faith 1 For the want of faith It is true that the faith of the elect cannot faile finally or totally 1 For the foundation of God is sealed with this seale the Lord knoweth who are his 2 The grace of election is the gift and calling of God and his gifts and calling are without repentance 3 Whom he loueth to the end he loueth them 4 His promise I will not leaue thee nor forsake thee 5 His gift he hath giuen the elect to his sonne and no man shall take them out of his hands 6 Christ prayeth for them I pray for those whom thou hast giuen me But the euill that we may suffer herein is our want of faith to beleeue that we are of that number for the conscience accuseth vs and layeth our sinnes in order before vs and sheweth vs the wages of this sinne to be death Iob was in this distresse when he complained How many are mine iniquities and sinnes make me to know my transgressions and my sinne Wherefore hidest thou thy face and holdest me for thine enemy In this distresse was Dauid when he said in the bitternesse of expostulation Will the Lord cast off for euer and will he be fauourable no more Is his mercy cleane gone for euer doth his promise faile for euermore Hath God forgotten to be gratious hath he in anger shut vp his tender mercies What greater euill can there be then this it is vinum furoris a cup of vinegar and gall Dauid was in the very pit when he prayed Let not the deepe swallow me vp and let not the pit shut her mouth vpon me This euill we pray God to diuert from vs that our faith may not faile vs though our feeling doe and because the best of Gods seruants on earth may haue some of these cold shaking fits of feare Christ hath put this petition in our mouthes libera nos a malo 2 Another euill in the state of a Christian is presumption when we make too bold with our God this is not faith but the corruption of it corruptio optimi pessima O keepe thy seruant from presumptuous sinnes so shall I be innocent from the great offences 1 As presumption is a sinne in act we pray against it in Dimitte nobis debita nostra As it is a sinne that we feare to be comming on by our corrupt nature inclining vs to it so we pray against it in ne nos inducas 3 But we must consider presumption as it may bee a punishment a rodde of God to scourge vs for some other sinne and so we pray to be deliuered from it in this petition This presumption whether it build too much vpon the experience of Gods former fauour as Dauid dixi in corde meo nunquam mouebor tu domine c. Or if it let goe the hold that it hath vpon God and rest it selfe vpon some way of our owne as in our Paradise Parents who found a tricke to better their owne creation by being like to God poena est Generally it pleaseth God to punish one sinne by another as wee haue great and full examples Saint Paul saith that the people falling into idolatry Therefore God also gaue them vp to vncleanenesse through the lusts of their owne hearts to dishonour their owne bodies betweene themselues and againe For this cause God gaue them vp vnto vile affections So when Dauid waxed wanton of his peace and prosperity and begunne to forget God God gaue him vp to vncleanenesse to defile his body with adultery and after that to hide it with murther so did he Peter for sinning in presumption of the strength of his faith to resist Sathan God gaue him vp to the deniall of his Master and to maintaine that with swearing and protestation Against this we pray deliuer vs from euill that euill of sinning which draweth on and increaseth sinne till it make it out of measure sinfull for there is such a concatenation of sinnes that if God leaue vs in one sinne and heale not our soules he whose name is Legion because they are many will soone bring in seuen spirits worse then the former 2 A malo i. a diabolo He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He compasseth the earth to and fro as he confesseth in Iob and he goeth about saith Saint Peter like a roaring Lyon seeking to deuoure and Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians I feare lest by any meanes as the Scripture beguiled Euah through his subtilty so your minde should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ 1 The furie of this violent enemie is to be feared for though his power be so limited that without leaue he cannot hurt vs yet his malice is such to vs that he will neuer giue ouer his prouocation of vs to ill by his temptations and his accusation of vs to God for our offences therefore he is called The accuser of the brethren The Apostle doth expresse him formidable when he putteth a Christian to it to put on the whole armour of God to defend vs against him For the power of Sathan is to flesh and bloud inuincible it cannot resist him whereas the greatest force of flesh and bloud hath beene by flesh and bloud resisted and subdued The great sonnes of Anak the mightie Goliah and