vs to obey his will First God must erect his Kingdome in our hearts and we must be his subiects before we can yeeld obedience to his lawes from which order ariseth this instruction That a man can neuer obey Gods will till he haue Gods grace or a man can neuer keepe Gods lawes till he be Gods subiect and God be his Lord and King to rule and ouerrule him Heb. 11. Rom. 14. 1. Tim. 1. or which is all one in effect good workes proceede from grace or without faith which is the roote of grace it is impossible to please God or whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne or the end of the commaundement is loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith vnfained and the necessarie consequence of this doctrine is Pro. 15.8 Esa 1.13 Matth. 7.22 that whatsoeuer a man doth wanting grace is sinne whether they be actions naturall ciuill or religious for some Preachers and Prophets in the day of iudgement shall bee found workers of iniquitie Here notwithstanding wee must remember to distinguish betwixt the action and the manner of preforming the action the agent the ouerseer Fiue things in euery action 1. Actio 2. Agens 3. Modus agendi 4. Res mota 5. Patiens and the matter the action is naturall the manner of performing the action morall the agent is terminus á quo the efficient cause the obiect is terminus ad quem or the patient vpon whom the action falleth Now to all those must be added the matter or the thing moued This destinction being remembred let vs take for examples preaching and almes The vttering of the voyce in preaching is action Hovv preaching is good or bad good in it one nature the matter of preaching is good the holy word of God The obiect whereupon the action is occupied is a godly man the hearer of the word all which make the action so farre forth good but the agent and the manner of performing the action may turne it to sin for if the agent that is the Minister or Preacher be a man out of Christ wanting faith and grace being no member of Christ nor subiect of his Kingdome he cannot possibly obey his wil but the fountaine being vncleane the streame flowing from the fountaine is vncleane also Againe if the Preacher erre in the manner of doing the action though he be in Christ as if he preach Christ of contention or malice and so forth his preaching may proue sinne sinne I say not to the godly and carefull hearer nor in it selfe but onely to the Preacher How almes is good or bad In like manner the reaching faith of the hand in giuing almes is good in nature the money or matter giuen is Gods creature the person to whom the almes is offered a godly man but if either the person that giueth the almes or the manner of distributing be vitious as aforesaid as if the proud Pharisie should cause a trumpet to be blowne for ostentation and vaineglorie he being not qualified with the foundation and forme of a good worke all his almes if it were all his substance were abominable in the sight of God 1. Cor. 13. as it came from him and as good as nothing as the Apostle teacheth This distinction then being remembred will cleere this doctrine that the good deedes of wicked men are sinne from whence the conclusion also will follow that the wicked in the day of iudgement shall be condemned for their good deedes This besides that it thwarteth the doctrine of the Church of Rome which teacheth good workes before grace and their merit of congruitie it teacheth vs further to labour for two things 1. Tim. 1.5 1. Cor. 13.1.2.3 first that we haue the foundation of a good worke which is faith in Christ by and through whom our persons and actions are accepted of God Secondly that in all our good workes we haue the forme and manner of doing which in generall the Apostle calleth loue not onely to God ayming at his glory which excludeth vaine-glorie and hypocrisie but also to man intending the benefit of him to whom the good worke is extended And this is the doctrine and vse which ariseth from the order of this petition before the third The sense and meaning 2 The meaning of the second petion which is the second thing to be obserued followeth wherein these two things are to be considered as before in the first petition viz the obiect and the action that is to say First what Gods Kingdome is Secondly how Gods Kingdome is said to come Gods Kingdome which is the first point VVhat Gods Kingdome â—s is the heauenly politie or regiment which God through Christ exerciseth in the hearts of the faithfull by his spirit and word in this life and by glory and blisse in the life to come in regarde whereof the Kingdome of God is called the Kingdome of grace when it is begun in the consciences of the faithfull and continually cherished and increased by all the holy meanes of saluation and it is called the Kingdome of glory when it is consummate and perfectly accomplished the Saints yeelding absolute obedience to the will of God in heauen whence issueth the glorious happines of the creature For better vnderstanding of this point what the Kingdome of God is consider shortly these twelue points which followe Who is the King Christ Iesus as he is God and man where we must know that the Father and the holy Ghost are not excluded but all the creatures of what excellencie soeuer Heb. 2.5 Who are the subiects They are of two sorts true subiects who are the whole companie of beleeuers wheresoeuer and counterfeit subiects who though they be in the Church yet are not of the Church which distinction is grounded 1. Iohn 2. What are the lawes They are the law of nature which is the decalogue and the lawe of grace the summe whereof is contained in the Gospell namely faith and repentance and obedience which is the summe of the decalogue Who are the enemies They are these ten following First Sathan secondly sinne thirdly death fourthly hell or the graue fifthly damnation sixtly the world seauenthly the flesh eightly the Pope and all Papists and heretikes ninthly the Turke and all Pagans tenthly the hypocrits Atheists and all prophane and professed wicked men What rewards to the subiects They are in this life all good things that may profit them and freedome from all euill which may hurt and in the life to come euerlasting happines in heauen What punishments or chastisements The punishments are all taken away in Christ who hath vndergone them for vs yet there remaine corrections of diuers sorts to nurture and discipline vs and to keepe vs in awe and so forth What weapons to resist our enemies The weapons are spirituall Ephes 6. namely faith hope loue righteousnes the word prayer What is the time of this kingdome It lasteth so long
