is no god a matter of most fearefull blasphemie 5 Periurie dishonoreth God After vaine swearing as an higher degree of dishonoring God followeth periurie or false swearing when we cloake false witnes vnder the Lords skirt wherein as much as in vs lieth we make God the voucher of a lie who is notwithstanding the God of truth how great a dishonor is offered to God by this course is so apparant as that it neede no illustration In the last place blasphemie occurreth thaÌ„ which a greater despite or disgrace cannot bee offered vnto the Lord Blasphemie dishonoreth God which is to reuile and raile vpon God called in the Scripture cuâ—sing God a sin so great as that it was dreadfull to the holy Pen-men of Scripture to vse the word and therefore they vse the contrarie word blessing in stead of cursing as the wife of Iob said to him blesse that is Iob. 2.9 curse God and die howsoeuer some expound the place otherwise The haynousnes of which sinne is so great as that the Lord hath punished one degree thereof called blasphemie against the holy Ghost Matth. 12.32 with the most fearefull punishment of finall impenetencie in regarde whereof the sinne commeth to be vnpardonable Thus also we see how and how many waies we dishonor God by our prophane speeches not that there are no more but these are the principall Now it followeth in the last place shortly to consider of those prophane actions whereby God is dishonored Prophane actions dâ—shonor God Concerning which it must be knowne that all our euill deedes doe in some measure staine Gods glory either directly or by consequence but yet some are more properly said so to do and they are these ten which shall be handled in order following The first is idolatrie 1 Idolatrie dishonoreth God which is the making of an image of God the worshipping of that image made or the making and worshipping of an image of a false god by all which meanes God is dishonored in the highest degree for to resemble God in an image is to make the Creator like the creature betwixt whom there is no comparison the one being infinite the other finite and therefore euery image is a lie of God and so dishonorable to God Againe to worship that image made is to honor a lie and to giue to the workemanship of man that which is due to God onely and this is to rob God of his honor and to impart it to a stocke or stone Lastly the making and worshipping of an Idol which is the image of a false god is most shamefull for therein we forsake the true God and follow our owne inuentions and worship the picture or shape of that which is nothing in the world as the Apostle speaketh or else is the diuell for indeede when we doe worship Idols we worship diuels 1. Cor. 10. 2 Superstition dishonoreth God Superstition followeth in the second place which is the worshipping of the true God after a false manner as the Turke worshippeth the true God according to the tradition of Mahomet the Papist worshippeth the true God but with mixture of much draffe of mans inuentions fearing and making scruple where there is no cause of feare and taking libertie to inuent and deuise meanes and waies of worship where they should not and thus they blemish Gods glorie in taking vpon them authoritie to prescribe and impose such a worship vpon the Lord which his wisedome neuer determined thereby controlling Gods wisedome with their inuention and will worship Curious arts dishonoreth God To Idolatrie and superstition may be annexed as neere of kinne all Witchcraft Sorcerie Magicke Charming Southsaying Figure-casting Palmistrie Necromancie and whatsoeuer other diuellish arts the idle braine of curious Naturalists haue deuised al and euery whereof containe in them a secret idolatrie and superstition at the least if they haue not openly contracted with the diuell whom they adore or pay tithe to of their blood or recompence some way or other for his obedience suggestion and seruice performed at their becke wherefore all those that had vsed such curious Arts to the dishonor of God after their coÌ„uersion burned their books at Ephesus Act. 19.19 as the EuaÌ„gelist reporteth in the Acts in which storie there are diuers points very worthie obseruation to this purpose as that they were learned men that vsed these Crafts and that their learning was out of bookes and their bookes were worth eight hundreth pounds which declare plainly that they were writings of Astrologie or Magicke or Southsaying and the like and not of witchcraft only which vsually is not committed to writing but learned by obseruation or tradition further it is to bee considered that they did not sell but burne their bookes as it were preuenting the vse of them to others because they were conuicted in their consciences of the dishonour which came to God thereby In the third place after Idolatrie and superstition 3 Sacriledge dishonoreth God which respect God and his worship succeed sacriledge and simonie which respect the meanes of Gods worship Sacriledge is when violence is offered to holy places things persons or times c. as if men should take away Churches and Church liuings and so ouerthrow the callings of Church-men and conuert the times appointed to Gods seruice to Faires and Markets by which practises it commeth to passe that Gods worship perisheth and prophanenes preuaileth and the Lord is either forgotten or dishonoured Thus did the King of Babel commit sacriledge 2. Chro. 36. when hee destroyed the Temple and carried away the vessels of the Lords house to Babylon and vsed them to common offices as in banquetting thus did Christ prophecie after Daniel Matth. 