these 3 When any Creature is ioyned with God in the participation of his incommunicable properties 2. In vita When our conuersation doth not maintaine due correspondence with the honour of God whose name we professe and whose obedience we pretend Againe Euery pollution of the name of God by vaine and idle mention thereof without feare and reuerence is an vnhallowing of this name to Gods dishonour So then Hallowed be thy name is let thy glory bee declared and confest according to the excellent greatnesse and goodnesse of it with all reuerence and feare let it neither be forgotten nor despised nor prophaned by any the greatest or least pollution that may be 3. Who must doe this 1 Christ said to his Father Father glorifie thy name he answereth as you haue heard I haue both glorified it and will glorifie it againe Yet I dare not leaue out this desire in this petition but that we may beseech God that his name may be hallowed by himselfe 2 Christ praieth Father glorifie thy Sonne that thy Sonne also may glorifie thee Neither dare I exclude this in our petition but that we may pray that the name of God may be hallowed by the Sonne of God who best knoweth how to doe it 3 The glorious Angels and Archangels Cherubins and Seraphins continually doe cry Holy holy holy Lord God of Saboath as our Church Hymneth I dare not exclude them in our petition Let my name be hallowed by the celestial armies they are the Churches Sicut in the third petition Sicut in Coelo in terrâ 4 We read that the seperate soules of Gods Saints do not cease night and day praising the name of God and hallowing it with their deuotions I take in them also into this petition let the Saints in glory hallow thy name 5 We finde that the Celestiall bodies the Sunne the Moone the Starres the sublimary creatures all in their kindes declare the glorie of God and make his name glorious therefore I will not leaue out them let the name of God be hallowed also in them let all they that serue him testifie of him It is not Sanctificatu or Sanctificent illi or Sanctificemus nos but it is Sanctificetur and therefore let all things that haue a being doe God right in this 6 But I confesse as this praier is put by our Sauiour into our mouthes it concerneth vs to desire of God that especially we may hallow the name of God For the name of God shall neuer suffer from himselfe or from his Sonne or from his heauenly armies or his ther Celestiall bodies or Terrestiall creatures all the danger of his holy name is from vs. We sinfull men and women doe often thinke often speake vnreuerently of Gods name we be the swearers and lyers and blasphemers and prophane persons that blemish the holy glorie of Gods name so that we had need especially to regard our selues in this suite Sanctificetur à nobis nomen tuum So Saint Cyprianus Petimus a Deo vt nomen ejus sanctificetur in nobis And herein wee honour God desiring to be the vessels of his praise the organs and instruments of his glory here on earth Yet let no man thinke that any thing can be added from vs to the holinesse of Gods name onely we pray that his name which is holy in it selfe may be so both conceiued in our hearts and expressed in our embra'd profession and confession of his name to be so and that nothing may come from vs to blemish and indignifie it 4. Why doe we aske this of God The reason is in sight Holinesse is the Lords none can giue the holy spirit of Sanctification but God only None can hallow or sanctifie but they who are holy prophane persons and Diuels may glorifie God but they cannot sanctifie him God will be glorified euen of his enemies whether they will or no but sanctified hee cannot be saue onely of such as are first made holy The Seraphins in the Prophet I say cry one to another Holy holy holy is the Lord God of hoastes the whole earth is full of thy glory And the foure beasts in the Reuelation rest not night and day saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come Vpon Aarons brestplate Holinesse to the Lord. Therefore we must resort to the fountaine of Holinesse for the grace of sanctification that he may first sanctifie vs that we may be made able to sanctifie his name We aske this of God 1 For it owne sake because the worke of hallowing the name of God is a good worke in it selfe So Dauid It is a good thing to giue thankes to the Lord. And this beginneth prayer best to glorifie God for his fauours already bestowed for his owne goodnesse which we performe when we say Hallowed be thy name This is the Confession of praise to his name these be the calues of our lippes Sacrum Iustitiae 2. We aske this of God for our owne sakes for seeing none can hallow the name of God but they that are holy wee doe herein begge our owne holinesse of God both holinesse in our vnderstandings to know God and holinesse in our affections to loue him and holinesse of life to serue him and holinesse of perseuerance to hold out herein to the end 3 We aske this of God by way of confession of our owne impotencie for when we desire him that his name may be hallowed by vs we confesse to him that without him we are notable to doe him that seruice for it is not in man to order his owne wayes and without him we can do nothing we confesse that he worketh all good in vs therefore we goe forth in the strength of the Lord and make mention of his righteousnesse only indeed the holinesse that we should giue to the name of God except wee had it from him would not honour him 4 We aske it of him to declare our loue to him for seeing he is our Father as we invocate him it is a debt that sonnes owe to their Parents to perpetuate their names vpon earth and this filiall regard of his fatherly prouidence we expresse in desiring the glory of his name 5 We aske it of him for their sakes that belong to him that God declaring the glorious holinesse of his name men may trust in him for so Dauid They that know thy name will trust in thee So that this maketh way for the following petitions 5. Why we make this our first petition In respect of our dutie for wee were created to this end that God might be glorified in our bodies and soules and to this we were also redeemed therefore Gods part in vs is our best part and his glory our cheifest good And the truth is that except Gods name be hallowed in all that we say or thinke or doe Nihil rite perficitur His name is put vpon vs in our Baptisme In nomine patris et filij c.
