me and mine let him doe his pleasure for we are his See therfore this giuen grace when the Lorde wil though it be hard The lyke did Dauid in his great extremitie when Absolom was in field agaynst him and the Arke brought forth by the Prophets to bee carried with him Haue the Arke of God sayth he into the Citie againe if I shal finde fauour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me againe and shew me both it and the tabernacle thereof But if he thus say I haue no delight in thee behold here am I let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eyes therfore not impossible we sée for the Lord to worke in whom he wil though to our vile corruptiō a hard matter in déed Our Sauiour Christ in our fleshe sayde it with a true content Yet not my will but thy wil be done O Father And in vs can he worke it by his painfull spirit if it please him Good meanes to help vs are the sundrie comfortable speeches in the word concerning the Lords care ouer vs euer and especially when we haue most need of him by reason of any woe that we are wrapped in Our times are in the hand of the Lord and he not man shall dispose of our daies Our haires are numbered and our teares are put in his bottell What are haires and teares to bodie and soule and other matters of ours more waightie He careth for the rauens lions and birds of the aire how much more for vs Are we not more worth than many sparrows O we of little faith If the Dragon would deuour vs hee is able in a moment to giue vs wings to flie into the wildernesse and to escape him If he wil not but a trial must be had of vs heare and marke you lift vp your harts and reioyce with me Fidelis est Dominus The Lord is faithfull and will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able but will euen giue the issue with the tentation that we may be able to beare it O sweete O more than sweete and the vnspeakable comfort of my fraile flesh and all such as I am For let me doe my duetie feare the Lord and make much of his lawes cutte a peeces dayly as he will inable mee the cord of sinne cleaue to that which is good and abhorre that which is euill with a single soule and heart that hath no holes if this life cause any worldly woe though Satan and his friendes enuie at it or if the Lorde please for anie cause to his maiestie knowen to make anie trial of me feare not muse not sigh not shrinke not my God hath giuen his word as he is faythfull which euer was and euer will bee there shall no more be layde vpon me than hee hee I saie that hath no measure of might will make mee able to beare Onelie doe the thing that I ought in my life nowe as neere as giuen grace inableth me and trust to him for that day Care awaie then my beloued for the crosse euer in the power of the Lord let vs saie and since we haue such a promise lette the remembrance of it as a mightie means serue to work this in vs in al aduersitie to submit our wils to his and with true content to saie Thy will be done O Lord for euer with vs. Full is the Scripture of other comforts to strengthen vs in this but else where I haue noted them and therfore I spare my selfe as you heare Remember then nowe that though it be a harder matter in woe then well to praie this prayer yet is it not so harde but the Lord hath giuen it and can giue it at his pleasure to his weaklinges and make his power knowen in our weaknesse to his glorie our good if wee aske O swéete God then we aske it and beseech thee for the red bloud of Iesus Christ that in youth and age health sicknesse prosperitie and aduersitie weale and woe thy wil may be ours and we contented euer Amen Amen What meane the next words Sicut in coelo as it is in heauen Are wee able to performe such seruice to God Heare you what Augustine sayth Fiat voluntas tua sicut in coelo et in terra Quid hoc Vt quomodo tibi seruiunt Angeli in coelo et nos tibi seruiamus in terra Angeli ipsius sancti obediunt illi non illum offendunt faciūt iussa amando illum Haec ergo oramus vt et nos praeceptū Dei charitate faciamus Thy will bee done in earth as it is in heauen what is this Surely that as the Angells serue thee in heauen so we may serue thee in earth his holy Angelles obey him and offend him not but in loue do his commandements These things therefore doe we praie for that we also euen of loue may doe his will Heare you also what Sainct Hierome sayth Petimus vt imitetur Angelos humana fragilitas et voluntas Domini competatur in terra We desire of the Lord that mannes frailtie may imitate the Angels the will of y e Lord may be done in earth fullie And in deede so it is for wee doe not in this petition desire that some parte of his will may bee done For it becommeth vs to fulfil all righteousnesse Matth. 3.15 but that all euen fullie and wholy may be performed and a halfe righteousnesse or obedience is neither righteousnesse nor obedience as Saint Iames teacheth vs. Non sufficit Christiano si vnam partem iusticiae impleat cui vtraque praecipitur It sufficeth not sayth Saint Hierom that a Christian fulfill y e one part of righteousnesse when as both are inioyned him For Vera et plena fides vniuersa praecepta complectitur True and full faith comprehendeth all the commaundements sayth another Yea further we are not only by duetie bound to doe all but with all affection also with all our heart with all our soule and with all our strength For Nec leprosa obedientia nec canina patientia commendatur nam velint nolint nō modò homines sed etiam daemones et faciunt et patiūtur quod prouidentia summa disposuit Qui inscij nescientes Dei voluntatem faciunt eorum et leprosa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obedientia Qui vero scientes eam sed reluctantes murmurantes faciunt eorū est canina patientia neutrum ergo in nobis probatur sed et scientes et volentes Neither a leprous obedience nor a doggish patience is commēded for wil they nil they not only men but also deuils both do suffer whatsoeuer the diuine prouidence hath appoynted Those that vnwittingly not knowing it doe the will of GOD theyr obedience is leprous Those y t doe Gods will knowing of it but yet striuing agaynst it murmuring such mens patiēce perforce is doggish Neither of these is alowed but
