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
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
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
sée then very fitly may we learne by the Lords naming of bread only barely by it selfe and neither of gold nor siluer nor other statelynes to be content with any litle that the same Lorde shall thinke good to giue vs euer and not greedely to wish for any wanton aboundance Pray this prayer then beloued with your heart and thinke of this note For the Lorde knoweth howe fraile flesh misliketh litle séeketh much that walowing in wealth it might walow in woe an other day rechlessely ouertaken with the pleasures of this life through abilitie to haue them further than GOD wil warrant when he falleth to recken Why Sir is it not lawfull to pray for wealth and riches You haue hearde before that whatsoeuer is needefull to the life of man is included in this word bread and prayed for here And you must know also that this needefull is measured according to mens seuerall callings charges for great men haue néede of more than meane men and of both sorts they that haue more charge either of children or other necessary seruants about theÌ„ haue neede also of more Wherefore if their necessaries be great abundance euen that great abundance is lawfully prayed for by warrant both of this petition and much other Scripture But if we go from necessaries to superfluities as in deede the desire of man is to the ende hee might bathe himselfe in pleasures that flesh feedeth vpon most greedely be clothed in purple and fine linnen and fare most deliciously euery day though wofully he cry when that folly is faded for one drop of water to coole his tongue in the burning lake then must wee remember that a wise man prayed not so but euen flat contrary saying Lorde giue me not riches hee meaneth superfluitie aboue neede and addeth this reason least I bee full and deny thee and say who is the Lord. Which reason the more we meditate vpon the more strong shall we sée it this vsually being a fruite of wanton superfluitie to forget our God Beholde sayth the Lord to his people Israel I will bring thee into a good lande a lande in the which are riuers of water fountaines and depths that spring out of valleyes and mountaines A lande of wheate and barley and of vineyardes and figgetrees and pomgranats a lande of oyle oliue and hony A lande wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarsety neither shalt thou lacke any thing therein a lande whose stones are yron out of whose mountains thou shalt digge brasse But beware least when thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe and hast built goodly houses and dwelt therin and thy beasts and thy sheepe are increased and thy siluer and gold is multiplied and all that thou hast increased beware I say againe lest then thy hart bee lifted vp thou forget the Lorde thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage c. Beware least thou say in thyne heart My power and the strength of myne owne hande hath gotten me this abundance but remember the Lorde thy God For it is he which giueth the power to get substaÌ„ce c. You see what a daunger the holy Ghost hath here discouered in abundance of earthly things to lift our heele against the Lord what a vehement caueat he hath giuen and as sure as wee liue it is a thousand to one we do it If riches increase sayth he againe by his Prophet set not thy heart vppon them as if he shoulde say thy nature is to do it And charge theÌ„ that be rich in this world sayth the Apostle that they be not high minded and that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing god Why should men be charged if there were no daunger What sayde proude Pharaoh puft vp with his princely pompe but Quis est Dominê° Who is the Lord What said Nabuchad-nezzar when his greatnesse was so growne that it reached to the heauen and his dominion to the ende of the earth when hee walked in the royall place of Babel I say what sayde hee But in the pride of his heart against the Lorde thus Is not this great Babell that I haue built for the house of the kingdome by the might of my power and for the honor of my maiestie And by and by the hande of the Lord was vpon him reade it reade many times it is a great example What a damnable dreame was proude Haman in by reason of his grace in Court forgetting God hating his Saintes and so caried in the smokie cloude of his fauour with the Prince and his great estate that he neuer knew where hee was till he was ready to climbe the tree himselfe that hee had set vp for holy Mardocheus Can our soules wish a better example to tell vs the danger of earthly greatnes if the Lorde assist not slyding nature But these were straungers all from God you wil say and therefore no proofes but that wee which knowe more may doe better though we swim neuer so much in all abundance well sée you then the fault of better euen by the same Hezekias a good one and yet thus deceiued Dauid a good one and yet so puft vp that he numbred his people with a proud conceite and boasted in his wealth that it would neuer decay Whereupon Iob glorieth of it as of a speciall grace vpon him beyond the course of any whom the Lord assisteth not that hee neuer made gold his hope neither said to the wedge of gold thou art my confidence that he neuer reioyced because his substance was great and so forth The heathen knewe the danger and therefore vsually handled it as a tryed trueth that prosperitie is hardlier wel indured thaÌ„ aduersitie Saint Austen sayde it and knewe it true Diuitiarum morbus superbia The disease of riches is pride and would God we knewe not to much experience to inferre agaynst all denyals this wofull conclusion in our dayes And to tell vs all that honors and ease and abilitie to haue what either wanton will can wish or our owne or other wild heads deuise banisheth too often religion and all his exercises priuate or publique cooleth and quencheth all heauenly heates forceth away as too melancholike fooes all sweete meditations of Spiritual causes and giueth the bridle to all damnable pleasure and dreadfull securitie But they shal know one day and let vs sée now that if the Lorde giue vs but dayly breade that is thinges needefull not needelesse a moderate a competent or sufficient portion to passe this life along withall assuredly he hee doth that which is safest for vs in respect of our great propension to abuse his plentie and good cause we should without any muttering for more be contented with it Yet should greater plentie cause greater pietie greater zeale greater thankfulnes and all good but alas it is
people that no let might be to their vnderstanding of the common prayers The same Father againe in an other place saying that wee neede not any vtterance of words alwayes to pray vnto God because the Sacrifice of Iustice is sanctified in the Temple of the mind and in the secret chambers of the hart by and by obiecteth to him selfe wherefore then doth the Priest lift vp his voyce and pray aloude in the open assemblie in the Church and then answereth to the same thus Not that God but that men may heare him and that the people by the sounde of his voyce and vnderstanding of his meaning may be put in minde and by consent ioyned together and lift vp to God Againe he sayth Quid prodest loquutionis integritas quam non sequitur intellectus audientis Cum loquendi omnino nulla sit causa si quod loquimur non intelligunt propter quos vt intelligant loquimur What profite is there in speech be it neuer so perfect if the vnderstanding of the hearer cannot attaine it For there is no cause why wee should speake at all if they vnderstand not what we speake for whose sake wee speake that they may vnderstande vs. Againe Mens mea sine fructu est hoc ait quando id quod dicitur non intelligitur My minde is without fruite This the Apostle S. Paul sayth when the thing that is spoken is not perceyued And again Si intellectum mentis remoueas nemo aedificatur audiendo quod non intelligit Set apart the vnderstanding of the mind and no man hath fruite or profite of the thing that hee peeceiueth not Quid opus est iubilare non intelligere iubilationem vt vox nostra sola iubilet cor non iubilet Sonus enim cordis intellectus est What needeth vs to sing if we vnderstand not what wee sing to sing with our voyce and not with our heart For vnderstanding is the sounde or voyce of the heart These are most playne testimonies and worthy consideration if we desire a truth Origen againe very plainely sayth of such things as are read in the Church Non fuisset necessarium legi haec in ecclesia nisi ex his aedificatio aliqua audientibus praeberetur It should neuer need to reade them vnlesse some edification shoulde come by them to the hearers But without vnderstanding we know not what edification is therfore Origens iudgement is openly this that if Scriptures and prayers shoulde bee in a strange tongue then it were as good that there were neuer any at all of either of thē O marke it Cyprian next as flatly again Not the sound of the voyce but the mind vnderstanding must pray vnto the Lorde with pure intention But my vnderstanding to pray the language to be straunge to me that I pray in is impossible therfore farre was Cyprian from this folly Saint Chrisostome againe the like and many mo that I spare to name in this briefe treatise The fauorers of Rome in latter dayes sawe this trueth and yelded their testimonies plainely for it Lyra and Thomas of Aquin spare not to auouch it that the common seruice in the Primatiue Church was euer in the common vulgar tongue that the people did vnderstande That earnest as some thinke strong defender of the contrary to this by the power of a trueth is drawen to these very woordes that in the Primatiue Church the prayers were made in a commō tongue knowne to the people for cause of their further instruction and it was so necessary to be and againe in an other place It were good the people hauing humble and reuerent heartes vnderstoode the seruice I deny it not And whereas they say they can as heartily as earnestly and with as vehement an affection pray although they knowe not what they say may they not see their owne Doctor say the contrary flatly and a man of no common learning Si populus intelligit orationem Sacerdotis melius reducitur ad Deū deuotius respondet Amen that is If the people vnderstand the prayer of the Priest they are the better brought vnto God with more deuotion farre answer Amen Now there is the same reason of their deuotion openly and of our owne priuatly May they not see it playnely affirmed Quo modo potest debitè Deo psallere qui non intelligit quid psallit How can he rightly sing vnto God that vnderstandeth not himselfe what hee singeth as if hee should say it cannot bee it is impossible and not to be hoped for Last of all is it not an olde saying grounded vppon true reason Jgnoti nulla est cupido there is no desire of the thing that wee knowe not and no desire I thinke is a very colde affection Let vs ende then this poynt of the practise and iudgement of men with that decree of Pope Innocent the third in the Councel of Laterane about the yeere of our Lorde 1200. that in such Cities as should bee concurse of people of diuers nations the Bishop shoulde take order that euery people should haue a Pastor of their owne language which might serue them and minister vnto them in the same A thing very worthy obseruing that euen with the Pope himselfe the trueth of this cause that prayers ought to be vnderstood should preuaile We haue seene then God and wee haue seene men against this great corruption and hinderance of our prayer and men both in practise and iudgement What if we ioyne nowe for conclusion of all verie open reason against it It may doe good For truely euen this striketh so deepe in in this behalfe as any Christian heart may feare euer to come before the Lorde with prayer in this order For it is not one and a verie singular vse of our prayers to strengthen and frame our faith by the experience of mercies asked and receiued at our God his handes It working euer in vs a trust an hope yea an vnspeakeable comfort that he will be as he hath beene being no changeling in himselfe and that whome he hath heard so graciously so readely and so often with graunt of their desires those hee will euer heare and still heare in their right and lawfull prayers to the prayse of his mercie and the ioye of them his seruauntes in their distresses Now this singular vse and profite as I say of prayer are they depriued of that vse to pray in a straunge tongue for if any particular benefite be giuen them they knowe not whether it hath come at their intreaty or no because they know not what they haue prayed for and so receiue they no sure and certaine testimonie of the Lords helpe and goodnesse to them to the comfort of their hartes at all times when they shall néede againe to call vpon him And therefore if this be a blessing to haue true experience nay thousands of experiences of the Lordes swéete fauour to vs
