not of all And what least is spoken yet let it not least bee thought of For who so is wise will consider these thinges it is a saying often repeated in Scripture Do wee thinke Manasses felt when hee was first moued to sinne what he felt in a strength when God reclaimed Peruse his repentance and prayer iudge your selfe if he had found sinne first as hee founde it last whether euer hee woulde so greatly haue folowed the cause of his woe Did that thriftlesse youth find all as faire when his bag was spent a lewde course runne as when hee first receiued it and began to sinne No no his pleasure had paine both without and within and a short vagare beyond the lists of the Lords good liking layde a grinding a griefe vpon his conscience during life Peter felt not when hee denied what hee felt when hee wept for woe and that most bitterly that euer hee had denied The Iewes felt not when they crucified Christ what they felt ful sharpe when they were pricked in their hearts Neuer neuer shall we bee without smart in the end bee the beginning or processe neuer so sweete And the Lord knoweth the measure For circumstances of action may pull greater and greater measure of plagues from a iust God that hateth impuritie Happy is the soule that sinneth least next that returneth soonest and most dreadfull is the estate of them that both for qualitie and time are left to the deuils malice and their owne corruption One droppe of water to coole my tongue was a wofull cry and beware the like All temptations of this kinde bring vs most readily to this perplexitie Thinke not you shall when you will if you will not when you may Herod and Pilate had their warnings with many mo Herod and Pilate woulde not bee warned with many moe Therefore Herod and Pilate were truely plagued with many moe The longer you let your ship leake when once she leaketh the greater danger and the hardlier emptied The ruinous house doth shewe the like The further the nayle of sinne and some vile delight is driuen in with the deuils hammer the hardlier got out with y e Lords aduise which yet not profiting killeth because it was not suffered to plucke it out The Poet also sayde it well If thou beest sicke preuent the worst and seeke for remedy at the first for when a sickenes hath taken roote if thou take phisicke it wil not boote Thus thinke you then of all temptations in life together and their ende considered they shal bee weake through God that helpeth Nowe I pray you what meane these wordes But deliuer vs from euill It is an explication as hath bin said of the former the first word Deliuer teacheth vs playnly that we are the seruantes of sinne and euen sold vnder sinne as the Apostle sayth The fall of our first parēts hath so made vs and humilitie of heart euer so confesseth it Secondly that our deliuerance therehence commeth not from our selfe or the power of any will or might in vs but onely and euer from this God that we pray to from his power from his goodnesse and mercy that hath no measure We are dead in trespasses and sinnes of our selues and wee can no more helpe our selues from sinne than from death If that sonne shall make you free sayth the Gospel then shall you be free indeede By the second word Euill some vnderstande Satan some sinne some death but the best is to comprehende in it all euilles both of crime and paine whether they bee present or to come Cyprian so expoundeth it in these wordes In the last place wee put but deliuer vs from euill comprehending all kindes of aduersities which the enimy worketh against vs in this world Augustin so expoundeth it saying When we say Deliuer vs from euill we admonish to consider that wee are not as yet in that good case where we shall suffer no euill and this which is last placed in the Lordes Prayer is extended so farre and so playnely that a Christian man mooued with any kind of tribulation may in this petition sigh in this shed his teares beginne heerein continue heerein and end his prayer heerein Bucer Musculus Vrsinus many mo thus expounde it If any man will vnderstand in it cheefely or by a principalitie as it were the deuil let him so do For in deede he is the greatest euill and most pestilent euill that wee neede to pray to be deliuered from Therfore say some when we desire y t God will deliuer vs from euill we desire that he wil send no euill on vs but deliuer vs from all euils present and to come both of crime paine Secondly that if he send on vs any eulles yet that he would mitigate them in this life and turne them vnto our saluation that they may bee good and profitable vnto vs. Thirdly that he will at length in the life to come fully and perfectly deliuer vs and wipe away euery teare from our eyes Others say we begge of the Lorde that he would in mercie renewe vs dayly that is powre into our hearts more and more a most true liking and longing after all righteousnesse and a most vnfained hatred of all euill by what name soeuer it may be tearmed And in the same vpholde vs stil that we may increase and neuer go backwarde Sweete therefore euery way is this as all else that hath bene sayde before and beseeming well the mouth heart and soule of euery man and woman desirouse to please God Deliuer vs O blessed God from all euill For if thou turne thy face away we shall be troubled yea sore troubled dismayde and feared though but euen now wee sayd tush this wealth shall neuer decay The Lord stand with vs giue vs faith in our seuerall dangers to cleaue vnto him For what hee biddeth aske we may well assure our selues we shal receiue if we aske and that is a great comfort Thus much contenteth me nowe of this prayer The Conclusion onelie remaineth which if you will a little open your labour is ended to my good and the Lord repay it The conclusion is this For thine is the kingdome the power and glory for euer and euer Which being expressed of Mathew though of others it bee omitted yet must it carry his place with vs as many mo things doe which one Euangelist noteth and not another The thing it selfe yeeldeth very great strength to our fayth as touching the receiuing of that we aske conteining in it three notable reasons to that effect The first is drawne from the duety of a King which is to heare his subiectes to defende and preserue them And therefore thine is the kindome is as much as if we should say O Lorde graunt our petitions since thou art King and hast all thinges vnder thy rule euen all euill to suppresse it and all good to giue it so farre as with
presence inferreth it necessarily with it that there must bee a Mediatour for vs. But who this is and euer was through the malice of Satan working in his members is become a question We say with the truth and his due glorie Christ Iesus our Lord and he onely The Papistes say Christ but not Christ onely Our warrants bee many and strong against them First expresse words There is one God and one Mediatour betwixt God and man the man Christ Iesus Marke the place well and see how first he determineth the number and saith there is but one Secondly the person who that one is euen the man Christ Iesus Thirdly why there is but one and no moe namely because there is but one God and no moe Which is a singular proofe euery one blushing to denye the one and yet daring to auouch the other So then by this place it is got that one GOD and but one Mediatour and that Christ also but mo mediatours mo Gods of necessitie which they will not teach I hope plainly Secondly all those places that appoynt vs to praie in Christ his name making euer mention of him and onely of him without any addition of any other doe they not with a mightie strength vphold our soules in this faith For wanted the Lorde either power or will to adde further trueth if there had bene any such Or is he that saith he will honor them that honor him become enuious towarde his Saints and will not speake of their lawful honor if this were it to pray to them Thirdly can any man bee our mediator with God but he that is iust himselfe fully and perfectly before God And was there euer any such or can be to the worlds ende but only Christ Is not any thing whatsoeuer it bee that commeth not of faith sinne And commeth faith any way but from the word Then either some porofe out of the word against Christ only and for others aswell as Christ or to beleeue it is sinne and a death for euer without repentance Dare we of our owne heades take the honour of Christ ascribed to him so expressely in his worde and giue it to others equally with him without a warrant It is written Gloriam meam alteri non dabo I will not giue my glory to an other and hee that writ it shall iudge vs for breaking it vnlesse wee can shew his dispensation Sanctos defunctos pro nobis orare ex nulla scriptura Canonica edocemur That the Saintes departed pray for vs it appeareth not in any Canonicall Scripture Et quamuis id faterer non tamen ex eo sequeretur nos oportere sanctos defunctos inuocare And although that it should be granted yet follow therevpon it would not that we should pray vnto them for assured by the word of God we cannot be that they heare our prayers And without that assurance what comfort can we pray withal vnto them Wherfore most grieuously doe they offende both against Christ and religion that make mediators beside him We are plainely tolde that hee maketh intercession for vs but wee are not tolde of any others I write vnto you litle children sayth Saint Iohn that you sin not and if any man do sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiatioÌ„ for our sinnes In which place of Scripture Saint Austen noteth two thinges First howe the Apostle doeth not say yee haue an aduocate but we haue an aduocate teaching vs thereby that there was neuer any so holy but that he had neede of Christ to be his mediator aswell as others and therefore he did not separate himselfe from others in that respect secondly that hee did not say ye haue me an aduocate with the father but yee haue Iesus Christ the righteous neque ego exoro pro peccatis vestris neither is it I that intreat for the pardon of your sins but Christ For had the Apostle Iohn sayde otherwise quis â—um ferret bonorum atque sidelium Christianorum what good and faithfull Christian coulde haue abidden it Quis sicut Apostolum Christi non sicut Antichristum intueretur Yea who woulde haue looked vpon him as vpon an Apostle of Christ and not as vpon a very Antichrist What a notable testimonie is this against other mediators beside Christ and how hapneth it that our Papists see it not or thinke better not of it if they see it But I pray you heare the same Father againe in an other place Quem inuenirem qui me reconciliaret tibi An eunduÌ„ mihi fuit ad angelos At qua prece quibus sacramentis Whom should I finde to reconcile me to thee Should I goe to the Angels with what prayer with what sacraments Haue not many done thus and bin deluded with the ill Angell transforming himselfe into an Angell of light Verax ergo mediator Christus the true mediator therefore is Christ Iesus And much more in those two good Chapters to this purpose These proofes may suffice in this briefe treatise yet are there many moe Themselues haue had euen by the mightie power of an able God to giue his trueth passage a true féeling of the safetie of the one and the danger of the other their witnes of it should truely work both with them and vs. With them to drawe them to a sweete trueth and with vs to strengthen vs where wee stand since the Lord hath made his enemies confesse the soundnes of our fayth Cassander sayde it of his owne practise Ego in meis precibus non soleo Sanctos inuocare sed inuocationem dirigo ad Deum ipsum idque in nomine Christi Hoc enim tutius existimo I sayth he do not vse to pray to any of the Saints my selfe but I direct my prayers to God himselfe and that in the name of Christ for that I iudge more safe An other of them againe Tutius iucundius loquor ad meum Iesum quà m ad aliquem Sanctorum spirituum Both with more safetie and comfort doe I speake vnto my Iesus than to any of the holy spirites Is not this strange that our enemies shoulde confesse our maner of praying to God alone by the mediation of his beloued sonne both more safe and more comfortable and for the same causes vse it so themselues and yet teach others otherwise Should faithful teachers seeke to saue themselues and make no conscience to kill others And is this to deale faithfully with the Lordes inheritance the price of his sonnes blood to teach them to do what not onely by knowledge in iudgement but by inward feeling of conscience they find neither so safe nor comfortable as the way we vse themselues also is Wo and woe againe must needes be to such as euen agninst their owne feeling direct the people committed to them And what madnes is this in vs if wee suffer our selues by any subtill perswasions to bee led vnto