his name The Lawes of this kingdome are the holy Scriptures and these are called often the kingdome of heauen in their Ministerie for by them the glory and power of Gods kingdome is declared on earth and they are The rod of his mouth The arme of God by which he directeth and aweth all his subiects Therefore the Scepter of this Kingdome is called Sceptrum iustitiae This Kingdome of God is 1 Outward in the visible profession of the same faith and coniunction in one body of a Church and so all that ioyne together in the one worship of the same God professing to be ruled and gouerned by his holy Lawes are the visible kingdome 2 Inward in the hearts of all the elect people of God And so Christ saith Behold the kingdome of God is within you For God reigneth in the hearts and consciences of all his chosen by their faith and obedience and loue and this kingdome is not meate or drinke but it is Righteousnesse Peace and ioy in the holy Ghost 1. Righteousnesse that is the iustification of his subiect by faith whereby Christ is made to vs of God righteousnesse because the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to vs. 2 Peace for the Gospell of the kingdome is called the Gospell of peace because it filleth vs with peace of conscience in the assurance of the pardon of all our sinnes and it giueth vs a loue of outward peace in the Church knitting vs so together with the bonds of loue that as much as in vs lieth we desire to haue peace with all men 3 Ioy in the holy Ghost for where righteousnesse and peace dwell there is all spirituall ioy The voyce of ioy is in the Tabernacles of the righteous for hauing once tasted how sweete the Lord is then the soule delighteth in the Lord. Then the Statutes of God taste sweeter then hony or the hony combe they are more pretious then all manner of riches they are the very ioy of our hearts Then the feete of them that bring vs glad tydings of peace are beautifull Then the house of Gods worship is the place of our delight we will begge of God that we may dwell there where his honour dwelleth Then we shall loue the holy assemblies and be glad when it is sayd to vs we will goe vp to the house of the Lord our feete shall then stand in the gates of Gods house And the assembly of his armies will seeme to vs to be in perfect beauty Then we shall call the Sabbath of the Lord our delight and we shall make conscience of doing our owne will vpon Gods holy day Then shall we be weaned from the immoderate loue of the world and contentednesse shall meete with godlinesse Then shall we find and tast sweetnesse in afflictons and perciue it good for vs that wee haue beene afflicted and shal reioyce in our sufferings for Iesus Christ so then the kingdome of grace is two fold 1 Generall in the whole body of the Church where Christ reigneth King beeing head of his Church to guide it with his wisedome to saue and defend it by his power to Sanctifie it by his Spirit 2 Particular in euery elect member of the Church where Christ reigneth in the conscience and hid man of the heart gouerning and protecting and teaching and sanctifying the same to himselfe 3. Regnum gloriae 1 Nostrae 2 Dei This is that heauenly inheritance of the Church which Christ hath purchased for all the faithfull of which our Sauiour saith Feare not little flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you the kingdome And of this is said Come yee blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Of this Dauid saith I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse and before In thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand pleasures for euermore This is a place of glory 1 In respect of the holinesse of the subiects of it for no vncleane thing can enter into it it is called Ciuitas sancta He that is left in Ierusalem and he that remaineth in Sion shall be called holy euen euery one that is written among the liuing in Ierusalem When the Lord shall haue washed away the filth of the daughters of Sion and shall haue purged the bloud of Ierusalem from the middest thereof by the spirit of iudgement and by the spirit of burning 2 It is a kingdome of glorie because all the subiects of it are stripped out of all their infirmities and made like to the glorious Angels of God Yea the Scripture telleth vs more that we shall be like to Christ because we shall see him as he is More it saith that our vile bodies shall be like his glorious bodie Eternall health eternall ioy perfect and full knowledge blessednesse which shall neuer be taken away from vs and a full and finall abolition of all our wantes Here is that Crowne of righteousnesse and the reward of faith and the purchase of our Mediatour Here we are subiects and Kings our subiection is a royaltie for we reigne with Christ and the adoption of children is so complete in heauen and in glory that like the Elder sonne in the parable of the prodigall all that our father hath is ours The kingdome of grace is the way to the kingdome of glory it is the suburbs of this abiding city The kingdome of grace is that kingdome which Christ exerciseth in his Church here and which he deliuereth vp to God his father when the kingdome of glory cometh of which the Apostle saith Then cometh the end when he shall haue deliuered vp the kingdome to God euen the Father when he shall haue put downe all rule and all authority and power For he must reigne till hee haue put downe all his enemies vnder his feete Then shall the sonne also himselfe be subiect to him that put all things vnder him that God may be all in all Where the Apostle sheweth the vtter cessation of the kingdome of grace swallowed vp of this kingdome of glory This place of the Apostle is notable and containeth points of deepe consideration 1 Concerning Christs deliuering vp of the kingdome we must know that Christ is King as God and man so is the head of his Church and this kingdome hee holdeth by vertue of his office as hee is Mediatour between God and man and when that worke is accomplished in the fulnesse of his glory of the elect then that kingdome must cease and be giuen vp into the hands of the Father who gaue him the administration thereof for the gathering together of the Saints and for the bringing of all the elect to him 2 When he saith that Christ shall deliuer vp this kingdome to his Father let no man conceiue that the Father was all this while out of his kingdome and is now by the Sonne restored at