ouer whilest hee hath to spend For this feeling heart of another mans harme this loue and lenity this tender compassion and care for them that haue not grace to care for themselues is precious before the Lord. And he often rewardeth losse in this respect sustayned with better measure than lawe woulde haue giuen either costs or damages Finallie forgette not also euen many times to reason with your selfe thus I see the fatherlesse widowe many times oppressed for want of helpe and weaknesse go to the wall for want of countenance yea I see sinne born out and vertue borne downe many times to the greate dishonour of GOD and offence of his Church and I am not touched thereat or at least I spend not a penie neither a dayes trauayle to helpe therein but now that my self am touched and my transitorie substaunce endangered I am ready to goe to lawe and to spende much surelie this may I do but that other should I not leaue vndone Yet howe am I more forward for riches than for vertue for euerie cause of mine owne than for anie of my neighbours Thus I saie to reason with your selfe is most profitable and wil greatly direct a good minde in this matter wee speake of namely how hee may vse lawe Nowe then I trust you see a bridle put in our mouthes from hasting to lawe as wee do for euerie occasion troubling our selues and whole Countries with the vnquietnesse of our natures and vngodlynesse of our hearts These conditions and such other obserued let vs knowe our libertie to vse the Lordes good ordinaunce for the maintenance of peace right and for the due punishment of oppugners of eyther of them or of them both But let vs not abuse to our owne reuenge what to those endes in Gods mercie to man is so graciously ordayned God make this coole the vnregenerate humours of a number and I thank you for it Now to proceed I pray you how may we bee sayd to forgiue to our brethren their trespasses seeing none forgiueth sinne but God onely You must consider that in sinne there be two things First the euill of the action secondly the detrimēt that ariseth to man The euill of the action is that impuritie and foulenesse wherewith the law of God agaynst which it is contrarie chargeth it And this concerneth the Lord because béeing by him prohibited the committing of it is also agaynst him This properlie is sinne and the remission of it onely is in the Lord himselfe No man is able to doe it But the seconde which is the detriment or hurt that ariseth by that trespasse to a mā either in fame or bodie or goods as it is agaynst man so man may remit and pardon it without anie impeachment of the Lords glorie Thus therefore doe wee forgiue trespasses when wee forgiue the harme that hath arisen to vs by them together with all conceiued anger swelling indignation wrath for the same The Lordes forgiuenesse is a rasing out of the sinne it selfe I meane a full remission of the transgression of his law by that trespasse whatsoeuer Let that man of sinne therefore looke about him and all his adherents wel consider it how their pardons may runne with remission both a poena et culpa from punishment and guilt They are in these daies of light when the Lords mercy hath made the Sunne of vnderstanding shine vpon his Church and the daie starre arise in his childrens harts compelled to excuse theyr Pope by affirming that hee remitteth but onely the punishment which by law is due to such offence and medleth not with the sinne as it concerneth God But let them looke if they saie true when his pardons be extāt in this forme that I haue named releasing for money both poenam the punishment and culpam the fault Iwis they wil sée it if y e Lord be so gracious to thē a pride prophecied as a note of Antichrist And neuer did the Iewes more wrongfully mislike our Sauiour beeing God as well as man than we may rightly abhorre this monster being onely man a most miserable man in many respects for y t he presumeth to forgiue sins which none cā forgiue but god alone For it is I it is I sayth the Lord that put away iniquitie and forgiue sinnes And the Lord hath done awaie thy sinne sayth Nathan to Dauid not I nor any man And this might wee learne euen by this forme of prayer if there were no other Scripture For vnto whome doth the Lorde teach vs to saie Forgiue vs our trespasses but onely to God Surely if any man or woman Sainct or Angell coulde forgiue vs then were it should be lawful for vs to pray to thē to forgiue vs so to chāge this prayer frō Pater to Mater or Frater frō our Father to our mother our brother to holy Peter holy Paul or such like But how spend I words in a playne matter it is inough Are all men and women to pray this prayer or but onely some Surely you remember me of that which is worthie noting as well as anie thing that hath bene sayd namely how our Sauiour Christ hath sayd vnto all the world that there is iust cause to acknowledge thē selues sinners and to pray for the pardon of their sinnes For whosoeuer haue néede to beg anie thing at God his handes thus he teacheth them to pray but the whole world standeth in neede to begge at Gods hande all therefore the whole worlde must praie thus Both Iewes and Gentiles sayth the Apostle are vnder sinne as it is written There is none righteous no not one There is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seeketh GOD. They haue al gone out of the waie they haue bene made altogether vnprofitable there is none that dooth good no not one Theyr throte is an open sepulchre they haue vsed their tongues to deceit the poisō of Aspes is vnder their lippes Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse their feete are swifte to shed bloud Destruction and calamitie are in their wayes and the way of peace haue they not known the feare of God is not before theyr eyes Agayne in the same Chapter All haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God And to the Galathians The Scripture hath cōcluded all vnder sinne And if anie man saie he hath no sinne he deceiueth him selfe there is no truth in him With a number such lyke places Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord sayth the prophet Dauid for no flesh shal be iustified in thy sight Wherefore it is not for modestie that wee must praie to the Lord to forgiue vs our sinne as most wickedly the Pelagians affirmed but for conscience and truth and as Hierome sayth Ex humanae fragilitatis et nostrae miseriae conscientia Vppon true feeling and feare of mans frailtie and misery and the iudgements of God due to it For a prayer conceiued for modestie
