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
shall dye in our sinnes who then shall haue pitty on vs 7 If we forgiue not as we would be forgiuen will he not say to vs Oughtest not thou to haue forgiuen thy fellow seruant as I forgaue thee and he will require the vtmost farthing of our debt of vs. 8 If he leade vs into temptation and suffer our owne corruptions to guide vs or Sathans temptations to preuaile against vs how shall we be able to keepe faith and a good conscience 9 If hee doe not either preuent euils comming or support in euils incumbent or deliuer vs out of them how can we subsist in them Therefore our double Amen is requisite in all these 1 Signaculum sidci that we beleeue a necessitie of obtaining all these for Gods glory and our good 2 Votum desiderij that wee expresse an earnest and feruent desire to preuaile with God in all these 1 We must pray that his name may bee hallowed that 2 We may be partakers of his kingdome 3 We must desire that his will may be done that we may eate of his bread 4 We must desire forgiuenesse of sinnes past and protection against all after temptations that we may be deliuered from all euils of punishment and that Sathan may not touch vs. Leaue out nothing hee is our father of whom wee aske and he hath a full hand and our prayers will open it They whose hearts doe say Amen to some part of this prayer and their zeale tooleth in the rest obtaine nothing of God but pro corona fidei they haue poenam perfidiae How many be there in the world that cry heartily panem nostrum quotidianum and libera nos a malo who neither care for the name the kingdome nor the will of God they neither feele any inconuenience in sinne nor feare rather like temptations which haue a pleasing relish Like those that dye with tickling Others presse the first petition slightly concerning the name of God because they are profane and sweare by it They will allow God a kingdome and take it away by disobeying his will Bread they would haue but they thinke much to bee limited to aske for the day They like the forgiuenesse of their owne sinnes but not the sicut nos They feare not temptation euils they deprecate But Amen to all is our lesson 3 Amen to the conclusion i. In faith beleeuing kingdome power and glory to be his Amen So is it In zeale desiring that God may euer haue all due ascriptions Amen So be it 3 By whom it must be said All that pray must say Amen for as we pray one for another so one with another We haue one God one faith in that God one Baptisme into that faith one Eucharist the seale of the couenant one word the rule of faith and manners one prayer and one Amen They that bring their bodies without their hearts doe increase the company but they doe not mend the quire Cardinall Bellarmine confesseth vsum respondendi Amen antiquissimum in ecclesia But to come to Church onely to heare prayers and not to pray to pray and not to seale it with an Amen is to prophane the seruice and worship of God We are or should be an holy Priest-hood to offer vp vnto God the sacrifice of praise and the incense of prayers with one voyce one heart as Zeph. saith with one shoulder Multorum preces impossibile est contemni So all the congregation and euery part of it must say Amen to all the prayers and to euery petition of them And that was the reason why our holy Church did so dispose of the common prayers that the people should haue their part in sundry short eiaculations that their deuotions might be set a worke to ioyne with the Minister whereas in other reformed Churches the congregation hath nothing to say but Amen This was so well obserued in the Church in Saint Ieromes time that the people made the Church ring againe with the loud voyce of their ioynt Amen hee saith ad similitudinem coelestis tonitrui reboauit And the Iewes of old in their Synagogues did redouble it Amen Amen 4 How we must say Amen Caninius in voces novi testamenti saith there is 1 Amen pupillum a non intelligentibus 2 Surreptum spoken in hast before the prayer ended 3 Otiosum of them that minde it not 4 Iustorum and that must be said 1 With knowledge They that know thy name will trust in thee If we know what we pray for Who is the giuer of it For whose sake we aske it For what vse What need we haue say Amen heartily They that pray in a strange tongue pray without knowledge therefore God will say to the Church of Rome nescitis quid petatis They that say this prayer and vnderstand it not sinne as much in Our Father as they in Pater noster If God should say to them as Philip to the Eunuch intelligis quid dicis would they not say how can I without a teacher You haue beene taught take heed that you learne for All ignorant deuotion is no better then taking the name of God in vaine 2 Amen must be said with the spirit These two vnderstanding and the spirit must not be parted in our prayers I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the vnderstanding also As the Hart panteth after the water brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God So O God thou art my God early will I seeke thee my soule thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is This spirit is willing though the flesh be weake Our prayer is directed to him who is called the God of spirits who is also a spirit and to be serued in spirit and in truth This is the holy fire from Gods Altar which inflameth deuotion euen the zeale of this spirit this fireth the incense of our prayers and makes them ascend The Amen of the lips is thus welcome to God Populus hic honorat me labijs But let our soules and all that is within vs say Amen euen the hid man of the heart and God will answer vs with his Amen 3 Amen with faith Three things there are in God for faith to fasten on 1 Quia fidelis Dauid vrgeth him vpon that point Heare my prayer O Lord giue eare to my supplications in thy faithfulnesse answere me We pray in confidence of Gods promise for hee is faithfull that promised Saint Peter calleth him a faithfull Creator Commit the keeping of your soules to him in well doing as vnto a faithfull Creator 2 Quia potens We may say boldly with the paralitike Domine si vis potes me mundum facere Apud deum nihil est impossibile Omnia tibi seruiunt Amen may rest in that power which ruleth ouer all and doth quicquid vult 3 Quia volens The first compellation in this prayer is proofe enough of this quia
the Lord say spare thy people O Lord. And the people declare their assent to his praiers by their ioynt Amen The Iewes vttered this with great zeale and therefore doubled it saying Amen Amen They had foure sorts of Amen at praiers whereof three they condemned and refused 1 Was that Amen which was giuen to praiers that they vnderstood not they called it Iethima like to the Amen in the latine seruice which the people doe not vnderstand onely they know when the praier is ended and for fashion sake they say Amen 2 Was that Amen surreptum which was vttered before the praier was finished which shewed a wearinesse they would faine haue it done 3 Otiosum when the people did ioyne only in the Amen at the close and took no regard to the praier going before which is the most general fault of congregations 4 Tzaddik the Amen of the iust whose hearts following the voyce of the prayer quite through the mind and intention zealously affixed to the holy worship concluded with an Amen And Saint Ierome commending the deuotion of Christians in his time doth say that the noise of the Church at this Amen was reboatus Amen ad similitudinem coelest is tonitrui The proper places for these publike meetings be those houses of God which are consecrated to praier our Churches and Oratories and Chappels Priuate praier doth not discharge vs of the duty of publike praier with the Church though some schismatickes and separatists too confident in their owne gift of praier and ill affected to the Church seruice and vncharitably preiudicate against their brethren doe despise our Church praiers and thinke their duty sufficiently discharged in their priuate deuotions For in all ages of the Church since Christ Christians as they were able did striue to erect houses of prayer Temples for the publike conuentions of people to the worship of God They begun this euen in the time of their persecution and euer since they haue had the estimation of Religion and deuotion that haue aduanced any such workes for the accommodating of congregations to this worship as our Church Homily of prayer hath very fully and profitably exprest This prayer of Christ here mentioned was priuate and though he retired from his Disciples as it may bee conceiued to some priuate place yet they take notice of his errand and thereupon followeth 2 The motion following When he ceased one of his Disciples said to him Lord teach vs to pray Wherein I obserue 1 The discreet seasonablenesse of the time for this motion quando cessauit 2 The manner of it one of his Disciples 3 The motion it selfe doce nos orare 1 Of the seasonablenesse of the motion When he ceased after his praier was ended and that he returned to his Disciples this was moued Christ withdrawing from them to this priuate place to pray did admonish them of his desire to be priuate and therefore in good manners they would not interrupt him with vnseasonable Interpellation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 It is our lesson from hence not to giue ouer our prayers to God till wee haue brought our seruice to a pawse it is one of the quarrels against our Church seruice the longsomnesse of it yet the whole seruice at the longest distinctly read may bee well comprehended within an houre and Christ speaketh it passionately and taking it vnkindely Could you not watch with mee one houre Let vs not be weary of well doing Thou louest to bring all thy businesse to a full end that concerneth thy estate or thy delight and wilt thou slight the greatest worke of all which crowneth all the rest with the blessing of God by thy vnconstant and vnfixt indeuotion thinke not the time long that thou spendest in conference with thy God finish thy holy worke with him and then returne to thy occasions as Christ did 2 It is our lesson from the example of these Disciples not to interrupt the deuotions of others not to hinder their praiers it is a kinde of quenching of the spirit in our selues and others to disturbe deuotion or to interpose in an vnseasonable time to hinder Gods seruice It is obserued in Samuel that when he had assembled the people in Mispeh to pray to the Lord and to offer sacrifice that the Philistins