it exceeding ioy when ye fall into diuers temptations this is probatio fidei Dauid beggeth this of God proue me O Lord and try me Saint Augustine Hic vre hic seca this is euer meant to Gods glory and for our good we deprecate it not wholly we pray against the first of these which is Gods leading vs into temptation ad poenam cùm delinquimus for this is Gods act for the punishment of some former to leaue vs to Sathans power for a time 3 Desertio in poena So Iob was by God led into temptation when God gaue Sathan leaue to vexe him with many afflictions wherein God did so hide and conceale his protection that the faith and patience of Iob were staggered and suffered a very hard assault And in like manner was Ieremiah led into temptation when his passion brake forth into some extremities And Saint Paul knew that it was God who led him into that great temptation when the Angell of Sathan buffeted him and hee therefore did thrice beseech the Lord that he might depart from him this was one of Gods desertions wherein hee left his faithfull seruants for a time of which himselfe speaketh by his holy Prophet For a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a little season During the fit the seruants of God wanting the light of this countenance of God discouer great weakenesse as you haue heard in the former examples and it will better appeare if you heare themselues vtter their own passions Dauid felt this desertion strongly when he complained Will the Lord cast off for euer and will he be fauourable no more Is his mercy cleane gone for euer doth his promise faile for euermore Hath God forgotten to be gratious hath he in anger shut vp his tender mercies Here Gods desertion led Dauid into temptation This kinde of desertion in punishment the Sonne of God himselfe felt on the Crosse which brake forth into that bitter complaint when he said My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Here was no doubt of the loue of God but here the plaintiue smarted and in the anguish of his paine complained of what he suffered being for the time engulfed in afflictions This was Gedeons case the Angell of the Lord said to him The Lord is with thee he replyed O my Lord if the Lord be with vs why then is all this befallen vs where be all his miracles which our Fathers told vs of saying Did not the Lord bring vs out of Egypt but now the Lord hath forsaken vs and deliuered vs into the hands of the Midianites Many of Gods faithfull seruants finde and feele in themselues a decay of faith an vnwillingnesse and vnablenesse to pray a feare and almost a despaire of the presence and fauour of God a quenching of the spirit in them Some are so farre gone in this desertion as to apprehend the disfauour of God so deepely as to see no way out of it for the time and therefore they iudge themselues vnworthy to liue any longer and are tempted by Sathan to destroy themselues Some are left in their sinnes as Dauid and Peter were and many of Gods Saints who doe many things amisse All these cases are full of danger and require of vs to be importunate suiters to our God for his fauour that hee would not leade vs into any of these temptations that he would not be a looker on or stand farre off when we are thus assaulted that he would not keepe in the influence of his grace from working effectually in vs first ne veniant secondly ne vincant And here for comfort of the faithfull in these kinde of temptations we are taught 1 That there is danger in these temptations but God hath in mercy directed vs where to seek helpe remedy euen from our father which is in heauen and hee that biddeth vs aske his helpe hath promised to giue to them that aske and to open to them that knocke at the gates of his mercy therefore Christ biddeth vs pray ne nos inducas 2 That it is God that leadeth his seruants into these temptations from whence we may comfortably conclude 1 That they shall not preuaile totally and finally against vs for God will suffer no man to be tempted beyond his strength but will giue issue to the temptation though they doe not sodainly finde the way out of them and though they presse and oppresse vs for the time with great violence for his compassions faile not 2 That he which taught vs this prayer the sonne of God was man and himselfe indured temptation and was in all things tempted like to vs and ouercame these temptations for vs. 3 That Christ our Sauiour doth assist vs in our temptations with his prayers to the Father as he said to Peter But I haue prayed for thee that thy faith may not faile 4 That God in these spirituall and temporall desertions doth giue vs grace for grace that if he hide himselfe from vs by with-holding one necessary grace the want whereof doth disquiet vs and put vs in feare yet he gratiously supplieth vs otherwise with some other fauour wherein he secretly signifieth to vs that he hath not quite forsaken vs. So when Dauid by the treasonable insurrection of his sonne saw a curtaine drawne betweene him and the face of his God yet God in fauour gaue him an humble and patient heart to cast himselfe at his foote and to tarry in expectation of his will If the Lord thus say I haue no delight in thee behold here I am let him doe to mee as seemeth good in his eyes Though he giue not the grace of taking away from vs the Angell of Sathan that buffereth vs as he did Paul he saith my grace is sufficient for thee he armeth vs with such fortification and munition as shall safeguard vs from Sathans victory Or if he giueth not the grace of remoue of our temptations from vs in stead thereof hee remoueth vs in grace and good fauour from them The righteous is taken away from the euill to come so to Iosiah Behold I will gather thee to thy fathers in peace and thine eyes shall not see the euill that I will bring vpon this place Or if he take away from vs the sense of his loue and feeling of the comforts of his spirit in stead thereof hee giueth vs an holy desire and longing after him which the Apostle calleth sighes and groanes which cannot bee exprest as in Dauid I cryed vnto God with my voyce euen vnto God with my voyce and hee gaue eare vnto me 2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord my soare â—â—nne in the night and ceased not my soule refused to be comforted Reade on and you shall find that God did not leaue him comfortlesse but when hee could not feele the fauour of God he found the grace of prayer and perceiued that God heard him By this that
