of Gods workes they are in our eyes and we behold them and take vse of them euery day and they that bestow the most paines in the search of Gods worke do know him most and best and from them his name hath or should haue most honour This booke the Apostle calleth the wisedome of God and seeing this was not found sufficient to make God knowen to the world as he desired for their good 2. Another booke was opened the holy Scriptures of God that by them God might be made manifest and his name declared So saith the Apostle After that in the wisedome of God the world by wisdome knew not God it pleased God by the foolishnes of preaching to saue them that beleeue This preaching taketh the text from the written word of God and they that study that booke well shall know the name of the Lord. God hath recommended to his Church the reading hearing and meditating on his law and the blessed man doth exercise himselfe therein day and night and there is nothing that honoureth a nation more in the sight of all nations of the world then the studie and obedience of this law as Moses sayd to the Lords Israel Keepe therefore and doe them for this is your wisedome and your vnderstanding in the sight of the nations which shall heare all these statutes and say Surely this great nation is a wise and vnderstanding people For what nation is there so great who hath God so nigh vnto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call vpon him for And what nation is there so great that hath statutes and iudgements so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day In which wordes you may obserue 1 That God requireth an exact care for the keeping of his law 2 That this is found and profest by God himselfe to be the wisedome and vnderstanding of his people 3 That it is their glory amongst other nations of the world 4 That by the diligent study and reading and obedience of the law God doth draw nigh to vs 5 That God doth therefore set the law before all the 〈◊〉 6 That Gods name is hereby hallowed of his owne people glorified amongst other nations of the world I beseech you lay all this to heart and I dare say you will call the Church of Rome an hard stepmother to her Children who hideth this booke of God from them for 1 How can the law be well kept when it is not well knowne how can it be well knowen where it is not well preached where euery soule hath not liberty to read and study it at large so that they doe herein hinder the obedience which God requireth to be giuen to his law for as in faith so in obedience how shall they either beleeue or obey without hearing 2 Seeing the wisedome of the Church doth consist in knowing and keeping the law of God doth not the Church of Rome infatuate her children aâ—d make starke fooles of them by hiding the booke of God from them and so robbeth God of his delight for God delighteth not in fooles 3 Seeing the libertie of the law of God is the glorie of a nation the Church of Rome by hiding the booke of God from their people doe make them inglorious and dishonour them to the nations round about them 4 Seeing God doth reueale himself to be neare vnto them that know and study his Law and keepe it the Church of Rome doth what it can to driue it away from amongst them A strange peruersenesse God would draw neere to them by the Ministerie of his word and they refuse him He would be farre off from them when they would make him their creature for the Priests of Rome professe themselues God makers they wil inforce his presence 5 Seeing God doth set his Law before all the people at large the Church of Rome which keepeth vp this booke and forbiddeth the generall communication thereof to all that are capable thereof doth professe it selfe an Antigod herein 6 Seeing by this knowledge and this obedience of the Law the name of God is hallowed and without this it cannot be sanctified as it ought the Church of Rome is guilty of hindering the honour of God both in his Church and without and therefore is no way to be hearkned vnto or embraced as the true Church Let me therefore exhort you so many as do make conscience of hallowing the name of God in which our helpe standeth to exercise your selues in the reading hearing and studie of the holy word of God that you may know the Maiestie Wisedome Holinesse Power and goodnesse of that name that the name of the God of Iacob may defend you from all euill And to this purpose frequent you both diligently and reuerently the house of Gods name and honour where his word is read preached faithfully and sincerely make the Sabbath of the Lord which is a day appointed to the hallowing of Gods name especially your delight for this is the onely outward ordinarie meanes by God deuised and commanded for the making his name knowne to his Church 2. The inward meanes This is without vs for it is the worke of the holy Ghost the meanes to attaine this spirit of God to assist and enable this worke in vs by prayer for so our Sauiour saith If ye then being euill know how to giue good gifts to your children how much more shall your heauenly father giue the holy spirit to them that aske him the gift of this spirit is not obtained by all them that pray but by such onely as pray according to rule and though grace be not necessitated to the outward meanes yet the promise thereof is so annexed to the right vse of the means as we may be bold in that way to lay claime to it God neuer faileth his owne holy ordinances but they that giue themselues to the holy consideration of the workes and word of God and are feruent and frequent in praier such are in the eye and fauour of God and preuaile with him It is a short and sweete praier of Dauid let me commend it to you say it in your hearts often to your God Support and hold me with thy free spirit 2 When we know the name of God our next dutie is to be zealous of the glory of this name for else we do not sanctifie it as we ought Take heed that we doe not speake of it vainly that we doe not blaspheme it profanely that we doe not sweare by it but when we are lawfully called thereto that nothing in the world be more pretious in our estimation then this name of God for God is our blessednesse and the fulnesse of our ioy here reward hereafter his name is glorious and they that haue no other Gods but him will with their soules seeke him and in thought word and deed they will honour his name But God may
complaine of the great want of this zeale euen in his Church amongst those that make confession of his name For the common swearing by the name of God and the ordinary idle naming that holy name vnholily with long custome of euill doing is growne to such an habite of sinne that few of vs doe lay it to heart as we ought We do neither refraine from this iniurie to the name of our God our selues nor seeke to reforme it in others But where the zeale of Gods glory is truly kindled it both consumeth all this euill in our selues and it flasheth out to the combustion of it in others For that wee pray in this petition that the name of God may be hallowed not onely by our owne sanctification of it but by the preparation of others for it the prouocation of others to it and the reformation of others as much as in vs lieth who offend against it This zeale then of the name of God doth require of vs both a conscionable care of the glorie of Gods name within our selues expressed in thought word and deed but with it a charitable care of our brethren that we admonish them and reproue them if you heare them at any time speake vnreuerently of the name of God Remember the word of Gods Commandement Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour that thou beare not sinne for him Obserue that place well and therein note 1. That if a brother that is any man or woman with whom we doe conuerse doth doe any thing to the dishonour of Gods name we must not presently hate him for it as Gods enemie Therefore he is called our brother to endeare him to vs. 2 That we must seuerely rebuke him which is exprest in the Hebrew phrase in rebuking thou shalt rebuke him 3 This must be done as to a brother in loue of thy neighbour shewing him the right and conuincing of euill 4 Note the danger least thou beare sinne for him that is least thou make his sinne thine by thy silence Reproofe is Oleum Sanctorum let the righteous smite me and reproue me saith the Psalmist it is balsamum amicitiae it sheweth true loue and therefore must be performed very discreetly the Hebrew Doctors say Leniter molli Lingua let vs take heed of putting our brother to shame till it come to Dic Ecclesiae and thou spare him not that he may be ashamed and repent him of his sinne 3 The next duty is to sanctifie God in thy life that is confesse him with thy mouth to be holy beleeue him to be so in thy heart teach others that he is so and let thy godly conuersation testifie of thee that thou seruest him so that the name of God be not euill spoken of for thy sake For they be Gods enemies that take his name in vaine the Psalmist saith It is to no purpose to pray daily that the name of God may be hallowed if our life and carriage our words and workes doe dishonour God Therefore let this petition of ours to God remember vs of Gods command to vs Sancti estote the very Idols of the Heathen had that honour done them that the Law went for them Deos caste adeunto And if seruants must Count their Masters worthy of all honour that the name of God be not euill spoken of much more must we esteeme our heauenly father worthy of honour least he be violated in his name This Sanctifying of God in our life extendeth to the vse of his good creatures our food and raiment our dwellings and such like riches of Gods mercy when we doe 1 Preserue them from abuse 2 Employ them to the end for which they are ordained of God and bestowed on vs. 3 When we receiue them with thankesgiuing praising the name of God for them 4 When we suffer the want of them with patience learning as wel how to want as to abound I conclude this point Consider how the name of God suffereth without the Church by Turkes and infidels that worship a God without a Trinitie by Iewes that deny Iesus Christ come in the flesh by all the barbarous nations of the world who haue their seuerall Gods by Papists who rob God of his glory giuing it to images By Anabaptists Schismatikes that serue God in separation by the prophane of the world There are but few left to hallow his name let them doe it well 2 Petition Thy Kingdome come When we haue prouided for the honour of the name of our heauenly father that that may be beleeued and confessed to be holy and that due reuerence may be giuen by vs to it our next request is for the aduancement of the kingdome of God vpon earth This is another addition to the glory of God our father when we desire that he may reigne sole Soueraigne Lord of heauen and earth and that none may rise vp against him For our better vnderstanding of this petition we must consider 1 What is meant by the kingdome of God 2 How we would haue this kingdome come 3 What duties we are taught here 1 What is meant by this kingdome The Kingdome of God is three fold 1 Regnum potentiae 2 Regnum gratiae 3 Regnum gloriae 1 Regnum potentiae In the first we consider God as the Almighty Creator maker of heauen and earth and the high possessor of all that is in them contained as the mighty gouernour and protector of his creatures applying them al to his seruice and to the good of each other So he is called King of kings and Lord of all Lords of this the Psal The Lord hath prepared his throne in heauen his kingdome ruleth ouer all A voyce from heauen told proud Nebuchadnezar that his kingdome was departed from him that he must be humbled with great iudgements Vntill thou know that the most high ruleth in the kingdome of men and giueth it to whom soeuer he will This proues him a lyar who told Christ shewing him the kingdomes of the world All this power will I giue thee for it is deliuered vnto me and to whom soeuer I will I giue it For indeed the Lord is king and he doth whatsoeuer he will in heauen and in earth and in all deepe places Vnder this vniuersall dominion hee hath subiect to him all Creatures Angels and Men and Diuels heauen and earth and hell nothing is in being that is not in subiection to this vniuersall Monarchy 2 Regnum gratiae This is Gods speciall power and goodnesse in the gouernment of his elect people the throne of this kingdome is his Church Iudah is his Sanctuary and Israel his dominion The subiects of this kingdome are the faithfull people of God to whom he speaketh by his Prophet The meeke of the earth which haue wrought his iudgement who seeke righteousnesse and seeke meekenesse all those that feare the Lord and thinke vpon