hearing of their meeting came vpon them neither Samuel nor the people gaue ouer the seruice that they were then about but rather the more earnestly applied it for The children of Israel said vnto Samuel cease not to cry vnto the Lord our God for vs and hee will saue vs out of the hand of the Philistins and God answered their praiers and desires with desired successe But Saul contrarily vpon the comming of the Philistines against Israel and being then with the Priest to haue consulted with God about that assault hearing of their neere approach said to the Priest Withdraw thy hand and interrupted the consultation and went immediately to the battaile which though it succeeded well for Israels sake yet Saul did quench his owne spirit in neglecting the ordinance of God and hindering the Priest of the Lord in his holy office Amongst our selues let vs take warning not to doe any thing that may disturbe one anothers priuate or publike deuotions If we haue any thing to say to one that is praying let vs after this example of these disciples tarry the time till it come to an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men will take it ill to be troubled in the time of their game or in the presse of a serious businesse or in some earnest conference or in the times of their refection these are no fit times of interpellation who dares take off or call aside a subiect that is speaking to a King who is a man and shall we withdraw one that is in speech with almighty God Doe not say now is best talking with him he is in a good minde For I say vnto you hee that prayeth to God as hee should is not his owne man for the time he is in the spirit and hath abstracted himselfe from the world and euen from himselfe to attend vpon God Therefore prayer is called a pouring forth of our soules before God 2 The manner of this suite One of his Disciples One of them but it is not said which of them but one of them it appeares in the behalfe of the rest of them with himselfe and so Christ did vnderstand him and therefore in answer he said to them verse 2. when ye pray It seemeth by this that the example of Christ tooke amongst them for whilest Christ was from them praying we finde it agreed vpon amongst them to make this motion Obserue in this the power of a good example for when it is in the eyes of them that desire to serue God aright it worketh in them an affection of imitation There were heretiques that denied any originall sinne by propagation but charged all the euill that corrupteth man vpon imitation surely
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
what God hath directly promised to vs yet hee requireth vs to demand this of him by prayer whether it be for giuing vs good things or for remouing euill from vs. God himselfe doth giue it a cause of his indignation against Iacob Thou hast not called vpon me O Iacob therefore I haue giuen Iacob to the curse and Israel to reproach God in fauour meant to forgiue the friends of Iob who had not spoken right of him as Iob had done and therefore he blameth them and sheweth his anger kindled against them yet notwithstanding hee directeth them the way of their reconciliation to him They must offer sacrifice to God for themselues and Iob must pray for them Him I will accept saith God so his prayer preuailed for them with God The like fauour God meant to Abimelech yet hee passed it to him by prayer by the prayer of Abraham He is a Prophet he shall pray for thee viues Pharaoh himselfe could discerne that there was no way out of the plague that oppressed Egypt but by prayer and therefore he saith to Moses Intreate the Lord that he may take away the Frogges from me and my people It is obiected that the wicked of the earth doe possesse many great fauours of God and in more plenty then the iust and yet they neither pray for what they want nor giue thankes for what they receiue and indeed God is not in all their waies Let not this quench our zeale or abate any thing from the reuerent frequencie of this holy duty for God the Father hath two manners and kindes of distribution and dispensation of his fauours amongst the children of men here on earth 1 God bestoweth his gifts as a faithfull Creator and so he is conseruer of his creatures by a generall prouidence and thus he letteth his Sunne shine and his raine fall vpon the iust and vniust thus he openeth his hand and filleth all things with plenty 2 God bestoweth other fauours as a mercifull Father for Iesus Christs sake and with those fauours his blessing goeth forth and passeth vpon them onely that feare him for seeing he hath ordained Christ his Sonne to be the way of his blessing all the benefits that he bestoweth on man without the mediation of Iesus Christ doe come without his blessing The vngodly of the earth doe receiue many of Gods common gifts but not by the way of grace therefore they are without his blessing so that we cannot esteeme the owners thereof rich seeing the blessing of God maketh man truely rich But whatsoeuer the vngodly possesse is to them vnsanctified therefore let not our eye be set vpon that which they haue and enioy to enuy their prosperity rather let vs consider the want of Gods blessing to lament their miserie and let Saint Paul teach vs that The good things which God bestoweth on his deare children are sanctified by the word of God and by prayer Thus the gifts of God are made blessings to vs the holy Ghost hath an hand in the dispensation of them to Gods glory in vs the aduancement of our saluation The difference betweene these two receiuers doth appeare to vs 1 In the effect that these gifts worke in them 2 In the vse to which they are applied 1 For the effect Where God for Christs sake doth bestow and wee doe receiue good things from him there followeth contentation which euer accompanieth godlinesse but the vngodly man is neuer satisfied 2 For the vse The iust man applieth all the gifts of God to three ends 1 To the glory of God for he vseth the gifts of God as the faculties of well doing whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glory of God 2 To the good of our neighbour for that is the law proximum tuum vt teipsum so that in the Church of God there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and both our spirituall and temporall gifts doe by communion of charity so participate themselues to our brethren and sisters as the stomach in the body receiueth in nourishing food not for it selfe onely though into it selfe first but for the good of the whole body 3 Because the end of our creation was not for this life and we haue here no abiding city therefore the faithfull doe apply all the gifts of God as helpes to the prosecution of eternall life whereas the vngodly finde them impediments to them the cause is for they make them the end of their labours and fixe their hearts vpon them The doctrine of the necessity of prayer is thus cleared from the Commandement by which it is imposed and from our necessities no other way to be relieued 2 In the next place I obserued in those Disciples that they found themselues not well instructed in that seruice of God and therefore desire to be taught And this is a common defect for although by a naturall instinct we know that good things are sought by prayer and the wants and griefes which we doe feele will easily breake forth into words yet the Apostle saith Wee know not what wee should pray for as we ought I vnderstand that the Apostles doe here desire to be instructed 1 In the matter of prayer what to aske 2 In the manner of it as they ought But because this motion doth arise from a sense of defect in themselues we know not saith Saint Paul 1 Then of that sense 1 Euery man hath this defect for flesh and bloud is not wise enough to pray prayer is the worke of a better spirit then that which enliues and actuates our mortall bodies it is the worke of the holy Ghost the same spirit that is the spirit of grace is also the spirit of supplications But euery man doth not feele this defect for many doe ouerweene their ability this way and despise the helpe of all set prayers and take vpon them to be able without any other directions to tell their owne tales to God Almighty and vpon this ability which they conceiue in themselues for this seruice they doe neglect the publique meetings of our Church to our common prayers I iudge not their sufficiencie that way but I must admonish you that you doe mistrust it euery man in himselfe so farre as to put all the feare and holy reuerence you can to this worke For if we be carefull in petitions to great personages and Princes to weigh our words and to aduise with our best care both what and how we desire This holy seruice of God which is so maine a part of Gods worship cannot bee vndertaken with too much feare and reuerence wee cannot come too prepared to this conference with our God They that are sensible hereof as no doubt these Apostles were doe well to desire to be taught Wee had need to bee taught our owne and it is not quenching the spirit in our brethren to admonish them of this naturall vnfitnesse that is in vs to pray
