles and Oracles For their miracles 1. This is the difference betweene a good miracle and a bad miracle The good tendeth to the profit of mankind as the raising from the dead the curing of incurable diseases the feeding of many thousands with a few Loaves and Fishes c. The other have but a shew of vanity altogether frivolous as it is reported of Simon Magus that he made an hill seeme to move Accius Manius did cut a Whetstone with a Razor And it is sure that Apollonius Thyanaeus had done as great miracles as all the Oracles at Delos they being but witches and sorcerers he was but three or foure degrees from Mercurius 2. The Christian miracles are not expressible by Magicke For the Oracles the Heathen themselves against them Auguslin out of Porphyrie concerning the vanity of idols shewes 1. The ambiguity 2. The vanity 3. The contrariety of oracles 4. That most part came not to proofe For their Oracles Porphyry saies of the Oracles of the Gentiles that as great things were done by the Magitians in his time as by any of them Hermes to Asclepius professed that he through his magicke brought certaine spirits to possesse the image of his grandfather and others Suidas at the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phylis reporteth that the chiefe idoll of the Egyptians being asked what he was answered that he was an under-spirit and that his name was Serapion i. in the holy tongue an Angell Zoroastes Cham and the ancient Fathers are of opinion that the divell fell out of the company of Angels called Seraphim Iamblychus declareth how the divels would be allured to come into images by annointing the image with wormwood at the length that they came most willingly though they would seeme to be forced with outward meanes Euseb lib. 4. de praepar Evang his confession of the Oracles is that commonly they were ambiguous vaine and frivolous 2. And sometime contrary one to another 3. and most came not to proofe 4. and if they came to proofe they might either have beene done by Astronomy or by some wise and politicke man And it is most certaine that they delighted to have men sacrificed to them whereas God made man his speciall workmanship 1. Therefore if they were Gods they would rather seeke to preserve man Herodotus Livius then to seeke his utter ruine whereas they did covet their blood-shedding and that afterward of good men of virgins babes and young men c. as the Carthaginians 2. The same Gods when they were more gentle they tooke this course When they delivered them from any warre or from any other danger Improved by Scipio Nasica Scevola they required the institutions of Stage-plaies and spectacles of Fencers and by that meanes also was killing as also kinds of Circenses Aug. 8. de Civit. Dei If their gods did so highly accept of Stage-plaies then should the Stage-players be in most price among the Heathen as the especiall servants of their gods but the Common-wealths of Greece and and Rome banished them made no account of them yea they made a decree that they should die intestate Ita dum tollunt pestem corporum inducunt pestem animorum so while they take away the plague of the body they bring in the plague of soules 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Styx the terrour of the gods 3 Lastly for the proofe of this it is common not onely in Homer and Virgil but also in the Philos concerning their gods if they named but Styx and Cocytus c. they would tremble and be afraid the images would be all on a sweate Iuratote per Stygem deorum terrorem sweare ye by Styx the terrour of the gods But we know that no Prince would be afraid of his owne prison much lesse God of his prison for these causes though they misliked the whole course of their religion yet not being able to come to a greater perfection Rather looking to quietnesse then to tâ—uth Socraâ—es in apolog in his stâ—terunt they persisted in these But one went beyond them all i. that said that one might as well sweare by an Onion or a Leeke as by Jupiter and was wont to sweare by the basest and vilest things and inveighed much against the Athenian gods and said that they were no gods and for these and such articles was arraigned But as Lacrtius testifieth not long after his death there happened such a plague as was never the like before or ever since Prytancâ—m was the place where those that had well deserved of the Common-wealth were kept 1 Cor. 8.5 6. and asking counsell of the Oracle they had no other answer then that it was for the death of the innocent so afterward then erected him an image in Prytanco so in ascribing honour to him that dishonoured their Gods they condemned both themselves and their gods The concession being twofold 1. That there is one God to us 2. That there is one Christ The controversie betweene these of the heathen in religion was concerning the first part The state of the Jewes and Saracens is concerning the second part As the Jewes utterly deny Christ to be the Messiah and that he is not yet come so the Turkes substitute another in his place Betweene the Jewes and us The opinions of the Jewes concerning the Messia the wise man Affirmations and negations change not the natures of things They acknowledge the old Testament as well as we therefore the proofes shall be from it and the authours of most account among them The positions that they hold are three First that the Messias shall have an earthly Kingdome and his seate shall be at Jerusalem Secondly that our Christ is not the Messiah Thirdly that he is yet to come The first If they would give credit to their
and so here the Prophets and the Apostles had nothing for their paines whereas if this religion were false he had reaped perpetuall ignominie and shame For the credit of the story eternall testimonies he had in vaine deprived himselfe of all pleasure wealth and preferment For the credit of the story concerning first the nativity of Christ secondly his death For his birth we know the Oracles of the Sybillae were in greatest account among the heathen and held as true of all men and if those be they which we have there is nothing which can more plainely set forth the birth of Christ his life his death For there we may see every action set downe and almost every circumstance That they be the same first those two verses that Lactantius citeth we finde in these Secondly those that the heathen cite as Tully one saith that they were the very speculum Historiarum the mirrour of Histories And we read that many of the learned men in these latter daies as Marcellinus Secundanus were converted to the Christian religion onely by reading those verses Cic. 1. epist to Lentulus There is much adoe who shall bring Ptolomy the last into his Kingdome againe Lentulus maketh great suit his reason was because that it was the Oracles of Sybillae that presently upon the reducing of Ptolomee Prodiret dominus orbis The Lord of the world should appeare 2. Of divination Vocandus nobis Rex ex quo salvi simus He is to be called of us a King of whom we may be saved Tacitus and Suetonius say that in the time of the Gentiles especially in the time of Vespasian it was said throughout the whole world that the King of the world should come out of Iury and therefore his flatterers went about to perswade him that it was meant by him Therefore we shall finde that Augustus Tiberius and the other Emperours did labour to roote out the Nation of the Jewes and especially that Tribe that the King of the world should come out of Rodiginus and Voluteran leave this on their credit in their writings That among the monuments of Egypt they found an Altar of Isis dedicated Virgini pariturae to the Virgin that is to bring forth And like to that de Templo pacis of the Temple of peace that it should stand quoad virgo peperit untill a virgin hath brought forth a child So Postellus witnesseth from the Druidae that they had an Altar with this superscription ara primogenito Dei an Altar to the first begotten Sonne of God Suetonius saith that about the annunciation of Mary the yeere before his incarnation as it were on a faire day in a great assembly of the people at Rome there appeared a Raine-bow about the Sunne of a golden colour almost of the same brightnesse with the Sunne save that the colour of it was more yellow And the Augures being asked a reason of it they answered that God would invisere humanum genus visit mankind When Christ was borne the same day were seene three Sunnes in the firmament not three parelii Images of the Sunne Sueton. in the life of Vespatian Virg. 4. eglog Tacit. 21. of his story that after met and went into one which cannot be in a meteor for that it is in a fixed cloud so that 3. parelii Images of the Sunne cannot come into one to which the Augures answered that he was then borne whom both Augustus and the people and all the world should worship this was a signe of the mystery of the Trinity therefore it is said that at the next meeting of the Senate Augustus gave over his title Dominus orbis Lord of the world and would no more be called so And it is reported that on the same day there ranne out of a shop in Rome for the space of a day as it were a river of Oyle which some take for a signe of his spirituall annoynting But the chiefest is of a Starre that appeared mentioned in the Scripture as also of the Heathen that confessed it was stella maximè salutaris Virg. eclog. 4 the luckiest Starre that ever appeared for mankind 2. Pliny 25. chap. calleth it stella crinita sine crine a blazing Starre without crest And many by cogitation of this Starre have beene converted to the truth as Charaemon among the Stoickes Caladius among the Platonists upon the inquiry of the estate of that starre went into Jury and became a Jew For his death Signes for his death we finde that the ancient wise among the Egyptians using not to write by letters but by characters when they would expresse vitam aeternam eternall life it should be done per signum crucis by the signe of the Crosse whereby they shewed a badge that should necessarily concurre with the action that should be the salvation of the world Math. 27.45 Mark 15.33 Concerning the two things that the Holy Ghost hath set downe i. the universall eclypse of the Sunne and the universall earthquake so often and so much cast into the teeth of the heathen that they are ashamed to deny it Of the earthquake Pliny 2.25 ch of both Phlegon Trallianus 13. lib. Chron. testified of all the Heathen not to have come by any naturall cause For the earthquake there can be no universall motion in any thing for in nature every thing that is moved must have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s owne stay but this earthquake went throughout the world for the universall eclypse of the Sunne many were converted by the strangenesse of it as Dionysius and Apollophanes For first the Sunnes eclypses are all particular this was universall 2. It was at the feast of the Passover which was 14. day of the Moone when the Moone was just at the full flat oppositly contrary to the rules of Astronomy and the reason of man 3. In the Emperour Tiberius his raigne it is said that presently upon the eclypse there was an universall defect of Oracles of which argument Plutarch hath a whole Treatise M. Aâ—reliâ—s 3. Chinades inâ—ulae â— Cyclades wherein he saith that one Epithe ses one that was in great credit with the Emperour sayling by Cyclades heard a voyce as it were comming out of one of the Ilands with great yelling as they thought or could conceives of spirits to make report that the great God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pan was dead The Emperour afterward hearing of this called together all the wise men and Magitians But none could tell Niceph. lib. 1. cap. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Hebrew child who commandeth the blessed Gods enjoynes me to leave this house and straightwaies to goe hence into hell therefore thou being silent depart hence from our Altars what this great God Pan should meane Nicephorus saith that the Emperours from Augustus to Adrian did not onely enquire the cause of this defect from wisemen but also caused them to raise up the spirits themselves One asking the Oracle at Delos
