although they went too farre in this opinion of the force of imitation wee may truely charge a great deale euen the most of our euill vpon it It giueth all Superiors warning to obserue their whole carriage warily For children wil take great notice what their Parents say or doe the eyes of the Hand-maid vpon the hand of her Mistresse the eyes of Pupils on their Tutors of Subiects to their Soueraigne and their good example may doe much good their ill example may corrupt and peruert much here Christs example of praying did put them all vpon it to make a motion concerning praier Obserue also a modest ciuill manner obserued amongst them though there were many of them I suppose the full number of his Disciples yet but one speaketh for all It is a good precept of the Apostles and applyable to all conuersations of men Let all things be done decently and in good order In our publique meetings where all of vs doe come to moue our God in petitions for things necessary for vs it were a rude and vnciuill confusion if we should all speake at once euery man the desire of his heart therefore the Minister is appointed to speake for vs all and we as before declare our consent of hearts either in some short eiaculation of prayer or in our deuout Amen 3 The motion it selfe Lord teach vs to pray Wherein obserue 1 That they found it a necessary duty to pray 2 That they found themselues not well instructed in that duty and therefore desired to be taught 3 That they resort to their Master and intreate him to teach them 1 They finde it a necessary duty If there had beene no other prouocation but the example of their faithfull Master that had beene sufficient to proue to them the necessitie of this duty 1 I cannot conceiue of these Disciples that they were vtterly ignorant of this duty before because I know that prayer which is the inuocation of power able to helpe vs as we beleeue is a suggestion of nature for as no man is simpliciter atheos but beleeues in some deity whose power is sufficient to protect them from euill and to giue them supply of their wants so naturall reason directeth to seeke that protection and supply by way of petition and therefore in the ship that transported Ionah in the storme euery man called vpon his god Euery man had a god to whom he might flye in time of need and danger and in that extremitie to that god euery man directed his prayer therefore the Disciples could not be ignorant of this duty which is a lesson taught in the schoole of nature 2 The practise of the Church taught them the vse of prayer there was Domus orationis and men vsually went vp thither to pray The Scribes and Pharises were great examples of frequent of long prayers Neither can I suspect these Disciples strangers to the better examples of the holy men and women of foregoing times whose holy deuotion and worship of God those Bookes of Scripture which then were read publiquely in their Synagogues did sufficiently declare But all this is helped and their affections be now by Christs example stirred to apprehend the necessity therof more then before Examples be of great vse in this kinde Beloued this is a necessary point to be taught and beleeued whosoeuer shall desire to be instructed in the doctrine of prayer let him be first perswaded of the necessity of this duty Two things doe make this duty of prayer necessary in the Church and amongst the holy seruants of God 1 The ordinance of God who hath commanded it 2 Our owne necessities which are no other way to be relieued 1 Concerning Gods ordinance We finde it often commanded in Scripture in direct termes and it is implied in the two great Commandements of the Law for not onely obedience is commanded therein but all those holy duties also by which our obedience may be any waies furthered and that giues great place in the precept to prayer seeing that is the chiefest meanes by which we doe obtaine that ability by which the law of God is in any measure fulfilled And therefore it is a note of the faithfull that they be viri orationum and where God giueth his spirit there is prayer for his is a spirit of grace and supplications Vnder the name of prayer is comprehended the whole duty of Christian religion for the Apostle saith Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued Which words are taken from the Prophet Ioel as the margent of the Bibles directeth you And it is vrged also by the Apostle Saint Peter And the Apostle doth well declare that prayer is the chiefe part of Gods worship by that gradation for no man praieth aright but he that beleeueth and none beleeueth but hee that hath heard and none can heare without a Preacher none can Preach except he be sent In which gradation you may obserue the whole worke of mans guiding to saluation is accomplished in prayer For first God sendeth his Minister to Preach his word to his Church he is not disobedient to the heauenly calling but goeth on the errand of God and preacheth in season and out of season The faithfull heare the word from him faith commeth by this hearing and doth bring forth this ripe fruit of inuocation so that the worke of meanes is compleate in prayer and saluation followeth which maketh prayer the summe of Christian duty and to stand there for the whole exercise and practise of religion In the contrary Dauid describing the vngodly by many notes doth conclude with this as the last and strongest proofe to conuince them of vngodlinesse They call not vpon the name of the Lord. The reason on Gods part is for by prayer God is honoured This declareth him to be God when the eyes of all things looke vp to him when wee seeke his face and confesse him the onely giuer of euery good and perfect gift this is a sacrifice of righteousnesse