his brethren whole armies of valiant men haue beene put to the worst but Sathan was neuer conquered by meere man 2 The malice of Sathan to mankinde is implacable for he hateth God and the image of God in man makes matter of vnreconcileable malignity there is no safety in yeelding to him whom he kisseth he betrayeth for he is a murtherer from the beginning 3 The cunning of Sathan is unmatchable for man he is the old Serpent and he hath his wiles as the Apostle calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fraudulent circumuentions pretensed to be the wayes wherein we ought to walke flesh and bloud cannot ouer-reach him And to aduance his cunning he is 1 Inuisible for he is about vs vnseene 2 He is priuy to all our words and workes 3 He is vnwearied in his watch 4 Not hindered in his passage to and fro being a spirit quicke of motion 5 Assisted with innumerable angels of darkenesse nimble mormies to negotiate for him Who would haue suspected the deuill in the bosome of Iudas Iscariot or in the mouth of Peter yet Adam met with him in the faire-spoken tongue of Euah and was beguiled by him Therefore we haue cause to pray heartily and continually deliuer vs from the euill one 3 Deliuer vs à malo quod meriti sumus we haue deserued punishments of our sinnes here in our bodies in our soules in our goods in our good name in our life the second death euen the nethermost hell against all these we pray Libera nos Domine Generally we deprecate all afflictions of body and minde which follow sinne as the punishment of it for there is no punishment in it selfe good
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
There is great cause of iubilation in the Church when the righteous increase therefore there is cause of ioy giuen to the Church when the wicked perish The solution of this doubt dependeth vpon this consideration The enemies of God and of our religion are to be considered two waies 1 As they are the creatures of God and partners with vs of the same nature so they are our owne flesh and no man euer hated his owne flesh thus the persons of all men ought to be deare to vs and their life pretious and their welfare desired 2 As they are by their corruptions turned enemies to God and to his Church so shall not I hate them O Lord which hate thee not their persons but their sinnes their malice against the Church that is odio perfecto odi eos Againe in the destruction of Gods enemies we must consider 1 Who it is that punisheth them for it is the hand of God and this is matter of ioy to the Church it is one of the duties of the Sabbath to reioyce in the operations of Gods hand and this is repeated there for one in the Psalmes for the Sabbath Psal 92.4 Thou hast made me glad through thy worke I will triumph in the worke of thy hands When the wicked spring as the grasse and when all the workers of iniquity doe flourish it is that they shall bee destroyed for euer For loe thine enemies O Lord for loe thine enemies shall perish and all the workers of iniquity shall bee scattered Mine eye also shall see my desire vpon mine enemies c. All which sheweth that the ruine and confusion of Gods enemies is the ioy of the Church as it is the worke of Gods hand for doe we not say Tu Domine fecisti and is it not our prayer fiat voluntas tua and are wee not to reioyce in it when it is done doth not God doe all things well and doe not all things worke together for the good of Gods children 2 We must consider who they be that suffer these are brethren with vs according to the flesh here our bowels yearne and we haue cause to mourne and lament on their behalfe for their sinnes that deserued this iudiciall processe against them He that hath a christall glasse in his hand into which his enemie hath infused poison to destroy him and seeth the glasse broken in his hand discouereth the preseruation of his life by that breaking may he not at the same time be glad that the poison is spilt and sorry that so good a glasse is broken The nature which is impoisoned in Gods enemies is Gods creature if the breaking of this glasse of humane nature doe let the poison fall to the ground is there not cause of ioy for the preuention of that euill and yet cause of griefe for the losse of that vessell by which this worke of mischiefe was to be effected Our elements of which we are composed in the frame of our bodies are mixt and not pure and simple bodies the affections that are in the inferiour part of the soule are also mixt for our best courage is shaken with some feare our hope mingled with some doubt our ioy commedled with sorrow that in the very seruice of God we reioyce with trembling In our intellectuall part our vnderstanding is not cleare of clouds in our spirituall and diuine inspirations by the holy ghost there is aliquid carnis some of the naturall man that eclipseth the light and weakeneth the force of