saith that then shall be blacknesse of darknesse and that because as it is in Joel 3.15 The Sunne and the Moone shall be darkned and the Starres shall loose their light For the third namely 3. Thunder-claps Thunderclaps 2. Pet. 3.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the day of the Lord will come as a Thiefe in the night in the which the Heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heate the earth also and the workes that are therein shall be burnt up The beames of the earth shall cracke in pieces And no doubt the noyse of the Heavens passing away of the elements melting of the earth burning must needs be greater then a thunderclap That spectacle both to the eye and eare must needs be much more fearefull then this The effect of this last day not temporall for the other 4. Fire they had a remedy but for this they had none at all 4. For fire It was then but on one simple mountaine Sinai but here it shall be on all the earth this fire was but as the fire in the bush the bush was not a whit consumed by it no more was Sinai by it But our God Heb. 12. v. last is himselfe a consuming fire and such Revel 19.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And her smoke rose up for ever and ever As it shall inflict on us paines for ever so the smoke of it shall ascend forever 5. Earthquake and the flame never be quenched 5. For the shaking of the earth this shall passe that there one mountaine quaked but here both Heaven Earth shall shake Heb. 12.26 27. Whose voice then shooke the earth but now he hath promised saying yet once more I shake not the earth onely but also heaven c. So as that there shall be a manifest moving of them Hag. 2.7 Yet a little while I will shake the Heavens and the Earth the Sea and dry Land Whereas this hill standeth stil as it did before 6. Sound of Trumpet in the wildernesse 6. For the sound of the Trumpet that pierced the eares of the living this shall raise up the dead also Here shall be the Trump of the Archangell That removed not the mount nor the wildernesse but here shall be such a sound that it shal raise the dead And as we compare the circumstances of both so may we compare the effects of both The giving made Moses to shake and tremble but at the requiring againe of it as it is 1 Pet. 4.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appeare There shall be a like trembling of all For Justus vix servabitur the righteous scarce shall be saved And as for the unjust they shall smite their knees together and shall cry to the mountaines though in vaine for they cannot be heard to fall on them and to cover them from the face of the just judge Apoc. 6.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they said to the mountaines and rockes fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lambe So that thus we see by way of comparison that the delivery did in some part answer the requiring of it but the terriblenesse of that day cannot be expressed Let us therefore say as the people to Moses Lord let us heare the ministerie of man Hebr. 12.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore we receiving a Kingdome which cannot be moved Let us have grace whereby we may serve God with reverence and godlinesse for Deut. 33.2 The Lord came from Sinai and rose up from Seir unto them and appeared clearely from mount Paran and he came with 10000. of Saints and at his right hand a fiery law for them No doubt when Christ commeth from Heaven he shall bring with him a fiery law executed with fire and brimstone And thus much for the preparation The use and end of the Law 4. Circumstance THere is yet one thing to be considered namely the use or end of the law which shall be explained out of the circumstances of a proposition of the giving of the law The proposition is Heb. 7.19 Heb. 7.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope by the which we draw nigh unto God The end of the law bringeth two uses 1. It bringeth us to know perfection it selfe 2. It leadeth us to a better thing it is our schoolemaster to Christ 1. For the first though it be a law that carrieth with it the marke of the Law-giver as Solons lawes a marke of their giver to wit mildnesse and Dracoes lawes cruelty and stubbornnesse And that it is Mandatum sanctum a holy commandement in respect of the duties to God Justum just in respect of the duties to other men bonum good in respect of our selves Rom. 7.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore the Law is holy and the Commandement holy and just and good yet by occasion of transgression and infection it bringeth no perfection with it as may be shewed out of the circumstances 1. Of the place a waste and barren Wildernesse that yeelded no fruit which signifieth that the law should be so barren that it should not yeeld so much as one soule to God Legem non perficere è circumstantiis legis cum traderetur 1. á loco That the law bringeth no perfection appeares from the circumstances of the law when it was delivered 1. From the place Secondly this Agar Galat. 4.25 standeth in Arabia therefore it holdeth of Ishmael the sonne of Agar the bond-woman And the effect and right of bond-men is to be cast out with their children and not to receive the inheritance due to Isaac so those that thinke to bring forth fruit of their owne righteousnesse they are as Ishmael which was borne by nature and not by promise not as Isaac whose birth was supernaturall not consisting in the likenesse of the parents but in the promise and the inheritance is by promise therefore the children of the law because they cannot be perfected by it are to be cast out with their mother Those that seeke to bring forth fruit by their owne nature must be cast forth for the inheritance is not by nature but by promise 3. Againe this mountaine namely Sinai none might ascend into none might touch it but the condition of the Gospell is contrary Sion the hill of grace must be gone up to and many have ascended it Esay 2.3 And many people shall goe and say come and let us goe up into the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach us his waies and we will walke in his paths For the law shall goe forth of Sion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem Salvation is from Sion the Law unperfect before it was perfectly delivered 2. A
is 1 Ioh. 2.27 that God will supply the inward annointing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the anoynting which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same annoynting teacheth you in all things and is truth and is no lie So there shall be no defect on his part we must looke to our owne duty whether we be willing or no and it appeareth by the Commandement laid upon us that we are not willing for a good man that 's willing is a law to himselfe but we have a Commandement to provoke us to knowledge In which as in every Commandement we consider 1. That that 's commanded 2. That that 's forbidden The affirmative and the negative The affirmative there is first cōmanded knowledge and not every knowledge Quia hic praecipiatur What here commanded but that which is Col. 3.16 a plentifull and rich knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A rich measure so great as we can attaine unto for our vocation Non solùm scire sedetiam bene scire Not onely to know but to know well Neg. 2. things forbidden The rule in divinity is Peccatum est non tantùm appetitus malorum sedetiam desertio meliorum Sin is not only a desire of evill things but also a forsaking of better Ignorantia Ignorance The common accusation of the papists is Ignorance is the mother of devotion Rationes contra ignorantiam Reasons against ignorance So where fulnesse is commanded we must not only not be empty but full also not only emptinesse is forbidden but also scarsity Therefore 1. ignorance is forbidden 2. A light knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fleeting knowledge a superficiall skill For ignorance the Church of Rome is charged for justifying of it though it cannot be found that they are patrons of ignorance but only faulty in the 2. part If any thinke ignorance justifiable let this perswade him to the contrary 1. A sinne it must needs be else as it is Levit. 4.2 there should not have beene a sacrifice for it yet there if any had offended through ignorance a sacrifice was cōmanded to be made for him And Psal 79.6 If it had been a light offence David had made a very uncharitable prayer to God that he would powre out his vengeance on them that know not his Name Powre out thine indignation on the heathen that have not known thee and upon the Kingdomes that have not called on thy Name It s not only sin but also the cause of sin cause of punishment for sin 1. It s cause of sin as Hose 4.1 he saith that the Lord had a controversie with the inhabitants of the Land for that there was no mercy and the reason of that was because there was no true dealing and the reason of both these was because there was no knowledge of God And streight after he telleth them of their destruction for it So Ro. 3.17 when he had shewed all the enormities of the heathen his conclusion is because the way of peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have not known 2. It s the cause of punishment for sin as Esa 5.13 he saith that the captivity of Babylon was because they wanted the knowledge of God And it s not the cause of punishment but as its the cause of sin and that is set forth to us in Pro. 14.22 Do not they erre that imagine evill There is no sin but there is an error therefore planting of perfect knowledge would be a cutting away of many sins and Aug. saith Non erratur nisi ignorantia There is no sinning but through ignorance Doth not Salomon say Do they not all erre that work wickednes Therfore that sin may be diminished knowledge must needs be planted Ignorance is by the learned made threefold 1. That which they excuse Ignorantia 3◠Ignorance threefold and think God regardeth it not Act. 17.30 That God did wink at the times of ignorance i. marked them not They use to call it an invincible ignorance and its first in children before they have the use of reason And 2. in those that want the use of reason that are borne