difficultie of vsing it aright for a prayer Out of the consideration of this last propertie of this prayer ariseth this consectarie or conclusion that there is lesse daunger of sinne in conceiuing a prayer agreeable to this prayer than in vsing this prayer for a prayer which may bee verified thus when wee conceiue a prayer wee know our owne meaning certainely so doe wee not certainely know the meaning of euery point in the Lords prayer againe when we pray we attaine the depth of the meaning of our owne words so can we not possibly attaine the depth of the meaning of our Sauiour Christ when he vsed these words Finally our words in prayer conceiued are as large as our matter and affection but here in the Lords prayer the matter being as large as the whole Scripture the words are scant the thousand part thereof wherefore the conclusion and consectarie is verified To end this point then although this be the most excellent and perfect platforme of prayer and prayer that euer was deuised yet considering that it is onely a generall prayer and hard to be vsed aright as Christ himselfe vsed it therefore it may seeme that a prayer conceiued according to this prayer is as acceptable if not more accepted of God than this prayer for though the Lords prayer is better than any other prayer yet a man may and can and doth vse his own conceiued prayer better than he can vse the Lords prayer and prayer is accepted or not accepted of God according as it is rightly vsed or abused and this is profitable for the ignorant people to thinke vpon considering their intolerable abusing of the Lords prayer Thus much may suffice to haue spoken of the generall consideration of the Lords prayer in the foresaid three points the abuse the vse and the conditions thereof Specially of the Lords prayer Now it followeth that we also consider thereof specially This prayer containeth three things 1. The first is the persons to be considered in prayer 2. The second is the matter of prayer 3. The third is the manner of prayer The persons to be considered in prayer The persons which are to be considered in prayer are comprehended in that which is ordinarily termed the preface of the Lords prayer or the compellation contained in these words Our father which art in heauen or Our heauenly father Now the persons we are to consider in prayer are foure 1. First who is to pray Quis. 2. Secondly for whom we are to pray Pro quo 3. Thirdly to whom we are to pray Ad quem 4. Fourthly in whose name we are to pray Per quem All they are to pray that can call God father or the children of God brethren Our Father We are to pray for others as well as for our selues namely for all that are or may be our bretheren Our We are to pray to God onely who is the Father of the creature and our Father in Iesus Christ Father We are to pray in his name who hath made God of an enemie a friend yea a father that is Christ Iesus Our Father The first of those persons that are to be considered in prayer is who are to pray which may be thus distinguished First who must pray or who is bound to pray Secondly who may pray or who may lawfully pray Thirdly who can pray or who can pray aright For the first all men must pray that is to say Who must pray all men are bound in conscience to pray vnto God for prayer is a morall precept which bindeth all men as all the commaundements of God doe for all the commaundements were written in the heart of Adam in the state of innocencie and that not onely for himselfe but for all his posteritie wherefore the very gentils which knew not the law giuen by Moses Rom. 2.15 yet shew the effect of the law written in their hearts when their consciences accuse them or excuse them Seeing therefore that prayer is a commaundement of the morall law and all the commaundements of the morall law binde the conscience of all men to obedience therefore all men must pray otherwise they incurre the penaltie of the breach of the law which is the euerlasting curse of God Here it may be obiected concerning this and all the rest of the commaundements Obiection that all men are not bound to pray or to keepe the law seeing that it is impossible we should keepe the law or that all men should pray for God commaundeth not impossibilities say the papists seeing therefore it is impossible for all men to keepe the law or to pray all men therefore are not bound to pray or all men must not pray To this answere may bee made by a distinction Answere that things may be termed impossible two waies either for that they are impossible in their owne nature or for that they are impossible by accident or some outward occasion examples of things impossible in their owne nature are these that a stone of it owne accord should moue vpward that iron or leade of it owne accord should swim vpon the water and not sinke examples of things impossible through accident or by reason of some outward occasion are these that a man that hath his tongue cut out should speake or that hath his eyes put out should see now the application of the distinction answereth the obiection sufficiently Gods commaundements and so the commaundement of prayer is not impossible to be performed of it owne nature for Adam was able to keepe it continuing in that estate of innocencie wherein God had created him and so all mankinde in Adam but Adam transgressing and all mankinde in him Rom. 8.3 by accident and occasion the commandement of God and namely that of prayer is become impossible vnto vs we are not able to pay our debts for we haue maâ—e our selues bankerouts we cannot see for we haue put out our owne eyes Wherefore God doth not commaund things impossible by nature when he requireth obedience to his law although now through our owne defaults we are not able to obey Obiection Yet God seemeth to deale hardly that exacteth obedience of vs now we are not able to performe it Answere It is no hard dealing at all for if the creditor may iustly require the debt of the debter though he be not able to discharge it or otherwise cast him in prison for default of payment much more may God deale so with vs either exact obedience of vs or cast vs in prison till we pay the vtmost farthing neither is there any reason that God should change his righteous law and square it to our corruption no more than because there are theeues and malefactors therefore the law that commaundeth such persons to be hanged or punished should be altered the workeman squareth his crooked timber to his rule and he doth not frame his rule to his crooked wood so we must frame our actions to Gods law and Gods law
