spoken as that wee shoulde continue and delight in filthynes or vnrighteousnesse But it is a declaration of the course that the wicked will take and withall a secret confirmation of the godly notwithstanding the same As if he shoulde haue sayd be not you troubled or hindred in your most godly course of obedience to me either by the continuance and euer increasing of the wicked in their wickednes or by my toleraunce and long forbearing to smite them But folowe you me and my commandements stagger not looke not backe giue not ouer and as for the wicked he that is vniust let him be vniust still and he that is filthy let him be filthy still their punishment they shall bee sure of in their time and for you goe ye on without stop let them bee as they are to their woe The prayer O Mightie GOD looke vppon vs woormes and wretches here at thy feete lying and begging mercy Let vs obtaine of thy fatherly goodnes what thou hast so louingly taught vs to aske that thy name may bee halowed Let our eyes and the eyes of all men lightned by thy grace behold that maiestie and holynes that is in thy selfe more and more that Iustice mercy and power which thou shewest in thy works and that truth wisedome and goodnes which is in thy worde more and more with all thy vertues generally whatsoeuer comprehended in thy nature and fit for the knowledge and vse of man let them be more and more dayly knowne vnto vs. And when in mercy thou hast bestowed as it may seeme good to thine owne wisedome this knowledge vpon vs. O heauenly father let it not be in vs a bare knowledge but ioyne to our knowledge that dread and honour that regard and reuerence in our obedience that is fit for such a name both in word and worke thought and deede and euery way Make vs O Lorde euer more and more to auoyde and shunne what polluteth thy name causeth thy truth to heare euill of the wicked Remoue and ouerturne also good Lorde all those thinges in thy good tyme which prophane blemish and blot this glory of thine shining either in thy selfe in thy word or in thy works Such as are these irreligious Atheists of our sinfull dayes which with their mockes and scoffes tants and iests deride all goodnes out-face all conscience and care to please thee and dayly woorke disdayne where they may haue hearing of obedience to thy blessed will O thou mightie God remoue their seats out of kingdomes countryes Out of Cities and townes and out of priuate houses and families Awake Lorde in thy power and thinke of thy holy name let not these inchaunters and charmers preuaile against thee and glorye that they haue banished out of so many places the feare of thy name They are vnholy and they woulde haue all such they are vncleane and they infect where they come they are grieuous rockes of no small offence and good Lorde remoue them from thy chosen Lessen also for thy holy name sake the cōplayners of thy prouidence the murmurers at thy iudgements carpers and cauillers at thy word allurers to loosenes of life and behauiour and al that polluting thy holy name yet hate to be reformed Finally deere father let not the shames of vngodlines dayly before our faces cary vs away Neither these deepe waterfloods drowne our soules the lewde and loose examples wee beholde with griefe let them neuer preuayle against vs to peruert vs but if thy iust wrath haue sealed their confusion they being vniust let thē bee vniust still they being filthy let them be filthy still to their owne wo not to our stoppe or hinderance to do our dueties in seeking to knowe thy glorious name more and more and to sanctifie and hallow it according to that true knowledge more and more And deerest God begin not only obedience in vs but confirme thy fauour to vs euermore strengthen and establish vs in all goodnes make strong our inward man against all assaults and these seely soules pend vp in sinfull prison during life by welcome change receyue when tyme shall bee with thee to liue till thy day of doome and then receyuing their mates againe but immortal and incorruptible with them to liue conioyned againe for euermore in ioye and comfort But not this for our sakes O mightie Lorde but for Iesus Christ our onely life and Sauiour Amen The second Petition Thy kingdome come HAuing besought the Lord in the former petition that his name might be hallowed that is as then was sayde that that maiestie and holinesse which is in himselfe that iustice mercie and power which hee sheweth in his workes and that truth wisdome and goodnesse which is in his worde with all other vertues generallie whatsoeuer comprehended in his nature and fit for the knowledge and vse of man might be more and more dayly knowen of men and receiue amongst vs that dreade honour and reuerence that is fit for such a name both in word and worke thought and deede and euerie waie it fitly followeth in the second place to beseech the same Lorde to graunt waie and meanes whereby that same shall be effected and brought to passe namelie that his kingdome may come For if the Lord rule and raigne in vs and ouer vs it shal be so And if he do not it shal not be so No we shal be so far from sanctifying his name that for wāt of his kingdome in vs Satan shall erect his kingdome in vs the effects wherof shall be great and grieuous pollutions of his name Wherfore the order is most conuenient and good The wordes of the petition are few and easily vnderstoode if we marke them For the kingdome of GOD is the ruling and raigning