me and mine let him doe his pleasure for we are his See therfore this giuen grace when the Lorde wil though it be hard The lyke did Dauid in his great extremitie when Absolom was in field agaynst him and the Arke brought forth by the Prophets to bee carried with him Haue the Arke of God sayth he into the Citie againe if I shal finde fauour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me againe and shew me both it and the tabernacle thereof But if he thus say I haue no delight in thee behold here am I let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eyes therfore not impossible we sée for the Lord to worke in whom he wil though to our vile corruptiō a hard matter in déed Our Sauiour Christ in our fleshe sayde it with a true content Yet not my will but thy wil be done O Father And in vs can he worke it by his painfull spirit if it please him Good meanes to help vs are the sundrie comfortable speeches in the word concerning the Lords care ouer vs euer and especially when we haue most need of him by reason of any woe that we are wrapped in Our times are in the hand of the Lord and he not man shall dispose of our daies Our haires are numbered and our teares are put in his bottell What are haires and teares to bodie and soule and other matters of ours more waightie He careth for the rauens lions and birds of the aire how much more for vs Are we not more worth than many sparrows O we of little faith If the Dragon would deuour vs hee is able in a moment to giue vs wings to flie into the wildernesse and to escape him If he wil not but a trial must be had of vs heare and marke you lift vp your harts and reioyce with me Fidelis est Dominus The Lord is faithfull and will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able but will euen giue the issue with the tentation that we may be able to beare it O sweete O more than sweete and the vnspeakable comfort of my fraile flesh and all such as I am For let me doe my duetie feare the Lord and make much of his lawes cutte a peeces dayly as he will inable mee the cord of sinne cleaue to that which is good and abhorre that which is euill with a single soule and heart that hath no holes if this life cause any worldly woe though Satan and his friendes enuie at it or if the Lorde please for anie cause to his maiestie knowen to make anie trial of me feare not muse not sigh not shrinke not my God hath giuen his word as he is faythfull which euer was and euer will bee there shall no more be layde vpon me than hee hee I saie that hath no measure of might will make mee able to beare Onelie doe the thing that I ought in my life nowe as neere as giuen grace inableth me and trust to him for that day Care awaie then my beloued for the crosse euer in the power of the Lord let vs saie and since we haue such a promise lette the remembrance of it as a mightie means serue to work this in vs in al aduersitie to submit our wils to his and with true content to saie Thy will be done O Lord for euer with vs. Full is the Scripture of other comforts to strengthen vs in this but else where I haue noted them and therfore I spare my selfe as you heare Remember then nowe that though it be a harder matter in woe then well to praie this prayer yet is it not so harde but the Lord hath giuen it and can giue it at his pleasure to his weaklinges and make his power knowen in our weaknesse to his glorie our good if wee aske O swéete God then we aske it and beseech thee for the red bloud of Iesus Christ that in youth and age health sicknesse prosperitie and aduersitie weale and woe thy wil may be ours and we contented euer Amen Amen What meane the next words Sicut in coelo as it is in heauen Are wee able to performe such seruice to God Heare you what Augustine sayth Fiat voluntas tua sicut in coelo et in terra Quid hoc Vt quomodo tibi seruiunt Angeli in coelo et nos tibi seruiamus in terra Angeli ipsius sancti obediunt illi non illum offendunt faciūt iussa amando illum Haec ergo oramus vt et nos praeceptū Dei charitate faciamus Thy will bee done in earth as it is in heauen what is this Surely that as the Angells serue thee in heauen so we may serue thee in earth his holy Angelles obey him and offend him not but in loue do his commandements These things therefore doe we praie for that we also euen of loue may doe his will Heare you also what Sainct Hierome sayth Petimus vt imitetur Angelos humana fragilitas et voluntas Domini competatur in terra We desire of the Lord that mannes frailtie may imitate the Angels the will of y e Lord may be done in earth fullie And in deede so it is for wee doe not in this petition desire that some parte of his will may bee done For it becommeth vs to fulfil all righteousnesse Matth. 