and continue so And 3. in those that by disease or any such thing are bereft of the use of it and that ignorance they say is not imputed to them They adde a fourth also i. where the means cannot be had But if a man having the love of God in the heart set himselfe to seeke he shall be sure to find them God hath even by revelations made them known even to those men that have made a conscience of keeping the rules of nature The other kinds are faulty 2. The 2. is affected ignorance David saith Ps 36.3 Noluerunt intelligere ut bene agerent They would not understand that they might doe good And it s in those specially that are skilfull that know that they are in a sin and are not willing to come out of it They doe quasi nectere sibi quaestiones they draw one question in the necke of another that they do not know a definition of it Aug. saith well of them Vbi non est dolus in inquisitione ibi non est peccatum in inventione Where there is no deceit in the inquisition there is there no fault in the invention Many would come to him and aske him many questions and tell him that they could not finde any reason in that that he affirmed to have no darknes at all nor hardnes in it and he would say dolose quaerebas dolose inveniebas you did inquire deceitfully ye did find deceitfully This is the conclusion when a thing is made plain unto us and we will not have it plaine and so not see it we fall into this kind of ignorance The 3. they call supina ignorantia retchlesse and carelesse ignorance the cōmon fault in these daies This is when a man habet à quo discat non vult discere hath from whom he may learn and will not learn And as in these times when almost the whole Land are guilty of it if they be ignorant so if it be in the springs of knowledge it is most retchlesse ignorance It s in those that either through negligence or slothfulnesse to know or through shamefastnes to enquire will not know And this for ignorance 2. The other is light knowledge Light knowledge which is full now in our daies contrary to that rule of the Apostle Ro. 12.3 God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith And that measure of faith is expressed Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome Not only the whole absence but the absence of the measure of faith is condemned When a thing is commended to us in a measure not only the not having of it at all but also the not having of the measure is a fault And not only that but it s also required that according to our yeeres our
which is a greater miracle then any of the other so grant we must a miracle whether we will or no. Such were the Prophets and Apostles for they wrought such workes as no man else could worke seeing they came from God These warrant us that these men that is the Prophets and Apostles they came from God and God hath spoken to us by them Now whether we be able to performe these things Luke 1.37 with God nothing is impossible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both for his knowledge power and will for so he saith Mat. 19.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with men this is unpossible but with God all things are possible and the reason is if it were not so there must needs be a want in his knowledge for every impotency it is for want of abilitie of knowledge but for his knowledge Heb. 4.15 all things are naked to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. neither is there any creature which is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open unto his eyes For his Power Esay 59.1 his hand is not shortned it is able to reach to all and that we may see out of Numb 11.23 where God promising flesh enough for all the Host We see Moses his unbeliefe insomuch as he said Shall all the Fish of the Sea bee gathered together or all the Beasts of the Field come together and God saith ver 23. Is the Lords hand shortned thou shalt see now whether my words shall come to passe or no to thee The order Lastly for his Will that in Lament 3.25 The Lord is good to them that trust in him and to the soule that seeketh him A Father Scioposse scio scire cuperem velle I am perswaded of the Power and Knowledge of God but it is his Will I stick at 1. Faith Heb. 11.1 is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the substance of those things that are hoped for and the ground evidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or demonstration of those things that are not seene Both words argue the great necessity of the Order of it If it be a substance it is to be handled first or if it be not the whole substance but the first part yet it commeth first to be handled For in totis ordinatis in all things where there is Order as Religion hath an order the first part dicitur substantia reliquarum is said to be the substance of the rest as the substance of an house is in the foundation of a ship in the sterne of a tree in the root Col. 1.23 it is compared to a Foundation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if ye continue grounded in the faith Col. 1.23 to a root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rooted in the faith and there is a Shipwrack of our faith as 1 Tim. 1.19 and consequently it is compared to the sterne of Ship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Argumentum or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the first Principle Rom. 4.14 if the Law stand still in effect then faith is voyde and then the principle of Religion is denyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 1 Cor. 15.17 If Christ be not risen then is your faith vaine making faith the first Principle And this for the Order Necessitas fidei There is a further thing to be considered in Faith that is the necessity of it That is necessary without which nothing can be done of a Christian man Faith is a diffused thing every where a Cor. 1.24 if we stand it is by Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for by faith yee stand 2 Cor. 5.7 if we walke we walke by faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for we walke by faith and not by sight 1 Cor. 7.37 if we sit it is our seat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. he that standeth firme in his heart c. or Rom. 14.23 whatsoever we doe if we have not faith it is sinne and in this respect Faith is called mater obedientiae the mother of obedience because all duties arise out of it at every thing that it apprehendeth it bringeth forth a new Vertue Luther hath a saying and if it be taken in a good sense it is true That in Faith all the Law is fulfilled before we have fulfilled any part thereof or worke of it in act And therefore in regard of this great necessity it pleased God to cast away the great names of the jolly wise men of the world and Philosophers 1 Cor. 1.19 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. for seeing the world knew not God in the wisedome of God it hath pleased God by the foolishnesse of Preaching to save them that beleeve Prima â—â—x christians credo and to entitle his flock onely by the name of Faithfull And Eusebius Emissenus hath a good reason for it for the first word of a Christian is Credo I beleeve which maketh a Christian If we be not faithfull we are unbeleevers and God giveth us no other name then that he is contented to take to himselfe 2 Cor. 1.18 Fidelis Deus God is faithfull and his sonne Heb. 12.2 is in no other sense called Author fidei finitor fidei the author and finisher of our Faith 1. Tim. 3.1 4.9 his word is called Sermo fidelis a true or faithfull saying This inchoatio visionis is begunne in this life and performed by faith and in the same place 1 Tim. 4.6 Sermo fidei and Rom. 10.8 Verbum fidei the word of Faith Gal. 6.10 the Church is called the Houshould of Faith Jam. 5.15 Prayer is called the Prayer of Faith Rom. 4.11 the Sacraments are called the Seales of Faith The kingdome of Heaven being compared to a marriage So we see it goeth cleane through all duties * * * Every good duty in this life is an inchoation of the blessednesse in the life to come And not only this but also that which was said in knowledge may be said of Faith for knowledge is for faith That it is the beginning of our blessednesse John 20.29 the faith without sight blessed are they that see not The necessity of the Negative The reason of the necessity why it should be so punished for else woe make God a lyer and yet beleeve Hosea 2.20 there is a fit similitude to expresse this God likening the knowledge that we shall have to a Marriage and the knowledge that we have now to Espousing as the inchoation and certainty of marriage is in sponsalibus in true espousals When hands are given so our sponsalia espousals are in fide in Faith therefore it is said Mar. 16.16 that qui non crediderit condemnabitur he that will not beleeve shall be damned And as it is John 3.18 it is not differred but the sentence is gone on him Et quanto major tanto migis expetit the greater any one is the more tender is he of his word he is already condemned Then we may conclude
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For our selves either a Petition of some good to be givenus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deprecation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that evill things may be taken away from us Thus it is interpreted by the Fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deprecation of evill For deprecatio that evill may be turned away it is certaineely as Iames 5.17 the most essentiall kinde of prayer Is any of you afflicted let him pray And the reason is for that the removing of evill being sub ratione boni though hope apprehend nothing but good yet this commeth under the shew of good and so commeth under hope Vt avertatur Auferatur Minuatur malum It is in these three things 1. As it is Dan. 9.16 that the wrath of God may be turned away before it come upon us 2. Or as Psal 25.22 Deliver Israel O God out of all his troubles i. being now in it that we may be delivered it is called liberatio deliverance 3. Or as Psal 85.4 Mitiga iram tuam Domino when we pray for a diminution that we may be able to sustaine it 1. The first part standeth alwayes in a confession of our sins and defects in doing of that which we should doe and that we might be justly punished for not doing of it So the Prophet in sundry Psalmes runneth through all his sinnes originall and actuall those which he committed before his conversion and after those that hee had done by omission or commission those that he had committed in thought word or deed against God or against his brethren either by instigation of himselfe or inforced by others Prov. 28.13 Hâ—e that covereth his sinne shall not prosper there is a dangerous saying and Psal 32.3 4 5. there is a dangerous example till he had opened his sinnes and made them knowne his bones wore away and his moysture became as the drought in Summer 2. That being done then we come to the essential deprecation to desire of God that he would divert his just deserved judgements from us and 1. against that malum that is maxime deprecandum that evill that is most to be prayed against Luke 22.31 the Sieve of Satan cribrum satanae that our sinnes in affliction winnow us not as Satan desired that he might winnow Peter Not wishing as they commonly wish I would I were out of the world but as Iohn 17.15 Christ non ut tollas eos è mundo sed ut liberes à malo I pray not that thou wouldest take them from the world but that thou shouldest keepe them from the evill And desiring this certaine it is that that promise 1 Cor. 10.13 cannot be voyd He will not suffer us to be tempted above our strength and that either our strength shall encrease as the crosse encreaseth or as our strength diminisheth our crosse shall so diminish also Then 1 King 8.38 What plague soever any shall seele in his heart and shall make prayer and supplication for it it shall be removed In temporall danger 2 Chron. 