world God hath reserued that supremacie of right in regno potentiae ejus Lord let that kingdome come Amen It is the phrase of Dauid Before Ephraim and Manasse stirre vp thy strength and come and saue vs. All thy workes shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall blesse thee They shall speake of the glory of thy kingdome and talke of thy power To make knowen to the sonnes of men his mighty acts and the glorious Maiesty of his kingdome Thy kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations This Saint Augustine vnderstandeth of the kingdome of Gods power for he saith in it appeareth quam potens deus qui fecit terram quam potens qui impleuit terram bonis qui dedit vitam animalibus semina terrae c. Dauid speaketh of this kingdome The Lord is King let the earth reioyce let the multitude of Israel be glad Read on and you shall see that hee speaketh there of this kingdome of Gods power and haue wee not good cause to pray that this kingdome may come which bringeth such ioy to all the earth such reioycing to the multitude of the Iles. 2 Wee desire the comming of Gods kingdome of grace whereby his Sonne reigneth in our hearts and consciences for so we shall be made fit and able to hallow the name of God and thus Saint Ambrose saith Tunc venit regnum dei quando ejus estis gratiam consequuiti By the coming of this kingdome the light of Gods truth is set vp in our vnderstandings and the fire of Gods zeale is kindled in our affections from whence ariseth an vtter abnegation of our selues a contempt of the world in our affections wholly stooped to the subiection of Christ and a cleare reuelation of the truth of God in our vnderstanding by which it is freed from all errours of iudgement and rightly informed in Credendis in agendis in petendis And herein we seeke and aske the glory of God for how can we honour him more then by desiring that hee would aduance the kingdome of his Sonne in his Church and in all the hearts of his elect seuerally wee also desire of God our owne good withall that wee may be subiects of this kingdome that his Sonne may reigne within vs. For this he saith My sonne giue me thy heart Giue it me that I may make it the seate of my kingdome that I may set vp my throne in it And we say take it O Lord we yeeld it vp vnto thee reigne thou and rule in it say thou of my heart say thou of thy Church Here will I dwell for I haue a delight in it 3. There is yet a further request in this petition for the kingdome of Gods glory that which God giueth in reward to his chosen seruants let that kingdome come Wherein first wee seeke the glory of God for the subiects and faithfull and loyall vassalls of a king are the glory of his Crowne In these God is glorified both in his power and wisedome and holinesse and iustice and in his mercy which is aboue all his works this mercy doth keepe within the pale and fense of his kingdome of grace and none but the subiects of that kingdome drinke deepe of it this is the marrow and fatnesse of Gods house that oleum laetitiae wherewith the electare annointed from top to toe and it is not giuen in fulnesse of measure heaped vp and pressed downe till it be made compleate in the kingdom of glory Then the glory of God is full in his triumphant Church his communion of Saints 2 We seeke our owne good in this petition for this is our summum bonum this is the gift of God to vs the glory of his bounty the crowne of righteousnesse by which we are iust by Iesus Christ in the sight of God This is that immensumpondus gloriae the prize of that high calling for which we forget that which is behind stretch and striue our selues to that which is before running with patience the race that is set before vs and so running that we may obtain this the reward of our righteousnesse the crowne of our reioycing the saluation of our soules This we begge not so much for our owne sakes that we may be made glorious as for the name of Gods sake that that may be glorified in vs and by vs. And that this is properly also desired in this petition this proofe may serue this is that kingdome for which the elect were elected this is the full accomplishment of Gods grace to vs and glory in vs this is the kingdome prouided for Gods Saints from the beginning of the world This is the hope and expectation of all the iust and no question our Sauiour would not leaue this out of our prayer and it is desired but by consequent in any other petition therefore no question it is included in this the words the sense the matter do all beare it for all that hallow the name of God on earth are promised the inheritance of this kingdome in glory and what God promiseth we may boldy aske of him for he hath sayd Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Lastly there is a kingdome of Gods glory which he reserueth to himselfe and that is his finall conquest of all his enemies the bringing of all things in subiection to him which we haue great reason to desire that the glory of God may be cōpleate as in vs his Saints so in himself the holy Saints in heauen doe pray for this kingdome Euen so come quickly Lord Iesus They desire it that hee may deliuer vp his kingdom to God the father that God may be all in all And the prouision of the former kingdome of glory is for all such as loue the appearing of God in that kingdome wherefore wee haue cause to pray for the coming of that Kingdome So are the faithfull described looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Sauiour Iesus Christ This is that glorious appearance of God which wee pray for and which the soules vnder the alter do hasten by their prayers wherein God shall be all in all Therefore of all these kingdomes doe I vnderstand this holy petition Let the kingdome of thy power the kingdome of thy grace thy kingdome of our glory thy kingdom of thine owne finall and full glory come 2 How we would haue this kingdome come We must therfore know that though the kingdom be the Lords and he ruleth ouer all Yet there be enemies that aduance thēselues against these kingdomes they not flesh and bloud onely but powers and Principalities Such make warre with God and vsurpe dominion Our praier therfore is that as Moses rod did deuoure the rods of the sorcerers so the kingdome of God may destroy all contrary vsurpation or opposition 1 The kingdome of Gods power on earth is opposed by many