of flesh And I wil put my spirit within you cause you to walke in my statutes you shall keepe my iudgements and do them So that then is the greate name of the Lord sanctified you see and hallowed when we doe not onely knowe but doe the things that redound vnto his praise For then they that see our good workes are thereby caused to glorifie God in the daie of the visitation And euen contrariwise agayne if we do not we pollute the name of the Lorde in causing it to sounde euill amongst the wicked and the sinne is grieuous Of which complayneth the Lord by his Prophet Esaie when he saith his name all the daie continuallie is blasphemed and by his Apostle to y e Romanes in diuers other places And the same Apostle charging seruaunts that are vnder the yoake to account their maisters worthy of all honor maketh this the reason why Least the name of God and his doctrine bee euill spoken of And therefore thirdly as wee seeke the one so wee desire to bee able to shun the other in this petition beseeching him in the sense of these wordes that all those things may be remoued ouerturned and taken awaie which prophane blemish or blot that glorie of his either in himselfe or in his workes or in his worde and doctrine Such as are these damnable Atheists of these latter dayes which with theyr ieasts scoffes and mockes deriding all goodnesse do not onely discouer the name of God but to their euerlasting woe in the flames of the burning bottomelesse pit affirming it flatlie in their hearts that there is no God at all Such are they that with their censures will correcte the workes of God and speake euill of them complayne of his prouidence murmure at his iudgmentes carpe and cauill at his worde allure vnto loosenesse and dayly worke disdaine of commaunded obedience which al if they be not reformed are prayed agaynst throughout the world by all the children of God dayly in this petition to the vnspeakable terrour of them if they had grace to thinke of it For how certayne is that vengeaunce which hee that sendeth it biddeth aske and how dreadfull must it needes be and euen importable when it commeth which is so often so earnestlie and by such a number as the whole Church of God on earth is in so many places asked begged and cried for O woe not once thought vpon and yet to be trembled at shall it not be remembred in deede Shall these painted dayes so poyson vs quite with the loue of this world and the fading follyes of a most vncertayne estate that all grace and goodnesse shall be contemned of vs. And whereas the Prophet of God sayde One daie in the courtes of the Lordes house is better than a thousand Wee saie the contrarie that but one houre there is too much though it be but once a weeke nay once in many weekes and one daie in the course of this worlde to the which yet the Apostle sayth Fashion not your selues is better and sweeter and more beseeming a man especiallie a greate man than a thousand in the other Is it likely that euer we wil wish our selues with that Prophet rather doore kéepers in this house of GOD than to dwel in great renowm in the tents of the vngodlie when wee either loure or laugh to be tolde we should come in Can it be hoped that eyther now we doe thinke God often punishing such great contempt with lasting blindnes that they are blessed that dwell in the house of the Lord beeing euer praising of God yea that the verie Swallowes and Sparows that are there are as it were happie and blessed O it is to be feared no. And therefore not Dauids prayer not Dauids spirite neither consequently that election to life whereof that spirit is a certaine pledge Which is terririble inough if God were in vs. Thinke of it and thinke of this agayne with it that al the Church of God through the worlde as I haue sayd praie against vs when wee are thus irreligious and prophane saying Halowed be thy name that is O Lord confound with speedie curse of death and woe eternal all those that not liuing in the laws of thy will cause thy name to heare euil and to be blasphemed in this world Let them perish O Lord let them perish in the lusts of their own hearts and giue thy name his glorie Which if hell haue not alreadie taken possession of vs will pearce vs and make vs think of reformatiō of our selues the Lord in mercy grant it Amen Amen And if it do not tyme passeth and tyme commeth the which two times shal differ as mercy iudgement differ fauour and fury loue and loathing And the worde of the Lorde shall not deceiue vs saying vengeaunce is myne and J wil repay but how soone that knowe not we But well we knowe the Lord is not slacke concerning his promise as some men count slackenes but he is patient toward vs and would haue all men come to repentance and one day is with the Lord as a thousand yeeres and a thousand yeres as one day and this day will come But now I pray you let me moue a doubt or two vnto you And first why the Church of God should pray that the Lords name may bee halowed which is already euer was and shalbe most holy pure and glorious Because we do not pray it in respect of him but of our selues and others such as we are for the Lord in deed is holy neither can any thing be added to that holines or glory of him to make it more but wee doe not know it so much as we should do neither speak of it and imitate it as we ought and therfore we pray that as he is in déede so more and more it may appeare and shine out to the world all lettes and hinderances being taken away that his due prayse may bee giuen vnto him of vs that is wee pray not in this petition that any holynes may bee added to his name that already it hath not but that as it is in it selfe in deede and euer so we may haue grace to see and confesse and more and more dayly may be reueiled and manifested to this worlde For the Lord is sayde to sanctifie vs either inwardly or outwardly Inwardly by his spirit outwardly by his word and this againe either by seperating vs from our sinnes quickning vs by his holy Spirit or continuance of them both An other doubt is why it shoulde be sayd in that place And he that is vniust let him be vniust still and he which is filthy let him be filthy still Seeing here we are taught to pray and all men that our liues may be holy and pure euer to the end his glorious name may haue prayse thereby That place you meane is not so
a sharpe sword That they are corrupt and become abhominable that there is none that doth good no not one And where ruleth all this euill that wee haue thus purchased to our woe O further griefe our bodies our soules our mindes our willes our harts our hands our feete and our whole man is corrupted sinne hath entered ouer all and by sinne Satan as Lord and King ruleth ouer all till this other kingdome come that here wee pray for For eratis tenebrae sayth the Apostle Ye were darknesse but now are ye light in the Lord. And more plainly before hauing their vnderstāding darkned being strāgers frō the life of God through that ignorāce that is in them c. Therefore you see the minde corrupted Of the hart and will it was sayd before that the imaginations of the thoughts thereof are onely euill continually And out of the hart now sayth our Sauiour proceede euill thoughts murders adulteries fornications theftes false witnesse sclaunders and this is stuffe that defileth the man With a thousand places moe crying out of the waywardnesse of mans hart and will the crookednesse stifnesse and stubbornnesse of it against the Lord all good Of the whole man sayth the Apostle Noui quod in me hoc est in carne mea non est bonum I know that in me that is in my flesh there is no good Our mouth our feete our throte our eyes and all are charged with their faultes in the worde of the Lord. That free will that was in man to doe good it is gone sayth Sainct Austen and homo malè vtens libero arbitrio se perdidit arbitrium Man abusing his free will lost both himselfe and it And now is it true that wee are not able to thinke a good thought as of our selues but both to will and to performe is of the Lord. Now is it true that our Sauiour sayd sine me nihil potestis facere without me you can doe nothing Non dixit sine me difficulter aliquid potestis aut sine me non potestis aliquid magni facere sed nihil potestis c. He did not say sayth S. Austen without me you can hardly doe any thing or you can not doe any great matter but simply and flatly you can doe nothing Meaning in spirituall matters for herein quid habes quod non accepisti what hast thou that thou hast not receiued Gratia dei sum quod sum By the grace of God I am that I am whatsoeuer it be if it be good And to goe no further in this sorte now must man and woman bee they neuer so righteous crie out vppon their vnrighteousnesse and hide their faces from the iudgement of the Lord if he should out of the comfort prouided for them seeke to iudge them Dauid the deere one of the Lord and a man according to his owne hart yet must confesse of himselfe with woe Beholde I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceiued mee Enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunts O Lord for in thy sight shall no flesh liuing bee iustified The great Prophet Esayas must say Woe is me for I am vndone because I am a man of polluted lippes Mary the virgin blessed amongst women must reioyce in her Sauiour and not in her selfe and so all others whatsoeuer For we are fallen Our lyfe that shoulde haue bene so pleasant beholde how bitter heauy and miserable Great trauell is created for all men an heauy yoke vpon the sonnes of Adam from the day that they go out of their mothers wombe till the day that they returne to the mother of all thinges Namely their thoughts feare of the heart and their imagination of the things they wayte for and the day of death from him that sitteth vppon the glorious throne vnto him that is beneath in the earth and ashes from him