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
per eum salutem opereâ—â—r aliorum Yet is hee not wanting to his â—inisterie thereby to worke the saluation â—â—others The Apostle himself confirming a much when hee sayth If I preach the Gospel willingly I haue a reward but if I doe it against my will notwithstanding the dispensation is committed vnto mee That is my office and calling vrgeth mee to do it and it shall profit others that I doe so vnwillingly but not my selfe Agayne the same father speaking of Christs being baptized by Iohn saith thus Voluit Dominus a seruo ille per quem facta sunt omnia ab illo qui factus est inter omnia baptizari vt doceret humilitatem ostenderet non interesse quis a quo baptizetur dum eo baptismo quo baptizandus est baptizetur The master woulde bee baptized of his seruant and he that made al of him that was made amongst all to teach humilitie to shewe that it preiudiceth not what maner of minister baptizeth so that the baptisme â—e as it ought to be that he baptizeth with Neither would Christ saith he haue refused to be baptized of the Pharisees if they had vsed to baptize for when he was cirumcised Iohn was not sought for neither refused hee that temple that was a dâ—nne of theeues Quapropter siue a fideli siue a perfido dispensatore sacramentuÌ„ baptismi quisque percipiat spes ei omnis in Christo sit ne sit maledictus qui spem ponit in homine Wherefore whether of a faythfull or vnfaythfull or vnfaythfull steward a man receiue the sacrament of baptisme let his hope be stedfastly fixed vpon Christ least it be sayde Cursed bee hee that trusteth in man If he depend vpon the goodnesse of the minister against Cresconius thus Baptizant quantum attinet ad visibile ministerium boni mali Inuisibiliter autem per eos baptizat cuius est visibile captisma inuisibilis gratia Here baptize in respect of the visible ministerie both good and bad But inuisibly by them baptiseth he whose is both the visible baptisme and the inuisible grace Afterward againe in the third booke but thou wilt aske me sayth he whether is better a good minister or a bad And I must needes answere thee that in respect of example to the people that depend so much theron that without it they thinke euery thing painfull and hard that God commaundeth a good minister is best But in respect of the baptisme and sacrament it selfe Si tantò est melius quod accipitur quantò est melior per quem traditur tanta est in accipientibus baptismorum varietas quaÌ„ta in ministris diuersitas meritorum If that should be so much better by how much he was better that ministred it then must there be as great differences betwixt mens baptismes as betwixt their giftes graces and qualities that did baptize which were horrible to affirm Paul was better than Apollos in respect of grace giuen Was therefore his baptisme better God forbid Per ministros enim dispares dei munus aequale est quia non illorum sed Dei est For by ministers farre vnlike the giuen gift of God is like because it is his not theirs concludeth Austen truely Els wo was to them that Iudas baptized And they had need to lament such baptisme Remember master Caluins iudgement and similitude As it is sayth he amongest men if a letter be sent so the hand and seal be knowen it skilleth not what qualities he was of that brought it so must it suffice vs in the sacraments to acknowledge the hand and seale of our God what manner of man soeuer the bearer be that deliuereth them For it hurt the Iewes nothing that they were circumcised of those impure Priestes and Apostataes that then were neither needed they to be circumcised againe For indeede saith an other the Sacramentes take not their excellencie and worthinesse of him y t ministreth them though he be neuer so holy neither be they disgraced or weakened thogh the minister be wicked and euill The hand of the receiuer being without fayth maketh the Sacraments that of themselues be good to be vnto him of no force because of his vnbeleefe but a wicked minister cannot in any wise make frustrate or deceiue the faith of the vngodly receiuer Our Sauiour Christ baptized none whilste he was vpon earth but onely preached and his disciples baptized sayth the Gospell And S. Paul continuing in Corinth a yeere and sixe moneths where God sayd vnto him in the night by a visioÌ„ he had much people taught the worde of God among them and preached but baptized none sauing Crispus Gaius and the householde of Stephanus and thanketh God that he had not when he saw what diuision fell out one saying I am Pauls another I am Apollos c. And Musculus with others agree with Ambrose that Peter baptized not Cornelius and his company but commaunded them to be baptized Nowe none of all these woulde haue thus done wee must needes thinke if better ministers had made better Sacraments to the receiuers But euen the contrary with all indeuour and paine in a zeale to the Lordes people that they might haue that holy ordinance with greatest good Howe shoulde Paul haue thanked God with a conscience that hee baptized no mo when it should haue bin a very greeuous sin in him not to haue done it if his excellency aboue other ministers could haue giuen grace to the Lordes sacrament Therefore this very one thing if there were no mo setleth vs fully and firmly touching this poynt Yet in deede it is a great deale more that our Sauiour baptized neuer an one who was of all ministers the best without comparison most kindly and carefully addicted to mans good euery way For why was it may we with most great probabilitie thinke but least his most excellent dignitie aboue all men should worke in the receiuers of that baptisme some conceit of their baptisme aboue others baptized by farre inferiour ministers and so cause dissention in the Church among them Wherefore we see euen in this omissioÌ„ of our sauiour Christ his diuine wisdome foreseeing the venom of this error to measure the word and sacraments by the worthinesse of the minister and carefully cutting the throte of it in his time It was truly euer a wrong to the Lord and his holy mysteries euer condemned of the Church of God and wee must abhorre it Si malus sacerdos deponendus erat si noÌ„ possit deponi tolerandus intra rete If the minister be naught sayth S. Austen he should be displaced if he cannot be displaced he must be indured within the nâ—t For vpon our dislikings of men to refuse the Lord and the meanes of our saluation it is a more fearful impietie than y t it needeth amplification The very thought of it striketh a terror into my soule that I dust and wormes should except against the
