all ages that some will have it numerus or ationis making deliverance from evil a distinct Petition from that against temptation approved by Chemnitius and King Iames as shall be seen in due place they shewing good reason for this enumeration of seven Petitions In the first whereof we beg admission into his Temple in Hallowed be thy Name In the second to his Palace in Thy Kingdom come In the third to his Council in Thy will be done In the fourth to his Granary Give us our daily bread In the fifth to his Treasury Forgive us our debts In the sixth to his Armory Lead us not into temptation In the seventh to his Garden or Arbory Deliver us from evil Unto all which if we pray truly all Prayer may be congruously reduced in evidence whereof receive a Fathers judgment with very small alteration If any beg Let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee saith he not Hallowed by thy Name If any call Turn us again O Lord God of Hosts and cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved saith he not Thy Kingdom come If any supplicat Order my steps according to thy Word desireth he not Thy will be done If any demand give me neither poverty nor riches saith he not Give us our daily bread If any utter O Lord my God if I have rewarded evil to him that was at peace with me yea I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy is not this to be constructed Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debters Implores any Send out thy light and thy truth let them lead me is not that Lead us not into temptation And doth any request Deliver me from mine enemies my God is it not Deliver us from evil Hence therefore this Prayer is not only as a rule to pray by but as a form to pray in supplying what ever is deficient in the supplications of mortals whose arm at longest cannot fathom the length of that request put up for the belly give us bread much lesse commensâ—trat the extension of that put up for God Hallowed be thy Name Yet as we can we shall search 1. into the matter of this Petition hallowing of the Name of God 2. The order of it for it is reckoned among the first three and is become their Captain therefore more honourable Name hath its name in the Greek from the help or aid it gives to know things or persons by and with the Latines Nomina were notamina marks tokens signs to difference things by when men were â—ewest there were names and they increasing sirnames were added still to distinguish one from another neither do we find any Nation so barbarous but had names the savages of Mount Altas in Barbary excepted who were reported to be both namelesse and dreamlesse Names begun with the Creation the eldest daughter of which being Light was called Day And who can shew the improbability of their duration when time shall be no more Moses was termed Moses when Peter saw him in the Mount and who is that will earnestly deny that Enos shall not be called Enos even in glory The old Pollanders gave names to their children at the first cutting of their hair but the most Christian Nations have followed the Iews and given names about the eighth day yea the old Romanes gave it to their Femals the same day but to their Males on the ninth All gave them for discrimination to difference a Cain from an Abel Samaria from Ierusalem some had it because of some property as Esau from his being hairy Some from an atchievment Iacob was called Israel for his prevailing with God Others gave names from a desire of continuating their own names upon earth and because it is a kind of judgement to want a name as did Davids adulterous infant and the rich Churle in the Gospel for this they intended to call Iohn Zacharias after the name of his Father some give them in imitation of some vertue as Iob or David as a spur for the bearer to follow the vertues of those Saints Hence it is thought Iacobs sons were never named Iacobites but Israelites to animate the whole race for strugling with God untill they got a blessing Lastly Names have been imposed from some sudden emergency as Isaac from Sarahs or Abrahams laughter or from future foreseeing as was Cain Abel or from some profession as at this day the Mahometan from Mahomet and the Christian from professing Christ. Most of these wayes have God taken to himself and recevied names from others yea we may say firnames he is often called the Lord Jehovah God and frequently the God of all consolation the Lord God of our Fathers the Saviour of Israel who blotteth out transgressions for his own Names sake which is to be hallowed In order to which let us descant upon 1. What may be understood by his Name 2. How that Name is to be hallowed 3. Why the speciality of that Name is expressed all other names being secluded as is implyed in that Pronoun Thy Name By name in general understand his ineffable and invisible essence and nature which he held out in his Name I AM and his Name Iehovah is so peculiarly his that it was never and is never to be communicated to any creature not that the letters of his Name Iehovah is to be adored with the superstitious Jews as those of Iesus are with the idolatrous Papists but his nature expressed in and by those letters including both the Spirit and the Son for all that the Father hath being his cur non nomina why should not the Name Iehovah be likewise and consequently he get his respect By name understand also his wonderfull and inseparable properties as Wisdom Omnipotency as also his beautiful and admirable acts and workings all which are called upon to praise that is occasion or perswade others to glorifie the Lord such as his work of Creation Redemption his wonders miracles for preservation of and for his Church add to these his comfortable and inalterable writings which he hath so exalted above all His Name that when many of his works shall change and wax old as a garment his promises to his servants shall endure for ever The doctrine whereof is not to be blasphemed for by that his Name is spoken against Let none hence conclude that it ought from this to have been Hallowed be thy Names that objection being long ago answered for Nomen Divinum the Name of God is here expressed in the singular to remove the occasion of idolatry or conceit of many gods Thy Name having respect to the Father mentioned in the preface in which also the whole Trinity is included yet not expressed in the plurality of persons for the reason aforesaid Nomina sanctae immaculatae Trinitatis the names of the
move for the promoving of that transcendent honour dueto his Name by all the earth 3. That he would remove suddenly the impediments of his glory Though give us this day are in words only affixed to our daily bread yet without errour they may be appended to this Petition and then it is this day Hallowed be thy Name Lord said Elijah let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel Father saith the Petitioner let all atheism prophanenesse idolatry be removed that all the world may say this day The Lord he is God the Lord he is God That all idols with Dagon may fall down before his everlasting Gospel and all people may attend and incline their ear unto the words of his mouth this Petition is put up and offered in the Imperative Mood by way of command a holy zeal animating the breast of the conforming supplicant daringly yet humbly charging yet praying his Father to look after the dignity of his own Name How suddenly was the head of vapouring Goliah separated from his body and frighted Israel shouting for joy after little David had gone out in the Name of the Lord And that God would arise girding his sword upon his thigh to be feared by all that contend against him ought in earnest to be the matter rather of our prayers then those curious quircks and home-spun I may say hell-spun questions and political debates which are too frequently the materials of our popular and domestiâ—k supplications the former tending to quietnesse and peace the latter only to strife and debate within our houses and among our Churches 4. That we might improve all his providences for this his glory Are we advanced to any degree of honour hath God assigned us a larger portion of this worlds goods for the splendor of our retinue and numerousness of our Family are we respected by the admiring Vulgar then let us not sacrifice to our own net but acknowledge that all this store cometh of his hand and all his own Timotheus that Dux or Imperator Fortunatus was so fortunat in his Warrs that Cities were painted yielding to him he sleeping Yet somewhere it is observed that proudly saying in a full and great Assembly at Athens Haec ego feci non Fortuna this I did not Fortune and again in this Fortune had no share attributing Conquests only to himself and not to that ages fancied gods It was by all observed he never prospered but lost all the glory he had gotten And such at last shall be his fate who gives not God but himself the praise of his rich possessions Contrary are we brought so low that our harvest is blasted honour despised children buried and all pleasant things removed out of sight let our devotion keep its wonted vigour and surmise neither Planet stricking nor Wizards bewitching but Gods holy Providence in his wise Counsel hath been the contriver of all our losses and