we examine you what is meant by the name of God what it is to hallow it what is meant by the kingdome of God and how would you haue it come c. If you doe not vnderstand what you aske of God in these petitions are you any better then those byrds that are taught to speake but cannot vnderstand And doe not the Papists pray to as good purpose in Latine as you in English if you vnderstand not what you aske Therefore for your better information resort to such as Christ hath left in his Church to instruct you and say doce me orare For if you vnderstand not your selues in your petitions neither will God vnderstand you 2 We must pray with reuerence This must be inward of the soule and outward of the body The soule must compose it selfe in holy feare to this conference with God lest when we doe seeke for mercy from him we awake his power and iustice against our selues Our prayer applyeth it selfe that way from whence our helpe commeth and Our helpe is in the name of the Lord who hath made heauen and earth Prayer is called the calling vpon the name of the Lord and David saith holy and reuerent is his name The old law amongst the heathen for their homely gods was Deos castè adeunto There is in God greatnesse which filleth vs with feare and goodnesse which filleth vs with hope the inward reuerence that we must bring with vs to prayer must be a mixt composition of the heart partly put on with hope and partly stopped with feare for all feare will keep vs away from God and all hope will make vs too bold when we come to him To this must be added to expresse this outward reuerence for the body must not sit out in this holy seruice that is the temple of the holy ghost euery whit of it must shew reuerence I deny not but the heart may pray reuerently to God in inward deuotion when no appearance thereof comes abroad in voice in posture in gesture in countenance But ordinarily the prostration of the body or geniculation the lifting vp of the eyes and hands haue beene the expressions of prayer in great examples And the consideration of the great and high Maiestie of God may well stoope vs to these reuerend formes which ought not to be forborne where with conuenience they may be vsed for God challengeth it as a part of his honour To mee shall euery knee bow and he giues it in reward to his sonne that at his name euery knee shall bow and euery tongue shall confesse to him 3 In perfect sense of our want 1 For if we pray for good things wee must feele the want of them and rightly vnderstand that neither wee can well be without them neither are we able to receiue them any where else then from the open giuing hand of God neither can we desire them of him by any meritorious seruice we can performe to him rather wee deserue all ill at his hands malum poenae to reuenge in vs malum culpae Neither can we haue them from him but by way of petition as he hath commanded vs. 2 If we pray against euill wee must feele our selues iustly imbarqued in the feare or smart thereof and that none but the preseruer of man can either preuent the euill that we feare or subuent vs in the euill wee feele none but he can defend vs against it or protect vs in it or deliuer vs from it Therefore we must heartily affect the good that we pray for and perfectly abhorre the euill against which we pray 4 We must pray in feruencie of spirit so the Apostle admonishing vs to many holy duties addeth this Continuing instant in prayer for qui timidè rogat docet negare and therefore hee requireth vs to be feruent in the spirit olla feruens seipsum purgat The prayer of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent It is noted in the best example of all that Christ in the daies of his flesh offered vp his prayers and supplications to his Father with strong cries and teares the Euangelist addeth with sweat trickling downe his face of water and bloud which was like the plague of fire mingled with haile amongst the Egyptians for that shower of water and bloud which Christ wept from his agonized body did lay and calme the storme of Gods indignation against sinne and did burne vp and drown the proud Prince of darkenesse that he was neuer able to preuaile against the Church and death was swallowed vp in victory The greatest prayer is that holy fire with which the Church fighteth against Sathan and therefore feruent prayer is by Saint Augustine called Deo sacrificium oranti subsidium daemonibus flagellum They that offer vp to God their prayers in the heate of fury as the two sonnes of thunder let fire come from heauen and consume the Samaritans and that vent the bitternesse of their intemperate spleene in curses and imprecations to Gods dishonour and the breach of charity they do offer strange fire and this offering doth expose the offerers thereof to the fire of Gods fury This feruor is in respect of the holinesse of God 5 We must pray in sincerity of heart not in hypocrisie the sincere heart is in good earnest with God and therefore is importunate resembled therefore to hunger 〈…〉 man which indangereth miscarrying if it be not satisfied There is no way for prayers that come of some double hearts God is one and Cor simplex that is sine plicis is his delight this in respect of the wisedome of God 6 We must pray in faith Let vs draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith And Saint Iames Let him aske in faith nothing wauering for hee that wauereth is like a waue of the sea driuen with the wind and tossed for let not that man thinke that hee shall receiue any thing of the Lord. The ground of this faith is the goodnesse and truth of God whose promise bindeth him to grant all that wee aske of him in the name of his Sonne 7 Wee must pray in the mediation of Iesus Christ for if we consider the greatnesse and glory of God it is such that the Angels when they stand before God doe couer their faces with their wings therefore there is no appearing for vs sinfull men in the presence of that glorious Maiestie of our selues but we must goe by the way of a Mediatour to him This was figured in the old law in the High Priest who did beare the names of the children of Israel before the Lord. Aaron was a figure of Iesus Christ who is declared our onely Mediatour for there is one God and one mediatour betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus Quid est dulcius quam genitorem in nomine vnigeniti inuocare Aug. med cap. 5. So much of the world as acknowledge
tendernesse secondly immutabilitie 2 The name of Father putteth vs to search what right we haue to that name 1 There is a generall interest in that name which is communicated to all creatures by which all things that haue being must call God their Father because hee is to them all the author both of their being and conseruation for of him and by him and through him are all things And if Iabal may be called the father of all such as dwell in tents and of such as haue Cattell And Iubal the father of such as handle the Harpe and Organs Because these were the first beginners of these arts amongst men Much more may all things call God their common Father in whom all things liue moue and haue their being But thus God is the father of wicked men of the deuils and of hell as being the Creator of their substances and the author of their being The Church of God doth not vnderualue this interest in God though thus common to all creatures that haue being though the worst and most despised creatures of earth sea and hell doe participate with them therein Who loues the ayre the worse because euill men and noxious creatures hurtfull to man doe breath it in and out and liue by it Who loues the Sunne the worse because it shines vpon the good and bad vpon sweet gardens and loathsome stinkes and dunghils or the raine that fals vpon all grounds Amongst the benefits that wee thanke God for this hath good place wee giue him thankes that when we were not he gaue vs a being It is a great wisedome and it is attained by faith to vnderstand that the world was ordained by the word of God so that the things which we see are not made of things which did appeare And therefore the Prophet calleth vpon the creatures the Angels the hoast of heauen the Sunne and Moone and Starres and Waters c. Let them praise the name of the Lord for he commanded and they were created He also established them The donation of being and the conseruation in being be great fauours and therefore God is called Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keeping all things This putteth vs in minde to take heed that we turne not the blessing of our being into a curse by corrupting our waies and doing euill in the sight of God It is otherwise with vs then it is with other creatures many of them perish and loose their being Angels and men are created to immortality and they that possesse not the immortality of life and glory shall bee possessed of the contrary immortality of confusion and paine So that the doctrine of our creation doth admonish vs to remember our Creator betimes that we may addresse our whole being to him for we see that all other creatures in their kinde doe serue him and keepe the vse for which they were ordained 2 There is a more speciall interest in this title of Father belonging to men who haue receiued fauour in their creation aboue other creatures 1 For he made man in imagine suâ which he did to no other creature on earth 2 He made him in honour but a little lower then the Angels crowned with glory 3 Hee made him immortall for though his fall brought in death yet the death of Christ destroyed it and the soules of men cannot die and the dead bodies of men shall rise againe to an eternall reunion with their soules 4 He made him to rule And this putteth vs in minde of a great debt of duty to God who hauing vs as his clay in his hand when he might haue made vs beasts or fowles and fishes wormes or flyes he chose rather to make vs men to giue vs the vse of reason discourse and speech Which though it be a gift common to vs with the wicked and vngodly of the earth yet let vs thinke neuer the worse of it for to be a man is to be an epitome a little Mappe of the whole world and there is a way open for men as much to excell men as men generally are more excellent then bruit beasts 3 There is yet a more speciall interest that some men haue in this title to call God Father then others haue which none but Christ can warrant vs to challenge and therefore none but he can teach vs to call God Father in this sense and that is by right of adoption For when we had lost the fauour of God being dead in trespasses and sinnes and separated from the life of God and thereby in a more miserable condition then all our seruant creatures associated also with those rebell Angels that kept not their first estate but forsooke their habitation Then it pleased God to send his sonne first in promises then in types shadowes and in the fulnesse of time in the fulnesse of performance to reconcile vs to himselfe and to purchase for vs an eternall inheritance that we might be called the sonnes of God and enfeoffed in all the liberties of Gods elect children so the Apostle We haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby wee cry Abba that is father This is the interest of all the faithfull in God and none but the elect doe call him by that name by a iust claime to the graces annexed to that name and deriued from it Rea. 3 This reuealeth to vs a third reason why we call God Father that is to shew that we goe to him in our prayers the right way which is by Iesus Christ for there is no other way to the Father One Mediatour betweene God and man the man Iesus Christ For in this last kinde of gratious paternity God is onely a Father to vs in Christ and for his sake And to shew our faith in God grounded vpon the sufficient merits of Iesus Christ wee seeke the face of God vnder that title which our Iesus hath bought with his bloud which is called the bloud of the euerlasting couenant So that the name of Father giuen to God in this prayer doth teach vs that all the prayers of the Church must be offered vp to God in the mediation of Iesus Christ For we call not God Father by Angels or Saints but by Christ onely therefore we must seeke this Father onely in and by Iesus Christ He himself hath taught vs this for he saith whatsoeuer you shall aske the Father in my name it shall be giuen you The Renegado of Spalato in his last Manifesto doth muster vp heapes of proofes to maintaine inuocation of Angels and Saints against the truth against his owne former auouchments of the contrarie against his owne conscience if he haue any left after his apostacie He laboureth to proue that Angels and Saints departed doe continually pray for vs wee deny it not wee know that there is a communion of charity in the whole body of the Church and doubt not of their perfect charitie who are released hence
