both power to do it and it is just so to do In every trespasse there are two offences and consequently two offended God and Man As it eyes God it is called a sin which he can only forgive as it eyes Man it is called an injury and in that sense men may must and ought to forgive it Ita si spolietur homo a man is robbed here is theft a sin against God a loss sustained here is a trespasse against man the first God only can pardon man the other Trespasse is thought to come from Trans passus as if to offend were to go over the hedge of the Law which when done Ergo pro me proximus pro se I for my self and my neighobour for his self lcan forgive and Preachers of the Gospel can forgive that is Ministerially but to do it Authoritatively is proper only to God and to do it charitably common to all and required of all Phocion that famous Greek being unjustly and by execrable ingratitude condemned to die by poyson was demanded if he had any fatherly advice to leave his son gave this that his death should never be revenged by him upon the Athenians here is a Heathen shewing us how to pardon and how to distinguish Gods act and mans in this vertue of remitting Yet have a care that they be they own debts which thou remittest not acting the part of a busie-body in other mens matters whereunto thou art not called or related Paul who had much charity yet did not give but beg forgiveness of Philemon for his run-away-servant The last reflection is touching Malefactors of whom it may be enquired whether when at the place of Execution we hear them forgive their Judges Accusers Apprehenders we may conclude Gods remitting unto them the sin for which they die Most certain it is that these words are added as a rule and afterwards added as a precept and here urged as a reason why God should forgive us implying in all that forgivenesse is blessed with forgivenesse and God will never be wanting to the execution impoletion or fulfilling of his own promise It is true forgiving in a perfunctory heedlesse or heartless way or for some friend whom we love or respect or for hope of some advantage or fear of greater mischief or out of a lumpish dedolent and stupid way it cannot have much weight But contrary if it flow from a fruit of that Spirit which worketh repentance for his sin against God and dewed with the tears of contrition for the same and pardoning man thereupon for his concurrence in apprehending for condign punishment Let me see such a thief and to die to day saith one and I dare say that this night he shall be with Christ in Paradise Reader suffer a word of exhortation And 1. Smooth not thy debts It were a foolish thing to extenuat and conceal them when forgiving will pay them all Hell cannot be washed with Spanish white neither will God suffer sin to go apparell'd in Silver Cloath say with David pardon mine iniquity for it is great Praying here for the imputation of Christs righteousnesse and against the imputation of our own offences both quoad culpam paoenam as to their guilt and punishment it were an improsperous course to sue a pardon from their paucity or smalnesse from him especially who accepts us most heartily when we conclude our condition most desperat 2. Clear not thy debts Notwithstanding of asking crosse not presently thy conscience as if thy businesse were immediatly done who hath a suit at Court must wait untill his Petition be signed and by the Master of Requests returned 3. Curse not thy self There is in this Prayer a mercy said to be given to thy brother if there be a lie here is a fearful execration against thy self saith thou not Forgive as I forgive Now beware and take heed for etiam per quod orat accusat thou art accusing thy self saying Lord as I purpose never to forget this injury to revenge this losse so revenge thy self upon me for ever and forgive me as I forgive others therefore quantum velis or quaris as much mercy as thou wishes or desires to thy self shew to thy brother For mark here is one word copulative not in the Prayer before and after which followeth Forgive us as we forgive shewing that with the same earnestnesse wherewith we are carried to seek after the things of this life as daily bread or that other as remission of sin we have already pardoned our brother I say already for God will trust neither our promises nor our charity but will have us be reconciled to our Brother before we come to him for reconciliation otherwise our supplications are so much the more damnable as the condition upon which they stand is the more feasable for scio sane sine difficultate said a Father pressing charity that command may without difficulty be obeyed where nothing is commanded but what is within the possibility of the party enjoyned The reciprocal offices of Husband and Wife Parents and Children Master and Servant Neighbour and Kins-man can hardly be performed without flaws and ruptures quarrels debates and breaches which by amity must be filled and ended again by a proceeding in the duties and making progress in the offices answering those relations where the trespass at least destroyes not the relation as that of Adultery in the case of Marriage In all which si dimiseris if thou forgive the injuries committed against thee it is comely and it doth become thy Father in Heaven to forgive thee thy sins committed against him Thy sins though as was Davids they be great that is in number more then the sand in weight as a heavy burden great in cry reaching up to Heaven in continuance for they have endured since thy mother conceived thee in her womb yet he can scatter them as a cloud and cause them to flee away To flee away but in his own due time he may be angry at the prayers of his people yea at our prayers and may order this dropping Summer to lay our Feathers wash our Paint and make our strength to fail yet continue saying Forgive us our debts and be assured to hear Thine inlquity is done away c. Let this suffice for the matter of this Petition the method and order thereof followeth which is this We have this and another next that for our daily bread indicating that bread ought not to be so delicious or any natural delicate to be so zealously sought for as those Celestial refreshings assurance of pardon and guidance from and in temptation Moreover t is apparent that all worldly wealth contained in the word bread are frustraneous ineffectual for procuring or interpreting us to have blessings from God if unto these remission of our sin be not annexed here pleaded for by arguments from the
removing of ill must our devotions be mingled evil things filling up so great a place in our little time here allotted us wherefore in our definition of Prayer we have added 6. Deliverance from those evils either feared or felt Evil is either of sin or punishment it is either past present or to come and therefore as we pray for forgiveness of sin past in Forgive us our debts so for deliverance from evil to come or present in Lead us not into temptation c. But all must be 7. Through our Lord Iesus Christ His merits is that Incense that must persume which must capacitate our accesses to become his purity lest they should be nauseated by his Holiness This is the salt that must season every sacrifice and except we have the garments of this our elder Brother we shall not smell as that field which the Lord will bless but have with Iacob rather occasion to argue the partaking of a curse For in all communing with God that would be pondered that he sayes of Jesus as Iosephs did of Benjamin except ye bring him ye shall not see my face It is to be noted that this calling upon God is either publick or private it eyes either mercies received and then it is called Thanksgiving or wished for to others and then it is called Intercession or for avoiding of ill and then it is called Supplication or if either of these for our selves it is called Prayer for into these four is Prayer divided by St. Paul and each of these are espoused to and to be found in the Lords Prayer and in each Petition thereof In the first Petition Hallowed be thy Name we pray for knowledge of the Word of God in our selves supplicate for all Christian Brethren in tribulation we interceed that the fins of our Brethren in seeking their own name be not imputed and giveth thanks if God hath made us instruments in honouring at any time his In the second Thy Kingdom come we give thanks for our hopes of Heaven and pray for the advancing of his Church we supplicate to be strengthened by his grace and interceed that all may be blessed by the Word and Sacraments In the third Thy will be done c. We interceed for a through conformity with the Angels we pray for a subjugating of our wills we give thanks for the enlightning of our minds and supplicat for ardency and zeal In the fourth Give us this day our dayly bread we supplicat against poverty and want we pray against impatience and discontent and interceed for ability and strength to gain our bread and giveth thanks for our calling and imployment In the fifth Forgive us our debts c. We give thanks for the imputation of Christs righteousnesse we supplicat against a tryal by Law we interceed that all may be saved and pray against malice and revenge In the sixth Lead us not into temptation we bewail our by-past sollies give thanks for our former conquests interceed for safety to our brethren and prayes for the spirit of discerning to our selves In the seventh Deliver us from evil we pray for a binding up of satan interceed for assistance against natural corruption supplicate against hell and death and give thanks for our hopes of a joyful Resurrection and the reason of all is his is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever SECT II. THe effects of Prayer follows in our former proposed order which he thought many and good who called Prayer Clavis coeli the Key that opened Heavens Gate unto us the Stair by which we ascended to the company of the first-born to the society of Angels to the enjoyment of our Saviour and to the bosome of the Father It is the Arms of the Christian for by fervent prayer Moses overcame the Amalakites David Goliah Ezekiah Senacheriâ— and Esther Haman What needs more It heats the soul becalms the heart keeps off evil obtains a pardon procures long life restoreth health pacifieth God creats wisdom infuseth grace purchaseth plenty delivers from judgement increaseth courage conserveth peace and shews us what should be done Let us see its holy workings for and upon those three great ones Conscience God and Satan 1. It purifieth the Conscience by opening its sores the impostumated matter therein by long contracted guilt becomes feaverish and when headed will make the stoutest through pain cry with the Prophet My bowels my bowels woe is me I am pained at my very heart or with the Apostle O wretched man that I am but prayer as a lance opens the boil and by confession the putrid matter is evacuated as in David thus and thus have I done and with the Prodigal I have sinned against Heaven yea by the same orifice of acknowledgement is the precious balm of a Fatherly Absolution poured in in a God hath taken away thy iniquity thou shalt not die by which the late dejected spirit is made to rejoice in Gods house of Prayer Saint Pauls thorne was so painfull to him that he prayed thrice against it and by prayer was strengthened to enduce and had comfort in the smart of the same to teach us that when conscience heats or ulcers it is excellent to retire our selves and with Daniel cry O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord hearken and do confideing in mercy upon and for his answer Fear not peace be unto thee be strong yea be strong assuring thy self that whoso calleth upon the Name of the Lord shall be delivered The Apostle enjoyneth Prayer without ceasing it is pressed by a Father both day and night yet magis noctu rather in the night when free from incumbrances visits and most apt to enjoy our selves then are we fittest to open our sores Animarum Medico to the Chirurgian of Souls in recollecting what we have been doing and what thinking in the day-time that by compunction of Soul and Spirit our misdoings and our negligences may be remitted and the wounds they made healed spending a solitary night as Pyrrhus spent his solitude and time for being found alone and demanded what he was doing replyed I am studying to be good Which act of communing with our own heart was of no small account in the eyes of David 2. It dignifieth God by depending upon his love By this we reason with him not being dashed for all our scarlet-sins nor desperate though we have play'd the Prodigal because we return to him who is our Father it evidencing his acceptance and his goodnesse that we presume to call for our dayly bread his liberality that he forgives us our debts his omnipotency that he defends us from Devils his ubiquity that we can call in every place In confession we own the justnesse of