of GOD in the heartes of men and the comming of this kingdome is the beginning increasing and continuing of it in vs. So thy kingdome come is in effect thus much as if we should saie O Lorde erect and begin O Lord increase and propagate O Lord establish and euer continue in our hearts thy rule and gouernment to the death of sinne and life of righteousnes the true effects of thy ruling euer Which yet is not so plaine as it will be when wee haue considered of the seuerall members implied in these wordes For we must vnderstand that when we are taught to praie for this kingdome of God all the meanes whereby it is effected in vs are included to be prayed for as also all stops and lets enimies hinderaunces whatsoeuer withstanding this kingdome prayed agaynst that they may bee remooued and taken awaie To bee then as plaine as I can the kingdome of God is sayde to bee of three sortes to witte of power of grace and of glorie The kingdome of power is that soueraigntie which the Lord hath ouer al the things in this worlde directing guiding ruling and disposing of euery one of them as his good pleasure is and causing all the
the example of Gods chosen euer with such like and these are great causes to vse it What say you then of the third point concerning the persons to bee prayed vnto I answere that onely God and none but God is to be praied vnto or as the wordes of our faith and Créede hath one GOD in Trinitie and Trinitie in vnitie is to bee worshipped Which answere implying to things as you see to wit that God is to be prayed vnto and onely to bee prayed vnto Let vs see the truth of them both out of the word First then for the former it is mencioned vs in the law Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God serue him swere by his name And in another place Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him and thou shalt cleaue vnto him swere by his name With a number other proofes in euerie place where the word of seruing the Lord by a figure noteth al duties due vnto him in general so implieth this duty of prayer to him in special Euen as Dauid expoūdeth it in his Psalme saying I will worshippe towardes thy holy Temple then expresseth what one thing he meaneth by that worship I will praise thy name because of thy louing kindnesse truth that is by prayer of thanksgiuing and praise I will doe my dutie So than this is plaine and more plain I trust than that it should need proofe that God is to be prayed vnto If anie would haue reason as well as testimonies the Apostle giueth vs a strong one of contraries when he toucheth the Galathians with it as a fault no lesse than Idolatry that they did seruice vnto them which by nature were no Gods For it inferreth plainly our not offending but most right doing when we doe seruice vnto him that is by nature God But praier is a seruice and a great seruice therefore due and most due to the Lord for euer But it is not this that anie man doubteth of and therefore as I sayde not to bee stoode vpon It is the other that is a question to wit whether God onely is to be praied vnto or no and therefore let vs looke to that rather and see the truth Concerning this then is not the Scripture as plaine if wee will not wilfully bee blinde as in the other And doth not our Sauiour Christ put it quite out of doubt when he saith him only shalt thou serue Onely to God auouched by Christ should stand against not only to God affirmed by tenne thousand worldes if there were so many to doe it But the Lorde affirmeth further that he will not giue his glorie to any other and it is a parte of Gods glorie in any Christian iudgemēt I hope to praie vnto him and to make him the fountaine and welspring of all our good For Call vppon me saith the Lorde in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie me The lawe of God saith Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me which is an exclusion of all creatures in heauen and earth from partaking with the Lord in any worship we owe vnto him as our God The 17. Chapter of the second booke of Kings is a notable testimonie of the Lordes abhorring any partners in this behalfe For there we may see and heare him witnesse it vnto our soules who must one day come to iudge them in glorie dreadfull if wee haue not harkned that not to feare him onely is not to feare him at all and not onely to doe after his lawes and commaundements is not at all to doe after them For our additions to the wil of him ouerthroweth vtterly that which wee doe thereof because it is not as wee should doe it that is onely My couenant and charge with the Israelites saith the Lord there was euer this that they should feare no other Gods nor bowe themselues to them nor serue them nor sacrifice to them but onely mee which brought them out of the land of Egipt with great power and a stretched out arme And marke the emphasis Him feare That is as we may see plainly him onely him euer and none but him And therefore ouer and ouer he saith it there no other no other and againe the third time no other Which is proofe sufficient if wee bee the Lordes yet is the Scripture fuller and teacheth vs plainly that they euer were and euer shall bee blasphemous Idolaters iniurious to the Lord that call vppon any in their prayer but the same Lord alone whether it be in heauen or in earth or in the waters vnder the earth whether it bee of golde siluer or whatsoeuer The places are knowne and you may reade them It teacheth vs also that