from his way and liue Turne ye Turne ye from your euill wayes for why will yee die O house of Israel So our Sauiour It is not the will of your Father that is in heauen that one of these little ones should perish To declare this to be his will he rose early to send his Prophets to his people to conuert them to him And our Sauiour in the Gospell doth resemble himself to that good shepherd that went into the wildernesse to seeke a straied sheep to bring it backe to the flocke to the woman that lighted a Candle and swept her house and sought diligently till she found her lost groat Both of them made merry when they found what they had lost Such ioy God hath in the conuersion of a sinner When a profane person becommeth holy when a couetous person turneth liberall when a drunkard becometh sober and a glutton temperate when a swearer feareth an oath a lier loueth the truth when a breaker of the Sabbath is glad when it is sayd to him Come let vs goe vp to the house of the Lord and answereth them My feete shall stand in thy gates O Ierusalem When an oppressor turnes mercifull and a proud man humble and a contentious man quiet and peaceable this is as God would haue it and this is ioy to the Almighty and the Angels of heauen reioyce in it for this is the will of God But in the contrarie our sinnes doe grieue the holy one of Israel grieue not the spirit of God our sinnes do ouercharge him hee complaineth that he is like a Cart ouerladen with sheaues Our sinnes put him into a storme of indignation therfore our conuersion is his will 2 Seeing out conuersion beginneth at the abnegation of our selues that also is the will of God he that will be my Disciple saith our Sauiour must forsake all and follow me Sua suos se as Saint Bernard and none is acceptable according to his wil but he that is a new Creature This maketh a perfect conuersion and this incorporateth vs in the body of the Church for God doth not will our forsaking of our selues and renouncing of the world for our hurt and losse but for our greater good that he himselfe may be our rocke and fortresse our refuge and exceeding great reward 3 The will of God is our obedience to his holy lawes which he hath giuen vs as his couenant that in keeping of them it might goe well with vs. His owne mouth hath reuealed his will in this point O that there were such an heart in them that they would feare me and keepe my Commandements alwayes that it might be well with them and with their children for euer Wherein God is not a seuere exactor of more duetie then we are able to performe but requireth our best endeuour to doe his will and taketh that for pay Neither doth he will this to make profit to himselfe of our obedience but for vs that it may be well with vs and our children for euer 4 The will of God is our holinesse in this obedience that we purge our Conscience from dead workes that we may serue the liuing God That we possesse our vessels that is our bodies in holinesse for they be Vasa animarum a treasure in earthen vessels of great price immortall soules in mortall bodies For this is the will of God euen your sanctification hee giueth the reason of it For God hath not called vs to vncleanesse but to holi 〈…〉 And this was figured in the washings and purifications of the old law and directly commanded by God saying Be ye holy as I am holy But ye are a royall Priesthood Gens sancta 2 The will of God concerning faith is that we beleeue in him and trust him they that know thy name will trust in thee that we cast all our care vpon him that we belieue in him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ and this also for our eternall good For so saith our Sauiour And this is the will of him that sent me that euery one which seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him may haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day This is the law of faith and it is the law of life For it is written The iust man shall liue by faith How needfull this petition is that the will of God may be wrought in vs this way by faith we may soone see 1 If we consider our naturall infidelity for the natural man is so far from beleeuing that he hath not the vnderstanding to discerne those things which belong to the spirit of God neither can hee saith the Apostle for they are spiritually discerned And without faith it is impossible to please God This infidelitie must be purged before the will of God can be done by vs and till this be purged the very preaching of the word the meanes ordained by God to beget faith in vs seemeth foolishnesse For it is as much labour lost to preach spiritual things to a man that hath no faith as to vrge naturall reasons to a man that hath no wit for neither of these vessels be open to receiue any of this pretious liquor stopt with ignorance and vnbeleefe 2 We haue reason to aske this of God because faith is his gift and though he suffereth vs to acquire it by little and little by the hearing of the Word yet the word of God is not any better then litera mortua in it selfe except the holy Ghost do worke by it to beget first then to nourish and encrease our faith 3 Because as Saint Cyprian obserueth well Nobis à diabolo obsistitur quo minus per omnia noster animus atque actus deo obsequatur and therefore he addeth Vt fiat voluntas dei à nobis opus est voluntate dei i. e. ope et protectione quia nemo suis viribus fortis est This is a potent aduersarie hath both his temptations to allure vs and his prouocation to vexe vs wee had need craue ayd against him and God hath laid help vpon one that is mightie to giue vs helpe we had need pray for faith to fasten our hold vpon that helpe If either by fight or flight we can put him off and lay hold vpon the hornes of this altar sub hac indulgentia et misericordia saith Cyprian tuti sumus This enemie hath a great aduantage of vs because of the treason of our owne wils for nothing is more prone and propense to euill then the will of man and there is nothing in man that man loues more then to haue his will euen the regenerate man findeth his will wilfull often and vnruly still We had neede to pray for the will of God to put in to correct and direct our wills 3 The manner how we desire this will of God to be done As in heauen so in earth The 3 first petitions that are addressed mainely to the honour of God end at these
his Church and his vpright iustice in the finall confusion of all his enemies Then shall our glory be full when God is all in all and raigneth absolute soueraigne without any eclipse of glory by the interposure of opposition These are the full contents of this petition 3 What duties we learne from hence The proper duties arising from hence doe concerne vs 1 In our reference to our God 2 In the regard of our selues 3 In regard of our neighbours 1 In our reference to God 1 That wee seeke and labour to aduance the kingdome of God by all meanes that God may exercise his power and grace and mercy and glory freely and fully and that neither our ignorance nor infirmity nor iniquity may obscure his glory or resist his gouernment knowing for what wee were made that wee might bee temples of the holy Ghost that Christ might rule in our hearts by faith that wee might glorifie God in our bodies and in our soules because in our creation he gaue vs a perfect being and in our redemption hee accomplisht a full and perfect restitution of vs to his fauour and to all those full benefits which follow the same namely that Christ is made to vs of God wisedome iustification sanctification and finall redemption from all sinne and punishment For this what shall we render to the Lord is not this a debt that we owe to him to seeke the aduancement of his glory all that we can and to set forth his praise 2 In regard of our selues 1 It is our dutie to liue like subiects of this kingdome that is humbled vnder the mighty hand of God to the obedience of his will and stooped vnder the correcting hand with patience to beare his chastenings though for the present they seeme grieuous Contented with the state of life and the proportion of Gods allowance to vs for we resist his gouernment and repine at his administration of the world if wee bee not content with that which he bestoweth on vs resting vpon his holy prouidence in the vse of lawfull meanes for godlinesse and contentednesse must be ioyned in vs and our hearts must not fasten vpon things temporall but wee must looke before vs to the full reward which God hath laid vp for vs. 2 Seeing we liue vnder the kingdome of Gods grace in which we haue the liberty of that holy meanes by which we may grow vp to be perfect men in Christ Iesus We must not turne this grace of God into wantonnesse by abusing it to our owne perdition but like thriftie Merchants make the vttermost of these holy commodities that is Of the free liberty of the Word and Sacraments and of the house of God and his Saints of the ministerie of the Word and the holy writings of learned and pious men set forth for our further building vp to be an house for the Lord. Not in surfetting and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse not in strife and enuying this is not the way to heauen New creatures 3 Seeing wee liue in expectation of the kingdome of Gods glory our duty is to obserue and remember our latter end and to consider that our whole life is our way to this kingdome let vs therefore hasten toward it to meete it comming towards vs this was Iobs holy Meditation All the daies of my appointed time will I waite till my changing shall come And when death shall come let vs know and beleeue that it is no more but a translation from death to life and Transitus ad Regnum 4 Seeing wee pray for the comming of Gods glory that he may raigne ouer all let vs while we are here begin an heauen vpon earth by praising and magnifying the name of the Lord and practise the new song of the Church here that being admitted into the Quire of the iust we may not cease night and day to glorifie him in heauen where we shall be able to doe it more fully and perfectly 5 Let vs consider that there is no such way to make happy our temporall life as to liue thus in the humble subiection to this kingdome for who shall harme you if you doe that which is good godlinesse hath the promises of both liues and all things turne to the best to them that loue God 3 In regard of our neighbours We must seeke to draw one another to Gods kingdome like those in the Prophet They helped euery one his neighbour and euery one said to his brother be of good courage So the Lord Repent and turne others from their transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine And many shall goe and say come ye and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his waies and wee shall walke in his pathes O house of Iacob come ye and let vs walke in the light of the Lord this kingdome doth not breed iealousie here is enough for all LVC. 11.2 Thy will be done as in heauen so earth OBserue the coherence of these petitions which are martialed with such excellent wisedome that the first of them is the end which we aime at that God may be hallowed in vs in his holy name and so haue from vs the honour due to him And that this may bee effected in vs wee pray in the second petition for the aduancement establishment and enlargement of Gods kingdome both of power grace and glory And now in this third Petition wee pray that this kingdome of God being erected amongst vs we may by his grace liue in due subiection to it that the Church militant in earth may honour him euen so as the Church triumphant doth in heauen In the handling whereof 1 We must vnderstand what is meant by the will of God 2 Quid hoc est facere 3 How this will is desired to be done as in heauen so in earth 4 What duties are taught herein 1 What is this will of God The will of God is vnderstood two waies 1 As it is in it selfe by which hee intendeth createth gouerneth and disposeth all things according to the good pleasure of his will and so the will of God is both absolute necessitating all euents which hee hath foreseene and determined and of that the Apostle speaketh saying who hath resisted his will and of that Christ saith fiat voluntas tua and of that those holy seruants of God spake who when they could not disswade Pauls going to Ierusalem they ceased saying The will of the Lord be done 2 The will of God is vnderstood to bee that manifestation of his seruice and our dutie which directeth vs what to doe and what to eschew what to beleeue and what to aske according to his will and this is written and reuealed to vs in holy Scripture I dare not with our many English Writers vpon this Petition quite exclude the absolute will of God and limit the Petition onely to