then must it needes be a daungerous thing to our faith that robbeth vs of all and euery tryall of our God Therefore let but euen reason speak in this cause and it will conclude vnto our consciences thus that forasmuch as petitions knowen of vs to bee made by vs to the Lorde and of him graunted to vs which is done when we vnderstande our prayers doe strengthen our faith in comfort euer to rest vpon the Lord and the contrarie which is when we pray in a strange tongue doth weaken the same and rob vs of that comfort that groweth by experience therefore it is profitable to pray in the one and most dangerous to praie in the other Againe is not the remembraunce of Caligulaes fact in this respect most fit and presseth anie honest mind in the world with sight of fruitlesse labour in such kindes of praiers Caligula the Emperour set golden leaues before his guestes and all other seruices in forme of meats of beaten gold bad them eate But their dainties were too hard for all y t glorious shew they rose an hungered And doth not this Romish practise in very like sort set before the people of God whose souls are déere to y e Lord that made them a glistering seruice of Hebrew Greeke Latine bid them feed But alas what should they feed vpon A goodly shew there is to stir vp wonder astonishment in the people but to receiue or tast of either to moue thē to repentāce or to cōfort quiet their conscience they haue nothing And how passing well speaketh Austen in like case Quid prodest clauis aurea si aperire quod volumus nō potest aut quid obest lignea si hoc potest quando nihil quarimus nisi patere quod clausū erat What auaileth a golden key if it cannot open y t we woulde haue opened Or what hurteth a woodden key if it be able to opē seeing we desire nothing but that y t thing that is shut may be opened The wrong is apparant to the church of God though I say no more but it passeth a frensie for men women in their priuate praiers to deale thus w t thēselues For I trust to refresh their hungrie bodies they would set no such hard meate as gold before thēselues and skilleth it not how it feedeth the soule that should feed it so it be glorious to the shew O consider it whosoeuer seeke to starue vs let vs not be guilty of our own spiritual death our selues Again if y e brute beasts or birds discouer this follie let vs not refuse them If they could speak as Democritus y e philosopher somtime thought as Lactantius a Christian writer semeth partly to say they do yet being birdes beastes voide of reason they wold not speak they know not what The very sense of nature therfore is against this folly But let their soūd be a sound without sense vnderstanding as Plinies rauē that could saie Aue Caesar Imperator All haile Emperor Caesar or the Cardinals Popiniay that could pronounce distinctlie all the Articles of the Créed yet knew not what they sayd shame we not to be like them Hauing the gift of reason giuen vs of God aboue all the creatures that he made to distinguish vs from them in the rule of all our actions Let the olde Father Saint Augustine speak both for the cause and for this reason Quid hoc sit quod precati sumus intelligere debemus vt humana ratione non quasiauium voce cantemus Nam et meruli et psitaci et corui et picae et huiusmodi volucres saepe ab hominibus docentur sonare quod nesciunt Scienter autem cantare naturae hominis diuina voluntate concessum est What this is that wee haue praied wee must vnderstande that wee may sing with reason agréeable to a man and not chatter with voice as birds doe For Owsels and Popiniayes and Rauens and Pies and such like birdes are often taught of men to pronounce that which they doe not vnderstand But to sing with knowledge is giuen by God to mans nature What testimonie plainer or reproofe more waightie may there be But I forget my selfe and purposing but to touch matters make too long abode in this thing Conclude we thē with an effectuall thought in our hearts as men women that are not sworne against the Lord and past all recouerie whether euer anie person in this world dared or wée our selues durst speake to an earthly man for a sute of waight belonging vnto this bodie in this world and know not what we saie O our care in the one and carelesnes in the other our feare in the one euen ouer tittles and sillables and our want o◠féeling in the other in large speech what a witnesse will it beare against our soules before the Lord in that dreadfull daie if wee take not warning and leauing betimes the waie that God condemneth man misliketh reason reproueth and very nature abhorreth make choice of the other which in all these respects is commended and by no meanes can euer doe harme To day if we heare the truth let vs harden no heartes against it Saie not God is mercifull and I hope the best for as he hath mercie so commeth wrath from him when we are wilful Woe to the eare that will not heare sayth the Lord often Larger discourses may be liked of if neede be this serueth for a taste of truth in a short treatise Yea Sir but God vnderstandeth what soeuer we saie in what tongue so euer we speake and that is sufficient No indeede For can you affirme that praier was ordained for God alone or for vs to make our mone to God by also If it were so and is so then ought we as well to vnderstande our selues as the Lorde to vnderstande vs. And is there no matter what we speake or how we speake so that God vnderstand vs Could we so content our selues towarde a man Let the one teach vs in the other and let desperate conclusions haue deserued confusions before our eyes euer We may as well reason agaynst spéech of tongue because God knoweth our hearts as against vnderstanding of our praiers because God vnderstandeth them But inough is said Goe you then to the causes of our prayers which is next in order of our verse These haue in effecte also sufficientlie bene touched alreadie in this that hath ben spoken For wee haue hearde causes in respect of God in respect of our selues and in respect of our brethren Which you maye turne backe vnto again if you will and peruse all causes vrgent and weightie of our prayers that are God hath commaunded vs to pray God hath promised to heare vs if we pray threatens to punish vs if we doo not our faith is then confirmed by it our dangers preuented our wantes reléeued our loue to the Lorde increased our liues ordred to
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
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
well together as of things contrary to themselues and therefore taking away one an other The willingnesse of God to graunt our desires taketh not away our Prayer but strengthneth our faith to aske chéerefully and therfore euen then when he saith you shal haue he saith also aske by Prayer then when he saith I will heare he saith also call vppon me and euen then when he promiseth to be néere yet he mentioneth to whom namely to such as pray vnto him And the eyes of the Lord are vpon the iust and his eares are open to their Prayers Therfore euen the Lord himselfe being iudge his purpose to graunt taketh not away our obedience to aske his readie willingnes to giue euen before we aske crosseth not at all his commaundement neuerthelesse to aske and so neither our bounden duetie to perfourme the same continually But by all those places of his fatherly readines and most mercifull willingnes to doe vs good as I haue alreadie saide our faith is strengthned our harts incouraged his goodnesse shewed and our obedience in 〈…〉 Prayer confirmed greatly not any way subuerted or taken away Well then see nowe an other deuise of Satan against this holy exercise If we cannot take it away out of the vse of mē by these conclusions let vs trie another way to make it vaine and not onely so to our selues but euen hatefull and abhominable to the Lorde Let vs ascribe vnto it merite of remission of sinnes iustification with God many marueilous vertues aboue the dignitie allowed in the word and finally to saluation And to this ende let vs alleage all the places of Scripture wherein Prayer is commended highly as if they meant thus highly Indeede you say very true such there are and thus Satan perswadeth But alas what should wee stande vpon it It is one thing to be a meanes and an other thing to be a cause of saluation and mercie Gods children acknowledge no cause of their life with God but Christ Iesus only in whom freely the Lord hath loued vs but meanes many as hearing reading fasting what we speake of praying Our prayers are acceptable to our GOD but neuer for them selues but for Christ They are auaileable also with God but by for faith in Christ whereof earnest Prayer ioyned with fasting is a token And therfore if we obtaine of God neuer so great matters by Prayer our Prayer yet is no cause of that but only a meanes So then a foolish and false argument it is to cut it off that thus reasoneth of a cause that is not a cause indeede I see well then the foundation of Prayer euen in nature I see the necessitie of it in respect of God our selues and our brethren I see the marueilous and exceeding profite of it and lastly the malice of Satan against it in both extremities either seeking to deface it as not required or if he cannot that do in ascribing vnto it aboue that which is lawfull thereby to make it fruitlesse with God Will you now adioyne any more It shall not bee amisse also for vs to consider those other poynts which bee vsually considered in these treatises and comprised for memorie in an olde verse to wit Affectus causae quis per quem quidque petendum That is With what affection we must pray For what causes To whome Through whome For what And concerning the first the Scripture teacheth vs that wee must pray with a zealous spirit with hart with soule and with all the power within vs not with colde affection and lippe labour The Apostles speach of the Spirit may giue this rule of Praier in it euer to be obserued be feruent in Praier The Lord himselfe by his Prophet complayneth that the people cried not in their hearts vnto him that is with this affection that we speake of And the auncient Ceremonies of lifting vp of handes remembreth vs thereof The spirit of God witnesseth it of his children as of Anna she prayed and wept sore troubled in her minde that her lippes shooke withall albeit she spake in her heart Of Moses that he cryed vnto the Lord and yet he spake neuer a word but so vehement was his spirite and so feruent his inwarde powers of Soule and heart that it was like a shrill shrike in the eares of the Lord. This heate of heart it is glorious before the Lord and profitable to vs but it is not at our commaundement we cannot haue it when wee will the Lord hath reserued it to himselfe to giue when and where and to whome and in what measure it pleaseth him As it is witnessed vnto vs by the Apostle saying The Spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee knowe not what to pray as wee ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed That is wee are not able of our selues to pray with that feruentnesse of spirite that heate of hart such motion of minde such trust such faith such sighes such power such affection in a word euery way as is conuenient to the Maiestie of God vnlesse we be inabled by his Spirite and therefore in mercie he supplieth with the same as pleaseth him Neuerthelesse meanes there are in the word noted vnto vs which worke vnder the blessing of this Spirite to this effect in measure in vs and therefore if this affection bée required in vs they be also necessary as helpers to y e same The first is a true consideration of our owne vnworthinesse and indignitie such and so great as that there is no mercie due vnto vs Such as maketh vs with the Publican not to will to lift vp our eyes to heauen but to knocke our breast and crye in humble sorte Good Lord be mercifull to me a sinner Such as maketh vs with the Centurion to say Lord I am not worthie that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe and therefore say but the worde and my seruant shall bee well Such againe as maketh vs with Daniell to say in smarting woe O Lord wee doe not present our supplications before thee for our owne righteousnesse but for thy great tender mercies With Dauid O Lorde enter not into iudgement with thy seruants for no flesh liuing shall bee iustified in thy sight With Esay Wee haue all bene as an vncleane thing all our righteousnesse is as filthie cloutes and we all doe fade like a leafe and our iniquities like the winde haue taken vs away With Ieremy O Lord though our iniquities testifie against vs deale with vs according to thy name for our rebellions are many and wee haue sinned against thee And finally such as may iustly make our soules vexed within vs when we thinke of it our bodies to bowe downe and goe crookedly and our eyes to faile as he speaketh This low conceipt but true conceipt of our selues marueilously quickneth vp our spirites and therefore is euer to