that is clothed in blewe silke and weareth a crowne euen to him that is clothed in simple linnen wrath and enuy trouble and vnquietnes and feare of death and rigour and strife in the tyme of rest the sleepe in the night vpon his bed change his knowledge A litle or nothing is his rest and afterwarde in sleeping he is as in a watch tower in the day he is troubled with the visions of his hart as one that runneth out of a battel c. Our daies that should haue ben without end now are few full of wo for life we haue got death for pleasure payne for good euill for heauen hell for endlesse ioye eternall woe O dreadfull fall Thus created then innocent God ruled but thus fallen from that innocencie Satan ruleth and wee are as hath bene sayd by nature the children of wrath walking after the Prince that ruleth in the ayre that is the Deuill But the Lord is gracious and his mercy indureth for euer there remaineth therefore hope by a restitution or regeneration which the Scripture teacheth vs thus much of namely That whereas Satan abuseth that corrupt nature of ours through the great power which hee hath ouer vs for our sinnes and driueth vs from the worde and all religion into all blindnesse ignorance and errors thrusteth vs into diuers miseries and calamities in the end into eternal death there being where he ruleth no true loue of God or any grace but sinning without sting touch or feeling the Lorde our God in a contrary course of loue where it pleaseth him beginneth with that corruption of nature wherby Satan before was strong and taketh it away by litle and litle begetting vs anew to a better life and restoring that Image of his in vs againe whereunto we were first created and which so fearfully we were fallen from Our minde hee illuminateth with some heauenly light whereby it beginneth to know aright God grace our will receiueth a new strength to imbrace the worde to rest in it and to incline it selfe to the testimonies of the Lord. Our heart is purged and loueth the Lorde and all the members of the body before the weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne becomme by measure the weapons of righteousnesse vnto God So sinne dyeth grace liueth and wee loue him feare him trust in him pray to him often and in all our wants with such like This is nowe the kingdome of grace this is that wee pray for here immediatly The kingdom of glory is that happy and eternall estate which followeth in heauen after this life which we also pray for here but mediatly as wee say that is when the kingdome of grace in this world is ended Thus much being sayd then for plainenes of these three kingdomes the kingdom of power of grace and of glory as also of which of them the petition is meant So now what we pray in plaine words namely thus much O Lord subdue vnto thy maiestie all power of
he speake from the Lord he must be heard And if he be the appointed meanes betwixt the Lorde and thee I meane thine owne Pastor and teacher thinke whilest it is to day of the strength in deede of thy exceptions to heare him and feare the iudgments shrinke at the wrath tremble at the vengeaunce most assured to thee without repentance if they bee to weake They haue not cast thee away but they haue cast me away said the Lord to his Prophet then and weigh it well whether the Lord truly may not say it of thee now to thy death refusing the meanes appoynted by him for thy life vpō such grounds as Satan hath suggested corruption nourisheth and the triumphant trueth of the Lorde will consume in iudging day to eternall wo. It was well sayde of that worthy instrument in Gods Church vpon like occasion Agnoscant Anabaptistae vbicunque minister ritè constitutus est ac fideliter munere suo fungitur vnumquemque qui pro Christiano haberi vult debere ei adhaerere cum reliquo grege ipsius ministerio frui c. Let the Anabaptistes confesse and acknowledge that wheresoeuer there is a minister duely placed and doth his duetie faithfully and carefully there euery one that will bee accompted a Christian must cleaue vnto him and with the rest of the flocke and congregation vse his ministerie But what do they as many of vs as will not follow their errors although wee neuer so purely preach the word of God yet do they take vs for rauening wolues and they so abhorre vs as that they thinke they should commit an offence worthy death if they should bee present but at one sermon of ours Then do they make suddenly ministers of their owne and they being so made in a moment then doe they drawe the people and make contrary congregations of their owne to the renting of the Church asunder that the name of God cannot be called vpon with that one consent and concord that it ought to bee Meditate many times ere the Lord strike thee what Saint Iames sayth My brethren haue not the faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons Faith in that place includeth the preached word which if thou thus regard remember the stripes that they shall haue that know their master his will and refuse to doe it remember whose head the blood is vpon when the watchmā hath warned If thy Pastors gifts bee not so great whom reprochest thou but the giuer of them May not he do with his owne as pleaseth him for thee Refusest thou to heare him for his litle to whome the Lord will say Euge serue bone and crowne him for his faithfulnesse ouer litle Beware I wish thee as a friend in Christ thy feete are sliding fearefully if thou stay not Stande not vpon his vniuersitie vpon his degrees vpon his age vpon his method least of all except O strange suggestion of a guileful serpent in these euill dayes against his writing for his memory as though because his note helpeth his memory therefore his lips keepe not knowledge thou wilt not heare him But stande vppon the message that is done remember whose it is stande vpon the messengers calling vnto them aboue all others in this world if hee bee thy Pastor what measure of grace soeuer the Lord hath vouchsafed him stand vpō the ordinance of the Lorde by preaching to erect his kingdome in the heartes of men and to saue them that beleeue stand vpon the abilitie of thy God to giue thee good by the ministerie of him that is thine owne how meane soeuer he seeme in the world to the curious almost I had sayd cursed creatures stand vppon the iudgement done to the despisers of Iesus Christ and remember it often Qui vos audit me audit c. he that heareth you heareth mee and hee that despiseth you despiseth mee For these with a number moe such are true groundes of that commaundement the breach whereof will be hellish woe for euer Obey them which haue the ouersight of you and submit your selues for they watch for your soules as they that must giue accompts that they may doe it with ioy and not with greef for y t is not profitable for you And if my speech may not finde a blessing vnto some because the Lord hath determined to destroy them yet say I to my brethren that am the meanest of them all let vs worke the worke of our calling faithfully throwe the seede of the Lord into his field according to the hande that hee hath giuen carefully giue attendance to reading paynfully though we neuer take degree in Vniuersitie passe with a worthie Apostle through good report and euill report and if any man wee thus doing refuse the Lords letters because wee bring them the Lords message because we deliuer it the Lordes golde because wee deale it let vs comfort our selues with the same Apostle that we are vnto God a swéet sauour of Christ in them that perish But my brethren if wee doe it not but giue our selues to ease and to the waies of this worlde fashioning our selues daylie more and more in an vnlawfull sort according to the same then remember that preaching being meanes yea y e chiefest meanes to erect this kingdome of the Lord in this world we neglecting it we neglect also the effect of it namely the kingdome of God ouer and in his people and so suffring as much as lyeth in vs the Lorde to lose his people and the people to lose their God wee fearefully purchase to our selues that dreadfull woe that is pronounced to all them that preach not the Gospell Aaron sounded wee know when he ministred by his golden belles in those daies and therefore he shall not dye sayth the Lord if wee sound not when we minister by the golden gifts giuen of the Lord shal not we dye And is then all that we aske concerning this matter namely that GOD would bestowe his worde vpon vs that we may reade it and heare it and haue it preached vnto vs to the building vp of this his kingdome in vs No in deede But forasmuch as neither our reading nor hearing is able to profite vs anie thing vnto saluation excepte the Lorde by his holie spirite make it fruitfull to vs and giue it a blessing therefore wee praie also mightilie these wordes for that heauenly power of his grace that what we reade or heare read or preached vnto vs out of his heauenly booke by the ministery of men may by him bee made a sauour of lyfe vnto lyfe vnto vs. For though Paule preach and Appollo water yet neyther Paule nor Apollo but onely the Lorde giueth increase Except the Lorde open Balams eyes hee seeth not the Angell of the Lorde in the way with his swoord drawen in his hand that is neyther anger nor loue perceiue we euer except the Lord work it in
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
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
God or by viewing the commandements or by any meanes what souer that may bee good and profitable to this effect And thinke with your selues that if these chosē vessels notwithstanding so greate graces giuen them yet groaned vnder such waight of deadly sinnes alasse what may wee doe that want many thousand degrees of theyr goodnesse saue onely that we feele not through a deadnesse of heart the burthen of iniquitie that is vpon vs. By theyr feeling then iudge what you ought to feele by theyr confessions what you should confesse and by theyr shiuering feares what you may many millions of times more iustly feare Think also of the punishment temporall and of the death eternal in that flaming lake of dreadful wo due and assured to all sinfull creatures for euermore And see then if it be not sweete to heare of remission of all this euill See if this petition be not thrice needfull to cōsciences crying our Lord is great O deerest God that woulde bidde vs aske teach vs and tell vs yea will and commaunde vs euerie daie and houre to praie for pardon for iniquitie For thus do we see thy willingnesse to giue neuer vsing to bidde vs aske but what thou art ready to grant euen before we aske Thus do we see our pardon is readie and though worthie wee bee neuer once to feele anie inwarde ioy or outward comfort yet in thy mercie wee shall finde both by thy gracious forgiuenesse of our sinnes And Lorde of mercie make vs thankfull The Prayer O Lord and Father sweete mercifull we fall down in our heartes heere before thy maiestie beg thy mercie For we haue sinned O Lord wee haue sinned done wickedly our consciences crieth thy wrath is due if we find not mercy Our thoughtes our words and workes haue bene against thy blessed will and commaundement and stil still our most grieuous corruption pulleth vs from thy wayes We may bee ashamed and confounded to lifte vp our eyes to thee so increased ouer our heads are our iniquities and our sinnes so