of God is to account him glorious so that when we pray Hallowed be thy Name our desire is that Gods name which is holy of it selfe may be so accounted of us and be holily used by us And whereas he saith not glorificetur or magnificetur nomen tuum glorified or magnified by thy Name but sanctificetur hallowed or sanctified be thy Name it is to the end that we receiving the sanctification of Gods spirit might have a holy regard of his Name for things may be accounted great and glorious by those which are accounted neither great nor glorious but sanctificetur cannot come from any persons that are prophane but onely such persons as are holy therefore the Angels in heaven cry not Glorious Glorious but Holy Holy Holy Esay 6. The title that Aaron ware upon his breast was not Glory but Holinesse unto the Lord Exod. 28. And the foure beasts ceased not to cry day and night Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty Rev. 4.8 The duties which pertaine to the sanctifying of Gods name are two First that against which we do Deprecari or pray to be removed secondly that for which wee do pray or desire to be granted First wee are to pray that we may not use the name of God which is Wonderfull and Holy either contemptuously to Magicke or cursing or negligently abuse it upon any slight occasion because that holy things are to be separated from a common use and are not to be used but when necessity requireth We see by experience that the holy name of God hath not that reverence which it ought to have and therefore the persons which do take it in vaine do oftentimes pull upon themselves the plagues and vengeance of God by that sinne for God doth in justice punish such offenders not because the name of God can receive any pollution by mens default but because we doe quantum in nobis est as farre as in us lyeth pollute the holy name of God even as hee that looketh after a woman to lust after her hath already committed the sinne of uncleannesse although she be not a whit the lesse chaste for his lust Mat. 5. The Heathen faile in this duty because they do appropriate the name of God to foure-footed beasts Rom. 1.23 And change the glory of God who is incorruptible into the similitude of mortall man The Jew sinneth because he contemnes the name of JESUS which is a name above all names Phil. 2. and despiseth the name of CHRIST the preciousnesse whereof appeareth herein by that that it is Oleum effusum an ointment powred out Cant. 1. But as we are to pray against the contemptuous abuse of Gods name so we are to pray that we do not negligently or carelesly use it without that reverent estimation and regard that is due to it that we tread not under feete the Sonne of God nor account of the blood of the Testament whereby we are fanctified as a common thing Heb. 10.29 Secondly Moses and Aaron were debarred from entring into the land of Canaan not because they polluted Gods name but for that they did not sanctifie the Lord among the children of Israel at the waters of strife Deut. 32.51 Therefore as we pray against the contempt and negligent use of Gods name so we must pray that we may have a due regard of it First that we sanctifie Gods name in our hearts 1 Pet. 3. Secondly we must not use the name of God with our tongues but seriously and therefore we are forbidden to take it in vain in the third Commandement Thirdly in all our actions we must not begin any thing that is extraordinary but in the Name of the Lord that made heaven and earth Psal 124. and men must referre the end of them to the Glory of his name 1 Cor. 10. God whose name is called upon by us is holy and Christ of whom we are called Christians Act. 11. is holy therefore we must sanctifie God in our actions Neither do we pray that we our selves onely may sanctifie Gods name but that others also may do the same for Christ saith not Sanctisicemus let us sanctifie but Sanctificetur let thy name be sanctified This is it whereunto the Prophet exhorteth Laudate Dominum omnes Gentes Laudate Dominum omnes populi Psal 100. and Psal 117. Praise the Lord all yee Nations praise him all yee people that is for persons For places The Lords name be praysed from the rising of the Sunne to the going downe of the same Psal 113. Thirdly for the time Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth for evermore Psal 113. But because it cannot generally be sanctified except it be known we must desire that all may know God and pray with the Prophet Let thy way be knowne upon earth and thy saving health among all Nations Psal 67. Secondly not to know it only but cheerfully to go forward in the profession of Gods truth and in the worship of his name Thou hast multiplyed the people but not increased their joy Esay 9.2 But wee are to pray that as all Nations know his name so that they may so carry it and professe it as that the Heathen may not have occasion to say scoffingly Populus Dei est iste Ezek. 36.20 We must desire of God that all that professe his name may so carry themselves that for their sakes the name of God may not be evill spoken of among the Gentiles Rom. 2. But contrariwise that they may shine as lights in the world among a froward and crooked generation Phil. 2. That they may by their good workes stirre up all men to glorifie our heavenly Father Matth. 5. and by their good conversation without the word winne those that obey not the Word 1 Pet. 3.2 We are to desire that such as have not yet cared to performe this duty may now begin that such as have begun to sanctifie Gods name may goe forwards and that such as are fallen away from God and pollute that holy Name which sometimes they did highly esteeme may resipiscere that being renewed by repentance they may recover themselves out of Relapses that they may be of the society of Angels that cry continually Holy Holy Holy Esay 6. Rev. 4. We must be carefull not for our selves onely but for those over whom we have power that they may sanctifie Gods name and account it holy that the Heathen may not take occasion to pollute the holy name of the Lord saying Are these the people of the Lord but that while they behold our good conversation they may have occasion to say Verily God is in you 1 Cor. 14.1 Cor 14.25 Thirdly Tuum nomen thy name men are given generally to give a kind of honour to God but in the meane time they will have themselves honoured but here they are taught otherwise It is our duty to ascribe all glory to God Non nobis sed nomini tuo da gloriam Not unto us O Lord not unto us
lipps be as Psal 45.2 the pen of a ready writer and our tongue a Trumpet to sound his praise And not only these but also in outward action It is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that light Mat. 5.16 that our works may be as the works of him that our tongues may be declares of Gods glory as Psal 19.1 the Heavens and firmament are Now wee come to the commandement which hath two parts 1. a Precept 2. a Penalty To declare the precept we must learne what these three words meane 1. Name of God 2. Take 3. In Vaine For the Name of God which being a word as properly belonging to the Tongue so the duty of the tongue is commanded in it it is a word as the Heathen saith per quod cognoscimus alios ab illis cognoscimur by which wee both know and are knowne of others and consequently it is a word of distinction whereby wee distinguish a thing from all other things And that is the proper use of it and the first according to which use the Name of God is set downe diversly in the Scriptures 2 uses in the Bible It is best set downe in Exod. 34.6.7 he protesteth to proclaime his name when he cryeth Jehova Jehova c. his name there is of three sorts 1. in respect of his Essence Jehova 2. in respect of his Attributes or Adjuncts which be of two sorts affirmative as misericors omnipotens aeternus mercifull omnipotent eternall 2. â—egalize as infinite invisible incomprehensible c. and all those names that made Dionysius to write de Theologia negativa of negative Divinity and those that belong to his qualities as they doe denominate 3. in respect of his works Creator Redeemer Sanctifier c. and they are vers 7. And to these three may be referred whatsoever may be read of his name Now this very Name is reverently to be used Of every of these names may it be said as the Angell said to Manoah Jud. 13.18 that it is most fearfull And if the Angell Jud. 13.18 appearing to Manoah sayd to him inquiring after his Name Search not after my name for it is fearefull much more is the name of the Lord fearefull and cannot be knowne It is no question as it is Deut. 28.58 so it is If thou wilt not doe all these words that are written in this booke if thou wilt not beare reverence to this name The Lord thy God then there followeth a Catalogue of Plagues in that place Now if that be reverenced then the second use of his name is much more to be reverenced because men are onely knowne or distinguished by it that some duty might some way be done to them that is not done to any other We must take heed of the Pharisees distinction Matth. 5.33 concerning this name that except he did sweare by the Lord Jehova and take the very Name of God in his mouth he was safe from this commandement but there a man might sweare by the Heavens or Earth or Jerusalem because they were not the Name of God therefore that that maketh this Name is that wee call a Good name in English or Credit in private men but those that are in higher places as the dialect of Princes is their glory magnificence majestie c. as in Jer. 13.11 that they might have a name and praise and glory For the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of praise and glory and the common phrase of that tongue is this that if a man be in credit he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of Name a man of credit a famous person This good name hath a more extra ordinary commendation annexed to it according to the glory of the person so riseth this name as the Apostle reasoneth Heb. 1.4 that Christ was so much above the Angells in glory as he had received a more excellent Name then they and Gen. 17.5 it is the practise of God when he would exalt Abraham from an Harlot to his Church and establish the church in his house and make him Father of the faithfull then because he was more glorious he giveth him a more glorious name Thou shalt no more bee called Abram but Abraham c. And wee see the like Gen. 35.10 Jacobs name is changed to Israel a name of more dignity Then the second use is of good report if it be of private men For a private man it is a pleasure to have a good name Eccles 7.1 A good name is better then a good oyntment The especiall thing to keep a mans name because it was it that was most usuall and most esteemed in those dayes and for treasure and profit Pro. 22.1 A mans name is better then either silver or gold The other name may be changed as Abrahams and Jacobs but this is such as may not be forgon for neither pleasure nor profit And it is not onely of Gods Law but also of mans the Heathen could see the excellency of this for they say Interesse famae est majus omni alio interesse the weight of a mans good report goeth beyond and above all weight And further as a Father saith Fama pari passu cum vita ambulat goeth cheek by joll with his life Man seeth this that it is greatly to be magnified so Psal 138.2 Thou hast magnified thy name above all things by thy word So that indeed it is the glory of God that is chiefly here intended and secondly his very name 2. Non assumis c. thou shalt not take To understand it fully it is the scarcity of our tongue Take that the word is no better expressed For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence it commeth hath a double use and to these two may be referred whatsoever is borrowed It signifieth properly to take up to lift up and that two sorts of things First it is applyed to a standard or banner and secondly to an heavy thing as a burthen And indeed these two kindes of things are they that wee take away or remove If any thing be glorious we are content commonly to take and lift it up And on the other side if there be any thing that is necessary and that we have use of though it be heavy and weighty yet we will lift it so that the one is in rebus gloriosis the other in rebus necessariis On the contrary if they be neither glorious nor necessary we let them lye the first use the glory of it is set downe Exod. 28.37 God saith there must be a Plate and in it must be written SANCTITAS JEHOVAE Holinesse to the LORD and it must be removed to Aarons forehead as it must stand in the Myter of Aaron And Moses in Exo. 17.15 called the Altar Jehovah nissi from a word of great affinity The Lord isour standard that is lifted up as glorious things as the badge of any Nobleman it is lifted up on the shoulders of their servants to be seen For the other use for
created all things and for his wills sake they all were created Rev. 4.11 So we cannot pray to him aright except above all things and in the first place we seeke for the sanctification of his Name In respect of God himselfe there is no cause why we should make this petition on his behalfe for as the Prophet saith Thou hast no need of any goods Psal 16.1 So he stands not in need of any thing that can come to him by our meanes if we would wish him any profit the earth is his and all that is therein Psal 24. If pleasure there is with him torrens voluptatis a River of pleasure Psalm 16.11 Wherefore albeit that in his owne essence and nature he be perfect yet extrinsecus assumpsit sibi nomen he tooke himselfe a name from without he calls himselfe the Lord Almighty not that any terme can sufficiently expresse him and his essence but to the end that while wee have a reverend regard of his Name hee might receive some service at our hands The account that men do make of their name is such as Salomon saith A good name is more to be desired then great treasure it is more worth then pretious oyntment Eccles 7.1.5 God accounts that we do not onely greatly profit him but do procure great delight and pleasure to him when we reverence his holy name which how pretious it is it doth appeare hereby that he setteth the hallowing of his name before his kingdome Many of the Kings subjects that are in the farthest parts of the land never see his face all their life time and yet in reverence to his name are ready to make long journeyes to appeare when they are commanded in his name and so it fareth with us that live on earth for Deum nemo vidit unquam Joh. 18. Nay very few are admitted to see his back-parts Exod. 33. But though wee cannot see his face yet as those are counted dutifull subjects that do not onely reverence the Princes person but obey such commandements as come in his name so looke what duty wee do to Gods name here on earth he reckons it to be as good service as that which is performed by the Angels in heaven that alwaies behold his face Mat. 18. And reason it is that we should esteeme of Gods name for as in time of trouble Turris altissima nomen Domini the Name of the Lord is a strong Tower Prov. 18.10 So being delivered once of danger yet we are sure of the salvation of our soules and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 6. Besides there is no other name given under heaven by which men can be saved Act. 4. And therefore ought by good right to receive sanctification of us Howbeit we may not hereupon ground that errour which some gather upon these words Ephes 1. where it is said That God hath thosen us in Christ to the praise of the glory of his grace not that God is desirous of vaine-glory he is not to receive any thing from us but contrary-wise as he is good so he is desirous to communicate his goodnesse to us but the care that he hath for the sanctifying of his name ariseth from the duty which man oweth unto him In which regard such as have beene most religious in all times have reared up Altars and set up Temples in honour of Gods Name The account of this Petition is that which maketh the difference betwixt the Papists and religious people betweene Heretickes and the true worshippers of God that the one esteemeth highly of the Name of God the other doth not We usually account of mens names according to the worth of their persons but God himselfe is holy therefore he tels us that his name also is holy as the Prophet saith Holy and reverent is his Name Psal 111.9 and Psal 9.9 and it is not onely holy in it selfe but it gives holinesse unto all things that are holy The word of God is holy because it is published in nomine Dei wherefore the name of God being holy in it selfe needs not be hallowed by us that can neither adde holinesse to it nor take any from it but when God willeth us to hallow his Name it is to prove us that by glorifying his Name we may shew how we glorifie God himselfe and what reckoning we make of him that God may have proofe how we do with the Virgin magnifie God our Saviour Luk. 2. and how we do glorifie God in our bodies and in our spirits 1 Cor. 6. The Name of God must be considered in two sorts either as it is expressed by the terme of Lord Father Lord Almighty or else as it is expressed in such things as beare his name as he speaketh of Moses Exod. 23. Behold I will send my Angel before thee beware of him and heare his voyce c. quia nomen meum est in eo Touching the expressed name of God whether it be Father which importeth his goodnesse or Lord which implyeth his power as we may not account basely of them so we must not use them lightly and negligently but upon just occasion The things that have the name of God impressed and imprinted in them are either those persons which have their denomination of God either joyntly as the Church which is called sancta Ecclesia Dei or severally as the Priest of whom Moses saith Let thy Urim and thy Thummim bee with thy holy one Deut. 33. The Priests are called holy because they are consecrated to the Lord In which respect as in the old Testament they are called viri Dei so in the New they are vasa nominis Dei vessels of the name of God as the Lord speakes in a vision touching Saul to Ananias That he was a chosen vessell to beare the Name of God among the Gentiles Act. 9.15 Secondly those places are said to be Gods which are consecrated to holy uses as the Sanctuary which is Domus Dei and all those places where he puts the remembrance of his Name and whither he promiseth that he will come to blesse his people that are assembled there for his worship Exod. 20. Thirdly those times which are kept holy to the Lord as the Sabbath which is dies Domini Rev. 1. Fourthly the Word of God preached in Gods name Fifthly the Element consecrated in the Sacrament for a holy use called therefore panis Dei Joh. 6. In all these there is an impression of Gods name and therefore we must not lightly account of them but shew great reverence to them that thereby we may testifie the high and reverent regard and estimation we have of God himselfe for sanctification is when God is said to magnifie or glorifie It signifies to make great and glorious so when sanctification is given to him it betokeneth to make holy but when we are said to sanctifie that is to account holy when we magnifie God that is magnifacere Deum to esteeme greatly of God and our glorifying
est sua peccata patriae suorum quantum fiori potest tegere all of nothing So for a man to come to this that he wil not conceale his fathers mothers or friends faults to speake against his owne country and countrymen yea against himselfe is against the nature of man cannot be wrought in man but by a supernaturall cause This we see the holy men in the Scriptures did It is naturall to every man so farre as he can to cover his owne faults and the faults of his Countrey and friends Moses when no necessity bound him confessed that he came of a cursed stocke spared not his brother Aarons fault in making the Calfe but committed it to writing spared not his sister Miriam in the cause of murmuring no not his owne fault in murmuring against the Lord at the waters of strife Numb 11.11 dispossessed his owne children and would not have them to succeed him in the Magistracy a very unnaturall thing but preferred Ioshua yea he put by his owne Tribe and the Tribe of Iuda and preferred Ephraim This is not able to agree with the naturall man but must come from an higher cause Therefore the writers of these bookes must be inspired by God 10. Whereas the whole drift of the greatest Philosophers and most learned men was to teach how Kings should enlarge their Kingdomes and to be in credit with Princes and great men this teacheth that life is the contempt of life It teacheth the contempt of the world and worldly honours The Prophets they never sought to be in favour with Princes but were so farre from that that they answered them not so much to that they asked as to that they should have asked therefore this is supernaturall Therefore the true way and from God not from man Against the Iewes The next point as God is a Spirit so must his worship be spirituall so we finde in the Scriptures not onely forbidding of images and shadowes but also a flat negative And as in the case of Gods unity though false religion may agree with the true in the first point yet not in the second so in this regard howsoever they exclude images yet they fault in this that all their worship is ceremoniall bodily and rituall consisting in matters of ablution and outward types And though there be types in the old Testament yet he proclaymeth every where that he abhorreth them for he will have a contrite heart and onely the circumcision of the heart Therefore as man is bodily and his notions fall into the compasse of the body so as that worship that commeth from him is bodily whereas the worship that commeth from God is spirituall 2. To this may be added that of Miracles and Oracles to confirme this religion as the other did in confirming their religion They were not done in corners but in the sight of Pharao in the middest of all his servants 2. Againe they were not frivolous but they that have felt them have got good by them 3. They are not imitable nor expressible by the art of man as the dividing of the red Sea the causing the Sunne to stand still in Ioshuahs time the making of Ahaz Diall to goe backe 10. degrees both which Areopageta saith are in the Persian Oracles The raining of Manna from Heaven Iannes and Iambres were not able to imitate Moses For Oracles of the Gentiles they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 philippise Oracles speake as King Philip would have them and that they were very ambiguous and needed Delio natatore the Swimmer the Interpreter Apollo to expound them Therefore Porphyry said that their Oracles commonly had Posticum a backe-dore These doe not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 philippise are not doubtfull need no Delius natator the Swimmer the Interpreter Apollo Last most of the heathens Oracles came not to passe but in the Scriptures they came all to passe some three hundred yeeres before some 500. some a thousand some three thousand as the dilatation of Iapheth which happened not before the calling of the Gentiles And this for confirmation both of the old and new Testament common to the Jewes aswell as to us those that follow are proper to Christian religion 1. Aug. 23. de eivitate Dei out of Porphyrie de regressu animae of the regresse of the soule the greatest enemy that ever the Church had That it is no true religion that doth not yeeld a sufficient purgation to the soule of man Moreover he addeth there that the Platonists received from the Chaldees that the purgation of the soule of man cannot be nisi per principia but by the principles we know that Plato his principles were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the father the mind love an enignaticall speech of our Trinity But this i. the purgation of the soule of man no religion teacheth but ours for it teacheth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word tooke upon him sinfull flesh to purge away the sins of man therefore ours the true all the rest are meerely bodily for all their exorcismes and sacrifices are bodily and not spirituall and so withall the God of the Christians is not like to the heathen gods for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one who loveth man i. he delighteth not in cutting mens throats or burning them to afhes as their divels had virgins babes old men young men good men offered up to them And the sacrifices of beasts in the old law were onely used for two respects 1. That they might be types of those things that are in the Gospell 2. To be an admonition to men to shew them that they have deserved to be thus killed and sacrificed God was so farre from having men to be sacrificed to him that he himselfe came downe to give himselfe a Sacrifice for our sinnes And what greater love can be then for a man to give his life for that he loveth for his friend therefore no greater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love to man then this In a witnesse two things required 1. Skill 2. Honesty 1. Ioh. 1.1 Now for the Gospell 1. For the witnesses In a witnesse two things required 1. Skill 2. Honesty First for the skill There is never a one of them but can say we write and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which we have heard which we have seene with our eyes which we have looked upon and which our hands have handled Not as Homer Plato and the rest that had their things from other and by report And withall the writers of the Scriptures writing them when the world bare greatest hatred against them and yet never any durst write any booke against Moses in his time or against the Gospell in these daies And de probitate testis concerning the honesty of a witnesse The honesty of a witnesse there can be no better reason given then that Tacitus giveth That they testifie best quibus nullum est mendacii pretium that have nothing for their labour
of the Rocke so they had also the signes of the Gospell Their being under the Cloud and passing through the Sea like to our baptisme Manna to Christ his body the water out of the rocke to his blood The order of the uses of the law Opoâ—tet vocare ad calculum We must câ—ll to an account 1. Vse of the law Yet two necessary points That where there is no perfection in the law through the imperfection of nature yet it is â—aedagogus ad Christum a schoolmaster to Christ To make this more plaine Christs wise dome must be ours That a man must often call himselfe to accounts how he hath used his talent Matth. 25.14 God is compared to a Housholder that will take account of his servants of those talents that he delivered to them at his departure We must vocare talenta nostra ad calculum call our talents to account and not doe as the wicked and foolish servant that is noted of great folly for hiding his talent in the ground Then for the first use of the law it is our Tabula supputationum table of accounts It containeth our credita debita what things are owen to thee and what thou owest it s the table that we must cast our accounts by it sheweth us where we are and telleth us our accounts est remedium ignorantiae a remedy of ignorance Now because it sheweth us that our debt is much greater then we are able to pay and that it sheweth us the strength of sinne 1 Cor. 15.56 that it is so strong that it bringeth us to that Revel 2.5 Memor esto unde excideris remember whence thou art fallen shewing us our miserable estate the image of God from whence we are fallen and hell into which we shall fall whereof the one will worke in us a griefe the other a horrour the law is that if our debt be greater then we are able to pay our goods children and our selves must be sold and payment made 4. When it hath once gotten us to this that we may be condemned in the whole summe Secundus legis usuâ— ducit nos ad Christum ducit nos ad aeneum serpentem 2. Vse of the law leads us to the brasen serpent Christ The covenant of faith being entered into us then have we this use of the law 1. It puts us in mind of the great deliverance of Christ from the law 2. It granteth grace in that measure that is required in this life The law sheweth the finne and the remedy Exod. 20.1 c. when sinne and we have reckoned it hath her minister and Scrivener the conscience to subscribe and set seale to this great debt And thus will the 3. use of the Law come that it will be humiliator an humbler And so as it is Gal. 3.23 It shutteth us up in the dungeon and imprisoneth us and this is a remedium superâ—iae a remedie of pride Then commeth in the second use of the law That forasmuch as we see our condemnation is just and that we can never discharge so great an account it maketh us seeke for a surety to defray the whole summe for us It doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drive us to thinke of a surety namely to the brazen Serpent as Moses did the Jewes that is Christ And of these two uses two other uses will follow 1. It serveth us as an Arrow shot into us to put us in remembrance of our great deliverance and guideth us over the billes of accounts that we seeing that much is forgiven us might love much The other Psal 119.59 to teach Quid retribuam Domino What shall I render to the Lord to turne our selves into his pathes and to draw no more debt upon Christ then needs The preface of the Law ANd God spake all these words and said c. till the 18. verse The summe of all these words and in effect the body of the law containes two parts The style verse 2. I am the Lord thy God c. 2. The charge which receiveth the whole ten precepts In every law according to the positions in mans law is required 1. Wisedome 2. Authority For the wisdome of God Deut. 4.8 And what Nation is so great a Nation that hath Ordinances and Lawes so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day Moses challengeth all the lawes and the Nations of the World The wisdome of a law is best seene and tryed by the sufficiency of it For his authority it is rerum agendarum telum This is alwaies the preface of every law and is here in the second verse In every edict and Proclamation the beginning is with the stile of the Prince whereby he challengeth by his prerogative Royall to doe what he list For this authority is the common reason of the whole charge of the law and is annexed to every Commandement that hath a reason as to the 2 Where there is a reason given it is from hâ—s authority 3 4. For I the Lord thy God c. For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse For in six daies the Lord made Heaven and Earth c. And if it be true that men need not a reason to perswade them to a benefit then surely not to this because it is a benefit and a priviledge as Psal 147. v. last He hath not dealt so with any Nation neither have the Heathen knowledge of his lawes Yet it pleaseth God to adde his reason from his owne person though indeed profit be a sufficient Orator Chap. 19 v. 2 3 4 10 12 14 16 18 25 28 30 31 32 34 37. Chap. 20. v. 7 24 26. Chap. 21. of Leviticus v. 8 12 15 23. The reason of the new Testament annexed Rom. 14.11 Phil. 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For it is written as I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow unto me of things in Heaven and things in Earth and things under the Earth and every tongue shall confesse to God The parts of the preface In this stile or authority are three parts according to three titles The first title of his Name Jehovah Secondly the title of his jurisdiction Thy God Thirdly the title of that notable act he did last Which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt c. Such prefaces in their Edicts and Statutes doe earthly Princes use 1. Is the name of the Prince Caius Caesar 2. The jurisdiction Emperour or King of such a Countrey 3. The last noble act he did as when the Romans had overcome Germany every Caesar was called Germanicus or when they had overcome Affrica Scipio Affricanus Scipio the conquerour of Affrica And alwaies the last triumph did drive out all the former For the Name first Jehovah I Jehovah not I am Jehovah It argueth his nature power and benefits Thou art Lord. The name of his nature it cannot be denied Psal 83.18 That they may know that thou whose Name is Jehovah it is communicable to no
