the name of God is here meant whatsoeuer it is that truely of him may bee affirmed as that he is good iust gracious c. And this shall haue warrant euident and plaine euen from the Lord himselfe in that manifestation of himselfe to his seruant Moses were he sayth he will make all his good go before him and proclayme the name of the Lord before him and doing so in deede his name is neyther this word nor that as Iehouah Tetragrammaton or such like either in Hebrew or Greeke this tongue or that but it is this The Lord the Lorde strong mercifull and gracious slowe to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercie for thousandes forgiuing iniquitie transgression and sinne and not making the wicked innocent visiting the iniquity of the Fathers vppon the children vnto the third and fourth generation See then the greate and glorious name of GOD what it is And what is meant I pray you by Hallowing of that name To hallow or to sanctifie signifieth two things Either to make holy that which before was not so but polluted vncleane In which sorte our Sauiour Christ dooth hallowe and sanctifie vs making vs of the sinful sonnes of Adam the righteous sons of God in himselfe Either else that which of it selfe and in it selfe is alreadie holie so to repute and take so with all reuerence to acknowledge and confesse and so euer to vse and to speake of In which sense again wisedome that of her selfe is most iust is sayd to be iustified of her children that is to be so esteemed iudged and taken And in the third of Iohn He that hath receiued his testimonie saith he hath sealed that God is true That is nothing but this doth cause and bring to passe that God as he is in himself in déede true truth it self so hee is acknowledged of others to bee Now in his latter signification is it taken heere And therfore thus expounded by the learned Sanctificari hîc est reuelari obseruari glorificari honorari verè agnosci To bée hallowed here is to be reuealed obserued glorified honoured and truely acknowledged And againe Sanctificari Dei nomen dicitur cum sacrum venerabile purum augustum esse a nobis agnoscitur et praedicatur et nullo modo contemptim aut irreuerenter cogitetur aut sumatur The name of God is said to be hallowed when it is confessed published as holy reuerend pure and high and such as by no meanes is eyther thought of or taken of vs contemptibly or vnreuerently So that in plaine speech this petition is thus much O Lord let that maiestie and holinesse that is in thy selfe that iustice mercie and power which thou shewest in thy works and that truth wisedome and goodnesse which is in thy word with all thy vertue generally whatsoeuer comprehended in thy nature and fit for the knowledge and vse of man bee more and more dayly knowen of man and receiued amōg vs with that dread honor and reuerence that is fitte for such a name both in word and worke thought deede and euery way A notable request sure and well beseeming the sonnes of God desirous of their Fathers glorie But thus me think you doe not restraine it only to man so that in man only this glory of his name is to appeare No in deede neither ought I. But know it as a fault in Tertullian and Cyprian so to doe For so large is the reach of this petition as that it toucheth not onelie men godly and vngodly reprobate or elect but euen all things in this world whatsoeuer than to be ordayned of the Lorde For in the verie least thing appeareth some maiestie power eternitie and vertue of him which in this petition wee desire as well may appeare and bee seene and celebrated to the praise of him as those greater matters that are in man And therefore cryeth the Prophet of God in his Psalme to all creatures to praise the Lord Sunne and Moone and starres and light heauen and earth dragons deeps fire and water haile and snowe winde and vapours stormes and tempests mountaines and hils trees beasts cattell wormes and all feathered foules and in conclusion euery thing to exalt hallowe and sanctifie the name of the Lord. For his name onely is excellent his praise aboue heauen and earth And to the same end is the 104. Psalme a verie notable song of Dauid also teaching vs plainly that in all the workes of the Lord there is a portion of this his name that is of his maiestie power wisedome and goodnesse which in this petition and by these wordes we ought to begge of him which may appeare be seene noted marked and obserued celebrated in this world to his glorie more and more So that you see prayer dooth not meane onely man but all things in that order that I haue declared Euery thing as it is better and better knowen contayning matter and argument of Gods praise either in respect of workmanship vse nature all or some Yet it respecteth man chieflie as the worke of God wherein he hath shewed