there any true goodwill which is not allowed by God Should not his liking and allowance bee the rule and guide of vs and all our doings If then we can finde where hee biddeth vs shewe our goodwill in this sorte vse it and feare not if we cannot neuer thinke that is goodwill which wanteth the Lordes stampe vpon it vnlesse you will affirme that GOD condemneth good dueties to our Brethren which God forbid Then consider againe that albeit it neither hurt nor profite them yet in truth it hurteth vs that doe it both because it is an action without warrant and therefore not of faith and so sinne and because also it confirmeth and proppeth vp that lewd opinion of Purgatorie so derogatorie to the truth of God the comfort of his children Therefore if we will shewe goodwill to our friendes departed let vs speake of them as men and women in the hands of God and in such comfort as that they neede not any prayers of vs departed in a true faith and therfore now possessors of the promise euen of such ioyes as no eye hath seene no eare hath heard neither any hart bene able to conceiue of For thus to hope of them is like friendes to hope of them and thus to speake hurteth not our selues Our phrases may be as easely God hath had mercie on him I trust as GOD haue mercie on him he is with GOD I hope he is at rest from his labours he hath finished his course or any such like If wee will a little at first labour to forget a bad custome when it seeketh to come vpon our tongues so readily Then for the place in the Machabees our answer first toucheth the books and then the matter The bookes we except against as not Canonicall that is of authoritie to build our faith and obedience vpon and the reasons of our so doing are such as neuer haue neither can bée truely answered by any aduersarie I pray you let it not greeue you both to heare thē and very diligently to marke them First the holy Ghost neuer vseth to epitomise contract and prophane mens workes and writings but is able of himselfe to write and lay downe whatsoeuer may be profitable for his Church and so hath euer done But y e second booke of Machabees whence this place for Prayer for the dead is taken is an abridgement wholly out of the fiue bookes of Iason the Cirenian as the author himselfe confesseth and therefore not a writing or booke of the holy Ghost Secondly the Author of this booke craueth pardon for his wants and saith it is aswell as he was able to doe but thus neuer the holy Ghost at any mans hands For how should God craue pardon of man and say it is as well as he was able to doe Therefore this most mightely and euidently vnlesse we shut our eyes and stoppe our eares against the truth telleth vs this booke is not as the rest of the Scriptures whereon we safely stay our selues Thirdly in the writings of the holy Ghost there are no contrarieties euer but in these bookes there are and therefore no Scripture by inspiration from the holy Ghost Wil you thinke of some of them In the first booke it is said of Iudas that hee was slaine of Bacchides his armie and that Ionathas and Simon his brethren buried him in his fathers Sepulcher in the Citie of Modin and all the Israelites wept for him c. In the second booke he is aliue againe and writeth letters 36. yeeres after he was dead Can both these be true If not then marke the credite of this booke Not vnlike to this is that which is written of Antiochus his death In the first booke it is sayd he laide him downe vppon his bed sicke and there dyed with such circumstances of the matter as there you may reade and see your selfe In the second booke and first Chapter it is sayd that he entring the temple of Nanea the Priestes opened a priuie doore of the Vaute and cast downe stones like Thunder vpon him and his companie and brused them in peeces cut off their heades and threw them out to the rest of their companie that were without In the 9. Chapter of the same booke it is sayd he dyed a miserable death among the mountaines These be greater contrarieties thā I trust any man that feareth GOD will thinke may be in bookes whereof the holy Ghost is author And therefore you see wee doe not without great cause refuse to learne our faith out of these Bookes If mens iudgements bee regarded of vs we heare and see what the Fathers thought Hierom Epiphan Athanasius and Cyprian reiect these bookes in this sorte as not to be rules of faith Yea the Bishop of Rome himselfe Gregorie 200. yeeres after Austen reiecteth them as not Canonicall and if other men be of small regard with them yet would GOD the Papistes would respect their owne Bishop But Austen they say affirmeth them Canonicall O why should not loue of truth banish all cauilles Austen doth so and in the very same place that they alleage sayth the contrary How then is Austen contrary to himselfe No their owne eyes see as well as we if they will that when he calleth them not Canonicall he taketh the worde strictly and properly and meaneth they are no groundes and rules for our faith when hee calleth them Canonical he taketh the word largely and meaneth they are such as may bee read in the Churches for examples of the great and marueilous passions and persecutions of the Martyrs Beleeue not me but heare himselfe First that they are not Canonicall In Machabaeorum libris c. Although there may some thing bee found in the bookes of the Machabees meete for this order of writing and worthie to bee ioyned with the number of miracles yet hereof wee will haue no care for that wee haue intended only to touch a short rehearsall of the miracles contayned in the bookes of holy Canon See how he saith they are not Canonicall and therefore hée will not accept of the miracles in them Againe Haec supputatio non in scripturis sanctis quae appellantur Canonicae sed in alijs inuenitur in quibus sunt Machabaeorum libri This reckoning is not founde in the holie Scriptures that are called Canonicall but in certaine other bookes among which are the bookes of the Machabees Many such testimonies might bee alleadged out of this Father but these suffice in this treatise Now that they are Canonicall heare himselfe againe Libros Machabaeorum ecclesia habet pro canonicis propter quorundam Martyrum passiones vehementes atque mirabiles The Church accompteth the bookes of the Machabees as canonicall not for the aucthoritie and weight of trueth but for the great and meruailous passions and persecutions of Martyrs therein contained And againe that scripture that beareth the name of the Machabees is receiued not vnprofitably of the Church so that
vs. How came it to passe that the Iewish people so seeing dayly the wonderfull workes of God for them the proofes of his power mercie and goodnesse aboue all the nations of the world yet persisted vnfaithfull stubburne and wayward to so good a God O sayth Moses these things being done for you yet hath the Lorde giuen you an heart to perceiue and eyes to see and eares to heare vnto this daie teaching vs playnly that such hart such eyes and eares are onely the Lords to giue and without such gift we profite nothing no not by the verie euident extraordinarie mercies of God In another place agayne The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart the heart of thy seede that thou mayest loue the Lord thy GOD with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou mayest liue As if hee shoulde saie neuer thinke of anie loue of GOD faythfull and true as possible to be within thee and consequently no obedience loue being the root of all excepte the Lorde circumcise thine heart that is purge all thy wicked affections giue hearing reading a blessing which thing is not in thine owne power to doe It is I sayth the Lord by the prophet Esaie that receiue the spirite of the humble and giue lyfe to them that are of a contrite heart If the Lorde worke in one he worketh in all the spirites of men are ruled and gouerned vnto good onelie by him If he touch vs we are touched if hee turne vs wee are turned and if hee reuiue not and giue life we sinke in all our sinnes as vnfeeling wretches and abide in death How playnly sayth it agayne the Prophet Ezekiel I wil giue you a newe heart and I will put a newe Spirit within you and will take away the stony heart out of your body giue you an heart of flesh And I will put my spirit within you and and cause you to walke in my statutes c. O see and marke howe all lets bee remooued and all grace giuen by the Lorde alone in mercy seeking our saluation And therefore knowe it true as the truth is true that neither hearing nor reading preaching or priuat speaking auaileth euer to doe vs good except the guiding grace of the Lorde direct vs to it by a blessing giuen to them all or any when they are vsed And therefore as for the word so for the blessing of it by the Spirit of God do we euer pray when we say these words Thy kingdom come Then opened he their vnderstanding sayth the Gospell of our Sauiour Christ that they might vnderstand the Scripture And Lydia attended to those thinges which Paul spake because the Lord opened her heart So that neither one nor other Lydia nor the disciples of Christ see heare or vnderstand except the Lorde giue the eye the eare and the heart It is the holy Spirit that teacheth teacheth into all trueth and without whome still still all meanes remaine vnprofitable There is an oyntment sayth Saint Iohn from him that is holy and that anoynting teacheth you all things that is the grace of the holy ghost Wherefore I cease not to make mencion of you in my prayers sayth the holy Apostle and to bowe my knees vnto the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ that he would giue vnto you the Spirit of wisedome and reuelation through the knowledge of him that the eyes of your vnderstanding may bee lightned that we may knowe what the hope of his calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritaunce is in the Saints c. And that yee may bee strengthened by his Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by fayth and yee may bee able to comprehend with all Saynts what is the bredth and length and depth and height c. See Pauls refuge for profitte to his preaching for life and light for these Ephesians euen to the Lorde for his holy Spirite to soften and supple their stony heartes to illuminate and lighten their darke mindes and to make that sweete to them that is