the name of God is here meant whatsoeuer it is that truely of him may bee affirmed as that he is good iust gracious c. And this shall haue warrant euident and plaine euen from the Lord himselfe in that manifestation of himselfe to his seruant Moses were he sayth he will make all his good go before him and proclayme the name of the Lord before him and doing so in deede his name is neyther this word nor that as Iehouah Tetragrammaton or such like either in Hebrew or Greeke this tongue or that but it is this The Lord the Lorde strong mercifull and gracious slowe to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercie for thousandes forgiuing iniquitie transgression and sinne and not making the wicked innocent visiting the iniquity of the Fathers vppon the children vnto the third and fourth generation See then the greate and glorious name of GOD what it is And what is meant I pray you by Hallowing of that name To hallow or to sanctifie signifieth two things Either to make holy that which before was not so but polluted vncleane In which sorte our Sauiour Christ dooth hallowe and sanctifie vs making vs of the sinful sonnes of Adam the righteous sons of God in himselfe Either else that which of it selfe and in it selfe is alreadie holie so to repute and take so with all reuerence to acknowledge and confesse and so euer to vse and to speake of In which sense again wisedome that of her selfe is most iust is sayd to be iustified of her children that is to be so esteemed iudged and taken And in the third of Iohn He that hath receiued his testimonie saith he hath sealed that God is true That is nothing but this doth cause and bring to passe that God as he is in himself in déede true truth it self so hee is acknowledged of others to bee Now in his latter signification is it taken heere And therfore thus expounded by the learned Sanctificari hîc est reuelari obseruari glorificari honorari verè agnosci To bée hallowed here is to be reuealed obserued glorified honoured and truely acknowledged And againe Sanctificari Dei nomen dicitur cum sacrum venerabile purum augustum esse a nobis agnoscitur et praedicatur et nullo modo contemptim aut irreuerenter cogitetur aut sumatur The name of God is said to be hallowed when it is confessed published as holy reuerend pure and high and such as by no meanes is eyther thought of or taken of vs contemptibly or vnreuerently So that in plaine speech this petition is thus much O Lord let that maiestie and holinesse that is in thy selfe that iustice mercie and power which thou shewest in thy works and that truth wisedome and goodnesse which is in thy word with all thy vertue generally whatsoeuer comprehended in thy nature and fit for the knowledge and vse of man bee more and more dayly knowen of man and receiued amōg vs with that dread honor and reuerence that is fitte for such a name both in word and worke thought deede and euery way A notable request sure and well beseeming the sonnes of God desirous of their Fathers glorie But thus me think you doe not restraine it only to man so that in man only this glory of his name is to appeare No in deede neither ought I. But know it as a fault in Tertullian and Cyprian so to doe For so large is the reach of this petition as that it toucheth not onelie men godly and vngodly reprobate or elect but euen all things in this world whatsoeuer than to be ordayned of the Lorde For in the verie least thing appeareth some maiestie power eternitie and vertue of him which in this petition wee desire as well may appeare and bee seene and celebrated to the praise of him as those greater matters that are in man And therefore cryeth the Prophet of God in his Psalme to all creatures to praise the Lord Sunne and Moone and starres and light heauen and earth dragons deeps fire and water haile and snowe winde and vapours stormes and tempests mountaines and hils trees beasts cattell wormes and all feathered foules and in conclusion euery thing to exalt hallowe and sanctifie the name of the Lord. For his name onely is excellent his praise aboue heauen and earth And to the same end is the 104. Psalme a verie notable song of Dauid also teaching vs plainly that in all the workes of the Lord there is a portion of this his name that is of his maiestie power wisedome and goodnesse which in this petition and by these wordes we ought to begge of him which may appeare be seene noted marked and obserued celebrated in this world to his glorie more and more So that you see prayer dooth not meane onely man but all things in that order that I haue declared Euery thing as it is better and better knowen contayning matter and argument of Gods praise either in respect of workmanship vse nature all or some Yet it respecteth man chieflie as the worke of God wherein he hath shewed himselfe most and layed downe largest arguments to the glorie of his name It doth so and therefore so let vs think of it And first see howe it beggeth for vs knowledge and vnderstanding still more and more of his name and nature because knowledge goeth before obedience Which request of knowledge carieth with it an industrie and endeuour in vs in all diligence euer to obserue the Lord in his workes to marke the power the wisedome the goodnesse of him in creating them and in giuing such nature vse and operation to them in disposing them in such an order in continuing them in such a course and so foorth and condemneth the too too common and damnable dulnesse of the world in so continuall vse and so little a regarde of these things being the maine cause of grieuous vnthankfulnesse and not sanctifying of the name of God in vs. Secondly we begge in it as one saith Non modò vt nomen Dei in intellectu pe◠fidem et noticiam Dei verumetiam ore corpore vitaque tota sanctificetur et glorificetur Not onely that the name of GOD in our vnderstanding by faith and knowledge of GOD but also in mouth bodie and our whole life may bee sanctified and glorified Of which hallowing of the name of God speaketh the Lord himselfe by his Prophet saying I will sanctifie my greate name which was polluted among the Heathen c. How will he do it or what is this sanctification Marke how it followeth I will powre cleane water vpon you and you shall bee cleane yea from all your filthinesse and from all your Idols will I cleanse you A new heart also will I giue you and a newe spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stonie hart out of your body giue you an hart
onely shoulde bee a lie and a fained humilitie And as Austen pretilie speaketh Humilitas statuta in parte falsitatis perderet praemium veritatis False humilitie should loose y e blessing that truth should haue Non ergo debemus sic laudare creatorem vt cogamur dicere imo verò conuincamur dicere superfluum saluatorèm We must not so prayse our creator as we be compelled yea conuinced to saie that superfluous is a Sauiour And agayne Quia nos creauit ita simus grati vt non simus quia sanat ingrati Let vs so be thankfull to the Lord for creating vs as wee bée not vnthankfull to him for healing vs. With many such like sentēces noting our too true corruption and their most highe pride that think they haue attained to such holynesse as y t they neede not saie Remitte nobis debita nostra Forgiue vs O Lorde our trespasses Is there anie man now a dayes better than the Disciples Yet the Lord teacheth thē we sée to pray this prayer And surely as our garments though dayly brushed yet dayly and still need brushing agayne because euer when they are brushed newe dust and foulenesse lighteth vppon them euen so our soules and bodies though many times altered by a gracious pardon from God in Christ yet daily and still so gathering dust agayne as that dayly and still they neede to bee cleered And therefore euer must all men praie this praier Furthermore euen here also haue the Nouatian heretiques a playne fall with their most vncomfortable assertion or heresie thinking and auouching that there is no pardon for any that after he is baptized committeth any publique sinne For doth our Sauiour here make any distinction of publique or priuat offences of men baptized or vnbaptized of tymes before or after No no to our great comfort he doth not as hath before bene shewed but al men hee biddeth pray thus at all tymes he biddeth pray thus and for all offences hee biddeth pray thus indefinitly And except wee shall make a mocker of the Lord what hee biddeth aske he is ready to giue and a sure comfort by his commaundement to pray may be drawen to my soule that I shal obtayne And therefore litle children these things I write that yee sinne not But if any man doe sinne wee haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world Yea let vs adde to his wordes but not to his meaning for sinnes both before and after baptisme Nowe do you put me in mind of a question which I only also will aske you Namely what comfort there is for a frayle creature that after repentance and purpose neuer to offende so any more yet shall fall againe euen into the same fault of frayltie not of malice Surely you name a very notable testimony of our most vile corruption that solemnely professing our repentance for any bad behauiour and vowing to the Lorde and with our selues that no more wee will do so yet contrary both to promise and purpose we fall againe into the selfesame offence and sinne And if the Lord should neuer receyue vs againe after such a transgression we had but what iustly and greatly wee deserued Yet is this mercy more not to imbolden to so great impietie but to comfort grieued ones with so great frailtie Wherefore with desire to stand and al possible indeuour against such second fals let vs heare yet what the Lorde sayth if in our great weakenes wee doe fall I meane into the same offence againe after repentance For we see the Prophets in euerie place exhort men to repentance not which had once offended but which with an obstinate contempt of God had not stayed to runne into all kind of wickednes which after a shewe of repentaunce yet returned to their sinnefull course agayne the Prophet Ieremy of all other is full of places if you list to read any Agayne the Lorde in his law would haue dayly sacrifices offred sometime in the name of the whole people sometimes in the name of a priuat person aswell for offences committed by ignorance as for voluntary transgressions and falles which assuredly shoulde not haue bene done except there had bene mercy euen for second faults For the Lord would not deceiue his people with vaine figures Thirdly in the Psalme we very playnely sée that God was intreated to forgiue most hypocriticall and obstinate sinnes And nowe in the tyme of his Gospell his goodnes is not streyted or diminished but euen nowe also more playnely it is proclaymed to the worlde that at what tyme soeuer a sinner soroweth from his heart there is pardon with the Lorde without exception against often committing of the same offence When the Lord inioyneth vs to forgiue our brethren seuentie times seuen times doth he meane newe offences only such as they neuer committed agaynst vs before or hee meaneth all whatsoeuer or how often soeuer fallen into by their frailtie And if so doth he require more mercy of man than he the God of mercy wil shew or shall the creature excell the creator in any goodnes God forbid Sée it therefore and be with comfort most assured of it that if wee sinne not seuen times but seuentie times seuen times against his maiesty and euen in the same thing and so often with weeping eyes and sobbing soule fall at his feete for mercy to so great frailtie there is mercy with him and pardon to true repentance But take heede wee turne not the grace of God into wantonnes presumption For if I sucke the libertie out of this doctrine be sure I sauoure it to death and not to life and what knew I whether euer I shall haue grace truely to repent what so bouldly and presumptuously I haue dared to commit When the Apostle sayth If any man sinne wee haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes Doe you thinke wee may tye this to onely such sinnes as were neuer committed before without a very playne and great iniury to that place of scripture No no we cannot therefore a true ground of comfort euen for sins often fallen into so y t frailtie and not loosenes bee the cause and read the 9. of Daniel and see if hee confesse not sinne often committed and as it were in a continued course and yet dispaireth not of mercy What meaneth that article of our fayth I beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes shall we glose vpon it thus that is of such sins as I neuer cōmitted but once Surely if wee doe it must bee sayd cursed be the glose that corrupteth the text For that article compriseth al sinne before baptisme after baptisme before repentance after repentance euer through the course of my life in this worlde whatsoeuer it is howe often so euer I haue slyded
thy good liking it may be for our good since we are thy subiects whoÌ„ it hath pleased thee to take care of euen since we hanged vpoÌ„ our mothers breasts The second reason is drawne from his power which as it is infinite so is it able to giue vs whatsoeuer we want There is nothing too hard nothing to great which he cannot giue Thine is the power euen all power might and strength ioyned with goodnesse and therefore I faint not The third reason is taken from the end or final cause For thine is the glorie that is wee desire these things for thy glory Of thée alone the true God and soueraine King we desire and expect all good thinges and so we yeelde vnto thee this thy glory and this thine honour and professe thee to bee the honour and fountain of al good things And verily because this glory is due vnto thee therefore doe wee desire them of thee Heare vs therefore for thy glory and especially because thou wilt also for thy glory sake giue those thinges which we desire For what thinges serue for thy glory the same wilt thou performe and do but those things which we desire serue for thy glory therefore thou wilt giue them vs. Giue vs therefore these thinges that we desire and the glory shall returne and redounde vnto thee if thou deliuer vs. For so shall thy kingdome and power and glory be manifested See then beloued a sweete comfort If your request that you make to your God may be good for you to receiue aswell may the Lord loose his kingdome loose his power and loose his glorie as you fayle of your fruite and harts desire For so teacheth this conclusion as you see And if it bee not good for you to haue in the wisedome of a mightie God so knowne who can better tel than you your self what is fit for you would you haue it God forbid Strengthen your harts then in your prayers alwaies with this There is no King can bee like minded to his subiect as the Lord is to you there is no power like the Lords and his glorie euer was and euer shall be deare vnto him And therfore what may be his glorie to giue and your good to receiue his power can reach it his loue shall graunt it and you shall neuer want it For no good thing shal he withhold froÌ„ his Children sayth the Prophet Dauid Stockes and stones cannot do this Idols and Images cannot doe this no the Angels of heauen cannot doe this much lesse inferiour creatures therfore know what it is to leaue the right to take the wrong to dishonor your GOD and to hurt your selues by praying to these things The word Amen is added not as a part of the Prayer but as a particle noting our wish of hart to be heard and to obtayne As if we should say O Lord thus be it vnto me what my tongue or soule hath begged so be it Amen Amen so Lord so Lord and then euen in a sweete rest of hart and content of minde that I haue vttered my selfe to my God I rise vp and go my way leauing all to him And thus much of this heauenly Prayer the patterne of all Prayers according as the Lord hath inabled me Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time foorth for euermore Amen A Prayer O Most tender GOD and deere father looke vpon vs heare vs and hearken to vs in that mercie of thine that hath no measure when euer it shall please thyne owne selfe to trie vs by any temptation doe it in mercie according to our strength and for our good And suffer vs neuer to be tempted aboue our power but giue the issue with the temptation that we may be able to beare it Let it open vnto vs our want and weaknes to reforme vs but neuer cause feare aboue faith to ouercome vs. Come wel come woe either outwarde or inwarde make vs contented and strengthen our steps in both estates to thy blessed liking that prosperitie puffe not vp nor aduersitie plucke vs downe aboue that is fit for thy true children If men assault vs and tempt vs vnto euill O Lord giue wisedome to discerne them feare to followe them and zeale to defie them And let not the pleasures of sinne for a season preuayle aboue thy fauour and our eternall good That hellish feend so raging and roaring and euer so greedie to deuour vs deere father let him want his will and all his temptations come to naught Increase our knowledge to bewray his sleights and support our faith to quench his darts Let sinne appeare sinne and euer damnable let it neuer seeme good and very tollerable But plucke off those maskes O heauenly God that it often commeth disguised withall and let our eyes through thy mercie bewray both nature ende of such delicates as thy seruant Dauid prayed he might neuer taste of O blessed father helpe vs agaynst our owne corruption our owne concupiscence and sinne Our flesh our flesh O Lord let it not preuayle to the working of our woe and euerlasting fall The Spirit is willing but the flesh is frayle full of gaynsayings striuings and struglings against thy wil. And we know with thine Apostle that in vs that is in our flesh dwelleth no good thing So that vnlesse thou helpe most deere father it will rebell and wee shall dye Deliuer vs from euill euen from all euill eternall God as if we should name them one by one so farre as may stand with thy blessed pleasure and our obedience to thee And finally deere God though we bee vnworthie to goe vpon this ground because it is thy obedient creature more than wee much lesse to lift vp our eyes to heauen where thou dwellest and to receiue any comfort that wee aske yet for that redâ—bloud and hartâ—bloud of Iesus Christ that neuer sinned agaynst thee but obeyed thee fullie for vs and in whom thou art perfitly pleased haue mercie vpon vs haue mercie vpon vs pardon and deliuer vs from all our sins and so guide the course of this earthly pilgrimage here amongst men that we may spend it and end it in thy feare and in thy fauour afflicted howsoeuer according to thy will yet not in distresse in doubt if so thou wilt haue it yet not dispayring persecuted but not forsaken cast downe at thy pleasure but not perishing through good report and ill report with thy holy Apostle passing our daies and doing our dueties with singlenes and simplicitie of hart Those infinite temptations that abound in this life there being no calling so holy nor place so solitarie but that men shal finde both troubles to trie them and aduersitie to disquiet them so rule and gouerne so moderate and temper with thy hand of mercie that wee may euer conquer and neuer bee conquered to our finall hurt But as birds limed and yet not ouerlimed escape those twigges that would haue caught vs
spirit cōmended to vs in the world for euer to tell vs what ought to be See then euen at our beginning when we pray like Saincts and sonnes of God like duetifull children affected rightly to their father euen then when we fall before him with harts mindes nothing so carefull to gaine our owne good as to winne the glorie and honor of his name and the content of his holy blessed and most good will And therfore looke into our petitions earnestly how and which way they serue to that before we make them and then begge them specially for that end And euen then I say whē we do féele in the secret testimony of an inward cōscience such a flame of loue wrought by a gracious spirite beyond power of sinful nature to our God in vs as that if any preferment of ours benefite and good in the course of this world shoulde be found of vs to fight against his glory by by we find content nay not a content only but euen a restles posting hast and burning heat to renounce it to defie it and to spit at it yea were it such glory of vs in this world as euer Prince inioyed and not onely so againe but euen a most willing minde together with the want of that worldly glory or good whatsoeuer to wit also as hath beene shewed eternall glory and good in heauen so that our God and Father might thereby bee honoured But O where are we where are we in this affection Woe to our weakenes and alas our want Yet let vs see what shoulde bee let vs confesse what is not and God for his Christes sake graunt vs mercy Something is something and euer comfortable nothing is sinfull and euer damnable This loue to the Lorde and zeale to his glory it is his gift and where hee will hee giueth it Though we be weake hee is strong and there is no flesh but he can aide it neither anie heart but he can change it onely let vs see our want and seeke our good and certainly we shal finde y e same with him This world endeth and God knoweth how soone and euē this night before the next may my soule be taken from me and then all my care for the causes of this world where is it or whose is it it cannot goe with me it shall not followe after me but straungers perhappes shall enter vpon my labours and my cares shall make them mightie that will ioy in the lacke and losse of me If I haue followed then this and neglected the other woe is begun and it shall neuer end with me But if I haue cared but competently for this with the other and euer in the power of giuen grace more for the other thā for this be it vnto me an end when it pleaseth God his mercie shall driue my labours to the good of those that I heere loued and that my loue of him and zeale to his glory shall folow me remayne with me and weare the crowne of Gods mercy for euer more in heauen Thus is it a blessed thing to loue Gods glory and to seeke his kingdome with conscience of duetie and feeling of a future state and it is as cursed a thing only to seeke our selues and care for euer a kingdome in this world if it were we could get it much lesse for farre inferior preferments and so whereby with the loue of thē to be deuoured eaten vp as that all spéech and talke and thoughts of the other is very odious to vs and a mockery with vs. You see the world the daies and times and you knowe my meaning Remember the place of these three petitions before the other and remember God in Samuel They that honour me them wil I honor and they that despise me they shalbe despised I end with them Iesus Christ in the benefite of his bloud giue vs care and feeling The diuision then of them and number as also the order of these three before the other you thus obserue now for the matter and meaning of this first if you will Halowed be thy name This shall wee then vnderstande when wee knowe what is comprised and meant by the two wordes in it Name and Halowed And therefore concerning the first wee are to bee aduertised that although no one name wherewith the Lorde is called in the Scripture as Iehouah Eloim Shaddai or such like should either in mind bee conceyued and thought or in voyce with woordes expressed and spoken without most high reuerence as duetie is yet are none of those names in this place meant and much lesse any Iudaicall or Popish superstition in any of them confirmed The Iewes for their Iehouah this is no warraunt But the name of GOD signifieth here that maiestie of GOD power and infinite vertue that shyneth sheweth it selfe in euery thing so wonderfully Euen as it is vsually taken in the Scriptures and for the most parte signifieth In the Prophet when he saith From the rising of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same my name is great amongst the Gentiles and in euerie place incense shall bee offered vnto my name and a pure offering for my name is great among the Heathen saith the Lord of hosts And Father glorifie thy name And Baptize in the name of the Father the sonne and the holie Ghost Whereas I saie the worde signifieth not any letters or sillables in this tongue or that but that power and vertue of God that shineth in all things So againe in the name of Christe the Apostles cast forth diuells that is in the power and strength and vertue of Christ for so Saint Peter expoundeth in the Actes when he sayth it was not theyr power and godlynesse that had made the man go but it was the name of that holy one and iust whom they had betraied that is his power and godlynesse his strength and vertue not theirs So at the name of Iesus shall euery knee bowe that is not when the word is pronounced wee shall make a curtesie but we shall all and euery creature bée subiect to his power authoritie and dominion for by name there of Iesus is meant Dominatio potestas dominion and power genuflectionis vocabulo exprimitur subiectio by bowing there is expressed and meant subiection to that dominion and power But perhaps with more plainnes it may be noted that the name of God heere respecteth three things chiefly to wit Himselfe His workes His word If we consider the Lord himselfe then we see in him euer maiestie and holynesse And this is his name If we consider his workes we see iustice mercie and power in them And this is his name And if wee consider his word there is euer truth wisdome and goodnesse in it and this also his name So that we may conclude this place euen as he that sayd it Nomen Dei dicitur omne id quod de illo praedicatur By
of flesh And I wil put my spirit within you cause you to walke in my statutes you shall keepe my iudgements and do them So that then is the greate name of the Lord sanctified you see and hallowed when we doe not onely knowe but doe the things that redound vnto his praise For then they that see our good workes are thereby caused to glorifie God in the daie of the visitation And euen contrariwise agayne if we do not we pollute the name of the Lorde in causing it to sounde euill amongst the wicked and the sinne is grieuous Of which complayneth the Lord by his Prophet Esaie when he saith his name all the daie continuallie is blasphemed and by his Apostle to y e Romanes in diuers other places And the same Apostle charging seruaunts that are vnder the yoake to account their maisters worthy of all honor maketh this the reason why Least the name of God and his doctrine bee euill spoken of And therefore thirdly as wee seeke the one so wee desire to bee able to shun the other in this petition beseeching him in the sense of these wordes that all those things may be remoued ouerturned and taken awaie which prophane blemish or blot that glorie of his either in himselfe or in his workes or in his worde and doctrine Such as are these damnable Atheists of these latter dayes which with theyr ieasts scoffes and mockes deriding all goodnesse do not onely discouer the name of God but to their euerlasting woe in the flames of the burning bottomelesse pit affirming it flatlie in their hearts that there is no God at all Such are they that with their censures will correcte the workes of God and speake euill of them complayne of his prouidence murmure at his iudgmentes carpe and cauill at his worde allure vnto loosenesse and dayly worke disdaine of commaunded obedience which al if they be not reformed are prayed agaynst throughout the world by all the children of God dayly in this petition to the vnspeakable terrour of them if they had grace to thinke of it For how certayne is that vengeaunce which hee that sendeth it biddeth aske and how dreadfull must it needes be and euen importable when it commeth which is so often so earnestlie and by such a number as the whole Church of God on earth is in so many places asked begged and cried for O woe not once thought vpon and yet to be trembled at shall it not be remembred in deede Shall these painted dayes so poyson vs quite with the loue of this world and the fading follyes of a most vncertayne estate that all grace and goodnesse shall be contemned of vs. And whereas the Prophet of God sayde One daie in the courtes of the Lordes house is better than a thousand Wee saie the contrarie that but one houre there is too much though it be but once a weeke nay once in many weekes and one daie in the course of this worlde to the which yet the Apostle sayth Fashion not your selues is better and sweeter and more beseeming a man especiallie a greate man than a thousand in the other Is it likely that euer we wil wish our selues with that Prophet rather doore kéepers in this house of GOD than to dwel in great renowm in the tents of the vngodlie when wee either loure or laugh to be tolde we should come in Can it be hoped that eyther now we doe thinke God often punishing such great contempt with lasting blindnes that they are blessed that dwell in the house of the Lord beeing euer praising of God yea that the verie Swallowes and Sparows that are there are as it were happie and blessed O it is to be feared no. And therefore not Dauids prayer not Dauids spirite neither consequently that election to life whereof that spirit is a certaine pledge Which is terririble inough if God were in vs. Thinke of it and thinke of this agayne with it that al the Church of God through the worlde as I haue sayd praie against vs when wee are thus irreligious and prophane saying Halowed be thy name that is O Lord confound with speedie curse of death and woe eternal all those that not liuing in the laws of thy will cause thy name to heare euil and to be blasphemed in this world Let them perish O Lord let them perish in the lusts of their own hearts and giue thy name his glorie Which if hell haue not alreadie taken possession of vs will pearce vs and make vs think of reformatiō of our selues the Lord in mercy grant it Amen Amen And if it do not tyme passeth and tyme commeth the which two times shal differ as mercy iudgement differ fauour and fury loue and loathing And the worde of the Lorde shall not deceiue vs saying vengeaunce is myne and J wil repay but how soone that knowe not we But well we knowe the Lord is not slacke concerning his promise as some men count slackenes but he is patient toward vs and would haue all men come to repentance and one day is with the Lord as a thousand yeeres and a thousand yeres as one day and this day will come But now I pray you let me moue a doubt or two vnto you And first why the Church of God should pray that the Lords name may bee halowed which is already euer was and shalbe most holy pure and glorious Because we do not pray it in respect of him but of our selues and others such as we are for the Lord in deed is holy neither can any thing be added to that holines or glory of him to make it more but wee doe not know it so much as we should do neither speak of it and imitate it as we ought and therfore we pray that as he is in déede so more and more it may appeare and shine out to the world all lettes and hinderances being taken away that his due prayse may bee giuen vnto him of vs that is wee pray not in this petition that any holynes may bee added to his name that already it hath not but that as it is in it selfe in deede and euer so we may haue grace to see and confesse and more and more dayly may be reueiled and manifested to this worlde For the Lord is sayde to sanctifie vs either inwardly or outwardly Inwardly by his spirit outwardly by his word and this againe either by seperating vs from our sinnes quickning vs by his holy Spirit or continuance of them both An other doubt is why it shoulde be sayd in that place And he that is vniust let him be vniust still and he which is filthy let him be filthy still Seeing here we are taught to pray and all men that our liues may be holy and pure euer to the end his glorious name may haue prayse thereby That place you meane is not so
spoken as that wee shoulde continue and delight in filthynes or vnrighteousnesse But it is a declaration of the course that the wicked will take and withall a secret confirmation of the godly notwithstanding the same As if he shoulde haue sayd be not you troubled or hindred in your most godly course of obedience to me either by the continuance and euer increasing of the wicked in their wickednes or by my toleraunce and long forbearing to smite them But folowe you me and my commandements stagger not looke not backe giue not ouer and as for the wicked he that is vniust let him be vniust still and he that is filthy let him be filthy still their punishment they shall bee sure of in their time and for you goe ye on without stop let them bee as they are to their woe The prayer O Mightie GOD looke vppon vs woormes and wretches here at thy feete lying and begging mercy Let vs obtaine of thy fatherly goodnes what thou hast so louingly taught vs to aske that thy name may bee halowed Let our eyes and the eyes of all men lightned by thy grace behold that maiestie and holynes that is in thy selfe more and more that Iustice mercy and power which thou shewest in thy works and that truth wisedome and goodnes which is in thy worde more and more with all thy vertues generally whatsoeuer comprehended in thy nature and fit for the knowledge and vse of man let them be more and more dayly knowne vnto vs. And when in mercy thou hast bestowed as it may seeme good to thine owne wisedome this knowledge vpon vs. O heauenly father let it not be in vs a bare knowledge but ioyne to our knowledge that dread and honour that regard and reuerence in our obedience that is fit for such a name both in word and worke thought and deede and euery way Make vs O Lorde euer more and more to auoyde and shunne what polluteth thy name causeth thy truth to heare euill of the wicked Remoue and ouerturne also good Lorde all those thinges in thy good tyme which prophane blemish and blot this glory of thine shining either in thy selfe in thy word or in thy works Such as are these irreligious Atheists of our sinfull dayes which with their mockes and scoffes tants and iests deride all goodnes out-face all conscience and care to please thee and dayly woorke disdayne where they may haue hearing of obedience to thy blessed will O thou mightie God remoue their seats out of kingdomes countryes Out of Cities and townes and out of priuate houses and families Awake Lorde in thy power and thinke of thy holy name let not these inchaunters and charmers preuaile against thee and glorye that they haue banished out of so many places the feare of thy name They are vnholy and they woulde haue all such they are vncleane and they infect where they come they are grieuous rockes of no small offence and good Lorde remoue them from thy chosen Lessen also for thy holy name sake the cōplayners of thy prouidence the murmurers at thy iudgements carpers and cauillers at thy word allurers to loosenes of life and behauiour and al that polluting thy holy name yet hate to be reformed Finally deere father let not the shames of vngodlines dayly before our faces cary vs away Neither these deepe waterfloods drowne our soules the lewde and loose examples wee beholde with griefe let them neuer preuayle against vs to peruert vs but if thy iust wrath haue sealed their confusion they being vniust let thē bee vniust still they being filthy let them be filthy still to their owne wo not to our stoppe or hinderance to do our dueties in seeking to knowe thy glorious name more and more and to sanctifie and hallow it according to that true knowledge more and more And deerest God begin not only obedience in vs but confirme thy fauour to vs euermore strengthen and establish vs in all goodnes make strong our inward man against all assaults and these seely soules pend vp in sinfull prison during life by welcome change receyue when tyme shall bee with thee to liue till thy day of doome and then receyuing their mates againe but immortal and incorruptible with them to liue conioyned againe for euermore in ioye and comfort But not this for our sakes O mightie Lorde but for Iesus Christ our onely life and Sauiour Amen The second Petition Thy kingdome come HAuing besought the Lord in the former petition that his name might be hallowed that is as then was sayde that that maiestie and holinesse which is in himselfe that iustice mercie and power which hee sheweth in his workes and that truth wisdome and goodnesse which is in his worde with all other vertues generallie whatsoeuer comprehended in his nature and fit for the knowledge and vse of man might be more and more dayly knowen of men and receiue amongst vs that dreade honour and reuerence that is fit for such a name both in word and worke thought and deede and euerie waie it fitly followeth in the second place to beseech the same Lorde to graunt waie and meanes whereby that same shall be effected and brought to passe namelie that his kingdome may come For if the Lord rule and raigne in vs and ouer vs it shal be so And if he do not it shal not be so No we shal be so far from sanctifying his name that for wāt of his kingdome in vs Satan shall erect his kingdome in vs the effects wherof shall be great and grieuous pollutions of his name Wherfore the order is most conuenient and good The wordes of the petition are few and easily vnderstoode if we marke them For the kingdome of GOD is the ruling and raigning of GOD in the heartes of men and the comming of this kingdome is the beginning increasing and continuing of it in vs. So thy kingdome come is in effect thus much as if we should saie O Lorde erect and begin O Lord increase and propagate O Lord establish and euer continue in our hearts thy rule and gouernment to the death of sinne and life of righteousnes the true effects of thy ruling euer Which yet is not so plaine as it will be when wee haue considered of the seuerall members implied in these wordes For we must vnderstand that when we are taught to praie for this kingdome of God all the meanes whereby it is effected in vs are included to be prayed for as also all stops and lets enimies hinderaunces whatsoeuer withstanding this kingdome prayed agaynst that they may bee remooued and taken awaie To bee then as plaine as I can the kingdome of God is sayde to bee of three sortes to witte of power of grace and of glorie The kingdome of power is that soueraigntie which the Lord hath ouer al the things in this worlde directing guiding ruling and disposing of euery one of them as his good pleasure is and causing all the