grieuous euen to the heauens But with thee there is mercie and therfore thou shalt bee feared O LORDE in that mercie lifte vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs and saue vs. Let that precious bloud of Iesus Christ dash and wash out al our offences for we flie vnto it and with the armes of our faith clasping fast that deere Sauiour wee set him before thee as our attonement peace and propitiation for euer auaileable with thee For his sake not for ours O Lord heare O Lord forgiue O Lord consider and doo it deferre not for thy mercie sake Comfort our consciences with that sweet and dropping dew of mercie and grace for they shake tremble at thy iudgementes Strengthen our steppes heereafter for Iesus Christ his sake more more that they may be streighter and we possesse these vessels of ours in more cleannesse holinesse and righteousnesse than we haue done And forasmuch as it is all repugnant and contrarie to our sinful nature and rebelling bloud to forgiue other mē theyr trespasses committed against vs without reuenge and to loue them that hate vs to praie for them that persecute vs as thou hast willed deere Father we beseech thee helpe vs therein and by thy working power within vs make our hearts so meeke and gentle that we may gladly vnfainedly heartely wholy forgiue all men that haue hated or hurted vs by word or deed that wee may behaue our selues vnto al men friends and foes with such mercy gentlenesse and kindnesse as we would desire not only that they but also that thou good Lord shouldest vse vnto vs. Finally deere Father in life haue mercie in death haue mercy and euermore haue mercie vppon vs in that blessed kingdome of thine for Iesus Christ his sake our blessed Lord Sauiour Amen The sixt and last petition Leade vs not into temptation c. We drawe now neere an end of this labour and are come to the last request in this prayer wherein proceeding as you haue done in the former I praie you first shew the order of it THE order is meruailous fit that after we haue in a stinging wo for them begged of the Lorde our God most heartely and earnestly the forgiuenesse of all our sinnes and trespasses alreadie past and done we should next as obedient children not agayne to grieue so déere good a Father beseeche him for his mercies sake to aide and strengthen vs against that which is to come that wee may not offend and fault as wee haue done but by an happie new birth and spirite of power vouchsafed from his heauēly grace vnto vs be able to fight agaynst all sinfull corruption daylie and euer vexing vs more and more For in this order speaketh the Lord still still in his word that if we be made whole wee should sinne no more That if the grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto al men hath appeared we should thereby learne to denie vngodlynes and worldly lusts and that wee should liue soberly righteously godly in this present world And in this order reasoneth euen the spouse her self I haue washed my feet and therefore how should I foule them agayne Wherefore I say as concerning order after pardon begged for passed sin most fitly doe wee aske next the power of his grace against what is to come Surely it is not onely fit in regard of order but most necessary also in respect of the thing In deed it is and that for these causes first in respect of our owne corruption and vilenesse of whome the spirit of God hath sayd by Iob that man is abhominable and filthie drinking iniquitie lyke water that is euen so desiring to sinne as hée that is thirstie to drinke Secondly in respect of the infinite allurementes and delights that sin hath to pull vs on to it from God which we are so far from repulsing gayne standing that wee readily and most willingly yeelde to them except the Lorde assist vs and inable vs by his spirite Yet are those delicates our death both in bodie and soule for euer if we followe them For it is true of al men which the Apostle speaketh of the widow that she liuing in pleasure is dead whilest she liueth so And agayn If ye liue after the flesh ye shal die Of these alluremēts and delights in sinne spake the holy Ghost when he called them the pleasures of sinne And Dauid when hee sayde Incline not my heart to euill that I shoulde commit wicked workes with men that worke iniquitie and let mee not eate of their delicates There is also a subtiltie in sinne to deceiue vs a deceitfulnesse in riches to choke vs and therfore most needfull this prayer that we be not hindered through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Thirdly in respect of the power of the enimie which is verie greate For we wrestle not agaynst flesh and bloud
in the heart no hee vnderstandeth the thoughtes long before but to the end that the parties themselues that are thus proued others also by them and in them may see what before was not seene either of good vnto prayse or euill vnto punishment and example to beware And thus much of this for a while Your next member is howe man tempteth Man is also sayde to tempt sometymes man and sometimes God His tempting of man is also sometime in the better part sometime in the worse In the better when he doth but proue and try whether further he may trust as it is wisedome alwaies to do to our friendes For vtendum amicis tanquam praetentatis aquis aptae sint vado an non We must vse friends sayd that wise heathen once as waters that we haue tryed before whether they may safely be aduentured vpon or no to passe ouer Also when the Father or master leaueth some loose money to see whether his childe or seruant will steale or no this is a kinde of tempting or trying yet but in good part with a number such like that men to men must and may as they shal see occasion vse To this kind may be referred the Queene of the South who hearing the fame of Solomon concerning the name of y e Lord came to tempt him or proue him with hard questions In the worse part man doeth tempt man either by questions or actions By questions when they deale as the Pharisees did about y e tribute with Christ seeke to snare and catch their brethren to destroy or hurt them Such tempters and temptations were those dayes of persecution full of vnder Queene Mary when no sooner was any apprehended and cōuented before them but their interrogatories inferred either death of soule by denying a trueth or death of body by affirming the same Neither doth yet this world want these tempters by questions where true religion and knowledge of God ruleth not tongue and heart and all Whereupon many innocent soules are trapped ere they wit and harmlesse hearts not spying hidden driftes put the collar about their owne neckes to destroy themselues that is speake or do simply what is wrinched to a vantage they neuer feared nor thought of against thēselues Thrise needefull therefore with the simplicitie of the doue is the wisedome of the serpent By actions man tempteth whē either by woordes or deedes of bad example they alure other to sinne and euill Thus tempted Eue her husbande to eate of the apple Iobs wife her husband to curse God and dye Tobias wife her husbande to bee weary of well doing Putiphars wife her seruant to filthines those wicked Priests that sayd Come let vs imagine a deuise against Ieremy with many such in the Scriptures of which tempters and temptations that wise Salomon warneth when he saith My sonne if sinners intise thee consent not vnto thē if they say come with vs we will lay wayte for blood and lye priuily for the innocent without a cause cast thy lot in amongst vs we will haue one purse c. And truely blessed is that man and woman that walketh not in those counsels of the vngodly standeth not in the way of these aluring sinners nor sitteth not in the seates of those reprobate scorners And how tempteth Satan Satan tempteth when hee moueth vs to leaue God and that obedience that wee owe vnto him any way and to do euil and therefore looke how many branches of well doing are in the lawe of God implied euen so many contrary wayes doeth this enemy assault and tempt vs Of this temptation doeth the holy Ghost speake when he saith Then was Iesus led aside of the spirit into the wildernes to bee tempted of the deuill And Peter when he sayd Ananias why hath Satan filled thine heart that thou shouldest lye vnto the holy Ghost And Paul when he sayth let man wife come againe together that Satan tempt them not for incontinencie Again for this cause when I coulde no longer forbeare I sent that I might know of your faith least the temptour had tempted you in any sort With a number such like places In which assaultes of his hee vseth our owne corruption and concupiscence the worlde the wicked and many meanes but the Lord is stronger than they al if we cleaue to him either wholy to kéep vs y t we fall not at all if it so please him as others do or else to rayse vs vp againe when they haue vs downe vnder their feete to giue vs victorie And which of these kinde of temptations do wee pray against in this petition Surely euen against them all in some sort For first as concerning Gods temptations which more properly may bee called trials we beseech his maiestie in this prayer that he would deale in mercy and fauour with vs euermore and neuer lay more vpon vs than hee will make vs able to indure but that he would giue issue with the temptation and helpe vs. Thus farre do we pray euen against these as shall further bee declared when we come to the second part of this petition Touching mans tryals or temptations we likewise herein begge of his mercy that for any questions moued to vs he would tender his owne glory and neuer suffer our wants to make answere to preiudice his trueth with the vnbeleeuers but that hee woulde helpe in time of neede and either keepe vs from apposings aboue our power to satisfie or else giue a mouth and vtterance that no haters of his glorie may be able to resist that in our weakenes he being strōg y e glory may be his as it is due euer and we that bee the sheepe of his pasture may giue him prayse for euer The third sort which is Satans temptations it is our meaning that the great mercy of our gracious God would so farre support vs that we may neuer be vanquished and ouercome of any of them but deliuered and saued by him from all euill And thus you see howe we pray against them all in this order as we shall further shew I say hereafter Yet is this last chiefly meant to wit that forasmuch as our whole nature is corrupt and giuen to sinne if the Lord forsake vs we are headdely caried to what alurements and prouocations soeuer we sée before vs the Lord in mercy woulde deliuer vs from this promptnes and aptnes of our natures to admit of sinne and by his grace deliuer vs from euill Let vs not now leaue these things thus but euen yet further thinke of them And to begin with the first to witte Gods temptations or tryals and of those first with those that are of the right hande alas howe fewe consider thus much in prosperitie that thereby the Lorde tryeth them and searcheth out what they are and how they will shew themselues to him for all those blessings Most true it is the