Ierusalem the spirit of supplications poureth also the spirit of grace to sanctifie the supplications So it is called in Zech. the Spirit of grace and supplications And Dauid can say If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me Obserue it in Saint Iames his directions Draw nigh to God and hee will draw nigh to you clense your hands yee sinners and purifie your hearts you double minded When God appeard to Moses in the bush and Moses was approaching to him he heard a voyce saying to him Put off thy shoes from thy feete for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground There is no Comming then to God without holinesse without which we may seeke but we shall neuer see the face of God 5 This mention of the heauens here doth put vs in minde of the wisedome of God who of nothing raised vp that glorious frame of those celestiall habitations that high Sanctuary for his owne dwelling for in wisedome he hath made them all Which teacheth vs to beware how we appeare before God in our praiers and holy deuotions not as fooles but as wise Take heed to thy foote when thou entrest into the house of God and be more neare to heare then to offer the sacrifice of fooles They that pray not in wisdome doe offer to God the sacrifice of fooles And Salomon saith God hath no pleasure in fooles There is no folly like to the folly that is vsed in prayer and deuotion when the God of wisedome hath vs in his eye and the iealous God who is tender of his worship discerneth that he is slighted That is one of the sinnes of our time a foolish worship without consideration care or reuerence which turneth our praiers into sinne Hath God any pleasure in the set words of a solemne seruice Did he not blame his owne people Populus hic honorat me labijs suis Dauid admonisheth to sing praises to God with vnderstanding It asketh a great deale of spirituall wisedome to addresse our suites to the Court of heauen where the highest King of glory doth wisely consider all the sonnes of men and beholds with what descretion and wisedome they come before him Take heed therefore that thou forget not our Father to be in heauen Heauen is mentioned for the height of Gods sanctuarie for God is in excelsis which teacheth vs in praier to sublime our soules from the earth and earthly things to an holy eleuation thereto agree those outward formes of lifting vp the eyes in prayer I lifted vp mine eyes to the hills from whence my help commeth Our helpe is in the name of the Lord who hath made heauen and earth And let the lifting vp of mine hands be an euening sacrifice Sursum corda It is the voice of the Church Our Conuersation is in heauen and it is the Apostles counsaile If ye be risen with Christ seeke the things which are aboue and not the things which are below where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God O that I had the winges of a Doue the wings of an Eagle rather to fly high there is the Carcase and thither the Eagles resort Our earthly Parents giue good things to vs but they haue them from hence the bread the fish the necessaries of life Sometimes earthly Parents proue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but our heauenly father is one whose compassion falles not when my father and mother forsaketh me the Lord taketh me vp Doubtlesse thou art our father though Abraham knowes not though Israel be ignorant of vs. Earthly Parents see vs sicke and in prison and in disgrace and in want they can sit downe and droppe their teares and viz their groanes with ours but there is no helpe in them they may be parted from vs by death but our heauenly father shall endure for euer his yeares change not he looked down from the height of his sanctuarie From heauen did the Lord behold the earth to heare the groaning of the prisoners to loose those that are appointed to death 7 The mention of heauen added to the title of our Father doth put vs in minde of his goodnesse for hee dwelleth in that place from which euery good giuing and euery perfect gift doth proceed From whence also we are directed in our Prayers not to aske of this Father that is nothing but good and perfect gifts In temporall benefits we must still haue an eye to the true vse of them to make them serue for spirituall and heauenly vses One thing haue I desired of the Lord that I will seeke after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple Let our eye be vpon the inheritance and the birth-right and for things temporal so far as they may be adjumenta or oramenta to vs to aduance this final desire of the kingdome of God so farre let vs desire and seeke and vse them Who will petition a King for beades and babies and such trifling things feare nto little flock it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a Kingdome Let our wisedome seeke it where it is to be found in heauen where Iesus Christ sitteth at the right hand of his father and maketh intercession for vs. Why should we aske stones where we may haue bread for asking bread of the finest wheat flower Manna Angels bread 8 The name of our father in the heauens doth put vs in minde of the country which we seeke for we are but Pilgrimes and strangers and we haue no abiding City here we are but soiourners as all our fathers were But we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolued wee haue a building not made with hands but eternall in the heauens For in this we groane earnestly desiring to be cloathed vpon with our house which is from heauen that mortalitie might be swallowed vp of life for Whilest we art at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. We are confident and willing to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. We sit here weeping by the riuers of Babel If I forget thee O Ierusalem c. Returne to thy rest O my soule Studie those heauens search and finde out the way to them there is one that is gone before to prepare a place there for vs in the many Mansions of his Fathers house and as the Church sweetely Hymneth He hath opened the Kingdome of heauen to all beleeuers by a new and liuing way which hee hath Consecrated for vs through the vaile that is to say his flesh Conducting vs to Mount Sion the City of the liuing God the heauenly Ierusalem and to an innumerable companie of Angels To the generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the iudge of all and to the spirits of
of Gods workes they are in our eyes and we behold them and take vse of them euery day and they that bestow the most paines in the search of Gods worke do know him most and best and from them his name hath or should haue most honour This booke the Apostle calleth the wisedome of God and seeing this was not found sufficient to make God knowen to the world as he desired for their good 2. Another booke was opened the holy Scriptures of God that by them God might be made manifest and his name declared So saith the Apostle After that in the wisedome of God the world by wisdome knew not God it pleased God by the foolishnes of preaching to saue them that beleeue This preaching taketh the text from the written word of God and they that study that booke well shall know the name of the Lord. God hath recommended to his Church the reading hearing and meditating on his law and the blessed man doth exercise himselfe therein day and night and there is nothing that honoureth a nation more in the sight of all nations of the world then the studie and obedience of this law as Moses sayd to the Lords Israel Keepe therefore and doe them for this is your wisedome and your vnderstanding in the sight of the nations which shall heare all these statutes and say Surely this great nation is a wise and vnderstanding people For what nation is there so great who hath God so nigh vnto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call vpon him for And what nation is there so great that hath statutes and iudgements so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day In which wordes you may obserue 1 That God requireth an exact care for the keeping of his law 2 That this is found and profest by God himselfe to be the wisedome and vnderstanding of his people 3 That it is their glory amongst other nations of the world 4 That by the diligent study and reading and obedience of the law God doth draw nigh to vs 5 That God doth therefore set the law before all the 〈◊〉 6 That Gods name is hereby hallowed of his owne people glorified amongst other nations of the world I beseech you lay all this to heart and I dare say you will call the Church of Rome an hard stepmother to her Children who hideth this booke of God from them for 1 How can the law be well kept when it is not well knowne how can it be well knowen where it is not well preached where euery soule hath not liberty to read and study it at large so that they doe herein hinder the obedience which God requireth to be giuen to his law for as in faith so in obedience how shall they either beleeue or obey without hearing 2 Seeing the wisedome of the Church doth consist in knowing and keeping the law of God doth not the Church of Rome infatuate her children aâ—d make starke fooles of them by hiding the booke of God from them and so robbeth God of his delight for God delighteth not in fooles 3 Seeing the libertie of the law of God is the glorie of a nation the Church of Rome by hiding the booke of God from their people doe make them inglorious and dishonour them to the nations round about them 4 Seeing God doth reueale himself to be neare vnto them that know and study his Law and keepe it the Church of Rome doth what it can to driue it away from amongst them A strange peruersenesse God would draw