although they went too farre in this opinion of the force of imitation wee may truely charge a great deale euen the most of our euill vpon it It giueth all Superiors warning to obserue their whole carriage warily For children wil take great notice what their Parents say or doe the eyes of the Hand-maid vpon the hand of her Mistresse the eyes of Pupils on their Tutors of Subiects to their Soueraigne and their good example may doe much good their ill example may corrupt and peruert much here Christs example of praying did put them all vpon it to make a motion concerning praier Obserue also a modest ciuill manner obserued amongst them though there were many of them I suppose the full number of his Disciples yet but one speaketh for all It is a good precept of the Apostles and applyable to all conuersations of men Let all things be done decently and in good order In our publique meetings where all of vs doe come to moue our God in petitions for things necessary for vs it were a rude and vnciuill confusion if we should all speake at once euery man the desire of his heart therefore the Minister is appointed to speake for vs all and we as before declare our consent of hearts either in some short eiaculation of prayer or in our deuout Amen 3 The motion it selfe Lord teach vs to pray Wherein obserue 1 That they found it a necessary duty to pray 2 That they found themselues not well instructed in that duty and therefore desired to be taught 3 That they resort to their Master and intreate him to teach them 1 They finde it a necessary duty If there had beene no other prouocation but the example of their faithfull Master that had beene sufficient to proue to them the necessitie of this duty 1 I cannot conceiue of these Disciples that they were vtterly ignorant of this duty before because I know that prayer which is the inuocation of power able to helpe vs as we beleeue is a suggestion of nature for as no man is simpliciter atheos but beleeues in some deity whose power is sufficient to protect them from euill and to giue them supply of their wants so naturall reason directeth to seeke that protection and supply by way of petition and therefore in the ship that transported Ionah in the storme euery man called vpon his god Euery man had a god to whom he might flye in time of need and danger and in that extremitie to that god euery man directed his prayer therefore the Disciples could not be ignorant of this duty which is a lesson taught in the schoole of nature 2 The practise of the Church taught them the vse of prayer there was Domus orationis and men vsually went vp thither to pray The Scribes and Pharises were great examples of frequent of long prayers Neither can I suspect these Disciples strangers to the better examples of the holy men and women of foregoing times whose holy deuotion and worship of God those Bookes of Scripture which then were read publiquely in their Synagogues did sufficiently declare But all this is helped and their affections be now by Christs example stirred to apprehend the necessity therof more then before Examples be of great vse in this kinde Beloued this is a necessary point to be taught and beleeued whosoeuer shall desire to be instructed in the doctrine of prayer let him be first perswaded of the necessity of this duty Two things doe make this duty of prayer necessary in the Church and amongst the holy seruants of God 1 The ordinance of God who hath commanded it 2 Our owne necessities which are no other way to be relieued 1 Concerning Gods ordinance We finde it often commanded in Scripture in direct termes and it is implied in the two great Commandements of the Law for not onely obedience is commanded therein but all those holy duties also by which our obedience may be any waies furthered and that giues great place in the precept to prayer seeing that is the chiefest meanes by which we doe obtaine that ability by which the law of God is in any measure fulfilled And therefore it is a note of the faithfull that they be viri orationum and where God giueth his spirit there is prayer for his is a spirit of grace and supplications Vnder the name of prayer is comprehended the whole duty of Christian religion for the Apostle saith Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued Which words are taken from the Prophet Ioel as the margent of the Bibles directeth you And it is vrged also by the Apostle Saint Peter And the Apostle doth well declare that prayer is the chiefe part of Gods worship by that gradation for no man praieth aright but he that beleeueth and none beleeueth but hee that hath heard and none can heare without a Preacher none can Preach except he be sent In which gradation you may obserue the whole worke of mans guiding to saluation is accomplished in prayer For first God sendeth his Minister to Preach his word to his Church he is not disobedient to the heauenly calling but goeth on the errand of God and preacheth in season and out of season The faithfull heare the word from him faith commeth by this hearing and doth bring forth this ripe fruit of inuocation so that the worke of meanes is compleate in prayer and saluation followeth which maketh prayer the summe of Christian duty and to stand there for the whole exercise and practise of religion In the contrary Dauid describing the vngodly by many notes doth conclude with this as the last and strongest proofe to conuince them of vngodlinesse They call not vpon the name of the Lord. The reason on Gods part is for by prayer God is honoured This declareth him to be God when the eyes of all things looke vp to him when wee seeke his face and confesse him the onely giuer of euery good and perfect gift this is a sacrifice of righteousnesse With such sacrifices GOD is pleased so that our Sauiour pressed no doctrine more by precept then prayer in three seuerall words commanding the same thing Petite quaerite pulsate And to encourage the seruice hee directeth vs both in the matter and forme of praier and in the way and meanes to the Father in his name and he fortifieth the precept with full and gratious promises made to them that doe pray to him And the Apostles doe so much vrge this duty Saint Paul to pray continually to put our whole strength to prayer Saint Iames vrgeth the same precept and sheweth that wisedome is obtained by prayer and declareth what it is that makes many prayers miscarry when we aske amisse But the feruent prayers of the iust doe speed alwaies 2 Another matter that necessitateth the duty of prayer is that God hath left vs no other reuealed meanes to obtaine supply of our wants but by prayer insomuch as
His name is in the house of his worship our meetings are in his name the prayers of the Church addressed to his name the word which wee heare is reuelatio nominis ejus the Sacraments we receiue is recordatio nominis ejus the Psalmes we sing to his name 2 In respect of our owne good for our helpe standeth in the name of God his name is a strong fortresse to them that trust in him and so long as we haue that name to friend we haue a strong cittie of refuge to fly to in all our vexations an hiding place in a storme therefore the foundation of our safety and the beginning our felicitie driueth it selfe from the name of the God of our health and saluation We must therefore seeke the sanctification thereof first 3 In respect of all the following petitions for except the name of God haue the due honour there can be no hope either of his kingdome that that may come or of his will that it may be performed of vs c. This is Caput votorum and whatsouer we begge of God in all our other petitions if it all aime not at the hallowing of the name our prayers bee turned into sinne It is enough in the second table of the Law to loue our neighbours as our selues but this is angusta dilectio and will not straine to the extent of the first Commandement for we must loue God more then our selues wee must lay down all naturall morall humane respectes and stoope them to this first care of the sanctification of Gods name Rather then that should suffer Moses cryes dele me delibro quem scripsisti So Saint Paul I could wish my selfe accursed from Christ for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh Both of these holy men saw how much the name of God suffered in the Apstoasie of their brethren from God and for the repaire of Gods glory in them and the hallowing of Gods they could haue beene content to haue parted with their glory and saluation in pietie to God in charity to their brethren And surely if the name of God might be glorified in our perdition wee should rather desire the glory of that name then the eternall saluation of our soules for better all the world the whole creature perished then that the glorious name of God should be vnhallowed And this desire in vs cannot hinder our saluation rather it aduanceth it for it is impossible that the soule which hath those holy desires should perish 6. What duties depend vpon this petition 2 We are admonished hereby to seeke the true knowledge of God for wee cannot honour him before we know him and the more we know him the more will his holy name be deare to vs. As Dauid saith They that know thy name will put their trust in thee We are borne with a small glimpse of this knowledge naturally which we haue from the light of the law of God written in our hearts but these be so obscure notions that if we haue not farther helpe to put God more in our sight we may faile of that life eternall which is in the knowledge of him For though the light of nature doth reueale to vs one one God yet it is not cleare enough to shew vs that God in three distinct persons it serueth not to reueale to vs the Mediatour betweene God and man Iesus Christ Therfore to accomplish our knowledge of this