spirit cōmended to vs in the world for euer to tell vs what ought to be See then euen at our beginning when we pray like Saincts and sonnes of God like duetifull children affected rightly to their father euen then when we fall before him with harts mindes nothing so carefull to gaine our owne good as to winne the glorie and honor of his name and the content of his holy blessed and most good will And therfore looke into our petitions earnestly how and which way they serue to that before we make them and then begge them specially for that end And euen then I say whē we do féele in the secret testimony of an inward cōscience such a flame of loue wrought by a gracious spirite beyond power of sinful nature to our God in vs as that if any preferment of ours benefite and good in the course of this world shoulde be found of vs to fight against his glory by by we find content nay not a content only but euen a restles posting hast and burning heat to renounce it to defie it and to spit at it yea were it such glory of vs in this world as euer Prince inioyed and not onely so againe but euen a most willing minde together with the want of that worldly glory or good whatsoeuer to wit also as hath beene shewed eternall glory and good in heauen so that our God and Father might thereby bee honoured But O where are we where are we in this affection Woe to our weakenes and alas our want Yet let vs see what shoulde bee let vs confesse what is not and God for his Christes sake graunt vs mercy Something is something and euer comfortable nothing is sinfull and euer damnable This loue to the Lorde and zeale to his glory it is his gift and where hee will hee giueth it Though we be weake hee is strong and there is no flesh but he can aide it neither anie heart but he can change it onely let vs see our want and seeke our good and certainly we shal finde y e same with him This world endeth and God knoweth how soone and euē this night before the next may my soule be taken from me and then all my care for the causes of this world where is it or whose is it it cannot goe with me it shall not followe after me but straungers perhappes shall enter vpon my labours and my cares shall make them mightie that will ioy in the lacke and losse of me If I haue followed then this and neglected the other woe is begun and it shall neuer end with me But if I haue cared but competently for this with the other and euer in the power of giuen grace more for the other thā for this be it vnto me an end when it pleaseth God his mercie shall driue my labours to the good of those that I heere loued and that my loue of him and zeale to his glory shall folow me remayne with me and weare the crowne of Gods mercy for euer more in heauen Thus is it a blessed thing to loue Gods glory and to seeke his kingdome with conscience of duetie and feeling of a future state and it is as cursed a thing only to seeke our selues and care for euer a kingdome in this world if it were we could get it much lesse for farre inferior preferments and so whereby with the loue of thē to be deuoured eaten vp as that all spéech and talke and thoughts of the other is very odious to vs and a mockery with vs. You see the world the daies and times and you knowe my meaning Remember the place of these three petitions before the other and remember God in Samuel They that honour me them wil I honor and they that despise me they shalbe despised I end with them Iesus Christ in the benefite of his bloud giue vs care and feeling The diuision then of them and number as also the order of these three before the other you thus obserue now for the matter and meaning of this first if you will Halowed be thy name This shall wee then vnderstande when wee knowe what is comprised and meant by the two wordes in it Name and Halowed And therefore concerning the first wee are to bee aduertised that although no one name wherewith the Lorde is called in the Scripture as Iehouah Eloim Shaddai or such like should either in mind bee conceyued and thought or in voyce with woordes expressed and spoken without most high reuerence as duetie is yet are none of those names in this place meant and much lesse any Iudaicall or Popish superstition in any of them confirmed The Iewes for their Iehouah this is no warraunt But the name of GOD signifieth here that maiestie of GOD power and infinite vertue that shyneth sheweth it selfe in euery thing so wonderfully Euen as it is vsually taken in the Scriptures and for the most parte signifieth In the Prophet when he saith From the rising of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same my name is great amongst the Gentiles and in euerie place incense shall bee offered vnto my name and a pure offering for my name is great among the Heathen saith the Lord of hosts And Father glorifie thy name And Baptize in the name of the Father the sonne and the holie Ghost Whereas I saie the worde signifieth not any letters or sillables in this tongue or that but that power and vertue of God that shineth in all things So againe in the name of Christe the Apostles cast forth diuells that is in the power and strength and vertue of Christ for so Saint Peter expoundeth in the Actes when he sayth it was not theyr power and godlynesse that had made the man go but it was the name of that holy one and iust whom they had betraied that is his power and godlynesse his strength and vertue not theirs So at the name of Iesus shall euery knee bowe that is not when the word is pronounced wee shall make a curtesie but we shall all and euery creature bée subiect to his power authoritie and dominion for by name there of Iesus is meant Dominatio potestas dominion and power genuflectionis vocabulo exprimitur subiectio by bowing there is expressed and meant subiection to that dominion and power But perhaps with more plainnes it may be noted that the name of God heere respecteth three things chiefly to wit Himselfe His workes His word If we consider the Lord himselfe then we see in him euer maiestie and holynesse And this is his name If we consider his workes we see iustice mercie and power in them And this is his name And if wee consider his word there is euer truth wisdome and goodnesse in it and this also his name So that we may conclude this place euen as he that sayd it Nomen Dei dicitur omne id quod de illo praedicatur By
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
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