the holy ghost in vs. Therefore as there is cause of ioy so is there cause of griefe in the case of Gods enemies but it is a safe rule alwaies to reioyce in the Lord and to approue admire and blesse the operation of his hands The powder traitours whose zeale of the religion of Rome turned them all into gunpowder and inflamed them to that furie and malice as to destroy the peace and the Religion of this Land with one blast how would they haue ioyed to haue brought forth the mischiefe in full birth which they had conceiued yet the bowels of our compassion were moued towards them to see them dye and suffer the iust reward of their most damnable proiection But the bowels of the wicked are cruell shall I shew you the mercy of a Pope it was Sixtus 5. vpon occasion of the murther of Henry the 3. the French King who in ioy of it being performed treacherously by a Monke set on by himselfe doth make a panegyricall oration in the praise of the Creatour and admireth the excellent worke of God in it quod simplex monachus non mutato habitu nongladio clipeoue armatus ad regem libere penetrauit Is not the folly of this sonne of Belial worthy to be despised that makes this a miracle that a Monke vnarmed and in his own habite wherein no man mistrusted him did commit this treason for so these false Monkes were without suspition admitted to the Kings presence but had he changed his habite and come armed he had beene preuented He reioyceth in the Kings death yet he was no heretique as Rome cals heresie but a sonne of the Pope and he layeth the murther to Gods charge Regem Deus per sacratum virum interfecit the whole oration is extant in print they are all ashamed of it so full it is both of folly and malice Wee may not doe the God whom we worship and serue that vnthankefull iniurie to omit the late fearefull example of his iudgement declared vpon a Popish conuenticle assembled in a priuate meeting to an hereticall Sermon they are blinde that see not the hand of God in it and they that take not warning by it to auoyd the like may tempt the iustice of God to some new execution for he hath treasures of wrath I thinke I speake the charitable thoughts of you all it was a iudgement much to be deplored in respect of them that suffered the same So great a number presently either broken with the ruines of the house or smothered with the closenesse of their owne heapes one vpon another others wounded some dead found some fallen into madnesse We haue cause all of vs to lament the sudden violent death of so many of whom we haue cause to perswade our selues charitably that they had the zeale of God but not according to knowledge and that they were made beleeue that they did God good seruice But how many open Churches did they passe by how many learned Preachers might they haue heard at that time from whose light they might haue borrowed light and in whom they might haue heard Iesus Christ speaking to his Church and declaring the way of saluation they forsooke the houses of God to retire themselues into a chamber where their owne weight was their ruine by the iust hand of God as we must needes confesse for his workes are often secret but alwaies iust Did not the blinde leade the blinde and both fell into the ditch
world God hath reserued that supremacie of right in regno potentiae ejus Lord let that kingdome come Amen It is the phrase of Dauid Before Ephraim and Manasse stirre vp thy strength and come and saue vs. All thy workes shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall blesse thee They shall speake of the glory of thy kingdome and talke of thy power To make knowen to the sonnes of men his mighty acts and the glorious Maiesty of his kingdome Thy kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations This Saint Augustine vnderstandeth of the kingdome of Gods power for he saith in it appeareth quam potens deus qui fecit terram quam potens qui impleuit terram bonis qui dedit vitam animalibus semina terrae c. Dauid speaketh of this kingdome The Lord is King let the earth reioyce let the multitude of Israel be glad Read on and you shall see that hee speaketh there of this kingdome of Gods power and haue wee not good cause to pray that this kingdome may come which bringeth such ioy to all the earth such reioycing to the multitude of the Iles. 2 Wee desire the comming of Gods kingdome of grace whereby his Sonne reigneth in our hearts and consciences for so we shall be made fit and able to hallow the name of God and thus Saint Ambrose saith Tunc venit regnum dei quando ejus estis gratiam consequuiti By the coming of this kingdome the light of Gods truth is set vp in our vnderstandings and the fire of Gods zeale is kindled in our affections from whence ariseth an vtter abnegation of our selues a contempt of the world in our affections wholly stooped to the subiection of Christ and a cleare reuelation