himselfe most and layed downe largest arguments to the glorie of his name It doth so and therefore so let vs think of it And first see howe it beggeth for vs knowledge and vnderstanding still more and more of his name and nature because knowledge goeth before obedience Which request of knowledge carieth with it an industrie and endeuour in vs in all diligence euer to obserue the Lord in his workes to marke the power the wisedome the goodnesse of him in creating them and in giuing such nature vse and operation to them in disposing them in such an order in continuing them in such a course and so foorth and condemneth the too too common and damnable dulnesse of the world in so continuall vse and so little a regarde of these things being the maine cause of grieuous vnthankfulnesse and not sanctifying of the name of God in vs. Secondly we begge in it as one saith Non modò vt nomen Dei in intellectu pe◠fidem et noticiam Dei verumetiam ore corpore vitaque tota sanctificetur et glorificetur Not onely that the name of GOD in our vnderstanding by faith and knowledge of GOD but also in mouth bodie and our whole life may bee sanctified and glorified Of which hallowing of the name of God speaketh the Lord himselfe by his Prophet saying I will sanctifie my greate name which was polluted among the Heathen c. How will he do it or what is this sanctification Marke how it followeth I will powre cleane water vpon you and you shall bee cleane yea from all your filthinesse and from all your Idols will I cleanse you A new heart also will I giue you and a newe spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stonie hart out of your body giue you an hart
vs. How came it to passe that the Iewish people so seeing dayly the wonderfull workes of God for them the proofes of his power mercie and goodnesse aboue all the nations of the world yet persisted vnfaithfull stubburne and wayward to so good a God O sayth Moses these things being done for you yet hath the Lorde giuen you an heart to perceiue and eyes to see and eares to heare vnto this daie teaching vs playnly that such hart such eyes and eares are onely the Lords to giue and without such gift we profite nothing no not by the verie euident extraordinarie mercies of God In another place agayne The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart the heart of thy seede that thou mayest loue the Lord thy GOD with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou mayest liue As if hee shoulde saie neuer thinke of anie loue of GOD faythfull and true as possible to be within thee and consequently no obedience loue being the root of all excepte the Lorde circumcise thine heart that is purge all thy wicked affections giue hearing reading a blessing which thing is not in thine owne power to doe It is I sayth the Lord by the prophet Esaie that receiue the spirite of the humble and giue lyfe to them that are of a contrite heart If the Lorde worke in one he worketh in all the spirites of men are ruled and gouerned vnto good onelie by him If he touch vs we are touched if hee turne vs wee are turned and if hee reuiue not and giue life we sinke in all our sinnes as vnfeeling wretches and abide in death How playnly sayth it agayne the Prophet Ezekiel I wil giue you a newe heart and I will put a newe Spirit within you and will take away the stony heart out of your body giue you an heart of flesh And I will put my spirit within you and and cause you to walke in my statutes c. O see and marke howe all lets bee remooued and all grace giuen by the Lorde alone in mercy seeking our saluation And therefore knowe it true as the truth is true that neither hearing nor reading preaching or priuat speaking auaileth euer to doe vs good except the guiding grace of the Lorde direct vs to it by a blessing giuen to them all or any when they are vsed And therefore as for the word so for the blessing of it by the Spirit of God do we euer pray when we say these words Thy kingdom come Then opened he their vnderstanding sayth the Gospell of our Sauiour Christ that they might vnderstand the Scripture And Lydia attended to those thinges which Paul spake because the Lord opened her heart So that neither one nor other Lydia nor the disciples of Christ see heare or vnderstand except the Lorde giue the eye the eare and the heart It is the holy Spirit that teacheth teacheth into all trueth and without whome still still all meanes remaine vnprofitable There is an oyntment sayth Saint Iohn from him that is holy and that anoynting teacheth you all things that is the grace of the holy ghost Wherefore I cease not to make mencion of you in my prayers sayth the holy Apostle and to bowe my knees vnto the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ that he would giue vnto you the Spirit of wisedome and reuelation