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
the example of Gods chosen euer with such like and these are great causes to vse it What say you then of the third point concerning the persons to bee prayed vnto I answere that onely God and none but God is to be praied vnto or as the wordes of our faith and Créede hath one GOD in Trinitie and Trinitie in vnitie is to bee worshipped Which answere implying to things as you see to wit that God is to be prayed vnto and onely to bee prayed vnto Let vs see the truth of them both out of the word First then for the former it is mencioned vs in the law Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God serue him swere by his name And in another place Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him and thou shalt cleaue vnto him swere by his name With a number other proofes in euerie place where the word of seruing the Lord by a figure noteth al duties due vnto him in general so implieth this duty of prayer to him in special Euen as Dauid expoūdeth it in his Psalme saying I will worshippe towardes thy holy Temple then expresseth what one thing he meaneth by that worship I will praise thy name because of thy louing kindnesse truth that is by prayer of thanksgiuing and praise I will doe my dutie So than this is plaine and more plain I trust than that it should need proofe that God is to be prayed vnto If anie would haue reason as well as testimonies the Apostle giueth vs a strong one of contraries when he toucheth the Galathians with it as a fault no lesse than Idolatry that they did seruice vnto them which by nature were no Gods For it inferreth plainly our not offending but most right doing when we doe seruice vnto him that is by nature God But praier is a seruice and a great seruice therefore due and most due to the Lord for euer But it is not this that anie man doubteth of and therefore as I sayde not to bee stoode vpon It is the other that is a question to wit whether God onely is to be praied vnto or no and therefore let vs looke to that rather and see the truth Concerning this then is not the Scripture as plaine if wee will not wilfully bee blinde as in the other And doth not our Sauiour Christ put it quite out of doubt when he saith him only shalt thou serue Onely to God auouched by Christ should stand against not only to God affirmed by tenne thousand worldes if there were so many to doe it But the Lorde affirmeth further that he will not giue his glorie to any other and it is a parte of Gods glorie in any Christian iudgemēt I hope to praie vnto him and to make him the fountaine and welspring of all our good For Call vppon me saith the Lorde in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie me The lawe of God saith Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me which is an exclusion of all creatures in heauen and earth from partaking with the Lord in any worship we owe vnto him as our God The 17. Chapter of the second booke of Kings is a notable testimonie of the Lordes abhorring any partners in this behalfe For there we may see and heare him witnesse it vnto our soules who must one day come to iudge them in glorie dreadfull if wee haue not harkned that not to feare him onely is not to feare him at all and not onely to doe after his lawes and commaundements is not at all to doe after them For our additions to the wil of him ouerthroweth vtterly that which wee doe thereof because it is not as wee should doe it that is onely My couenant and charge with the Israelites saith the Lord there was euer this that they should feare no other Gods nor bowe themselues to them nor serue them nor sacrifice to them but onely mee which brought them out of the land of Egipt with great power and a stretched out arme And marke the emphasis Him feare That is as we may see plainly him onely him euer and none but him And therefore ouer and ouer he saith it there no other no other and againe the third time no other Which is proofe sufficient if wee bee the Lordes yet is the Scripture fuller and teacheth vs plainly that they euer were and euer shall bee blasphemous Idolaters iniurious to the Lord that call vppon any in their prayer but the same Lord alone whether it be in heauen or in earth or in the waters vnder the earth whether it bee of golde siluer or whatsoeuer The places are knowne and you may reade them It teacheth vs also that God hath made vs in his great mercie Lordes of all his creatures here and euen the Angels in heauen ministring Spirits to our good as shall please him to appoynt But whatsoeuer we pray vnto we make it superiour to vs and hauing rule and power ouer vs and therefore if it bee a creature we offende greeuously peruerting the Lordes appoynted course and seruilely submitting our selues to that which he in mercie hath put vnder vs not ouer vs in his maner and order Againe that we cannot pray to any thing without beleefe in the same but beleefe must onely be in God and therefore prayer to no other Wherefore it standeth true by the Iudge of trueth the eternall worde of God wee now well see that both God with his worship of prayer is to bée serued and honored and onely God also with exclusion for euer of all others whatsoeuer they may bee and so wee ende this question Your next is through whome or by whome wee must present and offer our Prayers to God It is so And it may bee that in the former question you expected some fuller spéech of Angels and Saints that be dead which many are of opinion may bee called vppon that yet greatly mislike that other folly or rather madnesse of praying to inferiour creatures And if you did it shal now be supplied God willing for I did referre it of purpose hether because no man iustifieth it amongst vs if he haue any cunning that they are simply to bee praied vnto as helpers themselues of themselues but as mediatours to him that is able to helpe that is God the Lorde Let vs see then this if euen but thus much may bee giuen vnto them And to begin at the beginning we know it true that betwixt God and vs a mediatour must needes bee For so sayth the Scripture No man commeth to the father but by me And as there is a God so there is a mediatour betwixt God and man The high Priest in the lawe by God assigned a figure and shadowe of Christ euen in his office taught the same And conscience in vs of our owne vnworthines to appeare before God in our selues and for our selues driuing vs away from his