of the truth of God in our vnderstanding by which it is freed from all errours of iudgement and rightly informed in Credendis in agendis in petendis And herein we seeke and aske the glory of God for how can we honour him more then by desiring that hee would aduance the kingdome of his Sonne in his Church and in all the hearts of his elect seuerally wee also desire of God our owne good withall that wee may be subiects of this kingdome that his Sonne may reigne within vs. For this he saith My sonne giue me thy heart Giue it me that I may make it the seate of my kingdome that I may set vp my throne in it And we say take it O Lord we yeeld it vp vnto thee reigne thou and rule in it say thou of my heart say thou of thy Church Here will I dwell for I haue a delight in it 3. There is yet a further request in this petition for the kingdome of Gods glory that which God giueth in reward to his chosen seruants let that kingdome come Wherein first wee seeke the glory of God for the subiects and faithfull and loyall vassalls of a king are the glory of his Crowne In these God is glorified both in his power and wisedome and holinesse and iustice and in his mercy which is aboue all his works this mercy doth keepe within the pale and fense of his kingdome of grace and none but the subiects of that kingdome drinke deepe of it this is the marrow and fatnesse of Gods house that oleum laetitiae wherewith the electare annointed from top to toe and it is not giuen in fulnesse of measure heaped vp and pressed downe till it be made compleate in the kingdom of glory Then the glory of God is full in his triumphant Church his communion of Saints 2 We seeke our owne good in this petition for this is our summum bonum this is the gift of God to vs the glory of his bounty the crowne of righteousnesse by which we are iust by Iesus Christ in the sight of God This is that immensumpondus gloriae the prize of that high calling for which we forget that which is behind stretch and striue our selues to that which is before running with patience the race that is set before vs and so running that we may obtain this the reward of our righteousnesse the crowne of our reioycing the saluation of our soules This we begge not so much for our owne sakes that we may be made glorious as for the name of Gods sake that that may be glorified in vs and by vs. And that this is properly also desired in this petition this proofe may serue this is that kingdome for which the elect were elected this is the full accomplishment of Gods grace to vs and glory in vs this is the kingdome prouided for Gods Saints from the beginning of the world This is the hope and expectation of all the iust and no question our Sauiour would not leaue this out of our prayer and it is desired but by consequent in any other petition therefore no question it is included in this the words the sense the matter do all beare it for all that hallow the name of God on earth are promised the inheritance of this kingdome in glory and what God promiseth we may boldy aske of him for he hath sayd Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Lastly there is a kingdome of Gods glory which he reserueth to himselfe and that is his finall conquest of all his enemies the bringing of all things in subiection to him which we haue great reason to desire that the glory of God may be cōpleate as in vs his Saints so in himself the holy Saints in heauen doe pray for this kingdome Euen so come quickly Lord Iesus They desire it that hee may deliuer vp his kingdom to God the father that God may be all in all And the prouision of the former kingdome of glory is for all such as loue the appearing of God in that kingdome wherefore wee haue cause to pray for the coming of that Kingdome So are the faithfull described looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Sauiour Iesus Christ This is that glorious appearance of God which wee pray for and which the soules vnder the alter do hasten by their prayers wherein God shall be all in all Therefore of all these kingdomes doe I vnderstand this holy petition Let the kingdome of thy power the kingdome of thy grace thy kingdome of our glory thy kingdom of thine owne finall and full glory come 2 How we would haue this kingdome come We must therfore know that though the kingdom be the Lords and he ruleth ouer all Yet there be enemies that aduance thēselues against these kingdomes they not flesh and bloud onely but powers and Principalities Such make warre with God and vsurpe dominion Our praier therfore is that as Moses rod did deuoure the rods of the sorcerers so the kingdome of God may destroy all contrary vsurpation or opposition 1 The kingdome of Gods power on earth is opposed by many
