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
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
his name The Lawes of this kingdome are the holy Scriptures and these are called often the kingdome of heauen in their Ministerie for by them the glory and power of Gods kingdome is declared on earth and they are The rod of his mouth The arme of God by which he directeth and aweth all his subiects Therefore the Scepter of this Kingdome is called Sceptrum iustitiae This Kingdome of God is 1 Outward in the visible profession of the same faith and coniunction in one body of a Church and so all that ioyne together in the one worship of the same God professing to be ruled and gouerned by his holy Lawes are the visible kingdome 2 Inward in the hearts of all the elect people of God And so Christ saith Behold the kingdome of God is within you For God reigneth in the hearts and consciences of all his chosen by their faith and obedience and loue and this kingdome is not meate or drinke but it is Righteousnesse Peace and ioy in the holy Ghost 1. Righteousnesse that is the iustification of his subiect by faith whereby Christ is made to vs of God righteousnesse because the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to vs. 2 Peace for the Gospell of the kingdome is called the Gospell of peace because it filleth vs with peace of conscience in the assurance of the pardon of all our sinnes and it giueth vs a loue of outward peace in the Church knitting vs so together with the bonds of loue that as much as in vs lieth we desire to haue peace with all men 3 Ioy in the holy Ghost for where righteousnesse and peace dwell there is all spirituall ioy The voyce of ioy is in the Tabernacles of the righteous for hauing once tasted how sweete the Lord is then the soule delighteth in the Lord. Then the Statutes of God taste sweeter then hony or the hony combe they are more pretious then all manner of riches they are the very ioy of our hearts Then the feete of them that bring vs glad tydings of peace are beautifull Then the house of Gods worship is the place of our delight we will begge of God that we may dwell there where his honour dwelleth Then we shall loue the holy assemblies and be glad when it is sayd to vs we will goe vp to the house of the Lord our feete shall then stand in the gates of Gods house And the assembly of his armies will seeme to vs to be in perfect beauty Then we shall call the Sabbath of the Lord our delight and we shall make conscience of doing our owne will vpon Gods holy day Then shall we be weaned from the immoderate loue of the world and contentednesse shall meete with godlinesse Then shall we find and tast sweetnesse in afflictons and perciue it good for vs that wee haue beene afflicted and shal reioyce in our sufferings for Iesus Christ so then the kingdome of grace is two fold 1 Generall in the whole body of the Church where Christ reigneth King beeing head of his Church to guide it with his wisedome to saue and defend it by his power to Sanctifie it by his Spirit 2 Particular in euery elect member of the Church where Christ reigneth in the conscience and hid man of the heart gouerning and protecting and teaching and sanctifying the same to himselfe 3. Regnum gloriae 1 Nostrae 2 Dei This is that heauenly inheritance of the Church which Christ hath purchased for all the faithfull of which our Sauiour saith Feare not little flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you the kingdome And of this is said Come yee blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Of this Dauid saith I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse and before In thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand pleasures for euermore This is a place of glory 1 In respect of the holinesse of the subiects of it for no vncleane thing can enter into it it is called Ciuitas sancta He that is left in Ierusalem and he that remaineth in Sion shall be called holy euen euery one that is written among the liuing in Ierusalem When the Lord shall haue washed away the filth of the daughters of Sion and shall haue purged the bloud of Ierusalem from the middest thereof by the spirit of iudgement and by the spirit of burning 2 It is a kingdome of glorie because all the subiects of it are stripped out of all their infirmities and made like to the glorious Angels of God Yea the Scripture telleth vs more that we shall be like to Christ because we shall see him as he is More it saith that our vile bodies shall be like his glorious bodie Eternall health eternall ioy perfect and full knowledge blessednesse which shall neuer be taken away from vs and a full and finall abolition of all our wantes Here is that Crowne of righteousnesse and the reward of faith and the purchase of our Mediatour Here we are subiects and Kings our subiection is a royaltie for we reigne with Christ and the adoption of children is so complete in heauen and in glory that like the Elder sonne in the parable of the prodigall all that our father hath is ours The kingdome of grace is the way to the kingdome of glory it is the suburbs of this abiding city The kingdome of grace is that kingdome which Christ exerciseth in his Church here and which