brethren and sisters from sicknesse the returne of our friends from long voyages the prosperous successe of our affaires yet God hath sometimes decreed against these yet wee may pray without sinne in all these cases We finde great examples hereof for the Prophets Moses himself haue praied to God against his will when he hath declared it and when God hath sent the Prophets they haue both threatned in the name of the Lord and yet exhorted to repentance and prayer to diuert the iudgement menaced Abraham for Sodome Dauid prayeth for the life of his childe which was appointed to death and so much Nathan told Dauid before Christ who came of purpose to taste that cup and knew that his fathers will was that he should drinke of it yet doth pray the Father to take it away Which he did 1 Partly to expresse the heauy sufferings that he was to sustaine for our sakes that wee may know wee were bought at a deere rate and an high price was paid for our redemption for it is applied to Christ by the Fathers and fulfilled in Christ Haue ye no regard all ye that passe by the way Consider and behold if euer there were sorrow like my sorrow which was done vnto me wherewith the Lord did afflict me in the day of the fiercenesse of his wrath No man can tell the Angels of God would faine know all the ingredients in this cup which Christ did deprecate It is best left with admiration and wonder at it with due consideration of it as the bitterest cup that euer was tempered by the hand of God not so much for the bodily passion as for the inward pangs and convulsions that the soule of Christ suffered for the sonnes of his Church 2 For our example to warrant our prayers against all euill for though wee know that the hand of God will smite vs and though wee be resolued with patience to beare it saying with Dauid Loe here I am let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eyes Yet we may lawfully pray reseruing our submission to the will of God that this cup tempered of purpose for vs by the decree of God may be taken from vs. Herein we oppose not the absolute will of God but we oppose the euill malum poenae which is against vs and contrary to vs. 3 For comfort in afflictions for Christ praying his Father though he preuailed not in the maine matter of his suit ad transitum calicis yet he sped another way for in his agonie when there was fire in his bones which melted him that he swet water and bloud There appeared vnto him an Angell from heauen strengthening him For our sakes that wee may see the fruit of our prayers which though they preuaile not for full deliuerance from afflictions yet they may speed for comfort in them and strength to beare them Therefore it is a blasphemous assertion that one of our nouellists vented in print that Christ did directly pray against the will of his Father This cleareth the question in my iudgement our first duty is rightly to know what may concerne vs in the point of Gods absolute and secret will that is that the absolute will of God is to turne all things to the best to them that loue him so farre wee may lawfully pray against that which God hath secretly decreed to doe that his will may bee done vpon vs for our good and his glory Wee deprecate onely that euill that may corrupt either our wisedome faith or patience which is not properly to pray against the will by which this euent is willed but against the sting of it And so Christ prayed transeat amaritudo calicis but euen that with reseruation of his fathers will entire and vnresisted 2 There is required of vs also knowledge of the reuealed will of God The Mine of this treasure of heauenly knowledge of the will of God is holy Scripture which Christ biddeth all men to search and which are profitable to make the man of God perfect absolutely perfect in all good workes These the holy ghost hath recommended to vs with all kinde of holy indulgence and fauour and the blessed man doth exercise himselfe herein day and night To assist this worke of knowledge of his reuealed will as he hath opened the booke of his will to vs the holy Bible so he hath opened the dores of his house to vs for our meetings and therein he hath ordained and established the Euangelicall Priesthood of the new Testament for he sendeth forth Ministers of his gospell to Preach the same and he furnisheth them with his holy instructions directing them what to say and he giueth them their errand then he openeth to them the dore of vtterance that he may declare his will in their mouthes to his Church Then he openeth the vnderstandings and moueth the affections of the hearers to receiue the word of Gods will both in Scientiâ and in Conscientiâ For how can the will of God be done there where it is not knowne nor vnderstood Surely they had no minde to doe the will of God that cried nolumus scientiam viarum tuarum And they that neither studie holy Scriptures nor good helpes in vse for the vnderstanding thereof nor come to Church to heare there what is good and what God requireth at their hands or heare there without profit not heeding or obseruing what is taught all these haue not the care nor conscience of doing Gods will They may giue ouer praying that the will of God may bee done that care not for the knowledge of his will It is said of Christ by his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many 1 Either scientia qua scit for he knoweth who are his and none are predestinate to this life but whom he hath foreknowne 2 Or Scientiâ qua scitur for they that know him and the vertue of his resurrection will trust in him Saint Paul esteemed all things as dung in respect of this knowledge This is life eternall to know thee It is a vaine hope that some haue that their ignorance of the will of God will be pleadable for excuse of their disobedience to it for this may tempt some to liue in ignorance to goe their owne wayes and to extenuate their sinne in the day of their account To put that pretence out of countenance 1 Know that ignorantia affectata is a most heinous sinne it selfe and it abateth nothing of the iudgement due to all the sinnes that are committed in it Noluerunt intelligere vt bene agerent this is the will of God which all know that God who would haue all men to be saued would haue all men come to the knowledge of his truth and we are renewed in knowledge to the image of God And God hath sent his Sonne to giue knowledge of saluation they that will bee darke in so cleare a sunne-shine shew that they loue darkenesse more then light These despise the
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
declare vnto you the whole counsell of God The principall points of our doctrine are what wee must beleeue what wee must doe and what wee must pray for The doctrine of faith the doctrine of good life and the doctrine of prayer Iohn taught all these for 1 He preached Christ to them the ground of faith 2 He exhorted them to repentance and good life 3 He taught them also to pray His example is our direction in all these things You also haue two lessons from hence 1 To stirre vp your selues by the example of other Disciples and other congregations to doe the like if you heare of their diligence in hearing and their proficiencie in learning the duties of Gods worship let their sicut their good example inflame you with holy emulation to make as good a progression in knowledge and piety as they haue made For why should other congregations outlearne you in these necessarie duties doe not you thinke that God will require his good seed of the word sowne in you and examine what you haue done with it 2 You are further to be moued to an holy emulation of Gods graces in your selues to contend with your selues to increase your knowledge adde strength and growth to your iudgement that you may outgrow your owne infancy and minority in that spirituall vegetation which is called incrementum Dei so Andrew that had learned of Iohn comes now to be taught of Christ 3 You haue a faire example to require instruction at the hands of them who haue the ouersight of you you may say to that Archippus as the Disciples of Christ did to Christ teach vs as Iohn taught his Disciples that is you may stirre vp your Minister to teach and instruct you as other faithfull and conscionable Ministers of the word doe instruct their congregations The Apostle biddeth the Colossians say to Archippus Take heed to the ministery which thou hast receiued in the Lord that thou fulfill it You haue the same right to his labours in his calling as he hath to the tithes of your labours Christs Disciples put him to it to teach them and let all people doe the like to their minister LVC. 11.2 And hee said vnto them when you pray say Our Father c. HEre begins Christs answer to the Disciples motion in which you may obserue 1 That he answers 2 What he answers 1 That he answers The answer of Christ is ready and present declaring that he accepteth the persons and the requests of these petitioners and herein hee comforteth such as cannot pray declaring himselfe readie to teach them if they demand it of him and he comforteth them that pray to him for any thing necessarie that he heareth prayers and granteth requests So that they which pretend they cannot pray haue no excuse for they know where they may be taught euen in this it is but aske and it shall be giuen to you If Iohn taught his Disciples to pray how much more and sooner will Christ teach those that come to him if the lampe shined so cleare to his schollars how much brighter will the shine bee of this Sunne of righteousnesse But as they made this motion for themselues and for vs so Christ taught them in his answere for themselues and for vs and for the whole Church to the worlds end Christ is now sitting at the right hand of his father but this record of his answere to direct vs in prayer liues in this book of the eternall gospell here wee may haue it at a short warning and though Iohns prayer be lost and no monument left of it yet this holy direction contained in his answere to his disciples shall remaine and what he saith to them hee saith to all that haue the same desire and affection to learne to pray When you pray say Our father c. Our comfortable lesson from hence is that it is not labour lost to come to Christ with our petitions to bee instructed as he is the wisdome of the father to teach vs so he is the goodnesse and loue of his father and our father to heare and answere our lawfull and good petitions Which Dauid doth make as an encouragement to all men to pray O thou that hearest prayer vnto thee shall all flesh come This is wisdome to know how to speake and what to aske of God and S. Iames biddeth If any of you lack wisdome let him aske of God who giueth to all men liberally 2 What he answereth When you pray say Our father His answere doth containe a forme of holy prayer to be vsed when you pray wherein two mistakes may wrong the good meaning of our Sauiour 1 If wee thinke this so precise a direction for prayer as that we may neuer vse any other words but these in prayer but that all our prayers must be totidem verbis for that that is not our Sauiours meaning is plain in the doctrine of prayer deliuered by our Sauiour in the sermon which he preached on the mount where hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is pray on this manner or to this purpose according to these instructions in this forme contained For I must informe you that the precise frame of the prayer for the words thereof is not punctually the same in S. Matthew and S. Luke which shewes that there is no necssitation of the Church obliging it to the words thereof 2 Another mistake is on the contrary hand when we quite forsake the words which Christ himselfe hath put into our mouthes and esteeme this prayer but as a coppy to write after a mould to make prayers by and not a prayer it selfe This error hath put it selfe in print and some of our nouelists haue taken vpon them to shew reason why this should neuer be vsed for a prayer His late Maiesty of worthy memory giues a quick touch of this erroneous fancy in his learned and godly exposition of the Lords prayer for he saith that the Brownists the authors of this opinion doe approue this prayer for a samplar to make prayers by but refuse it for a prayer because they hold all set formes of prayer vnlawfull His Maiesty saith well that they like praying by descant and not by plainesong by commentary but not by text 1 One reason against the vse of this prayer is because it is Scripture which were a good reason to iustifie the vse of it for that is the vse of Dauids Psalmes and the holy hymnes of Scripture to apply them to our occasion It is Scripture In manus tuas Domine commendo animam meam yet Christ vsed it for a prayer vpon the crosse 2 They alledge that prayer must expresse our wants to God in particular but the Lords prayer is generall Our answer is that both in generall and in particular we must pray to God and therefore our larger prayers doe referre themselues to the generall heads of this prayer and this concludeth them all and this prayer is