into it through frailtie yet God giuing mee true repentance for it Credo remissionem I beleeue the forgiuenes of it Yea it is the cōfort spirituall that cannot bee spoken of that God woulde haue his children so sure of the pardon of their sinnes euen of all their sinnes without exception whereof hee giueth them a dislike true abhorring as that he would haue it an article of their fayth so that they should not be sound christians if they beleeued it not Lastly euen this petition of the Lordes prayer crauing dayly forgiuenes of dayly trespasses dare you restrayne it to trespasses committed onely before repentance and exempt all second falles after such repentance and purpose to amend the Lord forbid And therefore take it also with the former as a sure proofe of pardon also for these offences So doe you see what answere your question hath out of Gods booke onely therefore beware presumption beware loosenes beware negligence and due care to auoyd these seconde falles say not God is mercifull and therefore I will sinne For as hee is gratious to a sorowfull sinner so is hee dreadfull to a presumptuous offender and frailtie shall finde mercy when boldnes shall find iudgement and wrath for euer Surely I see it is a great comfort to a Christian conscience that the Lord hath put into our daylie prayer this petition and it mightely assureth vs of his mercie In deede it is so but yet this appeareth nothing so much as it would if our eyes sawe or our harts felt what loathsomnesse lodged in vs and what iust matter of eternall confusion wee haue both in bodie and soule if mercy were not For this is it that giueth a feeling of the sweetnesse of this prayer when the Lorde shall graunt vs a true sight of our owne estate and pearcing eyes into our inwarde deepes When the Lorde shall inable vs truely to see what a masse of corruption wee are how vile how miserable how polluted in our thoughtes workes and deedes in bodie and soule in hart and minde within and without and all ouer how filthie how loathsome and how abhominable wee are and when hee shall ioyne vnto this sight a terrour and a trembling at the true view of Gods most fearefull iudgement due vnto this estate and most firmely tyed vnto it euen as God is iust And I say when the Lord granteth it for most assuredly wee haue it not of our selues nay wee flatter and deceiue euery man his owne hart in this point we thinke all is well with vs and wee knowe not our selues But what are we O my beloued my heart vnderstandeth not the sinnes of man and therefore my tongue cannot lay them open before you I say with Dauid myne owne sinnes are secret vnto me and therefore much more all your sinnes and most of all the sinnes of all mankinde Yet somewhat heare you of the meditation of my hart to the better opening of the necessitie and goodnesse of this petition and learne by this little to thinke of more and to wade your selues into the deepes that you knowe and I knowe not when I haue led you the way as farre as I doe knowe I haue before in this petition shewed you the Herauld of heauen blazeth our armes and expresseth our colours namely that we are all become abhominable and there is none y t doth good no not one That no flesh liuing is able to bee iustified in his sight that none can say my hart is cleane I am pure from sinne That the very imaginations of our harts are euill euen from our youth that we are not able to thinke a good thought of our selues with a number such All which places are not so to bee taken as if they charged any of vs with a little euill or fewe sinnes and small but they conuince vs of huge and great sinne and of generall corruption euen in our wayes which will verie well appeare if alyke wee compare our selues with the Lordes choyce children commended to vs in the word Stand before me then I pray thee whose hart quaketh not for any sinne you knowe in your selues and tell mee whether you dare eyther with your tongues say or with your hearts thinke that you are in as great a measure sanctified as Dauid was If you dare not consider well then what Dauid notwithstanding his greate graces giuen him sayth of himselfe in his Psalmes There is no rest in my bones because of my sinne for mine iniquitie is gone ouer mine head and as a waightie burthen they are too heauie for me to beare Had Dauid no rest in his bones for his sin and haue you rest in your selfe and yet dare not compare with him in sanctification How commeth this to passe but because you neyther see nor feele what is in your selfe as hee did Innumerable troubles sayth he agayne haue compassed mee about my sinnes haue taken such holde on me that I am not able to looke vp yea they are mo in number than the haires of my head and my heart hath failed me O the dulnesse of our feeling howe shoulde I laie it before vs better than by such examples If Dauids sinnes were mo than his haires how many are ours thinke you Surely moe than the sand of the sea if they had taken holde on him what haue ours done on vs If he could not for them looke vp how may we looke downe And finally if his heart began to shake how Lorde may ours but shake and quake if wee knew our selues Iudge euen your selfe anie one that is here if it be not so seeing you grant me you dare not compare with Dauid Wounded then are wee euen to many deaths and yet we knowe it not Ponder it with your selfe also what that great seruant of God Ezra sayth of himselfe in this case O my GOD sayth he I am confounded and ashamed to lifte vp mine eyes vnto thee my God for our iniquities are increased ouer our head our trespasses are growen vp to the heauen and wee cannot stande before thee because of our sinne And Daniel againe We haue sinned wee haue committed iniquitie we haue done wickedly yea wee haue rebelled agaynst thee and departed from thy precepts See how no words can contēt him to expresse his guilt withall Therfore I saie when the Scripture chargeth vs with sinne it is no small sinne that we must dreame of but monsterous corruption and horrible before the Lord if we could see it all Yet doth euery one deceiue his owne heart and being in this most dreadfull and desperate case feeleth it not but thinketh all is wel till euen the last houre ouertake vs then Satan chargeth vs to the full we despaire But trulie if we learn to charge our selues now in the time of health our burthen shall not be so great in the time of sicknesse And therefore I praie you do it either by many times comparing your liues with these great Saintes of
