sée then very fitly may we learne by the Lords naming of bread only barely by it selfe and neither of gold nor siluer nor other statelynes to be content with any litle that the same Lorde shall thinke good to giue vs euer and not greedely to wish for any wanton aboundance Pray this prayer then beloued with your heart and thinke of this note For the Lorde knoweth howe fraile flesh misliketh litle séeketh much that walowing in wealth it might walow in woe an other day rechlessely ouertaken with the pleasures of this life through abilitie to haue them further than GOD wil warrant when he falleth to recken Why Sir is it not lawfull to pray for wealth and riches You haue hearde before that whatsoeuer is needefull to the life of man is included in this word bread and prayed for here And you must know also that this needefull is measured according to mens seuerall callings charges for great men haue néede of more than meane men and of both sorts they that haue more charge either of children or other necessary seruants about theÌ„ haue neede also of more Wherefore if their necessaries be great abundance euen that great abundance is lawfully prayed for by warrant both of this petition and much other Scripture But if we go from necessaries to superfluities as in deede the desire of man is to the ende hee might bathe himselfe in pleasures that flesh feedeth vpon most greedely be clothed in purple and fine linnen and fare most deliciously euery day though wofully he cry when that folly is faded for one drop of water to coole his tongue in the burning lake then must wee remember that a wise man prayed not so but euen flat contrary saying Lorde giue me not riches hee meaneth superfluitie aboue neede and addeth this reason least I bee full and deny thee and say who is the Lord. Which reason the more we meditate vpon the more strong shall we sée it this vsually being a fruite of wanton superfluitie to forget our God Beholde sayth the Lord to his people Israel I will bring thee into a good lande a lande in the which are riuers of water fountaines and depths that spring out of valleyes and mountaines A lande of wheate and barley and of vineyardes and figgetrees and pomgranats a lande of oyle oliue and hony A lande wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarsety neither shalt thou lacke any thing therein a lande whose stones are yron out of whose mountains thou shalt digge brasse But beware least when thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe and hast built goodly houses and dwelt therin and thy beasts and thy sheepe are increased and thy siluer and gold is multiplied and all that thou hast increased beware I say againe lest then thy hart bee lifted vp thou forget the Lorde thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage c. Beware least thou say in thyne heart My power and the strength of myne owne hande hath gotten me this abundance but remember the Lorde thy God For it is he which giueth the power to get substaÌ„ce c. You see what a daunger the holy Ghost hath here discouered in abundance of earthly things to lift our heele against the Lord what a vehement caueat he hath giuen and as sure as wee liue it is a thousand to one we do it If riches increase sayth he againe by his Prophet set not thy heart vppon them as if he shoulde say thy nature is to do it And charge theÌ„ that be rich in this world sayth the Apostle that they be not high minded and that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing god Why should men be charged if there were no daunger What sayde proude Pharaoh puft vp with his princely pompe but Quis est Dominê° Who is the Lord What said Nabuchad-nezzar when his greatnesse was so growne that it reached to the heauen and his dominion to the ende of the earth when hee walked in the royall place of Babel I say what sayde hee But in the pride of his heart against the Lorde thus Is not this great Babell that I haue built for the house of the kingdome by the might of my power and for the honor of my maiestie And by and by the hande of the Lord was vpon him reade it reade many times it is a great example What a damnable dreame was proude Haman in by reason of his grace in Court forgetting God hating his Saintes and so caried in the smokie cloude of his fauour with the Prince and his great estate that he neuer knew where hee was till he was ready to climbe the tree himselfe that hee had set vp for holy Mardocheus Can our soules wish a better example to tell vs the danger of earthly greatnes if the Lorde assist not slyding nature But these were straungers all from God you wil say and therefore no proofes but that wee which knowe more may doe better though we swim neuer so much in all abundance well sée you then the fault of better euen by the same Hezekias a good one and yet thus deceiued Dauid a good one and yet so puft vp that he numbred his people with a proud conceite and boasted in his wealth that it would neuer decay Whereupon Iob glorieth of it as of a speciall grace vpon him beyond the course of any whom the Lord assisteth not that hee neuer made gold his hope neither said to the wedge of gold thou art my confidence that he neuer reioyced because his substance was great and so forth The heathen knewe the danger and therefore vsually handled it as a tryed trueth that prosperitie is hardlier wel indured thaÌ„ aduersitie Saint Austen sayde it and knewe it true Diuitiarum morbus superbia The disease of riches is pride and would God we knewe not to much experience to inferre agaynst all denyals this wofull conclusion in our dayes And to tell vs all that honors and ease and abilitie to haue what either wanton will can wish or our owne or other wild heads deuise banisheth too often religion and all his exercises priuate or publique cooleth and quencheth all heauenly heates forceth away as too melancholike fooes all sweete meditations of Spiritual causes and giueth the bridle to all damnable pleasure and dreadfull securitie But they shal know one day and let vs sée now that if the Lorde giue vs but dayly breade that is thinges needefull not needelesse a moderate a competent or sufficient portion to passe this life along withall assuredly he hee doth that which is safest for vs in respect of our great propension to abuse his plentie and good cause we should without any muttering for more be contented with it Yet should greater plentie cause greater pietie greater zeale greater thankfulnes and all good but alas it is
people that no let might be to their vnderstanding of the common prayers The same Father againe in an other place saying that wee neede not any vtterance of words alwayes to pray vnto God because the Sacrifice of Iustice is sanctified in the Temple of the mind and in the secret chambers of the hart by and by obiecteth to him selfe wherefore then doth the Priest lift vp his voyce and pray aloude in the open assemblie in the Church and then answereth to the same thus Not that God but that men may heare him and that the people by the sounde of his voyce and vnderstanding of his meaning may be put in minde and by consent ioyned together and lift vp to God Againe he sayth Quid prodest loquutionis integritas quam non sequitur intellectus audientis Cum loquendi omnino nulla sit causa si quod loquimur non intelligunt propter quos vt intelligant loquimur What profite is there in speech be it neuer so perfect if the vnderstanding of the hearer cannot attaine it For there is no cause why wee should speake at all if they vnderstand not what we speake for whose sake wee speake that they may vnderstande vs. Againe Mens mea sine fructu est hoc ait quando id quod dicitur non intelligitur My minde is without fruite This the Apostle S. Paul sayth when the thing that is spoken is not perceyued And again Si intellectum mentis remoueas nemo aedificatur audiendo quod non intelligit Set apart the vnderstanding of the mind and no man hath fruite or profite of the thing that hee peeceiueth not Quid opus est iubilare non intelligere iubilationem vt vox nostra sola iubilet cor non iubilet Sonus enim cordis intellectus est What needeth vs to sing if we vnderstand not what wee sing to sing with our voyce and not with our heart For vnderstanding is the sounde or voyce of the heart These are most playne testimonies and worthy consideration if we desire a truth Origen againe very plainely sayth of such things as are read in the Church Non fuisset necessarium legi haec in ecclesia nisi ex his aedificatio aliqua audientibus praeberetur It should neuer need to reade them vnlesse some edification shoulde come by them to the hearers But without vnderstanding we know not what edification is therfore Origens iudgement is openly this that if Scriptures and prayers shoulde bee in a strange tongue then it were as good that there were neuer any at all of either of thē O marke it Cyprian next as flatly again Not the sound of the voyce but the mind vnderstanding must pray vnto the Lorde with pure intention But my vnderstanding to pray the language to be straunge to me that I pray in is impossible therfore farre was Cyprian from this folly Saint Chrisostome againe the like and many mo that I spare to name in this briefe treatise The fauorers of Rome in latter dayes sawe this trueth and yelded their testimonies plainely for it Lyra and Thomas of Aquin spare not to auouch it that the common seruice in the Primatiue Church was euer in the common vulgar tongue that the people did vnderstande That earnest as some thinke strong defender of the contrary to this by the power of a trueth is drawen to these very woordes that in the Primatiue Church the prayers were made in a commō tongue knowne to the people for cause of their further instruction and it was so necessary to be and againe in an other place It were good the people hauing humble and reuerent heartes vnderstoode the seruice I deny it not And whereas they say they can as heartily as earnestly and with as vehement an affection pray although they knowe not what they say may they not see their owne Doctor say the contrary flatly and a man of no common learning Si populus intelligit orationem Sacerdotis melius reducitur ad Deū deuotius respondet Amen that is If the people vnderstand the prayer of the Priest they are the better brought vnto God with more deuotion farre answer Amen Now there is the same reason of their deuotion openly and of our owne priuatly May they not see it playnely affirmed Quo modo potest debitè Deo psallere qui non intelligit quid psallit How