through the knowledge of him that the eyes of your vnderstanding may bee lightned that we may knowe what the hope of his calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritaunce is in the Saints c. And that yee may bee strengthened by his Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by fayth and yee may bee able to comprehend with all Saynts what is the bredth and length and depth and height c. See Pauls refuge for profitte to his preaching for life and light for these Ephesians euen to the Lorde for his holy Spirite to soften and supple their stony heartes to illuminate and lighten their darke mindes and to make that sweete to them that is sower to many and fruitefull to them by his mightie power that is neuer so to any without the same Wherefore to goe no further knowe it for conclusion that wee praying for Gods kingdome to come vnto vs in this petition by the hearing and preaching of his worde the meanes appoynted of him to erect the same and seeing well by all this that hath bene said that neither one nor other of these meanes cā preuaile with vs any thing vnlesse the Lorde also with them giue the power of his Spirit and the blessing of his grace in our hearts by them therefore there is included herein also euen praier for this grace and the petition being vnderstoode of vs is thus much with the Lord as we should in playne termes say O Lord giue vs not onely thy worde to reade and heare but the heauenly grace of thy holy Spirit also to sanctifie blesse and make fruitefull to vs both our reading and hearing that so reading and so hearing thy kingdome may come vnto vs and thou ruling and wee ruled wee may liue for euer with thee according to thy promise See then still further matter of this petition And since the Lord hath taught vs thus to pray for the helpe of his hande and the blessing of his grace to all the meanes of good vnto vs and so guided the tongues of his children euer before this forme was layde downe vnto them though in other wordes Let vs brethren looke vpon this occasion into our corruption for truely the Lorde reueileth a secret vnto vs of our natures that thousands sée not when hee thus teacheth vs that without his Spirite no meanes profite vs. We trust to our witts to our skill to our yeres and youth and I know not what and wee thinke wee haue wings of nature aboue our fellowes many of vs to flye aloft and to sée the secretes of the Lord but truely it is not so we haue all sinned and sinne hath cut our wings that wee cannot flye aboue wee haue all in our first parentes transgressed and that transgression hath dazeled and darkened our eyes closed our eares and benummed our heartes that we can neither see heare nor feele except it bee giuen vs from aboue as wee haue now fully bene taught As naturall men we perceyue not the thinges that are of GOD we are not able to thinke a thought that is good but all our sufficiencie is of God and by his grace only we are what we are that good is if any trueth bee opened to vs the Lord hath done it and cōcerning life eternall flesh and blood reueileth nothing to vs but the father in heauen reade without this spirit and the booke is sealed to vs heare without this Spirite and it is a pleasant song that sinketh not but passeth with the time pray without this
a sharpe sword That they are corrupt and become abhominable that there is none that doth good no not one And where ruleth all this euill that wee haue thus purchased to our woe O further griefe our bodies our soules our mindes our willes our harts our hands our feete and our whole man is corrupted sinne hath entered ouer all and by sinne Satan as Lord and King ruleth ouer all till this other kingdome come that here wee pray for For eratis tenebrae sayth the Apostle Ye were darknesse but now are ye light in the Lord. And more plainly before hauing their vnderstāding darkned being strāgers frō the life of God through that ignorāce that is in them c. Therefore you see the minde corrupted Of the hart and will it was sayd before that the imaginations of the thoughts thereof are onely euill continually And out of the hart now sayth our Sauiour proceede euill thoughts murders adulteries fornications theftes false witnesse sclaunders and this is stuffe that defileth the man With a thousand places moe crying out of the waywardnesse of mans hart and will the crookednesse stifnesse and stubbornnesse of it against the Lord all good Of the whole man sayth the Apostle Noui quod in me hoc est in carne mea non est bonum I know that in me that is in my flesh there is no good Our mouth our feete our throte our eyes and all are charged with their faultes in the worde of the Lord. That free will that was in man to doe good it is gone sayth Sainct Austen and homo malè vtens libero arbitrio se perdidit