With such sacrifices GOD is pleased so that our Sauiour pressed no doctrine more by precept then prayer in three seuerall words commanding the same thing Petite quaerite pulsate And to encourage the seruice hee directeth vs both in the matter and forme of praier and in the way and meanes to the Father in his name and he fortifieth the precept with full and gratious promises made to them that doe pray to him And the Apostles doe so much vrge this duty Saint Paul to pray continually to put our whole strength to prayer Saint Iames vrgeth the same precept and sheweth that wisedome is obtained by prayer and declareth what it is that makes many prayers miscarry when we aske amisse But the feruent prayers of the iust doe speed alwaies 2 Another matter that necessitateth the duty of prayer is that God hath left vs no other reuealed meanes to obtaine supply of our wants but by prayer insomuch as
before thy face who shall prepare thy way before thee And a little after and if ye will receiue it this is Elias which was for to come The later Iewes haue beene so transported with the letter of that prophecie that they vsed to set a voyd chaire at euery Circumcision expecting that Eliah should come to them but themselues therein sate beside the cushion Iohn is called Eliah as for the like feruor of zeale and holinesse of life and diligence in preaching and boldnesse in increpation and chiding the one hauing to deale with vngodly Ahab the other with incestuous Herod but especially as I conceiue propter similitudinem temporum for As in Eliahs time the Church was so streightned that few remained in the true and sincere worship of God so in the daies of the mission of Iohn the Baptist true religion was defiled and vitiated with much corruption and he was sent to be an instrument of the reformation thereof It doth stand in good steed to know thus much of Iohn the Baptist because hee was a man sent of God to this purpose to preuent a iudgement lest God should smite the earth with a curse 2 This holy messenger of the Lord did diligently instruct the people in the doctrine of repentance and holinesse of life both by the word of wholesome doctrine and by the example of vnblameable conuersation and so drew multitudes to his audience to his Baptisme to his sequence And herein he was also the forerunner of Christ for he had also speciall Disciples whom he instructed I doe not finde any of the Disciples of Iohn named but onely Andrew Simon Peters brother and hee was one of the two that heard Iohn saying Ecce agnus Dei and thereupon those two Disciples did follow Christ Andrew is named the other not so I cannot conceiue nor will too busily search either who he was or why his name is supprest but I finde Saint Andrew named one of Iohns Disciples and worthy of high estimation in the christian Church 1 Because he adhered to the forerunner of Christ and was his disciple 2 Because he no sooner saw Christ whom Iohn had preached but he followed him and applied himselfe to his sequence and was of Christ the first Disciple that gaue him sequence 3 Because he had not sooner informed himselfe concerning Christ the Messiah but he presently communicated that light that was in him to his brother Simon Peter and brought him to Christ so that Peter the first of the Apostles in order by the nomination of the Text was in time after Andrew a Disciple of Christ and by him brought to Christ But Peter in the election of the twelue had the first place though in priority of notice of Christ and desire of adherencie Andrew was before them all Andrew first chose Christ to bee his Master Christ first chose Peter to be his Disciple We cannot charge the Disciples of Iohn with newfanglednesse for multiplying teachers to themselues when they forsooke the sequence of Iohn to follow Christ for Iohn did but prepare them for Christ and acknowledged himselfe but the Vsher of that Schoole whereof Christ was the chiefe Master But during their following of Iohn he taught them diligently and preached Christ to them and amongst other good instructions which they receiued from him 3 It followeth in the last place that hee taught them to pray S. Augustine doth well obserue that we haue many words in Scripture of things quae in re gestâ non inveniuntur The fall of the Angels who kept not their first estate is mentioned by Iude by way of example but there is no historicall narration thereof in the storie of Moses The great contention betweene Michael the Archangell and the deuill about the body of Moses by Iude cited for an example but no mention of it in any historicall part of holy Scripture The prophecie also of Henoch the seuenth from Adam by S. Iude cited but in no history recited vpon record S. Paul also mentioneth Iannes and Iambres who resisted Moses But also of that particular resistance no story speaketh S. Paul also mentioneth some appearance of Christ after his resurrection vnreuealed in the holy Gospels as of that to Iames and to more then fiue hundred brethren at once This is a like example for here is mention that Iohn taught his Disciples to pray but neither haue wee any record when he taught them or what forme of prayer he taught them but whatsoeuer it was Christ is now desired to teach them and his prayer is left for the perpetuall vse of the Church But I will not conâ—â—aâ—e from you what vse a cunning Spanish Fryar would â—â—â—ne insinuate of those concealements of Scripture for he saith these things though not mentioned in the historicall part of Scripture yet are of certaine truth And so he saith that modus conficiendi sacramenta and multae pontificiae ordinationes the Lent Faest and such like Quibus Ecclesia Romana vtitur must bee beleeued to be Apostolicall