himselfe after he had set his house in order The meanes of the wise men brought to nought More plaine in Esay 19.11 the meanes of the wisemen are brought to nought the wise counsellors of Aegypt the Lord in fatuavit eos the Lord hath made them give foolish counsell and Psalm 20.7 8. Some put their trust in Charriots and some in Horses but we will remember the name of the Lord our God They have stumbled and are fallen but we are risen and stand upright And as here are cursed by God the ordinary meanes as cloth food Physick wisedome c. So God to shew how little he dependeth on his secondary causes doth oft times bring his purpose to passe without meanes There is no defect of vertue in the Lord though there be a defect of meanes in nature Yea and sometimes contrary to the nature of the meanes as Iosh 6.20 in the fall of the Walls of Jericho it is attributed to the blast of Rammes hornes The like is Judg. 3.13 by the tale of a dreame of a Barly loafe tumbling from above into the host of Madian and overthrowing one of the Tents and the exposition thereof Gedeon with three hundred men with Trumpets in their hands and empty pitchers and lamps within their pitchers very unfit weapons for the warres put to flight all the Madianites and made them to runne upon themselves so 2 Kings 7.6 the whole host of the King of Syria was put to flight none pursuing them but a pannicus terror a pannick terrour came upon them on the sudden which was by a certaine imagination that they thought they heard a noyse of Chariots and Horses and a noyse of a great army that the Hittites and the Aegyptians came against them to helpe Israel And seing then God giveth meanes when he will and worketh without them when he will wee must trust in him whether wee have the meanes or no A Protestation of the Prophet David and therefore that wee should be like affected as David was Psal 3.6 though he were in the midst of 10000. men of warre compassed about with them on every side yet he would not feare but as it is in the end of the 4. Psal lay him downe and sleepe trusting in the safety of the Lord How the children of God ar◠to stand affected when they have no meanes and as Exod. 14.13 Moses counselleth the children of Israel when the Aegyptians pursued them with their Chariots though their enemies were behind them and the Red sea on the one side and the Wildernesse on the other that there was no way for them to escape yet to stand still and to put their trust in the Lord and they should see the power of the Lord as they did So Rom. 4.19.20.21 the Apostle being to shew a patterne of true faith setteth downe before us Abraham that had no meanes either in his wife or in himselfe his wife was barren 1. by nature and 2. by age himselfe 100. yeares old past the age of getting children yet neither considering the deadnesse of Sarahs Wombe nor of his owne body held fast by faith the promise of God nothing doubting of the same which God tooke not from him therefore he received the blessing in Isaac The naturall man if once his meanes begin to faile either he falleth into despaire or else flyeth to indirect and evill meanes And as wee must thus trust in God when wee see no meanes so must wee be sure to be farre from the way of the wicked Who if God once faile then do they not only lose their hope they have in his meanes but cast him away too and berake themselves to his enemie and his evill meanes Such meanes are of those who in despaire of their health leave God and his lawfull meanes and flye to Sorcerers c. Esa 8.19 it is shewed there There is a restraint for seeking meanes at sorcerers hands that it is condemned 1. Chron. 10.13 the casting away of Saul out of his kingdome and out of the favour of God and his damnation both in body and soule is ascribed to that that he sought and asked counsell of a Familiar Beside these if any do that which Esay saith Esa 29.15 of them that turne Devises and digge deepe their counsells that men may not see them but they know that it is but a turne and a wrong Devise and therefore Woe is pronounced against them and God knoweth the deepe fetches of policie of such men as thinke they deceive God as they deceive men Over reachers in bargaining this is common so Esa 8.12 there is another meanes confederacie a suppressing of those that have gifts and that is their strength for bringing to passe of lewd things an unlawfull meanes and condemned Another to make vantage of a mans oversight as the money that many can get by that meanes when they have once got it it is their owne wee must rather harken to his counsell 1. Thes 4.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that no man go beyond and desraud his brother in any matter to be able to circumvent a man in dealing it is condemned And when none of these meanes will serve then our last refuge is that Jer. 18.18 come this Jeremie troubleth us wee must have a devise against him and that is this let us smite him with our tongues that is let us raise up some slanderous reports of him let us slander him and so he shall not be better thought off then wee and so none will give eare to his words But there is a bitter prayer of the Prophet against them which God no doubt heard vers 19. to the end of the Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beleife in healy things If in compassing of earthly things we can beare we shall also beare in the compassing of heavenly things whether the means be with us or not with us Wee returne now to that wee said in the beginning hereby wee shall know if it please God to blesse us with that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith in heavenly matters i.e. if in the compassing of earthly things and in our earthly dealings wee can put our trust in the Lord wee must not be Leo in villa Prov. 22.13 and think that our hornes can cast downe much and so consequently that wee need not meanes but if the meanes be with us wee can trust in the Lord so if wee have them not yet to put our trust in God Another thing is they can be without them themselves in respect of themselves they are very confident but if it once come to semen nostrum either flesh or profit there is a distrust and it is to be feared that many that might have beene saved in the state of single life have fallen from God and hazarded their owne salvation by mistrusting that God will not as well provide for their children Many for their children have brought themselves into hazzard of their salvation as
uses also for first either they are spurres and provocations to do good and secondly if wee doe good to be our comforters to cherish the thoughts of the heart so there is a beginning of blisse here The first of them is Feare toward God the reason because the word of God being the object of faith Timor inter affectiones prima the prime affection is feare Because the affections have their prius posterius their first and last Looke what object is first that affection is first according to this conclude because Gods justice was first proclaymed therefore feare first to be handled There is a faith in Moses i. e. the knowledge of Gods justice 1. Moses his feare And these 2. are properly attributed to feare Why God set justice first to be apprehended Whether wee take it whole and in grosse or the five books of Moses before the foure Gospells or in the very beginning wee see our faith apprehendeth in the order of the word that in what day soever thou shalt eat of the fruit of the tree thou shalt die before the other the seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head So the Justice of God offereth it selfe first to be handled which justice the knowledge that is by faith apprehending armed with the other eight attributes to make it seeme more fearefull considering it with them and the conscience telling us that man hath taken of the forbidden fruit necessary it is that feare come out of this consideration and consequently be in us for our transgressions It is that which before was said Joh. 3. â—6 si crederetis Moysi crederetis mihi if yee beleeved Moses yee would beleeve mee first Moses must be beleeved and then Christ The first is a faith in Gods justice There is a most manifest example of this Jonah 3.5 crediderunt Deo timuerunt they beleeved God and feared which is nothing else but a faith in Gods justice They of the later writers giving to faith 6. motives make the two first and especiall these 2. contritionem a grinding to powder by feare by that knowledge the law being apprehended Psal 119.120 the Prophet telleth us what is the true object of feare My flesh trembleth for feare of the O Lord I am humbly afraid of thy judgments this effect is of faith in the justice of God The reason why it pleased God to set justice first to be apprehended and feare is that before any matter be brought to passe that that hindreth must be taken away Have God wee cannot because Esa 59.2 there is a separation betweene him and us and as it is said Ephes 2.14 there is a great partition wall betwixt therefore wee cannot have him Causae prohiâ—entes expellentes pâ—â—catum The causes which hinder the growth of sinne are 1. Timor feare Now as wee should looke for him that should breake downe so if wee will have it broken downe it is expedient that wee should not build it higher therefore wee must cease to heape sinne upon sinne and looke for Christ to breake downe that which is already built That that causeth us to cease from sinne is the feare of God Prov. â— 13 expulsor peccati timor domini the feare of the Lord teacheth us to hate evill not saying as it is Rom. 6.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What shall we say then shall we continue in sinne that grace may abound therefore this is the reason why God commandeth feare because it makes to leave sinne There are besides this two other reasons and two other affections but it pleased God to make choyce of this here for not onely feare but shame and griefe or paine cause men to leave an evill thing but they that are moved neither with shame nor griefe with feare are moved For shame Psal 83.16 the Prophets prayer is Fill their faces O Lord with shame 2. Pudor shame that they may seeke thy name for griefe Esa 28.19 vexatio dabit intellectum if a man smart for it experience will teach him understanding 3. Dolor griefe Puder tollitur multitudine peccantium dolorem tollit aut certe mitigat volupâ—â— terrena But wee know that in multitude of offenders there is no place for shame therefore that cannot prevaile seeing the world is full of offenders and for paine we have terrenas consolatiunculas some few worldly pleasures to beate it out or at the least to season it but feare which it pleaseth God here to require at our hands is that when these faile it faileth not as we see it hath prevailed in evill men yea in beasts Gen. 3.10 Adam walked up and downe in Paradise with comfort enough though he had Fig-leaves and was naked his humbling came not to any perfection till he heard the voyce of the Lord comming toward him Acts 24.25 Felix the Deputy being a very ill man and an Heathen we see he fell into a trembling on a discourse of Pauls concerning justice and temperance and other vertues and especially of the judgements of God This were somewhat but that it moveth beasts also and that beast in which there is most brutishnesse Numb 22.23.25 27. Balaams Asse being in feare of the Angel of the Lord that stood in the way while there was roome enough on both sides ranne aside out of the way when there was no roome 〈◊〉 that one might passe by another he rubs the Prophets foote against the wall and when there was no way at all to escape the Angel of the Lord he falleth downe flat under him and though he were sore beaten yet he could not be made to runne upon the Angels sword no stripes can drive an Asse where he seeth danger to be to runne into that danger but he will be sooner killed with stripes then move Yet beyond these as that Iam. 2.19 that howsoever all other things are not brought forth out of the Devils yet feare commeth of their faith Daemones credunt contremiscunt the Devils beleeve and tremble therefore this must needs bee a most forcible meanes and he is far gone and in a very fearfull case that feareth not You will happily say but God speaketh much of love that were a better way to be brought by love to obedience and beliefe Objection Responded It is true It is a farre better way but the case is so that love will not prevaile with us for he that doth love a good thing Solution must have a knowledge of it and by his knowledge a taste of it and if his taste be infected as in a Fever they that are troubled with it are delighted with nothing but that which seemeth good to the corrupted state and if wholsome meate be offered them yet they love it not If the love be infected there is no love of that which is profitable unlesse it agree with their corrupted taste and consequently cannot be brought by love to taste of the wholsome meate yet this reason will be
is in no man else and in another there is that good and such a gift as is not in me and so I to honour it So is the place to the Philip. understood or in regard of the great masse of corruption in me may say with the Apostle Quorum ego maximus of whom I am chiefe But to submit the better to the worse as the gift of grace in me to the gift of nature in another or the good gift of nature in me to the evill gift of nature in another that is not Gods minde Meanes to Humility There is no grace in us that God might not have put in any other creature The meanes are manifold but they may be reduced to these 1. From the state of our bodies grounded upon good reason Basil in his Hexemeron saith that mans life is nothing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Schoolehouse of humility his ground is out of Psal 8.4 where the Prophet comparing his body with the body of the heavens and the spheres falleth into an admiration why God chose his body rather to put a reasonable soule into it then any of the celestiall bodies and out of Gen. 18.27 I have begunne to speake to my Lord and am but dust and ashes * * * Our nature is but an heap of dust and ashes and therefore Augustin cryeth out Good Lord what should move thee to give such an excellent soule to my body which is but a peece of clay passing over the glorious body of the Sunne the Moone and the Starres and all the celestiall spheres and to bestow it upon a pottle of choler and fleame and the Philosopher saith O homo si considerares quid per os quid per nares per reliquas corporis partes exiret nunquam tam turpe sterquilinium reperires O man consider but what filthinesse comes forth from thy mouth what from thy nostrils and what from the other parts of thy body and thou wilt easily see that there is no such dunghill as thy selfe 2. From the state of our soules Luke 18.13 Lord have mercie on me a sinner and as a Father well mendeth it mihi peccato that am nothing else but sinne for so it is with many of us and such sinners as that Rom. 7.14 we are sold for slaves to sinne and that as it is in the 18. vers in us i. in our flesh as of nature dwelleth no good thing in so much as we cannot once thinke a good thought of our selves 2 Cor. 3.5 And not onely this but if we consider that we have so multiplied our transgressions as that they be more in number then the haires of our head and as it is Psal 38.4 beside the number Psal 40.15 David the flower of our nature had both infinite sinnes for the number and intolerable for the weight that they are such a weighty burden to us as is intolerable The consideration of these will humble us if the Devill carry us up into our owne mountaine and shew us any good thing in us we must resist him with these and that we have no one good thing but we have received and that not of merit in us but to confesse with Jacob Gen. 32.10 that we are not worthy the least of his mercies nor of all the truth that he hath shewed us and if we use the gifts that we have received never so well yet to say as it is Luke 17.10 we are unprofitable servants that no gaine can come to him from us then shall we come to pray with Daniel chap. 9. v. 7. O Lord righteousnesse belongeth unto thee and to us open shame and confusion and say with the Prophet Psal 115.1 Not unto us Lord not unto us but unto thine owne name give the praise for thy loving mercie and truths sake Even in the wicked a kindâ— of humility A blessing to a blaze of humility in Ahab Adversity no great enemy to humility 3. Beside these when we consider the crosses of God which he hath or may bring upon us 1 King 21.29 the crosse falling on the wicked 〈◊〉 Ahab it brought a blaze of humility into him and that was not unrewarded of God Our conceit concerning adversity must be not that it is an enemy to us not to be humble for the Prophet Psal 119.71 confesseth that it was good for him that he was in trouble because he thereby learned the Statutes of the Lord when it pleaseth God to send his grace with it it driveth us to seeke comfort by the word and by prayer and to be willing to go to the houses of mourning and to them that have had a perplexity and to be a discipline to our selves in this want of it and to speake to others to tell them of their sinnes But the chiefe and best example is the example of Christ when he had many good things no doubt to be learned yet this especially and above all he would have us to learne of him humility Discite à me quia ego mitis sum humilis corde For his order and manner of preaching John 8.50 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I seek not mine own glory there is one that seeketh judgeth for his miracles Matth. 8.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he chargeth the Keeper to tell it no man he would all the glory should redound to his Fathers praise and glory humble in his practise but especially that action was to commend humility to them John 13.15 after he had washed his Disciples feete he said Exemplum vobis dedi ut sicut ego vobis feci vos invicem faciatis I have given you an example that ye should doe as I have done to you His birth was humble his life * * * Luke 2.51 be obeyed his Patents in all things His first beatitude beati sunt pauâ—â—â—es spiritu humble but his death more humble as humble as could be even at hell gates inso much that he was faine to cry a little before his death Quare dereliquisti me Why hast thou sorsaken me so Matth. 5.3 his first Theame in his first Sermon is Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven the marke of his Church Zeph. 3.12 Then will I leave in the middest of thee an humble and poore people and they shall trust in the name of the Lord and it is the marke of his Apostles 1 Cor. 4. An ancient Father saith Ne contemnerent homines humilitatem placuit Deo plura largiri in humilitate sua For in his Majesty hee made the world and in his humility he remade it redeemed it quam in Majestate qui veretur humiliare se veretur ea facere quae Deus fecit Let no man lightly esteeme of Humility seeing it pleased God to effect more in Humility then in Majesty and he that feares to humble himselfe feares to doe that which God hath done The signes I dare not put Absaloms signes 2 Sam. 15.5
head so there is a fleeting hope when a man thinkes he hopeth and doth not it may be tried thus 1. The first is Hezekiah his signe 2 King 20.3 when he was in the time of his sicknesse he prayed Remember Lord I pray thee how in my prosperity I have walked with an upright heart c. this is a signe that our hope is good this maketh us cheerefull that in the time of affliction and danger we may say that we have beene mindfull of him in our prosperity 2. The second is Saint Iohns signe 1 Iohn 3.3 it is a purger not like the presumers hope which is a very sinke to receive and maintaine whatsoever corruption our hands our eyes our hearts or any other member hath But it must be resident in the conscience So the Fathers say that conscientia est custos spei conscience is the preserver of hope and if that be cleane kept then our hope is true if not then there is no true hope 3. The third is of David Psal 37.3 hope thou in the Lord and be doing good The Heathen call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 labour the husband of hope there is hope the harlot and hope the married woman we shall know hope the wife from hope the harlot by her husband for she is alwayes with her husband Psal 4.5 sacrificate sacrificium justitiae sperate in Domino offer the Sacrifice of righteousnesse and put your trust in the Lord there must be a travelling and striving to doe good 4. The fourth is Rom. 5.3 And not so onely but we rejoyce in our afflictions knowing that affliction worketh patience and Esa 33.15 there must be tribulation to bring a proofe of our hope in sileâ—tio spe erit fortitudo vestra in quietnesse and in confidence shall be your strength Such as we are in adversity such we are in deed such as our hope was in adversity such it is if you faint in adversity thy hope is fainting and thererefore the heathen call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tribulation the bud or blossome of hope which you must passe through if that be not nipt there will be fruit of it otherwise if it bring forth no fruit it is spurium vitulamen a bastard joy The 6. rule for the provoking of it in others Rule â— not onely to have it in our selves but as Psal 40.3 that many may see it and feare and trust in the Lord and as it is Psal 62.8 that all the nations may put their trust in him so farre as it is possible and Psal 115.9 that the house of Israel 10. the house of Aaron 11. and all that feare the Lord may trust in him An encouragement endeavour thereto Ps 51.13 Davids promise to the wicked to sinners that he would teach them to hope and Ps 75.5 to the presumers that he would plainly tell them that they should not be so foolish so mad and set up their horne Invocation The necessity and use of prayer VNto every affection there is an action as the action of faith is hope so the action of hope is prayer spei operatio oratio so to come backe againe as the fruit of faith is hope and of hope prayer and as the property of hope is prayer Interpres spei oratiâ— so the property of prayer is to be interpres spei to make plaine the desire of the hope conceived In which respect as the Articles of our faith are summa credendorum the summe of our beliefe and the Law summa agendorum the summe of our actions so the Lords prayer is summa sperandorum the summe of our hope for the soule of man by considering and beleeving the judgments of God being humble and brought downe to the dust and as it were dead and buried by it hath some life againe put into it by conceiving an hope in his mercy for which mercy wee must goe to God and Prayer becommeth suiter for it Aug. Precibus non passibus itur ad Deum therefore that hope may be made pertaker of her object â— mercy we must know that Psal 13.5 mercy is of God And not onely prayer of words with the lips but it must be from the heart that it may ascend Austin writes on the 66. Psal ut descendat miseratio ascendat oratio that mercy may descend prayer must ascend and so there shall be a blessed exchange betweene our prayer and his mercy When we speake of prayer lest there should be an errour it is not to be conceived that the intreaty is made concerning that prayer in the Congregation which with lips and outward gesture we deliver such prayer Hosea 14.3 calleth vitulum labiorum the sacrifice of our lips that commeth not into the compasse of the first Commandement which is only inward but in the 1 Cor. 14.15 Orabo spiritu orabo mente I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also * * * The growing of the inward man when the spirit commeth to God which howsoever it be not heard of men by the outward eare how vehement it is yet we know it hath its effect with God for so Exod. 14.15 we read that Moses made so fervent intercession to God though there be no mention nor signe of any word he spake yet the Lord saith Why cryest thou thus unto mee So that this being the especiall part and the soule of every prayer to God without this inward prayer the lips prevaile not as Matth. 15.8 there is a drawing neere with the lippes Matth. 7.21 a doubling of Lord Lord it prevaileth nothing neither will it gaine him the Kingdome of Heaven And therefore Aug. Hoc negotium plus gemitibus constat quam sermonibus the worke of prayer consists more in grievance than words And Rom. 8.26 The spirit groaneth for us with sighs inenarrable as Esay 38.3 And so conceiving of it as of an inward oblation or speech of soule to God then whether it be of persons without the Church as Act. 10.2 of Cornelius or of those that are within the Church and have cast themselves out of Gods favour by their sinnes and so as Psal 130.1 be in the depth whether it be of an Heathen or of a sinner it is no lesse acceptable to God in substance though not in degree then the prayer of a just and righteous man Now the applying of this to Hope to the maine scope and end of it i. Gods glory as Psal 123.2 it pleaseth God by the Prophet to account it a speciall honour done to him that even as the servants eyes are alwaies on the hands of his Master and the eyes of the handmaiden are on the hands of her Mistresse so that our eyes should wait upon the Lord till he have mercy on us Or as Austin in his fifth Sermon de verbis Domini Magna est gloria Dei ut nos simus mendici God accounts it great glory done unto him when we become beggers
Joshuah both the Sunne and Moone stood still For putting to flight of earthly powers Exod. 17.11 When Moses held up his hands Israel prevailed but when he let his hand downe Amaleck prevailed The examples be infinite but these seeme lesse because it hath power on spirituall powers on death and hell on death Esay 38.5 in Hezekiah I have heard thy prayer and seene thy teares behold I will adde to thy daies 15. yeares on hell Mat. 17.21 the Apostles being to deale with strong devils and being not able through their unbeliefe to cast them out Christ saith to them This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting But that that drowneth all is that in Exod. 32.10 where there was no violence done of Moses but he onely gave himselfe to prayer and yet we see a strange speech of God Dimitte me let mee alone as that violence had beene done him and he had beene mastered by Moses his prayer and if it be able so to worke on God much more will it prevaile in every thing else And this is for the necessity and use of Prayer The promises made unto prayer Now for the Commandement but first we will consider as it standeth on Gods behalfe both how willing he is and what promises he hath made to it True it is as it is in Gen. 18.27 as Abraham spake of himselfe so wee being nothing but a handfull of dust and ashes it were infinite presumption once to presume to speake to him being so excellent a God without his warrant and promise therefore Gen. 32. Jacobs prayer to God 1 King 8. Solomons prayer for a piece of earth to speake they fence themselves with a promise whereupon one saith non mea praesumptione sed tua promissione For the promise and for the Commandement we spake before Psal 50.15 Call upon mee in the time of trouble so will I heare thee and thou shalt praise mee He commandeth it with abjecting externall sacrifices so Joel 2.32 But whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved For in mount Sion and in Jerusalem shall be deliuerance as the Lord hath said and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call alleaged also Act. 2.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And it shall come to passe that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved As on the other side Jer. 10.25 the curse of God is on all those that call not on him There is nothing can be more required then that Ps 91.15 God saith He shall call upon me I will heare him deliver him and save him But the joyning together of those two places Mat. 7.7 Petite dabitur vobis Aske and it shall be given unto you and Joh. 16.23 wherein the one place i. Mat. 7.8 is Omnis qui petit accipit Every one that asketh receiveth and in the other Quaecunque petieritis à patre meo in nomine meo dabuntur vobis Whatsoever you shall aske the Father in my name he shall give it you This is very much there can no more be required then these that omnis qui petit accipit and quaecunque petitis accipietis But we will expound it after And as he is ready to promise so he is ready to performe But that is the strangest Esay 65.24 Etiam antequam invocaveritis before ye pray I will heare you so ready is hee on his part And to testifie this indeed Exod. 30.6 in the Law hee erecteth a Mercy seat or if first Esay 56.7 he causeth a Temple and that he giveth this name as of the speciall exercise The house of Prayer and 1 King 8.41 it is for the stranger also Esdr 7.3 so defined by the King the house of the God of heaven and in this he sets a Mercie seat before which in the 7. v. are Priests and Levites and Singers and Nethimins and the 1. part of the service Incense often as Psal 141.2 interpreted Prayer and that in the time of the Law And so is it meant Luk. 1.10 that the people without were at their prayers while the Priest within was at the Altar at the typicall worship i. burning of incense And proportionable to this is that Heb. 4.16 that God as here he hath set a seat of mercie so in heaven he hath set up a Throne of grace from whence si ascendat oratio descendet gratia if prayer ascend gtace shall descend Now because we our selves have no accesse unto it therefore Rom. 5.2 order is taken that wee should have accesse per alium by another he Heb. 7.26 that was Heb. 5.7 in his flesh and offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares not onely for his Apostles but also for all that beleeve in him Joh. 17.20 and not onely then but now also Rom. 8.34 He maketh still intercession for us and his intercession is from himselfe not from another but Revel 8.3 he is figured by an Angell where the prayers of the godly are received by the Angell and there is incense put into them to season them withall that the smell of them may be acceptable to the Lord and then offereth them up to his Father so he not onely prayeth himselfe but maketh our prayers accepted of God and therefore Revel 1.6 every one shall be a Priest to God and every priest must offer sacrifice and there is no other sacrifice in the new Testament but praise and thansgiving so he hath promised Zach. 12.10 spiritum gratiae the spirit of grace and that is accomplished Gal. 4.6 because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts which cryeth Abba Father And Rom. 8.26 We have not any power to call upon God neither do we know what to pray for or how to pray but the Spirit asketh for us with sighes and groanes that cannot be expressed therefore there can be nothing required but we shall have it Thus we see that all is performed on Gods behalfe Now to the duty The duty of Pâ—aâ—er commanded The duty commanded it is of two sorts but first in gererall Invocation containeth them both so Hilary and Austin 59. Epâ—st taketh Invocation We understand it by these two things the first is Psal 25.1 a lifting up of our soule i. a sixing of our minde on God who is the author and giver of all good secondly as Psal 6â— 8 a pouring out of our hearts i. a full declaration of our desire and that we require Psal 142.2 expounded to be our thoughts and meditation These two in generall concurre to the making of Invocation This Invocation as it is 1 Tim. 2.1 doth receive a fourfold division for it is divided into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deprecation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pâ—eâ—aâ—ion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Interaction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thanksgiving The first we may divide into Prayer Thanksgiving The other three are thus divided prayer is made either for Our selves Others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
desirous to be occupied as the Angels are occupied this is the meanes Now as this is a way to lift us up so it is a way if we walk not in it to cast us down Psal 19.1 2 3 4. Psal 148. sheweth that the creation of the world the duty of the creatures is nothing else but to declare the glory of God in so much as we see Psal 148.10 he called the very worms and basest creatures to their function and duty and Chrysostomes note upon it is that that man that is ingratefull and a sinner his state is worse and more vile then the worme the basest vilest creature in so much as he will not vouchsafe himselfe to come into their number to sing praise to God This for the creatures But for the Church Psal 29.9 there in the Temple every man speaketh of his praise the naturall duty of it What is preaching praedicare but a declaring of his creation and his benefits of his owne free mercie then in electing us of our Saviour and his redemption and the shutting up of these per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To whom with the Son and the holy Ghost be honour c. as the Fathers use is And for the Sacraments the Sacrament of perfection it sets down to us so much that it is called Eucharistia a thanksgiving and it ends with Gloria Glory be to God on high c. And for prayer this is the complement of prayer So all the exercises of the Church did tend to this Psal 133.1 Where the unity is not onely called a good but also a pleasant thing the Fathers say that many things are good but not pleasant and many things pleasant and not good but this hath an excellent commendation that it hath both and Psal 147.1 there is a third thing a thing may be pleasant and good but not comely but there it is said that it is a good pleasant and comely thing to praise the Lord and be thankfull Profit we see is a great mover if profit be not all excellencie else is contemned and Act. 20.35 Beatius est dare quam accipere It is more blessed to give then to receive this is the onely thing and there is nothing else that a man can give to God And August saith here If we will we may be beatiores but the Lord he hath called it magnification glorification sanctification c. as if we made him greater or more glorious or holier then he is by it and there is never this given but something is received Luke 17.15 Ten Leapers were cleansed nine came not backe to give God thankes he which commeth back and giveth God thankes receiveth againe the second time that is forgivenesse of his sins so that it is never given gratis but as there is first ascension of prayer then decursus gratiae a descending of grace so as Bernard saith after there is recursus gratiarum actionis a sending backe of thankes and then a new decursus gratiae a comming downe of benefits so there is decursus gratiae recursus cesset recursus gratiarum actionis cessabit decursus gratiae a comming downe of grace and a returne of thankes if thy thankes be not returned grace will no more come downe and if that come not then as it is compared to water so it receiveth the quality of water which if it have not perperuall succession it standeth still and stinketh so this standing still it rotteth the gifts of God bestowed on us and those graces that wee have received before Bernard on the seventh of the Acts in his book of minores sermones hath this question Wherefore the excellent gifts and rare examples of all vertues and good things in the Primitive Church and in the times before are not now seene We have the same beginnings that they had but we if a man continue as hee hath begunne wonder at it but they did not onely continue as they begunne but went forward and therefore they had the greater gifts and he saith It is not because Gods hand is shortned or his will altered but because skant and thinne is our thanksgiving sowen and therefore our harvest and our reaping must needs be skant and thinne and therefore Vae aetati nostrae propier ingratitudinem Woe to this age of ours even for its unthankfulnesse and there is no other reason else why there is not the same progressus of graces with us that was before with them Prosper in his second booke de vocatione gentium Gratiae nullum cerâ—ius est signum quam gratiae there is no surer signe of Grace then thanksgiving There is one reason more That worke must needs be excellent that must not be left though God willeth it this though God should forbid it should be done yet it must be done Luke 5.14 Marke 5.20 there was a plaine Inhibition to him that he should tell it no body but he went and proclaimed it and it is there set downe for his great commendation though Christ was no way proud yet this disobedience was a godly disobedience and it was but a commandement to trie him but nothing must hinder us So for agenda the parts of prayer to be performed by us the next is modus the manner how we must performe them 2. For the manner of praying right and giving thankes 1 it is required that our thanksgiving be animata alive a common fault amongst us that our thankes and prayers be exanimes without life David he chargeth his soule My soule prayse thou the Lord and all that is within me prayse his holy name that it may have not a tongue but soule and we have a powring out of our lungs not of our hearts In 1 Sam. 7.3 there is a direct commandement that in their prayer they should direct their hearts unto the Lord. In the 1 Cor. 14.15 I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also I will sing with the spirit I will sing with the understanding also else it is dead and returneth empty that Bernard saith of himselfe nihil in mundo est fugacius corde meo they alleadge Psal 40 1â— cor meum dereliquit me not so properly said as our common translation hath it but yet it is Ieromes the ascending thoughts come up so thicke that they will not suffer our prayers to come to God the plaine duty to civill men and to our superiours not to turne away our minde till our tale be done may teach us how God in justice may judge of our dealings and esteeme of them This is much augmented by an humour of men in our age that are delighted with long prayer and so fall into a great offence praying above the measure of their faith and of praying sundry times and to sundry purposes Aug. in the 10. chap. of his epistles speaking of the gods of Egypt and their worships saith dicuntur in Aegypto crebras habere orationes sed brevissimas habere quidem orationes sed raptim