so it is an effect of our patience because by bearing afflictions we doe make a full proofe of our faith for it is not faith except it be loue also and loue suffereth all things and faith worketh by loue They also doe reconcile the two Apostles well who said that patience and experience mutuo se generant for one is the effect of the other as one exemplifies it well for health is the cause of stirring and exercising of the body and againe stirring and exercising of the body is the cause of health And thus it is betweene hearing and faith for hearing begetteth faith and faith begetteth hearing and betweene faith and loue for the loue of God maketh vs beleeue in him and trust him and the more we beleeue the more we loue This is that patience which testifieth of our faith as in Iob Though he kill me yet will I trust in him this declareth that wee are subiects of Christs kingdome when the will of this King is receiued in his lawes with obedience in his gifts with thankfulnesse in his afflictions with patience 2 But to patience we must adde perseuerance which is called long suffering for it pleaseth God to try the faith and patience of his seruants often with spinning out their probation to some length of time to see if any thing haue power ouer thē to withdraw them frō him The best of Gods seruants haue felt this an hard tryall insomuch that Dauid often complaines and thinks the time of his sufferings long and his visitation sharpe and Iob the great example of patience for you haue heard of the patience of Iob saith the Apostle yet euen Iob felt some cold fits of feare and some feuorous burnings of impatience betweene whiles though vpon better consideration he came againe to himselfe and went on in long-suffering If wee consider wisely either with what patience God doth beare with the many prouoking sinnes which we commit to his dishonour or with how long suffering he expecteth our repentance and turning to him wee shall the lesse esteeme the production of our triall for if God should in iust punishment fit vengeance to the dimension of our sinne wee should suffer both much more and much longer then we doe Therefore seeing we finde our selues not vnder his execution as guilty persons to be tortured for our treasons and rackt for our many rebellions but as patients vnder the cure of a gratious Physitian who puts vs to paine to cure vs wee haue no cause to complaine though affliction gall vs for the time which wee haue deserued should oppresse and confound vs for euer And seeing the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory that shall bee reuealed who would refuse foule and deepe waies to go to the crowne of glory that neuer withers 3 To perfect the worke of patience wee must adde hereunto reioycing in our tribulations S. Chrysost doth well expresse the difference betweene striuing for a mortall and an immortall crowne of glory Those that striue for a prize here on earth haue no ioy till they come to the end of their labours all the way to the crowne is feare and care and much labour and sorrow but to the Saints that striue for that immensum pondus gloriae non minus iucunditatis adferunt ipsa certamina and this proceedeth from that difference which is betweene the seruants of God and the seruants of sinne For in the righteous though there be a man of flesh which shrinketh at the smart of his sufferings yet there is also a spirituall man who striueth against the weaknesse of nature and ouercometh it by the strength of grace and that hid man of the heart tasteth the sweetnesse of God in the cup of bitternesse and seeth the light of Gods countenance through the thick cloud of temporall vexations True it is that all afflictions are iust punishments of sinne and they are in their nature euill and it is vnnaturall to reioyce for them because they are against vs but to reioyce in them proceedeth from a sense of that diuine grace which sweeteneth them and maketh them wholsome to vs for God is neare vs in the middest of them as S. Chrysost saith Visitat Deus in carcere suos et ibi plus est auxilij semper ubi plus est periculi Therefore if thou wouldest haue the will of God done by thee and vpon thee thy duties are knowledge of this will remembrance of it obedience to it and patience in it and this patience must haue a perfect worke euen to long suffering of to ioyfulnesse in all our afflictions LVC. 11.3 Giue vs day by day our daily bread or Giue vs for the day our daily bread THe three former petitions are framed as you haue heard to the glory of God which is the first and chiefest thing to be sought and desired by vs all that glory which is due to his name that which is belonging to his kingdome in the reuelation of it in the dilatation and stabiliation of it that glory which is done to God in the knowledge and obedience of his holy will and in all godly patience of it Now in this fourth petition we craue a fauour from God to support nature with the necessaries of life that we may bee able for Gods seruice for though wee