the next place to be considered and they are opposite to the things wee pray for and they may be referred to fiue heads also which are these following First ignorance and errors Secondly vanitie of minde Thirdly a prophane heart Fourthly prophane speeches Lastly prophane actions all which are so many meanes to obscure or deface or abolish the glorious name of God out of the world Of these in order Ignorance dishonoreth God First ignorance either of Gods workes or word is the cause of prophaning Gods name for as pearles cast before swine or dogs so are the works and word of God amoÌ„g ignorant persons swine or dogs will trample pearles vnder their feete in the durt but skilfull Lapidaries will vse them carefully and set them in gold and costly garments so the ignorant people that know not the works or word of God wil contemne reiect or at least neglect the excellent instructions and documents of Gods glorie therein exhibited and so prophane the name of God but they that know them may vse them aright and glorifie God in them The dunghill Cocke as the fable moralizeth regardeth a barly corne more than a pretious pearle knowing the profit of the one but not the price of the other so the blind dunghill people of the world Atheistlike through light estimation because of their ignorance preferre the dirtie commodities of this life before the glorious footsteps of Gods Maiestie imprinted in his workes and word thereby marueilously disparaging the Lord himselfe and dishonouring his name Againe Error dishonoreth God Matth. 22. Ioh. 4. ignorance being the cause of superstition and errors as Christ teacheth saying Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures and ye worship ye know not what therefore it must needes bee a maine cause of blemishing Gods glorious names and memorials for errors and heresies are so many lies against the truth of God charging false and slanderous imputations vpon God making him the author of that which he abhorreth and condemneth and as it is blasphemous to make God the cause of sinne so is it of error for it is to call God by a false name and to belie God which is a great dishonour to God For as it is a disgrace to a Prince to bee belied or blasphemed or backbited so is it much more inglorious and dishonourable to God to make him the master and teacher of lies for it is customable with false teachers and their followers to father their doctrines vpon Gods word which God himselfe inspired to his Church and so by necessarie consequent in that they are found liers against the truth of God they shamefully dishonour God In the second place also we are to marke how vanitie of minde prophaneth the name of God Vanitie of minde prophaneth Gods name Rom. 1. The Apostle defineth this sinne to be the withholding of the truth of God in a lie that is to make a false consequent or vse from a true doctrine to know God and not to glorifie him as God for example to know God to bee inuisible and yet to make an image of him to know God to bee incorruptible and yet to resemble him to corruptible creatures as beasts birds creeping things c. and thus the Gentiles thinking themselues to bee wise hauing some truths of God became starke fooles in deducing foolish consequents from that truth so through their vanity of mind defaced that truth with a lie and this is a great indignitie offered to Gods truth For as a subiect knowing his Prince yet making as though he knew him not and so vsing himselfe vnreuerently before him doth disgrace the prince so they that know God and his workes and word yet notwithstanding doe not glorifie God but become vaine in their imaginations and discourses and conclusions from Gods word and workes thereby occasioning and encouraging themselues in licentious liuing and by their liues denying the power of their knowledge which otherwise might haue been auailable to their saluation do shamefully abuse their knowledge iniuriously dishonor the truth reuealed vnto them which they should haue glorified A prophane heart d shonoreth God As blindnes and vanitie of minde so prophanenes of heart also which in the third place commeth to be considered doth greatly dishonor God which is when mens affections are not stirred according to the qualitie of Gods workes or word his titles or attributes and that is especially of three sorts Atheisme dishonoreth God The first is an Atheists heart which is the extinguishing of al affections in respect of God for as an Atheist laboreth for a perswasion that there is no God so also he desireth that the feare of God may be cleane taken away also that the loue of God the hatred of sinne the loue of vertue and of the word of God may be put out and that he may liue as he list without any conscience or difference of good and euill which is to bury the memorie of God and to banish his name out of the world which is the greatest indignitie that may be VVorldlines dishonoreth God The second is a worldly heart when a man is so estranged from heauenly matters and so wholy possessed with the loue and liking of worldly things as that he careth not for God nor any goodnes further than he may gaine thereby which men doe greatly dishonor God and his truth making it a meanes of compassing the world whereas indeede we should make the world a meanes of religion for to this purpose hath God created and bestowed the world vpon man that thereby they might be the better prouoked and furthered to the worship and glory of God hither are to be referred all couetous persons that minde nothing but their goods all proud persons that minde nothing but the trimming of themselues gay apparrell and the credit of the world all wanton persons that minde nothing but the pleasures of the flesh generally all such as dishonor God by presuming any thing in their estimation and affection before God for seeing God is the chiefest good and the most high he therefore ought to bee the chiefest and mosâ— highly esteemed of vs otherwise we honor the creature more than the Creator Rom. 1.25 and dishonor God by communicating his glory to another The third is a secure heart Securitie dishonoreth God when men that haue the grace of God in them notwithstanding doe not so carefully and diligently â—â—irre vp the grace of God in the meditation and application of Go is workes and word as the condition thereof doth require for sometime it falleth out that euen Gods children slumber and sleepe Cant. 5.23 2. Sam. 12. so we reade that the Church in the Canticles complaineth or excuseth her sluggish disposition so we reade that Dauid slept in securitie almost a whole yeere in which time no doubt hee vsed the word of God and the rest of Gods worship though with dulnes and great flatnes of spirit whereby it came to