can he rightly sing vnto God that vnderstandeth not himselfe what hee singeth as if hee should say it cannot bee it is impossible and not to be hoped for Last of all is it not an olde saying grounded vppon true reason Jgnoti nulla est cupido there is no desire of the thing that wee knowe not and no desire I thinke is a very colde affection Let vs ende then this poynt of the practise and iudgement of men with that decree of Pope Innocent the third in the Councel of Laterane about the yeere of our Lorde 1200. that in such Cities as should bee concurse of people of diuers nations the Bishop shoulde take order that euery people should haue a Pastor of their owne language which might serue them and minister vnto them in the same A thing very worthy obseruing that euen with the Pope himselfe the trueth of this cause that prayers ought to be vnderstood should preuaile We haue seene then God and wee haue seene men against this great corruption and hinderance of our prayer and men both in practise and iudgement What if we ioyne nowe for conclusion of all verie open reason against it It may doe good For truely euen this striketh so deepe in in this behalfe as any Christian heart may feare euer to come before the Lorde with prayer in this order For it is not one and a verie singular vse of our prayers to strengthen and frame our faith by the experience of mercies asked and receiued at our God his handes It working euer in vs a trust an hope yea an vnspeakeable comfort that he will be as he hath beene being no changeling in himselfe and that whome he hath heard so graciously so readely and so often with graunt of their desires those hee will euer heare and still heare in their right and lawfull prayers to the prayse of his mercie and the ioye of them his seruauntes in their distresses Now this singular vse and profite as I say of prayer are they depriued of that vse to pray in a straunge tongue for if any particular benefite be giuen them they knowe not whether it hath come at their intreaty or no because they know not what they haue prayed for and so receiue they no sure and certaine testimonie of the Lords helpe and goodnesse to them to the comfort of their hartes at all times when they shall néede againe to call vpon him And therefore if this be a blessing to haue true experience nay thousands of experiences of the Lordes swéete fauour to vs
than you can shewe me any whosoeuer you are that coÌ„playne of contempt and yet Iob was Iob still before his God for all these abuses in a wretched world that is beloued accepted regarded and in the end when the Lordes good pleasure was finished honoured and exalted that these mocking mates couched and hid their foule faces for shame And shall I not intreate you to consider it Againe the other what sayth hee I am a worme and no man O Lorde a shame of men and the contempt of the people Al they that see me haue mee in derision they make a mowe at mee and nod their heads What vile contempt is this Yet must not Dauid giue vp the ioy of his life for it But passe on his course in his troublesome Sea and sayle cheerfully towards the Hauen where hee would bee breaking these waues and surges by a true fayth knowledge of the Lords dealings with his most deere chosen Imagine you see Herod and that rushing route hoysing their heades like forehorses ouer our deere Sauiour when Pilate sent him thither and looking ouer him and vnder him and on eche side him but not vppon him for feare his basenes should hurt their siluer sights O deere Sauiour shall he bee contemned and disdayned excepted and reiected as a seely man a simple man one that hath no great stuffe in him to win him grace with the paynted Peacocks of this worlde and shall any man or woman take it to hart to folow him with this crosse if it be a crosse and not rather a true and great blessing in some respects to vs vpon his backe Fie fie of this desire to please men ouermuch in this world it is not good Thinke again you see through the casement of her windowe the payre of eyes that mocking Michol so scornfully cast vpon her owne Lord and husband king Dauid when shee sawe him come dauÌ„cing before the arke of God Remember her reprochfull speech to him and what was Dauid worse for all this See and reade agayne and agayne what courage he tooke to himself for al this contempt of so neere a friend and how hee answered her and let it bee your example and comfort euer Michol was the worse that disdained Dauid not a whit the worse that was disdained She plagued with barrennesse for euer Dauid blessed for his true heart and zeale to God And it is inough Others obserue themselues forsaken dayly of such as they tooke to bee theyr friends and to haue beene faster knit in affection to them than as that they woulde haue so slunke awaie They see a chaunge in their faces that haue fawned in theyr wordes in theyr deedes and in all circumstaunces And this grieueth them they wonder at it and thinke what haue they done to deserue this alteration Forgetting quite that euen this also is one of the Lordes exercises that hee trayneth vp his children in till they grow to a true knowledge how fickle and tickle this world and all his shewes be and that it hath bene laid vpon his chosen in greate measure For what a pittifull complaynt maketh Iob of this matter if you mark it The Lord hath remooued sayth hee my brethren farre from mee and also myne acquaintance were strangers vnto me My neighbours haue forsaken mee and my familiars haue forgotten me They that dwell in my house and my maydes tooke mee for a stranger in their sight I called my seruant but hee woulde not answere though I prayed him with my mouth Yea my breath was straunge to myne owne wife though I prayed her for the childrens sake of myne owne body All my secret friends abhorred mee and they whome I loued are turned against mee Hath any man tasted of a greater change than this man did Or may a man tast of a greater Surely this was a great one and it should be a sure prop to hold vp our sliding feete for any alteration of men from vs. Dauid complayned of the like that the Lord had hid his acquaintance out of his sight that they that did see him without in the streetes conueyed themselues from him And what then Such hath bene the world such is it for such take it if you be wise To day a friend to morow none to day in my bosome with sugred wordes to morow in my face with sharp arrowes Iosephs owne brethren changed vpon him with a great change when he least thought it and lesse maruell if his master so changed for no iust cause Putiphar I meane that made so much of him Moses Aaron found great alterations of mens minds if you marke the storie and O Lorde sayth Moses they are ready to stone me that eâ—rst had bowed downe and worshipped at their first coÌ„ming To cut downe palmes and strowe them in the way and to cry Hosanna blessed be hee that commeth in the name of the Lord is an other note than crucifie him crucifie him his blood be vpon vs and our children Of these experiences the world is full and the word of God hath store cast them together for your stay when you read them and take the world and all the faces and fawnes of the same as they are and euer haue bene that is for fickle and most slippery Your master Christ and your fellow seruants haue found it so and for Gods sake seeke not to bee singular your selfe it is inough for the seruant to be like his master seeke not to be aboue him If Iob find his owne wife changed shall hee wonder at others No no Vse them and take them as Subiect to changes when GOD will And his will bee done Many are bitten behinde their backes and priuily slandered yea gnawed to the very bones with the teeth of the vngodly and it grieueth them sore But forget they not then that this also is the lot of the righteous of Ioseph of Iob of Dauid of thousands Forget they not Paul approuing himselfe by honour and dishonor by euell report and good report as a deceyuer yet true And in an other place We are euel spoken of and yet we pray we are made as the filth of the worlde the of â—kowring of all thinges vnto this tyme. There was neuer man could escape this yet neither euer any shall if hee please God For euen of Christ himselfe some sayd he was a deceyuer and many prittle prattles had they of him in their méetings Woe bee to you sayth the Lorde himselfe when all men speake well of you for so did their fathers to the false Prophets And it is a speech of weight against this temptation if it bee often thought of If I should yet please men sayth the Apostle I were not the seruant of Christ It is a dayntines vnfit for a Christian to be able to beare no backbiters Some will to the deuell for their priuie pratling to the hurt of their neighbours though we sweare
all others that receiue with him knowe him But God forbid Then was euer the Sacrament more holy purely administred than Christ Iesus him-selfe did with his disciples Yet euen there and then sayth Ambrose Chrysostome Austen others was wicked Iudas For the Euangelistes say he sate downe with the twelue and Luke maketh mention that Christ admonished him partly before and partly after Supper which the Lord Iesus would neuer haue suffered if his company might haue defiled the other worthy receyuers there present And concerning Iudas I pray you consider what the scripture saith First it was sayde of him before the Supper that he was a thiefe and caried the bag and for that cause grudged the expence of the oyntment and sayd it might haue bene sold and giuen to the poore not in deede trueth caring for the poore In regarde wherof Austen sayth Iudas was not then first euell when hee made his match to betray him for so much money but before euen from the first beginning neuer folowing Christ corde sed corpore with heart but with body Secondly it is testified in Luke that before the Supper the Deuill was entred into him and that hee had beene with the high Priestes and Captaines and made his matche with them communing with them howe hee might betray Christe vnto them Thirdly euen to the Disciples them-selues openly at table was manifested by giuing of a soppe that hee was a Traytor and should shewe it vpon his owne master Therefore it was not altogether hid what manner of man Iudas was Yet saith S. Austen Talis Iudas cū sanctis discipulis vndecim intrabat exibat ad ipsam dominicā coenā pariter accessit de vno pane Petrus Iudas accepit Such a Iudas went in and came out with the eleuen came to the same supper of the Lord with them and of the one