suffer not only with the wise Heathens patiently but sucking good from them as Asclepiades who being asked what disadvantage he had by blindness ut uno puero said he ambulem comitatior I can talk more chearfully to any one Lycurgus not only forgave the wild Alcander for rashly beating out his eyes but by vertuous discourse reclaimed him Poor Epictetus was amicus diis for all his poverty still at friendship with the gods I say suffer not only with these but study to know with Eli it is the Lord and next with Iob to say blessed be his Name preferring a Lame-leg a hungry belly with Gods countenance beyond the covered tables or dainties of the wicked Iubet me fortuna Fortune calls upon me to study Philosophy and wisdom cry'd a Philosopher hearing of a great lose at Sea God calls upon me say thou in the greatest strait to know him the world and the mutability of all things except himself cry thou blessed be his Name though brought into the lowest degree of misery were it a dung-hill or a bush of thorns it being easie to adore him upon the pinacle of prosperity over a rich Carpet or leaning upon a Velvet Cushion This is sure qui non sanctificat Deum he that glorifies not God shall never be glorified of God and therefore the beauty of our possessions the industry of our hands the pregnancy of our wit the patience in our suffering the prevalency of our interest being considered say however Not unto us not unto us O Lord but to thy Name give we praise And whether we eat or drink which are works of necessity or what ever we do which may relate to pleasure at conveniency Let us do all to his glory for our actions must concur with our wishes in this matter that as we exalt his Name by the one we may not blasphem it with the other Further this duty is to be performed specially according to his grace and that not in respect to its nature or as it is in the fountain that is in God but as it doth gratiam recompensare benefactoribus as it eyes our grateful returns to him and so Hallowed be thy Name implyes Thankfulness to him Knowledge of him Affection towards him all our abilities to be laid out for him 1. Thankfulness in what his power hath wrought by referring all unto him To batter down that wall of ingratitude which this age hath raised we touch again this point or rather explain the former we Belshazzerâ— like drinking and ranting but the God in whose hand our breath is not glorified at all for our peace freedom and honour c. A godly Lady-martyr professed that the bloud of her Saviour had made her fair and beautiful and not her servants industry by care or art not the servants vigilance but the Masters pounds gained ten pounds moe Shall we have health wealth peace Princes as at the first and God receive no tribute of praise since we professe sanctity which in the Heathens sense was nothing but ascribing to the immortal gods their due praise and thanks Are not many healed but where are the nine i. e. the many that examining their unfitnesse for mercy attends at Gods Altar with their Hallelujahs for his breaking the Spear assunder and burning the Chariots in the fire It is Fabled that one finding a Serpent frozen or starved almost to death in a vehement eold he warmed it at his own fire the Serpent boasting afterward that it was not his fire that animated him the matter came to be judged and thus determined that the Serpent should be left in periculo in the same state danger and condition wherein at first it was found We have reason to apprehend that being delivered from our civil yet uncivil war and our vitious lives testifying no grateful resentment as it flowed from God that he shall cause this generation to be brought back into that howling wildernesse of barbarous and cruel
habituated By God is an iniquity to be punished The Gentiles forbearing to name the Magician Demogargon lest the earth should tremble will be a witness against us for our abusing his Name against his Law who hangs it upon nothing without dread yea with delight A golden mouthed Patriarch or Bishop beholding swearing to be the sin of his people assured them in a Sermon that he had preached often against that sin and would do it again this day and to morrow and the third day and untill he saw them mend their manners and forsake that vice but would it not puzle an Angel to declaim against the predominant vice of this perverse generation it being overgrown as with a scab with iniquity of all sorts by pretenders to Religion and mockers of all Piety But as touching this scandalous custome ought not that Law non-assumes thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain for he will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain to be to all Christians more then a thousand Sermons to perswade against that custome A perjured wretch hearing a Sermon against the sin of swearing or â—orswearing said his hand was nothing the shorter that he had sorsworn with statim and immediately by divine vengeance it was burned and cut from him And say we not of a good man Os tuum ablue wash your mouth and then speak of him and yet the hallowed Name and that Majestativum Nomen as one calls it that Majestick Name and that Venerandum Nomen that reverent Name of the Lord our God at which the devils tremble shall be scoffingly and impiously abused by us and then come home and it may be say Amen to hallowed be thy Name without suggesting danger The rule according to a learned person to know sinful swearing by is from the initiatory letters of FATVM IDONEA F signifying Iuramentum falsum a swearing against the truth A Appetitum Iurandi a desire of swearing T Trufatorium to swear in base words or cheatingly U Vsum useing or accustoming ones self to this M. Malitiosum to swear malitiously And in Idonea I Imports Irreverenter to swear irreverently and without fear D Dolose â—raudulently O Otiose idly N Negligenter negligently if oaths come out before a man beware A Alte if with a loud clamorous or uncivil noice all which is comprised in this distich Si male Iurandi species sit cura noscendi Sit primas Fatum per Idonea notificatum If thou takes care to shun the sin of swearing Of Fatum and Idones be observing For in these Christs rule of swear not all is to be noted and by them qualified Those whose tongues can hardly spell God are become so accustomed to hear of him that their ears are good only for this tune of By God or By Iesus and can in their very play sport with it which last is aggravated and becomes a greater sin then simply to name God For 1. God hath magnified that Name 2. There is no other Name given whereby we can be saved 3. It holds forth the Divine Nature and the second Person in the Humane Nature 4. The Name God shews him to be the Creator only but Jesus both Creator and Redeemer A Monitor therefore to whisper into our debauch'd Thou shalt not take the Name of God in vain or Above all things my Brethren swear not would do well and that they would as gently receive the admonition as an aged person did that of a childs were to be wished The story is this A man of years being heard to swear was accosted by a young child who with bended knee said ne posthac jurato swear no more by God for it is not a light sin the person blushing called back the child demanded its name and its parents but getting neither glorified God and said non tu puer es thou art not a boy but an Angel of God sent to give me this wholsome counsel and know thou that hereafter I shall be careful that an oath no more fall from me O that God whose Name hath done great marvels would multiply such Angels amongst us and make their ministry as effectual Soror venerabilis Courteous Reader will you have me tell you how to avoid perjury swear not for the custome of swearing brings on the use of forswearing and pray that the Spirit of God whose Temple is thy body may put in thy mouth the seal of moderation Amen Verily or of a truth was a wholsome document of a good man 2. Indirectly by not giving occasion to prophane his Name There is a fitness equality or proportion to be kept betwixt our prayers and our practice for as Davids harp made some to magnifie the Lord so his adultery made others blaspheme the God of Israel to pray hallowed be thy Name and to live carelesse of procuring it is not only to no purpose for thy good but accelerates a curse from his hand For as one of Philosophy so I say of Gospellizing It is not populare artificium an Artifice to delude the Vulgar neither consists it in words but in things and doing good first and then speaking of good for it s said of Jesus he began to do and then to teach so ought it to be by all that profess his Name Hallowed by they Name that is Celebre â—it let it be magnified in us in our hearts by believing in our affections by loving in our mouth by praising and in our lives by well-doing that thy Name Father be not disgraced by our wicked courses thy Name the knowledge of thy Name may be confirmed by our true living it being better not to call upon God at all then to pray in our Closet and follow the youth to the strange woman Doeg to his tale-bearing Cain to his envy Rabsheka to his railing Gehazi to his lying His Name is alwayes holy our desire here is that it may be kept holy by us and in us for the adding of more glory to his Name is not here understood but the accounting estimating respecting and inlarging the knowledge to all of that holiness which from eternity he possessed that in us and by us he may be hallowed which was done when we were baptized in his Name being from Christ called Christians and Christned Audi Deo hear therefore the Apostle the Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you therefore let us amend our lives or put an end to our Profession that our selves and not our Religion our selves and not our God be not traduced by our multiplied abominatiâ—ns which are so much the more scandalous and dangerous hat from the faults of one Christian the Gentile doth judge totam Christianorum Gentem all Christians which must infinitly influence upon Gods dishonour when the whole body of Christianity is universally leprous as it is with us this day so that