22.2 The duties of our speciall callings must bee performed in conscience to Gods commandements Ephes 6.1 After actiue obedience Submission a part of Gods will which consisteth in doing Gods commandements followeth passiue obedience in suffering his chastisements which generally may be termed submission that is when the creature is content to resigne himhelfe ouer wholy to the will of the Creator and to say as Dauid said 2. Sam. 15.26 Behold here am I let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eyes this vertue doth especially respect the time to come and the Lords secret will that if the Lord haue in his secret counsell determined such and such euils and afflictions to befall vs we can be content with patience to beare them how many and how great soeuer they be so be that thereby God may be glorified After the kinds of obedience follow the qualities of obedience viz. cheerefulnes or willingnes and sincerity or perfection Cheerefulnes in obedience a part of Gods will 2. Cor. 9.7 Iam. 1.5 Ioh. 4.34 Cheerefulnes or willingnes is highly regarded of God and accordingly endeuored of the children of God God loueth a cheerefull giuer saith the Apostle and God himselfe giueth freely and vpbraideth no man saith Iames and he liketh that in his children which himselfe practiseth Christ saith that it was meate and drinke to him to doe the will of his heauenly father yea and in suffering for our sinnes he protesteth great willingnes for he did willingly lay downe his life and it was not taken from him against his liking and therefore Dauid prophecieth of him Psal 40.8 that seeing it was written of him in the volume of the booke that he should doe Gods will therefore he was content to doe it And this is that eccho which Dauids heart gaue to Gods voyce Psal 27.8 God said seeke ye my face Dauids heart answered Lord I will seeke thy face and although it cannot bee denied but that the flesh is very weake yea repugnant and refractary yet the spirit is willing Rom. 7.22 and the children of God do delight in the law of God according to the inner man Sinceritie in obedience a part of Gods will Psal 119.106 Finally perfection or sinceritie also is required as another necessarie qualification of obedience which consisteth in a true purpose of the heart ioyned with an earnest endeuour to the vtmost of grace to obey euery one yea the very least of Gods commaundements making conscience of idle words 1. Cor. 4.4 Rom. 7.24 and vaine thoughts yea of the stirring of concupisence and which is most of all of originall sinne and Adams transgression imputed This vertue of sinceritie is much despised and persecuted by the world when men intitle it by straunge names as humor spiced conscience precisenes puritanisme alas that euer the diuell should so preuaile For example take a man that is very well content with the state obeying the Magistrate ciuill and ecclesiasticall in al the ceremonies of the Church yet if he doe not sweare and drinke and quarell and so forth but reproue the swearer the dronkard the hackster and the rest This man is as odious to the multitude as the veriest disciplinarian in the land and he shall partake as well in the foresaid titles of disgrace as the other Now in the fourth place follow the things which in this petition are to be prayed against The deprecation of this petition Obstinacie opposed to Gods will Pro 23.35 whereof the first is obstinacie which is a purpose and resolution to continue in the course of wickednes wherein a man liueth the sinne of the drunkards of whom the wise man speaketh which are resolued still to seeke after drunkennes also the sinne of the Shepheards and Watchmen of Israel of whom the Prophet Esay speaketh Who say Esay 56.12 To morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant in wine and strong drinke and couetous oppression Ierem. 44.16.17 The extremitie of this sinne is recorded in the rebellious Iewes by the Prophet Ieremie who being admonished of their sinnes and of obedience to Gods commaundements made answere that they would not heare the word of the Lord which Ieremie spake but they would doe what themselues listed The Apostle calleth this sinne a hard and irrepentant heart Rom. 2.4.5 and the despising of Gods bountifulnes patience and long suffering which is directly opposite to the obedience of the Gospell In the second place followeth disobedience Disobedience opposit to Gods will which is euery transgression of the morall law or of any other speciall precept Disobedience hath foure specialties 1. Vngodlines irreligion or prophanenes when men regarde not Gods worship but liue as if there were no God no heauen no diuell no hell no conscience of such Atheists the world hath millions who make no more account of Gods Sabbaths than of the market or faire no more reckoning of a sermon than of a fable of Esop that for gaining a peny sweare and forsweare and what not those impious wretches are more fearefull and damnable sinners than the world esteemeth them seeing they by their practise declare themselues directly to forget God who is then especially remembred Rom. 1.18 when hee is worshipped Against this sinne Gods wrath is reuealed from heauen 2. Vnrighteousnes or iniustice which is when any violence or wronge is offered to our neighbours person or gifts as his dignitie goods life or chastitie 3. Rebellion when men peremptorily resist Gods will knowne particularly and euidently vrged vpon their conscience or performe not obedience to a speciall precept Example hereof wee haue in Saul who was commaunded by God vtterly to destroy the Amalekites and all their goods now he saued Agag the King and the fattest of the sheepe and oxen and so flatly rebelled against this precept the punishment of this sinne was most fearefull vpon him which argueth the fearefulnes of the sinne And the Prophet Samuel saith 1. Sam. 15.23 that it is a sin as great as witchcraft or idolatrie and although now the Lord giueth no speciall precepts to men yet hee doth particularly vrge vpon the conscience of some men generall commaundements as when in the Ministerie of the word the spirit of God cryeth aloude in the heart of the drunkard to forsake his drunkennes and for that sinne hee is prickt in conscience and perswaded to forsake it the which sin if he still practise and doe not forsake then he rebelleth flatly against God and is obnoxious to a fearefull punishment 4. Vnfaithfulnes when men in their speciall callings doe not seeke Gods glory 1. Cor. 4.2 1. Cor. 10.31 nor the benefit of the Church or common-wealth or the good of some societie or when men liue idly or negligently This sinne the Apostle taxeth in the Thessalonians that they liued disorderly and in the Ephesians 2. Thes 3.6 â— Ephes 4.28 whom he termeth theeues for that they did not