breade receiued both Peter and Iudas Quid ergo voluit Dominus noster Iesus Christus fratres mei admonere ecclesiam suam quando vnum perditum inter duodecim habere voluit nisi vt malos toleremus ne corpus Christi diuidamus What therefore would the Lord Iesus Christ my Brethren admonish and teach his Church when amongst his twelue he would haue one lost and bad one but that in the Church militant heere we must indure some euil ones least in not doing it wee should rent asunder and deuide the body of Christe Conuersari enim cum eis potuit Judas eos inquinare non potuit For be in theyr company Iudas might but defile them he coulde not Wee see therefore this fathers iudgement touching this matter plainly and to it may be added this question howe the faythfull wife may abide with an vnfaythfull husband all the dayes of her life and not bee the worse and we may not come to Gods table or to prayers for an hower in y e company of vnreformed ones but their sinnes shal cleaue to vs. The companyings together differeth most greatly if wee marke the seuerall circumstances of a wife with her husband and of two men in the church together How then may we be warranted to refrayne that most holy comfortable sacrament for their sakes who thogh they be trespassers yet ask they mercy at Gods hands Et hoc testantur eo ipso quod accedunt ad coenā And testify as much euen by their very comming and offering themselues to the Lordes table To iudge rightly of our Brethren our corruption assuredly is great and we should often thinke of it and feare it greatly By nature we are full of suspition and aswell where no cause in trueth is as where cause is Wee beleeue euill too fast and good too slowly We amplify things and make smal matters great matters iudging men many times worse through our corruption than indeede they are before God by their transgression And how dangerous a rule then is this to measure them by that must bee alowed to the Lords table if we receiue with them Whē this temptation was strong in the minds of the Anabaptistes remember how crookedly this line guided them in the choyse of worthy receiuers If any man sayth Bullinger hang down his head and counterfet humilitie although in minde hee bee most polluted filthy and foule and despise the word yet shall he bee accounted a most holy and good one and worthy to receiue the sacrament But if he be more open and mery and subiect to the common faults of humane frayltie yet farre from any dissimulation trusting in his heart and soule firmely to the Lords mercy single and sincere towardes God that that he is confessing his sinnes such an one forasmuch as hee hath not yet satisfied the Anabaptistes for his faults neither is alowed of them thought as yet worthy ynough shal bee seperated from the Lords table And yet the sinful publican smiting his brest was better alowed of the Lord Iesus than the iust Pharisie with all his righteousnes When many vncleane did eate of the passeouer which Ezekias the king caused to be kept did their Brethren refuse to eate because they did eat also or did their company pollute them that were clean any thing Consider it wel and see if you can finde either yet the parties themselues that were not sanctified and cleansed faulted and were prayed for Wherefore we may say with Saint Austen Non propter malos bonos deseramus sed propter bonos malos sufferamus Let vs not forsake the good for the euil but let vs indure the euill for the good Yet must we thinke Saint Austen and all good men wisheth their seperation as farre as may be without plucking vp the wheat also renting a sunder the body of Christ And so playnely shewe those woordes Si non possunt excludi excludantur vel de corde If they cannot bee excluded exclude them at least in thy heart that is approue not in heart and iudgement their fault Cyprianus alia frumenta dominica cum auaris rapacibus cum his qui regnū Dei non possidebunt non laicis vel quibuscunque clericis sed ipsis episcopis panem Domini manducabant Cyprian and others of the Lordes wheate did eate the breade of the Lord and drinke his cuppe with the couetous and raueners with them that shal not possesse Gods kingdome not lay men or common Clergie men but euen with the Bishops themselues And it sufficed them to bee separated from such in heart in life and manners in a great regarde to keepe peace and vnitie for the good of the weake least they should teare the members of the body of Christ by sacrilegious schismes Caluin writeth to Farellus in an Epistle that being asked this question whether it was lawfull to receiue the communion at a bad ministers handes and with bad company admitted thereunto hee answered to both in effect as followeth Tantum debere inter Christianos esse odium schismatis
not be deceiued The Lord will surely smite euery seruant that doth not his will whether he knowe or knowe not because his ignoraunce is not of creation but from Adam by fall neither shall any good meaning erroniously had excuse any man more than it did the Iewes which ignorantly crucifying Christ and persecuting the Apostles were perswaded they did God great seruice And as God doth thus so doth he require of the Magistrates hand to whom in deede he hath committed the sword not in vayne that after the procuring of such meanes for their instruction by publique preaching and priuat perswasions as our Sauiour hath appoynted for the calling of men from their errors to the knowledge of his truth they forbeare not either to require godly duetie or to punish the want as the offence shall deserue not fearing the speeches of men for the glorie of God neither displeasing him to please them If they crye as they do it is crueltie crueltie and enough to driue men to dispayre Wee can but wish them the best still houlding a truth our selues and doing in moderation and mercie what shall make vs dispayre if wee doe not God requiring it of vs at our perill And at their owne peril must it be if they take darknes for light and light for darknes Surely their bloud is vpon themselues because they haue bin warned and had the meanes S. Austen will tell them the Donatistes slew themselues rather then they would change their heresie yet did not such their feareful madnesse terrifie godly Princes from condigne chastisements of so great impietie And thus much may suffice of this temptation If any list to be further satisâ—ied by English treatises hereof let him peruse the godly answers of diuers to the Papists Maister Doctor Bilson M. Trauers and others But this lawfull moderate and profitable correction wil be called cruel and mercilesse persecution No newes if it be For so did these seduced creatures in their times and the Papists euen stil exclayme when their heresie and obstinacie is punished Wherevpon both Austen in his time and others in these daies are driuen to followe their cries and to purge away this vniust sâ—aunder which in deede would neuer be so vntruely made if men would not foolishly thinke pro ecclesia Dei facere quicquid inquieta temeritate faciuÌ„t that euery thing is done in the cause of the Church that is done by their owne vnquiet rashnesse and headinesse For the matter it selfe it hath bene answered it truly may be answered that euery one that spareth is not a friend neither euery one that beateth a foe But better are the wounds of a friend than the voluntarie kisses of an enemie Melius est cum seueritate diligere quà m cum lenitate decipere Better it is with seueritie to loue than with lenitie to deceiue Can man loue man more than God loueth him Yet in the loue of GOD there is often correction and often chastisement and the same though neuer ioyous for the present but greeuous yet after bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto them which are thereby exercised and they say with the Prophet It is good for them that they haue bene chastised Why then must mans compulsion euer be persecution Cùm boni mali eadem faciunt eademque patiuntur non factis poenis sed causis vtique discernendi sunt When the good and euill either doe or suffer the same things they must be discerned and distinguished not by punishments but by causes Pharoh was sharpe in sundrie actions to the Israelites and what was Moses when he made them drinke vp the ashes of their golden calfe and three thousand of them to bee slayne with the sworde speedely When his anger seemed fearce agaynst Aaron himselfe and the people quaked as it were vnder him Similia fecerunt sed non similiter prodesse voluerunt The things they did after a sort were like for they were both sharpe but their minds were not alike to profite And therefore what Pharoh did was tyrannicall persecution what Moses did lawful and liked punishment of a greeuous fault Iesabel slew some Prophets and Eliah slew some Prophets Sed diuersa merita facientium diuersa passorum But diuers was the merit both of the doers and sufferers Iesabel slew true Prophets and it was a bloudie persecution Eliah slew false Prophets and it was no persecution as we speake of the word in euill part In the death of Christ God had his work and man had his work Yet was God pure man guiltie How Nisi quia in re vna quam fecerunt causa noÌ„ erat vna ob quam fecerunt But because in one thing which they did there was not one cause for which they did it There were three crosses at our Sauiours death vpon one the theefe to bee saued vpon an other the theefe to bee damned in the middle Christ Quid similius istis crucibus quid dissimilius istis pendentibus Quos passio iungebant causa separabat What more like than these crosses What more vnlike than these that hanged vpoÌ„ them Whom a like punishment conioyned a farre vnlike cause disioyned Paule was deliuered to the Iayler to be imprisoned Paule him selfe would the incestuous to bee deliuered to Satan to bee reformed The one is a greater matter than the other and yet the lesser a wicked persecution the greater none Discamus igitur frater Let vs therefore learne brother saith S. Austen in like doings to discerne vnlike mindes of the doers neither let vs with closed eyes sclaunder and accuse well willers as euil hurters of vs. If it were euer so glorious as some would make it to be punished and to sustayne correction the Lord might haue sayd blessed are they that are so vsed and neuer haue added propter iustitiam for righteousnesse sake Wherefore an euident truth it is that they are not Martyrs that suffer punishment for euill doing propter Christianae vtilitatis impiam diuisionem and for a wicked diuision of Christian vnitie but they y t suffer for well doing and for righteousnesse sake Agar was punished of Sara yet she that punished was blamelesse she that was punished blame-worthie Therefore doth the Prophet say Iudica me Deus discerne causam non dixit poenam sed causam Iudge mee O Lord discerne my cause He doth not say my punishment but my cause Againe they persecuted me without a cause but the Lord was my helper His coÌ„fort and glorie is not that hee was persecuted but that in deede and truth it was without a a cause Dauid himselfe pursued his enemies tooke them and consumed them And sayd he would cut off al the workers of iniquitie from the Citie of the Lord. Yet no persecutor more than all other Kings and Princes both in the word and out renowned for due and zealous punishing of offences In his enim omnibus quid attenditur nisi quis eorum