that which our teachers themselues refuse for their owne partes to ioyne with vs as in a course that is neither comfortable nor safe Let vs hearken rather to the Apostle truely aduertising vs to suffer none such as these neither any man liuing at his pleasure to beare rule ouer vs by humblenes of mind and worshipping of Angels aduauncing himselfe in these thinges which hee neuer saw rashly puft vp with his fleshly minde and holdeth not the head c. For assuredly if the consciences of all thē were examined y e delight in other mediators beside Christ to offer vp their prayers to GOD and to speake for them and true confession made of what they finde it would appeare to vs all that this sinne springeth of none other roote than of a persuasion that Christ is not so pitifull and mercifull and willing to bée spoken vnto as other Saints and creatures be Which how blasphemous it is against him to giue his creatures preeminence aboue him in any goodnesse let euery feeling hart discerne and iudge Farre was the godly father from such opinion of our Sauiour when he made him all in all and with truth sayd of him what all true Christians firmely beleeue and holde Ipse os nostrum est per quod patri loquimur oculus noster per quem patrem videmus dextra nostra per quam nos patri offerimus He is our mouth wherewith wee speake vnto God our eye wherewith wee see GOD and our right hande wherewith wee offer our selues vnto GOD. Quo nisi intercedente nec nobis nec Sanctis omnibus quicquam cū deo est But by whose intercession neyther we nor all the Saints in heauen haue any thing to do with the Lord. And y t there remaine no scruple of feare in vs to goe to this gratious mediator euer when we pray consider it in the Scriptures and consider it earnestly that that glistering reason which they vse of our indignitie to goe to him at the first for so I call it because it seemeth so faire at the first vewe neuer discoraged any of the godly mencioned in the worde euer but euen then when they haue seene and thought of their vnworthynes most they haue yet gone vnto God and to no others for helpe Dauid when hee sawe that multitude of offences in him and himselfe so horribly defiled as that there remained almost nothing of olde Dauid in him that is of a good seruant of God neuer yet cried to Abraham Isaac and Iacob nor to any of all the godly departed or Angels in heauen but Miserere mei deus haue mercy vpon me O God and according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine iniquitie Iohn Baptist though hee sawe himselfe vnworthy to loose the very latchet of Christ his shoone yet taught he no other Mediatour to God neither had any other himself but only him The good Centuriō that in so true feeling both of himselfe and Christ confessed he was not worthie vnder whose roofe the Lord should come yet with all that vnworthinesse was not feared from him to aske his helpe euen for his seruaunt The poore Publican vnworthie in his owne eies to looke vpon the heauens yet feareth not to loke vpon his God and to say God be mercifull vnto me a sinner when he might haue called vppon Saints and Angels for mercie if it had béene as good or better as these mad men affirme And so farre was this his doing from presumption displeasaunt to God and vnséeming an vnworthie sinner as that sentence is giuen by the Lord himselfe of it it was pleasant acceptable to God and he iustified more than the other Finally the Prodigall Sonne with the same mouth that confesseth his indignitie euer to be counted a Sonne any more yet calleth vpon his Father for pittie and not vpon any of his Fathers seruaunts Wherfore let vs open our eyes and sée the truth let vs not harden our hartes to day when we heare his voyce the mediator betwixt God and man is thr man Christ Iesus none but he it is he that sitteth on the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs and there is no other And if any man sinne wee haue him our aduocate and wee must know no other Yea Sir but you knowe their answere in this matter if they bee charged they doe not denie they saie but Christ and onely Christ is mediatour of redemption but not of intercession and that which they ascribe to holy spirites it is onely to make intercession for them Indeede they so answere but alasse in vaine For it is but a shifte deuised of Satan to deceiue our soules by if wee receiue it and that may appeare both to them and vs if we haue care to see the truth For hath it first anie warrant in the worde If it haue let them produce it if not let them knowe that euen for this cause it faulteth and we reiect it For if this bee graunted that men may frame distinctions at theyr pleasures there is not the truth to bee named but it may be ouerthrowen Wherefore this is one reason agaynst it it hath no warrant in the worde Secondly was not the high Priest in the lawe mediator in figure both of expiation by sacrifices and of intercession by prayers That is more plainly did not he both offer the sacrifice make prayer And what was this but in shadow to shew that so in the new Testament both these things should bee conioyned in one man also euen the man Christ Iesus he that was mediator of redemption should also be mediatour of intercession To diuide these thē is to make the bodie not answere to the shadowe neither the truth to the figure which may not be For looke whatsoeuer was typically shewed Christ should do that hath he truelie done and performed and to affirme otherwise is great impietie Thirdly these two are both duties of the mediatour and in truth none can be a mediator vnlesse he performe both these things namely both redemption and intercession Now of two duties or partes of the office of a mediatour shall we make two sorts of mediators Truely it is euen all one as if because man consisteth of bodie and soule as of two partes that make but one whole we should say there are two sortes of men one consisting of bodie another of soule which were a trimme speech Or agayne because the Prince hath power ouer body and goods and they both are incident to the prerogatiue of his kinglie office therfore of two things belonging to one person we should make a distinction of persons say there are two sorts of Princes one hauing power ouer body and an other hauing authoritie ouer goods For euen so it is in this matter of a mediator whose office consisteth in both these duties as parts of the same to redeeme the people and to make intercession for them Remember also in the
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