high authority of their Master who by this direction may establish the same as a perpetuall law to his Church to be alwayes in force and may endeare to vs the direction as proceeding from one who not only had wisdome to instruct but authority also to establish his holy instruction in the Church for all ages thereof 2 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sheweth that they desire to bee learners of the art of prayer of him for who better knoweth what may be obtained of God then he who is in the bosome of his father and who better knoweth that we haue need to demand by prayer then hee who hauing taken to him the similitude of sinfull flesh though without sinne hath with it taken vpon him all our infirmities and was in all things like vnto vs sin only excepted For Such an high Priest it became vs to haue who could haue in himselfe the sense and experience of our infirmities and necessities seeing none but such could well instruct vs in these things Againe seeing all our petitions to the father are deliuered vp to him in his name as he is the great Master of the requests to the great King of glory so it was fit that he should approue our petitions which can by no better meanes be performed then by his direction of them and giuing vs instruction what to request of God Their request is to bee taught by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to pray teach vs the art of prayer for to teach them words to be sayed and repeated is not to teach them to pray but to say prayers They need not goe to so great a Master to learne to say prayers any that can teach to speake or to read may teach that Their request entendeth to the very skill and wisdome of praier They consider that prayer is an addresse of their deuotions to God and therefore it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pray to that is to inuocate the Lord to pray to the father Our lesson then is to make choice of this Doctor of the Church this chiefe Doctor of the chaire more then Seraphicall or illuminate the very light of the world and to borrow our light from this Sol justitiae in all dutyes of piety and charity Indeed his Discite à me fils his schoole with all such disciples as are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all reall parts of Gods worship we are to admit no other direction but his they who direct by his warrant And in that sense he saith Be ye not called Rabbi or teachers for on is your teacher euen Christ one by authority all the rest by deputation The name therefore of teacher is proper only in fulnesse of sense to Christ who in our ministery is the teacher of his Church And though some affecting new formes of speech haue of late called the Ministers of the word Teachers and their sermons teaching in a nice nouelty to auoyd the titles vsed by the Church yet let mee tell them that the names of Preachers and preaching are a great deale more modest and expresse our office better and fuller for Christ is the proper teacher and wee as his curates doe but preach his teachings to his Church And if they accompt it a bold ascription to vs to call vs pardoners though Christ saith whosoeuers sinnes ye remit they are remitted They may as well thinke it too much to call vs teachers and our sermons teaching to whom Christ also said Ite docete Though I professe distaste of vpstart nouelties yet I admonish you that the title of teacher is peculiar to Christ and if any be so in loue with that forme of nuncupation as to preferre it before the Church-receiued titles I giue them warning of robbing Christ of his due honour let our teachers and teaching bee vnderstood no otherwise but as the Apostle saith nos legatione fungimur and so are in steed of Christ from whose instructions we must not varie And therefore the wise men of Berea did will to examine the preachings of S. Paul by the Scriptures to see by what warrant he instructed them and to enquire who sent them and put their word into their mouth for if Christ be not the teacher wee must not be Disciples 3 The instance as Iohn also taught his Disciples vide diuis pag. 3. Wherein we haue to consider 1 Who Iohn was 2 That he had Disciples whom he taught 3 He taught them to pray 1 Who Iohn was He was the sonne of Zecharie and Elizabeth borne to them in their old age and sanctified in the wombe to the office of a forerunner to prepare the way for Christ as S. Luke at large reports the storie of his natiuitie Christ saith of him Non surrexit maior amongst all that were borne of women then Iohn meaning in respect of his office for whereas all that went before him preached Christ to come and promised he pointed at Christ then appearing and performed to the Church saying This is he Ecce agnus Dei qui tollit peccata mundi Yet he that is least in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he by the kingdome of heauen is meant the cleare preaching of the full Gospell of Iesus Christ and the least of those Preachers who could preach Christ crucified dead and buried raised vp to life and ascended to the Father is greater in the office of ministration of the Gospell then Iohn This Iohn was called the Baptist for that he was the first Minister of that Sacrament and which was to the honour both of the Minister and the Sacrament he baptized Christ himselfe in Iordane at which time both the holy Ghost descended in the forme of a Doue and rested vpon Christ and hee that sent him proclaimed him from heauen his welbeloued Sonne in whom he was well pleased He liued a most holy life seuere and retired saue when he came abroad to teach and baptize he was generally much honoured of the people though some maligned him and in the end he dyed a Martyr for preaching to Herod that it was vnlawfull for him to breake the commandement of God by incestuous commistion with his brother Philips wife By whose suggestion Herodias her daughter begged his head of Herod at a feast vpon aduantage taken of the Kings ouerliberall oath and so he was beheaded in prison thus much the Euangelists doe report of him Whereas Malachie prophecieth of the comming of Eliah the Prophet Behold I will send you Eliah the Prophet before the comming of the great and dreadfull day of the Lord. Which many vnderstanding literally haue made themselues beleeue that the same Eliah who was taken vp in a fiery Chariot should come downe againe into the earth before the day of iudgement our Sauiour Christ hath cleared that prophecie folly saying of Iohn This is he of whom it is written I will send my messenger
