me Secondly to examine my selfe whether I finde my selfe invvardly i 1 Cor. 4 4. ioe 2. 12. 13. mat 26. 15. 2. coâ— 7. 10. 11. sory for my sinnes vvith an inward hatred and lothing of sinne and an k Rom 6. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 8. 11. phi 3. 13. 14. earnest desire and sure purpose vvholly to conforme my selfe to the vvill of Gods word Thirdly iâ— any offence be betwixt others and me that I l Mat 5. 23 24. reconcile my selfe vnto them All these thinges although they ought earnstly to be considered in the vvhole course of our m Lu. 1. 74. 75. life yet Our works imperfect True causes of well doing then especially vvhen vve come to the Supper of the Lorde PA. Sith that this is then the doctrine of saluation that when vve vvere dead through sinne God of his great mercy sent his sonne to be made man to dye for our sinnes and to fulfill all righteousnes a Math. 315. that he might bring agayne lyfe into the vvorlde and so giue that lyfe vnto euery one whosoeuer should receiue the holy Ghost to beleeue that so vve might be saued by fayth vvho before were condemned by our vvorkes VVhereto then now serueth our wel-doing or vvhat auayleth it to do good workes TI. True it is our good vvorkes deserue b Esai 64. 6. pro. 35. 7. psal 16 2. nothing at Gods hand for in his sight our good vvorkes are not good and all our righteousnesse is like a defiled cloth and vvere they neuer so manye yet by them God receyueth nothing at our handes and all our vvell doing extendeth not vnto him and therefore if vve vvill aske any thing by vvorkes we must aske of them of whom we haue deâ—erued it at the hands of God we can aske nothing and therfore as touching merite we will let our vvorkes alone but we haue greater causes of vvell doing and which ought more to enforce vs then eyther lyfe or death vve must do vvell first to shevve our thankfull c Rom. 6. 11. 12. 12. â— 1 pet 2. 5. heartes to our Sauiour Christ to testifie our loue towards him vvith keeping his commandementes by which workes vve make our election more certaine vnto our selues Againe vve ought to doe vvell that our example may call our brethren vnto righteousnesse that they also may become with vs of the houshold of fayth But the greatest cause of all other is that in our vveldoing we â—et forth the d Mat. 5. 16. 1. Cor. 6. 20. 1. pet 2. 12. glory of God and VVhat is required in good works Fiue things to bâ— obsâ—râ—ed Prayer his holy name is praysed in our good vvorkes This ought to be so precious in our eyes that ten thousand helles and heauens should not so much moue vs. This is the excellency of verue that God in it is glorified and this is the great horror and confusion of sinne that God in it is dishonoured PA. VVhat vvorkes callest thou good vvorkes TI. Our good workes can neuer be good and acceptable in the sight of God vnlesse in doing them vve keepe these two thinges first that they be framed according to the a Ephes 2. 10. Colo. â— 20 21. tit 1. 14 deut 12. 32. â—sai 29. â—3 mat 15. 9. vvill of Gods lawes and commaundements Secondly that they proceede from an heart b Rom. 24 23. heb 11. 6. purged by fayth If eyther of these two points be lacking our workes are abhominable in the sight of God although they appeare neuer so glorious in the sight of men PA. Because prayer is our especiall meanes which God vvill haue vs vse to increase in fayth tell mee vvhat belongeth to true prayer TI. It is requisite in true prayer that vve obserue these fiue thinges First that vve make our prayers c Psal 56. 15. 81. 9. rom 10. 13. â—am 1. 5. math 4. 10. onely to God d Ioh 14 13. 15. 16. 16. 23. through Christ and not to Saints Secondly that vve be inwardly e 2. Iohn 5 14. Ioh. 4 23 24. Psal 51. 17. 145. 18. 2. ero 20 12. math 1. 7. rom 8. â—6 touched with the neede of the thing we aske hauing our mind wholly bent therevpon and not carryed avvaye vvith bye thoughts Thirdly that our praiers be grounded vpon f â—am 1. 6. math 11 24. 1. Iohn 5. 15. Gods promises vvith full assurance that they shal be graunted so farre as the Lorde doth knovve them to be meete and needefull for vs. Fourthly that vve g Luk 18. 1. 2. 3 e rom 12. 12. 1. thes 5. 17. Col 4. 2. eph 6. 18. continue in praier although vve obtaine not our requests as the first Fiftly that vve aske not those thinges vvhich we thinke h â—am 4. 3. rom 8. 26. good in our ovvne fantasie but i 1. Ioh. 5. 41. onely that vvhich God commandeth The Lordâ— Prâ—yer The manner and order how we â—hould â—raâ— vs to aske of him all which thinges be contained in the a Math. 6. 9 luke 11. 1. 