all the cause of those devastations and miseries wherewith the Church is harrass'd each Christian may say with him in the Satyr Ego omnium scelerum materia ego causa sum I have aided I have helped I have been the Author of all 3. Examplarly by doing all things in his Name Paul being put into the Ministry gave thanks to God before all and Peter acknowledged that he healed the impotent man in the Name of Iesus and Numa who first taught the Romans Religion enacted that God should not be worshipped obiter or casu at it were in passing by or by the by but to have the whole mind intent upon the service which beautifying Religion makes it graceful yea taking and it is observed that Scipio Affricanus never entered upon privat or publick business untill in the Capitol he had consulted god and was thereupon thought to be Iupiter's Son It ought to be the study of all but most especially of great man to be patterns of good works that men seeing them may glorifie God and it ought to be the duty of all men to read the Scriptures frequent Churches visit Neighbours abide in their Families as they are directed to sing Psalms viz. to the praise and glory of God Hallowed be thy Name WE are now to reflect upon the speciality of hallowing his Name and secluding all others that they do not so much as mingle with the glory attributed to it which is insinuated in the Pronoun THY NAME in which an Emphasis is apparent a Seclusion is intended 1. An Emphasis is apparent signifying that our hearts countenances voices ought to be elevated and our minds upon nothing inferiour to himself THY NAME THY NAME speaks the temper of the supplicant to be altogether holy and eying nought save Divine Attributes 2. A Seclusion is intended There being none like unto him among all the gods It must be conceded that there is no name so high to be hallowed as that by which he is called The Father is the God of glory so is the Son the Lord of glory and the holy Spirit is the Spirit of glory the sense of which being diffused in and virtuating the Soul of the Petitioner his demands are conform to his Fathers declaration I am the Lord that is my Name and my glory I will not give to another And that God be not pillag'd of that which he is resolved to keep do but consider His Eminency His Singularity His Eminency above all other gods Kings Angels are called gods yet both these wait upon him and their glory but the Jewels that adorn his foot-stool THY NAME is so singular that it admits of no companion neither is it capable of any augmentation To speak Scripturally no god hath a Name but he and where there is no name we are to attribute no praise Vna revera numen est unicum there is but one God and therefore but one Name unto which truth the wisest of the old Philosophers did assent A great Herauld delineating the particulars that grace and make a man honourable sheweth that Vertue good Parentage Wealth Office Countenance a good Name and a gracious Sirname compleat a person and if an union of these creat nobility how ought our Lord Jesus Christ to be respected in whom all these meet so in their causes as without his concurrence they shall be in none as in their subject Behold his power to act All arms before him are but as straw and the strongest is but feeble It would puzle the Creation to make one drop of rain or scatter one cloud or command a dewy morning In all our undertakings if not fools we shall say if the Lord will we shall live and do this or that Glory not therefore in thy wisdom or riches for these flee away thou saith I am add the Epithet rich or wise yet thou art not for in speaking thou art changing and no more to be seen what thou wast then we can behold again the same water in a running river Behold also his wisdom to discern He only knows the intentions causes nature and the end of things The device of saving poor man after his fall was above the imagination of the highest Angel and for Adam all he could invent was an Apron of Fig-leaves but a Garment of Righteousness never once entred into his head untill it pierced his ear in the promise He heholds the heart so clearly which even to Angels themselves is dark nisi revelentur except revealed to them by God or some external sign concluded by them that Ferdinand and fourth of Spain putting two to death for a conspiracy both of them appointed the King to appear before the Tribunal of God within thirty days to give an account why they were put to death for they were innocent at the limited time while others thought the King had been sleeping he was really dead and in probability answering the charge One Turson among the Goths condemning an innocent and beholding the execution was by the prisoner commanded that very hour to appear before God to answer for putting to death an innocent and no sooner had the executioner done his office then the Judge expired and fell from his horse Many things of this nature might be inserted to evince that all ought to cease from flattering themselves in magnifying their own opinion of Saints or humours and ascribe only Glory to the name of IAH our God Behold further his goodness to forgive Peters charity was indeed hot but not to the eight degree it could not reach to forgive above seven times But as there is in us a multitude of gross sins so with him there are multitudes of tender mercies expressed in the number of seventy times seven which yet is not a determinat number as if at that we should close but thereby is signified that our mercy should never end The Law being given us in ten Commandments which being broken sin adds one and makes the number of eleven and seven comprehending all time because time runs through the seven dayes of the Creation by which we are to press upon our selves the remitting upon Gods part the breach of the ten Commandments committed in any of the seven dayes and declare the same to our Brother crying peccavi after his offending though he owned us a hundred talents for it were an indignity to our Saviours boundless love to collect from his seventy times seven the non-forgiveness of seventy times eight since a more plain rule is before us touching pardon which is as God for Christs sake hath forgiven us and he forgiveth all Besides six is a number of work and labour wherein God wrought but the seventh is a day of rest and seventy times seven sheweth that God when our sins are at the highest rests in pardoning grace and is at friendship with the penitent and declaring the same by his Spirit
the wise upon his religious son which being ineffectual roared out to the spirits themselves Inducias Inducias O let me alone untill the morning this as a Beacon is set up by an holy man that our lives being more vertuous our death may be more consolatory The death of the prophane is the sadest being ill first in leaving the world which they love worse in their souls removing from the body but worst of all in their being both soul and body adjudged to eternal condemnation It is observed of Egypt that after the flourishing of many famous Churches the Gospel being planted by the Apostles Alexandria it self having the Evangelist Mark Nephew to St. Peter for its Pastor or Bishop yet justo Dei Judiciâ— by reason of their sin the inhabitants being exemplarly wicked full of blasphemy and rape is now without God and generally hath a greater hatred to Christianity then the ordinary Saracens for which they are destined to eternal plagues Let this age know and every man in it fear and stand in awe for what is it Egypt had of ungodliness whereof we have not plentiful examples with this aggravation that we have had of old Christianity and of late great judgments Yet there is a Cautioner a Surety even Jesus who will pay the Creditor unto whom it is alike who pay him for by Christs stripes we are healed he entred into bond yea into prison for us and by rising from the dead the third day he both declared himself to be the Son of God and of his giving satisfaction to the utmost of all that was owing unto him making us thereby free from the Law of sin and death Yet so miserably are we deluded with self and self-conceit that debt is daily contracted by taking up more mercy abusing more time neglecting much grace thwarting many invitations quenching many good motions and by inadvertency falling into numerous temptations which continually call for fresh suits for forgivenesse and consider'd might cause expostulation with sin O peccata O wickednesse how easily dost perswade us to commit thee but with what difficulty do we procure riddance from thee While thou smiles we imbrace thee but while embracing thou art killing us to death and in death Eye the debter and he is so unable that his very soul cannot be full restitution eye the Creditor and he is so inexorable that he will be payed the utmost farthing by our selves or by our Cautioner and his suretyship is to be humbly intreated for for they are our debts and no secret conveyance no private contract can turn them over to another hand Eye the debt it is deplorable there are original debts our parents debts our own debts of childhood ignorance knowledge debts of presumption infirmity against counsel against conscience and against threats debts of the Sabbath of the Week of our Family and of our Neighbour-hood c. debts of our waking of our sleeping of our talking and of our thinking c. offences of the Chamber sins of the Shop and iniquities of the Street so that all of our selves and each man for his brother may cry Innumerable evils have compassed us about and no way for deliverace but by acquittance and no way for that but forgivenesse Over and above reflect upon that magna lenitas great goodnesse infinit patience ineffable mercy and long-suffering God hath shown unto us that we might call for this forgivenesse having this comfortable Scripture I will not remember thy sins Forgive us our debts c. FORGIVE A short word but of large and extended sense much used in Gods promises and oft pressed in the Saints petitions and the word properly signifies a sending back something to the place whence they came Sin came from hell and here the soul would have it remanded to the same land of darknesse As it stands in this Prayer it denotes somewhat which relates to God and somewhat relating to our selves As it respects God it weighs 1. His commiseration of us because of our debts Goodnesse is an ordinary plea with all the holy and they sound that the Lord as a Father pitieth them that fear them that pray And the liere who taught us to pray this Prayer hath promised his Fathers mercy saith a Father mercy cometh ex bonitate Dei purely from goddnesse yet must be drawn from him by innocence vertue and obedience as did Abraham Isaac and Iacob Ioseph Iob and Moses saith another He discovers love in desiring our salvation in euring our wounds in teaching us prayers in pardoning our sins and upbraiding us with our unbelief 〈…〉 there not mercy in the word Father and goodnesse and hope in the word Forgive Manasseh his Prayer and Iudas his Confession were alike but he pardoneth iniquity because he delighteth in mercy In a dearth at Corinth Theocles and others advised Creditors to remit their debts for easing of the poor but being refused he acquitted his own and those who contemned the motion were in invincible rage slain by their debters excited to extremity by poverty and necessity we have fair offers and better conditions both a remission offered and a reward for acceptance of that tender that as the earth expects showres and light from Heaven so man is to expect yea he is called to look up for truth and mercy 2. His aversion detected not to exact those debts What is man but dust what is his birth but loathsome and shameful to himself and at best so contemptible that God might say to Justice Let him alone non dignus est ira Caesaris he is not worthy of my wrath Iob thought of this when he uttered And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one and bringest me into Iudgment 3. His indiminishable possession though he should remit the debt Admit our skin could ransome our life what would he gain or if he freely absolve it what would be his losse Knowing this he puts us neither to call for ease nor time but for a forgiving Accept of the precept by begging a free acquittance and so much the rather that bounty and liberality is to be shew'd quantum potest non idoneis where there is the least hopes of advantage in requital which in our arguing for Heaven is an excellent rule The Roman and famous Alexander would exclaim against his shy yet deserving Courtiers why do you not ask something from me do it that I neither be your debter nor complained of as a slighter of your merit Yet what he gave was neither silver nor gold nor out of his own treasure but bona punitorum the goods or wealth of forâ—eited malefactors c. not diminishing thereby his Revenue Here is a greater Emperour without merit giving of his own requesting of his foes to plead remission of injuries done to himself for their good who have done the injury 4. His dominion or just power to forgive the