3.15 but that all euen fullie and wholy may be performed and a halfe righteousnesse or obedience is neither righteousnesse nor obedience as Saint Iames teacheth vs. Non sufficit Christiano si vnam partem iusticiae impleat cui vtraque praecipitur It sufficeth not sayth Saint Hierom that a Christian fulfill y e one part of righteousnesse when as both are inioyned him For Vera et plena fides vniuersa praecepta complectitur True and full faith comprehendeth all the commaundements sayth another Yea further we are not only by duetie bound to doe all but with all affection also with all our heart with all our soule and with all our strength For Nec leprosa obedientia nec canina patientia commendatur nam velint nolint nō modò homines sed etiam daemones et faciunt et patiūtur quod prouidentia summa disposuit Qui inscij nescientes Dei voluntatem faciunt eorum et leprosa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obedientia Qui vero scientes eam sed reluctantes murmurantes faciunt eorū est canina patientia neutrum ergo in nobis probatur sed et scientes et volentes Neither a leprous obedience nor a doggish patience is commēded for wil they nil they not only men but also deuils both do suffer whatsoeuer the diuine prouidence hath appoynted Those that vnwittingly not knowing it doe the will of GOD theyr obedience is leprous Those y t doe Gods will knowing of it but yet striuing agaynst it murmuring such mens patiēce perforce is doggish Neither of these is alowed but
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
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
then must it needes be a daungerous thing to our faith that robbeth vs of all and euery tryall of our God Therefore let but euen reason speak in this cause and it will conclude vnto our consciences thus that forasmuch as petitions knowen of vs to bee made by vs to the Lorde and of him graunted to vs which is done when we vnderstande our prayers doe strengthen our faith in comfort euer to rest vpon the Lord and the contrarie which is when we pray in a strange tongue doth weaken the same and rob vs of that comfort that groweth by experience therefore it is profitable to pray in the one and most dangerous to praie in the other Againe is not the remembraunce of Caligulaes fact in this respect most fit and presseth anie honest mind in the world with sight of fruitlesse labour in such kindes of praiers Caligula the Emperour set golden leaues before his guestes and all other seruices in forme of meats of beaten gold bad them eate But their dainties were too hard for all y t glorious shew they rose an hungered And doth not this Romish practise in very like sort set before the people of God whose souls are déere to y e Lord that made them a glistering seruice of Hebrew Greeke Latine bid them feed But alas what should they feed vpon A goodly shew there is to stir vp wonder astonishment in the people but to receiue or tast of either to moue thē to repentāce or to cōfort quiet their conscience they haue nothing And how passing well speaketh Austen in like case Quid prodest clauis aurea si aperire quod volumus nō potest aut quid obest lignea si hoc potest quando nihil quarimus nisi patere quod clausū erat What auaileth a golden key if it cannot open y t we woulde haue opened Or what hurteth a woodden key if it be able to opē seeing we desire nothing but that y t thing that is shut may be opened The wrong is apparant to the church of God though I say no more but it passeth a frensie for men women in their priuate praiers to deale thus w t thēselues For I trust to refresh their hungrie bodies they would set no such hard meate as gold before thēselues and skilleth it not how it feedeth the soule that should feed it so it be glorious to the shew O consider it whosoeuer seeke to starue vs let vs not be guilty of our own spiritual death our selues Again if y e brute beasts or birds discouer this follie let vs not refuse them If they could speak as Democritus y e philosopher somtime thought as Lactantius a Christian writer semeth partly to say they do yet being birdes beastes voide of reason they wold not speak they know not what The very sense of nature therfore is against this folly But let their soūd be a sound without sense vnderstanding as Plinies rauē that could saie Aue Caesar Imperator All haile Emperor Caesar or the Cardinals Popiniay that could pronounce distinctlie all the Articles of the Créed yet knew not what they sayd shame we not to be like them Hauing the gift of reason giuen vs of God aboue all the creatures that he made to distinguish vs from them in the rule of all our actions Let the olde Father Saint Augustine speak both for the cause and for this reason Quid hoc sit quod precati sumus intelligere debemus vt humana ratione non quasiauium voce cantemus Nam et meruli et psitaci et corui et picae et huiusmodi volucres saepe ab hominibus docentur sonare quod