one God but know not this way to him by Iesus Christ may aske but they shall neuer receiue they may seeke but shall neuer finde they may knocke but it shall neuer be opened to them Christ saith I am the way no man commeth to the Father but by me The Papists doe forsake this way in their multiplicitie of Mediatours for though they beare the world in hand that they acknowledge but one Mediatour of satisfaction that is Christ many Mediatours of intercession that is Angels and Saints the prayers that their Liturgies doe vent declare against them that they inuocate the Father in the mediation of Saints by way of satisfaction forasmuch as they plead with God the merits of Saints and ascribe as much efficacie to the milke of the Virgin Mother of our Lord as to the bloud of her Sonne This in a Booke allowed by authority which concludeth with this blasphemous peremptory prayer to God O Lord thou must pardon mee I cry aloud it is not bloud will serue my turne I long for milke But concerning intercession Christ himselfe hath reuealed no other way but quicquid petierit is patrem in nomine meo and in that we rest 8 We must pray in fit forme of words It is not euery mans abilitie to expresse the desires of the heart in a good composition of fit words wee must neither be ouernice as if we conceiued that God would bee taken with the oratorie and rhetorique of words and sentences with the musicke of fine and choice phrases figuratiue and affected flourishes of humane eloquence neither must we be ouer homely and rude and vnmannerly to sollicite God in such language as wee dare not tender to men sad and serious graue and gratious must our prayers be that they may declare an holy reuerent zeale with true and sanctified iudgement For neither courting with elegancies of wit and speech nor slighting with vnkempt and homely rusticity which with some doth passe for plainenesse doth please our God there is an art of praying as well as of speaking and the Disciples would learne the Grammer thereof We teach children how to aske our blessing how to call for such things as they shall need and we can minister vnto them and no mans owne iudgement without good information can direct him in the great duty of holy prayer which is our inuocation of God our asking him blessing and forgiuenesse our praising of his name 9 We must pray in methode for seeing God is our principall delight wee must first seeke the honour of God and seeing our selues are next to vs wee must let our charity beginne at home and so passe to our neighbours and seeing the soule is more excellent then the body wee must first desire spirituall then temporall gifts as Christ seeke ye first the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof You see that the mysterie of godlinesse in prayer is great and deepe and that we had need to be well directed to doe it aright Many turne this great part of Gods holy worship into sinne by being vntaught or not hauing well learned the doctrine of prayer it will be worth our consideration to take a short notice of the common faults committed in prayer 1 Prayer is of no validitie with God if it come from sinners God heareth not sinners If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me therefore wee must purge our conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God Vnderstand this comfortably that it is meant of knowne sinnes vnrepented such as know themselues faulty and doe not vse the best meanes to reforme themselues and to forsake sinnes cannot pray to bee heard In this case are all they that liue in the continuall practise or by the daily gaine of a sinne 2 Prayer is vnacceptable si timida if wee come to God as seruants not as sonnes there is an holy feare that maketh vs come reuerently that is a great ingredient in our preparation to prayer there is a seruile feare which breedeth in vs despaire we pray but haue no hope of successe 3 Si tumida Proud beggars shall bee said nay the Pharisee came proudly to God to giue him an inuentory of his virtues as one saith as if a wounded man should come to a surgeon and shew him all his sound parts and conceale his wound They that demand heauen of God as wages due to the merit of their works pray proudly and they shall haue what they deserue to their shame and smart 4 Si anxia God loues not that wee should come to him in distraction full of the cares of the world for they hinder deuotion the heart that sendeth forth welcome prayers preuailing with God must be established with grace This holy ballast doth make vs steddy our own vanities put vs to the tosse of euery waue 5 Si multiloqua for God loues not babling the iuyce of grace is not prest out with the weight of words it was one of the follies of the heathen by our Sauiour reproued Thou art on the earth he to whom thou prayest is in heauen Sint verba pauca 6 Si nimium festina It was a good old counsell festina lentè nimis properè minùs prosperè Wee must be content to awaite the good leisure of God for the holy one will not be limited I wayted patiently