God hath made vs in his great mercie Lordes of all his creatures here and euen the Angels in heauen ministring Spirits to our good as shall please him to appoynt But whatsoeuer we pray vnto we make it superiour to vs and hauing rule and power ouer vs and therefore if it bee a creature we offende greeuously peruerting the Lordes appoynted course and seruilely submitting our selues to that which he in mercie hath put vnder vs not ouer vs in his maner and order Againe that we cannot pray to any thing without beleefe in the same but beleefe must onely be in God and therefore prayer to no other Wherefore it standeth true by the Iudge of trueth the eternall worde of God wee now well see that both God with his worship of prayer is to bée serued and honored and onely God also with exclusion for euer of all others whatsoeuer they may bee and so wee ende this question Your next is through whome or by whome wee must present and offer our Prayers to God It is so And it may bee that in the former question you expected some fuller spéech of Angels and Saints that be dead which many are of opinion may bee called vppon that yet greatly mislike that other folly or rather madnesse of praying to inferiour creatures And if you did it shal now be supplied God willing for I did referre it of purpose hether because no man iustifieth it amongst vs if he haue any cunning that they are simply to bee praied vnto as helpers themselues of themselues but as mediatours to him that is able to helpe that is God the Lorde Let vs see then this if euen but thus much may bee giuen vnto them And to begin at the beginning we know it true that betwixt God and vs a mediatour must needes bee For so sayth the Scripture No man commeth to the father but by me And as there is a God so there is a mediatour betwixt God and man The high Priest in the lawe by God assigned a figure and shadowe of Christ euen in his office taught the same And conscience in vs of our owne vnworthines to appeare before God in our selues and for our selues driuing vs away from his
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
angeli non audiuerunt prophaeta non sensit filius ipse non edidit The Archangels knowe it not the Angels haue not heard it the prophet hath not felt it the sonne of God himselfe hath reueiled no such thing to vs. For was not Iudas a wicked theefe in the company of the Apostles and yet they for all that the flocke of Christ Hath not the Lorde described the estate of this true Church militant here on earth by the similitudes of a drawe net cast into the sea that incloseth compasseth fish of al sorts yea stickes stones slime and mudde without any separation till it come to the shore Of a field wherin with the good wheate sowen by the husbandman come vp tares sowen by the enuious man and so intermingled that no cleere seperation can bee made but with daunger of plucking vp the wheate also till the haruest come Of a floore whereon lyeth much good wheate but couered almost and hid in an heape of chaffe intermingled with it till the fanner come with his fanne in his hande to purge the same and make cleane his flowre Of a great wedding whereunto as good and bad are bidden so come there some and take their places that yet haue no wedding garments sitting with the best till the King come in to sée the guestes displace them And are not these plaine proofes what maner of Church we must content our selues withall here on earth till the day of perfection come namely euen with such an one as though considered in Christ it be cleane and without spot and wrincle yet considered in it selfe it is not so before it come to the marke it shooteth at but in this life runneth in a race and after two sortes is stayned and impure First with the manifolde imperfections frailties and wants which her very best children are burdened withall euer feeling with the Apostle that in their flesh dwelleth no good thing that they are yoked as he was and farre worse that when they would do good euill is present with them and secondly with a greeuous mixture of many false hipocrites and counterfet pratlers amongst her true children whom though she sigh to be deliuered of and doe by her authoritie as she may disburden her selfe of them yet can she neuer doe it so cleane but that many vilde weedes will remayne till the haruest to be then plucked vp and till then in patience to be indured Let vs consider the Church from her very cradle and wee shall finde the state of it after this sorte Adam in his familie had Caine with his wicked behauiour and yet a Church Noah had Cham and yet a Church Abraham had Ismael a mocker and derider of Gods promises a maÌ„ borne after the flesh that is after the common course of nature and persecuting him that was borne after the Spirit that is by the vertue of Gods promise and after a spirituall maner and yet a Church Isaac had Esau and yet a Church Iacob had great misdemeanours committed still in his faâ—milie by all his sonnes enuying and malicing and most vnbrotherly vsing Ioseph By Ruben defiling his bed by Simeon and Leui brethren in euill instruments of crueltie and in their wrath staying so many by Dinah his daughter by Rachel his wife stealing her fathers Idols and but ouer much deceiued with them and by many other meanes if we fully peruse the storie and yet a Church Neither did euer either Adam or Noah or Abraham or the rest forsake these Churches in their seuerall families or refuse to