nesciunt Scienter autem cantare naturae hominis diuina voluntate concessum est What this is that wee haue praied wee must vnderstande that wee may sing with reason agréeable to a man and not chatter with voice as birds doe For Owsels and Popiniayes and Rauens and Pies and such like birdes are often taught of men to pronounce that which they doe not vnderstand But to sing with knowledge is giuen by God to mans nature What testimonie plainer or reproofe more waightie may there be But I forget my selfe and purposing but to touch matters make too long abode in this thing Conclude we thē with an effectuall thought in our hearts as men women that are not sworne against the Lord and past all recouerie whether euer anie person in this world dared or wée our selues durst speake to an earthly man for a sute of waight belonging vnto this bodie in this world and know not what we saie O our care in the one and carelesnes in the other our feare in the one euen ouer tittles and sillables and our want o◠féeling in the other in large speech what a witnesse will it beare against our soules before the Lord in that dreadfull daie if wee take not warning and leauing betimes the waie that God condemneth man misliketh reason reproueth and very nature abhorreth make choice of the other which in all these respects is commended and by no meanes can euer doe harme To day if we heare the truth let vs harden no heartes against it Saie not God is mercifull and I hope the best for as he hath mercie so commeth wrath from him when we are wilful Woe to the eare that will not heare sayth the Lord often Larger discourses may be liked of if neede be this serueth for a taste of truth in a short treatise Yea Sir but God vnderstandeth what soeuer we saie in what tongue so euer we speake and that is sufficient No indeede For can you affirme that praier was ordained for God alone or for vs to make our mone to God by also If it were so and is so then ought we as well to vnderstande our selues as the Lorde to vnderstande vs. And is there no matter what we speake or how we speake so that God vnderstand vs Could we so content our selues towarde a man Let the one teach vs in the other and let desperate conclusions haue deserued confusions before our eyes euer We may as well reason agaynst spéech of tongue because God knoweth our hearts as against vnderstanding of our praiers because God vnderstandeth them But inough is said Goe you then to the causes of our prayers which is next in order of our verse These haue in effecte also sufficientlie bene touched alreadie in this that hath ben spoken For wee haue hearde causes in respect of God in respect of our selues and in respect of our brethren Which you maye turne backe vnto again if you will and peruse all causes vrgent and weightie of our prayers that are God hath commaunded vs to pray God hath promised to heare vs if we pray threatens to punish vs if we doo not our faith is then confirmed by it our dangers preuented our wantes reléeued our loue to the Lorde increased our liues ordred to
vs. How came it to passe that the Iewish people so seeing dayly the wonderfull workes of God for them the proofes of his power mercie and goodnesse aboue all the nations of the world yet persisted vnfaithfull stubburne and wayward to so good a God O sayth Moses these things being done for you yet hath the Lorde giuen you an heart to perceiue and eyes to see and eares to heare vnto this daie teaching vs playnly that such hart such eyes and eares are onely the Lords to giue and without such gift we profite nothing no not by the verie euident extraordinarie mercies of God In another place agayne The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart the heart of thy seede that thou mayest loue the Lord thy GOD with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou mayest liue As if hee shoulde saie neuer thinke of anie loue of GOD faythfull and true as possible to be within thee and consequently no obedience loue being the root of all excepte the Lorde circumcise thine heart that is purge all thy wicked affections giue hearing reading a blessing which thing is not in thine owne power to doe It is I sayth the Lord by the prophet Esaie that receiue the spirite of the humble and giue lyfe to them that are of a contrite heart If the Lorde worke in one he worketh in all the spirites of men are ruled and gouerned vnto good onelie by him If he touch vs we are touched if hee turne vs wee are turned and if hee reuiue not and giue life we sinke in all our sinnes as vnfeeling wretches and abide in death How playnly sayth it agayne the Prophet Ezekiel I wil giue you a newe heart and I will put a newe Spirit within you and will take away the stony heart out of your body giue you an heart of flesh And I will put my spirit within you and and