although God tempt and leade into temptation yet neuer tempteth he any man to euill And why S. Iames giueth the reason for God can not be tempted with euill neither teÌ„pteth he any man to witte vnto euill that is he desireth not euill and therefore he can not be the author of euill doing in vs. Non de exploratione sed de incitatione ad peccandum loquitur Jacobus S Sames speaketh not of the temptations of tryall but of stirrings vp vnto euill sayth an interpreter And it is apparant enough Nowe of the next worde if you will to wit temptation It is a woorde that will minister much matter profitable for the Lords children to bee stil better and better acquainted withall whilst they liue And I coulde happely wish to speake so of it as most of this company might most bee benefited and euery man at one time or an other in one thing or an other feele mee in his bosome But such grace is the Lordes to giue and not mine nor any mans to take and therefore with humble commending both my spéech and your profitte to his most mercifull direction let vs set vpon this treatise It is therefore sayd of the learned that tentatio est opus diaboli qua homines pios vel per instillationem cogitationum malarum aut per obiectorum occasionem vel per vitiosae naturae inclinationem affectus vel per res secundas aut aduersas solicitat impellit ad peccata calamitates deo permittente vt aut certo iudicio propter peccata puniantur aut explorata probata fide eorum constantia coronam vitae accipiant That is temptation is a worke of the deuil whereby he soliciteth and driueth men vnto sins and miseries either by infusion of vile thoughtes into them or by meanes of obiects layd before them or by inclination of their corrupt nature and affections GOD suffering him either that their sinnes by iust iudgements may haue their due punishments or else their fayth and constancie a due crowne of life after that it hath bene tried made manifest This distinction or description rather will fully by all his partes appeare either by the story of Iob of Dauid or by diuers others in this treatise if you marke it Agayne it is sayd of them also that temptations bee of two sorts generally Tentatio probationis tentatio perditionis The temptation of tryall and the temptation of perdition according to which diuision Cyprian may be thought to haue spoken when he sayd Potestas dupliciter Satanae aduersus nos datur vel ad poenam cùm delinquimus vel ad gloriam cum probamur Power is giuen to Satan against vs after two sorts to wit either for punishment when wee offend or for glory when wee are tryed But desiring altogether a very great playnnes in this matter for diuers causes I choose rather an other diuision obserued also of sâ—â—ne to say that temptations are of three sortes to wit either of God of man or of Satan For all these are sayd to tempt And according to these seuerall authors as it were of temptations the word is diuersly and in seuerall significations taken When God in the Scripture is sayd to tempt then is the word taken and commonly translated in English to prooue or to trye because that the drift of the Lord is thereby not to hurt by leading to euill for so GOD tempteth not Iam. 1. but to make open knowne by tryall either to our selues or to the world or to both either our corruption and malice against him or else our faith and patience and many vertues Thus is it sayd of Abraham in Genesis After these things God did prooue Abraham c. What was this proouing or tempting of Abraham but a mercifull opening both to Abraham himselfe and to all other euen to vs at this day what a wonderfull measure of fayth loue and zeale to his God he had vouchsafed vnto Abraham So that both he sawe then and we see now what neithâ—r we nor happely he himselfe knew till after this tryal or temptation had had his place This reade we againe in the lawe Then sayd the Lorde to Moses Beholde I will cause breade to rayne from heauen to you and the people shal go out and gather that that is sufficieÌ„t for euery day that I may proue them whether they will walke in my lawe or no. That is that it may appeare both to themselues and others whether receiuing but that which is sufficient only for one day at once they will patiently depend vpon my prouidence from day to day Probat enim Deus homines noÌ„ quasi ipse experimento indigeat sed quò magis seipsos norint posita omni arrogantia inani persuasione humiliter se in posterum Deo submittaÌ„t For God proueth not sayth one as though he had need of any tryall to knowe any of vs all but that men may themselues thereby knowe better what is in them and laying aside al arrogancie and vayne perswasion humbly submit themselues afterwarde to God Againe when at the giuing of the lawe the people sawe the thunders and lightnings the sounde of the trumpet the mountayne smoking and for feare thereof fled c. then Moses sayd to the people Feare not for God is come to proue you and that his feare may be before you that yee sinne not Again in Deutronomy Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God lead thee this fortie yeeres in the wildernes for to humble thee and to proue thee to know what was in thy heart whether thou wouldest keepe his commaundements or no. For in affliction either by patiently abyding or by vngodly grudging and repyning wee shewe what was in vs though hiddeÌ„ before Most playnely agayne in the thirteenth chapter If there arise among you a Prophet a dreamer of dreams giue thee a signe or wonder and the signe or the wonder come to passe which he hath told thee saying let vs go after other Gods which thou hast not knowne and let vs serue them Thou shalt not hearken vnto the woordes of the Prophet or vnto that dreamer of dreames for the Lord your God proueth you to know whether ye loue the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soule Last of all in the booke of Iudges I will no more sayth the Lord cast out before them any of the nations which Ioshua left when he dyed and why it followeth in the next verse That through them I may proue Israel whether they will keepe the way of the Lorde to walke therein as their fathers kept it or not Thus doe we see then howe the Lord is sayd to tempt man namely when by such meanes as pleaseth him hee tryeth and prooueth man not to winne any knowledge to himselfe that hee had not before for how should he that made the heart bee ignorant of any thing