neere to them by the Ministerie of his word and they refuse him He would be farre off from them when they would make him their creature for the Priests of Rome professe themselues God makers they wil inforce his presence 5 Seeing God doth set his Law before all the people at large the Church of Rome which keepeth vp this booke and forbiddeth the generall communication thereof to all that are capable thereof doth professe it selfe an Antigod herein 6 Seeing by this knowledge and this obedience of the Law the name of God is hallowed and without this it cannot be sanctified as it ought the Church of Rome is guilty of hindering the honour of God both in his Church and without and therefore is no way to be hearkned vnto or embraced as the true Church Let me therefore exhort you so many as do make conscience of hallowing the name of God in which our helpe standeth to exercise your selues in the reading hearing and studie of the holy word of God that you may know the Maiestie Wisedome Holinesse Power and goodnesse of that name that the name of the God of Iacob may defend you from all euill And to this purpose frequent you both diligently and reuerently the house of Gods name and honour where his word is read preached faithfully and sincerely make the Sabbath of the Lord which is a day appointed to the hallowing of Gods name especially your delight for this is the onely outward ordinarie meanes by God deuised and commanded for the making his name knowne to his Church 2. The inward meanes This is without vs for it is the worke of the holy Ghost the meanes to attaine this spirit of God to assist and enable this worke in vs by prayer for so our Sauiour saith If ye then being euill know how to giue good gifts to your children how much more shall your heauenly father giue the holy spirit to them that aske him the gift of this spirit is not obtained by all them that pray but by such onely as pray according to rule and though grace be not necessitated to the outward meanes yet the promise thereof is so annexed to the right vse of the means as we may be bold in that way to lay claime to it God neuer faileth his owne holy ordinances but they that giue themselues to the holy consideration of the workes and word of God and are feruent and frequent in praier such are in the eye and fauour of God and preuaile with him It is a short and sweete praier of Dauid let me commend it to you say it in your hearts often to your God Support and hold me with thy free spirit 2 When we know the name of God our next dutie is to be zealous of the glory of this name for else we do not sanctifie it as we ought Take heed that we doe not speake of it vainly that we doe not blaspheme it profanely that we doe not sweare by it but when we are lawfully called thereto that nothing in the world be more pretious in our estimation then this name of God for God is our blessednesse and the fulnesse of our ioy here reward hereafter his name is glorious and they that haue no other Gods but him will with their soules seeke him and in thought word and deed they will honour his name But God may
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
enemies 1 Sathan takes vpon him to be the Prince of this world and maketh many beleeue that hee hath power to giue kingdomes where he listeth 2 The Pope vsurpeth dominion ouer all Princes and giues out that God hath set him in the world ouer the nations and ouer kingdomes to roote out and to pull downe and to destroy and to throw downe and to build and io plant Blasphemously applying to himselfe the power which God giueth to his Word in the Ministery of the Prophets 3 There is imperium peccati of which the Apostle saith When they knew God they glorified him not as God but became vaine in their imaginations and their foolish hearts were darkened professing themselues wise they became fooles and changed the glory of the vncorruptible God into an image made like to a corruptible man and to birdes and four-footed beastes and creeping things 4 There is imperium mortis Death reigned from Adam to Moses That is before the law was written much more hath death reigned since the law published for the strength of sinne is the law Death came in by sinne and hath dilated an empire ouer all the earth that we see daily what desolations it maketh in the same It is appointed to al men once to die 2 Concerning Sathan Christ saith The Prince of this world is cast out and Saint Paul saith The God of peace shall crush Sathan vnder your feete shortly And when we pray Let the kingdome of thy power come we pray that God would destroy the kingdome of Sathan and cast him out and tread him vnder our feete that God may reigne abroad gloriously in the world 2 Concerning the Pope hee is that Antichrist that man of sinne the sonne of perdition of which the Apostle speaketh who exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God or is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God But it followeth that The Lord shall consume him with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy him with the brightnesse of his comming Whose comming is after the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders Therfore when we pray that the kingdome of Gods power may come wee pray that God would be pleased to appeare in power against this vsurper and deluder of his subiects to destroy him that he may no longer infatuate and befoole the world with an opinion of his power or holinesse but that hee may be reuealed as hee is a man of sinne ful of subtilty and the child of the deuil as Simon Magus his predecessor and the true founder of his impostures was 3 Concerning sinne the Apostle hath aduised Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies that you should obey it in the lusts thereof He hath also comforted vs againe Sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you for yee are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace Wee pray therefore that God would exercise this his power against the kingdome of sinne that the body of sinne may be destroyed that henceforth wee should not serue sinne For the Dominion of sinne doth teach men to resist the power of God and to say Nolumus hunc regnare super nos it teacheth man to be proud and cruell Dauid Lord how long shall the wicked how long shall the wicked triumph How long shall they vtter and speake hard things and all the workers of iniquity bâ—ast themselues They breake in peeces thy people O Lord and afflict thine heritage They slay the widow and the fatherlesse and murther the stranger Yet they say the Lord shall not see Sinne is a dominearing and daring tyrant so that wee haue cause with Dauid to awake the iustice of God against it O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth O God to whom vengeance belongeth shew thy selfe Lift vp thy selfe thou iudge of the earth render a reward to the proud and that is our adveniat regnum tuum 4 Concerning death which maketh such hauocke in the workes of God God hath said O death I will be thy plagues O graue I will be thy destruction repentance shall be hid from mine eyes And this is that we pray for let thy kingdome of thy power destroy death for euer that we may insult ouer it saying O death where is thy sling O graue where is thy victory We pray God to take his rod of yron into his hand and to breake in peeces all the rebels to his kingdome of power here on earth 2 Concerning the kingdome of grace 1 We pray that that kingdome may come that is that God would declare his Sonne the king and Soueraigne Monarch of his Church and that he would rule therein by his Word and holy Spirit 2 That God would aduance the kingdome of his Sonne Iesus Christ in the hearts of all his elect people seuerally that they may liue in the knowledge loue faith and obedience of him 1 And this is a most necessarie petition to be put vp often to God in regard of those enemies which doe oppose this domination and seeke to dethrone the Sonne of God in vs. 2 And in regard of those necessarie graces which are wanting in vs and can by no other way be supplied but by the aduancement and establishment of that kingdom in vs. 1 For the enemies of this kingdome 1 The great enemie of the Church is Sathan the Prince of darkenesse that great red Dragon in the Reuelation that watched the woman with childe to deuoure the fruite of her wombe as soone as it should be borne this is the Deuil persecuting the Church of God the fruitfull mother of the elect whose issue we are This is he that corrupted our first parents in Paradice by his temptations and hauing sowed his seed of all iniquitie in them defiled the whole nature of mankind and made it obnoxious to the curse of the Law And when the second Adam came to accomplish the remedy of that fall hee persecuted him by Herod in his infancie that he was to be carried into Egypt for refuge and after his Baptisme hee tempted him in the wildernesse fortie dayes and this Prince of the world set many a worke to bring him to the Crosse he came himselfe to him with a new assault a little before his passion as Christ himselfe confest but he had nought in him of his to worke vpon This Lyon goeth about continually compassing the earth seeking whom he may deuoure whom resist saith Peter our way of resistance is to pray Adueniat regnum tuum 2 The world is an enemie to this kingdome of Christ for Christ saith The world hateth you because you are not of the world that is the wicked sonnes of disobedience who are called filij saeculi huius Vnder this title of the world I comprehend all the open and secret enemies of the Gospell The Pope here we will giue him the first place because his scarlet vesturs are died
