that it be sparingly and warily vsed is lawfull For if in serious affaires and matters of great importance it be lawfull in priuate to admit God as a Iudge why should he not as well be called to witnesse Againe the examples of holy men shew the practise of priuate othes as not vnlawfull Iacob and Laban confirmed their couenant one with an other by priuate oth the like did Booz in his contract with Ruth To this place may be added an asseueration the which albeit it be like an oth yet indeede is none and is nothing else but a constant assertion of our mind intersetting sometimes the name of a creature Such was Christs assertion Verely verely I say vnto you And Pauls I call God to record in my spirit Where is both an oth an asseueration 1. Cor. 15.31 By your reioycing which I haue in Iesus Christ I die daily 1. Sam. 20.3 Indeede as the Lord liueth and as my soule liueth there is but a step betweene me and death And surely in such a kind of asseueration there is great equitie for albeit it be vnlawfull to sweare by creatures least Gods honour and power should be attributed vnto them yet thus farre may we vse them in an oath as to make pledges and as it were cognisances of Gods glorie The performance of an oth is on this manner If the oth made be of a lawfull thing it must be performed be it of much difficultie great dammage and extorted by force of him that made it Psal. 15.4 He that sweareth to his owne hinderance and changeth not he shall dwell in Gods tabernacle Yet may the Magistrate as it shall seeme right and conuenient either annihilate or moderate such othes Contrarily if a man sweare to performe things vnlawfull and that by ignoraÌ„ce error or infirmitie or any other way his oth is to be recalled For we may not adde sinne vnto sinne 1. Sam. 25.21 And Dauid said Indeede I haue kept all in vaine that this fellow had in the wildernes c. vers 22. So and more also doe God vnto the enemies of Dauid for surely I will not leaue of all that he hath by the dawning of the day any that pisseth against the wall vers 33. Dauid said Blessed be thy counsell and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from comming to shedde blood and that mine hand hath not saued me 2. Sam. 19.23 Dauid promiseth that Shimei should not die but 1. King 2.8,9 Dauid saith to Salomon Though I sware so yet thou shalt not count him innocent but cause his hoare head to goe downe to the graue with blood V. Sanctification of Gods creatures and ordinances the which is a separation of them to an holy vse Thus ought we to sanctifie our meates and drinks the works of our calling and marriage The meanes of this sanctification are two Gods word and prayer 1. Tim. 4.4 All which God hath created is good and nothing must be reiected if it be receiued with thanksgiuing for it is sanctified by the word and prayer By the word we are instructed first whether God alloweth the vse of such things or not secondly we learne after what holy manner in what place at what time with what affection and to what end we must vse them Heb. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God Psal. 119.24 Thy testimonies are my delight they are my counsellers Iosh. 22.19,29 1. Sam. 15.23 Prayer which sanctifieth is petition and thanksgiuing By petition we obtaine of Gods meiestie assistance by his grace to make an holy vse of his creatures and ordinances Col. 3. 17. Whatsoeuer ye shall doe in word or deede doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thanks to God euen the Father by him 1. Sam. 17.45 Then said Dauid to the Philistim Thou commest to me with a sword and with a speare and with a shield but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts the God of the host of Israel whome thou hast railed vpon Mich. 4. 5. We must walke in the name of the Lord our God for euer and euer Here may we obserue prayer made vpon particular occasion 1. For a prosperous iourney Act. 21.5 When the daies were ended we departed and went our way and they all accompanied vs with their wiues and children euen out of the citie and we kneeling downe on the shore prayed c. 2. For a blessing vpon meats at the table Ioh. 6.11 Then Iesus tooke the bread and when he had giuen thankes he gaue it to his Disciples and the Disciples to them that were set downe and likewise of the fishes as much as they would Act. 27.35 He tooke bread and gaue thanks to God in presence of them all and brake it and began to eate 3. For issue in childbirth This did Anna 1. Sam. 1.14 And Zacharie Luk. 1.13 4. For good successe in busines Gen. 24. 12. Abrahams seruant praied Thanksgiuing is the magnifying of Gods name euen the Father through Christ for his grace ayde and blessing in the lawfull vse of the creatures Phil. 4.6 In all things let your requests be shewed vnto God in prayer and supplication and giuing of thanks 1â— Thess. 5. 18. In all things giue thanks for this is the will of God in Christ towards you This we may read vsed 1. after meate Deut. 8.10 When thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe thou shalt blesse the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath giuen thee 2. After the losse of outward wealth Iob 1.21 And Iob saide Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne againe the Lord hath giuen and the lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord for euermore 3. For deliuerance out of seruitude Exod. 18. 10. Iethro said Blessed be the Lord who hath deliuered you out of the hands of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh who also hath deliuered the people from vnder the hand of the Egyptians 4. For children Gen. 29.35 Shee conceiued againe and bare of sonne saying Now will I praise the Lord therefore shee called his name Iudah 5. For victorie 2. Sam. 22.1 And Dauid spake the words of this song vnto the Lord what time the Lord had deliuered him out of the hands of all his enemies and out of the hand of Saul and said The Lord is my rocke and my fortresse c. 6. For good successe in domesticall affaires Abrahams seruant Gen. 24.12 blessed the Lord of his master Abraham CHAP. 23. Of the fourth Commandement THe fourth Commandement concerneth the Sabboth namely that holy time consecrated to the worship and glorifying of God The words are these Remember the Sabboth to keepe it sixe daies shalt thou labour and doe â—ll thy worke but the seuenth day is the Sabboth of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no manner of worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy man seruant nor thy maid nor thy beast nor thy
haue certen assurance to be heard For he that praieth must steadfastly beleeue that God in Christ will grant his petition This affiance being wanting it maketh praier to be no praier For how can he pray for any thing effectually who doubteth whether hee shall obtaine it or no. Wherefore it is an especiall point of praier to be perswaded that God to whome praier is made not onely can but also will grant his request Mar. 11. 24. Whatsoeuer ye desire when ye praie beleeue that yee shall haue it and it shall bee done vnto you Here wee see two things required in praier the first a desire of the good things which we want the second is faith whereby we beleeue that God will grant the things desired The ground of this faith is reconciliation with God and the assurance thereof For vnlesse a man bee in conscience in some measure perswaded that all his sinnes are pardoned and that he standes reconciled to God in Christ he cannot beleeue any other promises reuealed in the word nor that any of his praiers shall be heard Thus much of the definition of praier nowe let vs see what vse may beâ— made of â—his commandement Pray ye thus Seeing our Sauiour commands his diâ—â—iplesâ— and so euen vs also to pray to God it is our dutie not onely to present our praiers to God but also to doe it cheerefully and earnestly Rom. 15. 30. Also brethren I beseech you that yee would striue with me by prayers to God for me What is the cause why the Lord doth oft deferre his blessings after our prayers No cause but that he might stirre vs vp to be more earnest to crie vnto the Lord. Exod. 32. 10. When Moses praied to God in the behalfe of the Israelites the Lord answers Let me alone as though his praiers did binde the Lord and hinder him from executing his iudgements Wherfore this is good aduise for all Christian men to continue and to bee zealous in praier If thou be an ignorant man for shame learn to praie seeing it is Gods coÌ„mandement make conscieÌ„ce of it We see that there is no man vnles he be desperately wicked but will make some conscience of killing and stealingâ— and why is this Because it is Gods commaundement Thou shalt not kill thou shalt not â—teale Well then this also is Gods commandement to pray Let this consideration breed in thee a conscience of this dutie and although thy corrupt nature shall draw thee away from it yet striue to the contrarie and know it certainly that â—he breach of this commandement makes thee as well guilty of damnation before God as any other Furthermore this must be a motiue to pricke thee forward to this dutie that as God commands vs to praie so also he giues the spirit of praier whereby the commandement is made easie vnto vs. If the Lord had commaunded a thing impossible then there had beene some cause of discouragement but commaunding a thing through the grace of his spirit very easie and profitable how much more are we bound to obedience of the same Againe praier is the key whereby we open the treasures of GOD and pull down his mercies vpon vs. For as the preaching of the word serues to declare and to conuey vnto vs Gods graces so in praier wee come to haue a liuely feeling of the same in our hearts And further this must mooue vs to praier seeing in that we haue familiaritie with Gods maiestie It is an high fauour for a man to be familiar with a prince howe much more then to bee familiar with the king of kings the mightie Iehoua This then can be no burthen or trouble vnto vs being one of the many prerogatiues that god bestows on his church For in the preaching of the word it pleased God to talke to vs and in praier God doth vouchsafe vs this honour to speake and as it were familiarly to talk with him not as to a fearefull Iudge but as to a louing and mercifull God Consider also that praier is a worthy meanes of defence not only to vs but also to the Church theÌ„ that are absent By it Moses stood in the breach which Gods wrath had made into the people of Israel and staied the same Psal. 106. 23. By this Christian men fight as valiant champions against their owne corruptions and all other spirituall enemies Eph. 6. 18. Infinite were it to shewe how many blessings the Lord had bestowed on his seruants by praier In a word Luther whom it pleased God to vse as a worthie instrument for the restoring of the gospel testifieth of himselfe that hauing this grace giuen him to call vpon the name of the Lord he had more reuealed vnto him of gods truth by praier then by reading and studie The second point of the commandement is to praie after the manner propounded in the Lords praier Where it is to be noted that the Lords praier is a direction and as it were a samplar to teach vs how and in what manner wee ought to praie None is to imagine that we are bound to vse these words only none other For the meaning of Christ is not to bind vs to the word but to the matter and to the manner and to the like affections in praying If this were not so the praiers of Gods seruants set downe in the bookes of the olde and new Testament should all be faultie because they are not set downe in the very same words with the Lords praier nay this praier is not set downe in the same words altogither by Matthew and Luke And whereas sundrie men in our Church hold it vnlawfull to vse this very forme of words as they are set downe by our Sauiour Christ for a praier they are farre deceiued as will appeare by their reasons First say they it is scripture and therefore not to bee vsed as a prayer I answer that the same thing may be the scripture of God also the praier of man els the praiers of Moses Dauid and Paul being set downe in the scriptures cease to be prayers Againe say they that in praier we are to expresse our wants in particular the graces which we desire now in these words all things to be praied for are only in generall propounded I answere that the maine wantes that are in any mâ—n and the principall graces of God to be desired are set downe in the petitions of this praier in particular Thirdly they plead that the patterne to make all praiers by should not be vsed as a praier I answer that therefore the rather it may be vsed as a prayer and sure it is that ancient and worthy Diuines haue reuerenced it as a prayer choosing rather to vse these wordes then any other as Cyprianus Sermone de orat Dominic And Tertullian lib. de fuga in persequntione And August Sermone 126. de tempore Wherefore the opinion is full of ignorance and errour Well whereas our Sauiour first giues a
haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we crie Abâ—a that isâ— father And Rom. 8.26 Likewise the spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pray as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh request And Zach. 12.10 the holy Ghost is called the spirit of grace and deprecatioâ—s or praiers Well then the man that would pray must haue Gods spirit to be his schoole-master to teach him to pray with grones and sighes of the heart for the words make not the prayer but the grones and desires of his heart and a man praies for no more then he desires with the heart and he which desires nothing praies not at all but spends lip-labour The second worke of the spirit is to assure vs in our consciences that we are in the state of grace reconciled to God Rom. 8.16 The spirit of adoption beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God And this inward certificate of the spirit in all exercises of inuocation is very necessarie for he which wants this assurance if he be secure and benummed in his sinnes will not and if he be touched in conscience for them for his life dare not cal God father Also this confutes the opinion of the Church of Rome which teacheth that man is to doubt whether he be adopted or no. For how can a man truly call God father when he doubts whether he be the child of God or no It is a miserable kind of praying to cal God father and withall to doubt whether he be a father Indeede it is true that doubts will often arise but it is our dutie to striue against them and not to yeeld to them Yea but say they to be certaine of Gods mercy is presumption I answer if it be presumption it is an holy presumption because God hath bidden vs to call him father Our Father 1. The meaning THus much of the argument of relation now let vs proceedeâ— It is further said Our father And he is so tearmed because he is the father of Christ by nature and in him the father of euery beleeuer yea of the whole bodie of the Church Quest. Whether may it be lawfull for vs in praier to say not our father but my father Ans. A Christian may in priuate praier say My father This is warranted by the example of our Sauiour Matth. 26. â—9 O my father if it be possible let this cup passe from me And Math. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And Thomas praied My Lord and my God And Paul I giue thanks to my God c. And Gods promise is Ier. 3.19 Thou shalt call me my father The meaning of Christ is not to binde vs to these words but to teach vs that in our praiers we must not haue regard to our selues onely but also to our brethren and therefore when we pray for them in our priuate praiers as for our selues we put in practise the true meaning of these words 2. The vses When we pray wee must not make request onely for our selues and our owne good but for others also as the church and people of God perswading our selues that we also are partakers of their praiers and for the better cleering of this point let vs search who they are for whome wee are to pray Of men there be two sorts some liuingâ— some dead Of these two kinds the liuing are to be praied for and there is no praying for the dead A man that is dead knowes what shall bee his estate eternally if he died a wicked person that is an vnrepentant sinner his state shall bee according in eternall torment if he died hauing repented of his sinnes then hee shall rest with God in his kingdome Apoc. 14.13 Blessed are they which die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Gal. 6.10 While wee haue time let vs doe good to all men Where wee may note that there is a time namely after death when we cannot doe good to others Again of the liuing some are our enemies some our friends Our friends are they which are of the same religion affection and disposition Foes are either priuate or publike Publike foes are either enemies to our countrie as tyrants traitors c. or enemies to our religion as Iewes Turkes Papists Infidels Atheists Now towards all these how ought a man to behaue himselfe in praier Ans. He is to pray for them all Matth. 