sower to many and fruitefull to them by his mightie power that is neuer so to any without the same Wherefore to goe no further knowe it for conclusion that wee praying for Gods kingdome to come vnto vs in this petition by the hearing and preaching of his worde the meanes appoynted of him to erect the same and seeing well by all this that hath bene said that neither one nor other of these meanes cā preuaile with vs any thing vnlesse the Lorde also with them giue the power of his Spirit and the blessing of his grace in our hearts by them therefore there is included herein also euen praier for this grace and the petition being vnderstoode of vs is thus much with the Lord as we should in playne termes say O Lord giue vs not onely thy worde to reade and heare but the heauenly grace of thy holy Spirit also to sanctifie blesse and make fruitefull to vs both our reading and hearing that so reading and so hearing thy kingdome may come vnto vs and thou ruling and wee ruled wee may liue for euer with thee according to thy promise See then still further matter of this petition And since the Lord hath taught vs thus to pray for the helpe of his hande and the blessing of his grace to all the meanes of good vnto vs and so guided the tongues of his children euer before this forme was layde downe vnto them though in other wordes Let vs brethren looke vpon this occasion into our corruption for truely the Lorde reueileth a secret vnto vs of our natures that thousands sée not when hee thus teacheth vs that without his Spirite no meanes profite vs. We trust to our witts to our skill to our yeres and youth and I know not what and wee thinke wee haue wings of nature aboue our fellowes many of vs to flye aloft and to sée the secretes of the Lord but truely it is not so we haue all sinned and sinne hath cut our wings that wee cannot flye aboue wee haue all in our first parentes transgressed and that transgression hath dazeled and darkened our eyes closed our eares and benummed our heartes that we can neither see heare nor feele except it bee giuen vs from aboue as wee haue now fully bene taught As naturall men we perceyue not the thinges that are of GOD we are not able to thinke a thought that is good but all our sufficiencie is of God and by his grace only we are what we are that good is if any trueth bee opened to vs the Lord hath done it and cōcerning life eternall flesh and blood reueileth nothing to vs but the father in heauen reade without this spirit and the booke is sealed to vs heare without this Spirite and it is a pleasant song that sinketh not but passeth with the time pray without this
distinction is Tertullians against Martion and receiued vsually That euill which is called the punishment of euill there is no question neither but God willeth and is the author of it he being y e iudge of whose warrant it is done and the punishment it selfe being a worke of iustice against sinne being also good The question is de malo culpae of that euill that is the euill it selfe howe God willeth it or not And concerning this matter see first on the one side what is truth thou art not a God sayth the Prophet Dauid that louest wickednes neither shall any euil dwel with thee No thou louest righteousnesse hatest iniquitie Perditio tua ex te Israel et auxilium a me thy destruction Israel is by thy selfe and of thy selfe and in mee is thy helpe When the deuill speaketh a lye hee speaketh of his owne for hee is a lyar and the father thereof Sée then the true author of euill not God but Satan Furthermore if God be all good how can hee will the thing that is euill euery thing willing but that which is agreeable to the nature thereof This striueth therefore with his goodnes It is contrary also to his power for what good that hee will is not hee able to bring to passe without the meanes of euill and if he be then needeth not he to wil any euil to the end to compasse some good by it that otherwise he could not It is cōtrary to his mercy which extendeth it self vpon them that haue done euill It is contrary to his iustice which promiseth it in others And playnely wee see then that the Lord doth not will any euil Which Saint Austen acknowledged when he said Deus non est author vllius rei qua homo fit deterior God is neuer author of any thing wherby man may be made the worse Now on the otherside heare againe what is truth also The Lorde hardened Pharohs heart The Lord deliuereth men vp into a reprobate mind to do those things which are not conuenient the Lorde sendeth men strong delusions to beleeue lies the Lorde sent a spirit to seduce Achab and put him in the mouth of all Achabs Prophets with many such things testified of the Lorde in the word which in vs were euill and séeme so to be in the Lord also if our knowledge be not better to distinguish and to cleare him in whom there can be no vnrighteousnesse euer Hereupon swell the Libertines in blasphemy against the Lord and excusing themselues charge him with their wicked wayes Hereat also stumbled the Manichees and therfore made duo principia two originals or first causes of actions the one most good from whence came al goodnes the other most euill from whence came all euill and the punishment of all euill And hereat also sticke many saying God suffereth these thinges to bee done but no further But I pray you let vs aske them whether God suffer them willingly or against his will If they say willingly then confesse they that God hath a part in the action and that is more than suffring if they say vnwillingly then make they him not omnipotent for cannot he let any thing that he wil not we know he can and there is none that can resist his will sayth the Apostle Wherfore to helpe this matter and to answere with truth we must vnderstand a fewe thinges and I pray you hearken We must distinguish of sinne and we must distinguish of will Sinne hath two distinctions fit for this purpose to bee knowne For either it is considered simply in it selfe and by it selfe as a thing contrary to the law of God or it is considered as a cause of sinne and euill folowing or thirdly as a iust punishment of sinne that went before The first GOD neuer willeth neither can will the second so also But in the third respect God is sayde to will euill to wit not as it is euil but as it is poena peccati the punishment of euill Which in deede is a iust thing of the Lord. So doth hee punish sinne with sinne as in the place before named hee punished the Gentiles with deliuery vp to a reprobate minde to worke euil because when they knewe God they glorified him not as God neither were thankfull The second distinction is this in sinne and all euill there is the action and the deformitie or euill of and in the action The first God may well for he is in deede the very first efficient cause of euery action according to that saying in him we liue moue haue our being and deus operatur in omnibus 1. Cor. 12.16 and of him for him c. omnia Rom. 11.16 Touching the second we must vnderstand that will is either proper or improper Proper when wee will a thing for it selfe either as a good thing in deede or at least so iudged of vs improper when we will a thing not for it selfe as good of it selfe but for some other good that shal folow it And thus may we will that thing that is euill as a man willeth the cutting of some member for the safety of all y e rest So God willeth euill things not because he alloweth them or loueth that which is properly to will but seeth in his mercy hee so disposing them some good shall followe of them which as I say is to wil improperly and herein we sée howe still the obiect of will is good in the Lord. To apply then all this to God so farre as our question requireth let vs vnderstand that that euil which is a punishment inflicted by God for some former euill we may say that God willeth For so teacheth vs the same God himselfe by his Prophet saying I forme the light and create the darkenes I make peace and create euill I the Lord do al these things Marke howe the Lorde sayth hee createth euill That is the euill that is a iust punishment of some former euil or sinne The like againe by the Prophet Amos shall a trumpet be blowne in a Citie and the Lord hath not done it Out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth not euill and good Is it not a knowne trueth in diuinitie that the Lorde punisheth often sinne with sinne Now all sinne we knowe is euill if we respect it selfe but if we respect it as it commeth from God to punish sinne withal then is in that respect not euill but a iust right and good thing The hardning of Pharohs hart in Pharoh was euill in God it was a iust punishment of his sinne The deceyuing of Achab with a lye in it selfe considered was euill but as God did it for a punishment of his sinne it was not euill but iust That strong delusion whereof Paul speaketh in it selfe is euill but if we marke it inflicted by God as a punishment for want of loue to the trueth so it is a iust thing
as much as anie of these deuised orders could performe and a litle more to I trow And therefore no immunitie to vs neither further yoake to them that I know of if this petition stand Fourthly we may here verie wel learne the true cause of all such hurlie burlies in y e worlde of warres of schismes of heresies of strifes amongst neighbours and finallie of all calamities euen this Quod neglecta voluntate Dei suo quisque sensu rapitur that euery man setting aside y e will of God which aboue al should be regarded is carried with his owne liking and will in all things Wherefore as one sayth Oremus Deum vt spiritum filiorum det nobis c. Let vs beseech the Lord to giue vs the spirites of sonnes and children that renouncing our owne will we may readily hartely submit our selues to his will and not with lippes but life shew that wee praie it earnestly Fiat voluntas tua Thy will bee done Fiftly praying that his will may be done in earth wee acknowledge euen in this worlde also a place wherein God ought to rule and not onely in heauen And therfore are iustly occasioned as ofteÌ„ as we say this prayer to groâ—e in our spirites and sighe with right sorrowful hearts to see yet how farre that is of To see what disobedience there is in euery degrée yea what stubborn rebellioÌ„ and defiance as it were with this will of God where it is knowen but much more to see what thousandes and millions there be that knowe it not what whole nations kingdomes and Countries And if they knowe it not ill can they doe it But where are these grones and sighs Where is that plentie of water that gushed out of Dauids eies for like cause Assuredly beloued if we had sent forth these messengers to the Lorde and deliuered these tokens of inward zeale for his glorie and our bretherens good ere this day long they had perced the heauens and the Lorde of the vineyard had sent foorth labourers to breede knowledge knowledge had displaced ignorance rebellion and wrought true submission in many thousandes of soules to this heauenly will that here we speak of Sixtly if we did not see this rebellion of the world agaynst the Lord plaine inough yet doth this verie petition so teach it that we cannot denie it For why should we be taught to praie that his wil may be done if it were done and that he may be obeyed in thoughtes wordes and deedes if he were not fearefully disobeyed in them all If then both one and other sheweth it alasse what cause haue we to delight heere to liue and dwell as we do Nay what true matter herehence may we gather to defie it and to weane our soules froÌ„ it as the Lord wil strengthen It is a place of rebellioÌ„ against our God a sink of sin a cage y e Lord knoweth it of vncleane birds a sepulchre though outwardly faire painted yet full of rotteÌ„ bones yea rotteÌ„ bodies and defiled soules with horrible pollutions Mundus totus in maligno positus in hoc virtus et pietas patiuntur in hoc mille technae ad fallenduÌ„ quocunque respicitis impurus est totus et sordesciâ— indies magis magisqúe c. This worlde is wholy set on mischiefe in it vertue and godlinesse suffer in it are a thousand subtilties to deceiue which way so euer thou