graces of my creator vnlesse the officer of them to me from him be qualified to my liking For as wee liue the Lord wil bee a swift iudge and euen a very consuming fire one day against this hainouse contempt of himselfe and his mercies and the hauing of them in respect of persons O beloued our time is now to be wise learned and to kisse the Sonne in his graces least he be angry and wee perish off from the earth If we doe not mercie passeth iudgement commeth and warned people must both dye in their sinne and cary their bloud themselues for euer The third temptation concerning Communicants SOme againe are tempted and troubled with scruples and doubtes concerning such as are admitted to the Lordes table and whome satan cannot otherwise win to despise that holy Sacrament by this meanes hee most mightily vndermineth and causeth them to forbeare both their great comfort bounden duetie For whersoeuer sayth hee to them the vncleane are not put apart and the euill separated from the good by ecclesiasticall censure there if a Christian communicate hee is defiled with other mens sinnes And therefore to the ende yee may not be polluted with the company of such you must forbeare nay refuse and vtterly abhorre al receyuing of the Supper of the Lord but with a choyce company of select and holy ones But is this true nowe that other mens sinnes neuer consented to by me do defile mee if I receyue with them God forbid The flat contrary is a ruled case in diuinitie was ere wee were borne amongst the learned and godly of al times And as it were with one voyce they haue affirmed it in this and such like sort That a Christian man should be sory and grieued if he see that most holy Sacrament abused of any wicked and bad ones which are admitted vnto it and indeuour as much as in him lieth y t if may not be so but yet may he not himselfe depriue himselfe of the Sacrament nor withdrawe himselfe from the Church but both take it for a true Church notwithstanding this blemish and continue in her societie and felowshippe so long as the worde is preached and the Sacraments administred therein without any separation from it for this cause And the proofes hereof haue partly beene aledged before in the examples of the godly Patriarches Prophetes Apostles and Christ himselfe In the Church of Corinth Galatia Ephesus and others wherein though there were great blemishes as hath beene shewed yet were they neuer commaunded one to auoyd an others company at those exercises that the Lorde in common inioyned all and left not to their libertie to vse or not vse They separated themselues carefully from those crimes and faultes that they rebuked and disliked in others but from their Churches and holy exercises they separated not themselues but entred into their Synagogues at al times wheresoeuer they came and when they were at prayers prayed with them preached to them and partaked with them in commaunded dueties neither were they once hurt by their so doing Then further may we adde in this matter of communicants that which truly we should not lightly weigh or consider but very earnestly thinke of Namely that wee are bidden to examine our selues when we come to that table If the Lord had pleased he could as easily haue bidden vs examine one on other or euery man the whole Church And certainly he would haue done it if other mens sinnes might haue defiled vs and the company of the vnworthy ones haue polluted them that come with the very best preparation of themselues vnto it Yea and with what diligence in deede ought wee all to doe it if this doctrine were true Surely my conscience coulde neuer receiue that Sacrament in peace except I knewe all men as well as my selfe since their euell may as well hurt mee as myne owne But nowe that he requireth only of euery man the proofe of themselues he teacheth therby playnely that it nothing hurteth vs if any vnworthy doe thrust themselues in amongest vs so that wee bee prepared the same do these other wordes also Sibi iudicium manducat Hee eateth and drinketh his owne damnation Sibi non tibi His owne damnation not thyne saith Austen Ergo tolera malos bonus vt venias ad praemia bonorum ne mittaris in penam malorum Therefore thou being good indure the euell that thou mayest come to the rewards of the good and not be sent vnto the punishment of the euell Caluin thought this a strong place against this temptation therefore he vrgeth both these members against it fully In these wordes of Saint Paul sayth he two things are to be noted First that to eate the bread of the Lord vnworthyly is not to communicate in their company that are vnworthy but not rightly to prepare our selues and to weigh our owne faith and repentance Secondly that when we will receyue this Sacrament we beginne not with others and fall in examining them but that we trye our selues set our eyes that way For truely if all things bee considered well they that haue so much leasure to examine others in them selues they are most negligent and forgetfull For vppon mine owne experience sayth hee I know one yet aliue that caried headlong with this nicenes that hee would not receyue with vs for some mens faults that pleased him not he separated himselfe quite from our company And yet in the meane tyme had them in his owne house of most lewde behauiour When I knewe it I got one to admonish him for of my selfe sayth Master Caluin hee woulde take nothing and to aske what he meant to be so strict in the Church a house not in his gouernement and so faultie in his owne house where hee had gouernement Must hee needes bee defiled in the Church by vnworthy communicants and cleere at home from so neere euill And it pleased God to worke with him sayth he that he sawe his folly and afterwarde reconciled himselfe both to the Church and mee confessing at last that our chiefe and first care must bee of our selues and our familie next and secondly of others And howe Not for dislike of thē or hatred because they do not so well as they ought to separate our selues from the Church but to correct them and amend them and to bring them into the way or according to our places to procure their remouing if they will not Or if wee cannot effect that then to leaue all to the Lord to performe and make better Thus farre Master Caluin not vnworthy our earnest noting though it be very long And truely marke it againe that in saying his owne damnation he tyeth the harme that commeth by his vnworthy receyuing to himselfe and stretcheth it not to others which yet needes he must haue done if the company of any at that table did defile the godly Hee must haue sayd hee eateth and drinketh to his owne damnation and