vpon the Lord and he enclined his eare to me and heard me Qui credit non festinat Idoneus promissor est fidelis redditor tu tantum esto pius exactor 7 Si intempestiva There is a season for all things the foolish virgins lost it and they knockt too late And Peter was too soone faciamus hic tria tabernacula Seeke the Lord whilest he may be found 8 Si carnalis If we haue care to the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof As they that being in the chase of some high preferment doe pray God for the successe they desire and their thoughts are fastned on the good meat they will eate the good cloathes they will weare the great traine that they will keep whom they will aduance whom they will oppresse You speed not saith S. Iames because you aske amisse to spend it vpon your lusts if such speed in their suites it is a gift giuen to the owner of it for his hurt And now I thinke you will confesse that it is a great wisdome to be taught how to pray and if you loue your bodies or soules God or your neighbour you will not leaue till you haue learned how to pray 3 They come to Christ to teach them Therein the whole Christian Church was beholding to them for by this meanes we come to an absolute direction for prayer that will hold out and keepe in fashion till time be no more Donec cesset oratio And the word vsed in compellation which is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praeceptor but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth fit well to expresse the
beleeuing that he is our Father we pray with assurance of perswasion that we shall preuaile For they that haue the comfortable perswasion of their hearts that God is their God cannot doubt of right and interest in his good and perfect gifts if hee be ours qui se dedit dabit sua In our right wee can call nothing our owne but our sinne for our bodies and soules are not ours glorifie God in your bodies and in your soules for they are Gods Gods in the right of creation And ye are bought with a price so not your owne in respect of redemption And God to shew his right in his Saints maketh them a temple for his holy spirit to dwell in so he taketh possession of vs for himselfe But all our sinnes are ours or Sathans those that grow out of our owne corruption are ours those that are infused in vs by Sathans temptations are his in vs yet our guiltinesse and infection The grace of God which bringeth saluation doth make vs proprietaries in God and calleth him ours The comfort of this interest taketh away feare So God to Abraham feare not I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward This fixing of our faith vpon him to whom we pray doth put it out of question that none is to be prayed to but he in whom we must onely beleeue Indeed we haue no right or interest in any of our fellow creatures but by the interest that we haue in God by the mediation of Iesus Christ Sinne hath both diuested vs of the primitiue right wee had in them and them of the primitiue power that they had to ayde and support one another so that faith carrieth noster to God onely and resteth in him Master Foxe from sufficient testimonie out of Scotland reporteth that in anno 1551. there arose a great schisme in Scotland about the Pater noster whether it might be said to Saints or no. It was deliuered publiquely in a Sermon at S. Andrewes that wee could call none our Father but God onely and presently a gray Fryar tooke vpon him to confute that doctrine in the Pulpit and to proue that it might be said also to Saints And first because we call old men fathers one may therefore much rather call a Saint our Father 2 Because God hath made the names of Saints holy therefore we may say to them Hallowed be thy name 3 Because the kingdome of heauen is theirs by Gods free gift therefore we may say to them adueniat regnum tuum 4 Seeing their will is Gods will else they had neuer come to that kingdome we may say fiat voluntas tua But when hee came to the rest of the petitions his wits failed him and hee beganne to alleadge that they might vse the intercession of Saints to God for daily bread and for forgiuenesse of sinnes and for deliuerance from euill But the three first Petitions which directly are referred to the onely glory of God these he blasphemously applyed to Saints Which gaue occasion of a great schisme in Scotland insomuch as they distinguished their parties by this Shiboleth to whom say you the Pater noster to God or to Saints The people were much distracted with this schisme and in the Abbey Church of S. Andrewes this pasquell was set vp Patres nostrì in Collegio Concludunt idem cum Lucifero Quod sancti sunt similes altissimo Another in english The Fryars would be called Rabbi Magister noster and know not to whom to say Pater noster But after much contention it was at last resolued that it was onely to be said to God This word Our ioyned with Father is vox fidei as you haue heard and directed to one and therefore not to be either communicated with others nor withdrawne from God Our is vox charitatis for it containeth the spirituall kindred of the faithfull who doe all acknowledge but one common father of all one God one Father this is the obiect of our common faith We haue patres carnis our naturall Parents we haue Magistrates and Princes in things temporall Bishops and Ministers in spirituall and all these haue the honourable title of Fathers giuen to them in the law of the fift Commandement but this compellation extendeth not to the longitude or latitude of this fatherhood in the Lords prayer these haue particular references this hath an vniuersall relation to the whole body of the Church and herein God goeth alone away with the name