a sharpe sword That they are corrupt and become abhominable that there is none that doth good no not one And where ruleth all this euill that wee haue thus purchased to our woe O further griefe our bodies our soules our mindes our willes our harts our hands our feete and our whole man is corrupted sinne hath entered ouer all and by sinne Satan as Lord and King ruleth ouer all till this other kingdome come that here wee pray for For eratis tenebrae sayth the Apostle Ye were darknesse but now are ye light in the Lord. And more plainly before hauing their vnderstāding darkned being strāgers frō the life of God through that ignorāce that is in them c. Therefore you see the minde corrupted Of the hart and will it was sayd before that the imaginations of the thoughts thereof are onely euill continually And out of the hart now sayth our Sauiour proceede euill thoughts murders adulteries fornications theftes false witnesse sclaunders and this is stuffe that defileth the man With a thousand places moe crying out of the waywardnesse of mans hart and will the crookednesse stifnesse and stubbornnesse of it against the Lord all good Of the whole man sayth the Apostle Noui quod in me hoc est in carne mea non est bonum I know that in me that is in my flesh there is no good Our mouth our feete our throte our eyes and all are charged with their faultes in the worde of the Lord. That free will that was in man to doe good it is gone sayth Sainct Austen and homo malè vtens libero arbitrio se perdidit arbitrium Man abusing his free will lost both himselfe and it And now is it true that wee are not able to thinke a good thought as of our selues but both to will and to performe is of the Lord. Now is it true that our Sauiour sayd sine me nihil potestis facere without me you can doe nothing Non dixit sine me difficulter aliquid potestis aut sine me non potestis aliquid magni facere sed nihil potestis c. He did not say sayth S. Austen without me you can hardly doe any thing or you can not doe any great matter but simply and flatly you can doe nothing Meaning in spirituall matters for herein quid habes quod non accepisti what hast thou that thou hast not receiued Gratia dei sum quod sum By the grace of God I am that I am whatsoeuer it be if it be good And to goe no further in this sorte now must man and woman bee they neuer so righteous crie out vppon their vnrighteousnesse and hide their faces from the iudgement of the Lord if he should out of the comfort prouided for them seeke to iudge them Dauid the deere one of the Lord and a man according to his owne hart yet must confesse of himselfe with woe Beholde I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceiued mee Enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunts O Lord for in thy sight shall no flesh liuing bee iustified The great Prophet Esayas must say Woe is me for I am vndone because I am a man of polluted lippes Mary the virgin blessed amongst women must reioyce in her Sauiour and not in her selfe and so all others whatsoeuer For we are fallen Our lyfe that shoulde haue bene so pleasant beholde how bitter heauy and miserable Great trauell is created for all men an heauy yoke vpon the sonnes of Adam from the day that they go out of their mothers wombe till the day that they returne to the mother of all thinges Namely their thoughts feare of the heart and their imagination of the things they wayte for and the day of death from him that sitteth vppon the glorious throne vnto him that is beneath in the earth and ashes from him that is clothed in blewe silke and weareth a crowne euen to him that is clothed in simple linnen wrath and enuy trouble and vnquietnes and feare of death and rigour and strife in the tyme of rest the sleepe in the night vpon his bed change his knowledge A litle or nothing is his rest and afterwarde in sleeping he is as in a watch tower in the day he is troubled with the visions of his hart as one that runneth out of a battel c. Our daies that should haue ben without end now are few full of wo for life we haue got death for pleasure payne for good euill for heauen hell for endlesse ioye eternall woe O dreadfull fall Thus created then innocent God ruled but thus fallen from that innocencie Satan ruleth and wee are as hath bene sayd by nature the children of wrath walking after the Prince that ruleth in the ayre that is the Deuill But the Lord is gracious and his mercy indureth for euer there remaineth therefore hope by a restitution or regeneration which the Scripture teacheth vs thus much of namely That whereas Satan abuseth that corrupt nature of ours through the great power which hee hath ouer vs for our sinnes and driueth vs from the worde and all religion into all blindnesse ignorance and errors thrusteth vs into diuers miseries and calamities in the end into eternal death there being where he ruleth no true loue of God or any grace but sinning without sting touch or feeling the Lorde our God in a contrary course of loue where it pleaseth him beginneth with that corruption of nature wherby Satan before was strong and taketh it away by litle and litle begetting vs anew to a better life and restoring that Image of his in vs againe whereunto we were first created and which so fearfully we were fallen from Our minde hee illuminateth with some heauenly light whereby it beginneth to know aright God grace our will receiueth a new strength to imbrace the worde to rest in it and to incline it selfe to the testimonies of the Lord. Our heart is purged and loueth the Lorde and all the members of the body before the weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne becomme by measure the weapons of righteousnesse vnto God So sinne dyeth grace liueth and wee loue him feare him trust in him pray to him often and in all our wants with such like This is nowe the kingdome of grace this is that wee pray for here immediatly The kingdom of glory is that happy and eternall estate which followeth in heauen after this life which we also pray for here but mediatly as wee say that is when the kingdome of grace in this world is ended Thus much being sayd then for plainenes of these three kingdomes the kingdom of power of grace and of glory as also of which of them the petition is meant So now what we pray in plaine words namely thus much O Lord subdue vnto thy maiestie all power of
scorning of Bishops against the power of the Pope against the assistance of temporal Princes against all torments by fire by fagot by sword by imprisonment light such a candel as now shineth to all the Countrey of Europe and by the power of man it cannot be put out Wherefore iudge whether the Apostle sayd not true when speaking of this word he sayd it was a weapon not carnall but mightie through God to cast downe holds casting downe the imaginations euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ c. Wherefore we see by this first proofe playne enough that a meanes and a most mightie strong and powreful meanes to erect this kingdom of God in our harts which here we pray for is the word of God For there is no wisedome no Counsell no strength against it But though all the heathen rage most horribly and the people imagine continually yet it is but a vayne thing Though Kings and Princes and all the powers of this earth bande themselues against it yet will it not serue For hee that dwelleth in the heauen shall laugh them to scorne this word of his preuaileth where he will to whom he will when he will and as long as he will Other playne proofes y t this is a meanes to erect this kingdome are these first Saint Iames where it is sayd Of his owne wil he begat vs with the word of truth that we should be as the first fruites of his creatures The authour of all good sayth Saint Iames in generall and of this good in speciall namely our newe birth is the Lorde and the meanes is the word euen the word of truth So sayth our Sauiour himselfe in the Gospel Sanctifie them O Father with thy trueth and what is that thy word is truth So sayth Saint Paul Though ye haue ten thousand instructers in Christ yet haue yee not many Fathers for in Christ Iesus I haue begotten you And by what meanes through the Gospel And againe I beseech thee for my sonne Onesimus whom I haue begottē in my bonds to wit by the word And againe this one thing woulde I learne of you O foolish Galathians receyued ye the Spirit by the works of the lawe or by the hearing of fayth preached vnto you Likewise S. Peter Being borne anew not of mortall seed but immortal by the word of god And lastly father Abraham from heauen They haue Moses and the Prophetes let them heare them c. as if hee shoulde haue sayde if thou wouldst haue thy brethren begotten to the Lord that he ruling in them they may rule heere with him and escape that place of torment where thou now iustly art the meanes truely is Moses and the Prophets that is the worde of God for if that erect not the kingdome of GOD in them it shall not be erected by any dead if they should rise and be sent vnto them For that is the meanes which the Lorde hath ordayned and which to this day hath had power to beget to him so many as he would haue Wherefore when the Lord will promise a blessing to a kingdome Countrey and people that shall bee in deede a great blessing he promiseth this word and this word in plentifull measure and when hee will threaten a plague and a grieuous plague then sayth hee beholde the dayes come that I will send a famine in the land not a famine of breade nor a thirst for water but of hearing the worde of the Lorde And they shall wander from Sea to Sea and from the North euen vnto the East shall they runne too and fro to seeke the woorde of the Lorde and shall not finde it So then see wee that this woorde of our God is his mightie meanes to rayse vp this kingdome of his grace in vs this day when we haue it giuing something so as it were laying one stone to this spirituall building the next day giuing more and so laying as it were an other stone and so on to a perfite man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ that is till he haue wrought his wil in vs in this world and meaneth to translate vs to an other Wherefore as wee pray that the Lorde in mercy woulde erect this kingdome in vs when we pray Thy kingdome come so do we beseech the Lorde in this petition to graunt vs all the meanes appoynted and ordeyned of him to this building and by name this mightie meanes mercy great of his holy worde that wee may haue it amongst vs stil and enioy it in peace if it be his will to the raysing vp of these spiritual walles of a spirituall house of God within vs dayly more and more till it be fully finished to the pleasure of his maiestie here our eternall comfort heere and elsewhere for euer with him in his other kingdome of glory And the God of heauen and all mercy grant this to vs and make vs thankful for it Now beloued is this worde either read vnto vs or of vs without any preaching or preached vnto vs For by these two meanes buildeth it in vs and not by lying in our houses bound in siluer or golde or any costly sort whatsoeuer No mor then the Phisitions prescription confected by the Apothecarie and brought vnto vs profiteth our disease by standing in the windowe and not further touched And therefore as I haue sayd that it was a meanes and proued it to you out of the same word so let me say a little to you of the vsing of this meanes also Of reading the word TWo extremities there are which of all Gods chosen are to be eschewed the one is an estimation of reading so great as that being had wee feele no want neither thinke it a want neuer or seldome to haue any preaching The other is so farre to extoll preaching as that wee vtterly contemne reading yea exclude it from all power in the blessing of God to worke faith in vs or any The meane betwixt both which is a right and true conceipt both of reading and preaching Know we therfore that in the word they are both commended yea commanded and ordained of the Lord as meanes to erect this kingdome of his in our hearts for which wee pray and of which wee now speake And first for reading to name but a fewe places of a number marke what the Lord in his law layd downe for all his people Euery seuenth yeere when the yeere of freedome shall be in the feast of the tabernacles when all Israel shall come to appeare before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose thou shalt reade this Lawe before all Israel that they may heare it Garher the people together men women and children and thy straunger that is within thy gates that they may heare and that
renew vs and then is it not I but the grace of God in me sayth the Apostle but this doctrine hath bene sufficiently touched before What will of God is here meant for I haue heard that it is diuersly propouÌ„ded vnto vs though one and the same simple vnto him or in respect of him You haue heard right and to make this speech as plaine as I can you must vnderstand that the will of God is sayd to bee of two sorts to wit hidden and reueiled The first for that it is so is in Scripture resembled to a depth and it is vnsearchable of man Wee cry out of it with the Apostle O the deepnes of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his iudgements his waies past finding out And with the Prophet Dauid Thy rightuousnesse is like the mightie mountaines Thy iudgments are like the great deepe We say of it That no man presume herein to vnderstand aboue that which is meete to vnderstand but that he vnderstand according to sobrietie For curiositie in this behalfe the Lord misliketh we plainly see When his Apostles asked him of the restoring of the kingdome of Israel when he would doe it then or no wée know he smot them for this entring into the hidden will of God and tolde them that it was not for them to know the times and seasons which the father hath put in his owne power When Peter asked the Lord of that other disciple hic autem quid Lord what shall this man doe Remember how the Lord answered this curiositie of defence to know this hidden will and tolde him that if hee would haue him tarie till he came what was that to him let him doe that which he knew to be done So that this will of God is not to bee pried into in a busie and curious impietie of minde as many wicked ones doe that by most horrible meanes euen by spirits and deuilles seeking to pull out of heauen and wrest from the Lord as they thinke his secretes before the time Forgetting quite what the great seruant of the Lorde Moses sayde touching this thing namely that the secret matters belong to the Lorde our GOD but the things reueiled belong to vs and to our children for euer that we may do them This wil of God is called secret or hidden for two causes First because it is so in déed to all men till such time as God manifest by euents what he hath appoynted to euery one In respect whereof S. Iames willeth euery man to put in this condition if the Lord will and if wee liue to doe this or that Secondly because the reason of the Lords will thus or thus when it is manifested for the most part is not comprehended of man but hidden in himself As why he chose Iacob refused Esau why he put Saule away from the kingdome for one offence and not Dauid for many with such like Onely this we knowe with the Apostle that he hath mercie on whom hee will haue mercie and whom he will he hardeneth And this his will is our stay What then is mans duetie in respect of this will Surely as hath bene sayd non est curiosè inuestiganda sed adoranda it is not to bee sifted but highly reuerenced and tâ—ll the tyme come that y e Lord reueile it by effects in generall thus to be disposed in my selfe that whatsoeuer this hidden will of the Lord be concerning me whether to liue or dye to be poore or rich to bee high or lowe in this worlde in the same I rest and am contented let the Lord that made mee doe with me and dispose of me at his pleasure And then afterwarde when the Lorde shall reueile it by effects much more to rest in it and giue him thankes howesoeuer it is taking with good Iob euen euill thinges at the Lords hands aswell as good that is sowre as well as sweete and lowring lots as well as smiling dayes Blessing the name of the Lord that hath taken what before hee gaue and yet dealeth with vs but in mercy euer Doe wee pray that this will may bee done No. For this is euer done and shall bee whilest the world indureth neither can any creature or power resist it So sayth the Prophet My counsell shall stande and I will do what I will doe So confessed Iehosophat King of Iudah When he sayde O Lorde GOD of our Fathers art not thou God in heauen and reignest not thou ouer al the kingdomes of the heathen and in thy hande is power and might and none is able to withstande thee And so notably confessed that wretched Balam when he sayd If Balac would giue me his house ful of siluer and gold I cannot passe the commaundement of the Lorde to doe either good or bad of myne owne mind c. So confessed the deuill when he asked leaue to touch Iob not able else of himselfe to goe against Gods will and all those deuils that could not enter into the swyne sent by the will of God and all the actions of man and beast euer bridled and ruled and disposed by the power of his will No resistaunce therefore can there be against this will and therefore no neede that we shoulde pray that it may bee done No Annas nor Caiphas no Herod nor Pilat no Iewes nor deuils coulde haue wrought the death of our Sauiour Christ except the hand of the Lord his counsell had determined before that it shoulde bee done But do not you nowe say that GOD willeth euill to be done and so make him the author of euill God forbid we should make God an author of euill Yet say we in deede that God willeth many things that in some respects are euill and to some persons as this death of his own sonne named last and such like But as he willeth theÌ„ they are neuer euill neither to such as he directeth a good to by them being not done by them as in the example named appeareth But surely some larger speech to drawe vs to a right knowledge herein is not amisse and therefore a litle I pray you heare Will therfore hath two obiects to witte good and euill sometime it willing the one sometimes the other And good thinges beside the Lorde which is the chiefe good of all are sayde to be of 3. sortes naturall morall and diuine The first belong ad vitaÌ„ animatam the sesond ad humanam the third ad coelestem diuinam All these the Lorde willeth there is no controuersie and not onely so but is also euen the fountaine and giuer as S. Iames saith for euery good giuing euery perfect gift is froÌ„ aboue and commeth froÌ„ the father of lights with whoÌ„ is no variablenes neither shadowing by turning So hath euil also his distinction whilest some is the euill some the punishmeÌ„t of the euil The
make vs wel content thankfull also euer to thee for it Remēbring well with our selues how thou caredst for these thy seruants and others many in their estate hast euen by this word bread taught vs to bee content with a little Thy mercies O Lord we beseech thee giue vs according to our charges thou knowest our number and our needes and thou feedest the very Rauens that call vpon thee The eyes of all things wayt vpon thee O God thou giuest them meate in due season Thou openest thy hande and fillest all things liuing with plenteousnesse To these fauours O Lord graunt peace and quietnesse priuate at home and publique abroade Let there bee no going out no leading into captiuitie nor any complayning in our streates Peace be within the walles of Hierusalem O Lord to thy good pleasure and plenteousnesse in her Palaces that is to thy Church mercie and fauour we beseech thee To this end giue vs O heauenly father the blessing of prudent and godly gouernours Confirme their harts in zeale and loue to thee and make them euer carefull of thy glorie Confirme our obedience and truth agayne to them in thee and both one and other make vs thankfull greatly for thy present mercy in this behalfe vpon vs. If euer people found fauour at thy maiesties hands O Lord our portion hath bene great must wee say and this daylie bread with a liberall hande aboue other nations now many yeeres giuen vnto vs. O deare father touch vs with the feeling of it and make vs thankfull and continue this mercie and louing kindnesse still vppon vs giuing vs still these cōforts of thine What wee haue neede of denie vs not and what wee haue with thy fauour O Lord and to our good let vs euer haue it not to our harme and iudgement So we that be thy people and sheepe of thy pasture shall giue thee thankes for euer Heare vs O Lord O God father gracious not for our sakes but for Iesus Christ his sake our onely Lord and Sauiour Amen The fifth petition And forgiue vs our trespasses c. Now are you come to a petition as our estate standeth most sweete comfortable most necessary and profitable wherefore I pray you euen as fully as you shall thinke conuenient speake of it and first of the order as you haue done in the former Touching the order of it Tertullian saith very well Quid alimenta proderunt si illis reputamur re vera quasi taurus ad victimam what will any nourishments in this life profit vs if with them we be accompted as Oxen to the slaughter Cyprian more playnely Post subsidium cibi petitur venia delicti vt qui a deo pascitur in deo viuat nec tantum praesenti et temporali vitae sed aeternae consulatur ad quam veniri potest si peccata dimittātur after the ayd of meat is begged pardon of offence that he which of God is fed in God may liue and care had aswell of eternall life as of temporall vnto which eternall life then is the way open when all sins be forgiuen Wherefore since in the former we haue craued of the Lorde what concerneth this life in these two latter we begge what concerneth that hereafter In the former desiring him to forgiue what is past in the latter to strengthen against what is to come Both which our requests haue grounde vpon his owne promise and are directed thereby For the Lorde in the couenaunt which it pleased him to make with his Church hath promised both saying their iniquitie will I forgiue and remember their sinnes no more which is the thing we now begge And I will put my lawe in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shalbe my people c. that is I will assist them with a newe power of Spirit confirme them with a further strength to stand hereafter which is the matter of our next question It might seeme to some by the order of the former petition and this that the remission of our sinnes were a matter lesse to be cared for than our dayly breade because it is set after in this prayer If it had not bene sayd before in the beginning of the former petition that this order is obserued of the Lord in regard of our rudenes that he might lead vs from a matter better known to a matter lesse known yet truely should they bee very rawe in religion that would thinke thinges onely respecting this life to bee preferred before things touching life eternall God forbid therefore but this order of these petitions notwithstanding euery Christian man and woman should make it their chiefe care to finde mercy with the Lorde for their transgressions rather then to inioye ten thousande worlds with all the glory that might be in them for what would al these worlds profite them when they had lost their owne soules in them all not able to finde what to giue for the recompence of the same again But without remission of sinne there can be no saluation God not so much as hearing sinners much lesse sauing them And therfore iustly our chiefe care to haue sinne pardoned that we may be saued If you would conclude any thing of the order of this petition following the other conclude this and that you may doe both truely and profitably namely that true religion is not the cause of want of daily bread but our sinnes And therefore presently after request to the Lord for that we adioyne the other as the true stoppe and let of the former if it be not taken away by his mercy as if wee shoulde say we request Lord the comforts of this life the fruites of the ground and the fruites of our Cattell butter of Kyne and milke of sheepe with fat of Lambes and Rammes fed in Bashan the blessing of wheate and the red licour of the grape but neither these nor any such may we looke for except in mercy thou take away our sinne the very stay of all thy goodnes from vs if thou deale in iustice And therefore Lord forgiue vs our trepasses Let no man then accuse religion for dearth and scarsetie for famine and hunger but consider his owne desertes and the desertes of thousandes more and remember euer both howe these petitions lye and what also for more playnnes the Lorde himselfe hath spoken by his Prophet Ieremy saying Your iniquities haue turned away these earthly blessings from you as rayne both earely and late in due season with a pleasant haruest such like yea your sinnes haue hindred good things from you Againe by Esay Behold the Lordes hād is not shortned that it cannot saue neither is his eare heauy that it cannot heare but your iniquities haue separated betwixt you and your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you that he will not heare For your handes are defiled with
bloud and your fingers with iniquitie c. Nowe then to the wordes themselues if you thinke good and of them in order for that is playne The first word is Forgiue of it selfe so playne that it needeth not any explication and therefore not standing in that sort vpon it let vs consider the conclusions that arise thereof to a Christian mind that carefully weigheth what GOD hath spoken First then it containeth a playne confession of our miserable estate vnto the Lorde and so teacheth vs that before pardon and forgiuenes ought to goe a true faithfull and vnfayned acknowledging of our euill whatsoeuer For why shoulde God vouchsafe to pardon what we not able in truth to hyde from him as being God yet in the strong corruption of our vntamed hearts indeuor to cloke and doe not lay open in woe and godly sorrow before him Very mortal maÌ„ looketh for confession of a faulte and wee vse to say that halfe the amendes is made when it is so done yet may we couer from man very great offences howe much more may the Lord our God iustly require that being notable to blind him we seeke not to do it but in al reuerence of his maiesty and all vehement dislike of our selues and our sinnes we lay them at his foote and begge his mercy It is a notable place in the Psame of Dauid teacheth vs this When he sayth Whilst I helde my tongue my bones consumed or when I roared al the day long for thy hand is heauy vpon me day and night and my moysture is turned into the drought of Summer then I acknowledged my sinne neither hid I mine iniquitie For I thought I wil confesse against my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne See howe before he confessed he found no comfort and after confession howe hee found no punishment Looke in the Law of the Lord and marke these wordes to Moses When a man or woman shall commit any sinne that meÌ„ commit and transgresse against the Lord when that person shall trespasse then they shall confesse their sin which they haue done and shall restore the damage c. Confession God required and confession they performed Although the Lord should kill me sayth faythfull Iob yet will I put my trust in him but I will reprooue my wayes for all that in his sight that is I will confesse my euil freely and fully with a single heart as a wretched sinner should do He that hydeth his sinne sayth the wise Salomon shall not prosper but he that confesseth them forsaketh them shall haue mercy If wee say we haue no sinne then wee deceiue our selues and there is no trueth in vs but if wee acknowledge and confesse our sinne God is faithfull to forgiue vs our sinne and the blood of Iesus Christ clenseth vs from all sinne This is not that filthy shrift in the eare of a filthy liuer inuented in Rome and throwne downe in Constantinople vppon iust experience of vggly pollution by it but this is the Lords ordynaunce performed euer of the Lordes people to the Lorde himselfe Dauid a sinner hydeth it not when the Prophet spake but cryed peccaui with a feeling heart and a grieued mind that he had so fallen That Dauid when hee had numbred the people and the Lord offended had sent a plague amongst them cryed in his wo. It is I it is I Lorde that haue offended and these seely sheepe what haue they done and againe in an other place Therfore I said Lorde 〈◊〉 mercy vpon mee and heale my souâ—â—â—r I haue sinned against thee The straying sonne returning to himselfe and to the estate of sonne seeth and sigheth for passed folly and confesseth it freely as his bounden duetie Father Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee and I am no more worthy to bee called thy sonne The humble publicane beseecheth God to be mercifull to him not a iust proud Pharisie but a poore sinnefull and wretched Publicane Wee are here iustly sayd the thiefe on the crosse wee receiue things worthie of y t wee haue done but this maÌ„ hath done nothing amisse a very plaine confession of a féeling hart WheÌ„ Paul had preached against coniuring and sorcery as we read in that place what was the fruite of his speaking their hearing but this Many that beleeued came and confessed shewed their workes Iohn also baptized in the wildernes but whom such as confessed their sinnes against the Lorde Euer therefore before pardon must goe confession for so euer hath it done as by all these proofes is now plaine Priuat to God if the sinne be priuat Publique to the Church if the sinne bee such as shall more appeare hereafter in an other place Wherefore let vs end this note vpon this first word Forgiue and knowe it euer that wee are taught if wee seeke mercy not to hide sinne For the Lords pardon requireth the sinners confession Couers and clokes they do but couer the light of Gods countenance that it shyne not vpon vs and yet do what we can wee can couer nothing in deede from his eyes Wee shewe our will and wee want our wish sinne vnto sinne we grieuously adde and we deale with our soules as some sory ones with their bodies concealing their sore till the time bee past the body perished Wherfore euen as often as we shal euer hereafter say this prayer let vs adde this confession to it O Lord our grieuous trespasses our many great transgressions this blot of our bodies or spot of our soules whatsoeuer it is in that mercy that hath no measure forgiue it dash it and wash it out that it neuer appeare againe before thee What Secondly Secondly it teacheth vs the long suffering of the Lord wonderfull and vnspeakable towards mankind Whereby hee beareth and beareth with vs wretched creatures and although we daily and hourely euer and continually sinne against him yet casteth hee not away so vnprofitable seruants but deferreth his anger spareth his iudgements and if we turne to him he turneth most mercifully to vs and forgiueth heapes of vggly sinne against him If we wormes and dust should be vsed of any as he is vsed of many we would shew our corruption quickly and recken vp the faultes committed and pardoned by vs thinking we had shewed great fauour done much for our brethren if wee had twise or thrise bene intreated by them to forgiue them we would deny at the last and say playnely to them we might not euer forgiue if they so euer would offende Yet what are we as bad as they If not to them yet to others and therefore no such cause we should be so strickt in measure When often our selues must neede the same curtesie and request a fauourable hand to strike but softly But sée the Lorde His puritie blotteth both Sunne and Moone the heauen
the earth and all the creatures in them both he offendeth neuer neither needeth that any should forgiue him and yet is he more fauourable to his very enemies than we are to our liked and loued friends For he spareth the woorst more than we the best and though they sinne often yet forgiueth he stil They aske and he graunteth they knocke and he openeth they cry hee spareth yea though they haue cryed it ten thousand times forgiue vs our trespasses and hee euer hath forgiuen very great and grieuous ones yet is he not weary when we cry agayne and casteth vs of but he is patient toward vs sayth Saint Peter and woulde haue no man perish but al to come to repentance and to be saued O deerest GOD what fauour is this what goodnes is this to so great offenders Yea marke it here howe we are commaunded whilest we liue and breath to pray this prayer forgiue vs Lord and therefore playnely taught that euen so long there is mercy with GOD without wearynes a gracious open eare to a sinfull suter and pardon for that sinne that frailtie hath fallen into and nowe seeketh in a better grace to haue done away This is great patience that indureth till death being so often prouoked to deny such fauour with rauished harts for the swéetnes of it may wee heare and learne it yet let vs not abuse it as some haue done but remember wel what the Apostle sayd when it was obiected shal wee sinne that grace may abound God forbid Howe shall wee which are deade to sinne liue yet therein and so forth as followeth there at large The riches of his bountifulnes patience and long sufferaunce leadeth to repentance sayth the same Apostle If to repentance then not to presumption if to amendment then not to continuance in the euill and therefore take heede Punit Deus serò quidem sed duriter Long doeth the Lord stay ere he smite but hee smiteth home when hee doth smite Conclude wee then with wise Syrach Say not I haue sinned and what euill hath come vnto mee For the almightie is a patient rewarder but hee will not leaue thee vnpunished Because thy sinne is forgiuen be not without feare to heape sinne vpon sinne And say not the mercy of God is great hee will forgiue me my manifold sinnes for mercy and wrath come from him and his indignation commeth downe vpon sinners Make no tarying to turne vnto the Lord and put not off from day to day For suddenly shal the wrath of the Lord break forth and in thy securitie thou shalt bee destroyed and thou shalt perish in time of vengeance That houre that the wicked hope for is often denyed and suddenly they perish without repentance Therefore presume not Thirdly what Thirdly wee learne by this first worde that the remission of our sinnes is of meere mercie and fauour not for any merite of ours For marke I pray you how wee are taught to say not as the debtor sayd in the Gospel Lord refrayne thine anger toward vs and wee will pay thee all but absolutely and plainly Lord forgiue that is quite rased out and pardon without any recompence or satisfaction from vs or by vs. So that euen this petition if there were no more Scripture assureth the truth of that doctrine to vs that by grace wee liue and are saued Mercie pardoneth mercie healeth and mercy doth whatsoeuer God doth for vs. Merite dare not péepe to speake vnto the Lord. Iust as the Apostle sayth We are iustified freely by his grace not of works nay if of grace therefore not of works els were grace no grace Againe wee haue the forgiuenesse of our sinnes according to his rich grace And againe By grace are ye saued through faith that not of your selues it is the gift of God with a number such like places Iust also as the Father sayd Meritum meum miseratio Domini My merite is the onely and free mercie of God and so long aboūd I with merits as he aboundeth with mercies but take the one from him and take the other from me For my merite I say is his meere mercie Wherfore most greeuously doth that doctrine of Poperie robbe the Lord of his true and due honour when it teacheth satisfaction by man to God for his sinne For who can satisfie GOD but his onely Sonne in whom only he is pleased And of whom flatly it is sayd that he is the propitiation that is the full whole perfite and all the satisfaction that GOD requireth or can like of in this sense Mary knewe no other the Publican knewe no other Peter knewe no other nor the olde father when he sayd of Peter Lachrimas lego satisfactionem non lego Peters teares I read of but of any satisfaction that hee made himself to purge his sinne to please God with I reade of none but of this also more in his proper place if God will Let vs see the truth stand in the truth thanke the God of heauen for it and detest these Popish blasphemies against the Lord and his deare Sonne In that precious bloud is the father pleased and satisfied for al our sinnes if wee lay holde of it and for our workes they carie greater corruption in their bones and bowels than that so pure a God should bee pleased with them or so vggly sinnes euer purged by them Why is it said forgiue vs and not forgiue me To teach vs that which wee are dull to learne namely not to bestowe our whole loue and care vpon our selues but to deuide it also to our brethren and euen as hartely and earnestly to beseech the Lorde to blot out all their offences as our owne and to be mercifull to thē as to our selues But alas beloued where is this affection amongst vs where is this care of the spirituall good of our neighbours Truely it is most rare yea much more rare than can stand with right and true profession of Iesus Christ If wee doe thinke of our brethren at any time wish them well surely that reacheth but to earthly blessings to riches to honors to fauour and friends in this sinfull worlde and so wee might see them magnified and exalted in this respect our desire were answered and wee fully contented The pardon of their sinnes and fauour with God by his beloued Sonne their future ioye in a place of ioye endlesse and eternall alas we thinke not of we care not for God knoweth we seldome if euer pray for Yet is this all in all for how sodenly fadeth all worldly pompe if it be obtayned and how often fayle we and neuer do obtayne it Wherefore euen in this and euery petition of this daylie prayer the Lord hath quickned our earthly mindes to loue in a better sorte our neighbours and brethren and I pray you let vs learne it Remember how vehemently Moses felt the miserie of the Iewes if God forgaue