liberality made him the poor mans Father and yet what could rich I should say poor Iob do had he not all his plenty out of this Fathers store-house yea if he had wanted Gods leather he had gone bare-foot and were the least of us not confident of his goodnesse in providing for us bread we should go with small comfort with Ioseph to our homes at noon 2. For Cares He who provides relieves educateth or teacheth Orphans or the poor or desolate is gratified with the name Father as Elijah was by Elisha and thus Kings become Fathers to the Church and Paul to the Saints yet God being all in all caring for all ruling in all being King of kings turning mens hearts according to his pleasure Killing and keeping alive conform to the determinat counsel of his own just will deserves the appellation in a far sublimer sense 3. For Sageness An old wise Counsellour will be named Father and so much the more deservedly when in judgement he alwayes proves successful the hairy head is to receive from all a grave and reverend respect this Lord and Father more then all who being old as Eternity is called the Ancient of dayes and his hair said to be like pure Wool that is white soft and fine All this considered in him as being our own Father not our step-father we are to glory with that great Apostle the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Iesus and having predestinated us unto the adoption of Children by Jesus Christ unto himself and in magnifying for improvement we are to exercise 1. Thankfulnesse 2. Obedience And 3. Observations upon his Providences Our Father c. HAving seen the Person we pray unto the next thing in this holy Preface that commands our observation is the manner we pray after where Presumption is first check'd lest any say My Father as also Atheism lest any say Thy Father both which are equally abominable and deviating from this rule enjoyning to say Our Father A holy man in an iron age was affray'd to speak of the necessity dignity utility of brotherly-love yet love shame and duty with a desire to have his hearers unite extorted from him an Oration a treatise upon that subject Making the same Apology for my self knowing that Prayers are to be made for all men and hindred by nothing more then by meum tuum mine and thine whereas ours ought to be the Christians Motto God ever requiring as piety to himself charity to man Let us see the necessity of this charity 2. The hinderances of it in our dayes 3. The obligations that lye upon us to remove those hinderances Not to speak of the devils or damned who for ever are excluded the verge of all prayer there is a common charity we owe all by nature as they are men and a special charity we are to carry unto all for grace as they are good men The last is mainly here understood yet the other not to be excluded for as we are to do good unto all so we are to pray for all but especialy for those of the houshold of faith God being unto them a Father in Christ whereby they are Christian-brothers one to another and ought to appear with and pray for each other upon many considerations as our sympathy Gods universality the enlargement of our own glory the Saints exemplary piety and from our own extravagancy and misery 1. From our sympathy and similitude in nature by generation Not only are we of one blood root and sprung originally from the stock of one Father even Adam which among Barbarians will be a perswasive motive to union but we have one Lord one hope and why therefore not one Prayer and one Psalm and one heart to rejoyce with them that rejoyce and weep with them that weep Abraham no sooner knew of Lots captivity then he armed his servants and fighting the pillagers redeemed the prisoners and also brought again his brother Lot so called as being of the same stock with him though in line but his Nephew If our father Abraham â—ought may not we pray for a Sodomite for a friend because a brother may be and certainly is concerned in him Christ and his Church are but one body and thou with thy brother are as living stones in the building if he be shaken remember thy self for a hole in the wall may prove fatal to more than one but principally to him who is heedless that is prayerless Poverty is want of means sickness is want of health and in the first as well as in the latter are we to confess our faults one to another and pray one for another and our Father being equally concerned in all of us we ought the more fervently to interest our selves in each other there being this difference betwixt our faith and love that our faith is closshanded and we believe for our selves but our charity is open-handed open-eyed and all for others Corpus quidem nostrum our bodies are confined to one place but our souls by the wings of charity must flee all the world over that though in the greatnesse of this journey we be bodily at a vast distance yet by piety and love we may be present having fellowship and communion Iesus pitied a multitude wanting bread and gave it them a Widow when her son was dead and said Noli flere weep not and to him who was dead said Arise to perswade our otherwise flinty souls to some sparkles of compassion when struck upon by the steel of our brothers sad countenance and pressing necessities and if this prevail not Behold the man is not our Fathers image in his eye and that will enforce us if we be sons to relieve him with our substance If thy brother be under any temptation he ought to have thy commendamus that the Fathers wrath wax not hot assuring thy self if when thy brother is under the rod thou come with tales to edge the indignation by aggravating his offences Thy unbrotherly carriage in the sight of so indulgent a parent will take his hand from his already humbled son and the remainder of wrath to thy greater astonishment shall be laid on thy back as a punishment for so unseasonable address Therefore Christian think upon Remember us O Lord the children of Edom and fear to insult Think upon the Devil in the case of Iob and fear to accuse and of Doeg in the case of David and boast not of mischief for hatred and envy makes a man to dwell in darknesse but love and amity clears the eye and makes him behold God for so much only are we in his congregation and â—avour by how much we are towards his people our enemy in favour and affection It is recorded of Hannibal that his father beholding his morosity took him at nine years of
made St. Paul to groan earnestly and ought to urge upon us a proportionable zeal to inherit that house made without hands and to behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us which saith one affords unitly three acts videre amare laudare Beholding Loving Praising God and how should grief be there they entering when into it into joy having joy above them in God and his Christ joy about them in the Saints and Angels and joy within them because of all and therefore in his Name shall they rejoice all the day and in his righteousness shall they be exalted 4. There is safety to remove our fearingâ— All the splendor of this world being but like Nebuchadnezzars image having heads of gold breasts of silver yet standing upon seet of clay prognosticks dissolution and points it shall have an end Iob even in plenty when on earth seared and foresaw poverty And was not Fortune fancied by such as created gods represented standing upon a round ball shewing aptitude to motion Hath not the most Christian King a Cross upon his Golden Crown and the great Mahumetan glories in a half Moon which more equally inferrs to us a diminishing of his greatness then to himself justly it portends a growing of his power The greatest Crown may be made to â—otter by its own guard but to our Fathers City there comes none but detesters of such baseness yea they are uncapable of temptations thereunto Not to speak of the Devil though even of him some are in as great fear as one was of Hercules who hearing of his heroick atchievments did hide himself in a Cave for fear lest he should see him but spying him peeping through curiosity at first view died in a fright I say to pass Saâ—an there is no thief can there break through and steal no fear of evil in their thoughts no snare in their walk no scandal in their eye no flesh to beguile nor world to allure but all in perfect peace that is peace peace 5. There is largeness to take away our complaining The greatest Kingdom here is but a