cause you to walke in my statutes c. O see and marke howe all lets bee remooued and all grace giuen by the Lorde alone in mercy seeking our saluation And therefore knowe it true as the truth is true that neither hearing nor reading preaching or priuat speaking auaileth euer to doe vs good except the guiding grace of the Lorde direct vs to it by a blessing giuen to them all or any when they are vsed And therefore as for the word so for the blessing of it by the Spirit of God do we euer pray when we say these words Thy kingdom come Then opened he their vnderstanding sayth the Gospell of our Sauiour Christ that they might vnderstand the Scripture And Lydia attended to those thinges which Paul spake because the Lord opened her heart So that neither one nor other Lydia nor the disciples of Christ see heare or vnderstand except the Lorde giue the eye the eare and the heart It is the holy Spirit that teacheth teacheth into all trueth and without whome still still all meanes remaine vnprofitable There is an oyntment sayth Saint Iohn from him that is holy and that anoynting teacheth you all things that is the grace of the holy ghost Wherefore I cease not to make mencion of you in my prayers sayth the holy Apostle and to bowe my knees vnto the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ that he would giue vnto you the Spirit of wisedome and reuelation through the knowledge of him that the eyes of your vnderstanding may bee lightned that we may knowe what the hope of his calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritaunce is in the Saints c. And that yee may bee strengthened by his Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by fayth and yee may bee able to comprehend with all Saynts what is the bredth and length and depth and height c. See Pauls refuge for profitte to his preaching for life and light for these Ephesians euen to the Lorde for his holy Spirite to soften and supple their stony heartes to illuminate and lighten their darke mindes and to make that sweete to them that is sower to many and fruitefull to them by his mightie power that is neuer so to any without the same Wherefore to goe no further knowe it for conclusion that wee praying for Gods kingdome to come vnto vs in this petition by the hearing and preaching of his worde the meanes appoynted of him to erect the same and seeing well by all this that hath bene said that neither one nor other of these meanes cā preuaile with vs any thing vnlesse the Lorde also with them giue the power of his Spirit and the blessing of his grace in our hearts by them therefore there is included herein also euen praier for this grace and the petition being vnderstoode of vs is thus much with the Lord as we should in playne termes say O Lord giue vs not onely thy worde to reade and heare but the heauenly grace of thy holy Spirit also to sanctifie blesse and make fruitefull to vs both our reading and hearing that so reading and so hearing thy kingdome may come vnto vs and thou ruling and wee ruled wee may liue for euer with thee according to thy promise See then still further matter of this petition And since the Lord hath taught vs thus to pray for the helpe of his hande and the blessing of his grace to all the meanes of good vnto vs and so guided the tongues of his children euer before this forme was layde downe vnto them though in other wordes Let vs brethren looke vpon this occasion into our corruption for truely the Lorde reueileth a secret vnto vs of our natures that thousands sée not when hee thus teacheth vs that without his Spirite no meanes profite vs. We trust to our witts to our skill to our yeres and youth and I know not what and wee thinke wee haue wings of nature aboue our fellowes many of vs to flye aloft and to sée the secretes of the Lord but truely it is not so we haue all sinned and sinne hath cut our wings that wee cannot flye aboue wee haue all in our first parentes transgressed and that transgression hath dazeled and darkened our eyes closed our eares and benummed our heartes that we can neither see heare nor feele except it bee giuen vs from aboue as wee haue now fully bene taught As naturall men we perceyue not the thinges that are of GOD we are not able to thinke a thought that is good but all our sufficiencie is of God and by his grace only we are what we are that good is if any trueth bee opened to vs the Lord hath done it and cōcerning life eternall flesh and blood reueileth nothing to vs but the father in heauen reade without this spirit and the booke is sealed to vs heare without this Spirite and it is a pleasant song that sinketh not but passeth with the time pray without this