these sinne God correcteth them like a Father pro peccato magno paululum supplicijs satis a patre saith one For he that is called our Father is called pater misericordiarum and Deus omnis consolationis If these begge a suit manum suam implet saturat dat cito dat abunde dat quod est vtilius therefore Dauid O Ye sonnes of men how long will ye looke after vanity and seeke after leasing But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himselfe And as a father hath compassion of his children so hath the Lord compassion of all them that feare him Princes and great persons are called filij excelsi in respect of the eminence of their places and the trust of authority and power committed to them these are filij celsitudinis Dei but that honoureth them onely amongst men because they represent the authority and dominion of God here on earth filij quos honorat But there is another sort of Sonnes who be filij amoris and these doe represent their father in his holinesse and goodnesse and these are the Lords delight S. Iohn calleth this a prerogatiue so many as receiued him he gaue them a prerogatiue so be the sonnes of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Either dedit eis licentiam 2 Or dedit eis Ius 3 Dedit eis honorem dignitatem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sheweth that there is a new making required to this filiation for we are fallen from our first creation so farre as from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The honour therefore is great to vs in that wee are the sonnes of God 1 Because God who had an onely begotten Sonne the expresse forme of his substance equall to himselfe whom hee made heire of all things needed not to adopt any other sonnes or to cast the inheritance as Abraham once thought to doe vpon a seruant yet euen so O Father thy good pleasure was such 2 Because by this adoption he hath brought vs into the society of inheritance with that sonne and hath made vs coheires with Christ without derogation to the heire without diminution to the inheritance for we are the sonnes of God here it appeareth not yet what we shall be but this we know that when we shall see him we shall be like him so vnited to him as that his interest in the Father shall be ours I may adde one reason more that there is no name Rea. 7 wherein God doth more delight or in which God is more honoured then the name of a Father S. Cyprian obserueth that God hath no title that giues him so much honour in his Church as this of Father For as God is called Iehouah which is the name of his being so he either enioyeth himselfe eternally or he communicateth himselfe at large to all things that are But in his title of Father hee is impropriate to his Church and hereby he magnifieth himselfe in that diuine attribute which excelleth all his workes for his mercy is aboue all his workes And it is confest of all hands that the worke of Redemption was a greater and more honourable worke then the Creation You heare of no ioy of Angels at the Creation at the natiuity of the sacred Heire ye know what Iubilation there was ioy to all the earth The Angels doe search into this mystery and stoope themselues to the inquisition And the manifold wisedome of God in this worke of our redemption is by the Church reuealed and made knowne to the principalities and powers in heauenly places I conclude this point with the holy exhortation of S. Peter If ye call on the Father who without respect iudgeth according to euery mans worke passe the time of your soiourning here in feare and as before as obedient children not fashioning your selues according to your former lusts in your ignorance c. Let vs make conscience of doing the duty belonging to that gratious name in imitation of our elder brother who saith I come to doe thy will O my God yea thy law is written in my heart For him God testified This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased If we will ambulare sicut ille as S. Peter biddeth vs we must beginne where he began at lex eius scripta est in corde meo And then we shall not sinne against him then shall the power of this Father protect vs from all euill the prouidence of this Father shall supply all our wants the loue of this Father shall be a banner to vs the wisedome of this Father shall be a guide to vs to gouerne all our waies and the eldest sonne of this Father shall speake a good word for vs that we may haue an inheritance amongst those that be sanctified So long as by our faith and obedience we can continue this God our Father we are in good case we shall want nothing he will bring vs by riuers of waters and feede vs in greene pastures Doubtlesse mercy and louing kindnesse shall follow vs all the daies of our life and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord for euer 2 Our this word expresseth the interest that we haue in him to whom we pray From whence we are taught 1 To whom our prayer is addressed not to the first person of the holy Trinity God the Father but to the whole Trinity the Father Sonne and holy Ghost For the first person hath but one Sonne to call him Father and he is called Primogenitus and vnigenitus but God that is the holy Trinity is our Father hee is the common father of all the elect Yet if you demand whether it may be lawfull to direct our prayers to each of the persons seuerally My answer is that I finde inuocations of each in Scriptures and holy stories but so as the whole Trinity is euer sought because the prayers of the Church doe alwaies respect the whole godhead so that hee which calleth vpon God the Father doth vse the mediation of God the Sonne and is assisted therein by God the holy Ghost The Father is principally respected in the worke of Creation the Sonne in the worke of Redemption the holy Ghost in the worke of Sanctification yet neither of these persons is alone in any of these but one God in three persons doth worke all our good in vs. And the Apostle blesseth in that holy name The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you and wee baptize ye in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost for the three distinct persons doe subsist in one godhead 2 We say Our to expresse our faith for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne and our prayers are turned into sinne if we wauer and doubt in them but our faith doth apprehend an interest in the loue of our God to vs if we pray