10.12 Iehosophat Cum ignoramus quid agendum sit hoc solum restat ut ad te oculos dirigamus Domine Neither know we what to doe but our eyes are upon thee for as Prov. 18.10 that same nomen Domini the name of the Lord it shall be turris fortissima the strongest Tower to us as to the Saints it hath beene But yet for this temporall evill we must submit to Gods will in that we must stand as the three children Dan. 3.17 they answered to the King We are sure that the Lord whom we serve is able to deliver us out of this fiery furnace but though he will not because the covenant is in the remission of sinnes yet will we not serve thy gods nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up and as Christ Luke 22.42 If it be possible let this cuppe passe from me and yet fiat voluntas non mea sed tua thy will not my will be done for those reasons alleadged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 precation of good Give to them that have not Stablish them which have it weake in them Increase it in them that have it but little 2. The second is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a desiring of something that is good there is nothing more common in the Psalmes then this 1. Give me a true understanding 2. so Psal 68.28 Stablish the thing that thou hast wrought in us 3. so in Luke Domine adaugenobis fidem Lord increase our faith so that in these three 1. that it be given 2. that it be established 3. that it be increased in us is this kinde of prayer contained Concerning this petition of good because we have it so seldome granted Christs saying is verified Mat. 20.22 his answer to the sons of Zebede is Ye aske ye know not what so it may be said of all such that desire that good which is more agreeable to their owne humours then to the will of God Chrysostome reporteth of a thiefe qui orabat Deum being not minded notwithstanding to become true ut non capereâ—ur eo citius capiebatur that desired of God that he might not be taken and his prayer was an occasion that he was the sooner taken therefore our rule must be that 1 Iohn 5.14 Quicquid secundum voluntatem ejus petimus whatsoever we aske according to his will he will heare us i. whereof we have promise in his word and those in degrees too as Psal 27.4 unum petii a Iehovâ one thing have I desired of the Lord i. one thing above the rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I might dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life Luke 11.13 interpreted to be that that shall not be denied the holy Ghost Now with these or after these we may pray for temporall good things Gen. 28.20 Iacobs prayer is that he may have soode and raymeni and Prov. 30.8 Give me not poverty nor riches but sufficientiam victus a sufficiencie onely and Austin saith non indecenter petit quia eam petit non amplius it is no misbeseeming prayer because he askes but for so much and no more Else we must desire this with a condition as if it be possible let it be yet thy will be done so 2 Sam. 15.25 King David to Zadok the petition of a Kingdome If I have found favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me againe c. if not and if it be best for me to resigne here I am let him doe what he will There is no way more compendious nor sooner to obtaine then to resigne over into his hands For divising meanes and strugling he suffereth not to obtaine resignation is the best part Now that we said before to fall into this omnis omnia what wee are to think of it because it may be best expounded here It seemes a strange thing that every one that asketh should receive and whatsoever we desire we should
visitation is for justice so here should have beene merces and not misericordia not Mercy but wages but our reward doth argue non mercedem but gratuitum amorem not wages but mercy Now that it is called a work operans misericordiam and the other i.e. his justice but a visitation i. e. a thing intermitted that is also a speciall thing to bee observed the nature of his justice is restrayned to the fourth generation and his mercy is extended to thousands so here is a proportion the one containing the other two hundred and fifty times not that the mercy of God is greater then his justice but because he is more delighted in the action of the one then of the other The reward is promised to them that love him the manner of love is according to the love of God because he is jealous for us that wee might bee jealous for him that wee may say as 1 King 19.20 Elias zelo zelatus sum I have beene very jealous for the Lord God of hosts sake zelantes potiùs quà m amantes The triall of this love consisteth in keeping the commandements i. e. that if it be not a commandement it is not from him and therefore whatsoever was without them was not from love Another it is very certaine that the righteousnesse of speech and the true signe of loving him had beene the keeping of him but he saith not so but the keeping of my commandements the reason is because he is able to keepe himselfe and needeth not our keeping therefore he hath set our love to bee tryed by two things First by mandata or praecepta mea his commandements Secondly minimos istos his little ones for the commandements it is said Wee keepe him in his parâ—â—â—â—â— and his love in mandata Hosea 4.10 that they kept them not 2. for the other Mat. 25.45 quandiu uni ex istis minimis non fecistis neque mihi c. in as much as yee did it not to one of the least of these yee did it not to mee And the third thing is this that our estimation of them must be such that wee thinke them worth the keeping as Psal 19.10 David accounteth of them as dearly as of much fine Gold of Ophir and Psal 119.72 Thy law is dearer to mee then thousands of gold and silver For keeping by this word Keeper wee must understand that God hath made us keepers of his commandement Now the property and charge of a Keeper is to preserve that thing that he keepeth as from himselfe so from others and to see and have regard that it be neither lost by negligence nor cast away nor broken nor hurt but kept sound till his comming that gave them to him in charge For the losse of Gods commandements 1. King 20.40 For the breaking of them Mat. 5.19 Whosoever shall breake the least of these commandements c. shall be called the least in the kingdome of God but a contemptuous threatning is Psal 50.17 Now that they may be safely kept and as it is Prov. 4.21 it is best to lay them up in that place that is surest even in the middest of our heart For the keeping in regard of others wee must not say as Cain of Abel sumne ego custos c. am I my brothers keeper for as Caine should have beene keeper of his Brother that others kill him not so wee should be keepers of Gods commandements that others breake them not Wee must have the commandements of God not only observanda but also consenvanda not only observe but conserve them And if wee performe this duty wee shall doe as they doe Prov. 16.17 he that keepeth them keepeth his owne soule by them So much of the 2d Commandement The III. Commandement Thou shalt not take the c. THe object of this commandement is the Name of god or his glory The thing commanded is a reverent taking of his Name comprehended in this word praise And the proper place of Gods glory is in this commandement by reason of the object which is his name by the which he is glorified And this his glory is such as for it Esa 43.7 he created all things For mine owne glory I created them and for this that which was before his Creation his predestination Ephes 1.6 unto which wee must joyne our praise Now if they must be made like to their creator if the worke must be according to the minde of the maker it is well therefore that end which moved him to make us must be our end and therefore all our actions and thoughts must come to this to be as it is 2. Thes 1.12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you In the second Commandement be these two respects First that the honour exhibited in outward behaviour is exhibited to one that is present Secondly that the honour exhibited is given to the party himselfe for to him alone it must be done Now the worship of the Tongue which wee call Praise goeth beyond these and is most excellent for it is of him that is absent and to others and not to himselfe Though God be present every where yet when wee in our actions and speeches speake of him to others there is praise and so it goeth to him And yet there commeth a further portion of glory So that it is not only true Luk. 14.8 that honour is given to the person but also to his Name Psal 29.2 Give to God the glory due unto his name which giving of glory is properly called praise for the worship of God is made an especiall glorification of God Psal 50. vers last he that offereth me praise glorifieth mee which sheweth that it is allone to give glory to God and to give him praise Now this praise hath his proper place in our mouth Psal 34.1 With my mouth will I praise thee the instrument chiefe in this office is the Tongue and by performance of this our tongues are made glorious Psal 37.30 The mouth of the righteous will be talking of wisdome and his tongue will speake of judgment The manner how this praysing is to be performed is set downe in Moses Deut. 32.3 I will publish with my mouth give yee glory to God i. e. one must report and they that heare must give glory to God Now as was said before in the word Glory accordingly as it is taken both in divinity and out of divinity there is more then either in honour praise or worship because all these are directed that the party on whom they are bestowed might be glorified And the matter of glory hath proportion to Claritas the brightnesse in glasse and in other such visible things that as they are seene a farre off so that party to whom such honour is given it is in such sort that he might have a name a farre off and knowne Therefore for this cause in Psal 66.2 the Prophet having exhorted men to praise he goeth further and