evil for evil yea of not for evil good Christianity is so denominat from Christ and the Christian being oblidged to walk as he walked he is to go about doing good healing the very ear of a Malchus and though reviled answered not again as he is called a Ciceronian who imitats a Cicero in his style not otherwise so he is not to be termed Christian who giveth his tongue to evil speaking his heart or hand to revengeful re-acting that being contrary both to the practice and command of Jesus Behold nature her self and this hare-brain'd fâ—llow is condemned should the pile of grass wither when trod upon or every excessive heat creat a fever in the body or should the heavens thunder at every overclouding what â—â—ights would be in the world As Chirurgions have unguentum Basilicon to cause matter so they have Apostolicum to cleanse the wound Album to expel the heat and Desiâ—â—â—tiuâ—m rubrum to dry and skin it As there are provocations to choller so there are Gospel documents which as spiritual Artists we must have ever in readinesse to apply to the place affected for curing as proper medicaments for the souls ease That advice of one Philosopher is good that when any reports thee to have been slâ—ndred say thy adversary knew not all thâ—y vices or then he had not spoke â—o little and though the world talk of honour and courage magni animi est injurius despicere It is the symptome of a large and noble soul to despise contempt or disdain revenge said another Philosopher albeit he knew not at least prosessed not the Gospel nor perchance ever saw that of the wise King he that is slow to anger is better then the mighty and he that ruleth his spirit then he that taketh a city for he sub dueth himself and possesseth himself the greatest vertue among morals It was among the Scythians a mark of insamy and dishonesty if any man had not killed some man where this bâ—dge was put upon innocency among Barbarians how mutually would they go about and prey upon one another to purchase reputation but good men detesting the procurements of such honour entails same upon themselves and their successors by their warrinesse of goring their conscience imputing it grandour to be affraid of sin and reputation to walk without offending God In that Dialogue betwixt Philosophy and her Beloved it was held as a sound advice in point of calmnesse of spirit of one Canius who being informed of a conspiracy against himself answered if I had known it I had not told it you Not to presse this on all four or every way Christianity dischargeth credulity to slanderous reports orders a check and no more to be owing the relater Moses the meekest man of the earth could bear personal calumny and before him Isaac only pleaded but scolded not for his wells and after them Paul wished no more hurt to his â—oes but that they were as himself in every thing his bonds excepted It is true these Diamonds had their flaws these Pomgranats their rotten kernels David curses and Sampson prays for the ruine of the Philistines yet these Prophetick impulses are not to be the ordinary Standart of our converse with men for Paul though sharp to Elymas prayed over the Jaylor as though he had never scourged him he gave place to wrath and adviseth like a good Preacher a good practitioner to be followers of him as he follows Christ who is maximè imitabilis most to be followed 1. For piety 2. For zeal 3. For humility 4. For patient suffering 3. From the obstruction the contrary vice bears to goodness that being by it hindered Sullenness and rancour impeding prayer from having entrance into the earâ— of Heaven the Laws whereof requiring prayer to be maâ—e every where without wrath implying frequency in that duty and composednesse of mind at it evidenceth this conclusion bottomed upon infallible verity for if Family-contentions prove obstacles to Family-duty shâ—ll not that particular Petition be doomed by men to be condemned by God whose flames are excited by the billows of fury envy hatred and passion and not by those of the Sanctuary charity love and concord The same is to be said of Sacraments spleen hindering thereby spiritual influx 〈◊〉 how can they be beneficial to him who not only is not injured but himself by ill-wishing is injurious to his brother Not to reflect it is to be feared many of our supplications because of this vanisheth into air and Sermons become unprofitable because of this unfruitfull work of darknesse malice for 〈◊〉 home understand Reader the Basis or Ground-stone of Gods forgivenesse is fixed only on the ground of thy brotherly forgiving And in spiritural conflicts allow hatred to plead its old supposed plea viz Love not him who walk's contrary to thee who derogats frâ—m thee who complains of thee and insults over thee Let love reply That the love of Christ constrains me and that quam diu so long as I keep at distance from man in point of charity so long detain I from my self the good of all my sacrifices and make my prayers yea the praying of this Prayer do me more hurt then good so much the more as this command is easie I am prone to conjecture should Christ have said Fast pray read fight kill burn and lie and be forgiven there are in this age had embraced the doctrine but to forgive is durus sermo an hard saying and cannot be digested It were some excuse if any lived and transgressed not for in many things we offend all and as a stone cast into the water creats a circle and that another and a broader so anger if tolerat will naturally kindle a fire in one mans breast which shall blow up anothers into a flame which may endanger an house and that a street and that a town and therefore happy is he first stifles it in the hearth of his own bosome lest by its heating the flesh of another be scorched in his re-offending or tart replying There was a breach made of the Kings peace in the Kings own house after the cruel servant had imprisoned his fellow for an hundred pence that is in our coyn three pound two shillings sterling when his Lord had forgiven him ten thousand talents which in our vulgar account is eighteen thousand seven hundred and fifty pounds sterling six thousand times more then was owing him yet charged upon him afresh though poor for not having mercy upon his debter when humble The stormiest man in his age it seems was Celius who was so testy though an Orator that at his own Table he avoided peace and there meeting one for patience was offended checking his guest with an aliquid contradict oppose me in something that we may discourse as if quietnesse and calmnesse in conferring had made his Table solitary yet
there are who give better rules about converse recommending if our company be better then our selves to learn if inferiour to be modest and learn them if our equals to assent to all proposals that relate to good which eminently will keep alive charity in Families and Corporations without which vertue neither of them can even in the brain of a learned States-man be fancied to subsist so great is the power even of a fancied Amnestia or brotherly forgivenesse It was the wonder of a Father writing to an holy man from Mount Sinai that he was not moved irritated perplexed or any way afflicted with the reproaches of men and forgive Vs is not meant Vs here but Vs all wheresoever we be whatsoever we are Us predicats of all people kinds nations sexes languages and proclaiming every soul to be a sinner all should be tender and make as God the scarlet offences of their brother to become by their forgivenesse white as wool that God by his may make their crimson-sins become as snow Revenge flows from a conceit of some abused excellency which we conjecture to be in our selves and though it were yet know that self and self-opinion is to be mortified In order to which let me impresse a story printed by a Modern expounding this Petition wherein he shews he was once demanded by one who was troubled in his mind for this viz. he suspected himself guilty of not forgiving injuries and affronts and was desirous to know of this clause as we forgive our debters might be ommitted in daily prayer for he trembled to think of it I answered him saith that reverend and learned Doctor with St. Chrysostoms answer The work was of old thought his but now generally known by the name of Author Imperfect in Matth. he not ending his Comments upon Matthew as Chrysostome doth 1. Qui non sic orat ut Christus docuit non est Christi Discipulus he who prayeth not after Christs manner is none of Christs Disciples 2. Non exaudit Pater orationem nisi quam Filius dictaverit the Father heareth not that Prayer which the Son hath not commanded Which answer was somewhat more refined then that supposed Father his Author gave it for it is prefaced with this word stulti O fools accounting them such who will not say as I forgive yea such do say in their heart either that there is no God or that they have no sin which if they thought they had Nullam rationem habes there is no reason to complain of mans rising up against thee when thou hast exalted thy horn against God It is not with the soul of man as it is with the setting of the Sun that prognosticating a fair morning if there be a red cloud for he that would arise and wake in mercy and who knows how soon he may fall asleep must not ly down with execration for so did not Christ whose doctrine as well as profession or name thou must take upon thee or then in vain are all thy pretences to Religion and thy usurping the empty title without the substance of it Love evidenceth that not the being but being thought a Christian is all thy care Death and sicknesse humble us and at that time chiefly we are to ask what an Expositor says we here beg that is Spiritum scientiae wisdom to know our offences against God which when acquired the offences against our selves shall never be weighed in the ballance It is said the scobs or powder of a mans scull is soveraign for curing the Epilepsie a disease strongly vitiating and impeding the sense and understanding sure it is as when Bees fight the throwing dust among them causeth a truce so the thoughts of death is a season for the absolute crossing the day-book of our remembrance and quitting to our brother whatever upon the account of injury he is indebted to us suddenly heartily freely which shall so clear the soul in beholding his own remission therein that without tergiversation or lingring he may confidently say Lord forgive me my debts as or for I forgive my debters As the tree falls so it lies whether to the south