spot when compared to the whole circumference of the Mapp and it may be our portion in that Kingdom is not in the Cart at all which makes men look not to say leap over hedges that with conveniency field may be joyned to field but this Kingdom of our Fathers is spacious and the most enlarged soul hath so much elbow-room that the extasies of his Spirit are fixed in his possessions and the highest rapture he is transported unto makes him not grudge the glorious lustre of his rich because Sainted Comrade In our Fathers house are many mansions wherein the soul is satisfied being in the likeness of God For if beauty be pleasing they shine as the Sun doth strength content them they shall run and not be weary walk and not be faint doth royalty affect them they are crowned Kings if satiety please them they inherit all things Solomon shall not then have only wisdom nor Abraham obedience nor Sampson strength no Phineas zeal but every one shall be endowed with all and imployed not in looking asquint upon each other but in eying praising and adoring God Lewis son to Charles King of Sicily contemplating these two Kingdoms together whereof we speak said Si regnum paternum considero If I consider my Fathers Kingdom how little is it how small is it in comparison of that which is upward into which the soul is admitted when a man once liâ—ts up himself This he spake who hardly saw the pavement of the palace of our heavenly Father but hazy weather the utmost coasts of that blessed Countrey Yet even that did and will operat to that degree as to put no estimat upon the â—airest flourish Earth can make at any time much more at Prayer Unto which there are these six things concurring 1. It s largeness 2. It s fairness 3. It s glory 4. It s cheerfulness 5. It s exercise continual praise 6. It s eternity enduring for ever Touching the influence this description hath upon Prayer to repeat the same things being profitable this account may be rendred 1. That prayer is immediatly to be directed to God in Heaven in opposition to all upon Earth The best Father is but Pater pulveris a Father of Dust and therefore not capable to be for us either a Sun or Shield It is also a direction to pray to none but such whom we are sure are in Heaven At Rome they are sainted whom yet save in common charity we know not but they may be damned However it be let us be put in mind to lift up our hearts to our Father Sursum corda who is in Heaven Have a care said a dying Reformer of the last Age my dear Children my Eusebi my Irene my Alethea that you love God the Father Little children saith Iohn keep your selves from idols Have a care that you pray to your Father saith Christ to all his Sons After this manner therefore pray ye 2. That Prayer is to be offered up with reverent and spiritual thoughts not likening God to any Creature upon Earth As we know not what is the likaness shape or form of the inhabitants of Heaven so are we utterly ignorant of the nature of God in it and therefore in Prayer to conceit him a man as some atheistically do with us or paint him like an old man as some superstitiously do who are of Rome is a discredit to his spiritual being To desire to see and then to worship is to worship without faith Abhor therefore such idolizing and pray against the impress of such absurd vanity the more absurd that there was no manner of similitude seen on the day the Lord spake in Horeb and though we see heaven daily yet can we give no account of its nature how much lesse of God who is within it Euclid being vexed with an impertinent Questionist about the gods tartly replyed Quae petis ignoro I am ignorant of these things but this I know that the gods have indignation at such curious searchers Sure we are those that confine the illimited God in the imaginary space of any thing visible or form his spirituality in the likenesse of what can be sancyed creat a god which cannot hear them and slight a God will be revenged upon them Besides these men make God an idol when they prepare not their hearts nor fit their affections for his service and again when all their religion is in the Temple and again when they invent wayes to worship God and follow their own imaginations To speak of committing or loving sin in secret or of hoording up wealth with trust or for-swearing themselves in judgement were large subjects yet by these God is made an idol 3. That Prayer is to be presented with sincere and pure affections not defiled
with contemplating of Earth This so pray ye to shew it once more renders Heaven the object of our eye and therefore of our heart to be looking to Heaven and pointing to the Earth with the Roman Senator is to become sharers of his deserved scorn and yet how many are there while Heaven is in their mouth flesh fish or ships are in their heart Acting too truly what in the Fable is said of the Wolf when at School for learning to spel Pa-ter Father but being by his Master ordered to put them together in stead of Father said Agnus Lamb thinking on his prey An userer at the same time made the like proficiency and in place of Fa-ther said Pecunia Money But let not this be among you he is in Heaven and hath his eye-lids trying the children of men not but that he is every where but in Prayer he is by design said to be in Heaven that our hearts and minds may be lifted up to the excellency of his dignity and greatness having all things naked and open before him and therefore thy hypocrisie is apparent thy in-side being naked 4. That Prayer is to be quickned by confideing in the All sufficiency of God to give what is asked whether things of Heaven or of Earth By the Heavens and influences therefrom is Earth and Sea sustained he is in Heaven therefore in the Air upon the great Waters And because he can order all for his peoples good we are not to despond and doubt of his soveraignty but let our necessities be known whether for the Wine-press or for the light of the Sun or for the Cattel upon a thousand hills fish in the Sea Fowls of the Air Angels in Heaven or mercy from his bosome for his Son we need not doubt redressing He is in Heaven and thence he gave horns to the Bull hoofs to the Horse teeth to the Lyon finns to the Fish wings to the Bird scent to the Dog motion to the Air coolness to the Water heat to the Fire light to the Sun chain to the Devils strength to the Angels his Image and his Son to man what therefore should make the humble Orator to pray sorrowing as those without hope O thou of little faith wherefore dost thou doubt He is Almighty God walk pray before him and be perfect be confident 5. That Prayer is continually to be qualified with earnest considerations tending to the honour of God while we are upon Earth It is a dishonour for a Prince to have suits made in his presence-Chamber not adequat to the dignity of that room To ask of thy Father in Heaven meat money or cloaths to debauch with the glutton to swill with the drunkard entice with the stallion is a reproach unto his Majesty ask things fit for Heaven and do things like Heaven that it may be known thy Father is in Heaven that is in thee as some expound these words saying Illi sunt Coeli These are Heaven in whom there is Faith Gravity Continency Knowledge and a heavenly life Fulgentius while young had frequently these thoughts fluctuating in his breast Cur sine spe c. Why do I live on Earth without the hopps of Heaven what profit shall the world at last bring me if we love to be merry is it not better to have a good conscience and how much better do they rejoyce that fear nothing but sin and studie but how to keep the Law c. Let us pray for these or the like matters as for the avoiding of judgments for they are revealed against all unrighteous men from Heaven or for procuring of grace for that becomes Heaven And all weighty matters bearing equality with Heaven View the whole fabrick of the Lords Prayer and there is nothing can be accounted trivial or base in it the forgiving of sins deliverance from evil the bread of our necessity the fulfilling of his will the advancement of his kingdom are substantial and solid purposes so is the request that 's first because the chief end of all for the hallowing of the Name of God which being the first Petition as impatient of any longer delay we put a closure to the Preface Our Father which art in Heaven CHAP. II. Hallowed be thy Name THis is the first part of the holy place which our eyes are invited to behold I say invited for otherwise its dazling might not only amaze us but utterly darken those Casements of the soul those balls of light our bodily eyes our souls intelligence What some have observed of all the Petitions may be attested of this one it being 1. short 2. full or comprehensive where by the way their arrogancy may be detected whose popularity made them in publick give this Prayer correctior emendatior abridged or enlarged to the people as their emptiness or vanity gave them occasion or eloqution Let thy Kingdom come in our dayes cryed one Lord lead us not into temptation cryed another equally absurd yet excusable because it might be from ignorance in regard of them whose singularity and pretended holiness ascended the chair and passed an Act of Sequestration upon the Prayer it self discharging it in the