put away thy sinne thou shalt not dye Be ye mercifull as your heauenly father is mercifull to forgiue presently seeke peace much more giue and yeeld it to them that seeke it of thee the sooner the better Who will not stoppe a little leake in his ship and make his house theight although it be but a small drippe that drinkes in the raine Dauid saith I labour for peace The forgiuenesse that is put off to the death-bed when all hope of reuenge lies as sicke as the diseased person and as neare to deaths dore is feared to be rather the extortion of necessitie then the free worke of piety and charity As he that giueth so he that forgiueth doth it twise if he doe it quickly 2 Some forgiue but not heartily they make faire weather and heale the sores and binde vp the broken bones of friendship and peace with good countenances faire outward addresses and sweet words but their inward parts are all gall and wormewood their bowels are cruell Such hypocrites there be whose kisse of reconciliation is the seale of treason and their next imbracement is death they say as Ioab to Amasa Art thou well my brother when they meane them a present death Saint Cyprian comparing Caine and Abel in their seruice of godly sacrifice saith of them neque in sacrificijs quae Abel Cain primi obtulerunt munera eorum Deus sed corda intuebatur vt ille placeret in munere qui placebat in corde and therefore of Abel Meritò ille dum in sacrificio dei talis esset postmodum sacrificium deo factus est 3 Some forgiue but not totally there remaineth yet some roote of bitternesse for a day of requitall if it may come if God should forgiue vs all the sinnes of our whole life and should retaine but one euen the least of all for his iust reuenge that one were enough to shut the gates of mercy and glory against vs. Our Sauiour saith si quid habet aduersumte frater though it be neuer so little goe and be reconciled Long and sincere friendship doth follow euen reckonings The Master saith in the parable I forgiue thee all the debt 4 Some forgiue but they cannot forget Gods law is peremptorily against it Thou shalt not auenge nor beare any grudge the originall saith Thou shalt not auenge nor keepe that is remember for seruare intendeth seruare iram So Nahum saith The Lord reserueth wrath for his enemies so that not onely vltio but retentio is forbidden The Hebrewes haue thus exemplified it a man would borrow an Axe of his neighbour who will not lend him he commeth another time to his neighbour to borrow and hee answereth thou wouldest not lend mee ergo nor will I lend to thee this is vltio Reuben would borrow money of Simeon Simeon would not lend Simeon after would borrow of Reuben he answereth I will not I deny thee as thou didst me this is retentio both forbidden in the law Therefore as thou wouldest be forgiuen so forgiue for thou shalt be forgiuen as thou forgiuest Forgiue presently that peace may not be neglected Forgiue heartily that peace may not be falsehearted Forgiue totally that there be no after-reckonings Forgiue and forget that there may be an end of strife and then pray sicut nos You see in this petition how God hath put an hooke in our nosthrils and holdeth vs to it either wee must haue peace with men or we shall haue no peace with him The vncharitable man doth neuer pray this petition but he beggeth iudgement at the hands of God and desireth Gods anger I finde a complaint of Saint Chrysostome that multi nolentes dare veniam peccatoribus in se fugiunt istam orationem orare I remember that once I was asked this question by one troubled in his minde for this for hauing a desire as he profest to forgiue great iniuries done to him he yet suspected himselfe that his forgiuenesse was not so compleate as it is here required such as hee sought at the hands of God and he trembled to thinke of asking a iudgement against himselfe therefore hee demanded whether he might not omit that clause in this petition Sicut nos dimittimus I answered him with Saint Chrysostomes answer 1 Qui non sic orat vt Christus docuit non est Christi Discipulus 2 Non exaudit pater orationem nisi quam filius dictauerit And further I added that there is in flesh and bloud a reluctation against all good and therefore we may as well make question of the whole prayer as of that one clause For we pray that the name of God may be sanctified yet we doe not giue the honour due to that name We pray that the kingdome of God may come yet we liue out of the rule and awe of it We pray that the will of God may be done here as in heauen yet wee giue way continually to our owne wils We pray for bread yet wee are not contented with Gods allowance We pray for pardon of our sinnes and sinne on We would not be led into temptation yet euery one is tempted by his owne concupiscence We would be deliuered from euill yet the corruptions of our nature doe carry vs head-long into all sorts of euill Our comfort is that we send vp these our prayers to our Father who knoweth both our naturall infirmities and our good desires proceeding from his spirit and what measure of grace he hath giuen vs according to which he accepteth our prayers for Christ his sake And if I sinne against that corruption in my selfe which maketh my forgiuing of my neighbour defectiue and imperfect doing my best to performe this act of charity according to the law of peace though I come short of accomplishing the same I may safely desire that God to the vttermost of his perfect mercy would so forgiue me as I to the vttermost of that measure of grace which he hath giuen me doe the best to obey his law in forgiuing my brother Saint Augustine is comfortable and conformable in this Sed quoniam perfectorum sunt ista filiorum dei huc se debet omnis fidelis extendere humanum animum ad hunc affectum orando deum secumque agendo luctandoque perducere But I am not of his minde in that which followeth Procul dubio verba sponsionis huius implentur si homo rogatus vt dimittat dimittat ex corde sicut rogans a deo petit dimitti For I resolue that whether our enemie doe aske vs forgiuenesse or not we are bound by the law of charity vnasked to forgiue him I conclude this point pray as thou art taught and doe thy best to be like that which thou pretendest to affect euen in mercy and loue like thy heauenly father lege Ecclus 28. 3 We must haue respect in this petition to trespasses committed against vs for we must take heed that wee intermeddle not with any other forgiuenesse then
the Lord tryed him and approued him innocent of the great offence for which he lay bound We can cry loud in the smart of paine and griefe for this full deliuerance as Saint Paul when he had as hee saith a Thorne in the flesh the messenger of Sathan to buffet him Which I conceiue to be some sharpe bodily sicknesse accompanied with some strong and dangerous temptations But in that affliction as Dauid saith when his sore ranne and ceased not he confesseth for this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me Here he craueth deliuerance from euill a full riddance such as may amount to a finall departure of it from him This kinde of deliuerance God doth esteeme meritorious and therefore he putteth it in the front of the law I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the house of bondage this was but a figure of our deliuerance from the deuill for which hee exacteth a strict obedience of his whole law And we are deliuered still from euils for that being deliuered from the hand of our enemies c. liberati de manu inimicorum serntamus ei 2 Next followeth the deliuerer We haue warrant here to aske deliuerance of none to seeke deliuerance no where but from God for as Dauid saith Our helpe is in the name of the Lord who made heauen and earth The heathens had their two sorts of gods 1 Their white gods to whom they went for all good turnes 2 Their blacke gods which were depulsores malorum they resorted to them against euils We know but one God and of him we say Loe this is our God we haue waited for him and he will saue vs this is the Lord we haue waited for him we will be glad and reioyce in his saluation This agrees with the title that Iob giueth to God O thou preseruer of men And that which Saint Peter giueth him who calleth him a faithfull Creator God himselfe telleth vs so There is no God beside me a iust God and a Sauiour there is none beside me Looke vnto me and be ye saued all the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else Three times together in two verses he hath excluded all other there is none else Let vs see how they haue sped that sought deliuerance any other way and not from God In the great famine of Samaria a woman sues to the King crying Helpe my Lord O King but the King answered her If the Lord doe not helpe thee whence should I helpe thee out of the barne floore or out of the winepresse And therefore Dauid saith Trust not in Princes nor in any sonne of man for there is no helpe in them In the danger of warre Israel sought helpe from Egypt and they had this thanke for their labour Woe be to them that goe downe to Egypt for helpe and stay on horses and trust in Chariots and in horsemen because they are many and very strong but they looke not to the holy one of Israel neither seeke the Lord. 3 Here is their errour the Egyptians are men and not God and their horses flesh and not spirit when the Lord shall stretch forth his hand he that helpeth shall fall and he that is holpen shall fall downe and they shall all faile together In disease Asa King of Iudah committed that errour recorded to his infamie In the 39. yeare of his raigne he was diseased in his feete vntill his disease was exceeding great yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord but to the Physitians To the Lord and not to the Physitians to the Physitians and not to the Lord both wrong To both the author and meanes he should haue sought 4 Saul wanting helpe in case of intelligence went to consult Almighty God as he had vsed to doe in his serious affaires often with good successe But the Lord answered him not Therefore in that distresse he went to the woman the Witch of Endor that had a familiar spirit and she presented to him a representation of Samuel who was dead from whom he receiued a true prediction of his future sorrowes Whether the successe of this example or the naturall itch that is in our desire to know future euents or whatsoeuer other heathenish rapture doth transport many so it is that Witches and Wizards are yet frequented both for intelligence and health in griefes and losse as if he that is euill in abstract and concrete could be authour of any good to men This hangs not well together to pray to God to deliuer vs from euill and craue helpe of him who is of all euils the worst to demand the truth of a lyar to seeke health of a murtherer to procure deliuerance or desire helpe from the deuill Dauid saith well that God made man pure but hee sought many inuentions Some in euils either feared or prement flye to the name of Iesus not religiously trusting in him that carries saluation in his name but superstitiously ouer-weening the letters syllables and sound of that name as if the deuill were afraid of that word And the cunning Serpent hath not spared sometimes to pretend a feare of it of purpose to nourish that superstition which hath made it passible in the Church of Rome But Sathan dares shew himself against that name as we see Then certaine of the vagabond Iewes exorcists tooke vpon them to call ouer them that had vncleane spirits the name of the Lord Iesus saying we adiure you by Iesus whom Paul preached But obserue the successe The man in whom the euill spirit was leapt vpon them and ouercame them and preuailed against them so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded Did this abate any thing of the honour or power of that name amongst the faithfull the next verse saith no. And this was knowne to all the Iewes and Greekes also dwelling at Ephesus and feare fell on them all and the name of the Lord Iesus was magnified For they did rightly conceiue that the name of Iesus was prophaned by those exorcists seeing not that name but the faith in it was the rod of Sathan for the faith of Gods people hath power not from the syllables of that name but from the efficacie of his power who carrieth that name to scourge Sathan 6 Others for preuention or subuention in euils haue reforted to the signe of the Crosse it is in the Church of Rome an ordinary munition against all euils The Popish Legends are full of pretty tales of the great wonders that the signe of the Crosse hath effected in depulsion of euils Gregory the great tels a true storie quia pene tanti de eo testes sunt quanti babitatores eiusdem loci existunt Yet none could testifie it but vpon one mans credit a Iew belated and wanting lodging reposed himselfe neare to Apolloes Temple in Rome qui quamâ—is fidem
