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
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
A GODLY LEARNED EXPOSITION TOGETHER with apt and profitable Notes on the LORDS PRAYER Written by the late Reuerend Orthodoxe Diuine and faithfull Seruant of Iesus Christ SAMVEL PAGE Doctor in Diuinity and Preacher of Gods Word at Deptford Stronde in the County of Kent Published since his death BY NATHANIEL SNAPE of Grayes Inne Esquire LONDON Printed by THOMAS HARPER 1631. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THOMAS Lord Couentry Baron of Ailsborough and Lord Keeper of the Great Seale of ENGLAND c. Right Honourable YOur naturall propensitie and noble inclination to Learning and Religion your good acceptance of this Authors little Manual of priuate Deuotions lately presented to your Lordship and my particular obligation are the cause of this my dedication My relation to the Author brought his papers to my hands and a desire of the Churches benefit bids me send them to the Presse I thought fit to begin with this vpon the Lords Prayer it being the Principle and Rudiment of Christian Religion And albeit diuers learned Expositors haue trauelled very farre in discouerie of the hidden treasure of this Celestiall Myne yet such is the mysterious plenteousnesse of this compendium of Diuinity which is a contexture of God Almighty his owne making as that it doth and euer will affoord continuall studie to the most laborious and curious searcher This is such a prayer as S. Augustine Math. 6. speaketh of Quae paucis verbis res multiplices comprehendit Cuius mysteriorum profunditate Ingeniosorum prudentia stupescit It is a prayer dictated out of Gods owne mouth for our studie and imitation and therefore I shall neede no other motiue to your Lordships fauourable acceptation hereof For the Author your Lordship had some knowledge of him he must be tam quam that is a right Minister of God all his life must as Saint Greg. super Eze. hom 3. saith sonare verbo ardere desiderio And that the Author was not vnlike thus farre I may safely aduenture to the praise of his memory that the Clergy thought him a reuerend learned and orthodoxe Diuine and that the Laytie found him alwaies painfully zealous in the Ministery vpright and conscionable in his life and conuersation how he hath approued himselfe by these his labours I doe in all humblenesse submit to your Lordships graue iudgement and the iudicious Reader Your Lordships humbly deuoted NATHANIEL SNAPE AN EXPOSITION VPON THE LORDS PRAYER LVC. 11.1 And it came to passe that as he was praying in a certaine place when he ceased one of his Disciples said vnto him Lord teach vs to pray as Iohn also taught his Disciples I Follow our Church Catechisme for after the law of the tenne Commandements this caution followeth know this that thou art not able to doe these things of thy selfe nor to walke in the Commandements of God and to serue him without his speciall grace which thou must learne at all times to call for by diligent praier And as we cannot obey without the helpe of praier neither can we pray without both 1 Teaching what and how to pray 2 Helpe and assistance in our praier The Apostle doth confesse this generall and common defect in vs all We know not what wee should pray for as we ought so there is a quid the matter of our praiers and a sicut the manner of them to be learned and there is an helpe to be sought for to carry vs through this holy duty that God may haue honour we good by our praiers Therefore I begin the doctrine of praier at this place wherein 1 There is example of praying shewed the best and greatest Christ himselfe 2 Thereupon a motion is made to Christ the best and ablest Doctor of the Church to direct in praier Doce nos 3 An instance giuen of the like Sicut Ioannes etiam docuit discipulos suos 1 Concerning the example It came to passe that he was praying in a certaine place This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 factum est doth intimate the example of purpose shewed to the Disciples to giue them this occasion to desire instruction in the vse of praier for by such baits the great Fisher of men doth catch men and if we could take notice of it God hath many meanes in continuall tender to vs to inuite and prouoke vs to guide also and direct vs to put vs on and encourage vs to those holy duties which please him Sathan and the world and the flesh cast out their baits of temptations to euill and few of them miscarry but they take Let vs not omit these liuing bookes of Doctrine these walking tables of duty when good examples offer themselues to our eyes especially seeing Saint Peter saith we must ambulare sicut ille wee are much bound to the loue of the holy Ghost who left vs these true Records of his walking that as his mediation with the Father is our way to glory so his example of good life may bee our way of holy conuersation It is that which the Apostle doth require in Timothy Be thou an example of the beleeuers in word in conuersation in charity in spirit in faith in purity and in Titus In all things shew thy selfe an example of good workes The Minister that buildeth onely by his Preaching is but an holy day Preacher but he that buildeth also by example is a continuall preacher Me audite hath life in it when it is followed with sequimini me you shall see after how this good example wrought Christ praied there is often mention of Christs praying the Author to the Hebrewes saith that in the daies of his flesh he cried with strong cryes He spent a whole night in praier He rose in the morning a great while before day hee went out and departed into a solitarie place and there praied So that hee hath giuen himselfe to vs an example