the warm gates of mercy or to the north the freezing blasts of provoked indignation to ly down in wrath anger spite is to begin a fire yea wilde fire that shall never consume yet burn and make thee feel what Guntherus Chancellour to Henry the third Emperour saw and heard when beholding miraculously the Heavens opened and God in his Majesty extending his Arm wherein was brandished a sword and saying I will render vengeance to my enemies and will reward them that hate me after which many Princes of the Empire dying he saw God again the sword sheathed and heard a fire is kindled in mine anger and shall burn unto the lowest hell hereby we know we love God if we keep this command of forgiveness but if we as enemies kindle a fire in our wrath there is a sad conclusion to be deduced which is that God shall kindle another in his And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debters MAny are the inferences might be drawn from this Doctrine and Text of forgiveness so principal a point and so material that it is the only Petition in this Prayer observed by St. Mark in his Gospel he suo more comprehendit abridging after his usuall way of writing the whole Prayer into this one in regard whoso hath it granted hath not much more to demand save grace for perseverance in the consolations which by that he hath attained so that this may be reckoned inter preces armatas among commanding prayers by it asking forgivenesse but with this burden that we forgive first The advice being King-like enforcing the thing advised Our meditations shall eye such as go to Law towards Magistrats that put malefactors to death towards Creditors that do trust and lend and touching dying Malefactors who do ordinarily forgive Concerning the first it may be questioned whether such as pursue by legal decreets or executions the reparation of damnages losses hurt they have received from the frowardness or untowardness of their neighbours can say in such pursuits and claims Forgive us as we forgive or for we forgive the whole process bearing a contradiction to this Petition hence it is that Anabaptists and other Hereticks revived this old condemned Doctrine in our dayes that no Christian ought to go to Law and that none ought to be a Magistrat To which it may both truly and briefly be replyed that it is not only lawful but absolutely necessary since the fall for the preserving of mankind in orderly society for to have Laws and Government whereunto the oppressed may run for shelter and protection As for those abused Texts Iudge not that you be not judged Resist not evil My Kingdom is not of this world c. They strike not in the least against Magistracy but privat
for thee â—â—on being a Giant in these matters or if that offend a Gamaliel in things Divine or to peruse them with judgment and brotherly-Kindnesse which is done when thou forgives us our trespasses that is correct the Printers faults with thy Pen for he Errs and the Authors with thy love for he also is a Man Farewel The Author to his Pater Noster AWake my drowsie Sheets arise you Sons of Day Accost with peace run you to the High-way Plead not for Faction Strife Debate but rather Entice to Concord Peace that all my say OUR Father Unmask this Gypsie Earth that doating Man May loath her Blacknesse and in loathing scan Her Comforts shortnesse see her paths un-even Next love respects the things which are in HEAVEN Th'exchange-bells rings to Truck for Trade they run Pride here Lust there Attempts to overcome He walks as Herod Centers in Vulgar Fame Teach them Hosan ' to sing in Hallowed be THY NAME Sad Rueful Projects Harrasseth the Mind Of plodding Earthlings God and Christ pretend Them boldly check be pressing nor be dumb They Seek their own Forgets THY KINGDOM come Some Talk but Do not Some Do neither well Unfold the Cheat endure their Anger Fell The Edger Disputant at last wants Breath And then perswade him to THY WILL be done in Earth The Crooked and Vntoward Rules men take 〈◊〉 Measures by For Glories Crown forsake Move not for Pin-sleev'd Faith be driven By neither side But do As it is DONE in Heaven A narrow Heart 's a plague an idle Hand 's accurs'd A doubting Prayer's unheard a Nabal's Heart shall burst Ply you your Plough I 'l say to it God speed That 's move to Work Then pray GIVE us our daily BREAD Much God bestow's what Man receives is lent him And what Man cancells God scores out at Reckoning Review the Bill Pardon ere you be Call'd for Teaching FORGIVE our debts as we FORGIVE our debtor Destroying Grins hath Hells black Master found T' ensnare poor foolish Man But Grace hath Bound His fiercer Hands And to avoid Seduction Religious Care doth sense LEAD'S not into TEMPTATION Sin lyes at Door our Eyes are Bent upon It Our Hearts respect It yet our Death is in It Nor Power have we t'ward Hands Tongues or Devil Despond not though Pray But DELIVER us from evil As Subjects besecure if Foyl'd yet Conflict on While Trump of Glory sounds For THINE is the KINGDOM Fear not to Prosper watch the Praying Hour Lift up your Eyes when saint Receive THE POWER Of Conquering Triumph promis'd the Heavenly Livâ—â— The Humble Saint That is The GLORY for ever That â—nowledge of your Rules prove no Mans Baine â—erswade the World with me to Say AMEN PATER NOSTER OUR FATHER OR The Lords Prayer explained c. MATTH VI. IX After this manner therefore pray ye Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy Name Thy kingdom come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debters And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever Amen AS the Sacrifices in the Jewish Temple did in general signifie Christ and the Christians duty so those called the daily ones in the opinion of Divines did intimate the indispensible duty of prayer and praise in which a believer is to be daily because continually exercised every morning and every evening one Lamb at the least was to be offered and the time of that Sacrifice under and in the Gospel is called the hour of prayer which Peter and Iohn and Cornelius observed and about that time also was the vail of the Temple rent a symbole of the abolishment of all Jewish rites and of that future confidence which all Nations might have in their immediat access unto God in which the believers delight and the penitents comfort hath since stood which made our Saviours Disciples desire to be instructed in that duty by their Master and are advised not to go to Ierusalem but look upward where ever they be and say Our Father c. And what he said to them in private he said here publickly to the multitude After this manner pray ye Our Father which art in heaven c. Purposing to enter upon a discovery of some of those grand truths folded up in the Lords Prayer It may prove advantagious to imitate men in the opening of a curious Cabinet first view the carved out-work and then the particular excellencies of each single Drawer and therefore it is proper to speak of Prayer in general which shall open our understandings the more prosperously to apprehend the fecundity and special rarities locked up in the Lords Prayer in particular In pursuing of which design we shall in these following Sections consider 1. what Prayer is and its being 2. Its effects and concomitants 3. Its obstacles and hinderances 4. It s duty and necessity 5. It s root and tryal SECT I. THe object or person prayed unto altering the nature of a prayer hath induced the learned to frame a distinction betwixt a civil and a religious one the first being that by which in courtesie something from our neighbour is demanded as Abrahams servant of Rebekah saying Let me I pray thee drink a little water of thy pitcher whereas the latter is the devout intreaty of a religious soul for attaining of grace and mercy from God in his heavenly designs and undertakings which from Authors hath received several definitions It is called a Religious Invocation of God by which we ask necessary good things for soul or body and deprecats the contrary judgments thus Abraham prayed for Sodom Moses for Israels sin and David against Sauls punishment It is said to be a religious exercise proper to rational creatures by which they reverence God as their Superiour and owns him to be the fountain of all their good therefore it is truly said of an Ancient that in many things men differs from the Angels as in Nature Wisdom Knowledge yet in calling upon God and speaking to him in duty there is no diversity at all so that Prayer separats us from bruits and unites us to the holy Angels It is known that Christ is said to pray yet it is also to be understood that he doth it according to his Humane Nature in which respect he hath a superiour and though the Spirit be said to pray yet it is by a Trope because he helps us to pray and aids men in uttering their desires But when the Beasts and Fowls are said to cry unto God it is not to be imagined they pray but in a very improper as well as in a large sense that duty being peculiar to Angels and men and the man who doth it not seems not to be reasonable being in that particular more ignorant
upon his adversaries and foes And truly upon the opening of our mouth depends the enlarging of our Tenements and if we be straitned in our houses it is because we are first straitned in our bowels not thinking upon God so much as in a dream with Pilats wife Since this large promise sounds in our ears Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it that is enlarge it by desire confession and by love it shall be filled with my self and my glory 3. His truth is only engaged to the prayerful Heaven may be as equally expected without holiness as mercy can be imagined to come without a duty And when we seek then only have we reasonably a ground to hope the Precept being Ask seek knock which is done by praying first next by well-doing the third by persevering to the end which last crowns our devout performances The door of the Tabernacle was not of hard Cedar nor massy silver but a vail easily penetrable so is Heaven yet it had a vail so hath Heaven which by prayer we must draw aside enter in and pleasd for atonement for which his house is not called a house of strength though we be there confirmed nor of knowledge though we be there instructed nor of justice though acquitted but of prayer because in that God will be reconciled That man stands constantly bound to this kind of officiating and advocating for himself or others before the Bar and sight of God is clear beyond a demonstration For 1. His indigency makes him look out for help He knows he must pay and again he knows he cannot pay his debts nor deliver himself from evil Can he creat one drop of rain for removing thirst or form a morsel of bread to abate hunger He is to speak ingenuously so poor that ability wisdom health consolation life hath he none but what he must beg for at the Gate of Heaven The Centurion can command his servants to go and do this or that but cannot order his disease to remove or say to the Palsie be gone When King David had a multitude of sins he repairs not to the number of his Troups but addresses to his Saviour for a multitude of tender mercies All the Royalty of his magnificence being insignificant to allay the pain of his broken bones without the aid of Heavens skilful yea alsufficient Artisâ— 2. There is no other way found out whereby he can get help When Seth called his son Enos that is miserable men began to call upon the Name of the Lord Christ as man took no way to be freed of his bitter passion then a Transeat calix iste Father if it be thy will let this cup pass from me The Saints being wise men had but confession and lamentation to procure to themselves the best things of Heaven When Peter was in prison prayer was made and Peter miraculously liberated hinc clare apparet saith one It is manifest by this how successful Prayer is when a Pope is in prison but we say no less briskly and far more truly it is by this demonstrable how prevalent Prayer is when a Church is afflicted and a member thereof in distress It is true that Dives found out in a pinching strait another medium for salvation by desiring some to be sent from the dead But as I intend not to