bewitched with the flattery of thē that cried the voyce of God and not of a man reueyled what hee was in his most fearefull and soden fall The Lorde smote him and he was eaten of lice Charge therfore them that are rich in this worlde sayth the holy Apostle that they bee not high minded and that they trust not in vncertain riches but in the liuing God c. as if he should say they haue need not of gentle and soft admonition but euen of deepe and dreadfull charges to take heede So daungerous a thing is prosperitie to a frayle man When thou shalt come into the good land that I shal giue thee that floweth with milke and hony that is with all blessings wherein are riuers of waters and fountaines and depths that spring out of valeyes and mountaines a land of wheat barley of vineyardes figgetrees and pomegranats a lande of oyle oliue and honey a lande wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarcitie neither shalt thou lacke any thing therin a land whose stones are iron and out of whose mountaines thou shalt digge brasse and when thou hast eaten art filled comming to houses that thou buildedst not and vineyards or gardēs that thou plantedst not then then beware thou forget not thy God and him that gaue thee al neither bee lifted vp sayth the Lord. As if he should say then is the daunger if euer that thou wilt waxe wanton bathe thy selfe in pleasures melt away in daintie curiositie or curious dayntines and lift vp thy heele against a kinde God bid him adieu and take thy leaue of true and due obedience for all these mercies And therefore then then take heede beware Which assuredly that wise Agur remembring and considering well prayed that hee might not haue too litle least I steale saith he and take the name of my God in vayne neither yet too much least I be ful and deny thee and say who is the Lord. Others in their tymes knewe it and therefore wrote diuers thinges this way Faelicitas moderatio diuiduum contubernium habent Prosperitie and moderation dwell in two houses His meaning is hardly they are founde dwelling together Raro bona fortuna bonaque mēs homini datur Seldome is good fortune that is prosperitie and a good heart giuen to a mā together Magnae faelicitatis est a felicitate non vinci It is a great felicitie not to be ouercome of felicitie With a number such like sayings Wherefore to go no further we see how the Lord tempteth vs trieth vs by prosperitie to the discouering opening of our hidden secrets either good or euil and for the Lords sake thinking seriously of it let euery man and woman particularly view what breaketh out of them for al the mercies that are vpon them And I say no more You sayd an other of the Lords temptations or tryalles of man was aduersitie therefore I pray you also touch that True it is sometimes y e Lord trieth one way sometime an other many often times by this déepe gager of mēs harts aduersity the crosse For so saith y e scripture Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee this fourtie yeeres in the wildernes for to humble thee and to prooue thee to know what was in thy hart whether thou wouldest keepe his commandements or no. And Feare none of these things which thou shalt suffer beholde it shall come to passe that the deuill shall cast some of you into prison that ye may bee tried and ye shall haue tribulation ten daies bee thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee a crowne of life Againe Because thou hast kept the word of my patience therefore I will deliuer thee from the houre of tentation which will come vppon all the world to trie them that are on the earth Which places with many mo that might be alleaged teach vs euidently that thus the Lorde trieth his children when it pleaseth him euen in the furnace of aduersitie causing them therby not vnto him who knoweth all things before but vnto themselues and the world to discouer and open what before was not so knowne namely either patience or grudging against the Lords visitation as in examples plainly wee may see Abraham wayted a long time for his wished childe and that delay of the Lords was his great triall What opened it in Abraham but a most singular faith before not so well knowen to men that euen aboue hope hee beleeued vnder hope that hee should haue what was promised not weake in faith considered neither his own bodie which was now dead being almost an hundred yeres old neither the deadnes of Saraes wōbe but without doubting rested fully assured that what the Lord had sayd he was able to do Iacob wōderfully tossed with the waues of much bitter aduersitie by his wiues by his children by his friends and euery day almost by one thing or other yet euer shewed forth a patient hart a beleeuing hart and many great vertues of all Gods children to bee many times thought of And so was affliction a discouerer of his good graces to the praise of God the giuer the true commendation of himselfe the receiuer and all our examples that consider them How did aduersitie manifest in Ioseph againe y e gifts of God What a faith did affliction in her daughter bewray and lay open to all men in the woman of Canaan when the Lord Iesus gaue this testimonie of her O woman great is thy faith be it vnto thee as thou wilt So that you see where the Lord had wrought any good there this trier and gager of the Lords aduersitie opened it and reueiled it to his glorie Now looke at other some and you shal see an other course or other effects of this temptation The childrē of Israels case in Aegipt is knowne vnto vs how greeuous and euen marueilous their bondage was as also how the Lorde sent Moses and Aaron to deliuer them Who at their first comming were welcommed and reuerenced of all the Elders greatly they then expecting by them a release from those woes But after a while when the King increased their affliction and charged the taskmaisters to deliuer them no more straw and yet to require the whole number of bricke vpon sharpe punishment if they performed it not what then bewrayed this tryall in them O see and consider They flye vpon the Lords Ministers and messengers with an open mouth with raging passions the Lord looke vpon you and iudge you say they For you haue made our sauour stincke before Pharoh and before his seruants in that ye haue put a sword in his hande to slay vs. When they were in feare of Pharaohs host pursuing them after they were deliuered they did the like when they wanted water they did the like when they wanted victuals they did the like and their murmurings grudgings and
brokē from the tree which if it were it could not beare It is a meruaylous proofe to vs of this good and therefore marke it well The Apostle againe sayth There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Yea but who bee those See what followeth Which walke not after the flesh but after the spirite So then if I would know whether I bee in Christ Iesus or no I must looke how I walke that is still how I am sanctified And if I finde that the God of mercie by his perpetual spirit hath wrought in me a chaunge that whereas once I walked after the flesh that is was ruled guided and gouerned by my corrupt nature now it is not so but the holy Ghost leadeth me into a feruent loue of God and a true hatred of euill then is the conclusion inferred by the very spirit of truth himselfe I am in Christ Iesus and there is no condemnation to me nor for me So that Sanctification the lowest step leadeth mée surely to election the highest of the ladder Giue rather diligence sayth Saint Peter my brethren to make your calling and election sure Yea but how might they say shal we do it Peter telleth them If yee doo these things you shall neuer fall And what be those things Hee also sheweth them namely If you ioyne vertue with your faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience with patience godlynesse with godlynesse brotherly kindnes and with brotherly kindnes loue c. Now what is al this but sanctification of life So that still our rule is proued that if wee woulde know whether we be elected to liue in heauen we must euer looke how we leade our liues in earth And if there the Lorde hath chaunged vs from carelesse to careful men and women to please him in holynesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our life then is this Sanctification a note of Iustification Iustification of Vocation Vocation of Election and so heauen is ours But now take heed that in this search for holynesse of life we bee not carryed away with outward shewes For such holynesse holdeth not either in promisses or conclusion of our former argument The Lorde abhorreth approching lippes and reproching hearts And Except your righteousnesse sayth hee exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharesies you shall neuer enter into the kingdome of GOD. That is except you haue more thā a painted visard which they had most glorious and a counterfait hypocriticall shew of holynesse your reckoning of heauen will bee without your host and you will fayle of it Write sayth the Lord to the Angell of the Church of Sardis I knowe thy workes for thou hast a name that thou liuest but thou art dead It is not then a name only y t wil serue the turne Hauing a shew sayth Paule of godlynesse but haue denyed the power thereof As if hée should saie vaine thrice vaine is the shew without the power and truth when this search of our election is in hand O beloued consider then of this earnestly and think with your selues if there be no comfort to be had in our heartes that we are the Lordes appointed to life and blisse in the worlde to come but onely by a true espiall of sanctification of life in our selues how carefull should we bee by hearing of the worde by praying by reading and by all appoynted good meanes to haue this change wrought in vs that our light shining forth may not onely make others glorifie our heauenlie Father for his graces in vs but euen vnto our selues as Saint Peter sayth Make our election and future state in the glorious kingdome of God sure Truly there should be no cares greater than this neyther anie diligence as the Apostle speaketh more faythfull whilest we liue And see with your selues in your secrete meditations often this difference of holynesse and vnholynes of sanctification and prophanenesse the one proueth vnto me my euerlasting ioy with GOD when this course is ended and the other my assured woe with the deuill and his Angels in the blacknesse of darknesse for euer O what are the pleasures of sinne then for a season when swéet meate shall haue so soure a sauce Could the Lord with a more pearcing argument pricke vs forwarde to holy life or with a sharper knife cut in sunder the cords of vanitie iniquitie and sinne wherewith thousandes of vs are so fettered and tempered than to teach vs that the one assureth vs of lasting life and the other of lasting death in the world to come Truly he could not And therefore euerie one laie his hand vppon his soule betimes Beleeue the Lorde and we shall not be confounded Had I wist sayth the olde Prouerbe commeth euer too late Nowe liue like a Christian amongst men and euer liue like a Saint among the Angels of heauen For the Lord hath spoken it But now soake in sin with the bit in thy teeth vnrestrainable and then rot in the reward of it an euerlasting curse from God and all his ioyes for the Lorde hath also sayd it And if this sanctification beloued may not be in shew onely as hath bene said but in truth and veritie how desperate how woful how wretched and miserable is the estate of that man and woman that hath not so much as a shew If there bee no comfort gotte by a glistering outward appearaunce what comfort may be in the soule if the Lord awake to thinke of it where euen this also vtterly wanteth and the contrarie to wit all libertie loosenesse and sinne aboundeth meruailouslie Shall we forget the curse of our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell vppon the figge trée that yet had goodly leaues fresh greene because also with y e leaues it had no fruit If so fearefull a curse light vpon that O curses of curses how many of them shalbe vpon those trees that haue not so much as leaues no not one greene leafe but are altogether withered twice dead and plucked vp by y e rootes Wherfore I pray you euen again as you loue your life w t god another day desire any assurāce of it to your soule in this worlde Giue your bodies dayly a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable seruing of God And fashion not your selues like vnto this world but be you chaunged by the renuing of your minde that you may proue what that good and acceptable and perfect will of GOD is And Whatsoeuer things are true whatsoeuer thinges are honest whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer thinges are worthie loue whatsoeuer things are of good report if there be anie vertue or if there be any praise thinke of these things For as you haue hearde and seene trulie proued these thinges shall assure vs that we are the Lordes cared for here and chosen else where to be with him for euer and