of praier of frequent of feruent praier of publike of priuate and secret praier Consider then who giueth vs example of praier the Sonne of God in whom dwelleth the fulnesse of the God-head bodily and who thought it no robberie to be equall with God who therefore is heire of all things and who was in want of nothing who could say Omnia mea tua sunt omnia tua mea sunt There be three vses of praier 1 For necessity some say that petitio est soboles indigentiae and so Christ needed not to pray for he wanted no grace which God had to bestow vpon his humane nature but praier is our city of refuge for our helpe is in the name of the Lord. The name of the Lord is a strong tower to them that trust in him the righteous runneth into it and is safe Praier acquainteth God with our necessities not that he is ignorant of them for wee say well that he knoweth our necessities before we aske and our ignorance in asking and he desireth not our praiers for his owne information but that wee may declare our selues
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
tendernesse secondly immutabilitie 2 The name of Father putteth vs to search what right we haue to that name 1 There is a generall interest in that name which is communicated to all creatures by which all things that haue being must call God their Father because hee is to them all the author both of their being and conseruation for of him and by him and through him are all things And if Iabal may be called the father of all such as dwell in tents and of such as haue Cattell And Iubal the father of such as handle the Harpe and Organs Because these were the first beginners of these arts amongst men Much more may all things call God their common Father in whom all things liue moue and haue their being But thus God is the father of wicked men of the deuils and of hell as being the Creator of their substances and the author of their being The Church of God doth not vnderualue this interest in God though thus common to all creatures that haue being though the worst and most despised creatures of earth sea and hell doe participate with them therein Who loues the ayre the worse because euill men and noxious creatures hurtfull to man doe breath it in and out and liue by it Who loues the Sunne the worse because it shines vpon the good and bad vpon sweet gardens and loathsome stinkes and dunghils or the raine that fals vpon all grounds Amongst the benefits that wee thanke God for this hath good place wee giue him thankes that when we were not he gaue vs a being It is a great wisedome and it is attained by faith to vnderstand that the world was ordained by the word of God so that the things which we see are not made of things which did appeare And therefore the Prophet calleth vpon the creatures the Angels the hoast of heauen the Sunne and Moone and Starres and Waters c. Let them praise the name of the Lord for he commanded and they were created He also established them The donation of being and the conseruation in being be great fauours and therefore God is called Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keeping all things This putteth vs in minde to take heed that we turne not the blessing of our being into a curse by corrupting our waies and doing euill in the sight of God It is otherwise with vs then it is with other creatures many of them perish and loose their being Angels and men are created to immortality and they that possesse not the immortality of life and glory shall bee possessed of the contrary immortality of confusion and paine So that the doctrine of our creation doth admonish vs to remember our Creator betimes that we may addresse our whole being to him for we see that all other creatures in their kinde doe serue him and keepe the vse for which they were ordained 2 There is a more speciall interest in this title of Father belonging to men who haue receiued fauour in their creation aboue other creatures 1 For he made man in imagine suâ which he did to no other creature on earth 2 He made him in honour but a little lower then the Angels crowned with glory 3 Hee made him immortall for though his fall brought in death yet the death of Christ destroyed it and the soules of men cannot die and the dead bodies of men shall rise againe to an eternall reunion with their soules 4 He made him to rule And this putteth vs in minde of a great debt of duty to God who hauing vs as his clay in his hand when he might haue made vs beasts or fowles and fishes wormes or flyes he chose rather to make vs men to giue vs the vse of reason discourse and speech Which though it be a gift common to vs with the wicked and vngodly of the earth yet let vs thinke neuer the worse of it for to be a man is to be an epitome a little Mappe of the whole world and there is a way open for men as much to excell men as men generally are more excellent then bruit beasts 3 There is yet a more speciall interest that some men haue in this title to call God Father then others haue which none but Christ can warrant vs to challenge and therefore none but he can teach vs to call God Father in this sense and that is by right of adoption For when we had lost the fauour of God being dead in trespasses and sinnes and separated from the life of God and thereby in a more miserable condition then all our seruant creatures associated also with those rebell Angels that kept not their first estate but forsooke their habitation Then it pleased God to send his sonne first in promises then in types shadowes and in the fulnesse of time in the fulnesse of performance to reconcile vs to himselfe and to purchase for vs an eternall inheritance that we might be called the sonnes of God and enfeoffed in all the liberties