Naaman the Syrian had received a benefit by the Prophet he would be thankfull but you must pardon him in this when the King his Master should come into the house of Rymmon c. he will not hazard his place in Court nor the Kings disfavour a cold thanksgiving that a man should sacrifice to his net for God 1 Chron. 21.4 and that of Ioah in a case of numbring the people yet must be thankfull and fals to it 1 Chron. 10.5.6 When his Armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead he fell likewise upon the swordand died The meanes Prayer it selfe is a meanes and the meanes of all means therefore it hath meanes The Meanes i. helpes none to beginne it but to helpe it and they are these 1. Psal 42.14 A consideration of the state of our soule as of our body and so he hath a table before him wherein he seeth what those evill things be that he is most inclinable to and what those good things are that he wants his soule brought a thirst upon him it grew into heavinesse Nothing more fit then to have a perfect and true sense of our wants 2. And on the other side to have a Register of the benefits of God David received great benefits and there is not one of them but wee have a Psalme for it This is his course Psal 40.3 Now when hee had a new benefit he would have a new song many times he wanted some singular benefit and then he comes to reck on up meane benefits for his new house he wrote the 30. Psal for his deliverance from the hands of Achish the 34. Psal Augustin calleth it colligere fragmenta the collecting of fragments When he came colligere fragmenta and make great account of them and as Matth. 15.27 the woman of Canaan counteth of the crummes so to be thankfull for a small benefit is meanes sometimes when he had no new benefits then 38. and 70. Psal he takes an old benefit and makes of it a new song for the remembrance of it and rather then hee would bee idle hee maketh Psalmes and especially the 139. Psal to give God thankes that he had framed him in his mothers womb and when he wanteth all these occasions then he hath meditations of the whole world Psal 8. 19. 104. he is thankfull for all the earth and for the wilde Asses that they have water in the wildernesse to quench their thirst 2. The second meanes is that which the Fathers call alae orationis the wings of prayer that is 1. fasting as 1 Cor. 7.5 Defraud not each other unlesse it be for a time with mutuall consent that you may give your selves to fasting and prayer and August upon that place Iejunium orationis robur oratio jejunium sanctificat fasting strengthneth prayer and prayer sanctifieth fasting 2. The second is almes whereof Daniel was a Preacher cap. 4. v. 24. to Nabuchadonoser 3. The third is out of Matth. 18.20 and Lames 5.15 Si oratio tua fulminet that it may come up into Heaven then ora solus pray apart by thy selfe otherwise esto gutia in imbre grandinis thy prayer is but as a single drop in a shower when our owne prayer is weake then we are to desire the prayer of more and the prayer of the Church 4. Last if none of all these helpe yet there is oratio fidei as oratio sensus though I cannot have the prayer of feeling yet I may have the prayer of faith for these spirituall duties are likened to the seed there commeth not harvest at the first but they being laid up in the bosome of the Lord will in time fructifie Now for the signes of Prayer 1. The earnestnesse of the soule The signes of Prayer Rom. 8.26 when it sendeth forth groans and sighes that cannot be expressed by the tongue plus gemitibus plerunque constat hoc negotium quam sermonibus prayer is often better exprest by groanes then words 2. The second is that in Psal 6.9 where David being before cast downe presently after saith that God heard his prayer and hee answereth habuit aliquem gustum divinorum that he had some taste that God lâ—vd forgiven him his sinnes so if we feele a detestation of our sinnes it is a good signe 3. The third signe is for the fourth meanes it is a patient waiting upon God as the Psalmist saith Psal 101.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 till thou comest yet will I walke in no evill thing The signes of thanksgiving 1. Psal 63.5 he saith he feeleth his soule filled with marrow and satnesse the children of God have beene rapt when they have fallen into the consideration of Gods benefits 2. The second signe Psal 66.18 when it breedeth in us a jealeusie that if I walke in sinne hereafter God will heare me no more 3. The third signe Psal 58.5 beneficia be veneficia enchanters when his benefits charme us like a strong charmer as in Gen. 39.9 Iosesh answereth his Masters wife My Master hath bestowed these and these things upon mee and how then can I doe him this dishonesty so it is a signe that we are rightly thankfull to God if we can say God hath bestowed these and thus great benefits upon us how then can wee breake his Law 4. The fourth Levit. 7.15 is not to deferre thanksgiving which is gathered out of the type of thanksgiving where the people were commanded that the flesh of the peace-offerings for thanksgiving should be eaten the same day and nothing left till the morning Nihil citius senescit gratia we must not deferre thanksgiving Rule 6. Now for the sixth Rule the procuring of it in others 1 Sam. 14.19 Saul when he should fall to prayer thought the enemies came too fast and laid away the Ephâ—d and wilied the Priest to withdraw his hand and we see what a censure the holy Ghost giveth of him for it therefore we are to see that as we are not impediments to our selves so not to other Iob 21.15 not of those that discourage others and say Who is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit should wee have if we had prayed to him One of the Fathers maketh this answer that whereas a benefit projicitur ingrato collecatur grato is cast away upon the unthankfull and evill as well as conferd upon the thankfull and good God doth hereby provoke us to the like to be beneficiall unto all by his example and so to be made sonnes of the Highest Luke 6.35 And for the affirmative part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the invitation of others to the same Psal 95.1 the beginning of our Liturgy O come let us sing unto the Lord let us c. and Psal 34.3 Come let us pray let us magnifie his name together but especially Psal 148. he is not content to have men onely for company but Dragons Snow and all creatures not that they could praise the Lord but this that there is not the basest
good soever we have it comes from him Visible beauty 〈…〉 1. Beauty there is a visible and invisible beauty The visible is such as our eyes are drawne to one of the Heathen calleth it radium divinae essentiae a beame of the divine essence another florem divini seminis a flower sprung up of a divine seede This visible beauty is not such as should move us much One of the Heathen saith Damihi solem aestâ—vum bring it but into the summers sun it is done da mihi ventum vernum or to the March winde it will marre it duc unguem transversum scratch it but with thy naile it is clean spoyled or let all alone yet it is soloccidens a declining sun it will set of it selfe yeeres and sicknesse will abridge it The beauty of God if a man had a glorified eye farre passeth all these streames Psal 16. last v. the Prophet saith that hee saw the likenesse of God but in a vision and it filled him continually For the invisible beauty Augustin sheweth a good way to finde it It may happily be that thou lovest a man because he is thy friend may it not also be that he is an old man and what lovest thou then in him his head is white his body is crooked his face wrinkled O thou wilt say fidelis homo est he is a faithfull honest man Well saith he quibus oculis videtur fides iisdem videtur Deus God is seene by those eyes by which thou discernest thy friends fidelity This motive is no where greater in God we shall have most perfect rest otherwise set thine eye or heart on any countenance or pleasure in the earth thou shalt finde no rest But quicquid est per quod satigationi occurritur whatsoever we take paines about that same thing in fatigationem vertitur it wearieth us if it be but awhile 2. For the other i. for neerenesse propinquitas name any name of neerenesse not the mention of Dominus servus of Lord and servant but there it is and that is a great priviledge that we have that the Angels are not our Lords but our fellow-servants but the name of a friend is greater nearenesse Iohn 15.15 I will call you my friends and that such a friend as we see that his glorious estate made him not thinke scorne of us and in the pitch of our adversity he did most love us Brother Iohn 20.17 Goe tell my brethren c. and whereas in a naturall thing it is that if there be many it diminisheth as the affection of Parents when they have many children Gen. 37.3 this otherwise Luke 12.13 Brethren according to the flesh they are a meanes that the inheritance commeth not whole but this brother is so farre from keeping any portion of the inheritance from us as that having two rights he was content to part with one right and to entitle us wholly with it Father Deut. 32.6 Dealest thou so with the Lord is not he thy Father that bought thee c. not as thy father after the flesh that hath begot thee happily to a benefit peradventure to a curse if thy other Father take no better order for thee then thy father after the flesh especially the Spouse through the whole booke of the Cantic Deus zelotypus he is jealous over us And that that goeth beyond all these because hee was not neere enough Heb. 2.17 that in all things he might be like unto us he tooke upon him our nature and made himselfe like unto us in all things only sin excepted which made us unlike him that there might be perfectus amor ubi perfecta similitudo perfect love where there was perfect likenesse 3. Benefits that motive is used Esa 1.3 hang up a crib and see thou put provender into it and the Oxe and the Asse will know you for it So is the state of benefits among men Luke 7.47 he to whom is more forgiven or given to loveth more and his love it waxeth and waneth according to the benefit For benefits that we are facti refecti our owne particular Table will instruct us how bountifull he is in serving up all the creatures to our use so promotion riches and honour they come not from men but God ipse est qui inclinavit corda corum what benefit soever we receive of men we are accountable to him for all and then considering that dedit filium he hath given us his sonne Deus Filius pretium Spiritus pignus Pater praemium for a price Spiritum Sanctum the holy Ghost for a pledge and earnest servat se tantum in praemium and hath reserv'd himselfe for a crowne and reward of that love that we shall afford him therefore if we know not his crib then let the Oxe teach us to know our Masters crib and he is nothing comparable to God The signes of love The proper signes are obedience and patience which are the proper effects of love but others are to be recounted Signa amoris the signes of love and they are particularly to be handled 1. The first is in Matth. 6.21 Christ saith wee shall know where our treasure is i. our love by the heart i. by the thoughts of our heart The bending of a mans thoughts upon any thing so that a man may know that which he loveth most if he can know the thing that he doth oftenest thinke of we have example of it Mar. 8.14 if there be any thing that a man setteth his minde upon he thinketh it is mentioned when ought is spoken that may be taken that way as it is said that when our Saviour Christ beganne to teach them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisces and of Herod their minde was on bread and they thought Christ spake to them to warne them of bread when he spake the Parable of Leaven so then that is a signe of the love of God if our thoughts be upon him Thoughts are of three sorts either a thought Deepe Long Often repeated Cogitatio Profunda Prolixa Crebra The deepe thought is that which in the Saints of God is especially to shew forth it self Cogitatio profunda so that sundry seemed to be in an exiasie in recounting the mercie of God the matter of their love and it is a signe of great love in them The other a long continued thought continuae cogitationes though not profundae * * * When the minde runneth upon a thing continually though it cannot thinke of it seriously Prolixa Ezek. 33.31 their minde ranne so much upon worldly affaires as it is the manner of age to thinke of wealth and covetousnesse so of youth to thinke of pastime that in the meane while they thought not of the word of God So these continued thoughts shewed what they loved so then if our thoughts upon God may be continued though they be not very deepe yet they are a good signe of love
is plaine enmity with God and as he is a carnall man Ezek. 13.3 there is a desire in him to follow his owne spirit and Prov. 21.2 omnis via viri recta sibi every way of man is right in his owne eyes if he follow that then he thinketh he hath followed a right way And as we have this liking in us so there is another liking in God there is no such way in God Ier. 18.11 revertatur quisque à via sua returne every man from his owne way they must come backe therefore they were in a wrong way Gen. 6.5 Gods owne testimony that mans thoughts are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rak rang col hajom naught and exceeding naught c. therefore there is like to come but little fruit of this oblocutor 1 Pet. 2.11 his fruit that doth follow them that they doe militare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 warre against the soule above all this is that that sheweth us that it is the punishment of God Psal 78.29 they had their desire he let fall Quailes round about their Tents but lost his favour i. with their desire they had the wrath of God Psal 81.12 he would have had no strange God to be amongst them nor any other God worshipped but they refused to heare his voyce and to obey him therefore he gave them over and let them fall away What is the reward Such as Rom. 1.24 it is the punishment of the greatest offences of Idolatry and yet 1 Cor. 5.5 there is a delivering of one to the Devill a good effect commeth of it 2 Cor. 2.8 there is a delivering to a mans selfe and it is better to be delivered to Satan then to our owne desires And it is the course of Moses Exod. 4.14 whereas God required him a very plausible thing to man to be a Magistrate he being suspitious lest his will should beguile him because he felt no oblocutions so he made foure denials before he would take it till God was very wrath with him The iudgments of the Fathâ—â—â—â—â—vellous for true obedience it hath nothing de suo of its owne but totum de alieno all from another it is a continuall gainesayer of it selfe 3. A third thing and that is a joyning of these two together for there are some that will heare God and because they will have no gainesaying they will heare the gainesayer too This we are commanded from for when they have heard what God can say then Gal. 1.16 they call a conference and heare what flesh and bloud can say and they themselves will sit Judges Paul saith when I was to preach Christ to the Gentiles I never consulted with flesh and bloud As one saith very well of our affections that they are like Lime which where it should be coldest as in water it is there hottest and there coldest where it should be hottest so a mans reason is never so suspitious and wary as when it commeth to deale with God and never so carelesse as when we are farthest from him as if he were persona malae fidei They doe transigâ—e tanqâ—â—m â—uâ— homine pessimae fidei one not to be trusted where they neede least to feare If they heard the Minister of the word there they are most afraid and are marvellous carefull for examining all circumstances lest happily they should be seduced whereas in worldly matters where most perill is there they are most secure Of this proceedeth a partiall obedience the Fathers call it delicatam obedientiam for certaine things to sit and heare an houre and receive the Cup the Sacrament the flesh seeth no harme in it but as 2 Sam. 16.18 Chusai then ready for another this is specially to be taken heed of we must be content to hear God and so that we be willing to gainesay his gainesayers and never make a mixture of them The last thing commanded for the measure or qualtity of it that it be ready and willing as Bernard saith though contra voluntatem yet ex voluntate cheerefully Rom. 6.17 he commends them that from the heart they obeyed for there is an obedience that is coacta constrained Ier. 23.33 there the people they were content to heare but their account was What is the burthen of the Lord and God saith I will even forsake them for this saying I will visit every such one c. the burthen of the Lord shall ye mention no more thus shall ye say c. Amor erubescit nomen difficultatis Love scornes the name of difficulty it counteth it a light yoke and very easie against them that doe unwillingly Iohn 6.60 their opinion of the Sacrament durus eâ— hic sermo this is a hard saying Matth. 8.29 there is obedience in the Devill he came out but with great grudging and renting and casting him downe and he made much adoe before he came out those that cannot doe cheerefully shew their measure to be with the Devill Psal 19.10 this durus sermo to him was as sweete as an honycoâ—be whereas the Jewes counted it a burden The last part that we have relation to that in obedience that God especially aimeth at and will have done The intent of the precept is the object of this precept of obedience yea though they bee harder then Saul for of Saul 1 Sam. 15.20 the leanest he could have offered and in killing of the poore multitude he could have obeyed God but Agag and certaine of the Nobility and the fattest of the sheepe and cattell he spared whereas Gods intent was rather to have had his obedience in them but because there was a greater difficulty and a better estimation he heard the oblocution The end is to be delivered at the third rule of things forbidden Nâ—g what is forbidden it is called disobedience the state whereof may be conjectured if we compare it with that that it is resembled to of the Teraphim and see the effects of it in our nature 1 Sam. 15.23 it is said that rebellion or disobedience is as the sinne of witchcraft and the abomination of the Teraphim The reason of the resemblance as in witchcraft we will yeeld obedience so long as God will answer us in any evill thing we will obey him and again because it was noted in the law that the Witches and Sorcerers they should give false answers so we see here in this place his disobedience answered him like a Witch for he disobeyed for fear of the people lest he should be put out of the Kingdome he did disobey and yet the Kingdome was translated 2. To the abomination of the Teraphim Gen. 31.30 they had their dâ—i penates their houshold Gods about the corners of their houses and in their high wayes and such is the sinne of disobedience for in the Temple all held obedience outward to the meanes but abroad our Teraphim and our Gods We see by punishing for it what account he makes ofâ—â— 2. In the effect Deut. 27.26 we see that the
lifting up of a weighty thing for the necessity and use Gen. 29.7 8. of the great stone before the Well Jacob did not lift it up till all the sheepe came together till there was great need The first of these pertaineth properly to all the rest of the duties of praysing to all that take Gods name The second onely to the duty of Swearing for that is an heavy thing Under these two are comprehended all other takings of his name whatsoever But to take them as they are under the first namely in lifting it up as a thing glorious as the Standard of Moses and the Plate of Aaron the first thing enjoyned is this The being called by his name Gen. 48.16 as a great dignity and priviledge Jacob granted to Ephraim and Manasses but denyed it to the rest and it is part of the glory that children take of their Parents their name So we are called Gods children by his name and not that alone but Esay 4.1 Seven women come to one man and say We will eate of our owne bread and weare our owne garments onely let us be called by thy Name to put our shame from us And in marriage the woman honoureth the Husband by leaving her owne name and taking his and it is a glory to her that she may so doe In the truth of this it is said Esay 43.7 They shall be called by my name for I have created and formed them c. How is that That is no otherwise then as it is Acts 11.26 the Disciples at Antioch were first called Christians for that is the most excellent name that is That glory that becommeth Christ is given to Christ The second is that the servant by lifting up on his shoulder his Masters Badge or armes lifteth up his countenance but with service that is to his Masters glory there is joyned a service of his and therefore to his glory all his doings from that time forth must be referred and so we must be at Gods commandement to doe his businesse having his Badge which is plaine by 1 Cor. 10.31 God can receive no profit but glory therefore to his glory we must referre all that we doe For if you once come to that Gen. 11.4 Paremus nobis nomen I will get my selfe a name Then we see it is accounted Bellare cum Deo to wage warre with God and he will visit them with the confusion of tongues and mindes not onely that but if a man doe not referre but take glory to himselfe as 2 Sam. 15.8 of Absalom Thy servant vowed c. If the Lord shall bring me indeed to Ierusalem I will serve the Lord and 1 Kings 21.9 of Iezabels fast the one setting the name of God on a bloody murther the other the vow upon a wicked and lewd conspiracy To abuse the name of God to our owne wicked inventions is a monstrous thing These are within us now without us 1. In our tongue The 1. thing is as Gen. 29. vers last of Iudah of whom were the Jewes he was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because his mother said she would confesse Gods name To God we are not Iehudim if we take to our selves a name but we must weare our name to Gods glory and not be ashamed but when we are ashamed of it we care not for it we confesse it not Mat. 10.32 the duty is plaine Will ye confesse me before men I will confesse you before my Father Are ye ashamed of me before men I will be ashamed of you before my Father Revel 3.8 When there come many evill workes yet this weigheth them all that they had not denyed his name as on the contrary Revel 14.9 When a man commeth to receive and weare the marke of the Beast and his name then a portion is given him in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone The second of the outward may be comprehended under Confessing and it is called defending when we heare it blasphemed God saith Esay 59.16 his truth went downe into the judgement seat and through the streets in every place and none would open his mouth to defend and speake well of it and therefore when he saw none would doe it he will make his owne armes to serve and therefore we see how terrible and fearefull a judgement hee threatneth them in the end of the chapter 3. That that is contrary in his part is the doing as the Scribes and Sadduces doe they come to Christ and say Thou art a good man how sayst thou is it reason to pay tribute to Caesar or no Some say for disputations sake it is lawfull for them to defend wicked opinions and assertions in Religion This may be done in necessity Now out of the case of necessity a man is bound as David saith to make mention of his name that is to use it in his speech to shew himselfe mindfull of him Gen. 50.3 because of the great mourning the Aegyptians made for Jacobs death therefore in recompence the Inhabitants called the name of the place of his buriall a place of mourning Though it be said Deut. 4.9 Take heed ye forget not Forget saith Jerome it is impossible they should but he telleth how If you forget me and behave your selves so in your speeehes as that there is no man but would thinke you have forgotten him When a man shall live so that nothing concerning the praise of God cometh into his mouth in seven yeares It is the fault of many And though they say they have not forgotten yet there can be nothing gathered but that they have and so rarum erat nomen Jehovae a reverend mentioning of the name of God was rare in some mens mouths Prov. 10.31 it is said that the just mans mouth doth meditari sapientiam meditate wisedome that is speake of something that may redound to Gods glory and Prov. 10.11 12.18 he calleth the tongue of a wise man venam vitae ipsam salutem a veine of life and health it selfe out of which there may returne glory to God and health to himselfe But of a fooles mouth he saith Pro. 15.2 it doth ebullire it bableth and foameth out vanity and foolishnesse The word he useth is vanity that is there is no good nor profitable use of it So that mentio and not onely that but honorifica mentio an honourable mention out of the case of necessity must serve the turne for a man to speake of the name of God as God Exod. 9.16 he will therefore shew his judgements upon Pharaoh because he will have men speake of him through the World That is the first it shall be sylva orationis In this mentioning we must have three things 1. It must be often and greatly spoken off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this is the end of the great wonders Exod. 9.16 narrare nomen ejus to declare his name of this hath been spoken before 2. That it must be well spoken off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 3. Reverently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for blessing Gods name Psal 72. ver ult Blessed be his glorious name for ever for the revenge of the wicked as the Fathers when they talke of this they say it is the Epiphonema David expresseth it Psal 70.4 they shall say alway this Epiphonema The Lord be praised and Psal 58.11 there is an Epiphonema after a judgement Surely there is a God that judgeth the earth and Psal 124.5 when they are delivered they shall say Praised be God c. but praised be God that hath not given us over for a pray to their teeth and Psal 35.27 when he sendeth a blessing and prosperity then Praised be God which sheweth himselfe to have pleasure in the prosperity of his servant This speaking well of God and converting the judgement or blessing into an honorable mention of his name is commanded Contrary to this when a man receiveth mercy and it is not great enough he grudgeth and is not thankefull for it and a judgement and it is too great and then commonly he murmureth and every thing he converteth to the dispraise of God he learneth not to blesse God whether he give or take away as Iob did 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A reverent speaking of a thing whose contrary as the Hom. maketh opposition betwixt sanctifying and prophanenesse is making common Whereas Levit. 22.32 a man counteth of it as a common thing and giveth it no more reverence When a man maketh account and useth the name of God as a stone lying in the street that is to be looked at when a man talketh of serious matters as of Gods Predestination c. without any sense of it there is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reverence in their talke much lesse in those 1 Sam. 28. that use his name to Sorcery and Witchery c. but least of all Levit. 24.15 16. in Blasphemy This for the respects out of the case of necessity There commeth a third thing in regard of applying Gods name to the Actions which be first either our owne secondly or other mens 1. To our owne there is a commandement Col. 3.17 omnia quaecunque facitis c. and whatsoever ye doe in word or deed doe them in the name of the Lord that is every action you take in hand sanctitfie it how is that as David Psal 124.8 our helpe is in the name of the Lord that made heaven and earth 2. To others Deut. 10.8 applyed to the Levites Imponetis nomen meum illis benedicetis illis yee shall put my Name upon them and shall blesse them how that is David sheweth Psal 129.8 Wee wish you good luck in the name of the Lord Contrary to this is to curse Iam. 3.9 Therewith blesse we God the Father and therewith curse we men Ephes 4.3 When we curse God with his name that is as Augustine saith Quando faciunt Deum carnificem suum when they make God their Executioner and say Now God confound them he must be their Executioner For God hath given his name for a strong tower of defence And thus much for our Speech now for our Actions There follow two for our outward actions making them glorious that is Mat. 5.16 that we deale so in our actions that they may see our good workes and glorifie our heavenly Father that is 2 Tim. 2.19 Every man that taketh the name of Iesus in his mouth let him depart from iniquitie for the wickednesse of the Child polluteth the Father Levit. 21.9 If the daughter of a Priest commit fornication she polluteth her Father So do the wicked the name of God Psal 50. he is our Father when we take his name upon us and doe not glorifie him as we should nor depart from iniquitie we doe what we can to make him polluted There are many carelesse and notorious men and yet Psalm 50. they will take the covenant of God in their mouthes and talke of points of Religion This must not be done Rom. 2.24 to wound Gods name by our evill conversation and cause others to sinne The second in this point is the commandement of a Free Vow Psal 119.108 Lord I beseech thee accept the free offerings of my mouth and teach me thy judgements and Psal 76.11 that a man should make a freewill offering to God insomuch as God hath done so many things for us we should not onely doe the things commanded of God but vow our selves Now as touching the use or necessity of Gods name in an Oath the commandement is Deut. 6.13 Thou shalt feare the Lord and sweare by his name and Deut. 10.20 Thou shalt feare serve and cleave to God and sweare by his name In Vaine To understand this we must note in every action Three things the 1. End 2. Agent 3. Worke. These three being marked we shall soon know what it is to take Gods name in vaine First we know in the chiefe signification that which wanteth an end and is done to no end is said to be in vaine as Levit. 26.16 You shall sow your seed in Vaine you sow your seed to get a harvest and you hope for it You shall have no harvest your enemies shall eate it up So it is of Gods name he that for no end lifteth up Gods name doth it in Vaine Therefore wee must looke cui bono what fruit have ye of it the fruit and profit is our end So if we doe no good it is done in vaine Prov. 26.7 All other faire shewes are like streight and well fashioned leggs which yet cannot goe Frustra pulchras habet tibias claudus if it be not the due end Now the great and chiefe end is the glory of God it is that that he requireth he would impart all the blessednesse he hath upon us and requireth nothing againe of us but glory To which if we bring no profit we must be accounted of him as Nabal was to David 1 Sam. 25.21 David had done magood turnes for Nabals shepheards he desired nothing but a little meate and could not have it Therefore he said All that I have done for him is in vaine So it is in the case of Gods glory God doth all for his owne glory so if that come not by us then all that he hath done is in vaine Secondly under this greate end is next the health of our selves and our brethren Phil. 2.16 he saith he hath laboured in vaine so if there be not sought things tending to Gods glory to our neighbours edifying and our owne soules health it is in vaine and to no end The first Vaine is ex privatione finis when it wanteth an End 2. Yet if there be an end we must looke to the Agent that is the swearer the person consequently upon that part in him that is the principall agent that is his soule and heart For if his soule be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rhachah that is a vaine soule it commeth not with
reasons and witnesses c. so that we count it as Prov. 18.10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth to it and is exalted And the Heathen man saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all things men set most by their faith When all faile we may take Sanctuary here This is the first part of the honour of God 2. In regard of the cause as before his greatest honour the ground of all honours Faith that this proceedeth from a great Faith In regard of the former part of an oath that is Contestation that we beare witnesse with tongue that are present that we beleeve as 1 Cor. 4.5 that God will lighten all things that are in darknesse that God will make all manifest He seeth all things even the very secrets of the heart And secondly in regard of the execution as Rom. 12.19 that he will punish mihi ultio ego retribuam Vengeance is mine and I will repay it Herein we beleeve that God hath power to bring his judgements upon us This beleife that he hath vengeance to execute turneth greatly to Gods glory and therefore was it that God was contented as it were to lend his name to sweare by it to make an end of their questions Thus we see how God hath his glory hence The next thing is to see what we are commanded and forbidden 1. The affirmative part that we shall take his Name to end our quarrells his name shall come as a sanctuary to quit or condemne in which we shall enclose our selves and satisfie our Law The first is jurare to sweare that is commanded flatly Deut. 6.13 set close to that which was the affirmative part of the last Commandement but more effectually and vehemently Esay 45.23 I live and have sworne by my selfe that every knee shall bowe to me and every tongue sweare by me For this cause there cometh another division of Oathes he hath not onely taken order that we should be willing that the oath should passe Exod. 22.11 which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a voluntary Oath but also 2 Chron. 6.22 that if they still not be willing there shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an oath of imposition conrstictè jurare to make him sweare precisely and punctually And Levit. 5.1 if any man heare an Oath that should returne to Gods glory and doe not utter it but hold his peace it shall be accounted to him as sinne So we see what Gods will is herein what he commandeth and then the great end of Gods glory and necessity of men Now for examples of these David Psal 63.12 Laudabuntur omnes laetabuntur qui jurabunt per eum every one that sweareth by him shall glory and rejoyce Therefore we see this commendation All the Saints have passed under it 1. God himselfe Gen. 22.16 I have sworne by my selfe saith the Lord because thou hast done this thing c. vers 17. therefore I will surely blesse thee 2. After God the caelestiall spirits Revel 10.6 The Angell lifted up his hand to Heaven and swore by him that liveth for ever more So the division concerning the case first of Gods glory to be confirmed and secondly the benefit of our brethren For the glory of God a famous Oath 2 Chron. 15.14 of Asa and the people They sweare to the Lord with a loud voyce for the observation of Dauids Religion 4. Likewise Nehem. 10.29 The chiefe of them received it for their brethren and they came to the curse and to the oath to walke in Gods Law c. For the other part in regard of mans benefit the wealth of mankind First we see it in mutuall leagues and confae deracies the example of Abraham Gen. 21.24 betwixt Abimelech and him Secondly likewise for a conspiracy publike Judg. 21.1 Moreover the men of Israel swore saying None of us shall give his daughter to the Benjamites to wise Thirdly for the receiving or uniting of Nation to Nation Ioshua 9.19 To the Gibeonites Ioshuah made peace and league with them that he would suffer them to live and they sware and the breach of it was punished 2 Sam. 21.2 2. For obedience and reciprocall duties betweene the Prince and Subjects we have examples and commandements First of the Prince 2 Kings 11.12 of Ioash Secondly of the Subjects 1 Kings 1.29 For the succession of Salomon Davids oath And the King swore as the Lord liveth c. For Subjects to him 1 Sam. 24.23 David swore to Saul And all the Subjects tooke an oath for the preserving of Davids life 2 Sam. 21.17 And the men of David swore to him c. Thirdly in a case of safegard of a mans life Ioshuah 2.12 And in regard of Marriage Abrahams example Gen. 24.2 therefore Abraham said to the eldest servant c. Put thy hand under my thigh and sweare by the Lord c. Fourthly in Litigious Suits and Causes Exod. 22.8 11. And as these come under the forme of a Publique oath so for Private oathes in the New Testament in remembrance in prayers and in love Paul seareth not in Rom. 1.9 and Phil. 1.8 to call God to witnesse for a matter of suspition 2 Cor. 1.23 Now I call God to record unto my soule c. all this tendeth to this end that we seeing the two maine reasons the exact Commandement of God his owne example and the Fathers in the Old Testament and the Apostles in the New We might be farre from the vaine opinion of the Anabaptists that are gain sayers of this first part and hold that we may not sweare at all grounding on Christs words Sweare not at all For Mat. 5.17 wee know that Christ came not to breake the Law nor to undoe the least jot of the Law and if it had beene his meaning to have had us not to sweare at all he would have said Non assumes nomen Dei omnino thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God at all For Christs words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they should not sweare at all Sure it is that you must marke the scope for it must bee referred to the scope of the place which is to reconcile the Law from the Pharisees corrupt interpretation for they thought if any man swore by any other name so that he sware not by the name of Iehovah sumere nomen Iehovae and onely frustra in vaine that hee might sweare by any other name Some take also jurare to be put for pejurare Augustine in his 27. Homilie and 30. de verbis Apostoli handleth it sufficiently and largely To sweare is commanded and to consent to Anabaptisme is forbidden The second point Affirmative the word added here Thou shalt take the name of God that is our swearing must be by the name of God and by no other Esay 48.1 There are they that will sweare by the name of the Lord but not in truth and righteousnesse They that sweare not by his name take away his praerogative