God whose name must be hallowed by vs wee must vse the meanes appointed by God which are of two sorts 1. Outward 2. Inward 1 For the outward meanes God hath opened to vs two bookes 1. The booke of his creatures 2 The written booke of his VVord And they that studie both these shal see the name of God so texted in them that he that runneth may read For the booke of Gods creatures that we are stirred vp to study in the Psalme for the Sabbath there is no such delight as that studie for Dauid saith For thou Lord hast made me glad through thy worke I will triumph in the operation of thy hands O Lord how great are thy workes c. These workes of God declare his name to vs when Dauid entred into cōsideration of them he saith O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth who hast set thy glory aboue the heauens When I consider the heauens the worke of thy fingers the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordained Then he descendeth to the Creation of man and the dominion that God gaue him ouer his other workes And applieth it all to the glory of the Creatour so that the consideration of the Creature doth reueale to vs the glory of the Creatour 2 They declare the wisedome of their maker O Lord how manifold are thy workes in wisedome hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches So is this great and wide Sea He hath declared his greatnes in the cōpleate perfection of his worke for so Moses saith Because I will publish the name of the Lord ascribe ye greatnesse vnto our God Hee is the rocke his worke is perfect Dauid is full in this point concerning the declaration of Gods name in his Creatures for when hee had brought in his prouisions for the building of the Temple which was to be performed by Salomon his sonne he deuoted them to that vse in the presence of all the people and there he blessed the Lord before all the congregation saying Blessed be thou Lord God of Israel our father for euer and euer Thine O Lord is the greatnesse and the power and glory and the victory and the Maiestie for all that is in the heauen and earth is thine thine is the kingdome O Lord and thou art exalted as head aboue all Now therefore O God we thanke thee and praise thy glorious name Here is the very close and conclusion of the Lords prayer Quia tuum est regnum potentia gloria 5 When we consider where God hath bestowed all this riches of his fauour holy loue euen vpō man this addeth to the honour of his name for what is man that thou art so mindful of him the Prophets word is Patheticall and maketh the fauour more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that signifieth what is sorrowfull and miserable man The same word he vseth in another place Put them in feare O Lord that the nations may know themselues to be but Aenosh that is sorry men incurably sicke It is a sweete entertainment of our lonely priuatnesse when either we sit at home or ly in our beds or walke abroad it will keepe vs from many loose and euill thoughts and it will honour the name of God to thinke on his workes and to meditate on these thinges We may thanke God for it that let the Church of Rome doe her worst she cannot shut vp nor forbid the reading of this Bible
and euery perfect gift is from aboue from the father of lights If thou goe to the earth and say to it giue me bread it will answer thee as Iacob answered Rahel when shee said giue me children Am I in Gods stead If thou goe to the King and say da mihi panem will he not answere thee as the King of Israel answered the poore petitioner in the famine of Samaria If the Lord doe not helpe thee whence shall I helpe thee There is no fruit of our praying and crying till our petition come to this giuer I will heare saith the Lord I will heare the heauens and they shal heare the earth the earth shall heare the Corne and the Wine and the Oyle and they shall heare Israel There is no giuer but he and all those who on earth doe giue are but his stewards and giue in his name and for his sake When the heathen went to Iupiter for raine to Aeolus for windes to Neptune for safety and good passage at sea to Ceres for corne to Bacchus for wine c. What did they worse I may say they did not so ill as the Church of Rome now in the inuocation of Saints for the heathen had not the way to the father by Iesus Christ reuealed to them his name is now knowne to vs and the Church of Rome pretendeth to know and confesse and honour it they confesse vnum est Orco poena polo gloria vita solo Yet hauing the knowledge and of God in the face of Iesus Christ in some measure they seeke out other benefactors to whom they say da nobis What difference is there betweene the heathen women in child-bearing crying out Casta faue Lucina and the Popish women calling vpon the Virgin Mary to helpe them in their throwes and pangs as the supreme Midwife of the Church So they inuocate Saint Sebastian and Saint Roch in pestilence Raphael in dolore oculorum Apollonia in dolore dentium Michael in warre c. Is not this to turne God out of his place and to giue his power of giuing all good things away from him to creatures Indeed they haue no reason to goe to God for any thing or to say to him da nobis because they giue not him the honour due to his holy and vndoubted rights But Christ our Sauiour doth direct vs to whom wee shall goe for our bread and we haue none in heauen to repaire to but to him and none in earth that we esteeme with him and to him onely we say da nobis 3 This prayer to God to giue doth teach vs to confesse and to depend vpon the prouidence of God not onely his generall prouidence by which hee regardeth the whole creature but his particular prouidence by which euery particular creature is conserued and supported it is he that cloatheth euery Lily it is hee that feedeth euery sparrow it is hee that numbreth all the haires of our head And though we must labour and sweat for our bread though wee haue rich reuenues and plentifull meanes for our reliefe yet there is no trust to be giuen to these outward helpes our helpe is in the name of the Lord who hath made heauen and earth This prouidence of God hath an eye to behold our wants hath a store of all sorts of blessings to furnish him with fit gifts to bestow where he thinketh fit hath bowels of compassion to pittie our wants and hath an open hand to distribute his fauours amongst the sonnes of men This prouidence of God is the Barne and Wine-presse of the faithfull to feed them it is their harbenger to lodge them it is their Physitian to heale all their diseases 4 This Da doth teach vs to loue the goodnesse of God to vs of whom our bread is to bee had of gift what a stirre had he in the Gospell to get vp his neighbour at night to lend him some bread to entertaine a stranger withall but we may come at all times to God and to pray him to giue Euen they that will giue nothing themselues nor part with a bit of their great loafe to their hungry brother but like Naâ—al grudge to part with any thing from themselues yet they cry vpon God to haue their bread giuen to them by him They that sell and make prize of all offers in Church and Common-wealth and will not open their mouthes in a charitable or iust mediation for their neighbour but in Iudas his tune quid mihi dabis yet they come to God for their bread of gift this is the cheapest and frankest vtterer of his fauours that euer was to whom we pray it is he that saith Ho euery one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eate yea come buy wine and milke without money and without price Wherefore doe you spend money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not hearken diligently vnto me and eate yee that which is good and let your soule delight in fatnesse How are we said to buy and yet to haue all these things freely giuen but because wee doe giue vp our prayers for our bread and we buy them with our petitions as Christ petite pulsate quaerite This is more then the holy father of Rome will say for his indulgencies and pardons praying will not carry them they that will haue them must pay for them and many hard shifts his agents are put to to vent his spirituall treasures and to force them vpon the poore people that had rather want them then come to their price But God who is rich in mercy and needeth nothing of our goods God who is good and doth good standeth not vpon such termes with vs his sonne who is in his bosome and best knoweth both his meanes and his minde bids vs call for our bread of gift This should moue vs to a reuerent regard of our duty of obedience to him to worship and serue him onely to haue no other God but him to defie idolatry to honour his name to sanctifie his Sabboth He hath not less himselfe without witnesses in that he doth good and giues vs raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling our hearts with food and gladnesse 5 Da teacheth vs the necessitie of prayer wee must aske of God Christ in our flesh would lose nothing for want of asking who in the daies of his flesh offered vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death And his father that loued him as twice from heauen he proclaimed yet saith to him Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee aske of me and I shall giue thee the heathen for thine inheritance c. When he meant Salomon a good turne the freest and greatest offer that was euer made to man yet he put him to it aske what I shall giue thee When
with Haec mea sunt veterâ—s migrate Coloni Therefore our duty is herein to come vnto God in our prayers for the keeping as well as for the obteining of things necessary For we must as well depend vpon the holy providence of God for keeping that wee haue as for giuing to vs that wee want 6 It is called ours because wee desire that wee may haue the vse of our food wherein wee pray to God for health for what is bread without a stomach if either wee want appetite to it to desire it or stomach to digest it that either we cannot eat it or that it commeth vp againe therefore pray that God by giuing vs the right vse of our bread would make it ours So our bread will strengthen our heart our wine will comfort it our cloathes will keepe vs warme and all the necessaries of life will prosper to vs in the lawfull vse of them 7 Seeing our best right to this bread is by Iesus Christ let vs labour first for him that hee may dwell in our hearts by faith that wee bee rooted and grounded in him for how can he not with him giue vs all things who giueth him to vs When God shall seeke vs if we bee found in him as Christ is Gods so shall we be Let him therefore be in our eare God saith Heare him Let him be in our loue testified by obedience If ye loue me keepe my commandements There is no iuyce nor sappe in any thing that God doth giue man which hee doth not giue through him and for his sake all the nations of the world that eate bread and receiue food from the hand of God without the mediation of Iesus Christ are vnder the generall providence of God as the yong Lions and Beares and beasts of prey are But those that haue the Sunne haue with him the speciall providence of God which ministreth these things to them with fauour and for their good 8 Lastly seeing we pray for our bread we are taught that we must vse no vnlawfull meanes