of Gods elect children so the Apostle We haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby wee cry Abba that is father This is the interest of all the faithfull in God and none but the elect doe call him by that name by a iust claime to the graces annexed to that name and deriued from it Rea. 3 This reuealeth to vs a third reason why we call God Father that is to shew that we goe to him in our prayers the right way which is by Iesus Christ for there is no other way to the Father One Mediatour betweene God and man the man Iesus Christ For in this last kinde of gratious paternity God is onely a Father to vs in Christ and for his sake And to shew our faith in God grounded vpon the sufficient merits of Iesus Christ wee seeke the face of God vnder that title which our Iesus hath bought with his bloud which is called the bloud of the euerlasting couenant So that the name of Father giuen to God in this prayer doth teach vs that all the prayers of the Church must be offered vp to God in the mediation of Iesus Christ For we call not God Father by Angels or Saints but by Christ onely therefore we must seeke this Father onely in and by Iesus Christ He himself hath taught vs this for he saith whatsoeuer you shall aske the Father in my name it shall be giuen you The Renegado of Spalato in his last Manifesto doth muster vp heapes of proofes to maintaine inuocation of Angels and Saints against the truth against his owne former auouchments of the contrarie against his owne conscience if he haue any left after his apostacie He laboureth to proue that Angels and Saints departed doe continually pray for vs wee deny it not wee know that there is a communion of charity in the whole body of the Church and doubt not of their perfect charitie who are released hence
Ierusalem the spirit of supplications poureth also the spirit of grace to sanctifie the supplications So it is called in Zech. the Spirit of grace and supplications And Dauid can say If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me Obserue it in Saint Iames his directions Draw nigh to God and hee will draw nigh to you clense your hands yee sinners and purifie your hearts you double minded When God appeard to Moses in the bush and Moses was approaching to him he heard a voyce saying to him Put off thy shoes from thy feete for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground There is no Comming then to God without holinesse without which we may seeke but we shall neuer see the face of God 5 This mention of the heauens here doth put vs in minde of the wisedome of God who of nothing raised vp that glorious frame of those celestiall habitations that high Sanctuary for his owne dwelling for in wisedome he hath made them all Which teacheth vs to beware how we appeare before God in our praiers and holy deuotions not as fooles but as wise Take heed to thy foote when thou entrest into the house of God and be more neare to heare then to offer the sacrifice of fooles They that pray not in wisdome doe offer to God the sacrifice of fooles And Salomon saith God hath no pleasure in fooles There is no folly like to the folly that is vsed in prayer and deuotion when the God of wisedome hath vs in his eye and the iealous God who is tender of his worship discerneth that he is slighted That is one of the sinnes of our time a foolish worship without consideration care or reuerence which turneth our praiers into sinne Hath God any pleasure in the set words of a solemne seruice Did he not blame his owne people Populus hic honorat me labijs suis Dauid admonisheth to sing praises to God with vnderstanding It asketh a great deale of spirituall wisedome to addresse our suites to the Court of heauen where the highest King of glory doth wisely consider all the sonnes of men and beholds with what descretion and wisedome they come before him Take heed therefore that thou forget not our Father to be in heauen Heauen is mentioned for the height of Gods sanctuarie for God is in excelsis which teacheth vs in praier to sublime our soules from the earth and earthly things to an holy eleuation thereto agree those outward formes of lifting vp the eyes in prayer I lifted vp mine eyes to the hills from whence my help commeth Our helpe is in the name of the Lord who hath made heauen and earth And let the lifting vp of mine hands be an euening sacrifice Sursum corda It is the voice of the Church Our Conuersation is in heauen and it is the Apostles counsaile If ye be risen with Christ seeke the things which are aboue and not the things which are below where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God O that I had the winges of a Doue the wings of an Eagle rather to fly high there is the Carcase and thither the Eagles resort Our earthly Parents giue good things to vs but they haue them from hence the bread the fish the necessaries of life Sometimes earthly Parents proue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but our heauenly father is one whose compassion falles not when my father and mother forsaketh me the Lord taketh me vp Doubtlesse thou art our father though Abraham knowes not though Israel be ignorant of vs. Earthly Parents see vs sicke and in prison and in disgrace and in want they can sit downe and droppe their teares and viz their groanes with ours but there is no helpe in them they may be parted from vs by death but our heauenly father shall endure for euer his yeares change not he looked down from the height of his sanctuarie From heauen did the Lord behold the earth to heare the groaning of the prisoners to loose those that are appointed to death 7 The mention of heauen added to the title of our Father doth put vs in minde of his goodnesse for hee