detect his folly so I trust I need not discuss the vanity of that surmise yet remember he took Prayer as the most adapt mean for the accomplishing the thing contrived I have not a friend said a poor woman in extremity but I can pray and that never failed me All other instruments without this are like Iobs friends Physicians of no value whereas Prayer is like Goliah's sword None to that Say therefore Give it me 3. No way to have a sanctified use of what is given him for help Mercies Crosses Sacraments Miracles are only by Prayer fitted for us and applied by us for good All is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer that is by Christ through Prayer the Word sanctifying for and procuring a blessing to every enjoyment Sin makes not only our actions but our possessions to send forth a stinking savour whereas Prayer causeth all as incense grateful to the nostrils of the Almighty and puts him in love both with us and ours for which the Church is compared to Mountains of Myrrhe and unto Hills of Frankincense By Mountains understand the strong fixed and resolute determinations of mortifying sin and corruption and by the Hills learn to be humble in Prayer yet fervent and the soul may be acertained of a visite from and cohabitation with Christ for unto the soul thus qualified the Bridegroom gets him untill the day break and shadows flee away holding forth the perpetuity of his residence for we may English that untill Time shall cease and Eternity appear And that all our forecasts or designs may daily imbibe the favourable influences of prosperous goodness it is a pertinent advice of one to begin every day with the duties of Adoration Thanksgiving Charity Contrition Petition to press which upon other considerations do but reflect upon Prayer in its easiness sweetness and suitableness 1. The easiness of it upon our part Prayer makes the soul keep alwayes Holy-day and save for it we are to be careful for nothing There are many dark thoughts in some about the issues of death the fruits of sin the weakness of flesh the remissness of duty the vexations of the world but Prayer husheth all by making request of God and pouring forth the sense of the spirit before him and says to such as the three Children to that Heathen King We are not careful to answer thee or you in this matter Pray pray said an English Martyr to his Wife I am merry and I trust I shall be merry maugre the teeth of all the Devils in hell Pray pray pray c. This mean made the holy Martyr in lingring flames to cry Welcome life welcome everlasting life Daniel fought not with the Lions but prayed and he was in the Den Hezekiah purged not for his disease and he was in the bed the converted Thief strugled not for life but prayed and he was on the Cross. And where ever the Christian be he can erect an Altar for himself yea though he bow not the knee not list up his hand nor smite upon his breast yet if he list up his soul he offers an acceptable sacrifice which the Servant can do in the Mercat the Page upon the Road the Butler at the Binne and the Cook in the Kitchin God requiring the heart at all times in all places provided the Petitioner put not off his devotion to these places and times 2. The sweetness of it upon Gods part He is our Father a word of delight which is in Heaven a place
holy Trinity being taken not so much from nature as from holy works we shall observe some letters of this Name that we may be careful of giving him in it that due respect which belongs unto his greatnesse since the secrecy and mystery of his being dischargeth our srailty and ignorance curiously to pry and behold his Name in his works of mercy of wonders of patience of comsorts of veracity the first respecting the miserable the second the despicable the third the scornful the fourth the mournful the fifth the doubtful 1. One great letter in his Name is mercy promised to the miserable and may be as clearly seen as Pilats inscription over Jesus by this as well as Paul all are delivered from the body of death and the mercy shown to the Prodigal by the Father discovers the tenderness of God towards a sinner when becoming which yet is through grace flexible and penitent In this the Saints rejoiced and for this God is feared that is hallowed and intreated his heart being affected with the miseries of poor man he stands at their hand to save him from those that would condemn his soul Christ pleading out of compassion and procuring not a repreive but a pardon And when men neither do nor will implore his Omnipotent aid for deliverance from evil nay when they reluctat against his severe threats either that they be superceded or omitted his mercy passing over all neglects presseth in upon them dilating it self so far that no faculty of the soul more cordially entertains the thoughts of any thing save those of Mercy Mercy Septem in me video misericordias Domini A holy man viewing the experiences of Gods love finds a seven-fold mercy graciously afforded to himself The first was that God had preserved him from many sins in his generation another was that he had highly and often offended yet had not been plagued A third was that in visiting his soul God had made him know that sin was bitter A fourth was that he becoming peâ—itent had felt the blessedness of him whose tranlgression was covered A fifth was that after his recovery he was kept from sliding back into his old fins A sixth was that he had grace given him to promove and advance in a holy conversation And the last was in which he highly magnified God that he had gotten the assurance of acquiring Heavens Kingdom It was said by them of old time the Lord is merciful and gracious slow to anger and plenteous in mercy and therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you that he is merciful and gracious speaks his mercy to be Speciosa beautiful but that he waits to be gracious upon you shews that it is Spatiosa exceeding large and universal 2. His wonders performed to the despicable is another Letter and may be as clearly seen as the Prophets vision upon Tables he that runs may read it and who reads it ought to fear before it That which he hath done for his little Benjamin for and by Moses in the land of Ham and the terrible things by the Red-sea should make the whole earth tremble before him and how twelve fishermen from Ierusalem have brought the greatest Princes and most refined part of the Universe to imbrace the truth of Christ and him crucified in so ample and honourable manner that their Crowns hath not its chiefest Jewel if it want a Crosse nor themselves accounted of but as Barbarians if not christian is strange wherefore hallow his Name sing unto him talk you of all his wondrous works That famous Christian and woman-Martyr Blandina being by tormentors tormented by turns wearied and not able to plague her with renewed tortours having her body rent yet as oft as she pronounced I am a Christian and have committed no evil was refreshed and felt no pain Tyburtius the Martyr compelled to offer Incense to idols or walk bare-foot over hot Iron boldly undertook the last with these words Depone O Fabiane renounce thy unbelief and do as much in the name of thy Iupiter as I in the Name of my Iehovaâ— and if he can let him save thee from pain or torment How did he secure the Children in the Furnace Ioseph in the Prison Iob in the Dung-hill wherefore glory ye in his holy Name There are three great wonders should cause men revere and stand in awe at Gods Name and power 1. Christs rising from the dead 2. His ascending up to Heaven 3. Converting of the world by twelve men by the contemning of wealth despising of glory refusing of government and enduring of torment which was wonderful 3. His patience protracted to the scornful is another Letter and may be as evidently seen as on the thigh of the WORD of GOD KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS They who are as smoak to his eyes are yet admitted into his Temple and how ost would he have gathered Ierusalem yea our selves when the Sun riseth may learn that the goodness of God leadeth us to repentance It is true the Axe of his justice is laid at the root of the tree but mark it is but laid to see if fruit by consideration and contrition will come and though he be broken with our whorish hearts yet he â—aith How long or when shall it once be We believe Gods power and have heard of his thunder yet how few faith as Adam was afraid when I heard thy voice in the Scriptures but after all our roavings rather impudently say with Gehazi Thy servant went no whither and because we are not sentenced to judgment infer either that he is like our selves or mocks the promise of his coming both which is endured through his ineffable patience to reduce us at last to more sober apprehensions that is repentance contrition 4. His comforts exhibited to the mournful is another Letter as clear as the name Iohn upon Zacharias Table he is called sometimes the God of Abraham and sometimes the God of Heaven as also of grace and consolation His Spirit the Comforter drying the eyes of all who discerning their crimes and dangers sanctifie his Name by calling for a pardon against those defections they have made from the way of his holiness and peace What high revelations had Iohn the Divine in Patmos what comfort had Iacob in his stone-pillows and may we not appeal to many if in providence by Prayer it hath not been said Be it unto thee according to thy faith when they have been perplexed by the cold blasts of temporal or spiritual calamities and as Nehemiah been made to stand to blesse the Lord for ever and his glorious Name which is exalted above all blessings and praise It is the worlds design to delude the soul the fleshes purpose to betray it and Satans to destroy it but Christ resolves to protect it and checks our unbelief to the end of the world with
confusion wherein we so lately were labyrinthically and scandalously involved by making desirable peace to be enjoyed only by our more holy Successours c. Themistocles having done great service observing himself noted and pointed at in the Olympick Games as the deliverer of his Countrey is recorded to say This day I am sufficiently rewarded for all that ever I have done for Greece God shall also hold himself really repayed for all offered and possessed mercy if we remitting somewhat of that passionat prejudice against what we have not shall render our selves grateful for what we have and for more sureties sake pursue those things wherein gratitude stands which is in invitation of others to behold the mercy in observing of the poor who stand in need of mercy in a restoring what we have taken from others without mercy in a confessing that all our good flows purely from mercy and because each man complains of the others remissnesse let every one affectionatly mourn to testifie his desire of requiting God that men do not praise the Lord for his goodnesse nor for his wonderful works to the children of men 2. Knowledge in what his mercy hath accomplished in the â—eeds of the Gospel As that the second person died for us and that all the three Persons draws us from the power of Satan to receive the forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified That as peace came down with the birth of his Son so peace and purity was infused by the shedding abroad of his Spirit upon us because of which on earth glory is to be given to God in the highest 3. Love because of that which all his attributes hath designed As a Father we have his love upon us as a King his power exercised about us as we are children we have his Angels ministring unto us at all times his face to refresh us his Spirit to comfort us and at last his bosome to entertain us To love him is to hallow him than which nothing is more equitable fruitful or honourable 4. Abilities for that which in his holy Law is enjoyned We cannot express our obligations nor demonstrat the tye that lyes upon us for spreading abroad his same wherefore this Hallowed be thy Name reflects upon our impotence and confesseth we cannot do it and therefore he must for though the devils and damned glorifie God yet they cannot sanctifie the Name