lookest in it altogether impure is it and the impuritie of it still daily more and more increaseth sometimes tyrantes disturbe the publique peace sometimes heretiques oppugne the truth sometimes priuate perils molest and grieue and what euer comfort yeeldeth it that is true and permanent He that had the most proofe of the pleasure of it that had euer anie and by proofe might speake what hee founde in them hath thus deliuered to al eares for euer that they are vanities all and vexation of Spirite The worlde will promise her seauen yeeres seruants faire and wished Rachael but when performance should be theÌ„ commeth Leah with her sore eyes that is a subtill sleight to disappoynt thy paine a worse reward than thou seruest in hope of It will promise promotion high and lofty to prodigalitie but it wil pay the contempt bitter and grieuous for thy beggery when al is spent in hope of that promotion By mariage it promiseth many comforts but howe often payeth it many cares with sops of sorrow that soke full deepe The world is full of false Prophets that will keep Achab from good Micheas councell full of false marchants that will shew foorth the better end of the peece and saie the rest is like when it is farre otherwise ful of cunning fishers that vnder pleasaunt baites haue hidden hookes to destroy vs if we bite full of such golden strumpettes as that of Babylon which in cups of gold giue drinke that killeth euen to hell full of smooth alluring Iahels which stand in their tent doores saie to men Turne in my Lord turne in vnto me and feare not but if in they come and fall to sleepe the nayle and the hammer walke to theyr wofull ende and fall full of flattering Ioabs that can saie with a smiling face how doest thou my brother Amasa and stab him in that he shall not answer ful of trecherous Iudases that with a kisse betray theyr deerest maister And alasse what place is this Runne ouer the greatest things that here we haue or can haue and see what is linked to them If a man haue riches what feares and cares hath he with them If honours what burthens and feares againe of a fall If a man haue friends what a do to keepe them Our bodies haue diseases our mindes haue passions neighbors be comfortable and to liue sole is solitarie yet see discoÌ„forts one toutheth our goods by law another our name by slander this hateth vs that enuieth vs another flattereth another deceiueth another beareth false witnesse against vs with a thousand such And if we be discontented and crossed but in one thing see the misery of this wretched world though we inioy a thousand contentes yet grindeth that daie and night vpon vs and al our contents are as nothing to vs because of that one discontent The triall was had of that wicked Haman who though he had many great preferments to reioyce in yet felt hee them all eclipsed and as it were taken from him by this one griefe the life of Mardocheus before his face And what shoulde I saie Would God wee did it often with profite what wee may doe euer with griefe to the better weaning our selues from this world of woes euen search and see into the manners of it in euery place in euerie age and in euery sort of persons Shall we not see of all the things that are accounted of nothing so little accounted of as sinne Shal we not see iustice solde veritie wreasted shame lost and equitie despised Shall
we not sée the guilty quitte and the halter put ouer the innocents head Shall we not see the wicked aduanced and the godly depressed wreaked and wronged and troad vppon Surely we shall see fooles bid speak and wise men bid peace Yea we shall see euery mans mouth ouer foule with loosenesse and fewe mens liues gouerned with vertue Alasse then againe what a place is this Shall the sinnes of himselfe make the Apostle crie Cupio dissolui I desire to bee loosed and to be with Christ And shall not all the sinnes of so sinfull a world together with our own make vs desire it What pleasure had the good prophet who for the very sinne that he sawe hee desired death Did not our Sauiour say it when time was Non rog◠pro mundo I pray not for the world And shall wee ioy in the place so fearefully excepted in the prayer of Christ If wee thinke heauen to bee our home are we not so long from home as we are heere If to depart here hence be to go to lyfe is not to tarrie heere to abide in death If that life be freedome is not this bondage Finally if to bee with God bee our true felicitie to be absent from GOD is it not our sure miserie But whilest we are at home in the bodie we are absent from God sayth the Apostle and therfore think of it What may you now think you beloued to staie you from a true and Christian lothing of this wretched life in so vil◠a world Truely I knowe not excepte you should vnwisely saie there be few that doe it and many that doe it not Which if you should saie then must I answere you as he did that said it Neque minor erit gloria tua si foelix eris cum paucis neque poena leuior si miser eris cum stultis Neither shal thy glory be lesse if thou be happie with fewe neyther thy punishment lighter if thou be miserable with many But I hope you are far from being holden in euill with so bad arguments and therfore I pray you let vs all remember what is sayde vnto vs Loue not this world neither any thing that is in the world For if wee loue the world the loue of the father is not in vs. And the Lord strengthen vs. Seuenthly we see heere by this petition and forme of praier the verie true nature of a childe of God namely to desire pray heartely that both in himselfe and others Gods wil may be knowen and done Yea so heartely and earnestly doth he wish this that to see the contrarie is a vexation to his soule very vehement and great And he deliuered iust lot sayth Sainct Peter vexed with the vncleanly conuersation of the wicked And I saw the transgressours sayth Dauid and was grieued because they kept not thy word yea mine eyes gush out with teares for this cause But of this some thing was sayde before The Lorde enter not into iudgement with vs euer for the want of this sorrow to see other men doe euill saying nothing of our selues our owne euill For how may we answer not our sorrowing but our laughing euen as wee were tickled to see dronkards to heare rimers and railers and idle counterfaiters tearing their tongues against theyr teeth to the dishonour of God the gauling or slaunder of others and the death of their owne soules for euer without repētance which in many of them God may worke but it is smally to bee hoped of as yet God that shall iudge vs knoweth it and telleth vs now whilst we haue time to leaue it that wee cannot answer it The Lord therefore chaunge vs and wee shall be chaunged and make the breach of his will to touch vs deepely both in our selues and others Lastly wee may note here if there were no other Scriptures to shewe vs what an acceptable thing to the Lord the readie and carefull doing of his wil is by this that our Sauiour placeth this petition amongst the first and chiefe desires of his children wee may see our dulnes that must be taught to pray for this obedience and wee may see Gods rich great goodnesse that wil giue vs strength to obey him and then crowne vs for so doing with an immortall crowne as if wee had done all of our selues The Lord giue vs feeling And let thus much suffice of this petition A Prayer O Sweete and gracious Father how deere both is ought to be to a good child the goodwill of his earthly Father And if so how much more deere to thy child the iust and euer holy will of thee his heauenly father In deede hee should pray with hart soule that it may be done And therefore feeling our onely sweete comfort this that wee are thy children wee againe and againe beseech thy maiestie that it may so be Concerning thy secret will reserued to thy selfe O Lord let vs neuer curiously bee searchers and seekers to knowe aboue that which is meete for vs to knowe Much lesse let vs giue our selues by spirites and deuilles and vile meanes to wring out as it were by force from thee the knowledge of tymes and seasons and matters reserued in thy power but let vs euer concerning this bee thus disposed by thy grace in our selues that whatsoeuer this hidden will of thine shal be concerning vs whether to liue or dye to bee poore or rich to be high or low in this world with the same and in the same wee rest and be contented saying in our harts as obedient children let my God and Father do with mee and dispose of mee at his pleasure And when it shall appeare and be reueiled to vs then euen more if more may bee to be contented giuing true and hartie thankes to thy maiestie as well for wo as well for little as much for lowe degree as high degree if so thy pleasure be taking well in worth as thy seruant Iob at thy hands euill things as good things sower as well as sweet and lowring nightes as well as Sunneshine mornings Deere GOD make vs euer blesse thy name with a single hart when we knowe thy will and till thou shewest it leaue it to thy selfe Concerning next thy reueiled will that is all that which in thy worde thou hast layd downe and declared to bee the duetie which thou wilt haue performed of vs toward thee O Lord of mercie wee beseech thee that whereas our mindes burning with lusts are commonly caried to desire and to doe those things that most displease thee thou of thy gracious goodnesse wouldest vouchsafe so to chaunge vs by the power of thy blessed Spirite that we may wil and wish nothing but what thy holy will alloweth Giue vs faith firme and stedfast in thy Sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ And to this faith ioyne in mercie a pure and cleane life graunting vs grace to possesse these vessels in holinesse and honour and not in the lust
rake and rob and pull from many men that which is theirs and not ours How this toucheth many a man I wishe verie hartely may be concluded by priuie feeling of secret guilt not in any broder tearmes layde open by mee Surely beloued it is a grieuous matter to disable my selfe to pray the Lords prayer or anie part of it but so doe all they that are not content with so much bread as is their owne of which they may trulie saie it is ours and therefore beware Thirdly this worde Our truly confirmeth the property of goods wiues children seruants and such like amongst Christians contrary to all prophane and brutish community either by Anabaptists or other heretikes whatsoeuer sought to be establyshed A long and a large matter if it needed a confirmation or a confutation And why doe we saie Dayly Bread or bread for the day The Lord hath pleased so to call it first to note out vnto vs our mortalitie and fading estate if he should not euen dayly feed vs. Secondly to teach vs that it is our dutie dayly to aske what dayly we neede and not to make our praier at once for a yeres or many yeeres prouision because wee woulde take our libertie to praie no more Thirdly that thus hee might bridle somewhat our raging hearts and our endlesse greedie and insatiable desires For many of vs are neuer satisfied neuer pleased with any measure of blessing giuen vs by the Lorde but euer crauing and crying more more This immoderate humour and sinfull vaine the Lord seeketh heere to helpe teaching vs to bee so farre from wishing heaps or any wanton delicates that we are content with dayly bread that is with so much as serueth for that daie and as shall be fit to preserue life honestly not wantonly Knowing it and feeling in the faith of a childe of God that a small thing vnto the iust man is better than greate riches to the wicked and mightie and againe if nothing wanteth to them that feare the Lord that is no profitable and necessarie thing The wise man sayth it The Lord will not famish the soule of the righteous but he casteth away the substaunce of the wicked The King and Prophet sayth I haue bene young c. Cyprian saith Quum Dei sint omnia habenti Deum nihil deerit si Deo non desit And Fides famem non timet That is since all things bee Gods howe shall hee that hath God want any thing except God be wanting to himselfe Faith feares no famine Lastly to assure vs that