of our Father the other hold by seruice this honour from him onely hee holdeth that in Capite ouer them and their sonnes And herein the Pope encroacheth vpon God with abhominable vsurpation and is by his Parasites stiled Sanctissimus pater and the blinde ignorants that see no further then by his Lampelight and speake no other language then what he hath taught them doe mannerly call him our holy father God hath no honour intire but he comes in for his share with him not the name of Lord God he inuadeth that also It is a knowne and printed blasphemie Dominus Deus noster papa which the glosse vpon the extrauagancie of Iohn 22. doth lewdly giue the Pope True it is that when the Bishop of Rome was an orthodoxe Bishop and maintained the Apostolicall doctrine of the true Church he was called Pappa or Papa of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greeke word which is Pater And so it was not a proper title to the Bishop of Rome but common to all Bishops as at this day the name of Father is giuen to them But this vnlimited claime to the name in chiefe ouer all not onely the lay people but the very Clergie of the whole Church he hath rather purchased with S. Pauls sword then with S. Peters keyes But he holdeth it now with that absolute right to it that none can be a member of the true Church but he must be his sonne And therefore Gregory the fifteenth in his letters lately sent from Rome to our then most excellent Prince residing for the time in the Court of Spaine doth thus court his Highnesse Truely the armes of papall charity with sighes doe worship the God of mercy and doe stretch them forth for your safety to embrace you a most desired sonne c. I cannot blame him for when the Kings and Princes of England were popish his Holinesse had his coffers much the fuller for it and his Kitchin was the better prouided But one thing I note in that letter that this Gregorie the then Pope doth confesse himselfe modestly farre inferiour to Gregory the first whose name he assumed at his Coronation in sanctitie and vertue although equall in dignity and of the same name I wonder that he should be so open as to confesse a succession in dignity and not in sanctity in seate and not in vertue for this makes it no argument which yet is falsely vrged and his Holinesse forsakes the truth in it He affirmeth that Gregory the great
did first by his apostolique authority bring the Gospell into this kingdome And inferreth that he being his successor and equall in name and dignity though inferiour to him in sanctity and vertue should follow his footsteps in restoring the gospell to this land againe But the assertion of Gregories first plantation of the Gospell in England is most false for Parsons in his Booke of the three conuersions of England to the Gospell doth make that of Gregory the third and not the first conuersion But were it true the argument followeth not that hee who now carrieth his name but is inferiour to him in holinesse and vertue should haue the same power or hope to worke the same effect that hee did for the instruments of God in the conuersion of soules doe not worke by name and dignity but by sanctitie and vertue And euen herein this Gregory that then vsurped the Church Monarchie is inferiour to Gregory the great in holinesse and vertue because Gregory the great did not onely abstaine from the name of vniuersall Bishop and the common Father of the Church but he wrote most inuectiuely against it For he wrote an angry reprehension to Eulogius Patriarch of Alexandria for stiling himselfe vniuersall Biship And when Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople vsurped that vndue title he wrote to him to rebuke it hee called it nefandum stultum superbum vocabulum he saith that the Councell of Chalcedon offered his predecessours at Rome that title sed tameÌ„ nullus sibi hoc temerariuÌ„ nomen arripuit But now Bellarmine hath charged the late Kings Maiestie with denyall of the faith because he supposeth that in the oath of alleageance he denyeth the Pope the title of supreame Father of the Church I had not diuerted thus farre to the Popes vsurpation of this honour of Our Father but that the times grow sicke of a surfer of light and truth and beginne to incline and propend to apostacie that the God of mercies grows impatient thereof and by admirable iudgeiudgement declareth his indignation against it Therefore restoring this title of Our Father to God to whom onely it belongs and taking it away from the Pope who blasphemously vsurpeth it we say Our is vox charitatis and calleth all the faithfull sonnes of God brethren all the world ouer Christ Iesus our elder brother being the author maintainer of this brotherhood It is the said Kings Maiesties learned obseruation vpon this word that it sheweth the communion which is among the Saints and that euery one is a member of a body of a Church that is compacted of many members contrary to those vpstart Amsterdam sects where two or three make a Church Who as S. Cyprian saith doe sibi extra Ecclesiam contra Ecclesiam constituere sibi conuenticula perditae factionis And yet nothing is more vsuall with them then to giue the name of the Brethren to their irregular societies and schismaticall complices But this common interest of the faithfull in God vniteth them in one holy society and they that diuide this into factions are schismatiques they that breake forth into new opinions against the truth of God are heretiques onely they are brethren truely who encrease the truth of God in vnity and these doe pray to God omnes pro omnibus singulis singuli pro omnibus singulis 4 There is no pride in them they are not ashamed to call one another brethren