24.15 that the abomination of desolation should bee set in the holy place thus did the people prophane the Temple Ioh. 2.15 making it a market place in our Sauiour Christs time Diuers other examples there are in the Scriptures of this kinde but these may suffice to shew that such sacrilegious practises greatly dishonour God as being meanes to abolish or defile Gods worship Simonie also is no small cause of defacing Gods glorie 4 Simony dishonoreth God which is when offices Ecclesiasticall are set to sale whereby it commeth to passe that vnworthie persons by money prepossesse the places of Ministery and maintenance which should be conferred vpon persons whom God hath qualified competently to such functions Hereby it commeth that ignorant and wicked Ministers creep into the Church which are fitter to keepe swine than to feede the flocke of Christ meeter to be Masters of misrule than rulers of Gods heritage and so the people perish for want of knowledge or goe astray after their blinde guides and God is greatly dishonoured by people and Pastors besides the indignitie which the Ministerie ecclesiasticall sustaineth that it should be valued with money which is the means of conferring the inualuable gifts of the holy Ghost Act.
persons 1. By the ignorant persons that vnderstand it not 2. By impenitent persons that practise it not 3. By Papists that attend not the matter of it 4. By witches wise women or charmers How ignorant persons abuse prayer The ignorant person abuseth it for that he thinketh the very saying of the words though hee vnderstand not the matter signified in the words to be a good and acceptable seruice of God which is very absurd For first hee that prayeth must pray in faith if hee will haue his prayer granted Iam. 1.6.7 Iam. 1. for that man that wanteth faith shall not receiue any thing of the Lord but where there is no knowledge of the maine articles of faith there can be no faith Rom. 10.14.15 for faith commeth by hearing learning and knowing of the word of God expounded in the ministerie thereof Seeing then hee wanteth knowledge hee wanteth faith and wanting faith hee shall not obtaine that he asketh and obtaining not he prayeth not aright and so abuseth this prayer for that hee vseth it not in faith and knowledge as is required 1. Cor. 14.26 2. It is expressely set downe by the Apostle that a man must pray with the spirit and with the vnderstanding that is so that another may vnderstand him when he prayeth if so as other may vnderstand then much more must he vnderstand himselfe if a man therefore pray not vnderstanding the prayer hee saith hee abuseth it but ignorant persons pray without vnderstanding wherefore they abuse both this and all the rest of their prayers Therefore it were better for them to say fiue words with knowledge than to say their Pater noster or any other prayer tenne times as long without vnderstanding Matth. 15.8 Esay 29. 3. Finally our Sauiour Christ out of the Prophet Esay reprooueth the hypocriticall Iewes for that they did draw neere with their lips but their hearts were a farre off and requireth that they draw neere both with heart and lippes when they come to worship God but a man cannot draw neere with his hart except the vnderstanding and the mind goe before as the leader of the heart wherefore the vnderstanding is compared to the wagoner or coachman that directeth and guideth the horse with whip and bridle that is restraineth the headstrong and vntamed affections and ordreth then aright by reason rightly ruled they therfore that want vnderstanding of their prayers although they may say they haue a good heart and affections yet it cannot be that the hart should be right except the vnderstanding bee right which is by knowledge wherefore all is wrong and amisse and therefore thou abusest thy prayer except thou vnderstand what thou prayest To end this first point prayer is the labour of the minde and heart not of the lips and all they that make it a lip-labour onely as all ignorant persons doe abuse this and all other prayers For foure things are necessarie to pray this prayer or any other prayer in speech 1. Thou must vnderstand it as alreadie hath bin said 2. Thou must affect and desire the prayers 3. Thou must vtter the words 4. Heart tongue and minde must accord in euery prayer and euery seuerall matter wherefore the tongue must not runne before our wits as wee say in our common prouerbe but first our hearts must indite good matter Psal 45. 