ouer whilest hee hath to spend For this feeling heart of another mans harme this loue and lenity this tender compassion and care for them that haue not grace to care for themselues is precious before the Lord. And he often rewardeth losse in this respect sustayned with better measure than lawe woulde haue giuen either costs or damages Finallie forgette not also euen many times to reason with your selfe thus I see the fatherlesse widowe many times oppressed for want of helpe and weaknesse go to the wall for want of countenance yea I see sinne born out and vertue borne downe many times to the greate dishonour of GOD and offence of his Church and I am not touched thereat or at least I spend not a penie neither a dayes trauayle to helpe therein but now that my self am touched and my transitorie substaunce endangered I am ready to goe to lawe and to spende much surelie this may I do but that other should I not leaue vndone Yet howe am I more forward for riches than for vertue for euerie cause of mine owne than for anie of my neighbours Thus I saie to reason with your selfe is most profitable and wil greatly direct a good minde in this matter wee speake of namely how hee may vse lawe Nowe then I trust you see a bridle put in our mouthes from hasting to lawe as wee do for euerie occasion troubling our selues and whole Countries with the vnquietnesse of our natures and vngodlynesse of our hearts These conditions and such other obserued let vs knowe our libertie to vse the Lordes good ordinaunce for the maintenance of peace right and for the due punishment of oppugners of eyther of them or of them both But let vs not abuse to our owne reuenge what to those endes in Gods mercie to man is so graciously ordayned God make this coole the vnregenerate humours of a number and I thank you for it Now to proceed I pray you how may we bee sayd to forgiue to our brethren their trespasses seeing none forgiueth sinne but God onely You must consider that in sinne there be two things First the euill of the action secondly the detrimēt that ariseth to man The euill of the action is that impuritie and foulenesse wherewith the law of God agaynst which it is contrarie chargeth it And this concerneth the Lord because béeing by him prohibited the committing of it is also agaynst him This properlie is sinne and the remission of it onely is in the Lord himselfe No man is able to doe it But the seconde which is the detriment or hurt that ariseth by that trespasse to a mā either in fame or bodie or goods as it is agaynst man so man may remit and pardon it without anie impeachment of the Lords glorie Thus therefore doe wee forgiue trespasses when wee forgiue the harme that hath arisen to vs by them together with all conceiued anger swelling indignation wrath for the same The Lordes forgiuenesse is a rasing out of the sinne it selfe I meane a full remission of the transgression of his law by that trespasse whatsoeuer Let that man of sinne therefore looke about him and all his adherents wel consider it how their pardons may runne with remission both a poena et culpa from punishment and guilt They are in these daies of light when the Lords mercy hath made the Sunne of vnderstanding shine vpon his Church and the daie starre arise in his childrens harts compelled to excuse theyr Pope by affirming that hee remitteth but onely the punishment which by law is due to such offence and medleth not with the sinne as it concerneth God But let them looke if they saie true when his pardons be extāt in this forme that I haue named releasing for money both poenam the punishment and culpam the fault Iwis they wil sée it if y e Lord be so gracious to thē a pride prophecied as a note of Antichrist And neuer did the Iewes more wrongfully mislike our Sauiour beeing God as well as man than we may rightly abhorre this monster being onely man a most miserable man in many respects for y t he presumeth to forgiue sins which none cā forgiue but god alone For it is I it is I sayth the Lord that put away iniquitie and forgiue sinnes And the Lord hath done awaie thy sinne sayth Nathan to Dauid not I nor any man And this might wee learne euen by this forme of prayer if there were no other Scripture For vnto whome doth the Lorde teach vs to saie Forgiue vs our trespasses but onely to God Surely if any man or woman Sainct or Angell coulde forgiue vs then were it should be lawful for vs to pray to thē to forgiue vs so to chāge this prayer frō Pater to Mater or Frater frō our Father to our mother our brother to holy Peter holy Paul or such like But how spend I words in a playne matter it is inough Are all men and women to pray this prayer or but onely some Surely you remember me of that which is worthie noting as well as anie thing that hath bene sayd namely how our Sauiour Christ hath sayd vnto all the world that there is iust cause to acknowledge thē selues sinners and to pray for the pardon of their sinnes For whosoeuer haue néede to beg anie thing at God his handes thus he teacheth them to pray but the whole world standeth in neede to begge at Gods hande all therefore the whole worlde must praie thus Both Iewes and Gentiles sayth the Apostle are vnder sinne as it is written There is none righteous no not one There is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seeketh GOD. They haue al gone out of the waie they haue bene made altogether vnprofitable there is none that dooth good no not one Theyr throte is an open sepulchre they haue vsed their tongues to deceit the poisō of Aspes is vnder their lippes Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse their feete are swifte to shed bloud Destruction and calamitie are in their wayes and the way of peace haue they not known the feare of God is not before theyr eyes Agayne in the same Chapter All haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God And to the Galathians The Scripture hath cōcluded all vnder sinne And if anie man saie he hath no sinne he deceiueth him selfe there is no truth in him With a number such lyke places Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord sayth the prophet Dauid for no flesh shal be iustified in thy sight Wherefore it is not for modestie that wee must praie to the Lord to forgiue vs our sinne as most wickedly the Pelagians affirmed but for conscience and truth and as Hierome sayth Ex humanae fragilitatis et nostrae miseriae conscientia Vppon true feeling and feare of mans frailtie and misery and the iudgements of God due to it For a prayer conceiued for modestie
God or by viewing the commandements or by any meanes what souer that may bee good and profitable to this effect And thinke with your selues that if these chosē vessels notwithstanding so greate graces giuen them yet groaned vnder such waight of deadly sinnes alasse what may wee doe that want many thousand degrees of theyr goodnesse saue onely that we feele not through a deadnesse of heart the burthen of iniquitie that is vpon vs. By theyr feeling then iudge what you ought to feele by theyr confessions what you should confesse and by theyr shiuering feares what you may many millions of times more iustly feare Think also of the punishment temporall and of the death eternal in that flaming lake of dreadful wo due and assured to all sinfull creatures for euermore And see then if it be not sweete to heare of remission of all this euill See if this petition be not thrice needfull to cōsciences crying our Lord is great O deerest God that woulde bidde vs aske teach vs and tell vs yea will and commaunde vs euerie daie and houre to praie for pardon for iniquitie For thus do we see thy willingnesse to giue neuer vsing to bidde vs aske but what thou art ready to grant euen before we aske Thus do we see our pardon is readie and though worthie wee bee neuer once to feele anie inwarde ioy or outward comfort yet in thy mercie wee shall finde both by thy gracious forgiuenesse of our sinnes And Lorde of mercie make vs thankfull The Prayer O Lord and Father sweete mercifull we fall down in our heartes heere before thy maiestie beg thy mercie For we haue sinned O Lord wee haue sinned done wickedly our consciences crieth thy wrath is due if we find not mercy Our thoughtes our words and workes haue bene against thy blessed will and commaundement and stil still our most grieuous corruption pulleth vs from thy wayes We may bee ashamed and confounded to lifte vp our eyes to thee so increased ouer our heads are our iniquities and our sinnes so grieuous euen to the heauens But with thee there is mercie and therfore thou shalt bee feared O LORDE in that mercie lifte vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs and saue vs. Let that precious bloud of Iesus Christ dash and wash out al our offences for we flie vnto it and with the armes of our faith clasping fast that deere Sauiour wee set him before thee as our attonement peace and propitiation for euer auaileable with thee For his sake not for ours O Lord heare O Lord forgiue O Lord consider and doo it deferre not for thy mercie sake Comfort our consciences with that sweet and dropping dew of mercie and grace for they shake tremble at thy iudgementes Strengthen our steppes heereafter for Iesus Christ his sake more more that they may be streighter and we possesse these vessels of ours in more cleannesse holinesse and righteousnesse than we haue done And forasmuch as it is all repugnant and contrarie to our sinful nature and rebelling bloud to forgiue other mē theyr trespasses committed against vs without reuenge and to loue them that hate vs to praie for them that persecute vs as thou hast willed deere Father we beseech thee helpe vs therein and by thy working power within vs make our hearts so meeke and gentle that we may gladly vnfainedly heartely wholy forgiue all men that haue hated or hurted vs by word or deed that wee may behaue our selues vnto al men friends and foes with such mercy gentlenesse and kindnesse as we would desire not only that they but also that thou good Lord shouldest vse vnto vs. Finally deere Father in life haue mercie in death haue mercy and euermore haue mercie vppon vs in that blessed kingdome of thine for Iesus Christ his sake our blessed Lord Sauiour Amen The sixt and last petition Leade vs not into temptation c. We drawe now neere an end of this labour and are come to the last request in this prayer wherein proceeding as you haue done in the former I praie you first shew the order of it THE order is meruailous fit that after we haue in a stinging wo for them begged of the Lorde our God most heartely and earnestly the forgiuenesse of all our sinnes and trespasses alreadie past and done we should next as obedient children not agayne to grieue so déere good a Father beseeche him for his mercies sake to aide and strengthen vs against that which is to come that wee may not offend and fault as wee haue done but by an happie new birth and spirite of power vouchsafed from his heauēly grace vnto vs be able to fight agaynst all sinfull corruption daylie and euer vexing vs more and more For in this order speaketh the Lord still still in his word that if we be made whole wee should sinne no more That if the grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto al men hath appeared we should thereby learne to denie vngodlynes and worldly lusts and that wee should liue soberly righteously godly in this present world And in this order reasoneth euen the spouse her self I haue washed my feet and therefore how should I foule them agayne Wherefore I say as concerning order after pardon begged for passed sin most fitly doe wee aske next the power of his grace against what is to come Surely it is not onely fit in regard of order but most necessary also in respect of the thing In deed it is and that for these causes first in respect of our owne corruption and vilenesse of whome the spirit of God hath sayd by Iob that man is abhominable and filthie drinking iniquitie lyke water that is euen so desiring to sinne as hée that is thirstie to drinke Secondly in respect of the infinite allurementes and delights that sin hath to pull vs on to it from God which we are so far from repulsing gayne standing that wee readily and most willingly yeelde to them except the Lorde assist vs and inable vs by his spirite Yet are those delicates our death both in bodie and soule for euer if we followe them For it is true of al men which the Apostle speaketh of the widow that she liuing in pleasure is dead whilest she liueth so And agayn If ye liue after the flesh ye shal die Of these alluremēts and delights in sinne spake the holy Ghost when he called them the pleasures of sinne And Dauid when hee sayde Incline not my heart to euill that I shoulde commit wicked workes with men that worke iniquitie and let mee not eate of their delicates There is also a subtiltie in sinne to deceiue vs a deceitfulnesse in riches to choke vs and therfore most needfull this prayer that we be not hindered through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Thirdly in respect of the power of the enimie which is verie greate For we wrestle not agaynst flesh and bloud
in the heart no hee vnderstandeth the thoughtes long before but to the end that the parties themselues that are thus proued others also by them and in them may see what before was not seene either of good vnto prayse or euill vnto punishment and example to beware And thus much of this for a while Your next member is howe man tempteth Man is also sayde to tempt sometymes man and sometimes God His tempting of man is also sometime in the better part sometime in the worse In the better when he doth but proue and try whether further he may trust as it is wisedome alwaies to do to our friendes For vtendum amicis tanquam praetentatis aquis aptae sint vado an non We must vse friends sayd that wise heathen once as waters that we haue tryed before whether they may safely be aduentured vpon or no to passe ouer Also when the Father or master leaueth some loose money to see whether his childe or seruant will steale or no this is a kinde of tempting or trying yet but in good part with a number such like that men to men must and may as they shal see occasion vse To this kind may be referred the Queene of the South who hearing the fame of Solomon concerning the name of y e Lord came to tempt him or proue him with hard questions In the worse part man doeth tempt man either by questions or actions By questions when they deale as the Pharisees did about y e tribute with Christ seeke to snare and catch their brethren to destroy or hurt them Such tempters and temptations were those dayes of persecution full of vnder Queene Mary when no sooner was any apprehended and cōuented before them but their interrogatories inferred either death of soule by denying a trueth or death of body by affirming the same Neither doth yet this world want these tempters by questions where true religion and knowledge of God ruleth not tongue and heart and all Whereupon many innocent soules are trapped ere they wit and harmlesse hearts not spying hidden driftes put the collar about their owne neckes to destroy themselues that is speake or do simply what is wrinched to a vantage they neuer feared nor thought of against thēselues Thrise needefull therefore with the simplicitie of the doue is the wisedome of the serpent By actions man tempteth whē either by woordes or deedes of bad example they alure other to sinne and euill Thus tempted Eue her husbande to eate of the apple Iobs wife her husband to curse God and dye Tobias wife her husbande to bee weary of well doing Putiphars wife her seruant to filthines those wicked Priests that sayd Come let vs imagine a deuise against Ieremy with many such in the Scriptures of which tempters and temptations that wise Salomon warneth when he saith My sonne if sinners intise thee consent not vnto thē if they say come with vs we will lay wayte for blood and lye priuily for the innocent without a cause cast thy lot in amongst vs we will haue one purse c. And truely blessed is that man and woman that walketh not in those counsels of the vngodly standeth not in the way of these aluring sinners nor sitteth not in the seates of those reprobate scorners And how tempteth Satan Satan tempteth when hee moueth vs to leaue God and that obedience that wee owe vnto him any way and to do euil and therefore looke how many branches of well doing are in the lawe of God implied euen so many contrary wayes doeth this enemy assault and tempt vs Of this temptation doeth the holy Ghost speake when he saith Then was Iesus led aside of the spirit into the wildernes to bee tempted of the deuill And Peter when he sayd Ananias why hath Satan filled thine heart that thou shouldest lye vnto the holy Ghost And Paul when he sayth let man wife come againe together that Satan tempt them not for incontinencie Again for this cause when I coulde no longer forbeare I sent that I might know of your faith least the temptour had tempted you in any sort With a number such like places In which assaultes of his hee vseth our owne corruption and concupiscence the worlde the wicked and many meanes but the Lord is stronger than they al if we cleaue to him either wholy to kéep vs y t we fall not at all if it so please him as others do or else to rayse vs vp againe when they haue vs downe vnder their feete to giue vs victorie And which of these kinde of temptations do wee pray against in this petition Surely euen against them all in some sort For first as concerning Gods temptations which more properly may bee called trials we beseech his maiestie in this prayer that he would deale in mercy and fauour with vs euermore and neuer lay more vpon vs than hee will make vs able to indure but that he would giue issue with the temptation and helpe vs. Thus farre do we pray euen against these as shall further bee declared when we come to the second part of this petition Touching mans tryals or temptations we likewise herein begge of his mercy that for any questions moued to vs he would tender his owne glory and neuer suffer our wants to make answere to preiudice his trueth with the vnbeleeuers but that hee woulde helpe in time of neede and either keepe vs from apposings aboue our power to satisfie or else giue a mouth and vtterance that no haters of his glorie may be able to resist that in our weakenes he being strōg y e glory may be his as it is due euer and we that bee the sheepe of his pasture may giue him prayse for euer The third sort which is Satans temptations it is our meaning that the great mercy of our gracious God would so farre support vs that we may neuer be vanquished and ouercome of any of them but deliuered and saued by him from all euill And thus you see howe we pray against them all in this order as we shall further shew I say hereafter Yet is this last chiefly meant to wit that forasmuch as our whole nature is corrupt and giuen to sinne if the Lord forsake vs we are headdely caried to what alurements and prouocations soeuer we sée before vs the Lord in mercy woulde deliuer vs from this promptnes and aptnes of our natures to admit of sinne and by his grace deliuer vs from euill Let vs not now leaue these things thus but euen yet further thinke of them And to begin with the first to witte Gods temptations or tryals and of those first with those that are of the right hande alas howe fewe consider thus much in prosperitie that thereby the Lorde tryeth them and searcheth out what they are and how they will shew themselues to him for all those blessings Most true it is the
and that is thus not to meditate of sinne but still with an eye to the salue of sinne Christ Iesus and then though it be neuer so terrible by his foule shape seeme neuer so strong to giue vs a fearefull fall yet shall it bee founde too weake and wee receiue after a mazing feare true comfort agaynst it and the deadly sting thereof If a man were vppon the top of a high tower without battlements it would seeme fearefull vnto him to looke downe but if he haue high strong battlements that he may take holde on not so Euen so it is with sinne looke vppon it without our strength agaynst it and it astonisheth to death but with him it vanisheth as too weake to condemne Gods chosen Dauids adulterie and murder were great sinnes yet repentance found mercie and they were pardoned Peters denyals were great sinnes yet in Christ rased out when he wept bitterly for them Paules persecuting and making hauocke of the congregation was no smal offence yet a wounded hart found a forgiuing God when opened eyes sawe what was done Those murmuring Iewes after so many strange workes and wonders wrought of the Lord for their deliuerance making a question whether he were amongst them or no did they lightly offend Or doth not the Scripture euery where speake of it as a most horrible and dreadfull offence Yet was there mercie with God and pardon to repentance But this course might bee long if I should note all particulars Let vs stay therefore with those murdring Iewes not of a malefactor but of a iust one not of the sonne of a man but of the sonne of God Christ Iesus and consider well whether the earth hath yeelded since her first creation a greater indignitie or whether the heauens haue behelde a more vggly transgression Surely no neither any whit comparable yet in Christ was this pardonable and euen then when their handes were red with the innocent bloud of Christ Iesus the speare scarse washed that pearced his holy heart euen then I say preached Peter pardon to repentance and as many as repented had mercie To the greatnesse of their sinne adde the vnfeelingnesse of their heart that had no remorse for any thing they had done And then consider will the Lord offer mercie before it be sought and shut vp mercie when it is sought Will he so graciously seeke to drawe men to repentance and shewe no pitie when we repent Will the Lorde forgiue the death of his deere sonne to the bloudie murderers of him and neuer be intreated for sinnes though greeuous yet not comparable O God forbid that after this example of mercie to these crucifiers of the Sonne of GOD Satan should euer shake our faith by feare of any sinne to be vnpardonable which with waiâ—ing harts wee lament that euer wee committed agaynst our deare God Therefore take fast holde of it and print it deepely in your memorie I omit Iacobs children I omit Manasses I omit many that might be named peruse their sinnes and beholde with ioye in a gracious God their full remission When the Spirit of truth sayth were thy sinnes as red as scarlet doth he meane to comfort agaynst small and fewe offences or against great and many Truly euen against all must you needes confesse And if you will not S. Iohn will reprooue you who sayth that bloud shall cleanse vs from all sinne making no distinction of fewe or many great or little Some not all And if the Lord distinguish not that must shewe mee mercie I defie a distinguishing deuill of whom I seeke no mercie Consider it often that the same Apostle saith If we acknowledge our sinne God is faithfull to forgiue vs. Making the assurance of pardon to a confessing sinner no lesse sure than it is that GOD is faithfull O beloued can God bee vnfaithfull if he can then feare if not be of good comfort for so certaine is mercie to a bleeding hart as he is faithfull that can bee no other O sweete foundation of our wished ioy the essence of our God Agayne is it not an article of our faith that our sinnes shalbe pardoned Will you say little sins God forbid restrayne not Gods mercie deny not your faith and then must you bée comfortable Remember agayne what the Lord Iesus sayth All that the Father giueth me shall come to me and him that commeth to me I cast not away What a speech is this if wee marke it And what a comfort and ioy is there in it if wee haue but euen a peece of an heart to receiue it For to let passe the former part so plainly taking away distinction of Iewe or Gentill of bond or free in affirming that al that the father giueth him shall come to Christ what nation or language soeuer they bée of how sweet is the second part to a sinfull soule groaning and sighing vnder the burden of iniquitie sore laden and euen pressed downe with thoughts words and deedes in the sight of the Lorde damnable For what might be your case looke at your self Haue you read in the lawe that if God enter into iudgement with you sinne is so great that you are but gone Doe your transgressions pricke you and loose course of life begin to sting you What then are you dead and wil you not liue are you ill and will you be no better Smarteth your soule within through the deepe wounde of sinne and will you haue no ease O yes full faine say you but my sinnes my sinnes are so out of measure great and horrible that I feare the Lord hath cast me off and hath no mercie for me Ah deuell auant Doth my Sauiour say here he that commeth to me and is not a very great sinner I cast not away No no Satan my God and Lord my Christ and ioy speaketh indefinitely of any man of any woman in any case he that commeth vnto mee bee he Iewe be he Gentill be he bond be he frée Greeke or Barbarian and what sinne or sinnes so euer hee bee troubled for how weake and fraile so euer how poore vile so euer yea be his sinnes mo than y e heares of his head mo than the sand of the sea so that his heart fayle him with Dauid for them yet if he come to him he is welcome he is accepted and hee will not cast him away O soule awake then be of good cheare within me cast away the mourning wéede and hearken to thy most gracious GOD may you say Sorrowing and sighing for that which is past as my duetie is to him will I go knowing that he is the same yesterday to day and for euer His pitie decreaseth not his mercie fadeth not others haue found it and why should I doubt of it Neuer came sinner with sorrowe and faith but hee was accepted and his owne mouth in this place sayth it No man that commeth to me will I cast away Nay see further comfort here
graces of my creator vnlesse the officer of them to me from him be qualified to my liking For as wee liue the Lord wil bee a swift iudge and euen a very consuming fire one day against this hainouse contempt of himselfe and his mercies and the hauing of them in respect of persons O beloued our time is now to be wise learned and to kisse the Sonne in his graces least he be angry and wee perish off from the earth If we doe not mercie passeth iudgement commeth and warned people must both dye in their sinne and cary their bloud themselues for euer The third temptation concerning Communicants SOme againe are tempted and troubled with scruples and doubtes concerning such as are admitted to the Lordes table and whome satan cannot otherwise win to despise that holy Sacrament by this meanes hee most mightily vndermineth and causeth them to forbeare both their great comfort bounden duetie For whersoeuer sayth hee to them the vncleane are not put apart and the euill separated from the good by ecclesiasticall censure there if a Christian communicate hee is defiled with other mens sinnes And therefore to the ende yee may not be polluted with the company of such you must forbeare nay refuse and vtterly abhorre al receyuing of the Supper of the Lord but with a choyce company of select and holy ones But is this true nowe that other mens sinnes neuer consented to by me do defile mee if I receyue with them God forbid The flat contrary is a ruled case in diuinitie was ere wee were borne amongst the learned and godly of al times And as it were with one voyce they haue affirmed it in this and such like sort That a Christian man should be sory and grieued if he see that most holy Sacrament abused of any wicked and bad ones which are admitted vnto it and indeuour as much as in him lieth y t if may not be so but yet may he not himselfe depriue himselfe of the Sacrament nor withdrawe himselfe from the Church but both take it for a true Church notwithstanding this blemish and continue in her societie and felowshippe so long as the worde is preached and the Sacraments administred therein without any separation from it for this cause And the proofes hereof haue partly beene aledged before in the examples of the godly Patriarches Prophetes Apostles and Christ himselfe In the Church of Corinth Galatia Ephesus and others wherein though there were great blemishes as hath beene shewed yet were they neuer commaunded one to auoyd an others company at those exercises that the Lorde in common inioyned all and left not to their libertie to vse or not vse They separated themselues carefully from those crimes and faultes that they rebuked and disliked in others but from their Churches and holy exercises they separated not themselues but entred into their Synagogues at al times wheresoeuer they came and when they were at prayers prayed with them preached to them and partaked with them in commaunded dueties neither were they once hurt by their so doing Then further may we adde in this matter of communicants that which truly we should not lightly weigh or consider but very earnestly thinke of Namely that wee are bidden to examine our selues when we come to that table If the Lord had pleased he could as easily haue bidden vs examine one on other or euery man the whole Church And certainly he would haue done it if other mens sinnes might haue defiled vs and the company of the vnworthy ones haue polluted them that come with the very best preparation of themselues vnto it Yea and with what diligence in deede ought wee all to doe it if this doctrine were true Surely my conscience coulde neuer receiue that Sacrament in peace except I knewe all men as well as my selfe since their euell may as well hurt mee as myne owne But nowe that he requireth only of euery man the proofe of themselues he teacheth therby playnely that it nothing hurteth vs if any vnworthy doe thrust themselues in amongest vs so that wee bee prepared the same do these other wordes also Sibi iudicium manducat Hee eateth and drinketh his owne damnation Sibi non tibi His owne damnation not thyne saith Austen Ergo tolera malos bonus vt venias ad praemia bonorum ne mittaris in penam malorum Therefore thou being good indure the euell that thou mayest come to the rewards of the good and not be sent vnto the punishment of the euell Caluin thought this a strong place against this temptation therefore he vrgeth both these members against it fully In these wordes of Saint Paul sayth he two things are to be noted First that to eate the bread of the Lord vnworthyly is not to communicate in their company that are vnworthy but not rightly to prepare our selues and to weigh our owne faith and repentance Secondly that when we will receyue this Sacrament we beginne not with others and fall in examining them but that we trye our selues set our eyes that way For truely if all things bee considered well they that haue so much leasure to examine others in them selues they are most negligent and forgetfull For vppon mine owne experience sayth hee I know one yet aliue that caried headlong with this nicenes that hee would not receyue with vs for some mens faults that pleased him not he separated himselfe quite from our company And yet in the meane tyme had them in his owne house of most lewde behauiour When I knewe it I got one to admonish him for of my selfe sayth Master Caluin hee woulde take nothing and to aske what he meant to be so strict in the Church a house not in his gouernement and so faultie in his owne house where hee had gouernement Must hee needes bee defiled in the Church by vnworthy communicants and cleere at home from so neere euill And it pleased God to worke with him sayth he that he sawe his folly and afterwarde reconciled himselfe both to the Church and mee confessing at last that our chiefe and first care must bee of our selues and our familie next and secondly of others And howe Not for dislike of thē or hatred because they do not so well as they ought to separate our selues from the Church but to correct them and amend them and to bring them into the way or according to our places to procure their remouing if they will not Or if wee cannot effect that then to leaue all to the Lord to performe and make better Thus farre Master Caluin not vnworthy our earnest noting though it be very long And truely marke it againe that in saying his owne damnation he tyeth the harme that commeth by his vnworthy receyuing to himselfe and stretcheth it not to others which yet needes he must haue done if the company of any at that table did defile the godly Hee must haue sayd hee eateth and drinketh to his owne damnation and
all others that receiue with him knowe him But God forbid Then was euer the Sacrament more holy purely administred than Christ Iesus him-selfe did with his disciples Yet euen there and then sayth Ambrose Chrysostome Austen others was wicked Iudas For the Euangelistes say he sate downe with the twelue and Luke maketh mention that Christ admonished him partly before and partly after Supper which the Lord Iesus would neuer haue suffered if his company might haue defiled the other worthy receyuers there present And concerning Iudas I pray you consider what the scripture saith First it was sayde of him before the Supper that he was a thiefe and caried the bag and for that cause grudged the expence of the oyntment and sayd it might haue bene sold and giuen to the poore not in deede trueth caring for the poore In regarde wherof Austen sayth Iudas was not then first euell when hee made his match to betray him for so much money but before euen from the first beginning neuer folowing Christ corde sed corpore with heart but with body Secondly it is testified in Luke that before the Supper the Deuill was entred into him and that hee had beene with the high Priestes and Captaines and made his matche with them communing with them howe hee might betray Christe vnto them Thirdly euen to the Disciples them-selues openly at table was manifested by giuing of a soppe that hee was a Traytor and should shewe it vpon his owne master Therefore it was not altogether hid what manner of man Iudas was Yet saith S. Austen Talis Iudas cū sanctis discipulis vndecim intrabat exibat ad ipsam dominicā coenā pariter accessit de vno pane Petrus Iudas accepit Such a Iudas went in and came out with the eleuen came to the same supper of the Lord with them and of the one breade receiued both Peter and Iudas Quid ergo voluit Dominus noster Iesus Christus fratres mei admonere ecclesiam suam quando vnum perditum inter duodecim habere voluit nisi vt malos toleremus ne corpus Christi diuidamus What therefore would the Lord Iesus Christ my Brethren admonish and teach his Church when amongst his twelue he would haue one lost and bad one but that in the Church militant heere we must indure some euil ones least in not doing it wee should rent asunder and deuide the body of Christe Conuersari enim cum eis potuit Judas eos inquinare non potuit For be in theyr company Iudas might but defile them he coulde not Wee see therefore this fathers iudgement touching this matter plainly and to it may be added this question howe the faythfull wife may abide with an vnfaythfull husband all the dayes of her life and not bee the worse and we may not come to Gods table or to prayers for an hower in y e company of vnreformed ones but their sinnes shal cleaue to vs. The companyings together differeth most greatly if wee marke the seuerall circumstances of a wife with her husband and of two men in the church together How then may we be warranted to refrayne that most holy comfortable sacrament for their sakes who thogh they be trespassers yet ask they mercy at Gods hands Et hoc testantur eo ipso quod accedunt ad coenā And testify as much euen by their very comming and offering themselues to the Lordes table To iudge rightly of our Brethren our corruption assuredly is great and we should often thinke of it and feare it greatly By nature we are full of suspition and aswell where no cause in trueth is as where cause is Wee beleeue euill too fast and good too slowly We amplify things and make smal matters great matters iudging men many times worse through our corruption than indeede they are before God by their transgression And how dangerous a rule then is this to measure them by that must bee alowed to the Lords table if we receiue with them Whē this temptation was strong in the minds of the Anabaptistes remember how crookedly this line guided them in the choyse of worthy receiuers If any man sayth Bullinger hang down his head and counterfet humilitie although in minde hee bee most polluted filthy and foule and despise the word yet shall he bee accounted a most holy and good one and worthy to receiue the sacrament But if he be more open and mery and subiect to the common faults of humane frayltie yet farre from any dissimulation trusting in his heart and soule firmely to the Lords mercy single and sincere towardes God that that he is confessing his sinnes such an one forasmuch as hee hath not yet satisfied the Anabaptistes for his faults neither is alowed of them thought as yet worthy ynough shal bee seperated from the Lords table And yet the sinful publican smiting his brest was better alowed of the Lord Iesus than the iust Pharisie with all his righteousnes When many vncleane did eate of the passeouer which Ezekias the king caused to be kept did their Brethren refuse to eate because they did eat also or did their company pollute them that were clean any thing Consider it wel and see if you can finde either yet the parties themselues that were not sanctified and cleansed faulted and were prayed for Wherefore we may say with Saint Austen Non propter malos bonos deseramus sed propter bonos malos sufferamus Let vs not forsake the good for the euil but let vs indure the euill for the good Yet must we thinke Saint Austen and all good men wisheth their seperation as farre as may be without plucking vp the wheat also renting a sunder the body of Christ And so playnely shewe those woordes Si non possunt excludi excludantur vel de corde If they cannot bee excluded exclude them at least in thy heart that is approue not in heart and iudgement their fault Cyprianus alia frumenta dominica cum auaris rapacibus cum his qui regnū Dei non possidebunt non laicis vel quibuscunque clericis sed ipsis episcopis panem Domini manducabant Cyprian and others of the Lordes wheate did eate the breade of the Lord and drinke his cuppe with the couetous and raueners with them that shal not possesse Gods kingdome not lay men or common Clergie men but euen with the Bishops themselues And it sufficed them to bee separated from such in heart in life and manners in a great regarde to keepe peace and vnitie for the good of the weake least they should teare the members of the body of Christ by sacrilegious schismes Caluin writeth to Farellus in an Epistle that being asked this question whether it was lawfull to receiue the communion at a bad ministers handes and with bad company admitted thereunto hee answered to both in effect as followeth Tantum debere inter Christianos esse odium schismatis