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
thou risest vp And Saint Paul doth admonish the Thessalonians Wherefore comfort or exhort your selues together and edifie one another euen as also ye doe This is done by priuate conference when wee enlighten one anothers vnderstanding when wee helpe one anothers memories when we inflame one anothers affections by animating of them in good wayes this is an holy building vp of our selues and others in the knowledge faith and loue of the will of God Men doe grow excellent in their mechanicall trades by diligent exercise of them in their owne persons and by frequent conference with such as vse the same course of life They that studie liuing bookes which are able to read lectures and to resolue doubts and to admit disputation doe learne more speedily and profit more compleately then they that onely conuerse with the dead letter of other mens labours The good man that would profit by the word doth with Dauid hide it in his heart it is an vnualuable treasure and therefore no part of him but his heart fit for the laying of it vp Yet our Sauiour to shew that this treasure is not buried there saith that a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things Which phrase of bringing forth doth agree with this point of doctrine that both to establish our owne memorie and to communicate the grace that is in vs it behoueth vs to speake one to another concerning the will of God that putting that alwaies in sight it may bee the rule of our words and waies For doth not the vncleane person forget that Gods will is his sanctification doth not the ignorant person forget that God would haue all men come to the knowledge of his truth therefore remember and forget not saith the holy ghost 3 To these wee must adde practise by obedience to the will of God that is doing of this will for by nature there is in vs a rebellion to the holy will of God and a desire to walke according to the imaginations of our owne hearts which must be corrected by our endeuour and striuing to liue in the obedience thereof according to the rule of Gods word The law is open written in two Tables we haue them from the hand of God by the ministerie of Moses reade and heare and study the statutes and ordinances of God for your good that it may be well with you and with your children after you for euer Christ fulfilled this law of God in perfect obedience not to exempt vs from the obedience of the same to the vttermost of the measure of grace giuen to vs but to satisfie the iustice of God offended at our preuarication of his law and to giue vs example that we should ambulare sicut ille And that the father of Iohn Baptist doth well expresse vt liberati seruiamus ei for there is a double effect of Christs obedience 1 It is effusiue spent in the worke of our reconciliation to iustifie vs before God 2 It is infusiue effectuall to our sanctification to frame our imitation to a conformity to his obedience in all holinesse They that apprehend and trust to the one without the other haue part in neither of them neither can any man say to his owne heart that he hath part in the effusiue obedience of Christ reconciling him to God vnlesse he haue his portion also in the infusiue obedience of Christ sanctifying him to newnesse of life and imitation of his holy and perfect example This law as you haue heard doth regulate not onely the outward man from doing any thing to the dishonour of God or the wrong of our neighbour but it extendeth to the gouerment of the tongue that neither euill words may corrupt good manners nor idle words may fill vp the euidence against vs in the day of our account It reacheth also to the gouernment of our thoughts and affections that neither in desire we imbrace not so much as entertaine in our fancie the opposition to the law of God or the declining in any the least obliquity from it Search the law then wherein God sheweth you what is good and what his will is doe that best to doe that will and take knowledged from this petition which our Sauiour putteth into your mouth how apt you are to breake this law how readie to omit the duties of it how propense to commit trespasses against it that you may craue helpe from him who is mighty and able to manage you against your corruptions And because this may seeme to you durus sermo and a taske more then you can performe let mee comfort you that the commandements of God in all the elect haue a treble strength 1 They serue for direction to guide the vnderstanding so it is said lex lucerna 2 They serue for correction to reforme the will and bring it into subiection to this will 3 They serue for corroboration to strengthen vs in our endeuour and to giue vs ability to performe in some measure that which is declared to vs to be the holy will of God It is a great secret which God hath reuealed to his Church concerning the reuelation of his will in precepts for the precepts of God are of three sorts 1 Precepts of tryall 2 Of conuiction 3 Of obedience 1 Precepts of probation are such as God doth but try obedience withall but he meaneth not to put them to performance as when God commanded Abraham to offer his sonne in sacrifice he did not meane to put him to it to performe it as the issue of it did demonstrate So Salomon bade to diuide the liuing childe 2 Precepts of conuiction are all the lawes which God commandeth the reprobate to keepe for he knoweth that they will not obey them yet he commandeth them to make them without excuse when hee shall call them to account 3 Precepts of obedience are those wherewith God giueth both light to see and delight to obey and grace to performe his will So when God biddeth an elect person repent he giueth with the precept the grace of repentance as hee commanded Lazarus to come forth of his graue and gaue him life and ability to come forth And that we pray here for that God with the knowledge of his will would giue vs the grace of obedience to doe it Which sheweth that prayer is the best meanes that we can vse to obtaine this grace of obedience to which our owne strength faileth vs but we can doe all things by the power of his might who is alwaies with vs by his spirit to strengthen vs. To worke this indeuour of obedience besides the imperious and royall law of our God we haue the example of heauen which is here added to make vs lift vp our heads to looke vp to that full president of obedience which is there giuen to vs in the tenants of the new Ierusalem This is the right way of honouring Angels and Saints not to rob God of
so it is an effect of our patience because by bearing afflictions we doe make a full proofe of our faith for it is not faith except it be loue also and loue suffereth all things and faith worketh by loue They also doe reconcile the two Apostles well who said that patience and experience mutuo se generant for one is the effect of the other as one exemplifies it well for health is the cause of stirring and exercising of the body and againe stirring and exercising of the body is the cause of health And thus it is betweene hearing and faith for hearing begetteth faith and faith begetteth hearing and betweene faith and loue for the loue of God maketh vs beleeue in him and trust him and the more we beleeue the more we loue This is that patience which testifieth of our faith as in Iob Though he kill me yet will I trust in him this declareth that wee are subiects of Christs kingdome when the will of this King is receiued in his lawes with obedience in his gifts with thankfulnesse in his afflictions with patience 2 But to patience we must adde perseuerance which is called long suffering for it pleaseth God to try the faith and patience of his seruants often with spinning out their probation to some length of time to see if any thing haue power ouer thē to withdraw them frō him The best of Gods seruants haue felt this an hard tryall insomuch that Dauid often complaines and thinks the time of his sufferings long and his visitation sharpe and Iob the great example of patience for you haue heard of the patience of Iob saith the Apostle yet euen Iob felt some cold fits of feare and some feuorous burnings of impatience betweene whiles though vpon better consideration he came againe to himselfe and went on in long-suffering If wee consider wisely either with what patience God doth beare with the many prouoking sinnes which we commit to his dishonour or with how long suffering he expecteth our repentance and turning to him wee shall the lesse esteeme the production of our triall for if God should in iust punishment fit vengeance to the dimension of our sinne wee should suffer both much more and much longer then we doe Therefore seeing we finde our selues not vnder his execution as guilty persons to be tortured for our treasons and rackt for our many rebellions but as patients vnder the cure of a gratious Physitian who puts vs to paine to cure vs wee haue no cause to complaine though affliction gall vs for the time which wee haue deserued should oppresse and confound vs for euer And seeing the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory that shall bee reuealed who would refuse foule and deepe waies to go to the crowne of glory that neuer withers 3 To perfect the worke of patience wee must adde hereunto reioycing in our tribulations S. Chrysost doth well expresse the difference betweene striuing for a mortall and an immortall crowne of glory Those that striue for a prize here on earth haue no ioy till they come to the end of their labours all the way to the crowne is feare and care and much labour and sorrow but to the Saints that striue for that immensum pondus gloriae non minus iucunditatis adferunt ipsa certamina and this proceedeth from that difference which is betweene the seruants of God and the seruants of sinne For in the righteous though there be a man of flesh which shrinketh at the smart of his sufferings yet there is also a spirituall man who striueth against the weaknesse of nature and ouercometh it by the strength of grace and that hid man of the heart tasteth the sweetnesse of God in the cup of bitternesse and seeth the light of Gods countenance through the thick cloud of temporall vexations True it is that all afflictions are iust punishments of sinne and they are in their nature euill and it is vnnaturall to reioyce for them because they are against vs but to reioyce in them proceedeth from a sense of that diuine grace which sweeteneth them and maketh them wholsome to vs for God is neare vs in the middest of them as S. Chrysost saith Visitat Deus in carcere suos et ibi plus est auxilij semper ubi plus est periculi Therefore if thou wouldest haue the will of God done by thee and vpon thee thy duties are knowledge of