though there be no mention thereof in the historie of those times A poore deuice to legitimate their vaine traditions and humane inuentions by comparing them with those omissions of storie which yet are verified to vs in the way of Apostolical doctrine recorded in holy Scripture For let them produce any thing to vs by warrant of Scripture though not historified wee will imbrace it but their vnwritten traditions carry no such weight with vs nor haue any such pretence to warrant them Iohn though he had the holy Ghost yet it was giuen him by measure but in Christ the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelt bodily Iohn was in his time Lucerna ardens when the Sunne of righteousnesse arose vpon the Church Christ Iesus Iohn gaue warning He must increase but I must decrease therefore the prayer that Iohn taught his Disciples gaue place to Christs prayer as Iohn himselfe did giue place to Christ But the fidelitie of Iohn is notable for hee omitted no necessarie doctrine to informe the vnderstanding and to direct the holy practise of his Disciples therefore comming now to a fuller vessell euen a liuing fountaine of grace and wisedome they desire no longer to drinke at the Cisterne but to replenish themselues at the Well head But the argument is effectuall because Iohn omitted not that care of teaching his Disciples to pray that therfore they might boldly claime that instruction also from him their Master whose shooe latchet Iohn was not worthy to loose We haue our lesson from this example of Iohn to omit nothing that concerneth the full instruction of them to whom we preach that when wee come to a suruay of the seruice that we haue done to God in our holy ministerie we may be able with a good conscience to auouch with the Apostle I haue kept backe nothing that is profitable vnto you but haue shewed you and haue taught you publikely and againe I haue not shunned to
high authority of their Master who by this direction may establish the same as a perpetuall law to his Church to be alwayes in force and may endeare to vs the direction as proceeding from one who not only had wisdome to instruct but authority also to establish his holy instruction in the Church for all ages thereof 2 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sheweth that they desire to bee learners of the art of prayer of him for who better knoweth what may be obtained of God then he who is in the bosome of his father and who better knoweth that we haue need to demand by prayer then hee who hauing taken to him the similitude of sinfull flesh though without sinne hath with it taken vpon him all our infirmities and was in all things like vnto vs sin only excepted For Such an high Priest it became vs to haue who could haue in himselfe the sense and experience of our infirmities and necessities seeing none but such could well instruct vs in these things Againe seeing all our petitions to the father are deliuered vp to him in his name as he is the great Master of the requests to the great King of glory so it was fit that he should approue our petitions which can by no better meanes be performed then by his direction of them and giuing vs instruction what to request of God Their request is to bee taught by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to pray teach vs the art of prayer for to teach them words to be sayed and repeated is not to teach them to pray but to say prayers They need not goe to so great a Master to learne to say prayers any that can teach to speake or to read may teach that Their request entendeth to the very skill and wisdome of praier They consider that prayer is an addresse of their deuotions to God and therefore it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pray to that is to inuocate the Lord to pray to the father Our lesson then is to make choice of this Doctor of the Church this chiefe Doctor of the chaire more then Seraphicall or illuminate the very light of the world and to borrow our light from this Sol justitiae in all dutyes of piety and charity Indeed his Discite à me fils his schoole with all such disciples as are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all reall parts of Gods worship we are to admit no other direction but his they who direct by his warrant And in that sense he saith Be ye not called Rabbi or teachers for on is your teacher euen Christ one by authority all the rest by deputation The name therefore of teacher is proper only in fulnesse of sense to Christ who in our ministery is the teacher of his Church And though some affecting new formes of speech haue of late called the Ministers of the word Teachers and their sermons teaching in a nice nouelty to auoyd the titles vsed by the Church yet let mee tell them that the names of Preachers and preaching are a great deale more modest and expresse our office better and fuller for Christ is the proper teacher and wee as his curates doe but preach his teachings to his Church And if they accompt it a bold ascription to vs to call vs pardoners though Christ saith whosoeuers sinnes ye remit they are remitted They may as well thinke it too much to call vs teachers and our sermons teaching to whom Christ also said Ite docete Though I professe distaste of vpstart nouelties yet I admonish you that the title of teacher is peculiar to Christ and if any be so in loue with that forme of nuncupation as to preferre it before the Church-receiued titles I giue them warning of robbing Christ of his due honour let our teachers and teaching bee vnderstood no otherwise but as the Apostle saith nos legatione fungimur and so are in steed of Christ from whose instructions we must not varie And therefore the wise men of Berea did will to examine