not of all And what least is spoken yet let it not least bee thought of For who so is wise will consider these thinges it is a saying often repeated in Scripture Do wee thinke Manasses felt when hee was first moued to sinne what he felt in a strength when God reclaimed Peruse his repentance and prayer iudge your selfe if he had found sinne first as hee founde it last whether euer hee woulde so greatly haue folowed the cause of his woe Did that thriftlesse youth find all as faire when his bag was spent a lewde course runne as when hee first receiued it and began to sinne No no his pleasure had paine both without and within and a short vagare beyond the lists of the Lords good liking layde a grinding a griefe vpon his conscience during life Peter felt not when hee denied what hee felt when hee wept for woe and that most bitterly that euer hee had denied The Iewes felt not when they crucified Christ what they felt ful sharpe when they were pricked in their hearts Neuer neuer shall we bee without smart in the end bee the beginning or processe neuer so sweete And the Lord knoweth the measure For circumstances of action may pull greater and greater measure of plagues from a iust God that hateth impuritie Happy is the soule that sinneth least next that returneth soonest and most dreadfull is the estate of them that both for qualitie and time are left to the deuils malice and their owne corruption One droppe of water to coole my tongue was a wofull cry and beware the like All temptations of this kinde bring vs most readily to this perplexitie Thinke not you shall when you will if you will not when you may Herod and Pilate had their warnings with many mo Herod and Pilate woulde not bee warned with many moe Therefore Herod and Pilate were truely plagued with many moe The longer you let your ship leake when once she leaketh the greater danger and the hardlier emptied The ruinous house doth shewe the like The further the nayle of sinne and some vile delight is driuen in with the deuils hammer the hardlier got out with y e Lords aduise which yet not profiting killeth because it was not suffered to plucke it out The Poet also sayde it well If thou beest sicke preuent the worst and seeke for remedy at the first for when a sickenes hath taken roote if thou take phisicke it wil not boote Thus thinke you then of all temptations in life together and their ende considered they shal bee weake through God that helpeth Nowe I pray you what meane these wordes But deliuer vs from euill It is an explication as hath bin said of the former the first word Deliuer teacheth vs playnly that we are the seruantes of sinne and euen sold vnder sinne as the Apostle sayth The fall of our first parēts hath so made vs and humilitie of heart euer so confesseth it Secondly that our deliuerance therehence commeth not from our selfe or the power of any will or might in vs but onely and euer from this God that we pray to from his power from his goodnesse and mercy that hath no measure We are dead in trespasses and sinnes of our selues and wee can no more helpe our selues from sinne than from death If that sonne shall make you free sayth the Gospel then shall you be free indeede By the second word Euill some vnderstande Satan some sinne some death but the best is to comprehende in it all euilles both of crime and paine whether they bee present or to come Cyprian so expoundeth it in these wordes In the last place wee put but deliuer vs from euill comprehending all kindes of aduersities which the enimy worketh against vs in this world Augustin so expoundeth it saying When we say Deliuer vs from euill we admonish to consider that wee are not as yet in that good case where we shall suffer no euill and this which is last placed in the Lordes Prayer is extended so farre and so playnely that a Christian man mooued with any kind of tribulation may in this petition sigh in this shed his teares beginne heerein continue heerein and end his prayer heerein Bucer Musculus Vrsinus many mo thus expounde it If any man will vnderstand in it cheefely or by a principalitie as it were the deuil let him so do For in deede he is the greatest euill and most pestilent euill that wee neede to pray to be deliuered from Therfore say some when we desire y t God will deliuer vs from euill we desire that he wil send no euill on vs but deliuer vs from all euils present and to come both of crime paine Secondly that if he send on vs any eulles yet that he would mitigate them in this life and turne them vnto our saluation that they may bee good and profitable vnto vs. Thirdly that he will at length in the life to come fully and perfectly deliuer vs and wipe away euery teare from our eyes Others say we begge of the Lorde that he would in mercie renewe vs dayly that is powre into our hearts more and more a most true liking and longing after all righteousnesse and a most vnfained hatred of all euill by what name soeuer it may be tearmed And in the same vpholde vs stil that we may increase and neuer go backwarde Sweete therefore euery way is this as all else that hath bene sayde before and beseeming well the mouth heart and soule of euery man and woman desirouse to please God Deliuer vs O blessed God from all euill For if thou turne thy face away we shall be troubled yea sore troubled dismayde and feared though but euen now wee sayd tush this wealth shall neuer decay The Lord stand with vs giue vs faith in our seuerall dangers to cleaue vnto him For what hee biddeth aske we may well assure our selues we shal receiue if we aske and that is a great comfort Thus much contenteth me nowe of this prayer The Conclusion onelie remaineth which if you will a little open your labour is ended to my good and the Lord repay it The conclusion is this For thine is the kingdome the power and glory for euer and euer Which being expressed of Mathew though of others it bee omitted yet must it carry his place with vs as many mo things doe which one Euangelist noteth and not another The thing it selfe yeeldeth very great strength to our fayth as touching the receiuing of that we aske conteining in it three notable reasons to that effect The first is drawne from the duety of a King which is to heare his subiectes to defende and preserue them And therefore thine is the kindome is as much as if we should say O Lorde graunt our petitions since thou art King and hast all thinges vnder thy rule euen all euill to suppresse it and all good to giue it so farre as with
⧠A profitable Exposition of the Lords Prayer by way of Questions and Answers for most playnnes Together with many fruitfull applications to the life and Soule aswell for the terror of the dull and dead as for the sweet comfort of the tender harted By Geruase Babington With a Table of the principall matters conteyned in this Booke PSALME 119. O how sweete are thy words vnto my throte yea sweeter than honie vnto my mouth AT LONDON Printed by Thomas Orwin for Thomas Charde 1588. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE HIS VERY singular good Lord Henry Earle of Penbrooke Lord Harbert of Cardiff Marnion and S. Quintine Lord President of Wales and the Marches thereof and of the most Honorable Order of the Garter Knight and to the Right Honorable and vertuous Ladie the Countesse his wife G.B. wisheth all mercie and comfort in Christ Iesus both here now and for euer COnsider the olde generatiōs of mē ye children sayd that wise Sonne of Sirach Right Honorable and my very singular good Lord in his tyme marke them well VVas there euer any confounded that put his trust in the Lord Or who hath continued in his feare and was forsaken Or whom did he euer despise that called vpon him Agreeably truely to all Scriptures and experiences euer if they were searched For such a thing is it to cleaue vnto the Lorde with a faithfull heart that the Bride may forget to trim her selfe the day she is maried and the mother her Jnfant she bare of her bodie and esteemeth full deere before the Lord of heauen can forget such The Lorde knoweth the daies of the vpright men their inheritance shalbe perpetual They shall not be confounded in the perillous tyme and in the daies of famine they shall haue enough Though he fall he shall not bee cast of for the Lord putteth vnder his hand The Lord shall exalt them as themselues shall see and their ende sayth the Prophet shall bee peace Thousands of comforts hath the word mo yet these are both many and great ones if we marke thē Gayne is not godlinesse saith the Apostle but godlinesse is great gayne and hath the promise both of this life that to come VVherfore Right Honorable more ioye in this than in all the earth if it might be your owne For the earth must perish and all the glistring glorie of it passe away as a tale that is tolde burnt and consumed melted with heate but the feare of the Lord shall set her seruants before the highest for euer euer Now did the Apostle say to King Agrippa before so many O King Agrippa J knowe thou beleeuest Surely I may say it before as many I knowe Right Honorable your L. beleeueth both Prophets and Apostles and whatsoeuer the childe of God is bound to beleeue vnto saluatiō I say I know it and yet know I it not alone but others with me aswell as J attending your L. both in like and other places And if we should all denye it yet would the world steppe in and say it knewe what we denied God haue the glorie to whō it is due of his free election manifested both to your self and others by a true calling vnto sanctification And it remaineth Right H. that with a spirit flaming with thankefull loue to so gracious a God you let your light shine further further to a greater glory to the Lord a fuller cōfort to your owne soule Performe your selfe therefore in all truth of hart before the iudging eyes of a mightie God still more more as you do alreadie an honorable maintainer and furtherer of his truth A shield and defence to all the godly in their griefes and distresses Carefull to haue both your selfe and your familie gouerned by the precious and holy word of God maintayning and countenancing to that end as most honorably you do both at home and abroade the Lords poore seruants appoynted to that ministerie Be a rare example stil both worthy honoring and following of carefull bestowing of those liuings whereof God hath made your Lordship Patrone Multiplie as the Lord shall assist those your Honors zealous prayers which some can witnesse for the peace of Hierusalem that her rightuousnes may breake forth as the light saluation as a burning lampe And stil say with the Prophet Dauid we wish you good lucke ye that be of the house of the Lord. Your Honorable seruices for a most gracious Soueraine as euer the earth had any and for your deere Countrey let them still as they are be most sweete and ioyful to you In your Honorable place and gouernment carie your zeale as your L. doth euen more more agaynst the incorrigible aduersaries of Judah and Beniamin to note their doings to obserue their drifts and to ouerthrowe their plots Cut off still with your sword of holy Iustice as with exceeding trauell your Lordship most honorably doth those contentions disorders and offences that corruption both breedeth and feedeth ouer much And finally as the Apostle sayth if there be any vertue if there be any praise to God or to Prince to Countrey or to any Right Ho. thinke of that For so shall your L. establish your selfe both in earth and in heauen both here and for euer Yea your self your seede as the former promises haue giuen assurance And so shall you to your God and your self as many as knowe your vertues stand approued euer whatsoeuer either ignorance or vnkindnesse may effect in some VVithout this course care in a measure as the Lord shall giue well may a worlde continue a while flattring fauning with many delights God being patient and forbearing long but the end is destruction death and confusion God being iust and paying at last Your self Madame still more and more as your Ladiship doth partake with your owne what your place permitteth in these Honorable actions make them also your owne Let it still be your honorable iust true praise that you feare the Lord that you loue his truth fauour his followers and abhorre his foes For there is no praise shall continue as this there is no wisedome that may bee compared to it The feare of God is the beginning of wisedome a good vnderstanding haue all they that do thereafter the praise of it indureth for euer Againe let this be your wisedome sayd the Lorde of heauen to that people once euen to heare my wordes and to worke my will with a carefull hart For then shall all Nations say you only are wise and you onely haue knowledge of the best course Let it be your Posie Right Honorable as pleasant as euer it was And now Lorde what is my hope truely my hope is euen in thee Though the Lorde should kill mee yet will I put my trust in him And let that plaine Prophet strengthen your Ladiship still by his words to King Asa all Judah The Lord is with you while ye be with him
and if you seeke him hee will bee found of you but if you forsake him he will forsake you The like hath dying Dauid to his deere sonne to be left behinde him And thou Salomon my sonne know the God of thy father and serue him with a perfit hart and a willing minde For the Lord searcheth all harts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of thoughts Jf thou seeke him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he wil cast thee away for euer But what spēd J speech where many giuen graces say spare thy speech J know it wel Then stay J so to you both Right H. J adde but this that as duetie bindeth and many great and honorable fauours both to me and mine require and charge me I rest before my God in praier that goeth out of vnfained lips that it may bee thus with your H. both thus stil I say and thus more thus more agayne and thus still and thus both still more continually during life That those wordes of endlesse comfort may reach vnto you in iudging day Come ye blessed of my father and possesse eternall ioy If this poore trauell of mine may auayle any thing to this effect it is your Honors own proceeded from your owne most deeply bound for euer to be your owne and therefore bold to present it in this sort because he is your owne It was begun in your Honors hearing being that part of the Catechisme that then fell to my course both the lawe and faith hauing bene expounded before the one by my selfe the other by my fellowe that followed because it could not at that time be gone forwarde withall J haue since as J could layd it downe in this sort if it please the Lord for the good of mo VVho all shall welcome it by thus much more as they did the other by how much it bringeth countenance from your Honors both vnto them and is a gift deriued euen from your selues vnto them The Christian Reader els whosoeuer I should wrong too much if I should not comfortably hope he will accept it well since alreadie he hath shewed his loue in the like respect Therefore most humbly beseeching you both Right Honorable to accept my dutie to weigh my hart and to pardon my boldnesse J beseech the Lord againe and againe to multiplie his mercies towardes you both giuing honor here and honor euer in his happie kingdome of eternal comfort VVilton the 11. of May. 1588. Your Honors most humble bounden to death Geruase Babington A PROFITABLE EXPOSITION of the Lords Prayer by way of Questions and Answers ¶ Of Prayer in generalitie MAny things are spoken by many men of Prayer in generalitie and gladly would I heare what you think conuenient of the same Yet would I not prescribe by any questions for feare my want of iudgement in asking might procure in you any needlesse answering Your care is very good yet spare not to speake if I omit any thing whereof you would willingly heare Trueth it is that much is spoken and much may bee spoken of this matter at large but a fewe things may suffice vs at this time hauing fuller discourses to goe to when we will First then let vs consider that Prayer hath a foundation euen in our nature as we are men and is so taught vs by the very instinct and testimonie of reason and conscience that looke what or whomsoeuer we acknowledge and thinke to bee God that and the same wee also willingly confesse ought to be prayed vnto For a perswasion of Godhead standeth not without a confession of Prayer done to the same So wee see in the 14. Psalme where with the deniall of God which the foole maketh in his hart is ioyned an vtter want of prayer and inuocation Contrariwise in the 139. Psal with the confession of God an earnest hartie and often calling vpon his name So that a necessarie consequence the Spirit of GOD maketh it vppon the confession of a God euen by the instinct of nature to vse prayer to the same And contrariwise if we should neuer pray then necessarily must we be euen in the number of those fooles which say in their harts there is no God Which if it were duely and effectually considered of vs it would rowze vs assuredly out of our dead and damnable negligence in this behalfe if there were any spirite of life and feeling in vs and cause vs to acquaint our soules more often and earnestly with this heauenly exercise Fearing euen with a great feare the vengeance of ingratitude towards God for innumerable benefites the plagues in hell due to Atheists and such as denie GOD and the same amongst men that of force must fall vppon vs when being men yet we abhorre from the very nature of man All which three greeuous conditions the want of Prayer forcibly prooueth vpon vs as now wee see Againe the Apostle Saint Paule in his Epistle to the Romanes teaching how the Gentils doing by nature the thinges contayned in the lawe shewe the effect of the lawe written in their harts is a witnesse in steade of many moe sufficient and strong that to pray to God being a thing comprised in the lawe was then is now and euer shall bee whilst man hath mans nature a thing ingrafted and planted of God in the same nature And many other reasons might be brought but these suffice Secondly let vs consider the necessitie of this Christian exercise of Prayer which wee shall euidently see if either we respect the Lord our selues or our brethren For vnto the Lord wee knowe is due euer and eternally here and in the worlde to come praise and thanksgiuing that is Prayer Praise the Lorde all ye people for it is a good thing to sing praises vnto our God O giue thankes vnto the Lord for he is gracious O thanke the Lord of all Lordes c. Yea let euery thing that hath breath praise the Lorde And as long as I haue any being I wil sing praises vnto my God In the world to come see the Scriptures Holy holy Lord God almightie which was and which is and which is to come Thou art worthie O Lord to receiue glory and honor power for thou hast created al things and for thy will sake they are and haue bene created Beside many other places Vnto the Lorde is due worship and seruice of all them that looke for a place in his kingdom of which worship and seruice Prayer is a notable part and therefore necessary Vnto the Lorde is due obedience to his Commaundements if we bee the Lordes for they are holy and iust But this is one that we should pray vnto him and therfore in respect of God Prayer is necessary Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I wil heare thee thou shalt glorifie me saith the Lorde And in an other place
I haue sworne by my self the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse shall not returne that euery knee shall bowe vnto me c. In respect of our selues Prayer is necessarie if either wee consider the manifold woes and sorrowes which at times shall nippe our harts lying there and euen grating and grinding our inwards to pouder by day and by night till we haue eased our selues by Prayer and powred them into the lappe of the Lorde with suite for comfort and redresse or the infinite necessities of this wretched life which albeit the Lord is mercifull and readie to giue euen before wee doe aske yet good reason wee should aske them and euer bound to that gracious God that vpon asking will vouchsafe to giue them What hellish gripes of wringing woe do we thinke the seruant of God Dauid felt when ouer and ouer he mentioneth the sadnesse of his soule What Iob when the arrowes of the Almightie did stick in him the venome wherof did drinke vp his spirit and when the terrors of God did fight against him when he shriked out with mournfull voyce what my shrinking hande doth shake to pen O that I might haue my desire and that GOD would graunt me the thing that I long for And what was that O fearefull It followeth that GOD would destroy me that he would let his hand goe and cut me off What the persecuted Prophet when hee would so gladly dye What Ionas in the bellie of hell as he calleth it what thousands ten thousands of Gods children euer daily whilest the world indureth And how haue they bene eased doe we not see Euen by throwing themselues at the feete of the Lord powring out by Praier their greeuous complaints into the bosome of their gracious GOD whose eare harkened whose heart pitied and whose hande euer in his good time eased their shoulders from the burthen to their comfort Therefore Prayer in this respect wee see most necessary For the other we know the Scriptures also Aske saith God and you shall haue If hauing then be necessarie in respects of wants necessarie is also asking that is praying in respect of hauing So looke we at woes or looke we at wants necessary in respect of our selues is Prayer Goe we lastly to our Brethren and wee are commaunded to let our light shine before them to their example and confirmation Of which light this is a notable parte and braunch our often zealous and religious Prayer and therefore euen in respect of them also necessarie Thirdly the vtilitie and profite of it would very duely and earnestly of Gods children be considered wherein the saying may haue fit and proper place Aeque pauperibus prodest locupletibus aeque Aeque neglectum pueris senibusque nocebit That is It gayneth good to poore and rich if vse thereof be free And hurteth youth aswell as age neglected if it bee The Scripture woonderfully layeth downe the benefite of this holy exercise not in one or two respects but euen in euerie thing that may befall the childe of God in this life In afflictions as partly hath bene shewed it easeth the hart it staieth our steps still readie to slide into impatience it perswadeth the Lord it winneth his mercy and bringeth his gotten comfort at time appoynted to the panting soule all breathlesse almost in the scortching heate of such triall as pleaseth God to send And therefore pray saith our Sauiour Christ continually that ye may be coūted worthy to escape al these things that shal come to passe that ye may stand before the sonne of man But what things are they O reade and consider that singular Chapter see the fruit of Prayer False Christs shall come and deceiue to their endlesse woe thousands and thousands but pray wee to God against this fearefull fall and wee shall escape Warres and seditions shall bee heard of and seene dreadfull and terrible but pray to God and they shall not hurt vs no not once make vs iustly afraid Though it be nation against nation kingdome against kingdome though the earth shake and tremble in diuers places and we see hunger and pestilence and fearefull things and great signes in heauen aboue vs yet pray wee to GOD our guide and strength and we shall escape If hands be layd vpon vs persecuted and taken and deliuered vp to the Sinagogues and Prisons and brought before Kings and Rulers for the Lord Iesus sake pray wee to the same our gracious God and his word is past these shall all turne vnto vs for a testimoniall and not hurt vs. If we want learning knowledge or vtterance so that we feare of a truth any weake defence pray we to him that in weaknesse is strong and the power he hath promised both of speach and knowledge shall binde the very deuill that he cannot stirre and with the head the members with the Captaine the Souldiours with their life all the limmes so that not all the kingdome of perdition if their force could bee ioyned against the poorest man or woman of vs that euer shall professe Iesus shall bee able to resist or speake against vs. Let our deare Parents that brought vs into this world seeke by cruell vyolence in hatred against a truth to throw vs out of the same againe and our owne brethren kinsmen and friends betray vs and kill vs if it please God wee being hated euen of all men for the Lorde Iesus sake pray we still stedfastly vnto our God and if he bee the Lorde that hath made the heauen and earth whose word is truth and abideth for euer there shal not one heare of our heads perish but in patience comfortablie we may possesse our soules Let Hierusalem bee besieged that is our natiue land and countrie our townes and houses in which we dwell a token that desolation is neere let the heauie woman so great with childe begin to sigh for her selfe and weepe with woe for her deare birth within her with shiuering shrinkes to thinke of bloudie Speare to spit her sprauling babe vpon let our nation and people disobeying the Lord in the time of peace fall vpon the edge of the sword and be caried captiue into all Countries and our stately Cities Castles and Towers be troden vnto dust yea let the Sunne and the Moone and all the Starres of Heauen threaten by their fearefull signes the approching dreadfull wrath of God to men trouble and perplexitie bee vpon earth the Sea and the waters rore and mens hearts faile them for feare looking after those things that shall come vpon the worlde the very powers of heauen being shaken and the Sonne of man appearing in the Cloudes with mightie power and glorie yet let vs pray with a chearefull voyce and send out our faith to the Lord of life as we are euer bidden and amidst all
these feares and terrors otherwise to bee trembled at day and night wee shall haue no cause at all to feare but euen contrariwise to lift vp our heads towards heauen as men and women behoulding with eyes their eternall deliuerance euerlasting comfort and vnspeakable ioy drawing neere vnto them to remaine with them and they in it for euer O prayer then auaileable with GOD and profitable to men There needeth no more to declare the fruite of it and yet much more remayneth to bee spoken For when in these dreadfull times many shall haue their harts oppressed with surfeting and dronkennesse and the cares of this life and so that day of death dome come vpon them vnawares Prayer in watching shall preserue Gods chosen that they shall bee counted worthie to escape all these things and not onely so but as followeth with comfort euen to stand before the Sonne of man that is in cheare in ioy in spirituall motions of hart not to bee expressed by man to enter into the heauenly and euerlasting tabernacles Lord then for thy mercie teach vs to pray that these blessings promised to the same may light vpon vs. I stay the course that I might goe on in for the profites of Prayer are innumerable It sanctifieth our mirth it sanctifieth our meates and they are neither of them holy but in this We wake and we worke we sleepe and we rest in peace if we faithfully pray If we pray with Iacob we prosper with Iacob in our iourney If we pray with Dauid we haue our heads couered with Dauid in the day of battaile If we pray with the father wée haue our sonne healed If wee pray with the mother we haue our daughter healed If we pray with the maister wée haue our seruaunt healed And what should I say Cornelius praying hath Peter sent vnto him and the holy Ghost powred vpon him Anna praying hath a childe giuen her and to conclude there is no ende of the tale nor measure of Gods mercies if wee speake of the fruites of Prayer This knew well the godly Father S. Chrisostome and therefore he sayth if thou desirest to liue single or in holy Matrimonie to Gods content pray if thou desirest to bridle anger and with meeknesse to be familiar pray if thou desirest to bee free from the fret of enuie or to doe any thing that belongeth to a godly life pray and pray hartely pray and pray often pray and pray faithfully the Lord shall graunt thy prayer For it is armatura inexpugnabilis an armour of proofe against all and euery assaulting darte of the deuill or his members and meanes whatsoeuer So profitable is Prayer we see The Lord in mercie giue vs spirites Amen I beseech him Yet see the poyson of Satan in his members against this fruitfull exercise for there want not wittes in this wicked worlde that dare dispute against it and aske how it may bee that we should fitly aske of the Lord by prayer any thing since without asking and before asking he knoweth what wee want and would haue yea so fully knoweth he all things that he needeth no remembrauncer to put him in minde of any thing and therefore why should wee aske or euer pray but leaue the Lord to himselfe to giue what pleaseth him Trueth it is that thus they reason but I trust you see the impietie of their speech and the blindnesse of their harts for it is an olde rule and a true that Subordinata non pugnant inter se Things that are comprised one in an other are not contrary one to the other and such are Gods fore-knowledge of all things and our asking notwithstanding by prayer what we want For in his owne person expressely in his worde he hath commaunded notwithstanding all this his diuine knowledge of euery mans estate which he knewe himselfe to knowe as well as wee yet neuerthelesse that we should pray to him in our needes and aske if we would receiue at his hands And therefore you see this is a meruaile by the witnesse euident of the Lord himselfe and our Prayer is not taken away in any respect by the Lords knowledge but they implyed one vnder the other stand and agree well both together Then if you looke at the practise of Gods children you may plainly see the same For Dauid confessing of the Lord that he did not only know his wants but his very thoughts and that long before Yet neuerthelesse for all this knowledge in God vseth his owne duetie commaunded and prayeth for his wants Yea our sauiour Christ which may stand for many proofes in the same chapter biddeth vs call vpon our heauenly father by Prayer for our daylie bread that is for all necessities and yet telleth vs that he knoweth alreadie and before that we haue need of these things Elias the Prophet promised Achab rayne not rashly vpon his own head but as priuie to the Lords purpose and certified of his will and yet for all that most earnestly prayed he crouching to the earth and his face betwixt his knees and seauen times sent his seruant towarde the Sea for it Therefore let vs knowe and so conclude although the Lorde vnderstande most fullie and perfectly what wee would haue before wee pray yet hath himselfe appoynted this meanes to obtaine at his handes notwithstanding that his knowledge and therefore wee must vse it euer notwithstanding the same knowing that what his wisedome hath ioyned as standing agreeing together those mans wisedome nay mans folly or Satans malice may not seperate as disagreeing and one frustrating the vse or profite of the other And againe that is no ende of our Prayer at any time to admonish God of any estate of ours vnknowne vnto him but we pray notwithstanding he knoweth alreadie what wee want to perfourme our obedience to his commaundement and appoynted meane to giue glory to him as the fountaine of all good to testifie to the world our faith and trust in him and his promises to exercise our patience in still yet expecting and asking and for sondrie such causes allowed and godly and not to put him in minde as one that knoweth not our desire Fond therefore I trust you see this reason is against the vse of Prayer Trueth it is I thanke GOD and so let it fall Yet giue me leaue to propound an other to the same purpose but I trust of no greater force They say those things are not to bee asked euen of a man much lesse of the Lord which he willingly and of his owne accorde is purposed to giue for that were not to honor but rather to dishonor by granting where no neede is But whatsoeuer we want the Lord is readie to giue and therefore we should aske nothing In deede of no greater force at all For it offendeth euen as the other did in reasoning of thinges subordinate one vnder the other and agreeing
well together as of things contrary to themselues and therefore taking away one an other The willingnesse of God to graunt our desires taketh not away our Prayer but strengthneth our faith to aske chéerefully and therfore euen then when he saith you shal haue he saith also aske by Prayer then when he saith I will heare he saith also call vppon me and euen then when he promiseth to be néere yet he mentioneth to whom namely to such as pray vnto him And the eyes of the Lord are vpon the iust and his eares are open to their Prayers Therfore euen the Lord himselfe being iudge his purpose to graunt taketh not away our obedience to aske his readie willingnes to giue euen before we aske crosseth not at all his commaundement neuerthelesse to aske and so neither our bounden duetie to perfourme the same continually But by all those places of his fatherly readines and most mercifull willingnes to doe vs good as I haue alreadie saide our faith is strengthned our harts incouraged his goodnesse shewed and our obedience in 〈…〉 Prayer confirmed greatly not any way subuerted or taken away Well then see nowe an other deuise of Satan against this holy exercise If we cannot take it away out of the vse of mē by these conclusions let vs trie another way to make it vaine and not onely so to our selues but euen hatefull and abhominable to the Lorde Let vs ascribe vnto it merite of remission of sinnes iustification with God many marueilous vertues aboue the dignitie allowed in the word and finally to saluation And to this ende let vs alleage all the places of Scripture wherein Prayer is commended highly as if they meant thus highly Indeede you say very true such there are and thus Satan perswadeth But alas what should wee stande vpon it It is one thing to be a meanes and an other thing to be a cause of saluation and mercie Gods children acknowledge no cause of their life with God but Christ Iesus only in whom freely the Lord hath loued vs but meanes many as hearing reading fasting what we speake of praying Our prayers are acceptable to our GOD but neuer for them selues but for Christ They are auaileable also with God but by for faith in Christ whereof earnest Prayer ioyned with fasting is a token And therfore if we obtaine of God neuer so great matters by Prayer our Prayer yet is no cause of that but only a meanes So then a foolish and false argument it is to cut it off that thus reasoneth of a cause that is not a cause indeede I see well then the foundation of Prayer euen in nature I see the necessitie of it in respect of God our selues and our brethren I see the marueilous and exceeding profite of it and lastly the malice of Satan against it in both extremities either seeking to deface it as not required or if he cannot that do in ascribing vnto it aboue that which is lawfull thereby to make it fruitlesse with God Will you now adioyne any more It shall not bee amisse also for vs to consider those other poynts which bee vsually considered in these treatises and comprised for memorie in an olde verse to wit Affectus causae quis per quem quidque petendum That is With what affection we must pray For what causes To whome Through whome For what And concerning the first the Scripture teacheth vs that wee must pray with a zealous spirit with hart with soule and with all the power within vs not with colde affection and lippe labour The Apostles speach of the Spirit may giue this rule of Praier in it euer to be obserued be feruent in Praier The Lord himselfe by his Prophet complayneth that the people cried not in their hearts vnto him that is with this affection that we speake of And the auncient Ceremonies of lifting vp of handes remembreth vs thereof The spirit of God witnesseth it of his children as of Anna she prayed and wept sore troubled in her minde that her lippes shooke withall albeit she spake in her heart Of Moses that he cryed vnto the Lord and yet he spake neuer a word but so vehement was his spirite and so feruent his inwarde powers of Soule and heart that it was like a shrill shrike in the eares of the Lord. This heate of heart it is glorious before the Lord and profitable to vs but it is not at our commaundement we cannot haue it when wee will the Lord hath reserued it to himselfe to giue when and where and to whome and in what measure it pleaseth him As it is witnessed vnto vs by the Apostle saying The Spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee knowe not what to pray as wee ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed That is wee are not able of our selues to pray with that feruentnesse of spirite that heate of hart such motion of minde such trust such faith such sighes such power such affection in a word euery way as is conuenient to the Maiestie of God vnlesse we be inabled by his Spirite and therefore in mercie he supplieth with the same as pleaseth him Neuerthelesse meanes there are in the word noted vnto vs which worke vnder the blessing of this Spirite to this effect in measure in vs and therefore if this affection bée required in vs they be also necessary as helpers to y e same The first is a true consideration of our owne vnworthinesse and indignitie such and so great as that there is no mercie due vnto vs Such as maketh vs with the Publican not to will to lift vp our eyes to heauen but to knocke our breast and crye in humble sorte Good Lord be mercifull to me a sinner Such as maketh vs with the Centurion to say Lord I am not worthie that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe and therefore say but the worde and my seruant shall bee well Such againe as maketh vs with Daniell to say in smarting woe O Lord wee doe not present our supplications before thee for our owne righteousnesse but for thy great tender mercies With Dauid O Lorde enter not into iudgement with thy seruants for no flesh liuing shall bee iustified in thy sight With Esay Wee haue all bene as an vncleane thing all our righteousnesse is as filthie cloutes and we all doe fade like a leafe and our iniquities like the winde haue taken vs away With Ieremy O Lord though our iniquities testifie against vs deale with vs according to thy name for our rebellions are many and wee haue sinned against thee And finally such as may iustly make our soules vexed within vs when we thinke of it our bodies to bowe downe and goe crookedly and our eyes to faile as he speaketh This low conceipt but true conceipt of our selues marueilously quickneth vp our spirites and therefore is euer to