arbitrium Man abusing his free will lost both himselfe and it And now is it true that wee are not able to thinke a good thought as of our selues but both to will and to performe is of the Lord. Now is it true that our Sauiour sayd sine me nihil potestis facere without me you can doe nothing Non dixit sine me difficulter aliquid potestis aut sine me non potestis aliquid magni facere sed nihil potestis c. He did not say sayth S. Austen without me you can hardly doe any thing or you can not doe any great matter but simply and flatly you can doe nothing Meaning in spirituall matters for herein quid habes quod non accepisti what hast thou that thou hast not receiued Gratia dei sum quod sum By the grace of God I am that I am whatsoeuer it be if it be good And to goe no further in this sorte now must man and woman bee they neuer so righteous crie out vppon their vnrighteousnesse and hide their faces from the iudgement of the Lord if he should out of the comfort prouided for them seeke to iudge them Dauid the deere one of the Lord and a man according to his owne hart yet must confesse of himselfe with woe Beholde I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceiued mee Enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunts O Lord for in thy sight shall no flesh liuing bee iustified The great Prophet Esayas must say Woe is me for I am vndone because I am a man of polluted lippes Mary the virgin blessed amongst women must reioyce in her Sauiour and not in her selfe and so all others whatsoeuer For we are fallen Our lyfe that shoulde haue bene so pleasant beholde how bitter heauy and miserable Great trauell is created for all men an heauy yoke vpon the sonnes of Adam from the day that they go out of their mothers wombe till the day that they returne to the mother of all thinges Namely their thoughts feare of the heart and their imagination of the things they wayte for and the day of death from him that sitteth vppon the glorious throne vnto him that is beneath in the earth and ashes from him that is clothed in blewe silke and weareth a crowne euen to him that is clothed in simple linnen wrath and enuy trouble and vnquietnes and feare of death and rigour and strife in the tyme of rest the sleepe in the night vpon his bed change his knowledge A litle or nothing is his rest and afterwarde in sleeping he is as in a watch tower in the day he is troubled with the visions of his hart as one that runneth out of a battel c. Our daies that should haue ben without end now are few full of wo for life we haue got death for pleasure payne for good euill for heauen hell for endlesse ioye eternall woe O dreadfull fall Thus created then innocent God ruled but thus fallen from that innocencie Satan ruleth and wee are as hath bene sayd by nature the children of wrath walking after the Prince that ruleth in the ayre that is the Deuill But the Lord is gracious and his mercy indureth for euer there remaineth therefore hope by a restitution or regeneration which the Scripture teacheth vs thus much of namely That whereas Satan abuseth that corrupt nature of ours through the great power which hee hath ouer vs for our sinnes and driueth vs from the worde and all religion into all blindnesse ignorance and errors thrusteth vs into diuers miseries and calamities in the end into eternal death there being where he ruleth no true loue of God or any grace but sinning without sting touch or feeling the Lorde our God in a contrary course of loue where it pleaseth him beginneth with that corruption of nature wherby Satan before was strong and taketh it away by litle and litle begetting vs anew to a better life and restoring that Image of his in vs againe whereunto we were first created and which so fearfully we were fallen from Our minde hee illuminateth with some heauenly light whereby it beginneth to know aright God grace our will receiueth a new strength to imbrace the worde to rest in it and to incline it selfe to the testimonies of the Lord. Our heart is purged and loueth the Lorde and all the members of the body before the weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne becomme by measure the weapons of righteousnesse vnto God So sinne dyeth grace liueth and wee loue him feare him trust in him pray to him often and in all our wants with such like This is nowe the kingdome of grace this is that wee pray for here immediatly The kingdom of glory is that happy and eternall estate which followeth in heauen after this life which we also pray for here but mediatly as wee say that is when the kingdome of grace in this world is ended Thus much being sayd then for plainenes of these three kingdomes the kingdom of power of grace and of glory as also of which of them the petition is meant So now what we pray in plaine words namely thus much O Lord subdue vnto thy maiestie all power of