distinction is Tertullians against Martion and receiued vsually That euill which is called the punishment of euill there is no question neither but God willeth and is the author of it he being y e iudge of whose warrant it is done and the punishment it selfe being a worke of iustice against sinne being also good The question is de malo culpae of that euill that is the euill it selfe howe God willeth it or not And concerning this matter see first on the one side what is truth thou art not a God sayth the Prophet Dauid that louest wickednes neither shall any euil dwel with thee No thou louest righteousnesse hatest iniquitie Perditio tua ex te Israel et auxilium a me thy destruction Israel is by thy selfe and of thy selfe and in mee is thy helpe When the deuill speaketh a lye hee speaketh of his owne for hee is a lyar and the father thereof Sée then the true author of euill not God but Satan Furthermore if God be all good how can hee will the thing that is euill euery thing willing but that which is agreeable to the nature thereof This striueth therefore with his goodnes It is contrary also to his power for what good that hee will is not hee able to bring to passe without the meanes of euill and if he be then needeth not he to wil any euil to the end to compasse some good by it that otherwise he could not It is cōtrary to his mercy which extendeth it self vpon them that haue done euill It is contrary to his iustice which promiseth it in others And playnely wee see then that the Lord doth not will any euil Which Saint Austen acknowledged when he said Deus non est author vllius rei qua homo fit deterior God is neuer author of any thing wherby man may be made the worse Now on the otherside heare againe what is truth also The Lorde hardened Pharohs heart The Lord deliuereth men vp into a reprobate mind to do those things which are not conuenient the Lorde sendeth men strong delusions to beleeue lies the Lorde sent a spirit to seduce Achab and put him in the mouth of all Achabs Prophets with many such things testified of the Lorde in the word which in vs were euill and séeme so to be in the Lord also if our knowledge be not better to distinguish and to cleare him in whom there can be no vnrighteousnesse euer Hereupon swell the Libertines in blasphemy against the Lord and excusing themselues charge him with their wicked wayes Hereat also stumbled the Manichees and therfore made duo principia two originals or first causes of actions the one most good from whence came al goodnes the other most euill from whence came all euill and the punishment of all euill And hereat also sticke many saying God suffereth these thinges to bee done but no further But I pray you let vs aske them whether God suffer them willingly or against his will If they say willingly then confesse they that God hath a part in the action and that is more than suffring if they say vnwillingly then make they him not omnipotent for cannot he let any thing that he wil not we know he can and there is none that can resist his will sayth the Apostle Wherfore to helpe this matter and to answere with truth we must vnderstand a fewe thinges and I pray you hearken We must distinguish of sinne and we must distinguish of will Sinne hath two distinctions fit for this purpose to bee knowne For either it is considered simply in it selfe and by it selfe as a thing contrary to the law of God or it is considered as a cause of sinne and euill folowing or thirdly as a iust punishment of sinne that went before The first GOD neuer willeth neither can will the second so also But in the third respect God is sayde to will euill to wit not as it is euil but as it is poena peccati the punishment of euill Which in deede is a iust thing of the Lord. So doth hee punish sinne with sinne as in the place before named hee punished the Gentiles with deliuery vp to a reprobate minde to worke euil because when they knewe God they glorified him not as God neither were thankfull The second distinction is this in sinne and all euill there is the action and the deformitie or euill of and in the action The first God may well for he is in deede the very first efficient cause of euery action according to that saying in him we liue moue haue our being and deus operatur in omnibus 1. Cor. 12.16 and of him for him c. omnia Rom. 11.16 Touching the second we must vnderstand that will is either proper or improper Proper when wee will a thing for it selfe either as a good thing in deede or at least so iudged of vs improper when we will a thing not for it selfe as good of it selfe but for some other good that shal folow it And thus may we will that thing that is euill as a man willeth the cutting of some member for the safety of all y e rest So God willeth euill things not because he alloweth them or loueth that which is properly to will but seeth in his mercy hee so disposing them some good shall followe of them which as I say is to wil improperly and herein we sée howe