2. Lords prayer PA. Reherse the Lords prayer TI. Our Father vvhich art in heauen hallovved c. PA. VVhat desirest thou in this prayer TI. Marke and I vvill shew thee in the forme of a prayer PA. Say on TI. O almighty and eternall God which vouâ—hsafest that we as it were thy heauenly children shold euery one of vs call thee our heauely b Math. 23. 9. eph 5. 20. 4. 6. col 1. 12. heb 12. 9. 1. ioh 3. 1. esai 63. 16. 1. Petition farther grant that thy holy name may be glorified among vs c Psa 145. 1. 113. 2. 3. rom 11. 36 1. 20. 16. 27. esai 40. 21. â—irst in the reuerent contemplation of thy excellent workes in heauen and in earth Secondly becauâ—e moste properly liuely and comfortably tâ—ou hâ—ste made thy self known vnto vs by thy holy d Deut. 4. 32. eph 4. 6. word especially by thy promise of grace freely pardoning and receiuing vs into thy fauour for Christ Iesus sake Thirdly e Rom. 22. 24. rom 1. 9. 14. 15. 16. 1. cor 2. 6. 11. 1 ich 4. 13. esa 52. 5. ezech 36. 20. â— Petition in that thou by the working of thy holy spirite dost effectually frame our hearts to loue righteousnesse and hate iniquity Graunt that thus in all things thou onely mayâ—st be had in honour all other set aside Graunt that thy kingdome may flourish that is that thy holy spirite may beare rule vvithin vs to all heauenly delight and that thy holy word may haue the preheminence to be our onely law of righteousnes which we may all obey Graunt that the kingdome of thy grace and mercye may reigne continually in our harts so that we may bee partakers of the realme of thy glory and maiestye f Math. 32. 5. 19. Declare thy selfe Lord and King ouer
payd in Christ yet seeing there can no vnrighteousnesse dwell vvith God how canst thou stand before Gods iudgement seat as righteous seeing thou haste no righteousnesse but such as is stayned vvith so many sinnes TI. I stand as iust and righteous before the throne of God not clothed with mine ovvne righteousnesse vvhich I haue vvrought in mine ovvne perperson but with the f 1 Cor 1 30. 2. Corin. 5. 27. righteousnesse of Iesus Christ vvhich righteousnesse beeing taken hold vpon by a g Abac. 2. â— rom 3. 28. ios 3. 18. gal 2. 16. 3 11. eph 2. 8. true and liuely fayth is made mine Thus am I iust in the sight of God not in respecte of mine ovvne vvorkes vvhich I haue vvrought but taking holde vpon Christes workes to be mine by fayth PA. Doth not this make men runne into all sinne and vvickednesse TI. No for this true fayth as soone as it is wrought The summe of our fayth One God in distinct persons in vs through the holy a Ioh. 3. 3. 5 eph 4. 20 21. 8. col 3. 9 10. rom 6. 6. 12. 12. ghost doth frame our harts anew and causeth vs to b Rom 7. 23. detest hate loth and abhorre sinne in all men but specially in our selues make vs to haue our whole c Rom 5. 11. delight and ioye in those thinges which be agreeable to Gods will and causeth vs also to d Rom. â— 11. 12. mat 7. 17. ioh 15. 5. expresse the same in our life and conuersation or elâ—e it is no true fayth but a e Iam. 2 17. deade fayth PA. Rehearse the â—umme of this fayth TI. I beleeue in God the father almighty c. PA. VVhy mâ—kest thou mention of God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost seeing there is but one God TI. As the scripture teacheth vs most plainely that there is but one God so likewise it teacheth vs that in this dinine essence three persons do subsist being in deede distinct in their seuerall properties the father f Maâ—h 3. 16. 28. 19. 1. ioh 5. 7. the sonne and the holy Ghoste which three persons are one God g Act. 17. 22. deut 4. 12. 1. cori 12. 11. eternall infinite most perfect in it selfe And when God shall giue vs such eies as shall be able to see the glorious maiestye of his Godhead then we shall haue also such heauenly wisedome as shall easily perceiue the distinction of the persons In the meane while vve vvill beleeue the truth of his eternaâ—l worde and hate and detest all contraty heresies PA. God grant vnto vs all this sobrietie But tell me now what beleeuest thou concerning God the Father TI. Firste I beleeue that God the Father through Christ into h Ioâ— 1. 12. rom 8. 1. 11. galac 3. 26. whose body I am grafted by fayth is not onely a i Rom. 8 25. 16 2 Corin. 6. 18. father of other faithfull but euen my father and therefore loueth k Rom. 5. 8. 9. â—sâ— 54. 6. 7. 8. me Secondly that he Christ God and man Christ our Lord and Sauiour is almighty that is that he hath all a Esa 45 5 6. 7. 12 46 10. 11. power in his hande guiding and ruling all things so that nothing can be done in b Amos. 3. 6. psa 139. 7. 8. 9. 10. heauen earth nor hell without his prouidence PA. VVhat beleeuest thou concerning God the Sonne TI. I beleue that Iesus Christ is one God c Rom. 9. 5. 1. â—â—h 10. 