so well our wants are knowen to the Lorde as that for euerie daie he can tell what is sufficient and what we haue neede of Therefore when it is sayde in the Gospell Your heauenly Father knoweth what yee haue neede of We may adde euerie houre euery day and doe it by warrant of this worde in this petition A most comfortable thing truly to euerie one and especially to them that haue any great carke vpon their hands eyther of children or otherwise For it assureth thē that theyr God is priuie to their estate yea so priuie that he knoweth for euerie day in the weeke and for euery day in their liues what they haue neede of both for themselues and their charges and euen for that cause namely that they should knowe it to be so he hath caused them to praie but for theyr dayly bread not naming anie quantitie but leauing that to himselfe who knoweth better than themselues what will serue the turne and will most assuredlie euer send it them I praie you then thinke of it and so earnestly thinke of it as the knowledge and remembrance of it may euer keepe vs from distrust in such a God and from the effects of distrust namely the vse of anie badde meanes to releeue theyr wāts by For the Lord knoweth our néed and euerie dayes neede yea euerie houres neede and his word is past that he wil not onely knowe it but releeue it as shall bee best I will care for thee I will not fayle thee neyther forsake thee sayth the Lorde And therefore cast thy care in comfort vppon me What an incouragement also may this be euer to vs to goe to our knees and to call vpon our God by prayer when wee heare how priuie he is to our estate If we haue a petition to a man our speeding often lyeth vpon our vtteraunce if we speake well we speede well but if either for feare or bashfulnesse our tongues fayle to tel our case in such full sort as is needfull it should be knowen to the winning of releefe for it then fayle we also often either of all or part of that wee seeke But O happie we it is not so with GOD. If we cannot vtter a word oppressed with some woe or otherwise hindered if we but sigh he heareth he seeth knoweth and knoweth more fully than wee coulde tell him our selues in anie wordes if wee did speake With what a cheere then may we fall before him for any thing we want and saie Lord thou knowest what I would haue though my tongue foulter my want speaketh looke vpon me in thy mercie It seemeth by this that laying vp is vnlawfull You iudge amisse for Ioseph in the cheape yeeres layde vp for deere and so saued his owne his masters and many liues moe and the Lord directed him to this prouidence The Disciples of Antioch sent theyr abilitie to the brethren in Iudaea and it was reserued and layde vp till the famine came that Agabus had prophesied of Act. 11.28 Christ badde gather vp the broken meate and let none of it bee lost the holie Ghost sayth the children lay not vp for the Fathers but the Fathers for the children warranting as you see a laying vp much more proofe if it needed is there Wherefore by praying for daily bread or bread for the daie we are taught to bee content if the Lorde giue no more but wee are not forbidden to reserue it if the Lord doe giue more for the Lordes giftes may not be cast awaie by anie negligence coloured from this place Yet must our reseruation bee voyde of couetousnesse made onely in the reuerence of the Lords giftes to lawfull endes and not to trust in anie store and to robbe the poore and needie when want is What shall wee answere then to those wordes of Christ Care not for to morowe for the morowe shall care for it selfe c. We must aunswere thus and aunswere trulie that our Sauiour there forbiddeth vs to thinke of the morowe with distrustfulnesse but not with prayers and labours How can rich men pray this prayer that haue bread for many dayes and yeeres Because all vse and comfort and safetie of those riches commeth from the Lorde Which except the Lorde giue eyther they loose by some accident their goods or hauing them they haue no power to vse them or vsing them they nourish not as after is proued But
bloud and your fingers with iniquitie c. Nowe then to the wordes themselues if you thinke good and of them in order for that is playne The first word is Forgiue of it selfe so playne that it needeth not any explication and therefore not standing in that sort vpon it let vs consider the conclusions that arise thereof to a Christian mind that carefully weigheth what GOD hath spoken First then it containeth a playne confession of our miserable estate vnto the Lorde and so teacheth vs that before pardon and forgiuenes ought to goe a true faithfull and vnfayned acknowledging of our euill whatsoeuer For why shoulde God vouchsafe to pardon what we not able in truth to hyde from him as being God yet in the strong corruption of our vntamed hearts indeuor to cloke and doe not lay open in woe and godly sorrow before him Very mortal maÌ„ looketh for confession of a faulte and wee vse to say that halfe the amendes is made when it is so done yet may we couer from man very great offences howe much more may the Lord our God iustly require that being notable to blind him we seeke not to do it but in al reuerence of his maiesty and all vehement dislike of our selues and our sinnes we lay them at his foote and begge his mercy It is a notable place in the Psame of Dauid teacheth vs this When he sayth Whilst I helde my tongue my bones consumed or when I roared al the day long for thy hand is heauy vpon me day and night and my moysture is turned into the drought of Summer then I acknowledged my sinne neither hid I mine iniquitie For I thought I wil confesse against my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne See howe before he confessed he found no comfort and after confession howe hee found no punishment Looke in the Law of the Lord and marke these wordes to Moses When a man or woman shall commit any sinne that meÌ„ commit and transgresse against the Lord when that person shall trespasse then they shall confesse their sin which they haue done and shall restore the damage c. Confession God required and confession they performed Although the Lord should kill me sayth faythfull Iob yet will I put my trust in him but I will reprooue my wayes for all that in his sight that is I will confesse my euil freely and fully with a single heart as a wretched sinner should do He that hydeth his sinne sayth the wise Salomon shall not prosper but he that confesseth them forsaketh them shall haue mercy If wee say we haue no sinne then wee deceiue our selues and there is no trueth in vs but if wee acknowledge and confesse our sinne God is faithfull to forgiue vs our sinne and the blood of Iesus Christ clenseth vs from all sinne This is not that filthy shrift in the eare of a filthy liuer inuented in Rome and throwne downe in Constantinople vppon iust experience of vggly pollution by it but this is the Lords ordynaunce performed euer of the Lordes people to the Lorde himselfe Dauid a sinner hydeth it not when the Prophet spake but cryed peccaui with a feeling heart and a grieued mind that he had so fallen That Dauid when hee had numbred the people and the Lord offended had sent a plague amongst them cryed in his wo. It is I it is I Lorde that haue offended and these seely sheepe what haue they done and againe in an other place Therfore I said Lorde 〈◊〉 mercy vpon mee and heale my souâ—â—â—r I haue sinned against thee The straying sonne returning to himselfe and to the estate of sonne seeth and sigheth for passed folly and confesseth it freely as his bounden duetie Father Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee and I am no more worthy to bee called thy sonne The humble publicane beseecheth God to be mercifull to him not a iust proud Pharisie but a poore sinnefull and wretched Publicane Wee are here iustly sayd the thiefe on the crosse wee receiue things worthie of y t wee haue done but this maÌ„ hath done nothing amisse a very plaine confession of a féeling hart WheÌ„ Paul had preached against coniuring and sorcery as we read in that place what was the fruite of his speaking their hearing but this Many that beleeued came and confessed shewed their workes Iohn also baptized in the wildernes but whom such as confessed their sinnes against the Lorde Euer therefore before pardon must goe confession for so euer hath it done as by all these proofes is now plaine Priuat to God if the sinne be priuat Publique to the Church if the sinne bee such as shall more appeare hereafter in an other place Wherefore let vs end this note vpon this first word Forgiue and knowe it euer that wee are taught if wee seeke mercy not to hide sinne For the Lords pardon requireth the sinners confession Couers and clokes they do but couer the light of Gods countenance that it shyne not vpon vs and yet do what we can wee can couer nothing in deede from his eyes Wee shewe our will and wee want our wish sinne vnto sinne we grieuously adde and we deale with our soules as some sory ones with their bodies concealing their sore till the time bee past the body perished Wherfore euen as often as we shal euer hereafter say this prayer let vs adde this confession to it O Lord our grieuous trespasses our many great transgressions this blot of our bodies or spot of our soules whatsoeuer it is in that mercy that hath no measure forgiue it dash it and wash it out that it neuer appeare againe before thee What Secondly Secondly it teacheth vs the long suffering of the Lord wonderfull and vnspeakable towards mankind Whereby hee beareth and beareth with vs wretched creatures and although we daily and hourely euer and continually sinne against him yet casteth hee not away so vnprofitable seruants but deferreth his anger spareth his iudgements and if we turne to him he turneth most mercifully to vs and forgiueth heapes of vggly sinne against him If we wormes and dust should be vsed of any as he is vsed of many we would shew our corruption quickly and recken vp the faultes committed and pardoned by vs thinking we had shewed great fauour done much for our brethren if wee had twise or thrise bene intreated by them to forgiue them we would deny at the last and say playnely to them we might not euer forgiue if they so euer would offende Yet what are we as bad as they If not to them yet to others and therefore no such cause we should be so strickt in measure When often our selues must neede the same curtesie and request a fauourable hand to strike but softly But sée the Lorde His puritie blotteth both Sunne and Moone the heauen