had abundance Lazarus was scanted yet each of them had his bread euen a portion conuenient for him So that this last circumstance insinuateth vnto vs three vertues 1. Industrie which is in some honest calling to get our liuing with the sweate of our browes and not to walke inordinately yea though thou haue great liuing and possessions of thine owne For although it may seeme needles for him to labour which is wealthie yet indeede there is an ineuitable necessitie thereof For besides that God hath imposed this yoke vpon all in Adam to eate the labours of their hands and the sweate of their browes Genes 3.19 Psal 128.2 and so they which doe not labour walke inordinatly 2. Thes 3.10.7 viz. as a souldier out of his ranke the Apostle also saith that he which doth not labour should not eate Ephes 4.28 and one end of laboring in a calling is that we may haue the more to bestow vpon them that want therefore euen the King himselfe the Iudge and the Counsellor and the Minister is to sweate for his liuing though he dig not with the spade which is when the mind laboreth and trauelleth in thought and counsell and care and prouidence and instruction dropping as it were an inuisible sweate from the browes of the vnderstanding and the inward parts of the soule 2. Thankfulnes to the Lord that he hath restored to vs that interest which was lost through Adams fall that we may freely and with good conscience vse any part of the bread which is our owne not onely for our necessitie but euen for our moderate delight and comfort seeing that God hath giuen wine to comfort the heart Psal 104.15 and oyle to make the face shine Psal 23.5 and Dauid had his head annoynted with oyle 3. Contentment in our estate whatsoeuer seeing that is the best estate and that part of the bread is most fit and meete for vs for howsoeuer perhaps we doe not so thinke yet surely if wee finde in our selues the markes of Gods election and if we labour to obserue the worke of God vpon vs at that time wee shall be compelled to say from our owne experience that then God in wisedome saw such a portion was best for vs. Psal 119.71 These are the circumstances annexed to the bread 3 The supplication of the fourth petition Next in order followeth the third thing to bee obserued in the petition which is the Supplication the things therefore which wee here aske of God are these following First things generall whereof some are causes some effects causes are especially these sixe 1. Fruitfull seasons with all the meanes procuring them Deut. 28.12 as the first and latter raine frost and snow mist and dew and whatsoeuer other creatures God hath appointed for that purpose 2. The due simpathy of the creatures consenting together Hosea 2.21 as when the heauens heare the earth the earth heareth the corne wine and oyle and they heare Gods people 3. Wise and prouident Magistrates that may enact holsome lawes 1. Tim. 2.2 for the peaceable gouernment of the common-wealth and by lawfull and iust warre defend the subiect and countrie 4. Learned and conscionable Iudges and Lawyers that may iustly and mercifully execute iudgement Numb 16.16.26 accusing defending pleading and iudging according to the aforesaid good lawes 5. Valiant and Christian Captaines and Souldiers which may resolutely fight the Lords battels against his enemies 2. Sam. 23.39 such as were the thirtie seauen worthies in Dauids Kingdome 6. Conscionable and experienced and learned physitions for the health of the body Exod. 30.25 35.30.31 and generally all good manuary arts and trades with their skilfull professors which labour for the preparing of meate apparrell and their instruments and in making weapons for warre c. After the aforesaid causes follow certaine effects which we pray for in this petition 1. Peace when euery man may quietly sit downe vnder his vine and figtree when there is no leading into captiuitie Psal 144.84 no complaining in our streetes of women that leese their husbands or of orphanes leesing their parents in warre 2. Plentie that our sonnes and daughters may bee as the young plants which come vp thicke out of the ground that our garners may be full with corne Psal 144.13 Deut. 28.12 that our sheepe may bring foorth thousands and ten thousand and that we may lend and not borow 3. Health that there bee no feeble person among vs that our oxen also may bee strong to labour Psal 144.12 that our sonnes and daughters may bee as the polished corners of the temple The generals being numbred the specials followe which being handled before in the meaning of the words of the petition shall onely neede in this place to be shortly repeated 1. The staffe of bread or Gods blessing vpon the bread 2. Humilitie seeing God giueth vs the bread 3. Contentment with whatsoeuer estate we be in 4. Faith in Gods prouidence for things meete for vs. 5. Prouidence or moderate care for the time to come 6. Painfulnes and labour in our vocation and calling 7. Thankfulnes that God permitteth vs the vse of the bread 8. Ioy of heart at the outward prosperitie of others 9. Frugalitie or parsimonie to spare when we neede not spend 10. Liberalitie to bestow of our abundance to supplie others wants 11. Magnificence to bestow bountifully vpon Church or Common-wealth as in erecting Colleges Hospitals making high waies c. These are the principall things we pray for in this petition 4 The deprecation of the fourth petition The things that we pray against may easily be gathered by the contrary yet for plainnes sake it shall not be amisse for to number them thus 1. Vnfruitfull seasons as a wet and cold summer a hot and drie winter no raine no frost no snow c. 2. The Antipathie of the creatures when the heauen becommeth brasse and the earth iron c. Deut. 28. 3. Foolish childish and improuident Magistrates or tyrants that make pernitious and hurtfull lawes Esay 3. Eccles 10. 4. Vnlearned and wicked Iudges and Lawyers Esay 3. 5. Vnskilfull and vnconscionable Physitions as wise women Witches or Wizards professing Physick and Empiricks that gesse onely and want skill 6. Cowardly Captaines and dastardly souldiers when as tenne flie before one and a hundred before tenne c. 7. Warre 8. Scarsitie or famine 9. Sicknes as the plague or other mortall diseases epidemiall 10. Breaking the staffe of bread 11. Pride 12. Discontentment 13. Immoderate or no care for things needfull 14. Idlenes 15. Vnthankfulnes 16. Enuie 17. Couetousnes 18. Prodigalitie 19. All vnlawfull Arts and Trades to get bread 20. All gaming to get our liuing by 2. Thess 3.10 This also may suffice for the deprecation The thanksgiuing may easily bee collected out of the supplication and deprecation The thanksgiuing of the fourth petition for wee are to praise God for the