2. Cor. 4.13 and then our tongues must be as the pen of a readie writer we must first beleeue and then wee must speake Thus then is this prayer abused by ignorant persons Secondly How impenitent persons abuse prayer the impenitent person though he haue knowledge and so be freed from that kind of abuse of this prayer yet abuseth it as bad if not worse in another kinde for 1. God heareth not them that liue in sinne vnrepented of for their prayers and sacrifices Psal 66.18 Ioh. 9 3â— Prou. 15.8 Esay 1. and all their seruice of God is abominable and is no better than iniquitie it selfe in Gods sight for though God hath commanded prayer and sacrifice and incense as was accustomed in the old Testament yet he required that they should be offered by persons that were meete and fit for that purpose and so though God now require that wee should pray and heare the word and communicate in the Sacraments actions answerable to the former of the old Testament yet God will not accept these actions performed by any man but first a man must leaue his sins and then pray repent and then heare the word examine himselfe and finde himselfe worthie before he eate otherwise his praying hearing and eating are turned into sinne If then the prayer of an vnrepentant person be abominable if God heareth it not if it bee iniquitie surely the wicked man doth abuse it and make it so for God would accept that of vs which hee commaundeth vs if we would performe it as he requireth 2. Againe impenitent persons abuse prayer because they doe not practise that which they pray for euery prayer must be practised otherwise there is hypocrisie and dissimulation For if a man pray that Gods name may be hallowed if hee by swearing vainly or falsely prophane the name of God it is double dealing for his heart and tongue accord not in one nay his tongue contradicteth it selfe for he asketh with the tongue that he may not dishonor Gods name and yet with a vaine or false oath his tongue doth dishonour Gods name this his tongue speaketh contradictions or else hee neuer meaneth to practise that which hee prayeth and so his heart and tongue are at variance which is hypocrisie an impenitent person then doth abuse prayer for that he neuer prayeth with his hart though with his tongue he speake it 3. Furthermore the man that liueth in his sinnes which he repenteth not of doth curtoll and as I may so speake libbe this prayer and so abuse it for if we pray this prayer aright we must pray euery petition thereof but an impenitent person cannot pray euery prayer therein contained for a swearer cannot pray hallowed be thy name a persecutor cannot pray thy kingdome come the impatient person cannot pray thy will be done the couetous person cannot pray for his daily bread and so foorth of the rest for how can they pray against those sinnes wherein they haue resolued with themselues as it were to liue and die And therefore if the minister or any other Christian shall reproue them of those seuerall sinnes which they practise they will hate him and persecute him for it which argueth plainely that they neuer pray against them for they cannot abide to heare of them 4 To end this point they abuse this prayer for that liuing in sinne notwithstanding they take this prayer a part of holy scripture and so Gods name in vaine for they haue nothing to doe to meddle with Gods word Psal 50.16 seeing they hate to be reformed and cast Gods word behinde them For whereas
of men As for example they will write it vpon a peece of paper or hauing written it cause the partie diseased to weare it about his necke and so they shall be cured they will write it in cheese or vpon bread and giue it to mad dogges to eate and their madnes shall depart from them and other practises of like folly and impietie all which plainely argue societie and fellowship with the diuell and the helpe of the diuell for others cannot doe it but themselues and why I pray you cannot others doe it forsooth say they you doe not beleeue as we doe no not though you say or write the same prayers that they doe Surely wee beleeue that to be true which they say for they haue either openly or at the least secretly contracted with the diuell whose they are whom they serue and honor and in whom they beleeue No maruaile then though others which worship the true God cannot doe such charming trickes as they can for indeede good Christians beleeue not in the diuell as they doe Wherefore seeing they direct their prayers to the diuell which should be directed to God alone they doe greatly abuse their prayers Obiection If any obiect that these wise women vse medicines as well as prayers and so their prayers doe only sanctifie their medicines which they vse to cure their diseases the answere is their medicines are not such as the art of physicke alloweth but some foolish trumperie which hath no qualitie or vertue sutable to the disease as fit to draw the moone out of heauen as to cure a disease and both their medicines and prayers are nothing else but a colour of their charming that so vnder such a shew of art and holines they may the easier deceiue the simple people who for the most part thinke that all is