5.44 Pray for them which hurt you and persecute you 1. Tim. 2.1 I exhort that praiers intercessions c. be made for all men for kings c. Yet wheÌ„ Paul gaue this commandement we read not that there were any Christian kings but all Infidels And the Iewes are commanded to pray for Babylon where they were captiue Ierem. 29.7 And seeke the prosperitie of the cittie whither I haue caused you to be carried captiue and pray vnto the Lord for it Question How and in what manner are wee to pray for our enemies Ans. We are to praie against their â—innes counsels enterprises but not against their persons Thus praied Dauid against Achitophel 2. Sam. 15.31 Lord I pray thee bring the counsell of Achitophel to foolishnesse And thus did the Apostles pray against their persecutors Act. 4.29 O Lord behold their threatnings and graunt vnto thy seruants with all boldnesse to speake thy word Question Dauid vseth imprecations against his enemies in which he prayeth for their vtter confusion as Psal. 59. 109. c. The like is done by Paul Gal. 5.1 2. Tim. 4.14 and Peter Act. 8. 20. though afterwards he mitigates his execration But how could they doe it Ans. 1. They were indued with an extraordinarie measure of Gods spirit and hereby they were inabled to discerne of their enemies and certainly to iudge that their wickednes and malice was incurable and that they should neuer repent And the like praiers did the Primitiue church coÌ„ceiue against Iulian the Apostata because they perceiued him to be a malitious desperate enemie 2. Secondly they were indued with a pure zeale and not carried with desire of reuenge against their enemies intending nothing els but the glorie of God Nowe for vs it is good that wee should suspect our zeale because sinister affections as hatred enuie emulation desire of reuenge will easily mingle themselues therewith Question How farre forth may we vse those Psalmes in which Dauid vseth imprecations against his enemies Ans. They are to bee read and song with these caueats I. We are to vse those imprecations indefinitely against the enemies of God and his Church for we may perswade our selues that alwaies there be some such obstinate enemies but we must not applie them particularly 2. Secondly we must vse them as Augustine saith as certaine propheticall sentences of the holy Ghost pronouncing the last sentence of destruction vpon final and impenitent sinners which oppose themselues against Gods kingdome 3. They may be vsed against our spirituall
occasions 1. The entrance to our callings in the morning 2. The receiuing of Gods creatures at noone-tyde 3. The going to rest at night Againe beside set solemne praiers there be certaine kinds of short praiers which the fathers call Eiaculationes that is the liftings vp of the heart into heauen secretly and suddainly and this kind of praying may be vsed as occasion is offered enery houre in the daie Quest. 5. Whether may we pray for all men or no Ans. We may and wee may not We may if all men or mankind be taken distributiuely or seuerally For there is no particular countrie kingdome towne person but wee may make praiers for it And though men be Atheists Infidels Heretikes yea deuils incarnate yet for any thing we knowe they may belong to the election of God except they sinne against the holy ghost which sinne is very seldome hardly discerned of men And in this sence must the commandement of Paul be vnderstood I exhort therfore that first of all supplications praiers c. be made for all men 1. Tim. 2.1 We may not pray for all men if all men or mankind be taken collectiuely that is if all men be considered wholly togither as they make one bodie or company and be taken as we say in grosse For in this bodie or masse of mankind there be some though they be vnknowne to vs yet I say there be some whome God in his iust iudgement hath refused whose saluation by praier shall neuer be obtained Quest. 6. Whether is it possible for a man to pray in reading of a praier Answer It pleaseth some to mooue this question but there is no doubt of it For praier is a part of Gods worship and therefore a spirituall action of the heart of man standing specially in a desire of that which we want and faith whereby we beleeue that our desire shall be granted Nowe the voice or vtterance whether it be in reading or otherwise is no part of the praier but an outwarde meanes whereby praier is vttered and expressed Therefore there is no reason why a forme of praier being read should cease to be a praier because it is read so be it the spirit of grace and praier be not wanting in the partie reading and the hearers Obiect To reade a sermon is not to preach and therefore to read a praier is not to pray Ans. The reason is not like in both For the gift of preaching or prophecie can not bee shewed or practised in the reading of a sermon and for this cause the reading of a sermon is not preaching or prophesie but the grace and gift of praier may bee shewed in reading of a praier otherwise it would goe very hard with them that want conuenient vtterance by reason of some defect in the tongue or by reason of bashfulnesse in the presence of others Of Gods hearing our praiers HItherto we haue spoken of the making of praier to god a word or twain of Gods hearing our praiers Quest. How many waies doth God heare mens praiers Ans. Two waies The first in his mercie when he graunts the requests of such as call vpon him in the feare of his name Secondly hee heares mens praiers in his wrath Thus he gaue the Israelites Quailes according to their desire Psal. 78.29.30.31 Thus often men curse themselues and wish that they were hanged or dead and accordingly they haue their wish Quest. 2. Why doth God deferre to heare the praiers of his seruants Ans. First to prooue them by delay Secondly to exercise their faith Thirdly to make them acknowledge that the things which they receiue are Gods gifts not frō thēselues Fourthly that graces quickly giuen might not be lightly esteemed Fiftly that an hungring after grace might be sharpned increased Question 3. After what manner doth God heare his seruants prayers Answer Two waies First by graunting the thing which was asked according to his will Secondly by denying the thing desired and by giuing something proportionall to it Thus God denies temporarie blessings and in the roome therof giues eternal in heauen Thus he refuseth to remooue the crosse from his seruants and giues in stead therof strength and patience Christ praied that the cuppe might be remooued It was not remooued yet he in his māhood was inabled to beare the wrath of God When Paul praied three times that the pricke in the flesh might be remooued it was answered My strength is sufficient for thee Quest. 4. Why doth not God alwaies heare mens praiers Ans. There be many causes of this The first because oftentimes we know not to aske as we ought Math. 20.22 The second because we aske amisse Iam. 4.3 The third because otherwhiles the things which we aske though they be good in themselues yet they are not good vnto vs and for that cause are withheld 2. Cor. 12.7 The last because God will for some long time deferre the granting of that which we aske that he may stirre vp our faith and hope and our diligence in praier and that we might the better esteeme of the gifts of God when we haue them and shew our selues more thankfull To the Reader PAul in his Epistles hath set downe the summe of many of his prayers they are very gratious and heauenly and I haue here set them downe that thou mightest know them and in thy prayers follow them 16. I cease not to giue thanks for you making mention of you in my praiers 17. That the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the father of glorie might giue vnto you the spirit of wisdome and of reuelation in the acknowledgement of him 18. The eyes of your minde beeing enlightned that ye may know what the hope is of his calling and what the riches are of his glorious inheritance in the Saints 19. And what is the exceeding greatnes of his power in vs that beleeue according to the working of his mightie power 20. Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his right hand in heauenly places The Exposition IN this excellent prayer we are to marke two things the first to whome it is made the second is the matter For the first it is made to God the Father who is described by two titles The first The God of our Lord Iesus Christ namely as Christ is man for as Christ is God he is equall with the father The second The father of glorie that is a glorious father and he is so called to distinguish him from earthly fathers The matter of the prayer stands on two principall points First he asketh of God the spirit of wisdome whereby the seruants of God are inabled to discerne out of the word in euery busines which they take in hand whether it be in word or deede what ought to be done and what ought to be left vndone as also the circumstances the time place manner of doing any thing Secondly he praieth for the spirit of reuelation whereby
hath a disease or sore in his bodie before he can be cured of it he must see it feele paine of it and bee in a feare least it bring him into danger of death after this he shall see himselfe to stande in neede of phisicke and he longeth till he be with the phisitian when hee is once come to him he desireth him of all loues to helpe him and to shewe the best skill he can he will not spare for any cost then hee yeeldes himselfe into the Phisitians handes perswading himselfe that by Gods blessing he both can and wil help him after this he comes to his former health againe On the same manner euery man is wounded with the deadly wounde of sinne at the very heart and he that would be saued and escape damnation must see his sinne be sorrowfull for it and vtterly despaire of his own strength to attaine saluation thereby furthermore he must see himselfe to stand in neede of Christ the good Phisitian of his soule and long after him and crie vnto him with deepe sighes and groanes for mercie after this Christ Iesus will temper him a plaister of his owne heart blood which beeing applied he shall finde himselfe reuiued and shall come to a liuely assurance of the forgiuenesse of all his sinnes So it was in Dauid when he repented of his adulterie and murther First God made him see his sinnes for he saith I knowe mine iniquities and my sinnes are euer before me Secondly he felt Gods anger for his sinnes make me saith he to heare ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioice Thirdly he vtterly despaired of his owne strength in that he said stablish me with thy free spirit signifying thereby vnlesse the Lord would stay him with his glorious power he should runne headlong to his owne confusion Fourthly he comes to see himselfe stand in great neede of Gods fauour one mercy wil not content him he praieth for the whole innumerable multitude of his mercies to be bestowed on him to doe away his iniquities Fiftly his desire and his prayer for the forgiuenesse of his sinne are set downe in the whole Psalme And in his prayer he gathereth some comfort and assurance of Gods mercie towards himselfe in that he saith The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise Againe the like appeareth in Dauid Psal. 32.3 When I held my tongue my bones consumed in my roring all the day 4. For thy hand was heauie vpon me day and night my moisture was turned into the drought of sommer Sela. 5. I confessed my sinnes vnto thee neither hid I mine iniquities I said I will confesse against my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sinne To this purpose is the example of R. Glouer Martyr who being somwhat troubled at his entrance into prison testifieth thus of himselfe So saith he I remained without any further conference of any man by the space of eight daies and till the bishops comming in which time I gaue my selfe continually to prayer and meditation of the mercifull promises of God made to all without exception of persons that call vpon the name of his deare sonne Iesus Christ. I found in my selfe daiely amendment of health of bodie increase of peace of conscience and many consolations from God by the helpe of his spirit and sometimes as it were a tast and glimmering of the life to come all for his onely sonne Iesus Christs sake XVI There are diuers degrees and measures of this vnfained faith according as there be diuers degrees of Christians some are yet in the wombe and haue their mother the Church trauelling of them some are newe borne babes feeding on the milke of the word some are perfect men in Christ come to the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ. XVII The least measure of faith that any Christian can haue is compared to the graine of mustard seed the least of all seeds and to flaxe that hath fire in it but so weake that it can neither giue heat nor light but only maketh a smoke and is called by the name of a little faith and it may bee thus described When a man of an humble heart doth not yet feele the assurance of the forgiuenes of his own sinnes and yet he is perswaded that they are pardonable desiring that they might be pardoned and therefore praieth to God that he would pardon them and giue him strength to leaue them XVIII A little faith may more plainely be knowne by considering of these foure points first that it is onely in his heart who is humbled for sinne For the Lord dwelleth with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit to receiue the spirit of the humble and to giue life to them that are of a contrite heart Secondly it is in a man especially at the time of his conuersion and calling to Christ after which he is to growe from faith to faith Thirdly this faith though it bee in the heart yet it is not so much felt in the heart this was in Dauid at some times My God my God why hast thou forsaken me saith he The first wordes my God my God are speeches of faith yet the latter why hast thou forsaken me shew that thē he had no feeling of Gods mercie A little faith then is in the heart of man as in the spring time the fruite is in the bud which yet appeareth not but onely hath his nature and substance in the bud Lastly the beginnings and seedes of this faith or at the least signes and effects thereof are three The first is a perswasion that a mans own sinnes are pardonable this perswasion though it be not faith yet it is a good preparation to faith for the wicked cut themselues off quite from Gods mercie in that with Cain they say their sinnes are greater then that they can be forgiuen The second is a desire of the fauour and mercie of God in Christ and of the meanes to attaine to that fauour This desire is a speciall grace of God and it hath the promise of blessednes and it must be distinguished from that desire which wicked men haue who though they desire life eternal as Balaam did yet they cannot sincerely desire the meanes as faith repentance mortification reconciliation c. The third is praier for nothing in this world but only for the forgiuenesse of their sinnes with great sighes groanes from the bottome of the heart which they are not able to expresse as they feele them Now this heartie praying and desire for the pardon of sinne can neuer come from the flesh but onely from the spirit who stirreth vp these heauenly motions of longing desiring sighing after remission of sinne and all other graces of God which hee belloweth vpon his