soules but that thankfull to thy maiestie for the thing they may hate the persons in singular loue for their work sake obeying them and submitting themselues to them as their appointed ouerseers of them that they may giue their accountes with ioy and not with griefe If it fall out otherwise thy iust purpose being to slay those disobedient scorners O Lord O Lorde make strong thy seruants to indure this griefe and not fearing the face of anie whose harts feare nothing nor weighing the godlesse loue of them that loue not the cheerfulnesse to go on through all pikes of worldly vnthankfulnesse through good report and ill report and all snubbes knowing in a sweet feeling that they are vnto thee a sweete sauour of Christ in them that perish as well as in them that are saued And let it neuer be said of vs O heauenly Father as once it was of others that these things beeing done for vs and we professors of thy great mercyes yet thou hast not giuen vs an heart to perceiue and eyes to see and eares to heare vnto this daie but giue vs heart eyes eares for thy mercie sake Circumcise our hearts and the harts of our seed that we may loue thee much our Lord and God and liue with thee for euer Reuiue the spirites of the humble and giue lyfe to them that are of a contrite hart Take awaie our stony harts out of our bodies giue vs harts of flesh Open our vnderstāding as thou didst thy disciples that wee may vnderstand both by reading and preaching to our cōfort Giue vs merciful father that heauēly spirit that leadeth into al truth that happy annointing that teacheth al things that spirit of wisdōe reuelatiō that the eies of our minds may be lightned that wee may know what y e hope of our calling is the riches of that glorious inheritāce prepared for thy Saints That wee may bee strengthened by thy Spirite in the inner man that Christ thy sonne may dwell in our hearts by fayth we able in some measure to comprehend thy louing kindnesse to all penitent weeping and wayling sinners For O Father we haue sinned and darknesse hath entred to rule both bodie and soule if thou helpe not Lord in that mercie that hath no measure looke vppon vs let not his malice destroy the workes that thy mercie hath made His kingdom is death thy kingdom is life ioy for euermore O heauenly God thē let thy kingdome come that wee ruled here by that sauing hand of thine may tast and feele inioy and haue for euer the reward that foloweth such subiectiō in thy glorious kingdome not for our sakes but for Iesus Christ his sake with thee and the holy spirite one maiestie mightie and glorious euer blessed and praised from generation to generation eternally Amen The third Petition Thy will be done c. why followeth this next THE order if we marke it is most fit and good for in the former we prayed that the Lord might rule in vs but that cannot he do if we euer remaine vnwilling stirring and wresting against him and his will inter inuitos enim reluctantes nemo commodè regnare potest therefore very rightly doe wee pray now in the next place that his will may be done And truely very duetie bindeth al children to frame their life according to the will of their fathers and not contrariwise the parents to conforme themselues to the will of their children In the volume of thy booke sayth Dauid it is written of me that I should doe thy will So is it of vs all for this is a matter that concerneth not Dauid only but euery man that hopeth and looketh for the place that Dauid now hath and therefore with Dauid we must all and euery one say most hartely O my God I am content to doe it yea thy law is within my hart that is not ordinarily or superficially thought vpon by me but it is euen my earnest and vehement meditation and desire continually I seeke not mine owne will sayth our Sauiour Christ but the will of the father who hath sent me And let vs thinke that if he did thus that was subiect to no sinne but had receiued all power of God and himselfe was Lord of all what excuse may we haue before his gloriouse face in that high Court of his at the latter day if called into the Kingdom of God and receiued into the adoption of the Sonnes of God we doe not as good children the will of our father but as rebellious wretches euery one his owne will Agayne I came downe from heauen not to doe mine owne will but his will which hath sent me Thus did he as a sonne to his father and thus must we doe if we be sonnes with him And therfore pray we euer and pray we hartely to our heauenly father as here wee are taught Thy will be done For not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Why pray wee that Gods will may bee done and not ours may be done Because our wickednesse is still great in the earth and all the imaginations of the