dwelleth in that place from which euery good giuing and euery perfect gift doth proceed From whence also we are directed in our Prayers not to aske of this Father that is nothing but good and perfect gifts In temporall benefits we must still haue an eye to the true vse of them to make them serue for spirituall and heauenly vses One thing haue I desired of the Lord that I will seeke after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple Let our eye be vpon the inheritance and the birth-right and for things temporal so far as they may be adjumenta or oramenta to vs to aduance this final desire of the kingdome of God so farre let vs desire and seeke and vse them Who will petition a King for beades and babies and such trifling things feare nto little flock it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a Kingdome Let our wisedome seeke it where it is to be found in heauen where Iesus Christ sitteth at the right hand of his father and maketh intercession for vs. Why should we aske stones where we may haue bread for asking bread of the finest wheat flower Manna Angels bread 8 The name of our father in the heauens doth put vs in minde of the country which we seeke for we are but Pilgrimes and strangers and we haue no abiding City here we are but soiourners as all our fathers were But we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolued wee haue a building not made with hands but eternall in the heauens For in this we groane earnestly desiring to be cloathed vpon with our house which is from heauen that mortalitie might be swallowed vp of life for Whilest we art at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. We are confident and willing to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. We sit here weeping by the riuers of Babel If I forget thee O Ierusalem c. Returne to thy rest O my soule Studie those heauens search and finde out the way to them there is one that is gone before to prepare a place there for vs in the many Mansions of his Fathers house and as the Church sweetely Hymneth He hath opened the Kingdome of heauen to all beleeuers by a new and liuing way which hee hath Consecrated for vs through the vaile that is to say his flesh Conducting vs to Mount Sion the City of the liuing God the heauenly Ierusalem and to an innumerable companie of Angels To the generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the iudge of all and to the spirits of
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
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
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
our owne bread And that is called our owne bread as you haue heard which according to Gods ordinance wee doe labour and sweat for and that is intended in this petition da nobis that is giue it to our honest labours in a lawfull calling The Apostle doth so presse this labour vpon vs that thereby we many acquire both a competency to relieue our owne wants and an ouerplus to giue to such as need and this blessing vpon our honest endeuours is here begged of God The sonne of Iakeh prayeth feed me approuing it lawfull for euery particular person to pray first for himselfe and his owne sustentation This also reproueth the idle and vnthrifty those that take no care for the necessaries of life and those that waste them wee say they are foes to none but themselues but such are friends to none the Apostle calleth them euill beasts slowbellies for with what face can they say da nobis that either refuse or abuse and waste the meanes that should giue them their bread It lost Esau his birthright quia maluit victum accipere quam acquirere Multitudes of these weeds grow vp amongst vs who take no care for their owne bread and cast themselues wilfully vpon the charity of others drinking the sweat of others browes and deuouring the bread of idlenesse the iust lawes of this kingdome doe shut vp our charity against those who liue vpon the spoile and take no care for their owne support Solomon saith rods be for the backs of fooles and our whipping posts are set vp for such and S. Pauls rule is our warrant to let them that will not labour goe without meat And from this head of carelesnesse to get their owne bread come those night burglaries and day pilferies and highway insurrections and cunny catching conueyances to rob such as labour for our owne bread 2 Nobis includeth their owne families which also teacheth vs euery one to haue a care of wife and children to prouide for them how shall wee looke for the honour due to parents and masters of families if wee neglect our necessary care of them The good woman in the Prouerbs is noted for this care She riseth while it is yet night that is before the Sunne and she giueth meat to her houshold and a portion to her maydens and after followeth her houshold are cloathed with double garments The Apostle saith If there be any that prouideth not for his owne and namely for them of his houshold hee denieth the faith and is worse then an infidell The Apostle saith If there be any such for it is presumed that none should be such but such infidels wee haue too many that drinke downe the maintenance of their families at drunken sittings that eat vp their bread from them at gluttenous banquets and feasts that play away the bread of their owne houses in vnthrifty gaming 's that waste the legacies and hereditary dimensions and the wages of their labour vpon harlots The Apostle telleth vs how wee should esteeme them as infidels that deny the faith They haue put out that light of nature which shineth in the beasts of the field in the foules of the ayre for nature teacheth them to take care of their yong they build nests for them they feed them till they