these things 3 We ascribe vnto him glory A great argument to moue him to doe all these things for his owne glory for this is his praise that he heareth our prayers therefore to him doth all flesh come and that is it we seeke in this prayer the three first petitions are addressed to the glory of his name of his kingdome and will we desire bread that we may liue here to praise and serue him We desire pardon of all sinnes past and release from our iniquities present and strength against all ensuing temptations and deliuerance from all deserued euils that we may be able to liue in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life 3 Our faith in this prayer is confirmed by these 3 reg potentia glor 1 A regno true that of earthly Kings the Prophet saith Trust not in Princes nor in any sonne of man for there is no helpe c. But the Lord is a King that may be trusted I am a great King saith the Lord of hosts King of Kings and Lord of Lords is his name Reuel 19.16 and he saith Per me reges regnant We begin at Our father whence we haue audaciam petendi we end at tuum est regnum whence wee haue fiduciam impetrandi he ruleth ouer all all things serue him feare not thou little flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome The Apostle calleth this kingdome the inheritance of them that are sanctified and he calleth all the faithfull heires and coheires with Christ This King sent the heire of his kingdome in the similitude of sinfull flesh amongst the sonnes of men of purpose to expiate their faults to reconcile them to his fauour and to inuest them in the rights of this inheritance Faith is the ground of these things which wee hope for and this King is the giuer of euery good and perfect gift whom we call our father What can we want wherein can our faith stagger if it cleaue to him and that we may once say cheerefully with the Apostle Scio cui credidi All the elect of God are not onely the subiects of this kingdome but fauourites also of this King his darlings his delight is in them Dauid makes so bold with God as to pray Keepe me as the Apple of thine eye hide me vnder the shadow of thy wings The Hebrew word signifieth the blacke of the Apple the very sight of the eye He that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of his eye God holdeth them so pretious that men had need to handle his children as tenderly as they would handle the Apples of their owne eyes aliqui intelligunt de oculis dei 2 A potentia there be many titulary Kings here on earth swolne with titles of great dominions wherein they haue neither foote of land in possession nor the obedience of any subiect it may be that there is ius dominij annexed to their Crownes for which they retaine the titles as our Soueraignes doe in France or they may be pretenders to some rights as the Kings of Spaine are to Ierusalem There be Kings that haue supremacie of dignity and possession of regalitie but their wings are clipt they are limited how farre they may flye Such a King was Achish in Gath who approued Dauid well but he could not keepe him with him for saith he Thou art not good in the eyes of the Lords wherefore now returne and goe in peace that you displease not the Lords of the Philistims Whether Princes be ouerawed by their Magnats or in their owne facility doe diuest themselues of their power both wayes here is kingdome without power or glory But thine is the power for God is the high creatour and possessour of heauen and earth as Melchizedech called him And as he holdeth possession vndenied so he maintaineth dominion vnresisted Hee doth whatsoeuer hee will Power is neuer fearefull when it is in a Father rather here is firme foundation to build faith on the Leper in the Gospell built vpon this rocke Thou canst make mee cleane The sister of Lazarus confest the power that Christ had with the Father quicquid petieris Our God is caput potentiae The powers that be are ordained of God they are but so many rayes or beames of this glorious sunne or if we esteeme them as starres for glory yet they borrow their light from this sunne God would haue this knowne and confest Thy Saints shall blesse thee they shall speake of the glory of thy kingdome and talke of thy power This power is the strong rocke and the high place the wall of defence to the Church The powers and principalities which are against vs may shake our faith with some terrours they cannot make it faile As the mountaines compasse about Ierusalem so is the Lord round about them that feare him and put their trust in his mercy 3 A gloria vbi regnum potentia ibi gloria The glory of God is threefold 1 In his owne glorious nature and essence 2 In his workes 3 In his word The glory of his nature is a light that no man can attaine to we conceiue it best by that which is reuealed to vs in the two great volumes of his workes which our eyes behold and of his word which he hath left in his Church for our learning that we may know him and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ There is that which the Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and wee haue no outward meanes to know it but by the workes and word of God within vs the spirit also helpeth our infirmities This glory of diuine nature doth consist in the holy attributes of God 1 His simplicitie for he is ens simplicissimum without permission a selfe-bearer 2 His eternitie for he is α and ω without beginning and end 3 His life for he is called deus viuens ita viuit vt sit sua vita ita est vt sit sua essentia 4 His immensity and infinity whereby he comprehendeth all things filleth all things and is in euery place 5 His authority perfection and selfe-sufficiency which extendeth not onely to the complement of his owne essence but is the originall of all perfection that is in his workes 6 His blessednesse for he is God blessed for euer blessed in being so and blessed in knowing himselfe so to be and blessed in the communication of his blessings to his creatures according to their capacity and vse 7 His omnipotencie for he alwaies worketh both in himselfe in actions immanent and without himselfe in actions transient in both he doth what he will 8 His wisedome for he knoweth and foreknoweth and decreeth maketh and gouerneth and preserueth all things by infinite wisedome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 9 His truth for his wisedome doth both apprehend all truth his operations be all in truth his onely is the reuelation of truth 10 His will secret done in and vpon all
life may be fit to minister comfort to soules sicke of the leprosie of sinne yet none can purge this leprosie by forgiuing the sinnes and absoluing the sinner from the guilt and punishment of them but the ministers who are called and separated by the voyce of God to that office It is well exprest in the words of Christ for when he speaketh of this power of absolution and giueth it to his Apostles he vseth the same word to them which he vseth in the Lords prayer for in my Text he teacheth vs to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to them hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For as God hath reconciled the world to himselfe by Iesus Christ so hath he giuen to vs the ministery of reconciliation So that the Ministers forgiuing of sinnes is no intrusion vpon the rights of God no impeachment of the honour of God but it is his owne act declared by his own ordinance and by his appointment particularly applyed Yet haue we no warrant to say to our Minister forgiue vs our sinnes but hauing declared to him our repentance we may pray to God for his pardon and desire our Minister by the power giuen to him by Iesus Christ to pronounce it to vs. This power was in the Church long before the comming of Christ into the world as it may appeare by the words of Elihu to Iob. For he speaking of the remedy which God hath ordained for the restoring of sinners saith If there be with him an Angell an Interpreter one among a thousand to shew vnto man his vprightnesse Then hee is gratious vnto him and saith Deliuer him from going downe into the pit I haue found a ransome Obserue Gods ordinance in calling a Minister to bee his Angell or messenger euery man is not fit for this seruice such a one is one of a thousand to him God committeth the office of an interpreter to declare to man his vprightnesse that is to comfort him against the terrours of his sinne by preaching to him the doctrine of Iustification by the righteousnesse of Christ To him is committed the office of deliuering a sinner from the pit that is from hell and that is by absoluing him from his sinnes this is the greatest power that is left vnto any creature vpon earth For to vse the words of the holy Ghost to which of the Angels did God say at any time that he should deliuer a soule from going downe into the pit To the King is committed the ciuill gouernment of vs in policie to the Lawyer the care of our goods and good name to the Physitian the care of our health of body to the Souldier the care of our goods and liues but our soules are