I have sworne that every tongue should sweare by me This is his Prerogative royall this it one of his priviledges therefore it is often called the Oath of the Lord Iusjurandum Iehovae So dignari alios honore hoc or to translate the praerogative of God from him that is the thing that is forbidden and that is two wayes First if we leave out the name of God and in stead of it take another as Amos 8.14 they had forgotten God and swore by the Sin of Samaria and said Thy God O Dan liveth c. Secondly when we can be content to name him but so as to add another name to it Zeph. 1.5 Vivit Iehovah vivit Malcham that sweare by Jehovah and that sweare by Malcham this joyning whether it be false god or any creature they are both unlawfull and forbidden The first Exod. 23.13 You shall not make mention of the name of other gods and Ioshua 23.7 the very same is Psal 16.4 But they that runne after another god shall have great trouble their drinke and blood offerings will I not offer neither make mention of their names within my lipps Hosea 2.17 I will take away the name of Baalim out of their mouth they shall forget him Zach. 13.2 and Ier. 5.7 If any sweare by that that is no god it is an abhomination For in this there is a three fold injury First to God that requireth his glory to be done to himselfe Secondly to our selves Hebr. 6.16 hee that sweareth must sweare by a greater And therefore he setteth it above himselfe and if he sweare by a creature hee maketh it greater then himselfe Thirdly and to the Creature it selfe which is contented with his owne place So by the Law which God hath set in it and would be avenged of us This is the second when any Idoll or creature hath beene abused as by this Bread we confirme our controversies The third is in vanum in vaine And that that is opposite to it is commonly in swearing taken out of Jerome Hom. in Jer. 4.2 for he speaking there of a people that should sweare aright he saith they should sweare in veritate judicio in justicia in truth in judgement and in righteousnesse These are saith Jerome 3. comites juramenti the three comitants of an oath If we have not these the other may be refused First for truth Wee have a commandement Levit. 19.12 that is opposed against perjury To call God to witnesse to confirme falshood Augustine Vt hic est detestanda bellua Whosoever doth this seemeth to bee a man and becommeth a beast that thinketh so The Heathen and the Jewes as saith Diodorus Siculus Perjurii paena capite plectatur Doth he call God to witnesse to an untruth Let him lose his head This is done First if a man doe testifie falshood Secondly or if it be of that he doubteth of Secondly False either when we know it to be false 2. Or perhaps it is true but falsum commentitium putativè when a man will affirme it will fall out otherwise he is guilty And this in Assertorio Iuramento in an oath of assertion When any of these is done there is Perjury In Promissorio in an oath of promise when there is not certum propositum we doe not purpose si non statuat aut si non perstet either not to purpose then or not to purpose when it should bee performed Examples of it Mar. 14.71 for affirming of falshood Iuramentum Petri Peters oath a fearefull thing it cost many teares For the other not performing in Promissorio under an oath of promise 2 Sam. 21.2 There was an oath made and by covenant Josh 9.15 So Joshva made peace and league with them that hee would suffer them to live also the Princes of the congregation swore unto them Secondly for justice that holdeth either altogether or for the most part in Iuramento promissorio onely in an oath of promise truth holds in both Esay 8.2 that is when a man sweareth to that which is possible and honest it is a just oath else it is unjust If it be inhonestum dishonest then it is not Ius in justice if impossible then it is not Iurandum an oath to bee sworne Examples 1 Sam. 28.10 Saul tooke counsell at the Witch lent her an oath which was inhonest and unlawfull Impossible was the oath of them Acts 23.4 that swore they would neither eate nor drinke till they had killed Paul After a man hath taken such an oath there doth emergere aliquid impossibile some impossibility arise This impossible it may be è principio a thing that alwayes was impossible or secondly emergens post Iuramentum or an impossibility emergent after the oath Augustine on the oath that Herod tooke Mark 6.23 saith That of it selfe it was not unlawfull nor evill and might have been performed if a thing possible and lawfull had been required therefore when she asked his head it was emergens illicitum For there is no oath of promise but it doth elicere it is a drawing out or understand these two as Ioseph to his Mistresse How can I doe it that is How can I honestly doe it In malis promissis nescire fidem unlawfull oathes are better broke then kept The reason is there is exitus sine tertio when the oath is past he must choose whether to keepe in that sinne or fall into two other First into unlawfull murther Secondly superstition in the foolish keeping of the oath into superstition if hee thinke it not to be broken or murther if he doe it 3. In judicio in Judgement that is as Hierome saith In discretione in discretion it standeth upon this point to know the nature of an oath to be not bonum per se a thing good of it selfe but bonum necessarium a good in necessity and necessarium extra terminos necessitatis non est necessarium neque bonum a necessary good but in case of necessity is neither necessary nor good as a Potion is necessary but when a man needeth it So consequently in judgement a man must so stand in it that hee come to an oath necessarily And that is naught extra terminos necessitatis when there is no necessity as not because the oftner he doth it the better it is but propter defectum The case is made plaine by Davids doing Mar. 2.25 when hee had need hee fed himselfe with the Shew-bread which if he had had other bread he would not have done necessity makes things good which otherwise were not good to doe So in case of necessity a man may come to sweare else not In a case of necessity we may come to the Sanctuary not to fire a Beacon To take in this necessity there are two things First to take it reverently not rashly Preac 4.5 and Eccl. 8. Secondly to take it as an holy thing and therefore Levit. 22.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. this is a judgement then to be heard of and
that professe Christ in outward behaviour and shew that in their gates and apparrell are opposite to this there are plaine Tessarae Badges of the enemy and if you heare them speake they have the right Watchword of the Devill Worldly speeches and worldly signes and that we doe militari carni sanguini we weare them daily and so by this we may examine our selves 4. The fourth The perishing of a righteous man in his righteousnesse It was the manner of the delivering of the standard among the Lacedaemonians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My name I deliver unto you eiâ—her bring it home or be brought home upon it This is confession of the name of Christ that we bring our Shield sound to God or else dye for it rather then lose it that is he must not onely be bound at Jerusalem but dye for Christ Jesus 5. Last How to others we may be perswaded for the procuring of it in them also The Apostles precept Col. 4.6 our speech must be such as the hearers may receive grace and have profit by it It hath a place in the second Commandement and not onely in speech but also as Christ saith in Workes c. And as Rom. 2. Esay 52.2 that men blaspheme not the Word of God by your unreformed lives that men say not this word is a word not of power but may say it is a Religion of strength that they say not that our Religion is Unweaponed or a Favourer of Vice The Penalty of the Commandement Penaltie God will not hold him guiltlesse that is as before in the second Commandement he saith hee will fall downe to an Image because hee will spare himselfe he shall not need to begge therefore he will fall downe but God upon that saith they shall all fare the worse for it hee will visit him and his children to the third and fourth generation So here is a Frustra quod non erit frustra here is a taking of Gods name in vaine which will not prove in vaine for he will come in judgement they to save themselves from some present danger will take his name in vaine but here cometh not an holding Guiltlesse but a Condemning for it It shall turne to his destruction where he thought to be saved The reason why God annexed here a penalty as before the great gaine a man might reape by changing his Religion So here when there is a great profit then there is a great penalty set upon them that breake it So here Ubi lapsus est in procliui as a mans tongue as Augustine saith Posita est in udo is set in a glio and slippery place Therefore as it is Psalm 141.3 God must set a doore and a lock upon our lips And that doore is Thou shalt not be held guiltlesse that is if ye be called Christians and take upon you a vaine profession and make frustrate Gods name For a Christian must depart from wickednesse 1 Sam. 2.3 Psalm 75.5 I said to the fooles deale not so madly and to the ungodly set not up your horne If you take upon you any other name if you defend not this or defend things opposed to this in Disputations maintaine false Doctrine if in your speech you bury the name of God or if you bury it not but talke of it foolishly and vainely and without feare and reverence if in talke you forget it if you speake evill of Gods name by disliking of his mercies bestowed upon any or his judgements if you when you should blesse his name you take it and apply it to Witchcraft and Sorceries and evill things If when you should blesse others ye make it a By-word to curse them by it If in swearing you take it in vaine if you vow and doe not performe if any of these wayes you blaspheme God How then Then it is said The Lord will not hold him guiltlesse And it is well said for it is he indeed that must doe it for the World will hold him guiltlesse as swearers now a dayes are not punished For a man that should empaire a mans name I have better remedy for it then for the blasphemie of the name of God He shall not goe scot-free for slandering my name but Gods name findeth not so much favour of our Law Therefore because the World regardeth it so little it is necessary that the Lord should take it into his hands the Lord will looke to it Not to be held Guiltlesse is the whole matter for who is there that shall not fall into intollerable and endlesse trouble if the Lord hold him not Guiltlesse For every man is guilty before God and if he found him guiltie yet he will not be accompted guiltie but this name shall not be holden guiltlesse Hic est totus fructus ut auferatur peccatum this is the whole fruit that our sinne may be taken away else we are the most miserable creatures if we lived alwayes in Vaine Because Gods threatnings in the Law pertaine as well to this life as to the life to come and we said before that there is no Commandement that ever God hath set downe that there is so fearefull judgements in this age and in the age before and in every age as this hath had Zach. 5.4 The Prophet setteth there a flying Booke and that was to take hold of the house of the Swearer and to consume the Posts Tymber Stones and all For stoning Levit. 24.11 to stone the Perjured person to death Num. 5.21 Then the Priest shall charge the Woman with an oath of cursing and he shall say to the woman The Lord make thee be accursed and detestable for the oath among the people and the Lord cause thy thigh to to rott and thy belly to swell vers 22. And that this musty water may goe into thy bowels to cause thy belly to swell and thy thighes to rot And not onely in these private persons but Jer. 21.7 the plagues of God against whole Nations 1 Sam. 21. the plague of a Famine Shall hee prosper shall hee escape that doth these things or shall he breake the Covenant and be delivered Ezek. 17.16 Destruction and Captivity on a whole Land And there are bookes of this thing alone and of particuler persons and whole Nations God hath shewed manifest judgements And this cannot otherwise be because we are so zealous and carefull of our name how much more is God of his For his name passeth ours We say and it is a common By-word among us What is a man but his good name 2. They say Crudelis est sibi homo qui famam suam negligit aut inultam sinit He is a cruell man that neglecteth his name that God should be negligent if he should not punish it Et solius laesae famae causa duellum est permittendum quia fama ambulat pari passu cum vitâ the taking away of a mans life that taketh away his good name Then if we for our owne names sake
be thus zealous and so if it be for the name of our Father or any of those that we receive benefit by wee will thinke ill of our selves if we take not the quarrell upon us God is not to be accused to punish those that take his name in vaine To conclude as it is most certaine that Gods name is glorious in it selfe Psal 8.1 How glorious is thy name in all the World So it must be in every one of us If thou wilt it shall be glorified by thee willingly if thou wilt not in spite of thy teeth whether thou wilt or no he will be glorified Exod. 14.4 And I will harden Pharaohs heart so I will get me honour upon Pharaoh and upon all his Host Deut. 14.2 Thou art an holy people unto the Lord. We must be as the Israelites or wee shall be as Pharaoh Hee that will not glorifie Gods name with the Israelites shall glorifie it with Pharaoh that is by suffering Gods punishing hand For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse The end of the third Commandement The IV. Commandement Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath day c. THE outward worship was divided into the generall or state and temporall worship The reason is this because whereas God commandeth the inward worship of the Soule in the first Commandement both of knowledge and will and in the second hee would have manifest and knowne outwardly the submitting of our knowledge wisedome and reason by reverence a worship the submitting of our affections or will by yeelding reverence of gesture and for this outward gestnre because it could be performed onely to him he would not have it done then onely but when wee were dealing with others and to others that the glory of his name might be magnified in speech and therefore the duties of the third Commandement are injoyned and these three perpetuall and generall besides these three in the fourth Commandement he taketh order that there be not onely a generall profession but also a set day a solemne profession wherein there should be a publique profession of these duties and those and wherein they should all be brought to â—ight Levit. 23.2 3. The feasts of the Lord which ye shall call the holy assemblies even those are my feasts Six dayes shall worke be done but the seventh shall bee the Sabbath of rest an holy convocation ye shall doe no worke therein It is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings The end of the Sabbath A great and holy assembly for this end either that they might be sanctified and all taught or that they might practice them to his glory in the great congregation It is true and that the Heathen man saw well Publicorum cura minor the common care is not the best care But that that is looked to of all is cared for of none and cometh to be regarded of none and so no doubt would men have dealt with God had not he provided a particuler day for himselfe and setled it by a Commandement and that in very particuler manner By that continuall and generall Sabbath they have no day of rest The drift of God in adding this Commandement shall be seene For the Commandement it selfe generally it is full out as long and longer then the second Commandement of many words and therefore moveth us to a due and no lesse consideration of it We see for the duties of the second Table foure of them are ended in a word because common honesty and writers as Philosophers politick and civill Lawes have taken order for them as in manslaughter whoredome and theft c but the fifth because God seeth there is an humour in us that will not willingly yeeld to subjection therefore it was necessary that God should fence it with a reason So likewise in the tenth there is a great particularity used in it because men thinke that their thoughts are free and not to come into judgement and therefore they may have their Concupiscence and Will free But now in the first Table every Commandement hath his reason but above them all in particular this Commandement it includeth six respects that are not found in any of the rest 1. That where the rest runne either barely affirmative as the fifth or barely negative as the rest in this both parts are expressed Affirmative in these words Remember thou keepe holy c. Negative In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke c. So that our desire and inclination to the breach of this Commandement is both wayes met withall 2. That not onely to our selves but to all others that pertaine to us which in a full ennumeration and a wonderfull kind of particularity God proceedeth here to reckon them up that with us or by us may be violators of this Commandement 3. In the other we see how the case standeth they all are imperative and they runne peremptorily the word here used though it be of the Imperative Moode yet it is rather a word of intreaty Remember and may be a note of separation from the rest this Commandement therefore imperat persuadet doth both command and perswade in the word Remember 4. Againe beside the Commandement it yeeldeth a reason and perswadeth but not with one reason as the other but with one maine reason indeed and three others so that this exceedeth all by the multitude of perswasions 5. Another is this that we see in the former Commandement the reason is fearefull so it is in the second Commandement In this it is a farre more easie and reasonable for the great and maine reason is this that we should doe no more then God hath done 6. That as we see by the preface annexed Recordare Remember when we know it is that word that we expresse an especiall charge by because we thinke that it maketh no matter that it is but a trifle whether a duty be broken or kept and therefore he wileth and chargeth us to have an especiall regard of it and not forget him The Commandement as it standeth is divided into the 1. Precept and 2. Aetiologie that is the reason or perswasion First the Precept Remember that thou sandine a day unto me a day of rest to the Lord. For the understanding of it wee must know what is meant first by day of rest or Sabbath secondly what by sanctifying A day of rest or Sabbath properly in the Originall tongue betokeneth such a rest as there hath a worke gone before it Cessaâ—iâ— such a rest is plainely set downe Levit. 25. When the Land hath beene laboured and tilled six yeares he chargeth it to be suffered to rest the seventh yeare and lye fallow a politick Law So that after a labour of six dayes this is it that God requireth that there should be a day of ceasing Sanctifying is here attributed to two in this Commandement in the end that the Lord sanctifyed the Sabbath here in the beginning that wee must remember to sanctifie it The
and 2. the other of the Commander And that people that hath picked out this day of all the dayes in the weeke to deale exceeding despitefully with GOD as the other did celebrare Sabbatum Tyri c. did keepe the sabbath like the man of Tyre So these doe celebrare sabbathum satanae Doe serve the devill in their sabbath But Esay 58.3 the right Sabbath is called Deliciae JEHOVAE that wherin the LORD taketh great Delight and pleasure and that is kept by ceasing from our owne workes Whether it bee from our owne nature and will or calling on the six days or ceasing from that that is Pleasant in our eyes from our owne pastime then wee shall keepe Sabbathum JEHOVAE delicatum and GOD will make it a day to learne his will in and learning it to practise it and practising it shall blesse us and so wee shall come to the inheritance of our crowne And on the contrarie side if Lament 1.4 and 7. he complaineth that the high ways of Sion shall complain That none came to and fro to GODS Sanctuarie or if it fall out as it is Verse 7. that the enemie mocke at her sabbaths if order bee not taken GOD himselfe Mal. 2.3 will take orde projiciet stercus solemnitatum vestrarum hee will make them as odious to us as dung and wee shall loath it or as Jer. 17. the last Verse hee shall punish it by fire But if yee will not heare mee to sanctifie the sabbath c. To sanctifie it It is well sayth an heathen man if one alone doe it but better if many together or an whole citie Psal 40.10 The speciall reason of the instituting this day was that his trueth and glorie might have the prayse thereof and that in the great Congregation hee might have the Glorie In this sense Joel 1.13 Gird your selves and lament you Priests howle yee Ministers of the Altar for meat-offrings and drink-offrings are taken from the house of your GOD. And Joel 2.15 Sanctifying is taken from assembling together The reason in regard of the Church was 1 vniformitie That they might bee knowne all to keepe one profession of fayth and to bee in one bond of obedience that did meete in one place at one time in one day to glorifie GOD. And 2. The Meanes Prayer And 3. for the Common wealth Psal 68.6 Hee is the GOD that maketh men to bee of one minde in an house and as the heathen men saw that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meeting together in one place was because of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was a way to maintaine amitie Therefore those that set up tyrannie seperate men 4. For each private man that as was said before from these nundinae animae from this spirituall faire they might carrie commeatum animae provision for the soule for the lightening of their understanding For the restrayning of their will even as in the market day before men gather for their use to serve them the whole weeke after And so consequently beeing thus stored and provided for the great ende may bee gained in Ezek. 38.23 That GOD might bee sanctified id est That hee might bee magnified Exod. 31.13 The Sabbath was a Signe betwixt GOD and us whereby wee may know that it is hee that sanctifieth us So when this is wrought wee might bring forth fruite of this sanctification Whereas GOD Gen. 2.3 did first make holy this Day out of the proportion of it John 17.19 hee sanctified it for our sakes and not for his owne and his sanctification was as it is Jer. 1.5 The ordaining of it to an holy use and that as Zach. 7.3 appointed by a separation to that exercise from other dayes and then as 1. Cor. 10.16 by giving a blessing to the exercise that is upon that day And that that was his to make holy is our dutie to keepe holy For if a thing bee destinated to an use and bee not applied to it it is perverted See Ezechias his course 2. Chron. 29.5 whatsoever God hath sanctified or made holy that the fruite thereof may redound to us it needs not that we should sanctifie the thing but we must first sanctifie our selves We cannot make it holy but keepe it holy as the destination is of God so the application is of our selves but Exod. 30.29 what thing soever is holy he must see he be holy that toucheth it So he that liveth in that day that he doe not touch it nor looke upon the Sunne that shineth in it but that hee be able to make it and himselfe holy all that looke on the sunne that day must be holy For the use of the meanes For this cause Rom. 15.16 it is plaine that we are sanctified by the Holy Ghost And there is therein a resemblance to Levit. 8.10 the Leviticall sanctifying There was nothing could be sanctified but it must first be annoynted 1 Iohn 2.27 it is said to be as the figure of the spirituall Unction which is nothing else but the spirituall working of the Holy Ghost in our hearts So then first we must see that the Unction be in us then as before Luke 11.13 because the Holy Ghost which onely can sanctifie us is the gift of God and is not denyed to any to whom hee hath given grace to receive it the spirit expresseth it in this manner and compareth himselfe to fire the sparke is given by God so that the matter must be gathered and prepared by us that wee 1 Thes 5.19 doe not quench the spirit that is Prophesies or the ordinary meanes which God hath ordained Deut. 12.8 That sanctification shall not come to any man by his owne braine by doing that which is good in his owne eyes but onely the prescript method that God hath set downe for the gathering of Matter for this Sparke which the Holy Ghost must set on fire that so it might not goe out The Fathers in the Councell of Gangara last Canon have set it downe thus That if any man keeping his house that day be never so fruitfully occupied and thinke he pleaseth God they give him Anathema for it especially at those times The meanes of sanctification In which nothing else can be said but that was said before in knowledge how the true knowledge might be come by Onely that that Augustine saith of the often iteration that this is the fruit of iteration that he that speaketh may say Domine scis quia dixi Domine scis quia iteravi Domine scis quia contestatus sum Lord thou knowest I have sanctified thy Name because I have preacht thy Name I have talked of it againe and againe I have beene witnesse unto thy truth In 1 Tim. 4.4 the Apostle attributeth the sanctification of every thing to Prayer that is used before and therefore they have termed it the Preparative to all the duties of a Christian More plainely Mar. 1.35 Christ in the morning before day arose and prayed so long and came into the
the the state of a Learner and yet shewed a great gift that way above his yeares And if points of doctrine faile Luke 3.10 and Act. 2.37 what other points were to bee resolved of as there were divers questions moved by some how they might live accordingly id est by the Souldiours and by the Publicanes Now because there are no doubts it is a signe that feare is cleane extinguished out of mens hearts and if there bee any it is not of doing or leaving undone but of detracting 2. Betweene equalls Gal. 2.2 2. Kings 2.11 Luke 24.17 Mal. 3.16 When as hearers or two of like calling whether they bee Teachers as in the two first places as Elias and Eliseus went talking The word in the originall beareth a further signification and as Paul with Peter and the disciples in Luke with CHRISTS approbation and in Malachie it is accompanied with a blessing id est because that thing in the preaching of the Word doth good to one which doth not to the other by the laying together as it were a symbolum in a common shot they receive a more generall benefit As on the other side those imperfections and infirmities that hinder mee happly the same may fall into the minde of my brother and I may shew him how his case and how I was delivered out of it The third is Deuter. 11.19 Where it is sayd Of the exercise of the Law there shall bee an examination in families and the father or chiefe thereof hee shall question with the younger and that shall enter and whet them more and make it sticke faster So these three make a full member 4. Concerning the fourth and last It is not to bee passed over Aug. lib. 10. de Civit. DEI accompteth it totum opus Sabbathi as if the Sabbath was made for nothing else But onely for thanksgiving and prayse For this ende was as is aforesayd penned Psal 92. for that ende appointed Howbeit they have drawne Psalmes generally to these three points That the Church of GOD publikely that every man particularly may make use Either of those that containe generall matter or of some particular custome For generall instruction Psal 91. the generall Psal 103. of some particular benefit as Psal 68. When as wee have had too much raine and pray for faire weather or when there is too much drought the latter part of Psal 65. Then for these particular benefites particular Thanksgiving or as Psal 35.18 the neglect of which is a blemish in our Church Hee desireth deliverance and promiseth that beeing heard hee will sing His Praise in the Congregation So Psal 65.1 the very word there is due There is due to thee an Hymne The reason is because thou hast heard our prayers Tibi debetur Hymnus à SION These actions are so generall as that they may serve for every action of the Sabbath In wicked exercises wee can never bee frequent enough God requires that wee should bee as faithfull in his worke The celebration of the Sacraments Exod. 12.16 and performing of the discipline of the Church It is the Sabbath dayes worke The order doth pertaine to all and it so pertaineth to all that least any man should thinke it is enough to doe it once Revel 22.11 Qui sanctisicatus est sanctisicetur adhuc Hee that is holy let him bee holy still There is still a necessitie every Sabbath day wee must continue 1. Cor. 13.9 Our knowledge is but in part and our prophecying but in part There shall still remaine scrutamini scripturas search the Scripture Revel 7.14 That wee should still wash our Robes in the bloud of the Lambe id est Come still nearer and nearer to cleannesse so farre forth as 1. Tim. 4. If wee continue there in wee shall save our selves This for the Meanes The Meanes are for the Fruit and therefore hee that planteth a Vineyard hoc est vltimum fructus ejus Though hee hope when it is yet aframing yet last is the Fruit. This is the fruit that GOD looketh for the great ende of the Commandement that His Name may be sanctified in us We must not use the Meanes only For the Meanes the phrase is set downe Numb 20.12 Because ye beleeved mee not to sanctifie mee in the presence of the children c. Levit. 20.7 Sanctificate sancti estote Sanctifie your selves and bee yee holy Such wordes because of the two folde glorie that redoundeth to GOD have a double use GOD is glorified 1. either by us directly or 2. from us by others indirectly Matth. 5.16 That they seeing our good workes might glorifie Him Therefore commeth it to passe that these wordes as sanctification and justification c. have a double sense First it signifieth a making holy When wee are indeed made holy and that is by Meanes for this cause sanctification is a making holy Second in regard of the other a declaring of this made sanctification And of our selves The first beeing 2. Pet. 1.10 And second shewing it to all other men to bee so and so wee may glorifie GOD our selves and GOD may bee glorified in others Whereby it falleth out that because good workes make this Therefore CHRIST Matth. 12.12 sayth That a good worke is lawfull on the Sabbath day What worke soever sheweth Regeneration is lawfull 2. Tim. 2.21 for there the Apostle sayth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Prepared or made fit to every good worke But because that the day is specially instituted for the remembrance of his great Mercies as 1. Making us when wee were nothing 2. Redeeming us when wee were in a worse case and 3. The beginning of Sanctification for these three great Mercies Therefore it is that no worke doth so well agree as Thanksgiving for these Mercies Hee is so delighted in no worke as in the worke of Mercie And therefore commeth it that there is an especiall affinitie betwixt sanctification and workes of mercie Ose 6.6 When hee had sacrifice without this hee abjecteth all Therefore to compare this with the rituall sanctification of the law As you had annointing so you had the second part every thing was sanctified by two meanes First If hee were a person his hand was filled by Aaron implevit manum ejus Aaron And if it were an Altar then there was somewhat offered on it So oblation or filling the hand is the second Deut. 16.16 There is a charge to Aaron that whensoever they came to appeare before the LORD none of them should appeare emptie Therefore Levit. 8.31 There is mention made of a Basket of sanctification in which were reserved those thinges that afterward they would consecrate to the LORD The very same order was taken 1. Cor. 16.1.2 On the LORDS Day there should bee collection for the poore There is nothing that so setteth out the matter as Deut. 26. wholly The workes are either outward and performed to the bodie or inward and performed to the spirit of man For the first Matth. 25.