not that I am none of his child and therfore that I haue no faith Minister You are in no other case then Dauid himself who made the same complaint I am weary of crying my throat is drie mine eies faile whiles I waite for my God Christian. But Dauid neuer praied so many yeares without receiuing an answer as I haue done Minister Good Zacharie waited longer on the Lord before he granted his request then euer you did it is like he praied for a child in his younger yeres yet his praier was not heard before hee was olde And further you must note that the Lord may heare the praiers of his seruants and yet they be altogither ignorant of it For the maner that God vseth in granting their requests is not alwaies known as may appeare in the example of our Sauiour Christ Who in the daies of his flesh did offer vp praiers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was also heard in that which he feared And yet wee knowe that hee was not freed from that cursed death but must needes suffer it How then was he heard On this manner hee was strengthened to beare the death he had an Angel to comfort him he was afterward freed frō the sorrowes of death And so it is with the rest of Christs bodie as it was with the head Some beeing in want pray for temporall blessings God keepes them in this want and yet he heares their prayers in giuing them patience to abide that want Some beeing in wealth and aboundance pray for the continuing of it if it be the will of God The Lord flings them into a perpetuall miserie and yet he heares their praiers by giuing them blessednes in the life to come You pray for the increase of faith and repentance and such like graces you feele no increase after long praier yet the mercifull God hath no doubt heard your praier in that by delaying to performe your request he hath stirred vp in you the spirit of praier he hath humbled you made you feele your owne wants the better to depend on his mercie for the beginning and increasing of euery spirituall grace Christian. The fourth thing that troubles me is that I cannot feele faith purifie my heart and to worke by loue in bringing forth liuely fruits Minister If this be so continually that faith brings forth no fruite it is very dangerous and argueth a plaine want of faith yet for a certaine time it may be so faith hath not onely a spring time and a summer season but also a winter when it beareth no fruite And there is many a true Christian like the bruised reed that is ouerturned with euery blast of wind and like the flaxe that hath fire in it which by reason of weakenes giues neither heat nor light but only a smoke Christian. Thus much shall suffice for my first temptation wherein I take my selfe satisfied now if you please I will be glad to rehearse the second Minister I am content let vs heare it Christian. I am afraid least I haue not truely repented and therefore that all my profession is onely in hypocrisie Minister What mooueth you to thinke so Christian. Two causes especially the first is they which repent leaue off to sinne But I am a miserable sinner I doe continually displease God by my euil thoughts words and deedes Minister You need not feare For where sinne aboundeth that is the knowledge and feeling of sinne there grace aboundeth much more Christian. I find not this in my selfe Minist But yet you find thus much in your selfe those corruptions which you feele and those sinnes that you commit you hate them you are displeased with your selfe for them and you endeauour your selfe to leaue them Christian. Yea that I doe with all my heart Minister Then how miserable soeuer you feele your selfe by reason of the masse of your sin yet you are not subiect to condemnation but shall most certainly escape the same Take this for a most certaine trueth that the man that hates and dislikes his sinnes both before and after he hath done them shal neuer be damned for them Christian. I am euen heart sicke of my manifold sinnes and infirmities and these good words which you speake are as flaggons of wine to refresh my weary laden and weltring soule I haue begun to flee sinne and to detest it long agoe I haue beene oft displeased with mine infirmities and corruptions when I offend God my heart is grieued I desire to leaue sinne I flee the occasions of sin I would faine fashion my life to Gods word I pray vnto God that hee would giue me grace so to doe yet which is my griefe by the strength of the flesh by the sleights power of Sathan I am often ouertaken fal maruellously both by speech and by deede Minister Haue courage my good brother for whereas you haue an affection to doe the things that are acceptable vnto God it argueth plainely that you are a member of Christ according to that of Paul They which are of the spirit sauour the the things of the spirit Well then if Sathan euer obiect any of your sins to you make answer thus that you haue forsaken the first husband the flesh haue espoused your selfe to Christ Iesus who as your head husband hath taken vpon him to answer your debts and therefore if he vrge you for thē refer him ouer vnto Christ. For there is no sute in law against the wife the husband liuing yea I adde further if you be ouercarried with Satans tēptations and so fall into any sinne you shall not answer for it but Sathan it shal surely be reckoned on his score at the daie of iudgemēt for he was the author of it if you fall by the frailtie of your flesh it shal perish therefore but you shal still haue Christ your aduocate Christian. Indeede as you say I haue in me an affection to please God but when I come to performe my obedience there I faile Minister Therfore marke this further As long as the children of god are i◠this life God regardeth more the affection to obey then the obediēce itself And they shall be vnto me saith the Lord of hosts in that day I shall doe this for a flocke and I will spare them as a man spares his own sonne that serueth him The father when he shall set his child to doe any busines though he doe it neuer so vntowardly yet if he shewe his good will to doe the best he can his father wil be pleased and so it is with the Lord toward his children you looke to haue some perfection in your selfe but in this life you shall receiue no more but the first fruits of the spirit which are but as a handfull of corne in respect of the whole corne fielde and as for the accomplishment of your
mysticall vnion pag. 483 The communion of Saints pag. 500 The forgiuenes of sinnes pag. 506 The Resurrection of the bodie pag. 509 Life euerlasting pag. 516 AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORDS PRAIER THE CONTENTS The exposition of the Lords prayer pag. 525 The vse of the Lords prayer pag. 561 Of the circumstances of praying pag. 562 Of Gods hearing our prayers pag. 563 The prayers of Paul pag. 564 A TREATISE TENDING VNTO a declaration whether a man be in the estate of damnation or in the estate of grace THE CONTENTS 1 How farre a Reprobate may goe in Christian religion pag. 574 2 The estate of a true Christian in this life which also sheweth how farre the Elect beeing called goe beyond all reprobates in Christianitie pag. 584 3 A Dialogue to the same purpose gathered out of the sauorie writings of M. Tyndal and Bradford pag. 617 4 How a Reprobate may performe all the religion of the church of Rome pag. 642 5 The conflicts of Sathan with a Christian pag. 756 6 How the word of God is to be applied aright vnto the conscience pag. 663 7 Consolations for the troubled consciences of weake Christians pag. 666 8 A Declaration of certaine spiritual Desertions pag. 674 A case of Conscience THE CONTENTS A case of conscience resolued out of the word of God How a man may know whether he be the child of God or no. pag. 685 A Discourse taken out of the writings of Hier. Zanchius wherein the aforesaid Case of conscience is disputed and resolued A Direction for the gouernment of the tongue according to Gods word THE CONTENTS 1 The generall meanes of ruling the tongue pag. 713 2 The matter of our speech pag. 714 3 The manner of our speech what must be done before our speech pag. 716 4 What is to be done in speaking and of wisdome ibid. 5 Of trueth and reuerence in speech pag. 718 6 Of modestie and meekenes pag. 722 7 Of sobrietie vrbanitie fidelitie and care of others good name pag. 725 8 Of the bonds of trueth pag. 729 9 What is to bee done when wee haue spoken pag. 730 10 Of writing ibid. 11 Of silence pag. 731 12 An exhortation to keepe the tongue TWO TREATISES I. Of the nature and practise of Repentance THE CONTENTS 1 What Repentance is pag. 738 2 Of the causes of Repentance pag. 740 3 How Repâ—ntance is wrought pag. 741 4 Of the partes of Repentance pag. 742 5 Of the degrees of Repentance pag. 743 6 Of the persons which must repent ibid. 7 Of the practise of repentance ibid. 8 Of lâ—gall motiues to Repentance pag. 752 9 Of motiues Euangelicall pag. 755 10 Of the time of Repentance pag. 756 11 Of câ—rtaine cases in repentance pag. 758 12 Of the contraries to repeÌ„tance pag. 757 13 Of corruptions in the doctrine of repentance pag. 761 II. Of the combat of the flesh and Spirit pag. 762 The treatise of Dying well p. 773. The treatise of the right knowledge of Christ crucified p. 815. A Discourse of Conscience THE CONTENTS 1 What conscience is pag. 831 2 The actions or duties of conscience where the point is handled Howe any thing is saide to binde the conscience pag. 832 3 The kinds and differences of conscience where is handled libertie of conscience and the question disputed whether a man may in conscience bee vnfallibly certain of his saluation pag. 867 4 Mans duty touching conscience which is to get and keepe it pag. 900 A Reformed Catholike OR A DECLARATION SHEWing how neare we may come to the present Church of Rome in sundrie points of Religion and wherein we must for euer depart from them THE CONTENTS 1 Of free will pag. 910 2 Of Originall sinne pag. 915 3 Assurance of saluation pag. 918 4 Iustification of a sinner pag. 925 5 Of merits pag. 940 6 Of satisfactions for sinne pag. 945 7 Of Traditions pag. 950 8 Of Vowes pag. 955 9 Of Images pag. 961 10 Of reall presence pag. 966 11 The sacrifice of the Masse pag. 972 12 Of Fasting pag. 977 13 Of the state of perfection pag. 980 13 Of the worshipping of saints departed pag. 985 15 Of Implicite faith pag. 991 16 Of Purgatorie pag. 995 17 Of the supremacie pag. 996 18 Of the efficacie of the sacraments pag. 1000 19 Of Faith pag. 1003 20 Of Repentance pag. 1006 21 The sinnes of the Romane Church pag. 1014 An aduertisement to Romane Catholikes pag. 1018 The foundation of Christian Religion gathered into sixe principles p. 1029. A Graine of Musterd-seede THE CONTENTS A man that doth but beginne to be conuerted is euen at that instant the very child of God though inwardly hee be more carnall then spirituall pag. 1046 2. Conclusion The first materiall beginning of the conuersion of a sinner or the smallest measure of renewing grace haue the promises of this life and the life to come pag. 1047 3. Conclusion A constant and earnest desire to be reconciled to God to beleeue and to repent if it bee in a troubled heart is in acceptation with God as reconciliation faith repentance it selfe pag. 1048 4. Conclusion To see and feele in our selues the want of any grace and to be grieued therfore is the grace it selfe pag. 1053 5. Conclusion He that hath begunne to subiect himselfe to Christ and his word though as yet hee be ignorant in most points of religion yet if he haue care to increase in knowledge and to practise that which he knoweth hee is accepted of God as a true beleeuer pag. 1053 6. Conclusion The aforsaide beginnings of grace are counterfeite vnlesse they encrease pag. 1054 The bodie of holy Scripture is distinguished into sacred sciences whereof One is principall Theologie is a science of liuing well and blessedly for euer Other attendants or handmaids I. Ethiques a doctrine of liuing honestly and ciuilly II. Oeconomickes a doctrine of gouerning a familie well III. Politiques a doctrine of the right administration of a common weale IIII. Ecclesiasticall discipline a doctrine of well ordering the Church V. The Iewes commonweale In as much as it differeth from Church gouernement VII Academie the doctrine of gouerning Schooles well especially those of the Prophets CHAP. 1. Of the bodie of Scripture and Theologie THe bodie of Scripture is a doctrine sufficient to liue well It comprehendeth many holy sciences whereof one is principall others are handmaids or retainers The principall science is Theologie Theologie is the science of liuing blessedly for euer Blessed life consisteth in the knowledge of God Ioh. 17 3. This is life eternall that they know thee to be the onely very God and whome thou hast sent Christ Iesus Esai 53.11 By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant viz. Christ iustifie many And therefore it consisteth likewise in the knowledge of our selues because we know God by looking into our selues Theologie hath two parts the first of God the second of his workes CHAP. 2. Of God and the nature of God THat there is a God it
plunged into a sea of most grieuous afflictions and ouerwhelmed with the gulfes of most dreadfull temptations euen then then I say we should not be discouraged but lift vp our hearts by feruent praier to God Thus did Christ when in the garden he was about to drinke the cuppe of the wrath of God and to sucke vp the very dregges of it and Dauid saith that out of the deepes he called of the name of the Lord and was heard The fifth point what is the matter and forme of this prayer Answ. Christ praies to be deliuered from the death and passion which was to come saying on this manner Father let this cuppe passe from me yet with two clauses added thereto If it be possible and Not my will but thy will be done But it may be demanded how it could be that Christ knowing that it was his Fathers will and counsell that he should suffer death for man and also comming into the world for that ende should make such a request to his Father without sinne Answ. The request proceedes onely of a weaknes or infirmitie in Christs manhood without sinne which appeareth thus We must still consider that when he made this prayer to his father the whole wrath of God and the very dolours and pangs of hell seazed vpon him whereby the senses and powers of his minde were astonished and wholly bent to releeue nature in this agonie For as when the heart is smitten with griefe all the blood in the bodie flowes thither to comfort it so when Christ was in this astonishment the vnderstanding and memorie and all the parts of his humane nature as it were for a time suspending their owne proper actions concurred to sustaine and support the spirit and life of Christ as much as possibly might be Now Christ beeing in the middest of this perplexed estate prayeth on this manner Father if it be possible let this cuppe passe And these words proceede not from any sinne or disobedience to his Fathers will but onely from a meere perturbation of minde caused onely by an outward meanes namly the apprehension of Gods anger which neither blinded his vnderstanding nor tooke away his memorie so as he forgot his fathers will but onely stopped and staied the act of reasoning and remembring for a little time euen as in the most perfect clocke that is the motion may be staied by the ayre or by mans hand or by some outward cause without any defect or breach made in any part of it It may be obiected that Christs will is flatte contrarie to the wil of his father Ans. Christs will as he is man and the will of his father in this agonie were not contrarie but onely diuers and that without any contradiction or contrarietie Now a man may will a diuers thing from that which God willeth and that without sinne Paul desired to preach the word of God in Asia and Bithynia but he was hindred by the spirit For all this there is no contrarietie betweene Paul and the spirit of God but in the shew of discord great consent For that which Paul willeth well the spirit of God willeth not by a better will though the reason hereof be secret and the reason of Pauls will manifest Againe the minister in charitie reputing the whole congregation to be elect in holy manner seeketh and willeth the saluation of euery one which