this will remembrance of it obedience to it and patience in it and this patience must haue a perfect worke euen to long suffering of to ioyfulnesse in all our afflictions LVC. 11.3 Giue vs day by day our daily bread or Giue vs for the day our daily bread THe three former petitions are framed as you haue heard to the glory of God which is the first and chiefest thing to be sought and desired by vs all that glory which is due to his name that which is belonging to his kingdome in the reuelation of it in the dilatation and stabiliation of it that glory which is done to God in the knowledge and obedience of his holy will and in all godly patience of it Now in this fourth petition we craue a fauour from God to support nature with the necessaries of life that we may bee able for Gods seruice for though wee doe not liue here propter corpus yet wee liue in corpore and God knoweth whereof wee bee made hee remembreth that we are but dust and though to make the best of our body it be templum spiritus sancti yet this temple must be kept in good reparations lest it fall For the better vnderstanding of this petition 1 We must enquire what is meant by bread 2 Why we doe desire it to be giuen vnto vs. 3 Why it is called our bread 4 Why it is called daily bread 5 Why we beg it for this day 6 What duties we learne from this petition 1 Bread Bread as you know is called the staffe of life for by it the life is supported resembled therefore to the staffe or pole that standeth in the middest of a tent which stayeth it vp so this earthly tabernacle of our body is supported by bread and therefore the taking away bread from vs is called the breaking the staffe of bread And so the Prophet Ezechiel calleth it I will breake the staffe of bread in Ierusalem The reason why it is so called I take from Dauid who calleth it Bread which strengthneth mans heart We read no mention of bread till the fall of man neither should man had he staied in the state of his first innocency haue needed to haue tilled the ground for his food but the earth had yeelded him fruits for his sustentation without any labour no more but take and eate and the blessing of God vpon that ready provision should haue supported man In the raine of Manna and Quailes the most prepared food that we read of the fauour of God to his
people in the wildernesse then was a tange of the curse of God for they were to goe forth to gather the Manna and Quailes and after they must dresse it for food and bread is not made without preparation of the earth for the seed semination of it in the ground expectation of the grouth of it and the reaping gathering into the barne dressing of it for the mill grinding of it for the ouen moulding and making it fit for food This bread I vnderstand here meant in this petition da nobis panem And though some of the ancient of fathers haue extended this name of bread to a comprehension of the Eucharisticall bread of which Christ saith I am the bread which came downe from heauen yet I dare not follow them I must confesse that I finde great Authors diuided in iudgement concerning this bread some only vnderstanding the spirituall bread of our soules susteining them to life euerlasting some only vnderstanding the ordinary necessaries of life The greatest shew that is made for this interpretation is that it is not likely in this absolute forme of prayer that Christ would comprehend any motion for things temporall for the body but at second hand and by way of implication or consequence seeing 1 Our Sauiour hath said Seeke yee first the kingdome of God c. et caetera adijcientur 2 The Apostle saith He that hath giuen vs his sonne how should he not together with him giue vs all things And so no need to looke after the necessities of the body but cast that care vpon God But I answere with S. Bernard· Ne mireris quod bona corporis adeo dixerim quaerenda quoniam eius sunt corporalia omnia sicut et spiritualia omnia dona ab eo ergo petendum et sperandum nobis est vnde possimus in eius seruitio sustentari We may as probably conceiue that Christ teaching mortall men to pray in corpore would not suppresse their necessarie desires for the body Others therefore of our ancients as Saint Cyprian and S. Augustine doe much for they doe better vnderstand both the bodily and the spirituall food yet Saint Cyprian doth make the spirituall food chiefest meant here There is an English popish Catechisme which goeth about in the darke published of purpose to corrupt the yong beginners in the very beginnings of their learning by one George Dowley a Priest he doth vnderstand this petition so as meant of the bread of Christs body and of our common bread but principally of the spirituall bread I meruaile that an ordinary Priest of that Church dare adde any thing to the doctrine of the counsell of Trent for in their Catechisme set forth by the authority of Pius 5. then Pope of Rome this petition is vnderstood and interpreted of the corporeall food And Maldonate a learned Iesuite doth very iudiciously remoue the obiections which are made against it It is thought saith Maldonate that this bread is spirituall not corporeall because it is not likely that Christ would teach vs to aske food for the body before the pardon of our sinnes and our deliuerance from euill He answereth it well 1 That Christ doth not regulate our petitions according to the worth and dignity of the things therein desired but rather according to our necessities for this is nature petition Et natura prius vult viuere nos tum bene viuere 2 That this supply doth preuent a great many of sinnes to which else we might fall for if once we haue sufficient for nature with the blessing of God vpon it and our content with it it is enough and we haue our hearts more free and our owne to attend the holy worship and seruice of our God The Trent Catechisme doth giue good proofes that it is fit and necessarie that we doe goe to Almighty God for those things which belong to the sustentation of the body Non enim petimus temporalia haec tanquam bona nostra sed tanquam necessaria nostra saith Saint Augustine 1 That alleadgeth Iacobs prayer If God will be with me and will keepe me in the way that I goe and will giue me bread to eate and rayment to put on 2 The prayer of Agur the sonne of Iakeh feed mee with food conuenient for me The danger of want lest I be poore and steale and take the name of my God in vaine To these we may adde Salomons prayer in the dedication of the Temple wherein is mention of all sorts of temporall supplies to be sought in that house or toward it by prayer All the necessaries of life are here contained vnder the name of Bread food rayment health peace libertie and bread being the chiefest of the necessaries of life is named for them all So when Moses saith Man shall not liue by bread onely all things necessary for mans sustentation in this life are vnderstood And this exposition of the word Bread here doth distinguish this petition from the former for all spirituall graces whatsoeuer that may concerne the aduancement of Gods glory or the fitting of our soules to that are comprehended in the three former petitions especially that which Saint Cyprian and S. Augustine doe make principall in this petition that is the Bread of heauen Christ or the bread of the Sacrament or the obedience of the holy will of God which Christ calleth his meate and drinke for these doe all belong to the hallowing of Gods name the comming and establishing of his kingdome and the doing of his will 2 Da nobis 1 We aske this bread of God which declareth him to be the authour of this gift and the bestower of it vpon man 2 We aske it to be giuen not to me alone euery one for himselfe but all of vs for all nobis 1 We must come to God for bread For though he hath said in sudore vultus tui comedes panem tuum which may make some thinke that the sweat of our faces doth make this bread ours and that our claime to it is from the merite of our labour which maketh it rather earnings and wages then free gift yet if wee well consider wee doe begge of God herein strength to labour for our liuings in some honest vocation and Gods blessing vpon our endeuours without which we cannot sweate and take paines for our liuing The eyes of all things looke vp to thee O Lord thou giuest them meate in due season thou openest thy hand thou fillest all things liuing with plenty He couereth the heauen with clouds he prepareth raine for the earth he maketh grasse to grow vpon the mountaines He giueth to the Beast his food and to the yong Rauens that cry Man holdeth these things of God by the title of obedience on his part of fauour on Gods part obserue it in the sequence first we pray fiat voluntas tua then Da nobis panem for we haue no plea to this fauour but in
the way of our obedience God onely giueth increase to the field to bring forth corne for the vse of man and when it is come vp vpon the ground hee ripeneth it and when it is come to an haruest he disposeth it to the vse of man therefore Da nobis None of all the gods of the heathen could doe this he onely crowneth the yeare with plenty A fruitfull land he maketh barren abundance is from his full hand and famine or dearth of victuals are his rods The heathens worshipped them for gods that were the first ingenuous deuisers of any profitable inuention for the vse of man Ceres that taught the husbanding of grounds for Corne and Bacchus for Vines Vulcan or rather Tubalcaine that was the father of them that wrought in Iron Had they knowne the authour of euery good and perfect gift and who it is that giueth bread they would haue gone no further but Da nobis panem and haue sought their bread from this father which is in heauen 2 We aske da nobis not mihi this is communio charitatis The extent of this nobis is great for as vnder the name of bread all the necessaries of life are contained The King obserueth it well that we doe esteeme our yeares deare or cheape according to the price of corne so vnder this personall note nobis we comprehend all men all creatures that are supported with food First I say all men euen the wicked and reprobate for though they be neuer so vngodly yet during life on earth they must eate and if their owne meanes and labours be not sufficient to sustaine them our charity must supply what is wanting wee must not hide our selues from our owne flesh we haue all one Our father in heauen the common father of our nature therefore Da nobis wee pray to God to feed them also this is proximum tuum vt teipsum though he be but natura not relgiione proximus I adde that nobis doth also include our beasts and cattel that are created for our vse and seruice by the feeding whereof we are relieued who haue the seruice of their labour and the flesh of their bodies to ease and feed vs they must not be left out in this nobis for these are appurtenances to vs. In the King of Niniuehs edict for a generall fast their beasts were forbidden to eate or drinke for the sinne of man they suffered to augment their masters sorrow and to adde comfort to their owners they must also feede with them therefore da nobis doth include them as a part of our selues belonging to vs. The wise man saith that A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast we cannot shew our care of those helpefull creatures to vs better then in praying to him for them who as Dauid saith saueth both man and beast And euen amongst these beasts which are made for the vse and seruice of man though some of them bee noxious and offensiue now to man rebelling against his domination to punish his rebellion against God yet there is also a good vse to be made of them for man and to that they must be preserued they must be nourished in life that may be helpfull to man in their death Thus farre doe I thinke nobis in this petition extended Giue vs food all things necessary for our own persons for our children that are ex nobis for our brethren that are pars nostri for our neighbours circa nos for our enemies that are contra nos for our cattell pro nobis 3 Our bread 1 This bread wee are taught to call ours and wee learne it of God himselfe for in the very words of that curse which he put vpon man