for the supply of our wants all is not ours that wee may inuade if by wicked meanes we get it it is called The bread of wickednesse if wee earne it by vngodly works it is called The wages of iniquity if by fraud it is called The bread of deceipt if we labour not at all it is called The bread of idlenesse if wee haue more then needeth for our selues it is The bread of the poore Let vs take heed we neither take the bread of the poore from them as the Scribes and Pharisees did who deuoured widowes houses nor keepe and with hold from the poore their bread as the rich man did who gaue not the crummes of his table to the poore beggar That is our bread that our necessity craueth not that our sensuality desireth the ouerplus is the poores 5 Daily bread I shewed in the exposition of this word that two things are here desired of God 1 Wee aske panem sufficientiae that wee may not want things necessary for vs. 2 Panem nutritionis such food as may serue by the blessing of God for our nourishment Therefore our duty is to vse the gifts of God wisely and soberly that is to say 1 With contentment 2 Without waste We beare about vs weake bodies that need a daily sustentation our stomachs will call vpon vs euery day for food and so must wee euery day call vpon God for supply thereof that debt our soules owe to our bodies to seeke their meat from God by prayers 1 Wee are taught a contented vse of those things which we receiue from God for if our bread bee sufficient for vs against want if it be wholsome and nourishing wee ought to bee contented with it for godlinesse only seeketh the meanes which may enable vs to Gods seruice and that is alwaies ioyned with contentednesse godlinesse is great riches thus ioyned with contentednesse according to the Apostles rule If you haue food and cannot be therewith content the sinne of Israel not content with the bread of heauen but still murmuring for change destroyed them with their meate in their mouthes 2 We are taught the sober and moderate vse of bread desiring of God bread and foode for our health Sodomes sinne was fulnesse of bread the insatiate gluttonous abuse of Gods good creatures which turnes the bread of nourishment into the bread of surfet and wine that maketh glad the heart of man into drunkennesse This turneth Gods blessings into rods and maketh our bread our disease and this is one of the crying sinnes of our sinfull nation which ouerchargeth vs with iniquity and sometimes makes our fruitfull land barren to scourge our excesse and intemperancie 6 This day 1 This teacheth vs to come euery day to God in our prayers to demand the necessaries of our life God loueth to bee entreated often and therefore Christ hath limited vs to the present time of purpose that we may be still sensible of our wants and of Gods supply that we may be euer praying God may be alwayes giuing we alwayes receiuing by which holy entercourse between God and vs this part of Gods holy worship may still be kept a foote which consisteth in prayer and thankesgiuing prayer to obtaine and sanctifie the gifts of God to vs. Thanksgiuing to acknowledge the authour of euery good and perfect gift to the honour of the bountifull giuer thereof Prayer to shew vs mortall men that we haue many wants which none but God can supply Thanksgiuing to put vs into the society of the Saints in glory whose continuall exercise is to praise the holy name of God So the Apostle ioyneth these two duties of piety and religion Pray without ceasing in euery thing giue thankes for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus concerning you It is the ioy of the faithfull that they may doe this and therefore the Apostle doth put this precept first Reioyce euermore then he biddeth to pray giue thankes Let no man thinke it a griefe or burthen to him to be put to it to come to God for euery thing that hee needeth euery day rather let him reioyce that Christ hath made the way of accesse to his father so easie that the oftner wee come the better are wee welcome to him and the more wee pray the more wee giue him cause to open his hand and to declare his singular loue to vs this reciprocation of our asking and Gods giuing of our receiuing and our thankesgiuing doth so please our God and pleasure vs that no time is spent more comfortably more religiously and thus we shall be euer creeping vnder the wings of God for shelter euer drawing neere to God for his fauour euer seeking his face for his blessings and like the elder sonne in the Gospell we shall be euer with our father and all that he hath shall be ours 2 Praying onely for This day wee shall honour the constant prouidence of God with
A GODLY LEARNED EXPOSITION TOGETHER with apt and profitable Notes on the LORDS PRAYER Written by the late Reuerend Orthodoxe Diuine and faithfull Seruant of Iesus Christ SAMVEL PAGE Doctor in Diuinity and Preacher of Gods Word at Deptford Stronde in the County of Kent Published since his death BY NATHANIEL SNAPE of Grayes Inne Esquire LONDON Printed by THOMAS HARPER 1631. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THOMAS Lord Couentry Baron of Ailsborough and Lord Keeper of the Great Seale of ENGLAND c. Right Honourable YOur naturall propensitie and noble inclination to Learning and Religion your good acceptance of this Authors little Manual of priuate Deuotions lately presented to your Lordship and my particular obligation are the cause of this my dedication My relation to the Author brought his papers to my hands and a desire of the Churches benefit bids me send them to the Presse I thought fit to begin with this vpon the Lords Prayer it being the Principle and Rudiment of Christian Religion And albeit diuers learned Expositors haue trauelled very farre in discouerie of the hidden treasure of this Celestiall Myne yet such is the mysterious plenteousnesse of this compendium of Diuinity which is a contexture of God Almighty his owne making as that it doth and euer will affoord continuall studie to the most laborious and curious searcher This is such a prayer as S. Augustine Math. 6. speaketh of Quae paucis verbis res multiplices comprehendit Cuius mysteriorum profunditate Ingeniosorum prudentia stupescit It is a prayer dictated out of Gods owne mouth for our studie and imitation and therefore I shall neede no other motiue to your Lordships fauourable acceptation hereof For the Author your Lordship had some knowledge of him he must be tam quam that is a right Minister of God all his life must as Saint Greg. super Eze. hom 3. saith sonare verbo ardere desiderio And that the Author was not vnlike thus farre I may safely aduenture to the praise of his memory that the Clergy thought him a reuerend learned and orthodoxe Diuine and that the Laytie found him alwaies painfully zealous in the Ministery vpright and conscionable in his life and conuersation how he hath approued himselfe by these his labours I doe in all humblenesse submit to your Lordships graue iudgement and the iudicious Reader Your Lordships humbly deuoted NATHANIEL SNAPE AN EXPOSITION VPON THE LORDS PRAYER LVC. 11.1 And it came to passe that as he was praying in a certaine place when he ceased one of his Disciples said vnto him Lord teach vs to pray as Iohn also taught his Disciples I Follow our Church Catechisme for after the law of the tenne Commandements this caution followeth know this that thou art not able to doe these things of thy selfe nor to walke in the Commandements of God and to serue him without his speciall grace which thou must learne at all times to call for by diligent praier And as we cannot obey without the helpe of praier neither can we pray without both 1 Teaching what and how to pray 2 Helpe and assistance in our praier The Apostle doth confesse this generall and common defect in vs all We know not what wee should pray for as we ought so there is a quid the matter of our praiers and a sicut the manner of them to be learned and there is an helpe to be sought for to carry vs through this holy duty that God may haue honour we good by our praiers Therefore I begin the doctrine of praier at this place wherein 1 There is example of praying shewed the best and greatest Christ himselfe 2 Thereupon a motion is made to Christ the best and ablest Doctor of the Church to direct in praier Doce nos 3 An instance giuen of the like Sicut Ioannes etiam docuit discipulos suos 1 Concerning the example It came to passe that he was praying in a certaine place This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 factum est doth intimate the example of purpose shewed to the Disciples to giue them this occasion to desire instruction in the vse of praier for by such baits the great Fisher of men doth catch men and if we could take notice of it God hath many meanes in continuall tender to vs to inuite and prouoke vs to guide also and direct vs to put vs on and encourage vs to those holy duties which please him Sathan and the world and the flesh cast out their baits of temptations to euill and few of them miscarry but they take Let vs not omit these liuing bookes of Doctrine these walking tables of duty when good examples offer themselues to our eyes especially seeing Saint Peter saith we must ambulare sicut ille wee are much bound to the loue of the holy Ghost who left vs these true Records of his walking that as his mediation with the Father is our way to glory so his example of good life may bee our way of holy conuersation It is that which the Apostle doth require in Timothy Be thou an example of the beleeuers in word in conuersation in charity in spirit in faith in purity and in Titus In all things shew thy selfe an example of good workes The Minister that buildeth onely by his Preaching is but an holy day Preacher but he that buildeth also by example is a continuall preacher Me audite hath life in it when it is followed with sequimini me you shall see after how this good example wrought Christ praied there is often mention of Christs praying the Author to the Hebrewes saith that in the daies of his flesh he cried with strong cryes He spent a whole night in praier He rose in the morning a great while before day hee went out and departed into a solitarie place and there praied So that hee hath giuen himselfe to vs an example of praier of frequent of feruent praier of publike of priuate and secret praier Consider then who giueth vs example of praier the Sonne of God in whom dwelleth the fulnesse of the God-head bodily and who thought it no robberie to be equall with God who therefore is heire of all things and who was in want of nothing who could say Omnia mea tua sunt omnia tua mea sunt There be three vses of praier 1 For necessity some say that petitio est soboles indigentiae and so Christ needed not to pray for he wanted no grace which God had to bestow vpon his humane nature but praier is our city of refuge for our helpe is in the name of the Lord. The name of the Lord is a strong tower to them that trust in him the righteous runneth into it and is safe Praier acquainteth God with our necessities not that he is ignorant of them for wee say well that he knoweth our necessities before we aske and our ignorance in asking and he desireth not our praiers for his owne information but that wee may declare our selues