these feares and terrors otherwise to bee trembled at day and night wee shall haue no cause at all to feare but euen contrariwise to lift vp our heads towards heauen as men and women behoulding with eyes their eternall deliuerance euerlasting comfort and vnspeakable ioy drawing neere vnto them to remaine with them and they in it for euer O prayer then auaileable with GOD and profitable to men There needeth no more to declare the fruite of it and yet much more remayneth to bee spoken For when in these dreadfull times many shall haue their harts oppressed with surfeting and dronkennesse and the cares of this life and so that day of death dome come vpon them vnawares Prayer in watching shall preserue Gods chosen that they shall bee counted worthie to escape all these things and not onely so but as followeth with comfort euen to stand before the Sonne of man that is in cheare in ioy in spirituall motions of hart not to bee expressed by man to enter into the heauenly and euerlasting tabernacles Lord then for thy mercie teach vs to pray that these blessings promised to the same may light vpon vs. I stay the course that I might goe on in for the profites of Prayer are innumerable It sanctifieth our mirth it sanctifieth our meates and they are neither of them holy but in this We wake and we worke we sleepe and we rest in peace if we faithfully pray If we pray with Iacob we prosper with Iacob in our iourney If we pray with Dauid we haue our heads couered with Dauid in the day of battaile If we pray with the father wée haue our sonne healed If wee pray with the mother we haue our daughter healed If we pray with the maister wée haue our seruaunt healed And what should I say Cornelius praying hath Peter sent vnto him and the holy Ghost powred vpon him Anna praying hath a childe giuen her and to conclude there is no ende of the tale nor measure of Gods mercies if wee speake of the fruites of Prayer This knew well the godly Father S. Chrisostome and therefore he sayth if thou desirest to liue single or in holy Matrimonie to Gods content pray if thou desirest to bridle anger and with meeknesse to be familiar pray if thou desirest to bee free from the fret of enuie or to doe any thing that belongeth to a godly life pray and pray hartely pray and pray often pray and pray faithfully the Lord shall graunt thy prayer For it is armatura inexpugnabilis an armour of proofe against all and euery assaulting darte of the deuill or his members and meanes whatsoeuer So profitable is Prayer we see The Lord in mercie giue vs spirites Amen I beseech him Yet see the poyson of Satan in his members against this fruitfull exercise for there want not wittes in this wicked worlde that dare dispute against it and aske how it may bee that we should fitly aske of the Lord by prayer any thing since without asking and before asking he knoweth what wee want and would haue yea so fully knoweth he all things that he needeth no remembrauncer to put him in minde of any thing and therefore why should wee aske or euer pray but leaue the Lord to himselfe to giue what pleaseth him Trueth it is that thus they reason but I trust you see the impietie of their speech and the blindnesse of their harts for it is an olde rule and a true that Subordinata non pugnant inter se Things that are comprised one in an other are not contrary one to the other and such are Gods fore-knowledge of all things and our asking notwithstanding by prayer what we want For in his owne person expressely in his worde he hath commaunded notwithstanding all this his diuine knowledge of euery mans estate which he knewe himselfe to knowe as well as wee yet neuerthelesse that we should pray to him in our needes and aske if we would receiue at his hands And therefore you see this is a meruaile by the witnesse euident of the Lord himselfe and our Prayer is not taken away in any respect by the Lords knowledge but they implyed one vnder the other stand and agree well both together Then if you looke at the practise of Gods children you may plainly see the same For Dauid confessing of the Lord that he did not only know his wants but his very thoughts and that long before Yet neuerthelesse for all this knowledge in God vseth his owne duetie commaunded and prayeth for his wants Yea our sauiour Christ which may stand for many proofes in the same chapter biddeth vs call vpon our heauenly father by Prayer for our daylie bread that is for all necessities and yet telleth vs that he knoweth alreadie and before that we haue need of these things Elias the Prophet promised Achab rayne not rashly vpon his own head but as priuie to the Lords purpose and certified of his will and yet for all that most earnestly prayed he crouching to the earth and his face betwixt his knees and seauen times sent his seruant towarde the Sea for it Therefore let vs knowe and so conclude although the Lorde vnderstande most fullie and perfectly what wee would haue before wee pray yet hath himselfe appoynted this meanes to obtaine at his handes notwithstanding that his knowledge and therefore wee must vse it euer notwithstanding the same knowing that what his wisedome hath ioyned as standing agreeing together those mans wisedome nay mans folly or Satans malice may not seperate as disagreeing and one frustrating the vse or profite of the other And againe that is no ende of our Prayer at any time to admonish God of any estate of ours vnknowne vnto him but we pray notwithstanding he knoweth alreadie what wee want to perfourme our obedience to his commaundement and appoynted meane to giue glory to him as the fountaine of all good to testifie to the world our faith and trust in him and his promises to exercise our patience in still yet expecting and asking and for sondrie such causes allowed and godly and not to put him in minde as one that knoweth not our desire Fond therefore I trust you see this reason is against the vse of Prayer Trueth it is I thanke GOD and so let it fall Yet giue me leaue to propound an other to the same purpose but I trust of no greater force They say those things are not to bee asked euen of a man much lesse of the Lord which he willingly and of his owne accorde is purposed to giue for that were not to honor but rather to dishonor by granting where no neede is But whatsoeuer we want the Lord is readie to giue and therefore we should aske nothing In deede of no greater force at all For it offendeth euen as the other did in reasoning of thinges subordinate one vnder the other and agreeing
bée vsed and our soules prepared therevnto by some fit meditation of it before Prayer This wanted the proud Pharisie therefore his prayer sheweth no zeale nor heate as the humble hart that commeth creeping to the Lord in humilitie confessing greefe for sinne and speaketh as one doth to him that hath no cause to giue but great and many to withholde Euer therefore bée carefull of this to kéepe vppon your soule as vpon a trée that you would haue growe broade and large but not high a weight of her owne true vnworthinesse and certainely you shall finde the power of it in quickening affection when you pray great The seconde meanes is a true consideration of the things that we aske for how profitable expedient and good for vs they are howe bad wee are without them c. By which thinges there shall growe in our hartes an heate and prayer for them more earnest and if this be wanting wée pray in an order and a forme but zeale is away forasmuch as wee knowe no great hurte if we spéede not and if ou◠wordes be more vehement than the true and simple desire of the thinges prayed for doth procure it is mockerie such as the Lorde will punish And therefore let this be an other Christian meanes carefullie vsed euer as we may in our prayers to worke a right affection in vs euen so much as euer wée can to consider of the things we want and aske before we aske them Then when we sée these two to wit our vnworthinesse to receiue and the benefite of the gift let the thirde be a true viewe of the want of any vnder meanes in this worlde to compasse our desire by or if we haue any as friendes riches and such like yet the great inabilitie that is in them all vnlesse the Lorde say Amen giue his blessing to their labours and prosper their indeuours for vs. For thus againe will growe a feruentnesse in our affections and a right godly zeale in our prayers Yea the more emptie that we come before the Lord in this respect the more life hath our Prayers alwaies For he that in truth doubteth his helpe at home to bee sufficient his suite for reliefe abroad will be more earnest He that secretly shrinketh to the conceipt of the power of any second cause whatsoeuer to giue him any good by and cleaueth not only to the Lord in a Christian renounciation of all the meanes in the world further then hee will vouchsafe to blesse them his Prayer shall be colde and more frosen as resting vpon other matters aswell as vpon his prayer and if he speede neuer so thankfull to the Lord neither Therefore you see a third care of the childe of God if he will haue his prayer pithie euen to emptie his hart of al such earthly bondage as we haue spoken of to goe to his knees either without them in déede or without any trust and confidence in them further then the Lorde shall strengthen them to him and for him A fourth is an eye to the sweete promises of God concerning the sutes of his children to him which are so manie and so intire as no heart if it be not flint or stéele but must receiue comforte and courage to speake vnto such a Lord. Aske and you shall haue seeke and you shall finde knocke and it shalbe opened vnto you Yea whatsoeuer you shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you