for his disobedience he calleth it so for if we sweate for it and then eate of it nothing doth more assure it ours in the vse of it And that is a legall right that we haue to it by our labour in our vocation The Apostle thinking it iust that he which will not labour should not eate doth include it both fic and lawfull that hee should eate that will labour 2 It is called our bread because it is necessarie for supportation of life for though man doe not liue by bread onely yet not without bread that is without fit food and so all things that we haue are called ours in respect of their vse for our seruice 3 It is called our bread by right of donation for when it is giuen it is ours the giuing of it to vs doth make it so to be So Saint Gregorie Ecce nostrum dicimus tamen dari petimus noster enim est qui accipitur tamen dei est cum ab illo datur for we haue no right to it but by the gift of God whose hand we open by this petition that he may fill vs with his plenty 4 That which we haue in gift of God and in present possession yet is not ours till the blessing of God bee vpon it for the possession without the vse doth not make it ours therefore the miserable wretched man that hath possession of much and starueth himselfe with denying the same to his owne vse cannot call his bread his owne 5 They that haue and possesse bread that is all things necessary for life haue no hold thereof that they may call it theirs except God keepe it and preserue it for them it is subiect to fire and water to theeues and robbers except God make it ours we may sit to eate and haue the bread taken from our table euen the morsells taken and pluckt out of our mouthes therefore da nostrum we pray to God that it may bee ours lest it be taken away from vs. 6 We call it ours because though wee haue it and keepe it and it abide by vs yet we may be smitten with sicknesse and disabled to take vse of it or it may be receiued euen into our bodies and we not nourished by it for that iudgment God also hath in his treasures They shall eate and not be satisfied 7 We call it our bread by a speciall right that only the faithfull haue to this and all things that belong to vs. Ye are Christs and all things are yours saith the Apostle They that hold things temporall by this right haue them in the best tenure for they haue them with the fulnesse of Gods blessing the Lord is their shepherd they shall want nothing 8 We call it our bread that we pray for to exclude panem alienum for we beg not away our brothers bread from him we desire not the bread of fraud or oppression or the bread of idlenesse but desire of God that the sustentation of our life may be with our owne bread without the preiudice of any other and that we may be able to liue without the hurt of our neighbour who dwelleth in peace by vs. 4 Daily bread Here the word vsed in the originall hath bred a question
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for some haue rendred it of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 substantia panem superstantialem and that hath put many into the fancy which before I declared and disclaimed that this petition is meant of spirituall and not of our corporall bread Many haue read it panem supersubstantialem and euen in this land Master Cambden doth giue vs the coppy of the Lords prayer out of the Saxon translation of the Euangelists 900 yeare old in which this petition is thus put vp Vren hlaf ouer wirtlic which is our loafe supersubstantiall Hee produceth another translation in the Saxon tongue some 200 yeares yonger that is 700 yeare agoe wherein this bread is called vrn daegthantican hlaf that is daily bread In the raigne of Henry the second 160 yeares after that Adrian an Englishman then Pope of Rome sent the Lords prayer in English translated into metre wherein this petition is thus rendred That holy bread that lasteth ay Thou send it vs this ilk day In the time of Henry the third it is thus rendred Gif vs all bread on this day In the time of Richard the second Wicliffe translated it thus Gif vs this day our bread ouer other substance And this conceiued opinion of a spirituall food here desired commeth from the word here vsed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deriued from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Scaliger in his notes vpon the new Testament doth refuse this deriuation and bringeth it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sequor following bread that is from day to day giue vs bread which he vnderstands bread sufficient according to that of Agur the sonne of Iakeh which he prayeth for panem dimensi or sufficientiae So that vnder this word two things are begged of God in this petition 1 That God would giue vs the necessaries of our mortall life in a sufficiency 2 That he would giue his blessing with them that they may serue vs to that purpose for which hee giueth them to support nature For it is a great distresse to want necessaries but a greater to haue them without their proper vse to eate and not to be satisfied to weare garments not to bee kept warme with them Thus then we desire God daily to nourish and support vs with our food so long as we liue that the temples of our bodies in which he is praised may be keept in good repaire that we perish not either for want of his good creatures or of his blessing giuen to vs with them So Iun. saith that in the Syriake reading of Matthew desunbanan the word here vsed doth signifie panem necessitatis nostrae And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may well signifie bread added to our substance and therefore not to bee omitted in our praier nor changed for a word of another signification quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surely the very life blood of this petition is conteined in this word therein is the blessing desired therefore Theophilact reading it panem nostrum supersubstantialem da nobis doth interpret it Panem dicit qui substantiae et constitutioni nostrae sufficit But he addeth the spirituall bread withall Corpus autē Christi panis est supersubstantialis cuius esse participes contra condemnationem precamur Thus then I vnderstand this petition giue vs the ordinary food of our life both in a sufficient proportion to serue our turne and with thy blessing vpon it that it may serue vs to that vse for which wee desire it and thou ordainest it 5 This day Christ teacheth vs to desire this bread only for the present time for the body doth need refection euery day and euery day it must bee sought for of the gift of God it is not his meaning that wee should giue ouer praying vnto God after this day for he saith When you pray say Our father giue vs bread for this day and he supposeth that wee will pray euery day because all these things which are here desired of God are of absolute necessity for euery day of our life And therefore this particular notation of time may be annexed to euery one of the petitions Hallowed be thy name this day Let thy kingdome come this day Let thy will be done this day on earth c. And so in the following petitions We pray against our sinnes this day and for deliuerance from euill thi◠day 6 Let vs now come to the duties which belong to those that pray thus 1 From the word Bread vnder which all the necessaries of life are comprehended we are taught that our prayers haue warrant to beg the preseruation of our life and we are directed to esteeme life the pretious gift of God and it is our duty to seeke by all good meanes to maintaine it The reason is because life is our season for hallowing of the name of God for aduancing the kingdome of God for doing and suffering the will of God They that desire to doe this must desire to bee preserued in life that they may doe it So that herein wee begge of God life He asked life of thee saith Dauid and Dauid himselfe doth presse this petition hard and often that God would preserue his life to this purpose that he may glorifie God Returne O Lord deliuer my soule O saue me for thy mercyes sake For in death there is no remembrance of thee in the graue who shall giue thee thanks So Ezekiah The graue cannot praise thee death cannot celebrate thee they that goe downe into the pit cannot hope for thy truth The liuing the liuing the liuing he shall praise thee as I doe this day Therefore after those petitions that concerne the glory of God this is put to teach vs to desire life that we may spend it in the worship and seruice of God this then is Dauids prayer Let my soule liue and it shall praise thee giue mee bread that I may liue to serue thee This petition for the supportation of life doth reproue all vnreasonable afflicting of the body those that boast of their fastings and watchings and selfe-whippings as if God tooke delight in the torments and tortures of our flesh doe glory in vaine God requireth not these extremities he will haue mercy and not sacrifice they that destroy their life in zeale of Gods glory are called Martyrs of a foolish Philosophie felons de se they wilfully demolish the temple in which God should be praised and by vnseasonable and vnacceptable violence of mortification they turne this bread into a stone this fish into a serpent Long life is the promise of God in the Law the first promise of the second table to such as honour superiour authority They that destroy the temple of God them shall God destroy Remember this so often as you eat bread you aske it and God giueth it you of purpose to strengthen your heart that when he saith My sonne giue me thy heart
you may not present him with a dwindled withered heart weakned and infirmed with vntimely afflictions but strong and able for his seruice And make a conscience to bestow the strength of your heart vpon him that giues you bread to strengthen your hearts that he may thinke his bread well bestowed for hee loueth not the sacrifices of the leane and lame and blinde and impotent of your flock the best serues him best 2 From this name of bread giuen to the necessaries of life we are taught that we haue no warrant to pray to God for more then what is needfull The sonne of Iakeh doth pray against riches giue mee not riches yet many there be that sell heauen for riches and exchange God for Mammon whose damnation sleepeth not Many there be who study the back what shall I put on not now only what stuffe but in what fashion that I may out shine my equals my betters they make Idols of their bodies and bestow such painting guilding and iewelling of it as if it were immortall their back is their God Many study what they shall eat all the inquisitions of rarities and delicacies that the earth the ayre the sea can afford are congested into their catories and kitchins to please their various palates with change of viands epicuriously satiating themselues with the marrow and fatnesse of Gods good creatures cramming themselues for the Deuils shambles making their bellies their Gods and delighting in their shame I deny not but God doth open his hand and giueth great abundance of all good things crowning the yeare with his plenty and making the earth not onely to bring forth bread to strengthen the heart of man but wine also to make his heart glad and oyle to make him a chearefull countenance for who can controll him doing with his owne as he please and disposing of it where he will But still I say I finde no warrant to aske of him any more then the needfull support of life we may not pray beyond our proportion food necessary for life for therefore do we aske bread of God to shew our desires limited to the meanes ordained by him for our preseruation If any shall dare to passe these bounds let him remember the fearefull example of Israel in the way of their iourney toward Canaan They lusted exceedingly in the wildernesse and tempted God in the desart And he gaue them their request but sent leanesse into their soule These ouer dainty palates that are euer longing for delicacies may make fat bodies but they haue leane soules and when they pray beyond warrant God may heare them and may grant their request but they shall lose by it There was a rich man who liuing was richly and softly arraied delicately fed euery day but hee that heares