gold that glistereth and who knoweth not that euen Sathan can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light Also if it be obserued these women and charmers are either ignorant or profane persons wanting the true knowledge of God or leading lewd and vngodly liues yet outwardly at performing of their cures they will make such a holy show of deuotion as may bleare the eyes of vnexperienced people In regarde whereof greater care and diligence ought to be vsed in examining and trying their actions for the white diuell will sooner deceiue than the blacke diuell It appeareth then plainely by this which hath been said that the Lords prayer is diuersly abused by diuers sorts of persons as namely the ignorant the impenitent the papist the charmer The holy vse of the Lords prayer The second point to be handled in the generall consideration of the Lords prayer is the true lawfull and holy vse thereof and so of prayer generally which may partly be perceiued by that which hath alreadie been deliuered concerning the abuse for the knowledge of one contrarie ariseth but of the knowledge of another and he that knoweth wherein the abuse of the Lords prayer consisteth knoweth also wherein the true and holy vse doth consist Yet notwithstanding it shall not bee amisse to intreate briefely of this point referring the further vnderstanding thereof partly to that which hath been alreadie spoken of the abuse and partly to that which shall be spoken afterward in the preface and in the conclusion of the Lords prayer of the affections and dispositions in the time of prayer and of the manner of prayer To handle this point then of the true and holy vse of prayer it consisteth especially in foure particulars 1. Knowledge for a man must vnderstand what he prayeth 2. Faith which is an assurance of obtaining that we aske 3. Repentance which is bewailing our sins and wants and a practizing of our prayers 4. Deuotion which is a due disposition in time of prayer For if vnderstanding the matter of our prayers Knowledge necessarie for the vse of prayer feeling our sinnes and wants bewailing them purposing to amend them earnestly asking pardon and reliefe reuerently carying our hearts in Gods presence faithfully perswading our selues God will heare vs if I say we thus aske we doe truely and aright vse prayer First for knowledge that it is necessarie shall appeare by consideration of the seuerall parts thereof for there is a threefold knowledge required 1. Knowledge of the words vttered 2. Knowledge of the matter contained in the words 3. Knowledge of the doctrine comprehended in the matter The knowledge of the words is opposed against prayer in an vnknowne tongue which edifieth not and therefore must be remooued out of the congregation and in the congregation the words of the prayer must be vnderstoode 1. Cor. 14. else the speaker shall be a barbarian to the hearer and otherwise the hearer cannot say Amen Strange languages is a iudgement of God vpon the world as may be seene by the history of the tower of Babell Gen. 11. the euidence whereof appeareth vnto this day in that the paines we bestow about the learning of the tongues is so hard and tedious and is a gâ—eat impediment to the true knowledge of the Scriptures If it be a iudgement of God why shall we not seeke to pray in a knowne tongue and so to vnderstand whâ—t we pray that we may be freed from that iudgement The knowledge of strange tongues indeede is a blessing but the strange tongue is vndoubtedly a iudgement The knoâ—ledge of the matter is a thing absolutely necessarie also for shall we vtter we know not what to God or shall we giue consent in publike prayer to that we are ignorant of the prayer perhaps may containe Arrianisme or Pelagianisme it may be hereticall or schismaticall or sâ—uor of some foule errors which cannot please God seeing they are not agreeable to holsome doctrine of the word 1. Ioh. 5.14 all our prayers must be according to his will but false doctrine heresies or errors are contrary to his will Wherefore we must carefully know and search whether the matter of our prayers containe in them truth or falsehood and so the knowledge of the matter is also absolutely necessary if wee will haue our prayers accepted and graunted The knowledge of the doctrine comprehended in the matter also is needefull that a man in some measure know the fundamentall points of religion Ioh. 4.22 which our Sauiour Christ requireth in the Samaritanes for they worshipped they could not tell what but the Iewes knew what they worshipped Ioh. 17.3 2. Cor 13.5 1. Cor. 11.28 a man therefore must know God and himselfe the law and the Gospell in some tolerable measu e before hee can make acceptable prayers to God through Christ Iesus The second thing necessarie for the true and holy vse of prayer Faith neceâ—sariâ— o the â—olie vsâ— of pâ—â—â—er 〈…〉 5 14. is faith or an assurance of obtaining that wee aske according to his will this faith or assurance is a fruite of iustifying faith which laieth hold vpon Christ for