ouer whilest hee hath to spend For this feeling heart of another mans harme this loue and lenity this tender compassion and care for them that haue not grace to care for themselues is precious before the Lord. And he often rewardeth losse in this respect sustayned with better measure than lawe woulde haue giuen either costs or damages Finallie forgette not also euen many times to reason with your selfe thus I see the fatherlesse widowe many times oppressed for want of helpe and weaknesse go to the wall for want of countenance yea I see sinne born out and vertue borne downe many times to the greate dishonour of GOD and offence of his Church and I am not touched thereat or at least I spend not a penie neither a dayes trauayle to helpe therein but now that my self am touched and my transitorie substaunce endangered I am ready to goe to lawe and to spende much surelie this may I do but that other should I not leaue vndone Yet howe am I more forward for riches than for vertue for euerie cause of mine owne than for anie of my neighbours Thus I saie to reason with your selfe is most profitable and wil greatly direct a good minde in this matter wee speake of namely how hee may vse lawe Nowe then I trust you see a bridle put in our mouthes from hasting to lawe as wee do for euerie occasion troubling our selues and whole Countries with the vnquietnesse of our natures and vngodlynesse of our hearts These conditions and such other obserued let vs knowe our libertie to vse the Lordes good ordinaunce for the maintenance of peace right and for the due punishment of oppugners of eyther of them or of them both But let vs not abuse to our owne reuenge what to those endes in Gods mercie to man is so graciously ordayned God make this coole the vnregenerate humours of a number and I thank you for it Now to proceed I pray you how may we bee sayd to forgiue to our brethren their trespasses seeing none forgiueth sinne but God onely You must consider that in sinne there be two things First the euill of the action secondly the detrimēt that ariseth to man The euill of the action is that impuritie and foulenesse wherewith the law of God agaynst which it is contrarie chargeth it And this concerneth the Lord because béeing by him prohibited the committing of it is also agaynst him This properlie is sinne and the remission of it onely is in the Lord himselfe No man is able to doe it But the seconde which is the detriment or hurt that ariseth by that trespasse to a mā either in fame or bodie or goods as it is agaynst man so man may remit and pardon it without anie impeachment of the Lords glorie Thus therefore doe wee forgiue trespasses when wee forgiue the harme that hath arisen to vs by them together with all conceiued anger swelling indignation wrath for the same The Lordes forgiuenesse is a rasing out of the sinne it selfe I meane a full remission of the transgression of his law by that trespasse whatsoeuer Let that man of sinne therefore looke about him and all his adherents wel consider it how their pardons may runne with remission both a poena et culpa from punishment and guilt They are in these daies of light when the Lords mercy hath made the Sunne of vnderstanding shine vpon his Church and the daie starre arise in his childrens harts compelled to excuse theyr Pope by affirming that hee remitteth but onely the punishment which by law is due to such offence and medleth not with the sinne as it concerneth God But let them looke if they saie true when his pardons be extāt in this forme that I haue named releasing for money both poenam the punishment and culpam the fault Iwis they wil sée it if y e Lord be so gracious to thē a pride prophecied as a note of Antichrist And neuer did the Iewes more wrongfully mislike our Sauiour beeing God as well as man than we may rightly abhorre this monster being onely man a most miserable man in many respects for y t he presumeth to forgiue sins which none cā forgiue but god alone For it is I it is I sayth the Lord that put away iniquitie and forgiue sinnes And the Lord hath done awaie thy sinne sayth Nathan to Dauid not I nor any man And this might wee learne euen by this forme of prayer if there were no other Scripture For vnto whome doth the Lorde teach vs to saie Forgiue vs our trespasses but onely to God Surely if any man or woman Sainct or Angell coulde forgiue vs then were it should be lawful for vs to pray to thē to forgiue vs so to chāge this prayer frō Pater to Mater or Frater frō our Father to our mother our brother to holy Peter holy Paul or such like But how spend I words in a playne matter it is inough Are all men and women to pray this prayer or but onely some Surely you remember me of that which is worthie noting as well as anie thing that hath bene sayd namely how our Sauiour Christ hath sayd vnto all the world that there is iust cause to acknowledge thē selues sinners and to pray for the pardon of their sinnes For whosoeuer haue néede to beg anie thing at God his handes thus he teacheth them to pray but the whole world standeth in neede to begge at Gods hande all therefore the whole worlde must praie thus Both Iewes and Gentiles sayth the Apostle are vnder sinne as it is written There is none righteous no not one There is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seeketh GOD. They haue al gone out of the waie they haue bene made altogether vnprofitable there is none that dooth good no not one Theyr throte is an open sepulchre they haue vsed their tongues to deceit the poisō of Aspes is vnder their lippes Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse their feete are swifte to shed bloud Destruction and calamitie are in their wayes and the way of peace haue they not known the feare of God is not before theyr eyes Agayne in the same Chapter All haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God And to the Galathians The Scripture hath cōcluded all vnder sinne And if anie man saie he hath no sinne he deceiueth him selfe there is no truth in him With a number such lyke places Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord sayth the prophet Dauid for no flesh shal be iustified in thy sight Wherefore it is not for modestie that wee must praie to the Lord to forgiue vs our sinne as most wickedly the Pelagians affirmed but for conscience and truth and as Hierome sayth Ex humanae fragilitatis et nostrae miseriae conscientia Vppon true feeling and feare of mans frailtie and misery and the iudgements of God due to it For a prayer conceiued for modestie
onely shoulde bee a lie and a fained humilitie And as Austen pretilie speaketh Humilitas statuta in parte falsitatis perderet praemium veritatis False humilitie should loose y e blessing that truth should haue Non ergo debemus sic laudare creatorem vt cogamur dicere imo verò conuincamur dicere superfluum saluatorèm We must not so prayse our creator as we be compelled yea conuinced to saie that superfluous is a Sauiour And agayne Quia nos creauit ita simus grati vt non simus quia sanat ingrati Let vs so be thankfull to the Lord for creating vs as wee bée not vnthankfull to him for healing vs. With many such like sentēces noting our too true corruption and their most highe pride that think they haue attained to such holynesse as y t they neede not saie Remitte nobis debita nostra Forgiue vs O Lorde our trespasses Is there anie man now a dayes better than the Disciples Yet the Lord teacheth thē we sée to pray this prayer And surely as our garments though dayly brushed yet dayly and still need brushing agayne because euer when they are brushed newe dust and foulenesse lighteth vppon them euen so our soules and bodies though many times altered by a gracious pardon from God in Christ yet daily and still so gathering dust agayne as that dayly and still they neede to bee cleered And therefore euer must all men praie this praier Furthermore euen here also haue the Nouatian heretiques a playne fall with their most vncomfortable assertion or heresie thinking and auouching that there is no pardon for any that after he is baptized committeth any publique sinne For doth our Sauiour here make any distinction of publique or priuat offences of men baptized or vnbaptized of tymes before or after No no to our great comfort he doth not as hath before bene shewed but al men hee biddeth pray thus at all tymes he biddeth pray thus and for all offences hee biddeth pray thus indefinitly And except wee shall make a mocker of the Lord what hee biddeth aske he is ready to giue and a sure comfort by his commaundement to pray may be drawen to my soule that I shal obtayne And therefore litle children these things I write that yee sinne not But if any man doe sinne wee haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world Yea let vs adde to his wordes but not to his meaning for sinnes both before and after baptisme Nowe do you put me in mind of a question which I only also will aske you Namely what comfort there is for a frayle creature that after repentance and purpose neuer to offende so any more yet shall fall againe euen into the same fault of frayltie not of malice Surely you name a very notable testimony of our most vile corruption that solemnely professing our repentance for any bad behauiour and vowing to the Lorde and with our selues that no more wee will do so yet contrary both to promise and purpose we fall againe into the selfesame offence and sinne And if the Lord should neuer receyue vs againe after such a transgression we had but what iustly and greatly wee deserued Yet is this mercy more not to imbolden to so great impietie but to comfort grieued ones with so great frailtie Wherefore with desire to stand and al possible indeuour against such second fals let vs heare yet what the Lorde sayth if in our great weakenes wee doe fall I meane into the same offence againe after repentance For we see the Prophets in euerie place exhort men to repentance not which had once offended but which with an obstinate contempt of God had not stayed to runne into all kind of wickednes which after a shewe of repentaunce yet returned to their sinnefull course agayne the Prophet Ieremy of all other is full of places if you list to read any Agayne the Lorde in his law would haue dayly sacrifices offred sometime in the name of the whole people sometimes in the name of a priuat person aswell for offences committed by ignorance as for voluntary transgressions and falles which assuredly shoulde not haue bene done except there had bene mercy euen for second faults For the Lord would not deceiue his people with vaine figures Thirdly in the Psalme we very playnely sée that God was intreated to forgiue most hypocriticall and obstinate sinnes And nowe in the tyme of his Gospell his goodnes is not streyted or diminished but euen nowe also more playnely it is proclaymed to the worlde that at what tyme soeuer a sinner soroweth from his heart there is pardon with the Lorde without exception against often committing of the same offence When the Lord inioyneth vs to forgiue our brethren seuentie times seuen times doth he meane newe offences only such as they neuer committed agaynst vs before or hee meaneth all whatsoeuer or how often soeuer fallen into by their frailtie And if so doth he require more mercy of man than he the God of mercy wil shew or shall the creature excell the creator in any goodnes God forbid Sée it therefore and be with comfort most assured of it that if wee sinne not seuen times but seuentie times seuen times against his maiesty and euen in the same thing and so often with weeping eyes and sobbing soule fall at his feete for mercy to so great frailtie there is mercy with him and pardon to true repentance But take heede wee turne not the grace of God into wantonnes presumption For if I sucke the libertie out of this doctrine be sure I sauoure it to death and not to life and what knew I whether euer I shall haue grace truely to repent what so bouldly and presumptuously I haue dared to commit When the Apostle sayth If any man sinne wee haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes Doe you thinke wee may tye this to onely such sinnes as were neuer committed before without a very playne and great iniury to that place of scripture No no we cannot therefore a true ground of comfort euen for sins often fallen into so y t frailtie and not loosenes bee the cause and read the 9. of Daniel and see if hee confesse not sinne often committed and as it were in a continued course and yet dispaireth not of mercy What meaneth that article of our fayth I beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes shall we glose vpon it thus that is of such sins as I neuer cōmitted but once Surely if wee doe it must bee sayd cursed be the glose that corrupteth the text For that article compriseth al sinne before baptisme after baptisme before repentance after repentance euer through the course of my life in this worlde whatsoeuer it is howe often so euer I haue slyded