neuerthelesse the Lord in his eternall counsell willeth not Now betweene both these wills there may be and is a difference without contrarietie For one good thing as it is good may differ from another but it cannot be contrarie vnto it It may further be alleadged that in this praier there seemes to be a combate and fight in the minde will and affections of Christ and therefore sinne Ans. There are three kind of combates the one betweene reason and appetite and this fight is alwaies sinnefull and was not in Christ the second is betweene the flesh and the spirit and this may be in Gods child who is but in part regenerate but it did not befall Christ who was perfectly holy The third is a combate of diuers desires vpon sundrie respects drawing a man to and fro This may be in mans nature without fault and was in Christ in whome the desire of doing his Fathers will striuing and struggling with another desire whereby nature seekes to preserue it selfe caused him to pray in this manner The sixth point is in what manner Christ prayed Answ. He praied to his Father partly kneeling partly lying on his face and that with strong cries and teares sweating water and blood and all this he did for our sinnes Here then behold the agonie of Christ as a cleare chrystall in which we may fully see the exceeding greatnes of our sinnes as also the hardnes of our hearts We goe vaunting with our heads to heauen as though it were nothing to sinne against God whereas the horrour of the wrath of God for our rebellions brought downe euen the sonne of God himselfe and laide him groueling vpon the earth And we cānot so much almost as shed one teare for our iniquities wheras he sweates blood for vs. Oh let vs therefore learne to abase our selues and to carrie about vs contrite and bleeding hearts and be confounded in our selues for our sinnes past The last point is the euent of the prayer which is to be heard as the author of the Hebrewes saith Christ Iesus in the daies of the flesh did offer vp vnto his father prayers and supplications with strong cries and teares vnto him that was able to saue him and was also heard in that thing which he feared But some will say how was Christ heard seeing he suffered death and bare the pangs of hel and the full wrath of God if he had beene heard he should haue beene deliuered from all this Answ. We must know that God heares our praiers two waies I. when he directly graunts our request II. when knowing what is good for vs he giues not vs our requests directly but a thing answerable thereunto And thus was Christ heard for he was not deliuered from suffering but yet he had strength and power giuen him whereby his manhood was made able to beare the brunt of Gods wrath And in the same manner God heareth the praiers of his seruants vpon earth Paul praied to be deliuered from the angel Satan that buffeted him but the Lord answered that it should not so be because his grace whereby he was inabled to resist his temptation was sufficient and Paul finding the fruit of his prayers on this manner protests hereupon that he will reioyce in his infirmities Others pray for temporall blessings as health life libertie c. which notwithstanding God holds backe and giues in stead thereof spirituall graces patience faith contentation of minde Augustine saith God heares not our prayers alwaies according to our wills and desires but according as the things asked shall be
Ghost is nothing els but the action or operation of God obiect out of the Scriptures to the contrarie I. God knoweth the sonne the holy Ghost knoweth not the sonne for none knoweth the sonne but the father ergo the holy Ghost is not God Ans. That place excludeth no person in Trinitie but onely creatures and false gods and the meaning is this None that is no creature or idol god knoweth the sonne of God but the father And the opposition is made to exclude creatures not to exclude the holy Ghost Againe they obiect that the holy Ghost maketh request for vs with grones and sighes that can not be vttered therefore say they the Holy ghost is not God but rather a gift of God For he that is true God can not pray grone or sigh Ans. Pauls meaning is thereby to signifie that the Holy Ghost causeth vs to make requests and stirreth vp our hearts to grone and sigh to God for he said before we haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father Yet further they obiect the words of the Angel Gabriel to the virgin Marie saying The vertue of the most high hath ouershadowed thee and hence they gather that if the holy Ghost be the vertue of God then he is not God indeede Ans. As Christ is called the Word of God not a worde made of letters or syllables but a substantial word that is beeing for euer of the same substance with the father so in this place the holy ghost is called the vertue of the most highest not because he is a created qualitie but because he is the substantiall vertue of the Father and the sonne and therefore God equall with them both Furthermore they alleadge that neither the scriptures nor the practise of the Primitiue Church doth warrant vs to pray to the holy Ghost Ans. It is not true For whēsoeuer we direct our praier to any of the three persons in him we pray to them all Besides we haue example of praier made to the holy Ghost in the word of God For Paul saith to the Corinthians The grace of our Lord Iesus the loue of god the father the fellowship of the holy ghost be with you all And the words are as if S. Paul had said thus O Father let thy loue O Sonne let thy grace O holy Ghost let thy fellowship bee with them all And therefore this first doctrine is true and as well to bee beleeued as any other that the Holy Ghost is God The second point is that the Holy Ghost is a distinct person from the father and the sonne Hereupon the articles touching the three persons are thus distinguished I beleeue in the father I beleeue in the sonne I beleeue in the holy Ghost This point also is consonant to the Scriptures which make the same distinction In the baptisme of Christ the father vttereth a voice from heauen saying This is my beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased and not the sonne or the holy ghost Secondly the sonne stood in the water and was baptized by Iohn and not the father or the holy Ghost Thirdly the holy Ghost descended from heauen vpon Christ in the forme of a doue and not the father or the sonne but the holy Ghost alone Christ in his commission vnto his disciples saith Goe teach all nations baptizing them into the name of the father the sonne and the Holy Ghost Now if the Holy Ghost had beene the same person either with the father or with the sonne then it had bene sufficient to haue named the father and the sonne onely And the distinction of the third person from the rest may be conceiued by this that the Holy Ghost is the Holy Ghost and not the father or the sonne The third point to bee beleeued is that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the father and the sonne For a further proofe hereof consider these places Paul saith Ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit for the spirit of God dwelleth in you But if any man haue not the spirit of Christ hee is not his And againe Because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of the sonne into your hearts where we may obserue that the holy Ghost is the spirit both of the father and of the sonne Now the holy Ghost is called the spirit of the father not only because he is sent of him but because hee proceedeth from the father as Christ saith to his disciples When the comforter will come whome I shall send vnto you from the father euen the spirit of trueth vvhich proceedeth of the father hee shall testifie of me And therefore likewise he is the spirit of the sonne not onely because he is sent of the sonne but also because hee proceedeth from him Againe in the Trinitie the person sending doth communicate his whole essence and substance to the person sent As the father sending the sonne doeth communicate his essence and substance to the sonne For sending doth presuppose a communication of essence Nowe the father and the sonne send the holy Ghost therefore both of them communicate their substance and essence vnto the same person Thirdly Christ saith The holy Ghost hath receiued of mine which he shall shewe vnto you namely knowledge and trueth to be reuealed vnto his Church Whence we may reason thus the person receiuing knowledge from another receiues essence also the holy Ghost receiues truth and knowledge from Christ to be reuealed vnto the Church and therefore first of all he hath receiued substance and essence from the sonne But some peraduenture will say where is it written in all the bible in expresse wordes that the holv Ghost proceedes from the sonne as he proceedes from the father Answer The scripture saith not so much in plaine tearmes yet we must know that that which is gathered forth thence by iust cōsequence is no lesse the truth of god then that which is expressed in words Hereupon all Churches saue those in Greece with one confent acknowledge the trueth of this point The fourth and last point is that the holy Ghost is equall to the father and the sonne And this we are taught to acknowledge in the Creede in that wee doe as well beleeue in the Holy Ghost as in the father and the sonne And though the holy Ghost be sent of the father and the sonne yet as I haue said before that argues no inequalitie for one equall may send another by consent but order onely whereby the Holy Ghost is last of all the three persons Againe in that the holy Ghost receiueth from the sonne it prooues no inferiority Because he receiues frō the sonne whatsoeuer he receiues by nature and not by grace And he receiues not a part but all that the sonne hath sauing the proprietie of his person Nowe followe the benefits which are giuen by the holy Ghost and they are of two sorts some are common to all
meditation of life eternall must be as sugar in our pockets to sweeten the cup withall Lastly if this be true that God of his goodnesse and endles mercy towards mankind hath prepared life euerlasting yet not for all men but for the elect whose names are written in the booke of life we must aboue all things in this world seeke to be partakers of the same Let vs receiue this as from the Lord and lay it to our hearts whatsoeuer we doe euening or morning day or night whether we be young or old rich or poore first we must seeke for the kingdome of heauen and his righteousnes If this benefit were common to all and not proper to the Church lesse care might be had but seeing it is proper to some alone for this very cause let all our studies be to obtaine the beginnings of liâ—e euerlasting giuen in this life For if we haue it not whosoeuer we be it had beene better for vs that we had neuer beene borne or that we had beene borne dogges and toades then men for when they die there is an ende of their miserie but man if he loose euerlasting happinesse hath ten thousand millions of yeares to liue in miserie and in the torments of hell and when that time is ended he is as farre from the end of his miserie as he was at the beginning Wherefore I pray you let not the deuill steale this meditation out of your hearts but be carefull to repent of all your sinnes and to beleeue in Christ for the pardon of them all that by this meanes yee may come to haue the pawne and earnest of the spirit concerning life euerlasting euen in this world What a miserable thing is it that men should liue long in this world and not so much as dreame of another till the last gaspe Let vs not suffer Satan thus to abuse and bewitch vs for if we haue not eternall life in this world we shall neuer haue it Hitherto by Gods goodnes I haue shewed the meaning of the Creede now to draw to a conclusion the generall vses which are to be made of it follow And first of all we learne by it that the Church of Rome hath no cause to condemne vs for heretickes for we doe truly hold and beleeue the whole Apostolicall Symbole or Creede which is an epitome of the Scriptures and the very key of faith It will be said that we denie the Popes supremacie iustification by workes purgatorie the sacrifice of the Masse for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead the inuocation and intercession of Saints c. which arâ— the greatest points of religion It is true indeede we denie and renounce them as doctrines of deuills perswading our selues that if they indeede had beene Apostolicall and the very grounds and pillars of religion as they are now auouched to be they should in no wise haue beene left forth of the Creede For it is an ouersight in making a confession of faith to omit the principall points and rules of faith It will be further saide that in the Creede we beleeue the Church and so consequently are to beleeue all these former points which are taught and auouched by the Church but this defence is foolish For it takes this for graunted that the Church of Rome is the Church here meant which we denie vnlesse they can prooue a particular Church to be vniuersal or Catholike Nay I adde further that the principall grounds of popish faith for which they contend with vs as for life and death are not mentioned in any other Creedes which were made by the Churches and Councells for many hundred yeares after Christ. Secondly the Creede serues as a storehouse of remedies against all troubles and temptations whatsoeuer I. If a man be grieued for the losse of earthly riches let him consider that he beleeues God to be his Creatour who will therefore guide and preserue his owne workmanship and by his prouidence minister all things needefull vnto it And that he hath not lost the principall blessing of all in that he hath God to be his father Christ to be his redeemer and the holy Ghost to be his comforter and that considering he lookes for life eternall he is not to be ouer much carefull for this life and that Christ being our Lord will not forsake vs beeing the seruants in his owne house but will prouide things needefull for vs. II. If any man be grieued in respect of outward disgrace and contempt let him remember that he beleeues in Christ crucified and that therefore he is to reioyce in contempt for righteousnes sake III. They which are troubled for the decease of friendsâ— are to comfort theÌ„selues in the communion of Saints and that they haue God the Father and Christ and the holy Ghost for their friends IV. Against bodily captiuitie let men consider that they beleeue in Christ their Lord whose seruice is perfect libertie V. Against the feare of bodily diseasesâ— we must remember the resurrection of the bodie in which all diseases and infirmities shall be abolished VI. If a man feare death of the bodie let him consider that he beleeues in Christ which died vpon the crosse who by death hath vanquished death VII The feare of persecution is restrained if we call to remembrance that God is a Father Almightie not onely able but also willing to represse the power of the aduersarie so farre forth as shall be for the good of his children VIII Terrours arising of the consideration of the last iudgement are delaied by remembrance of this that Christ shall be our iudge who is our redeemer IX Feare of damnation is remedied by consideration that Christ died to make satisfaction for vs and now sitts at the right hand of his father to make intercession for vs and by the resurrection of the bodie to life euerlasting X. Terrours of conscience for sinne are repressed if we consider that God is a Father and therefore much in sparing and that it is a prerogatiue of the Church to haue remission of sinnes Trin-vni Deo gloria AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORDS PRAYER In the way of Catechising seruing for ignorant people Corrected and amended Hereunto are adioyned the prayers of Paul taken out of his Epistles By W. Perkins Printed for Iohn Porter and Ralph Iackson 1600. To the right Honourable Edward Lord Russell Earle of Bedford Grace and peace be multiplied RIght Honourable if you consider what is one of the chiefest ornaments of this Noble state vnto which God hath aduanced you it wil appeare that there is none more excellent then the spirit of grace and prayer For what doth your heart affect would you speake the languages Behold by prayer you may speak the most heauenly tongue that euer was euen the language of Canaan Would you haue the valor of knighthood By prayer you may stand in place where Gods hande hath made a breach and doe as much as all the chariots and