thoughts of our harts by nature are onely euill continually And because the natural man as saith the Apostle perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God For they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can hee knowe them because they are spiritually discerned That is because in truth we are so fallen by our first sinne and our will so corrupted thereby that of our selues wee cannot will the thing that is good no not thinke it but both the will and deede if it be good yea and all our sufficiencie is of him But on the other side the Lords will is all holie and euer holie yea holinesse it selfe and the rule of right for euer Wherfore by good reason we pray as we do Thy will bee done And this being the true ground in deede of our doing let vs by the way consider whether euen this petition assureth not our consciences of their error that say it and of our truth that deny it that in vs or any is left by nature a free will to doe good For are wee not there taught to pray that his will may bee done and not ours We see it And may we contrary to this order pray that our will may bee done that is our owne proper and naturall will Who will say it But I will say it that if I were by nature and of my selfe able to will the thing that is good then might I lawfully and rightly pray that my will might be done Wherefore we see and the world may see how euen this prayer if there were no further proofe yet satisfieth the consciences of men as touching this losse in vs namely of freewill to do or wish good of our selues till the Lord
confessing it to bee their infirmitie as in deede it is And the Lord of comfort worke our comfort Will God then accept some obedience Yet again do you aske mee that Was it not proued euen now that sanctification with imperfection is neuerthelesse true sanctification and accepted But you shew a passion still following the godly minde that what it wisheth to haue it feareth to want and therefore neuer is wearie of proofe to haue what heart desireth Therfore euen agayne I aunswere you that hée doth And be iudge your self Whē the Father cried w t wéeping eyes Lord I beleue helpe my beleefe Did the Lord answer him roughly sirra I accept no imperfecte faith No no he most gratiously accepted his some faith and helped his childe Doe we not reade it to our great comfort what the Lorde badde the Prophet aunswere to Ieroboams wife that came disguised to aske concerning her sicke sonne namelie that he onely of Ieroboam should come to the graue because in him there was some goodnesse toward the Lorde of God of Israel Therefore euen some goodnesse some grace some faith some loue some obedience you see is not ouerlooked of our most mercifull father though it be but little For it is not the quantitie but the qualitie that is not how much but how true that the Lorde regardeth All those eies that looked vpon the brasen Serpent were not alyke great and yet the least eie receyued health by that looking So are not all mens faith alike For the Lorde giueth at his owne good pleasure in greate diuersitie and yet the least being true looketh vppon the true salue of our stings resembled by the brasen Serpent Christ Iesus to eeternall life as wel as y e greatest Though our father chidde them for their little faith yet did he neuer reiect them that had anie Euery poore beggars hand is not alike and yet the least serueth him to take a penie as well as the greatest So shall our hande of faith do I warrant you and therfore reach it out with cheere feare not And what if euen in that little obedience there be also some imperfection mingled Bee it neuer so little if it come from vs be you sure it will haue his dregs and impuritie For euen all our righteousnesse is lyke a stayned cloth But what then O sweete God What did he when the midwiues with a good action intermingled a lie Did hee refuse their good for their euill No no hee receiued their obedience though thus stayned and mercifully hee turned away his face from the other as a deere father that hath an Eagles eie to spy any thing well in his child and euen no eie to see what hee woulde not see beeing the frailties of his chosen children whereof they sigh to bee disburthened And it is a heaten truth and knowen to vs that if hee looked not awaie from imperfections and wrath yea euen winowed as it were his childrens actions keeping the grayne and blowing awaye the chaffe with a breath of mercie in Christ hee shoulde neuer accept any obedience in this world at anie mans hand Alasse then why should wee feare so often and much as we doo and faint since all things are thus comfortable to the Lords children O sir these feares and wreastlings and spirituall struglings that the godly are euer subiect vnto are as the Lordes plowe to breake vp the fallowe grounde