more pitie And yet doth the Lorde so in deede whensoeuer he powreth his mercies vpon man or woman in this world For as with a gager he gageth them by those blessings openeth and reueyleth what maner of stuffe they are within thankfull or vnthankfull kinde or vnkinde humble or proude carefull or carelesse to please the giuer finally whether good or bad he maketh it seene Wherfore a little to helpe vs in this tryall it is good to consider many times of these poyntes First how in truth I come by the blessings that I inioy secondly to what manner of persons the continuance of them is promised thirdly the true ende and right vse of them and lastly the fearefull examples of abuse These things will profite vs if wee knowe them well Concerning the first therfore it is too common with both great and small to sticke in second causes and to light short of the chiefe fountayne and well head in deed Why we haue health welth friendes mariages honor credit offices children and a thousand of Gods comfortable fauours in this life we can alleage many reasons that I wil not stand to repeat But the reason of reasons either wee alleage not euer or it pearceth no further within the teeth than the tip of the tongue is The Lorde hath giuen Whereas in deede the whole course of Scripture teacheth that this is the head and roote of all our ioyfull daies and dealings and euer was and onely is and can bée either for our good if we vse them well or for our plague if we do the contrary Ioseph a poore mans childe came to a great place in the lande of Aegipt if we marke it well when the King sayd to him onely in the Kings throne will I be aboue thee When he was ouer all the Kings Court and ouer all the land when the King commaunded al his people to bee armed at his worde tooke his owne ring of his owne finger and put it vpon his hand arayed him in garments then of the richest with a chayne of golde about his necke set him vpon the best Charret he had saue one and all the people cryed before him as he ridde for honor sake vppon their knees tender Father Ioseph was also wise and full of the spirit of God Yet least wee should prattle prophanely of Fortune and lucke or dote vndutifully vppon his gifts and so robbe the Lorde of his due honor it is expressely sayde that the Lorde was with Ioseph and made all that hee did to prosper in his hand The Lorde therefore author of all his prosperitie and aduauncement whatsoeuer Dauid the yongest brother that little ruddie cheeked Shepheard from his hooke and his cloake his Sling and Scrip came to the famous kingdome of Israel and therein ruled with great honor and princely maiestie for his time yet neither by wisedome nor pollicie of himself or his frends but the Lord tooke him from following the Ewes great with young and made him ruler of his people And Dauid prospered and grewe for the Lord God of Hostes was with him sayth the text So that God was the fountayne of all his good Which as a true childe and thankfull to his God the same Dauid afterwarde remēbred to his sonne Salomon when hee tolde him that hee should build a house for the Lord and should therfore prosper because the Lord should bee with him Salomon againe confessed it when he sayd that euerie man eateth and drinketh seeth the commoditie of his labor this is the gift of God Beholde I will sende you corne and wine and oyle and you shall be satisfied therewith and I will no more make you a reproche among the Heathen sayth the Lord. And againe by another Prophet The seede shal be prosperous the vine shall giue her fruit and the ground shall giue her increase and the heauens shall giue their dew and I will cause the remnant of this people to possesse all things So euer it is the note that the Scripture keepeth that all prosperitte and well doing in this world is the gift of God and cannot be attayned agaynst his will Which lykewise might be shewed in anie particular that can bee named if we wold take that course Al which we note not nowe so much to teach a thing vnknowen as to remember a thing not thought of or at the least not so duely and often and earnestly thought of as it should be I speake what I knowe and what hidden consciences must needes confesse to be too true For coulde it be if wee did thus thinke that there should bee so little care of such a GOD in many as there is whose backes be laden yea and euen pressed as it were downe to the ground with the hope of God his mercies Whose tables richly hee hath deckte in despight of their foes whose head with balme he hath refreshed whose cuppes doe ouerflow No no. But if our wretches hearts did feele it and that with a power as these motiōs vse to heaue in Gods Saincts O my sweete God and deere Father this is thy dooing for thy wretche and all these things that I inioye goe to particulars they are thy giftes who mightest haue sette mee at the doore with my pitcher to begge my foode and farre otherwise haue dealt with me if thou wouldest I tell you it would wring foorth other loue and fruits to such a God again than appeare in many And therefore assuredly wee thinke not of the fountaine and giuer of these things as we should Amend then what is amisse and giue the Lord his due It is he that hath lifted out of y e mire and set any with the Princes euen with the Princes of the people It is hee that blesseth the basket and the dow it is he that hath giuen whatsoeuer good thing wee inioy and cursed we if we denie it or carelesly neglect the sweete meditation of it euer But to what end now hath he done all these thinges Truely euen to proue mee and trye me what I wil do to him againe and that it may appeare to the world and to mine owne eyes what maner of man or woman I am within and in déede one that will bee puft vp and forget both God and my selfe in prosperitie or one that will euen weepe water of myne eyes in y e zeale of my soule to please such a father grieue that I cannot as I wish and most hartely would And if I bee the former that the Lordes iustice may bee warranted if hee change my copie if the later that my soule may feele comfort in so sweete a God not onely heaping his mercies vpon me greatly but giuing mee further a childes heart withall to loue my kind father so much the more which is aboue al. And which in déed is the very end of Gods mercies and blessings Let Dauid speake that man according to the Lordes owne heart What did Gods
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
not so The very deuill coulde say that it was no maruell if Iob feared God séeing that God had made an hedge about him and about his house and about all that he had on euery side and had blessed the worke of his hands and his substance was increased in the land and yet are not many of vs able to reason thus to the stirring vp of our obedience to the Lord for his graces to vs albeit wee woulde bee iudged great Christians The Lorde quicken vs. For assuredly to whome the Lorde hath giuen much of them hee will require much and they shall answere him It needeth not that wee runne ouer all particulars seeing thus much now is said that in the word bread is contained all that wee may haue any way neede of to this life It were an infinite matter so to do and in deede not needefull therefore let vs consider that we aske herein foode and raymēt and whatsoeuer we want Houses to dwell in Psal 107.36 That our children be not vagabonds and begge their bread Psal 109 We begge peace and quietnes priuate at home publique abroad for this is needfull and a comfortable blessing Better is a dry morsell if peace be with it thā an house full of sacrifices with strife And it is a great goodnes of God when we may serue him as Zacharie sayth without feare in holynes and righteousnesse all the daies of our life Wherefore the Lord himselfe of peace saith the Apostle giue you peace alwaies by al meanes And if it be possible as much as in you lyeth haue peace with all men Graunt Lord sayth Dauid that there be no going out no leading into captiuity neither any complaining in our streetes Pray for the peace of Ierusalem Let them prosper that loue thee Peace be within thy walles plenteousnes in thy palaces Wee pray also for y e bounds of peace good magistrates Againe for good health and strength of body whereby wee may be able to walke in our vocation For honest name and fame credit and fauour with men as shalbe good for vs and a thousande thinges moe that this life hath neede of Neither do we aske these things in a bare and needy measure onely but euen in some comfortable measure that we may not only our selues liue with some cheare which y e Lord aloweth but that we may be also helpefull vnto others So you haue some tas◠of the particulars of this generall word bread I see here their doubt is plainly dissolued that make a question whether a Christian may pray for the outward thinges of this worlde because the Church must bee subiect here to persecution It is very true for here is a short commandement to do it Giue vs this day our daylie bread besides other generall charges in the word Secondly wee haue his promises many and mercifull concerning these things and what he promiseth to giue we may be bolde to aske Thirdly we haue the examples of his children as of Iacob when hee went to Padan Aram saying If God wil be with me and will keepe me in this iourney which I go and will giue me bread to eate and clothes to put on so that I come againe vnto my fathers house in safetie then shall the Lord bee my God Of Salomon that prayed for foode conuenient and neither for riches nor pouertie Of Leapers that prayed to bee clensed of blinde men that prayed for sight of men and women many in the Gospell that prayed for their diuers diseases and infirmities and were healed of our Sauiour without any rebuke euer for their so doing Fourthly because the Lord must euer haue a Church but that cannot be without food gouernment peace health and such like therefore it is lawfull to aske them Lastly because the asking and expectation of these thinges is a notable exercise of our faith hope and trust in Gods promises For we cannot assure our selues of these corporall goods neither aske them except we bee in Gods fauour and feele in our selues good comfort of his good will towards vs. By asking therefore wee exercise our faith to beleeue the Lord to be our good God from which goodnesse of his wee looke for these things so farre as they may be good for vs. Otherwise the Lord might say to vs you are none of that number that I promised these things vnto But yet this euer must we note concerning the maner of our prayer namely that it be cum conditione voluntatis with condition of his good pleasure will and liking and in hunc finem vt seruiamus Deo proximo for this ende that we may serue God and our neighbour by them and with them For who thus begge thē not are not heard that is these things are not giuen them to their good but although they receiue them according to their desire yet is God offended with them and they receiue them to their iudgement But spirituall things wee may aske simply and without condition because GOD so hath promised them and they euer profite vs as wee may simply desire the holy Ghost because the Lorde hath simply and expressely promised him to them that aske him and so of other matters whereas these earthly things now are good and now euill for vs and therfore left to the pleasure of him that knoweth what is best What is the reason of the next word Our and why is it called Our bread Not of merite or of due debt but in respect of our necessitie which cannot be with out it And see then I pray you what great Gods we are become by our first parents eating of the forbidden fruite surely euen such as are not able to liue haue our being in this world without a peece of bread to support hold vp which peece of bread wee are not able to giue our selues if wee perished ten thousand times for want of it but we must haue it giuē to vs by him that is good in deede This is the truth of that Serpents saying You shall not die at al but God dooth knowe that when yee shall eate thereof your eies shall be opened and you shall be as Gods knowing good and euill Yet cannot this and many thousand of lies moe make mee leaue hearkening to his hissing Secondly it is called our Bread to teach vs to be content with that portion which he vouchsafeth to giue vs and not to bereaue anie others of that which is theirs Either our neighbors of their liuings our seruāts of their wages o6ur workmen of their hire or any one what soeuer of his owne For that is not ours that is another mans and therfore we cannot make this petition to the Lord but our owne tongues shall bee our accusers to the Lord. For we shall in wordes aske but so much as may truly bee counted our owne as being got by such meanes as he alloweth and yet in deede are not so contented but