giuen them to expound the Scriptures being called thereto Wherefore seeing there can be no faith without knowledge and no knowledge without teaching and no teaching without learning therefore the Ministers that want learning cannot teach so as the people may know and beleeue and be saued and by this meanes the people perish for want of knowledge Hosea 4.6 and Gods kingdome is diminished in the number and qualitie of good subiects False teachers hinder Christs kingdome 2. After ignorance followeth error which poysoneth the soule for hereticall and erroneous teachers broaching erroneous and false doctrine infuse poison into the minds of men for such doctrine fretteth and infecteth like a Gangrene as the Apostle teacheth 2. Tim. 2.17 and therefore hee willeth that men should auoyde such teachers and heretikes after once and twise admonished for as all men will auoyde him that hath the plague or any other contagious disease so erroneous and hereticall teachers must bee shunned as being such as haue the plague of heresie vpon them which is almost incureable whereby they infect those that are of sound iudgement and so pull them from subiection to Christ their King and Prophet 3. In the next place The Ministers hinder Gods Kingdome idle and vnprofitable teachers follow which eate the milke and cloath themselues with the fleece of the flocke but feede not the flocke The sinne of these men is so much the greater for that they can and will not teach their people and as idle persons in the common-wealth are called theeues by the Apostle Ephes 4. not because they violently steale but for that they are caterpillers and drones eating that which they neuer sweate for so these men that liue idly in the Church incurre the iust rebuke of spirituall feloney and theft in that they eate and worke not in that they reape temporall things of the people and doe not minister their spirituall things to the people And so it commeth to passe that the people being vntaught and vnfed their soules pine away and are famished and perish and the Kingdome of Christ is depriued and robbed of subiects 4. After idle Ministers which can teach and will not Vnskilfull Ministers hinder Gods Kingdome followeth another sort which wil teach but cannot whose seruice is therefore refused of God for that they take vpon them that whereto they haue no competent abilitie For there are certaine bounds and limits wherein consisteth a sufficient qualification to the office of the Ministerie whereto if any man be found defectiue although he may be profitable to the furthering of Christs Kingdome in another calling yet therein he doth harme in that he hindereth another that might doe good these men may be called manglers and hackers of Gods word for they cannot deuide the word aright as the Apostle speaketh neither are they apt to teach A skilfull carpenter can by line and leuell square his timber but a man not brought vp to the trade will hacke and mangle and mare the timber so the Apostles compareth Ministers to skilfull builders and not to them that cleane and chop wood rending and cutting it in peeces they care not how so it be done For a Minister must be a master of his profession and mysterie as well yea much more than other men Againe it is one thing to be learned and another thing to be apt to teach the one is contemplatiue the other practicall for a man may haue knowledge how and what to teach and yet want gifts of speech to vtter significantly and profitably as experience teacheth By reason whereof it falleth out that some men hauing good learning do not edifie others or hauing speech and wanting learning are no better than sounding brasse and a tinckling cymball Vitious Ministers hinder Gods Kingdome 5. Now further let it be graunted that a man haue the qualification of learning sound iudgement paines skill and vtterance yet neuerthelesse if his life bee vitious he doth not builde with both hands but pulleth downe as fast as he buildeth Wherefore the Apostle requireth that Ministers should be both apt to teach 1. Tim. 3. Math. 5. and vnreproueable and Christ himselfe willeth his disciples to haue a double light in them both of sound doctrine and a godly life Such Ministers may very well be compared to images placed in crosse wayes which point the way to the towne but neuer set foote to goe thither or like to the sermon bell that calleth men to the sermon which is the meanes of saluation but neuer heareth nor profiteth by the sermon And these Ministers greatly hinder the Kingdome of Christ for howsoeuer they preach and may be meanes of conuersion and edification to those that are conuerted yet surely their euill life doth scandalize and offend many not onely that are without but some weake ones also within the compasse of the Church For howsoeuer it be a fault for a man to stumble at a blocke wilfully and of purpose as these men doe yet surely it is a great fault for to lay the blocke in his way which we know will stumble at it it is as if we should giue a sworde to a mad or desperate man that would kill himselfe 6. A â—lattering Ministery hindereth Gods Kingdome In the last