of our heartes and to teare them that otherwise would bee whole lumpes vnfit to receyue seede into fine small earth softe and mellowe and fruitfull that no sooner the seede may be throwē in but it sinketh is couered and setteth it selfe to fructifie when otherwise it would not nor could not vpon whole ground but lying onely vppon the outwarde face and not sinking the foules would deuour it or at least it take no rooting And therefore thrice necessarie and profitable are these spirituall buffets nowe and then to worke in vs that broken and contrite heart which the Lorde shall neuer despise To take from vs our stonie hearts and to giue vs fleshie in their places Let them bee then as the Lorde pleaseth espeally when hee hath giuen vs so sweete a promise that hee will neuer lay more vpon vs than hee will make able to beare Lette him plowe vs and bruse vs and breake vs at his pleasure it is the Lord lette him doe what seemeth him best hee knoweth our mould and his mercie helpe vs in all our feares Amen And Amen saie I againe to this prayer leauing you now to your libertie to go forwards with other temptations as you will It is a spirituall tryall many tymes to Gods children to crie and pray and as they thinke not to be heard because their petitions are not by and by graunted But they forget then other deere ones of the Lord and the Lords often practise For Dauid in many Psalmes sayth I crye and thou hearest not Iob sayth When I cry vnto thee thou doest not heare mee neither regardest me when I stand vp The woman of Canaan cried hartely and receiued no comfort of long yet did hee heare her well enough but the ende made amendes and so shall it to vs all as may be our good which he best knoweth and not we It is a temptation to bee heauie harted and wee thinke O Lorde why should I bee thus Surely sorrowe consumeth the life and a cheerefull hart prolongeth our daies But yet we must knowe what befalleth the godly My soule is powred out vppon mee and the daies of affliction haue taken hold vpon me sayth Iob in his heauines Dauids soule was sad and it would not presently be lighted Yea from the endes of the earth sayth he will I call vnto thee when my heart is in heauines My heart is smitten down withered like grasse so that I forget to eate my bread with many such places Sometime for sinne sometime for worldly accidents sorrowe will assault the godly and being men and women we must bee content to indure the smarts incident to our nature Yet euer remembring to holde faith and a Christian measure in all our sadnesse And many times beating it into our mindes that a cheerefull heart pleaseth GOD and man Reioyce in hope sayth the Apostle reioyce in the Lorde reioyce in the Lorde alway againe I say reioyce and euermore reioyce What iterations and dublings are these And if the Lord must bee heard when hee speaketh single how will hee take our deafnes whē he speaketh dubble The fruit of the Spirite is ioye It causeth good health sayth Salomon and refuse it not then The greatnesse of sinne is an other of the vncomfortable meditations now and then of Gods deere ones they fearing and shaking to behold the same least the Lords iustice should breake out against it and consume them But good beloued let vs bee wise as the Lorde would haue vs
of flesh And I wil put my spirit within you cause you to walke in my statutes you shall keepe my iudgements and do them So that then is the greate name of the Lord sanctified you see and hallowed when we doe not onely knowe but doe the things that redound vnto his praise For then they that see our good workes are thereby caused to glorifie God in the daie of the visitation And euen contrariwise agayne if we do not we pollute the name of the Lorde in causing it to sounde euill amongst the wicked and the sinne is grieuous Of which complayneth the Lord by his Prophet Esaie when he saith his name all the daie continuallie is blasphemed and by his Apostle to y e Romanes in diuers other places And the same Apostle charging seruaunts that are vnder the yoake to account their maisters worthy of all honor maketh this the reason why Least the name of God and his doctrine bee euill spoken of And therefore thirdly as wee seeke the one so wee desire to bee able to shun the other in this petition beseeching him in the sense of these wordes that all those things may be remoued ouerturned and taken awaie which prophane blemish or blot that glorie of his either in himselfe or in his workes or in his worde and doctrine Such as are these damnable Atheists of these latter dayes which with theyr ieasts scoffes and mockes deriding all goodnesse do not onely discouer the name of God but to their euerlasting woe in the flames of the burning bottomelesse pit affirming it flatlie in their hearts that there is no God at