reynes and doeth not spare and powreth my gaul vppon the ground Hee hath broken me with one breaking vppon an other and runneth vpon me like a Gyant Here you see not onely aduersitie and affliction but euen a marueilous measure yet the man deere to the Lords heart that indured it Euery woorde hath a power to expresse a great temptation if you marke them Compassed round about his reynes cut not spared his very gaull as it were powred out one breaking vpon an other and runne vppon with the Lorde as with a Gyant Are you able to say you haue such measure of woe vpon you you cannot if you will speake trueth And yet was Iob for all this measure as I say the Lordes chosen In the 19. chapter marke againe his phrase His armies sayth he came together made their way vpon me and camped about my tabernacle Before he sayd the Lords archers now he sayth the Lordes armies still noting both great number and great strength What can you or I say Happely wee may say the Lorde hath shot one headlesse arrowe at vs to quicken vs awake vs out of earthly worldly securitie happely an arrowe with a heade that hath somewhat pearced let it be two or three or twentie alas this is not the number of the Lordes archers this is not to feele the armies of the Lord and his battels euen all his battels ioyned together against vs. I pray you therefore still marke Iobs measure and your measure and yet Iob loued In his 30. chapter Thou turnest thy selfe cruelly against me and art enemy vnto me with the strength of thy hand Thou takest me vp and causest me to ride vppon the wind and makest my strength to fayle When hee sayth cruelly his meaning is not to accuse God but to declare the vehemency of his affliction wherby he was caried beside himselfe And by the word wind he compareth his afflictions to a tempest or whirlewinde Therefore still note the measure We may safely acknowledge the Lords rod vpon vs but yet may we not say it is all his rod when it is but a twigge And I assure my selfe if we looke at Iobs measure ours is skarse a twigge Howe then should Satan whisper any discomfort to vs for our measure whatsoeuer it is when it is not comparable to his whom wee knowe notwithstanding loued Was Dauid lightly humbled whē he said there is no whole part in my body by reason of my sin when he cried Why art thou so sad my soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee still trust in God c. Was it a litle measure that Abraham and Isaac so wandred tossed from pillar to post as we say in perils feares and many afflictions and yet contayned not the promise Was it a litle measure that Iacob susteyned first to haue his owne and onely brother sweare his death as it were then to leaue Father and Mother house and home Countrey and friendes and to seeke for a worlde abroade to serue paynefully his owne vncle and in the ende to be vnkindly requited with an other than hee wished to beginne other seuen yeres againe or else loose his desire to be pinched in his wages enuyed and maliced by his owne flesh driuen to depart without any farewel pursued after vexed with wrongfull accusations and charges to haue the wife whome hee loued not altogether vpright in iudgement of religion his bed defiled by his eldest sonne his daughter rauished and taken away a horrible murder committed by Simeon and Leui vpon that quarell Ioseph solde but as hee thought murdered by a wilde beast with many mo very bitter and smarting temptations if you marke the story Thus may you then go ouer the Scriptures and see the measure of others many compare it with yours and be truely comforted if God so wil. For certainely wee are not tried and humbled like these men your owne conscience must acknowledge it and reason will euict it whether you will or no. For if God lay no more vpon any than according to his abilitie to beare and our fayth when the greatest yet is inferiour to those then assuredly our tryals are inferiour also And so their examples our true comfort against this assault drawen from the measure that wee indure Folow then this course and as you reade marke not only matter of affliction but measure and I warrant you this lying deuil wil hide his head conuinced with a trueth Your order now leadeth you to reuewe howe man tempteth or trieth man But that hauing in my opinion sufficiently bene touched before it will not bee amisse if you goe to the last poynt namely howe Satan tempteth vs. And I altogether put my selfe vppon your direction yet with this note by the way that the selfe same temptations may bee sayde to proceede from Satan that otherwise haue beene sayde to come from God From Satan in malice from God in mercy From Satan as they vrge and perswade vs to any euill contrary to the worde From the Lorde as they open to vs our weakenes in fayth and sundry corruptions driuing vs to his selfe as to our true strength and support in all our weaknes Which being remembred then say we concerning this diuision that the temptations of Satan are infinite and cannot bee named of any man albeit felt of all men as the Lord will giue him leaue to shewe his malice of some more of some lesse and of euery one somewhat Hee tempteth in iudgement to error and heresie hee tempteth in life to sinne and impietie and what infinite branches haue these two heades The errors and heresies that haue bene of old what an heape are they if I should take this course or who can tell what euen yet dayly he worketh in this behalfe throughout the worlde stuffing mens heades and filling their hearts with great vntruths Some hee hath perswaded heretofore and still no doubt will perswade if God permit him that an estate of the true Church heere on earth is to bee expected more perfit and holy than in deede is true And he telleth them that if any Church be so separated from the world that therein in deede and trueth all mens liues be framed according to the woorde of God that is a true Church and if any Church bee not so separated from the world but that in it are found some without repentance which liue not according to the worde of God but haue their blots and spots both in fayth to God and loue to mā that is a false church from which the children of God must separate themselues least they should bee partakers of other mens sinnes So that the imperfections of a Church and the faults of some in the Church not remoued by by from the same shall vtterly take away both name and nature of a Church from that place A great and grieuous vntrueth surely and such as we may say of with S. Hilarie Archangeli nesciunt
by this temptation that now we handle seeketh to perswade Therfore I pray you let vs all note it and thinke of it And as hee did not forbid others such communion so himself did not breake that felowship as already hath appeared and more may if wee marke his practise For hee sayth to the Philippians that he had no body like Timotheus but al did séeke their own and not that which is Iesus Christs Yet neuer do we find that he separated him selfe from their company for feare of partaking with their sinnes And diuers such other places there are What might be added of those famous Churches in the Reuelation Ephesus Pergamus Thyatira and others Doth not the Spirit of God lay downe their blemishes and sheweth what he had against them and those no litle things some of them and yet yeldeth them the names and titles of Churches and calleth their ministers angels What then if a man in those dayes shoulde haue taken offence at these wants of these Churches weakenesses of men and haue sayde they haue preaching but they are not reformed as they should be and therefore I will cut my selfe from them and communicate no longer with them would it haue bene alowed Consider the Lord Iesus his preaching with more holynes and power than euer any else could or shall Were all reformed that heard him nay were his owne disciples reformed wholy How then were they so often rebuked of the Lorde and that iustly Consider the Prophets that were hidden prophesie and did it carefully and yet were told that the people would not obey them Consider the Apostle that sayth we are a sweete sauour to God in some that perish Consider that hee which willeth Paul to plant and Apollo to water reserueth the gift of increase to himselfe and giueth it where when and so farre as he pleaseth So that if the Lords ministers in very great heauines and continuall sorow of heart would wish themselues euen separated from Christ for their brethrens winning yet shall no moe come to the father than Christ will drawe and this happy change must bee at his good pleasure not at their desire How then may we safely fall out with the preaching and preacher and with the Church and her children for want of that which onely GOD must giue and the best preachers haue fayled to obtaine though faithfully doing their dueties namely a full reformation as wee would Shall that holy worde not reforme me because it reformeth not others shall it not be a sauour to me of life to life because to others it is a sauour of death to death If hee offer mee a penny shall I bid him keepe it except hee will giue others as much at my direction May not the Lorde doe with his owne as it pleaseth him for mee or shall I grudge to the Spirite his blowing where he listeth O fearefull falling out with the Lord and his offred goodnes if it bee considered earnestly Wee should remember againe when wee looke so after the fruites of amendment in a Church and stumble so dangerously for wāt of what we wish that Pharisees make greater shewes to some mens eyes than poore Publicanes doe and yet the one iustified more than the other with a righteous God We should remember that Elias was deceyued when hee thought that there were no mo that were reformed but himselfe Our eyes cannot see all men neither can we euer know the worke of the worde preached Inward graces are often where we thought not and outwarde carie