11. in sub stance vvith the Father and the holy Ghoste took d Rom. 1. 3. math 1. 20. flesh of the virgine and is become perfect man as I am in all things sinne onely excepted e Heb. 2. 14. 15 and in my nature hath wrought for me whatsoeuer is needeful for my saluation PA. VVhat meaneth the name Iesus TI. Iesus is as much to say a f Math. 1. 21. Sauiour because he hath saued his people from their sinnes PA. VVhy is he called Christ TI. Because he was ordayned of the Father and was annointed of the holy g Eph 4. 7. ioh 3. 34. luk 4. 18. Ghost the highest prophet and Doctor vvhich hath opened vnto vs the secrete counsell and all the vvill of his Father concerning our redemption and deliueraunce and the h Heb. 9. 26. 28. 7. 25. highest priest who with one sacrifice offering of his body and no mo hath appeased Gods vvrath bought vs againe and continually maketh intercession for vs to his Father and a king vvhich gouerneth vs by his worde and his spirite and defendeth and keepeth the saluation vvhich vve haue gotten by him PA. In vvhat respect sayest thou that hee is our Lord. TI. Not onely because we are his creatures but chiefly because he buying i 1 Cori. 6. 20. againe our bodies and souls from sinne not k 1. Pet. 1. 18. 19. Act. 20. 28. Apo. 5. 9. with gold nor siluer but with Christ is our Lord. Suffered vnder Ponce Pilate Crucified dead and buried his precious bloud and also deliuering them from the captiuity and tyranny of the diuell to set them in full spirituall liberty and to leade and gouerne them as a spirituall king and to make them partakers vvith him of his heauenly kingdom hath a Mala. 1. 6. claymed vs for his ovvne proper Seruaunts and peculier people vvhich he hath vvoon to him selfe and can by right belong to none other Lord or master PA. VVhat meanest thou when thou sayest He suffered vnder Ponce Pilate TI. Because the maner of death which men doe suffer by the sentence of the Iudge and vnder the title of Iustice is more b Deut. 21. 23. philip 2. 8. gal 2. 13. shamefull slaundrous and terrible then if a man shoulde dye naturally in his bed therefore Christe tooke on him our person to shevv him selfe before an c Psal 2. 2. act 4. 27. 28. earthly Iudge and to be condemned by the d Math. 27. 26. iohn 19. 1. 13. 19. mouth of Pilate he beeing then Iudge that thereby vve might be cleared before the iudgement seat of God PA. VVhat meanest thou vvhen thou sayest Christ vvas crucified dead and buried TI. I meane that he payde the whole and full satisfaction for our sinnes which he tooke vpon him he vvas bound to vnbinde vs condemned to e Esa 53 12. Rom. 1. 8. 1. Pet. 2. 24. deliuer vs he suffred great and infinite shame to deliuer vs from all confusion hee vvas nayled f Colos 2. 14. luk 23. 33. on the Crosse to fasten thereon our sinnes he dyed and sustained the cursse and malediction which was g Gal. 3. 13. 14. due to vs to appease the vvrath of God for euer by his onely oblation once made he was h Math. 27. 57. 58. mark 15. 43. luk 23. 52. ioh 19. 40. buried to approue and verifie his death and to
see O Lorde my God the vvhole course of my life to be almost nothing else but a continual breaking of thy holy lawes commaundementes The thoughts of my heart eyther in vanity or else in open wickednes are in number infinite and through the aboundance of them my mouth is dayly prouoked to speake and my bodye stirred vp to do execute contrary to thy holy wil. A Godly Prayer And againe O Lord I see thy heauy vvrath vengeance and iudgement against sinne to be intollerable so that the least vvicked thought and moste secret cogitation of my heart procureth thy vvrath cursse vvhich haue none ende the tormentes of hell and euerlasting fire yea although in all my life I had but once in thought broken any one of thy coÌ„maundements a Exod 20. 5. luk 18. 7. 8. psal 5. 5. 2. cor 6. 14. And I know O Lorde God that thou art true and iust and canst not abide sinn and vvickednesse but vvilt iustly punish euery sinn with the selfe same tormentes of hell vvhich thy iustice hath appointed This O Lorde my God throweth me dovvne and amazeth me so that I knovve not vvhat to doe I looke into my selfe vievving mine ovvne povver vvhether I am able to ouercome this punishment of sinne or no and I see that the most cruell and paynefull punnishmente that I can deuise to my selfe as in vvhipping my body all the dayes of my life wearing haire cloth pining my selfe vvith fasting or any other payne I see I see O Lord that all this punishment is not sufficient for b Luke 17. 10. collos 2. 23. one of my least sinnes bcause it deserueth the euerlasting paynes of hell I looke to heauen I see there is no Saint nor Angell able to abide and. c iohn 14. 