without prayer and fasting some kinde of tentation not to bee avoyded Last for the procurement of some good and that either in generall Acts 10.13 Cornelius himselfe when hee was to enter into the generall vocation of a Christian Or particular CHRISTS owne example in the entring of his Mediatorship Matthew 4.1 It is the opinion of the Fathers 13. and 14. of the Acts before the Inauguration and calling of the Ministrie This whatsoever the Magistrate doth ought to be done of our selves The Parts are of no other nature then the parts of the Sabbath and they are two First the externall as the rest outward sorrow Secondly internall abstinence as Sanctification The outward they call abstinence or fasting the inward sorrow or mourning or humiliation First in the outward it is required of us that from Even to Even we doe wholly celebrate the Sabbath Levit. 23.32 wholly abstaine from meate and drinke Ezra 10.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whatsoever is to be eaten and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever is liquid a generall restraint of both Secondly in Joel 1.13 Gird your selves and lament you Priests howle ye Ministers of the Altar come and lie all night in sackcloth yee Ministers of my God c. An abridgement or breaking off the ordinary course of our sleepe Thirdly in Exod. 33.4 of laying aside of the best apparrell which in Nehem. 9.1 and in sundry other places is expressed by wearing of sackcloth And that we should be without that too but onely for the commandement of God for nakednesse And generally Zac. 7.3 separating our selves from all that is commodious or pleasant to the senses from all commodities and delights of this life Et quia non peccavit sola gula ne jejunet sola Bernard Because the taste hath not sinned alone therefore it must not keepe a fast alone but the rest of the senses must have their separation also And as we are forbidden and restrained all these so Levit. 23.28 are we forbidden any labour or worke of the six dayes and so falleth in that the same rest is required then as on the Sabbath Last of all as we finde Esay 58.10 the precept an example Acts 10.3 the Centurions fasting that it was joyned with almes Canon Quod ventri subtrahitar illud pauperi addatur that which we spare out of our owne bellies must be given to the poore But now because as we said before it is not bodily labour or bodily rest so Rom. 14.17 the Kingdome of God is not in meate and drinke If there we stay and goe no further it will not serve Therefore the Prophet telleth such fasters Esay 58.3 though they lay in sackcloth a whole day yet it was not that God required because the outward action is but ordained for the inward the account that God maketh is of that it is instituted for humbling Matth. 9.13 what is there said of Sacrifice may be said as well of outward mourning And as it is Joel 2.12 not the rending of apparrell but the heart and the fast that he alloweth off must be accordingly And 2 Cor. 7.11 where the Apostle describeth the full course of whatsoever is required of us inwardly in this fast And Rom. 8. it must come from the spirit with such sighings as cannot be expressed Of the sorrow there cannot be an exquisite method but as he setteth them downe there they are in two companies either a working of seare and consequently a sorrow and after that a sorrow that we have been so unkinde to offend so mercifull a Father and then after that we have a while remained that we proceed to a desire of amends and that we be carefull and that care sheweth it selfe zealous and if we chance not to proceed a right then that we be ready to punish our selves In a word the fruit of those actions they tend to this end 1 Cor. 11.31 that we may judge our selves that so we may escape As his policie was 1 Kings 20.31 and as we see the common practise of the rebellious subject if by any meanes he may make the bowels of his Prince to yearne within him But alwayes except the seale of humiliation and fasting be added all is naught Nehem. 9.1 and last Where after a great vow before the Congregation protested that after an exhortation foure times and after a solemne reading of the Law at that time When as ordinarie readings was but twice This was the order for the furtherance of this and when hee had drawne a Covenant they set their hands and seales to it and so bound themselves by an everlasting Covenant Which vow if wee can keepe if we can bring our selves to the vow of obedience if we can doe this unfainedly and doe it so effectually as we promise readily ever afterward it is very certaine that this hath taken a good root in us The fourth rule The spirituall part of the Law Which because Esay knew the value of it in the Fast as Cha. 58.3 and in his Sabbath at the 13. verse of the same nothing did so belong to them as if they would give over their owne corrupt Will if mans corrupt will could be brought under This is that he sheweth 1 Pet. 3.15 Sanctifie the Lord your God in your hearts It is a thing that may be performed of man and such as the Lord delighteth greatly in The meanes in which the lord throughout the Scriptures comprehendeth these that whereas there must be a solemne prosession of thankefulnesse and our sorrow for our unthankefulnesse there must be a place also and persons chiefe in these actions of Sanctification And these persons not Ex tumultuario grege they must not be men of the common rout but such as must be trayned up for it And because the trayning up will require cost therefore the order for the maintenance of the Ministers and the Universities which are the places to prepare them for Ministers and Schooles they are commanded alike of God For the place Leviticus 19.30 and 26.2 in both places is this sentence Yee shall keepe my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuarie making the observation of his day and reverence of the place to runne in one verse and making them of one nature The Sabbath is the day of rest and when we hallow it we call it the Lords rest so Psalm 132.14 we see the Lord will give the same name to the place This is my rest Concerning which as the Apostles tooke order as that the exteriour part of GODS worship might be performed decently and in order So on the other side that the place of GODS worship should bee so homely and so ordered that the Table of the Lords Supper where one saith well Tremenda Dei mysteria the dreadfull mysteries of GOD are celebrated that it were fitter to eate Oysters at to be an Oyster table then to stand in the Sanctuary of the LORD this is so farre from Pompa that it is farre from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Decencie that every
Shall it not be good if peace and truth be in my dayes Tantum sit pax in diebus meis it makes no matter so long as there is peace in my dayes If that were taken away and a care were had of posterity so well as is in other things and order taken for the government there is no doubt but this must needs be seene that the observation of the Civill Law would be the better maintained by the observation of the Spirituall Law of God 3. The next is that for the maintenance of this there must be such places as where these kind of persons must be maintained Maintenancâ— that are for to spend their dayes in the ministery and for giving of oracles it is necessary that there should be order taken for education and so consequently for the education of such there ought to be institution of Schooles and Colledges As soone as the worship of God ceased in one familie in Egypt 1 King 4.31 that in Egypt these Ethan the Ezrahite and Heman and Chalcol and Darda the sonnes of Maholl foure men famous for learning and knowledge above all the rest they were raised by God Ethan as we read 2 Chron. was Judahs sonne by Thamar and the other three being his brothers children Mahols sonnes And as those were during the time of the captivity so Moses is said Act. 7.22 to have been brought up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all arts and sciences as in the Mathematickes Josh 15.15 before the Israelites comming into Canaan they came to a City called Debiroth afterward v. 49. made a City of learning it was called Debir their Oracle their places then were infinite greater then ours 1 Sam. 3.9 There were studies round about the Church to occupie themselves and 1 Sam. 10.5 there was familia Prophetarum a whole company of Prophets The first Colledge we read of there where the garrisons of the Philistines lay which the Philistines so reverently used that they passed to and fro by them and never endangered them 1 Sam. 19.18 that he himselfe built Naioth in Ramah i. the Beauty of Ramah and so consequently to the times of the latter Prophets 2 King 4.38 that Elisha had a great number of the children of the Prophets daily sitting before him and the very ceremony of powring water on Elias his hands is not pretermitted In 2 King 3.11 in the time of captivity there was Daniel and the rest afterward there was the magna synagoga called Sanedrim of the Greeke word corrupted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After that as Philo Judeus reporteth De vita contemplativa concerning students in Alexandria in Egypt Act. 13.3 2.3 6.6 that there were Colledges in Jerusalem And lastly we may see Pauls good affection Act. 19.9 that disputed daily in the Schoole of one Tiranus and that which is above all 1 Tim. 4.15 that he should be altogether conversant in the studie of those things which cannot be except there should be a place And this doth shew plainly that there should be such a calling And as this is so is the next part of it that concerneth maintenance of these both Neh. 10.33 The covenant taken that they would take order for the Tenths which standeth alwaies as of a stipend so of free oblation For a set stipend 1 Cor. 9.7 the Apostle proveth it sufficiently and the Law of the Lord for the tenth part to the Levite to be of the same part of the commandement But the Apostle reasoneth thus that every man that laboureth for another must eate of the fruit of his labours He beginneth with the oxen first then he riseth to the souldier from thence to the spirituall Sower that it is nothing to bestow of the bodily harvest upon him that worketh in the spirituall harvest And for Tenths 1 Corin. 31. lesse then a tenth part cannot be by these reasons 1. By the annexing of it to the Priesthood of Melchisedek to whom Abraham gave Tithe of all that he had Gen. 14.20 Hebr. 7.2 2. Gen. 28.21 The promise of Jacob 1 Tim. 5.3 is made morall 3. Because the reason of it was not particular to the Jewes and therefore that to pay the tenth was not particular to them but lasted to us Num. 18.3 Lastly by Christs deniall Matth. 23.23 to the Scribes and Pharisees And the Apostles bidding to communicate all things with order Non est respicienda analogia ubi non habenda Come to oblations Oblation Deut. 26.19 God hath taken order hath made it free So the practise of the godly Samuel Abner Joab 1 Chron. 26.28 And after Salomons answer to the Rabbins In the opinion of the Rabbins that whosoever did so he did certainly and the answer made by Christ Joh. 12.8 He accounted it no defrauding the poore of that that was bestowed on him So likewise Pauls testimony Rom. 15.16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ toward the Gentiles ministring the Gospell of God that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable being sanctified by the Holy Ghost They are commanded Ezek. 48.14 not to sell nor change nor alienate their first fruits Levit. 5.25 Zach. 5.4 I will bring it forth saith the Lord of Hosts and it shall enter into the house of the theefe and into the house of him that falsly sweareth by my Name and it shall remaine in the middest of his house and shall consume it with the timber thereof stones thereof Because it is a booke against theft therefore it shall be in their families but it shall eate and consume that familie The signes are two first Esay 66. vers last save one Sâ—â—â—â— where he saith 1. The people shall be so carefull that they shall take order that from Sabbath to Sabbath from moneth to moneth they shall give of their owne From Sabbath to Sabbath all flesh shall come to worship before mee 2. Ex superabundanti If that day every nation be like mount Sion and every mans house be instar templi as a Church and the whole people every man be instar Sacerdotis as a Priest The last rule for procuring it in others 6 Rule plaine in the Commandement Thou and thy sonne c. example for families Job 1.5 and for the Common-wealth Nehem. 10.31 he would suffer no wares to be brought in Sabbato upon the Sabbath Contrary to all these is he whosoever he be that maketh many Sabbaths or holy-daies to his pleasure or that maketh no Sabbath as they of the Family but every day a Sabbath and so none If either we so account of it as the Pharisee Matth. 12. not to thinke it lawfull to do a good worke on the Sabbath or contra of we indeed do abrogate i. if either we be given to the meanes alone Ezek. 33.3 but never the better or contra if we thinke the meanes not to be esteemed Hos 6.6 or if we thinke mercie to be such that the knowledge of God is to be neglected and last for
the hand they will let him goe Quaecunque malo incobantur principio difficulter hono persiciuntur exitu God blesseth not the ends of those that come not in by the doote The Merceâ—â—â—y taâ—â—or Now the two other markes doe make a distinction againe For they that follow come in right but there is an abuse of it Therefore there is a thing called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Purpose 2 Tim. 3.10 O Timothy you know my purpose you know what you have to doe It is well expressed Phil. 2.20 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a naturall care as if there were some that had spuriam curam a bastard care And that germanam curam that naturall care one of the Fathers calleth zelum animarum a zeale of soules They that have not this purpose of heart John 10.13 be called mercenarii for they have no care of feeding Zach. 11.15 they are not instrumenta pastoris boni Inâ—irumâ—â—â—â— pâ—â—â—â—â—is stulti but stulei they are not the instruments of a good but a foolish Shepheard which the Fathers make forcipes mulclram a paire of Sheeres for the Fleece and a Paile for the Milke And so after whatsoever occasion befall that there come danger to the Flock for the soule they reward it not but when there is but the least danger of the wooll or milke then every one sumit instrument a pastoris stulti takes the instruments of a foolish Shepheard and bestirreth himselfe The Jewes call them such as draw neare to the Arke or Temple for the Corban for the offering box Mat. 15. they care not for the Law so the Corban speed well Abiathur of the offpring and posterity of Elie being a wicked man it is prophecied of him 1 Sam. 2. last that Elies posterity should stand thus affected they should come to some of the Priests desire a place to serve for a peece of bread and a peece of silver this was their end But Abiathar was displaced by Salomon and Zadok put in his room Christ Job 10. sheweth a way how this should be discovered For if there come a Wolf or fall Teacher with authority a persecutor they will flie to him And Acts 20.29 30. they will also become as bad as Wolves Heb. 13.17 the Apostle would have them marke the issue of their conversation Now this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or issue marreth all here for if the Wolfe come either he will give over Iohn 10.12 or worrie the flock too The Apostle saith that even of your selves shall rise men teaching perverse things So you see that whether he continue the care for his belly or degenerate into a Wolfe yet he hath his lawfull institution And this discerneth them that come in right but yet are Mercenary Now though this duty every minister ought to looke too yet quia obediendum est malo the people must obey an evill shepheard if it be not ad malum unto evill But this question is before Page 378. c. Come to the second that as care is to be had of their comming Mat. 22.12 in so of their abuse And that there is no abuse but where there is a duty it is plainely set downe Ezek. 34.3 that as the manner is now they did eate the fat and cloth themselves with the wooll and killed them that were fedde but the sheepe they feede not Where there is an abuse of a dutie and the duty here is of foure parts which may be subdivided into two The first they call Exemplum example it is here of Christ John 10.3 4. expressed by going before the sheepe And their manner was in the East countries they drave not their sheep before them but their sheep followed them More plainely 1 Tim. 4.12 he must be Typus that is such a thing as maketh a stampe upon the coine and the Iron that giveth the forme and impression to the money So it is used againe Tit. 2.3 and 1 Pet. 5.3 And it is Moses his order Deut. 33.8 first Thummim integrity of life then Urim learning and Num. 17.8 which is by way of figure it pleased God to make it a signe of Aarons calling that his rodde was virga fructifera a rod bearing fruit by which as by the fruits of the spirit good workes and vertues bee often meant So of Christ Acts 1.1 his order quae caepit Jesus 1. facere 2. docere first what he did and then what he taught and where it is ex professo handled 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. that he be exemplum unblameable that for manners he be not rebukeable So that is first that he be typus and that he may facere doe and then afterward that he may docere teach He may be exemplum an example two wayes First in himselfe Secondly in his Family 1 Tim. 3.4 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3.2 without spot so there is a relation to Levit. 21.17 18.22 none of Aarons seed if he were mishapen or had a blemish shall come neere to offer the sacrifices of the Lord made by fire That is it that the Apostle saith here If he have any notorious sinne or crime for he speaketh not of inward crimes but of outward onely of such as may be laid to a mans charge he may not take on him this Fatherhood the reason is because 2 Cor. 6.3 there must no offence be given to the weak to thinke that they may doe so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Ministery be not blamed that there might be no slander no Momus no slander for the adversary to laugh at For the taking away of these slanders according to the Apostles interpretation 2 Cor. 8.20 we must beware of all things which comprehend occasionem scandali occasion of scandall This was the Apostles care concerning the almes that should be carryed to the poore brethren in Jerusalem he would not meddle with it except he had another to goe with him because he would be without blame least some should suspect him of defrauding because he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 provide for honest things before God and men He would not give the adversary occasion to speak evill of him so John 4.27 when the Disciples found Christ talking with a Woman they marvelled shewing that it was not his custome Hee eschewed as much as might be all occasions of slanderous suspitions Thus of the Genus Now of the Species foure and the soure opposite vertues which he must have in himselfe The first is that he be Tit. 1.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temperate and 1 Tim. 3.2 opposite to this is non habere unam uxorem not to be content with one Wife onely So continencie or single life is the vertue Secondly 1 Tim. 3.2 3. the vertue opposed vers 2. Sober for his dyet opposed vers 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transiens ad vinum sitting by the Wine for the lust of the body and the pleasure of the taste they must be in this order
provision and 2 King 4.38 by Elishah his pottage wee may learne how to satisfie nature 2. For the quantity They that have taken the measure of our throate and the rest of our instruments say they are lesse in man then in any other creature taking it answerable to the proportion of his body so consequently he should eate lesse Plenty and variety tempteth a man as Ezek. 16. Aug. said when he was at a table of many dishes he was easily overshot The quantity is taken either by surcharging of our nature Hosea 7.3 or secondly by ability of duty Christ saith take heede of crapula ne gravet corda surfetting lest it overcharge your hearts or thirdly in regard of our estate 1 Sam. 25.36 Naball was a note too high in his feast he made a feast like a Prince here was superfluity 3. Quality Exquisitenes it must be so exquisitely done Luke 10.41 Martha was partly gone with it and Christ giveth her a modest reprehension But Rom. 13.14 we must not make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it Sapores non naturales exquisite sawces for this is a way to bring Saint Paul to his teares Phil. 3.19 that he should weepe for us because wee make our belly our God and 1 Cor. 6.13 to move God to destroy both it and them Greg. Haec arca putrescit quae in ea reponuntur the belly will be consumed and whatsoever is put in it therefore it is pitie to make that our God These are in regard of the meate 4. Now there be two rules in regard of us The first is Greedinesse Esaues fault Aug. Ardenter profecto comedit qui ardenter desideravi he eated greedily as he hungred heartily that hee had rather fell his birth-right two portions of his Fathers goods then tarry Iude. vers 12. calleth it vesci Ecclus. 37.28 and 31.12 in the first place he calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ardenter hoc est enim os porci habere nor too greedy upon meats greedily that is to have a hoggish and swinish appetite while he intendeth it therefore the Devill saith Ierome had rather come into the heard of swine no doubt there were other heards but he hath a speciall delight in them because of their greedinesse because they were like in their especiall qualities to Cormorants And Ierome saith ubi satietas est ibi daemones agunt choreas where satiety is there the Devils dance take heede of satiety Of eating and drinking 5. The last is to eate too often This is to be taken by the former rules vitae officii Eccles 10.16 eating early and Esa 5.11 eating late Rom. 13.13 any of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 1 Pet. 4.3 are forbidden he telleth thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 besides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vinolentia drinkings no doubt having regard to our secundae mensae second courses and comessationes banquets and drinkings Of these five as in some of them there is aversio à fine an aversion from the end and in some nothing but proportio aberrans à fine a proportion wide of the end the one is more grievous then the other Aug. confessions upon comessationes ebrietates crapulae surfetting and drunkennesse Luke 21.34 Domine ebrietas longe est à me fac quaeso ne appropinquet mihi crapula autem nonnunquam subrepit servo tuo fac quaeso ut longe absit à me quis est qui non capiatur aliquantulum exira metas necessitatis Quisquis est magnus magnificet nomen tuum ego autem non sum quia homo peccator sum sed tamen ego in his positus tentationibus cerio quotidie cum cupiditatibus Drunkennesse O Lord is far from me grant it may never approach unto me surfetting sometimes creeps unawares upon thy servant remove it far from me and who is he that sometimes exceeds not the bounds of necessity Whosoever is perfect shall magnifie thy name such a one I am not because a sinfull man neverthelesse though environed with these tentations I warre daily against my lusts And this I doe further for unnecessary refections I have cleane cut them off and then secondly as Prov. 23.20 homines comessatores fugi I shunne gluttonous men Thirdly mihi sufficit meus apparatus I am content with my owne portion Fourthly whensoever I goe beyond the bounds of necessity non dico ut Esa 56.12 erit cras ut bodie amplius I say not as it is Es 56.12 to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant This saith he I doe And then he commeth to exhort Et fratres mei quam lenissime sed tamen quam instantissime vos oro and therefore my brethren most lovingly yet most earnestly I beseech you that you will strive to doe the like Excesse of drinke In that we called subactum solum a disposing of our bodies 1. To Temptation 2. To Concupiscence As the first is in excesse of meates before handled so the second is the same in excesse of drinke Ephes 5.18 he telleth us there is a drinke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein is this fornication and the inclination thereto The very same we see Prov. 23.33 for among the effects of wine and drunkennesse there be giveth this that he should looke upon strange women and his heart should speake leud things And he shall be fitter for this sinne 1. Pet. 4.3 He removeth there from Christians not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drunkennesse which the Fathers call voluntarium daemonem a voluntary Devill when a man willingly bereaveth himselfe of reason but he also addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compotations whether they have the effect Esa 5.11 though they take not away reason yet doe enflame us and kindle our bloud and spirits Or else as it is vers 22. a man by using it getteth an habit that he is strong to doe it and that he himselfe can be free from it and can behold others infirmities with pleasure In any of these cases the excesse of drinke is forbidden not onely because as Prov. 20.1 he saith it deceiveth or as it is Prov. 23.20 the man that delighteth in wine the drunkard and glutton shall never be rich but because it disposeth a man to this Gen. 19.33 even when he is without knowledge and unwillingly but most commonly Prov. 23.33 voluntarily and with knowledge to be a meete mould to receive the Devils print It is suth a vice that a man entred into it shall hardly be able to recover himselfe 1 Tim. 5.23 where Timothy is so farre from excesse as that being in great infirmity he will not venture upon wine without Pauls direction Then we see by that that the Apostle setteth downe that in bodily infirmities the use of it is lawfull And Prov. 31.6 in heavinesse of minde whether it come by an extraordinary chance or by disposition of nature And Nehem. 8.10 in a publike benefit of the Church there