spirit If we shall consider the conuersation of the wicked and the godly and their corrupt hearts togither we shall see little difference but in this that the wicked is delighted and glad to sinne but the godly doe wrestle as for life and death with their temptations and doe resist the deuill and doe desire the grace of Gods spirit and crie to heauen to bee freed from this bondage howesoeuer their hearts are alwaies readie to rebel against God 2. Forasmuch as the kingdome of grace is erected in Gods Church here vpon earth in this petition we are coÌ„manded to pray for the Chruch of God and the parts thereof Psal. 122.6 Praie for the peace of Ierusalem they shall prosper that loue thee Esay 62.7 Ye which are the Lords remembranceâ—s giue him no rest vntill he set vp Hierusalem the praise of the world And that Gods Church may flourish and be in good estate we are to pray for Christian Kings and Princes that God would blesse them and increase the number of them For they are as nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the Church And wee especially are bound to pray for the Queenes most excellent maiestie as also for the French king that they may be blessed and Gods kingdome by them aduanced And againe because ministers are the Lords watchmen in the Church we are here also put in minde to seeke their good and to praie that their hearts may be set for the building of Gods kingdome for the beating downe of the kingdome of sinne and Satan and for the sauing of the soules of his people And the rather because the deuill laboureth night and daie to ouerthrow theÌ„ in this glorious worke and to resist them in their ministerie as appeareth in Zachaâ—ie 3.1 When Ioshua the high priest stood before the Angell of the Lord Satan stood at his right hand namely to resist him Therefore also wee are to praie for them that the Lord would keepe them and furnish them with gifts and with all make them faithfull For where vision faileth the people are left naked saith Salomon 2. Thess. 3. 1. Brethren pray for vs that the word of the Lord may haue a free passage and be glorified Thirdly we must pray for all Christian Schooles of learning Howsoeuer some thinke but basely of them yet they are the ordinarie meanes to maintaine the ministerie and so the Church of God A man that hath diuers orchards wil also haue a seminarie ful of young plants to maintaine it Schooles they are as Seminaries to Gods church without which the Church falles to decay because they serue to make supplie of ministers 3. Thirdly we are to desire that the Lord would hasten the second comming of Christ as the Saints in heauen praie Come Lord Iesus come quicklie and therefore the godly are said to loue the comming of Christ. 2. Tim. 4.8 A penitent sinner so abhors his own corruptions and the irkesome temptations of Satan that in this respect he desires that Christ would hasten his particular comming to him by death for no other cause but that he might make an end of sinning and displeasing of God Thy will be done 1. The Coherence IN the second petition we desired that God would let his kingdome come vz. That he would rule in our hearts If he then must raigne we must be his subiects and therefore here we craue that beeing his subiects wee may obey him and doe his will Mal. 1.6 If I be a father where is my honour If I be a master where is my feare 2. The meaning VVIll Here it signfieth Gods word written in the olde and new Testament For in his word his will is reauealed Of the whole will of God there be three speciall points which are in this place meant 1. To beleeue in Christ Ioh. 6.40 This is the will of him that sent me that euery one which seeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life 2. Sanctification of body soule 1. Thess. 4.3 This is the will of God euen your sanctification c. 3. The bearing of affliction in this life Rom. vers 29. Those which he knew before he did predestinate to be made like to the image of his owne sonne Phil. 3.10 That I might knowe him and the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions and be made conformable to his death Thy will Not mine for mans owne will is wicked and corrupt yea it is flat enmitie to God Rom. 8. v. 5. Done That is obeyed and accomplished of men Then the effect of the prayer is this O Lord seeing thou art our King giue vs grace to shewe our selues good subiects in obeying thy will 3. The wants to be praied against 1. HEre first we are to bewaile this that our hearts are so prone to rebellioÌ„ and disobedience of Gods commandements Put a match to a heape of gun-powder on a sudden it will be all on a flame and as long as we adde matter to the fire it burnes so by nature we are most readie to sinne so soone as the least occasion is giuen Dauid had experience of this when hee praied Knit my heart to thee O Lord c. Psal. 86. 11. and incline my heart to thy commandements Psal. 119.37 Those which finde not this want in themselues and the like affection to bewaile it are in a miserable and dangerous case euen as a man that hath a great disease vpon him and knowes not of it 2. Againe wee must here bewaile the sinne of the worlde as ignorance schismes hipocrisie pride ambition contempt of Gods word couetousnes oppression want of loue of God and his word c. 2. Peter 2.7 Lot was vexed and his righteous heart was vexed with the vncleane conuersation of the Sodomites from day to day so ought our soules to bee vexed and grieued continually at the wickednesse of our time and we are to send vp our praiers to God for vnbeleeuing vnrepentant sinners that they may be brought to the obedience of Gods will Ezech. 9.4 In a common iudgement vpon Ierusalem They are marked in the forhead that mourne and crie for all the abominations that be done in the middest of it 3. Here also we must humble our selues for our vnquietnesse of mind impatience wheÌ„ god laies any crosse on vs. It is Gods wil that we should suffer affliction and withall humble our selues vnder his mightie hand Our Sauiour praied that the cup might be taken away but with submission to his Fathers will Luk. 22.42 And this Dauid had learned when he said But if he thus say behold I haue no delight in thee behold here I am let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eies 2. Sam. 15.26 4. Graces to be desired 1. THe first thing which we are here to desire is that we may haue grace to denie our selues wils and affections because herein wee are vnlike to God and like the deuill This is the first lesson that our Sauiour doth
because hee is absolute professour and owner of all things that are and also hath soueraigne rule ouer all things at his will Nowe out of this first propertie of God we may gather a strong motiue to induce vs to praie vnto him alone For seeing all things are his both in heauen and earth whatsoeuer therfore we must come to him for the graces and blessings which we desire The power Oftentimes earthly princes haue kingdomes yet want power but God hath kingdome and power also yea his power is infinite and he can doe all that he will and more then he will as for those things which come of impotencie he can not doe them and if he could he should not be omnipotent And as he is omnipotent in himselfe so all the power which any creature hath is from him alone Question How can this be seeing the deuill hath power to sinne which is not from God Ans. To sinne is no power but rather a want of power otherwise all the strength and power Satan hath is of God And froÌ„ this second propertie is taken another motiue to mooue vs to pray vnto God Because all power beeing his we can neuer doe any of the things which we aske but by power receiued from him Thine is the glorie This third propertie of God ariseth from the two former for seeing the title and interest in all things and the power whereby they are disposed and gouerned is of God therefore it followes that all glory is his yea in him is fulnesse of glorie and the glorie of the creature is all of him To sinnefull men belongs nothing but shame and confusion Dan. 9.7 This third propertie ministreth a third motiue to induce men to pray vnto God alone For seeing all glorie by right is his therefore we must inuocate hiâ— holy name that in so doing we may giue him the glorie due vnto him For euer The words in the originall are for ages Now an age signifies the space of an hundred yeares but here it is taken for eternitie because eternitie is nothing but multiplication of ages And as eternitie is here noted by ages so on the contrarie we read that eternitie is taken for a certaine and distinct time Gen. 17.8 God promiseth Abraham to giue him the land of Canaan for an euerlasting possession that is for a long season For els Abrahams seed should inherit the land vntill this time which it doth not Wherefore as often the whole is put for the part vz. eternitie for a certaine time so here the part is put for the whole ages for eternitie This also makes a difference betweene earthly princes and the mightie Iehouah They haue kingdome power and glorie for a short time but he absolutely and for euer 2. The vses 1. HEre we learne in praier to abase our selues before God and vtterly to denie all that is in vs. Kingdome power and glorie is all his not ours we are no better then rebels and traitours to him if we haue any good thing it is from him euen the grace whereby we pray And he that in prayer will not confesse this shall no more be heard then the insolent begger that will not acknowledge his want 2. Secondly in prayer we learne that we must be perswaded of two things and build vpon them Gods power and will his power in that he is able his will in that he is carefull to performe our requests as it was noted in the preface the first of these is signified by kingdome and power the second is noted in that glorie is his 2. Cor. 1.20 For all the promises of God in him are yea and Amen vnto the glorie of God 3. Again we gather that praier thanksgiuing must go togither for as in the sixe petitions we made request vnto God so in these words we praise him thereby giue him thankes Phil. 4.6 But in all things let your requests be shewed to god in praier and supplication with thankesgiuing There is none but in want will be readie to praie but when we haue receiued wee are slacke in giuing of thankes but he which will praie aright must ioyne them both togither And the summe of all gods praise stands in these three points 1. That he is an absolute King 2. That he hath absolute power to rule all things 3. That hauing power and a kingdome he hath glorie also which appeares in the holding of his kingdoâ—â— and the shewing of his power in gouerning of it 4. Whatsoeuer wee aske we must referre it to Gods glorie this is the first thing which we are taught to craue and the last wee are to performe because it is noted both in the beginning and in the end of the praier Thus much of the vse of these wordes altogither nowe let vs make vse of them particularly 1. Whereas we say Thine is the kingdome Magistrates rulers must knowe that all the authoritie and rule which they haue is from the Lord therefore they must remember to order themselues as Gods vicegerents vsing their power to bring men in subiection to Gods lawes and referring all their callings to his glorie 2. Where we say Thine is the power wee are admonished when wee are to performe any worke as to doe seruice to God to keep our selues in the compasse of our callings and that we haue no power of our selues for this cause we must aske power at gods hands that we may be inabled to walke vprightly before him and doe our duties 3. In saying Thine is the glorie we learne that if we would haue a good report and praise among men wee must aboue all things seeke Gods glorie not regarding so much our owne If hee giue thee praise among men giue him thankes if not be content because al glorie is his Amen 1. The meaning VVEe haue heard the preface and the petitions what they are now followeth the third part which is the assent or testification of faith required in praier in this word Amen And it containes more then men at the first would imagine It signifies certainly so be it or it shall be so 2. Cor. 1.20 It is often taken for a bare assent of the people saying Amen to the minister but in this place it containes more for euery point in this praier is not onely a direction for publike praier but for priuate also and must be said as well of the minister as of the people Now then there being two principal things in praier the first a desire of grace the second faith whereby wee beleeue that God will grant things desired The first is expressed in the sixe petitions the latter is set forth in this word Amen carrying this sense in effect As we haue craued these things at thy hands O Lord so we doe beleeue that for Christs â—ake in thy good time thou wilt grant them to vs. Therefore this part is more excellent then the former by how much our faith is more excellent theÌ„ our desire
For in this word is contained the testification of our faith whereas the petitions are only testifications of our desires And as it is in the end so also it is the seale of our praiers to make them authenticall and it is to be vsed as men coÌ„monly take it not onely for this end to answer the minister praying in the coÌ„gregation but also to testifie our faith for the thing desired 2. Graces to be desired HEreby we are taught what grace we are to shewe in praier Wee must labour to giue assent to Gods promises when wee pray and striue against doubting and vnbeleefe Mat 9.11 Lord I beleeue Lord help mine vnbeleefe Psal. 42.11 Why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou disquieted in me waite on God Many there are that will stand vpon the strength of their faith plead for themselues that they neuer doubted but they are farre wide for true faith beeing imperfect is alwaies accompanied with doubting more or lesse Wherefore the heart that neuer felt doubting is not filled with faith but with presuÌ„ption As for them which are molested with doubtings and complaine of theÌ„ they haue lesse cause to feare for as fire and water doeth neuer striue till they meete no more doth doubting and faith till faith be wrought in the heart To conclude we see what an excellent worke praier is in which two most excellent graces of a Christian man be shewed forth hungring after mercie faith wherby we beleeue the obtaining of it This might mooue men to learn to praie praier being the exercise of grace Of the vse of the Lords praier THe principall vse of the Lords praier is to direct gods Church in making their praiers in all places at all times and vpon all occasions though their praiers should be innumerable and vnlesse they be framed after this praier they cannot be acceptable vnto God In the vsing of it for direction there bee three things required 1. The first is the knowledge of the Lords praier and al the parts therof He that would pray by it must vnderstand the meaning therof the wants therein to be bewailed the graces to be desired for which ende it hath beene expounded 2. Knowing this there is in the second place required thus much skill that hee be able to referre euery want and grace to one of the sixe petitions for example feeling in himselfe pride of heart he must be able to say this is a want in the first petition and feeling a rebellion and slownes in doing Gods commandements he must be able to say this is a sinne to be praied against in the third petition Thus euery want he must refer to his proper head againe he must referre euery grace to be desired to one of the sixe petitions as strength in temptation to the sixt affiance in Gods prouidence to the fourth knowledge of God to the first c. and so in the rest 3. In the third place hee must before he pray consider what bee his wants and imperfections which most trouble him as also the graces which he would obtaine then for the helping of his memorie he must goe to the petitions hee must set those things first in his minde which concerne the first petition and those which concerne the second petition must haue the second place in his mind and so he must proceede in order as he shall haue occasion Thus a man keeping in mind the order of the petitions as they stand shall be able by referring euery grace and want to his proper head to make distinct praier and to varie it as time place and other occasions shall mooue him Quest. Must we of necessitie follow all the petitions in conceiuing a praier Ans. No but onely those which doe principally belong to the time place and occasion as Paul maketh a praier Coloss. 