people that no let might be to their vnderstanding of the common prayers The same Father againe in an other place saying that wee neede not any vtterance of words alwayes to pray vnto God because the Sacrifice of Iustice is sanctified in the Temple of the mind and in the secret chambers of the hart by and by obiecteth to him selfe wherefore then doth the Priest lift vp his voyce and pray aloude in the open assemblie in the Church and then answereth to the same thus Not that God but that men may heare him and that the people by the sounde of his voyce and vnderstanding of his meaning may be put in minde and by consent ioyned together and lift vp to God Againe he sayth Quid prodest loquutionis integritas quam non sequitur intellectus audientis Cum loquendi omnino nulla sit causa si quod loquimur non intelligunt propter quos vt intelligant loquimur What profite is there in speech be it neuer so perfect if the vnderstanding of the hearer cannot attaine it For there is no cause why wee should speake at all if they vnderstand not what we speake for whose sake wee speake that they may vnderstande vs. Againe Mens mea sine fructu est hoc ait quando id quod dicitur non intelligitur My minde is without fruite This the Apostle S. Paul sayth when the thing that is spoken is not perceyued And again Si intellectum mentis remoueas nemo aedificatur audiendo quod non intelligit Set apart the vnderstanding of the mind and no man hath fruite or profite of the thing that hee peeceiueth not Quid opus est iubilare non intelligere iubilationem vt vox nostra sola iubilet cor non iubilet Sonus enim cordis intellectus est What needeth vs to sing if we vnderstand not what wee sing to sing with our voyce and not with our heart For vnderstanding is the sounde or voyce of the heart These are most playne testimonies and worthy consideration if we desire a truth Origen againe very plainely sayth of such things as are read in the Church Non fuisset necessarium legi haec in ecclesia nisi ex his aedificatio aliqua audientibus praeberetur It should neuer need to reade them vnlesse some edification shoulde come by them to the hearers But without vnderstanding we know not what edification is therfore Origens iudgement is openly this that if Scriptures and prayers shoulde bee in a strange tongue then it were as good that there were neuer any at all of either of thē O marke it Cyprian next as flatly again Not the sound of the voyce but the mind vnderstanding must pray vnto the Lorde with pure intention But my vnderstanding to pray the language to be straunge to me that I pray in is impossible therfore farre was Cyprian from this folly Saint Chrisostome againe the like and many mo that I spare to name in this briefe treatise The fauorers of Rome in latter dayes sawe this trueth and yelded their testimonies plainely for it Lyra and Thomas of Aquin spare not to auouch it that the common seruice in the Primatiue Church was euer in the common vulgar tongue that the people did vnderstande That earnest as some thinke strong defender of the contrary to this by the power of a trueth is drawen to these very woordes that in the Primatiue Church the prayers were made in a commō tongue knowne to the people for cause of their further instruction and it was so necessary to be and againe in an other place It were good the people hauing humble and reuerent heartes vnderstoode the seruice I deny it not And whereas they say they can as heartily as earnestly and with as vehement an affection pray although they knowe not what they say may they not see their owne Doctor say the contrary flatly and a man of no common learning Si populus intelligit orationem Sacerdotis melius reducitur ad Deū deuotius respondet Amen that is If the people vnderstand the prayer of the Priest they are the better brought vnto God with more deuotion farre answer Amen Now there is the same reason of their deuotion openly and of our owne priuatly May they not see it playnely affirmed Quo modo potest debitè Deo psallere qui non intelligit quid psallit How can he rightly sing vnto God that vnderstandeth not himselfe what hee singeth as if hee should say it cannot bee it is impossible and not to be hoped for Last of all is it not an olde saying grounded vppon true reason Jgnoti nulla est cupido there is no desire of the thing that wee knowe not and no desire I thinke is a very colde affection Let vs ende then this poynt of the practise and iudgement of men with that decree of Pope Innocent the third in the Councel of Laterane about the yeere of our Lorde 1200. that in such Cities as should bee concurse of people of diuers nations the Bishop shoulde take order that euery people should haue a Pastor of their owne language which might serue them and minister vnto them in the same A thing very worthy obseruing that euen with the Pope himselfe the trueth of this cause that prayers ought to be vnderstood should preuaile We haue seene then God and wee haue seene men against this great corruption and hinderance of our prayer and men both in practise and iudgement What if we ioyne nowe for conclusion of all verie open reason against it It may doe good For truely euen this striketh so deepe in in this behalfe as any Christian heart may feare euer to come before the Lorde with prayer in this order For it is not one and a verie singular vse of our prayers to strengthen and frame our faith by the experience of mercies asked and receiued at our God his handes It working euer in vs a trust an hope yea an vnspeakeable comfort that he will be as he hath beene being no changeling in himselfe and that whome he hath heard so graciously so readely and so often with graunt of their desires those hee will euer heare and still heare in their right and lawfull prayers to the prayse of his mercie and the ioye of them his seruauntes in their distresses Now this singular vse and profite as I say of prayer are they depriued of that vse to pray in a straunge tongue for if any particular benefite be giuen them they knowe not whether it hath come at their intreaty or no because they know not what they haue prayed for and so receiue they no sure and certaine testimonie of the Lords helpe and goodnesse to them to the comfort of their hartes at all times when they shall néede againe to call vpon him And therefore if this be a blessing to haue true experience nay thousands of experiences of the Lordes swéete fauour to vs
the example of Gods chosen euer with such like and these are great causes to vse it What say you then of the third point concerning the persons to bee prayed vnto I answere that onely God and none but God is to be praied vnto or as the wordes of our faith and Créede hath one GOD in Trinitie and Trinitie in vnitie is to bee worshipped Which answere implying to things as you see to wit that God is to be prayed vnto and onely to bee prayed vnto Let vs see the truth of them both out of the word First then for the former it is mencioned vs in the law Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God serue him swere by his name And in another place Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him and thou shalt cleaue vnto him swere by his name With a number other proofes in euerie place where the word of seruing the Lord by a figure noteth al duties due vnto him in general so implieth this duty of prayer to him in special Euen as Dauid expoūdeth it in his Psalme saying I will worshippe towardes thy holy Temple then expresseth what one thing he meaneth by that worship I will praise thy name because of thy louing kindnesse truth that is by prayer of thanksgiuing and praise I will doe my dutie So than this is plaine and more plain I trust than that it should need proofe that God is to be prayed vnto If anie would haue reason as well as testimonies the Apostle giueth vs a strong one of contraries when he toucheth the Galathians with it as a fault no lesse than Idolatry that they did seruice vnto them which by nature were no Gods For it inferreth plainly our not offending but most right doing when we doe seruice vnto him that is by nature God But praier is a seruice and a great seruice therefore due and most due to the Lord for euer But it is not this that anie man doubteth of and therefore as I sayde not to bee stoode vpon It is the other that is a question to wit whether God onely is to be praied vnto or no and therefore let vs looke to that rather and see the truth Concerning this then is not the Scripture as plaine if wee will not wilfully bee blinde as in the other And doth not our Sauiour Christ put it quite out of doubt when he saith him only shalt thou serue Onely to God auouched by Christ should stand against not only to God affirmed by tenne thousand worldes if there were so many to doe it But the Lorde affirmeth further that he will not giue his glorie to any other and it is a parte of Gods glorie in any Christian iudgemēt I hope to praie vnto him and to make him the fountaine and welspring of all our good For Call vppon me saith the Lorde in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie me The lawe of God saith Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me which is an exclusion of all creatures in heauen and earth from partaking with the Lord in any worship we owe vnto him as our God The 17. Chapter of the second booke of Kings is a notable testimonie of the Lordes abhorring any partners in this behalfe For there we may see and heare him witnesse it vnto our soules who must one day come to iudge them in glorie dreadfull if wee haue not harkned that not to feare him onely is not to feare him at all and not onely to doe after his lawes and commaundements is not at all to doe after them For our additions to the wil of him ouerthroweth vtterly that which wee doe thereof because it is not as wee should doe it that is onely My couenant and charge with the Israelites saith the Lord there was euer this that they should feare no other Gods nor bowe themselues to them nor serue them nor sacrifice to them but onely mee which brought them out of the land of Egipt with great power and a stretched out arme And marke the emphasis Him feare That is as we may see plainly him onely him euer and none but him And therefore ouer and ouer he saith it there no other no other and againe the third time no other Which is proofe sufficient if wee bee the Lordes yet is the Scripture fuller and teacheth vs plainly that they euer were and euer shall bee blasphemous Idolaters iniurious to the Lord that call vppon any in their prayer but the same Lord alone whether it be in heauen or in earth or in the waters vnder the earth whether it bee of golde siluer or whatsoeuer The places are knowne and you may reade them It teacheth vs also that God hath made vs in his great mercie Lordes of all his creatures here and euen the Angels in heauen ministring Spirits to our good as shall please him to appoynt But whatsoeuer we pray vnto we make it superiour to vs and hauing rule and power ouer vs and therefore if it bee a creature we offende greeuously peruerting the Lordes appoynted course and seruilely submitting our selues to that which he in mercie hath put vnder vs not ouer vs in his maner and order Againe that we cannot pray to any thing without beleefe in the same but beleefe must onely be in God and therefore prayer to no other Wherefore it standeth true by the Iudge of trueth the eternall worde of God wee now well see that both God with his worship of prayer is to bée serued and honored and onely God also with exclusion for euer of all others whatsoeuer they may bee and so wee ende this question Your next is through whome or by whome wee must present and offer our Prayers to God It is so And it may bee that in the former question you expected some fuller spéech of Angels and Saints that be dead which many are of opinion may bee called vppon that yet greatly mislike that other folly or rather madnesse of praying to inferiour creatures And if you did it shal now be supplied God willing for I did referre it of purpose hether because no man iustifieth it amongst vs if he haue any cunning that they are simply to bee praied vnto as helpers themselues of themselues but as mediatours to him that is able to helpe that is God the Lorde Let vs see then this if euen but thus much may bee giuen vnto them And to begin at the beginning we know it true that betwixt God and vs a mediatour must needes bee For so sayth the Scripture No man commeth to the father but by me And as there is a God so there is a mediatour betwixt God and man The high Priest in the lawe by God assigned a figure and shadowe of Christ euen in his office taught the same And conscience in vs of our owne vnworthines to appeare before God in our selues and for our selues driuing vs away from his
Satan in vs by any meanes subdue our sinfull flesh and all the wicked lusts therof to the inlarging of thy kingdome here vpon earth and grant that all the powers of body and soule may be inabled by thy holy Spirite to worke acceptably in thy sight that thou mayest dwell in vs and wee in thee for euer and all thyne our enemies vtterly troden downe thou mayst gloriously reigne and triumph ouer all and wee by Christ may finally as thy children and heires be made partakers of thy euerlasting kingdome Now is not this brought to passe but by meanes and therefore as we pray for the thing that the Lord would graunt it so pray we also inclusiuely for the meanes that in mercy they may bee giuen to the effecting of it The meanes are these first the word euen this heauenly and blessed woorde of God so finally accompted of in the worlde and not onely so but euen hated despised and reiected of numbers For so sayth the Apostle it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth to the Iew first also to the Grecian that is it is the mightie instrument of GOD without which men are damned and cast away Yea such an instrument it is of power and force wher it pleaseth the Lord that it hath greater strength and authoritie than all the eloquence than all the wisedome than all the learning than all the pollicie power of the worlde Let the dayes before vs witnes to this truth I meane those primitiue times when the Lorde began to powre his mercy on mankind for Christ by the ministerie of his Christ and of his disciples wherein notwithstanding this diuine word of his was resisted by all the worldly gifts and powers which I named yet had it marueilous successe and did wonderfully increase Demosthenes and Cicero for their eloquence Solon and Aristides for their wisedome Plato and Aristotle for their learning Alexander and Pompey for their manhood were of power of fame and in the world when they liued able by these gifts to doe much Yet the best of all these had much to do euen a fewe yeres to keepe their owne Citizens their owne countreymen their owne subiects in obedience and to cause them to giue place to good and wholsome Counsel and to obey lawes prouided for their owne profit Yea euerie one of them almost to their owne confusion prooued of howe small force their wisedome their eloquence their power was and with the ende of their liues left their common weales welneere vtterly decayed and vndone But cōtrarywise the Apostles not learned but poore fishermen not with any inticing words of mans wisedome not commended or set forth with those giftes ornaments that men so greatly do esteem went foorth into the worlde preaching the disdayned Gospell of Christ crucified and by the simple doctrine thereof did in fewe yeres for the state of religion chaunge the face of the whole worlde notwithstanding that the Empire of Rome and other mightie principalities did to the vttermost of their power resist it and the reformation that by the Apostles in this maner was begun continued and spred it selfe mightily and marueilously euen against the assaults of most cruel and tyrannicall persecutions vnder Nero Domitian Traian Adrian Anthony Dioclesian and many mo A force farre passing the power of man that in the midst of al such bloody deaths most exquisite torments yet was able dayly to get children to the kingdome of Christ yea and that so plentifully that well were they that might runne and professe themselues Christians that they might dye the death for it continually It is a very notable storie that is written of such as this worde of the Lord had begotten to Christ in Edessa a citie in Mesopotamia who being as it is sayd banished out of all Churches by the decree of the Emperour made their meetings in y e fileds Which espied of the Emperour in a very great rage hee strooke his chiefe captaine with his fist and asked why therehence also they were not remoued according as he had commanded The Captaine the next day determineth to dispatch them but yet in pitie to them although himselfe a Pagan by secret meanes letteth it go abroad that the next day he would destroy al that were found at those méetings hoping thereby to warne them to absteine and so to saue themselues But sée y e power of this word in the harts of men The next day the Christians although thus admonished yet flocke thither in more plentiful sort than at other times yet runne headlong as it were and in great hast as men affraide to come to late to dye Amongst all the Captaines noted a certaine woman so hastely and with such speede to runne out of her house as that shee stayed not either to shut the doore of her house or to put on her clothes as womanhoode woulde and in her armes a litle infant When hee sawe it he commanded to call her to him and being come asked her whither she made all that hast Into the field saith she wher the christians meet And hast thou not heard sayth he that the chief Captaine is going thither to put to the sworde all hee findeth there Yes saith she I haue heard it and therfore I make hast that I may be there when hee commeth And what wilt thou do with this yong babe sayth he Take it with me also sayth shee that if the Lord will it may be vouchsafed martyrdome also When the Captayne heard this he stayed his course commanded his charet to turne and to the Emperour presently he goeth told him if it pleased his maiestie to cōmand him death he was ready but to do what he commaunded he could not for thus and thus had hee seene it and so declared vnto the Emperor all this storie Who by and by was appeased stayed his hande and restrayned his intended euill to such zealous louers of their God See nowe how true it is that the Apostle sayth it is the power of God that is potens instrumentum the mightie instrument of God to get men and keepe men to the Lorde They were accompted the men that troubled all the worlde yet were they not discouraged Ligabantur include bantur cedebātur torquebantur tamen multiplicabantur They were bound sayth S. Austen they were tormented and racked and yet for all this they multiplied and increased So was it euē in these latter daies of ours when all pitie and truth was buried as it were in the bottome of the Sea Antichrist of Rome in his ruffe power and strength exalting himselfe aboue all that was called God and made Princes and Emperours to kisse his feete yea when it was death almost to thinke of the restoring of true religion euen then I say did this word of the Lord in the mouth of one simple man at the first against the clamors of Monkes and Friers against the
vs. How came it to passe that the Iewish people so seeing dayly the wonderfull workes of God for them the proofes of his power mercie and goodnesse aboue all the nations of the world yet persisted vnfaithfull stubburne and wayward to so good a God O sayth Moses these things being done for you yet hath the Lorde giuen you an heart to perceiue and eyes to see and eares to heare vnto this daie teaching vs playnly that such hart such eyes and eares are onely the Lords to giue and without such gift we profite nothing no not by the verie euident extraordinarie mercies of God In another place agayne The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart the heart of thy seede that thou mayest loue the Lord thy GOD with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou mayest liue As if hee shoulde saie neuer thinke of anie loue of GOD faythfull and true as possible to be within thee and consequently no obedience loue being the root of all excepte the Lorde circumcise thine heart that is purge all thy wicked affections giue hearing reading a blessing which thing is not in thine owne power to doe It is I sayth the Lord by the prophet Esaie that receiue the spirite of the humble and giue lyfe to them that are of a contrite heart If the Lorde worke in one he worketh in all the spirites of men are ruled and gouerned vnto good onelie by him If he touch vs we are touched if hee turne vs wee are turned and if hee reuiue not and giue life we sinke in all our sinnes as vnfeeling wretches and abide in death How playnly sayth it agayne the Prophet Ezekiel I wil giue you a newe heart and I will put a newe Spirit within you and will take away the stony heart out of your body giue you an heart of flesh And I will put my spirit within you and and cause you to walke in my statutes c. O see and marke howe all lets bee remooued and all grace giuen by the Lorde alone in mercy seeking our saluation And therefore knowe it true as the truth is true that neither hearing nor reading preaching or priuat speaking auaileth euer to doe vs good except the guiding grace of the Lorde direct vs to it by a blessing giuen to them all or any when they are vsed And therefore as for the word so for the blessing of it by the Spirit of God do we euer pray when we say these words Thy kingdom come Then opened he their vnderstanding sayth the Gospell of our Sauiour Christ that they might vnderstand the Scripture And Lydia attended to those thinges which Paul spake because the Lord opened her heart So that neither one nor other Lydia nor the disciples of Christ see heare or vnderstand except the Lorde giue the eye the eare and the heart It is the holy Spirit that teacheth teacheth into all trueth and without whome still still all meanes remaine vnprofitable There is an oyntment sayth Saint Iohn from him that is holy and that anoynting teacheth you all things that is the grace of the holy ghost Wherefore I cease not to make mencion of you in my prayers sayth the holy Apostle and to bowe my knees vnto the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ that he would giue vnto you the Spirit of wisedome and reuelation through the knowledge of him that the eyes of your vnderstanding may bee lightned that we may knowe what the hope of his calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritaunce is in the Saints c. And that yee may bee strengthened by his Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by fayth and yee may bee able to comprehend with all Saynts what is the bredth and length and depth and height c. See Pauls refuge for profitte to his preaching for life and light for these Ephesians euen to the Lorde for his holy Spirite to soften and supple their stony heartes to illuminate and lighten their darke mindes and to make that sweete to them that is sower to many and fruitefull to them by his mightie power that is neuer so to any without the same Wherefore to goe no further knowe it for conclusion that wee praying for Gods kingdome to come vnto vs in this petition by the hearing and preaching of his worde the meanes appoynted of him to erect the same and seeing well by all this that hath bene said that neither one nor other of these meanes cā preuaile with vs any thing vnlesse the Lorde also with them giue the power of his Spirit and the blessing of his grace in our hearts by them therefore there is included herein also euen praier for this grace and the petition being vnderstoode of vs is thus much with the Lord as we should in playne termes say O Lord giue vs not onely thy worde to reade and heare but the heauenly grace of thy holy Spirit also to sanctifie blesse and make fruitefull to vs both our reading and hearing that so reading and so hearing thy kingdome may come vnto vs and thou ruling and wee ruled wee may liue for euer with thee according to thy promise See then still further matter of this petition And since the Lord hath taught vs thus to pray for the helpe of his hande and the blessing of his grace to all the meanes of good vnto vs and so guided the tongues of his children euer before this forme was layde downe vnto them though in other wordes Let vs brethren looke vpon this occasion into our corruption for truely the Lorde reueileth a secret vnto vs of our natures that thousands sée not when hee thus teacheth vs that without his Spirite no meanes profite vs. We trust to our witts to our skill to our yeres and youth and I know not what and wee thinke wee haue wings of nature aboue our fellowes many of vs to flye aloft and to sée the secretes of the Lord but truely it is not so we haue all sinned and sinne hath cut our wings that wee cannot flye aboue wee haue all in our first parentes transgressed and that transgression hath dazeled and darkened our eyes closed our eares and benummed our heartes that we can neither see heare nor feele except it bee giuen vs from aboue as wee haue now fully bene taught As naturall men we perceyue not the thinges that are of GOD we are not able to thinke a thought that is good but all our sufficiencie is of God and by his grace only we are what we are that good is if any trueth bee opened to vs the Lord hath done it and cōcerning life eternall flesh and blood reueileth nothing to vs but the father in heauen reade without this spirit and the booke is sealed to vs heare without this Spirite and it is a pleasant song that sinketh not but passeth with the time pray without this
Spirit and we pray wee knowe not what for it is the Spirit that helpeth our infirmities and that maketh request for vs with sighs which cannot bee expressed And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is y e meaning of the spirit for hee maketh request for the Saintes according to the will of God Haue not this spirit and be none of Christes for as many as are led by the Spirite of God they are the sonnes of God Want this Spirit feare againe the seuere threatning of the Lawe but haue it and cry in comfort Abba Father the same Spirite bearing witnesse with our Spirits that we are the children of God sealing our adoptiō in our minds and therefore opening our mouthes This blessed Spirite and sweete grace is that heauenly water that our sauiour speaketh of in his dialogue with the woman of Samaria when sitting vpon the wel with her hee sayde whosoeuer drinke of this water shall thirst againe but the water that I shal giue him shall bee in him a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life And O my brethren how differeth all earthly water from this if wee marke it let a man thirst for the honors titles pleasures places and dignities of this paynted world and if he inioy thē euen in great measure do they quench his thirst No truely but if this other water bee away I meane this moderating grace of Gods blessed Spirit whereof we speake they increase his thirst a thousand fold of a sound man before he inioyed such heapes hee is striken into a loathsome and deadly disease euen a spirituall dropsie that the more hee drinketh the more drye he is and neuer satisfied Playing dayly and hourely the parte of Achsah in seeking springs of water to her South countrey that is more to much and still something else to that that is had already But this water of Gods holy spirit springing not out of the veynes of the earth but from the highest heauens runneth about our hearts continually with a diuine vertue most comfortably cooling al our Spiritual heats refreshing vs against all burning temptations quenching the firy dartes of Satan and finally quickning vs to eternall life This water therefore let vs make accompt of pray for a true faith for he that beleeueth in me out of his belly shall flowe riuers of water of life sayth the Scripture Quench not this Spirit then neither grieue him by whome we are sealed vnto the day of redemption But remember the good that commeth by him to this wretched frame of our sinnefull harts the ground is hard if this dewe drop not and vtterly vnfruitefull if this grace blesse not Lende mee therefore not thy tongue and lips only but thy soule heart chiefly to pray with mee to the throne of mercy for our selues and all O Lorde O Lord create a cleane heart renew a right Spirit within vs euermore Cast vs not away from thy presence neither take thy holy Spirit from vs. Giue vs the comfort of thy helpe for euer and establish vs with thy free Spirit Amen What else is concluded in this prayer Another good meanes to further this kingdome is a godly zealous and carefull Magistrate and therefore we praie for him also and the blessing of his seruice This teacheth the Lord vs when hée biddeth vs praie for kings and all that are in authoritie that we may leade a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie They are the means the Lord giues the blessing The lyke doth the Apostle when he telleth vs that Princes are not to bee feared for good workes but for euill And therefore if we will bee without feare of the power that we must doe wel and so shall we haue praise of the same For hee is the minister of God for our wealth But if we do euill that then we must feare for he beareth not the sword for naught but is the minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill Charging vs as well for these good vses of him as also for the author of his office and authoritie which is the Lord for there is no power sayth he but of GOD and the powers y t are be ordained of God that euery soule of vs be subiect to the higher powers and that we resist not for if wee doe we resist the ordinance of God they that so resist receiue to themselues damnation This benefite of a magistrate to the increase of Gods kingdome appeared in Asa who tooke awaie the Sodomites out of the land and put away all the Idols his Father had made displaced his mother for her idolatrie and destroyed her idolls The like appeared in Ezekiah Iosiah and all the rest Read what they did sée what authoritie may do nay ought to doe Vertue flourisheth by iust incouragements vice flieth and dieth by iust punishmentes if the magistrate bee good and then ruleth God when this is so Blessed therefore wel may be said is the lande when the king is the sonne of Nobles and when the Princes eate in time for strength and not for dronkennesse That is when the higher and lower and all powers in a land are famous for vertue and wisedome and with the giftes of God And why so Surely because these being thus the Lord is king in such a place and his heauenly power is more and more dayly spread ouer and into the heartes of men by these meanes Contrariwise Woe to the land whē the king is a childe and the Princes eate in the morning that is when the chiefe of all wanteth wisedome and counsayle and the inferiors are giuen to their lusts and pleasures And why so agayne surely because then for want of so forcible a meanes as carefull magistracie is to represse it Vice floweth vertue flieth and God ruleth not Finally therefore doe we praie here in this petition and aske of the Lorde as a greate mercie that he would giue vs godly carefull and zealous Magistrates to the better setting vp of his blessed kingdome amōgst vs. And truly beloued would God the iust often consideration of these might worke in vs a faithful loue to thē for their pains and a flaming thankfulnesse to the Lorde for them when we haue them O that wee would meditate of it vpon our beddes and and thinke vppon it when wee are waking what Moses felt when he sayd How can I beare your comberance your charge and your strife alone Or what hee felte that sayde to his regall Crowne or Scepter that he which knew the carke and care the woes and griefes the toyles and labours and the infinit perils and feares that are incident to it would not take it vp if he found it in the streete Then woulde wee feele what it is to gouerne and to be alofte Then assuredly would wee honour Magistrates more loue them more obey them more and contend
agaynst them lesse in a verie true coÌ„science to deale vnkindly with a meanes ordayned in heauen of so much good to man God giue vs eyes God giue vs hearts and God giue vs the blessing we speake of still Will you goe anie further in this Petition No in deede this may suffice for my briefe purpose I hope and therefore this onely will I adde that which I told you of in the beginning that as we praie for these mercies when we saie these words so pray we as effectually in sense agaynst the contraries of them For if Gods kingdome come then must bee done awaie whatsoeuer lette eyther hindereth or obscureth the same Contrarie to the vse of the wordes that fearefull famine the Prophet speaketh of contrarie to godly and profitable reading is barbarisme ignoraunce and contempt or neglect of good letters contrarie to carefull hearing is that adderlike stopping of our eares agaynst the charmer contrarie to the sweete melting motions of Gods holy spirite in vs hardnesse dulnesse deadnesse and vnfeelingnesse of hart prophanenesse and whatsoeuer is the propertie of bad grouÌ„d contrary to preaching dumbnesse to playne preaching vnprofitable curiositie to painfull and often neglygent and rare preaching Contrarie to a magistracie is auaricie to a godly a wicked to a good a bad and to a faythfull and carefull a neglygent and an Idoll Magistrate And to conclude contrarie to the kingdome of God in anie of vs is the diuel and all his workes the vaine pompe and glorie of the world with all couetous desires of the same and the carnall desires of the flesh to follow and be lead by them All these therefore we pray as heartely truly against as we 〈◊〉 for the other wheÌ„ we say Thy kingdom come And let al that heare me consider of it what we see to day namely thus much that if we feele no true testimonies in our soules that wee are the children of this kingdome but enimies to it hinderers letters obscurers of it by our workes wordes and thoughts our owne tongues and hearts and all the tongues heartes vnder heauen praying this prayer rise vp agaynst vs and if we will not be reformed desire of the Lorde that hee will take vs away confound vs and destroy vs by his iudgemeÌ„ts that his kingdome may increase and rise And what fearefull thing is this To our owne lippes the Lord wil grant the confusion of our selues the prayer of one shall bee heard of two or three by faithfull promise but the prayer of thousands and ten thousand thousands euen of all the Churches and chosen throughout the worlde yea of whatsoeuer millions in them that praie this prayer what a shrike maketh it in the heauens to the Lorde and how will hee rushe vp in his iust conceiued anger and accomplishe what they aske Therefore with shaking hearts at so great a perill let vs consider of it Wee feeders and Fathers spirituall of the Lordes people let vs thinke vpon it and enter into accountes how wee doe further we or hinder we this kingdome of the Lord speake wee or spare we sound we or sinne wee labour we or loyter wee for Gods sake what doe we Wo to vs if we do not worke blessed is that seruant whoÌ„ when his maister commeth he shall finde so doing Magistrates and powers consider of it put you forward or put you backward Gods kingdome sleep you or wake you are you nurses or none to the Church of Christ to vertue and pietie destroyers diligent of sin and wickednesse iudge you the cause of the afflicted and poore that you may prosper or doe you contrarie that you may perish what doe you Priuate men iudge and euerie particular person one by one consider of it What do you ruleth GOD in you by his holy spirite working faith to God and loue to men with daily and sundrie fruites of them both Doe you set vp in your owne houses places charges this holy kingdome as much as lyeth in you by priuate admonitions by vertuous examples and by such meanes as you may or do you plucke and pull downe hinder and let by the contraries greatly As you loue your selues thinke of it and then shall wee eache of vs see whether wee praie for our selues or agaynst our selues when we saie this praier and what hope we may haue of the rest whatsoeuer throughout this earth Thy kingdome come is sayd often and in many places if it bee well with vs for our measure in our seuerall places then so often is the Lorde sollicited to be good vnto vs and there is a communion of good vnto the godly by theyr praiers if it bee otherwise alas the time we perish as we liue if we change not speedilie and in some fearefull sort to the testimonie of Gods iustice for the prayer of his chosen so many so often making it and with such spirite of desire must be heard at last Thus praie wee for the kingdome of God and for all the meanes that it ariseth by in the heartes of men thus praie we agaynst whatsoeuer hindereth or withholdeth the same when we saie this petition and in stead of much more that might be saide lette this suffice The iniquitie of our times and the feareful loosenesse of these daies if it be considered will tell al Christian hearts how neâ—dfull euen nowe especially is this praiâ—â— to be made often Let vs pray A Prayer O Diuine Maiestie most mightie GOD heare vs we beseech thee thy huÌ„ble seruants heere gathered together and in that mercie that hath no measure subdue all power of Satan sin in vs still more and more and rule thou euer ouer bodie and soule ouer hart and minde ouer word and worke for Christ his sake and not onely ouer vs but ouer many moe euen that number that thou hast appointed to eternall lyfe To this ende giue thee meanes appoynted by thee thy holy blessed and eternall word Make vs carefull readers of it and carefull hearers of it read vnto vs and giue thy blessing as thou hast done of olde to this indeauour Make vs blessed with them that meditate in thy lawe faythful beleeuers as that Eunuch that had his Bible in the Chariot with him and read in it as he trauayled Profiting searchers with those good Beraeans Feede our faith rayse vp our affiance fasten our hope increase godly knowledge in vs as thou hast done by this meanes in thy children euer Increase the number of able teachers to thy Church O gracious GOD and blesse their labors a more mightie meanes to inlarge thy kingdome than reading is Adde to thy Church by them thousands thousands Cast downe by thy mightie power all holdes and imaginations and euerie thing that is exalted agaynst the knowledge of thee and bring into captiuitie euerie thought to the obedience of thee Strengthen thy people that they neuer despise thy appointed meanes to saue theyr