the sting of death from the victorie of the graue and from the mainest might of al the kingdome of hell that can be raysed agaynst vs. For we are iustified yea fully iustified and who or what can nowe condemne vs wee are sonnes and who can make vs agayne seruants we are friends and who can agayne make vs foes it is nowe my Father and your Father my God and your God and what strength of hels ten thousande canne chaunge this course O worde of comfort then commaunded me by Christ to pray in the name of Father Deere God and swéet God let our soules feele it It is finished and why are wee feared Were our sinnes as Crimsin as Skarlet as bloud they are washed they are wiped they are gone Were my wants the wantes of the whole world they are pardoned they are forgiuē God is pleased and is now my Father O Sauiour sweete make my thankes many Let my tongue my voyce my heart my soule my whole man inward and outward resound thy lasting praise See see theyr sinne that deuise a dayly sacrifice for sinne eyther adding vnto this most perfecte redemption as if it wanted or else vainly doing by a worke of will what alreadie is fully done by prescript of God Be it that we payed a debt and yet are troubled for it diuerse times and wayes againe must we so often paie the debt agayne as we are troubled No we know it sufficeth well to recurre euer to the payment once made and making proofe thereof we still escape such vexing wrongfull action So it is in this The vertue power and efficacie of this sacrifice is perpetuall being once made and néedeth but by faith to be taken hold of and applied whensoeuer we are troubled The debt is paide make but the proofe and end this action For once hath he entered by his owne bloud vnto the holy place obtained eternall redemption for vs. And with one offering hath hee consecrated for euer them that are sanctified Why doe we say our Father and not my Father This worde againe hath his great reason and profite to vs in this preface For first it teacheth vs Charitie towardes our brethren in generall wheresoeuer whosoeuer they be and a care aswell of their good as of our own Which in this great corruption of our nature is hard to be had vnlesse we should by such admonitions as this be drawē vnto it We rather as borne for our selues liue and care for our selues in such a selfe loue as God and man abhorreth Wherefore the Lord Iesus heere commaundeth in this word of community that we should neuer thinke of our selues neuer pray for our selues but also together with our selues for all others euen the whole Church of God in Earth For it is the fulnesse of the body of Christ and therfore by that meanes déere vnto vs if he be déere It is that one body whereof we are all members And the bonde of members so strict that we should feele one an others griefes beare one an others burdens remember one an others bondes euen as though we were bounde with them and them that are in affliction as if wee were also afflicted in the bodie yea we are taught in this loue euery man as he hath receiued y e gift to minister the same one to another as good disposers of the manifolde graces of God and by name to praie one for another For loue neuer seeketh her owne things onely This wee forget too often and therefore wee fearefully pray without profite Our hearts are narrow straight onely looking at our selues our own our children and friends and the deere Saints of GOD members also with vs are not thought vpon Alas we iudge it folly to be tolde vs that we should thinke vpon them And sinke or swim as we say the Church of God we care not so we be well This is farre from Our Father that is this is far frō that affection that in this word we are taught to all men and therefore certainelie these prayers thus made of vs most vsually without remembraunce care and desire of good to all Gods Church as to our selues is no sweete meat before the Lord but euen a filthie smoake rather that he flyeth from Therefore let vs remember this vse of this word if we wish to praie aright and thinking of others in Christian loue as of our selues intreate the Lord for them as for our selues Beatus qui amat te et amicum in te et inimicum propter te Blessed is he that loueth thée his friend in thee his enimie for thee saith the Father That is blessed euer he or she y t reach out affection as they ought past thēselues to others For Dilectionis flammas Satan ferre non potest The flames of Christian loue charitie Satan the enimie of our blessednesse cannot abide But Dilectio donum Dei This loue is the gift of God that Lorde then graunt it to vs for euer Secondly this worde teacheth vs vnitie with our brethren consent agreement of minde in faith and doctrine and euerie good thing For how else can wee call him Our Father wee beeing diuided from the Church and members thereof by heresie or schisme The worde shall importe a communion with them in one father common to all and our wicked wayward separation of our selues from them shall denie y e same Therfore be reconciled euer first to thy brother saith the scripture before thou pray or els thy praier doth witnes against thy selfe And let not the Sunne go downe vpō thy wrath if thou mean to please god Thirdly humilitie is learned by it not to exalt our selues aboue our brethren past that which is meete forasmuch as we haue all one father and such an one as is no respecter of persons But tenderly minded to all his children He careth not for the puffes of this worlde birth beautie welth or wit nor for all the glorie wherewith commonly proud flesh swelleth but he careth for those that feare him and work righteousnes how meane soeuer they be And when the fading fashion of a transitorie condition is cut off by death the determiner of such pride then they as we with God accepted as honorable as wealthy as beautifull in heauen where this trash is trodden vnder foote yea euen more peraduenture honored as they that haue more honoured him in this life where wee with our pleasures played the wantons and vaynely boasted of a paynted sheath There is neither Iewe nor Grecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female but we are al one in Christ Iesus It is Our Father to the comfort of all hearts that feare his maiestie Omnes Christiani fideles diuersas in terris habent patres alij nobiles alij ignobiles vnum vero patrem inuocant qui est in caelis Sub