1.9,10 And all the points of it may be referred to the third and last petitions Againe a Christian man may make an excellent confession of his sinnes by this praier if he shall keeping the order of the petitions confesse and bewaile the sinnes which euery petition requires vs to pray against And it serues to make a thankesgiuing to God thus let a man remember all the graces which he hath receiued from God let him then referre them to the petitions giue thankes to God after the order of them turning euery petition into a thanksgiuing Of the circumstances of praier Quest. 1. VVHether a man is to vse a voice in praier Answ. In publike praier it is requisite that there be a voice for the minister iâ— the mouth of the people and to the praier which he conceiues they giue assent For priuat praier vsing of a voice is conuenient yet so as it may be donâ— in silence I. The Lord gaue vs the voice as wel as the heart to blesse him withall Iam. 3.9 II. God created the tongue as well as the heart and so will bee praised by both III. The voice often stirres vp the heart and againe the vehemencie of affection doth often draw out a voice the voice then in priuate praier is requisite yet in some cases may be omitted for it is not absolutely necessarie Moses and Anna praied in silence Quest. 2. What gesture is to be vsed in praier Ans. The worde doeth not affoard any particular direction Our Sauiour and his disciples praied in diuers gestures kneeling staÌ„ding groueling looking to heauen looking down to the earth sitting lying c. Luk. 11.41 Act. 7. god respects not the gesture but the affection of the heart yet two things must alwaies be in gesture first that it bee comely secondly that it doe fitly expresse the affection of the heart as when we aske mercie to look to heauen when we bewaile our sinnes to looke downward and to humble our bodies c. Question 3. What place must we praie in Ans. The place is set downe 1. Tim. 2.8 We may pray in all places of which there is no difference Some wil say that in the time of the lawe the tabernacle and temple were places of diuine praier Ans. The temple and tabernacle were types of Christ and his Church and the vnitie of it but nowe wee hauing the thing it selfe signified thereby may pray in all places Our Sauiour praied in the wildernesse on the Mount Peter on the house toppe Paul by the sea shore yet so that publique praier must be vsed in publike places as Churches Chappels c. not because in them is more holines but for order sake Quest. 4. What is the time appointed for praier Ans. Pray continually 1,5,7 that is vpon all occasions or when a man beginnes any businesse whether it be in word or deede Coloss. 3. 17. or as Daniel who praied thrise euery day Dan. 6.11 or as Dauid who praied at euening and morning and noone-tyde Psal. 55. 18. and seuen times a â—aie that is many Psal. 119.140 Thus wee shall pray continually Euery day affoards three speciall
body They obiect that God is omnipotent True indeede but there bee some things the doing of which agreeth not with Gods power as to make contradicentia things contradictorie to be both true of which sort these are For that Christs bodie is a true bodie and that it is in many places at once are flatte contrarie beccause as hath bin shewed it is essential to all magnitudes to be in one place and therefore to a bodie And God cannot take away that which is essentiall to a thing the essence remaining whole 2. Againe transubstantiation maketh the Accidents of bread and wine to remaine without the substance Here also is another contradiction as impossible as the former for it is a common saying in schooles Accident is esse est inesse It is of the essence of an Accident to bee in the substance Now therefore if the Accidents bee there is also the bread and wine and if there bee no substance of bread or wine neither can there be any accidents 3. It holdeth that bread is turned into the bodie of Christ and therfore it must needs holde that Christs bodie is made of bakers bread and yet it holdeth and teacheth that Christs bodie is onely made of the seede of Marie quite ouerthrowing the former Transubstantiation V. It teacheth that a man must alwaies doubt of his saluation and likewise it teacheth that in praying we are to cal GOD father which are things quite contrarie For who can truly call GOD father vnlesse hee haue the spirit of adoption and be assured that he is the child of God For if a man shall call god father yet in his heart doubt whether he be his father or not he playeth the dissembling hypocrite wherefore to doubt of saluation and to say Our father c. in truth are contrarie VI. The Church of Rome maketh praier to bee one of the chiefe meanes to satisfie for sinnes But praier indeede is an asking of pardon for sinne Now asking of pardon satisfaction for sinne are contrarie therfore by the iudgement of the Papists praier which is a satisfaction is no satisfactiō And indeed let vs consider what madnes is contained in this popish diuinitie the poore begger commeth very hungrie to the rich mans doore to craue his almes and straightwaies by his begging he will merit and deserue it The same doeth the papist he prayeth verie poorely for the thing which he wanteth yet he looketh very proudly to merit no lesse then the kingdome of heauen by it VII Doubting of saluation hope cannot agree together for hope maketh a man not to be ashamed that is it neuer disappointeth him of the thing which he looketh for And therefore it is called the anchor of the soule both sure and steadfast which entereth into that which is within the vaile So that true hope and the certaine assurance of saluation goe togither VIII True praier and iustification by works cannot stand togither For hee which prayeth truly must be touched inwardly with a liuely feeling of his owne miserie and of the want of that grace whereof he standes in neede Now this cannot be in the heart of that man that looketh to merit the kingdome of heauen by his workes for he that can doe this may iustly conceiue somewhat of his owne excellencie IX Papists teach that it is great boldnes to come immediately vnto God without the intercession of Saints and therefore they vse to pray to Marie that shee would pray to Christ to helpe them yet on the contrarie when they haue so done they pray to God immediatly that he would receiue the intercession of Marie for them And thus they are become intercessors betweene Marie and God Yea when they offer vp Christ praying God to accept their gifts and sacrifices the humble priest that wil not pray to God but by the mediation of Saints is then a mediator between Christ Iesus God the father X. It holdeth that in the masse the Priest offereth vp Christ to his father an vnbloodie sacrifice This is a thing impossible for if Christ in the masse be sacrificed for sin then he must die his blood must be shed Heb. 9.22 And in the Scriptures these two sayings Christ is dead Christ is offered vp in Sacrifice are all one So then the Papist when he supposeth that there may be an vnbloodie sacrifice in effect he saith thus much There is a sacrifice which is no sacrifice And it is not possible that a bloodie sacrifice should be offered in an vnbloodie manner XI In the Canon of the masse the Church of Rome praieth on this wise We humbly beseech thee most merciful father by Iesus Christ thy sonne and our Lord that that thou wouldest accept these gifts and oblations and these holy Sacrifices which thy Church offer to thee c. where first they offer vp Christ to God the father in the name of Christ and so they make Christ to be his owne mediatour Againe they desire God to blesse and to accept his own sonne for they offer vp Christ. If they say he needeth now the blessing of his father they make Christ a weake and imperfect Christ if he need not the blessing of his father their praier is needelesse Also they desire God to accept not one gift or one sacrifice but in the plurall number these gifts and sacrifices whereas they hold that Christs bodie is one only bodie and therefore but one sacrifice And thus they are at variance with themselues XII Papists in word they say that they beleeue put thei◠trust in God yet whereas they looke to be saued by their workes they set the confidence of their hearts in truth vpon their owne doings XIII They put such holines in matrimonie that they make it one of their 7. Sacraments which conferre grace to the partakers of them yet they forbid their Cleargie to marrie because to liue in marriage is to liue according to the flesh and the Councell of Trent opposeth marriage and chastitie XIV It teacheth that soules kept in purgatorie may be redeemed by Sacrifices and Suffrages Against this is a Canon of their lawe taken out of Saint Hierome we know that in this life we may help one another either by praiers or by good counsell but when we shall come before the iudgement seate of Christ neither Iob nor Daniel nor Noe may intreat for any but euery mā is to beare his own burthen And according to another Canon going vnder the name of Gelasius Bishop of Rome Either there is no Purgatorie or the soules which goe thither shall neuer returne XV. And to conclude the most points of their religion are contrarie to their Canons as by searching may appeare in these examples 1 The dead cannot heare the praiers of them which call vpon him 2 Peter and Paul were two of the chiefe Apostles and it is hard to say which was aboue the other 3 Leo the fourth
beeing made they are no more one but twaine and the one hath nothing to doe with the other In this case though the flesh beget sin perish therefore yet the Christian man shal not incurre damnation for it To come more neere the matter you say the flesh begets in you wauerings doubtings and distrustings what then it tâ—oubleth you but feare not remember your estate you are diuourced from the flesh and you are new married vnto Christ if these sins be laid at your doore account them not as your children but renounce them as Bastards say with Paul I doubt indeede but I hate my doubtings and I am no cause of these but the flesh in me which shall perish when I shall be saued by Christ. Christian. This which you haue said doeth in part content mee one thing more I pray you shew me concerning this point namely how I may be able to ouercome these doubtings Minist For the suppressing of doubtings you are to vse three meditations The first that it is gods commandemeÌ„t that you should beleeue in Christ So S. Iohn saith This is his commandement that wee beleeue in the name of his Son Iesus Christ. Thou shalt not steale is Gods commandement and you are loath to breake it least you should displease God pull his curse vpon your head This also is Gods commandement thou shall beleeue in Christ and therefore you must take head of the breach of it least by doubting and wauering you bring the curse vpon you Secondly you must consider that the promises of saluation in Christ are gâ—neral or at the least indefinite excluding no particular man as in one for all may appeare God so loued the world that he gaue his only begoten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Now then so often as you shall doubt of Gods mercie you exclude your own selfe from the promise of God wheras he excludeth you not And as when a prince giues a pardon to all theeues euery one can apply the same vnto himselfe though his name be not set downe in the pardon So the King of kings hath giuen a general pardon for free remission of sinnes to them that will receiue it Beleeue therefore that God is true in his promise doubt not of your owne saluation chalenge the pardon to your selfe Indeede your name is not set down or written in the promise of grace yet let not any illusion of Sathan or the consideration of your owne vnworthines exclude you from this free mercy of God which he also hath offred to you particularly first in Baptisme then after in the Lords supper and therfore you are not to wauer in the applying of it to your selfe Thirdly you are to consider that by doubting and despairing you offend God as much almost as by any other sin You do not aboue hope beleeue vnder hope 〈◊〉 you should do Secondly you rob God of his glorie in that you make his infinit mercy to be lesse then your sinns Thirdly you make him a lier who hath made such a promise vnto you And to these three meditations adde this practise When your heart is toyled with vnbeleefe and doubtings then in all hast draw your selfe into some secret place humble your selfe before God poure out your heart before him desire him of his endlesse mercie to worke faith and to suppresse your vnbeleefe and you shall see that the Lord ouer all is rich vnto all that call vpon his name Christian. The Lord reward you for your kindnes I will hereafter doe my endeuour to practise this your counsel Now I wil make bold to shew another that makes me to feare least I haue no faith And it is because I doe not feele the assurance of the forgiuenes of my sinnes Minister Faith standeth not in the feeling of Gods mercy but in the apprehending of it which apprehending may be when there is no feeling for faith is of inuisible things and when a man once commeth to enioy the thing beleeued then he ceaseth to beleeue And this appeareth in Iobs example when he saith Lo though he sley me yet will I trust in him and I will reprooue my waies in his sight he shall be my saluation also for the hypocrite shall not come before him he declareth his faith yet when he saith presently afterward Wherefore hidest thou thy face and takest me for thine enemie he declareth the want of that feeling which you speake of Christian. Yet euery true beleeuer feeles the assurance of faith otherwise Paul would not haue said Prooue your selues whether you are in the faith or not Minister Indeede sometimes he doth but at some other times he doth not as namely at that same time when God first calleth him and in the time of temptation Christian. What a case am I in then I neuer felt this assurance onely this I â—eele that I am a most rebellious wretch abounding euen with a whole sea of iniquities me thinks I am more vgly in the sight of God then any toad can be in my sight O then what shal I doe let me heare some word of comfort from thy mouth thou man of God Minister Tel me one thing plainly you say you feele no assurance of Gods mercie Christian. No indeede Minister But doe you desire with all your heart to feele it Christian. I doe indeede Minister Then doubt not you shall feele it Christian. O blessed be the Lord if this be true Minister Why it is most true For the man that would haue any grace of God tending to saluation if he doe truly desire it he shall haue it for so Christ hath promised I will giue to him that is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely Whereby I gather that if any want the water of life hauing an appetite after it he shall haue enough of it and therefore feare you not only vse the meanes which God hath appointed to attaine faith by as earnest praier reuerent hearing of Gods word receiuing of the Sacraments and then you shal see this thing verified in your selfe Christian. All this which you say I finde in my selfe by the mercie of God my heart longeth after that grace of God which I want I know I doe hunger after the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnesse thereof and further though I want the feeling of Gods mercie yet I can pray for it from the very roote of my heart Minister Be carefull to giue honour to God for that you haue receiued alreadie For these things are the motionâ— of the spirit of God dwelling in you And I am perswaded of this same thing that God which hath begun this good work in you will perfect the same vnto the daie of Iesus Christ. Christian. The third thing that troubles me is this I haue long prayed for many graces of God yet I haue not receiued them whereby it comes oft to my mind that God loues me