the preachings of S. Paul by the Scriptures to see by what warrant he instructed them and to enquire who sent them and put their word into their mouth for if Christ be not the teacher wee must not be Disciples 3 The instance as Iohn also taught his Disciples vide diuis pag. 3. Wherein we haue to consider 1 Who Iohn was 2 That he had Disciples whom he taught 3 He taught them to pray 1 Who Iohn was He was the sonne of Zecharie and Elizabeth borne to them in their old age and sanctified in the wombe to the office of a forerunner to prepare the way for Christ as S. Luke at large reports the storie of his natiuitie Christ saith of him Non surrexit maior amongst all that were borne of women then Iohn meaning in respect of his office for whereas all that went before him preached Christ to come and promised he pointed at Christ then appearing and performed to the Church saying This is he Ecce agnus Dei qui tollit peccata mundi Yet he that is least in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he by the kingdome of heauen is meant the cleare preaching of the full Gospell of Iesus Christ and the least of those Preachers who could preach Christ crucified dead and buried raised vp to life and ascended to the Father is greater in the office of ministration of the Gospell then Iohn This Iohn was called the Baptist for that he was the first Minister of that Sacrament and which was to the honour both of the Minister and the Sacrament he baptized Christ himselfe in Iordane at which time both the holy Ghost descended in the forme of a Doue and rested vpon Christ and hee that sent him proclaimed him from heauen his welbeloued Sonne in whom he was well pleased He liued a most holy life seuere and retired saue when he came abroad to teach and baptize he was generally much honoured of the people though some maligned him and in the end he dyed a Martyr for preaching to Herod that it was vnlawfull for him to breake the commandement of God by incestuous commistion with his brother Philips wife By whose suggestion Herodias her daughter begged his head of Herod at a feast vpon aduantage taken of the Kings ouerliberall oath and so he was beheaded in prison thus much the Euangelists doe report of him Whereas Malachie prophecieth of the comming of Eliah the Prophet Behold I will send you Eliah the Prophet before the comming of the great and dreadfull day of the Lord. Which many vnderstanding literally haue made themselues beleeue that the same Eliah who was taken vp in a fiery Chariot should come downe againe into the earth before the day of iudgement our Sauiour Christ hath cleared that prophecie folly saying of Iohn This is he of whom it is written I will send my messenger
and are with God toward that part of the Church which is militant here on earth and we giue God thankes for them and their glory But wee haue no warrant to resort to them for their intercession but haue an open way to the perfect and full al-sufficient Mediatour Iesus Christ who sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs. Yet let vs see how faithfully this apostata doth quote the Fathers to the maintenance of this idolatrous inuocation I will examine some few of his quotations out of the Fathers that you may tast him in a little for hee that hath dealt doubly with God and vnfaithfully with the faith it selfe what hope can wee haue of him that he same he being now in the cleare light where he may behold the truth would therefore pray to God for such as sit yet here below amiddest many clouds of darkenesse But that he meant not to make Cyprian a Mediatour betweene God and the Church who can better tell then Saint Augustine himselfe who of purpose handling this point doth 1 Shew the necessity of a Mediatour betweene God and vs. 2 He sheweth what kinde of Mediatour hee must be that will serue our turnes God and man and from thence 3 He excludeth Angels Boni igitur Angeli inter miseros mortales beatos immortales medij esse non possunt This declareth his found iudgement against mediations of any but Christ So that adiuuet nos orationibus suis is no prayer to him but a figuratiue kinde of Colloquie with him as when Dauid saith Laudent eum coeli The next authority is S. Aug. De verbis Apostoli Serm. 47. I know not where he found that sermon for we haue in print but 35. in all It were a long worke for me and not so pleasant for you nor profitable that I should pursue this fugitiue Apostata in all his colourable pretences for inuocation of Saints I desire to establish your hearts in the doctrine of truth grounded vpon the name of Father It teacheth vs to seeke the face of God onely in his mediation for whose sake God is become our Father To worke this stedfast faith in you know that there be three things which properly belong to a Mediatour which can be found in none but Christ onely 1 He must be of Gods appointing and declaring to vs none but hee can tell whom he will admit or heare for vs. And we finde Christ onely reuealed If any sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous I am the way no man commeth to the Father but by me 2 He must be iustus institia suâ we say of Angels that they are iust iustitia data a quo nostram ab eo habent iustitiam we say of Saints that they be rather Iustificati then iusti But Christ is called sapientia patris iustitia nostra 3 He must be able to merit for others that no Angell nor Saint can doe Christ confirmed Angels Christ restored man For the angels wee deny not but they may know what our wants are because they are ministring spirits that by the appointment of God doe attend vpon vs yet no Scripture hath reuealed any example of inuocation directed to them But for the Saints they know not our particular necessities