pray and to doe all other dueties inioyned theÌ„ of the Lord for any vnworthie ones among them TheÌ„ when it came into Egipt was it without wrincles When it was deliuered therehence remember wee not what falles and faults what blots and blemishes still still and euer appeared in that chosen companie out of all the Nations of the world Néede I to repeate their murmurings their reuilings their faintings their many and great impieties mentioned in the storie vnder Moses vnder Iosua vnder Iudges Step to the Kings and to the Prophets what a state is mentioned of this Church militant vnder them also euer Were all things holy and perfect then Let Esay Ieremy Ioel Abacuc and the rest speake In the Priestes in the Magistrates in the people al things were then so corrupt that the Prophet Esay is not afraid to compare Hierusalem to Sodome and Gomorrha Religion was theÌ„ partly contemned partly defiled and many greeuous enormities in manners abounded so that from the sole of the foote to the top of the head there was nothing whole but woundes and swellings and sores full of corruptions sayth the Prophet Yet for all this neuer did the Prophets all or any of them erect newe Churches for themselues wherein they might haue their seperated sacrifices from the rest offred vpon any newe Altars builded to that ende as more holy But what maner of men soeuer they were because the word was there and a course of seruice warranted in the thicke of the wicked and in the middest of misdoers they lifted vp pure hands to the Lord and came together euen with the wicked to pray to sacrifice to heare the word and to doe their dueties in the place appoynted Truely wee must thinke this of those holy Prophets that if they had iudged other mens sinnes could haue defiled their holy dueties or that any infection and contagion might haue come to theÌ„ by meeting in those places of Gods seruice with the wicked they would haue dyed an hundred times rather than haue suffered themselues to bée drawne thether But they knewe it could not and hauing a singular care of peace and vnitie in the Church they therefore abhorred to make any schisme in the same by seperating them selues from the Church Now if those worthies of the Lorde for so many and so great euilles not of one or two men but euen almost of the whole people made a conscience yet not to estraunge themselues from the Church shall not you and I arrogate too much to our selues if wee presume to doe it in these daies Will not that saying of S. Austen be layd vpon vs spoken to the Donatistes vpon like occasion Finxerunt se nimis iustos cùm totum vellent perturbare They made themselues too holy when they would thus trouble all Therefore a sweéee moderation of all good desires according to these true presidents and holy examples assuredly would bee most acceptable to the Lord himselfe as it was in these Come wee from the Prophets to our Sauiour Christ himselfe that if any man make lesse accompt of the former than hee should this later may moue him and satisfie him further What maner of Church was then the Gospell teacheth at large and wee are not ignorant when Christ liued and preached among the Iewes A most corrupt estate it was and ful of sores that Christ sharply reproued in
graces of my creator vnlesse the officer of them to me from him be qualified to my liking For as wee liue the Lord wil bee a swift iudge and euen a very consuming fire one day against this hainouse contempt of himselfe and his mercies and the hauing of them in respect of persons O beloued our time is now to be wise learned and to kisse the Sonne in his graces least he be angry and wee perish off from the earth If we doe not mercie passeth iudgement commeth and warned people must both dye in their sinne and cary their bloud themselues for euer The third temptation concerning Communicants SOme againe are tempted and troubled with scruples and doubtes concerning such as are admitted to the Lordes table and whome satan cannot otherwise win to despise that holy Sacrament by this meanes hee most mightily vndermineth and causeth them to forbeare both their great comfort bounden duetie For whersoeuer sayth hee to them the vncleane are not put apart and the euill separated from the good by ecclesiasticall censure there if a Christian communicate hee is defiled with other mens sinnes And therefore to the ende yee may not be polluted with the company of such you must forbeare nay refuse and vtterly abhorre al receyuing of the Supper of the Lord but with a choyce company of select and holy ones But is this true nowe that other mens sinnes neuer consented to by me do defile mee if I receyue with them God forbid The flat contrary is a ruled case in diuinitie was ere wee were borne amongst the learned and godly of al times And as it were with one voyce they haue affirmed it in this and such like sort That a Christian man should be sory and grieued if he see that most holy Sacrament abused of any wicked and bad ones which are admitted vnto it and indeuour as much as in him lieth y t if may not be so but yet may he not himselfe depriue himselfe of the Sacrament nor withdrawe himselfe from the Church but both take it for a true Church notwithstanding this blemish and continue in her societie and felowshippe so long as the worde is preached and the Sacraments administred therein without any separation from it for this cause And the proofes hereof haue partly beene aledged before in the