King Dauid cals his subiects Brethren and Companions for my Brethren and Companions sake c. One is your Master euen Christ and all ye are Brethren one is your Father which is in heauen This Father is no accepter of persons he is as much father to the poore as to the rich and though here on earth the difference of ranke and degree doth much aduance some and deiect others in this court of supreme audience Princes haue no more right to the fatherhood of God then their meanest vassals their wants are no sooner seene their miseries no sooner pitied and releiued their petitions no sooner receiued and answered then of those that lye in the dust and they that wander vp and downe in Sheepe skins and Goat skins derided despised persecuted are as gratiously inuited and with as much welcome receiued with our Father as those that haue their pathes annointed with butter and whose portion is the fattest It is a certaine rule that the proud man who despiseth his brethren cannot pray hee that will not owne his brethren our Father will not owne him The common duty of Christians is as the Apostle admonisheth in giuing honours goe one before another This very compellation calling God Our Father doth honour all the faithfull seruants of God with the honour that is due to them according to the precept of the Apostle Honour all men And we not knowing who belong to the kingdome of God and not daring to iudge are therefore to esteeme all men our brethren and to honour them with the name of brethren I beseech you let prayers and supplications be made for all men for seeing Christ hath prayed not onely for his twelue but for all those that shall beleeue through their word we doe charitably conceiue that all men are either in present profession or in Gods gratious expectation our brethren Let vs not boast our selues either against them who are not yet come into the Church or against them that are gone out for such pride God resisteth and let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall Let nothing be done in strife vain glory but in lowlinesse of minde let each esteeme others better then himself Looke not euery man on his owne things but euery man also on the things of others This is called the same mind that was in Iesus Christ and they that pray to God in Christs words and not with his minde loose labour They be flatterers that ouerdoe in giuing honour belying men to their faces with false and vndue ascriptions They be slanderers that put vniust aspertions vpon their brethren they be proud or worse that ouerlooke them as vnworthy of their regard humility findeth an equality in the hoâ—shold of God and they say with the sonnes of Iacob we are brethren the sonnes of one God our Father which is in heauen we are all one mans sonnes in the land of Canaan There is no malice in them that say aright Our Father they pray one for another and wish the welfare of one another They remember that they were all at first in the loynes of the first Adam and that now they are in the loue and fauour of the second Adam and this reuiueth that principle of nature facâ—â—lijs fieri quod cupis ipse tibi It is not lawfull for vs to begge any thing of God for others that we would not wish to our selues Why should we striue saith Abraham to Lot seeing we are brethren and therefore he that biddeth vs to
his name The Lawes of this kingdome are the holy Scriptures and these are called often the kingdome of heauen in their Ministerie for by them the glory and power of Gods kingdome is declared on earth and they are The rod of his mouth The arme of God by which he directeth and aweth all his subiects Therefore the Scepter of this Kingdome is called Sceptrum iustitiae This Kingdome of God is 1 Outward in the visible profession of the same faith and coniunction in one body of a Church and so all that ioyne together in the one worship of the same God professing to be ruled and gouerned by his holy Lawes are the visible kingdome 2 Inward in the hearts of all the elect people of God And so Christ saith Behold the kingdome of God is within you For God reigneth in the hearts and consciences of all his chosen by their faith and obedience and loue and this kingdome is not meate or drinke but it is Righteousnesse Peace and ioy in the holy Ghost 1. Righteousnesse that is the iustification of his subiect by faith whereby Christ is made to vs of God righteousnesse because the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to vs. 2 Peace for the Gospell of the kingdome is called the Gospell of peace because it filleth vs with peace of conscience in the assurance of the pardon of all our sinnes and it giueth vs a loue of outward peace in the Church knitting vs so together with the bonds of loue that as much as in vs lieth we desire to haue peace with all men 3 Ioy in the holy Ghost for where righteousnesse and peace dwell there is all spirituall ioy The voyce of ioy is in the Tabernacles of the righteous for hauing once tasted how sweete the Lord is then the soule delighteth in the Lord. Then the Statutes of God taste sweeter then hony or the hony combe they are more pretious then all manner of riches they are the very ioy of our hearts Then the feete of them that bring vs glad tydings of peace are beautifull Then the house of Gods worship is the place of our delight we will begge of God that we may dwell there where his honour dwelleth Then we shall loue the holy assemblies and be glad when it is sayd to vs we will goe vp to the house of the Lord our feete shall then stand in the gates of Gods house And the assembly of his armies will seeme to vs to be in perfect beauty Then we shall call the Sabbath of the Lord our delight and we shall