soules but that thankfull to thy maiestie for the thing they may hate the persons in singular loue for their work sake obeying them and submitting themselues to them as their appointed ouerseers of them that they may giue their accountes with ioy and not with griefe If it fall out otherwise thy iust purpose being to slay those disobedient scorners O Lord O Lorde make strong thy seruants to indure this griefe and not fearing the face of anie whose harts feare nothing nor weighing the godlesse loue of them that loue not the cheerfulnesse to go on through all pikes of worldly vnthankfulnesse through good report and ill report and all snubbes knowing in a sweet feeling that they are vnto thee a sweete sauour of Christ in them that perish as well as in them that are saued And let it neuer be said of vs O heauenly Father as once it was of others that these things beeing done for vs and we professors of thy great mercyes yet thou hast not giuen vs an heart to perceiue and eyes to see and eares to heare vnto this daie but giue vs heart eyes eares for thy mercie sake Circumcise our hearts and the harts of our seed that we may loue thee much our Lord and God and liue with thee for euer Reuiue the spirites of the humble and giue lyfe to them that are of a contrite hart Take awaie our stony harts out of our bodies giue vs harts of flesh Open our vnderstāding as thou didst thy disciples that wee may vnderstand both by reading and preaching to our cōfort Giue vs merciful father that heauēly spirit that leadeth into al truth that happy annointing that teacheth al things that spirit of wisdōe reuelatiō that the eies of our minds may be lightned that wee may know what y e hope of our calling is the riches of that glorious inheritāce prepared for thy Saints That wee may bee strengthened by thy Spirite in the inner man that Christ thy sonne may dwell in our hearts by fayth we able in some measure to comprehend thy louing kindnesse to all penitent weeping and wayling sinners For O Father we haue sinned and darknesse hath entred to rule both bodie and soule if thou helpe not Lord in that mercie that hath no measure looke vppon vs let not his malice destroy the workes that thy mercie hath made His kingdom is death thy kingdom is life ioy for euermore O heauenly God thē let thy kingdome come that wee ruled here by that sauing hand of thine may tast and feele inioy and haue for euer the reward that foloweth such subiectiō in thy glorious kingdome not for our sakes but for Iesus Christ his sake with thee and the holy spirite one maiestie mightie and glorious euer blessed and praised from generation to generation eternally Amen The third Petition Thy will be done c. why followeth this next THE order if we marke it is most fit and good for in the former we prayed that the Lord might rule in vs but that cannot he do if we euer remaine vnwilling stirring and wresting against him and his will inter inuitos enim reluctantes nemo commodè regnare potest therefore very rightly doe wee pray now in the next place that his will may be done And truely very duetie bindeth al children to frame their life according to the will of their fathers and not contrariwise the parents to conforme themselues to the will of their children In the volume of thy booke sayth Dauid it is written of me that I should doe thy will So is it of vs all for this is a matter that concerneth not Dauid only but euery man that hopeth and looketh for the place that Dauid now hath and therefore with Dauid we must all and euery one say most hartely O my God I am content to doe it yea thy law is within my hart that is not ordinarily or superficially thought vpon by me but it is euen my earnest and vehement meditation and desire continually I seeke not mine owne will sayth our Sauiour Christ but the will of the father who hath sent me And let vs thinke that if he did thus that was subiect to no sinne but had receiued all power of God and himselfe was Lord of all what excuse may we haue before his gloriouse face in that high Court of his at the latter day if called into the Kingdom of God and receiued into the adoption of the Sonnes of God we doe not as good children the will of our father but as rebellious wretches euery one his owne will Agayne I came downe from heauen not to doe mine owne will but his will which hath sent me Thus did he as a sonne to his father and thus must we doe if we be sonnes with him And therfore pray we euer and pray we hartely to our heauenly father as here wee are taught Thy will be done For not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Why pray wee that Gods will may bee done and not ours may be done Because our wickednesse is still great in the earth and all the imaginations of the thoughts of our harts by nature are onely euill continually And because the natural man as saith the Apostle perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God For they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can hee knowe them because they are spiritually discerned That is because in truth we are so fallen by our first sinne and our will so corrupted thereby that of our selues wee cannot will the thing that is good no not thinke it but both the will and deede if it be good yea and all our sufficiencie is of him But on the other side the Lords will is all holie and euer holie yea holinesse it selfe and the rule of right for euer Wherfore by good reason we pray as we do Thy will bee done And this being the true ground in deede of our doing let vs by the way consider whether euen this petition assureth not our consciences of their error that say it and of our truth that deny it that in vs or any is left by nature a free will to doe good For are wee not there taught to pray that his will may bee done and not ours We see it And may we contrary to this order pray that our will may bee done that is our owne proper and naturall will Who will say it But I will say it that if I were by nature and of my selfe able to will the thing that is good then might I lawfully and rightly pray that my will might be done Wherefore we see and the world may see how euen this prayer if there were no further proofe yet satisfieth the consciences of men as touching this losse in vs namely of freewill to do or wish good of our selues till the Lord
and not euill So the deliuering of the Gentiles into a reprobate mind and all such examples in the woorde Tertullian against Marcian and Augustine against Iulian handle this matter and may further bee read of it This sufficeth to shewe that although wee say that God willeth often that thing that in it selfe considered is euil yet as it proceedeth from him that it should be so and consequeÌ„tly he the author of euil it followeth not For many times euill is the punishment of euill that is iust with the Lord euer Concerning the second distinction how God may bee the author of the action and yet not of the euill any way in the action sée by these similitudes The Sunne lighting with his hote beames vppon a dead carcasse causeth a strong and loathsome sauour yet is not the Sunne either vnswéete it self or the cause of that vnswéetenes but the carion it selfe For if the Sunne were the cause then euer the like cause the like effect but wee see it is not so but contrary when it lighteth vppon sweete hearbes and odoriferous flowers it draweth out of them great sweetenes and pleasaunt smels Againe the earth wee all knowe with her sap and moysture feedeth and nourisheth al the trees plantes and rootes that are yet is not that earth cause why this tree bringeth a bitter fruite and that hearbe or roote a bad tast but the nature seuerall of y e things themselues is the cause of that Thirdly the pure worde of the Lorde is preached or read and one sauoureth and gathereth to life an other to death and destruction is now y e word cause of those seuerall effects or the creatures themselues blessed or not blessed with Gods holy Spirit Thus may the Lorde then bee author of an action and yet not of the euill in the action and so hee séemeth to will euill when yet in trueth he doeth not What is now his reueiled will All that which in the holy booke of his worde hee hath layd downe and declared to be the duetie which he will haue performed of vs towards him And is this that will which here we pray may be done Yea this is it and therefore if wee will vnderstand this petition let vs looke what is required of vs in this worde and all that we begge of the Lord strength and abilitie to doe We beseech him that whereas the mindes of earthly men burning with lustes are commonly caried to desire and to doe those things that most displease God hee of his mercie will with the mouing of his holy Spirit so chaunge and fashion all the willes of vs all to that will of his maiestie that we may will and wish nothing that his diuine will misliketh Praecamur optamus vt non tantum faciat Deus quod vult sed nos facâ—re possimus quod vult We pray that not onely God would doe his will but that wee may doe what is his will sayth Cyprian To runne ouer all the dueties of a Christian required in the word were too long let vs therefore not so doe but for example sake of all the rest consider these three First we knowe it is the Lords will that wee should beleeue in Iesus Christ whome he hath sent and that by faith in his name wee and all the worlde should obtayne remission of our sinnes and eternall life So God loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And againe This is the worke of God that is the worke that God requireth of you that ye beleeue in him whome he hath sent Wherefore in this petition wee beseech him that that will of his may be done in vs that is that we may receiue grace so to doe and neuer to looke for saluation in any other Secondly we knowe it is the Lordes will that wee should in a true faith leade a holy and cleane life for so sayth the Apostle haec est voluntas dei sanctificatio vestra This is the wil of God euen your sanctification and that ye should absteyne from fornication that euery one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence as the Gentils which know not God What do we then in this petition but beseech the Lord that that will may be daylie done of vs and we daylie chaunged by the renewing grace of his blessed spirite into such men and women as he desireth delighteth in namely into holy creatures walking not after the flesh but after the spirit and so consequently sauouring not the things of the flesh but of the spirit That we may be holy as he is holy That our light may so shine before men as they may see our good workes and glorifie our father which is in heauen that wee may keepe iudgement and doe iustice in our callings that being buried with Christ by baptisme into his death as he is risen froÌ„ the dead to the glory of the father so we also might walke in newnes of life That sinne may not rule in our mortall bodies that we should obey it in the lusts thereof or giue our members as weapons of vnrightiousnes vnto sin That fornication and al vncleannes or couetousnes may not once be named amongst vs as becommeth Saynts That we may putte on as the elect of GOD holy and beloued the bowells of mercy kindnes humblenes of mind mekenes long suffring forbearing one another if any man haue a quarrell to an other and forgiuing euen as Christ hath forgiuen vs and what should I saie We beseche the Lord euen that very GOD of peace to sanctifie vs throughout that our whole Spirit and soule and body may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ And with Dauid we saie in effect Looke if there bee any way of wickednesse in mee and leade mee in the way euerlasting Thus saith Cyprian Voluntas Dei quam stabiliri fieri precamur est quam Christus fecit docuit humilitas in conuersatione stabilitas in fide verecundia in verbis infactis iustitia in operibus misericordia in moribus disciplina The will of God which wee pray to bee established and done is that which Christ both did and taught humilitie in life stabilitie in faith shamefastnes in words iustice in deedes mercie in workes discipline in manners And doe we thus pray then to be holy O my beloued what shall we answer the Lorde then I say not for our vnholinesse but euen for our securitie dulnesse deadnesse and conceiued hartie pleasure in vnholinesse Was it euer counted better than a mockerie to seeme to aske a thing and yet to doe against it To desire a Phisition to helpe vnto health in the meane while our selues with al our might to féede vpon the foes of that wished good Consider then our cases and the cases of
knowledge to vs are meanes to make vs able to performe this petition and to doe his will therefore wee pray also herein for these meanes and the woordes are with the Lord as if wee shoulde euen in playne tearmes say O Lorde giue vs the knowledge stil dayly more and more of thy will out of thy word and giue vs the grace of thy Spirite to that knowledge that we inabled by these meanes may woorke thy will in this life as we ought What else do we aske in it Againe as we pray for all these things so do we as I told you before and must stil tel you in euery petition pray against their contraries For if the one be confirmed the other must be ouerthrowne Now the contraries of these things may be sayd to be of two sorts to wit either such as doe vtterly and wholly and euer resist his holy will or such as are but certaine impedimentes whereby wee do it not so readyly as either we ought or happely would do if they were not Of the first sort is Satan Sinne and the effects of sinne whatsoeuer the flesh or the old man his concupisence the world and such like For no man can serue two masters especially contrary masters such as God and Satan are the Spirit of God and the flesh the new and the old man Of the second sort are ouermuch care for worldly matters feare of men and a number of things that like weightes or burdens vpon our backes presse vs or like fetters about our feete hinder vs that wee go not on altogether so readyly and so fully in this way of doing the will of God as wee in deede ought and would if these lets were not Whatsoeuer they bee then and of whether sort so euer they be forasmuch as they are against that obedience that we pray for in this petition therefore we desire of the Lorde that they may bee remembred and that no let or least impediment may be to hinder that in vs which both in respect of his goodnesse to vs and our duties to him ought with all perfection both of will and worke be perfourmed And thus might we end this petition sauing that some profitable collections or obseruations may bee made of the words as they are layd downe here by our Sauiour I pray you then adde those also The first may be this Wee may obserue and see here both the beginning of mans misery as also the way to draw nere againe to that olde and former innocency Mans misery sprang by disobedience to the will of God as we all knowe and the waie to returne to that good estate againe wherein we were is obedience to that wil as here we learne when wee are taught to praie Thy will be done For we pray for the restitutioÌ„ of those graces in some measure which in our first parents were most perfectly And looke then howe much wee performe to the Lord obedience so much drawe we neere to an happie estate again Wherefore the Lorde sayde it Not euerie one that sayth vnto me Lord Lord shal enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the wil of my father which is in heauen And agayne Whosoeuer shall do my Fathers will which is in heauen the same is my mother sister and brother Obedience then to his holie will is that which will sette vs in good place agayne And therefore trie beloued what measure of this is in you and so lyke or dislyke of your selues Trie with what loue you heare the word with what care you are filled to doe therafter what conscience you make of sinne what name so euer it haue what ioy you haue in the workes of righteousnesse what griefe if frayltie câ—use a fall If you find these in some measure so much bee glad if in greate measure much more bee glad for trulie so much haue wee lefte the waie of death into which we are fallen all by our first parents and so farre haue profited in the waie of lyfe which is true obedience But if our consciences accuse vs in this trial that we haue no desire to know Gods will out of his word although it bee with many mercifull circumstances offered vnto vs no care to liue holily no conscience of sin but some little seruile feare for dread of punishment no spirituall ioy in well doing no inward sorrow for euill doing then tremble we and feare we before the Lorde of heauen and earth for as yet we are in the waie of disobedience which is the waie of death whereinto our first parents fell we are buried in our corruption and dead in sin not risen with Christ wee are heapers vp of wrath against our soules in the daie of wrath contemners of the word which in such sorte hath beene preached vnto vs for which cause that same worde shal iudge vs in the last day and we shal perish Trye then I say and so lyke or dislyke Secondly learning by these wordes As it is in heauen that our obedience ought not to be lame or maymed but euen such both for will and worke as that of the heauenly spirites we are notablie taught what colde comfort there is for vs in our selues and how farre it is off that we or anie liuing should be saued by theyr works For dare any of vs saie we obey the Lords will in earth as it is obeyed in heauen and that there is no imperfection in vs more heere than there If wee dare not if wee cannot then you see wee haue not done all that is commaunded and therefore farre from being iustified by that meanes when we haue not done our dutie Cleaue wee therefore fast vnto our true safetie Iesus Christ the righteous and awaie with such dreames Thirdly doe we not see that this prayer wholie called the Lordes prayer and this petition particularly is prescribed by the Lord vnto al Christians men and women of what degree estate and calling so euer they be and none exempted We see it playnly for to all it is sayde in the Disciples that haue bene are and shall be to the worlds end wheÌ„ you pray pray thus We see it then by consequence agayne that all degrees estates and callings are bound to performe vnto the Lord such perfect obedience as heere is noted and not Monkes Friers Nunnes or some certaine sorte of this order or that onely which yet hath ben taught vs and that others taking some more libertie might find mercie with God for theyr prayers and strict obseruation in truth not of Gods will but of some ceremonies of theyr own deuising But it hath mightely ben shewed to the world and our eyes al that euery plant which the heauenly Father hath not planted shal be plucked vp and therefore let vs beleeue no such follies If we be the Lords we acknowledge our selues bound to performe as full obedience as is performed in heauen and that is
we not sée the guilty quitte and the halter put ouer the innocents head Shall we not see the wicked aduanced and the godly depressed wreaked and wronged and troad vppon Surely we shall see fooles bid speak and wise men bid peace Yea we shall see euery mans mouth ouer foule with loosenesse and fewe mens liues gouerned with vertue Alasse then againe what a place is this Shall the sinnes of himselfe make the Apostle crie Cupio dissolui I desire to bee loosed and to be with Christ And shall not all the sinnes of so sinfull a world together with our own make vs desire it What pleasure had the good prophet who for the very sinne that he sawe hee desired death Did not our Sauiour say it when time was Non rog◠pro mundo I pray not for the world And shall wee ioy in the place so fearefully excepted in the prayer of Christ If wee thinke heauen to bee our home are we not so long from home as we are heere If to depart here hence be to go to lyfe is not to tarrie heere to abide in death If that life be freedome is not this bondage Finally if to bee with God bee our true felicitie to be absent from GOD is it not our sure miserie But whilest we are at home in the bodie we are absent from God sayth the Apostle and therfore think of it What may you now think you beloued to staie you from a true and Christian lothing of this wretched life in so vil◠a world Truely I knowe not excepte you should vnwisely saie there be few that doe it and many that doe it not Which if you should saie then must I answere you as he did that said it Neque minor erit gloria tua si foelix eris cum paucis neque poena leuior si miser eris cum stultis Neither shal thy glory be lesse if thou be happie with fewe neyther thy punishment lighter if thou be miserable with many But I hope you are far from being holden in euill with so bad arguments and therfore I pray you let vs all remember what is sayde vnto vs Loue not this world neither any thing that is in the world For if wee loue the world the loue of the father is not in vs. And the Lord strengthen vs. Seuenthly we see heere by this petition and forme of praier the verie true nature of a childe of God namely to desire pray heartely that both in himselfe and others Gods wil may be knowen and done Yea so heartely and earnestly doth he wish this that to see the contrarie is a vexation to his soule very vehement and great And he deliuered iust lot sayth Sainct Peter vexed with the vncleanly conuersation of the wicked And I saw the transgressours sayth Dauid and was grieued because they kept not thy word yea mine eyes gush out with teares for this cause But of this some thing was sayde before The Lorde enter not into iudgement with vs euer for the want of this sorrow to see other men doe euill saying nothing of our selues our owne euill For how may we answer not our sorrowing but our laughing euen as wee were tickled to see dronkards to heare rimers and railers and idle counterfaiters tearing their tongues against theyr teeth to the dishonour of God the gauling or slaunder of others and the death of their owne soules for euer without repētance which in many of them God may worke but it is smally to bee hoped of as yet God that shall iudge vs knoweth it and telleth vs now whilst we haue time to leaue it that wee cannot answer it The Lord therefore chaunge vs and wee shall be chaunged and make the breach of his will to touch vs deepely both in our selues and others Lastly wee may note here if there were no other Scriptures to shewe vs what an acceptable thing to the Lord the readie and carefull doing of his wil is by this that our Sauiour placeth this petition amongst the first and chiefe desires of his children wee may see our dulnes that must be taught to pray for this obedience and wee may see Gods rich great goodnesse that wil giue vs strength to obey him and then crowne vs for so doing with an immortall crowne as if wee had done all of our selues The Lord giue vs feeling And let thus much suffice of this petition A Prayer O Sweete and gracious Father how deere both is ought to be to a good child the goodwill of his earthly Father And if so how much more deere to thy child the iust and euer holy will of thee his heauenly father In deede hee should pray with hart soule that it may be done And therefore feeling our onely sweete comfort this that wee are thy children wee againe and againe beseech thy maiestie that it may so be Concerning thy secret will reserued to thy selfe O Lord let vs neuer curiously bee searchers and seekers to knowe aboue that which is meete for vs to knowe Much lesse let vs giue our selues by spirites and deuilles and vile meanes to wring out as it were by force from thee the knowledge of tymes and seasons and matters reserued in thy power but let vs euer concerning this bee thus disposed by thy grace in our selues that whatsoeuer this hidden will of thine shal be concerning vs whether to liue or dye to bee poore or rich to be high or low in this world with the same and in the same wee rest and be contented saying in our harts as obedient children let my God and Father do with mee and dispose of mee at his pleasure And when it shall appeare and be reueiled to vs then euen more if more may bee to be contented giuing true and hartie thankes to thy maiestie as well for wo as well for little as much for lowe degree as high degree if so thy pleasure be taking well in worth as thy seruant Iob at thy hands euill things as good things sower as well as sweet and lowring nightes as well as Sunneshine mornings Deere GOD make vs euer blesse thy name with a single hart when we knowe thy will and till thou shewest it leaue it to thy selfe Concerning next thy reueiled will that is all that which in thy worde thou hast layd downe and declared to bee the duetie which thou wilt haue performed of vs toward thee O Lord of mercie wee beseech thee that whereas our mindes burning with lusts are commonly caried to desire and to doe those things that most displease thee thou of thy gracious goodnesse wouldest vouchsafe so to chaunge vs by the power of thy blessed Spirite that we may wil and wish nothing but what thy holy will alloweth Giue vs faith firme and stedfast in thy Sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ And to this faith ioyne in mercie a pure and cleane life graunting vs grace to possesse these vessels in holinesse and honour and not in the lust
rake and rob and pull from many men that which is theirs and not ours How this toucheth many a man I wishe verie hartely may be concluded by priuie feeling of secret guilt not in any broder tearmes layde open by mee Surely beloued it is a grieuous matter to disable my selfe to pray the Lords prayer or anie part of it but so doe all they that are not content with so much bread as is their owne of which they may trulie saie it is ours and therefore beware Thirdly this worde Our truly confirmeth the property of goods wiues children seruants and such like amongst Christians contrary to all prophane and brutish community either by Anabaptists or other heretikes whatsoeuer sought to be establyshed A long and a large matter if it needed a confirmation or a confutation And why doe we saie Dayly Bread or bread for the day The Lord hath pleased so to call it first to note out vnto vs our mortalitie and fading estate if he should not euen dayly feed vs. Secondly to teach vs that it is our dutie dayly to aske what dayly we neede and not to make our praier at once for a yeres or many yeeres prouision because wee woulde take our libertie to praie no more Thirdly that thus hee might bridle somewhat our raging hearts and our endlesse greedie and insatiable desires For many of vs are neuer satisfied neuer pleased with any measure of blessing giuen vs by the Lorde but euer crauing and crying more more This immoderate humour and sinfull vaine the Lord seeketh heere to helpe teaching vs to bee so farre from wishing heaps or any wanton delicates that we are content with dayly bread that is with so much as serueth for that daie and as shall be fit to preserue life honestly not wantonly Knowing it and feeling in the faith of a childe of God that a small thing vnto the iust man is better than greate riches to the wicked and mightie and againe if nothing wanteth to them that feare the Lord that is no profitable and necessarie thing The wise man sayth it The Lord will not famish the soule of the righteous but he casteth away the substaunce of the wicked The King and Prophet sayth I haue bene young c. Cyprian saith Quum Dei sint omnia habenti Deum nihil deerit si Deo non desit And Fides famem non timet That is since all things bee Gods howe shall hee that hath God want any thing except God be wanting to himselfe Faith feares no famine Lastly to assure vs that so well our wants are knowen to the Lorde as that for euerie daie he can tell what is sufficient and what we haue neede of Therefore when it is sayde in the Gospell Your heauenly Father knoweth what yee haue neede of We may adde euerie houre euery day and doe it by warrant of this worde in this petition A most comfortable thing truly to euerie one and especially to them that haue any great carke vpon their hands eyther of children or otherwise For it assureth thē that theyr God is priuie to their estate yea so priuie that he knoweth for euerie day in the weeke and for euery day in their liues what they haue neede of both for themselues and their charges and euen for that cause namely that they should knowe it to be so he hath caused them to praie but for theyr dayly bread not naming anie quantitie but leauing that to himselfe who knoweth better than themselues what will serue the turne and will most assuredlie euer send it them I praie you then thinke of it and so earnestly thinke of it as the knowledge and remembrance of it may euer keepe vs from distrust in such a God and from the effects of distrust namely the vse of anie badde meanes to releeue theyr wāts by For the Lord knoweth our néed and euerie dayes neede yea euerie houres neede and his word is past that he wil not onely knowe it but releeue it as shall bee best I will care for thee I will not fayle thee neyther forsake thee sayth the Lorde And therefore cast thy care in comfort vppon me What an incouragement also may this be euer to vs to goe to our knees and to call vpon our God by prayer when wee heare how priuie he is to our estate If we haue a petition to a man our speeding often lyeth vpon our vtteraunce if we speake well we speede well but if either for feare or bashfulnesse our tongues fayle to tel our case in such full sort as is needfull it should be knowen to the winning of releefe for it then fayle we also often either of all or part of that wee seeke But O happie we it is not so with GOD. If we cannot vtter a word oppressed with some woe or otherwise hindered if we but sigh he heareth he seeth knoweth and knoweth more fully than wee coulde tell him our selues in anie wordes if wee did speake With what a cheere then may we fall before him for any thing we want and saie Lord thou knowest what I would haue though my tongue foulter my want speaketh looke vpon me in thy mercie It seemeth by this that laying vp is vnlawfull You iudge amisse for Ioseph in the cheape yeeres layde vp for deere and so saued his owne his masters and many liues moe and the Lord directed him to this prouidence The Disciples of Antioch sent theyr abilitie to the brethren in Iudaea and it was reserued and layde vp till the famine came that Agabus had prophesied of Act. 11.28 Christ badde gather vp the broken meate and let none of it bee lost the holie Ghost sayth the children lay not vp for the Fathers but the Fathers for the children warranting as you see a laying vp much more proofe if it needed is there Wherefore by praying for daily bread or bread for the daie we are taught to bee content if the Lorde giue no more but wee are not forbidden to reserue it if the Lord doe giue more for the Lordes giftes may not be cast awaie by anie negligence coloured from this place Yet must our reseruation bee voyde of couetousnesse made onely in the reuerence of the Lords giftes to lawfull endes and not to trust in anie store and to robbe the poore and needie when want is What shall wee answere then to those wordes of Christ Care not for to morowe for the morowe shall care for it selfe c. We must aunswere thus and aunswere trulie that our Sauiour there forbiddeth vs to thinke of the morowe with distrustfulnesse but not with prayers and labours How can rich men pray this prayer that haue bread for many dayes and yeeres Because all vse and comfort and safetie of those riches commeth from the Lorde Which except the Lorde giue eyther they loose by some accident their goods or hauing them they haue no power to vse them or vsing them they nourish not as after is proued But
if it be Our bread why should we pray the Lord to giue it the vse beeing to aske that which is not ours If it were ours by duetie you might be thought to saie some thing but if it be ours but by mercie as you haue bene tolde you saie nothing for thinges in mercie giuen must in a feeling of miserie be asked that it is mercy let Iacob tell vs that great seruant of the Lordes who yet confessed that he was not worthie of the least of all the mercies that GOD had giuen him much lesse are wee See you further and I praie you marke them what profitable things this word may teach vs. First it teacheth vs that God is the author and verie spring head of all good be it spirituall or corporal that commeth vnto vs. And consequentlie we are admonished of our miserie that are not of our selues woorth a peece of bread but made beggers of it at his handes that onely dooth and can giue it If we bee not worth so much surely wee are not woorth the kingdome of heauen and euerlasting life This little thinke they that like brute beasts sit downe to eate their giuen bread and rise agayne when they are filled not once eyther in heart or voice remēbring the giuer of it Let such remember what the Apostle teacheth that the creatures of God are not sanctified vnto vs so that wee may vse them with a good conscience but by the word and by praier Let them looke vpon the little birdes which sing so sweetlie in their kind before they seeke for meat in the morning It teacheth vs agayne euer so to get our wealth and riches in this life as we may truely saie and comfortably feele that the Lord hath giuen them Which we cannot if stealth be the means or vsurie or oppression or any condemned way whatsoeuer For then the deuill helpeth vs and when anie losse happeneth of them there is a double griefe one at the loosing and another at the secrete thought of the iudgement of God ouer thinges not well come by When as if the meanes be good as right inheritaunce or true labour with Iacob to our masters or such like then are our gettings the gift of God the blessings of his mercy vpon our labours and inioying it euer with a good conscience we loose it also if so the Lord wil with a quiet mind saying with Iob in a Christiā comfort the Lord gaue and the Lorde hath taken away blessed bee the name of the Lord. Fourthly in saying Giue wee are taught that albeit we labour neuer so much being so commanded to do yet except the Lorde bestow the blessing our labours cannot attaine to any thing according to the Prophet except the Lord keepe the citie the watchman waketh but in vayne yea in vayne do we rise vp earely and goe late to bed eating the bread of sorowe except the Lord bestow a mercie vpon our paynes and trauell With the Lord we haue al things and without him wee haue nothing If the earth fructifie it is not tilled without God Psal 108.33 Mich. 6.15 Agge 1.6 If he sayd it truely Regnum Persicum creuisse deo ducente ipsis Regibus prompte sequētibus that the kingdome of Persia florished because that God lead and the kinges readely folowed Surely al men must say that by the same meanes and not otherwise either their Countries Townes or houses haue their good whatsoeuer it is Respublica dei ope auxilio multò magis quà m ratione hominum consilio gubernatur the Common wealth saith Tully is gouerned by the helpe and hande of God much more than by any reason or counsell of men And vbi non deus sed mortalis aliquis praeest ibi malorum nullum effugium Where man not God gouerneth there is no auoyding of euill when it commeth vpon them saith an other Againe Scitis quod neque multitudo nec robur in bello victoriā adfert sed qui deo iuuāte magno animo in hostes impetū faciunt eos non sustinent hostes Ye knowe that neither multitude nor strength getteth victorie in battell but if any stoutly assayle their enemies God setting to his helping hand such assault is not euer to be abidden So haue heathens acknowledged what here Christians are taught that labour auaileth not to get any bread except GOD giue it and giue it dayly It comfortably assureth vs againe of God his readynes to giue for otherwise hee woulde neuer haue commanded vs to aske and say giue Last of all we meaning in this petition not only that God should giue vs bare bread but the healthfull nourishment also of it and the strength of it and not onely goods and liuing according to our places and needes but the godly honest vse also of the same wee learne by this worde giue that aswell this also commeth from God as the other a thing either not knowne or fowly forgotten of a number And therefore they robbe GOD of his glory and ascribe to the creatures that which is the power of the creator and to the meanes that which they can not haue except the Lorde blesse them as meanes I meane to nourish vs and to sustayne vs healthfully and well For marke you what the Lorde sayth to his people Israell When I shall breake the staffe of your bread then ten women shall bake their bread in one ouen and they shall deliuer your bread againe by weight you shall eate but not be satisfied The staffe of bread is the strength and power to nourish which you heare the Lord himselfe say is giuen and taken away by him If hee take it away the dainties and delicacie of Princes feede them not but they pyne away in the midst of them all and if hee giue this staffe to it the pulse water that Daniel fed vpon maketh a fayrer face and giueth a better liking than any portion of the Kinges meate See this in rich and poore mens children also playnely the one fully and costly fed yet prospereth not the other seldome fully and euer coursely fed and yet both fat and fayre and healthy Such is the gift of God that now we speake of and herein pray for yea so farre may it be from nourishing vs that it may choke vs if the Lord giue not gift vnto gift and mercy to mercy for so did the flye Adrian the 4. and an haire an other The Lord was able to make his Prophet Eliah to walke fortie dayes fortie nightes in the strength of a course cake baked on the coales of a pot of water and the Lord was able to nourish Moses as long in the mount without any meat at all to tell vs that man liueth not by bread onely but by euery worde that commeth out of the mouth of God I said also the vse of riches came of the Lord and see your selues if it be not so Doth not the