can shift for themselues The Hen gathereth her yong ones vnder her wings but these wastfull consumers of their meanes pluck out the feathers from their owne wings that they can neither flye themselues nor shelter their young without naturall affection and of a reprobate sense they stench the congregation where they liue with their noisome and vngodly conuersation But thou man of God flye these things and seeke thy bread for thy selfe for thy family that they may blesse thee 3 This nobis doth put vs in minde that we doe liue in society homo est animal sociale wee must pray for bread for the common-wealth in which we liue non est bonum nisi in communi bono the state in which we liue doth exact this common care of all the parts of the body thereof that we suffer not the society of men to suffer partem patria No states haue euer thriued better then those that haue most studied and laboured the common good and nothing doth sooner bring in an vniuersall miserie then the ouermuch retiring of our care to euery ones particular This hath multiplied grieuances when some particular persons haue found out proiects to heale themselues by wounding of the common-wealth and it is generally prognosticated that many of these grieuances will put forth this spring in our state God giue wisedome and courage and skill to the state-Physitians to heale these sores The King the head of this body must be supported and bread is the care of the state to supply it for this cause pay ye tribute saith the Apostle the necessities of state must be supported for the honour thereof and that the faculties of weldoing may not faile Charity seeketh not her owne things so long as wee labour and pray for the good of our Common-wealth we shall not want bread for in the plenty and peace of our whole land we shall haue both peace and plenty Those that milke the Common-wealth and draw the breasts of it till bloud come are enemies of society and the bread that is thus gotten will be grauell in their mouthes God be mercifull vnto vs to detect and confound all such proiections and let our Common-wealth that hath beene so glorious in the eye of all the world renue her glory thus blemished in late daies 4 This nobis doth especially oblige our care to the members of the mysticall body of Christ all those that are parts of the Church of God that we labour God in our prayers for the prosperity of Sion and for Ierusalems welfare that wee may see the Church of God in prosperity all our life long and that we may procure her good The poore persecuted members of Christ in the bloudie violence put vpon them in France fled hither in multitudes to seeke bread God be euer blessed for the piety and charity of our nation toward them their loines blesse vs and their mouthes testifie for vs that the charitable and hospitall entertainments which they gaue to our fathers in France flying from the persecution of Queene Mary whose garments were dyed in the bloud of Gods Saints were not forgotten The Apostle commendeth this charity to vs with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 especially to the houshold of faith O Lord let not them want bread that feare thee and call vpon thy name 5 Nobis doth include our Ministers that breake vs the bread of life it is our care and duty to see to them that they want not bread God hath resigned to vs his owne portion and hee that hath set vs a worke hath designed our wages hee would not haue the Altar so leane that hee that attendeth at the
with Haec mea sunt veterâ—s migrate Coloni Therefore our duty is herein to come vnto God in our prayers for the keeping as well as for the obteining of things necessary For we must as well depend vpon the holy providence of God for keeping that wee haue as for giuing to vs that wee want 6 It is called ours because wee desire that wee may haue the vse of our food wherein wee pray to God for health for what is bread without a stomach if either wee want appetite to it to desire it or stomach to digest it that either we cannot eat it or that it commeth vp againe therefore pray that God by giuing vs the right vse of our bread would make it ours So our bread will strengthen our heart our wine will comfort it our cloathes will keepe vs warme and all the necessaries of life will prosper to vs in the lawfull vse of them 7 Seeing our best right to this bread is by Iesus Christ let vs labour first for him that hee may dwell in our hearts by faith that wee bee rooted and grounded in him for how can he not with him giue vs all things who giueth him to vs When God shall seeke vs if we bee found in him as Christ is Gods so shall we be Let him therefore be in our eare God saith Heare him Let him be in our loue testified by obedience If ye loue me keepe my commandements There is no iuyce nor sappe in any thing that God doth giue man which hee doth not giue through him and for his sake all the nations of the world that eate bread and receiue food from the hand of God without the mediation of Iesus Christ are vnder the generall providence of God as the yong Lions and Beares and beasts of prey are But those that haue the Sunne haue with him the speciall providence of God which ministreth these things to them with fauour and for their good 8 Lastly seeing we pray for our bread we are taught that we must vse no vnlawfull meanes for the supply of our wants all is not ours that wee may inuade if by wicked meanes we get it it is called The bread of wickednesse if wee earne it by vngodly works it is called The wages of iniquity if by fraud it is called The bread of deceipt if we labour not at all it is called The bread of idlenesse if wee haue more then needeth for our selues it is The bread of the poore Let vs