still the obiect of will is good in the Lord. To apply then all this to God so farre as our question requireth let vs vnderstand that that euil which is a punishment inflicted by God for some former euill we may say that God willeth For so teacheth vs the same God himselfe by his Prophet saying I forme the light and create the darkenes I make peace and create euill I the Lord do al these things Marke howe the Lorde sayth hee createth euill That is the euill that is a iust punishment of some former euil or sinne The like againe by the Prophet Amos shall a trumpet be blowne in a Citie and the Lord hath not done it Out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth not euill and good Is it not a knowne trueth in diuinitie that the Lorde punisheth often sinne with sinne Now all sinne we knowe is euill if we respect it selfe but if we respect it as it commeth from God to punish sinne withal then is in that respect not euill but a iust right and good thing The hardning of Pharohs hart in Pharoh was euill in God it was a iust punishment of his sinne The deceyuing of Achab with a lye in it selfe considered was euill but as God did it for a punishment of his sinne it was not euill but iust That strong delusion whereof Paul speaketh in it selfe is euill but if we marke it inflicted by God as a punishment for want of loue to the trueth so it is a iust thing
as much as anie of these deuised orders could performe and a litle more to I trow And therefore no immunitie to vs neither further yoake to them that I know of if this petition stand Fourthly we may here verie wel learne the true cause of all such hurlie burlies in y e worlde of warres of schismes of heresies of strifes amongst neighbours and finallie of all calamities euen this Quod neglecta voluntate Dei suo quisque sensu rapitur that euery man setting aside y e will of God which aboue al should be regarded is carried with his owne liking and will in all things Wherefore as one sayth Oremus Deum vt spiritum filiorum det nobis c. Let vs beseech the Lord to giue vs the spirites of sonnes and children that renouncing our owne will we may readily hartely submit our selues to his will and not with lippes but life shew that wee praie it earnestly Fiat voluntas tua Thy will bee done Fiftly praying that his will may be done in earth wee acknowledge euen in this worlde also a place wherein God ought to rule and not onely in heauen And therfore are iustly occasioned as ofteÌ„ as we say this prayer to groâ—e in our spirites and sighe with right sorrowful hearts to see yet how farre that is of To see what disobedience there is in euery degrée yea what stubborn rebellioÌ„ and defiance as it were with this will of God where it is knowen but much more to see what thousandes and millions there be that knowe it not what whole nations kingdomes and Countries And if they knowe it not ill can they doe it But where are these grones and sighs Where is that plentie of water that gushed out of Dauids eies for like cause Assuredly beloued if we had sent forth these messengers to the Lorde and deliuered these tokens of inward zeale for his glorie and our bretherens good ere this day long they had perced the heauens and the Lorde of the vineyard had sent foorth labourers to breede knowledge knowledge had displaced ignorance rebellion and wrought true submission in many thousandes of soules to this heauenly will that here we speak of Sixtly if we did not see this rebellion of the world agaynst the Lord plaine inough yet doth this verie petition so teach it that we cannot denie it For why should we be taught to praie that his wil may be done if it were done and that he may be obeyed in thoughtes wordes and deedes if he were not fearefully disobeyed in them all If then both one and other sheweth it alasse what cause haue we to delight heere to liue and dwell as we do Nay what true matter herehence may we gather to defie it and to weane our soules froÌ„ it as the Lord wil strengthen It is a place of rebellioÌ„ against our God a sink of sin a cage y e Lord knoweth it of vncleane birds a sepulchre though outwardly faire painted yet full of rotteÌ„ bones yea rotteÌ„ bodies and defiled soules with horrible pollutions Mundus totus in maligno positus in hoc virtus et pietas patiuntur in hoc mille technae ad fallenduÌ„ quocunque respicitis impurus est totus et sordesciâ— indies magis magisqúe c. This worlde is wholy set on mischiefe in it vertue and godlinesse suffer in it are a thousand subtilties to deceiue which way so euer thou lookest in it altogether impure is it and the impuritie of it still daily more and more increaseth sometimes tyrantes disturbe the publique peace sometimes heretiques oppugne the truth sometimes priuate perils molest and grieue and what euer comfort yeeldeth it that is true and