committed to the care of the Minister to saue them So saith the Apostle Thou shalt be able to saue thy selfe and those that heare thee which made Saint Ambrose say Nihil in hoc saeculo excellentius Sacerdotibus Our power is to deliuer men vp to Sathan by binding and to saue them from going downe to the pit by loosing of them from their sinnes Master Caluin is iudicious and moderate in this point for he aduiseth sinners that are burthened in their consciences for sinne rather to seeke the remedy in the meanes ordained and setled by God in the Church then any other way which is to exonerate their conscience of the burthen of sinne to some godly learned and discreet Minister of the word Cuius officium est publicè priuatim pop dei euangelica doctrina consolari But such an euen course must be held herein vt tyrannidem abesse velint a se a populo superstitionem Therefore let me admonish you in the holy feare of God to seeke the forgiuenesse of sinnes and the peace of your consciences in the holy and good way which God hath ordained and especially vpon your sicke beds when you are enditing your whole life to God neglect not the establishing of your hearts in the remission of sinnes by confession and absolution Let not a iealousie of Popish superstition discourage you from this for what is there in christian religion which they haue not corrupted but doe you separate the cleane from the vile and forsake not the holy direction of Gods word It is againe obiected if I must onely aske forgiuenesse of God for my sinne why is there mention here of my forgiuing such as doe trespasse against me Is it lawfull for me to aske man forgiuenesse of any sinne I answer that euery sinne that wee commit doth trespasse God being the preuarication of his law but if that sinne doe trespasse our brother also we must goe and be reconciled to our brother for if it be possible so much as lyeth in vs we must haue peace with all men Man may forgiue the offence done by his brother to him but the offence done to the law of God none but God can forgiue I will speake a bold word it is a truth God may forgiue a sinne committed against man so farre as it is a breach of the law of duty and obedience to him without man but God cannot forgiue a sinne done by one man against another except the man trespassed doe forgiue it for there can be no reconciliation betweene God and vs so long as there is warre between our brother and vs. Our Sauiour hath exprest as much When thou commest to offer thy gift vpon the Altar and remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thy gift goe and be reconciled c. It may appeare also in the very case of debt he that is a debter to his neighbour and refuseth to make him satisfaction doth breake the law of the kingdome and is an offender against the King and therefore is the kings prisoner for breach of the Kings law the King may forgiue his prisoner the breach of his law wherein hee is trespassed but he cannot forgiue the debt which hee oweth to his subiect If wee would haue a full forgiuenesse of our sinnes wheresoeuer they offend let vs labour to giue satisfaction but if we meete with harsh natures to whom no reasonable satisfaction is answerable they begge their owne iudgement in this petition for so shall they bee forgiuen as they forgiue and they shall finde God as inexorable and as implacable as themselues are 6 Another duty we learne here in the word nobis for we are taught charitably to pray for the forgiuenesse of one anothers sinnes not of our owne onely We doe not pray God for the pardon of the sinnes of the Angels that fell they kept not their first estate and the holy Ghost hath reuealed to vs that there is no possibility of their reconciliation to God for Saint Peter saith God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them downe to hell and deliuered them into chaines of darkenesse to be reserued vnto iudgement The God of spirits spared not the spirits that transgressed but the Prophet
Dauid saith O thou that hearest prayer vnto thee shall all flesh come Vpon which words Saint Augustine quare omnis caro quia carnem assumpsit Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himselfe likewise tooke part of the same but Verily he tooke not on him the nature of Angels but he tooke on him the seed of Abraham The sinne of Angels for many reasons is an vnpardonable sinne a sinne vnto death and Saint Iohn saith I say not that thou pray for it 1 Because all men deriue themselues from one Adam he stood or fell for the whole species If God should haue beene extreame to marke and punish all that was amisse who could haue stood the Lord looked downe from heauen vpon the children of men and found not one that did good not one and if God had not in iudgement thought vpon mercy all mankinde must needs haue perished in their sinnes But God at once creating innumerable Angels euery one stood or fell to his owne proper good or euill 2 The euill Angels corrupted themselues but man was by their suggestion and temptation corrupted and sinnes selfe-growing selfe-sowne are more prouoking then such as come by iniection and insinuation from without 3 The Angels ambition was to bee like God in his omnipotencie which is an incommunicable propertie of diuine essence and cannot bee imparted to any creature but man desired onely to be like God in his omniscience which we knost was committed to the soule of Christ in our nature 4 The Angels being intellectuall spirits and dwelling in the presence of God and enioying the full light of glory next to God would not offend by errour or ignorance but their transgression must needs be damnable apostacie from God and malitious opposition against God which is the sin against the holy Ghost not to bee 〈…〉 The schoole saith there be three sorts of will 1 Of God who neuer turneth 2 Of Angels which may turne but cannot returne 3 Of men who turne and returne But the Angels obstinacie is without returne Therefore those Misericordes as Augustine doth call them who deeme a possibilitie of the recouery of deuils to the fauour of God and of their saluation doe deceiue themselues and abuse the patience and ouerweene the mercy of God But we ought to pray one for another so Saint Iames admonisheth pray one for another that you may be healed for the effectuall feruent prayer of the righteous man auaileth much It is not vnprobable that the prayer of Christ father forgiue them serued effectually to the conuersion of the Centurion and the prayer of Stephen for the conuersion of Saul who kept the garments of them that stoned him God himselfe declared to the friends of Iob that Iob should pray for them to him and he promised to accept his face Or if you will looke higher God in a dreame reproued Abimelech for Sarah Abrahams wife and hee said to him Now therefore restore the man his wife for he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee and thou shalt liue There is great reason why wee should pray for the pardoning of one anothers sinnes 1 Out of the zeale of piety to God that his name may be hallowed that his kingdome may bee reuealed and established that his will may bee done Vnrighteousnesse and sinne doe hinder the glory of God in all these So that if it were possible to root out all sinne nothing were more to bee desired that God might not be eclipsed in any of his glory 2 Out of charity to them that sinne that we may so beare one anothers burthens and endeuour the healing of their soares they be deuils and not men that would haue their brethren perish in their sinnes 3 Out of charity to our selues that 1 We may adde to our owne glory in heauen and encrease our owne ioy in the full society of the communion of Saints 2 That we may make our owne liues on earth more happy liuing amongst such as doe feare the Lord and hauing our conuersation amongst such as are purified which remoueth the two dangerous infections of euill counsell and euill example which corrupt many 4 Out of an holy indignation against sinne as being a thing of it selfe hatefull and abominable and extremely dangerous to both liues 5 Out of a sanctified malice against Sathan who raigneth in all the sonnes of disobedience whose pardon if we could obtaine of God by our prayers hee should haue no subiects 6 Out of faith in the sufficient sacrifice of Christ for when all of vs pray for the forgiuenesse of all mens sins we shew that the fountaine which God hath opened to the house of Dauid and to the Inhabitants of Israel for sinne and for vncleanenesse can neuer be drawne dry that there is water enough therein to wash vs all throughly to wash vs all cleane and to purge vs all from all sinnes This including all men in our prayers for the pardon of sinnes doth blame all those who by their euill example or by their counsaile doe prouoke or intice others to sinne How canst thou say to God dimitte nobis when thou giuest thy neighbour strong drinke â—â—ll 〈…〉 When thou tellest him tales in the whisper of secrecie to enfire him against his brother When thou by secret detraction dost make him appeare worse then he is When thou reioycest in his sinnes that they are the occasion of his ruine When thou makest thy selfe sport with the sinnes of thy brother all such reioycing is contrary to this petition and God will tell thee that thou art not in good earnest with him when thou prayest to haue him pardoned with thee and in good earnest hee that heareth thy prayers will not pardon thee the sinne of this petition I conclude this point of our duty 1 Search thy wayes for sinne 2 Confesse 3 Be contrite 4 Amend thy life 5 Seeke this pardon onely from God 6 Pray in charity and the Lord giue thee thy hearts desire and fulfill all thy counsaile 2 From the condition annexed to this petition as we forgiue them that are our debters or if wee reade it as a reason or motiue to put home the petition for pardon for we forgiue 1 We are taught to take notice of our naturall corruption which is such as we cannot liue in society one with another but one way or other we shall be offensiue one to another Our Sauiour therefore teacheth vs in this petition not to seeke the pardon of our owne sinnes to God but in the way of peace If we finde continuall need of Gods mercy to vs we must be mercifull as our heauenly Father is mercifull for that is his law proximum vt teipsum It is a great inducement to God to perswade our preuailing with him in this suite if wee see our hearts doe freely forgiue iniuries done to vs therefore when Christ taught vs this prayer this petition aboue all