Call vpon me and I will heare you Come vnto me and I will refresh you Whosoeuer shall call vpon the Lord shall be saued And a thousand such like Muse vpon them till the fire kindle within you and then speake with a spirit to so sweet a God as so cheareth his children to pray hartely And remember it often what once was saide I will come into thy house euen vpon the multitude of thy mercie and in thy feare will I worshippe toward thy holy temple The multitude of Gods mercies make a sweete entraunce into the house of Prayer yea say you with Dauid ioyfully and comfortably In Gods worde will I reioyce in the Lords worde will I comfort my selfe in God haue I put my trust I will not feare what man can doe vnto me Other meaner helpes also there be of affection not to bee contemned of the godly as to speake and pronounce our Prayers with words for sometimes our weaknesse is great and our minds begin to stray from our Prayer conceiued in silence and then it shall bee good to speake out yea euen to cry out that which wée but thought before to the ende that so wee may stay a starting minde and bring it to the sounde of the tongue This hath bene a wisedome of the godly euer and a meanes as wee reade to helpe them The Profite Dauid saith I cried to the Lorde with my voice and I saide thou art my hope and my portion in the lande of the liuing So that he vseth the pronountiation of worde and happelie euen for this cause that wée speake of Saint Augustine sayeth Deuotio nostra voce excitatur our deuotion and affection is stirred vppe and and quickened by the voyce And experience serueth for longer proofe in this matter The gestures of body as knéeling lying prostrate vpon the earth knocking of the breast and couering the face or turning to the wall lifting vp the eies and such like they are helpes also of affection Yea then are they lawfull and right in deede when they serue to this purpose in sinceritie and not to any outward shewe in hypocrisie And thus much of them Now on the other side as these be helps vnder God to quicken vp our Spirites in prayer if we bee dull and to make vs pray zealously and earnestly so are there impediments also that hinder vs and make vs that wee cannot pray with such affection as we ought As the contraries of these that I haue spoken of A proude hart puft with conceit of merit an ignorance or at lest not a through consideration of the thing or thinges we begge a leaning to second causes ouermuch a dulnes in the seeking of Gods promises such like which I may not nowe ouer againe folow at large One great let only will I touch and so conclude this poynt that is ignorāce of the speech or tongue wherein we pray Which I call euen a great let because it not onely hindereth our affection and zeale but otherwise dangerously hurteth vs by keeping from vs a singular fruite of our prayer as will appeare This great folly then of many in y e world that delight to pray in a straunge tongue not onely so but boldly to say no worse of them defende that they can pray with as right an affection thus as otherwise hath first God against it in his word most plainly by the voyce of Saint Paul the Apostle who saith flatly no man heareth their prayers that are so made
and not euill So the deliuering of the Gentiles into a reprobate mind and all such examples in the woorde Tertullian against Marcian and Augustine against Iulian handle this matter and may further bee read of it This sufficeth to shewe that although wee say that God willeth often that thing that in it selfe considered is euil yet as it proceedeth from him that it should be so and consequeÌ„tly he the author of euil it followeth not For many times euill is the punishment of euill that is iust with the Lord euer Concerning the second distinction how God may bee the author of the action and yet not of the euill any way in the action sée by these similitudes The Sunne lighting with his hote beames vppon a dead carcasse causeth a strong and loathsome sauour yet is not the Sunne either vnswéete it self or the cause of that vnswéetenes but the carion it selfe For if the Sunne were the cause then euer the like cause the like effect but wee see it is not so but contrary when it lighteth vppon sweete hearbes and odoriferous flowers it draweth out of them great sweetenes and pleasaunt smels Againe the earth wee all knowe with her sap and moysture feedeth and nourisheth al the trees plantes and rootes that are yet is not that earth cause why this tree bringeth a bitter fruite and that hearbe or roote a bad tast but the nature seuerall of y e things themselues is the cause of that Thirdly the pure worde of the Lorde is preached or read and one sauoureth and gathereth to life an other to death and destruction is now y e word cause of those seuerall effects or the creatures themselues blessed or not blessed with Gods holy Spirit Thus may the Lorde then bee author of an action and yet not of the euill in the action and so hee séemeth to will euill when yet in trueth he doeth not What is now his reueiled will All that which in the holy booke of his worde hee hath layd downe and declared to be the duetie which he will haue performed of vs towards him And is this that will which here we pray may be done Yea this is it and therefore if wee will vnderstand this petition let vs looke what is required of vs in this worde and all that we begge of the Lord strength and abilitie to doe We beseech him that whereas the mindes of earthly men burning with lustes are commonly caried to desire and to doe those things that most displease God hee of his mercie will with the mouing of his holy Spirit so chaunge and fashion all the willes of vs all to that will of his maiestie that we may will and wish nothing that his diuine will misliketh Praecamur optamus vt non tantum faciat Deus quod vult sed nos facâ—re possimus quod vult We pray that not onely God would doe his will but that wee may doe what is his will sayth Cyprian To runne ouer all the dueties of a Christian required in the word were too long let vs therefore not so doe but for example sake of all the rest consider these three First we knowe it is the Lords will that wee should beleeue in Iesus Christ whome he hath sent and that by faith in his name wee and all the worlde should obtayne remission of our sinnes and eternall life So God loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And againe This is the worke of God that is the worke that God requireth of you that ye beleeue in him whome he hath sent Wherefore in this petition wee beseech him that that will of his may be done in vs that is that we may receiue grace so to doe and neuer to looke for saluation in any other Secondly we knowe it is the Lordes will that wee should in a true faith leade a holy and cleane life for so sayth the Apostle haec est voluntas dei sanctificatio vestra This is the wil of God euen your sanctification and that ye should absteyne from fornication that euery one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence as the Gentils which know not God What do we then in this petition but beseech the Lord that that will may be daylie done of vs and we daylie chaunged by the renewing grace of his blessed spirite into such men and women as he desireth delighteth in namely into holy creatures walking not after the flesh but after the spirit and so consequently sauouring not the things of the flesh but of the spirit That we may be holy as he is holy That our light may so shine before men as they may see our good workes and glorifie our father which is in heauen that wee may keepe iudgement and doe iustice in our callings that being buried with Christ by baptisme into his death as he is risen froÌ„ the dead to the glory of the father so we also might walke in newnes of life That sinne may not rule in our mortall bodies that we should obey it in the lusts thereof or giue our members as weapons of vnrightiousnes vnto sin That fornication and al vncleannes or couetousnes may not once be named amongst vs as becommeth Saynts That we may putte on as the elect of GOD holy and beloued the bowells of mercy kindnes humblenes of mind mekenes long suffring forbearing one another if any man haue a quarrell to an other and forgiuing euen as Christ hath forgiuen vs and what should I saie We beseche the Lord euen that very GOD of peace to sanctifie vs throughout that our whole Spirit and soule and body may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ And with Dauid we saie in effect Looke if there bee any way of wickednesse in mee and leade mee in the way euerlasting Thus saith Cyprian Voluntas Dei quam stabiliri fieri precamur est quam Christus fecit docuit humilitas in conuersatione stabilitas in fide verecundia in verbis infactis iustitia in operibus misericordia in moribus disciplina The will of God which wee pray to bee established and done is that which Christ both did and taught humilitie in life stabilitie in faith shamefastnes in words iustice in deedes mercie in workes discipline in manners And doe we thus pray then to be holy O my beloued what shall we answer the Lorde then I say not for our vnholinesse but euen for our securitie dulnesse deadnesse and conceiued hartie pleasure in vnholinesse Was it euer counted better than a mockerie to seeme to aske a thing and yet to doe against it To desire a Phisition to helpe vnto health in the meane while our selues with al our might to féede vpon the foes of that wished good Consider then our cases and the cases of