doe not liue here propter corpus yet wee liue in corpore and God knoweth whereof wee bee made hee remembreth that we are but dust and though to make the best of our body it be templum spiritus sancti yet this temple must be kept in good reparations lest it fall For the better vnderstanding of this petition 1 We must enquire what is meant by bread 2 Why we doe desire it to be giuen vnto vs. 3 Why it is called our bread 4 Why it is called daily bread 5 Why we beg it for this day 6 What duties we learne from this petition 1 Bread Bread as you know is called the staffe of life for by it the life is supported resembled therefore to the staffe or pole that standeth in the middest of a tent which stayeth it vp so this earthly tabernacle of our body is supported by bread and therefore the taking away bread from vs is called the breaking the staffe of bread And so the Prophet Ezechiel calleth it I will breake the staffe of bread in Ierusalem The reason why it is so called I take from Dauid who calleth it Bread which strengthneth mans heart We read no mention of bread till the fall of man neither should man had he staied in the state of his first innocency haue needed to haue tilled the ground for his food but the earth had yeelded him fruits for his sustentation without any labour no more but take and eate and the blessing of God vpon that ready provision should haue supported man In the raine of Manna and Quailes the most prepared food that we read of the fauour of God to his
our owne bread And that is called our owne bread as you haue heard which according to Gods ordinance wee doe labour and sweat for and that is intended in this petition da nobis that is giue it to our honest labours in a lawfull calling The Apostle doth so presse this labour vpon vs that thereby we many acquire both a competency to relieue our owne wants and an ouerplus to giue to such as need and this blessing vpon our honest endeuours is here begged of God The sonne of Iakeh prayeth feed me approuing it lawfull for euery particular person to pray first for himselfe and his owne sustentation This also reproueth the idle and vnthrifty those that take no care for the necessaries of life and those that waste them wee say they are foes to none but themselues but such are friends to none the Apostle calleth them euill beasts slowbellies for with what face can they say da nobis that either refuse or abuse and waste the meanes that should giue them their bread It lost Esau his birthright quia maluit victum accipere quam acquirere Multitudes of these weeds grow vp amongst vs who take no care for their owne bread and cast themselues wilfully vpon the charity of others drinking the sweat of others browes and deuouring the bread of idlenesse the iust lawes of this kingdome doe shut vp our charity against those who liue vpon the spoile and take no care for their owne support Solomon saith rods be for the backs of fooles and our whipping posts are set vp for such and S. Pauls rule is our warrant to let them that will not labour goe without meat And from this head of carelesnesse to get their owne bread come those night burglaries and day pilferies and highway insurrections and cunny catching conueyances to rob such as labour for our owne bread 2 Nobis includeth their owne families which also teacheth vs euery one to haue a care of wife and children to prouide for them how shall wee looke for the honour due to parents and masters of families if wee neglect our necessary care of them The good woman in the Prouerbs is noted for this care She riseth while it is yet night that is before the Sunne and she giueth meat to her houshold and a portion to her maydens and after followeth her houshold are cloathed with double garments The Apostle saith If there be any that prouideth not for his owne and namely for them of his houshold hee denieth the faith and is worse then an infidell The Apostle saith If there be any such for it is presumed that none should be such but such infidels wee haue too many that drinke downe the maintenance of their families at drunken sittings that eat vp their bread from them at gluttenous banquets and feasts that play away the bread of their owne houses in vnthrifty gaming 's that waste the legacies and hereditary dimensions and the wages of their labour vpon harlots The Apostle telleth vs how wee should esteeme them as infidels that deny the faith They haue put out that light of nature which shineth in the beasts of the field in the foules of the ayre for nature teacheth them to take care of their yong they build nests for them they feed them till they can shift for themselues The Hen gathereth her yong ones vnder her wings but these wastfull consumers of their meanes pluck out the feathers from their owne wings that they can neither flye themselues nor shelter their young without naturall affection and of