him pitifully complaining out of hell for a little cold water will scarce desire to be in his coate or to bee of his messe 1 This teacheth vs to be content with bread and to thanke God for it for if wee haue but sufficient for life we haue as much as we aske and so much as Christ our Master who teacheth vs to pray thinkes fit to allow vs to aske of our father which art in heauen 2 Seeing we finde God so rich and plentifull as to open his hand so wide to giue vs more then we aske exceeding abundantly to some more to some lesse Let not vs like children when wee haue any thing giuen vs measure the worth of the gift by comparing it with that which is giuen to others but weigh the gift in and by it selfe and let vs admire and praise the open hand of God who ouer-doeth our demands and maketh our cup runne ouer But because this name of bread doth so limit vs to the demand onely of things necessarie let me admonish you that there is duplex necessitas 1 Necessitas rei which containes onely the supportation of life 2 Necessitas personae which containes the maintenance of vs in our estate of life I conceiue that this petition doth extend to both these for 1 We craue of God all those things without which we cannot liue 2 Wee aske all those things that are conuenient for our estate and ranke that we may not want the meanes to support our persons and estate with moderate decencie befitting our degree but so that if God who lifteth vs vp and casteth vs downe shall thinke it meete to abase vs and stoope vs below the port and state of our place that we now hold we may abate also of our desires and be content with such things as are of absolute necessitie for subsistence in life and therefore 3 We are taught to learne with the Apostle both how to abound and how to want and may not thinke much if there bee mutatio dexitae excelsi For in these things Iobs lesson is to be learnt The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh away in both we must blesse the name of the Lord. 2 Giue Many duties are learnt from this word 1 Wee are taught to vnderstand and confesse our poore and miserable condition who in creation had all things put in subiection vnder our feete as Dauid saith all sheepe and oxen yea and the beasts of the field the fowles of the ayre the fishes of the sea c. and now by sinne haue lost that right to these things which the grace of creation inuested vs in and are now so poore and needy that we haue not bread of our owne to sustaine vs with God gaue man all these things vpon condition of obedience that failing hee hath cancelled that deed of gift and resumed into his owne hands the possession and power of distribution thereof to the sonnes of men Naked came I into the world naked shall I returne saith Iob we brought nothing with vs into the world saith the Apostle and here we finde nothing that we can call ours The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof they that feele the want of these things doe pray with appetite and feruour for them and therefore all of vs euen such as haue most must learne to know their miserable wants and necessities they all lye at the gates of God as Lazarus at the gates of the rich man desiring to be satisfied with the crums that fall from Gods table and except God doe both giue and blesse his gifts to vs wee must perish for want of bread euen they whose Barnes are fullest crammed whose Winepresses breake with plenty whose Tables are ouercharged with prouision whose stomacks are distent with their full feedings such is our misery that we all want both what we haue not and what we haue if God giue not our bread 2 When we say to our father giue which teacheth vs to know the right owner of these things euen hee whom Melchisedech calleth The most high God possessour of heauen and earth To whom else should wee say giue but to him of whom the Apostle saith euery good giuing
The bread of sorrowes because it asketh so much paines to purchase it Saint Paul enioyneth it Let him that stole steale no more but let him labour working with his hands the thing that is good The labourer is worthy of his meate Christ saith and the Apostle saith when we were with you this wee commanded you that if any would not worke neither should he eate Sweet and wholesome is the bread of honest and lawfull labour for in that curse of God there is sweetnesse of mercy in sudore vultus tui is punishment comedes panem is blessing This reproues idlenesse in all callings from the highest to the lowest for such as offend that way doe not eate their owne bread neither Kings nor their subordinate Magistrates that labour not in gouernment to manage all things iustly nor Bishops and Ministers that labour not in the gouernment and teaching of the Church of God wisely faithfully and painefully nor men of inferiour ranke that doe not finde something still to doe to the common benefit of Church or Common-wealth or the particular good of their owne soules and bodies that God may be glorified 2 Seeing this bread is called ours in regard of the necessity of our life which is such that we cannot liue by the ordinary prouidence of God without it We are taught to come to God in the full sense of this necessitie let not the rich man say I haue bread enough I haue no neede to pray for it let not the poore impotent man say I cannot worke and the Parish must finde me bread Let not the idle person say there be workers enough and there is bread enough stirring and I shall get a share amongst them Let not the cunning vngodly man say I will make others prouide me of bread Let not the thiefe say I will steale bread rather let euery man know that bread is the gift of God only and let him consider how necessary it is for his life that hee may daily prostrate this his want before God in his praiers for the full person that despiseth an hony combe can scarce put any zeale or feruency to this petition but he that knoweth the necessitie of bread and how his life dependeth vpon it will put this petition home They pray coldly and perfunctoriously that doe not feele and consider their necessities and such prayers goe no further then their owne lips they haue no power to ascend so high as heauen therefore let euery one that calleth vpon God for this bread remember that he cannot liue without it that he may pray feruently for it 3 Seeing it is called our bread in respect of Gods donation who only giueth it as you haue heard wee are taught to seeke our bread no where else by prayer but from the open hand of God Dauid telleth vs that The eyes of all things looke vp to God and he openeth his hand and filleth all things liuing with plenteousnesse The yong lyons though they roare for their prey yet they seeke their meat of God As Cardinall Bellarmine well obserueth because they seeke it Eo modo quo providentia Dei statuit For it is God that saues both man and beast And as we must goe no whither else but to God for food so we must goe to him and seeke it from his hand as children goe to their father for their bread this caseth vs of our care and anxious sollicitudes for our bread for the loue of a father is such such is his tendernesse that a little praying will soone preuaile with him for any thing that is in his power to giue and they are worthy to suffer hunger that will not say to their father Da nobis panem In our fathers house there is bread enough And Christ saith Aske and you shall receiue Our Sauiour cannot put the easie purchase of our food better in sight then in the example of nature in our naturall parents for what father is there that if his son doe aske bread of him will giue him a stone Obserue it in the parable of the prodigall hee called for stolam primam to cloath him and he killed vitulum illum to feed him 4 Seeing it is called our bread by his blessing of it to our nourishment wee must remember to pray that Gods blessing may make our bread ours for where hee giueth it without his blessing he giueth it to hurt It is the blessing of God that maketh rich and there is no sorrow with it That blessing vpon the earth crowneth it with fatnesse vpon the barnes and garners with fulnesse in our vse with wholsomnesse A little with this blessing goeth farre The miserable rich man that hath no power to eate of the bread that God giueth him because God hat sent leanesse into his soule hath no ioy of his bread because he wanteth the blessing of God with it The vngodly man that holdeth good things without the Sunne of righteousnesse shining vpon his tabernacle is vnhappy in all that hee hath cursed in his fields cursed in his barnes cursed in his winepresses in his cattell in his ouen in his table in all that he possesseth for it is not earthly happinesse to haue much but to haue the blessing of God vpon that we haue be it much or little Therefore learne from hence to blesse your owne endeuours to blesse your seruans your cattell that labour for you your fields your tables that is to pray to God to giue you his blessing in all these things Doe not seise vpon these things as infidels that know not God aright as the gifts of strange gods nor as bruit beasts eat and are satisfied and consider not who makes their food theirs Wrastle with God in your prayers as Iacob did and giue him not ouer till hee leaue his blessing vpon all that you haue vpon all that you doe beginne your day with prayer to God to blesse you in all your vndertakings 5 Seeing God preserueth our food for vs and so it is called ours we must know that our bread will not keepe without his blessing if he doe blow vpon it the breath of his indignation blasteth it and it mouldeth and rotteth in our hands as the Israelites Manna gathered in vndue time did and if God doe not make it ours a stranger shall come and eat our labours What a great prouision had the army of the Syrians that in the dearth and famine of Samaria when an Asses head was sold for 80 peeces of siluer in the city the next day according to the word of the man of God the plenty was such in that famished city that a measure of fine flower was sold for a shekell and two measures of barly for a shekell and all this plenty came from the full prouision of the Syrians they being driuen away from their owne bread If God keepe not our bread for vs how soone is it gone and a stranger cometh in vpon all that wee haue
faithfull repose of our trust in him for they who seeke to ingrosse things temporall for feare of want and had rather trust their own prouidence then God shew great weakenesse of faith and distrust in God If we obserue it well the greatest part of men vpon earth haue small certainty of their maintenance certaine charges yet liuing in lawfull callings though not sure of their employments not alwaies sure of the wages they earne of the vent of the commodities in which they trade yet still God supplyeth them from day to day and supporteth them in their wants which sheweth that there is no such thrift and good husbandry as to trust to the prouidence of God for our maintenance in the vse of honest and lawfull meanes he is Diespiter and euery day he looketh vpon the sonnes of men and surueyeth their wants and he that will not let the fowles of the ayre nor the beasts of the field want bread will not suffer his owne deare children to want the necessaries of life if they seeke them from him Men might make their liues much more happy to themselues much more quiet to their neighbours if they did wisely informe themselues in the doctrine of this daily prouidence of God for hee that knowes his duty to be labour in an honest vocation and prayer to God for his blessing vpon his labour needs doe nothing more but cast all the rest of his care vpon God who careth for him But partly the feare of wants and partly the desire of riches doe so transport vs that we can neither be good children to God in deuotion nor good neighbours to our brethren in charity because we doe not depend vpon this daily prouidence of our God If a man sit downe and cast vp the charges of his family and compare it with the short reckonings of his commings in he may say I and my family shall want bread but if religiously he compare it with the rich reuenue of Gods holy prouidence hee