of the Ministery that the knitting and building up of the faithfull might be effected It is the not duly considering this that bringeth the perturbance and confusion in the World that now is For whereas it is expresly set downe that this ought to be a thing for which we ought anhelare to breath after And Esay 49.24 this should be the whole drift of the King to be nutritius pater a nursing Father and of the Queene to be nutrix a nurse to the Church and their duty to be wholly nutrire to do the part of a nurse that the Churches estate might be more glorious And by these they may be in best estate in stead of this as before they that be in high places Ezek. 11.3 such thinke it to be for nothing else but to soake in their breath and seek their owne ease and others thinke with Jezebell 1 Kings 21.7 they may doe what they list and because Forraine envasions tumults and broyles would hinder this takeing and using their commoditie Therefore the next thing that cometh to be provided for 2 Kings 20.9 is onely to care ut sit pax tanti in diebus meis to keepe peace and so consequently the Church of God lyeth troden under foot and neglected And so on the other side where the Subjects also be such as Psal 49. last being made to be in honour yet come to be without understanding that is doe know no other nor further bonum but sensibile their bellies table and regard of furniture for their house it is as Col. 3.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to minde earthly things to have their conceit onely on them or Mat. 16.26 so they can find a commutation for their soules they have no minde of this minde of Gods or of God but onely follow their senses and sensible things And so having such a minde are willing to be governed accordingly and so the purpose of the Lord doth come to be of none effect so that he himselfe must lay to his hand and if he should not set to his hand extraordinarily hee should get none For when as 2 Cor. 10. Paul had given out great words there of the Ministery that it was able to cast downe c. then verse 7. he beginneth to say you looke on things after the outward appearance and pompe and then there is no such thing in it For the sensible glory and sensible signes of that glory as a sword c. they strike a terrour into mens mindes but here it is not so Because they measure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the outward appearance this is the cause that they contemne them and so they dealt with Christ Esay 53.2 the Prophet saith they looked on him and he seemed to them to have neither forme nor beauty that they should desire him and so they despised him and were ashamed of him And so they are ashamed of the calling wherein he lived and was so greatly magnified Contempt of the Ministers most common So then there is nothing more familiar in the World then this Luke 23.11 Herods account of Christ he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set nought by him and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scoffe at him so that it is called a Calling not to be set by and to be scoffed at whereas God had advanced it And so under the Law 2 Kings 1.9 Ahaziahs his men in denision called Eliah The man of God for why else should he call for fire to consume them So 2 Kings 9.11 Ahab his Courtiers when the Prophet came to Jehu about the Kingdome c. they said What did this mad fellow with thee c So shall you see it to be where Religion hath not taken deepe root he which hath the greatest worke is payd with the greatest score Only we are helped in this with the distinction of David Psal 52. verse last That there is a bonum a good by the contrary member as it should seeme that there is a bonum coram mundo and a bonum coram sanctis there is a good which seemeth so in the eye of the World and a good which is accounted so onely by the Saints I will praise thee O Lord c. for thy Saints like it well saith the vulgar translation but not so properly as bonum coram sanctis it is good in the eyes of the Saints The World would thinke as Pharaoh did if a man should sing or give thankes to God he is idle as humour raigneth too much in him Therefore hee saith Thy Saints like it well To this is the the judgement of the Apostle 2 Cor. 10. last It is not the well thinking of man that maketh it to be well thought off but Gods liking and the bonum coram sanctis Duties of the Pastor Come to the duties of the Pastor where we will passe over the duty before that is bringing of the gift which was handled under education The end and scope of the calling to the Ministery The Apostle Heb. 5.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in things pertaining to God sheweth the end of the Ministery he is for men in stead of us wherein we are to deale with God he standeth for the Church Now this being an honour no man must take it unto him unlesse he be called Mat. 25.14 Gods calling is knowne by his talents that are given Thus being inwardly by Gods talent called and having here is bringing up and having 1 Tim. 4.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gift of Prophecie then we come to his duties We shall find them in John 10. 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. and from thence John 10. there be foure degrees of Ministers three bad first a theefe secondly mercenarie thirdly a Wolfe one good the good Shepheard He distinguisheth them thus into Calling first lawfull and secondly unlawfull A Theefe hath no lawfull entrance as the second and third have for he saith there is an usurpation and we all hold that usurpation and abuse is not of God For he saith there that if he come not in according to Christs Institution by the doore by the ordinary way and not bring his talent he is an usurper and theefe as Jer. 23.21 They runne and I never sent them they Prophecie and I bade them not For the Law and ordinance of God Deut. 16.19 being perverted and wrested as there two wayes first per gratiam by favour of some great man or friend secondly per munus by a bribe that is as one saith the Bishop for the one falleth downe for a reward and he goeth over his back and the other goeth in at the lower hole as alluding to that of Danae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the showre of Gold that fell into her lappe c. These two wayes pervert this Ordinance Hence 1 Tim. 5.22 is Cita impositie the suddaine and unadvised imposition of hands that because he hath not the gift of the heart to commend him he is loath to examine him but for the gift of
thirdly having found the way we shall intrare ingaudium Domini enter into our Masters joy Matth. 25. If we aske we shall have grace whereby it shall appeare we have not received our soule in vaine Psal 24. secondly seeking we shall finde the helpe and assistance of Gods spirit so that we shall not receive grace in vaine 2 Cor. 6. thirdly by knocking the way of entrance shall be opened unto us so that our labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. as Aug. saith Non dicitur quid dabitur Christ nameth not what shall be given to you to let us know that that gift is a thing supra omne nomen above all that can be named It is as great a gift as an earthly Prince can give to promise halfe his King dome Marke 6.23 but God hath promised not halfe his Kingdome but all his Kingdome we shall receive of God not onely whatsoever we desire For desiderare nostrum as one saith is not terminus bonitatis Dei our desire is not the limit or bounds of Gods goodnesse but above all that we can aske or thinke Ephes 3. In the confidence of this promise the Saints of God in the time of their misery fly unto God by prayer as their onely ready helpe In the dayes of Enoch which were full of miseries and troubles men began to call upon the name of the Lord Gen. 4.26 and Abraham in every place where he came being departed out of his owne Countrey and living in exile built an Altar and called on the name of the Lord. Gen. 12.8 David saith that his onely remedy which he used against the slander and injuries of his enemies stood herein that he gave himselfe to prayer Psal 109. Iosaphat being besieged with enemies on every side used this as a bulwarke against them Lord we have no power to with-stand this great company that are come against us and we know not what to doe but our eyes are towards thee 2 Chron. 20. The like comfort did Ezechiah find in prayer both when Senacherib threatned his destruction and in his sicknesse and it is indeed the City of refuge whither the godly in all times have used to flie for safegard from their miseries It is rete gratiarum situla gratiae the net of graces and bucket of grace Prov. 12.2 by which a good man draweth the grace of God The speciall gift that we can desire of God is Christ himselfe who is Donum illud Dei Iohn 4. Now forasmuch as indeed nothing can be a greater benefit then to enjoy the presence of God as the Prophet saith Whom doe I desire in Heaven but thee Psal 73. and Philip saith Ostende nobis patrem sufficit Shew us the Father and it is sufficient Iohn 14. wee are to consider how we may come to it Christ saith I am the way Iohn 14. ego sum ostium Iohn 10. If he be both the way and the dore then no doubt but if God bestow Christ on us we shall both finde the way to God and enter into his Kingdome by Christ who is the dore for the obtaining of this gift wee must be instant with God in prayer which if we doe he will give us that we aske therefore Augustine saith Domine cupiote da mihi solumie out non dimittamte Lord I desire thee give me thee alone or else I will not let thee goe In the third place our Saviour enlargeth the promise lest we should doubt that God will not heare all manner of persons that pray to him or that he will not grant all our suites therefore in regard of the persons Christ saith Quisquis whosoever asketh receiveth whosoever joyne these three vertues in their prayer Confidence Diligence Perseverance and occupie all the parts of their body in this service of God they shall be sure to receive the thing they aske for the promise is made onely to them that performe Gods Commandement petenti dabitur we must aske and we shall have it for God useth not to cast holy things upon them that make no reckoning of them Matth. 7. Touching the things themselves Hee that is the truth hath said Whatsoever you aske my Father in my name he will give it you Iohn 16. Therefore it is impossible he should lie especially when he confirmeth it with an oath as in that place Verily Verily I say unto you whatsoever you aske the Father in my name he will give it you But wee must take need what we aske we may not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aske without a cause If we aske any thing according to his will he heareth us 1 Iohn 5. Therefore our prayers must be grounded upon some just cause we may not aske any childish petition of God for he will revert them If we like children aske we know not what we cannot assure our selves to bee heard for unto such prayers he answereth Yee aske you know not what Matth. 20. Much lesse will he grant hurtfull petitions As he is our Physitian he will not give us cold drinke when we are sick of an ague though we cry for it never so much They that ask vengeance of God and would have him to be the executioner of their wrath shall not be heard Prov. 26.13 but their prayer is turned to sinne Psal 109. So farre is it from the service of God If the child aske fish the Father will not give him a Scorpion no more will God heare us in those things which we aske of him if hee know they will be hurtfull He onely is wise and knoweth what is good for us and if we receive not the thing which we aske yet he as Ierome saith non accipiendo accepit in not receiving he hath received Christ saith not aske and ye shall receive the thing ye aske but aske and it shall be given unto you that is the thing that you desire We all desire those things that be good though outwardly we are not able to discerne what is good but God our heavenly Father as he knoweth best what is good for us so he will give us good things though we be not able alwayes to aske that which is good for our selves Secondly we must pray in such manner and forme as he requireth God doth heare us many times even quando petimus malum in as much as he doth not give us the hurtfull things which we ignorantly aske But he will not heare us cum petimus malè Yee aske and receive not because yee aske amisse Iam. 4. Therefore we must beware how we stand affected at the time of prayer if we pray coldly without any great desire to attaine the thing we aske we aske like swine that esteeme not of pearles but trample them under their feet If we draw neare with our lips but our hearts be farre from God Esa 29. then it is not like we shall be heard If we pray as Peter and the other Disciples who being heavie with sleepe asked they