of God no more can any untill there be a new heart created a new spirit infused while the Angels cryed Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts all that the Prophet could do was to cry Woe is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and did not change his note untill his iniquity was taken away and his sin purged which is also prayed for in this Petition And for the continuing of which grace of sanctification and spiritual life or ability we saith a Father pray continually both day and night that by the grace and protection of the most high they may be in us and for us preserved ut qui quotidie delinquimus that as we sin daily we may by the sanctification of the Spirit be daily purged leâ—t we fall from the grace of God The Temple and Utensils thereof when defiled were cleansed and purified from their pollution quae Deo sunt destinata or dedicata vocantur sancta they are holy they are Saints they are righteous who fall not only but even those that fall and rise again washing themselves from their old sins by amendment Of which he was apprehensive who complained that having desires to be happy but his thoughts would not suffer him if such struglings happen in thy breast Reader sentence them to death and if too strong for thee put up thy supplication in an Hallowed be thy Name that the power of God may be discovered in thy infirmity and his strength in thy weakness by dissipating such cogitations His Name in the last place is to be hallowed personally if you eye man comprehending as bound thereunto both soul and body and in this Petition included and performed directly indirectly and exemplarly 1. Directly by a holy and reverend using of his Name The Romanes suffered not their children to swear by Hercules untill they went out of doors to prevent their vain and ordinary swearing The ancient manner of the Hebrews in their Judical swearing was by the Magistrats attesting the witnesse in this form Give glory to God And yet there are profane wits among us who disanulling all bonds interprets oaths to be a point wherein their gentility consists and are so little afraid of a jealous God that their jealousie is lest their comrade out-swear them so both becomes rivals of damnation Men may consult and act for the good of a Kingdoms peace and quiet yet a great man and a holy is mistaken is swearing be not worse then the edge of the sword and the plague thereof beyond that of war And if men will do no more yet let them revere the book they handle and the Gospel that is dayly before them saying Swear not at all c. but let your yea be yea and your nay nay all other being of sin And it is no ill derivation to bring the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth an oath from Orcus that is hell especially considering that even Heathens fancied if any god had swore false or broken his oath having sworn by Styx he was to be punished himself in hell for it nine thousand years for which cause said they Iupiter took the more care how he swore Whither shall we go to hide our faces off this age who hath got such a knack of swearing that it is our livelyhood our trade our pastime our humour as if our being gods i. e. great men wer a plea sufficient to reprieve us from hells torments When these who knew not the God of Heaven would out of reverence even in Markets say no more then By c. forbearing to name the god they thought upon Some will have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an oath to be brought from a word that signifieth to compel and without a necessity there is no naming of the Blood of Christ or Omnipotency of God The Hebrews call an oath Shabugnah from a Root signifying seven hinting thereby both a mystery in it and good advice or deliberat thinking before the taking of it which may be done in these cases Paxfama fides reverentia cautio damni Defectus veri tibi dant jurare libenter And when the peace of our Countrey our own good report or want of witnesses or loss of goods whether our own or trusted to us are in hazard we are lawfully to clear our selves or free our selves by an oath so are we if Authority call us to it or faithfulnesse be expected of us but to inure our tongues to an
our habitations there being in sure places joy in the Holy Ghost all sorrow and sighing being fled It is proverbially said of the three Princes Electors that the Palisgrave hath the Honour Brandeburgh the Land but the Duke of Saxony the Money but what a brave soyl must that be where every man hath all and if Shells or Pearl cast up by Tides hath made men zealous to attaque the Countrey whence they came should not our own knowledge of such invaluable things as Glory and Majesty durable riches and honour make the weak say I am strong and all of us to quit our selves like men looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God For zeal saith an honourable and learned person unto whose elaborat labours the body of Divinity and all Divines are beholding is the best evidence of a Christian the Spirit of God workes like fire and is the greatest means to draw out the soul for serving of Christ when Isaiah was touched with the fiery coal then he cryed send me he also saith it will save a sinking Church and therefore needful now and adds that it is the glory and beauty of all our services adding a lustre unto them as Varnish doth to other Colours In the Kingdom of our Father Scripturally taken must we eternally abide or for ever be inhabitants in the Kingdom of darkness so that death or life is before us and we must choose whether to be slaves to the Devils objects of fury subjects of torment where fire exerciseth our feeling ugly Devils our seeing the cryes and yelps of the damned our hearing brimstone and our own flesh our smelling and a cup of red wine of fiery indignation our tasting and the thinking upon our own follies and perpetuity of these plagues more and more heating our already enraged souls this I say must be either chosen Or liberty with God to be objects of delight subjects of Majesty in this Kingdom of God whose coming we pray for who hath Majesty for his Crown saith one Mercy for his seat Justice for his Scepter Wisdom for his Counsellour Almightiness for his Guard Eternity for his Date Heaven for his Pallace and Hell for his Prison So that unless this Kingdom of Jesus come to us we shall be for ever in bondage in the bottomless pit for mark this well will we nill we the Kingdom of the Father shall come and the will of the Father be done but in this Petition our desire is to be excited and prepared that it may come to us and we fitted to reign in it Unto which as unto all other works there is nothing so efficacious as zeal There is a vast difference betwixt the being of this Kingdom and the coming of it for where it is it is only in power and justice but where it comes it comes in love and mercy it is every where but it comes only to the Saints upon earth and the glorified in Heaven which should awake us from that spiritual lethargick drowsiness wherein sin and Satan hath lulled us to prosecute our heavenly interest with a more holy vigour that this Kingdom may come to us and we may enter into it In this Kingdom all the glory of the Father is as though we were elder brethren given to us and though we possess on earth what men calls Beauty Gallantry Majesty goods or state yet these are but Colours varnishing a rotten Post to delude our selves for their proper name is Vanity and their sirname Vexation because as a shadow we only see them not hold them and like shadows again they pass away and we see them no more Once the Church cryed out Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth as if she should have said hitherto he hath kissed me by Moses as by Proxy by his Prophets as by Ambassadours but let himself come let him descend and kiss me he sends yet his Ambassadours in the Ministry his Epistles in the Bibles History but these being but as cordials to sick persons we ought zealously to cry Attamen ipse veni make no tarrying O our God Rich Cresus cloathed with all the magnificence his royal Wardrob could afford demanded of the wise Solon if he had ever seen a more beautiful sight yes said Solon I have seen Cocks and Peacocks and truly behold man in all his glory and a Peacock far exceeds him he can sleep with his train whereas Cresus must at night be stript to his shirt and in sleep be as poor as his Foot-man the fashion of this world therefore perishing and passing away it should in a true sense be our pastime to acquitt our selves like Heaven-born souls prizing only solidities daily pray for the approach of our Fathers Dominion and our own glory Let no Zelot hence infer a necessity of disturbing or conclude by rage or fury too often termed zeal to foment division or raise discord in the Kingdoms of this world Kings and Princes being Subjects of the first rank and persons of the highest authority in this Kingdom of God and are indeed to kiss the Son yet are not oblidged to do homage to their Subjects how pretendedly holy soever The Elders cast their Crowns before the Throne but yet they are to have their Crowns to wear their Crowns that they may cast them and not be robbed of that Emblem of Soveraignty wherewith their Father hath adorned their brows in so beautiful a way that besides the appellation Father hath for a sirname called himself King of kings the removing of which from their Thrones were therefore robbing God of the glory of one of his Names and of such an one whereof he boasts Innocent and holy zeal is known by these marks 1. If it be according to knowledge 2. If it be fit and adapt for the person in his doing all duties conform to yea sometimes above his ability as the Macedonians were charitable 3. If it cause diligence in the affairs of a mans Calling idlenesse in our own and busie in other mens matters is not zeal but sin 4. If it cause meekness and humility in things relating to a mans self and fervency in what belongs to God 5. If it be more studious of good works then how to uâ—â—avel knotty questions and contentious debates 6. If it bear it self equally according to the weight of the matter it is exercised about to be zealous to tith Mint and sloathful in doing Justice to be angry at a harmless jest and delight in an ill report is not zeal but hypocrisie that rather eyes the supposed saults or infirmities of others then the real vices in a mans self whereas zeal rather respects its own short-comings or over-runnings in duty or converse And lastly it is alwayes attended with grief and sorrow towards the sinner and hath pity for the offender and in matters respecting God useth such means only as