as we forgiue our debtors But because all these particulars though to another end and after another manner haue been already discoursed in this treatise here of purpose I omit their further handling 4 The deprecation of this petition And this may suffice for the supplication comprehending the things we pray for in this petition now followeth the fourth thing which is the deprecation containing those things which we pray against and they are these sixe following Blindnes of minde 2. Cor. 4.4 1 Blindnes of minde which is when men continue in sinne without any consideration thereof either banishing the thought of it out of their mind or slubbering the matter ouer with a negligent conceit as that we are all sinners and the best man hath his infirmities Againe vnto blindnes of minde as neere of kinne may be added a reprobate minde Rom. 1.28 when men are bereft of all difference of good and euill neuer making bones as we say of sinne against nature which the Apostle calleth things not conuenient or not agreeing with the light of nature 2 Hardnes of heart which is a fruit of the former Hardnes of heart when men are neuer troubled in their consciences for most fearefull sinnes this was that fearefull iudgement which befell Pharaoh who had a heart more hard than the Adamant Exod. 5 6. c. neuer trembling at all that fearefull wrath which God executed vpon Egypt Ezech. 11.19 Act. 2.37 Contrarie to this is a soft and fleshie heart as the Prophet calleth it a heart prickt with the feeling of sinne a heart that doth tremble at Gods word Both these sinnes may bee intitled with one generall name the spirit of slumber or securitie Securitie eyes that doe not see eares that doe not heare a heart that doth not vnderstand as the Prophets prophecie 3 Opinion of our owne righteousnesse Opinion of our owne iustice Rom. 10.3 a matter very common with the naturall man and the ignorant multitude who therein iumpe with the Iewes in Pauls time who were taught by the Pharisies the patrons of that heresie and with the Papists in our time Luk. 18.21.11 Mark 10. Apoc. 3.17 whereas the Lord Iesus Christ reproueth the Angell of the Church of Laodicea for that very fault who said he was rich being indeede poore and ignorant of his pouertie These are proud iusticiaries who as they are blind so are they bolde in their blindnes saying they can see and therefore their sinne remaineth Ioh. 9.41 whereas if they would confesse themselues to be blind they should haue no sinne for Christ would take it away 4 Vpon this conceit of our owne righteousnesse Neglect or contempt of Christ Rom. 10.3 followeth necessarilie either a contempt or light estimation or no regard at all of Christs righteousnesse and his merits Christ saith the whole haue no need of the Physitian that is to say they that iudge themselues to be in good health that thinke they are righteous will neuer regard Christ who is the Physitian of the soule and the physick also After this followeth vnbeleefe or infidelitie Vnbeleef infidelitie presumption despaire with the opposite pride and presumption which when they haue a long time wrought vpon the heart of a carnall man if the Lord at length open the eyes of that wretch to see his sinnes Genes 4.13 Mat. 27.4 then despaire rusheth vpon him which is the next neighbour to vnbeleefe Hatred Malice Reuenge 6 Hatred not forgiuing others that iniurie or wrong vs hereto appertaineth malice and a desire of reuenge things too common in the world some say I may forgiue but I will neuer forget others I will pray for him but I will neuer trust him some malefactors when the rope is about their necke proclaime their eternall hatred to all the executioners of iustice Hitherto also appertaineth the discouering of our neighbours infirmities 1. Pet. 4.8 Prou. 10.12 whereas Loue couereth a multitude of sinnes that is of priuate infirmities which thou knowest in thy neighbour 5 The thanksgiuing of this petition This may suffice for the deprecation the thankesgiuing now followeth which may easily be collected out of the former by induction of particulars before mentioned Thus the petition for grace is handled Now followeth the last petition which is for perseuerance And leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill 1 Order of the last petition The order of this petition after the former is very due and iust for perseuerance followeth grace and is a necessarie consequent thereof here the doctrines mentioned in the order of the former petition are to be handled Grace and perseuerance inseparable First that grace and perseuerance are inseparable for no temptation no sinne no affliction shall be able to ouerthrow the grace of God in the man that is indued therewith Mat. 7.24.25 for hee hath built his house vpon the Rocke like a wise man and therefore though the raine fall and the floods come and the windes blow and beate vpon the house yet the house shall not fall for it is builded vpon the Rocke Christ And Christ telleth Peter that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against the Church that is built vpon this Rocke Mat. 16.18 and certainely if God should once giue grace to a man and after should take it away then this absurditie would follow that God should repent that he should alter and change for God truely loueth him that hath grace and he truely hateth him that falleth away finally and totally from all grace and so God should be as man mutable and changeable which is blasphemous to Gods infinite perfection Iam. 1.17 with whom there is no variablenesse nor shadow of changing for the strength of Israell will not lie nor repent for hee is not a man that hee should repent 1. Sam. 15.29 Againe this would follow as absurd as the former that it might be said God hath from eternity Elected and Reprobated the same man Christ hath both redeemed and not redeemed the same man the same man is flesh of Christs flesh and bone of his bone and a limme of the diuell the same man is a member of the Catholike Church and no member of the Catholike Church which things because they haue no congruitie with themselues and with the course of the Scriptures are therefore to bee reiected as grosse absurdities and the trueth remaineth firme That grace hath perseuerance as necessarily annexed to it as the Sunne hath light or the fire heate Secondly this doctrine ariseth from the former He that hath grace resisteth the temptation that he which hath grace can in some measure resist temptation and if so be that sometime through the violent whirlewinde of a temptation he take the foyle by the temptor yet after hee recouereth himselfe and gathereth more strength and courage to the next encounter and at the length giueth his enemie the ouerthrow