Spirit of God will rest upon us as the Lord promiseth Esay 66. For this end fasting is commended to the Church for it hath beene an use alwaies among the faithfull to humble their soules with fasting Psal 35. Secondly as we must pray in faith so we must also be charitably affected to our brethren first by forgiving them if we will have forgivenesse at the hands of our heavenly Father Mar. 11.25 Secondly by giving them that need this commended Cornelius his prayer that he gave almes Act. 10. If our prayer be thus qualified we shall have Gods Spirit to assist us in prayer whose help if we obtaine and unto our prayer adde a patient expectation so that we be not in hast to obtaine the thing we crave but we wait upon Gods leasure as the Prophet saith Qui crediderit non festinabit Esay 28. He that beleeveth makes not hast thus we shall find that the Lord will not cast out our prayer THE FIFTH SERMON LUKE 11.1 And so it was that as he was praying in a certaine place when he ceased one of his Disciples said unto him Master teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples WHich words do bring us to that forme of invocation to which by degrees wee have beene approaching for first out of Saint Paul 2 Cor. 3. we learned that of our selves wee are not able so much as to thinke a good thought much more unable to do that which is good Secondly from Saint James that albeit we have no power in our selves yet our want may be supplied by the Father of lights Thirdly that therefore to the end we may obtaine this ability we are to seeke for it by prayer as Christ counselleth Petite dabitur vobis But then wee meete with another difficulty and that is as Paul confesseth Rom. 8. that albeit grace may be obtained at the hands of God by prayer yet we know not how or what to aske except the Spirit of God supply our infirmities and therefore as then it was said that as the Spirit of God maketh intercession for us so here the same Spirit doth move the Disciples to seeke for a forme of prayer of Christ whereby we are taught that if we know not how or what to pray for our duty is to repaire to Christ with the Disciples that he would direct us This Text hath two parts first the Petition of the Apostles secondly Christs answer thereunto vers 2. In the first part we are to consider first the occasion of the Petition secondly the petition it selfe Domine doce nos Touching the first point the Disciples tooke occasion of this petition from Christ praying for seeing him not onely pray now but at sundry other times presently they conceived thus within themselves that doubtlesse prayer was a matter of great inportance and a meanes of no small benefit otherwise Christ would never have prayed so often Before we considered two speciall motives to prayer The first was Christs commandement the second Christs promise Matth. 7.7 Aske and it shall be given you and here againe we have other two motives first the provocation of Christs example whom the Disciples found praying in a certaine place secondly the mould and set form of prayer which he hath given us for our better direction in this duty Say Our Father c. Concerning the first of these no doubt the examples of holy men ought to move us to pray much more when Jesus Christ himselfe who is the Holy of Holies Dan. 9.24 doth by his owne example stirre us up hereunto King David when he had his Crowne pulled off his head by his owne sonne and was driven out of his Kingdome said to the Priest If it please God he can bring mee againe and shew mee both the Arke and the Tabernacle 2 Sam. 15.25 Declaring hereby that he was more carefull to have the liberty to come into the house of prayer to powre out his supplication before the Lord as hee was wont then to be restored to his Crown so great account did he make of prayer The like account did the holy Prophet Daniel make for when by the commandement of the King it was proclamed that whosoever made any petition to God or men save onely to the King should be throwne into the Lyons Denne he chose rather to adventure his life then not to pray Dan. 6. Whereby we may gather both how acceptable to God and also how necessary for us this duty of prayer and invocation is So that these examples of these holy men ought to be of no small efficacie to perswade us hereunto and especially if we consider the example of our Saviour Jesus Christ who is greater then either David or Daniel Of whom it is reported that he went into a solitary place alone not onely in the morning Mark 1. but also in the evening Joh. 6. not for an houre but to spend the whole night in prayer Luk. 6.12 he prayed not onely in deserto which was a place of distresse but in horto Joh. 18.2 which was a place of pleasure as hee prayed when hee was in his agony Luk. 22.46 so also when he was to be made King Joh. 6. to teach us that as well in prosperity as in adversity we have need to pray for hereunto our Saviour doth exhort us in plaine words not onely by precept Matth. 7. Luk. 21.40 Pray that yee enter not into temptation because prayer is a meane to keepe us from evill both à malo culpae à malo poenae as well from sinne as from all manner of plagues which are the effects of sinne as one saith there would none adversity come upon us unlesse there were perversity in us but secondly by promise of reward Pray unto your Father in secret and he will reward you openly Matth. 6.6 We think it sufficient if earthly Princes will vouchsafe to hearken to our prayer but God promiseth us more he will reward us for the same Therefore seing God both commands us to pray and promiseth to grant us that we pray for seeing he doth not only by his example teach us that Prayer is requisite but prescribes us also a Form of Prayer we ought not to be negligent in this duty Besides out of this occasion we are to consider this That Christ prayed though he needed nothing as hee was the onely begotten Sonne of God he was full of grace and truth Joh. 1.16 Hee had received the Spirit without measure Joh. 3. Yet for all that he prayed There are three uses of prayer First there is an Use of Necessity for God hath left prayer to be our City of resuge to the end that when all meanes faile wee should slie unto God by prayer In which regard the Wise man saith Prov. 18. Turris altissima est nomen Domini But Christians should have a further use of this duty for unreasonable creatures as Lyons and Ravens are provoked in regard of their necessity to call upon God Secondly
it were meeter that we should come toward it But hereby Christ giveth us to understand what our corruption is It is with us as with the Israelites that were so addicted to the flesh-pois of Egypt that they cared not to goe into the promised land likewise we are so in love with this present world as that we have no minde of Heaven Besides there are so many stumbling-blocks in our way as that the Kingdome of God must come unto us or else we shall never possibly come unto it Therefore as we pray that God would lighten our blind eyes and inflame our hard hearts with a love of his heavenly Kingdome so also that he would send his Angels to gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend Matth. 13.41 The things that we pray against are the Kingdome of Sathan darkenesse and sinne that they may depart from us and that the inward Kingdome of Grace may take place in our hearts but the principall Kingdome that we desire is the Kingdome of Glory whereof our Saviour said Behold I come quickly Revel 22.7 This is the Kingdome which the Saints desire saying Come quickly Lord Iesus Revel 22.20 and all creatures doe waite for this Kingdome looking when they shall be made free from the bondage of their corruption Rom. 8.20 For whereas now all things are subject unto vanity then there shall be a Kingdome that shall not perish It is not for the wicked to desire the comming of his Kingdome Woe be to you that desire the comming of the Lord it is darknesse and not light Amos 5.18 The wicked shall say to the Mountaines Fall upon us for the wrath of the Lord no man is able to abide it Revel 6.16 But to the godly it is a day of comfort Lift up your heads for the day of redemption drawes neare Luke 21.33 Howsoever hee will render vengeance to the ungodly that have not knowne nor obeyed the Gospel of God 2 Thes 1.8 Yet he comes to make a garland to crowne the godly and to set them in his throne they shall be received into his Kingdome of glory where they shall injoy the things which neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor hath ever entred into the heart of man which he hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 1. Therefore Saint Paul saith I desire to be dissolved and to bee with Christ Phil. 3. Simeons desire is Lord now let thou thy servant depart in peace Luke 2.29 Thus the remembrance of the day of our redemption is a joyfull remembrance to them and the chiefe thing that they desire so that they are willing to depart in regard of their future hope rather then to tarry here and howbeit that Christ deferres his Kingdome and comming yet we are to be watchfull for it will come as a snare Luke 21. and 1 Thes 5. and when he commeth he will rather be for us then against us THE ELEVENTH SERMON Thy will be done THe summe of all our desires is set downe by those words of the Prophet Psal 84. where he saith The Lord shall give glory and peace and no good thing shall he with-hold from them that live uprightly And our Saviour doth excellently expresse the same Matth. 6. Seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all other things shall be ministred The Petitions of glory and Gods Kingdome have already beene handled Now in this third which is the second of those which concerne our selves we are suiters for the grace of God in this life whereby we may be enabled to doe his will here that so we may obtaine the Kingdome of glory in the world to come for the Kingdome of God and of glory is the Heaven that we desire all to arrive at and grace and righteousnesse is the gale of wind that drives us forward thereunto and our suite to God in this petition is that by doing of his will here on earth Grace may raigne in our hearts by righteousnesse Rom. 5.21 that so hereafter we may raigne with him in glory He doth not onely will us to seeke Gods Kingdome Matth. 