Preacher say that he had beheld an euill vnder the sunne and it was a great one much amongst men euē a man to whom God hath giuen riches and treasures honour and hee wanteth nothing for his soule of all that it desireth but God giueth him not power to eat therof but a straunge man shall eate it vp Sée you and marke it howe God is not onely the giuer of riches but euen of the vse also power to eat of them which gift he bestoweth and withholdeth at his pleasure The rich man layd vp for many yeeres but the Lord would not haue him to liue and inioy then the things he had the vse hee had not longer then God gaue it But euen when hee least thought his soule was called for and then like a foole he had heaped too much vp for other men This is that which the wise Syrach sayth Some man is rich by his care and nigardship and this is the portion of his wages meaning his reward is to haue them but not to vse them for when he should beginne to eate of them the time draweth neere that hee must leaue al these things vnto other men and dye him selfe Wherefore I say praying in this petition not onely for the things but euen also for the vse comfort Whē we say giue wee are taught that euen the vse also is of the Lord. And thus do you see what great profite this one worde hath in this petition and what we may learne by it Why do wee say giue vs and not giue me First to teach vs to remember our brethren as well as our selues to bee carefull for them and to wish them all needfull things as to our selues according to the true nature of Christian charitie which seeketh not her owne things onely but euen other mens also as well Which when it is considered what O Lord may those men say for the quiet of their consciences that haue neuer enough themselues but euen as if God and all his blessing belonged only to them and that they only should dwell in the world alone rake and scrape to themselues with might and mayne but of their brethren they neuer thinke No so farre are they from praying for them that God would giue them their daylie bread as that if they haue any part or portion of it they are hartely desirous to haue it from them yea sicke vpon their beddes often as was wicked Achab till they haue gotten Naboths vineyard inheritance do these men pray Da nobis Giue vs good Lorde our daylie bread that is giue my brethren as well as to my owne soule what is néedfull to them giue al thy children as to me their daylie wants No no if they might say it for shame they would say giue mée all and let the rest receiue of me if they will haue ought But what they shame to say they shame not to wish and therefore as often as they say this prayer they abuse the Lord and it is his mercie that presently hée striketh not so great hypocrisie as to say vs with lippes as if they meant many and mee with heart meaning but themselues Learne therefore beloued by a common word to haue a common hart It liketh the Lord that wee loue our brethren and it liketh him not that we loue only our selues We say not giue me but giue vs and let vs doe thereafter euen ioyne them in prayer with our selues and wish them bread as to our selues that is all necessaries Secondly wee are by this maner of speaking taught the true vse of such portion as God giueth vs namely so to haue it as that others haue part with vs. For wee are but Stewards of the Lords gifts And non tibi soli datur quod habes sed per te dat Deus alijs It is not giuen what thou hast to thy selfe alone but by thee GOD giueth the same to others His minde being that thou shouldest so impart them Thy meate is giuen to comfort others as thou mayst and a ioy it will be if thou canst say with Iob I haue not eaten my morsels alone but the fatherlesse hath eaten with me Thy wooll is giuen thée to clothe the naked and a comfort great it is when a man may say with Iob againe I haue seene none perish for want of clothing neither any poore without a couering but their loynes haue blessed me because they were clothed with y e fliece of my sheepe Iob had lodging and he thought it giuen to releeue the straunger he had authoritie and he thought it giuen to helpe the poore in iudgement not to oppresse them And so euer haue others of Gods children possessed for others not onely for themselues what the Lorde bestowed vppon them Wherefore if no other mouth should euer iudge thē their owne mouthes sufficiently charge all miserable wretches and wretched misers of this earth as often as they pray this prayer because they say giue vs in the plurall number and yet where they haue receiued they vse it scarce in the singular number being so farre from releeuing others with any comfort they haue as that they little may finde in their harts often to reléeue themselues Let vs be warned before wee smart for wretchednesse Wee pray not for our selues alone but for others we receiue not for our selues alone but for others and therefore let vs impart the Lords giuen graces both to our selues and to others So shal we shew our selues children of our heauenly father who is bountifull to all and hard to none dealing his gifts in such fauour and fulnesse euer that all tongues may speake of his praise and all harts conceiue of his mercie That God and Father make vs like him in this and all our dueties Amen The Prayer MIghtie GOD most louing Lorde after thinges concerning thy glorie it is thy gracious fauour to vs frayle wretches that we should boldly aske what concerneth our necessities and wants promising euen therein also to be merciful vnto vs and to heare our prayers Wherefore both in obedience to thy commaundement and faith in thy promises wee throw downe our selues here before thee beseech thee to giue vs this day our daily bread that is good Lord as thou hast taught vs all things needfull to the maintenance of this life Giue vs meate drinke and clothing for our bodies Giue vs of the dew of heauen and fatnesse of the earth as thy blessed pleasure shall vouchsafe vs to our good If it please thee to giue more O Lorde make vs thankfull and faithful stewards to dispose thy mercies to our brethren that shall haue neede If it please thee to giue lesse chaunging thy hand to bring vs with thy seruaunt Moses out of the Court to keepe a flock of sheepe and with Dauid from high fauours to many feares O God and father mercifull euen with that portion of bread
them not their committed euill and how earnestly hee prayed for that forgiuenesse Oh sayth he this people haue sinned a great sinne and haue made them Gods of gold Therefore now if thou pardon their sinne thy mercie shal appeare but if thou wilt not I pray thee rase me out of the booke which thou hast written Remember the words of the Apostle Paul to the like effect I say the truth in Christ I lye not my conscience bearing mee witnesse in the holy Ghost that I haue great heauinesse and continuall sorowe in my hart For I would wish my selfe to be separate from Christ for my brethrē that are my kinsmen according to the flesh See beloued and marke wherein the best loue of man to man consisteth and is shewed namely by wishing his spirituall good the good of his soule the forgiuenesse of his sinnes and as the Prophet Dauid sayth the lifting vp of y e light of the Lords countenance vpon him O patternes of loue in this behalfe to their brethren Moses and Paule inimitable of vs vnlesse the Lord assist For where is this heauinesse of hart and continuall sorrowe to see our brethren sinne and by sinne to indaunger themselues here and for euer Where are those flouds of teares which Dauid sayd gushed out of his eyes because men kept not Gods commaundements Alas how strange a tale is this to vs Well it should not be straunge Neither Moses nor Paule would haue wished themselues accursed of God to haue gayned to their brethren ten thousande worldes or any worldly good whatsoeuer but to gayne them spirituall good they did it and therefore much more are wee to care for the saluation of our brethren than for their glorie in this earth if we will imitate them Dauid would neuer haue gushed out teares to see them want wealth but to see them want grace he did Wherefore let vs learne how to loue our brethren wel let vs learne what most pleaseth and displeaseth God what most profiteth and hurteth our neighbours and more hartely pray for the remissiō of their sinnes than for any worldly good It is good loue to wish God his comforts to our frends and to bee greatly touched with their misdoings toward God It was for sinne and the effects of sinne that Ieremy saw in the people and readie to fall vpon them that made him wish his head full of water and his eyes a fountaine of teares and that he had a cottage in the wildernesse to sit and sorrowe in Therefore much doe wee seeke for our brethren when we seeke the pardon of their sinnes at Gods hande for them Now beloued if wee bee bound to beseech God to forgiue them their sinnes agaynst him iudge your selues if we bee not bound to forgiue them our selues their sinnes agaynst vs. And agayne what their case is that will euery day say this prayer with their tongues and desire God to forgiue both them and their brethren their sinnes and by and by both goe themselues with many flattring baytes earnest alluremēts euen almost violent constraynts pull the same their brethren to sinne agayne without remorse and feeling Can wee both bee mediators for pardon and tempters to mischiefe with God his good liking Fearefully therefore doe thousands offende and thinke not of it If we will pray for remission for our selues others we must keepe our selues and others as the Lorde will strengthen from such euill agayne when we are pardoned Away then with this good fellowship that tempteth vnto sinne and if any allure you my brethren if other denyals will not serue aske them whether they haue sayd any prayers that day or not if they haue not iudge if that be good companie to go withall or no if they haue aske them if they haue not therin besought God to pardon both their owne sinnes and other mens if they haue how may they then with one breath send foorth good and euill pray for good prouoke to euill aske pardon and doe the thing agayne So shall Satan flye from you The next word is Our what doth that note vnto vs. It sheweth vs what is the qualitie of our riches and wealth for wee haue playde the merchantes and transsigned with an outlandish rouer called the deuil and with him we haue dealt by exchaunge Our barke was fraighted with knowledge with loue with humilitie with ioy with peace with long suffering with gentlenesse with goodnes with faith with méeknesse with temperance and to go no further with all grace and innocencie So that wee might saie of these iewells that they were ours but now we haue vnladed the bark by subtill perswasion and freight it a newe with this rouers wares with ignoraunce with hatred with pride with sorrowes with adulterie with fornication with vncleannesse with wantonnes Idolatry witchcraft debate emulations wrath contentions seditions heresies enuie murther dronkennesse gluttonie and such like yea with all want of grace and impuritie So that nowe wee must saie the former were ours and these are ours This is our lading nowe and this haue wee profited by this rouer now Now we must saie Forgiue vs our trespasses then might we saie continue thy graces thē was grace our lading now are we freight til we sink again with sinnes and trespasses Alasse that this word Ours should be applied to these But thus are we fallen and of vs it is nowe sayde that all the imaginations of the thoughts of our hearts are onely euill continually that we are borne in iniquitie and conceiued in sinne and that wee are not able so much as to think a good thought of our selues Wherefore as I saie this word in our petition telleth vs the quality of our wealth and that our gardens haue growing too much rue in them and too litle hearbe of grace Trespasses bee ours nowe but no trespasses were ours once This thought Sainct Ambrose of when he sayd Diues eras ad imaginem et similitudinem Dei factus perdidisti quod habebas perdi disti pecuniam accepisti a diabolo debitum quod non erat necessarium c. What is our debt but sinne Thou wast rich and made to the image and similitude of God but thou hast lost what thou hadst thou hast lost thy money and taken of the deuill a debt that was not necessarie The best waie for vs is to vnlade agayne this bad merchaundise that we haue got of this rouing merchant by humble prayer to the Lord to forgiue vs our trespasses and to drowne them in the botome of the Sea that they neuer more may be seene aiding vs strengthening vs and confirming vs against our greate and grieuous weakenesse which the Lorde for his mercie sake doe If you will proceed in order the word Trespasses is next The Greeke wordes which the holie Ghost hath vsed in these places here noted are diuerse yet tending to the same matter that he will not giue
into it through frailtie yet God giuing mee true repentance for it Credo remissionem I beleeue the forgiuenes of it Yea it is the cōfort spirituall that cannot bee spoken of that God woulde haue his children so sure of the pardon of their sinnes euen of all their sinnes without exception whereof hee giueth them a dislike true abhorring as that he would haue it an article of their fayth so that they should not be sound christians if they beleeued it not Lastly euen this petition of the Lordes prayer crauing dayly forgiuenes of dayly trespasses dare you restrayne it to trespasses committed onely before repentance and exempt all second falles after such repentance and purpose to amend the Lord forbid And therefore take it also with the former as a sure proofe of pardon also for these offences So doe you see what answere your question hath out of Gods booke onely therefore beware presumption beware loosenes beware negligence and due care to auoyd these seconde falles say not God is mercifull and therefore I will sinne For as hee is gratious to a sorowfull sinner so is hee dreadfull to a presumptuous offender and frailtie shall finde mercy when boldnes shall find iudgement and wrath for euer Surely I see it is a great comfort to a Christian conscience that the Lord hath put into our daylie prayer this petition and it mightely assureth vs of his mercie In deede it is so but yet this appeareth nothing so much as it would if our eyes sawe or our harts felt what loathsomnesse lodged in vs and what iust matter of eternall confusion wee haue both in bodie and soule if mercy were not For this is it that giueth a feeling of the sweetnesse of this prayer when the Lorde shall graunt vs a true sight of our owne estate and pearcing eyes into our inwarde deepes When the Lorde shall inable vs truely to see what a masse of corruption wee are how vile how miserable how polluted in our thoughtes workes and deedes in bodie and soule in hart and minde within and without and all ouer how filthie how loathsome and how abhominable wee are and when hee shall ioyne vnto this sight a terrour and a trembling at the true view of Gods most fearefull iudgement due vnto this estate and most firmely tyed vnto it euen as God is iust And I say when the Lord granteth it for most assuredly wee haue it not of our selues nay wee flatter and deceiue euery man his owne hart in this point we thinke all is well with vs and wee knowe not our selues But what are we O my beloued my heart vnderstandeth not the sinnes of man and therefore my tongue cannot lay them open before you I say with Dauid myne owne sinnes are secret vnto me and therefore much more all your sinnes and most of all the sinnes of all mankinde Yet somewhat heare you of the meditation of my hart to the better opening of the necessitie and goodnesse of this petition and learne by this little to thinke of more and to wade your selues into the deepes that you knowe and I knowe not when I haue led you the way as farre as I doe knowe I haue before in this petition shewed you the Herauld of heauen blazeth our armes and expresseth our colours namely that we are all become abhominable and there is none y t doth good no not one That no flesh liuing is able to bee iustified in his sight that none can say my hart is cleane I am pure from sinne That the very imaginations of our harts are euill euen from our youth that we are not able to thinke a good thought of our selues with a number such All which places are not so to bee taken as if they charged any of vs with a little euill or fewe sinnes and small but they conuince vs of huge and great sinne and of generall corruption euen in our wayes which will verie well appeare if alyke wee compare our selues with the Lordes choyce children commended to vs in the word Stand before me then I pray thee whose hart quaketh not for any sinne you knowe in your selues and tell mee whether you dare eyther with your tongues say or with your hearts thinke that you are in as great a measure sanctified as Dauid was If you dare not consider well then what Dauid notwithstanding his greate graces giuen him sayth of himselfe in his Psalmes There is no rest in my bones because of my sinne for mine iniquitie is gone ouer mine head and as a waightie burthen they are too heauie for me to beare Had Dauid no rest in his bones for his sin and haue you rest in your selfe and yet dare not compare with him in sanctification How commeth this to passe but because you neyther see nor feele what is in your selfe as hee did Innumerable troubles sayth he agayne haue compassed mee about my sinnes haue taken such holde on me that I am not able to looke vp yea they are mo in number than the haires of my head and my heart hath failed me O the dulnesse of our feeling howe shoulde I laie it before vs better than by such examples If Dauids sinnes were mo than his haires how many are ours thinke you Surely moe than the sand of the sea if they had taken holde on him what haue ours done on vs If he could not for them looke vp how may we looke downe And finally if his heart began to shake how Lorde may ours but shake and quake if wee knew our selues Iudge euen your selfe anie one that is here if it be not so seeing you grant me you dare not compare with Dauid Wounded then are wee euen to many deaths and yet we knowe it not Ponder it with your selfe also what that great seruant of God Ezra sayth of himselfe in this case O my GOD sayth he I am confounded and ashamed to lifte vp mine eyes vnto thee my God for our iniquities are increased ouer our head our trespasses are growen vp to the heauen and wee cannot stande before thee because of our sinne And Daniel againe We haue sinned wee haue committed iniquitie we haue done wickedly yea wee haue rebelled agaynst thee and departed from thy precepts See how no words can contēt him to expresse his guilt withall Therfore I saie when the Scripture chargeth vs with sinne it is no small sinne that we must dreame of but monsterous corruption and horrible before the Lord if we could see it all Yet doth euery one deceiue his owne heart and being in this most dreadfull and desperate case feeleth it not but thinketh all is wel till euen the last houre ouertake vs then Satan chargeth vs to the full we despaire But trulie if we learn to charge our selues now in the time of health our burthen shall not be so great in the time of sicknesse And therefore I praie you do it either by many times comparing your liues with these great Saintes of
but against principalities and powers and agaynst worldly gouernours the Princes of darknesse of this worlde agaynst spirituall wickednesse which are in the high places and which farre excéed vs in strength therfore great neede haue wee to beseech the Lord to stand with vs in this battayle to helpe vs. Which we do in this petition For Quicquid humana fragilitas cauere aut vitare non praeualet hîc a nobis ab illo propitio conferri petimus Whatsoeuer sayth Austen mans frailtie is not able to take heed of or auoid that do we beseech the Lorde heere may bee giuen vs in his mercie Lastly the diligence and indeauour of our aduersarie to winne and his crueltie if he do winne is so great that we haue neede and need agayne to vse this petition Bee sober and watch sayth the Apostle for your aduersarie the deuill goeth about like a roring Lyon seeking whom he may deuour His continuall walking sheweth his diligence and his blody deuouring noteth his cruelty Thus haue we the equitie of this prayer yea the necessitie of it euer whilest we liue in this wretched vale of these assaultes and daungers In respecte of which necessitie no doubt both our Sauiour first taught it and also in his worde so often repeateth it Watch ye and pray ye that ye enter not into temptation The spirit in deede is willing but the flesh is fraile With such lyke places And very truely sayeth Hierome Non est nostrarum virium cum hostibus nostris spiritualibus congredi eos vincere sed Dei It is not our strength that may ioyne with our spirituall foes and ouercome them but the Lord must do it Is all this 〈◊〉 one Petition They that make seauen petitions in this Lords prayer do deuide this last into two to make vp their number of which sort is Thomas of Aquine Lyra and others But the better iudgement is theirs that make but sixe petitions in al and but one of this Of which sort againe are Austen and Cyprian who make this later as in deede it is but an exposition of the former as if hee should haue sayd to that ende that we may bee deliuered from euill O Lord leade vs not into temptation And this whole last petition may fitly be deuided thus into the petition it selfe Ne nos inducas in tentationem and into the exposition or interpretation of the same sed libera nos à malo But men do not agree in reading this petition For some say Leade vs not and others say Let vs not be led In deede it is true Some are afrayde and haue bin that if they should say Leade vs not into temptation they should fall into that foule errour of the Manichees that God might be the author of euill And therefore to auoyd that they haue thought rather good to say Let vs not be led But both the best and auncientest translation and reading is the first and so translated and read it many a yeere agoe Tertullian and others of the elder fathers And doth not thinke you that reading giue some aduantage to the enemie that wee make God the author of sinne Not a whit iustly For as you haue heard before in this booke it is one thing to bee author of a matter an other thing to be author of y e forme in playner termes to bee author of an action and of the euill in the action or of the action When the Apostle sayth in him we liue and moue and haue our being what meaneth hee but that God is author of all our actions in respect of matter as wee speake that is the motion power and strength of body to go hether or thether and to doe this or that is of God for without his helpe we could not stirre but as for forme if it be euill that is as for the corruption fault and euill of our actions that is of our selues and not of God as author and worker though euen of that also he is the guider and gouernour that it shall not passe the limits that he liketh As in Iosephs brethren and many other examples are playne Wherefore wee may not for want of true vnderstanding how to take them alter the phrases and consequently the truth of GOD. You see how the Spirite speaketh God hardned the hart of Pharaoh God gaue them vp to vile affections and deliuered them vp into a reprobate minde The Lorde mingled among them the spirit of error God shall send them strong delusions and a number such He doth not say God suffred Pharaohs hart to be hardned God suffred them to be giuen to vile affections or to a reprobate mind c. But God hardened gaue and deliuered and mingled and sent These are all as much as to say Leade vs not into temptation And therefore if these may be vsed without making the Lord any author of euil then may this petition also no doubt in this order and if in these places wee neede not to chaunge the text and to say God let Pharaoh be hardened or God let them be giuen ouer c. No more neede wee here to translate or interpret this petition thus Let vs not be lead into temptation But to remember euer that though the Lord doe and bee sayd to leade into temptation yet is there neuer any euill in him but either iustice to some to punish sinne with sinne or mercie to others to trye them and exercise them that after they haue shewed patience and faith obedience humilitie loue and comfort in their tryalles he may set a Crowne of great glorie vpon their heads to their euerlasting life in a glorious kingdome And in the meane time by those their vertues glorifie his name amongst men here and incite others to tread the steps of so happie a course So that what the Lord doth is euer good and for further treatise of this thing turne backe agayne to that which hath bene sayd before Yet it seemeth wee crosse S. Iames by this reading who sayth If any man bee tempted let him not euer say hee is tempted of GOD for GOD cannot bee tempted of euill neither tempteth he any man But euery man is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is entised c. Nothing at all truely if you marke things well For S. Iames there descending from outwarde temptations to wit afflictions whereby God tryeth vs to inward that is to those lustes whereby wee are stirred vp to do euill sheweth that euery man is author of those temptations to himselfe and not God forasmuch as wee beare about in our bosomes that wicked corruption which taketh occasions by what meanes soeuer to stirre vp euill motions in vs whenceout at length proceede wicked doings and in conclusion followeth death the iust reward of them All which is no other than the very same that hath bene said For wee euer confesse that
more pitie And yet doth the Lorde so in deede whensoeuer he powreth his mercies vpon man or woman in this world For as with a gager he gageth them by those blessings openeth and reueyleth what maner of stuffe they are within thankfull or vnthankfull kinde or vnkinde humble or proude carefull or carelesse to please the giuer finally whether good or bad he maketh it seene Wherfore a little to helpe vs in this tryall it is good to consider many times of these poyntes First how in truth I come by the blessings that I inioy secondly to what manner of persons the continuance of them is promised thirdly the true ende and right vse of them and lastly the fearefull examples of abuse These things will profite vs if wee knowe them well Concerning the first therfore it is too common with both great and small to sticke in second causes and to light short of the chiefe fountayne and well head in deed Why we haue health welth friendes mariages honor credit offices children and a thousand of Gods comfortable fauours in this life we can alleage many reasons that I wil not stand to repeat But the reason of reasons either wee alleage not euer or it pearceth no further within the teeth than the tip of the tongue is The Lorde hath giuen Whereas in deede the whole course of Scripture teacheth that this is the head and roote of all our ioyfull daies and dealings and euer was and onely is and can bée either for our good if we vse them well or for our plague if we do the contrary Ioseph a poore mans childe came to a great place in the lande of Aegipt if we marke it well when the King sayd to him onely in the Kings throne will I be aboue thee When he was ouer all the Kings Court and ouer all the land when the King commaunded al his people to bee armed at his worde tooke his owne ring of his owne finger and put it vpon his hand arayed him in garments then of the richest with a chayne of golde about his necke set him vpon the best Charret he had saue one and all the people cryed before him as he ridde for honor sake vppon their knees tender Father Ioseph was also wise and full of the spirit of God Yet least wee should prattle prophanely of Fortune and lucke or dote vndutifully vppon his gifts and so robbe the Lorde of his due honor it is expressely sayde that the Lorde was with Ioseph and made all that hee did to prosper in his hand The Lorde therefore author of all his prosperitie and aduauncement whatsoeuer Dauid the yongest brother that little ruddie cheeked Shepheard from his hooke and his cloake his Sling and Scrip came to the famous kingdome of Israel and therein ruled with great honor and princely maiestie for his time yet neither by wisedome nor pollicie of himself or his frends but the Lord tooke him from following the Ewes great with young and made him ruler of his people And Dauid prospered and grewe for the Lord God of Hostes was with him sayth the text So that God was the fountayne of all his good Which as a true childe and thankfull to his God the same Dauid afterwarde remēbred to his sonne Salomon when hee tolde him that hee should build a house for the Lord and should therfore prosper because the Lord should bee with him Salomon againe confessed it when he sayd that euerie man eateth and drinketh seeth the commoditie of his labor this is the gift of God Beholde I will sende you corne and wine and oyle and you shall be satisfied therewith and I will no more make you a reproche among the Heathen sayth the Lord. And againe by another Prophet The seede shal be prosperous the vine shall giue her fruit and the ground shall giue her increase and the heauens shall giue their dew and I will cause the remnant of this people to possesse all things So euer it is the note that the Scripture keepeth that all prosperitte and well doing in this world is the gift of God and cannot be attayned agaynst his will Which lykewise might be shewed in anie particular that can bee named if we wold take that course Al which we note not nowe so much to teach a thing vnknowen as to remember a thing not thought of or at the least not so duely and often and earnestly thought of as it should be I speake what I knowe and what hidden consciences must needes confesse to be too true For coulde it be if wee did thus thinke that there should bee so little care of such a GOD in many as there is whose backes be laden yea and euen pressed as it were downe to the ground with the hope of God his mercies Whose tables richly hee hath deckte in despight of their foes whose head with balme he hath refreshed whose cuppes doe ouerflow No no. But if our wretches hearts did feele it and that with a power as these motiōs vse to heaue in Gods Saincts O my sweete God and deere Father this is thy dooing for thy wretche and all these things that I inioye goe to particulars they are thy giftes who mightest haue sette mee at the doore with my pitcher to begge my foode and farre otherwise haue dealt with me if thou wouldest I tell you it would wring foorth other loue and fruits to such a God again than appeare in many And therefore assuredly wee thinke not of the fountaine and giuer of these things as we should Amend then what is amisse and giue the Lord his due It is he that hath lifted out of y e mire and set any with the Princes euen with the Princes of the people It is hee that blesseth the basket and the dow it is he that hath giuen whatsoeuer good thing wee inioy and cursed we if we denie it or carelesly neglect the sweete meditation of it euer But to what end now hath he done all these thinges Truely euen to proue mee and trye me what I wil do to him againe and that it may appeare to the world and to mine owne eyes what maner of man or woman I am within and in déede one that will bee puft vp and forget both God and my selfe in prosperitie or one that will euen weepe water of myne eyes in y e zeale of my soule to please such a father grieue that I cannot as I wish and most hartely would And if I bee the former that the Lordes iustice may bee warranted if hee change my copie if the later that my soule may feele comfort in so sweete a God not onely heaping his mercies vpon me greatly but giuing mee further a childes heart withall to loue my kind father so much the more which is aboue al. And which in déed is the very end of Gods mercies and blessings Let Dauid speake that man according to the Lordes owne heart What did Gods
kindnes worke in him whilst the spirit preuailed O my God what shall I render againe vnto thee for al the mercies that thou hast bestowed vpon me What I say shall I render render againe as if he should say I know these blessings require a duetie of mee a loue a zeale a heart a soule a mind a life to the glory and prayse of such a God And in trueth it is so For we our selues for our petite benefites require men to be ours in all lawfull sort faithfully firmely with tongue and heart and hand with body and goods and al. And what comparison with the Lord O louing God what can man do for vs like thee and yet howe care we to please them and forget thee O Lorde awake Remember also what the Prophet complaineth of saying But this people hath an vnfaythful and rebellious heart they are departed and gone And why for they say not in their heart let vs nowe feare the Lorde our God that giueth rayne both earely late in due season hee reserueth vnto vs the appoynted weekes of the haruest As if he should haue sayd this effect shoulde Gods blessings vpon them haue euen earnestly and hartely to make them seeke the Lorde and serue him and with many a feruent motion to thinke of so good a GOD as in mercy poureth so many comforts vppon vnworthy wretches And especially marke it that because they did not thus therefore he saith they had rebellious harts and were gone away A fearefull sentence of a true iudge concerning all vnthankfull vsers of prosperitie Againe the same Prophet in an other place They shal come reioyce in the light of Sion shal come to the bountifulnes of the Lord why euen for the wheate and for the wyne and for the oyle and for the increase of sheepe and bullockes and their soule shall be as a watered garden c. Sée still what Gods mercies should woorke in vs euen a reioysing in so deare a Father and not a going but a running to his seruice worship that is so kind vnto vs. Knowest thou not saith the Apostle that the riches of his bountifulnes and patience and long suffering leadeth thee vnto repentance In effect knowest thou not that if God be thy deare sweete and tender Father that thou againe art bound to bee his louing carefull and obedient childe In trueth it should be so And if the Lord were not in his goodnesse past the reach of any mortall braine he might say also his benefites had caught a goodly reward or catch of my goodnes for alas what are wee or what is our loue yet since it is his mercy vnmeasurable and vnsearchable to stande so contented and to seeke no more pardoning in his deare Iesus all imperfections O my bleloued fathers and brethren what soeuer that vouchsafe your eyes to reade these papers let vs not deny him what if he were not such a God as he is were not worth hauing when wee gaue it namely our poore hearts our weake loue our harty obedience our care and diligence to bee what with so many mighty mercies receiued we are bound to bee For truely if giuing man must haue of all honest receiuers not the words onely of mouth but the sincere affection of the soule our giuing God must haue the very soule of our soule and all that is within vs for his goodnes to vs. And blessed is that man and woman that loued of the Lord aboue all measure by his giuen grace loue him againe in their measure as they can Truely to such shall be euen a continuance of mercy as shalbe good For then shalt thou prosper if thou obserue his statuts sayth Dauid to his sonne Salomon and therefore my sonne the Lord giue thee only wisedome and vnderstanding to do this Vzziah sought y e Lord the Lord made him prosper sayth y e text Iotham became mightie because hee directed his way before the Lord his God What man is he that feareth the Lord him will he teach the way that hee shall choose His soule shal dwel at ease his seede shall inherite the land If ye consent and obey yee shall eate the good things of the lande but if ye refuse and bee rebellious you shall bee deuoured with the swoorde for the mouth of the Lorde hath spoken it With a number such places in the Scripture Finally there is no good thing saith the Prophet that he shall with-hold from them that liue a godly life But I will euen mary thee vnto me for euer sayth the Lorde yea I will mary thee vnto me in righteousnes in iudgement in mercy compassion I will euen mary thee vnto me in faithfulnes and thou shalt know the Lord and I will heare the heauens and they shall heare the earth and the earth shall heare the corne and the wyne the oyle and they shall heare Israel c. But if prosperitie and the Lords blessings haue not this effect in vs then are they the Lordes gagers to discouer worse matter than happely either the worlde or wee our selues did thinke before to bee in vs or at least so much to bee in vs as pride enuye disdayne spite malice crueltie vnthankefulnes wantonnes vncleannes with a number such So that still our ground-worke standeth fast that prosperitie is one of Gods temptations that is one of Gods tryers and teachers of man what he is and will be that way It discouered in Dauid both to the world and to Dauids own eies his great wickednes For in his prosperitie he sayd tush tush this wealth weale shall not decay in his prosperitie peace and rest from many former griefes he looked from his turresse vpō Bersabe Vriahs wife with a sinful thought and deede in the end It discouered in Salomon ouermuch loosenes weakenes of minde vnkindnes to God For his wiues were not as they shoulde haue bene they were chosen amisse of him he made an Idolater by thē c. Manasses exalted to a kingdome bewrayed manners farre vnseemely for the meanest in the worlde The Israelites in their prosperitie how euer euer forgat they God and waxed wantons yea grieuous sinners against his maiestie Howe sad was that yong man that was so wealthie when hee was bidden sell all So that what shoulde haue lift vp both heart and soule to a good God that pressed downe mightily and reueyled a secret both to himselfe and others euen an vnwillingnes to forgoe for God what God in mercy had lent vpon that condition what bewrayed that rich glutton in his prosperity but pride couetousnes wanton delicacie contempt of the poore such like Those vnkind guestes bidden to the wedding what bewrayed they in their prosperitie the rich farmer the wealthie marchant they would not come and the maried man drowned in his pleasures he could not come Herod in his robes and chayre of estate