Church so far as they could by their total ommission of it or stigmatizing them who used it but for all their eminencies the Lords Prayer is sacred and verily verily where ever the Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached that Prayer that he hath made shall be used for a memorial of him The Petitions like the Precepts of the Law are divided between God and man those aspecting God are first placed as Hallowed be thy Name c. those respecting man then follow as give us our daily bread so that hallowed be thy Name is the first Petition of the first Table in this Law concerning Prayer so pray ye because of which it is first to be considered It shall not be much here debated whether there be six or seven Petitions the Ancients are generally for seven so are the Romish Interpreters and some also of the reâ—ormed The number seven was by the Hebrews called numerus juramenti because Abraham in swearing to Abimelech took seven Lambs for a testimony by others it is called numerus ultionis the number of revenge for he that killed Cain vengeance should be taken on him seven fold By others numerus libertatis the number of liberty the Hebrew servant being liberat the seventh year By others numerus purificationis because the Leper was to be tryed by seven dayes and Naman washed seven times Hence some call it numerus Sacer the holy number God rested the seventh day Iericho was taken the seventh day Christ slept in the grave the seventh day Enos the seventh from Adam was translated We have seven Lamps in Zechariah seven Trumpets and seven Seals in the Revelation and David praised seven times in the day and this hath had so great veneration in
pardon but Gedd replyed Dico tibi I shew thee because thou refrainest not from the house of that prosane wretch thou shalt for thy punishment die in it which fell out accordingly the Earl and others treacherously killing the King at a solemn treat Pyrrhus Sons demanding to which of them he would leave his Kingdom Answered To him who had the sharpest sword Let the swords either of Gideon or of God be viewed Gods is the sharpest and therefore to be most â—eared of all who believes the coming of that Judge who commands his Anointed not to be touched By Baptism the Professor takes pay from Jesus as the Captain of his salvation and by scandalous behaviour he as it were runs from his Colours and by censure is he brought back and placed again in his rank that men beholding may fear and say that God is in her viz. the Church of a truth As Lycon the Philosopher had Ambitio pudor shame and honour to goad his Schollars forward in the practice of vertue so the Church hath honour and a Rod to excite to good behaviour restraining the vicious and encourageing the vertuous 4. By finishing and perfecting the just number of the Elect. Scripture sheweth that the Kingdom of glory shall not come untill the number of these appointed for Salvation be compleated not to speak of that great mystery of the Jews blindnesse untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be brought in the Elect whether Jew or Gentile are gathered 1. At their natural dissolution 2. At Christs publick manifestation 1. At the Saints natural dissolution Every soul here uncased and divested of the body is a stone added for the perfecting of that house which is above and when the Quarry of eternal appointment hath been hewed out by the Gospel and fitted by death the roof is laid on and the work is finished for time shall be no more and Graces government over the soul is perfected then in glory If that Prayer be a reall History which is recorded for Ieroms and in his works which he made a little before his death for hastning of his glory how pithy is it but the Conclusion much more comfortable there appearing on a sudden after his communicating so beautiful and glorious a light in his Chamber that the sick could hardly be seen and a voice heard saying Come my beloved the time is now wherein thou art to receive a reward for these labours which manfully thou hast undergone for me to which he replyed Behold I come Lord Iesus unto thee receive my soul which thou hast redeemed with thy blood which words though thus uttered by him are still expressed as oft as we say Thy Kingdom come Not that death is to be simply called for or out of impatience as did Iob or Ionah but as Moses desired a sight of God but could not perfectly get it untill he went up to die so we are to understand that Pauls Cupio dissolvi his desire to depart upon saving knowledge is the most speciall comfortable text to a man in his departing said a reverend Prelat in his own Funeral for know we not that every day we breath here we lose one days sight of heavens beauty which we may justly pray to see not to alter Gods purpose but to manifest our longing desire 2. At Christs publick manifestation At Jesus his coming in the Clouds with the train of his holy Angels who are to gather his elect from the four winds from one end of Heaven to the other the dead in Christ rising first then those that are alive caught no all allarmed by a mighty shout with the voice of the Archangel and Trump of God shall the accomplishment of the full â—â—lly or number of the elect be finished At which time the Saints of their prayers of this prayer shall say consummatum est it is come the Kingdom is come the King of glory comes Arise let us go hence and enter into our Masters joy for the Kingdom is come c. But alas how unprepared are we for its coming for the dead consciences scandalous lives malitious complotters the medlers or busie-bodies about other mens matters the hatred and envy that appears in the actions of too many professing Christianity may cause remembrance of that old complaint sine Martyrio persequeris thou persecutes without blood-shed and thou kills under the mask of Religion and thou destroyes the saith of Christ by speaking of him c. This Kingdom hath come before day as upon Iacob and Iohn the Baptist before they were born and at the dawning of the day as upon Samuel and Timothy at noon-tide of the day as on Paul and Elisha and sometimes at the setting of the Sun as upon the converted thief but as it were dark night with us we sleep and fatten in our sins neither fearing nor desiring our Lords coming and though it be come to our Iudah this part of the world yet as the Gergesens we seek by our carefulness its removeal from us Be intreated therefore to throw away our old sins while we have time wash away our spots unravel the knots of our lives study purity that the King may have pleasure in our beauty and let us be the more earnest that the coming of our Lord is nigh He stood before the doors in St. Iames his time we have reason now to apprehend he is is half over the threshold In thy Kingdom come we shew eagerness to be under his dominion subject to his power censured by his Gospel yet by our carnal divisions we evince our aversness unto all and certainly by Amen we confirm our hearts in their rebellion against his Supremacy refusing to be under him for though both Devils and sinners be under the Dominion of God yet because they will not obey they are not said to be in his Kingdom We also bewail in it our straitnesse This world is a prison at best but an Inn wherein the beautifulest Chamber even a Kings presence is so incumbred we may say of it as Seleucus of his Crown that if people knew the vexations under it they would not deign to list it from the ground yet our deeds make apparent that this world is our rest and our choice not the Kingdom of our God having no respect to its government evident in the loosness of our lives and scandalousness of our divisions O God thou hast hardened our hearts against thy fear turn thy self to us again bless our provision satisfie thy poor with bread and cloath thy Priests with righteousnesse that thy Saints may shout for joy expecting the new Ierusalem coming down from God out of Heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband Thy Kingdom come THere are three graces mainly to be exercised in our petitioning viz. Charity Humility Fervency the first is found in each Line Word