vt semper quoad licet refugiant Tantam ministerij ac sacramentorum reuerentiam esse oportere vt vbicunque extare haec cernant ecclesiam esse censeant c. That there ought to be in Christians such a detestation of Schisme that as neere as they may they euer flye it Again that there ought to bee such a reuerence of the ministerie and of the sacraments that where so euer they see these extant there they acknowledge the Church to bee For as much therefore as by Gods permission the Church is gouerned by these men what manner of persons soeuer they bee if they see the notes of the Church there it shall bee better not to separate themselues from the communion Neither hurteth it that some vntrue doctrine is there deliuered For there is hardly any Church that hath not some reliques of ignorance It sufficeth vs if the doctrine wheron the Church is founded haue his place and be kept Neither stoppe wee at this that hee cannot bee accompted a lawefull Pastour which hath not onely crept but most wickedly broken into the place of a true minister For it is not fit that euery priuate man should trouble himselfe with these scruples Sacramenta cum ecclesia communicant The Sacraments they receiue with the Church Per eorum manus sibi dispensari sustinent Only by their handes they indure them to be deliuered For whō they see to haue the places whether lawfully or vnlawfully they haue them although the matter somwhat appertayne to them yet may they suspend their iudgement thereof till a full knowledge bee had Therefore if they vse their ministerie yet is there no daunger least they shoulde seeme either to acknowledge or allowe or confirme the same for good But by this meanes they giue a testimonie of their patience whilst they are content to indure those whom they iudge worthy of condemnation euen by a solemne iudgement Thus farre master Caluin Somewhat long but truely very materiall to the poynt wee nowe speake of if humilitie woorke a reuerence of other mens iudgments especially that haue abounded with the great graces of God to the profiting of the Church and puffing pride doth not dangerously perswade vs that no man seeth the trueth of GOD but our selues which God forbid Bullinger agayne deliuered it boldly to the people of God in his time and after that qui saepe admonitus dolo vtitur non ecclesiam Dominum aut ministrum decipit sed se ipsum ipsi iudicium manducat Whosoeuer admonished often yet dissembleth and vseth guile hee deceyueth not the Church hee deceyueth not the Lorde nor the minister but hee deceyueth himselfe and to his owne damnation hee eateth Meaning that none could bee hurt by the company of any that communicate with them themselues being right And therefore meaning to prosecute this question no further in a comfortable hope I neede not I conclude both with the iudgement and very wordes of Master Caluin in his institutions remembred before Fixum igitur vtrumque istorum maneat Therfore let both these thinges remaine firmely fixed first that he hath no excuse that of his owne will forsaketh the outward communion of the Church where the worde of God is preached and the Sacraments administred then that the faultes of a few or many are no hinderance but that we may therein rightly professe our fayth by the ceremonies instituted by God Because a godly conscience is not hurt by the vnworthynes of any other either Pastor or priuat man and the mysteries are to a holy vpright man neuertheles pure and holesome though they bee together handled of vncleane men The fourth temptation concerning compulsion to good LAstly there haue bin and to this day are that thinke men shoulde not bee compelled to fayth and religion The Donatistes Pelagians and Anabaptistes in their seuerall times the Papists still dayly in their printed pamphlets But as the rest so is this also a subtile sleight of a tempting deuill to animate men vnto euill boldly An vntrueth in the word plainly refelled and of the Church and Children of God truely instructed euer abhorred The noble kings Asa and Iosia did constrayne and compell the people by seueritie of their Lawes punishments to serue the Lorde For whosoeuer will not seeke the God of Israel shall be slain whether he be smal or great man or woman saith the text Nebuchadnezzar made a decree that euery people nation and language which spake any blasphemy against the God of Sydrach Mysach and Abednago should be drawne in peeces and their houses put to the most base vse that might be A very sharpe law I trowe we will confesse to compell men to a dutie iust and godly And if this heathen king moued by Gods spirite did this and might doe it may not they that professe religion do it Nay shall they not as their knowledge and charge is greater so suffer double punishment if they do it not Surely the trueth is playne they shall King Darius did the like in the same Prophet And I make a decree sayth he that in all the dominion of my kingdome men tremble and feare before the God of Daniel For hee is the liuing God and remaineth for euer and his kingdome shall not perish c. The King of Niniueh againe forced by his authoritie all men in the City to humble them selues before God yea sayth he Let man and beast put on sackcloth and cry mightely vnto God Which example Austen vrged in his time against the Donatists and sayth the King of Niniuie did God good seruice by compelling the whole Citie to serue God In the Gospel the master sayd to the seruant Go out into the high wayes and hedges compell thē to come in that my house may be filled Neque absque causa sic loquitur Dominus Quia enim diuersi hominum mores ingenia item diuersa sunt non eadem docendi aut praedicandi ratio omnibus conuenit Sunt enim quibus simplicem institutionem doctrinam adhibuisse sufficit aliis admonitione seueriore multis adhortatione imo correptione obiurgatione acriore opus est Et ideo suprà verbi ministros exactorum similes dixit Neither did the Lord without good cause sayth a learned interpreter speake after this sort For diuers men being of diuers manners and dispositions one and the same way of preaching agreeeth not to them all Some it sufficeth to haue doctrine plainely deliuered to them others must haue earnest admonition also many must haue exhortation yea sharpe rebukes and chidinges or else they profite not And therefore the Ministers of God were compared before to Stewardes or Baylifes that sharply and roughly require their masters rent for his Vineyarde if it be wanting Fit etiam saepenumero vt magistratus suam authoritatem interponere oporteat quando multorum peruicacia tanta est vt aliter vinci non possit And many times it commeth to passe