examples of the godly Patriarches Prophetes Apostles and Christ himselfe In the Church of Corinth Galatia Ephesus and others wherein though there were great blemishes as hath beene shewed yet were they neuer commaunded one to auoyd an others company at those exercises that the Lorde in common inioyned all and left not to their libertie to vse or not vse They separated themselues carefully from those crimes and faultes that they rebuked and disliked in others but from their Churches and holy exercises they separated not themselues but entred into their Synagogues at al times wheresoeuer they came and when they were at prayers prayed with them preached to them and partaked with them in commaunded dueties neither were they once hurt by their so doing Then further may we adde in this matter of communicants that which truly we should not lightly weigh or consider but very earnestly thinke of Namely that wee are bidden to examine our selues when we come to that table If the Lord had pleased he could as easily haue bidden vs examine one on other or euery man the whole Church And certainly he would haue done it if other mens sinnes might haue defiled vs and the company of the vnworthy ones haue polluted them that come with the very best preparation of themselues vnto it Yea and with what diligence in deede ought wee all to doe it if this doctrine were true Surely my conscience coulde neuer receiue that Sacrament in peace except I knewe all men as well as my selfe since their euell may as well hurt mee as myne owne But nowe that he requireth only of euery man the proofe of themselues he teacheth therby playnely that it nothing hurteth vs if any vnworthy doe thrust themselues in amongest vs so that wee bee prepared the same do these other wordes also Sibi iudicium manducat Hee eateth and drinketh his owne damnation Sibi non tibi His owne damnation not thyne saith Austen Ergo tolera malos bonus vt venias ad praemia bonorum ne mittaris in penam malorum Therefore thou being good indure the euell that thou mayest come to the rewards of the good and not be sent vnto the punishment of the euell Caluin thought this a strong place against this temptation therefore he vrgeth both these members against it fully In these wordes of Saint Paul sayth he two things are to be noted First that to eate the bread of the Lord vnworthyly is not to communicate in their company that are vnworthy but not rightly to prepare our selues and to weigh our owne faith and repentance Secondly that when we will receyue this Sacrament we beginne not with others and fall in examining them but that we trye our selues set our eyes that way For truely if all things bee considered well they that haue so much leasure to examine others in them selues they are most negligent and forgetfull For vppon mine owne experience sayth hee I know one yet aliue that caried headlong with this nicenes that hee would not receyue with vs for some mens faults that pleased him not he separated himselfe quite from our company And yet in the meane tyme had them in his owne house of most lewde behauiour When I knewe it I got one to admonish him for of my selfe sayth Master Caluin hee woulde take nothing and to aske what he meant to be so strict in the Church a house not in his gouernement and so faultie in his owne house where hee had gouernement Must hee needes bee defiled in the Church by vnworthy communicants and cleere at home from so neere euill And it pleased God to worke with him sayth he that he sawe his folly and afterwarde reconciled himselfe both to the Church and mee confessing at last that our chiefe and first care must bee of our selues and our familie next and secondly of others And howe Not for dislike of thē or hatred because they do not so well as they ought to separate our selues from the Church but to correct them and amend them and to bring them into the way or according to our places to procure their remouing if they will not Or if wee cannot effect that then to leaue all to the Lord to performe and make better Thus farre Master Caluin not vnworthy our earnest noting though it be very long And truely marke it againe that in saying his owne damnation he tyeth the harme that commeth by his vnworthy receyuing to himselfe and stretcheth it not to others which yet needes he must haue done if the company of any at that table did defile the godly Hee must haue sayd hee eateth and drinketh to his owne damnation and
thy good liking it may be for our good since we are thy subiects whoÌ„ it hath pleased thee to take care of euen since we hanged vpoÌ„ our mothers breasts The second reason is drawne from his power which as it is infinite so is it able to giue vs whatsoeuer we want There is nothing too hard nothing to great which he cannot giue Thine is the power euen all power might and strength ioyned with goodnesse and therefore I faint not The third reason is taken from the end or final cause For thine is the glorie that is wee desire these things for thy glory Of thée alone the true God and soueraine King we desire and expect all good thinges and so we yeelde vnto thee this thy glory and this thine honour and professe thee to bee the honour and fountain of al good things And verily because this glory is due vnto thee therefore doe wee desire them of thee Heare vs therefore for thy glory and especially because thou wilt also for thy glory sake giue those thinges which we desire For what thinges serue for