what God hath directly promised to vs yet hee requireth vs to demand this of him by prayer whether it be for giuing vs good things or for remouing euill from vs. God himselfe doth giue it a cause of his indignation against Iacob Thou hast not called vpon me O Iacob therefore I haue giuen Iacob to the curse and Israel to reproach God in fauour meant to forgiue the friends of Iob who had not spoken right of him as Iob had done and therefore he blameth them and sheweth his anger kindled against them yet notwithstanding hee directeth them the way of their reconciliation to him They must offer sacrifice to God for themselues and Iob must pray for them Him I will accept saith God so his prayer preuailed for them with God The like fauour God meant to Abimelech yet hee passed it to him by prayer by the prayer of Abraham He is a Prophet he shall pray for thee viues Pharaoh himselfe could discerne that there was no way out of the plague that oppressed Egypt but by prayer and therefore he saith to Moses Intreate the Lord that he may take away the Frogges from me and my people It is obiected that the wicked of the earth doe possesse many great fauours of God and in more plenty then the iust and yet they neither pray for what they want nor giue thankes for what they receiue and indeed God is not in all their waies Let not this quench our zeale or abate any thing from the reuerent frequencie of this holy duty for God the Father hath two manners and kindes of distribution and dispensation of his fauours amongst the children of men here on earth 1 God bestoweth his gifts as a faithfull Creator and so he is conseruer of his creatures by a generall prouidence and thus he letteth his Sunne shine and his raine fall vpon the iust and vniust thus he openeth his hand and filleth all things with plenty 2 God bestoweth other fauours as a mercifull Father for Iesus Christs sake and with those fauours his blessing goeth forth and passeth vpon them onely that feare him for seeing he hath ordained Christ his Sonne to be the way of his blessing all the benefits that he bestoweth on man without the mediation of Iesus Christ doe come without his blessing The vngodly of the earth doe receiue many of Gods common gifts but not by the way of grace therefore they are without his blessing so that we cannot esteeme the owners thereof rich seeing the blessing of God maketh man truely rich But whatsoeuer the vngodly possesse is to them vnsanctified therefore let not our eye be set vpon that which they haue and enioy to enuy their prosperity rather let vs consider the want of Gods blessing to lament their miserie and let Saint Paul teach vs that The good things which God bestoweth on his deare children are sanctified by the word of God and by prayer Thus the gifts of God are made blessings to vs the holy Ghost hath an hand in the dispensation of them to Gods glory in vs the aduancement of our saluation The difference betweene these two receiuers doth appeare to vs 1 In the effect that these gifts worke in them 2 In the vse to which they are applied 1 For the effect Where God for Christs sake doth bestow and wee doe receiue good things from him there followeth contentation which euer accompanieth godlinesse but the vngodly man is neuer satisfied 2 For the vse The iust man applieth all the gifts of God to three ends 1 To the glory of God for he vseth the gifts of God as the faculties of well doing whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glory of God 2 To the good of our neighbour for that is the law proximum tuum vt teipsum so that in the Church of God there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and both our spirituall and temporall gifts doe by communion of charity so participate themselues to our brethren and sisters as the stomach in the body receiueth in nourishing food not for it selfe onely though into it selfe first but for the good of the whole body 3 Because the end of our creation was not for this life and we haue here no abiding city therefore the faithfull doe apply all the gifts of God as helpes to the prosecution of eternall life whereas the vngodly finde them impediments to them the cause is for they make them the end of their labours and fixe their hearts vpon them The doctrine of the necessity of prayer is thus cleared from the Commandement by which it is imposed and from our necessities no other way to be relieued 2 In the next place I obserued in those Disciples that they found themselues not well instructed in that seruice of God and therefore desire to be taught And this is a common defect for although by a naturall instinct we know that good things are sought by prayer and the wants and griefes which we doe feele will easily breake forth into words yet the Apostle saith Wee know not what wee should pray for as we ought I vnderstand that the Apostles doe here desire to be instructed 1 In the matter of prayer what to aske 2 In the manner of it as they ought But because this motion doth arise from a sense of defect in themselues we know not saith Saint Paul 1 Then of that sense 1 Euery man hath this defect for flesh and bloud is not wise enough to pray prayer is the worke of a better spirit then that which enliues and actuates our mortall bodies it is the worke of the holy Ghost the same spirit that is the spirit of grace is also the spirit of supplications But euery man doth not feele this defect for many doe ouerweene their ability this way and despise the helpe of all set prayers and take vpon them to be able without any other directions to tell their owne tales to God Almighty and vpon this ability which they conceiue in themselues for this seruice they doe neglect the publique meetings of our Church to our common prayers I iudge not their sufficiencie that way but I must admonish you that you doe mistrust it euery man in himselfe so farre as to put all the feare and holy reuerence you can to this worke For if we be carefull in petitions to great personages and Princes to weigh our words and to aduise with our best care both what and how we desire This holy seruice of God which is so maine a part of Gods worship cannot bee vndertaken with too much feare and reuerence wee cannot come too prepared to this conference with our God They that are sensible hereof as no doubt these Apostles were doe well to desire to be taught Wee had need to bee taught our owne and it is not quenching the spirit in our brethren to admonish them of this naturall vnfitnesse that is in vs to pray
that spirit that makes vs ouerbold with God is a spirit of presumption and a spirit of pride The holy Spirit of God doth so reueale vs to our selues that we haue cause to feare but not to despaire of grace in time of need it doth not discourage vs from praying but helpeth our infirmities in praying They that feele not these infirmities need not this spirit the whole haue no need of the Physitian therefore incipe ab hoc sensu Thus awakened to a feeling of their want they cry doce nos Which teacheth vs in all defects in our vnderstanding to seeke instruction to desire to be taught for that is the wise mans it is wisdomes aduice If thou cryest after knowledge and liftest vp thy voice for vnderstanding If thou seekest her as siluer and searchest for her as for hid treasures Then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God Wisdome must be sought and you see it is worth the seeking It is a great fauour of God that he hath left his spirit in his Church to teach vs all things necessary for vs to know And it is a good method of holy discretion to begin at doce me before we vndertake to say Come ye children hearken vnto me and I will teach you This is one of the showres of grace that fell vpon the Church after Christs ascension for he led captiuity captiue and he gaue gifts vnto men The Apostle commeth to particulars some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers For the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ This sheweth that God hath left in his holy Church sufficient meanes for the instruction thereof in all holy duties The point is that so many as would bee perfected and built vp in these duties doe seeke that perfection and edification in the meanes ordained by God hee hath said spiritus docebit vos and we haue this treasure of the spirit in earthen vessels that is in them whom the holy ghost hath set apart by speciall vocation to this seruice of God in the congregation So Saint Paul admonisheth the Elders that they take care to feed the flock whereof the holy Ghost hath made them ouerseers And as it is our duties to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so our hearts must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as must feele their owne defects and must say to their teachers Doce me Now for the matter of their suit 1 Their desire to be taught what to pray for A necessary point to be learned for our desires doe affect many things which we may not aske of God by prayer petimus quae appetimus Solomon had the treasures of grace set wide open to him and commanded to aske what he would of God he asked wisdome which God took so well that with wisdome he gaue him other things in abundance heare the word of God to him Because thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thy selfe long life neither hast asked riches for thy selfe nor hast asked the life of thine enemies These bee things that euery man would faine haue long life and riches to accommodate that life withall that our heart desireth and all our enemies out of the way that we might haue nothing to crosse vs. Solomon past by these and begged wisdome this doth serue for all those turnes 2 For long life for Solomon saith dixit pater Heare O my sonne and receiue my sayings and the yeares of thy life shall be many 2 For riches he also addeth Thy barnes shall be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine 3 For the life of our enemies we need not pray for if our enemies be Gods enemies he shall destroy all them that hate him hee will make their flesh to consume like the fat of lambes We are assured that if naturall parents will heare and grant the requests of their children much rather will God giue good things to them that aske of him What those good things be in generall we may know by that of S. Iohn If we aske any thing according to his will hee heareth vs Si utilia non futilia petimus The Scripture is the cleare reuelation of the will of God best light that sheweth vs what is good and what the Lord requireth of vs and what wee may lawfully desire of him And our Sauiour Christ when hee answereth this their request doth briefely comprehend in a short prayer that same summam petendorum which both directeth vs what and limiteth vs how farre wee may aske of the father in his name They that come to aske by prayer without this direction may haue the same answer that the two sonnes of Zebede had you know not what you aske Therefore we must be well aduised what we aske for vnlawfull and vnmeete demands doe turne our prayers into sinne to vs and into dishonour of God whom we petition 2 Their doce nos doth include also the manner of their prayers teach vs how to pray as we ought There are many things required to the right manner of prayer 1 We must pray with vnderstanding that is wee must know what we aske of God in our petitions lest God answer vs as Christ answered the sonnes of Zebede you know not what you aske This condemneth Popish prayers made in a strange language and not vnderstood which is so great an abuse of that holy act of religion as nothing can more vnworthy it S. Aug. alleageth the words of David Beatus populus qui scit iubilationem as the Kings Bible rendreth it Blessed is the people that know the ioyfull sound they shall walke O Lord in the light of thy countenance His note from thence is Quid hoc sit intelligere debemus ut humanâ ratione non quasi avium voce cantemus nam merulae psittaci corvi picae saepe ab hominibus docentur sonare quod nesciunt Scienter autem cantare non avised homini divinâ voluntate concessum est Caelius Rhodoginus writeth that Cardinall Ascanius had a Popiniay that could pronounce distinctly all the articles of the Creed S. Basils rule is lingua sonet mens autem scrutetur sensum eorum quae dicuntur I may vse the words of godly Malachy to such as put vp prayers which they vnderstand not to God Goe now offer this to thy Prince and see if he will accept thy person Will he not thinke himselfe abused and dismisse thee with some sharpe punishment Let me now speake to you my brethren who haue liued long in the light of the gospell where you may haue Manna enough for gathering nay where it is gathered to your hands and nothing required of you but to come and fill your Homers and carry them away full in our publique ministery of the word If