they see not the euils which wee suffer onely they know as hauing beene members of the militant Church that we are left behinde them here in a valley of teares and therefore in generall they pray for vs as hath beene said Against their particular knowledge of our wants two plaine texts conuince our aduersaries of errour therein 1 When the Church confesseth that Abraham is ignorant of vs and Israel knoweth vs not 2 Huldah the Prophetesse telleth Iosiah he must bee gathered to his fathers and put into his graue in peace that his eyes may not see all the euill that God would bring vpon that place From whence wee may conclude that they who see not our miseries heare not our prayers and therefore are not to be required to mediate for vs. I conclude this point in the words of S. Aug. All christian men commended each other in their prayers to God and he who praies for all and for whom none praies he is that one and true Mediatour you may easily know whom he meanes We call him Father to teach vs that prayer is a spirituall exercise a worke of the holy Ghost in vs therefore Rea. 4 it is called the spirit of grace and supplications which teacheth vs to pray and enableth vs in praier It is the spirit of God onely which witnesseth to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God by which we call Abba Father Therefore all those that pray to God by that name without that sweet and secret testimony of the holy Ghost assuring them that they are the children of God doe not pray but prate and babble and God heareth them not This confuteth the Popish doctrine of doubting whether we be in the state of grace for shall I call God Father and yet stand in doubt whether he be my Father if I beleeue as I say that hee is my Father vpon what shall I build my faith is it not the suggestion of Gods spirit that is the author of my regeneration and that leadeth me into the way of all truth that telleth me so This is the right comming to God in prayer to aske as S. Iames teacheth nothing doubting to come in assurance of faith We call him Father to comfort all our distresses and Rea. 5 to warrant the successe of our prayers for Christ hath taught vs that this Father exceedeth all naturall Parents both in the knowledge of the necessities of his children and in tendernesse of compassion of them and in readinesse to heare them and grant their requests and in giuing good things to them what can I sinne against my father that he will not forgiue what can I aske that he will not giue Rea. 6 Another great reason is to assure vs of the excellencie of the state of grace for so Saint Iohn doth vrge it Behold what manner of loue the Father hath bestowed vpon vs that we should be called the sonnes of God This would be thought an high honour if wee did wisely consider the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God hereafter the gratious liberty of them here We call the sonnes of rich men happy because they are like to be left full and the sonnes of great men because they shall sit amongst the Princes of the earth but if these be not the Sonnes of God they may one day see poore Lazarus in ioyes when themselues are tormented in flames The truth is though the flesh the world and the deuill oppugne it that there is no man in the way of happinesse but such onely as are the Sonnes of God such onely as haue God to their Father by a speciall interest in him by Iesus Christ If
his name The Lawes of this kingdome are the holy Scriptures and these are called often the kingdome of heauen in their Ministerie for by them the glory and power of Gods kingdome is declared on earth and they are The rod of his mouth The arme of God by which he directeth and aweth all his subiects Therefore the Scepter of this Kingdome is called Sceptrum iustitiae This Kingdome of God is 1 Outward in the visible profession of the same faith and coniunction in one body of a Church and so all that ioyne together in the one worship of the same God professing to be ruled and gouerned by his holy Lawes are the visible kingdome 2 Inward in the hearts of all the elect people of God And so Christ saith Behold the kingdome of God is within you For God reigneth in the hearts and consciences of all his chosen by their faith and obedience and loue and this kingdome is not meate or drinke but it is Righteousnesse Peace and ioy in the holy Ghost 1. Righteousnesse that is the iustification of his subiect by faith whereby Christ is made to vs of God righteousnesse because the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to vs. 2 Peace for the Gospell of the kingdome is called the Gospell of peace because it filleth vs with peace of conscience in the assurance of the pardon of all our sinnes and it giueth vs a loue of outward peace in the Church knitting vs so together with the bonds of loue that as much as in vs lieth we desire to haue peace with all men 3 Ioy in the holy Ghost for where righteousnesse and peace dwell there is all spirituall ioy The voyce of ioy is in the Tabernacles of the righteous for hauing once tasted how sweete the Lord is then the soule delighteth in the Lord. Then the Statutes of God taste sweeter then hony or the hony combe they are more pretious then all manner of riches they are the very ioy of our hearts Then the feete of them that bring vs glad tydings of peace are beautifull Then the house of Gods worship is the place of our delight we will begge of God that we may dwell there where his honour dwelleth Then we shall loue the holy assemblies and be glad when it is sayd to vs we will goe vp to the house of the Lord our feete shall then stand in the gates of Gods house And the assembly of his armies will seeme to vs to be in perfect beauty Then we