he deliuereth vp to God his father when the kingdome of glory cometh of which the Apostle saith Then cometh the end when he shall haue deliuered vp the kingdome to God euen the Father when he shall haue put downe all rule and all authority and power For he must reigne till hee haue put downe all his enemies vnder his feete Then shall the sonne also himselfe be subiect to him that put all things vnder him that God may be all in all Where the Apostle sheweth the vtter cessation of the kingdome of grace swallowed vp of this kingdome of glory This place of the Apostle is notable and containeth points of deepe consideration 1 Concerning Christs deliuering vp of the kingdome we must know that Christ is King as God and man so is the head of his Church and this kingdome hee holdeth by vertue of his office as hee is Mediatour between God and man and when that worke is accomplished in the fulnesse of his glory of the elect then that kingdome must cease and be giuen vp into the hands of the Father who gaue him the administration thereof for the gathering together of the Saints and for the bringing of all the elect to him 2 When he saith that Christ shall deliuer vp this kingdome to his Father let no man conceiue that the Father was all this while out of his kingdome and is now by the Sonne restored at
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
these sinne God correcteth them like a Father pro peccato magno paululum supplicijs satis a patre saith one For he that is called our Father is called pater misericordiarum and Deus omnis consolationis If these begge a suit manum suam implet saturat dat cito dat abunde dat quod est vtilius therefore Dauid O Ye sonnes of men how long will ye looke after vanity and seeke after leasing But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himselfe And as a father hath compassion of his children so hath the Lord compassion of all them that feare him Princes and great persons are called filij excelsi in respect of the eminence of their places and the trust of authority and power committed to them these are filij celsitudinis Dei but that honoureth them onely amongst men because they represent the authority and dominion of God here on earth filij quos honorat But there is another sort of Sonnes who be filij amoris and these doe represent their father in his holinesse and goodnesse and these are the Lords delight S. Iohn calleth this a prerogatiue so many as receiued him he gaue them a prerogatiue so be the sonnes of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Either dedit eis licentiam 2 Or dedit eis Ius 3 Dedit eis honorem dignitatem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sheweth that there is a new making required to this filiation for we are fallen from our first creation so farre as from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The honour therefore is great to vs in that wee are the sonnes of God 1 Because God who had an onely begotten Sonne the expresse forme of his substance equall to himselfe whom hee made heire of all things needed not to adopt any other sonnes or to cast the inheritance as Abraham once thought to doe vpon a seruant yet euen so O Father thy good pleasure was such 2 Because by this adoption he hath brought vs into the society of inheritance with that sonne and hath made vs coheires with Christ without derogation to the heire without diminution to the inheritance for we are the sonnes of God here it appeareth not yet what we shall be but this we know that when we shall see him we shall be like him so vnited to him as that his interest in the Father shall be ours I may adde one reason more that there is no name Rea. 7 wherein God doth more delight or in which God is more honoured then the name of a Father S. Cyprian obserueth that God hath no title that giues him so much honour in his Church as this of Father For as God is called Iehouah which is the name of his being so he either enioyeth himselfe eternally or he communicateth himselfe at large to all things that are But in his title of Father hee is impropriate to his Church and hereby he magnifieth himselfe in that diuine attribute which excelleth all his workes for his mercy is aboue all his workes And it is confest of all hands that the worke of Redemption was a greater and more honourable worke then the Creation You heare of no ioy of Angels at the Creation at the natiuity of the sacred Heire ye know what Iubilation there was ioy to all the earth The Angels doe search into this mystery and stoope themselues to the inquisition And the manifold wisedome of God in this worke of our redemption is by the Church reuealed and made knowne to the principalities and powers in heauenly places I conclude this point with the holy exhortation of S. Peter If ye call on the Father who without respect iudgeth according to euery mans worke passe the time of your soiourning here in feare and as before as obedient children not fashioning your selues according to your former lusts in your ignorance c. Let vs make conscience of doing the duty belonging to that gratious name in imitation of our elder brother who saith I come to doe thy will O my God yea thy law is written in my heart For him God