take heed we neither take the bread of the poore from them as the Scribes and Pharisees did who deuoured widowes houses nor keepe and with hold from the poore their bread as the rich man did who gaue not the crummes of his table to the poore beggar That is our bread that our necessity craueth not that our sensuality desireth the ouerplus is the poores 5 Daily bread I shewed in the exposition of this word that two things are here desired of God 1 Wee aske panem sufficientiae that wee may not want things necessary for vs. 2 Panem nutritionis such food as may serue by the blessing of God for our nourishment Therefore our duty is to vse the gifts of God wisely and soberly that is to say 1 With contentment 2 Without waste We beare about vs weake bodies that need a daily sustentation our stomachs will call vpon vs euery day for food and so must wee euery day call vpon God for supply thereof that debt our soules owe to our bodies to seeke their meat from God by prayers 1 Wee are taught a contented vse of those things which we receiue from God for if our bread bee sufficient for vs against want if it be wholsome and nourishing wee ought to bee contented with it for godlinesse only seeketh the meanes which may enable vs to Gods seruice and that is alwaies ioyned with contentednesse godlinesse is great riches thus ioyned with contentednesse according to the Apostles rule If you haue food and cannot be therewith content the sinne of Israel not content with the bread of heauen but still murmuring for change destroyed them with their meate in their mouthes 2 We are taught the sober and moderate vse of bread desiring of God bread and foode for our health Sodomes sinne was fulnesse of bread the insatiate gluttonous abuse of Gods good creatures which turnes the bread of nourishment into the bread of surfet and wine that maketh glad the heart of man into drunkennesse This turneth Gods blessings into rods and maketh our bread our disease and this is one of the crying sinnes of our sinfull nation which ouerchargeth vs with iniquity and sometimes makes our fruitfull land barren to scourge our excesse and intemperancie 6 This day 1 This teacheth vs to come euery day to God in our prayers to demand the necessaries of our life God loueth to bee entreated often and therefore Christ hath limited vs to the present time of purpose that we may be still sensible of our wants and of Gods supply that we may be euer praying God may be alwayes giuing we alwayes receiuing by which holy entercourse between God and vs this part of Gods holy worship may still be kept a foote which consisteth in prayer and thankesgiuing prayer to obtaine and sanctifie the gifts of God to vs. Thanksgiuing to acknowledge the authour of euery good and perfect gift to the honour of the bountifull giuer thereof Prayer to shew vs mortall men that we haue many wants which none but God can supply Thanksgiuing to put vs into the society of the Saints in glory whose continuall exercise is to praise the holy name of God So the Apostle ioyneth these two duties of piety and religion Pray without ceasing in euery thing giue thankes for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus concerning you It is the ioy of the faithfull that they may doe this and therefore the Apostle doth put this precept first Reioyce euermore then he biddeth to pray giue thankes Let no man thinke it a griefe or burthen to him to be put to it to come to God for euery thing that hee needeth euery day rather let him reioyce that Christ hath made the way of accesse to his father so easie that the oftner wee come the better are wee welcome to him and the more wee pray the more wee giue him cause to open his hand and to declare his singular loue to vs this reciprocation of our asking and Gods giuing of our receiuing and our thankesgiuing doth so please our God and pleasure vs that no time is spent more comfortably more religiously and thus we shall be euer creeping vnder the wings of God for shelter euer drawing neere to God for his fauour euer seeking his face for his blessings and like the elder sonne in the Gospell we shall be euer with our father and all that he hath shall be ours 2 Praying onely for This day wee shall honour the constant prouidence of God with
reckonings make long friends The comfort is that where particular confession cannot perfect the account it be there supplied with a generall of all our sinnes both remembred and forgotten knowne and vnknowne This was Dauids course for hauing said who can tell how oft he hath offended he addeth cleanse me O Lord from my secret sinnes in which generall request there is ingrost a full confession of all If this generall confession auailed not to this purpose the rule could not hold that at what time so euer a sinner repenteth him of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart all his sinnes should be put out of remembrance The conuerted thiefe on the Crosse had many sinnes to repent euen after he was nailed to the Crosse hee reproached Christ and whilest he was blaspheming his heart smote him and he reproued his fellow and confessed that they suffered iustly therefore he sought and found grace It were most vnhappy for man and would make the way of saluation vnpossible vnpassable if a generall contrition for the whole body of sinne did not ease the conscience when the shortnesse of time and forgetfulnesse doe hinder a particular enumeration of all the seuerall prouocations of the wrath of God against sinne for ignorantly we offend often 3 A third duty ioyned with this confession of the mouth is confession of the heart vnfainedly touched with remorse of sinne for sinne must be first discerned and discouered before it can put vs