Ierusalem the spirit of supplications poureth also the spirit of grace to sanctifie the supplications So it is called in Zech. the Spirit of grace and supplications And Dauid can say If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me Obserue it in Saint Iames his directions Draw nigh to God and hee will draw nigh to you clense your hands yee sinners and purifie your hearts you double minded When God appeard to Moses in the bush and Moses was approaching to him he heard a voyce saying to him Put off thy shoes from thy feete for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground There is no Comming then to God without holinesse without which we may seeke but we shall neuer see the face of God 5 This mention of the heauens here doth put vs in minde of the wisedome of God who of nothing raised vp that glorious frame of those celestiall habitations that high Sanctuary for his owne dwelling for in wisedome he hath made them all Which teacheth vs to beware how we appeare before God in our praiers and holy deuotions not as fooles but as wise Take heed to thy foote when thou entrest into the house of God and be more neare to heare then to offer the sacrifice of fooles They that pray not in wisdome doe offer to God the sacrifice of fooles And Salomon saith God hath no pleasure in fooles There is no folly like to the folly that is vsed in prayer and deuotion when the God of wisedome hath vs in his eye and the iealous God who is tender of his worship discerneth that he is slighted That is one of the sinnes of our time a foolish worship without consideration care or reuerence which turneth our praiers into sinne Hath God any pleasure in the set words of a solemne seruice Did he not blame his owne people Populus hic honorat me labijs suis Dauid admonisheth to sing praises to God with vnderstanding It asketh a great deale of spirituall wisedome to addresse our suites to the Court of heauen where the highest King of glory doth wisely consider all the sonnes of men and beholds with what descretion and wisedome they come before him Take heed therefore that thou forget not our Father to be in heauen Heauen is mentioned for the height of Gods sanctuarie for God is in excelsis which teacheth vs in praier to sublime our soules from the earth and earthly things to an holy eleuation thereto agree those outward formes of lifting vp the eyes in prayer I lifted vp mine eyes to the hills from whence my help commeth Our helpe is in the name of the Lord who hath made heauen and earth And let the lifting vp of mine hands be an euening sacrifice Sursum corda It is the voice of the Church Our Conuersation is in heauen and it is the Apostles counsaile If ye be risen with Christ seeke the things which are aboue and not the things which are below where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God O that I had the winges of a Doue the wings of an Eagle rather to fly high there is the Carcase and thither the Eagles resort Our earthly Parents giue good things to vs but they haue them from hence the bread the fish the necessaries of life Sometimes earthly Parents proue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but our heauenly father is one whose compassion falles not when my father and mother forsaketh me the Lord taketh me vp Doubtlesse thou art our father though Abraham knowes not though Israel be ignorant of vs. Earthly Parents see vs sicke and in prison and in disgrace and in want they can sit downe and droppe their teares and viz their groanes with ours but there is no helpe in them they may be parted from vs by death but our heauenly father shall endure for euer his yeares change not he looked down from the height of his sanctuarie From heauen did the Lord behold the earth to heare the groaning of the prisoners to loose those that are appointed to death 7 The mention of heauen added to the title of our Father doth put vs in minde of his goodnesse for hee dwelleth in that place from which euery good giuing and euery perfect gift doth proceed From whence also we are directed in our Prayers not to aske of this Father that is nothing but good and perfect gifts In temporall benefits we must still haue an eye to the true vse of them to make them serue for spirituall and heauenly vses One thing haue I desired of the Lord that I will seeke after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple Let our eye be vpon the inheritance and the birth-right and for things temporal so far as they may be adjumenta or oramenta to vs to aduance this final desire of the kingdome of God so farre let vs desire and seeke and vse them Who will petition a King for beades and babies and such trifling things feare nto little flock it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a Kingdome Let our wisedome seeke it where it is to be found in heauen where Iesus Christ sitteth at the right hand of his father and maketh intercession for vs. Why should we aske stones where we may haue bread for asking bread of the finest wheat flower Manna Angels bread 8 The name of our father in the heauens doth put vs in minde of the country which we seeke for we are but Pilgrimes and strangers and we haue no abiding City here we are but soiourners as all our fathers were But we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolued wee haue a building not made with hands but eternall in the heauens For in this we groane earnestly desiring to be cloathed vpon with our house which is from heauen that mortalitie might be swallowed vp of life for Whilest we art at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. We are confident and willing to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. We sit here weeping by the riuers of Babel If I forget thee O Ierusalem c. Returne to thy rest O my soule Studie those heauens search and finde out the way to them there is one that is gone before to prepare a place there for vs in the many Mansions of his Fathers house and as the Church sweetely Hymneth He hath opened the Kingdome of heauen to all beleeuers by a new and liuing way which hee hath Consecrated for vs through the vaile that is to say his flesh Conducting vs to Mount Sion the City of the liuing God the heauenly Ierusalem and to an innumerable companie of Angels To the generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the iudge of all and to the spirits of