place those Ministers that seeke to please men that sow pillowes vnder euery elbow that say peace peace when there is no peace that daube with vntempered morter that out of a policie securing themselues from daunger refraine holsome doctrine and application not daring to say with Nathan to Dauid thou art the man nor with Elias to Ahab it is thou and thy fathers house that troubleth Israel nor with Iohn Baptist to Herod it is not lawfull for thee to commit incest nor with Christ to the Scribes and Pharsies woe be to you Scribes and Pharises hypocrits serpents generation of vipers these Ministers I say walking fearefully and politikely in their ministerie hinder the building of Christs spirituall temple for they doe not hew and sawe the rough stones nor plane and polish the knottie timber but rub them with a smooth slickstone and wipe them with a soft foxe skinne and so by this meanes the rubbish stone and knottie timber is vnfit for the spirituall edifice whereas the Ministers should be such as Iames and Iohn were the sonnes of thunder which should with the thunderbolts of Gods iudgements pearce the flint-hard hearts of secure and carnall men that they might be turned into soft and fleshie hearts Hauing spoken sufficiently of the faults incident to the magistracie and ministerie which hinder the Kingdome of Christ other vices follow which in this petition we pray against First against infidelitie impenitencie and raigning sins Generall sinnes hindering Christs Kingdome the subuersion whereof is an effect of good Magistracie and Ministerie and the nourcing and cherishing whereof necessarily groweth from the foresaid vices in the Magistracie and Ministerie These sinnes howsoeuer they are incident to
greatest care The order of the fourth petition strengtheneth our infirmitie Secondly some men trusting in God for the pardon of their sinnes yet distrust God for the prouision of their bodies and so Christ in regard of their infirmitie and want doth in this order condescend vnto them teaching them first to pray for that which they most neede viz. grace to depend vpon God for outward matters a thing wherein Gods children faile mightily Hence it is that Christ doth so earnestly labour with his disciples to cast away immoderate Mat. 6.24.25.26.27 c. distrustfull and distracting care for outward prouision sending them to learne of the fowles of the avre and of the lillies of the field And the manner of the Apostles argument in the Epistle to the Romanes doth import as much Rom. 8.32 saying If God giue vs Christ shall hee not giue vs with Christ all things else As if so be that when wee had Christ we doubted whether wee should haue other things needfull and indeede so ordinarily wee doe For besides that Gods children are regenerate to the enduring of the crosse which is an inseparable concomitant of Christianitie it is true also that they are straightned in their consciences being not able to vse those indirect and vnlawfull meanes for the supplie of outward wants as the wicked worldlings can and doe vse without any present sensible disturbance of their peace and therefore the godly wanting many meanes of their daily bread and being by Gods predestination called to some scarsitie thereof no marueile though they bestow their cogitations and affections more liberally in the prouision of outward needes by lawfull meanes therein in part bewraying their infirmitie Mat. 6.30 and little faith in Gods prouidence for the world which little faith Christ in this order partly rebuketh partly confirmeth by instruction The same thing is to bee obserued by our Sauiour Christs mandate and commission deliuered to his disciples when hee sent them to teach Mat. 10.9.17 neuer a whit strengthening them in the assurance of the forgiuenes of their sinnes but many waies encouraging them against persecution and want of daily bread insinuating their infirmitie herein Thirdly The order of the fourth â—etition teacheth vs â—ome meanes of faith Christ by this method doth traine vs vp as it were by certaine rudiments and teacheth vs to ascend to the great and maine matters as it were to the top of the staiers by these lower degrees For as it is impossible for a man to come to the vpper roome but by staiers so it is impossible for a man to attaine fulnes of faith for pardon of sinne but by these inferiour exercises of faith which are to depend vpon God for the lesser matters as our daily bread For howsoeuer to Gods children hauing grace in some small measure and assurance of pardon of their sin the want of outward matters seemeth the greatest trouble and therein they bewray their greatest infirmitie yet indeede and in truth the pardon of sinne and the assurance thereof when the conscience is possessed with the feeling of sinne and Gods wrath is the greatest matter and at that time the trouble for daily bread is nothing or not sensible in comparison of the feare and doubt of the forgiuenes of sinne This three-fold reason of the order of this petition for daily bread before the petition for grace affoordeth one doctrine which