knowledge to vs are meanes to make vs able to performe this petition and to doe his will therefore wee pray also herein for these meanes and the woordes are with the Lord as if wee shoulde euen in playne tearmes say O Lorde giue vs the knowledge stil dayly more and more of thy will out of thy word and giue vs the grace of thy Spirite to that knowledge that we inabled by these meanes may woorke thy will in this life as we ought What else do we aske in it Againe as we pray for all these things so do we as I told you before and must stil tel you in euery petition pray against their contraries For if the one be confirmed the other must be ouerthrowne Now the contraries of these things may be sayd to be of two sorts to wit either such as doe vtterly and wholly and euer resist his holy will or such as are but certaine impedimentes whereby wee do it not so readyly as either we ought or happely would do if they were not Of the first sort is Satan Sinne and the effects of sinne whatsoeuer the flesh or the old man his concupisence the world and such like For no man can serue two masters especially contrary masters such as God and Satan are the Spirit of God and the flesh the new and the old man Of the second sort are ouermuch care for worldly matters feare of men and a number of things that like weightes or burdens vpon our backes presse vs or like fetters about our feete hinder vs that wee go not on altogether so readyly and so fully in this way of doing the will of God as wee in deede ought and would if these lets were not Whatsoeuer they bee then and of whether sort so euer they be forasmuch as they are against that obedience that we pray for in this petition therefore we desire of the Lorde that they may bee remembred and that no let or least impediment may be to hinder that in vs which both in respect of his goodnesse to vs and our duties to him ought with all perfection both of will and worke be perfourmed And thus might we end this petition sauing that some profitable collections or obseruations may bee made of the words as they are layd downe here by our Sauiour I pray you then adde those also The first may be this Wee may obserue and see here both the beginning of mans misery as also the way to draw nere againe to that olde and former innocency Mans misery sprang by disobedience to the will of God as we all knowe and the waie to returne to that good estate againe wherein we were is obedience to that wil as here we learne when wee are taught to praie Thy will be done For we pray for the restitutioÌ„ of those graces in some measure which in our first parents were most perfectly And looke then howe much wee performe to the Lord obedience so much drawe we neere to an happie estate again Wherefore the Lorde sayde it Not euerie one that sayth vnto me Lord Lord shal enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the wil of my father which is in heauen And agayne Whosoeuer shall do my Fathers will which is in heauen the same is my mother sister and brother Obedience then to his holie will is that which will sette vs in good place agayne And therefore trie beloued what measure of this is in you and so lyke or dislyke of your selues Trie with what loue you heare the word with what care you are filled to doe therafter what conscience you make of sinne what name so euer it haue what ioy you haue in the workes of righteousnesse what griefe if frayltie câ—use a fall If you find these in some measure so much bee glad if in greate measure much more bee glad for trulie so much haue wee lefte the waie of death into which we are fallen all by our first parents and so farre haue profited in the waie of lyfe which is true obedience But if our consciences accuse vs in this trial that we haue no desire to know Gods will out of his word although it bee with many mercifull circumstances offered vnto vs no care to liue holily no conscience of sin but some little seruile feare for dread of punishment no spirituall ioy in well doing no inward sorrow for euill doing then tremble we and feare we before the Lorde of heauen and earth for as yet we are in the waie of disobedience which is the waie of death whereinto our first parents fell we are buried in our corruption and dead in sin not risen with Christ wee are heapers vp of wrath against our soules in the daie of wrath contemners of the word which in such sorte hath beene preached vnto vs for which cause that same worde shal iudge vs in the last day and we shal perish Trye then I say and so lyke or dislyke Secondly learning by these wordes As it is in heauen that our obedience ought not to be lame or maymed but euen such both for will and worke as that of the heauenly spirites we are notablie taught what colde comfort there is for vs in our selues and how farre it is off that we or anie liuing should be saued by theyr works For dare any of vs saie we obey the Lords will in earth as it is obeyed in heauen and that there is no imperfection in vs more heere than there If wee dare not if wee cannot then you see wee haue not done all that is commaunded and therefore farre from being iustified by that meanes when we haue not done our dutie Cleaue wee therefore fast vnto our true safetie Iesus Christ the righteous and awaie with such dreames Thirdly doe we not see that this prayer wholie called the Lordes prayer and this petition particularly is prescribed by the Lord vnto al Christians men and women of what degree estate and calling so euer they be and none exempted We see it playnly for to all it is sayde in the Disciples that haue bene are and shall be to the worlds end wheÌ„ you pray pray thus We see it then by consequence agayne that all degrees estates and callings are bound to performe vnto the Lord such perfect obedience as heere is noted and not Monkes Friers Nunnes or some certaine sorte of this order or that onely which yet hath ben taught vs and that others taking some more libertie might find mercie with God for theyr prayers and strict obseruation in truth not of Gods will but of some ceremonies of theyr own deuising But it hath mightely ben shewed to the world and our eyes al that euery plant which the heauenly Father hath not planted shal be plucked vp and therefore let vs beleeue no such follies If we be the Lords we acknowledge our selues bound to performe as full obedience as is performed in heauen and that is
of concupiscence as the vngodly doe O pardon herein for the bloud of Iesus both words and workes straying from thy will To name them it is vnpossible for we cannot thinke of them yet thou knowest them and with thee is mercie euen for secret faults Giue vs of thy strength also O blessed Lord God that wee may beare and suffer all crosses diseases pouertie cōtempts persecutions and aduersities with al the changes and chaunces of this mortall life not onely with cōtēted but with gladsome harts knowing that it is thy will that wee should crucifie and mortifie our willes And when that appoynted passing hower shall come that earth to earth and ashes to ashes is to returne O Lorde make vs strong to welcome in this also thy will And finally what obedience we owe to thy maiesty giue it vs good God that as thy Angelles and heauenly creatures most willingly without grudging most speedily without delaies and most faithfully without affection and partialitie doe their dueties so wee may performe and doe it to our liues ende and euer as it shall please thee to inable vs for his sake whome thou louest Christ Iesus thy sonne and our most deere and blessed Sauiour Amen The 4. Petition Giue vs this day our daily bread Two thinges I haue to aske you heere touching the order before you come to the words themselues First why these three Petitions concerning our necessities followe vppon the other which concerned Gods glorie Secondly why of the three this is first seeing the other two concerne better things To the first I answer you that being warranted by the Lord after the seeking of his kingdome and the rightuousnes thereof which ought to bee first to seeke also at his hands whatsoeuer we haue neede of to the maintenance and good of this life wee hauing done the former in the petitions before fitly followeth the other now in these three And this is the order that Dauid vseth in his Psalme first crauing the light of the Lords countenaunce to bee lifted vp vpon him and then assuring himselfe next of peace and safetie the benefites of this earthly life Yea sir but doth not our Sauiour saie expressely Bee not carefull for your life what ye shall eate or what ye shall drinke nor yet for your bodie what ye shall put on but seeke ye first the kingdome of God and the rightuousnesse therof and all these things shall be ministred vnto you for your heauenly father knoweth that ye haue need of these things Why then should wee expressely pray for that which both he knoweth wee want and hath in mercie promised vs Although our Sauiour say they shalbe ministred vnto vs in that place yet doth himselfe bid vs pray for them expressely in this place and therefore well we knowe by those words there he meant not to exclude this meanes heere The examples also of his childrē which haue done it and the manifold promises made to all them that shall doe it which will appeare to vs hereafter tell vs the same If you will know the reason why vnderstande you not for that he would not otherwise giue them to his children that séeke his kingdome chiefly except they were by name asked or for that he giueth them for their asking which in deede he giueth fréely or for that he hath néede to bee remembred but in deede that by such prayer wee might witnesse vnto the world that wee acknowledge the Lorde the very fountayne spring head of all these things also that concerne either bodie or minde that we might thus learne to depend vpon him fully and wholly and in all things and whatsoeuer is wanting to vs to flye to him not to trust in our selues or in man or in any arme of flesh whatsoeuer What saie you to my seconde demaund To your seconde demaund I aunswer thus that albeit the things that are contayned in the next petitions bee of more price than those that are contayned in this yet hath the Lorde set this before them not without cause euen to releeue thereby our infirmitie which doe not so easely quickly perceiue or pray for heauenly things as earthly things The fift petition beggeth remission of sinnes the sixt an inuincible constancie and holy fortitude in temptatiō these are great matters concerning our heauenly life and therefore not so neere to our dull conceipts and knowledge The matters of this petition are more easie and better felt of vs and therefore in a most mercifull wisedome our Sauiour beginneth with the easier and so draweth vs to the harder by degrees that hauing had tryall of his goodnesse in the one wee might nothing doubt of his mercie in the other Hauing felt him friendly in matters of lesser good wee might full accompt of fauour in things of greater good to vs. Yet must I needs obiect vnto you the prayer of Agur which proceedeth not in this order but first desiring that God would remoue farre from him vanitie and lies matter belonging to the mind in the second and latter place asketh foode conuenient concerning the body And I haue already answered your obiection sufficiently if you marked it For I haue sayde in respect of the matters themselues things belonging to the mind are to go before things belonging to the body so no doubt woulde our Sauiour haue set them if he had regarded that onely But looking from that to our infirmitie dulnes he hath placed that first that was best knowne to vs and so from the more known draweth vs to the lesse knowne from the easier to the harder and from the earthly to the heauenly Like a good teacher that wishing the profitte of his schollers deliuereth to them the lighter lessons first and milke before meate that is strong for men You satisfie me well proceede therfore now if you please to the words themselues this is inough concerning the order Content if this be noted in a worde before that although wee bee nowe come to matters that concerne our selues and our owne profit and haue passed ouer those that concerne Gods glory yet may wee not thinke that wee haue nowe done with the Lord and his honor quite but this onely is the difference that then wee respected the Lorde onely wholly and immediatly now wee regarde our selues and our necessities with him and him as we vse to speake mediatly For otherwise euen all the thinges we wish and do must regard the Lorde and his holy honour according to the Apostle saying Whether yee eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye do do all to the glory of God And according to the confession of Saint Austen Sufficiētia vitae rectè appetitur non propter se ipsam quidem sed vt eam habētes commodius Deo seruiamus Things fit for this life are rightly requested but not for themselues but that hauing them we may better serue God The true knowledge of this putteth a notable bitte in the mouth of