shall call the Sabbath of the Lord our delight and we shall make conscience of doing our owne will vpon Gods holy day Then shall we be weaned from the immoderate loue of the world and contentednesse shall meete with godlinesse Then shall we find and tast sweetnesse in afflictons and perciue it good for vs that wee haue beene afflicted and shal reioyce in our sufferings for Iesus Christ so then the kingdome of grace is two fold 1 Generall in the whole body of the Church where Christ reigneth King beeing head of his Church to guide it with his wisedome to saue and defend it by his power to Sanctifie it by his Spirit 2 Particular in euery elect member of the Church where Christ reigneth in the conscience and hid man of the heart gouerning and protecting and teaching and sanctifying the same to himselfe 3. Regnum gloriae 1 Nostrae 2 Dei This is that heauenly inheritance of the Church which Christ hath purchased for all the faithfull of which our Sauiour saith Feare not little flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you the kingdome And of this is said Come yee blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Of this Dauid saith I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse and before In thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand pleasures for euermore This is a place of glory 1 In respect of the holinesse of the subiects of it for no vncleane thing can enter into it it is called Ciuitas sancta He that is left in Ierusalem and he that remaineth in Sion shall be called holy euen euery one that is written among the liuing in Ierusalem When the Lord shall haue washed away the filth of the daughters of Sion and shall haue purged the bloud of Ierusalem from the middest thereof by the spirit of iudgement and by the spirit of burning 2 It is a kingdome of glorie because all the subiects of it are stripped out of all their infirmities and made like to the glorious Angels of God Yea the Scripture telleth vs more that we shall be like to Christ because we shall see him as he is More it saith that our vile bodies shall be like his glorious bodie Eternall health eternall ioy perfect and full knowledge blessednesse which shall neuer be taken away from vs and a full and finall abolition of all our wantes Here is that Crowne of righteousnesse and the reward of faith and the purchase of our Mediatour Here we are subiects and Kings our subiection is a royaltie for we reigne with Christ and the adoption of children is so complete in heauen and in glory that like the Elder sonne in the parable of the prodigall all that our father hath is ours The kingdome of grace is the way to the kingdome of glory it is the suburbs of this abiding city The kingdome of grace is that kingdome which Christ exerciseth in his Church here and which he deliuereth vp to God his father when the kingdome of glory cometh of which the Apostle saith Then cometh the end when he shall haue deliuered vp the kingdome to God euen the Father when he shall haue put downe all rule and all authority and power For he must reigne till hee haue put downe all his enemies vnder his feete Then shall the sonne also himselfe be subiect to him that put all things vnder him that God may be all in all Where the Apostle sheweth the vtter cessation of the kingdome of grace swallowed vp of this kingdome of glory This place of the Apostle is notable and containeth points of deepe consideration 1 Concerning Christs deliuering vp of the kingdome we must know that Christ is King as God and man so is the head of his Church and this kingdome hee holdeth by vertue of his office as hee is Mediatour between God and man and when that worke is accomplished in the fulnesse of his glory of the elect then that kingdome must cease and be giuen vp into the hands of the Father who gaue him the administration thereof for the gathering together of the Saints and for the bringing of all the elect to him 2 When he saith that Christ shall deliuer vp this kingdome to his Father let no man conceiue that the Father was all this while out of his kingdome and is now by the Sonne restored at
meanes of grace and they treasure vp wrath to themselues 2 They must know that all vnaffected ignorance in those things that we ought to know of the reuealed will of God which is rather called nescientia then ignorantia If it doe excuse it is not à toto but à tanto for the seruant that doth not know his Masters will and yet doth things worthy of stripes shall bee beaten with a few stripes The reason is because hee hath not vsed the meanes to know so much of the will of God as is reuealed either by the law written in his heart or by outward meanes Saint Augustine is as fauourable in the case of ignorance as may be saying Ille ignorans potest excusari a poena qui a quo disceret non inuenit Obserue yet he saith potest excusari a poena not a culpa for he hath said elsewhere quod ignorans quisque non rectè facit quod recte volens facere non potest ideo dicuntur peccata quae de peccato liberae voluntatis originem ducunt Saint Chrysostome non potest esse excusatio condemnationis ignorantia veritatis quibus fuit inueniendi facultas si fuisset quaerendi voluntas We liue in a cleare light and cannot plead inuincible ignorance if we doe not know the will of God it is because we will not know it Saint Augustine saith Impia mens odit etiam ipsum intellectum homo mente peruersa timet intelligere ne cogatur quod intelligit facere 2 There is required of vs remembrance of the will of God We must not be like leaky vessels which let goe as fast as they take in this doctrine of the will of God which is a pretious liquour It is a great charge that God layeth vpon his people after hee had reuealed