make conscience of doing our owne will vpon Gods holy day Then shall we be weaned from the immoderate loue of the world and contentednesse shall meete with godlinesse Then shall we find and tast sweetnesse in afflictons and perciue it good for vs that wee haue beene afflicted and shal reioyce in our sufferings for Iesus Christ so then the kingdome of grace is two fold 1 Generall in the whole body of the Church where Christ reigneth King beeing head of his Church to guide it with his wisedome to saue and defend it by his power to Sanctifie it by his Spirit 2 Particular in euery elect member of the Church where Christ reigneth in the conscience and hid man of the heart gouerning and protecting and teaching and sanctifying the same to himselfe 3. Regnum gloriae 1 Nostrae 2 Dei This is that heauenly inheritance of the Church which Christ hath purchased for all the faithfull of which our Sauiour saith Feare not little flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you the kingdome And of this is said Come yee blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Of this Dauid saith I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse and before In thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand pleasures for euermore This is a place of glory 1 In respect of the holinesse of the subiects of it for no vncleane thing can enter into it it is called Ciuitas sancta He that is left in Ierusalem and he that remaineth in Sion shall be called holy euen euery one that is written among the liuing in Ierusalem When the Lord shall haue washed away the filth of the daughters of Sion and shall haue purged the bloud of Ierusalem from the middest thereof by the spirit of iudgement and by the spirit of burning 2 It is a kingdome of glorie because all the subiects of it are stripped out of all their infirmities and made like to the glorious Angels of God Yea the Scripture telleth vs more that we shall be like to Christ because we shall see him as he is More it saith that our vile bodies shall be like his glorious bodie Eternall health eternall ioy perfect and full knowledge blessednesse which shall neuer be taken away from vs and a full and finall abolition of all our wantes Here is that Crowne of righteousnesse and the reward of faith and the purchase of our Mediatour Here we are subiects and Kings our subiection is a royaltie for we reigne with Christ and the adoption of children is so complete in heauen and in glory that like the Elder sonne in the parable of the prodigall all that our father hath is ours The kingdome of grace is the way to the kingdome of glory it is the suburbs of this abiding city The kingdome of grace is that kingdome which Christ exerciseth in his Church here and which he deliuereth vp to God his father when the kingdome of glory cometh of which the Apostle saith Then cometh the end when he shall haue deliuered vp the kingdome to God euen the Father when he shall haue put downe all rule and all authority and power For he must reigne till hee haue put downe all his enemies vnder his feete Then shall the sonne also himselfe be subiect to him that put all things vnder him that God may be all in all Where the Apostle sheweth the vtter cessation of the kingdome of grace swallowed vp of this kingdome of glory This place of the Apostle is notable and containeth points of deepe consideration 1 Concerning Christs deliuering vp of the kingdome we must know that Christ is King as God and man so is the head of his Church and this kingdome hee holdeth by vertue of his office as hee is Mediatour between God and man and when that worke is accomplished in the fulnesse of his glory of the elect then that kingdome must cease and be giuen vp into the hands of the Father who gaue him the administration thereof for the gathering together of the Saints and for the bringing of all the elect to him 2 When he saith that Christ shall deliuer vp this kingdome to his Father let no man conceiue that the Father was all this while out of his kingdome and is now by the Sonne restored at
the will reuealed in his Word yet I confesse that if it were to bee carried by voyces the most of the Interpreters that I reade goe this way 1 I feare to abate any thing of the full contents of the words or to shrinke vp any of the bredth of them so farre as they may be dilated to Gods glory 2 Seeing of all hands it is agreed that the glory of God is especially aymed at in these three first petitions which Master Caluine doth well call primam tabulam orationis Dominicae hauing indeed reference to the first table of the Law I see that the extent of this Petition to both the secret and reuealed will of God doth best accomplish that addresse Let thy absolute and secret will take place in all things according to the royall dignity and high command of thy kingdome of power and let thy will be done by vs according as thou hast reuealed it in the lawes of thy kingdome of grace 2 What is meant by doing this will of God 1 The absolute and secret will of God is done vpon all creatures so it is said of him Hee hath done whatsoeuer he will and so this Petition is a submission of our selues to the same will of God both in our owne persons and in all things else whatsoeuer That when God shall by euents declare what his will was we doe humbly present our selues to it and rest content with it not murmuring and repining at it knowing that God doth all things for the best howsoeuer humane iudgement might conceiue some other way better There is great reason to make a petition of this for many things succeed according to this absolute will of God that crosse vs and our desires and we could haue wisht them otherwise both our