testified This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased If we will ambulare sicut ille as S. Peter biddeth vs we must beginne where he began at lex eius scripta est in corde meo And then we shall not sinne against him then shall the power of this Father protect vs from all euill the prouidence of this Father shall supply all our wants the loue of this Father shall be a banner to vs the wisedome of this Father shall be a guide to vs to gouerne all our waies and the eldest sonne of this Father shall speake a good word for vs that we may haue an inheritance amongst those that be sanctified So long as by our faith and obedience we can continue this God our Father we are in good case we shall want nothing he will bring vs by riuers of waters and feede vs in greene pastures Doubtlesse mercy and louing kindnesse shall follow vs all the daies of our life and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord for euer 2 Our this word expresseth the interest that we haue in him to whom we pray From whence we are taught 1 To whom our prayer is addressed not to the first person of the holy Trinity God the Father but to the whole Trinity the Father Sonne and holy Ghost For the first person hath but one Sonne to call him Father and he is called Primogenitus and vnigenitus but God that is the holy Trinity is our Father hee is the common father of all the elect Yet if you demand whether it may be lawfull to direct our prayers to each of the persons seuerally My answer is that I finde inuocations of each in Scriptures and holy stories but so as the whole Trinity is euer sought because the prayers of the Church doe alwaies respect the whole godhead so that hee which calleth vpon God the Father doth vse the mediation of God the Sonne and is assisted therein by God the holy Ghost The Father is principally respected in the worke of Creation the Sonne in the worke of Redemption the holy Ghost in the worke of Sanctification yet neither of these persons is alone in any of these but one God in three persons doth worke all our good in vs. And the Apostle blesseth in that holy name The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you and wee baptize ye in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost for the three distinct persons doe subsist in one godhead 2 We say Our to expresse our faith for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne and our prayers are turned into sinne if we wauer and doubt in them but our faith doth apprehend an interest in the loue of our God to vs if we pray
pray continually biddeth if it be possible as much as in you is haue peace with all men for the God of peace must be sought in peace and it is a note of the vngodly The way of peace they haue not knowne Therefore before thou fall downe before the face of God in prayer empty all malice out of thy heart and remember that thy father is thy brothers father and the communion of charity doth giue him a share in all thy holy prayers and deuotions But this neglected will fall so heauy vpon vs before we haue done this prayer that God shall condemne vs from our owne mouthes when we desire to be forgiuen as we doe forgiue Here arise certaine quaeres 1 Is it not lawfull to pray saying My father giue mee No doubt it is and without preiudice of christian charity for we haue the warrant both of reason precept and example for it 1 Of reason the common right of all doth not impeach the particular right of each in this Father this name is borrowed from nature whereby euery childe is warranted to call My father without inuasion of the right of his brethren to that title 2 Of precept God himselfe saith But I said how shall I put thee among the children and I said thou shalt call me my Father 3 By example Christ O my Father if it be possible transeat calix iste Thomas My Lord my God Indeed we haue each of vs our particular occasions to repaire to God and desire his helpe in which cases we may either plead the common interest that we haue in God as members of his Church vnder the name of our Father as here or we may by faithfull zeale inuocate him in our owne right to him by Iesus Christ saying My father so the Sonne of God is my Redeemer and Mediatour the holy ghost my sanctifier and preseruer 2 Seeing our Father is a name of such charity as doth combine vs in loue and well-wishing may it be lawfull to vse imprecations to pray against any The content of this word our doth include all men for all men are by creation and by conseruation and protection the Sonnes of God and God onely knowes of these who are his we know that there is no vniuersall grace Christ hath said many called few chosen so that mankinde is diuided into two portions Gods friends Gods enemies But they be all our fellow creatures and the law of charity doth binde vs to the loue of their persons so farre forth praying for them as may stand with the maintenance of Gods glory Indefinitely we may pray against all the deuices of the wicked that God would make them frustrate as he did the counsell of Achitophel so Dauid Lord I pray thee turne the counsell of Achitophel into foolishnesse We heare that Antichrist is Gods profest enemie we may pray for his confusion for wee may hate