will finde a store there so furnished with plenty and an hand so open to giue it away to them that aske it that hee will resolue with the Prophet No good thing will God with hold from them that walke vprightly I conclude this point put thy selfe into an honest calling doe thy indeuour in it conscionably pray to God for his blessing vpon it and trust him with the rest If in this way I want bread I will be bold to tell my God as the holy Prophet did if I be deceiued thou Lord hast deceiued me But that imputation cannot fall on him They that haue put him to it haue found him full and faithfull in his promises and performances Our fathers trusted in thee they trusted in thee and thou didst deliuer them They trusted in thee and were not confounded But you demand Is therefore all prouidence for the time to come vnlawfull and must our thoughts and desires bee onely confined to the present all for to day and nothing for to morrow We answer that our desires must be limited to the present but our endeuours must not be so let vs labour honestly for the blessings of God with contentment in his gifts for to day but if our endeuours so bestowed extend to a further proportion of gettings thrift is allowed where it is not ioyned with distrustfull carefulnesse Ioseph may lay vp in the seauen yeares of plenty for the famine of seauen yeares to succeed when God reuealeth a dearth comming on and warranteth the prouision The good man may haue a treasure wherein is old and new so this treasure be filled for vses of piety and charity Goe to the Ant thou sluggard consider her waies and be wise She prouideth her meate in summer and gathereth her food in the haruest He that gathereth in summer is a wise sonne but hee that sleepeth in haruest is a sonne that causeth shame The sluggard will not plough by reason of the cold therefore shall he begge in haruest and haue nothing and the Apostle saith That Parents ought to lay vp for their children Religion doth not make men ill husbands and the possession of good things must not hinder our daily prayer to God for his blessing vpon them LVC. 11.4 And forgiue vs our sinnes for we also forgiue euery one that is indebted to vs In Saint Matthew we reade thus And forgiue vs our debts as we forgiue our debters But we commonly say and forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. IT is a consideration worthy to be continued to obserue the order and composition of this prayer the foundation of it is laied in the loue and power of God in the preface to it For when wee call him our Father we plead a speciall interest in his loue and when we call him our father in heauen we acknowledge him of power to performe whatsoeuer his loue intends to vs. Then in the first petition we declare our selues the loyall and louing sonnes to this father in seeking the exaltation of his glorious name first which we doe 1 For his sake whose name onely is glorious 2 For our sakes for it is not onely to vs Turris fortissima but it is oleum effusum Then in the second petition we pray for the aduancement stabilitie and propagation of his kingdome that he may onely rule ouer vs onely he may rule in vs. In the third petition we desire a conformity with that part of the Church that is with God in heauen by our obedience to the will of God And hauing made three petitions for the aduancement of the knowledge and worship of God we come in the fourth petition to begge for our selues the necessaries of life that we may liue to serue our God by his giuing and blessing our bread to our vse Now in that which remaineth we pray against all impediments of this holy worship and seruice That which hindereth this seruice of God is our sinne past present and to come therefore here we pray against sinne and we desire 1 The gratious pardon of past and present sinnes 2 The free and full preuention of sinnes to come This petition hath regard to the present guilt for sinnes past and present Saint Cyprian doth say well Post subsidium cibi sequitur venia delicti vt qui à Deo pascitur in Deo viuat nec tantum praesenti corporali vitae consulat sed aeternae ad quam venire potest si peccata donantur For our better vnderstanding of this petition 1 We must know what it is that we pray against 2 What we request 3 Of whom 4 For whom 5 The condition of our request or the manner of it 6 The duties depending vpon all this 1 Against what we pray Saint Matthew calleth them debts figuratiuely Saint Luke here calleth them sinnes literally and wee commonly call them trespasses because by euery sinne we trespasse our God and giue him
Dauid saith O thou that hearest prayer vnto thee shall all flesh come Vpon which words Saint Augustine quare omnis caro quia carnem assumpsit Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himselfe likewise tooke part of the same but Verily he tooke not on him the nature of Angels but he tooke on him the seed of Abraham The sinne of Angels for many reasons is an vnpardonable sinne a sinne vnto death and Saint Iohn saith I say not that thou pray for it 1 Because all men deriue themselues from one Adam he stood or fell for the whole species If God should haue beene extreame to marke and punish all that was amisse who could haue stood the Lord looked downe from heauen vpon the children of men and found not one that did good not one and if God had not in iudgement thought vpon mercy all mankinde must needs haue perished in their sinnes But God at once creating innumerable Angels euery one stood or fell to his owne proper good or euill 2 The euill Angels corrupted themselues but man was by their suggestion and temptation corrupted and sinnes selfe-growing selfe-sowne are more prouoking then such as come by iniection and insinuation from without 3 The Angels ambition was to bee like God in his omnipotencie which is an incommunicable propertie of diuine essence and cannot bee imparted to any creature but man desired onely to be like God in his omniscience which we knost was committed to the soule of Christ in our nature 4 The Angels being intellectuall spirits and dwelling in the presence of God and enioying the full light of glory next to God would not offend by errour or ignorance but their transgression must needs be damnable apostacie from God and malitious opposition against God which is the sin against the holy Ghost not to bee 〈…〉 The schoole saith there be three sorts of will 1 Of God who neuer turneth 2 Of Angels which may turne but cannot returne 3 Of men who turne and returne But the Angels obstinacie is without returne Therefore those Misericordes as Augustine doth call them who deeme a possibilitie of the recouery of deuils to the fauour of God and of their saluation doe deceiue themselues and abuse the patience and ouerweene the mercy of God But we ought to pray one for another so Saint Iames admonisheth pray one for another that you may be healed for the effectuall feruent prayer of the righteous man auaileth much It is not vnprobable that the prayer of Christ father forgiue them serued effectually to the conuersion of the Centurion and the prayer of Stephen for the conuersion of Saul who kept the garments of them that stoned him God himselfe declared to the friends of Iob that Iob should pray for them to him and he promised to accept his face Or if you will looke higher God in a dreame reproued Abimelech for Sarah Abrahams wife and hee said to him Now therefore restore the man his wife for he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee and thou shalt liue There is great reason why wee should pray for the pardoning of one anothers sinnes 1 Out of the zeale of piety to God that his name may be hallowed that his kingdome may bee reuealed and established that his will may bee done Vnrighteousnesse and sinne doe hinder the glory of God in all these So that if it were possible to root out all sinne nothing were more to bee desired that God might not be eclipsed in any of his glory 2 Out of charity to them that sinne that we may so beare one anothers burthens and endeuour the healing of their soares they be deuils and not men that would haue their brethren perish in their sinnes 3 Out of charity to our selues that 1 We may adde to our owne glory in heauen and encrease our owne ioy in the full society of the communion of Saints 2 That we may make our owne liues on earth more happy liuing amongst such as doe feare the Lord and hauing our conuersation amongst such as are purified which remoueth the two dangerous infections of euill counsell and euill example which corrupt many 4 Out of an holy indignation against sinne as being a thing of it selfe hatefull and abominable and extremely dangerous to both liues 5 Out of a sanctified malice against Sathan who raigneth in all the sonnes of disobedience whose pardon if we could obtaine of God by our prayers hee should haue no subiects 6 Out of faith in the sufficient sacrifice of Christ for when all of vs pray for the forgiuenesse of all mens sins we shew that the fountaine which God hath opened to the house of Dauid and to the Inhabitants of Israel for sinne and for vncleanenesse can neuer be drawne dry that there is water enough therein to wash vs all throughly to wash vs all cleane and to purge vs all from all sinnes This including all men in our prayers for the pardon of sinnes doth blame all those who by their euill example or by their counsaile doe prouoke or intice others to sinne How canst thou say to God dimitte nobis when thou giuest thy neighbour strong drinke â—â—ll 〈…〉 When thou tellest him tales in the whisper of secrecie to enfire him against his brother When thou by secret detraction dost make him appeare worse then he is When thou reioycest in his sinnes that they are the occasion of his ruine When thou makest thy selfe sport with the sinnes of thy brother all such reioycing is contrary to this petition and God will tell thee that thou art not in good earnest with him when thou prayest to haue him pardoned with thee and in good earnest hee that heareth thy prayers will not pardon thee the sinne of this petition I conclude this point of our duty 1 Search thy wayes for sinne 2 Confesse 3 Be contrite 4 Amend thy life 5 Seeke this pardon onely from God 6 Pray in charity and the Lord giue thee thy hearts desire and fulfill all thy counsaile 2 From the condition annexed to this petition as we forgiue them that are our debters or if wee reade it as a reason or motiue to put home the petition for pardon for we forgiue 1 We are taught to take notice of our naturall corruption which is such as we cannot liue in society one with another but one way or other we shall be offensiue one to another Our Sauiour therefore teacheth vs in this petition not to seeke the pardon of our owne sinnes to God but in the way of peace If we finde continuall need of Gods mercy to vs we must be mercifull as our heauenly Father is mercifull for that is his law proximum vt teipsum It is a great inducement to God to perswade our preuailing with him in this suite if wee see our hearts doe freely forgiue iniuries done to vs therefore when Christ taught vs this prayer this petition aboue all