on of hands or taking a thing by violence and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a crafty way of compassing Upon the petition that pertaineth to temporall things in the Lords Prayer of daily bread Chrysost saith that habere convenit etiam malis habere autem de manu dei sanctis tantum the wicked may lawfully possesse goods but to enjoy them as blessings and favours from God is the portion of the Saints which God saith he praeparare non vetat sed cum peccato praeparare qui enim cum peccato praeparat ei diabolus dat quod manducat non Deus forbids not to purchase at all but not to compasse them sinfully which whosoever doth he hath it of the gift of the Devill and not of the gift of God neither can justly make that petition and hee hath with it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some pledge that some visitation shall come upon him for it On the other side the vertue opposite is the just getting and that is the object we have in hand It is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sludium honeste rem parandi Prov. 16.8 Every man ought thus to be perswaded that a little by righteous meanes well gotten is better then great revenues without i. as very well the Apostle setteth downe both the parts 1 Tim. 6.5 where he speaketh of covetous men he saith they are corrupted in mind and destitute of the truth the reason is this is their position Game is godlinesse as the Heathen man saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let me put up the money in my bagge and call me a piller and a poller and what you will But in the next verse he sheweth that if a man can turne the proposiion and say that godlinesse is gaine that is to account the true gaine as indeed it is that that is gotten by Gods prescript not by mans oversight Gen. 43.4 But that he may say so as Iacob said to Laban Gen. 30.33 call my doings to account cras respondebit pro me justitia mea my righteous dealing shall be able to answer for me and to acquit me Now unto this vertue as it appertaineth to save and preserve us from evill dealing yet because the world is full of it and men have mentem malam they are in a wicked and vicious race and so runne on till stopp'd by conscience and then afterwards touched therefore is there a second vertue that they call Restitution and that is necessary if perhaps any man have over-shot himselfe in getting his goods unjustly It is one of the greatest and principallest common places throughout the Fathers from the time of Constantine the great And August Restitution he sets it downe for a Canon Non dimittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum The sinne of an unlawfull purchase is not pardoned unlesse restitution be made the ground of it is Numb 5.7 For God saith there if they have done any such thing they shall confesse the fault that they have done and restore the dammage to him that it was done to And agreeable to that is the affection of Iob in the law of nature Iob 20.18 He shall restore his labour and devoure no more the reason he addeth in the next verse For hee hath undone many and spoyled houses he never built And as by the example of nature so by the example of the practice of it under the law Nehem. 5.11 For there Nehemiah saith Ye shall restore the people their lands and Vine-yards and the goods they had gotten by usury and they said they would and he called the Priests and caused them to sweare that they should doe according to this promise and he shooke his lap and said So let God shake them that would not restore such things as they had gotten wrongfully God shall shake them off and all the Congregation shall say Amen If we come to the Gospel we shall see the rule of it Rom. 13.7 Give to every man that which is his And in the repentance protestation of Zacheus Luk. 19.8 that if he had done any wrong by cousening forgery or falshood he would restore foure-fold the value of it And as this is in goods unlawfully gotten so in those things that have a lawfull contract there is a restitution too as in the gift donation God De it 21.15 taketh order for the conveyance of inheritance But for that matter there is but little order to be taken These things that are of the nature of a gift as that one being wholly commended to the necessity liberalis donatio so the other wholly to the trust depositum the committing of any thing upon trust to be restored Exod. 22.7.10 vers 7. if any man deliver money to his neighbour to keepe c. vers 10. if any deliver to keepe Oxe or Asse there must be a restitution of whatsoever is delivered to our trust to keepe or else justice will be broken Among the depositarii in regard of the thing committed Depositarii fiduciarii as the Law calleth them in regard of the trust that is put in them Those that are put in trust with children while their fathers be alive as tutors or guiders after their fathers death they must make an account and give an account for their depositum the things committed to their trust for we see that the holy Ghost doth give an honourable witnesse of Mordocheus Hester 2.7 he was put in trust with Hester his Uncles daughter he saith he brought her up as carefully as if she had beene his owne daughter that is the extremity that can be required And so they that have charge during the parents lives Whatsoever they take as Prov. 22.20 Solomon did he saith he had uttered and written three times many times in counsels and knowledge that is that they must diligently read whatsoever they receive or whatsoever commeth in the bill of accounts Luk. 16.6 If 50. be put in the bill for 80. surely this must not be so of Executors that are put in trust with the administration of the goods of the dead and feoffees put in trust with the conveyance of lands 1 Sam. 20.15 there David is put in trust with Ionathans sonne and the execution of it and that in good order 2 Sam. 9.1 And for those Luke 20.14 when as they had the Vine-yard and the heire was sent to receive some fruit of them they said Let us kill the heire and the inheritance shall be ours We see how grievously he threatneth them and what a great woe the Lord pronounceth against them for it 3. After these things that goe sub ratione depositi Strayes under the name of trust they joyne those things that come sub ratione inventi strayes Exod. 23.4 God saith If we meete our enemies Oxe or Asse going astray we shall bring him home to him and if we be farre from him and we know him not Deut. 22.2 we must keepe it till he come for it And if the owner never come for it
thirdly having found the way we shall intrare ingaudium Domini enter into our Masters joy Matth. 25. If we aske we shall have grace whereby it shall appeare we have not received our soule in vaine Psal 24. secondly seeking we shall finde the helpe and assistance of Gods spirit so that we shall not receive grace in vaine 2 Cor. 6. thirdly by knocking the way of entrance shall be opened unto us so that our labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. as Aug. saith Non dicitur quid dabitur Christ nameth not what shall be given to you to let us know that that gift is a thing supra omne nomen above all that can be named It is as great a gift as an earthly Prince can give to promise halfe his King dome Marke 6.23 but God hath promised not halfe his Kingdome but all his Kingdome we shall receive of God not onely whatsoever we desire For desiderare nostrum as one saith is not terminus bonitatis Dei our desire is not the limit or bounds of Gods goodnesse but above all that we can aske or thinke Ephes 3. In the confidence of this promise the Saints of God in the time of their misery fly unto God by prayer as their onely ready helpe In the dayes of Enoch which were full of miseries and troubles men began to call upon the name of the Lord Gen. 4.26 and Abraham in every place where he came being departed out of his owne Countrey and living in exile built an Altar and called on the name of the Lord. Gen. 12.8 David saith that his onely remedy which he used against the slander and injuries of his enemies stood herein that he gave himselfe to prayer Psal 109. Iosaphat being besieged with enemies on every side used this as a bulwarke against them Lord we have no power to with-stand this great company that are come against us and we know not what to doe but our eyes are towards thee 2 Chron. 20. The like comfort did Ezechiah find in prayer both when Senacherib threatned his destruction and in his sicknesse and it is indeed the City of refuge whither the godly in all times have used to flie for safegard from their miseries It is rete gratiarum situla gratiae the net of graces and bucket of grace Prov. 12.2 by which a good man draweth the grace of God The speciall gift that we can desire of God is Christ himselfe who is Donum illud Dei Iohn 4. Now forasmuch as indeed nothing can be a greater benefit then to enjoy the presence of God as the Prophet saith Whom doe I desire in Heaven but thee Psal 73. and Philip saith Ostende nobis patrem sufficit Shew us the Father and it is sufficient Iohn 14. wee are to consider how we may come to it Christ saith I am the way Iohn 14. ego sum ostium Iohn 10. If he be both the way and the dore then no doubt but if God bestow Christ on us we shall both finde the way to God and enter into his Kingdome by Christ who is the dore for the obtaining of this gift wee must be instant with God in prayer which if we doe he will give us that we aske therefore Augustine saith Domine cupiote da mihi solumie out non dimittamte Lord I desire thee give me thee alone or else I will not let thee goe In the third place our Saviour enlargeth the promise lest we should doubt that God will not heare all manner of persons that pray to him or that he will not grant all our suites therefore in regard of the persons Christ saith Quisquis whosoever asketh receiveth whosoever joyne these three vertues in their prayer Confidence Diligence Perseverance and occupie all the parts of their body in this service of God they shall be sure to receive the thing they aske for the promise is made onely to them that performe Gods Commandement petenti dabitur we must aske and we shall have it for God useth not to cast holy things upon them that make no reckoning of them Matth. 7. Touching the things themselves Hee that is the truth hath said Whatsoever you aske my Father in my name he will give it you Iohn 16. Therefore it is impossible he should lie especially when he confirmeth it with an oath as in that place Verily Verily I say unto you whatsoever you aske the Father in my name he will give it you But wee must take need what we aske we may not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aske without a cause If we aske any thing according to his will he heareth us 1 Iohn 5. Therefore our prayers must be grounded upon some just cause we may not aske any childish petition of God for he will revert them If we like children aske we know not what we cannot assure our selves to bee heard for unto such prayers he answereth Yee aske you know not what Matth. 20. Much lesse will he grant hurtfull petitions As he is our Physitian he will not give us cold drinke when we are sick of an ague though we cry for it never so much They that ask vengeance of God and would have him to be the executioner of their wrath shall not be heard Prov. 26.13 but their prayer is turned to sinne Psal 109. So farre is it from the service of God If the child aske fish the Father will not give him a Scorpion no more will God heare us in those things which we aske of him if hee know they will be hurtfull He onely is wise and knoweth what is good for us and if we receive not the thing which we aske yet he as Ierome saith non accipiendo accepit in not receiving he hath received Christ saith not aske and ye shall receive the thing ye aske but aske and it shall be given unto you that is the thing that you desire We all desire those things that be good though outwardly we are not able to discerne what is good but God our heavenly Father as he knoweth best what is good for us so he will give us good things though we be not able alwayes to aske that which is good for our selves Secondly we must pray in such manner and forme as he requireth God doth heare us many times even quando petimus malum in as much as he doth not give us the hurtfull things which we ignorantly aske But he will not heare us cum petimus malè Yee aske and receive not because yee aske amisse Iam. 4. Therefore we must beware how we stand affected at the time of prayer if we pray coldly without any great desire to attaine the thing we aske we aske like swine that esteeme not of pearles but trample them under their feet If we draw neare with our lips but our hearts be farre from God Esa 29. then it is not like we shall be heard If we pray as Peter and the other Disciples who being heavie with sleepe asked they
Iohn 1.18 that is borne againe of the Water and of the Spirit without which Regeneration no entrance is into the Kingdome of God And our dignity in being the sonnes of God in these three sorts is to be considered First in that we are the price of Christs bloâ—d 1 Cor. 6. Secondly we have Characterem that is the stampe of the sonnes of God when we are called Christians Acts 11. Thirdly we are the Temples of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 3. By meanes whereof he giveth us holy desires and maketh us sorry that we have offended his Majesty the assurance of this is that which the Apostle caâ—s the Spirit of Adoption which hee sends into the hearts of Christians to certifie them both that they are the sonnes of God and may call him Father Rom. 8. in a double sense both in respect of nature and grace not onely by generation but by Regeneration In the naturall affection that God beareth us we have two things 1. the immutability of it 2. the excellencie God doth teach us that his love to us is unchangeable in this that he expresseth it by the name of Father nam pater eâ—tansi offersâ—s est pater filius etiamsi nequam tamen filius A father though offended is a father and a sonne though naught yet is a sonne The Master may cease to be a Master so may a servant The husband may cease to be a husband so may the wife by meanes of divorce but God can never cease to be our Father though he be never so much offended and we cannot cease to bee his sonnes how wicked soever wee bee and therefore God doth by an immutable terme signifie unto us the immutability of his affection Heb. 6. And indeed whether hee doe bestow good things on us or chasten us his love is still unchangeable for both are to bee performed of a father toward his children and therefore whether hee afflict us or bestow his blessings on us we are in both to acknowledge his fatherly care howsoever To flesh and bloud no affliction seemeth good for the present Heb. 12. This immutability of his love as it ministreth comfort in time of affliction so doth it comfort and raise us up in sinne and transgression so that notwithstanding the greatnesse of our sinnes wee may bee bold to seeke to God for favour and say Etsi amisi ingenuitatem filii tamen tu non amisisti pietatem patris Although Lord I have lost the duty of a sonne yet thou hast not lost the affection of a father The excellencie of Gods love appeareth herein that he is not described to be God under the name of a King or great Lord as Mat. 18. There we have an example of great goodnesse in pardoning tenne thousand Talents but yet a doubt will arise in our mindes except we know him to be good otherwise then as he is a King for so looke what mercie he sheweth to us the like he will have us shew to others but we come short of this But this is it that contents us that he describes his goodnesse under the terme of Father in which regard how wickedly soever we deale yet still wee may say with the evill child I will goe to my Father Luke 15. He had cast off his father he had spent all his patrimony yet for all that he resolveth to goe backe and his father is glad to receive him he went and met and entertained him joyfully such affection doth God beare to his children The benefits that we have by the fatherly love of God is of two sorts First Fructus indulgentiae paternae Secondly Fructus liberalitatis paternae that is the fruit of fatherly compassion and the fruit of fatherly bounty Fathers stand thus affected towards their children that they are hardly brought to chasten them and if there be no remedy yet they are ready to forgive or soone cease punishing Pro peccato magno panlulum supplicii satis est Patri for a great offence a small punishment is enough to a father And for their bountifulnesse the Apostle saith that there is naturally planted in fathers a care to lay up for their children 2 Cor. 12. they are both in God for facility ad veniam to pardon and readinesse to forgive makes him Patrem misericordiarum 2 Cor. 3. not of one for he hath a multitude of mercies great mercie and little mercie Psal 51. The affection of David toward Absolon a wicked sonne was such that he forgave him though he sought to deprive his father of his Kingdome 2 Sam. 12. and though wee offend the Majesty of God yet hee assureth us that hee will be no lesse gracious to our offences then David was For David was a man after Gods owne heart 1 Sam. 13. Touching the care which God hath to provide for us the Prophet saith and also the Apostle Cast your care upon the Lord for hee careth for you 1 Pet. 5. He careth for us not as he hath care of Oxen 1 Cor. 9. but such a tender care as he hath for the Apple of his eye Zach. 2. He provideth for us not lands and goods as earthly fathers but an inheritance immortall incorruptible and that fadeth not reserved in Heaven for us 1 Pet. 1. and hath prepared for us an heavenly Kingdome whereof we are made co-heires with his Sonne Christ Rom. 8.17 and this is the fruit of his fatherly bountifulnesse towards us Out of these two the immutability and excellencie of Gods love shewed both in forgiving sinnes and providing good things ariseth a duty to be performed on our parts for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all comfort nomen patris ut explicat sic excitat charitatem the name of a father as it sheweth so it stirreth up love as it sheweth quid sperandum sic quid sit prastandum what is to be performed of us the name of a father doth promise unto us forgivenesse of sinnes and the blessings not of this life onely but especially of that that is to come and this duty lieth upon us that we so live as becommeth children wee may not continue in sinne but at the least must have virtutem redeundi the vertue of returning Isa 63. Why hast thou caused us to goe out of the way A child though he have wandred never so farre yet at length will come to that resolution I will returne to my father Luke 15. But if we consider the dignity whereunto we are exalted wee shall see on earth Si filii Dei quodammodo Dii simus if we be sonnes we are after a sort Gods Divinae participes naturae 2 Pet. 1. partakers of the divine nature as the sonnes of men are men But the Apostle sets down this plainely Behold what great love he hath shewed us That we should be called the sonnes of God 1 Iohn 3. This dignity requireth this duty at our hands that we reverence our Father Mal. 1.6 If I be your Father where is my love If
it Eccles 12. During this our exile and pilgrimage we are not onely to consider that we looke upwards with our faces which moved the Heathen to meditate on heaven but chiefly that in our soules wee have the Image of God imprinted ought to move the people to thinke of God and to set our minds onthings above Col. 3. Albeit we be here in a farre country farre from our fathers dwelling yet we must not forget our fathers dwelling house Luk. 15. The poition is in heaven which our Father will give us and that we seeke to be acquainted with the lawes of that country where our inheritance lyeth that we may guide our lives according to the same lest being rebellious we deprive ourselves of our right and be disinherited Secondly seeing we know that we are not in our owne country we must say as Absolon did Why am I come hither if I may not see the Kings face 2 Sam. 14. He being an ungratious sonne was desirous to see his father then it shall be a shame for us that are all the Sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3. if we have not a longing desire to come before the presence of God our Father Psal 42. and except we have a desire to enter into the Courts of the Lord Psal 84. except that with the Apostle we desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Phil. 1. the first begotten of many brethren and if with our Father God we lay up our treasure in heaven and count it our chiefe felicitie to be there then would we thinke upon heaven more then we doe For where our treasure is there must our hearts be also Matth. 6. But because we altogether set our hearts on earthly things therefore it falls out that our heart is as a heavy clodde of earth and unable to lift it selfe up to heavenly meditation Thirdly as wee desire to be in heaven in our Fathers house so our conversation must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 3. we must not live by the lawes of earthly Princes and Acts of Parliaments but by an heavenly law though we be strangers on earth yet we are Citizens of heaven and must carry our selves according to the lawes of our country being alwayes desirous to do that which pleaseth our heavenly Father though there were no humane law to compell us thereunto and whereas naturall men have for the end of their civill actions bonum commune a common utility we that are spirituall must make bonum coeleste the heavenly good our end we must do well because God will behold our well-doing favourably and the Angels of heaven will be glad of it Luk. 15. Christ who is the Lord from heaven did subject himselfe to the will of God his Father Not my will but thy will be done and as hee that is heavenly so must they that will be heavenly as we now beare the Image of the earthly so shall we port are imaginem coolestis 1 Col. 15. He while he lived on earth did guide himselfe by an heavenly law and we that remaine on earth must expresse his image by the imitation of his obedience It is true which both our Saviour Christ and John Baptist said That that is borne of the flesh is flesh and so that that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth Job 3. But there must be an imitation and we must set our selves forward towards our heavenly country But because it is not in our power to doe this of our selves for that as Christ sayes No man can come to mee except the Father draw him Joh. 6. therefore wee must pray with the Church in the Canticles Cant. 1.4 Trabe me and to this end doth the holy exercise of fasting and mortification serve greatly that wee may as it were with Doves wings flye up into Heaven As the word Father doth shew us not onely our dignity but our duty also so the word Heavenly doth not onely give us a hope of heaven but also teacheth us that seeing our Father is heavenly wee must live by the lawes of Heaven As we are carefull to be made partakers of the inheritance which God hath prepared for us so we must be as carefull to please him and to do those things which are agreeable to his will We must not onely know Quid sperandum what is to be hoped for but Quid praestandum what is to be performed of us If we pray not onely with confidence because God doth take us for his sonnes but also with invocation with devotion and reverence knowing that our Father hath his dwelling in heaven and we are pilgrims in earth Thus shall we be veri adoratores Joh. 4. true worshippers As we know we shall have our part in heaven so we must begin our heaven here on earth and this shall be done if we adde our endeavour to those things which we pray for at the hands of God as August prayeth Da Domine ut pro quibus oramus pro iis laboremus Grant Lord that the things we pray for and crave of thee for them we may also labour THE NINTH SERMON Hallowed be thy Name HAving ended the first part of this prayer which we called Invocation consisting upon the power and goodnesse of God we come to the petitions themselves which are seven of which the first concerneth God the other concerne our selves or they may be divided as the dayes of the weeke whereof as one falleth out to Gods portion the other to be imployed in our owne affaires So of these petitions the first doth immediately concerne the glory of God the other sixe the supply of our owne necessities in the beginning we heard that it is expedient to know not onely what we are to aske but in what order what first and what second touching which point we are taught by this forme of prayer that that petition which concerneth the sanctification of Gods name is Caput votorum and that all other things that we either desire or pray for in our owne behalfe ought to stand after it and that wee must both desire and pray for the sanctification of Gods name before any thing that we desire either for our selves or for our brethren whether it be for the removing of evill or for the obtaining of good for as before we learned what his love is to us in that he vouchsafed to be our Father so hereby we shall expresse our love againe to him if when we come to pray to him for our necessities we be carried away with such a desire of the glory of our heavenly Father that we forget our owne selves and desire onely that his name may be sanctified which duty Christ doth by his owne example commend unto us In this forme of prayer we are put in mind of that which before was required in the law of works for as there vve learned that God is not honoured aright except he be loved above all things because he
but to thy name give the glory Psal 115. So that all men are no lesse desirous of their owne honour and glory then the builders that built Babell that said Let us get us a name Gen. 11. But such as are thus affected and carried with the love of themselves are not fit to sanctifie the name of God as our Saviour speakes How can yee beleeve seeing yee receive glory one of another and seeke not the glory which is of God Joh. 5.44 As we may not usurpe Gods honour for our selves so we may not defie Princes for we see how ill that voyce was taken Vâ—x Dei non hominis the voyce of God and not of man Act. 12. neither may we give divine honour to the Apostles and Prophets of God The Heathen people said of Paul and Barnabas Gods are come downe to us in the shape of men and they would have sacrificed unto them but the Apostles not willing to admit this sacriledge rent their cloathes and cryed We are men subject to the same passions that you your selves be Act. 14. for we are desirous to give honour if not to our selves yet to others but here Christ tels us that no other name is to be sanctified but the name of God whereof we should be so carefull that we ought to pray that Gods name may be sanctified by others if not by our selves though we in our owne persons cannot hallow it yet sanctificetur nomen tuum Let thy name O Lord be sanctified Hereby as we pray for the gift of the feare of God which is one of the seven vertues which are set downe Esay 11. because wee do truly sanctifie God when we make him our Feare and Dread Esay 8.13 So wee pray against the vice of pride which is the contrary to the vertue of Feare so shall we obtaine the blessings Matth. 5.23 Blessed are the poore in spirit c. And upon this petition is grounded not only whatsoever Hymne or Psalme is sung of the Congregation but even the end of all Assemblies is to ascribe Holinesse to God and to sanctifie his Name for his benefits bestowed upon us And in this they acknowledge first their owne unworthinesse secondly they blesse him for his goodnesse extended toward them thirdly they do not acknowledge it in themselves but do tell it forth as the Psalmist speaketh O come hither and hearken all yee that do feare God and I will tell you what he hath done for my soule Psal 66. Fourthly to this end they lift up their voyces in singing to the end they may make the voyce of his praise to be heard Psal 66. And among other benefits we are to praise and blesse his name for the benefit of Sanctification which we have in the name of the Lord Jesus secondly for the Meanes whereby this Sanctification is offered and wrought in us which is the Word as Christ saith O Father sanctifie them in thy truth Joh. 17.13 For the perfection of sanctification that we shall have after this life when we shall be Partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 when we shall continually sing with the heavenly Angels Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Esay 6. And howsoever when we desire of God that his name may be sanctified we seeme like naturall children to forget our owne necessities in respect of the care we have to Gods glory yet even then we pray no lesse for our selves then for God for the Lord hath promised Them that honour mee I will honour 1 Sam. 2.30 and Christ saith That if the Name of the Lord Jesus be glorified in us we also shall be glorified in him 2 Thess 1.12 Et sanctificando nomen adveniet Regnum In sanctifying his name his kingdome shall come as the next Petition is If while we remaine on earth our whole desire be to sanctifie Gods name we shall at length come to the place where we shall day and night sing as the Cherubims do Esay 6. And with the heavenly Host of Angels sing Glory to God on high Luk. 2. we shall fall down before his Throne saying alwaies Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and praise for ever Rev. 4.11 THE TENTH SERMON Thy Kingdome come HAving intreated of the first petition touching the holy estimation of Gods name we are consequently to speake of those sixe that concerne our selves whereof the first three are spent in praying for that which is good in the other three we pray for the removing of evill The first two petitions or the summe of them is excellently expressed by the Propher Psal 84.11 And by our Saviour Matth. 6.33 for agreeable to the words of David and of Christ our Saviour in the first petition wee aske for glory and seeke for the Kingdome of God in the second for grace and righteousnesse in the third for the good things of this life which shall not be withheld from them that leade a godly life but shall be ministred unto them that upon earth doe seeke Gods Kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof Wherefore as of things which concerne our good the first both in order and nature is the Kingdome of God for the first thing in our desire ought to be the Kingdome of God according to the commandement of our Saviour and we are to account all things but dung in respect of it Phil. 3.9 Hereunto is required the spirit of Wisedome and Vnderstanding Isa 11.2 that may teach us to contemne all earthly pleasures in respect of the heavenly Kingdome Here our Saviour condemneth that capitall vice that reignes in those men which in the world live of their owne and take no further care but to establish for themselves a Kingdome upon earth But if according to his direction we fixe our desire upon the Kingdome of Heaven and by despising the world doe labour for the vertue which consists in the purity of the heart then shall we have the blessing that is promised to the pure in heart Matth. 5.8 that is they shall be exalted to see God Now when he saith None shall see my face and live Exod. 33. they that truly make this prayer shall behold his face in the Kingdome of glory These two first petitions have relation to the Invocation for as God by the word Father doth expresse his love to us and for that he is in Heaven doth give us hope for an heavenly estate so we in these petitions doe first desire that whereby our love towards him may appeare while we prefer the sanctifying of his name before the regard of our owne good secondly we declare our heavenly Hope that may come of being partakers of his heavenly Kingdome Howsoever God will not have any mans name Hallowed or Glorirified but his owne as he speakes of himselfe Esa 42. My glory will I not give to another yet he will communicate his Kingdome to us and therefore in our owne behalfe weare taught to pray Thy Kingdome come In the