was in Dauid who continued in his murder and adulterie three quarters of a yeere in which time there was a spirituall mist of carnall securitie which couered his minde and heart which afterward was dispersed and thus the Lord is said actually to blinde and harden men as we see in the kingdome of Antichrist and in the old Iewes and in Pharaoh the King of Egypt 2. Thes 2.11 Esay 6.10 Exod. 4.21 whose eyes the Lord blinded and whose heart the Lord hardened Here a scruple may arise viz. that seeing God blindeth men and hardeneth their hearts he therefore may be said both to be the author of sinne and to tempt to sinne both which neuerthelesse the Scripture peremptorily denieth to be in God as being contrarie to his infinite goodnes Psal 5.4 Iam. 1.13 For answere whereof wee must remember that God may bee said to harden and blinde and tempt God is not the author of sin and yet neither is the author of sinne nor a tempter to sinne First God tempteth man especially foure waies 1 By afflictions which are therfore called temptations Iam. 1. 2 By a commandement speciall as that of Abraham Genes 22.1 3 By prosperitie and abundance of outward things Prou. 30.9 4 By occasioning obiects as Genes 3. God obiected the apple to Adams and Eues eye and 2. Thess 2. God sent vpon them strong delusions which is to be vnderstood in regard of the obiect entising and deluding True it is therefore that God doth tempt but he doth not tempt to sinne the Lords temptation may more properly be called a probation than temptation hee rather doth trie what euill is in vs than moue vs to euill rather he proueth what we wil doe than stirreth vs vp to doe any thing wherefore wee are to distinguish betwixt these two words Dokimazein Peirazein temptation and probation howsoeuer they may perhaps sometime admit one and the same signification Secondly and more fully to the purpose God hardeneth Man hardeneth and Satan hardeneth in diuers considerations 1 Man hardeneth his owne heart by refusing the grace offered in the meanes of saluation How man hardeneth his owne hart and thus Christ complaineth that when hee would haue gathered the Iewes together they would not And thus in the Psalme the Prophet exhorteth the people not to harden their hearts Psal 95.7.8 as their fathers did at Massah and Meribah but to heare the voyce of the Lord to day How Satan hardeneth mans hart Heb. â— 13 2 Againe Satan hardeneth mans heart by perswading and tempting to refuse grace to continue in the practise of sinne in impenitencie and so by consequent there is such a callion or hardnes brought vpon a man through the daily custome of sinne by the subtiltie of Satan that all the meanes of grace rebound backe againe as a ball cast against a stone wall How God hardeneth mans heart Mat. 20.15 3 Lastly when a man is come to this passe God hath his worke also for he withholdeth his grace which he is not bound to giue except it please him he being the absolute Lord of his owne and hauing left vs to the swinge of our owne corruption hee notwithstanding euery day or very often smiteth our hard harts with his word with his iudgments with his blessings with the motions of the spirit or of our owne conscience the which not breaking our stony hearts to contrition as the stone is broken by the hammer of the workman which is the proper effect of Gods word Ierem. 23.29 by accident the heart is hardened as the stiddie the more strokes lighteth vpon it the more it is beaten together the faster is the substance and so the harder and so in his iustice and iudgement punisheth one sinne with another casting occasions and obiects whereupon the corruption that is in man worketh to the committing of most vile abominations Rom. 1. 2. Thes 2. as the Gentiles fell from idolatrie to sins against nature they in the seate of Antichrist neglecting the loue of the truth were strongly deluded by the occasion of entising obiects to beleeue lies as namely all those lying signes and fables mentioned in their Legends And thus God hardeneth and in the same sense he blindeth Summarily therefore God doth thus harden the heart and blinde the minde and tempt the creature and so leade into temptation but is not the author of sinne or tempter to sinne Thus much for temptation which is the first enemie of grace and impediment of perseuerance now followeth the second which is euill But deliuer vs from euill Here also we are to consider two things VVhat is good and euill 1 What is euill 2 What is to deliuer from euill or how God deliuereth from euill First therfore to know what euill is we must know what good is that by the opposition of contraries the matter may be more euident Good is of three sorts for there is a naturall good a morall good and a good instrument and so by contrarietie there is a naturall euill a morall euill and an euill instrument A natural good is whatsoeuer God hath at the first creared so the Lord saith that all his works were good A naturall good Genes 1.21 which must needes be vnderstood of that naturall goodnes that is of the good essence and qualities wherewith God indued his creatures for the beasts and the plants the foules and fishes the heauens and meteors the earth and metals are onely good in respect of their essence and qualities for they are not capable of vertue or vice seeing that God neuer gaue the law morall vnto them A morall good is whatsoeuer qualitie is in the reasonabe creature agreeable to the law morall A morall good Genes 1.21 Micah 6.8 commonly called the tenne commandements as also whatsoeuer qualitie is in man agreeable to the Gospell the summe whereof is repentance and faith which are qualities supernaturall infused into man A good instrument is whatsoeuer God in his mercie and loue to his children vseth as a meanes to procure the good of his Church though it be the diuell A good instrument though it bee sinne than which there is not a greater euill yet it is not summum malum Rom. 8.28 for that God vseth sinne as an instrument of good and therefore sinne is not absolutely euill for it hath a respect of good It is euery way euill in it selfe but God which is infinitely good turneth euill to good 2. Cor. 4.6 and bringeth light out of darknes yea further whatsoeuer God vseth as an instrument of his glorie in his mercie and iustice is instrumentally good and so there is no summum malum though there be summum bonum We see the kindes of good let vs see also the kindes of euill A naturall euill A naturall euill is whatsoeuer is opposed to a naturall good and that is commonly called malum poenae the euill of punishment namely whatsoeuer serueth for the