a reprobate sense they stench the congregation where they liue with their noisome and vngodly conuersation But thou man of God flye these things and seeke thy bread for thy selfe for thy family that they may blesse thee 3 This nobis doth put vs in minde that we doe liue in society homo est animal sociale wee must pray for bread for the common-wealth in which we liue non est bonum nisi in communi bono the state in which we liue doth exact this common care of all the parts of the body thereof that we suffer not the society of men to suffer partem patria No states haue euer thriued better then those that haue most studied and laboured the common good and nothing doth sooner bring in an vniuersall miserie then the ouermuch retiring of our care to euery ones particular This hath multiplied grieuances when some particular persons haue found out proiects to heale themselues by wounding of the common-wealth and it is generally prognosticated that many of these grieuances will put forth this spring in our state God giue wisedome and courage and skill to the state-Physitians to heale these sores The King the head of this body must be supported and bread is the care of the state to supply it for this cause pay ye tribute saith the Apostle the necessities of state must be supported for the honour thereof and that the faculties of weldoing may not faile Charity seeketh not her owne things so long as wee labour and pray for the good of our Common-wealth we shall not want bread for in the plenty and peace of our whole land we shall haue both peace and plenty Those that milke the Common-wealth and draw the breasts of it till bloud come are enemies of society and the bread that is thus gotten will be grauell in their mouthes God be mercifull vnto vs to detect and confound all such proiections and let our Common-wealth that hath beene so glorious in the eye of all the world renue her glory thus blemished in late daies 4 This nobis doth especially oblige our care to the members of the mysticall body of Christ all those that are parts of the Church of God that we labour God in our prayers for the prosperity of Sion and for Ierusalems welfare that wee may see the Church of God in prosperity all our life long and that we may procure her good The poore persecuted members of Christ in the bloudie violence put vpon them in France fled hither in multitudes to seeke bread God be euer blessed for the piety and charity of our nation toward them their loines blesse vs and their mouthes testifie for vs that the charitable and hospitall entertainments which they gaue to our fathers in France flying from the persecution of Queene Mary whose garments were dyed in the bloud of Gods Saints were not forgotten The Apostle commendeth this charity to vs with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 especially to the houshold of faith O Lord let not them want bread that feare thee and call vpon thy name 5 Nobis doth include our Ministers that breake vs the bread of life it is our care and duty to see to them that they want not bread God hath resigned to vs his owne portion and hee that hath set vs a worke hath designed our wages hee would not haue the Altar so leane that hee that attendeth at the
also telleth vs by his experience Man that is borne of woman is of few daies and full of trouble The best of Gods seruants commonly smart most in these daily grieuances for iudgement beginneth at Gods house Dauid makes great moane often in his Psalmes griefes in his body vnquietnesse in his soule persecutions from his enemies and innumerable vexations S. Paul complaineth of laboures stripes imprisonments shipwrack many perils by land and by sea wearinesse painfulnesse watching fasting hunger thirst cold nakednesse And who is he that walketh conscionably in the feare of God that hath not cause to complaine with Dauid Innumerable troubles haue compassed me about 2 The remedy of this Pater noster libera nos The deliuerance here desired of our father is that copiosa redemptio plentifull redemption which Dauid doth speake of which is By grace of preuention to keepe them off from vs ne ingruant 2 By grace of subuention to support vs in these euils ne opprimant 3 By grace of full deliuerance to remoue them vtterly from vs ne destruant 1 For the grace of preuention Dauid was very neare a shrewd turne when Saul the king threw his iauelin at him So was he when Michall conueied him away through a window that he might escape the messengers which Saul sent of purpose to kill him S. Paul had such a deliuerance In Damascus the Gouernor vnder Aretas the king kept the city with a garrison desirous to apprehend me And through the windowes in a basket I was let downe by the wall and escaped The Scripture is full of examples of this kind and he that obserueth well the course of his own life will find many of these gratious preuentions