house and threw in the price saying Ille tibi vivit tu redde quod debes though he be dead to the world yet being alive to me I am bound to pay what I owe. In the greatest there is something of an accusing conscience when doing evil and except the hand of the Gospel offer the mercy of the book and nail sin to the Crosse of Christ it shall be in his breast as a hand-writing to condemn him that goes not to discharge his Bill by repentance 3. They must be cleared Poor honesty will as it can be crossing scores more or lesse at times sooner or later so must our sins But it must be with good and upright money not washed nor counterfeit coyn This prayer dayly and heartily said viz Forgive c. Will wash away our dayly sins and we shall know them no more Achab indeed gave light gold and God took it for so much as it was worth as he will do copper and for his temporary or day repentance God gave him a temporary deliverance and lengthned his tranquility a few dayes It must be also our own money to pay one debt with what we borrow from another is no release from the burthen and here is a pinch that we can give God nothing but what we have from himself for our selves being not our own how shall we pay our debts Observe we say Forgive us our trespasses for except these nothing is our own and our own indeed none but our selves being concerned in them Yet here is liberty that this Forgive us is accounted so full a discharge that we are assoiled for ever from future pleas It must be also proportionable to our debts two pence pays not six peny worth of ware Is sin a wound the plaister must be as broad as the sore is it a debt It must be ballanced and the sum deposited equivalent thereunto we have sinned from the heart and our grief for so doing must have the same rise and yet herein we fail the infinity as it were of sin being beyond the reach of our finit and interrupted sorrow which stil hightens the debt causing an impossibility in its defraying and in us an ardency for its utter discharging Yea freeing us from that guilt which even in asking we sadly contract To give the particulars of the debts is a task impossible yet a few particulars may put us in mind of many All owes him 1. Obedience to his Law but this we pay not because we do not Adam transgressed and fell we in that also being his unhappy posterity falls and sins shamefully for all that commanding and exacting obedience from beasts as our due yet not only doubting but resolving against obsequiousnesse unto that Lord whose are all things we possesse We owe unto God the keeping of his image in our selves undefaced The honouring of one another before him but sunt alia debita there are other debts for we have sinned grievously lived unjustly and loved iniquity all which will be accounted for The Persians hated and of sins accounted a loving to lie and contracting of debt the most filthy And if we say we have no sin we lie And if we say we have sin we shall certainly die except we say with grief forgive us our sin 2. Exactnesse in his presence but this we pay not because of our imperfect doing The way of the Law being una simplex angusta ardua one pure strait and hard we often leave it and lean to our own understanding that leading us to a path open wide and easie so that God if he have any hath but his bodily service Saint Paul gave him true service with the mind but answer thy soul truly when it asks whom serves thou in thy inward man and there shall be reason to cry out who shall deliver me O forgive me 3. Of thankfulnesse for his favours but this we pay not by our abusing the creature Hath not store been lent us much been given us and where is that peace offering of praise and gratulation for all his benefits to us and his wonderful works to the children of men As babes let us be but touched in our toy house kindred or goods how soon shall we put finger in eye and cry but where is he who not to be accounted ingrate doth pulsare continuis precibus continually let God hear him rejoycing in and under his love To omit education instruction opportunities of doing good what is his name who sits down with the relenting Pilgrim and weeps at the sight of a poysonous Toad when reflecting upon his long negligence in not blessing God for making him a man the not doing of which hath wonderfully I should say miserably encreased our debt 4. Of sufferAnce because of our failings in these and all other particulars of his will but this we can never satisfie because of our distance Except each man pardon the expression were indeed God no man all men could not satisfie God there being an inexpressible distance between the infinit justice and the finit limited suffering to be undergone Yet when providence calls for justification of the truths of God no precious thing ought to deterr from a masculine defending and sealing of the same under the greatest torture tyranny can invent in externals In internals our right eye or right hand is not to be valued hoc est vice though beloved is to be chastised the heat of lust to be extinguished lasciviousnesse though sweet is to be suppressed and at all hazards chastity to be preserved by which in safety we shall be Martyrs Confessours for the truth as it is in Iesus Our debts and the thoughts thereof will stick the closer if we think upon Moses who craves them and the prison prepared for us because of them They are craved by Moses His sword is over our head his rod is over our backs he saith Thou shalt not covet not steal not murther not have other gods but we making every lust a god must fore-cast an arrest and imprisonment he having no power to release nor authority to accept Cautionry or Surety for us A greatly indebted Roman dying Augustus the Emperour gave order for buying his bed his goods being put to Auction or Ropeing saying when others wondred I must have it that upon it I may sleep quietly since he that was so much in debt could quietly rest Let us mind our own security notwithstanding our debt to Almighty God we shall condemn our selves as more senslesse then that admired Knight and stand in awe of sin for in this Dormire mori est to slumber is to die There is a prison with Devils The Parthians gave a piece of the debters flesh to each Creditor but the whole man falls under the censure of this terrible Judge Rich vicious proud covetous and dying Crisorius conceited Devils attending his departure called as the foolish Virgins to
potest perditus what can the damned wretch do All which should make us eye Heaven there being an Advocat and a Cautioner that cares for us both for debts contracted and sin we shall be tempted unto or may fall in represented in the parable of the good Samaritan who promised to repay what was to be disbursed for the cure of the wounded Traveller the very inclinations and tendencies toward sin being by his mediation oft impeded and to the penitent by the same forgiven Forgive us our debts that is above in Court or then there is no faith remission of sin is one Article of our Creed and we believe it to be done above in the Signet-office of the great King first and then passing the Seals of the Sacraments in the Church we lock it up in the Charter-chest or Archives of our own conscience or then there is no joy by applying the fiducial certainty of our sealed pardon through the Spirits testimony within us giving so clear light that the soul sayeth O Lord by these things men live and in all these things is the life of my spirit thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back Yet because of those gloomy foggs which may arise from the lower ground or doubting part of the soul dimming our sight of such a delectable prospect as serene and heavenly love so bountiful is God that in legible Characters of our own writing he leading our hand we may have the certainty of his pardon and his seal affixed unto it in our own bosome and by the prospect or spectacle of our sincerity in pardoning the petty debts or trespasses against us we do clearly observe they are blotted out which we have done against him for thus it is written Forgive us as we forgive or for we forgive others giving us thereby Potestas veniae a power to pardon and cloathing us with authority as it were to absolve our selves Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debters THE necessity of the â—ondition of pardoning offences done against Vs if we would have such forgiven done by us against God is next to be considered for we doing the one God assureth us he shall do the other making our measure of charity the Standart of his bounty and the power of limiting or enlarging it is in our own hands as we forgive so that si duri if we be hard-hearted harsh or but half-way charitable or through pac'd charitable God is still â—tinted by our prayer to our tallies to our crossings As we forgive our debters is not added here as a reason forgivenesse in him being an act of mercy and his forgivenesse in Scripture is proposed as a rule to us It is here only certa conditione contingens a certain condition on our part without which God will not seal the counter-part And though the particle be illative in Luke for we forgive yet it amounts not to a formal reason but beggs the happy conclusion of forgivenesse from one that is naturelly good because man genuinely morose can yet forgive his brother Neither is it added as a measure our forgivenesse being finit whereas his must be inâ—nit neither is it to be understood properly as if we were to forgive pecuniary or money-matters for then the shortest cut to Christianity were to contract debt and infallible assurance a concomitant to not craving which were a whip of knotted cords once more to drive buyers and sellers from the Temple It is added as an auxiliary band to help our weaknesse being one of the clearest promises a writing in Text-hand of holy writ the easiest to be read in all Scripture nothing being clearer then Forgive and you shall be forgiven which in the darkest night of grossest ignorance is fairly legible It points also at the verity and quality of our forgivenesse and intimats our desire to be that God would as heartily and speedily forgive us as we do others a duty necessary to be done upon many accounts meditat upon these â—ew 1. From the iteration of it for it is pressed and doubled This relating to forgivenesse is the only Petition our Saviour takes a review of after he hath closed this prayer enâ—orcing afresh the duties of amity and concord under the penalty of divine displeasure therefore as Pharaohs dream this is doubled shewing the necessity of our forgiving or the certainty that he will not As at the creation there was a survey of all works and in that were found to be good so here there is a reflection upon all the parts of prayer and this petition urged and repeated chiefly because of wickednesse and surlinesse it is said by such as are conversanâ— about children that they are longest in learning and pronouncing this part of prayer and is it not evident that morally men can hardly yea not without great difficulty learn it and therefore here pressed again and again And sure where God sets up candles it is for some work when he calls us to double our guards it is to prevent some dangerous surprise This prayâ—â— knocking down the surious bulls of enruged lust thirsting after revenge in brawny yea horny madnesse commands us in slanders in injuries to remember Stephens charity Davids sasting and our Lords to his Father call for mercy and fight against evil suggestions oppose sinful desires and crucifie the lusts of the flesh that the soul of man may live quietly at home Teleclus a King in Laconia being complained unto by his Brother concerning the peoples disrespect of him though a Prince causa est inquit Rex it is because said the King thou canst not put up an injury and if stinging men complain to God or man for neglect intending revenge wise men as God will advise to forgivenesse upon which honour shall attend him at the long run 2. From the opposite vice which is condemned and judged morosity doggednesse snarling and scowling is already condemned in the reverâ—ing of that Decreet given by the Lord in the Parable of the Talents where the cruel Creditor that had no mercy on his debter â—ound no compassion but more severe condemnation from his justly incensed Master Should God challenge to a duell or combat all who give him the lie there should be no man to tell truth Should he in thunder-bolts smite him upon the cheek-bone who flouts and jeers at his preceptive will the fairest face would be bruised Should he kick the ranting Belshazzers ouâ— of the world or spurn a churlish Nabal when calumniat for his laws of temperance and bounty where would there be men c. But since the Cow of the wicked calveth and casteth not her Calf and the Sun shines and the rain falls upon their houses and fields he is more then blind who perceiveth not Gods abhorrency of rendring