iudgements esteeming and our desires affecting some other way When death taketh the husband from the wife the father from the children the Master from the familie vpon whose life their maintenance and supportation for the necessaries of life depended When some suddaine fire in a few moments of time deuoureth the fruits of many yeares laboures and turneth a mans whole estate into ashes that none is the better for that which perisheth When shippewrake or the swallow of the sea at once deuoureth both the liues and goods of many that might haue suruiued and remained both to the generall vse of the commonwealth and the particular benefit of priuate estates When Theeues and Robbers secretly invade the goods of their neighbours or by strong hand strip them out of all that they carry about them perchance therby do either vtterly impouerish their estate in the robbery or violate their bodies with stripes wounds to disable them or take away their liues from them When sicknesse comes and weakens the labourer that he cannot worke and disableth any from the execution of his duetie either in his owne priuate or in the common affaires of state When a forraine enemie inuadeth our land and layes claime to all our labours with Haec mea sunt veteres migrate Coloni These all these be frequent effects of the absolute will of God and coming to passe wee know that God would haue it so the will of God is therein reuealed the motiues and reasons inducing him the vses and ends by him intended are to vs vnknown they may as Saint Augustine saith seeme to vs sometimes strange and seuere but they are alwayes iust We haue no fence against the vexation and sorrow of these sad euents but to rest our selues vpon the will of God and to say in submission and prostration to it fiat voluntas tua In this acception of the will of God these words are an humble contentednesse with all that God doth and they are a prayer to God to giue vs a passiue obedience that we may embrace with thankefull cherefulnesse all that God will put vs to This is the duety of our full subiection to this supreme Monarch whose kingdome we pray for wee know that there can be no errour or iniustice in his administration of this kingdom for he doth al things by a power that is managed with wisedome and sweetned with goodnesse and mercy and seasoned with equall iustice 2 For the doing of the will of God reuealed to vs in the holy word of God we pray first that the kingdome of God may come which is the kingdome of light by which wee see what is the will of God acceptable and perfect and then we pray to God for actiue obedience that he will giue vs grace to doe that which is good and which he requireth at our hands according to his will We haue great need to make this arequest to God for of our selues as of our selues wee are not able to think a good thought And there is none that doth good no not one all corrupt and abominable All the imaginations of the thoughts of our hearts are onely euill continually The worst is so it is with vs and we cannot helpe it if to will be present with vs we faile in performance of good Holy Ieremie confesseth it O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himselfe it is not in man that walketh to direct his steppes We haue a great example in our first parents who in the state of perfect nature embraced temptation and forsooke the obedience of the reuealed will of God in one easie commandement How then can we hope whose nature is corrupted with so many sinnes to maintaine any fit correspondence with the holy will of God reuealed in so many great Commandements Primam Magnum secundum simile Nature is now so sicke of that reluctancy to this will of God that the Law of God which should be the bridle to hold vs in is become the spur to put vs on into all kind of euill as the Apostle saith The strength of sinne is the Law So strong is our weakenesse against the will of our God Nec nos obniti contrà nec tendere tantum Sufficimus And as Medaea said Trahit invitos noua vis aliudque cupido Mens aliud suadet Wee shall see our selues best in the glasse the cleare Christall mirrour of the holy will of God to which he requireth our actiue obedience For this will of his is reuealed to vs. 1 In the 2 Tables of his Law which containeth the rule of workes 2 In the holy Gospell which containeth the rule of faith 1 For the first The will of God concerning our obedience to his Law 1 This will of God beginneth at our conuersion wee are by nature strangers and aliens from the common-wealth of Israel therefore God calleth vpon vs for our conuersion to him Christ complaineth of such as refuse him They will not come to me that they may haue life The Prophet declareth this to be the will of God Say vnto them as I liue saith the Lord I haue no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne
crucis non haberet signo tamen crucis samuniri curabat To that place came a congregation of euill spirits declaring to their chiefe an account of the euill they had suggested that day One of them told how he had tempted one Andreas a Bishop to some loose desires the chiefe of them and all the rest vrged his further proceeding therein After espying themselues ouer heard by the Iew which lay quietly by them they thought to haue done him a mischiefe but he was so fenced with the signe of the Crosse that they could not but left him and disappeared The next day the Iew told the Bishop what hee had heard what he had done and the Bishop was by him preserued against Sathan he by the Bishop catechised and baptised Thomas Cantipratanus a suffragan Bishop a great collectour and register of miracles reports from his own eyes he saith Proprijs oculis vidi