more then we know Some iudged lead proues fined golde and glistring gold that seemed to bee proues drossie lead A tender conscience sweete feeling an hope in Christ and his promises inward cryings by faythfull prayer holy thoughtes and meditations sweete prickes and melting motions remorse for sinne and spirituall fights humilitie of heart and peace of mind patience ioy and a number such they bee secret graces not alwayes knowne and discerned of euery man where in truth they are at least not in such measure as in deede they are And therefore since we cannot knowe all either people or graces wrought by the worde preached and there may bee a want aswell in our not seeing all with Elias as in mens misdoings greatly should we feare to condemne and iudge the Churches of GOD for not answering their teaching with any reformation It is an earnest charge and of a mightie God See that ye despise not one of these litle ones For I say vnto you that in heauen their Angels alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in heauen What greater contempt than to thinke that Publicane is not like me I am reformed I am sanctified I haue receyued the holy Ghost others haue not and these by name haue not so O take heede Iudge not thus rashly an other mans seruant All is not gold that glistereth neither all bowers of their knees to Baal that are yet so thought to be euen of a Prophet Lastly wee should lift vp our heads and open our eyes in a louing heart a little wider that we may see the profites of the worde and the gracious mercies of the Lorde to any Church euer and with as hungrie a heart delight to discerne the graces of men as the faults of men Yea much more And if wee see many superstitions banished many abuses amended many snared consciences and fettered soules inlarged true loue of diuers good things and true hatred of diuers euil things wrought Ougly and often othes in many decayed knowledge both in youth and age increased the hearing of the word with Prayers and Sacraments diligently frequented priuate regarde of families in the gouernours of them greatly amended diet and apparell tempred the poore reléeued Princes obeyed peace maintayned c. to confesse then to the due glorie of a gracious God that this is something and this measure some although not all Loue spieth any good wher it loueth loue couereth many things that are not well Surely it doth not for wants denie the good neither for some condemne all And thus if we would looke at Churches children of the Churches no doubt no doubt Satans combe would be cut touching this temptation If any man will say shewe me these reformed ones and good ones in a Church what answereth a learned father Quid hac re opus est Annon satis est eos in ecclesia esse Quāobrem cùm ipsa communionem habetote manete in ecclesia ad sacros coetus sacramenta quemadmodum oportet accedite Etiamsi enim multi impuri publici peccatores non mundati in ea sint tamen vos ab illis non polluemini non magis quam Apostolos Iudaei polluerunt Quin potiùs videte ne à vobis ipsis polluamini propterea quòd multum vobis tribuitis iudicatis omnes plurimum vobis placetis Itaque spiritualis superbia contemptus nimium vestris animis insidet
not be deceiued The Lord will surely smite euery seruant that doth not his will whether he knowe or knowe not because his ignoraunce is not of creation but from Adam by fall neither shall any good meaning erroniously had excuse any man more than it did the Iewes which ignorantly crucifying Christ and persecuting the Apostles were perswaded they did God great seruice And as God doth thus so doth he require of the Magistrates hand to whom in deede he hath committed the sword not in vayne that after the procuring of such meanes for their instruction by publique preaching and priuat perswasions as our Sauiour hath appoynted for the calling of men from their errors to the knowledge of his truth they forbeare not either to require godly duetie or to punish the want as the offence shall deserue not fearing the speeches of men for the glorie of God neither displeasing him to please them If they crye as they do it is crueltie crueltie and enough to driue men to dispayre Wee can but wish them the best still houlding a truth our selues and doing in moderation and mercie what shall make vs dispayre if wee doe not God requiring it of vs at our perill And at their owne peril must it be if they take darknes for light and light for darknes Surely their bloud is vpon themselues because they haue bin warned and had the meanes S. Austen will tell them the Donatistes slew themselues rather then they would change their heresie yet did not such their feareful madnesse terrifie godly Princes from condigne chastisements of so great impietie And thus much may suffice of this temptation If any list to be further satisâ—ied by English treatises hereof let him peruse the godly answers of diuers to the Papists Maister Doctor Bilson M. Trauers and others But this lawfull moderate and profitable correction wil be called cruel and mercilesse persecution No newes if it be For so did these seduced creatures in their times and the Papists euen stil exclayme when their heresie and obstinacie is punished Wherevpon both Austen in his time and others in these daies are driuen to followe their cries and to purge away this vniust sâ—aunder which in deede would neuer be so vntruely made if men would not foolishly thinke pro ecclesia Dei facere quicquid inquieta temeritate faciuÌ„t that euery thing is done in the cause of the Church that is done by their owne vnquiet rashnesse and headinesse For the matter it selfe it hath bene answered it truly may be answered that euery one that spareth is not a friend neither euery one that beateth a foe But better are the wounds of a friend than the voluntarie kisses of an enemie Melius est cum seueritate diligere quà m cum lenitate decipere Better it is with seueritie to loue than with lenitie to deceiue Can man loue man more than God loueth him Yet in the loue of GOD there is often correction and often chastisement and the same though neuer ioyous for the present but greeuous yet after bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto them which are thereby exercised and they say with the Prophet It is good for them that they haue bene chastised Why then must mans compulsion euer be persecution Cùm boni mali eadem faciunt eademque patiuntur non factis poenis sed causis vtique discernendi sunt When the good and euill either doe or suffer the same things they must be discerned and distinguished not by punishments but by causes Pharoh was sharpe in sundrie actions to the Israelites and what was Moses when he made them drinke vp the ashes of their golden calfe and three thousand of them to bee slayne with the sworde speedely When his anger seemed fearce agaynst Aaron himselfe and the people quaked as it were vnder him Similia fecerunt sed non similiter prodesse voluerunt The things they did after a sort were like for they were both sharpe but their minds were not alike to profite And therefore what Pharoh did was tyrannicall persecution what Moses did lawful and liked punishment of a greeuous fault Iesabel slew some Prophets and Eliah slew some Prophets Sed diuersa merita facientium diuersa passorum But diuers was the merit both of the doers and sufferers Iesabel slew true Prophets and it was a bloudie persecution Eliah slew false Prophets and it was no persecution as we speake of the word in euill part In the death of Christ God had his work and man had his work Yet was God pure man guiltie How Nisi quia in re vna quam fecerunt causa noÌ„ erat vna ob quam fecerunt But because in one thing which they did there was not one cause for which they did it There were three crosses at our Sauiours death vpon one the theefe to bee saued vpon an other the theefe to bee damned in the middle Christ Quid similius istis crucibus quid dissimilius istis pendentibus Quos passio iungebant causa separabat What more like than these crosses What more vnlike than these that hanged vpoÌ„ them Whom a like punishment conioyned a farre vnlike cause disioyned Paule was deliuered to the Iayler to be imprisoned Paule him selfe would the incestuous to bee deliuered to Satan to bee reformed The one is a greater matter than the other and yet the lesser a wicked persecution the greater none Discamus igitur frater Let vs therefore learne brother saith S. Austen in like doings to discerne vnlike mindes of the doers neither let vs with closed eyes sclaunder and accuse well willers as euil hurters of vs. If it were euer so glorious as some would make it to be punished and to sustayne correction the Lord might haue sayd blessed are they that are so vsed and neuer haue added propter iustitiam for righteousnesse sake Wherefore an euident truth it is that they are not Martyrs that suffer punishment for euill doing propter Christianae vtilitatis impiam diuisionem and for a wicked diuision of Christian vnitie but they y t suffer for well doing and for righteousnesse sake Agar was punished of Sara yet she that punished was blamelesse she that was punished blame-worthie Therefore doth the Prophet say Iudica me Deus discerne causam non dixit poenam sed causam Iudge mee O Lord discerne my cause He doth not say my punishment but my cause Againe they persecuted me without a cause but the Lord was my helper His coÌ„fort and glorie is not that hee was persecuted but that in deede and truth it was without a a cause Dauid himselfe pursued his enemies tooke them and consumed them And sayd he would cut off al the workers of iniquitie from the Citie of the Lord. Yet no persecutor more than all other Kings and Princes both in the word and out renowned for due and zealous punishing of offences In his enim omnibus quid attenditur nisi quis eorum