and serue thee here whilst life indureth fast cleaue vnto thee when life departeth and euer liue with thee when once it is ended for that sweete and deere Christ Iesus sake that with thee O Father and the holie Ghost wee blesse and praise honor and magnifie for euer and euer one GOD and Lorde world without ende Amen Amen FINIS ⧠The Table A AFfection required in prayer 20 Affection how helped 22 Atheists 137 Apostles powrefull ministery 162 Al may read the scriptures 179 All sortes bound to serue God aswell as Monkes Friers or Nunnes or such like 259 All men bound to pray forgiue vs our trespasses 373 Aduersity a sowre teÌ„ptatioÌ„ 426 Aduersitie often misconstred 431 Afflictions inward or outward 433 Alteration of friends 480 Affliction without an example in scripture may not discomfort vs. 488 B BVllingers iudgement of the ministers reading 173 Bad Bookes 238 Bread hath Diuers significatioÌ„s in the word 279 Bread in this PetitioÌ„ what 280 C CAuses of prayer 46 Church abuses 108 Creation how 151 Corruption or fall 15â— Corrupted in vs what 154 Contraries to Gods kingdome prayed against 208 Communion of good by prayer 211 Crosses to be indured 241 Cause of euill what 260 Contents though many ouerthrowne with one discontent 265 Couetous men what they may consider 329 Confession of sin to God 321 Comfort against feare of punishment when sinne is pardoned 348 Conditions to bee obserued in going to Law 367 Crosses not euer tokens of anger 432 Conditions of true sanctification 444 Cheerefulnesse and mirth required 459 ConteÌ„pt a bitter teÌ„ptation 477 Change of friends another 480 Children a Crosse 488 Crosses with example in the Scripture may not discomfort vs. 488 Church militant of what sort euer in this world 495 Communicating in Prayer c with the wicked 500 Communion may be receiued with bad company 533 Compulsion to good lawfull 548 Correction called persecution 559 D DEad not to bee prayed for 73 Discontents dash contents 265 Duke of Saxonie made his trayne see the benefite of bread 282 Dayly bread why sayde 297 Dulnes in Gods children now and then yet feare not 451. E EDessa professors howe zealous 163 Exceptions against hearing some Ministers 189 Euill of two sorts 225 Examination of our selues profitable 257 Exchange of our freight with Satan a rouer 337 Exceptions made against our forgiuing of our Brethren 262 Effect of Prosperitie 417 Election how knowne 434 Euil children to Godly parents 488 Euill seruants also 488 Euill in the last petition what it meaneth 611 F FOr what we may pray 68 Form of praier a great good to be taught vs. 84 Forme vsed of Heathens 85 Father a sweet word and how 87. Fatum 148 Fearefull exceptions againste hearing the word 189 Free-will confuted 219 Flesh pampered 237 Forgiuenesse of others by vs. 335.355 Forgiuenesse with God both of the crime and punishment 345 Forgiuenesse fayned 355 Friends to alter a sharpe temptation 480 G GOD what he would he euer could 104 God how absent 116 God neere or a farre how 117 God howe more in one place then in another 118 God howe sayde to goe and come 118 Gods glorie how deere 123 God no author of euill 224.396 Good thinges of three sortes 225 Giue What it teacheth in this petition 303 God giueth and not any industrie of man 325 God giueth the vse also 326 Gods mercie long suffering 326 Grace proued and satisfaction improued 329 Good fellowship of the world 335 Gods roddes are sometimes punishmentes sometimes but chastisements 350 Greatnesse of mans corruption 382 God leadeth into temptation yet no authour of sinne 396 Greatnesse of sinne a greeuous temptation how helped 460 Godlie ones rimed vpon by drunkards 488 H HElpes of affection in prayer 20 Humilitie taught 99 Heauen what it signifieth 102 Halowing of Gods name what it is 131 Hypocriticall forgiuenesse 355 Halfe forgiuenesse 557 Howe Christians may goe to Lawe 366 Howe man is sayde to forgiue sinne 370 How man tempteth man 406 How we pray against temptations 410 Heauinesse of heart a temptation 459 I IRreligious men and women prayed against through all Churches 137 Iames expounded 399 Iudgementes rash vpon aduersities of men 431 Imperfection of our obedience taketh not away our comfort 447 Imprisonment wrongfull a triall of the Godly 488 K KIngdome of God of three sortes 148 Kingdome of God howe erected in vs. 16â— Kingdome come what iâ— is 160 Kingdom what it is in the conclusion of the L. prayer 615 L LIbertines 137 Laughing at other mens faults how sinfull 268 Laying vp howe it is lawfull 301 Loue to our Brethren described 332 Law may be taken against offenders 365 Life vncomfortable 474 M MEdiator who and howe many of our prayers 51 Masse how wicked 95 Meanes to erect Gods Kingdome in men 161 Ministers reading not contemned 173 Ministers of meaner gifts 175 Magistrates great meanes to builde or pluck down Gods Kingdome 204 Malum culpae poenae 225 Merit ouerthrowne 258 Magistracie not taken away by the petition of forgiuenesse of trespasses 363 Man tempteth man 406 Mâ—th required of the Godly 459 Mariage and match often bitter 488 Measure of aduersitie a subtil temptation to the godly 490 Ministers caÌ„not hurt the Lords Sacramentes 519 N NAme of God what it is 129 Nature of a true childe of God 268 Nouatians confuted 376 Necessitie of prayer againste temptation 392 O OBiections against Prayer 13 Our Father not my Father why 96 Obedience in heauen to Gods will 249 Outward thinges may be prayed for 292 Our what it teacheth 295 Obedience though but little yet accepted of God 454 Obiections against compelling to religion 552 P PRayer naturall 2 Prayer necessary and how 4 Prayer how profitable 7 Prayer obiected against 13 Praying in Latin 39 Persons to be prayed vnto 47 Prayer by whome heard 51 Place of prayer 69 Prayer for the dead 73 Parts of the Lords prayer 86 Petitions how many 121 Preaching aboue reading 185 Pampering of the flesh 237 Panis whence deriued 280 Peace to be prayed for 291 Popish shrift 323 Presumption fearefull 228 Popes pardons 371 Prosperitie one of Gods trials 412 Prosperitie iâ— of God ibid. Prosperity what it should work in the godly 417 Prayer not euer heard by and by and yet feare not 458 Perseuerance feared sometimes of the godly and how comforted 467 Priuy slaunder a great triall of the godly how helped 483 Preaching without reformation 509 R REdemption perfect by Christ 94 Regeneration 158 Reading the word how profitable 171 Reading alowed to all 179 Religion is no cause of scarsity but sinne 339 Remitting fault maketh man like God 360 Rash iudgemente vpon mens aduersitie often 432 Reward of euil for good tempteth sore how hâ—â—ped 484 Rimes a triall of the gâ—dly 488 Reformation how it foâ—oweth preaching how no 509 S SChisme how dangerous â—8 Sanctification of God 〈◊〉 vs. 14 SaÌ„ctificatioÌ„ of vs by God ibid. Scriptures to be read of all 179 Similitudes expressing the