6. And tels us that there is one prepared for us before the foundation of the world Matth. 25.34 but also how we may finde it and attaine to it Matth. 7. Not every one that saith Lord Lord shalt enter into the Kingdome of God but he that shall doe the will of my Father which is in Heaven Therefore touching the order of this prayer as of those things which concerne our good the first is that Gods Kingdome may come to us so the doore whereby we must enter into the same is the doing of Gods will and therefore in the second place we are taught that the Kingdome of God shall come not by wishing or desiring but by doing of Gods will as Christ saith The Kingdome of God is come neare you So Christ tels us If we draw neare to God he will draw neare to us Iames 4. Touching the Will of God it may be demanded Why we should demand and aske this petition For as the Psalmist saith Our God is in Heaven he doth whatsoever he will Psal 115. Whatsoever the Lord willed that did he in Heaven in the earth and in all deepe places Psal 135.6 and who hath resisted his will Rom. 9.19 No counsell or wisedome can prevaile against the Lord Prov. 21.30 And if any doe oppose themselves against his will yet they doe but kicke against the prickes Acts 9. The answer to this objection is that we pray not so much that Gods will may be done but rather that what God willeth may bee our will for there is one will of God which we may resist another which we may not resist For the distinction of Gods will it is either hidden and secret or revealed and open the one is that which the Prophet cals the counsell or thought of his heart Psal 33.11 The other is that will of his word wherein the declareth and openeth to men what his will is His secret will is voluntas beneplaciti the good pleasure of his will his revealed will is voluntas signi which is disclosed to us Gods secret will is voluntas quam Deus vult that will which God willeth his revealed will is voluntas quam ipse nos velle vult that will which he willeth us to will the secret will of his heart is voluntas adoranda non scrutanda He that curiously searcheth the glory of Heavenly things shall not enter into glory Prov. 25.27 How unsearchable are his judgements Rom. 11. and who hath knowen the will of the Lord or who was his counsellour But the open and revealed will of God is voluntas scrutanda sacienda both to be searched out and to be done of us Be not unwise but understand what is the will of God Ephes 5.17 The knowledge of his will is not enough but as Christ saith If yee know these things blessed are ye if ye doe them Iohn 13.17 Of
he prevents us with his grace by giving us both a will and a power so he must still follow us with his grace that we may goe forward in doing of his will for our case is compared to the state of the Israelites which in their fight with Amalek did prevaile as long as Moses held up his hand but when he let is downe they were put to the worse Exod. 17. we may see it in the case of Saint Peter who was able to walk upon the water while Christ held him up but when hee was left to himselfe he sunke Matth. 1.4 therefore we must have not onely a preventing but also an accomplishing grace that may still follow us in our workes ne cessent in effectum that they faile not in the upshot whereof the Evangelist makes mention that from him who is full of grace We must receive grace for grace Iohn 1.14 It was not the grace of God onely that wrought in Saint Paul stirring him up to ho linesse but also gratia Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The grace of God with me 1 Cor. 15. And when the Angels say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Toward men good vvill Luke 2. they doe not onely wish that God vvill shew good vvill tovvards men but that he vvould accomplish it in them by infusing grace into their hearts Our desire therefore is that the vvill of God may be done and sulfilled in us but yet by his grace and the assistance both of his preventing and follovving grace And as for sanctifying of Gods name our desire vvas that it may be sanctified of us but if not yet that it may ut fiat quovis modo that it be done hovvscever that it may be done in others but especially in our ovvne behalfe that vvhen vve are either unvvilling or unable to doe his revealed vvill it may please him to give us the knovvledge of it and to put into us the obedience of it that being assured in our consciences that vve have done the vvill of God vvee may have that peace and joy of the holy Ghost vvherein the Kingdome of grace standeth vvhich may be to us a pledge of the Kingdome of glory vvhereunto vve shall be exalted after this life if vve be carefull both to submit our vvils to Gods secret vvill and to frame our vvili and the actions of our life to that declared and open vvill of God vvhich for our direction he hath revealed in his vvord THE TWELFTH SERMON In Earth as it is in Heaven WHich words are an appendix to the three first Petitions for though it be added to the third which concerneth the doing of his will yet the ancient Fathers referre it also to the two former So that we are to pray no lesse that Gods name may be sanctified in earth as it is in heaven that his Kingdome may be consummate in earth as iâ— is in heaven then that his will be accomplished on earth as it is in heaven Wherefore we may observe by this complement of the three first Petitions that God respects not onely the doing of that which he requireth but chiesly the manner of it for it sufficeth not simply to do Gods will as others do on earth but we must do it as it is done in heaven for adverbes please God better then verbes and he respecteth more in the doing of his will the manner of the doing of it then our doing it selfe The Greekes distinguish the will of God by both the words of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when we do Gods will without any regard how so it be done that is his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but when Gods will is done with a sicut and in such fort as he requireth that is his good pleasure and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods will was done of the people when they sacrificed any beast whatsoever but if they chose out the fittest then the sacrifice was the more acceptable so in this prayer we do not onely desire to do Gods will utcunque without regard how whether with willingnesse and cheerfulnesse or against our wills but wee desire to do it in the best manner as it is done in Heaven wherein we offer that sacrifice or service to God which is as the fat of Rams for the sanctifying of his Name The Apostle saith that at the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow both of things in heaven in earth and things under the earth Phil. 2.10 But our desire is so to reverence the Name of Jesus as the things in heaven reverence it Of Gods Kingdome it is said that Christ is Ruler both in the midst of his enemies and also that in the day of his power the people shall as friends offer free-will offerings with an holy worship Psal 110.2 But we pray that Gods Kingdome may come among us not as among his enemies but that we may willingly submit our selves to his will and government Lastly for the doing of his will the Prophet said Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did hee in heaven in earth and in the Sea Psal 135.6 We desire that his will may be performed in us not as in the deepe places but as in heaven for this prayer containes two Sicuts the one pertaines to God teaching us how to love him the other concernes our neighbour where we pray so to be forgiven as wee forgive our debters so that as heretofore we have noted lege operandi lex statuitur supplicandi though there were no law to require the love of God and our neighbour yet this forme of prayer doth teach us how to love God and what perfect love wee owe to our neighbour In the thing it selfe we are to observe three points first a qualification secondly an Elevation of the soule thirdly an application In the qualification we are to enquire what is meant by heaven and earth either tanquam continentia or else we may understand them as things contained therein then how Gods will is done therein Howsoâ—ver our tongue or dialect speakes of heaven singularly yet both Greeke and Latine imply a plurality of heavens for there are three heavens first the aire where the birds flye whence they are called volucres coeli Matth. 6. Secondly the heaven of heavens where the Sun Moone and Starres are set to give light thirdly that which the Apostle cals the third heaven whereunto he was taken up which is the place of blessednesse where Gods Majesty is especially resident 2 Cor. 12. In all these heavens which containe other bodies in them wee shall find that Gods will is done Of the lower heaven the Prophet saith that it is obedient to Gods will and fulfills his word by sending downe snow and fire and wind Psal 148. In the second heaven which Salomon calls the heaven of heavens 1 Reg. 8.27 Gods will is done for there at Gods Commandement the Sunne and Moone stood still contrary to their usuall course till the people of God avenged themselves
the prayer that we make for outward things is not without respect to things spirituall and this Petition followeth upon the other by good consequent and order for as the Heathen man saith Haud facile emergunt quorum virtutibus obstat Res angusta domi So wee shall be unfit to seeke Gods Kingdome and to do his will unlesse we have the helps of this life Therefore we desire that God will give us the things of this life those things without which wee cannot serve him that as wee desire the glory of his Kingdome and the grace of his Spirit whereby we may be enabled to do his will so hee will minister to us all things for the supply of our outward wants in this life the want whereof hath beene so great a disturbance to the Saints of God in all times that they could not goe forward in godlinesse as they would Abraham by reason of the great famine that was in Canaan was faine to go downe into Egypt Gen. 12.7 The same occasion moved Isaac to goe downe to Abimelech at Gerar Gen. 26. and Jacob to relieve his family in the great dearth at this time was faine to send his sonnes the Patriarchs into Egypt to buy corne Gen. 42. The children of Israell when they wanted bread or water murmured against God and his servants Exod. 16. Numb 20. the Disciples of our Saviour were so troubled in mind because they had forgotten to take bread with them that they understood not their Master when he gave them warning to beware of the leven of the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 8. So the want of outward things doth distract our Saviour were so troubled in mind because they had forgotten to take bread with them that they understood not their Master when he gave them warning to beware of the leven of the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 