our vntamed desires and draweth them euer in these worldly commodities to that measure and maner that may stand with the Lords honour Whereas otherwise when it is forgotten or not known there is no measure in our coueting no honestie in our vsing no credit in our leauing them Panem Nowe come wee to the woorde and the first as you see is this word Bread Which both in Scripture and in godly writers is taken diuersly In the sixt of Iohn it signifieth Christ himself because as breade and flesh meat and drinke are to the vse of this transitorie life so is Christ sent from the Father to vs for the getting and keeping of euerlasting life Iosua sayde feare not the people of the Land for they are but bread for vs that is a thing that wee shall ouercome and deuoure The preacher saith Cast thy breade vpon the waters that is be liberall to the poore Stolne waters are sweete sayth the harlot in the Prouerbes and hid bread is pleasant By bread there meaning adulterie pollution of the flesh In the Prophet Esay it is called the breade of aduersity in an other place breade of affliction Sometimes againe it signifieth the benefites of Christ as when he sayde It is not lawfull to take the childrens bread and to giue it to dogges that is the benefites principally appoynted for the Iewes which are children to giue them to you Gentiles which be dogges Sometymes it signifieth doctrine and instruction out of the worde whereby our soules are nourished as with spirituall bread no lesse than our bodies with materiall breade and thereupon the want of the word called a famine as you haue heard With many moe sundry significations if it needed to repeate them but let these suffice Here in this petition it is taken in his owne proper sence and signification for such bread as we eate and are nourished withall Yet figuratiuely it stretcheth it self further than to bread only and includeth whatsoeuer is necessary to the sustentation of this life So sayth Saint Austen Necessariam corporis exhibitionem petimus aperte in pane significantes quicquid est nobis necessarium All needfull maintenance of the body wee aske in this petition playnly in the word bread signifiing whatsoeuer is necessary Nay so saith the scripture in many places shewing this largenesse of the word Jn sudore vultus tui vesceris pane tuo In the sweate of thy browes shalt thou eat thy bread That is whatsoeuer thou inioyest in this worlde of these earthly things thou shalt come by it by labour and trauell and not by breade onely When Elizeus bad the king set breade before them you see what the king did hee made them very good intertaynement All Iobs kinred came to eate breade with him that is to reioyce and be mery in all good sort with him when Abraham prayed the Angels to stay and hee woulde set a morsell of bread before them he meant by bread more than bare breade When Dauid sayd he that did eat of his bread lift vp his heele against him he meant by bread familiaritie trust and credite and a very neere coniunction of friendship So was it vsuall you see with the Hebrewes in this word to cōprehend all necessary sustenance of the life And why thinke you Happely because bread is most vsual and most necessary For many haue bread that haue no meat and they that haue both may yet better spare the one than the other although neither well As I remember the Duke of Saxonie Frederike is sayde to haue caused his people to sée when going to hawke one day in the fieldes and séeing his seruants so carelesly and badly to ride ouer the corne and to spoyle it when hee came home commaunded that their meate shoulde bee set before them as plentifully as euer yea and better if it might bee but neuer a morsell of bread all that day The seruice being straunge and no man knowing the cause at last the good Duke sent them woorde that if they sawe any vse of breade to their comfort let them learne to take more care of corne hereafter and not for any pleasure or pastime to ride ouer it and spoyle it as they had done that day A worthy example sure for all Princes and Nobles to follow euer making conscience of the Lords blessings to spoyle them for any vayne delight and pastime Some other reason may be giuen also of frugalitie as that we are thus admonished to be content with a litle and to say with the Apostle cheerefully and heartely I speake not because of want For I haue learned in whatsoeuer estate I am therewith to bee content I can bee abased and I can abound euery where in all thinges I am instructed both to bee full and to bee hungry and to abound to haue want I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengthneth me Wee are not taught to pray for gorgeous clothes for stately houses or for great liuings and honours but for bread bread and that but for the day and therefore a stint made assuredly of our immoderate desires If the Lord giue more be thankefull and vse it well but if he giue but bread that is a litle bee very hartely well content euen with that also for therfore is it only named here to teach vs so Sit oratio quae pro temporalibus est circa solas necessitates restricta Let thy prayer which thou makest for temporall matters be restrained euer to things necessary saith Bernard For he y t would say in his prayer for example sayth Augustine Doie multiplica diuitias meas aut da mihi tantas quantas illi vel illi dedisti puto eum non inuenire in oratione Dominica quo possit haec vota coaptare That is Lorde increase my riches or giue mee so much as thou hast giuen such an one and such an one I thinke that man in the Lords prayer will find no such direction When we haue foode and rayment let vs therewith be content saith the Apostle for we brought nothing into this world nether shall we cary any thing out And they that wil be rich fall into temptation and snares into many foolish and noysome lustes which drowne men in perdition and destruction for the desire of money is the roote of al euil which while some lusted after they erred from the faith and perced them-selues through with many sorowes And most swéetly in y e Epistle to the Hebrewes Let your conuersation be without couetousnes and bee content with those things that ye haue for hee hath sayd I will not fayle thee neither forsake thee So that we may boldly say The Lorde is my helper neither will I feare what man can do vnto me Finally take no thought for the flesh sayth the word againe to fulfil the lusts of it Thus do you
rake and rob and pull from many men that which is theirs and not ours How this toucheth many a man I wishe verie hartely may be concluded by priuie feeling of secret guilt not in any broder tearmes layde open by mee Surely beloued it is a grieuous matter to disable my selfe to pray the Lords prayer or anie part of it but so doe all they that are not content with so much bread as is their owne of which they may trulie saie it is ours and therefore beware Thirdly this worde Our truly confirmeth the property of goods wiues children seruants and such like amongst Christians contrary to all prophane and brutish community either by Anabaptists or other heretikes whatsoeuer sought to be establyshed A long and a large matter if it needed a confirmation or a confutation And why doe we saie Dayly Bread or bread for the day The Lord hath pleased so to call it first to note out vnto vs our mortalitie and fading estate if he should not euen dayly feed vs. Secondly to teach vs that it is our dutie dayly to aske what dayly we neede and not to make our praier at once for a yeres or many yeeres prouision because wee woulde take our libertie to praie no more Thirdly that thus hee might bridle somewhat our raging hearts and our endlesse greedie and insatiable desires For many of vs are neuer satisfied neuer pleased with any measure of blessing giuen vs by the Lorde but euer crauing and crying more more This immoderate humour and sinfull vaine the Lord seeketh heere to helpe teaching vs to bee so farre from wishing heaps or any wanton delicates that we are content with dayly bread that is with so much as serueth for that daie and as shall be fit to preserue life honestly not wantonly Knowing it and feeling in the faith of a childe of God that a small thing vnto the iust man is better than greate riches to the wicked and mightie and againe if nothing wanteth to them that feare the Lord that is no profitable and necessarie thing The wise man sayth it The Lord will not famish the soule of the righteous but he casteth away the substaunce of the wicked The King and Prophet sayth I haue bene young c. Cyprian saith Quum Dei sint omnia habenti Deum nihil deerit si Deo non desit And Fides famem non timet That is since all things bee Gods howe shall hee that hath God want any thing except God be wanting to himselfe Faith feares no famine Lastly to assure vs that so well our wants are knowen to the Lorde as that for euerie daie he can tell what is sufficient and what we haue neede of Therefore when it is sayde in the Gospell Your heauenly Father knoweth what