pro veritate quis pro iniquitate quis nocendi causa quis emendandi For in all men that punish execute lawes vpon any what is to bee considered but which of them doth it for the maintenance of truth which of them for the maintenance of euill which of them with a mind to hurt which of them with a minde to refourme Vides itaque non esse considerandū quod quisque cogitur sed quale sit illud quo cogitur vtrum bonum an malū You see therfore that this must not only be marked that a man is cōpelled but the thing also must be looked wherunto he is cōpelled whether it be good or bad And if it be good it will euer iustifie the actiō howsoeuer y e suffrer be offended The Phisition offends many times his patiēt y e scholemaster his scholler the father his wilde wanton child But this offence shall haue a iust warrant if it be cōplayned of the carefull hart of eche one to do good in their places If horses and mules must be ruled with bits and bridles to take a liked course we should make lesse accompt of our selues than of these beastes if we should seeke both immunitie and impunitie whatsoeuer wee do And let this suffice for some satisfaction to a causelesse cry and most vnworthy complaint when so euer it is made I very well see these temptations in iudgement are many and therefore your speech might bee long if you would followe them but these may suffice for a tast of Satans malice in respect and you may nowe if your selfe will proceede to his temptations in life and behauiour They also as hath bene said are in number moe and in nature more vnknowne than that of any one man they may bee either named or vnderstood For there is no commandement the breaches whereof in euery branch hee tempteth not some vnto and what a field were this to runne a very long course in Hee tempteth to adulterie fornication vncleannes wantonnes Idolatrie witchcraft hatred debate emulations wrath contentions seditions enuy murthers drunkennes gluttony and ten thousand such like So that to followe the temptations in life and behauiour and to lay downe what might bee sayde eyther in description of their manner or as helpe against their strength and venom were to take in hand to write many volumes This is certaine he is our enemy and so firme a friend as he is a fo were worth much gold euen of the gold of Ophir In which enmitie and immortall malice of his hee goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whome he may deuoure But if wee resist him stedfast in fayth he flyeth from vs. With which shield of fayth together with the sworde of the spirite the word of God we shal quench al his fierie darts and become conquerors And the best meanes to helpe vs in these many thousand spirituall onsettes and to strengthen body and soule against the killing poyson of them after auoyding of all occasions so much as euer we may stil truly discharging our seuerall places both towards God man is to print in our harts and sinke into our soules a true an often and earnest meditation of the ende of the thing or thinges whatsoeuer that we shall in this respect be tempted solicited vnto For the wise Syrach vpō deepe experience hath sayd it Whatsoeuer thou takest in hand remember the end thou shalt neuer do amisse The end of sin is death the reward of sinne is death death of body many a tyme by a shamefull ende in this world and death of both body and soule in a bottomelesse pit for euer where is weeping and wayling and gnashing of teeth Sweete meate will haue a sower sawse sayde the prouerbe then and sweete sinne bringeth smarting payne sayth the trueth now What wo to themselues and to their seede for euer brought that faire fruit with pleasure eaten when time was of our first parents Would God no posteritie might rue the falles of them whome they loued Surely if the end preuailed in the thought before sinne preuailed in act they shoulde rue them lesse O deed done howe bitterly biteth it when it is done that was thought full sweete before it was done and nowe sore lamented that euer done or that again it cannot bee vndone But had I knowne commeth euer behind too late to comfort too soone to wring and euer sinne rubbeth vppon the rawe Before these our parents should sinne honour preferment glory and ioy were brought by a hellish serpent to muster themselues before their eyes and Gods shall you be if you will do this But O woful Gods when the deede was done Then mustred as fast before their minde death hell damnation the wrath of God and all terrour and torture And so is it euer that deuill that pleadeth all mercie and goodnes patience and long suffering in the Lord towardes sinners before they offend vpon boldnes thereof to make them offende that deuill as fast thundreth damnation and death iustice and wrath in the same Lorde when once we haue offended Especially if wee begin to slacke our diligent seruing of his filthy humor O Dauid speake and instruct a litle What thoughtest thou when Ioab must go number all Israel and Iudah Of wisedome pollicie to know my power What feltest thou when the deede was done Securitie for a time and all was well But when God awaked what O aske mee not that For the remembrance of it as yet is grieuous vnto me But if you wil needs know I was smitten I was bittē I was wounded and wroung with the very furies of hel My flesh quaked my heart aked and my soule admitted feares vppon feares My conscience cried my Spirit groned and the worlde knewe not what I felt within Were mine eyes open or were they shut the eyes of my minde still sawe my sinne and the face of Iustice in a mightie God against it The rest I found was to accuse my selfe and with sobbing sighes and brinish teares to vtter my fall as I could for woe in words of griefe to a gracious God I haue sinned I haue sinned O my God and deere in that I haue done exceedingly nowe Lorde I beseech thee take away the trespasse of thy seruaunt for I haue done very foolishly And what shoulde I say the end was mercie yet mingled with Iustice I was brought into a wonderfull streyt by an offer that was made And whosoeuer sinneth streyt in the ende either lesse or more as God appoynteth is the flower that bloweth vpon such a stalke and so I leaue you Well then wee heare what we were better to heare then euer to feele as hee felt it For his heart smote him smote him sayth the text and the woorde importeth a twitching smart Dauid felt the fruites of other falles also if we remēber them and preacheth vnto vs to take heede of the pleasures of sinne for a season But I speake
his compassion towardes vs then is he sayd to be farre of Thus is it meant in the Prophet Call vppon him while hee is neere that is I haue nowe shewed whilest his arme is stretched out to you and his mercie offered in such sorte as it is This also considered teacheth vs how God may bee sayd to bee more in one man than another and more in one place than in another namely still not in respect of essence which is equally in all places and wholy in all places but in respecte of more or lesse after the gifte of his grace to one person than another or to one place than another Of which it may bee true that Gregorie sayd Deus qui omnia tangit non aequaliter omnia tangit God that toucheth all things yet toucheth not all things alike By this may the third thing partly be vnderstood to wit how GOD is sayde in Scripture to come and goe awaie and yet no breach made of his vbiquitie namely because such speeches are neuer to bee meant of his essence or mutation of place for so departeth hee from none but of inward or outward effects of his holie spirit according to which giuen or taken awaie the Lord is said to come or to go from men and places as hee departed from Dauid when hee lefte him iustly for his grieuous sinnes destitute of the peace of his conscience of the chéerefulnesse of his minde the cleannesse of his heart the quietnesse of his affections and other giftes of his holy spirite which before Dauid had in great measure Wherevpon he was forced to crie O Lord create a cleane heart within mee and renue a right spirit O Lord giue me the comfort of thy spirite againe let the bones which thou hast broken reioyce On the other side hee is sayde to come when againe he beginneth to worke by his holy spirit and to stirre vp faith repentance loue hatred of sinne such like Thus meant our Sauiour when he sayde I and my Father will come vnto him dwell with him And this of inward graces Outwardly also the Lord is sayde to come ergo when either by outward crosses he so humbleth vs as though he had forsaken vs and departed in anger from vs so that we are constrained with Dauid to say My God why hast thou forsaken me or when hee so defendeth vs comforteth vs and blesseth vs that the world that seeth it is driuen to saie and see as Saul did of Dauid that the Lord is with vs. So his absence is the absence of his effects in vs and for vs and his presence or comming is the presence and gift of them either inward or outward Wherefore to goe no further I hope it is playne inough now that though we saie our Father is in heauen yet wee are farre from denying therein or therby his diuine vbiquitie and presence euerie wher But euen as the soule of man which is wholie in the whole and in euerie parte yet is sayde to be in the head or heart more than else where because there more than elswhere it exerciseth his power effects So God though by essence euery where in all places wholy yet by action operation communication of grace gifts not equally in all partes but in heauen more than in earth in the godly more than the wicked and in one of his childrē more than an other in the Saincts in heauen more than in the Saints in earth and in the humane nature of Christe more than in anie creature eyther in heauen or earth as in whome the fulnesse of grace spirite without measure was Howbeit yet in a more excellent maner God dwelt in Christ than by fulnesse of grace and giftes or by manifestation of his vertue and power as might be shewed if the place required it But thus much of this matter Now if you thinke good to the petitions themselues WIth a good will And herein for more plainnes of spéech let vs generally obserue the diuision or number of these petitiōs the order of them and the matter and meaning of them Touching the diuision of thē I will not curiously stand vpon it S. Austen and many after him by his example make 7. diuiding the last into two but their reasons are very insufficient as may bee seene And Austen himself contrary to him selfe confesseth that those words But deliuer vs from euill are an explication of the former Leade vs not into temptation And therfore by consequence vnfitly made a petition of it selfe for in so short a summe of so fewe petitions one to be confounded with an other to be all one is not probable Others make sixe and they rather are to be followed For the order of them this is to be obserued that 3. of them respecting immediatly and chiefly Gods glorie other 3. our necessities wants those that cōcerne the Lord are placed before the other euen as in the lawe of God those 4. commandements that containe mans dutie to God are set before the other 6. that containe his duetie to his neighbour Which being done of purpose in the depth of his vnsearchable wisedome that layd this forme downe for vs Christ Iesus contayneth in it a lesson of great regard to a minde possessed with the feare of God and care of bounden duetie Namely that the honor of God ought to be more deere vnto vs than either bodie or goods or any benefite of ours whatsoeuer in this world yea which is farre more then the very soules within vs the saluation of them in the world to come For so both the Lord God himself the composer of this Prayer and the giuer of bodie goods and soule and all teacheth in the sixt of Mathew And the power of his holy spirite in the practise of his seruants confirmeth and sheweth euidently For principally and aboue all sayth the Lord Iesus seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and all these other things shalbe cast vpon you Which wordes if a man would demaunde a reason of the order of these 3. petitions before the other of our Sauiour contayned as you see euen a full aunswer to wit Gods glorie is more chiefe therfore ought to be first but these 3. petitions immediatly respect that and therfore ought to be first The power then of Gods spirite in the practise of the godly wee see also in Moses the great seruant of almightie God and in Paule his elect vessell to beare his name vnto the Gentiles who both of them in the flaming heate of a burning zeale to the glorie of the name of God wished the same w t the rasing of them selues out of the booke of life curse of his wrath to y e wo eternal of their owne soules for euer in y e place of perditiō death as is laid doune vnto vs. A fruit in thē of a mightie working
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