permanent He that had the most proofe of the pleasure of it that had euer anie and by proofe might speake what hee founde in them hath thus deliuered to al eares for euer that they are vanities all and vexation of Spirite The worlde will promise her seauen yeeres seruants faire and wished Rachael but when performance should be theÌ„ commeth Leah with her sore eyes that is a subtill sleight to disappoynt thy paine a worse reward than thou seruest in hope of It will promise promotion high and lofty to prodigalitie but it wil pay the contempt bitter and grieuous for thy beggery when al is spent in hope of that promotion By mariage it promiseth many comforts but howe often payeth it many cares with sops of sorrow that soke full deepe The world is full of false Prophets that will keep Achab from good Micheas councell full of false marchants that will shew foorth the better end of the peece and saie the rest is like when it is farre otherwise ful of cunning fishers that vnder pleasaunt baites haue hidden hookes to destroy vs if we bite full of such golden strumpettes as that of Babylon which in cups of gold giue drinke that killeth euen to hell full of smooth alluring Iahels which stand in their tent doores saie to men Turne in my Lord turne in vnto me and feare not but if in they come and fall to sleepe the nayle and the hammer walke to theyr wofull ende and fall full of flattering Ioabs that can saie with a smiling face how doest thou my brother Amasa and stab him in that he shall not answer ful of trecherous Iudases that with a kisse betray theyr deerest maister And alasse what place is this Runne ouer the greatest things that here we haue or can haue and see what is linked to them If a man haue riches what feares and cares hath he with them If honours what burthens and feares againe of a fall If a man haue friends what a do to keepe them Our bodies haue diseases our mindes haue passions neighbors be comfortable and to liue sole is solitarie yet see discoÌ„forts one toutheth our goods by law another our name by slander this hateth vs that enuieth vs another flattereth another deceiueth another beareth false witnesse against vs with a thousand such And if we be discontented and crossed but in one thing see the misery of this wretched world though we inioy a thousand contentes yet grindeth that daie and night vpon vs and al our contents are as nothing to vs because of that one discontent The triall was had of that wicked Haman who though he had many great preferments to reioyce in yet felt hee them all eclipsed and as it were taken from him by this one griefe the life of Mardocheus before his face And what shoulde I saie Would God wee did it often with profite what wee may doe euer with griefe to the better weaning our selues from this world of woes euen search and see into the manners of it in euery place in euerie age and in euery sort of persons Shall we not see of all the things that are accounted of nothing so little accounted of as sinne Shal we not see iustice solde veritie wreasted shame lost and equitie despised Shall
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
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
in the heart no hee vnderstandeth the thoughtes long before but to the end that the parties themselues that are thus proued others also by them and in them may see what before was not seene either of good vnto prayse or euill vnto punishment and example to beware And thus much of this for a while Your next member is howe man tempteth Man is also sayde to tempt sometymes man and sometimes God His tempting of man is also sometime in the better part sometime in the worse In the better when he doth but proue and try whether further he may trust as it is wisedome alwaies to do to our friendes For vtendum amicis tanquam praetentatis aquis aptae sint vado an non We must vse friends sayd that wise heathen once as waters that we haue tryed before whether they may safely be aduentured vpon or no to passe ouer Also when the Father or master leaueth some loose money to see whether his childe or seruant will steale or no this is a kinde of tempting or trying yet but in good part with a number such like that men to men must and may as they shal see occasion vse To this kind may be referred the Queene of the South who hearing the fame of Solomon concerning the name of y e Lord came to tempt him or proue him with hard questions In the worse part man doeth tempt man either by questions or actions By questions when they deale as the Pharisees did about y e tribute with Christ seeke to snare and catch their brethren to destroy or hurt them Such tempters and temptations were those dayes of persecution full of vnder Queene Mary when no sooner was any apprehended and cōuented before them but their interrogatories inferred