may be distinguished into three branches First our greatest care must be for spirituall matters Secondly we must learne to depend vpon God for our daily bread and temporall matters Thirdly the temporall blessings which God vouchsafeth his children ought of them to be vsed as arguments and meanes of the assurance of remission of sinnes Of each of these doctrines something Grace must be first and principally sought In the first place seeing as hath been said this method reprooueth our corruption in the immoderate care for the world by consequent it discouereth our dutie which is to busie our selues more in obtaining pardon of sinne and grace than in seeking the world Psal 4.6 Dauid opposeth the worldlings care and his care saying Many say Who will shew vs any good but Gods people say Lord lifâ— the light of thy countenance vpon vs signifying their greater desire of grace than of the worlds good seeing that wee are risen with Christ as the Apostle saith let vs set our hearts on heauenly things Colos 3.1.2 and not on earthly things For the soule being the principall part of the man those things which appertaine to the soule must be principall also and so principally regarded now in the Scriptures wee see oft times the soule onely named 1. Pet. 1.9 as if that were onely to bee regarded for indeede the soules health is the fountaine of the bodies good and the good of the bodie is a necessarie dependant of the good of the soule for when the foule is saued the bodie cannot perish Hence it is that Christ and Steuen being readie to die Luk. 23.46 Act. 7.59 bequethed their soules onely into Gods hands for they knew right well that hee that receiued the soule would not reiect the bodie appertaining to the soule The body must be prouided for In the second place howsoeuer wee are chiefly to seeke the soules good yet wee are not to cast off all care for the bodie because God in giuing vs a bodie giueth therewithall a signification that it ought to bee prouided for and in that God hath created fruites and herbes and flesh and other parts of our daily bread hee insinuateth the vse of them and a care to be had for them and seeing he hath inspired into men diuers artes manuarie of preparing and fitting our daily bread for our vse Exod. 30.23.25 Exod. 35.30.31 the moderate vse wherof is lawfull as of the Cooke and Apothecarie c. thereby the Lord doth giue vs to vnderstand that sometime and therefore some care may bee bestowed to that end Here two extremities occurre carelesnes and that in the defect and carefulnes in the excesse The one that is immoderate and distrustfull care distracting the minde from the chiefe care equallizeth vs with the Heathen Mat. 6.32.30 and argueth little faith the other viz. no care no prouision no foresight and prouidence for our daily bread maketh vs worse than Infidels 1. Tim. 5.8 and is a plaine argument that we haue denied the faith which establisheth the meanes of life for God will haue vs liue ordinarily by bread Pro. 6.6 and the Pismire shal teach the sluggard labour and prouidence as the Wiseman morallizeth wherefore as a moderate care argueth faith in Gods prouidence so an immoderate care or no care denieth faith and maketh men brutish or heathnish In the third place Temporal blessings must be pledges of spirituall grace As wee are to seeke the good of the body aswell though not as much as the good of the soule so
the good things we obtaine of God for the bodie ought of vs to bee applied as arguments of confirming our faith for the obtaining the best things for the soule and we must make them so many pledges and seales of Gods loue and mercie to vs in Christ Iesus for otherwise wee partake in Gods blessings which respect our daily bread no otherwise than the bruite beasts or the wicked who haue many good things from Gods generall bountie and liberalitie but not from his speciall goodnes and mercie Wee reade that the land of Canaan was by faith inherited of the Israelites that by faith they passed through the red sea Heb. 11.30.31 and many other temporall blessings were through faith receiued by them which is thus to be vnderstood viz. by faith they receiued these temporall deliuerances and blessings and vsed them as seales and pledges of heauen and heauenly blessings whereof the former were types onely And this is to rise from earth to heauen from the daily bread of the bodie to the spirituall bread of life to support and vnderprop our faith in Christ for the remission of our sinnes and the saluation of our soules with the earthlie pillars of meate and drinke and apparell and what other things are the staffe and stay of our bodily life This doctrine the outward shape of the Sacrament seemeth to teach vs for there is bread and wine the nourishers and comforters of our life whereby the Lord doth seale vp vnto vs the spirituall nourishment and comfort of our soules heauenly matters in earthly creatures In like manner by analogie and proportion though not sacramentally yet by discourse of reason and by a worke of faith wee may allegorize all outward matters As for