isto Patre sunt dominus seruus imperator miles diues pauper All faithfull Christians here in earth sayth S. Austen haue diuers fathers some noble some vnnoble but they make their prayers but to one father in heauen and vnder this father is Master and seruant Emperour and Souldier rich and poore Trueth it is and sweete it is to vs poore wretches in this world vpon whom the magnificous of this earth looke so bigge as if wee neuer shoulde bee worthy to wipe their shooes much lesse accepted as their fellowes yea peraduēture before them in a place of greater honor than this sea of glasse here can euer bee Wherefore let vs ioy in it and remember it to schoole our selues in our places euery one to shew fauour fit due regarde to euery man in this present world the prince to the subiect the Master to seruant euery man womā one to another If I did contemne the iudgement of my seruant sayth holy Iob or of my mayde when they did contend with mee what then shall I doe when God standeth vp and when he shall visite me what shall I answer He that made me in the womb hath he not made him hath not hee alone fashioned vs in the womb And receiue him now sayth the Apostle Paul not as a seruant but aboue a seruant euen as a brother beloued so forth Thus we sée the christian humility towards al our brethren in this world y t is noted vnto vs as a thing fit for vs euer in this word Our father But it seemeth by this forme that we may not at any time say in our prayers My God or my father neither yet pray particularly either for our selues or any other But in common euer No you mistake it For as this communitie of affection is taught vs this prayer that extendeth the desire to the good of others so is the Scripture full of warrants also for both the particular application of God vnto a mans selfe by the terme of my God and Lord and Father and also for particular praier for our selues and others Our sauiour sayth my father the Apostle my God the Prophet Dauid in euery Psalme almost and the prayers of Gods children for themselues priuatly are extant Dauids Pauls Annaes with many moe But the matter is this we should not neither euer did any of these so particularly pray for themselues or any but that there was euer in them although not expressed an eye to commit by the fruit of their action that thing either tending to the inabling of thē better to serue in gods church which is a common good or els as willingly wished though not in words yet in truth of meaning to all to whome it may stande in like steed and for as much vse and good So are wee but spoyled of all filthy selfe-loue without care for others not forbidden to regard our selues with like wish to others Why say we next which art in heauen Two things in God our fayth ought euer to be assured of or els we pray not wel to wit will to helpe vs and power The one hath beene sufficiently declared in the word Father the other now in these is confirmed vnto vs. For by his being in heauen appeareth his maiestie might and power his rule dominion ouer all things whereby he is able to goe through with the purpose of his good will towardes vs that in nothing our hope of being hearde may bee hindered I haue sworne by my selfe the worde is gone out of my mouth in righteousnes and shall not returne that euery knee shall bow vnto mee and euery tongue shall sweare by mee This Lorde of ours reigneth let the people tremble hee sitteth betwixt the Cherubins let the earth bee moued This Lorde is great in Sion and he is high aboue al people Let the kinges of the earth band themselues and the Princes assemble together against this Lorde and against his anoynted Let them purpose to breake his bands asunder and to cast away his coards from them Hee that dwelleth in the heauens shall laugh them to scorne and this powrefull Lord of ours shall haue them in derision When hee purposed to doe his Church and children good who or what could euer resist y t will Blesse he or curse prosper or punish giue he or take whatsoeuer he will that doth he in heauen earth and none can let him His power is almightie and therefore able euer to performe his will This is one the doctrine deliuered vs in these words and the vse of it is great For many are the assultes of this life the troubles of the flesh and the griefes of our minds dangerous are the darts of Satan against vs often and wee haue no way to win reliefe but from the Lorde by prayer then steppeth in the greatnes of the matter the multitude of enemies against it the weakenes of our selues in faith in friendes in Counsell and meanes and in conclusion a very impossibilitie as it were in reason of the thing appeareth But oh feare auant fayth bee strong for what will wantes in a tender father or what power to him that dwelleth in the heauens And wee are purposely by Christ remembred of both those in this prayer that wee might neuer doubt of either he is our father and hee is in heauen that is he is most willing and euer able thē feare away This comforted Christ in the pride of power against him that euen then his father was able if it pleased him to giue him more then twelue legions of Angels to fight for him against them And this is written for vs whilest the world indureth to be our comfort God would deliuer Ioseph his innocent seruant and hee could doe it though the credit of false report in respect of the accuser were neuer so great God woulde defend his Daniel and he could doe it against all the spite of man and power of roaring beastes so great and terrible God would giue passage through the mayne sea on foote and hee could in the moment of time performe his will What should we say Many haue beene the troubles of the righteous and euer the Lorde able to deliuer them out of all Hee is the same yeasterday and to day and for euer And therefore whatsoeuer befalleth vs in this world pray in the comfort of this sweet conceit that hee is in heauen that is God and Lorde of all able as willing and willing as able euer both to do vs any good if we pray for feare not the deuill nor death nor hell nor man nor matter euer in this earth but looke to the power of thy God to defend thee to helpe and succour thee in all distresses and that power ioyned with the will of a Father whose bowelles melt vpon his childe O God and father sweete and strong increase our faith increase our feeling and