the prayer that we make for outward things is not without respect to things spirituall and this Petition followeth upon the other by good consequent and order for as the Heathen man saith Haud facile emergunt quorum virtutibus obstat Res angusta domi So wee shall be unfit to seeke Gods Kingdome and to do his will unlesse we have the helps of this life Therefore we desire that God will give us the things of this life those things without which wee cannot serve him that as wee desire the glory of his Kingdome and the grace of his Spirit whereby we may be enabled to do his will so hee will minister to us all things for the supply of our outward wants in this life the want whereof hath beene so great a disturbance to the Saints of God in all times that they could not goe forward in godlinesse as they would Abraham by reason of the great famine that was in Canaan was faine to go downe into Egypt Gen. 12.7 The same occasion moved Isaac to goe downe to Abimelech at Gerar Gen. 26. and Jacob to relieve his family in the great dearth at this time was faine to send his sonnes the Patriarchs into Egypt to buy corne Gen. 42. The children of Israell when they wanted bread or water murmured against God and his servants Exod. 16. Numb 20. the Disciples of our Saviour were so troubled in mind because they had forgotten to take bread with them that they understood not their Master when he gave them warning to beware of the leven of the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 8. So the want of outward things doth distract our Saviour were so troubled in mind because they had forgotten to take bread with them that they understood not their Master when he gave them warning to beware of the leven of the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 8. So the want of outward things doth distract our minds and makes us unfit for Gods service Therefore that we may in quietnesse of mind intend those things that goe before in his prayer our Saviour hath indited us a forme of prayer to sue to God as well for things temporall as spirituall and eternall for it is lawfull for us to pray for them so that we do it in order The first Petition that the naturall man makes is for his daily bread but our care must be first for the Kingdome of God next for the fulfilling of Gods will and doing that righteousnesse which God requires at our hands and after wee may in the third place pray for such things as we stand in need of during our life This blessing the Fathers observe out of the blessings which Isaac pronounced upon his sonnes Jacobs blessing was first the dew of heaven and then the fat of the earth shewing that the godly do preferre heavenly comforts before earthly Esaus blessing was first the fatnesse of the earth and next the dew of heaven to teach us that prophane persons do make more reckoning of earthly commodities then of heavenly comforts Gen. 27.28 and 39. Therefore in regard of the Spirituall account we are to make of Gods Kingdome and the doing of his will we are to wish them in the first place and then Davids Unam petii à Domino One thing I have required of the Lord Psal 27. And that which Christ saith to Martha Unam est necessarium one thing is needfull Luk. 10. would bring us to Salomons two things Prov. 30. Give mee not poverty nor riches but feed mee with food convenient for mee lest being full I deny thee and say who is the Lord or beeing poore I steale and take the name of my God in vaine And that is it which wee are bold to do by Christs owne warrant for he hath taught us first to pray for his Kingdome then for the working of righteousnesse or for the doing of Gods will and lastly for daily bread If we do first pray for the two former then we may be bold in the third place to sue to God for the latter for he hath promised to with-hold no good thing from them that lead a godly life if the doing of Gods will be our meat then Requiem dedit timentibus se He hath given rest to them that feare him Psal 111. In the Petition we are to observe from sixe words sixe severall points first the thing that we desire that is bread secondly the attribute our bread thirdly daily bread fourthly wee desire that this bread may be given us fifthly not to mee but nobis to us sixthly hodie and as long as we say hodie to day Heb. 3. To beginne with giving hitherto the tenor of this prayer ran in the third person now we are to pray in the second saying Da tu whereupon the Church hath grounded a double dialect of prayer which comes all to one effect for that which the Church prayeth for Psal 67. God be mercifull unto us and blesse us is no lesse a prayer then if we should say in the second person Miserere nostri O Lord be mercifull to us and blesse us and that which is added and lift up his countenance is all one as if the Church speaking to God should say Lift up the light of thy countenance This change or alteration of person proceedeth from the confidence which the Saints are to gather to themselves in prayer for having prayed for the sanctifying of Gods name for the accomplishment of his Kingdome and for grace and ability to do his will Christ assureth us that we may be bold to speake to God for our owne wants Out of the word of Giving we are to note three things first our owne want for if we had it of our selves we would not crave it of God this confession of our want and indigence is a great glory to God that all the inhabitants of the earth usque ad Regem Davidem to professe to say Give us Psal 40. I am poore and needy but the Lord careth for mee they do professe themselves to be his beggers not onely by the voyce of nature which they utter for outward things as other unreasonable creatures do but by those prayers which they make for the supply of grace whereby they may be enabled to do Gods will so that not onely regnum tuum is Gods gift but also panem nostrum we acknowledge to be his gift It is from God from whom we receive all things as well the good givings as the perfect gifts Jam. 1.17 he is the author not onely of blessings spirituall but of benefits temporall he gives us not onely grace to obey his will but as the Prophet speakes dat escam Psal 104. The idolatrous people say of their Idols I will goe after my lovers that give mee my bread and my water my â—oyle and my wine but God saith after It is I that gave her corne and it is my wine and my flaxe and my oyle Hos 2.8 Ipse dat semen sementi panem
which onely seeke after these things Matth. 6. do obtaine them at Gods hands much more will God grant them to us which professe our selves Christians and his Children Secondly for the Limitation it is not mihi non meum but give us and give our the reason is that as Salomon sayes Prov. 5.6 Our wels may flow out abroad and that there may be rivers of waters in the streetes and that not only we may not be burdensome to others but that we may have to give to them that have need Eph. 4. Sixthly for the word Hodie our Saviour teacheth us to pray Give us bread this day and as the Apostle speakes Heb. 3. Dum dicitur hodie the reason is because life is but onely dies not seculum And the Wise man saith Talke not of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth We may not say to our soule Soule thou hast store of goods laid up for many yeares We see by his example what may fall out Luk. 12. For as much as the continuance of our life is uncertaine our desire must be that God would give us sufficient for our present want Howbeit this makes not for them that are carelesse for the time to come for such are sent to learne wisedome of the Ant Prov. 30. which provides for Winter and not onely the Saints at all times have beene carefull and provident for outward things as Joseph who counselled Paraoh before hand to lay up corne to feed him for seven yeares space during the famine Gen. 41. But our Saviour himselfe gives charge that that which remaineth should be saved and nothing lost Joh. 6. And it was his pleasure that Judas should beare the bagge for his and their provision to teach us that he alloweth provident care for things earthly But by this word daily our Saviour condemneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or immoderate care for worldly things whereby the soule is rent and divided and not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 5. which is required of every man for his owne houshold and is both lawfull and honest Here ariseth an objection how a man having filled his belly or being ready to leave this world may say this prayer The answer is first Multi dormierunt divites qui surrexerunt pauperes therefore our desire is that as we have enough now so we may be preserved in this estate and that God would not change plenty into poverty Againe though wee have bread and it continue with us yet it is nothing without that beata pax therefore though we have the thing it selfe yet we are to desire that which is the life of bread which is a power to nourish then that God will give us the sanctified bread which is the heavenly Manna and grace that as we worke for bread in our vocations so we remember to sanctifie it by invocation for else it is usurped bread THE FOVRTEENTH SERMON And forgive us our Debts AUgustine interpreting our Saviours words of the shutting of Heaven in Elias time Luke 4.23 compared prayer to a key that hath power to open Heaven from whence all blessings descend unto us and to shut the bottomlesse pit of Hell from whence all evils proceede Prayer is a meanes not onely to draw all grace from God Prov. 12.2 but it is obex mali flagellum daemonis as the name of Christ is Oleum effusum Cant. 1. because by it we receive all good so the name of the Lord is Turris fortissima Prov. 18. for that it saves and defends us from all evill As these are both truely affirmed of Gods name so by the Invocation of the name of God we have this double benefit that wee doe not onely receive all good by it but also are delivered from all evill In the three former Petitions our Saviour hath taught us to draw grace from God in these three latter we are taught to use that kinde of prayer that concernes the removing of all evill called Tekinah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and deprecation The evill is of three sorts of sinnes past and to come and of the evill of punishment In the first of these three Petitions we pray against the guilt of sinnes past that God would not charge us with them in the second against the running issue of sinne to come that God would not suffer us to sinne hereafter in the third that God would turne away from us all those plagues that our sinnes deserve both in this life and in the life to come and these three Petitions are fitly opposed to the three former To the Kingdome of glory we oppose our sinnes to the doing of Gods will temptation to naturall good things the evill of the world to come and the miseries of this life from both which we desire to be delivered when we say deliver us from evill The Petition consists of debts and forgivenesse but before we handle them we are to speake first of the necessity of this Petition secondly of the goodnesse of God that penneth the Petition for us What need we have to pray to God for remission of our sinnes appeares hereby because our sinnes do make a partition betweene God and us Esa 59. the effect whereof is that our mis-deeds doe turne Gods blessings from us and doe keepe good things from us Ier. 5.25 Now having already desired at Gods hands the glory of Gods Kingdome the good of grace for the doing of his will and all outward good things necessary for this life we are of necessity to pray that God will forgive us our sinnes which otherwise will hinder us of these good things and as our sinnes doe hinder Gods graces that they cannot come to us so they hinder our prayers that they cannot come to God for our sinnes are as it were a cloud to hide God so that our prayers cannot goe through Lam. 3.44 So that except we desire the forgivenesse of our sinnes we shall in vaine pray for the three former good things Besides our sinnes are a plaine hinderance to Gods Kingdome for none shall come thither but such as are uncorrupt and voide of sinnes in the whole course of their life Psal 15. Et nihil impurum ingreditur illâ—c no uncleane thing shall enter thither Revel 21. Therefore the Prophet saith hic est omnis fructus auferantur peccata Isa 27.9 Secondly the goodnesse of God appeareth herein that he hath endited us a prayer to aske remission telling us that it is possible to obtaine remission of sinne It is true that by our sinnes wee have made our selves uncapable of all good things but yet we see the goodnesse of God that as we have still dona so he teacheth us to say condona Where he teacheth all men to pray for good things we learne that we are all mendici Dei but in that we are taught to aske forgivenesse of sinne we see that we are malefici Dei the malefactors of God such as have need of pardon and
first it is said to him he that maketh his prayer for his help the enemy shall not be able to do him hurt and the sonne of wickednesse shall not come nigh him Psal 89. Of the other Let not the waterflood drowne mee nor the deepe swallow mee up and let not the pit shut her mouth upon mee Ps 69.16 Touching the evill from which we desire to be delivered Chrysostome and the rest of the Greek Church expound it of the devill who is Lerna malorum or the greatest evill that can befall us which exposition is grounded upon the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but this exposition is too narrow and for the holy word is best expounded when it is most enlarged so that wee shall have a full understanding of this matter if under the word Evill we include whatsoever is evill and so desire generally to be delivered from it but if we desire to be delivered from whatsoever is evill then from our selves saith Augustine for we are evill and so wee have need to pray for as when we aske forgivenesse of sinnes it is from those sinnes unto which our lust hath already drawne us away into sinne so when we say Libera nos à malo that is ab abstrahente from that infirmity of the flesh and necessity of sinning which doth accompany our nature in regard whereof the Apostle saith Quis me liberabit de hoc corpore mortis Rom. 7.24 So Augustine under the word Evill doth include not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Cyprians exposition is when we pray libera nos à malo wee desire not to be delivered from this or that evill but generally from all evill by which he meaneth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is all manner of trouble and calamity and whatsoever turnes away good from us especially that evill which keeps us from God which is the chiefest good thing so then our desire is not onely to be delivered from the devill who is the beginning of all evill as that which is opposed to our chiefe good but from that which may turne away from us the meanest blessing which we stand in need of outwardly which also are bona data Luk. 11. If we understand by evill Satan then we pray to be delivered from him not onely when he playeth the subtill serpent and changeth himselfe into an Angell of light 2 Cor. 11. but when hee playeth the Lyon 1 Pet. 5. First to be delivered from his jawes that he swallow us not downe for then there is no help for us that is that God would save us from the nethermost hell Psal 86. that which is called The second death Apocal. 20. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly from his clawes under which are comprehended all temporall calamities first the losse of life against which the Apostles being in a great tempest pray unto Christ that he would save them Master carest thou not that we perish Mark 4. Secondly of good name whereof the Prophet saith Libera me à contrariis hominibus Psal 114. Thirdly the losse of goods concerning which when the Lord had formed Grasse-hoppers to destroy their fruit the Prophet prayed O Lord God spare I beseech thee Amos 7.2 And this is the remedy in all outward afflictions as Solomon saith If there be dearth in the land through blasting caterpillar or grasse-hopper then if the people come into the Temple and say Libera nos à malo God will heare their prayers and deliver them 1 Reg. 8.37 Therefore in that dearth which is spoken of Rev. 6. where corne was given by measure and weight the remedy they had was prayer How long Lord dost thou deferre to avenge our bloods The reason why we pray to be delivered from these miseries is that we may the better intend Gods service so said David Deliver mee from the slanders of men that I may keepe thy commandements Psal 119. Christ doth not expressely name tribulation affliction and calamity though they be comprehended under the word Evill wherein we are to observe that in this Petition as in the rest he tempers his stile with great wisedome Therefore outward trouble may cooperate to our good and therefore he teacheth us not to pray that God will deliver us from them absolutely but from that evill which is in them and in this sense we may pray to be delivered à malo panis as well as à malo famis for bread which of it selfe is good may turne to our hurt and therefore Solomon prayeth Give mee not riches lest I be full and say Who is the Lord neither give mee poverty lest through want I be driven to steale and take the name of my God in vaine Prov. 30. There is both evill and good in both and therefore we pray to be delivered from the evill for if God see that it is good for us to be humbled with want then we are not to pray against it Where we desire to be delivered first we acknowledge how little we are able our selves an haire or a crumme of bread oftentimes is enough to cast away a man for the meanest creatures are able to hurt us except God deliver us and as we cannot help our selves so if we looke about us there is none to succour us So will the King himselfe tell us who of all others seemeth most able to help If the Lord do not succour thee wherewith can I help thee 2 Reg. 6.27 Wherefore we may not trust to our selves nor to any other forraine help or power but to God the great deliverer to whom Christ hath taught us to pray Libera nos à malo Secondly herein wee acknowledge our desire which is to be delivered the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which implyeth such a deliverance which doth rid us from bondage or captivity wherefore wee use this word as a motive that God will the rather deliver us because if the evill which lyeth upon us continue long it will make us the devils bond-men and we are his servants and desire that he may not take us captives at his will but that wee may come out of his snare 2 Tim. 1. to do God service and not onely so but that our service may be done freely and with cheerfulnesse for that wee are his children and he our Father that is as the Prophet speakes When God hath set our hearts at liberty we may runne the way of his Commandements Psal 119. But if we will be delivered from the devill indeed we must have this freedome of Christ the Son of God of whom it is said Si filius vos liberaverit verè liberi eritis Joh. 8. for he onely is able perfectly to save us out of the thraldome of Satan The devill indeed is subtile and playeth the serpent but Christ is the wisedome of God and knoweth well enough to keepe us from temptation The Devill is cruell and roareth like
concerning whom Christ saith That wee shall bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equall or like to the Angels Luk. 20. ought while we live on earth not speake only with the tongue of men but of Angels not onely to confesse our owne wants and to crave a supply from God but to acknowledge Gods riches goodnesse and power Againe the Petitions that wee make for our selves is a taking and sanctification of his name by ascribing Kingdome power and glory unto God is a giving and therefore as the Apostle saith It is a more blessed thing to give then to receive Act. 29.35 So the confession of Gods goodnesse and power is a better confession then that which we make of our owne weaknesse and poverty and this is the onely thing which God receives from us for the manifold benefits that we receive from him Neither is this confession and acknowledgement left to our owne choice as a thing indifferent but we must account of it as of a necessary duty which may in no wise be omitted seeing God enters into covenant that he will heare us and deliver us out of trouble when we call upon him Psal 50. therefore God challengeth this a duty to himselfe by his servants Ascribe unto the Lord worship and strength give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name Psal 29. All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship thee and glorifie thy name Psal 86.9 Therefore our Saviour commends the Samaritan because he returned to give glory to God for the benefit received wherein he blames the other nine that being cleansed of their leprosie were not thankfull to God in that behalfe Luk. 17. For God for this cause doth heare our prayers and grant our Petitions that we should glorifie and honour his name But this is not all that we are to consider in these words for they are not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely an astipulation but an allegation wherein as we acknowledge Gods goodnesse and power that hath heard and granted our requests so wee alledge reasons why he should not onely heare us but also relieve and helpe us with those things that wee crave for at his hands wee do not onely say heare our Petitions for so shalt thou shew thy selfe to be a King but a mighty and glorious King and we for our parts shall acknowledge the same but we use this confession as a reason why our former requests are to be granted for it is in effect as much as if we should say Forgive thou our sinnes deliver thou us from evill hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdome come for Kingdome power and glory is thine and not ours The reason why we would have our requests granted is drawne from God himselfe in two respects first that we may by this humble confession make our selves capable of the graces of God which do not descend to any but those that are of an humble spirit For he giveth grace to the humble 1 Pet. 5. If we would have our desires granted because it is the nature of God to be good and gracious to be of power to do what hee will for the good of his people we must desire him to be gracious propter semetipsum Esay 43.25 Our motive unto God must be For thy loving mercy and thy truths sake Psalm 115.1 Helpe us for the glory of thy Name deliver us be mercifull unto our sinnes for thy Names sake Psal 79.9 By these motives we must provoke and stirre vp God to heare us This is the difference that is betwixt the prayers of profane men and those that are sanctified Heathen and profane men referre all to their owne glory so saies Nabuchadnezzar Is not this great Babell which I have built by my great power and for the honour of my Majesty Dan. 4.30 Such a man thinkes himselfe to be absolute Lord and will say Who is the Lord over us Psal 12. Therefore are they called the sonnes of Beliall But the Patriarches that were sanctified frame their prayers otherwise Jacob acknowledged I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies Gen. 32. by which humility he made himselfe capable of mercy To us belongeth shame saith Daniel chap. 9. but to thee belongs compassion and forgivenesse though we have offended So Christ himselfe in this place doth teach his Disciples to pray that God will give them the things they desire not for any thing in themselves but for his names sake for thine is Kingdome Power and Glory whereby wee perceive that humility is the meanes to obtaine at Gods hands our suites The other respect is in regard of God for he makes his covenant with us that he will be our God and we his people And when the Prophet stirreth up the faithfull to worship the Lord and to fall downe before the Lord our maker hee addeth this as a reason For he is the Lord our God and we are his people and the sheepe of his pasture Psal 95. Wherefore one saith Commemoratio est quaedam necessitas exaudiendi nos quia nos ipsius sumus ipse noster est It is a necessary motive to God to heare us because we are his and he ours Therefore in all the Prayers and Psalmes which the Saints of God make they ground their Petitions upon this in regard of God the Father who is the Creator they say Wee are thy workmanship created by thee therefore despise not the workes of thy owne hands Psal 138. Besides wee are the likenesse of Gods Image Gen. 1. therefore suffer not thine owne Image to be defaced in us but repaire it Secondly in regard of Christ Wee are the price of Christs bloud Empti estis pretio 1 Cor. 6. Yee are bought with a price therefore suffer not so great a price to be lost but deliver us and save us Againe We carry his Name for as he is Christ so wee are of him called Christians seeing therefore that his name is called upon us Dan. 9.19 be gracious to us and grant our requests Thirdly in respect of the Holy Spirit the breath of his Spirit is in our nostrills which is the breath of life which God breathed in us at our creation Gen. 2.7 Againe the same Spirit is to us an Holy Spirit and sanctifieth us wee are not onely Vaginae Spiritus viventis the sheaths of the living Spirit but Templa Spiritus sancti The Temples of the holy Spirit 1 Corinth 6.19 And therefore for his sake wee are to intreat him to be gracious to us Wee are Gods Kingdome and therefore it belongeth to him to seeke our good all the world is his kingdome by right of inheritance but we that are his Church are his Kingdome by right of purchase wee are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.9 a people peculiar or gotten by purchase hee hath redeemed us to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 2.14 A peculiar people and the price whereby we are purchased is his owne blood 1 Pet. 1.