example God giueth vs clothes for to couer our nakednes therefore hee will giue vnto vs the wedding garment of Christs righteousnesse to couer our sinnes God giueth the light of the Sunne for our comfort therefore he will giue vs the light of his countenance in mercie to lighten our darknes and affliction And thus we may ascend from things visible sensible and palpable to things inuisible insensible and intelligible and with the Apostle Iohn say 1. Ioh. 1.1 that wee see feele taste and handle the Lord Iesus Christ yea and grope him in these outward matters Act. 17.27 as Paul saith the Gentiles might haue done God And this may bee sufficient for the three particular branches of that doctrine which riseth from the order here vsed by our Sauiour Christ in preferring the petition for daily bread to the petition for grace 2 The meaning of this petition VVhat bread signifieth Now followeth the second thing to bee considered in this petition which is the meaning of the words for the discussing of the particular words we are to remember this distinction This prayer containeth Rem rei circumstantias the subiect and the adiuncts that which is desired and the circumstances thereto appertaining That which is here desired is generally called Bread The circumstances hereto appertaining are fiue following First circumstance is Modus acquirendi the manner of obtaining the bread which is by free gift Giue Second circumstance is Persona the persons for whom wee aske this donation or gift of bread vs viz. our selues and others Third circumstance is Tempus for how long time wee begge this bread this day for the present Fourth circumstance is Qualitas the condition of that bread which we aske daily bread for repairing our life Fifth circumstance is Dominus the owner or to whom the bread appertaineth ours to the children of God Of all which circumstances with the subiect thereof something must be vttered First therefore of Bread Bread as some of the ancient Fathers interpret VVhat bread signifieth signifieth Christ Iesus which is that bread of life or liuing bread that bread that came downe from heauen or heauenly bread and so they expound that other word supersubstantiall that is celestiall or heauenly according as Christ saith I am the liuing bread which came downe from heauen Ioh. 6.51 To this exposition some of the new writers incline Others and namely the greater and better part of ancient and new writers to whose iudgement as it is meete we subscribe in such a matter of doubt not determined in Scripture expound the bread here named the corporall bread the foode of our bodies yet so as the word containeth a Synecdoche bread being put for all outward prouision so that bread here must signifie three things First bona corporis the good things of the bodie Bona corpoâ—is a part of bread which may be generally called health or the due constitution and temperature of the bodie whereto appertaineth Nourishment Apparell Recreation and Physicke Secondly Bona fortune a part of bread Eccles 9.11 Bona fortunae if the word fortune may be tolerated namely such outward good things as doe indifferently befall good and bad men viz. 1. Wealth 2. Honour 3. Libertie 4. Peace 5. Plentie whereto appertaine 6. Labour in our callings 7. Magistracie 8. Fruitfull seasons Thirdly Gods blessing a part of bread the blessing of God vpon all the former good things whether inherent in the bodie or adherent thereto Now that bread may generally signifie all these things it is is but a meere vsurper of all his substance and therefore hath need to aske this second interest to his goods of God whose is the earth and all that therein is Psal 24.1 and who only giueth his creatures through Christ Iesus to the faithfull his friends and not to the wicked his enemies Secondly it will further be obiected that Gods seruants that are rich neede not aske their daily bread of God seeing they haue before men the ciuill title to their goods and before God a religious interest also they being Gods friends and members of Iesus Christ through whom they are made the heires of all things But for answere of this obiection also wee must remember to distinguish betwixt the title to the bread or the vse of the bread and the benefit or commoditie which is reaped by the bread or by the vse of the bread for the children of God oft times vse bread and yet haue no benefit by the vse thereof as they vse mariage and want children they vse Physicke and recouer not their health therefore Gods children are taught to aske a staffe to their bread Gods powerfull word or blessing vpon the meanes without which man cannot liue and hence it is that all Gods creatures and ordinances must bee sanctified by prayer 1. Tim. 4. as the Apostle teacheth This prayer then includeth these foure particulars following First Lord giue vs a ciuill title to bread Secondly Lord giue vs a religious title to bread Thirdly Lord giue vs leaue to vse the bread Fourthly Lord giue vs comfort by the vse of the bread The first is opposed to pouertie the second to vsurpation the third to the taking of