either death of soule by denying a trueth or death of body by affirming the same Neither doth yet this world want these tempters by questions where true religion and knowledge of God ruleth not tongue and heart and all Whereupon many innocent soules are trapped ere they wit and harmlesse hearts not spying hidden driftes put the collar about their owne neckes to destroy themselues that is speake or do simply what is wrinched to a vantage they neuer feared nor thought of against thēselues Thrise needefull therefore with the simplicitie of the doue is the wisedome of the serpent By actions man tempteth whē either by woordes or deedes of bad example they alure other to sinne and euill Thus tempted Eue her husbande to eate of the apple Iobs wife her husband to curse God and dye Tobias wife her husbande to bee weary of well doing Putiphars wife her seruant to filthines those wicked Priests that sayd Come let vs imagine a deuise against Ieremy with many such in the Scriptures of which tempters and temptations that wise Salomon warneth when he saith My sonne if sinners intise thee consent not vnto thē if they say come with vs we will lay wayte for blood and lye priuily for the innocent without a cause cast thy lot in amongst vs we will haue one purse c. And truely blessed is that man and woman that walketh not in those counsels of the vngodly standeth not in the way of these aluring sinners nor sitteth not in the seates of those reprobate scorners And how tempteth Satan Satan tempteth when hee moueth vs to leaue God and that obedience that wee owe vnto him any way and to do euil and therefore looke how many branches of well doing are in the lawe of God implied euen so many contrary wayes doeth this enemy assault and tempt vs Of this temptation doeth the holy Ghost speake when he saith Then was Iesus led aside of the spirit into the wildernes to bee tempted of the deuill And Peter when he sayd Ananias why hath Satan filled thine heart that thou shouldest lye vnto the holy Ghost And Paul when he sayth let man wife come againe together that Satan tempt them not for incontinencie Again for this cause when I coulde no longer forbeare I sent that I might know of your faith least the temptour had tempted you in any sort With a number such like places In which assaultes of his hee vseth our owne corruption and concupiscence the worlde the wicked and many meanes but the Lord is stronger than they al if we cleaue to him either wholy to kéep vs y t we fall not at all if it so please him as others do or else to rayse vs vp againe when they haue vs downe vnder their feete to giue vs victorie And which of these kinde of temptations do wee pray against in this petition Surely euen against them all in some sort For first as concerning Gods temptations which more properly may bee called trials we beseech his maiestie in this prayer that he would deale in mercy and fauour with vs euermore and neuer lay more vpon vs than hee will make vs able to indure but that he would giue issue with the temptation and helpe vs. Thus farre do we pray euen against these as shall further bee declared when we come to the second part of this petition Touching mans tryals or temptations we likewise herein begge of his mercy that for any questions moued to vs he would tender his owne glory and neuer suffer our wants to make answere to preiudice his trueth with the vnbeleeuers but that hee woulde helpe in time of neede and either keepe vs from apposings aboue our power to satisfie or else giue a mouth and vtterance that no haters of his glorie may be able to resist that in our weakenes he being strōg y e glory may be his as it is due euer and we that bee the sheepe of his pasture may giue him prayse for euer The third sort which is Satans temptations it is our meaning that the great mercy of our gracious God would so farre support vs that we may neuer be vanquished and ouercome of any of them but deliuered and saued by him from all euill And thus you see howe we pray against them all in this order as we shall further shew I say hereafter Yet is this last chiefly meant to wit that forasmuch as our whole nature is corrupt and giuen to sinne if the Lord forsake vs we are headdely caried to what alurements and prouocations soeuer we sée before vs the Lord in mercy woulde deliuer vs from this promptnes and aptnes of our natures to admit of sinne and by his grace deliuer vs from euill Let vs not now leaue these things thus but euen yet further thinke of them And to begin with the first to witte Gods temptations or tryals and of those first with those that are of the right hande alas howe fewe consider thus much in prosperitie that thereby the Lorde tryeth them and searcheth out what they are and how they will shew themselues to him for all those blessings Most true it is the