of Gods workes they are in our eyes and we behold them and take vse of them euery day and they that bestow the most paines in the search of Gods worke do know him most and best and from them his name hath or should haue most honour This booke the Apostle calleth the wisedome of God and seeing this was not found sufficient to make God knowen to the world as he desired for their good 2. Another booke was opened the holy Scriptures of God that by them God might be made manifest and his name declared So saith the Apostle After that in the wisedome of God the world by wisdome knew not God it pleased God by the foolishnes of preaching to saue them that beleeue This preaching taketh the text from the written word of God and they that study that booke well shall know the name of the Lord. God hath recommended to his Church the reading hearing and meditating on his law and the blessed man doth exercise himselfe therein day and night and there is nothing that honoureth a nation more in the sight of all nations of the world then the studie and obedience of this law as Moses sayd to the Lords Israel Keepe therefore and doe them for this is your wisedome and your vnderstanding in the sight of the nations which shall heare all these statutes and say Surely this great nation is a wise and vnderstanding people For what nation is there so great who hath God so nigh vnto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call vpon him for And what nation is there so great that hath statutes and iudgements so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day In which wordes you may obserue 1 That God requireth an exact care for the keeping of his law 2 That this is found and profest by God himselfe to be the wisedome and vnderstanding of his people 3 That it is their glory amongst other nations of the world 4 That by the diligent study and reading and obedience of the law God doth draw nigh to vs 5 That God doth therefore set the law before all the 〈◊〉 6 That Gods name is hereby hallowed of his owne people glorified amongst other nations of the world I beseech you lay all this to heart and I dare say you will call the Church of Rome an hard stepmother to her Children who hideth this booke of God from them for 1 How can the law be well kept when it is not well knowne how can it be well knowen where it is not well preached where euery soule hath not liberty to read and study it at large so that they doe herein hinder the obedience which God requireth to be giuen to his law for as in faith so in obedience how shall they either beleeue or obey without hearing 2 Seeing the wisedome of the Church doth consist in knowing and keeping the law of God doth not the Church of Rome infatuate her children aâ—d make starke fooles of them by hiding the booke of God from them and so robbeth God of his delight for God delighteth not in fooles 3 Seeing the libertie of the law of God is the glorie of a nation the Church of Rome by hiding the booke of God from their people doe make them inglorious and dishonour them to the nations round about them 4 Seeing God doth reueale himself to be neare vnto them that know and study his Law and keepe it the Church of Rome doth what it can to driue it away from amongst them A strange peruersenesse God would draw neere to them by the Ministerie of his word and they refuse him He would be farre off from them when they would make him their creature for the Priests of Rome professe themselues God makers they wil inforce his presence 5 Seeing God doth set his Law before all the people at large the Church of Rome which keepeth vp this booke and forbiddeth the generall communication thereof to all that are capable thereof doth professe it selfe an Antigod herein 6 Seeing by this knowledge and this obedience of the Law the name of God is hallowed and without this it cannot be sanctified as it ought the Church of Rome is guilty of hindering the honour of God both in his Church and without and therefore is no way to be hearkned vnto or embraced as the true Church Let me therefore exhort you so many as do make conscience of hallowing the name of God in which our helpe standeth to exercise your selues in the reading hearing and studie of the holy word of God that you may know the Maiestie Wisedome Holinesse Power and goodnesse of that name that the name of the God of Iacob may defend you from all euill And to this purpose frequent you both diligently and reuerently the house of Gods name and honour where his word is read preached faithfully and sincerely make the Sabbath of the Lord which is a day appointed to the hallowing of Gods name especially your delight for this is the onely outward ordinarie meanes by God deuised and commanded for the making his name knowne to his Church 2. The inward meanes This is without vs for it is the worke of the holy Ghost the meanes to attaine this spirit of God to assist and enable this worke in vs by prayer for so our Sauiour saith If ye then being euill know how to giue good gifts to your children how much more shall your heauenly father giue the holy spirit to them that aske him the gift of this spirit is not obtained by all them that pray but by such onely as pray according to rule and though grace be not necessitated to the outward meanes yet the promise thereof is so annexed to the right vse of the means as we may be bold in that way to lay claime to it God neuer faileth his owne holy ordinances but they that giue themselues to the holy consideration of the workes and word of God and are feruent and frequent in praier such are in the eye and fauour of God and preuaile with him It is a short and sweete praier of Dauid let me commend it to you say it in your hearts often to your God Support and hold me with thy free spirit 2 When we know the name of God our next dutie is to be zealous of the glory of this name for else we do not sanctifie it as we ought Take heed that we doe not speake of it vainly that we doe not blaspheme it profanely that we doe not sweare by it but when we are lawfully called thereto that nothing in the world be more pretious in our estimation then this name of God for God is our blessednesse and the fulnesse of our ioy here reward hereafter his name is glorious and they that haue no other Gods but him will with their soules seeke him and in thought word and deed they will honour his name But God may