have everlasting life For when the Name Iesus sounds in thy ears understand a meek man and a man humble in heart courteous sober chast compassionat conspicuous and renowned for honesty and sanctity and the same person to be the Omnipotent God qui suo me exemplo sanet leading thee by his example and confirming strengthning thee by his power It was a good advice to imitat an honest man was the way to become the best man and when we know that even Christ ascended for the same cause he suffered which was that we should follow his steps we ought to go up with him and to him by intercession for our Brethren and by imitating of one so just we may and shall be crowned with those that are holy Observe him where you please in the Pulpit in the Hill in the Ship in the Garden exemplo suo he is by his example teaching us the great Philosophick vertue of submission to the will of God and doing of the same which we must indispensibly conform unto or be extruded the felicity his obedience purchased for him The Scripture is not very clear or distinct in shewing how Gods will is observed by the Saints or Angels yet it is so full that we can collect their readiness about it whereby we may not only learn to lament our own depravation but beholding their activity can remeed the distemper and keeping in their path though not in their strides at length by assenting to divine documents we shall ararrive at the same beatifick vision of God they by their obedience do possess Angels have Laws and Precepts concerning Devils men whether good or bad alive or dead touching governments fouls bodies or goods of men to afflict or comfort to fight to kill or destroy I say Angels have this whether Cherubims or Seraphims Powers Thrones or Archangels all these being comprehended in this one word Angel there being in that holy Hierarchy this equality that they are all Messengers of God made to the likeness of God and carried all to that one purpose which is in God readily throughly zealously 1. Readily They are spirits of life and as for their life they go about Gods will with so speedy pace that they are said to have wings And hath God said to day harden not your hearts or break off thy sins by repentance Say not to morrow with Pharaoh but in this thy day say thy face O Lord I seek We read that an Angel of God spake to Hagar out of Heaven in which History we have what he was an Angel 2. Whos 's he was of the Lord and should we from some mens pronity to wickedness and vice conclude the certainty of their subjection to a higher power we could not rationally give any other designation then messengers of Satan and if we should demand whence comest thou a question never asked of the good Angels their wayes are so well known it might be replied from compassing the earth they are so ready to perform the Devils pleasure and the fulfilling of their own lusts by which they are as it were alwayes in the dark the eye of Gods approbation being never upon them which the good Spirits and good men having they are said to be continually before him 2. Throughly They are so serious in the doing and executing of the Lords purpose that to half it or quarter it is none of their ease whence they are said to do his pleasure that is in all their actions perfect all his thought their complacency being that wherein his soul delighteth abhorring to behold men repudiat and abandon one vice to espouse themselves to another it may be to them more beautiful profitable or easie for though an horse be restrained by the bridle yet man is to be inwardly transformed by the word to the will of God and not to be like the gods in the Egyptian Temples decked with Gold and Silver or vailed with Purple-royal that is shadowed before men with gorgeous formality which being once like fair Hangings drawn aside or pryed into filthy Apes of impure notions are visible and the dustinesse nastinesse or lustfulnesse of their inward parts recte scio maketh them justly accounted the more abominable that they only studied to seem good it being an uniform devotion and conversation that maketh men Angel-like adapting them for those eternal mansions these blessed Spirits abide in for otherwise the Devil sometimes covering his cloven hoof could not in equity but be reputed Saint and accordingly associated withall It hath been disputed what that particular sin was for which the Devils fell from Heaven whether stubbornnesse against the foreknown Incarnation envy or pride some who are for the last respect man in envying Adams dignity and God in affecting against him Domination and Authority Admit this How humble are the good Angels let God command they will stand in a Lane as a Guard untill a poor Iacob passe through they will enter into dark Prisons for a condemned Daniel or liberat a captivat Peter Let men learn of the Angels and not put the Almighty to his wishes as once to say O that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments The Lacedemonians had good Laws touching education especially of Children yet had orders again encouraging them to steal and an honor drium for a cleanly conveyance provided they observed the Laws wherein there was something excepted Such Mungrels are too many Christians though not in the same Commandment accounting it too base to steal yet holding it a degree of honour to swear and being afraid or ashamed to deliver up themselves to all kinds of ill embrace what is more convenient for their place and station but this Petition dischargeth such bartery as sacrilegious enjoyning perfect because conscionable obedience and sueth for the gifts and graces required thereunto 3. Zealously The heart giving life to every commanded duty hath such impressions on the Angels spirits in their missions that they are said to be flaming fire their strength to be Chariots of fire and their swiftnesse horses of fire he maketh saith the Psalmist his Angels Spirits his Ministers flaming fire denoting Agility Ardency Penetrability Dexterity and the Fervency with which they go about his will They are called Angels because they deliver his message Cherubims because they know his purpose and Seraphims because they burn with a holy zeal to confesse and glorifie God it was one of these that flew with a live coal to purge away the pollution from the Prophets lips and life What hath been said of the Angels might be truly said of the Saints departed but they not being imployed about earthly affairs as Angels are let us distinctly search into their doing of the will of God and without much scrutiny we shall see them do it conjunctly continually
and sincerely 1. Conjunctly All the glorified number unites in this one thing of giving honour power and glory to the Lord because of all his wondrous works and such who desire to be of that Quire must to that Hymn in joynt devotion giveâ—n their Amen Israel must joyn with Egypt and Assyria avoiding neither because he is a Iew but beholding the Spirit of God breathing upon them must celebrate with them as Brethren though formerly aliens and with binding resolution each precede another by affection and in imitation of that glorified number though probably before different in opinion combine in this judgment to practise and do the will of the Lord for ever saying to dividing principles Abide here with the Asse and I will go yonder and worship c. 2. Continually Their eternal Sabbath is spent with unwearied ceasing in their serious attending his Throne we ought to be earnest and with David keep the way of his statutes unto the end i. e. sine impedimento incedam giving defiance unto the keenest temptation I shall gracefully persevere and imitably walk in the road and path of thy Commandments observing them in all my undertakings not putting on the royal apparel of Faith Righteousness and Obedience for the Throne or Temple but make them my daily garment yea my night-cloaths for at midnight will I arise and give thanks unto thee 3. Sincerely There is in Heavenly Saints a concord betwixt heart and harp being like the Sun transparent every cavity within them exceeding the Christal in purity evidenceth no disingenuity but perfect harmony in love in voice in desire in moving and in doing Abfuit ergo as true disciples of Christ let us hate dissimulation or willing to feign but let us do as well as sing I love the Lord otherwise as the devils we may speak much truth and with the reprobat do much good but neither being hearty it is not our own and the sooner shall we be accursed if we call out the Truth the Truth and not walk accordingly Not to separat what God hath joyned together both Saints and Angels in Heaven do the will of our Father joyfully humbly 1. Ioyfully Great content have they to be employed and great satisfaction have they all in doing the will and work of God Hail thou art highly favoured said Gabriel be it according to thy word said Mary to be sorrowing with the covetous young man for the sale of lust and discharging of thy sin or passionat or carelesse as was Pharaoh and Pontius Pilate is to contradict the spirit of God prompting thee to pray after this manner Thy will be done 2. Humbly Christ is represented to the Divine sitting at the right hand of the Father but the Angels and Saints about the Throne and sometimes falling down before it and then are men obedient when the precept not being delayed is heard by the ear saying Now the tongue saying arise the feet run and the hands saying all that thou commandest we will do That his will be done Reader in thy soul and in thy body in the heaven of thy soul and in the earth of thy flesh that as the Angels who are spirits thou spiritualized may live and do on earth his will as it is in Heaven The Popish Franciscus being demanded who was to be judged truly obedient ordered the exhuming of a dead body who would not be discontent how ever placed nor puft up though throned nor clamorous if dispised nor beautifull though gorgeously arrayed Such is the obedient doing giving suffering where word or providence gives order without wresting it or strutting it before the Lord. This word As either the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Germain Al 's importing similitude here denots a likenesse only not an equality we by it desiring amidst such encumbrances as the soul groans under to live inculpat as inoffensively as the Angels but to reach them in the large extent of perpetual conformity