where God hateth Whence the enemies of our Church wish the light of the Gospell quenched and the superstition of the Church of Rome and her abhominable idolatry reuiued amongst vs we may lawfully pray to God against their machinations that hee would confound their counsels We haue seene what they would haue done in their Powder Treason we may see how they fell into the pit that they digged we may say with Deborah and Barack So let all thine enemies perish O Lord. Finally whosoeuer are not the sonnes of God either in present admission or in his holy election wee may pray against them that God would glorifie himselfe in their confusion and vtter destruction Generally against all impenitent sinners whom God hath giuen ouer to a reprobate sense we pray to be preserued from their society and from all infection by them and against their prosperity as hurtfull to the Church of God 3 Seeing the law of charity doth thus binde vs all one to another In christian loue that wee must pray for all men in our owne particular quarrels one with another is it lawfull to pray against our enemies Our answere is that Christ hath made it a law to his Church in the exposition of the second great Commandement concerning the loue of our neighbour But I say vnto you loue your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them which despightfully vse you and persecute you that you may be children of your Father that is in heauen whereby he putteth all them out of the number of the children of God that doe not pray for their enemies and if no children we cannot say our Father Therefore our Church in the holy Letanie thereof prayeth charitably and according to this holy rule That it may please thee to forgiue our enemies persecutors and slanderers and to turne their hearts And by this charitable Shiboleth we are distinguished from the heathen and Publicans from the pharisaicall interpreters of that law who haue said Thou shalt loue thy neighbour and hate thine enemie They that seeke and loue the peace of God doe desire the sauing of the enemy the destruction of the enmity Our enemie is one of the medicines of our life hee serueth vs to good vse to exercise our patience and our charity and wisedome to keepe vs in awe that wee giue no aduantage against our selues if naturally we loue not physicke yet for healths sake we out of iudgement doe approue it and take it patiently 4 Whether we may reioyce at the destruction of our owne enemies or the enemies of our religion and state 1 The very title of our father which doth vnite vs in one bond of common brotherhood doth so enioyne vs to wish the common good of all Adams children that the ruine of any part of this building ought to bee a griefe to all the rest so that nature biddeth vs not to reioyce in the destruction of any man quia homo hee is flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone and can the members suffer and the whole body not ake for it 2 There is some remaine of the image of God in all the enemies of God which is louely and ought to bee deare to vs the defacing whereof is such a griefe that though Samuel knew that God had wisely and iustly reiected Saul yet he could not chuse but mourne for him and when Dauid saw that Saul was dead hee bewailed his death bitterly though he got a kingdome by it and when he heard that his traitour sonne and subiect Absolon was dead he deplored his death with great passion and much tendernesse 3 The precept of Christ Be ye mercifull as your heauenly father and his critis filij patris vestri by shewing loue to enemies doth also teach vs to take the fall euen of Gods enemies to heart But it is obiected against this that Salomon saith when the wicked perish there is shouting he giueth a good reason for it for when they perish the righteous increase
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
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
which doe endanger vs. 1 A naturall propension in vs to sinne which maketh vs like tinder apt to take fire from a little sparke conceiued and borne in sinne and iniquity 2 There is in temptation a deceitfull appearance of good that tendreth to vs a sensuall delight which flesh and bloud doe soone relish and tast This petition doth put off both these when we desire the preuenting grace of God to sanctifie our vnderstanding and affections so that temptation may not fasten vpon vs. The coherence and scope of this petition thus cleared let vs proceed in this order 1 To enquire what temptation is 2 How God leadeth into it against which we pray 3 What duties are here required to be done of vs that make this petition 1 What temptation we pray against There is a temptation whereof often mention is made in Scripture whereby God doth make tryall of the wisedome faith hope and loue of his children of their patience and other vertues both to make them better acquainted with themselues and to make vse of their good example abroad for confirming such as are in the Church and for recouering such as are departed from the Church and for bringing in such as are without the Church This is a fanne by which God doth diuide the chaffe from the wheate it is the fire which purgeth the mettall and refineth it God euer