all Such are they that with their censures will correcte the workes of God and speake euill of them complayne of his prouidence murmure at his iudgmentes carpe and cauill at his worde allure vnto loosenesse and dayly worke disdaine of commaunded obedience which al if they be not reformed are prayed agaynst throughout the world by all the children of God dayly in this petition to the vnspeakable terrour of them if they had grace to thinke of it For how certayne is that vengeaunce which hee that sendeth it biddeth aske and how dreadfull must it needes be and euen importable when it commeth which is so often so earnestlie and by such a number as the whole Church of God on earth is in so many places asked begged and cried for O woe not once thought vpon and yet to be trembled at shall it not be remembred in deede Shall these painted dayes so poyson vs quite with the loue of this world and the fading follyes of a most vncertayne estate that all grace and goodnesse shall be contemned of vs. And whereas the Prophet of God sayde One daie in the courtes of the Lordes house is better than a thousand Wee saie the contrarie that but one houre there is too much though it be but once a weeke nay once in many weekes and one daie in the course of this worlde to the which yet the Apostle sayth Fashion not your selues is better and sweeter and more beseeming a man especiallie a greate man than a thousand in the other Is it likely that euer we wil wish our selues with that Prophet rather doore kéepers in this house of GOD than to dwel in great renowm in the tents of the vngodlie when wee either loure or laugh to be tolde we should come in Can it be hoped that eyther now we doe thinke God often punishing such great contempt with lasting blindnes that they are blessed that dwell in the house of the Lord beeing euer praising of God yea that the verie Swallowes and Sparows that are there are as it were happie and blessed O it is to be feared no. And therefore not Dauids prayer not Dauids spirite neither consequently that election to life whereof that spirit is a certaine pledge Which is terririble inough if God were in vs. Thinke of it and thinke of this agayne with it that al the Church of God through the worlde as I haue sayd praie against vs when wee are thus irreligious and prophane saying Halowed be thy name that is O Lord confound with speedie curse of death and woe eternal all those that not liuing in the laws of thy will cause thy name to heare euil and to be blasphemed in this world Let them perish O Lord let them perish in the lusts of their own hearts and giue thy name his glorie Which if hell haue not alreadie taken possession of vs will pearce vs and make vs think of reformatiō of our selues the Lord in mercy grant it Amen Amen And if it do not tyme passeth and tyme commeth the which two times shal differ as mercy iudgement differ fauour and fury loue and loathing And the worde of the Lorde shall not deceiue vs saying vengeaunce is myne and J wil repay but how soone that knowe not we But well we knowe the Lord is not slacke concerning his promise as some men count slackenes but he is patient toward vs and would haue all men come to repentance and one day is with the Lord as a thousand yeeres and a thousand yeres as one day and this day will come But now I pray you let me moue a doubt or two vnto you And first why the Church of God should pray that the Lords name may bee halowed which is already euer was and shalbe most holy pure and glorious Because we do not pray it in respect of him but of our selues and others such as we are for the Lord in deed is holy neither can any thing be added to that holines or glory of him to make it more but wee doe not know it so much as we should do neither speak of it and imitate it as we ought and therfore we pray that as he is in déede so more and more it may appeare and shine out to the world all lettes and hinderances being taken away that his due prayse may bee giuen vnto him of vs that is wee pray not in this petition that any holynes may bee added to his name that already it hath not but that as it is in it selfe in deede and euer so we may haue grace to see and confesse and more and more dayly may be reueiled and manifested to this worlde For the Lord is sayde to sanctifie vs either inwardly or outwardly Inwardly by his spirit outwardly by his word and this againe either by seperating vs from our sinnes quickning vs by his holy Spirit or continuance of them both An other doubt is why it shoulde be sayd in that place And he that is vniust let him be vniust still and he which is filthy let him be filthy still Seeing here we are taught to pray and all men that our liues may be holy and pure euer to the end his glorious name may haue prayse thereby That place you meane is not so