we examine you what is meant by the name of God what it is to hallow it what is meant by the kingdome of God and how would you haue it come c. If you doe not vnderstand what you aske of God in these petitions are you any better then those byrds that are taught to speake but cannot vnderstand And doe not the Papists pray to as good purpose in Latine as you in English if you vnderstand not what you aske Therefore for your better information resort to such as Christ hath left in his Church to instruct you and say doce me orare For if you vnderstand not your selues in your petitions neither will God vnderstand you 2 We must pray with reuerence This must be inward of the soule and outward of the body The soule must compose it selfe in holy feare to this conference with God lest when we doe seeke for mercy from him we awake his power and iustice against our selues Our prayer applyeth it selfe that way from whence our helpe commeth and Our helpe is in the name of the Lord who hath made heauen and earth Prayer is called the calling vpon the name of the Lord and David saith holy and reuerent is his name The old law amongst the heathen for their homely gods was Deos castè adeunto There is in God greatnesse which filleth vs with feare and goodnesse which filleth vs with hope the inward reuerence that we must bring with vs to prayer must be a mixt composition of the heart partly put on with hope and partly stopped with feare for all feare will keep vs away from God and all hope will make vs too bold when we come to him To this must be added to expresse this outward reuerence for the body must not sit out in this holy seruice that is the temple of the holy ghost euery whit of it must shew reuerence I deny not but the heart may pray reuerently to God in inward deuotion when no appearance thereof comes abroad in voice in posture in gesture in countenance But ordinarily the prostration of the body or geniculation the lifting vp of the eyes and hands haue beene the expressions of prayer in great examples And the consideration of the great and high Maiestie of God may well stoope vs to these reuerend formes which ought not to be forborne where with conuenience they may be vsed for God challengeth it as a part of his honour To mee shall euery knee bow and he giues it in reward to his sonne that at his name euery knee shall bow and euery tongue shall confesse to him 3 In perfect sense of our want 1 For if we pray for good things wee must feele the want of them and rightly vnderstand that neither wee can well be without them neither are we able to receiue them any where else then from the open giuing hand of God neither can we desire them of him by any meritorious seruice we can performe to him rather wee deserue all ill at his hands malum poenae to reuenge in vs malum culpae Neither can we haue them from him but by way of petition as he hath commanded vs. 2 If we pray against euill wee must feele our selues iustly imbarqued in the feare or smart thereof and that none but the preseruer of man can either preuent the euill that we feare or subuent vs in the euill wee feele none but he can defend vs against it or protect vs in it or deliuer vs from it Therefore we must heartily affect the good that we pray for and perfectly abhorre the euill against which we pray 4 We must pray in feruencie of spirit so the Apostle admonishing vs to many holy duties addeth this Continuing instant in prayer for qui timidè rogat docet negare and therefore hee requireth vs to be feruent in the spirit olla feruens seipsum purgat The prayer of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent It is noted in the best example of all that Christ in the daies of his flesh offered vp his prayers and supplications to his Father with strong cries and teares the Euangelist addeth with sweat trickling downe his face of water and bloud which was like the plague of fire mingled with haile amongst the Egyptians for that shower of water and bloud which Christ wept from his agonized body did lay and calme the storme of Gods indignation against sinne and did burne vp and drown the proud Prince of darkenesse that he was neuer able to preuaile against the Church and death was swallowed vp in victory The greatest prayer is that holy fire with which the Church fighteth against Sathan and therefore feruent prayer is by Saint Augustine called Deo sacrificium oranti subsidium daemonibus flagellum They that offer vp to God their prayers in the heate of fury as the two sonnes of thunder let fire come from heauen and consume the Samaritans and that vent the bitternesse of their intemperate spleene in curses and imprecations to Gods dishonour and the breach of charity they do offer strange fire and this offering doth expose the offerers thereof to the fire of Gods fury This feruor is in respect of the holinesse of God 5 We must pray in sincerity of heart not in hypocrisie the sincere heart is in good earnest with God and therefore is importunate resembled therefore to hunger 〈…〉 man which indangereth miscarrying if it be not satisfied There is no way for prayers that come of some double hearts God is one and Cor simplex that is sine plicis is his delight this in respect of the wisedome of God 6 We must pray in faith Let vs draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith And Saint Iames Let him aske in faith nothing wauering for hee that wauereth is like a waue of the sea driuen with the wind and tossed for let not that man thinke that hee shall receiue any thing of the Lord. The ground of this faith is the goodnesse and truth of God whose promise bindeth him to grant all that wee aske of him in the name of his Sonne 7 Wee must pray in the mediation of Iesus Christ for if we consider the greatnesse and glory of God it is such that the Angels when they stand before God doe couer their faces with their wings therefore there is no appearing for vs sinfull men in the presence of that glorious Maiestie of our selues but we must goe by the way of a Mediatour to him This was figured in the old law in the High Priest who did beare the names of the children of Israel before the Lord. Aaron was a figure of Iesus Christ who is declared our onely Mediatour for there is one God and one mediatour betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus Quid est dulcius quam genitorem in nomine vnigeniti inuocare Aug. med cap. 5. So much of the world as acknowledge
declare vnto you the whole counsell of God The principall points of our doctrine are what wee must beleeue what wee must doe and what wee must pray for The doctrine of faith the doctrine of good life and the doctrine of prayer Iohn taught all these for 1 He preached Christ to them the ground of faith 2 He exhorted them to repentance and good life 3 He taught them also to pray His example is our direction in all these things You also haue two lessons from hence 1 To stirre vp your selues by the example of other Disciples and other congregations to doe the like if you heare of their diligence in hearing and their proficiencie in learning the duties of Gods worship let their sicut their good example inflame you with holy emulation to make as good a progression in knowledge and piety as they haue made For why should other congregations outlearne you in these necessarie duties doe not you thinke that God will require his good seed of the word sowne in you and examine what you haue done with it 2 You are further to be moued to an holy emulation of Gods graces in your selues to contend with your selues to increase your knowledge adde strength and growth to your iudgement that you may outgrow your owne infancy and minority in that spirituall vegetation which is called incrementum Dei so Andrew that had learned of Iohn comes now to be taught of Christ 3 You haue a faire example to require instruction at the hands of them who haue the ouersight of you you may say to that Archippus as the Disciples of Christ did to Christ teach vs as Iohn taught his Disciples that is you may stirre vp your Minister to teach and instruct you as other faithfull and conscionable Ministers of the word doe instruct their congregations The Apostle biddeth the Colossians say to Archippus Take heed to the ministery which thou hast receiued in the Lord that thou fulfill it You haue the same right to his labours in his calling as he hath to the tithes of your labours Christs Disciples put him to it to teach them and let all people doe the like to their minister LVC. 11.2 And hee said vnto them when you pray say Our Father c. HEre begins Christs answer to the Disciples motion in which you may obserue 1 That he answers 2 What he answers 1 That he answers The answer of Christ is ready and present declaring that he accepteth the persons and the requests of these petitioners and herein hee comforteth such as cannot pray declaring himselfe readie to teach them if they demand it of him and he comforteth them that pray to him for any thing necessarie that he heareth prayers and granteth requests So that they which pretend they cannot pray haue no excuse for they know where they may be taught euen in this it is but aske and it shall be giuen to you If Iohn taught his Disciples to pray how much more and sooner will Christ teach those that come to him if the lampe shined so cleare to his schollars how much brighter will the shine bee of this Sunne of righteousnesse But as they made this motion for themselues and for vs so Christ taught them in his answere for themselues and for vs and for the whole Church to the worlds end Christ is now sitting at the right hand of his father but this record of his answere to direct vs in prayer