followed of all though it may be the applying of it as Iob well perceiued is mixed with follie Here it may be alleadged that in the pangs of death men want their senses and conuenient vtterance and that therefore they are vnable to pray Ans. The very sighes sobbes and gâ—ones of a repentant and beleeuing heart are praiers before God euen as effectuall as if they were vttered by the best voice in the world Prayer stands in the affection of the heart the voice is but an outward messenger therof God looks not vpon the speach but vpon the heart Dauid saith God heares the desires of the poore againe that he will fulfill the desires of theÌ„ that feare him yea their very teares are loud and sounding praiers in his eares Againe faith may otherwise be expressed by the Last words which for the most part in theÌ„ that haue truly serued God are very excellent coÌ„fortable and full of grace some choise examples whereof I will rehearse for instructions sake and for imitation The last wordes of Iacob were those whereby as a prophet he foretold blessings and curses vpon his children and the principall among the rest were these The scepter shall not depart from Iudah and the lawgiuer from betweene his feete till Shilo come and O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation The last words of Moses are his most excellent song set downe Deut. 32. and the last words of Dauid were these The spirit of the Lord spake by me and his word was in my tongue the God of Israel spake to me the strength of Israel said Beare rule ouer men c. The wordes of Zacharias the sonne of Iehoida when he was stoned were The Lord looke vpon it and require it The last words of our Sauiour Christ when he was dying vpon the crosse are most admirable and stored with abundance of spirituall grace 1. To his father he saith Father forgiue them they know not what they doe 2. to the thiefe Verily I say vnto thee this night shalt thou be with me in Paradise 3. to his mother Mother behold thy son to Iohn behold thy mother 4. and in his agonie My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 5. and earnestly desiring our saluation I thirst 6. and when he had made perfect satisfaction It is finished 7. and when bodie and soule were parting Father into thy hands I commend my spirit The last words of Steuen were 1. Behold I see the heauens open and the Sonne of man standing at the right hand of God 2. Lord Iesu receiue my spirit 3. Lord lay not this sinâ—e to their charge Of Polycarpe Thou art a true God without lying therefore in all things I praise thee and blesse thee and glorifie thee by the eternall God and high Priest Iesus Christ thine onely beloued sonne by whome and with whome to thee and the holy Spirit be all glorie now and for euer Of Ignatius I care not what kinde of death I die I am the bread of the Lord and must be ground with the teeth of lyons that I may be cleane bread for Christ who is the bread of life for me Of Ambrose I haue not so led my life amoÌ„g you as if I were ashamed to liue neither doe I feare death because we haue a good Lord. Of Augustine 1. He is no great maÌ„ that thinks it a great matter that trees and stones fall and mortall men die 2. Iust art thou O Lord and righteous is thy iudgement Of Bernard 1. An admonitioÌ„ to his brethren that they would ground the anchor of their faith and hope in the safe and sure port of Gods mercie 2. Because saith he as I suppose I can not leaue vnto you any choise example of religion I commend three things to be imitated of you which I remember that I haue obserued in the race which I haue runne as much as possibly I could 1. I gaue lâ—sse heede to mine owne sense and reason then to the sense and reason of other men 2. When I was hurt I sought not reuenge on him that did the hurt 3. I had care to giue offence to no man and if it fell out otherwise I tooke it away as I could Of Zuinglius when in the fielde he was wounded vnder the chinne with a speare O what happe is this goe to they may kill my bodie but my soule they cannot Of Oecolampadius 1. An exhortation to the ministers of the Church to maintaine the puritie of doctrine to shewe forth an example of honest and godly conuersation to bee constant and patient vnder the crosse 2. Of himselfe Whereas I am charged to bee a corrupter of the trueth I weigh it not now I am going to the tribunall of Christ and that with good conscience by the grace of god there it shall be manifest that I haue not seduced the Church Of this my saying and contestation I leaue you as witnesses and I confirme it with this my last breath 3. To his children loue God the father and turning himselfe to his kinsfolkes I haue bound you saith he with this contestation you which they heare and I haue desired shall doe your indeauour that these my childreÌ„ may be godly and peaceable and true 4. To his friend comming vnto him What shall I say vnto you Newes I shal be shortly with Christ my Lord. 5. being asked whether the light did not trouble him touching his breast there is light enough saith hee 6. he rehearsed the whole 51. psalme with deepe sighes from the bottome of his breast 7. a little after Saue me Lord Iesus Of Luther My heauenly father God and father of our Lord Iesus Christ and God of all comfort I giue thee thankâ—s that thou hast reuealed vnto me thy sonne Iesus Christ whome I haue beleeued whome I haue professed whome I haue loued whome I haue praised whome the Bishoppe of Rome and the whole companie of the wicked persecuteth and reuileth I praie thee my Lord Iesus Christ receiue my poore soule my heauenly father though I bee taken from this life and this bodie of mine is to he laid downe yet I knowe certainely that I shall remaine with thee for euer neither shall any be able to pull me out of thy hand Of Hooper O Lord Iesus sonne of Dauid haue mercie on me receiue my soule Of Annas Burgius Forsake me not O Lord least I forsake thee Of MelaÌ„cthon If it be the will of God I am willing to die and I beseech him that he will graunt me a ioyfull departure Of Caluine 1. I held my tongue because thou Lord hast done it 2. I mourned as a doue 3. Lord thou grindest me to powder but 〈◊〉 sufficeth me because it is thine hand Of Peter Martyr that his bodie was weake but his mind was well that he acknowledged no life or saluation but onely in Christ who was giuen of the father to be a redeemer of mankind and
this absurd conceit that they are not in danger of the wrath of God though they offend And the opinion of our common people is hereunto answerable who thinke that if they haue a good meaning and doe no man hurt God will haue them excused both in this life and in the day of iudgement The third is a iust and serious examination of the conscience by the law that we may see what is our estáte before God And this is a dutie vpon which the Prophets stand very much Lam. 3.40 Man suffereth for his sinne let vs search and trie our hearts and turne againe to the Lord. Zeph. 2. 1. Fanne your selues fanne you O nation not worthie to be beloued In making examination we must specially take notice of that which doth now lie or may hereafter lie vpon the conscience And after due examination hath beene made a man comes to a knowledge of his sinnes in particular and of his wretched and miserable estate When one enters into his house at midnight he findes or sees nothing out of order but let him come in the day time when the sunne shineth and he shall then espie many faults in the house and the very motes that flie vp and downe so let a man search his heart in the ignorance and blindnesse of his minde he will straightway thinke all is well but let him once begin to search himselfe with the light and lanterne of the law and he shall finde many foule corners in his heart and heapes of sinnes in his life The fourth is a sorrow in respect of the punishment of sinne arising of the three former actions And though this sorrow be no grace for it befals as well the wicked as the godly yet may it be an occasion of grace because by the apprehension of Gods anger we come to the apprehensioÌ„ of his mercie And it is better that conscience should grieue wound vs do his worst against vs in this life while remedie may be had then after this life when remedy is past Thus much of preparation now follows the remedie and the application of it The remedie is nothing else but the blood or the merits of Christ who specially in conscience felt the wrath of God as when he said My soule is heauie vnto death and his agonie was not so much a paine and torment in bodie as the apprehension of the feare and anger of God in conscience and when the holy Ghost saith That he offered vnto God praiers with strong cries and was heard from feare he directly notes the distresse and anguish of his most holy conscience for our sinnes And as the blood of Christ is an all-sufficient remedie so is it also the alone remedie of all the sores and wounds of conscience For nothing can stanch or stay the terrrours of conscience but the blood of the immaculate lambe of God nothing can satisfie the iudgement of the conscience much lesse the most seuere iudgement of God but the onely satisfaction of Christ. In the application of the remedie two things are required the Gospell preached and faith the Gospell is the hand of God that offereth grace to vs and faith is our hand whereby we receiue it That we indeede by faith receiue Christ with all his benefits we must put in practise two lessons The first is vnfainedly to humble our selues before God for all our wants breaches and wounds in conscience which beeing vnto vs a paradise of God by our default we haue made as it were a little hell within vs. This humiliation is the beginning of all grace and religion pride and good conscience can neuer goe togither And such as haue knowledge in religion and many other good gifts without humiliation are but vnbridled vnmortified and vnreformed peâ—sons This humiliation containes in it two duties the first is confession of our sinnes especially of those that he vpon our consciences wherewith must be ioyned the accusing and condemning of our selues for then we put conscience out of office and dispatch that labour before our God in this life which conscience would performe to our eternall damnation after this life The second dutie is Deprecation which is a kind of praier made with groanes and desires of heart in which we intreat for nothing but for pardon of our sinnes and that for Christs sake til such time as the conscience be pacified To this humiliation standing on these two parts excellent promises of grace and life euerlasting are made Prou. 28. 13. He that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde mercie 1. Ioh. 1.6 If we acknowledge our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes Luk. 1.35 He hath fiâ—led the hungrie with good things and sent the rich emptie away Which are also verified by experience in sundrie examples â— Sam. 12.13 Dauid said to Nathan I haue sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to Dauid The Lord also hath put away thy sinne 2. Chr. 33.43 When Manasses was in tribulation he praied to the Lord his God and huÌ„bled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers and praied vnto him and God heard his praier Luk. 23.43 And the thiefe said to Iesus Lord remember me when thou commest to thy kingdome Then Iesus said vnto him Verely I say vnto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise By these and many other places it appeares that when a man doth truly humble himselfe before God he is at that instant reconciled to God and hath the pardon of his sinnes in heauen and shall afterward haue the assurance thereof in his owne conscience The second lesson is when we are touched in conscience for our sinnes not to yeeld to naturall doubtings and distrust but to resist the same and to indeauour by Gods grace to resolue our selues that the promises of saluation by Christ belong to vs particularly because to doe thus much is the very commandement of God The third thing is the reformation of conscience which is when it doth cease to accuse and terrifie and begins to excuse and testifie vnto vs by the holy Ghost that we are the children of God and haue the pardon of our sinnes And this it will doe after that men haue seriously humbled themselues and praied earnestly and constantly with sighes and grones of spirit for reconciliation with God in Christ. For then the Lord will send downe his spirit into the conscience by a sweete and heauenly testimonie to assure vs that we are at peace with God Thus we see how good conscience is gotten and because it is so pretious a iewell I wish all persons that as yet neuer laboured to get good conscience now to begin Reasons to induce men thereto may be these I. you seeke daie and night from yere to yere for honours riches and pleasures which ye must leaue behind you much more therefore ought you to seeke for renewed
enemies the flesh the deuill and his angels and the world 2. Furthermore whereas we are taught to say Our father this serues to put vs in minde that in praying to God we must bring loue to men with vs. We must all be the children of one father louingly disposed one to another For how should he call God his father who will not take the child of God for his brother Math. 5 2â— When thou art to offer thy gift vnto God if thou haue ought against thy brother first be reconciled and then come and offer thy gift So also Esa. â— 15 the Lord saith that when they pray vnto him he will not heare Why because their hanâ—s are full of bloode In these times many men can be content formâ—lly to pray but yet they will not leaue bâ—ibing oppression deceit vsurie c. The common song of the world is Euery man for himselfe and God for vs all this is the common loue and care that men haue each to other The praiers of such are abominable euen as the sacrifice of a dogge as Esay saith For how can they call God their father that haue no loue to their brethren 3. Thirdly hence we may learne that God is no accepter of persons For this prayer is giuen to all men of what state or degree soeuer All then as well poore as rich vnlearned as learned subiects as rulers may say Our father It is not with the Lord as it is with the world but all are his children that doe beleeue The poore man hath as good interest in Gods kingdome and may call God father as well as the king Therfore the weaker sort are to comfort themselues hereby knowing that God is a father to them as well as to Abraham Dauid Peter And such as are indued with more grace must not therefore swell in pride because they haue not God to be their father more then their inferiours haue Which art in heauen 1. The meaning Quest. HOw may God be said to be in heauen seeing hee is infinite and therefore must needes be euery where 1. King 8.27 The heauens of heauens are not able to containe him Ans. God is said to be in heauen first because his maiestie that is his power wisdome iustice mercie is made manifest from thence vnto vs. Psal. 115.3 Our God is in heauen and doth whatsoeuer he will Psal. 2.4 He that dwelleth in heauen shall laugh them to scorne and the Lord shall haue theÌ„ in derision Esai saith 66.2 Thus saith the Lord Heauen is my throne and the earth is my footstoole Secondly after this life he will manifest and exhibite the fulnes of his glorie to his Angels and Saints in the highest heauens and that immediately and visibly 2. The vse 1. HEreby first we learne that Romish pilgrimages whereby men went from place to place to worship God are vaine and foolish The God to whome we must pray is in heauen Now let men trauell to what placeâ— or countrey they will they shall not come the nearer to heauen or nearer to God by trauelling seeing the earth is in euery part alike distant from heauen 2. Secondly this ouerthrowes popish idolatrie as worshipping of crosses cruciâ—ixes roodes c. vsed to put men in minde of God and Christ. We are taught to lift vp our eyes to heauen seeing God is there and how can we doe this as long as our minds and eyes are poaring vpon an image made by mans arte 3. Again we are here admonished to vse the action of prayer with as great reuerence as possible may be and not to think of God in any earthly manner Well reasons Salomon Eccles. 