is a task beyond mortality for during our abode in houses of clay Ignorance malice weaknesse wantonnesse and wickednesse will affect us yet as children we may regard our copy and scorn luxury and all exorbitancy and lay aside superfluity of naughtinesse being perswaded that albeit the Character of our lives and actions be unproportioned we shall at length write fair and draw good Text Hand when in heaven we come to be perfect men in Christ Iesus For however obedience be here mixed with frailty and imperfection yet as a tender son endeavouring to execute his fathers will is approven so is it with God he requiring and blessing the will or desire for doing when the work it self may be defective so that though we arrive not at the perfection of the first or second Adam in doing Gods will which is to be found in the holy Angels yet we may acquire in obedience the perfection of Zacharias and Elizabeth which consists in the sincerity of our service We cannot and do not the will of God with the Angels speedily for like Lot we linger to go out of Sodom nor cheerfully for like Israel we murmure in the way nor fully for the good we would do we do not nor sincerely for our hearts are far from him nor perfectly for we know but in part and see but in part yet we are to strive after all this there being a time to come wherein all shall be obtained though now with Israel we compasse Iericho and with Sampson groan under blindnesse at length the siedge shall be ended in conquest and we revenged upon all Philistines that tormented us and all that we do shall be very good Therefore study for an enlarged soul that largely the will of the Lord be done for it is thy will not our own not every where but on earth not every way but as it is in Heaven that is doing it out of love and affection And so pray ye From all this we infer these four particulars 1. A necessity of doing Men came not into the world to stand idle or gaze about but to work and though sin and Satan put many to miserable drudgery it is still sloath except the work of God be done The heathen beheld and scorn'd the consumption of time in the inutile pursuits of the ordering plaiting and curling of hair of some phantasticks in his time and how with us such vanities are priveledged to inhabit the souls of too many is scandalously evident the saying of the prophecie of this book this prayer being kept neither in memory nor manners neither in heard nor heart c. 2. Timidity for failing The vitiousnesse of the age in spending the greatest part if not all time upon things â—innical ought to creat a fear both for our selves and others having for the doing of this will a patent not for one minut yet filling two times so nearly placed that there is
both soul-bread and corporall bread unto us it is still his but ours that is which is designed for us So is Christ ours that is necessary for us So is Christ ours that is that which is fitted for us and suitable to our condition So is Christ lastly ours that is such as thou useth to give us that is Christ daily offered in the Gospel Give us our daily bread is Feed us Lord continually with that bread came down from Heaven that Word that was made flesh the food both of Angels and Men that was made known in breaking of bread that is in revealing the great mystery of thy two Natures and give it us day by day that our faith languish not our souls weary not and that wee faint not before wee reach our home Yea give it us daily for thy day O Lord hath no night nor shaddow of darkness 4. Against verbosity To stretch out a prayer by enumerating particulars possibly ridiculous is against this form the word being so narrow and short that it passeth in the twinkling of an eye yet so immensly broad that only our lives shall measure it for though day or daily be in it yet this day hath no night and if it have it is by intepretation rest in sleep security of goods freedom from sinful dreams visions terrours or what ever can interrupt our sweet and natural repose It considers the man and allows him bread raiment and rest the Souldier and allocats to him fair and good quarter provides approved Armour competent Ammunition with a strong line of Circumvallation It beholds the Prince and gives him Majesty and Honour with competency of wisdom to his Officers and Counsellours Prudence and Faithfulness and to his Throne Honourable succession from his own loynes the express prayer of the primitive Church and in a word like a well drawn Picture it takes inspection upon all that enter the chamber of this world giving milk to babes meat to the strong a book to the Scholler a goad to the driver skill to the Pilot and all to each of those in all things wherein their earthly â—elicity doth competently subsist or which it any way respects Absit ergo Avoid therefore in prayer much talking or wording contrary to this manner for long speaking and true praying are different have thou Reader servency and love and thy prayer if not so designed or wished for as we have said before cannot be short groans and tears sincerity and repentance being infinitly more efficacious then breathing and bawling I say bawling for because of that and some other vices which we have heard to fall from the mouths of many in prayer if demanded what we liked best we might reply with Theocritus when interrogat by an inept Poet which of his works most pleased him smartly answered the works thou hast omitted And the truth is some delighted to be in publick so particular that the service was tedious which yet was the least fault and the expression base their language scurril smelling of Kitchin-stuff or fat of the Pot to the reproach of the blessed Ordinances of Prayer and Fasting and causing them to beget Devils in many to my own knowledge but casting out very few c. What a Father said of Constantius may be said of such and therefore let not their sin be imitated that under pretence of honouring the Gospel they disgraced it and slew Religion under the notion of healing it Leaving themselves without all excuse and became the most guilty amongst sinners in resusing this prayer both as to its words and meaning the brevity thirof being one of three things wherein our Saviour shewed his wisdom in its composing unto which with the other two viz of adoring only God secretly expressed in Father of Modesty in our asking throughout the whole prayer he hath asfixed this command Pray after this manner Which precept brought to dayly bread orders that in prayer we learn duties of opennesse submissivenesse diligence and contentednesse 1. Oppennesse It was and is strange to hear how some will torture their invention for abstruse words to expresse themselves in prayer beyond the rule of all ordinary Grammar whereas in prayer every word ought to be as plain as bread give me said one to a Garagantum-talker the lives of the Ancients but our own countrey-mens words God says the same to thee in all prayer and commands the rejectment of words obsolete that men may speak to be understood not gazed at and pray to edifie not stupifie their hearers in these words Pray after this manner 2. Submissivenesse Bread we ask but how much or of what kind we determine not Non carnes non pisces we ask no flesh no fish nor any superfluous thing but food convenient if we have therefore bread though course cloathing though plain convenient for our station apposite for our degree we ought to acquiesce in the providence having no warrant to ask more neither is it fit for all to wear silk nor for every Israelite to wear a crown with David or guide an army with Ioab but every one to move within his own sphear keeping his calling for purchasing dayly bread 3. Diligence Give us our bread shews there is a store within doors procured by prayer and work from the hand of God which we are not sloathfully to lavish but prudently to manage for his honour whose it is even while it is between our teeth Yea is it not one character of a good man to watch the house lest the thief break in and not to be a prey to the â—â—athen but to dwell safely is a blessing from the Lord yet hark keep it not too closs from the poor and indigent remembâ—ing that the Mannaâ— did stink when too greedily gathered though it fell from Heaven Expell therefore avarice as an enemy to thy family and be not diligent over much lest thou come to rags avoid covetousnesse love righteousnesse be beneficent the consequences whereof is here liberty and hereafter glory 4. Contendednesse Bread we ask and pass forward to other necessaries as pardon of sin freedom from temptation c. Being in all affairs to study the retention of these two eminent vertues innocency and patience with which we shall never want The crums refused to Lazarus was bread and the rich mans sumptuous fare was but bread Daniels pulse and water was bread and the Kings royal fare was but bread the husks of the swine was bread to the Prodigal and his Fathers feast and satted calf was but bread so that contendednesse is in all conditions to be exercised lest in the multitude of temptations leannesse befall our souls Certainly the skillfull gluttony of our times our great and daily sacrifices to the belly offered up with as much alienation of mind from the decency that our natures professions and Religion ought to be adorned with as were the profligat