bewitched with the flattery of thē that cried the voyce of God and not of a man reueyled what hee was in his most fearefull and soden fall The Lorde smote him and he was eaten of lice Charge therfore them that are rich in this worlde sayth the holy Apostle that they bee not high minded and that they trust not in vncertain riches but in the liuing God c. as if he should say they haue need not of gentle and soft admonition but euen of deepe and dreadfull charges to take heede So daungerous a thing is prosperitie to a frayle man When thou shalt come into the good land that I shal giue thee that floweth with milke and hony that is with all blessings wherein are riuers of waters and fountaines and depths that spring out of valeyes and mountaines a land of wheat barley of vineyardes figgetrees and pomegranats a lande of oyle oliue and honey a lande wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarcitie neither shalt thou lacke any thing therin a land whose stones are iron and out of whose mountaines thou shalt digge brasse and when thou hast eaten art filled comming to houses that thou buildedst not and vineyards or gardēs that thou plantedst not then then beware thou forget not thy God and him that gaue thee al neither bee lifted vp sayth the Lord. As if he should say then is the daunger if euer that thou wilt waxe wanton bathe thy selfe in pleasures melt away in daintie curiositie or curious dayntines and lift vp thy heele against a kinde God bid him adieu and take thy leaue of true and due obedience for all these mercies And therefore then then take heede beware Which assuredly that wise Agur remembring and considering well prayed that hee might not haue too litle least I steale saith he and take the name of my God in vayne neither yet too much least I be ful and deny thee and say who is the Lord. Others in their tymes knewe it and therefore wrote diuers thinges this way Faelicitas moderatio diuiduum contubernium habent Prosperitie and moderation dwell in two houses His meaning is hardly they are founde dwelling together Raro bona fortuna bonaque mēs homini datur Seldome is good fortune that is prosperitie and a good heart giuen to a mā together Magnae faelicitatis est a felicitate non vinci It is a great felicitie not to be ouercome of felicitie With a number such like sayings Wherefore to go no further we see how the Lord tempteth vs trieth vs by prosperitie to the discouering opening of our hidden secrets either good or euil and for the Lords sake thinking seriously of it let euery man and woman particularly view what breaketh out of them for al the mercies that are vpon them And I say no more You sayd an other of the Lords temptations or tryalles of man was aduersitie therefore I pray you also touch that True it is sometimes y e Lord trieth one way sometime an other many often times by this déepe gager of mēs harts aduersity the crosse For so saith y e scripture Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee this fourtie yeeres in the wildernes for to humble thee and to prooue thee to know what was in thy hart whether thou wouldest keepe his commandements or no. And Feare none of these things which thou shalt suffer beholde it shall come to passe that the deuill shall cast some of you into prison that ye may bee tried and ye shall haue tribulation ten daies bee thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee a crowne of life Againe Because thou hast kept the word of my patience therefore I will deliuer thee from the houre of tentation which will come vppon all the world to trie them that are on the earth Which places with many mo that might be alleaged teach vs euidently that thus the Lorde trieth his children when it pleaseth him euen in the furnace of aduersitie causing them therby not vnto him who knoweth all things before but vnto themselues and the world to discouer and open what before was not so knowne namely either patience or grudging against the Lords visitation as in examples plainly wee may see Abraham wayted a long time for his wished childe and that delay of the Lords was his great triall What opened it in Abraham but a most singular faith before not so well knowen to men that euen aboue hope hee beleeued vnder hope that hee should haue what was promised not weake in faith considered neither his own bodie which was now dead being almost an hundred yeres old neither the deadnes of Saraes wōbe but without doubting rested fully assured that what the Lord had sayd he was able to do Iacob wōderfully tossed with the waues of much bitter aduersitie by his wiues by his children by his friends and euery day almost by one thing or other yet euer shewed forth a patient hart a beleeuing hart and many great vertues of all Gods children to bee many times thought of And so was affliction a discouerer of his good graces to the praise of God the giuer the true commendation of himselfe the receiuer and all our examples that consider them How did aduersitie manifest in Ioseph againe y e gifts of God What a faith did affliction in her daughter bewray and lay open to all men in the woman of Canaan when the Lord Iesus gaue this testimonie of her O woman great is thy faith be it vnto thee as thou wilt So that you see where the Lord had wrought any good there this trier and gager of the Lords aduersitie opened it and reueiled it to his glorie Now looke at other some and you shal see an other course or other effects of this temptation The childrē of Israels case in Aegipt is knowne vnto vs how greeuous and euen marueilous their bondage was as also how the Lorde sent Moses and Aaron to deliuer them Who at their first comming were welcommed and reuerenced of all the Elders greatly they then expecting by them a release from those woes But after a while when the King increased their affliction and charged the taskmaisters to deliuer them no more straw and yet to require the whole number of bricke vpon sharpe punishment if they performed it not what then bewrayed this tryall in them O see and consider They flye vpon the Lords Ministers and messengers with an open mouth with raging passions the Lord looke vpon you and iudge you say they For you haue made our sauour stincke before Pharoh and before his seruants in that ye haue put a sword in his hande to slay vs. When they were in feare of Pharaohs host pursuing them after they were deliuered they did the like when they wanted water they did the like when they wanted victuals they did the like and their murmurings grudgings and
confessing it to bee their infirmitie as in deede it is And the Lord of comfort worke our comfort Will God then accept some obedience Yet again do you aske mee that Was it not proued euen now that sanctification with imperfection is neuerthelesse true sanctification and accepted But you shew a passion still following the godly minde that what it wisheth to haue it feareth to want and therefore neuer is wearie of proofe to haue what heart desireth Therfore euen agayne I aunswere you that hée doth And be iudge your self Whē the Father cried w t wéeping eyes Lord I beleue helpe my beleefe Did the Lord answer him roughly sirra I accept no imperfecte faith No no he most gratiously accepted his some faith and helped his childe Doe we not reade it to our great comfort what the Lorde badde the Prophet aunswere to Ieroboams wife that came disguised to aske concerning her sicke sonne namelie that he onely of Ieroboam should come to the graue because in him there was some goodnesse toward the Lorde of God of Israel Therefore euen some goodnesse some grace some faith some loue some obedience you see is not ouerlooked of our most mercifull father though it be but little For it is not the quantitie but the qualitie that is not how much but how true that the Lorde regardeth All those eies that looked vpon the brasen Serpent were not alyke great and yet the least eie receyued health by that looking So are not all mens faith alike For the Lorde giueth at his owne good pleasure in greate diuersitie and yet the least being true looketh vppon the true salue of our stings resembled by the brasen Serpent Christ Iesus to eeternall life as wel as y e greatest Though our father chidde them for their little faith yet did he neuer reiect them that had anie Euery poore beggars hand is not alike and yet the least serueth him to take a penie as well as the greatest So shall our hande of faith do I warrant you and therfore reach it out with cheere feare not And what if euen in that little obedience there be also some imperfection mingled Bee it neuer so little if it come from vs be you sure it will haue his dregs and impuritie For euen all our righteousnesse is lyke a stayned cloth But what then O sweete God What did he when the midwiues with a good action intermingled a lie Did hee refuse their good for their euill No no hee receiued their obedience though thus stayned and mercifully hee turned away his face from the other as a deere father that hath an Eagles eie to spy any thing well in his child and euen no eie to see what hee woulde not see beeing the frailties of his chosen children whereof they sigh to bee disburthened And it is a heaten truth and knowen to vs that if hee looked not awaie from imperfections and wrath yea euen winowed as it were his childrens actions keeping the grayne and blowing awaye the chaffe with a breath of mercie in Christ hee shoulde neuer accept any obedience in this world at anie mans hand Alasse then why should wee feare so often and much as we doo and faint since all things are thus comfortable to the Lords children O sir these feares and wreastlings and spirituall struglings that the godly are euer subiect vnto are as the Lordes plowe to breake vp the fallowe grounde of our heartes and to teare them that otherwise would bee whole lumpes vnfit to receyue seede into fine small earth softe and mellowe and fruitfull that no sooner the seede may be throwē in but it sinketh is couered and setteth it selfe to fructifie when otherwise it would not nor could not vpon whole ground but lying onely vppon the outwarde face and not sinking the foules would deuour it or at least it take no rooting And therefore thrice necessarie and profitable are these spirituall buffets nowe and then to worke in vs that broken and contrite heart which the Lorde shall neuer despise To take from vs our stonie hearts and to giue vs fleshie in their places Let them bee then as the Lorde pleaseth espeally when hee hath giuen vs so sweete a promise that hee will neuer lay more vpon vs than hee will make able to beare Lette him plowe vs and bruse vs and breake vs at his pleasure it is the Lord lette him doe what seemeth him best hee knoweth our mould and his mercie helpe vs in all our feares Amen And Amen saie I againe to this prayer leauing you now to your libertie to go forwards with other temptations as you will It is a spirituall tryall many tymes to Gods children to crie and pray and as they thinke not to be heard because their petitions are not by and by graunted But they forget then other deere ones of the Lord and the Lords often practise For Dauid in many Psalmes sayth I crye and thou hearest not Iob sayth When I cry vnto thee thou doest not heare mee neither regardest me when I stand vp The woman of Canaan cried hartely and receiued no comfort of long yet did hee heare her well enough but the ende made amendes and so shall it to vs all as may be our good which he best knoweth and not we It is a temptation to bee heauie harted and wee thinke O Lorde why should I bee thus Surely sorrowe consumeth the life and a cheerefull hart prolongeth our daies But yet we must knowe what befalleth the godly My soule is powred out vppon mee and the daies of affliction haue taken hold vpon me sayth Iob in his heauines Dauids soule was sad and it would not presently be lighted Yea from the endes of the earth sayth he will I call vnto thee when my heart is in heauines My heart is smitten down withered like grasse so that I forget to eate my bread with many such places Sometime for sinne sometime for worldly accidents sorrowe will assault the godly and being men and women we must bee content to indure the smarts incident to our nature Yet euer remembring to holde faith and a Christian measure in all our sadnesse And many times beating it into our mindes that a cheerefull heart pleaseth GOD and man Reioyce in hope sayth the Apostle reioyce in the Lorde reioyce in the Lorde alway againe I say reioyce and euermore reioyce What iterations and dublings are these And if the Lord must bee heard when hee speaketh single how will hee take our deafnes whē he speaketh dubble The fruit of the Spirite is ioye It causeth good health sayth Salomon and refuse it not then The greatnesse of sinne is an other of the vncomfortable meditations now and then of Gods deere ones they fearing and shaking to behold the same least the Lords iustice should breake out against it and consume them But good beloued let vs bee wise as the Lorde would haue vs
pro veritate quis pro iniquitate quis nocendi causa quis emendandi For in all men that punish execute lawes vpon any what is to bee considered but which of them doth it for the maintenance of truth which of them for the maintenance of euill which of them with a mind to hurt which of them with a minde to refourme Vides itaque non esse considerandū quod quisque cogitur sed quale sit illud quo cogitur vtrum bonum an malū You see therfore that this must not only be marked that a man is cōpelled but the thing also must be looked wherunto he is cōpelled whether it be good or bad And if it be good it will euer iustifie the actiō howsoeuer y e suffrer be offended The Phisition offends many times his patiēt y e scholemaster his scholler the father his wilde wanton child But this offence shall haue a iust warrant if it be cōplayned of the carefull hart of eche one to do good in their places If horses and mules must be ruled with bits and bridles to take a liked course we should make lesse accompt of our selues than of these beastes if we should seeke both immunitie and impunitie whatsoeuer wee do And let this suffice for some satisfaction to a causelesse cry and most vnworthy complaint when so euer it is made I very well see these temptations in iudgement are many and therefore your speech might bee long if you would followe them but these may suffice for a tast of Satans malice in respect and you may nowe if your selfe will proceede to his temptations in life and behauiour They also as hath bene said are in number moe and in nature more vnknowne than that of any one man they may bee either named or vnderstood For there is no commandement the breaches whereof in euery branch hee tempteth not some vnto and what a field were this to runne a very long course in Hee tempteth to adulterie fornication vncleannes wantonnes Idolatrie witchcraft hatred debate emulations wrath contentions seditions enuy murthers drunkennes gluttony and ten thousand such like So that to followe the temptations in life and behauiour and to lay downe what might bee sayde eyther in description of their manner or as helpe against their strength and venom were to take in hand to write many volumes This is certaine he is our enemy and so firme a friend as he is a fo were worth much gold euen of the gold of Ophir In which enmitie and immortall malice of his hee goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whome he may deuoure But if wee resist him stedfast in fayth he flyeth from vs. With which shield of fayth together with the sworde of the spirite the word of God we shal quench al his fierie darts and become conquerors And the best meanes to helpe vs in these many thousand spirituall onsettes and to strengthen body and soule against the killing poyson of them after auoyding of all occasions so much as euer we may stil truly discharging our seuerall places both towards God man is to print in our harts and sinke into our soules a true an often and earnest meditation of the ende of the thing or thinges whatsoeuer that we shall in this respect be tempted solicited vnto For the wise Syrach vpō deepe experience hath sayd it Whatsoeuer thou takest in hand remember the end thou shalt neuer do amisse The end of sin is death the reward of sinne is death death of body many a tyme by a shamefull ende in this world and death of both body and soule in a bottomelesse pit for euer where is weeping and wayling and gnashing of teeth Sweete meate will haue a sower sawse sayde the prouerbe then and sweete sinne bringeth smarting payne sayth the trueth now What wo to themselues and to their seede for euer brought that faire fruit with pleasure eaten when time was of our first parents Would God no posteritie might rue the falles of them whome they loued Surely if the end preuailed in the thought before sinne preuailed in act they shoulde rue them lesse O deed done howe bitterly biteth it when it is done that was thought full sweete before it was done and nowe sore lamented that euer done or that again it cannot bee vndone But had I knowne commeth euer behind too late to comfort too soone to wring and euer sinne rubbeth vppon the rawe Before these our parents should sinne honour preferment glory and ioy were brought by a hellish serpent to muster themselues before their eyes and Gods shall you be if you will do this But O woful Gods when the deede was done Then mustred as fast before their minde death hell damnation the wrath of God and all terrour and torture And so is it euer that deuill that pleadeth all mercie and goodnes patience and long suffering in the Lord towardes sinners before they offend vpon boldnes thereof to make them offende that deuill as fast thundreth damnation and death iustice and wrath in the same Lorde when once we haue offended Especially if wee begin to slacke our diligent seruing of his filthy humor O Dauid speake and instruct a litle What thoughtest thou when Ioab must go number all Israel and Iudah Of wisedome pollicie to know my power What feltest thou when the deede was done Securitie for a time and all was well But when God awaked what O aske mee not that For the remembrance of it as yet is grieuous vnto me But if you wil needs know I was smitten I was bittē I was wounded and wroung with the very furies of hel My flesh quaked my heart aked and my soule admitted feares vppon feares My conscience cried my Spirit groned and the worlde knewe not what I felt within Were mine eyes open or were they shut the eyes of my minde still sawe my sinne and the face of Iustice in a mightie God against it The rest I found was to accuse my selfe and with sobbing sighes and brinish teares to vtter my fall as I could for woe in words of griefe to a gracious God I haue sinned I haue sinned O my God and deere in that I haue done exceedingly nowe Lorde I beseech thee take away the trespasse of thy seruaunt for I haue done very foolishly And what shoulde I say the end was mercie yet mingled with Iustice I was brought into a wonderfull streyt by an offer that was made And whosoeuer sinneth streyt in the ende either lesse or more as God appoynteth is the flower that bloweth vpon such a stalke and so I leaue you Well then wee heare what we were better to heare then euer to feele as hee felt it For his heart smote him smote him sayth the text and the woorde importeth a twitching smart Dauid felt the fruites of other falles also if we remēber them and preacheth vnto vs to take heede of the pleasures of sinne for a season But I speake
and serue thee here whilst life indureth fast cleaue vnto thee when life departeth and euer liue with thee when once it is ended for that sweete and deere Christ Iesus sake that with thee O Father and the holie Ghost wee blesse and praise honor and magnifie for euer and euer one GOD and Lorde world without ende Amen Amen FINIS ⧠The Table A AFfection required in prayer 20 Affection how helped 22 Atheists 137 Apostles powrefull ministery 162 Al may read the scriptures 179 All sortes bound to serue God aswell as Monkes Friers or Nunnes or such like 259 All men bound to pray forgiue vs our trespasses 373 Aduersity a sowre teÌ„ptatioÌ„ 426 Aduersitie often misconstred 431 Afflictions inward or outward 433 Alteration of friends 480 Affliction without an example in scripture may not discomfort vs. 488 B BVllingers iudgement of the ministers reading 173 Bad Bookes 238 Bread hath Diuers significatioÌ„s in the word 279 Bread in this PetitioÌ„ what 280 C CAuses of prayer 46 Church abuses 108 Creation how 151 Corruption or fall 15â— Corrupted in vs what 154 Contraries to Gods kingdome prayed against 208 Communion of good by prayer 211 Crosses to be indured 241 Cause of euill what 260 Contents though many ouerthrowne with one discontent 265 Couetous men what they may consider 329 Confession of sin to God 321 Comfort against feare of punishment when sinne is pardoned 348 Conditions to bee obserued in going to Law 367 Crosses not euer tokens of anger 432 Conditions of true sanctification 444 Cheerefulnesse and mirth required 459 ConteÌ„pt a bitter teÌ„ptation 477 Change of friends another 480 Children a Crosse 488 Crosses with example in the Scripture may not discomfort vs. 488 Church militant of what sort euer in this world 495 Communicating in Prayer c with the wicked 500 Communion may be receiued with bad company 533 Compulsion to good lawfull 548 Correction called persecution 559 D DEad not to bee prayed for 73 Discontents dash contents 265 Duke of Saxonie made his trayne see the benefite of bread 282 Dayly bread why sayde 297 Dulnes in Gods children now and then yet feare not 451. E EDessa professors howe zealous 163 Exceptions against hearing some Ministers 189 Euill of two sorts 225 Examination of our selues profitable 257 Exchange of our freight with Satan a rouer 337 Exceptions made against our forgiuing of our Brethren 262 Effect of Prosperitie 417 Election how knowne 434 Euil children to Godly parents 488 Euill seruants also 488 Euill in the last petition what it meaneth 611 F FOr what we may pray 68 Form of praier a great good to be taught vs. 84 Forme vsed of Heathens 85 Father a sweet word and how 87. Fatum 148 Fearefull exceptions againste hearing the word 189 Free-will confuted 219 Flesh pampered 237 Forgiuenesse of others by vs. 335.355 Forgiuenesse with God both of the crime and punishment 345 Forgiuenesse fayned 355 Friends to alter a sharpe temptation 480 G GOD what he would he euer could 104 God how absent 116 God neere or a farre how 117 God howe more in one place then in another 118 God howe sayde to goe and come 118 Gods glorie how deere 123 God no author of euill 224.396 Good thinges of three sortes 225 Giue What it teacheth in this petition 303 God giueth and not any industrie of man 325 God giueth the vse also 326 Gods mercie long suffering 326 Grace proued and satisfaction improued 329 Good fellowship of the world 335 Gods roddes are sometimes punishmentes sometimes but chastisements 350 Greatnesse of mans corruption 382 God leadeth into temptation yet no authour of sinne 396 Greatnesse of sinne a greeuous temptation how helped 460 Godlie ones rimed vpon by drunkards 488 H HElpes of affection in prayer 20 Humilitie taught 99 Heauen what it signifieth 102 Halowing of Gods name what it is 131 Hypocriticall forgiuenesse 355 Halfe forgiuenesse 557 Howe Christians may goe to Lawe 366 Howe man is sayde to forgiue sinne 370 How man tempteth man 406 How we pray against temptations 410 Heauinesse of heart a temptation 459 I IRreligious men and women prayed against through all Churches 137 Iames expounded 399 Iudgementes rash vpon aduersities of men 431 Imperfection of our obedience taketh not away our comfort 447 Imprisonment wrongfull a triall of the Godly 488 K KIngdome of God of three sortes 148 Kingdome of God howe erected in vs. 16â— Kingdome come what iâ— is 160 Kingdom what it is in the conclusion of the L. prayer 615 L LIbertines 137 Laughing at other mens faults how sinfull 268 Laying vp howe it is lawfull 301 Loue to our Brethren described 332 Law may be taken against offenders 365 Life vncomfortable 474 M MEdiator who and howe many of our prayers 51 Masse how wicked 95 Meanes to erect Gods Kingdome in men 161 Ministers reading not contemned 173 Ministers of meaner gifts 175 Magistrates great meanes to builde or pluck down Gods Kingdome 204 Malum culpae poenae 225 Merit ouerthrowne 258 Magistracie not taken away by the petition of forgiuenesse of trespasses 363 Man tempteth man 406 Mâ—th required of the Godly 459 Mariage and match often bitter 488 Measure of aduersitie a subtil temptation to the godly 490 Ministers caÌ„not hurt the Lords Sacramentes 519 N NAme of God what it is 129 Nature of a true childe of God 268 Nouatians confuted 376 Necessitie of prayer againste temptation 392 O OBiections against Prayer 13 Our Father not my Father why 96 Obedience in heauen to Gods will 249 Outward thinges may be prayed for 292 Our what it teacheth 295 Obedience though but little yet accepted of God 454 Obiections against compelling to religion 552 P PRayer naturall 2 Prayer necessary and how 4 Prayer how profitable 7 Prayer obiected against 13 Praying in Latin 39 Persons to be prayed vnto 47 Prayer by whome heard 51 Place of prayer 69 Prayer for the dead 73 Parts of the Lords prayer 86 Petitions how many 121 Preaching aboue reading 185 Pampering of the flesh 237 Panis whence deriued 280 Peace to be prayed for 291 Popish shrift 323 Presumption fearefull 228 Popes pardons 371 Prosperitie one of Gods trials 412 Prosperitie iâ— of God ibid. Prosperity what it should work in the godly 417 Prayer not euer heard by and by and yet feare not 458 Perseuerance feared sometimes of the godly and how comforted 467 Priuy slaunder a great triall of the godly how helped 483 Preaching without reformation 509 R REdemption perfect by Christ 94 Regeneration 158 Reading the word how profitable 171 Reading alowed to all 179 Religion is no cause of scarsity but sinne 339 Remitting fault maketh man like God 360 Rash iudgemente vpon mens aduersitie often 432 Reward of euil for good tempteth sore how hâ—â—ped 484 Rimes a triall of the gâ—dly 488 Reformation how it foâ—oweth preaching how no 509 S SChisme how dangerous â—8 Sanctification of God 〈◊〉 vs. 14 SaÌ„ctificatioÌ„ of vs by God ibid. Scriptures to be read of all 179 Similitudes expressing the
11.33 Rom. 12.3 Act. 1.6 Ihon. 21.21 Deutro 29.29 Rom 9. Math. 11.25 Mans dutie in respect of the hidden will of God Iob. 2. Esay 46.10 2. Chron. 20.6 Act. 4.28 Mans wil hath two obiects to witte good and euell Iam. 1.17 MaluÌ„ Culpae MaluÌ„ Poenae lib. 2. cap. 180. Psal 5.4 Hebr. 1.9 Hose 13.9 Ihon. 8.44 Zach. 8.17 Rom. 9.14 1. Ihon. 2.16 How contrary to God it is to will euell Tom. 4. quaest 83. Exod. 9.7 Rom. 1.28 2. Thess 2.11 1. Kings 22.21.22.23 Rom. 9.19 Malum culpae Vti peceatum vti causa subsequentis peccandi vti poena praecedentis 1. Rom 24.28 vers 21.28 1. Ihon. 3.4 Act. 17.28 Voluntas tantùm est boni vel veri vel apparentis Arist. Eth. 3. cap. 4. Esay 45.7 Amos. 3.6 Lament 3.38 Exod. 9. 1. Kings 22. Rom. 1. lib. 2. pag. 180. Tom. 7. lib. 5. cap. 3. God may be author of the action and yet not of the euill in the action Ro. 8.5.7 c. Ihon 3.16 Ihon 6.29 1. Thess 4 â— c. Rom. 8.1 vers 5. Leuit. 11.44 Math. 5. Esay 56. Rom. 6.4.12.13 Ephes 5.3 Coloss 3.12 1. Thess 5.23 Psal 139.23 Thinke of this Vile bookes are the deuills banners Note â—se 42. Sinke this iâ— your hart So loue you God as you care to be what you pray to be Math. 16.24 Act. 14.22 2. Timoth. 3.12 Hebre. 12. 1. Cor. 11. To saye with content vnder the Crosse thy will be done is a great grace 1. Sam. 3.18 2. Sam. 15.25.26 Math. 26. Apoc. 12. 1. Cor. 10. More comfort in this promise then can be expressed A most sweete promise In the dialogue btewixt faith and frailitie 2. Cor. 12. Aug. de tempore 136. lib. 3. contra Pelagianos Iam. 2.10 Ad Gelatium Benard epist. 77. Ephes 1.3 Philip. 3.20 Coloss 3.2 Apoc. 7.11 Chap. 19.10.22.9 Hebre. 1.4 Psal 103.20 1. Cor. 13. How we pray for this measure The meanes also asked here Cognitio voluntatis Impressio Spiritus 2. Cor. 36.14 Galat 3.15.17 Deutro 4.2 Math. 23. Philip. 2.13 Hebre. 13.21 Knowledge of Gods will and a blessing thereof to sanctification are here prayed for as meanes The contraries prayd against Math. 6.24 Coloss 38.10 How we fell and now may rise Math. 12.50 A profitable examination of our selues Ihon. 12.48 Merit ouerthrowne Much lesse workes of supererogation No estate of persons priueledged more than other from doing Gods will Popish error The cause of all euill A profitable meditation to wake vs and weyne vs from the loue of this world Ecles 1. The world kepeth not promise Iug. 4.18 Note One crosse counteruaileth a thousand comforts 1. Kings 19. 2. Cor. 5. â— â— Ihon 2. 2. Petr. 2.7 Psal 119.15 Laughing at other mens faults Math. 6. Psal 4.6.8 Math. 6. Iam. 1.17 Psal 37.5.7 Prou. 30.8 This order reregardeth our infirmitie not the nature of the things 1. Cor. 10.31 Aug. epist. 121. ad Probam Ihon. 6.48.51 Num. 14.9 Ecles 11.1 Rom. 9.17 Esay 30.20 1. Kings 22 Math. 15. Mysticus sermo sacrarum rerum est panis fortior Ambr. ser 14. in Psal 118 For this cause some haue thought panem to come of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 3. 2 Kings 6.2 Iob. last 11. Gen. 11. Psal 141.10 A good example Philip. 4.11 1â— 12. 13. Note Aug. epist. 121. 1. Timoth. 6.8 1. Tim. 6 8. Hebre. 13 5.6.7 Rom 13.14 O thinke of this and God giue strength Some men may pray for more than others may Rich Crassus sayd to be rich was to be able to nourrish an army yearly Luc. 16.19 Prou. 30.8 O fearefull frute Deut. 8.7 c. Here is the danger Psal 49. 1. Tim. 6.17 Exod. 5. Dan. 4.19 26. 27. A great example Hester 5. 2. Chro. 32.4 2. Sam. 24. Psal 30. Iob. 31.24 Three good Mothers bring forth three bad children truth hatred familiaritie contempt and riches pride Too true though too bad Iob. 1.9.10 Psal 107.109.10 Prou. 17.1 Luc. 1 2. Thess 3.16 Rom. 12.18 Psal 144.14 122. Math. 7.7 Psal 55. Mar. 10.29 Gen. 28.20 Prou. 30.7 Earthly and outward things are lawfully prayed for but euer with a condition We be goodly Gods that cannot giue our selues a peece of bread Gen. 3.4 5. Consider this Psal 87.16 Psal 34.9 Math. 6.32 1. Peter 5.7 Hebre. 13.5 1. Tim. 4. Aues prius dulce melos fundunt quà m granula quaerunt Iob. 1. Gen. 3.17 Psal 128.2 2. Thess 3.10 Ecles 7.7 Prou. 14.23 Act. 20.34 Psal 127. Rex persicus apud Herodotum Pro Rabirio Plato Leuit. 26.26 1. Kings 19.8 Exod. 34.23 Math. 4. Cap. 6.1 Luc. 12. chap. 11.18.19 1. Cor. 13.5 Consider this ye couetouse Couetouse men had rather pray giue me then giue vs. The second vse of the word vs. Chap. 31.17 vers 19. 32. 21. Note The order of this petition Iere. 31.34 33. Math. 16 26. Religion is not cause of want but sinne Deutro 32.14 Iere. 5. Esay 49.1 c. The hole petition teacheth two things quid petamus quid facero debeamus Petitio remitâ—â— nobis c. Confession to God Psal 32. Num. 5.7 Iob. 13.15 Prou. 28.13 1. Iohn 1.8.9 Shrift where found and lost Psal 51. 2. Sam. 14. Psal 41.4 Luc. 15.21 Luc. 18.13 Act. 19.18 Math. 3.6 Note The Lords great mercy and our great corruption 2. Petr. 3.9 Rom. 6.1 Rom. 2.5 Eccles 5.4 c. Grace proued and satisfactioÌ„ improued Rom. 3.14 9.11 11.6 Ephes 17.2.8 Chrysost A great corruption in vs. Exod. 32.31 Rom. 9.1 Psal 4. Psal 119. Iere. 9.1 If we be bound to beseche God to forgiue our brethren their sinnes are not we our selues bound to forgiue them Alurers of others to sinne A lamentable exchange made What is ours now Gen 6.5 Psal 51.5 Our gardens now haue too much rue and to little hearbe of grace Ambro. de sacram lib. 5. cap. 4. Math. 6.12 â—er â— 14 â—uc 11.4 Man doth not forgiue the euill or vice of the action but the detriment arising by it to man The Popes pardons A poena est culpa blasphemous Esay 43.23 Ro. 3.9 Read Aug. de natura gratia vers 46. vers 23. Galat. 3.22 The error of the Pelagians Cathary c. Anabap. Some in the scripture are called iust and vp right but this is to be vnderstode before God or as Aug sayeth Affectu non effectu by desire not by deede Sinne after baptisme pardoned 1. Iohn 2. Psal 78. Beware presumption Dan. 9.6 O sweete Psal 38. Psal 40.12 Ezra 9.6 Dei dicere est facere Iohn 5.14 Iohn 8.11 Tit. 2.11.12 Cantic 5.3 Iob. 15.16 1. Tim. 5.6 Hebre. 11.25 Psal 141.4 Math. 13.22 Cantic 2.15 Hebre. 3.13 Ephes 6.12 Aug. serm 135. 1. Pet. 5.8 Marc. 14.38 1. Thess 3.5 1. Timoth. 6.9 1 Cor. 10.13 Act· 17.28 Exod. 4.21 Ro. 1.26.28 Esa 19.14 2. Thes 2. Esay 63.17 Esay 42.24 1. Sam. 16.24 If God suffer then doth he it either against his will or with his wil if against his will then is he not omnipotent if with his
he speake from the Lord he must be heard And if he be the appointed meanes betwixt the Lorde and thee I meane thine owne Pastor and teacher thinke whilest it is to day of the strength in deede of thy exceptions to heare him and feare the iudgments shrinke at the wrath tremble at the vengeaunce most assured to thee without repentance if they bee to weake They haue not cast thee away but they haue cast me away said the Lord to his Prophet then and weigh it well whether the Lord truly may not say it of thee now to thy death refusing the meanes appoynted by him for thy life vpō such grounds as Satan hath suggested corruption nourisheth and the triumphant trueth of the Lorde will consume in iudging day to eternall wo. It was well sayde of that worthy instrument in Gods Church vpon like occasion Agnoscant Anabaptistae vbicunque minister ritè constitutus est ac fideliter munere suo fungitur vnumquemque qui pro Christiano haberi vult debere ei adhaerere cum reliquo grege ipsius ministerio frui c. Let the Anabaptistes confesse and acknowledge that wheresoeuer there is a minister duely placed and doth his duetie faithfully and carefully there euery one that will bee accompted a Christian must cleaue vnto him and with the rest of the flocke and congregation vse his ministerie But what do they as many of vs as will not follow their errors although wee neuer so purely preach the word of God yet do they take vs for rauening wolues and they so abhorre vs as that they thinke they should commit an offence worthy death if they should bee present but at one sermon of ours Then do they make suddenly ministers of their owne and they being so made in a moment then doe they drawe the people and make contrary congregations of their owne to the renting of the Church asunder that the name of God cannot be called vpon with that one consent and concord that it ought to bee Meditate many times ere the Lord strike thee what Saint Iames sayth My brethren haue not the faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons Faith in that place includeth the preached word which if thou thus regard remember the stripes that they shall haue that know their master his will and refuse to doe it remember whose head the blood is vpon when the watchmā hath warned If thy Pastors gifts bee not so great whom reprochest thou but the giuer of them May not he do with his owne as pleaseth him for thee Refusest thou to heare him for his litle to whome the Lord will say Euge serue bone and crowne him for his faithfulnesse ouer litle Beware I wish thee as a friend in Christ thy feete are sliding fearefully if thou stay not Stande not vpon his vniuersitie vpon his degrees vpon his age vpon his method least of all except O strange suggestion of a guileful serpent in these euill dayes against his writing for his memory as though because his note helpeth his memory therefore his lips keepe not knowledge thou wilt not heare him But stande vppon the message that is done remember whose it is stande vpon the messengers calling vnto them aboue all others in this world if hee bee thy Pastor what measure of grace soeuer the Lord hath vouchsafed him stand vpō the ordinance of the Lorde by preaching to erect his kingdome in the heartes of men and to saue them that beleeue stand vpon the abilitie of thy God to giue thee good by the ministerie of him that is thine owne how meane soeuer he seeme in the world to the curious almost I had sayd cursed creatures stand vppon the iudgement done to the despisers of Iesus Christ and remember it often Qui vos audit me audit c. he that heareth you heareth mee and hee that despiseth you despiseth mee For these with a number moe such are true groundes of that commaundement the breach whereof will be hellish woe for euer Obey them which haue the ouersight of you and submit your selues for they watch for your soules as they that must giue accompts that they may doe it with ioy and not with greef for y t is not profitable for you And if my speech may not finde a blessing vnto some because the Lord hath determined to destroy them yet say I to my brethren that am the meanest of them all let vs worke the worke of our calling faithfully throwe the seede of the Lord into his field according to the hande that hee hath giuen carefully giue attendance to reading paynfully though we neuer take degree in Vniuersitie passe with a worthie Apostle through good report and euill report and if any man wee thus doing refuse the Lords letters because wee bring them the Lords message because we deliuer it the Lordes golde because wee deale it let vs comfort our selues with the same Apostle that we are vnto God a swéet sauour of Christ in them that perish But my brethren if wee doe it not but giue our selues to ease and to the waies of this worlde fashioning our selues daylie more and more in an vnlawfull sort according to the same then remember that preaching being meanes yea y e chiefest meanes to erect this kingdome of the Lord in this world we neglecting it we neglect also the effect of it namely the kingdome of God ouer and in his people and so suffring as much as lyeth in vs the Lorde to lose his people and the people to lose their God wee fearefully purchase to our selues that dreadfull woe that is pronounced to all them that preach not the Gospell Aaron sounded wee know when he ministred by his golden belles in those daies and therefore he shall not dye sayth the Lord if wee sound not when we minister by the golden gifts giuen of the Lord shal not we dye And is then all that we aske concerning this matter namely that GOD would bestowe his worde vpon vs that we may reade it and heare it and haue it preached vnto vs to the building vp of this his kingdome in vs No in deede But forasmuch as neither our reading nor hearing is able to profite vs anie thing vnto saluation excepte the Lorde by his holie spirite make it fruitfull to vs and giue it a blessing therefore wee praie also mightilie these wordes for that heauenly power of his grace that what we reade or heare read or preached vnto vs out of his heauenly booke by the ministery of men may by him bee made a sauour of lyfe vnto lyfe vnto vs. For though Paule preach and Appollo water yet neyther Paule nor Apollo but onely the Lorde giueth increase Except the Lorde open Balams eyes hee seeth not the Angell of the Lorde in the way with his swoord drawen in his hand that is neyther anger nor loue perceiue we euer except the Lord work it in