the rest is resumed and more prest then the rest both in the affirmatiue and in the negatiue 1 In the affirmatiue for if ye forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly Father will also forgiue you 2 In the negatiue But if ye forgiue not men their trespasses neither will your father forgiue you your trespasses The reason is because this pardoning of wrongs done to vs is a supernaturall grace and doth testifie of vs that we haue the image of God in vs for naturally we returne euill for euill eye for eye tooth for tooth one euill word one euill worke for another Therefore to fixe this holy duty in vs our Sauiour bindes vs to it by this petition to looke for no more mercy in heauen then we doe shew to our brethren here on earth with whom we liue The parable of our Sauiour doth make this reasonable our debt to God is 10000. Talents our neighbours debt to vs 100. pence the oddes is great if wee would be forgiuen this great summe should not we forgiue that small debt We are apt to aggrauate the wrongs we suffer one from another and to extenuate the offence that wee doe to God But be it that from our neighbour we suffer in our good name let vs consider how much the glorious name doth suffer from vs in our swearing and blaspheming in our euill conuersation which causeth the name of God to bee euill spoken of amongst those that are without yet we would make God beleeue that nothing is so deare to vs as his holy name because we make it our first petition Hallowed be thy name Be it that our neighbour offend vs in our goods by taking vniustly from vs that which belongs to vs let vs consider that we haue nothing but from the hand of God and all that we possesse is his and wee can call no more ours then what hee giueth and we vse to his glory and the maintenance of our life in sobernesse and honesty In all that we spend from these vses wee our selues are not owners but vsurpers of all that we so misemploy and for 100. pence that we lose of our right by the iniury of men we mis-spend of Gods treasure 10000. Talents lewdly and dishonourably to him offensiuely to our owne soules and iniuriously to our brethren Compare all that pride and gluttony and drunkennesse and vanity and wantonnesse and contention spendeth prodigally all that couetousnesse congesteth and hideth from the vse of thy brother wretchedly with that which either thine owne necessities or thy christian charity doe demand of thee thou shalt finde that the wrong thou dost doth more exceed the wrong thou sufferest in thy goods then 10000. talents doe exceede 100. pence Be it that thy brother wrong thee in thy friends by seeking to distast them to thee dost not thou by euill conuersation corrupt the affections of thy brother to alienate his heart from the holy seruice of thy God If thy brother seeke thy life dost not thou in thy rebellion against God offend thy God in a more high degree vngodding of him and taking away his honour which is his life and destroying in thy selfe and in thy brother the image of God Therefore consider thy selfe maior parcas insane minori The God to whom thou prayest is the God of peace the Gospell which thou professest is the Gospell of peace the kingdome that thou seekest is the kingdome of peace the way to it is via pacis It was a good obseruation of King Henry 7. that the proclamation of Christ comming into the world was peace vpon earth and the legacie of Christs going out of the world was pacem meam do vobis and thence he concluded that the life of a Christian man should be a prosecution of peace The Apostle doth presse it earnestly If it be possible as much as lyeth in you liue peaceably with all men The soule of man doth not animate and quicken the members that are cut off from the body neither doth the holy Ghost quicken the members of the Church that are not vnited to the Church Therefore peace-makers are called the sonnes of God for so doth God loue peace that hee gaue his onely Sonne By him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe and to set at peace through the bloud of his crosse both the things on earth and the things in heauen The Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it is one of the hardest lessons that is taught in the schoole of Christ to forgiue our enemies and most contrary it is to flesh and bloud Saint Peter thought hee had offered faire when hee asked Christ quoties how often he should doe it and then added vsque ad septies but Christ made nothing of it non dico vsque ad septies Therefore as when we haue a worke to doe that requireth force wee put our whole strength to it so the Apostle biddeth as much as in vs lyeth to striue for peace Our Sauiour by this petition doth tell vs plainely that his care in this precept is not all for our neighbour that he may be forgiuen his trespasse It concernes vs our selues so neare as the forgiuing of our owne sinnes doth import for if we cannot plead our actiue pardon we cannot desire this passiue pardon we must be pardoners if we will be pardoned It is true that in the parable the Master pardoned his seruant his debt to him first but when after he heard complaint that his seruant would not forgiue his fellow his small debt he reuoked the pardon and redemanded the debt Therefore our Sauiour would haue vs worke sure first to forgiue trespasses done to vs then to pray for forgiuenesse of our trespasses 2 Where we say forgiue vs as we forgiue wee doe make profession of our forgiuenesse of our debtors that is of such as haue trespassed vs. Which admonisheth vs to be sincere in our forgiuenesse as Christ saith if ye from your heart forgiue for we pray to him who is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a seer who seeth our hearts and knoweth whether we deale faithfully and sincerely with him or not therefore let vs consider how we would be forgiuen of God that we may so forgiue 1 We would be forgiuen presently 2 We would be forgiuen heartily 3 We would be forgiuen totally 4 We would be forgiuen so as there should remaine no roote of bitternesse in stocke to make a new quarrell which we call forgiuing and forgetting it is not forgiuenesse if all that meete not so 1 Some delay the pardon of their brethren and so liue in prosecution of reuenge and in retribution of euill for euill and when they haue either failed of their reuenge or effected it then they forgiue When God sent Nathan to reproue Dauid for his double sinne Dauid charged with this debt confessed it at the first voyce of reprehension and Nathan replyed to him The Lord also hath
of such offences are properly against our selues Sworne men are bound by vertue of their oath to enquire after such as doe not liue in the obedience of the lawes of the Church and of the Common-wealth their oath is faithfull to present such delinquents to superiour authority that the ecclesiasticall or ciuill Magistrate may proceed against such delinquents to punish them according to law This is the oath of Church officers and of the Sworne-men of the Iewry let me admonish such that they make conscience of that oath for the wisedome of the State hath put them in trust to giue intelligence of law-breakers for the common good that by punishing of offenders the law may stand in full strength In this case let no Sworne-man take vpon him to forgiue an offender by suppressing this sworne intelligence for the faults detected are not personall trespasses done to them but of an higher nature preuarications of the lawes of God of the Church or of the Common-wealth and therefore out of our power to remit them against their oath to conceale them Mercy here is cruell to such as doth deceiue the trust committed to them and breake the oath sworne by the holy name of God for God will not hold such innocent and it is cruelly to society which is best preserued by inquisition and delation of offenders This resolution of this case of conscience doth also cleare another for a Magistrate to whom the supreme and soueraigne authority doth giue subordinate regencie for administration of equall iustice though as a priuate person he ought to remit offences done to him as he would haue God forgiue him yet in offences done against the law he hath rules set him from which hee must not swarue The soueraigne Magistrate doth commit to the subordinate the dispensation of his iustice and to this he is sworne but he reserueth to himselfe the dispensation of mercy to qualifie and mitigate the rigour of law so that remission of offences in that case is out of the power of deputed Iudges Concerning cases of difference betweene man and man the question is whether those that solicite God in this petition may prosecute suits of law one against another seeing wee stand so strictly obliged to forgiuenesse Our answer is that in regard of the many differences which grow betweene men here God hath ordained Magistracie and politicall gouernment to set all to rights and to assigne suum cuique Therefore in all cases of variance we ought to resort to our Iudges and by men experienced in the lawes to alleadge what wee pretend for our right and to submit our selues to their iudicature So as children goe to a father to iudge between them and this may be done in charity of them who seeke for nothing but equall iustice They that mingle trickes of wit vntrue suggestions cunning suppressions of truth corruption of Iudges or witnesses or any other indirect conueyances with their iust cause or bumbast an euill and leane cause with this vniust addition doe highly offend God and abuse the remedy which God hath ordained to establish peace They that malitiously pursue rightfull cases or cunningly colour vnrightfull with the false dye of seeming pretences striue against charity and peace They that reinduce suits of molestation making iust lawes vniust roddes to scourge those whom God would haue spared trespasse loue But in a case of personall iniury by deprauation of our good name by hurt to our persons or to any thing belonging to vs we may charitably forgiue the wrong done to vs and iustly pursue the offender ad dignam emendationem LVC. 11.4 And leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill THis Petition is commonly by our late Writers called the sixt and last Petition of the Lords prayer But the Fathers heretofore haue diuided it into two making seauen petitions whom I follow These foure last petitions are chained together with a coniunction copulatiue Giue vs our daily bread that we may liue and forgiue vs all our sinnes past and present that we may bee reconciled to thee And leade vs not into temptation that we may liue in all godlinesse and honesty hereafter But deliuer vs from the euill one that is from Sathan that hee may haue no power to corrupt our vnderstandings or affections This coniunction is doctrinall 1 It teacheth that wee haue no warrant to pray to God for the necessaries of life except our desire bee to liue well for why should we desire life of God but that we may liue to good workes which God hath ordained for vs that we should walke in them 2 To liue in our sinnes vnrepented of vs vnpardoned of God is to liue most vnhappily therefore the former petition is to reconcile vs to God for all things past amisse and these following petitions serue for preuentions of offences to come O let me liue and I will praise thy name Sinne no more said Christ lest some greater euill fall vpon thee In the storie of the poore widow that was much indebted whom the creditor threatned to take her two sonnes for bondmen in satisfaction of the debt when she made her moane to Elisha that he would take compassion of her Elisha demanded what she had in the house she answered nothing but a pot of oyle he willed her to borrow many empty vessels and she did so and poured out of her pot and filled them all then said the Prophet Goe and sell the oyle pay the debt and liue thou and thy children of the rest In this miracle of Gods mercy our sinnes bee our debts iustice is the creditor which exacteth satisfaction the oyle that must pay the debt is the grace of God which bringeth saluation to all men My grace saith Christ to Paul is sufficient for thee Sufficient it is to pay the debt of all our sinnes past sufficient for vs to liue on in the time to come for this oyle we pray in these petitions forgiue vs our sinnes demandeth so much as will pay the debt and leade vs not into temptation desireth enough to maintaine vs for the time to come that we may not runne againe vpon the score in a new reckoning These two cares must not be parted Christ hath put them together Ecce sanus factus es then followeth Noli amplius peccare For without this nothing that we heare from God nothing that we aske of God speedeth with him or vs for Dauid saith If I regard wickednesse in my heart Dominus nom ex audit we must not be like dogs and swine returning c. We must as Saint Peter aduiseth consider that the time past of our life may suffice vs to haue wrought the will of the Gentiles when wee walked in lasciuiousnesse lusts excesse of wine reuellings banquettings c. There must be a forsaking of sinne before there can be a partaking of mercy as Salomon saith who so confesseth and forsaketh sinnes shall haue mercy There be two things