it is called Malum poenae Is there any euill in the city and I haue not done it Among the many exceptions that are taken against our booke of Common prayer this is quarrelled by some Ministers of Deuonshire and Cornwall because in the Collect for the 22. Sunday after Trinity our Church prayeth thus Lord we beseech thee to keepe thy houshold the Church in continuall godlinesse that through thy protection it may be free from all aduersities Againe this they obiect That this petition is against the manifest word of God and against his decree and true faith for it is written We must through many afflictions enter into the kingdome of God and All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecutions and In the world ye shall haue tribulation God hath promised that we shall not be swallowed vp of aduersitie but no promise that we shall be free from all ergo To pray for that whereof we haue no proofe is against faith and so sinne To this our answer is 1 That it is no sinne to pray against the decree of God concerning our punishment by aduersities 1 Because this decree of God is reuocable as appeareth by the example of the Niniuites to whom Ionah preached threatning them destruction withing forty daies and God defended his truth and iustice against Ionah who tooke the reuocation thereof impatiently which example proueth these decrees of God to bee conditionall with exception of true repentance And Zephany preaching repentance to Iudah and Ierusalem admonisheth them to hasten their repentance before the decree bring forth And though the decree passe yet he comforteth them It may be ye shall be hid in the day of she Lords anger Therefore the word of God is our warrant to pray against the decree of God and our possibility is double Either in the auersment of the decree Or in our occultation from the force of it Did not Christ who saith in the world you shall haue afflictions pray against this decree I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keepe them from euill Where he vseth the same word that is here vsed in this petition What euill doth he meane there but both Sathan the euill one and all euils both of sinne and punishment euen all aduersities 2 Christ himselfe who came into the world to bee made a sacrifice for our sinne by his death on the crosse who foreknew and foretold what hee should suffer at Ierusalem and went thither of purpose to vndergoe that bitter passion and to drinke of that cup yet hee prayed three times to his father to let that cup passe from him If our wisdome alleadge that that prayer was with reseruation of his fathers will let our charity plead the same for our Church prayer that we desire of God to be free from all aduersities with that reseruation as in this prayer fiat voluntas tua then libera a nos à malo 3 Here they alleadge that we haue no promise to secure vs against all aduersities what say they to the promises made by Moses to them that keepe the law there is no euill to them that haue those blessings And what say they to the promise of Dauid There shall no euill happen vnto thee neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling May not we say Blessed are the people that are in such a case May we not pray to be in such a case Sure we may pray for the protection of God that includeth a deliuerance from all aduersity Againe the Psalmist saith The Lord shall preserue thee from all euill hee shall preserue thy soule This is that we pray for in libera nos à malo 4 In our Church Collect we pray to be free from all aduersities And if we come to take a full weight of the word aduersities doth it not signifie such things onely as are against vs This word will not beare the stresse to include all afflictions and tribulations whatsoeuer for in the afflictions of the iust there is bonum It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted This bonum is no aduersity it is not against vs but as Physick which is against the disease Our prayer is libera nos not morbis nostris There is malum in affliction in pouerty in losses in defamation c. There euill is in all that we haue in all that we suffer not in the nature but in the vse of them vermis divitiarum against this wee pray The wise son of Iakeh saw this euill in pouerty and in riches and prayed against it the euill of riches is Lest I be full and deny thee and say who is the Lord The euill of pouerty is Lest I bee poore and steale and take the name of my God in vaine The euill of honour is pride Lest thy heart bee exalted aboue thy brethren The euill of power and authority is oppression The euill of a low degree is enuy against all these we pray these are aduersities Libera nos Therefore our Church Letany like a comment vpon this text like a descant vpon this plainsong doth expresse this petition more at large 2 Declaring from what we desire to bee deliuered from all euill and mischiefe c. in foure seuerall eiaculations 2 By what we desire to be deliuered that is by that which Christ was by that he did and by that he suffered in two By the mystery of his holy incarnation c. 3 In what times specially of danger wee desire to bee deliuered that is in all times of tribulation in all times of prosperity in the houre of death and at the day of iudgement Which prayer of the Church though it hath not pleased all yet is it warantable by this last petition of the Lords prayer and sober iudgements may make an holy vse of it There is a particular enumeration of many euils to which we are here subiect especially our sinne which breedeth and spawneth them all let our holy thoughts comprehend them all in this one full petition Deliuer vs from euill Sed libera nos à malo We may also include in this petition all the present and incumbent calamities of life all present paines in our bodies or griefes in our mindes all wants of things necessary for life and whatsoeuer present affliction distresseth our owne persons or any member of the Church of God All euils personall or popular For our Sauiour saith Sufficient vnto the day is the euill thereof Euery day then hath it euill and bringeth with it sundry inconueniences which we desire God to put off from vs. And as we beg bread for the food of this day and pardon of sinnes for this day and deprecate this daies temptations to euill so we pray against this daies vexations that nothing may disquiet or molest vs to hinder the seruice of our God or the labours in our seuerall callings For Iob