yee haue neede of We may adde euerie houre euery day and doe it by warrant of this worde in this petition A most comfortable thing truly to euerie one and especially to them that haue any great carke vpon their hands eyther of children or otherwise For it assureth thē that theyr God is priuie to their estate yea so priuie that he knoweth for euerie day in the weeke and for euery day in their liues what they haue neede of both for themselues and their charges and euen for that cause namely that they should knowe it to be so he hath caused them to praie but for theyr dayly bread not naming anie quantitie but leauing that to himselfe who knoweth better than themselues what will serue the turne and will most assuredlie euer send it them I praie you then thinke of it and so earnestly thinke of it as the knowledge and remembrance of it may euer keepe vs from distrust in such a God and from the effects of distrust namely the vse of anie badde meanes to releeue theyr wāts by For the Lord knoweth our néed and euerie dayes neede yea euerie houres neede and his word is past that he wil not onely knowe it but releeue it as shall bee best I will care for thee I will not fayle thee neyther forsake thee sayth the Lorde And therefore cast thy care in comfort vppon me What an incouragement also may this be euer to vs to goe to our knees and to call vpon our God by prayer when wee heare how priuie he is to our estate If we haue a petition to a man our speeding often lyeth vpon our vtteraunce if we speake well we speede well but if either for feare or bashfulnesse our tongues fayle to tel our case in such full sort as is needfull it should be knowen to the winning of releefe for it then fayle we also often either of all or part of that wee seeke But O happie we it is not so with GOD. If we cannot vtter a word oppressed with some woe or otherwise hindered if we but sigh he heareth he seeth knoweth and knoweth more fully than wee coulde tell him our selues in anie wordes if wee did speake With what a cheere then may we fall before him for any thing we want and saie Lord thou knowest what I would haue though my tongue foulter my want speaketh looke vpon me in thy mercie It seemeth by this that laying vp is vnlawfull You iudge amisse for Ioseph in the cheape yeeres layde vp for deere and so saued his owne his masters and many liues moe and the Lord directed him to this prouidence The Disciples of Antioch sent theyr abilitie to the brethren in Iudaea and it was reserued and layde vp till the famine came that Agabus had prophesied of Act. 11.28 Christ badde gather vp the broken meate and let none of it bee lost the holie Ghost sayth the children lay not vp for the Fathers but the Fathers for the children warranting as you see a laying vp much more proofe if it needed is there Wherefore by praying for daily bread or bread for the daie we are taught to bee content if the Lorde giue no more but wee are not forbidden to reserue it if the Lord doe giue more for the Lordes giftes may not be cast awaie by anie negligence coloured from this place Yet must our reseruation bee voyde of couetousnesse made onely in the reuerence of the Lords giftes to lawfull endes and not to trust in anie store and to robbe the poore and needie when want is What shall wee answere then to those wordes of Christ Care not for to morowe for the morowe shall care for it selfe c. We must aunswere thus and aunswere trulie that our Sauiour there forbiddeth vs to thinke of the morowe with distrustfulnesse but not with prayers and labours How can rich men pray this prayer that haue bread for many dayes and yeeres Because all vse and comfort and safetie of those riches commeth from the Lorde Which except the Lorde giue eyther they loose by some accident their goods or hauing them they haue no power to vse them or vsing them they nourish not as after is proued But
graces of my creator vnlesse the officer of them to me from him be qualified to my liking For as wee liue the Lord wil bee a swift iudge and euen a very consuming fire one day against this hainouse contempt of himselfe and his mercies and the hauing of them in respect of persons O beloued our time is now to be wise learned and to kisse the Sonne in his graces least he be angry and wee perish off from the earth If we doe not mercie passeth iudgement commeth and warned people must both dye in their sinne and cary their bloud themselues for euer The third temptation concerning Communicants SOme againe are tempted and troubled with scruples and doubtes concerning such as are admitted to the Lordes table and whome satan cannot otherwise win to despise that holy Sacrament by this meanes hee most mightily vndermineth and causeth them to forbeare both their great comfort bounden duetie For whersoeuer sayth hee to them the vncleane are not put apart and the euill separated from the good by ecclesiasticall censure there if a Christian communicate hee is defiled with other mens sinnes And therefore to the ende yee may not be polluted with the company of such you must forbeare nay refuse and vtterly abhorre al receyuing of the Supper of the Lord but with a choyce company of select and holy ones But is this true nowe that other mens sinnes neuer consented to by me do defile mee if I receyue with them God forbid The flat contrary is a ruled case in diuinitie was ere wee were borne amongst the learned and godly of al times And as it were with one voyce they haue affirmed it in this and such like sort That a Christian man should be sory and grieued if he see that most holy Sacrament abused of any wicked and bad ones which are admitted vnto it and indeuour as much as in him lieth y t if may not be so but yet may he not himselfe depriue himselfe of the Sacrament nor withdrawe himselfe from the Church but both take it for a true Church notwithstanding this blemish and continue in her societie and felowshippe so long as the worde is preached and the Sacraments administred therein without any separation from it for this cause And the proofes hereof haue partly beene aledged before in the examples of the godly Patriarches Prophetes Apostles and Christ himselfe In the Church of Corinth Galatia Ephesus and others wherein though there were great blemishes as hath beene shewed yet were they neuer commaunded one to auoyd an others company at those exercises that the Lorde in common inioyned all and left not to their libertie to vse or not vse They separated themselues carefully from those crimes and faultes that they rebuked and disliked in others but from their Churches and holy exercises they separated not themselues but entred into their Synagogues at al times wheresoeuer they came and when they were at prayers prayed with them preached to them and partaked with them in commaunded dueties neither were they once hurt by their so doing Then further may we adde in this matter of communicants that which truly we should not lightly weigh or consider but very earnestly thinke of Namely that wee are bidden to examine our selues when we come to that table If the Lord had pleased he could as easily haue bidden vs examine one on other or euery man the whole Church And certainly he would haue done it if other mens sinnes might haue defiled vs and the company of the vnworthy ones haue polluted them that come with the very best preparation of themselues vnto it Yea and with what diligence in deede ought wee all to doe it if this doctrine were true Surely my conscience coulde neuer receiue that Sacrament in peace except I knewe all men as well as my selfe since their euell may as well hurt mee as myne owne But nowe that he requireth only of euery man the proofe of themselues he teacheth therby playnely that it nothing hurteth vs if any vnworthy doe thrust themselues in amongest vs so that wee bee prepared the same do these other wordes also Sibi iudicium manducat Hee eateth and drinketh his owne damnation Sibi non tibi His owne damnation not thyne saith Austen Ergo tolera malos bonus vt venias ad praemia bonorum ne mittaris in penam malorum Therefore thou being good indure the euell that thou mayest come to the rewards of the good and not be sent vnto the punishment of the euell Caluin thought this a strong place against this temptation therefore he vrgeth both these members against it fully In these wordes of Saint Paul sayth he two things are to be noted First that to eate the bread of the Lord vnworthyly is not to communicate in their company that are vnworthy but not rightly to prepare our selues and to weigh our owne faith and repentance Secondly that when we will receyue this Sacrament we beginne not with others and fall in examining them but that we trye our selues set our eyes that way For truely if all things bee considered well they that haue so much leasure to examine others in them selues they are most negligent and forgetfull For vppon mine owne experience sayth hee I know one yet aliue that caried headlong with this nicenes that hee would not receyue with vs for some mens faults that pleased him not he separated himselfe quite from our company And yet in the meane tyme had them in his owne house of most lewde behauiour When I knewe it I got one to admonish him for of my selfe sayth Master Caluin hee woulde take nothing and to aske what he meant to be so strict in the Church a house not in his gouernement and so faultie in his owne house where hee had gouernement Must hee needes bee defiled in the Church by vnworthy communicants and cleere at home from so neere euill And it pleased God to worke with him sayth he that he sawe his folly and afterwarde reconciled himselfe both to the Church and mee confessing at last that our chiefe and first care must bee of our selues and our familie next and secondly of others And howe Not for dislike of thē or hatred because they do not so well as they ought to separate our selues from the Church but to correct them and amend them and to bring them into the way or according to our places to procure their remouing if they will not Or if wee cannot effect that then to leaue all to the Lord to performe and make better Thus farre Master Caluin not vnworthy our earnest noting though it be very long And truely marke it againe that in saying his owne damnation he tyeth the harme that commeth by his vnworthy receyuing to himselfe and stretcheth it not to others which yet needes he must haue done if the company of any at that table did defile the godly Hee must haue sayd hee eateth and drinketh to his owne damnation and