pray here for security against those formidable forces we apprehend shall attaque us in the hour of tryal in the day of temptation Let us enquire what it is to be led into temptation and why God will lead any In general we are led into temptation when we are suffered to commit the sin we are tempted unto as David was when he did not design but actually did adulterat Vriah's wife his leading being a not liberating from the evil thereof but a suffering us to fall and to be hurt in the falling The house builded on the sand was overthrown by the rains and floods which are no other then temptations and ordinarily they are expressed by waters and the metaphor serveth to explain the sense of this Petition he that is led into temptation is upon the brink of some jeopardy he who is led in temptation is in the water but in no danger of drowning he that is led into temptation is the deep but he who is led out of temptation was in but yet drawn out of the water He who saith Lead us not into temptation saith quod amissum est exquire Lord seek what is lost and strengthen what is weak but the Energy of the words are and they reach unto Lead us from temptation Keep us far off from the waters quam ferre non possumus for we are not able to resist their violence But to be more particular then are men led 1. When God relinquisheth them and leaveth them to themselves suffering them to combat with Satan as Saul did David and Goliah he being only a beholder Ioab drew back from Vriah and he died God left Hezekiah to himself and he was wounded exposing that is suffering the tinder of mans corrupted rotten and black heart to be open for and under the flint and steel of Satan and Temptation without interposing of his power to allay or command to cause Satan avoid for no otherwise doth he lead then to leave men in it by withdrawing the assistance of his grace suffering them to be led or fall for causes best known unto himself When he stands beholding mans natural inclination inducing to sin is in Scripture a giving men up to their own lusts a hardning of their heart the wind of temptation blowing away the very leaves of formality or withering them by the heat and strength thereof thus he gave up Iudas to his covetous mind Cain to his envious heart which had been so long beaten upon by temptation that like an Anvil it made wholsome admonitions for amendment to recoyl He brought Auxiliary grace to Paul under Satans buffettings and though he was tempted yet was he not led into temptation Ioseph was brought in mind of Gods severity against sin and preserved his chastity so was not David and sell with the Wise of Vriah God suffering him to be led into yet suffered him not to perish but drew him by his love through the waters of temptation God suffering sometimes the best of his Saints to be tempted hurt and wounded And the Prophet secing Ioshua and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him palpably discovers from the circumstance of place that the accusation was both true in it self and vehemently urged Ioshua having at that time filthy thy garments all having sinned God takes glory to bring his own to himself in suffering that Accuser to be accusing that they by conviction may see mercy that Lion to be scratching that they dreading may cry for help that Serpent to be stinging that they smarting may learn to avoid sin for that wicked one toucheth them not that is tactu qualitativo non corrumpit eum the poyson doth notso invenome the heart as to kill it nor diffuse it self so far into the soul as to destroy God applying proper antidots against the malignity thereof in them leaving others to their own skill so that Lead us not into temptation is Let not temptation overcome us neither Lord suffer us to be taken in its snares 2. When he delivers them up to the enemy or commissionats their adversary with power against them As a Judge delivers his obstinat Malefactor to the hands of the Jaylor or Eâ—ecutioner so will God commissionat his Hellish Officers to dispose of refractory delinquents in such or such a way thus he authorized a lying spirit to seduce an Ahab that he might fall and by him was led in and into temptation perishing in the floods as did Saul of sin and ungodlinesse as did they who receiving not the truth were delivered up to strong delusions to believe lies that they might be damned being overwhelmed in temptation All which causeth application to God it being only his property and prerogative to deliver quid potest educere de tentatione not only because he can but because others cannot deliver me nay not the Saints but the Father only he being in all places filling all places knowing all straits which without the defending of Vbiquity to every glorified Saint is argument sufficiently valid to convince any infected with Romes Doctrine touching prayer to Saints for when I am tempted and prays for my deliverance both the Virgin and Peter and Paul and Gabriel may be out of my hearing but God never If it be demanded why our Father will suffer the workmanship of his own hands to be led into temptation that is to fall or be hurt in it or by it It is I trust no paradox to affirm that strictly we are not to search into the nature that is causes of his doings of which as one said of his nature we are not worthy so much as to think yet to satisfie the truly doubtful we offer these considerations It is done 1. For the discovery of Gods power He led a Iob in and into and through a temptation that by inextricable providences the procedure of sad and issue of hard harsh and almost despairing difficulties might cause Satan being baffled to be ashamed and the believer being upheld as by the chin to glorifie God so much the more ardently as he was delivered the more miraculously What a beautiful exit had Iosephs selling yea Davids Adultery how did it occasion his Harp the more melodiously to twang and gave life to seven that is to many holy songs 2. For honouring of Gods servants No General but will try a stout Officer and will give or occasion to produce something worthy of that valour he knows to be in him The Lord boasted of a Iob and because Satan would not credit the report all that Iob had was put into his hand and though for a while he was in the dust and under contempt yet what would his friends his mockers his wife yea his enemy the Devil say and how would he be lookt upon by all for holding fast his integrity at the time of his restauration whereby Iob was not only more confirmed in
where was the benefit of the change For if God suffer a David to be led into temptation having more power wisdom and strength then David had he is by that known rule qui non prohibet peccatum he who can hinder sin and doth it not commits the sin equally as guilty of the sin as he should appear to be had it been said Lead us not into temptation which yet is a more Scripture-like expression then the other For who in Scripture is said to harden Pharaohs heart It is answered God Who stirred up David to number the people It is replied God he permitting Satan Who mingled among the Princes of Zoan the spirit of errour It is said the Lord. Who gave up the Gentiles to vile affections it is attested God In these and such-like expressions he is not said to suffer it to be done but to do it and if it be demanded who leads men into temptation I answer truly because Evangelically Our Father which is in Heaven c. It is true indeed Cyprian reads the words Et ne nos patiaris suffer us not to be led being constrained as some others also so to speak because of the Manichean Doctrine of two supream beings one of God whence all good and another of the Devil whence all ill but who knows not that the Fathers must in many places as light Gold have their allowance and in feeding upon them they must have salt and enquiring only of such whether their changing lead us not to suffer us not was to confute heresie or to broach novelty I go forward knowing it may be a good Commentary as with Augustine In Lead us not there is no harm for besides our Saviours authority there is this in reason may be said for its innocency that Gods leading is not a dragging man is not forced though led into the field for being led into imports consenting to hence that Precept Resist the Devil neither is it determining Fiunt tentationes enim per Satanam temptations not flowing from Satans power but Gods sufferance and Lead us not imports a confinement of Satan a binding of him up that though he desire to yet he never may devour us Our fear not being primarly of the Devil but in God his sorsaking us nothing being able to hurt without his permission He led Cain into the field and he died but succoured Peter and though wounded yet he was not killed by his foe he so ordered Cains sin that he became a terrour to himself he so disposed of Peters fall that he is a notable example of mans frailty and Gods compassion he orders the fair and so he doth the foul weather and for the one or removal of the other he is still to be addressed unto If we search into the true cause of sin and speak properly we shall perceive it hath no cause yet since it is it must hav a principle an Author an Origin and fountain and to lay the sadle on the right horse the cause of sin is either without us which is the Devil or within us which is our own corruption Against the first in this Petition we pray and for his chaining he oft holding up the wrong end of the Perspective making sin either not visible or so little that it may be attempted saith corruption without danger or contrary by a magnifying mirrour he makes sin to appear of a despairing bignesse that it cannot that there is no hope of pardon saith both he and corruption he is that spiritual murderer that wounded our first parents that contrived the death of the Son of God Iudas covetousnesse and the Iews malice concurring He is still tempting us in visions dreams by ill example alluring the old to covet the young to lust the rich to pride the poor to despair and in short had it not been for this tempter it is probable sin had never been in man by the inordinat desire of knowledge he chaâ—â—'d the Virgin Wax of Adams innocency with such Art that it received his own image of insanctity who transmitted the same as well as his nature to his unhappy posterity but since God had mercy and saved Adam we here recurr to the same compassion for deliverance from the old tempter At Friburg he appeared in Ministerial habits to a good old man dying with Paper Pen and Ink to write down all the sins committed in his life and after much importunity he was ordered to write down first The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the Serpent at which words throwing paper and all on the ground the spirit disappeared and the old man died comfortably God not leaving corruption to it self though Satan attempted excitation To scan the length or discover the various ways by which the Devil suggests or tempts to evil is a darker mystery of iniquity then man can clear and the darknesse that is in our nature where he usually keeps is so grosse that we cannot trace him Yet as the Countrey of Hamsem though covered with so obscure a darknesse that no neighbouring Province dare either enter in or can see any thing in it and yet by the voice of Men crowing of Cocks neighing of Horses which is heard it is concluded inhabited so by the noise roaring fightings Satan makes in the heart it is evident he is there and being it is not in our power we have recourse to our Father to be delivered from him yea secured from our hearts a Province in the Kingdom of Man as the other in Armenia so dark that it exceeds Cimmerian darknesse a proverb thought to rise from the above-mentioned Countrey that our selves cannot see into it untill the glorious face of God as the Sun shine in upon us and when that is done its intricacies and slienesse still enforceth this to be said Lead us not into temptation As the case is now natural pravity hardnesse of heart infidelity and all other vices arising from the soul as sparks from the fire tempteth Satan himself to tempt us and gives occasion by supine sloath for him to work us easily to his mould God is generally so forgotten his Son is ordinarily so slighted and the Spirit so oft despited that we expose our naked breasts to the tempters shafts as if their poyson and heat should be cooled and deaded before they reach our hearts It is said of one reading those words of St. Iohn The Word was made flesh and not reverend enough in his behaviour a Spirit gave him a blow on the face saying If the Word had been made a Devil the Devils never forgetting that mercy had eternally been reverently thankful But since this was not how respectfull and mindful should man be yea how vigilant against himself and how watchfull against temptation that by them God be not provoked imitating him who was so warry that he knew not if ever the Devil had beguiled him