to them his will in his law Onely take heed to thy selfe and keepe thy soule diligently lest thou forget the things which thine eyes haue seene and lest they depart from thy heart all the dayes of thy life but teach them thy sonnes and thy sonnes sonnes So Solomon my sonne forget not my law but let thy heart keepe my Commandements Binde them about thy necke write them on the table of thy heart keepe them in the midst of thy heart It is called bonum semen verbi that doth reueale this will of God it is great pitty that any of it should be lost It is neither safe in the eare from which it often passeth with the sound nor in the vnderstanding for no intention of desire nor attention of eare nor apprehension of vnderstanding will serue without retention in memory It would saue vs a great deale of our labour in our ministerie if it were enough barely to open to you the whole counsell of God and to preach his will to your cares and vnderstandings Bethinke you how long you haue beene hearers of the word preached and how many Sermons you haue heard how many texts of holy Scripture expounded and applyed and sanctifie your storehouse see what tarries by you and how much you haue committed to the trust of a faithfull memory that is able to giue you a good account thereof againe Saint Peter saith I thinke it meete so long as I am in this tabernacle to stirre you vp by putting you in remembrance There is nothing that helpeth memory better then meditation and conference Meditation doth call to minde what we haue heard from point to point and maketh it our owne it is the best entertainement of our priuatenesse and retiring for it keepeth our thoughts at home and fixeth them vpon that which is good and profitable for vs for wandring and gadding thought runne themselues out of breath and build castles in the ayre but meditation doth clip their wings and keepe them from flying away from that vnum necessarium 1 Meditation doth set the memory on work to bring forth the store that it hath layd vp for vse to see that nothing of it be wanting or lost as Christ saith Colligite quod superest fragmentorum ne quid pereat A Sermon perisheth in the hearing to them that thinke they haue done enough to heare it and thinke no more of it so one seeth his face in a glasse and forgetteth presently as the Apostle saith what his feature is But they that examine themselues vpon interrogatories when they are alone what I heard how was the text opened what were the parts thereof what points of doctrine what applications what proofes this doth make the memory more capable the matter more terrible when it is called to account Therefore we ought to giue the more earnest heed to the things which we haue heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Meditation doth set the vnderstanding a worke for it maketh it search for wisedome and examine our hearings to see what we may adde to our former knowledge or what we must take better notice of and make more our owne then it was And thus we may much better our vnderstanding not onely by our present hearing but by comparing that with what we haue either heard or read before for the intellectuall facultie is operatiue if we exercise it and will straine it selfe to reach at an increase of knowledge We must be like little children who when once they haue found their feet will not alwaies looke to haue the helpe of an hand to lead and support them but will try how they can goe alone for the vnderstanding is ambitious of doing somewhat without helpe 3 Meditation worketh vpon the affections for when the reasonable soule of man hath seriously considered of that which the eare hath heard the affection is presently set a worke either to loue or hate or hope or feare or ioy or grieue according to the condition of that matter which we haue heard deliuered Therefore if wee haue any desire to the doing of the will of God we must thinke vpon the word wee heare to remember it and to meditate therein day and night Conference also doth helpe memory when we speake of our hearings one to another and reason thereof amongst our selues It is a good signe that the seruants haue a care of doing the will of their Master when they talke of it amongst themselues and put one another in remembrance of that which their Master hath committed to their care and trust Hearing and reading doth make a good stocke in the store but conference is a kinde of negotiating with it for it keepeth our hearings in readinesse for vse vpon occasion and by conference a man gaineth dexterity of discourse to vent his knowledge gotten either by hearing reading or obseruation Hereupon the people of Israel had the charge giuen them for the better remembrance of the statutes and commandements of God And ye shall teach them your children speaking of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way when thou liest downe and when