liues in this book of the eternall gospell here wee may haue it at a short warning and though Iohns prayer be lost and no monument left of it yet this holy direction contained in his answere to his disciples shall remaine and what he saith to them hee saith to all that haue the same desire and affection to learne to pray When you pray say Our father c. Our comfortable lesson from hence is that it is not labour lost to come to Christ with our petitions to bee instructed as he is the wisdome of the father to teach vs so he is the goodnesse and loue of his father and our father to heare and answere our lawfull and good petitions Which Dauid doth make as an encouragement to all men to pray O thou that hearest prayer vnto thee shall all flesh come This is wisdome to know how to speake and what to aske of God and S. Iames biddeth If any of you lack wisdome let him aske of God who giueth to all men liberally 2 What he answereth When you pray say Our father His answere doth containe a forme of holy prayer to be vsed when you pray wherein two mistakes may wrong the good meaning of our Sauiour 1 If wee thinke this so precise a direction for prayer as that we may neuer vse any other words but these in prayer but that all our prayers must be totidem verbis for that that is not our Sauiours meaning is plain in the doctrine of prayer deliuered by our Sauiour in the sermon which he preached on the mount where hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is pray on this manner or to this purpose according to these instructions in this forme contained For I must informe you that the precise frame of the prayer for the words thereof is not punctually the same in S. Matthew and S. Luke which shewes that there is no necssitation of the Church obliging it to the words thereof 2 Another mistake is on the contrary hand when we quite forsake the words which Christ himselfe hath put into our mouthes and esteeme this prayer but as a coppy to write after a mould to make prayers by and not a prayer it selfe This error hath put it selfe in print and some of our nouelists haue taken vpon them to shew reason why this should neuer be vsed for a prayer His late Maiesty of worthy memory giues a quick touch of this erroneous fancy in his learned and godly exposition of the Lords prayer for he saith that the Brownists the authors of this opinion doe approue this prayer for a samplar to make prayers by but refuse it for a prayer because they hold all set formes of prayer vnlawfull His Maiesty saith well that they like praying by descant and not by plainesong by commentary but not by text 1 One reason against the vse of this prayer is because it is Scripture which were a good reason to iustifie the vse of it for that is the vse of Dauids Psalmes and the holy hymnes of Scripture to apply them to our occasion It is Scripture In manus tuas Domine commendo animam meam yet Christ vsed it for a prayer vpon the crosse 2 They alledge that prayer must expresse our wants to God in particular but the Lords prayer is generall Our answer is that both in generall and in particular we must pray to God and therefore our larger prayers doe referre themselues to the generall heads of this prayer and this concludeth them all and this prayer is
his Church and his vpright iustice in the finall confusion of all his enemies Then shall our glory be full when God is all in all and raigneth absolute soueraigne without any eclipse of glory by the interposure of opposition These are the full contents of this petition 3 What duties we learne from hence The proper duties arising from hence doe concerne vs 1 In our reference to our God 2 In the regard of our selues 3 In regard of our neighbours 1 In our reference to God 1 That wee seeke and labour to aduance the kingdome of God by all meanes that God may exercise his power and grace and mercy and glory freely and fully and that neither our ignorance nor infirmity nor iniquity may obscure his glory or resist his gouernment knowing for what wee were made that wee might bee temples of the holy Ghost that Christ might rule in our hearts by faith that wee might glorifie God in our bodies and in our soules because in our creation he gaue vs a perfect being and in our redemption hee accomplisht a full and perfect restitution of vs to his fauour and to all those full benefits which follow the same namely that Christ is made to vs of God wisedome iustification sanctification and finall redemption from all sinne and punishment For this what shall we render to the Lord is not this a debt that we owe to him to seeke the aduancement of his glory all that we can and to set forth his praise 2 In regard of our selues 1 It is our dutie to liue like subiects of this kingdome that is humbled vnder the mighty hand of God to the obedience of his will and stooped vnder the correcting hand with patience to beare his chastenings though for the present they seeme grieuous Contented with the state of life and the proportion of Gods allowance to vs for we resist his gouernment and repine at his administration of the world if wee bee not content with that which he bestoweth on vs resting vpon his holy prouidence in the vse of lawfull meanes for godlinesse and contentednesse must be ioyned in vs and our hearts must not fasten vpon things temporall but wee must looke before vs to the full reward which God hath laid vp for vs. 2 Seeing we liue vnder the kingdome of Gods grace in which we haue the liberty of that holy meanes by which we may grow vp to be perfect men in Christ Iesus We must not turne this grace of God into wantonnesse by abusing it to our owne perdition but like thriftie Merchants make the vttermost of these holy commodities that is Of the free liberty of the Word and Sacraments and of the house of God and his Saints of the ministerie of the Word and the holy writings of learned and pious men set forth for our further building vp to be an house for the Lord. Not in surfetting and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse not in strife and enuying this is not the way to heauen New creatures 3 Seeing wee liue in expectation of the kingdome of Gods glory our duty is to obserue and remember our latter end and to consider that our whole life is our way to this kingdome let vs therefore hasten toward it to meete it comming towards vs this was Iobs holy Meditation All the daies of my appointed time will I waite till my changing shall come And when death shall come let vs know and beleeue that it is no more but a translation from death to life and Transitus ad Regnum 4 Seeing wee pray for the comming of Gods glory that he may raigne ouer all let vs while we are here begin an heauen vpon earth by praising and magnifying the name of the Lord and practise the new song of the Church here that being admitted into the Quire of the iust we may not cease night and day to glorifie him in heauen where we shall be able to doe it more fully and perfectly 5 Let vs consider that there is no such way to make happy our temporall life as to liue thus in the humble subiection to this kingdome for who shall harme you if you doe that which is good godlinesse hath the promises of both liues and all things turne to the best to them that loue God 3 In regard of our neighbours We must seeke to draw one another to Gods kingdome like those in the Prophet They helped euery one his neighbour and euery one said to his brother be of good courage So the Lord Repent and turne others from their transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine And many shall goe and say come ye and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his waies and wee shall walke in his pathes O house of Iacob come ye and let vs walke in the light of the Lord this kingdome doth not breed iealousie here is enough for all LVC. 11.2 Thy will be done as in heauen so earth OBserue the coherence of these petitions which are martialed with such excellent wisedome that the first of them is the end which we aime at that God may be hallowed in vs in his holy name and so haue from vs the honour due to him And that this may bee effected in vs wee pray in the second petition for the aduancement establishment and enlargement of Gods kingdome both of power grace and glory And now in this third Petition wee pray that this kingdome of God being erected amongst vs we may by his grace liue in due subiection to it that the Church militant in earth may honour him euen so as the Church triumphant doth in heauen In the handling whereof 1 We must vnderstand what is meant by the will of God 2 Quid hoc est facere 3 How this will is desired to be done as in heauen so in earth 4 What duties are taught herein 1 What is this will of God The will of God is vnderstood two waies 1 As it is in it selfe by which hee intendeth createth gouerneth and disposeth all things according to the good pleasure of his will and so the will of God is both absolute necessitating all euents which hee hath foreseene and determined and of that the Apostle speaketh saying who hath resisted his will and of that Christ saith fiat voluntas tua and of that those holy seruants of God spake who when they could not disswade Pauls going to Ierusalem they ceased saying The will of the Lord be done 2 The will of God is vnderstood to bee that manifestation of his seruice and our dutie which directeth vs what to doe and what to eschew what to beleeue and what to aske according to his will and this is written and reuealed to vs in holy Scripture I dare not with our many English Writers vpon this Petition quite exclude the absolute will of God and limit the Petition onely to