10. 12. 31. 16. 32. 2. cor 5. 19. ouercome this horrible punishment of sinne I looke to men in this vvorlde euen to them that chalenge to themselues the titles of holines and hye perfection but alas I see no remedy in them I finde no difference for al are in like fault and condemnation al haue gone out of the way al are made altogether vn profitable ther is none that doth good no not one All by nature are the children of vvrath all are as A Godly Prayer a Esa 119. 167 sheepe going astray and therefore haue neede to turne vnto the chiefe shepheard and hye bishop of their soules Thus vevving the vvhole race of mankinde alasse I see no hope among the children of men for all their holinesse righteonsnesse and perfection is not able to satisfie for one of the least of their ovvne vvicked thoughtes much lesse for mine or others seeing the punishment is by thy iust decree and sentence thy euerlasting cursse VVherfore I am driuen from my selfe and all that I can doe to â—eeke this punishment â—ischarged othervvhere or else to quayle and perishe for euer vnder the heauy burden of sinne I see there is no hope for me in An gelles Saints and mortall men but only in that perfect man Christ Iesus thy deare sonne in vvhome I see the full punishment of my sinnes fully payed satisfied discharged and ouercome In him I see death vanquished the payne of hell in victory svvallovved vp the cursse satisfied the eternity of the punishment through his euerlasting povver ouerreached This I see O Lorde by the eyes of sayth beeing through thy holye spirite fully assured that all the vvhole punishment of sinne payed by my Sauiour Christ is not onely payd for other men but also for me and my sinne This assurance of my fayth being thy onely vvorke in me I beseech thee in mercy to strengthen and b Lukâ— 17. 5. increase for I feele it often full of vvauering and doubting Graunt that I may dayly more and more in my soule and conscience feel my selfe knit and grafted into the bodye of thy son vvherby I may be assured that vvhat soeuer he hath done pertaineth to me and is fully vvholly mine that I may through the povver of his death feel sin A Godly Praeyer a Rom. 6. 6. 7. 8 7. 6. 8. 10. dayly die in me through the povver of his resurrection feel my selfe risen from sinne to haue my ful ioy comfort in those thinges vvhich be agreeable to thy holy vvill commandements vtterly hating and abhorring from my heart al thinges vvhich be contrary to thy vvill and pleasure that euen in this life I may still looke for thy blessed hope and b Act 17. 31. 1. corin 1. 7. titus 2. 11. 13. philip 3. 20. heb 9 28. 1. peter 3. 12. appearing of the glory of the almighty God of our sauiour Iesus Christ vsing the things of this vvorld as though I c Mat. 25 34. vsed them not till that good time bâ—e come in vvhich it shall please thee to call me to thy euerlasting kingdome of glory there to reigne vvith my Lord and sauionr Iesus Christe for euer and euer Amen VVhat it is to giue glory to God PAVLE WHat is it I pray thee tell me to giue glory to God TITVS No man can yeeld true glory vnto God without the true knowledge of Christ a 1. Cor. 20. 31 ephe 4 3. 21. iudg 15. apoc 4. 9. 5. 13. 19. 7. Verily man was created to this ende that he should glorifie his Creator But through the fall of our first parentes it came to passe that neither he knew God aright b Rom. 1. 20. 21 noâ— gloâ—ified him aright If thou demaunde what it is to giue glorye vnto God to giue glory vnto any bodye is nothing else but to attribute true vertue vnto him as vvhen some King dealeth iustly vvisâ—ly valiauntly and mercifully his subiectes yeeld him glory that is to say his subiectes like well of his doynges and vvith singuler good vviâ—l doe blaze them abroad And in like vvise is c Iosua 7. 29. 1 sam 6 5. ioh 9. 24. VVisdome of God Iob 12. 13. rom 16 27. iere 51. 15. Righteousnesse of God 1. Tim 2. 5. ioh 1. 14. rom 1 3. 8. 2 gal 4. 4. 1. cor 1 30 hebr 1. 10. 11. Math 3 15. Rom. 5. 18. 2. cor 5. 21. glory giueÌ„ vnto God when his vertues are rightly acknowledged and felt as his wisedome his righteousnes his puissance his mercifulnes his truth and such others The wisedome of God is seene in this that he repaireth againe men vvhome he had created to his glory so as he might be his sonne borne of a virgine recouer again the image of God which he had lost through sinne and so giue glory to the wisdom of God His righteousnes is seene by this that hee would not receiue into fauour man that had sinned vvithout amendes made for the wrong that he had done for vvhere as it was of necessity that eyther man must haue perished euerlastingly for his sinne or else that some one of mankinde