of euill wherewith the hand of our great deliuerer hath kept off many euils from him Destruction was come euen to the very gates of Niniueh and within forty daies all had perished had not mercy interposed In 88. when Spaine girded on her harnesse against this land and came hitherward with purpose to inuade with the Popes promise to conquer and possesse this kingdome here was the Deuill suggesting the Pope abetting and the Spaniard attempting and God preuenting In 1605 the machination of the powder treason by the sonnes of Belial men of blood the corroboration of the plot by the agents for the Pope the secret abetment of it from Spaine the prosecution of it to the day of destruction lost all their strength and spit their venome vpon themselues in the defeat of their treason the destruction of the traitours and in the perpetuall reproach of Popish religion to all the ends of the world and to the last period of time All this by this preuenting goodnesse of God who kept vs from the euill and would not suffer vs to fall into the pit that they had digged for our soules For this Christ prayed his father Pater si possibile est transeat hic calix And this is that which is promised to the faithfull There shall no euill befall thee neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling He shall giue his Angels charge ne offendas This is the chiefest of Gods deliuerances and the fullest of Gods temporall mercies this also is a common and usuall tendernesse of God to vs to preserue vs from danger but this is neither so sensibly perceiued nor receiued so thankfully as it deserues It may bee we may report our strange escapes with wonder and tell them for newes but we do not commonly giue God the honor due to his name for them by praysing him for them as we ought 2 The grace of subuention in euils This was the fauour that the father did to the sonne in the agony that he suffered in the garden for hee sent to him then And there appeared to him an Angell from heauen strengthening him Christ our louing Sauiour chose rather to be comforted in his sorrowes then to bee kept quite from them for he did vndergoe them for vs as S. Ambrose sweetly saith Suscepit tristitiam meam vt mihi largiretur laetitiam suam and againe Debuit dolorem suscipere vt vinceret And God sent to him his Angell to comfort him in this distresse as Beda saith Sicut propter nos tristis est propter nos confortatur that we might know that so many as are by faith vnited to Christ haue interest in Gods spirituall consolations in the middest of all troubles Thus Saint Paul was comforted aboord the ship in his dangerous voyage to Rome the Angell of the Lord appeared to him and promised him his owne life and all their liues that sailed with him Thus was Noah supported in the deluge of the whole world Lot in the conflagration of Sodome Daniel in the den of Lyons the three Children in the fierie furnace Ioseph in the prison Peter also being in ward Our Father to whom wee pray euen as Ionah from the belly of hell is called the father of mercies and the God of all comfort who comforteth vs in all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort you which be in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selues are comforted of God So he himselfe is a comforter and he would haue vs comforters one to another and his Angels be comforters Yet for all this to make vp a full consolation Christ saith I will giue you another comforter and he promiseth his abode with vs for euer This grace of subuention though it doe not quit the afflictions yet it taketh away the euill of them so that the Saints of God are exprest reioycing in tribulations which they could not doe if the euill thereof were not remoued This mercy of subuention if neither charitie nor zeale desire it yet smart and paine will extort it from men for who suffers paine or griefe or losse or infamie but in the pang of the fit he cryeth God helpe me 3 The grace of full deliuerance Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of them all The snare is broken we are deliuered This fauour Noah and Lot had so had Daniel and the three Children first comforted in tribulations then deliuered from them and Ioseph of whom it is said that they put his feete in the stockes the iron entred into his soule He had the innocency of his cause to comfort him and though for a time he did suffer this affliction in the prison as a malefactor for so we must vnderstand the storie yet after some time of suffering God did giue him fauour in the sight of the Keeper and then he had comfort in his captiuity And as the Psalmist saith he abode there vntill the time that his word came the word of the Lord tryed him The King sent and loosed him the ruler of the people and let him goe free The time when his word came was the time when he interpreted to Pharaoh his double dreame then the word of