8. So the want of outward things doth distract our minds and makes us unfit for Gods service Therefore that we may in quietnesse of mind intend those things that goe before in his prayer our Saviour hath indited us a forme of prayer to sue to God as well for things temporall as spirituall and eternall for it is lawfull for us to pray for them so that we do it in order The first Petition that the naturall man makes is for his daily bread but our care must be first for the Kingdome of God next for the fulfilling of Gods will and doing that righteousnesse which God requires at our hands and after wee may in the third place pray for such things as we stand in need of during our life This blessing the Fathers observe out of the blessings which Isaac pronounced upon his sonnes Jacobs blessing was first the dew of heaven and then the fat of the earth shewing that the godly do preferre heavenly comforts before earthly Esaus blessing was first the fatnesse of the earth and next the dew of heaven to teach us that prophane persons do make more reckoning of earthly commodities then of heavenly comforts Gen. 27.28 and 39. Therefore in regard of the Spirituall account we are to make of Gods Kingdome and the doing of his will we are to wish them in the first place and then Davids Unam petii à Domino One thing I have required of the Lord Psal 27. And that which Christ saith to Martha Unam est necessarium one thing is needfull Luk. 10. would bring us to Salomons two things Prov. 30. Give mee not poverty nor riches but feed mee with food convenient for mee lest being full I deny thee and say who is the Lord or beeing poore I steale and take the name of my God in vaine And that is it which wee are bold to do by Christs owne warrant for he hath taught us first to pray for his Kingdome then for the working of righteousnesse or for the doing of Gods will and lastly for daily bread If we do first pray for the two former then we may be bold in the third place to sue to God for the latter for he hath promised to with-hold no good thing from them that lead a godly life if the doing of Gods will be our meat then Requiem dedit timentibus se He hath given rest to them that feare him Psal 111. In the Petition we are to observe from sixe words sixe severall points first the thing that we desire that is bread secondly the attribute our bread thirdly daily bread fourthly wee desire that this bread may be given us fifthly not to mee but nobis to us sixthly hodie and as long as we say hodie to day Heb. 3. To beginne with giving hitherto the tenor of this prayer ran in the third person now we are to pray in the second saying Da tu whereupon the Church hath grounded a double dialect of prayer which comes all to one effect for that which the Church prayeth for Psal 67. God be mercifull unto us and blesse us is no lesse a prayer then if we should say in the second person Miserere nostri O Lord be mercifull to us and blesse us and that which is added and lift up his countenance is all one as if the Church speaking to God should say Lift up the light of thy countenance This change or alteration of person proceedeth from the confidence which the Saints are to gather to themselves in prayer for having prayed for the sanctifying of Gods name for the accomplishment of his Kingdome and for grace and ability to do his will Christ assureth us that we may be bold to speake to God for our owne wants Out of the word of Giving we are to note three things first our owne want for if we had it of our selves we would not crave it of God this confession of our want and indigence is a great glory to God that all the inhabitants of the earth usque ad Regem Davidem to professe to say Give us Psal 40. I am poore and needy but the Lord careth for mee they do professe themselves to be his beggers not onely by the voyce of nature which they utter for outward things as other unreasonable creatures do but by those prayers which they make for the supply of grace whereby they may be enabled to do Gods will so that not onely regnum tuum is Gods gift but also panem nostrum we acknowledge to be his gift It is from God from whom we receive all things as well the good givings as the perfect gifts Jam. 1.17 he is the author not onely of blessings spirituall but of benefits temporall he gives us not onely grace to obey his will but as the Prophet speakes dat escam Psal 104. The idolatrous people say of their Idols I will goe after my lovers that give mee my bread and my water my â—oyle and my wine but God saith after It is I that gave her corne and it is my wine and my flaxe and my oyle Hos 2.8 Ipse dat semen sementi panem
kingdomes of this world for both power and glory may be ascribed to an earthly Prince and it is certaine that Solomon had them all and therefore as hee is distinguished from earthly fathers for that he is said to be in heaven so he differs from earthly Kings in that his Kingdome is said to endure for ever and ever There is another difference implyed in the Article earthly Princes have a Kingdome a Kingdome of power and a certaine glory in this world but it is not the Kingdome This prepositive Article imports two things a Generality and a Superiority for the first point he that hath but a peece of the earth to beare rule in is not an universall King but God is King over all the earth Psal 47. Therefore if wee be so carefull to behave our selves aright in the presence of an earthly King whose Kingdome is limited within certaine bounds which if hee exceed he is no more King much more ought we to praise and glorifie him whose Kingdome is universall Secondly for the superiority of Gods Kingdome there are a great number of Kings on earth but of this Kingdome it is said All Kings shall fall downe before him all Nations shall worship him Psalm 72. For hee is said to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19. Touching the other difference signified by the word for ever Though a man had all the earth for his Kingdome yet it could not be a Kingdome for ever and ever no Prince ever raigned the whole age of a man and so long time as a man naturally may live which the Philosophers say is the space of an hundred yeares but his Kingdome indures not onely the age of a man but In seculum For ever Thy Kingdome Power and Glory endureth for ever and ever whereas mans Kingdome Power and glory lasteth but a few yeares and sometimes but a few dayes Jezabel had a glorious Kingdome but within a few yeares it was said of her Ubi est illa Jezabel 2 Reg. 10. when it was fulfilled which the Prophet Jeremiah foretold 13.28 Tell the King and Queene Humble your selves for your dignity shall be taken away and the crowne of your glory shall fall downe And the like is the greatnesse of all earthly Kingdomes and therefore Christ teacheth us to direct our Petitions to him whose Kingdome is everlasting Psalm 145. whose power endureth for ever and ever not to a mortall King but to God Qui solus habet c. which onely hath immortality 1 Tim. 6. who being himselfe an everlasting King and incorruptible is able to bestow upon us both a Crowne 1 Pet. 5. and an inheritance incorruptible and that fadeth not 1 Pet. 1.4 This is our hope and the perfection of our desires and therefore as the Creed hath his period in Life everlasting so last of all we are taught to pray for Glory everlasting THE NINETEENTH SERMON Amen WE are now come to the last word of the Lords Prayer the power and efficacie whereof at this time is to be considered for there is in it every way matter worthy of our consideration and wee cannot perfectly accomplish our duty in prayer except we understand this word aright For after we have laid out our severall petitions to God and made our allegation to God why we desire to be respected by him namely because we are of his Kingdome and Jurisdiction for that we have no power of our selves to do any thing Lastly because that we confesse that all glory is to be ascribed to him then it remaineth that we desire of God that those Petitions and allegations made by us may by him be ratified which is done in the word Amen Wherein the ancient Writers consider two things First Jerome saith it is Signaculum consensus nostri that by it we acknowledge that whatsoever we can desire is contained in this forme of prayer Secondly as S. Cyprian saith it is votum desiderii nostri that as wee allow of this forme of Prayer and the Petitions made therein so we desire that it will please God to performe and accomplish them so in this word is implyed the consent of our minde to allow of the things which we are taught to pray for in this Prayer and secondly the desire of our heart for the obtaining of the same The one is the seale of our faith in as much as wee acknowledge those things to be true The other is the seale of our love whereby we testifie our desire for the accomplishment of these Petitions The one is referred to Truth the other to the fervencie of the spirit in which two things as our Saviour affirmeth Joh. 4.24 the right worship of God consisteth concerning which word to be added in the end of our supplications there is an absolute commandement not only in the old Testament Let al the people say Amen 1 Chron. 16.33 Ps 106. but in the New as appeareth by S. Pauls question 1 Cor. 14.16 who to shew the necessity of this word he saith How shall the unlearned say A men to thy thanksgiving for indeed it concerneth every one as he will answer the transgression of dicet omnis populus all the people shall say which is a flat commandement not to be omitted to adde this word to their prayer The word it selfe is originally Hebrew but used by the Evangelists and retained still in every language and tongue without translation or alteration either in Greeke Latine or any other the reason of the retaining of it is that is might appeare that the Synagogue of the children of Israell and the true congregation of the Church of Christ gathered out of all Nations is but one mysticall body whereof Christ is the head the same we are given to understand by this that the Spirit of Adoption is said to cry non onely Abba in the hearts of the Jewes but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Father in the hearts of the Gentiles Rom. 8.20 Therefore our Saviour would not have his name to be either intirely Hebrew as Jesus Messias or intirely Greeke as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the one in Hebrew the other in Greeke Jesus Christ to shew that he is our peace who of two hath made one that hath reconciled us both in one body and that he is the corner stone whereby the Church consisting both of Jewes and Gentiles is coupled together and groweth to be one holy Temple to the Lord Eph. 2.14 Though they be as the Apostle speakes Congregatio primogenitorum Heb. 12.23 yet we are the Church of God as well as they we I say that are borne after them we that are of the Gentiles have none other law for our direction then that which the Jewes had as the Apostle saith I write no new commandemem but an old commandement which you have heard from the beginning 1 Joh. 2.7 Wee have no other faith but as the Apostle saith eundem spiritum fidei habentes 2 Cor. 4. The same grace is offered