thy glory the same wilt thou performe and do but those things which we desire serue for thy glory therefore thou wilt giue them vs. Giue vs therefore these thinges that we desire and the glory shall returne and redounde vnto thee if thou deliuer vs. For so shall thy kingdome and power and glory be manifested See then beloued a sweete comfort If your request that you make to your God may be good for you to receiue aswell may the Lord loose his kingdome loose his power and loose his glorie as you fayle of your fruite and harts desire For so teacheth this conclusion as you see And if it bee not good for you to haue in the wisedome of a mightie God so knowne who can better tel than you your self what is fit for you would you haue it God forbid Strengthen your harts then in your prayers alwaies with this There is no King can bee like minded to his subiect as the Lord is to you there is no power like the Lords and his glorie euer was and euer shall be deare vnto him And therfore what may be his glorie to giue and your good to receiue his power can reach it his loue shall graunt it and you shall neuer want it For no good thing shal he withhold froÌ„ his Children sayth the Prophet Dauid Stockes and stones cannot do this Idols and Images cannot doe this no the Angels of heauen cannot doe this much lesse inferiour creatures therfore know what it is to leaue the right to take the wrong to dishonor your GOD and to hurt your selues by praying to these things The word Amen is added not as a part of the Prayer but as a particle noting our wish of hart to be heard and to obtayne As if we should say O Lord thus be it vnto me what my tongue or soule hath begged so be it Amen Amen so Lord so Lord and then euen in a sweete rest of hart and content of minde that I haue vttered my selfe to my God I rise vp and go my way leauing all to him And thus much of this heauenly Prayer the patterne of all Prayers according as the Lord hath inabled me Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time foorth for euermore Amen A Prayer O Most tender GOD and deere father looke vpon vs heare vs and hearken to vs in that mercie of thine that hath no measure when euer it shall please thyne owne selfe to trie vs by any temptation doe it in mercie according to our strength and for our good And suffer vs neuer to be tempted aboue our power but giue the issue with the temptation that we may be able to beare it Let it open vnto vs our want and weaknes to reforme vs but neuer cause feare aboue faith to ouercome vs. Come wel come woe either outwarde or inwarde make vs contented and strengthen our steps in both estates to thy blessed liking that prosperitie puffe not vp nor aduersitie plucke vs downe aboue that is fit for thy true children If men assault vs and tempt vs vnto euill O Lord giue wisedome to discerne them feare to followe them and zeale to defie them And let not the pleasures of sinne for a season preuayle aboue thy fauour and our eternall good That hellish feend so raging and roaring and euer so greedie to deuour vs deere father let him want his will and all his temptations come to naught Increase our knowledge to bewray his sleights and support our faith to quench his darts Let sinne appeare sinne and euer damnable let it neuer seeme good and very tollerable But plucke off those maskes O heauenly God that it often commeth disguised withall and let our eyes through thy mercie bewray both nature ende of such delicates as thy seruant Dauid prayed he might neuer taste of O blessed father helpe vs agaynst our owne corruption our owne concupiscence and sinne Our flesh our flesh O Lord let it not preuayle to the working of our woe and euerlasting fall The Spirit is willing but the flesh is frayle full of gaynsayings striuings and struglings against thy wil. And we know with thine Apostle that in vs that is in our flesh dwelleth no good thing So that vnlesse thou helpe most deere father it will rebell and wee shall dye Deliuer vs from euill euen from all euill eternall God as if we should name them one by one so farre as may stand with thy blessed pleasure and our obedience to thee And finally deere God though we bee vnworthie to goe vpon this ground because it is thy obedient creature more than wee much lesse to lift vp our eyes to heauen where thou dwellest and to receiue any comfort that wee aske yet for that redâ—bloud and hartâ—bloud of Iesus Christ that neuer sinned agaynst thee but obeyed thee fullie for vs and in whom thou art perfitly pleased haue mercie vpon vs haue mercie vpon vs pardon and deliuer vs from all our sins and so guide the course of this earthly pilgrimage here amongst men that we may spend it and end it in thy feare and in thy fauour afflicted howsoeuer according to thy will yet not in distresse in doubt if so thou wilt haue it yet not dispayring persecuted but not forsaken cast downe at thy pleasure but not perishing through good report and ill report with thy holy Apostle passing our daies and doing our dueties with singlenes and simplicitie of hart Those infinite temptations that abound in this life there being no calling so holy nor place so solitarie but that men shal finde both troubles to trie them and aduersitie to disquiet them so rule and gouerne so moderate and temper with thy hand of mercie that wee may euer conquer and neuer bee conquered to our finall hurt But as birds limed and yet not ouerlimed escape those twigges that would haue caught vs