angeli non audiuerunt prophaeta non sensit filius ipse non edidit The Archangels knowe it not the Angels haue not heard it the prophet hath not felt it the sonne of God himselfe hath reueiled no such thing to vs. For was not Iudas a wicked theefe in the company of the Apostles and yet they for all that the flocke of Christ Hath not the Lorde described the estate of this true Church militant here on earth by the similitudes of a drawe net cast into the sea that incloseth compasseth fish of al sorts yea stickes stones slime and mudde without any separation till it come to the shore Of a field wherin with the good wheate sowen by the husbandman come vp tares sowen by the enuious man and so intermingled that no cleere seperation can bee made but with daunger of plucking vp the wheate also till the haruest come Of a floore whereon lyeth much good wheate but couered almost and hid in an heape of chaffe intermingled with it till the fanner come with his fanne in his hande to purge the same and make cleane his flowre Of a great wedding whereunto as good and bad are bidden so come there some and take their places that yet haue no wedding garments sitting with the best till the King come in to sée the guestes displace them And are not these plaine proofes what maner of Church we must content our selues withall here on earth till the day of perfection come namely euen with such an one as though considered in Christ it be cleane and without spot and wrincle yet considered in it selfe it is not so before it come to the marke it shooteth at but in this life runneth in a race and after two sortes is stayned and impure First with the manifolde imperfections frailties and wants which her very best children are burdened withall euer feeling with the Apostle that in their flesh dwelleth no good thing that they are yoked as he was and farre worse that when they would do good euill is present with them and secondly with a greeuous mixture of many false hipocrites and counterfet pratlers amongst her true children whom though she sigh to be deliuered of and doe by her authoritie as she may disburden her selfe of them yet can she neuer doe it so cleane but that many vilde weedes will remayne till the haruest to be then plucked vp and till then in patience to be indured Let vs consider the Church from her very cradle and wee shall finde the state of it after this sorte Adam in his familie had Caine with his wicked behauiour and yet a Church Noah had Cham and yet a Church Abraham had Ismael a mocker and derider of Gods promises a maÌ„ borne after the flesh that is after the common course of nature and persecuting him that was borne after the Spirit that is by the vertue of Gods promise and after a spirituall maner and yet a Church Isaac had Esau and yet a Church Iacob had great misdemeanours committed still in his faâ—milie by all his sonnes enuying and malicing and most vnbrotherly vsing Ioseph By Ruben defiling his bed by Simeon and Leui brethren in euill instruments of crueltie and in their wrath staying so many by Dinah his daughter by Rachel his wife stealing her fathers Idols and but ouer much deceiued with them and by many other meanes if we fully peruse the storie and yet a Church Neither did euer either Adam or Noah or Abraham or the rest forsake these Churches in their seuerall families or refuse to pray and to doe all other dueties inioyned theÌ„ of the Lord for any vnworthie ones among them TheÌ„ when it came into Egipt was it without wrincles When it was deliuered therehence remember wee not what falles and faults what blots and blemishes still still and euer appeared in that chosen companie out of all the Nations of the world Néede I to repeate their murmurings their reuilings their faintings their many and great impieties mentioned in the storie vnder Moses vnder Iosua vnder Iudges Step to the Kings and to the Prophets what a state is mentioned of this Church militant vnder them also euer Were all things holy and perfect then Let Esay Ieremy Ioel Abacuc and the rest speake In the Priestes in the Magistrates in the people al things were then so corrupt that the Prophet Esay is not afraid to compare Hierusalem to Sodome and Gomorrha Religion was theÌ„ partly contemned partly defiled and many greeuous enormities in manners abounded so that from the sole of the foote to the top of the head there was nothing whole but woundes and swellings and sores full of corruptions sayth the Prophet Yet for all this neuer did the Prophets all or any of them erect newe Churches for themselues wherein they might haue their seperated sacrifices from the rest offred vpon any newe Altars builded to that ende as more holy But what maner of men soeuer they were because the word was there and a course of seruice warranted in the thicke of the wicked and in the middest of misdoers they lifted vp pure hands to the Lord and came together euen with the wicked to pray to sacrifice to heare the word and to doe their dueties in the place appoynted Truely wee must thinke this of those holy Prophets that if they had iudged other mens sinnes could haue defiled their holy dueties or that any infection and contagion might haue come to theÌ„ by meeting in those places of Gods seruice with the wicked they would haue dyed an hundred times rather than haue suffered themselues to bée drawne thether But they knewe it could not and hauing a singular care of peace and vnitie in the Church they therefore abhorred to make any schisme in the same by seperating them selues from the Church Now if those worthies of the Lorde for so many and so great euilles not of one or two men but euen almost of the whole people made a conscience yet not to estraunge themselues from the Church shall not you and I arrogate too much to our selues if wee presume to doe it in these daies Will not that saying of S. Austen be layd vpon vs spoken to the Donatistes vpon like occasion Finxerunt se nimis iustos cùm totum vellent perturbare They made themselues too holy when they would thus trouble all Therefore a sweéee moderation of all good desires according to these true presidents and holy examples assuredly would bee most acceptable to the Lord himselfe as it was in these Come wee from the Prophets to our Sauiour Christ himselfe that if any man make lesse accompt of the former than hee should this later may moue him and satisfie him further What maner of Church was then the Gospell teacheth at large and wee are not ignorant when Christ liued and preached among the Iewes A most corrupt estate it was and ful of sores that Christ sharply reproued in