vseth this for the good of his holy ones this kinde of temptation Aquin. describeth thus it is Probatio alicuiu◠an sciat an passit an velit And let no man suppose that God vseth this temptation to informe himselfe concerning the knowledge power or will of his seruants for hee knoweth all that is in man better then the spirit that is in him for his hands made man and fashioned him and his spirit searcheth all things euen arcana dei Thus was Abraham tempted when God commanded him to offer his sonne And it came to passe after these thinge God did tempt Abraham It is noted that the word rendred to tempt in that place signifieth a lifting vp of a thing for a signe which expresseth both what God did and why he did it 1 What he did in this tryall he did lift vp Abraham aboue former examples of obedience and faith 2 Why he did it euen for a signe that the eyes of all posteritie might be fixed vpon him as a memorable president The author to the Hebrewes proclaimes this amongst the great examples of faith and obedience By faith Abraham when he was tryed offered vp Isaac c. So Iob was tryed and made an example of patience so well knowne in the Church that Saint Iames saith ye haue heard of the patience of Iob. But of this tryall no more because that is not the temptation here meant This is a prouocation to euill against which we pray lest after God hath pardoned our former sinnes we either relapse into the old or fall into new sinnes The word here vsed is significant and expresseth the thing meant very fully for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth an vndertaking of any thing by strength and fraud for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both force and deceit thence Pirates take their name And wee pray against that malice and cunning wherewith the old Serpent assaulteth vs. This kinde of temptation is double 1 From without vs by Sathan whose deceiueablenesse too often mis-carryes vs to euill and therefore hee in his attempt against Christ in the wildernesse is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 From within vs and that is from the corruption of nature and that seed of euill which we deriue by seminall traduction from our first transgressing and faulty Parents of which the Apostle saith Euery man is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne lust and intised In which words the Apostle well describeth this temptation against which we pray for it consisteth of two parts 1 Our concupiscence draweth vs away from the rule of Gods law and the obedience of it as in the first of the Angels that sinned they were drawne away from that content that should haue established them in the liking of their high and glorious creation by entertaining an aspiring sublimation of themselues to an equality with God whereas the condition of their creation should haue beene a law to them to haue reposed them on the prouidence of their maker So in the temptation of Euah the Serpent began with her to question the law of the forbidden fruit and to moue doubts concerning the equity of that law And euer since our concupiscence corrupted with originall impurity resisteth the law of God so farre as the law against sinne doth become an occasion of sinning 2 This concupiscence enticeth to doe euill for so the Angels being diuerted from the content in the law of their creation were entised to that sinne of rebellion which lost them heauen And our Mother Euah seeing the fruit was faire good to eate and to bee desired for the knowledge of good and euill was enticed to eate thereof And euer since after we are once drawne away from God and the obedience of his law we are enticed by our owne concupiscence to obey the law of our members giuing our concupiscence leaue to neast in vs to conceiue and breed and bring forth and hatch sinne Against both these we pray that we may neither bee carried away from the obedience that wee owe to the law of God nor caused to affect or doe those things which are contrary to this holy law the rule of our life 2 How we say to God Ne nos inducas Some obiect what need this petition when S. Iames saith let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with euill neither tempteth he any man To tempt there as the scope of the place doth declare is to draw from God and to entise to doe euill for so the Apostle doth expresse himselfe and in that sense God doth tempt no man for he that Would haue all men to be saued and come to the knowledge of his truth cannot be suspected of vnfaithfulnesse to his creature to betray him to his ruine for he is called a faithfull Creator but as Saint Cyprian saith Dat potestatem aduersum nos 1 Vel ad poenam cum delinquimus 2 Vel ad gloriam cum probamur Both these wayes God tryeth vs sometime by withdrawing his grace from vs and leauing of vs to our selues that we may know by our yeelding to the temptations of Sathan how weake wee are in our owne strength that we may not presume vpon our selues but depend wholly vpon him for he is our rocke and strong hold Sometime by expressing vs with sundry tryals of our faith to see if any thing will support vs from the loue that we beare to God Against this we pray not wholy for the Apostle doth bid vs to count