into shame and feare and griefe for it This yeeldeth vs guilty into the power of iustice and saith like the sonnes of Iacob when the cup was found in Beniamins sacke What shall I say vnto my Lord what shall I speake or how shall I cleare my selfe God hath found out mine iniquity But the tender conscience feareth lest this compunction come short of the sorrow that is due and proportionable to the trespasse for we should haue as great a measure and proportion of hatred to the sinne wherein we offend as there hath beene in vs loue of euill But the delectation of the sinne remembred doth often take out the sting of fit remorse The comfort is that as a father hath compassion of his children so the Lord c. For he knoweth whereof we be made c. We cannot brush off this dust but it will still foule vs and make vs vncleane the law of our members during the vnion of our soule with our body cannot bee repealed therefore the most sanctified man that liues doth finde 1 That either he doth not finde the heinous condition of his sinne to fit it with proportionable remorse 2 Or he doth not sufficiently regard the due punishment to fit it with proportionable feare for according as a man feareth such is Gods displeasure 3 Or not enough consider the foulenesse of the fact to fit it with due shame and hatred of it Therefore considering our imperfections and knowing that our old man is not cannot be vtterly destroyed in vs let it be our comfort yet that wee doe the euill which we would not if we had a measure of grace sufficient to resist it and Dauid will tell vs that our God heareth the desires of the poore 4 A fourth dutie implied here is renouation of our life for when we aske God forgiuenesse of sinnes wee must take heed that we doe not turne it into a practise to doe euill and cry God mercy for it when we haue done as if that were al that we desired to haue leaue to sinne to wipe off the old score and to runne againe into Gods debt still pleading for pardon and still offending Therfore that which God requireth of this petitioner is that he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wee be renued in the spirits of our mindes to walke from henceforth in newnesse of life For neither circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumcision but a new creature and as many as walke according to this rule peace is vpon them and vpon the Israel of God So that this petitioner must haue a care to his walke that it be secundum hanc regulam of holinesse and piety Here the tender conscience feareth much 1 Because we finde not the image of God repaired in vs for we are nothing like him Against this comfort thy selfe for that is not to be hoped for in this life Saint Iohn saith of vs all comprehending therein all the elect of God We are the sonnes of God but it doth not appeare what we shall be but we know that when he shall appeare wee shall be like him for we shall see him as he is So that till he appeare we cannot be like him But Saint Paul saith of the Thessalonians euen here ye are the children of the light and of the day and as peremptorily he saith not of the night nor of darkenesse But I say I doe not finde my life amended how then can I say dimitte mihi Indeed I confesse that our time is best spent in the reformation of our liues and here is worke enough to take vp all the time of our life and our whole measure of grace They that studie this well see so much weakenesse in themselues to vndergoe this worke that they cry out for helpe It is time for thee Lord to put to thine helping hand Our comfort against this griefe is Thou also hast wrought all our workes in vs we that are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the shop in which God worketh cannot suddenly discerne the operations of God within vs for who knoweth his owne heart And the more wee striue toward perfection the more wee discerne the length of the voyage and the weakenesse and defects both in our skill and prouisions to accomplish the same wherefore we mistrust our selues and the better wee grow the worse estimation we still haue of our selues God worketh much good in vs that we are not aware of we are dust and ashes and in these ashes are many embers of grace raked vp the time will come when God will reueale vs to our selues himselfe to vs and then we shall finde our selues much better then our opinion This doth God a while conceale that we may both worke out our saluation with feare and trembling in a godly mortification of the deedes of the flesh passing the time of our dwelling here in feare God who bringeth good out of euill by miraculous extraction and who maketh light to arise out of darkenesse doth make two good vses euen of that remaine of sinne which suruiueth our repentance and of that propension which procliueth vs to euill 1 As the law is called the strength of sinne so these sinnes that remaine in vs and corruption which escapeth our repentance may bee called the strength of grace For the elect of God the more sensible they bee of their owne both pollution by sinne and weakenesse to resist it and impotencie to reforme it so much the more feruent is their zeale of the glory of