Altar should not be able to liue by the Altar he would not haue vs serue and sterue The mouth of the Oxe 〈◊〉 treadeth out the corne must not be muzled They vnderstand not this petition that inuade the goods of the Church the inheritance of God they may say within themselues as William Rufus the Conquerours sonne said when he kept Church-liuings in his hands long voyd and tooke the reuenues of them into his owne coffers Gods bread is sweet But it will bee bitternesse in the latter end to him it was so his end was vntimely and violent There be too many that inuade the rights of the Church and Religion suffereth for it for if worthy maintenance faile worthy seruice will hardly subsist If they that should apply their whole studies to the fitting of the soules of men are directed to the care for their bread time must needs bee lost from the maine worke of our ministery which is to saue soules What encouragement can a student haue to apply his wits and industry to a fitnesse for that calling in which he cānot promise himself bread except he buy it The complaint of Salomon shall end this point though this giues vs iust occasion to renue his complaint which I doubt will neuer end I returned and saw vnder the sunne The race is not to the swift nor the battaile to the strong nor bread to the wise nor yet riches to men of vnderstanding nor fauour to men of skill We see which way all these things goe wee may lament it and pray God to amend it that they may not want the necessaries of this life who shew to vs the way of euerlasting life Remember vs in your prayers for bread that we also may haue our part with you 6 Our dutie to the poore is taught here also for they are ex nobis we must not hide our selues or restraine our prayers or almes from our owne flesh they are digged out of our pit and hewen out of our rocke Iob protesteth his charity this way he did not eate his morsels alone the fatherlesse did eate with him For from my youth vp he was brought vp with mee as with a father I was a guide to her from my mothers wombe he saw none perish for want of cloathing nor any poore without couering the loynes of the poore blessed him and his fleece kept them warme For he considered Did not hee that made me in the wombe make him and did not one fashion vs in the wombe These haue as much right to bread from the hand and of the gift of God as we and except God giue it vs the poore shall no more feele the want of bread then the rich that haue and possesse it in fulnesse Therefore let vs not put the needy off with our prayers but be ye mercifull as your father in heauen of him we say Aperis tu manum imples owne animal benedictionem tua Surely God giueth vs all the bread that we aske for necessity as to owners of it but if hee exceed our demand and giueth vs aboue that he intendeth that wee should be his stewards of it to dispense it to the necessities of our brethren and therefore he maketh the cups of some to ouerflow that their abundance may fill such as are emptie 7 Nobis includeth our enemies wee are also taught here to remember them let not malice drowne our charity and spight drinke vp our deuotion and piety If thine enemy hunger not onely pray God to giue him bread but doe thou feed him if he thirst doe thou giue him drinke forget not of what spirit thou art of the spirit of him who prayed for his transgressors who had not a friend vpon earth but yet came to vs being his enemies to seeke our loue and to make our peace with his father Be angry but sinne not let not the sunne goe downe vpon thy wrath blesse them that curse you pray for them doe them good Anger is a dangerous inmate to harbour in vs for it hindereth our deuotion and maketh vs leaue them all out of our Nobis that we haue any edge against and imperfect prayers cannot haue a full preuailing therefore Salomon saith anger resteth in the bosome of a foole Anger is a fire and canst thou carry fire in thy bosome and not be burnt saith he It is ignis alienus if wee offer vp our prayers to the God of peace with any of our anger in them that one ingredient puts death in the pot we must come to the God of peace in peace When Socrates his seruant had done a fault that moued his Master to some choller one cryed whip him whip him Socrates answered I had need whip my anger first for I finde that more to blame then my man It is our wisedome and patience to beare iniuries and to let the seed of them come vp in vs in benefits and prayers the liker that wee make our selues to him to whom wee pray the better will hee like of vs and our prayers therefore da nobis must meane feed vs and feede our enemies let not them that hate vs want bread This is an holy reuenge to recompence euill with good 8 Nobis doth include as you haue heard our cattaile and creatures giuen to vs for our vse wee owe then a duty to pray to God for them to preserue them to our vse Iobs first blow that he had was in his cattaile his Oxen and Asses the deuill knew that that would bee a smarting rod the next in his seruants and other cattaile The goodnesse of God the giuer is to bee inuocated for preseruation he preserueth man and beast They be beasts that are cruell to their owne cattaile that exact worke of them and care not to feed them their bowels are cruell their labours their bodies are ours If our care must extend to the feeding and nourishing and praying for these helpefull creatures made to our vse they doe much offend God that vpon euery prouocation curse them and smite and abuse them as Balaam did his Asse who would haue beene content to haue killed his beast in his fury to whō God gaue a speaking tongue to reproue him and the record thereof is kept for our instruction to teach vs to vse our seruant creatures with all gentlenesse for the iust man is mercifull to his beast as I told you from Salomon 4 Panem nostrum We gather the doctrine of our duties from the seuerall reasons why the bread that we doe pray for is called ours 1 Seeing it is called ours because we labour for it according to the ordinance of God in sudore vnltus tui comedes panem we are here taught to apply our selues to labour in some honest vocation to winne our bread This is that we are borne to as Eliphaz in Iob saith truely Man is borne to labour as the sparkes flye vpward Therefore the Prophet calleth this our bread
the rest is resumed and more prest then the rest both in the affirmatiue and in the negatiue 1 In the affirmatiue for if ye forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly Father will also forgiue you 2 In the negatiue But if ye forgiue not men their trespasses neither will your father forgiue you your trespasses The reason is because this pardoning of wrongs done to vs is a supernaturall grace and doth testifie of vs that we haue the image of God in vs for naturally we returne euill for euill eye for eye tooth for tooth one euill word one euill worke for another Therefore to fixe this holy duty in vs our Sauiour bindes vs to it by this petition to looke for no more mercy in heauen then we doe shew to our brethren here on earth with whom we liue The parable of our Sauiour doth make this reasonable our debt to God is 10000. Talents our neighbours debt to vs 100. pence the oddes is great if wee would be forgiuen this great summe should not we forgiue that small debt We are apt to aggrauate the wrongs we suffer one from another and to extenuate the offence that wee doe to God But be it that from our neighbour we suffer in our good name let vs consider how much the glorious name doth suffer from vs in our swearing and blaspheming in our euill conuersation which causeth the name of God to bee euill spoken of amongst those that are without yet we would make God beleeue that nothing is so deare to vs as his holy name because we make it our first petition Hallowed be thy name Be it that our neighbour offend vs in our goods by taking vniustly from vs that which belongs to vs let vs consider that we haue nothing but from the hand of God and all that we possesse is his and wee can call no more ours then what hee giueth and we vse to his glory and the maintenance of our life in sobernesse and honesty In all that we spend from these vses wee our selues are not owners but vsurpers of all that we so misemploy and for 100. pence that we lose of our right by the iniury of men we mis-spend of Gods treasure 10000. Talents lewdly and dishonourably to him offensiuely to our owne soules and iniuriously to our brethren Compare all that pride and gluttony and drunkennesse and vanity and wantonnesse and contention spendeth prodigally all that couetousnesse congesteth and hideth from the vse of thy brother wretchedly with that which either thine owne necessities or thy christian charity doe demand of thee thou shalt finde that the wrong thou dost doth more exceed the wrong thou sufferest in thy goods then 10000. talents doe exceede 100. pence Be it that thy brother wrong thee in thy friends by seeking to distast them to thee dost not thou by euill conuersation corrupt the affections of thy brother to alienate his heart from the holy seruice of thy God If thy brother seeke thy life dost not thou in thy rebellion against God offend thy God in a more high degree vngodding of him and taking away his honour which is his life and destroying in thy selfe and in thy brother the image of God Therefore consider thy selfe maior parcas insane minori The God to whom thou prayest is the God of peace the Gospell which thou professest is the Gospell of peace the kingdome that thou seekest is the kingdome of peace the way to it is via pacis It was a good obseruation of King Henry 7. that the proclamation of Christ comming into the world was peace vpon earth and the legacie of Christs going out of the world was pacem meam do vobis and thence he concluded that the life of a Christian man should be a prosecution of peace The Apostle doth presse it earnestly If it be possible as much as lyeth in you liue peaceably with all men The soule of man doth not animate and quicken the members that are cut off from the body neither doth the holy Ghost quicken the members of the Church that are not vnited to the Church Therefore peace-makers are called the sonnes of God for so doth God loue peace that hee gaue his onely Sonne By him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe and to set at peace through the bloud of his crosse both the things on earth and the things in heauen The Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it is one of the hardest lessons that is taught in the schoole of Christ to forgiue our enemies and most contrary it is to flesh and bloud Saint Peter thought hee had offered faire when hee asked Christ quoties how often he should doe it and then added vsque ad septies but Christ made nothing of it non dico vsque ad septies Therefore as when we haue a worke to doe that requireth force wee put our whole strength to it so the Apostle biddeth as much as in vs lyeth to striue for peace Our Sauiour by this petition doth tell vs plainely that his care in this precept is not all for our neighbour that he may be forgiuen his trespasse It concernes vs our selues so neare as the forgiuing of our owne sinnes doth import for if we cannot plead our actiue pardon we cannot desire this passiue pardon we must be pardoners if we will be pardoned It is true that in the parable the Master pardoned his seruant his debt to him first but when after he heard complaint that his seruant would not forgiue his fellow his small debt he reuoked the pardon and redemanded the debt Therefore our Sauiour would haue vs worke sure first to forgiue trespasses done to vs then to pray for forgiuenesse of our trespasses 2 Where we say forgiue vs as we forgiue wee doe make profession of our forgiuenesse of our debtors that is of such as haue trespassed vs. Which admonisheth vs to be sincere in our forgiuenesse as Christ saith if ye from your heart forgiue for we pray to him who is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a seer who seeth our hearts and knoweth whether we deale faithfully and sincerely with him or not therefore let vs consider how we would be forgiuen of God that we may so forgiue 1 We would be forgiuen presently 2 We would be forgiuen heartily 3 We would be forgiuen totally 4 We would be forgiuen so as there should remaine no roote of bitternesse in stocke to make a new quarrell which we call forgiuing and forgetting it is not forgiuenesse if all that meete not so 1 Some delay the pardon of their brethren and so liue in prosecution of reuenge and in retribution of euill for euill and when they haue either failed of their reuenge or effected it then they forgiue When God sent Nathan to reproue Dauid for his double sinne Dauid charged with this debt confessed it at the first voyce of reprehension and Nathan replyed to him The Lord also hath