Act. 20. He saith He will be our God and wee his people Levit. 26. Hee will be our Father and wee his Children 2 Cor. 6. he our Lord and we his servants Therefore we may challenge at his hands that favour which Kings vouchsafe to their subjects which Fathers shew to their children that is to love them to defend them and to wish them all the good things they need If he have purchased us to himselfe by his blood then wee pertaine to him and we may say to him as his Disciples said to Christ Mark 4.38 Carest thou not for us that pertaine to thee but sufferest us to perish These words Kingdome Power and Glory being joyntly considered are a representation of the Trinity As Moses speaking of the Author of our creation reckons up the name of God three times Gen. 1.27 as in the blessings of the Law the name of God is there repeated Numb 6.6 and as the Angels cry there Holy Holy Holy Esay 6. to teach that there are three Persons in the God-head which the Heathen themselves have compassed So Christ in the New Testament doth by these words Kingdome Power and Glory signifie those three Persons which afterward he expresseth by the name of Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Matth. 28. If we consider them severally although they may all be ascribed to any Person of the Deity yet the Kingdome is to be ascribed unto Christ 1 Cor. 15.35 Power to the Holy Ghost Rom. 15.13.19 and Glory to the Father Rom. 6.4 that wee setting our selves in Christs Kingdome that is his Church by the power of the Holy Ghost may be partakers of that glory which God the Father hath prepared for us Againe these words are set to distinguish Gods Kingdome from earthly kingdomes Each King hath not power as the King of Israel saith If the Lord do not succour thee how can I helpe thee 2 Reg. 6.21 But Gods Kingdome is a Kingdome of power Secondly there are Kingdomes of Might but not of Glory such was the Kingdome of David hee had a Kingdome of Might but not of Glory for hee spent all his time in troubles but the Kingdome of Solomon his sonne was both a powerfull and a Glorious kingdome and there was a figure of the perfect Kingdome of Christ Wherefore we are taught by these words that as the Kingdome is the Lords so he hath not onely a Kingdome of power whereby he is able to defend but of glory whereby he can also reward his servants and subjects Moses desired of God that hee would shew him his glory Exod. 33. But hee that is of Christs Kingdome shall see the glory which Christ had from the beginning with the Father Joh. 17.21 To consider these words severally upon these words of the Prophet Knit my heart unto thee Psalm 86. one saith Religio dicitur à religando as there is a mutuall bond betweene the King and his people so is there betweene God and us The Kings duty is to defend his subjects from injury and wrong and to bestow on them all manner of benefits The duty of subjects is to be dutifull and yeeld all ready service to their Prince so God for his part is ready not onely to defend us from all danger but to bestow all good things upon us and therefore wee are bound to be religious and dutifull to him as to our King and Soveraigne wee must not onely love him as a Father but feare him as our Lord and King Matth. 1.6 And this mixture shall keepe us in the way of salvation wee shall neither too much despaire nor presume of his goodnesse this feare we must testifie both by a reverend regard of his Law and of his Officers Hee is no good subject that rebelleth against the lawes of his Prince no more are we when no more can be gotten at our hands but by the precepts of men Esay 29. when the statutes of Omri are kept for feare of temporall punishment Mich. 6. and the lawes of God are had in no price then it is a signe that we are not so dutifull and loyall to our heavenly Prince as wee ought to be Secondly we must testifie our feare of God by a reverend regard of his Prophets and Priests which are the Ministers and Officers in his kingdome When the Jewes mocked the messengers of God and mis-used his Prophets they shewed their contempt of God himselfe and therefore the wrath of the Lord arose against that people 2 Chron. 36.16 Contrariwise if wee have an honourable conceit of them and receive them as the Angels of God Gal. 4. then we shew our selves to be dutifull vassalls to our heavenly Lord and King Next for power as S. Peter saith God is able both to respect the righteous and to shew vengeance upon the wicked 2 Pet. 2.9 So whether we respect the power of his grace inward whereby hee worketh all good things in the hearts of his people or the outward power whereby hee defends them from evill whether it be the power of his holy Spirit or of his right hand wee must confesse with the Saints that all power and strength and might belongs to God Rev. 7. And therefore whatsoever power we have whether inward or outward we must imploy it all in his service Fortitudinem meam ad te servo I will keepe my strength or reserve it unto thee Psal 59.9 So we must not spend our strength in thoughts of vanity but imploy it to his use and to the setting forth of his glory to whom onely all power belongeth Thirdly Christ teacheth us to ascribe all glory to God that whatsoever praise or commendation doth come unto us by any thing we do wee should make a surrender of it to God to whom all glory is due and say with the Church Non nobis Domine c. Not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy Name give all glory Psal 115. For as the Prophet saith The Church is a place wherein the voyce of gladnesse is heard and the voyce of them that sing Praise the Lord of Hosts for he is loving and his mercy endures for ever Jer. 33.11 The faithfull are taught to returne all glory to God which is given to them God himselfe saith Gloriam meam alteri non daho Esay 42. If he gives his glory to any other it is to such as deserve it and have all power of themselves but there is no creature which hath any power but what is given of God and therefore God doth by right reserve his glory to himselfe and wee ought willingly yeeld all glory to him alone because he promiseth them that honour mee I will honour 1 Sam. 2. that we glorifying him here with a verball glory we may be glorified of him with a reall glory when he commeth to judge the world 2 Thess 1.12 and with an exceeding weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. But yet wee do not fully see wherein the glorious Kingdome of God differs from the
to us that was offered to the Fathers for we beleeve to be saved by the faith of Jesus Christ as well as they Act. 15.11 and wee have no other Sacraments then those which the Jewes had of whom Saint Paul saith They all did eate the same spirituall meat and dranke the same spirituall drinke 1 Cor. 10. and therefore it is meete likewise that we should make the same prayer that they made and indeed there is no Petition in the Lords Prayer which is not found in the Old Testament used by the Church of the Jewes For that which the Prophet prayeth Psalm 57.6 Lift up thy selfe O God above the heavens and thy glory above all the earth Psal 67. That thy way may be knowne upon earth c. is nothing else but the hallowing of Gods Name Secondly Remember mee O God that I may see the felicity of thy chosen Psal 106. It is nothing else but an exposition of the second Petition where we pray Thy Kingdome come Thirdly these words of the Prophet Psal 143. Teach mee to do the thing that pleaseth thee is a full comprehension of the third Petition where we desire that his will be done Fourthly the eyes of all things do looke upon thee and thou givest them meat in due season Psal 145. and the prayer of Solomon Prov. 30. Give mee not poverty nor riches but feed mee with food meete is a full expressing of the fourth Petition Fifthly My misdeeds prevaile against mee O be mercifull to our sinnes Psal 65.3 is a summe of the fifth petition and the condition of this Petition is found Psal 7. wherein the Prophet saith If I have done any such thing or if there be any wickednesse in my hands If I have rewarded evill to him that dealt friendly with mee yea I have delivered him that without a cause was my enemy then let my enemy persecute my soule whereby he desireth no otherwise to be forgiven of God then as he doth forgive his brother Sixthly that which the Prophet prayeth Psal 119.37 Turne away my eyes that they behold not vanity and Psal 143. Set a watch before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lips is that which Christ teacheth us to pray Lead us not into temptation Seventhly Redeeme Israel from all trouble Psal 25.20 in affect is as much as Deliver them from all evill which is the seventh Petition Lastly looke what reason Christ teacheth us to use here the same doth David use 1 Chron. 29. Therefore having the same prayer that the Jewes had it is meet that wee should have the same conclusion that they had and the same is they said Amen and so do wee Touching the use of this word it is found in Scriptures to have two seats or places and accordingly two severall expositions to wit in the beginning and in the end before and behind In the beginning as in the doctrine of the Sacrament of Baptisme concerning which our Saviour saith Amen Amen except a man be borne of the water and of the Spirit hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Joh. 3. And touching the Sacrament of the holy Eucharist Verily verily except yee eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood yee have no life in you Joh. 6.33 And touching the effect of prayer Christ saith also Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever yee shall aske the Father in my name hee will give it you Joh. 16. In those places the word Amen is used and thereby our Saviour laboureth to expresse the truth of that which he doth teach In the end likewise it is said as Psal 41.13 Psal 72. Psal 87.50 Praised be the Lord for evermore Amen Amen And in the New Testament when the Apostle sheweth That of the Jewes according to the flesh came Christ who is over all God blessed for ever Amen Rom. 9.5 Here the word is used and set behind to signifie that wee desire that that may be performed which God before by his Amen hath affirmed to be true Therefore David having received promise from the Lord by the hand of Nathan saith Let the thing that thou hast promised be Amen Let there be an accomplishment of the same 1 Chron. 17.25 So when the Prophet Hananiah had prophesied in the name of the Lord I have broken the yoke of the King of Babell and after two yeares will I bring againe into this place all the ornaments of the house of the Lord Jeremy the Prophet said Amen the Lord do as thou hast said Jer. 28.6 As in the beginning it ratifieth the truth of Gods promise so being set in the end it signifieth the desire of our hearts for the accomplishment of the same and this desire alwaies followeth and is grounded upon the promise of God and the truth thereof In which regard the Prophet saith Remember me O Lord concerning thy word wherein thou causest me to put my trust Psal 119. and therefore to Christs A non in the beginning where he promiseth Verily verily whatsoever ye aske in my name Iohn 16. we may boldly adde our Amen in the end that his Amen may be performed and by right doe we ground our Amen upon Gods Amen for he is called Amen that is truth Esa 65.16 So the Apostle expresseth it when speaking of Jesus Christ he saith Thus saith Amen the fault fall and true witnesse Revel 3.14 Therefore S. Paul saith of Christ that in him all the promises are made to us yea in the beginning and Amen to us in regard of the certaine accomplishment 2 Cor. 1. The reason of our Amen is because not onely faith but trust and confidence doth proceed from the truth of God fides hath relation to Gods truth but fiducia or confidence is setled upon Gods faithfulnesse and both are affirmed of God Moses saith of God that he is verus and fidelis Deut. 32. and Esay The Lord is faithfull Esa 49.7 8. Paul in the new Testament Hee is faithfull that promised Heb. 10. He deemed him faithfull that promised Heb. 11. For there are two things required in faithfulnesse without the which a man cannot be said to be faithfull the one is ability of which Abraham doubted not of Gods faithfulnesse being fully perswaded That what he promised he was able to performe Rom. 4.21 the other is will and readinesse to doe touching which the Apostle saith Faithfull is he that called you ipse faciet 1 Thes 5.24 These are the parts of faithfulnesse and they are both found in God and therefore not onely God the Father is true but Christ is said to be the truth Iohn 14. and the holy Ghost is called the Spirit of truth 1 Iohn 5.6 So that albeit men deale so untruly that it is verified of them ad men are lyers Rom. 3. Yet God abides faithfull and cannot denyâ—h myselfe 2 Tim. 2.13 So much the Prophet teacheth when he saith the mountaines shall be removed but the thing which be hath spoken shall not faile Esa 58. And
Secondly though he grant not the same thing we desire yet he will grant us a better The Apostle prayed Christ that the pricke in the flesh the messenger of Satan might be taken from him but he had another answer My grace is sufficient for thee that was better then if God had said Apage Satanas 2 Cor. 12. For if we pray to God in such manner and sort as he requireth we may assure our selves our prayers shall not returne into our own bosomes Psal 35.3 But he will either grant the thing we desire or else that which shall be better for us Fourthly that our Amen be indivisible that is we must say Amen to every Petition of the Lords prayer for naturally our corruption is such that we can be content to desire the accomplishment of some of them but not of others we doe willingly say Amen to Thy Kingdome come but as for Hallowed be thy name we give no Amen to that as appeares by the whole course of our life which is nothing else but a profaning and polluting of Gods most glorious and fearfull Name We would gladly pray for daily bread but as for doing of Gods will and obeying his Commandements we agree not to that We like well of the last Petition Deliver us from evill but as for that goes before it Lead us not into temptation we will not subscribe to that for we doe seeke by all meanes to tempt our selves and to draw our selves unto sinne We can be content to pray that he will forgive us our trespasses but as for the condition which is the forgiving of those that trespasse against us we give no Amen to that as is cleere by the wrathfull and revenging spirit that carrieth most men into all manner of outrages while they will not learne to put up wrong as they are taught by Gods word Therefore in regard of this Petition and the condition annexed our Saviour saith Take heed ye say Amen to this intirely except ye forgive one another your heavenly Father will not forgive you Matth. 6.15 Therefore we must have a care as well to hallow Gods none in this life as to be partakers of his Kingdome in the life to come we must labour as well for the fulfilling of his will as for the obtaining of daily bread If we will be freed from evill which is the effect of sinne we must take heed that we doe not tempt our selves and as we would be forgiven of God so we must forgive our brethren Lastly we must say Amen to the reason which our Saviour useth in the conclusion of the prayer As the Apostle saith How shall the unlearned say Amen to thy thanksgiving 1 Cor. 14. For there are many that will say with the Leapers Iesus Master have mercie upon us but being cleansed few or none will returne to give God thankes and to say as our Saviour teacheth Thine is Kingdome Power and Glory Luk. 17. We must not onely pray to him when wee lie sicke upon our beds that it would please him to comfort us and to make our bed in our sicknesse Psal 41.3 but to sing praises to him when he saveth us from adversity and delivers us out of our enemies hands Psal 106.129 Our Hallelujah must be sounded as loud as Hosanna The Saints in Heaven have no other prayer but Thanksgiving they cry Amen Blessing and Glory and Wisedome and Honour and Power be to God Revel 7.12 All their song is Amen Hallelujah Revel 19.4 Therefore if we will come where they are wee must sound out the praises of God as they doe If we will be like the heavenly Angels we must speake with the tongue of Angels If we say Amen to his praise and honour he will ratifie his word towards us so that his promise to us shall be Yea and Amen FINIS SEVEN SERMONS ON THE VVONDERFVLL COMBATE for Gods Glory and Mans Salvation BETWEENE CHRIST AND SATHAN DELIVERED By the Reverend Father in God Doct. ANDREWES Bishop of Winchester deceased JAMES 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth Temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised them that love him 〈…〉 LONDON Printed by Richard Cotes 1642. SEVEN SERMONS VPON The Temptation of Christ in the WILDERNESSE The first SERMON MATTH 4.1 Then was Jesus led aside of the Spirit into the Wildernesse to be tempted of the devill OUR Saviour Christ by his Nativity tooke upon him the shape of man Gal. 4.4 by his Circumcision hee tooke upon him Phil. 2.7 and submitted himselfe to the degree of a servant By the first he made himselfe in case and able to performe the worke of our Redemption By the second he entred bound for the performing of it All was to this end that he might restore the worke of God to his originall perfection In the bringing of which to passe it was decreed by God in the beginning as a thing necessary that the head of the Serpent by whose meanes it was violated and defaced should be bruised And For this cause saith John appeared the Sonne of God 1 Ioh. 3.8 that hee might loose the workes of the Devill whereof this was the first For in Gen. 3. we read that his first worke after his fall was enviously to tempt our first Parents and thereby to overthrow all man-kinde And here straight after our Saviour was baptized hee with like envy setteth on him Christ therefore first beginneth with the overcomming of that and for that purpose he is here led forth to be tempted that so being tempted he might overcome Our Saviour makes this question Matth. 11.7 upon their going out to see John Baptist What went yee out to see As if hee should have said They would never have gone out into the Wildernesse except it had beene to see some great and worthy matter and behold a greater and a worthier matter here If there be any thing in the Wildernesse worthy the going out to behold this is a matter much worthy of it Or if there be any matter worthy the hearing it is worthy our attention to heare not Michael the Archangell disputing about the body of Moses with the devill Jude 9. but our owne matter argued by two such cunning adversaries to see the combat betwixt our grand enemy who goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking to devoure us 1 Pet. 5.8 and our Arch-duke for so hee is called Heb. 12.2 to see our King of old Psalm 74.12 the pawne of our inheritance and our Prince of new or Prince by usurpation the Prince of this world John 4.30 enter the lists together to see the wisedome of the new Serpent Iohn 3.14 match the craftinesse and subtilty of the old serpent Rev. 12.9 to see the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah combating with the roaring Lyon 1 Pet. 5.8 If any thing be worthy the sight Apoc. 5.5 it is this Though there should come no profit to us by the victory yet were it
103.8 How gracious and long-suffering God is who rewardeth us not according to our deserts And Psal 136. That his mercy endureth for ever God therefore being so full of mercy will take all things in good part But this mercy the devill tels them of differeth from the mercy David meant For the mercy David speaketh of is coupled with judgement Psal 101.1 I will sing mercy and judgement to thee O Lord. and Psal 85.10 Mercy and Truth are met together Justice and Peace have kissed each other Thus I say they shall have musicke all the way and if any at the height thinke it a great way downe no saith the devill you need but a jumpe from your baptisme into heaven you shall need no staires at all THE FIFTH SERMON MATTH 4.7 Jesus said unto him It is written againe Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Considering that Saint James saith Chap. 4.5 The Scripture speaketh nothing in vaine and that as our Saviour Christ saith John 10.35 No Scripture can be disappointed it may seeme strange that the devill comming armed with The Sword of the Spirit for so is the Word of God termed Ephes 6.17 Christ gives not place but opposeth himselfe to answer We see that a message comming in the name of the Lord this very name abashed Nehemias Neh. 6.10 at the first hearing till he perceived it was contrary to the Law of God and so came not from him which here we see to be the cause why Christ doth not yeeld by and by upon the hearing of the Word but sets himselfe to make answer forsomuch as the word is not of Quia dicitur onely but Quia creditur as Augustine noteth If there be not the mixture of faith with it whereof Paul speaketh Heb. 4.2 it is nothing worth And therefore the bad spirit was nothing abashed or daunted at the hearing of the bare names of Jesus and Paul Act. 19.15 but answered I know them but who are ye They did not beleeve and therefore could doe them no good but were wounded themselves glorious names would not serve the turne So was it here used without faith When the Scripture is here urged against one a man would thinke it were not to be answered by citing another place of Scripture but by some tradition of the Elders Mark 7.1 or some glosse or other shift but we see our Saviour answereth here no other way but by Scripture Because the Woolfe comes sometimes disguised in a sheepes skinne it is no reason that therefore the very sheepe should lay away their fleeces so here because the devill useth the Word as the slaying Letter 2 Cor. 3.6 or as the sword to kill men with it is no reason why Christ may not therefore use it in his owne defence Why then will some say one of these two inconveniencies will follow that hereby we shall thinke the Scripture is of the devils side aswell as of Christs side and so divided as in like sort they make a division of Christ when one holds with Paul another with Apollos 1 Cor. 1.13 No it is not so Christ alledgeth not this Scripture in that sort as one nayle to drive out another but by way of harmony and exposition that the one may make plaine the meaning of the other For albeit the devill sheweth himselfe to be the devill in citing that Text so as might best serve for his purpose in that whereas the Psalme whereout he taketh it hath it thus That he might keepe him in all his wayes which words he leaveth out For if he had cited that he could not thereby have enforced any casting downe For the Angels have no charge over a man but in his wayes and from the top of the Pinacle there was no way but downe the staires on his feete He was not relying on the Angels to cast himselfe downe with his head forward But the devill hath a wrest to make the string sound high or low as he list or if that will not serve he hath a racke to stretch them out as some did Saint Pauls Epistles 2 Pet. 3.16 He can set them on the tenters to prove that downe the staires or over the battlements all is one the Angels shall safe-guard him Though this I say be the devils corruption which the late writers have well spyed yet Christ we see is not willing to take advantage of that but useth a wiser course for so are we to thinke that he went the best way to worke that is the conference of Scripture with Scripture which Christ here practiseth and commendeth unto us In every Art all propositions are not of a like certainty but some be grounds and principles so certaine as that no exception is to be taken against them From them are others derived by a consequence called Deduction not so certaine as the other from these againe others to the twentieth hand So is it in Divinity Christ here reduceth the devils argument and place to a place most plaine to be confessed For the Jewes valuing of the meaning had to consider that God fed them with Manna which they knew not to teach them that Man liveth not by bread onely Deut. 8.3 contemning the same and in Deut. 6.16 bade them They should not tempt their Lord their God as in Massah when they cryed for bread The Lord curseth him that maketh flesh his arme and with-draweth his heart from God Jer. 17.5 They sacrificed unto their yarne because their portion was plentifull Habak 1.16 Job condemneth the making gold our hope or the wedge of gold our confidence Chap. 31.24 As then we must not defie the meanes attributing all-sufficiency to them so we may not nullifie them and think too basely of them but use them that we tempt not God according to his word Out of these two grounds may every question be resolved for every proposition must be proved out of the ground So that as we may not thinke the arme of God to be so shortned that he cannot helpe without meanes so are we not to thinke basely of God for ordaining meanes Secondly we heard that the devils allegation was taken out of the Psalme and one of the most comfortable places of the Psalme Christ by not standing in Disputation about the words and meaning of the Text commendeth to us the safest and wisest way to make answer in such like cases Our Saviour would warne us that the 91. Psalme is not fit matter for us to study on when we are on the toppe of the Pinacle he therefore chuseth a place of a contrary kind to counterpoise himselfe standing in that fickle place The Law we know is a great cooler to presumption If one tamper much with the Psalmes being in case of confidence he may make the fire too bigge Faith is the fire which Christ came to put on the earth and it is seated betweene two extreames Distrust and Presumption Distrust is as water to it which if it be powred on in abundance it will make
good is not in us for as the Wiseman saith A man may well purpose a thing in his heart but the answer of the tongue commeth from the Lord Prov. 16.1 Whereof we have often experience They that have the office of teaching in the Church albeit they do before-hand prepare what to say yet when it comes to the point are not able to deliver their mind in such sort as they had purposed as on the other side when God doth assist them with his spirit they are inabled on a sudden to deliver that which they had not intended to speake Fifthly as the ability of effecting was attributed to God so is the will Phil. 2.14 Sixthly for understanding the Apostle saith The naturall man perceiveth not the things that are of the spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. For the wisedome of the flesh is enmity with God Rom. 8.7 Seventhly the power of thinking the thing that is pleasing to God is not in us so farre are we from understanding or desiring it as the Apostle in this place testifieth And therefore where the Prophet speaketh generally of all men Psal 94. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men that they are but vaine the Apostle affirmeth that to be true of the wise men of the world that are endued onely with the wisedome of the world and the flesh that their thoughts are vaine also 1 Cor. 3.19 20. Secondly that we should not thinke that the want of abilitie standeth onely in matters of difficulty and weight the Apostle saith not we are unable to thinke any weighty thing but even that without the speciall grace of Gods spirit we cannot thinke any thing So Augustine understandeth Christs words Joh. 15. where he saith not Nihil magnum difficile but sine me nihil potestis facere This is true in naturall things for we are not able to prolong our owne life one moment the actions of our life are not of our selves but from God in whom we live move and have our beeing Act. 17. Therefore upon those words of Christs Ego à meipso non possum facere quicquam nisi quod video Patrem I of my selfe can do nothing but what I see my Father doe c. Joh. 5.9 Augustine saith Ei tribuit quicquid fecit à quo est ipse qui facit But the insufficiencie of which the Apostle speaketh is not in things naturall but in the ministration of the Spirit So he saith that God of his speciall grace hath made them able Ministers of the new Testament not of the letter but of the spirit his meaning is that no endeavour of men can endue us with the grace of repentance with faith hope and Christian charity except the inward working of Gods spirit As the Apostle speakes of the gift of tongues of the understanding of secrets and of all knowledge without charity Nihil miht prodest 1 Cor. 14. So all our endeavours are unprofitable to us unlesse God by his spirit do co-operate with us for He that â—abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit Joh. 15.5 that is the fruit of righteousnesse the end whereof is eternall life Rom. 6.22 Thirdly the persons whom he chargeth with this want of ability are not the common sort of naturall men that are not yet regenerate by Gods spirit 1 Cor. 2. but he speakes of himselfe and his fellow-Apostles So these words are an answer to that question 2 Cor. 2.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto these things who is sufficient he answereth himselfe Not we for we are not able of our selves to think a good thought much lesse are we fit of our selves to be meanes by whom God should manifest the favour of his knowledge in every place So that which Christ spake Joh. 15. he spake it to his Disciples who albeit they were more excellent persons then the rest of the people yet he telleth them Sine me nihil potestis facere The negative being generall we may make a very good use of it If the Apostles of Christ were unable how much more are we If Jacob say I am unworthy of the least of thy blessings Gen. 32. If John Baptist say I am not worthy Mat. 3. If S. Paul confesse I am not worthy to be called an Apostle 1 Cor. 15. much more may we say with the Prodigall sonne that had spent all I am not worthy to be called thy sonne Luk. 15. and with the Centurion I am not worthy thou shouldest come under my roofe Mat. 8. The reason of this want of ability is for that the nature of men cannot performe that which the Apostle speakes of neither as it is in an estate decayed through the fall of Adam and that generall corruption that he hath brought into the whole race of mankind nor as it is restored to the highest degree of perfection that the first man had at the beginning Adam himselfe when he was yet perfect could not attaine to this for he was but a living soule the second Adam was a quickning spirit 1 Cor. 15. And it is not in the power of nature to elevate and lift it selfe up to conceive hope of being partakers of the blessednesse of the life to come to hope to be made partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. and of the heavenly substance if men hope for any such thing it is the spirit of God that raiseth them up to it As the water can rise no higher then nature will give it leave and as the fire giveth heat onely within a certaine compasse so the Perfection which Adam had was in certaine compasse the light of nature that he had did not reach so high as to stirre him up to the hope of the blessednesse to come that was without the compasse of nature and comes by the supernaturall working of grace As we are corrupt it never commeth into our minds to hope for the felicity of the life to come for all the thoughts of mans heart are onely evill and that all the day long Gen. 6. That is true which the Apostle witnesseth of the Gentiles Rom. 2.13 That they by nature do the things of the Law if we understand it of morall duties for the very light of nature doth guide us to the doing of them But as the Prophet saith Ps 16.2 My goodnesse doth not extend to thee So whatsoever good thing we doe by the direction of naturall reason it is without all respect of God except he enlighten us before Therefore in our regeneration not onely the corruption of our will is healed but a certaine divine sparke of fire and zeale of Gods Spirit is infused into us by which we are holpen to do those duties of piety which otherwise naturally we have no power to do Now followes the qualification of this generall negative sentence For where the Apostle hath said We are not able to thinke any thing of our selves the Scripture recordeth divers good purposes that came into the hearts of Gods servants The Lord
himselfe said of David Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house to my name thou diddest well in thinking so to doe 1 Reg. 8.18 The Apostle saith of unmarried folkes that they care for the things that belong to the Lord how they may please the Lord 1 Cor. 7.32 But the Apostle sheweth that if we have any such thoughts at any time they do not proceed from us By which words the Apostle no doubt maketh this distinction that there are some things that come of us and are of our selves againe there are other things that come from us and yet are not of us that is from and of our selves that groweth in us naturally That is said to be from our selves but not of our selves which is ingrafted in us It is the true Olive that from it selfe and of it selfe yeeldeth fatnesse and the wild Olive being ingrafted in it doth from it self yeeld fatnesse but not of it self but as it is by insition made partaker of that fatnes which naturally is in the true Olive Rom. 11. Figmenta cogitationis are from and of our selves but if any divine and spirituall thoughts come into our hearts the Lord God is the Potter that frames them in us Jer. 18.6 The Apostle saith Scio quod in me hoc est in carne mea non habitat bonum Rom. 7.18 But sinne dwels in mee v. 17. therefore sinne that dwels in us is from us and of us but the grace of Gods spirit which dwells not in us but doth tarry guest-wise is that which is from us but not of us Our Saviour saith Luk. 24.38 Why do thoughts arise in your hearts such thoughts are from us and of us but those thoughts that come from the Father of light James 1. are from our selves but not of us All that we have by the strength of nature is said to be of our selves and from our selves but the power wherewith we are endued from above to the doing of heavenly and spirituall things of our selves but not from our selves Perditio tua ex te Israel Hos 13. that is from us and of us Tantummodo salus ex me that is neither of us nor from us The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15. I persecuted the Church that was from himselfe and of himselfe but when he saith yet I laboured more then they all he corrected that and saith yet not I but the grace of God with mee Because that was of himselfe but not from himselfe but from the grace of God which did co-operate with him Sinnes are of our selves and from our selves but not good actions Hoc piarum mentium est ut nihil sibi tribuant this is the part of godly soules that they attribute nothing to themselves Aug. It is dangerous to ascribe too little to the grace of God for then we robbe him of his Glory but if we ascribe too little to our selves there is no danger for whatsoever we take from our selves it cannot hinder us from being true Christians but if we ascribe that to the strength of our owne nature which is the proper worke of Grace then do we blemish Gods Glory The affirmative part is our sufficiencie is of God So that albeit in regard of themselves he said Who is sufficient to these things yet having ability from God he is bold to say Omnia possum in eo qui me confortat Phil. 4.13 The Apostle willeth Titus to choose sufficient men such as were able to exhort with wholsome doctrine Tit. 1.9 That is such as God hath made able so he speakes of all in generall that God the Father hath made us meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 As none are meete but such as are made meete so there are none 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as are made worthy Luk. 20.21 The Apostle saith I was indeed to come to you that ye might receive a second grace 2 Cor. 1.15 Whereby he sheweth that to be true which Saint Peter affirmeth That the grace of God is manifested 1 Pet. 4. And so much we are to understand by the words of the Evangelist when he saith That from the fulnesse of Christ we received grace for grace Joh. 1. As Noah is reported to have found grace in the sight of God Gen. 6. So many do find grace with God first he worketh grace in men by the meanes of his Word when before they were void of grace The grace of God hath appeared to all teaching them Tit. 2.12 Also by the meanes of the Crosse Job 33. Psal 119. and by that he worketh a second grace that is inherent whereby they are enabled to do the duties of holinesse In which respect as he is said to give grace Prov. 3. Humilibus dat gratiam so we receive grace 2 Cor. 6.1 After God by his spirit hath thus enabled us we are said to be able and meete to do those things which we are commanded so that though our righteousnesse be but menstrualis justitia Isay 64. he will not reject it though our zeale in godlinesse be but as smoking flaxe or the broken reed he will not quench nor breake it Isay 42. and though the measure of our charity exceed not the cup of cold water yet we shall not lose our reward Matth. 10. And though the affictions of this life which we suffer for Christs sake be not worthy of the glory that is to be revealed yet as the Evangelist speakes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 21. For if wee suffer together with Christ we shall be glorified with him Rom. 8.17 So then the summe of all commeth to this where the Apostle exhorteth Let us have grace Heb. 12. The question is from whence we may have it It is certaine we have it not of our selves for it is a divine thing therefore we must have it from him that is the Well of grace Joh. 1.14 If we come to him out of his fulnesse we shall receive grace for grace He is not a Well locked up but such an one as standeth open that all may draw out of it Therefore the Apostle saith that the grace of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.13 And as Salomon saith bonus vir haurit gratiam Prov. 12.2 The meanes to obtaine this grace at the hands of God is by prayer who hath promised to give his holy spirit to them that aske it Luk. 11. And having received grace from God we shall likewise have bonam spem per gratiam 2 Thess 2. He hath promised that those that seeke shall find Mat. 7. If in humility we seeke for grace from God knowing that we have it not of our selves we shall receive it from God for he giveth grace to the humble 1 Pet. 5. Seeing then that in us there is no ability so much as to thinke any thing and all ability commeth from God we are to learne from hence that if God say Turne to mee and I