vt semper quoad licet refugiant Tantam ministerij ac sacramentorum reuerentiam esse oportere vt vbicunque extare haec cernant ecclesiam esse censeant c. That there ought to be in Christians such a detestation of Schisme that as neere as they may they euer flye it Again that there ought to bee such a reuerence of the ministerie and of the sacraments that where so euer they see these extant there they acknowledge the Church to bee For as much therefore as by Gods permission the Church is gouerned by these men what manner of persons soeuer they bee if they see the notes of the Church there it shall bee better not to separate themselues from the communion Neither hurteth it that some vntrue doctrine is there deliuered For there is hardly any Church that hath not some reliques of ignorance It sufficeth vs if the doctrine wheron the Church is founded haue his place and be kept Neither stoppe wee at this that hee cannot bee accompted a lawefull Pastour which hath not onely crept but most wickedly broken into the place of a true minister For it is not fit that euery priuate man should trouble himselfe with these scruples Sacramenta cum ecclesia communicant The Sacraments they receiue with the Church Per eorum manus sibi dispensari sustinent Only by their handes they indure them to be deliuered For whō they see to haue the places whether lawfully or vnlawfully they haue them although the matter somwhat appertayne to them yet may they suspend their iudgement thereof till a full knowledge bee had Therefore if they vse their ministerie yet is there no daunger least they shoulde seeme either to acknowledge or allowe or confirme the same for good But by this meanes they giue a testimonie of their patience whilst they are content to indure those whom they iudge worthy of condemnation euen by a solemne iudgement Thus farre master Caluin Somewhat long but truely very materiall to the poynt wee nowe speake of if humilitie woorke a reuerence of other mens iudgments especially that haue abounded with the great graces of God to the profiting of the Church and puffing pride doth not dangerously perswade vs that no man seeth the trueth of GOD but our selues which God forbid Bullinger agayne deliuered it boldly to the people of God in his time and after that qui saepe admonitus dolo vtitur non ecclesiam Dominum aut ministrum decipit sed se ipsum ipsi iudicium manducat Whosoeuer admonished often yet dissembleth and vseth guile hee deceyueth not the Church hee deceyueth not the Lorde nor the minister but hee deceyueth himselfe and to his owne damnation hee eateth Meaning that none could bee hurt by the company of any that communicate with them themselues being right And therefore meaning to prosecute this question no further in a comfortable hope I neede not I conclude both with the iudgement and very wordes of Master Caluin in his institutions remembred before Fixum igitur vtrumque istorum maneat Therfore let both these thinges remaine firmely fixed first that he hath no excuse that of his owne will forsaketh the outward communion of the Church where the worde of God is preached and the Sacraments administred then that the faultes of a few or many are no hinderance but that we may therein rightly professe our fayth by the ceremonies instituted by God Because a godly conscience is not hurt by the vnworthynes of any other either Pastor or priuat man and the mysteries are to a holy vpright man neuertheles pure and holesome though they bee together handled of vncleane men The fourth temptation concerning compulsion to good LAstly there haue bin and to this day are that thinke men shoulde not bee compelled to fayth and religion The Donatistes Pelagians and Anabaptistes in their seuerall times the Papists still dayly in their printed pamphlets But as the rest so is this also a subtile sleight of a tempting deuill to animate men vnto euill boldly An vntrueth in the word plainly refelled and of the Church and Children of God truely instructed euer abhorred The noble kings Asa and Iosia did constrayne and compell the people by seueritie of their Lawes punishments to serue the Lorde For whosoeuer will not seeke the God of Israel shall be slain whether he be smal or great man or woman saith the text Nebuchadnezzar made a decree that euery people nation and language which spake any blasphemy against the God of Sydrach Mysach and Abednago should be drawne in peeces and their houses put to the most base vse that might be A very sharpe law I trowe we will confesse to compell men to a dutie iust and godly And if this heathen king moued by Gods spirite did this and might doe it may not they that professe religion do it Nay shall they not as their knowledge and charge is greater so suffer double punishment if they do it not Surely the trueth is playne they shall King Darius did the like in the same Prophet And I make a decree sayth he that in all the dominion of my kingdome men tremble and feare before the God of Daniel For hee is the liuing God and remaineth for euer and his kingdome shall not perish c. The King of Niniueh againe forced by his authoritie all men in the City to humble them selues before God yea sayth he Let man and beast put on sackcloth and cry mightely vnto God Which example Austen vrged in his time against the Donatists and sayth the King of Niniuie did God good seruice by compelling the whole Citie to serue God In the Gospel the master sayd to the seruant Go out into the high wayes and hedges compell thē to come in that my house may be filled Neque absque causa sic loquitur Dominus Quia enim diuersi hominum mores ingenia item diuersa sunt non eadem docendi aut praedicandi ratio omnibus conuenit Sunt enim quibus simplicem institutionem doctrinam adhibuisse sufficit aliis admonitione seueriore multis adhortatione imo correptione obiurgatione acriore opus est Et ideo suprà verbi ministros exactorum similes dixit Neither did the Lord without good cause sayth a learned interpreter speake after this sort For diuers men being of diuers manners and dispositions one and the same way of preaching agreeeth not to them all Some it sufficeth to haue doctrine plainely deliuered to them others must haue earnest admonition also many must haue exhortation yea sharpe rebukes and chidinges or else they profite not And therefore the Ministers of God were compared before to Stewardes or Baylifes that sharply and roughly require their masters rent for his Vineyarde if it be wanting Fit etiam saepenumero vt magistratus suam authoritatem interponere oporteat quando multorum peruicacia tanta est vt aliter vinci non possit And many times it commeth to passe