11.33 Rom. 12.3 Act. 1.6 Ihon. 21.21 Deutro 29.29 Rom 9. Math. 11.25 Mans dutie in respect of the hidden will of God Iob. 2. Esay 46.10 2. Chron. 20.6 Act. 4.28 Mans wil hath two obiects to witte good and euell Iam. 1.17 MaluÌ„ Culpae MaluÌ„ Poenae lib. 2. cap. 180. Psal 5.4 Hebr. 1.9 Hose 13.9 Ihon. 8.44 Zach. 8.17 Rom. 9.14 1. Ihon. 2.16 How contrary to God it is to will euell Tom. 4. quaest 83. Exod. 9.7 Rom. 1.28 2. Thess 2.11 1. Kings 22.21.22.23 Rom. 9.19 Malum culpae Vti peceatum vti causa subsequentis peccandi vti poena praecedentis 1. Rom 24.28 vers 21.28 1. Ihon. 3.4 Act. 17.28 Voluntas tantùm est boni vel veri vel apparentis Arist. Eth. 3. cap. 4. Esay 45.7 Amos. 3.6 Lament 3.38 Exod. 9. 1. Kings 22. Rom. 1. lib. 2. pag. 180. Tom. 7. lib. 5. cap. 3. God may be author of the action and yet not of the euill in the action Ro. 8.5.7 c. Ihon 3.16 Ihon 6.29 1. Thess 4 â— c. Rom. 8.1 vers 5. Leuit. 11.44 Math. 5. Esay 56. Rom. 6.4.12.13 Ephes 5.3 Coloss 3.12 1. Thess 5.23 Psal 139.23 Thinke of this Vile bookes are the deuills banners Note â—se 42. Sinke this iâ— your hart So loue you God as you care to be what you pray to be Math. 16.24 Act. 14.22 2. Timoth. 3.12 Hebre. 12. 1. Cor. 11. To saye with content vnder the Crosse thy will be done is a great grace 1. Sam. 3.18 2. Sam. 15.25.26 Math. 26. Apoc. 12. 1. Cor. 10. More comfort in this promise then can be expressed A most sweete promise In the dialogue btewixt faith and frailitie 2. Cor. 12. Aug. de tempore 136. lib. 3. contra Pelagianos Iam. 2.10 Ad Gelatium Benard epist. 77. Ephes 1.3 Philip. 3.20 Coloss 3.2 Apoc. 7.11 Chap. 19.10.22.9 Hebre. 1.4 Psal 103.20 1. Cor. 13. How we pray for this measure The meanes also asked here Cognitio voluntatis Impressio Spiritus 2. Cor. 36.14 Galat 3.15.17 Deutro 4.2 Math. 23. Philip. 2.13 Hebre. 13.21 Knowledge of Gods will and a blessing thereof to sanctification are here prayed for as meanes The contraries prayd against Math. 6.24 Coloss 38.10 How we fell and now may rise Math. 12.50 A profitable examination of our selues Ihon. 12.48 Merit ouerthrowne Much lesse workes of supererogation No estate of persons priueledged more than other from doing Gods will Popish error The cause of all euill A profitable meditation to wake vs and weyne vs from the loue of this world Ecles 1. The world kepeth not promise Iug. 4.18 Note One crosse counteruaileth a thousand comforts 1. Kings 19. 2. Cor. 5. â— â— Ihon 2. 2. Petr. 2.7 Psal 119.15 Laughing at other mens faults Math. 6. Psal 4.6.8 Math. 6. Iam. 1.17 Psal 37.5.7 Prou. 30.8 This order reregardeth our infirmitie not the nature of the things 1. Cor. 10.31 Aug. epist. 121. ad Probam Ihon. 6.48.51 Num. 14.9 Ecles 11.1 Rom. 9.17 Esay 30.20 1. Kings 22 Math. 15. Mysticus sermo sacrarum rerum est panis fortior Ambr. ser 14. in Psal 118 For this cause some haue thought panem to come of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 3. 2 Kings 6.2 Iob. last 11. Gen. 11. Psal 141.10 A good example Philip. 4.11 1â— 12. 13. Note Aug. epist. 121. 1. Timoth. 6.8 1. Tim. 6 8. Hebre. 13 5.6.7 Rom 13.14 O thinke of this and God giue strength Some men may pray for more than others may Rich Crassus sayd to be rich was to be able to nourrish an army yearly Luc. 16.19 Prou. 30.8 O fearefull frute Deut. 8.7 c. Here is the danger Psal 49. 1. Tim. 6.17 Exod. 5. Dan. 4.19 26. 27. A great example Hester 5. 2. Chro. 32.4 2. Sam. 24. Psal 30. Iob. 31.24 Three good Mothers bring forth three bad children truth hatred familiaritie contempt and riches pride Too true though too bad Iob. 1.9.10 Psal 107.109.10 Prou. 17.1 Luc. 1 2. Thess 3.16 Rom. 12.18 Psal 144.14 122. Math. 7.7 Psal 55. Mar. 10.29 Gen. 28.20 Prou. 30.7 Earthly and outward things are lawfully prayed for but euer with a condition We be goodly Gods that cannot giue our selues a peece of bread Gen. 3.4 5. Consider this Psal 87.16 Psal 34.9 Math. 6.32 1. Peter 5.7 Hebre. 13.5 1. Tim. 4. Aues prius dulce melos fundunt quà m granula quaerunt Iob. 1. Gen. 3.17 Psal 128.2 2. Thess 3.10 Ecles 7.7 Prou. 14.23 Act. 20.34 Psal 127. Rex persicus apud Herodotum Pro Rabirio Plato Leuit. 26.26 1. Kings 19.8 Exod. 34.23 Math. 4. Cap. 6.1 Luc. 12. chap. 11.18.19 1. Cor. 13.5 Consider this ye couetouse Couetouse men had rather pray giue me then giue vs. The second vse of the word vs. Chap. 31.17 vers 19. 32. 21. Note The order of this petition Iere. 31.34 33. Math. 16 26. Religion is not cause of want but sinne Deutro 32.14 Iere. 5. Esay 49.1 c. The hole petition teacheth two things quid petamus quid facero debeamus Petitio remitâ—â— nobis c. Confession to God Psal 32. Num. 5.7 Iob. 13.15 Prou. 28.13 1. Iohn 1.8.9 Shrift where found and lost Psal 51. 2. Sam. 14. Psal 41.4 Luc. 15.21 Luc. 18.13 Act. 19.18 Math. 3.6 Note The Lords great mercy and our great corruption 2. Petr. 3.9 Rom. 6.1 Rom. 2.5 Eccles 5.4 c. Grace proued and satisfactioÌ„ improued Rom. 3.14 9.11 11.6 Ephes 17.2.8 Chrysost A great corruption in vs. Exod. 32.31 Rom. 9.1 Psal 4. Psal 119. Iere. 9.1 If we be bound to beseche God to forgiue our brethren their sinnes are not we our selues bound to forgiue them Alurers of others to sinne A lamentable exchange made What is ours now Gen 6.5 Psal 51.5 Our gardens now haue too much rue and to little hearbe of grace Ambro. de sacram lib. 5. cap. 4. Math. 6.12 â—er â— 14 â—uc 11.4 Man doth not forgiue the euill or vice of the action but the detriment arising by it to man The Popes pardons A poena est culpa blasphemous Esay 43.23 Ro. 3.9 Read Aug. de natura gratia vers 46. vers 23. Galat. 3.22 The error of the Pelagians Cathary c. Anabap. Some in the scripture are called iust and vp right but this is to be vnderstode before God or as Aug sayeth Affectu non effectu by desire not by deede Sinne after baptisme pardoned 1. Iohn 2. Psal 78. Beware presumption Dan. 9.6 O sweete Psal 38. Psal 40.12 Ezra 9.6 Dei dicere est facere Iohn 5.14 Iohn 8.11 Tit. 2.11.12 Cantic 5.3 Iob. 15.16 1. Tim. 5.6 Hebre. 11.25 Psal 141.4 Math. 13.22 Cantic 2.15 Hebre. 3.13 Ephes 6.12 Aug. serm 135. 1. Pet. 5.8 Marc. 14.38 1. Thess 3.5 1. Timoth. 6.9 1 Cor. 10.13 Act· 17.28 Exod. 4.21 Ro. 1.26.28 Esa 19.14 2. Thes 2. Esay 63.17 Esay 42.24 1. Sam. 16.24 If God suffer then doth he it either against his will or with his wil if against his will then is he not omnipotent if with his