hee trauailed 40. miles of purpose and there laet is oculis vidit One Voluandus a Prior of the Predicants vsed euer in life often to signe his brest with the signe of the Crosse his bones after being taken vp to be deposited in another place they saw vpon his breast bone the signe of the Crosse of a massie and bony substance quasi scutum cordis I should surfet your christian patience if I should recount to you the legend of Saint Francis and the Wolfe how he saued himselfe and ouercame the cruelty of the Wolfe onely by the signe of the Crosse and after by gentle perswasions made the Wolfe as tame as any Lambe and made the Wolfe promise him neuer to vse any cruelty againe For why should it not bee as possible for a Wolfe to speake as an Asse These things the Roman faith doth follow as Esau did the red potage that lost him the blessing And such lying Legends as these doe beget such an opinion of the signe of the crosse that many simple ignorants thinke themselues sufficiently fortified against all euill by that signe George Dowley a Priest set forth a Catechisme in English in An. 1616. 1 Chapter of the signe of the Crosse Where he perswadeth this manner of blessing our selues against all euill Making with the thumbe a crosse vpon the forehead against all euill thoughts Another vpon the mouth against euill words The third vpon the breast against euill workes which proceed from the heart saying By the signe of the holy Crosse from all our enemies deliuer vs good Lord. This is modest blasphemy compared with that in the Breuiary of the Church of Rome where vpon the feast of the Inuent of the crosse the people are required to prostrate themselues before the crosse and to say these words O crux splendidior astris salva catervam in tuis laudibus congregatam Is not this a flying from our father which is in heauen to seeke helpe against euills from a creature the work of mans hands thus doth the idolatrous Church of Rome dishonour God with highest contumely and blasphemy In like manner their desertion of God is further declared in their inuocations of the virgin Mary of Angels and Saints and their images their Agni Dei hallowed graines and Medailes which the superstitious papists doe beare about them as their munition and defence against euils that God may renew his old complaint My people haue committed two euils they haue forsaken me the fountaine of liuing waters and hewed them out Cisternes that can hold no water Against this damnable error and practise let vs learne of him that teacheth vs here to pray of whom we may seeke for deliuerance from all euills let vs obserue the way of the faithfull in all ages of the Church and see who gaue them deliuerance and whither they resorted in all feares and pressures and we shall find that all the faithfull haue sought and found deliuerance no where but in the arme of our father which is in heauen 3 The duties of such as moue God in this petition Let vs see where this petition is placed for it is the last request that we make to God in this prayer teaching vs that none are capable of deliuerance from the power and fury of the Deuill but such as desire of God heartily and zealously 1 That the name of God may haue right done to it by him by hallowing of it 2 That the kingdome of God may rule him 3 That he may liue in obedience of the holy will of God all his life 4 That he may liue vnder the prouidence of God seeking his meat from him and receiuing it with his blessing thankfully and contentedly 5 That he may be pardoned all his sinnes in the mercy of God and shew mercy himselfe to such as offend him 6 That he may be free from new defections or relapses He that faithfully beleeueth and feruently desireth and heartily prayeth for these spirituall graces may safely pray it out Libera nos à malo Therefore all the duties of zeale and piety of knowledge obedience charity temperance mercy repentance godly life are required of him that sollicites this sute to God to be deliuered from all euill for hee that would not suffer ill must take heed as much as hee can to doe none The first caution directeth vs how to compose our selues for this petition that we may preuaile with our God for deliuerance that is by seeking first the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof by desiring to liue in the sober and thankfull vse of his creatures and maintaining a good conscience toward God and men 2 Seeing we pray for deliuerance from all euill wee are admonished to decline and avoid all the occasions of euill he that would not haue his teeth set on edge let him not taste of sowre grapes it is the forbidden fruit that embroileth vs in all the calamities of life that vnparadiseth vs and turnes vs ouer to labour and sorrow It is a certaine signe of our regeneration if wee haue a care to keepe our selues from these euills As S. Iohn saith We know that he that is borne of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not Which words doe shew that there is a seed of grace in the elect whereby they may keepe themselues from the touch of Sathan The way to keepe our selues from this danger is by Saint Paul thus opened Holding faith and a good conscience 1 Holding faith that is depending only vpon God for our safety louing him and cleauing to him trusting him and resting vpon him desiring the constant course of his vnchangeable loue to vs in Christ Iesus For nothing doth more establish our hearts in faith then the sweet experience that we haue had of Gods former mercies and loue to vs from which we conclude the vndoubted assurance of his future prouidence This was Dauids plea. By thee haue I beene holden vp from the wombe thou art he that tooke me out of my mothers