God against it Seeing the conscience of our frailties doth awake vs to a more watchfull custody of our heart and obseruation of our wayes Therefore as some sharpe fits of an ague in the spring proue medicinall to our bodies So in our spring of grace our infirmities well considered proue physicke to our soules because they make vs remember whereof we are made and shew vs the vse of those meanes which God hath ordained for our recouery such are hearing of the Word meditation in it prayer to God for his blessing vpon vs and such like holy munitions against Sathan 2 These remaines of sinne doe shew vs what neede we haue of a Iesus to saue vs from them that wee may cry with Saint Bernard O Iesu esto mihi Iesus For if any thing will cast vs down at the feete of God and open our hearts and mouthes to say Our father which art in heauen forgiue vs our trespasses this will doe it when we behold these remaines of euill disposition after our repentance But it is obserued that all this labour which we put vpon men for search of their conscience for confession and compunction for sinne and newnesse of life needeth not Seeing God seeth no sinnes in his elect and they are so reconciled to God that they cannot fall from grace For if they be the sheepe of Christ no man or deuill can take them out of his hand This is a flattering heresie which vnder a colour of establishing the decree of Gods election of grace doth destroy the truth of Gods word and nourisheth sinne The Apostle saith If we say we haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. If we confesse our sinnes hee is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse If we say we haue not sinned wee make him a lyar and his word is not in vs They obiect from the same Apostle he saith we know that he which is borne of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not Whosoeuer is borne of God doth not commit sinne for his seed remaineth in him and hee cannot sinne because he is borne of God Is the Apostle contrary to himselfe Not so for he declareth what sinne it is of which hee speaketh that he which is borne of God cannot commit All vnrighteousnesse is sinne And there is a sinne not vnto death In which words he distinguisheth sinne from sinne for in the former verse he saith There is a sinne vnto death I say not that hee shall pray for it This distinction cleareth the point for sinne is of two sorts 1 Not vnto death 2 Vnto death When the Apostle saith We make God a lyar and deceiue our selues if we say we haue no sinne hee meaneth that of the sinnes of infirmity which are not vnto death because these the elect of God doe confesse to God penitently and he is faithfull and iust to forgiue them vpon their repentance And when he saith Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not neither can sinne hee meaneth that sinne that is vnto death The elect cannot sinne vnto death But when he saith He that committeth sinne is of the Deuill he meaneth such as sinne obstinately and with an high hand and a stiffe neck impenitently which is to death So then to the point of their tenet God doth not see sinne in his elect is a true position cum grano salis if we vnderstand it thus God seeth no sinne in them vnto death no such sinne as either they will conceale from him but they will by confession lay open before him no such sinne as he will punish with aeternall death but hee will forgiue it them But what is the way of their peace Euery man that hath this hope purifieth himselfe euen as he is pure The manner of our purifying our selues is also exprest I will take it as I finde it in the text Whosoeuer abideth in him sinneth not He that doth righteousnesse is righteous euen as hee is righteous Not in aequality as righteous as he but in imitation and by imputation of his righteousnesse This doing of righeeousnesse hee distributeth into the loue of God whom we haue not seene and the loue of our neighbour whom we haue seene This he calleth Keeping of the commandements and doing those things that are pleasing in his fight And this commandement is double 1 Of faith to beleeue on the name of his sonne Iesus Christ 2 Of loue one to another There is also before required on our part our confession on Gods part his absolution Gods absolution consisteth of two parts 1 His pardon of our sinnes that is his releasing vs from the punishment of them 2 His purging and clensing vs from the pollution of them As you haue heard if wee confesse our sinnes hee is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnesse He addeth hereunto prayer Whatsoeuer we aske we receiue of him So that to gather vp all into a short compendium thus it is with vs The elect of God are all sinners The way to helpe it is 1 Search and confession 2 Faith in the sonne of God 3 Obedience to the Law of God 4 Prayer to God for pardon of our sinnes And therefore when Christs holy disciples desired him to teach them to pray hee bade them say dimitte nobis debita nostra shewing that they were debtors and not able to pay the debt but needed to desire of God to pardon it And from hence the whole doctrine of repentance from dead works comes which needed not if the elect had no sinne But it is obiected 1 That Christ hath satisfied his father for the sinnes of all the elect for so saith Isaiah He was wounded for our transgression he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes are we healed And God laid on him the iniquity of vs all What need we then pray for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes which are already forgiuen 2 Remission of our sinnes is one the articles of our faith if we beleeue that our sinne are forgiuen already why doe we yet pray to haue them forgiuen To both we answere That Christ hath indeed answered for all the sinnes of his Church and the elect of God doe beleeue it But this satisfaction of Christ is performed to none but such as both search their heart for sinne and finde it and confesse it and come to him by prayer to aske it Come to me all yee that are weary and heauy laden and I will ease you This coming is by repentance of sinnes by saith of the remission of them and by prayer for the remission of them I confesse that there needeth no more deprecation of the wrath of God to establish the decree of