fenced and armed with this petition And so much time as escapeth vs free from these euils is gained in the patience and long suffering of God to vs to offer vp to God the due tribute of our thankes There should then be no vacation from this double seruice of prayer and prayse for not onely one day telleth another but one houre and minute telleth another of Gods great deliuerances of vs from euill Sathan is our profest aduersarie you may see in Iobs historie what he did what he would doe if the power of God did not restraine him if the protection of God did not defend vs neither should our bodies nor our goods nor our cattaile nor our fruits of the earth nor our children be safe if his hand might be stretched out but the preseruer of men keepeth vs resisteth him 5 Obserue the course of this whole prayer for why doe we desire the honour of Gods holy name but for this that we may flye to it as our tower of strength to defend and deliuer vs from all euill for our helpe is in the name of the Lord. They that know thy name will trust in thee for thou neuer failest them that seeke thee And why doe wee desire the comming of the kingdome of God but that we may be safe from euill being vnder his holy regiment who is able to treade Sathan vnder our feete And why doe we desire that the will of God may bee done but that we may liue in holy obedience to him that we that be his seruants and the sheepe of his pasture may walke without feare in the valley of the shadow of death Why doe we desire life of God to be fed by his hand and blessing with our daily bread but that wee may be preserued by his prouidence from all things that may hurt and annoy vs. Why doe wee desire forgiuenesse of sinnes past and present but to assure his protection and to establish our hearts with grace that wee may serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse Why doe we desire preseruation from temptation but to secure our liues against the pollution and infection of sinne So that these petitions mutuò se generant we desire to obtaine of God all that we aske in the sixe former petitions that we may be deliuered from euill and we desire to be deliuered from euill that we may doe all the duties required in those former requests And let him that desireth to speed in this last supplication cast backe his eye vpon the rest that hee may rectifie himselfe in primo medio imo to the pleasing of God in his prayer 6 Let vs haue faith to beleeue a good successe of our prayers and to apprehend the louing kindenesse of God to vs in Iesus Christ for hee is the Angell of the couenant of this mercy He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the deuil if the sonne therefore make you free you shall be free indeed He giueth perfect liberty from the hands of all our enemies that we may serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him Wee cannot haue this deliuerance without faith to apprehend and apply it therefore let vs remember the former mercies of God to strengthen our faith as Dauid Our father 's trusted in thee they trusted in thee and thou didst deliuer them They cryed vnto thee and were deliuered they trusted in thee and were not confounded He is the rocke of our safety let vs build our neasts and lay out yong ones in the holes of this rocke for they that trust in him can want nothing that is good for them MATH 6.13 For thine is the kingdome and the power and the glory for euer IT is plaine in the storie of the Gospell that Christ did twise teach to pray this prayer once priuately which Saint Luke relateth and that at the request of his Disciples Another time publikely in his sermon preached vpon the Mount reported here by Saint Matthew These words which are the close and conclusion of the Lords prayer are omitted in Saint Luke But in his publique sermon they are added as you reade here therefore from hence wee borrow them to supply the prayer in Saint Luke The Disciples obtained what they desired in Saint Luke for Christ taught them to pray and the prayer doth extend no further then these seuen petitions for nothing is desired of God in these words of the conclusion added in Saint Matthew And here let me shew you a great want of iudgement and charity in some of our brethren who haue tendered to his Maiestie some exceptions against our booke of Common Prayer by the way of Question whereof this is one Whether it be an acceptable seruing of God rather to follow the masse-booke in omitting these words then the scripture in vsing of them Sol. 1 You may easily discerne a roote of bitternesse in this obiection for these words are not found in this Scripture and yet here Christ is desired to teach his Disciples to pray and charity might haue as well seene the want of these words in this Scripture as in the masse-booke and thought our imitation rather guided by this text then by that idolatrous booke Sol. 2 Master Beza who tooke great paines to search all the old coppies of the new Testament to perfect his edition thereof by comparing them together doth confesse that in many coppies hee found these words wanting both in Saint Matthew and Saint Luke He addeth also that many interpreters haue thought them put into the text as being the common conclusion vsed by the Christians in their prayers Further he alleadgeth that three of the antient Fathers of purpose expounding the Lords prayer haue omitted this conclusion and haue not so much as mentioned it that is Cyprian Augustine and Ierome So that this vncharitable construction of leauing out these words in the booke of common Prayer will light as heauy vpon Saint Luke and these holy Fathers of the Church as vpon our booke through whose sides these are pierced with this dart of false witnesse to the manifest preuarication of that holy commandement But let them charge it vpon vs doth any Minister in Sol. 3 reading of diuine Seruice euer omit the adding this conclusion to the rest or are we forbidden to vse it rather doe we not vnderstand it intended that it should be added as we vse to say quod necessario subintelligitur non deest Else they might also quarrell the booke for onely beginning the Lords prayer as in many places Zeale is madnesse if it be not guided by a right vnderstanding and tempered with charity I could not omit the answering for our Church against this vniust imputation both to stop the mouth of slander and to fasten shame on the foreheads that blush not at these pickt quarrels And also to settle your iudgements in a sober construction of those things which the Church hath established and done for vs.