and triumpheth ouer him and this power and grace is communicated vnto vs from Christ our head who was therfore tempted and ouercame the temptor Mat. 4. Heb. 2.18 Iam. 4.7 Apoc. 3.21 that when we are tempted we might resist and preuaile being succoured by him Hence it is that the Apostle willeth to resist the diuell and he will flie from vs and Christ promiseth vs a place in his throne if we ouercome all which doe import thus much that as it is a thing possible to resist the diuell to put him to flight to ouercome him so the children of God haue this facultie communicated vnto them from Christ that broke the serpents head 1. Cor. 10.13 Now followe two other doctrines collected by contrarie viz. that if perseuerance follow grace then no grace no perseuerance A wicked man cannot resist temptation though he may refraine from sinne Gal. 5.17 Rom. 7. First therefore hee that wanteth grace cannot resist a temptation for although peraduenture a wicked man may be solicited to commit some sinne whereto he hath an indisposition yet he cannot properlie be said to resist the temptation but only to refraine the sinne for in resisting a temptation there is the spirituall combat betwixt the flesh and the spirit each of them lusting against other which is not in a man destitute of grace who is all flesh and no spirit and so the will of a wicked man and his affections may resist the motion of his vnderstanding or his conscience may terrifie his will and affection but there is not an opposition of grace and sinne in one and the same facultie or affection Luk. 11.12 for the strong man hath the possession of the castle and he ruleth there as it pleaseth him without contradiction The wicked fall into euill Secondly the wicked man wanting grace and perseuerance must of necessitie fall into euill according to the prouerbe of the wise man Prou. 24.16 A iust man falleth seuen times and riseth againe but the wicked fall into mischiefe but this doctrine shall more euidently appeare afterward in the whole discourse of the meaning of this petition which is the second generall now following 2 The meaning of this last petition We are to vnderstand that there are two great enemies of grace which continually lay siege against vs. 1 The first is Temptation 2. The second is Euill Against both these our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs to pray in this petition The first enemie of grace and impediment of preseruation is Temptation in these words Leade vs not into Temptation Here we are to consider two things 1 What Temptation signifieth 2 What it is to leade into Temptation First What it is to tempt and what is temptation Affliction is temptation Iam. 1.2 temptation in the Scripture hath diuers significations sometime it signifieth affliction so the Apostle Iames saith that wee should account it all ioy to fall into manifold temptations meaning afflictions this is not the signification of the word in this place for that is included in the next clause Secondly To tempt God Psal 95.9 temptation signifieth that triall which man taketh of God so the word signifieth in the Psalme whereas the Prophet vbraideth the Israelites for tempting God in the wildernes Thus the diuell perswaded Christ to cast himselfe vpon the immediate prouidence of God Mat. 4.7 in casting himselfe down from the temple which was to tempt God and this is not the meaning of the word in this place Thirdly To tempt or intrap a man Matth. 22.18 temptation signifieth that triall which man taketh of man to intrap him and bring him into daunger of law so the Pharisies and Herodians tempted Christ and thus was Christ tempted diuers times in the Gospell and this is not the meaning of the word in this place neither Fourthly To trie what is in man temptation signifieth that triall which God taketh of man to manifest to himselfe and others what is in him So God tried Adam in the estate of innocencie Genes 3. Genes 22.1 so God tried Abraham in commanding him to sacrifice his sonne and thus God daily trieth his children for diuers ends Neither is this the meaning of the place Lastly To solicite man to sinne temptation signifieth that triall which the diuell taketh of man to cause him to commit sinne by his entisements who in this respect is called the tempter Mat. 4. How man is prouoked to sinne by Satan and thus the diuell tempteth man 1. by prosperitie 2. by aduersitie 3. by example 4. by suggestion though for the most part suggestion is the generall affection of all the other three for that in time of prosperitie and aduersitie and by euill examples the diuell infuseth his temptations into our mindes though sometime he inspireth his temptations suddenly by occasion of no obiect at all as we may sometime haue experience by some fearfull blasphemies which suddenly without any dependance of former cogitations or obiects rush into our mindes and according to this latter signification temptation is taken in this place VVhat it is to lead into tentation Further we are to consider what it is to leade into temptation for which point we must know it containeth these foure particulars Desertion or the forsaking of the creature 1 The leauing of the creature or forsaking the creature not as though God ceased to support and sustaine the nature or naturall powers of the creature but for that he ceaseth to supplie a second grace to the first he withdraweth his second grace this the Prophet Dauid feared and therfore prayeth God not to forsake him ouerlong or ouermuch Psal 119.8 Psal 51.11 and to this sense the Prophet intreateth the Lord to confirme him with a strong spirit after his lapse into sinne for preuenting of future lapses This first part is called Desertion Deliuering the creature to his owne lusts 2 Deliuering ouer the creature to his owne lusts when God hath withdrawne his second grace the first grace is not of abilitie to encounter the lusts of the flesh but the lusts of the flesh doe fight against the spirit and ouermaster it for the present This phrase of deliuering vp the Apostle applieth to the Romanes in regard of the repressing or refraining grace Rom. 1.24.26.28 saying God gaue them ouer to vile affections to a reprobate minde c. And after this The efficacie of Satan 1. Chro. 21.1 3 The creature is in the power and hands of the diuell in a certaine measure so as he may tempt him and preuaile ouer him to the committing of most fearefull sinnes as he did preuaile with Dauid and Peter and others Excecation induration blindnes of mind hardnes of heart 2. Sam. 10.5 12.16 4 Vpon this followeth a kinde of excecation and induration when the seruant of God maketh little conscience of sinne and doth not sensiblie feele and perceiue Gods displeasure against sinne This