5.1 Be not rash with thy mouth to speake a word before God Why He is in heauen thou art in earth therefore let thy words be few This reuerence must appeare in holinesse of all our thoughts and affections and in all comelines of gesture And for this cause all wandring by-thoughts all vaine babbling is to be auoided but how goes the case with vs that on the times appointed come to the assemblies to pray Many by reason of their blindnes pray without vnderstanding Many when they are present at praier yet haue their hearts occupied about other matters about their goods and worldly busines such men haue no ioy or gladnes in praying it is a burthen to them Many come to the assembly for custome onely or for feare of punishment if they might be left free they could find in their hearts not to pray at all But let all such men know that this maner of praying is a very grieuous sinne nay greater then mocking of father or mother killing or stealing for it is directly against God the other against men This sinne because it is against the first table and therefore more hard to be discerned it is lightly esteemed and it lesse troubles the consciences of ignorant men yea as it is in deede so it is to be esteemed as a disgrace and plaine mockerie of Gods maiestie Wherefore seeing God is in heauen away with all drowsie and dead praying let vs come with reuerence in our hearts before the Lord. 4. Againe we are here to consider that our hearts in praier must mount vp into heauen and there be present with the Lord. Psal. 25.1 â— Vnto thee O Lord lift I vp my soule The little childe is neuer well but when it is in the fathers lap or vnder the mothers wing and the children of God are neuer in better case then when in affection and spirit they can come into the presence of their heauenly Father and by praier as it were to creepe into his bosome 5. And here we must further learne specially to seeke for heauenly things and to aske earthly things so farre forth as they serue to bring vs to an euerlasting and immortall inheritance in heauen to which we are called 1. Pet. 1.3 6. Lastly whereas our father is in heauen we are to learne that our life on earth is but a pilgrimage that our desire must be to attaine to a better countrey namely heauen it selfe and that we must vse all meanes continually to come vnto it In a word to make an end of the preface in it is contained a double stay or prop of all our prayers The one is to beleeue that God can graunt our requests because he is almightie thus much is signified when he is said to be in heauen The second is to beleeue that God is ready and willing to grant the same and this we are tâ—ught in the title Father which serues to put vs in â—ind that God accepts our prayers Ioh. 16.32 and hath a care of vs in all our miseries and necessities Matth. 6.32 and pitieth vs as much as any earthly father can pitie his child Psal. 103.13 Yet must we not imagin that God will indeed giue vnto vs whatsoeuer we doe vpon our owne heads fancie and desire but we must in our praiers haue recourse to the promise
of God and according to the tenour thereof must we frame and square our petitions Things promised absolutely as all graces necessarie to saluation may be asked absolutely and things promised with condition as graces lesse necessarie and temporall blessings are to be asked with condition namely so farforth as they shal be for Gods glorie in vs and for our good except it be so that God promise any temporall blessing absolutely as he promised issue to Abraham in his old age The kingdome to Dauid after Saul A deliuerance from captiuitie in Babylon after 70. yeres to the Israelites Againe the preface serues to stirre vp loue and feare in the hearts of them that are about to pray Loue because they pray to a father feare because he is full of maiestie in heauen Hallowed be thy Name 1. The Coherence THus much of the preface now follow the petitions They be sixe in number the three first concerne God the three last our selues The three former petitions are again deuided into two parts the first concernes Gods glorie it selfe the other two the meanes whereby Gods glorie is manifested and inlarged among men For Gods name is glorified among men when his kingdome doth come and his will is done Quest. Why is this petition Hallowed be thy name set in the first place Ans. Because Gods glorie must be preferred before all things because it is the end of all creatures and of all the counsels of God Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake yea euen the wicked for the day of euill And from the order of the petitions here ariseth a worthie instruction namely that euery one in all things they take in hand are to propound to themselues and to intend the glorie of God The reason is this The ende which God hath appointed to all our doings we are to propound to our selues but God hath appointed that the highest ende of all his doings should be his glorie therefore our hearts must be set to seeke it first of all That God will haue his name glorified by vs appeareth in this that he punisheth those which of obstinacie set themselues to dishonour him or by negligence did not sanctifie him when they should haue done so Herod sitting in his royaltie made such an oration that the people cried The voice of a god and not of a man and immediately the Angel of the Lord smote him because he gaue not glorie to God Act. 12. 12. And Moses because he did not sanctifie the Lord in the presence of the children of Israel therefore he came not into the land of promise yet he did not altogether faile in doing of it Thus we may see by these punishments and also by the order of the petitions that it is our duties to preferre the glorie of God before all thing els Quest. Whether are we to preferre the glorie of God before the saluation of our soules Ans. If the cause stand thus that Gods name must be dishonoâ—red or our soules condemned we must account the glorie of God more pretious then the saluation of our soules This is manifest in the order of the petitions The petitions that concerne Gods glorie is first and the petitions that concerne directly our saluation are the fift and sixt Whereby we are taught that before God should want any part of his glorie we must let bodie and soule and all goe that God may haue all his glorie This affection had Moses Exod. 32.32 when he said Either forgiue them or if thou wilt not blot my name out of thy booke In this petition as also in the rest we must obserue three things the first is the meaning of the wordes the second the wants which men must learne to bewaile the third the graces of God which are to be desired 2. The meaning VEry few among the people can giue the right meaning of the wordes of this prayer They pretend that seeing God knowes their good meaning it is sufficient for them to say the wordes and to meane well But faith beeing one of the grounds of praier and there beeing no faith without knowledge neither can there be praier without knowledge and therefore ignorant men are to learne the right meaning of the words Name Name in this place signifieth 1 God himselfe 1. King 5.5 He shall build an house to my Name 2 His attributes as his iustice mercie c. 3 His workes creatures and iudgements 4 His word 5 His honour and praise arising from all these For God is knowne to vs by all these as men are knowne by their names and as all a mans praise and glorie lies in his name so all the glorie of God is in these Hallowed TO hallow is to seuer or set apart any thing from the common vse to some proper and peculiar end as the Temple was hallowed that is set apart to an holy vse and the Priests were sanctified that is set apart to the seruice of God And all that beleeue in Christ are sanctified that is set apart from sinne to serue God In like manner Gods name is hallowed when it is put apart froÌ„ obliuion contempt prophanation pollution blasphemie and all abuses to an holy reuerent and honorable vse whether we thinke speake of it or vse it any manner of way Leuit. 10.3 Ezech. 38.23 Quest. How can a sinfull man hallow Gods name which is pure and holy in it selfe Ans. We doe not here pray that we might make Gods name holy as though we could adde something vnto it to make it holy but that we might be meanes to declare and make manifest to the world by the right vsage of it that it is holy pure and honourable The like phrase is vsed Luke 7. 9. Wisdome is iustified by her children that is acknowledged and declared to be iust Ezech. 38.23 The scope therefore of the first petition is an earnest desire that we might set forth Gods glory whatsoeuer become of vs and it may be expressed thus O Lord open our eyes that we may aright know thee and acknowledge the greatnes of thy power wisdome iustice and mercy which appeares in thy titles words creatures iudgements and grant that when we vse any of these we may therein honour thee and vse them reuerently to thy glorie 3. The wants which are to be bewailed 1. THE wants which we in this place are taught to bewaile are specially foure The first is an inward and spirituall pride of our hearts a sinne that none or very fewe can see in themselues vnlesse the Lord open their eies When our first parents were tempted in paradise the deuill told them they should be as Gods which lesson not onely they but we haue learned and wee conceiue of our selues as little gods though to the world we shew it not This hidden pride when other sinnes die it begins to get strength and to shewe it selfe and appeares in vaine thoughts continually on euery occasion ascending in the mind As may appeare
children And where the spirit of Christ dwelleth there must needes be faith for Christ dwelleth in the hearts of the faithful by faith Therfore as Rebecca when she felt the Twins striue in her womb though it pained her yet shee knew both that shee had conceiued and that the children were quick in her so they who haue these motions and holy affections in them before mentioned may assure themselues that the spirit of god dwelleth in them and consequently that they haue faith though a weake faith XIX Examples of this small faith are euident in the Apostles who though they beleeued that Christ was the Sauiour of the world yet they were ignorant of his death and resurrection which are the cheife meanes of saluation After his resurrection they were ignorant of his ascension of his spiritual kingdome for they dreamed of an earthly kingdome and at his death they all fled from him and Peter fearefully denied him They being in this estate are not said to haue no faith but to be of little faith Another example we haue in Dauid who hauing continued a long space in his two great sinnes adulterie and murther was admonished thereof by Nathan the prophet beeing admonished he confessed his sinnes and straightway Nathan declared vnto him frō the Lord the forgiuenes of them Yet afterward Dauid humbleth himselfe as it appeareth in the 51. Psalme and praieth most earnestly for the forgiuenes of those and all other his sinnes euen as though it had not bin true that they were forgiuen as Nathan told him the reason is howsoeuer they were remitted before God yet Dauid at his first repenting of them felt none assurance in his heart of the forgiuenes of them onely he had a perswasion that they might be pardoned And therefore he vehemently desired and praied to the Lord to remit them and to sanctifie him anew This then being the least measure of faith it must be remembred that he who hath not attained to it hath as yet no sauing faith at all XX. The greatest measure of faith is a full perswasion of the mercie of God For it is the strength and ripenes of faith Rom. 4.20.21 Abraham not weake in faith but being strengthened in the faith was fully perswaded that he who had promised was able to doe it This full assurance is when a man can say with Paul I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And least any should thinke this saying is peculiar to Paul he testifieth of himselfe that for this cause he was receiued to mercie that he might be an example to them which after should beleeue in Christ to life eternall and the whole Church in the Cant◠vseth the same in effect saying Loue is as strong as death iealousie is as cruel as the graue the coales thereof are fierie coales and a vehement flame Much water cannot quench loue neither can the flouds drown it if a man should giue all the substance of his house for loue they would contemne it XXI No Christian attaineth to this full assurance at the first but in some continuance of time after that for a long space he hath kept a good conscience before God and before men and hath had diuers experiences of Gods loue and fauour towards him in Christ. This Paul declareth to the Romanes in afflictions God sheds abroad his loue in their hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen to them but how by degrees for from afflictions ariseth patience from patience commeth experience from experience hope and hope neuer maketh ashamed or disappointeth him of eternall life This is euident in Dauids practise Doubtles saith he kindnes and mercie shall follow me all the daies of my life and I shall liue a long season in the house of the Lord. Mark this his resolute perswasion and consider how he came vnto it namely by experience of Gods fauour at sundrie times and after sundrie manners For before he set downe this resolution he numbred vp diuerse benefits receiued of the Lord that he fedde him in greene pastures and led him by the refreshing waters of Gods word that he restoreth him and leadeth him in the paths of righteousnes that he strengtheneth him in great daungers euen of death and preserueth him that in despight of his enemies he enriched him with many benefits By meanes of all these mercies of God bestowed on him he came to be perswaded of the continuance of the fauour of God towardes him Againe Dauid saide before King Saul Let no mans heart faile because of Goliah Thy seruant will goe and fight with the Philistine And Saul said to Dauid Thou art not able to goe against this Philistine to fight with him for thou art but a boy and he is a man of warre from his youth Dauid answered that he was able to fight with and to slay the vncircumcised Philistine And the ground of his perswasion was taken from experience for thus he saide Thy seruant kept his fathers sheepe and there came a Lyon and likewise a Beare and tooke a sheepe out of the flocke and I went out after him and smote him and tooke it out of his mouth and when he arose against me I caught him by the beard and smote him and slew him So thy seruant slew both the Lyon and the Beare therefore this vncircumcised Philistine shal be as one of thē seeing he hath rayled on the hoast of the liuing God The like proceeding must be in matters concerning eternall life Little Dauid resembleth euery Christian Goliah and the armie of the Philistines resembleth Sathan and his power He therefore that will be resolued that he shall be able to ouercome the gates of hell and attaine to life euerlasting must long keepe watch and ward ouer his owne heart and he must fight against his owne rebellious flesh and crucifie it yea he must haue experiences of Gods power strengthening him in many temptations before he shall be fully assured of his attaining to the kingdome of heauen XXII Thus much concerning faith it selfe now follow the fruits and benefits of faith By meanes of this speciall faith the Elect are truly ioyned vnto Christ and haue an heauenly communion and fellowship with him and therefore doe in some measure inwardly feele his holy spirit moouing and stirring in them as Rebecca felt the Twins to stirre in her wombe Christ is as the head in the bodie euery beleeuer as a member of the same bodie now as the head giueth sense and motion to the members and the members feele themselues to haue sense and to mooue by meanes of the head so doth Christ Iesus reuiue and quicken euery true beleeuer and