untill the Child was born by Bathsheba he never reflected upon his adultery and cutting off a Worthy from Israels Camp A hand by long working contracts hardnesse to that degree that a Thorn will not penetrat nor a Nettle raise a blister What more by frequent assaults of evil thoughts crowds and throngs of unclean desires the soul becometh stupid as men are said to do by touching though with a pole the Torpedo and its hooâ— being hardened by trotting in the way of the wicked it is not disturbed but eased in the seat of the scornful the Conscience being seared as with an hot iron 4. It may cause black suppositions because of sin What sad and dark expressions flowed from the mouth of patient Iob choosed he not strangling and death rather then life c. What man can reveal the inward actings of Asaph's soul when he roared under the rod Hath God forgotten to be gracious Such a cloud of witnesses affrighting from temptation ought to inspire us to pray against it in the words of a holy man Rector meus O my God remove from me vanity of soul unconstancy of mind wandring of affection impurity of speech loftinesse of eyes gluttonny of the belly back-biting of my neighbour the desire of riches hunting for worldly glory the evil of hypocrisie the poyson of flattery the contempt of poverty for these are temptations and if they overcome our reckoning will not be so insignificant as our licentiousnesse makes them now to be accounted 5. It may end in desperation A Father speaking of the temptations of the righteous asserts that pene ad lapsum it almost creats utter despair as it did of late to that Yorkshire Minister who going down to the Water-side to drown himself opened the New Testament and in a glorious providence first fell upon that of St. Matthew Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Doth Christ say so said the good man then I will not drown my self The soul here was bouy'd up by a miraculous and invisible hand or then he had sunk in the mighty waters the man might have sung If it had not been the Lord who was on my side when temptation rose up against me then the waters had overwhelmed me the stream had gone over my soul then the proud waters had gone over my soul blessed be the Lord who hath not given me as a prey to their teeth But what a dolefull ditty would the soul of a Iudas a Saul make when dislodged the body by the force of temptation O I am eternally doomed to be the Devils slave cried a convicted soul and in so saying impetuously threw himself out of a window and broke his bowels Alas alas cried another somewhere to one in a vision woe is me woe be to me all which to prevent keep from the brink of the Well the edge of the Hill the mouth of the Pit the way to the Den and avoid the path of death by declining the very occasion of temptation And pray 1. That they come not 2. That they conquer not That our eyes may behold no Delilah nor ears hear the voice of Ionadab nor our hands handle Iudas silver nor our backs that it wear nothing of Achans garment our tasting none of the rich gluttons sare our noses smell-nothing of the blood with Nimrods hounds I knew and heard a Malefactor affirm she smelt the blood of the murthered then in his cloaths and at a great distance certain dayes after the fact Pray Reader against such devices I say pray for it was not rowing but Lord save us or we perish brought the Disciples safe to land Palladius consulting with Macarius about his temptations was advised to tell them that he kept the walls of his Cell for God And indeed we ought to keep both the walls and furniture of the house for God temptation being so daring that if the door be not open it will creep in at the windows yea uncover the roof and take possession It is pugna contra malignos spiritus a fighting against evil spirits and they will not be said nay having a three-fold stratagem to conquer and overcome 1. Suggestione 2. Delectatione Consensu suggesting or prompting the mind to ill then alluring the affections to betroth it then commanding the will to consent to it Or first bewitching the sense then inflaming the appetite and lastly causeth the action ut hoc non hoc fiat that it be not done that God suffer us not to answer the desire of temptation nihil enim fit nothing being done but when he either doth it or permits it this Petition is offered up the Saints thereby begging perseverence in sanctity and holinesse in the whole man which as it is Gods Temple ought to be kept clean for him I can find no convincing argument perswading that Manuel under the title of the Testament of the twelve Patriarchs to be a real History yet it seems the Treatise is ancient and touching the case in hand Benjamin is personated to speak pertinently thus My children shun the naughtinesse of Belial for at the first he delighteth those that obey him but in the end he is a sword and father of many mischiefs for the mind having once conceived by him it bringeth forth envy then despair then sorrow then bondage then needinesse then troublesomnesse and then desolation for which cause Cain was tormented with these seven punishments by God and in seven years had still a new plague c. Lead us not into temptation shews we regard and notice their force and would have it dissipated and overcome which shall be we using against it the Word of God and faith in God and prayer to God It was by Scripture that Christ the Second Adam overcame the tempter not that he had no other weapon but he would use no other to teach us to depend and trust to its edge when tempted to gluttony as he was in the first temptation to vain-glory as he was in the second or covetousnesse as he was in the third all which he Overcame by the Psalms and Moses when the first Adam tempted to the same sins was foyled in the first assault In both which it is observed that Adam yeelded to be as God when Christ left it doubtful whether he was the Son of God by humility destroying the first Adams loftinesse Therefore omnes Scripturas let thy mind and heart be upon the Law and believing that word Resist the Devil and he will flee from you answer all temptations as Agesilaus answered that question What benefit the Spartans reaped by his Laws answered The contempt of pleasure or if you will take a more understanding Teacher Are you tempted to Covetousnesse think of Paul's bonds To Concupiscence ruminat upon Paul's prison To Distrustfulnesse remember of Paul's chain To Gaudinesse
for that is contrary to our Lords own practice in his deprecâ—ting the Cup and his precept in his enjoyning prayer that our flight might not be in the winter nor on the Sabbath day yet both these and all other Scriptural prayers are acâ—â—â—ding to this prayer as it is in Matthew pray afteâ— this mâ—nner and since the command in 〈◊〉 it is to be made a prayer as it is required in that Evangelist When ye pray say Our Father which we are no more to doubt of its being done by the Apostles then to doubt of their baptizing in the Name of Father Son and Holy Ghost though we read of neither the Law for both being evident and the Law of Amen is equally Scriptural as Lead us not into temptation though some boldly expunge it the Text and exclude it their moâ—ths because it s not to be found in St. Luke though in our Saviours first and famous Sermon in St. Matthew it is clear and in other Scriptures evident each Evangelist and Apostle having his own peculiar excellency and giveth by brevity in some places and by prolixity in others light glory and beauty to each other Before we close let us give thanks to the memory of that learned Divine and in this whereof we are to speak Anagramatist who by a more then ordinary because religious fancy and judgment finds in the word Amen this word Mane and cleareth hiâ— Mane thus Thereis Mane the Verb signifying to tarry pressing constancy in prayer and importuning of God as the importunate Widow did the unjust Judge There is Mane the Adverb by interpretation the morning urging earlinesse at the duty that at the rising Sun if not before we are to be at this exercise of prayer and praise to cleâ—r which Reader accept of a good note though at a great distance of â— famous English Iew let me go said the man to Iacob for the day breaketh that is tempus est ut â—antem Dei laudes cum aliis Angelis let me go for it is time I were among my fellow-Angels glorifying God as if even to those blesâ—ed Spirits a new morning a fresh Sun a day-star were arguments exciting them to magnifie God for his Providence unto us poor and dark mortals All this considered how wise are they who in the shutting up of their prayers neglected Amen or abused it in a curtail'd So-be-it or this we desire or so let it be or said Mumm whereas Amen had even sounded better and really was better and ought to have been used propter reverentiam salvatoris out of reverence to our Lord who in this Greek and Syriack prayer retained the Hebrew word Amen that Amen might not be slighted or mocked for its poornesse nakednesse or emptinesse for which reason the Ancients translated it not there being in no Language able to discover in many words its ample meaning in its own one for which cause the Churches of old in what language soever they prayed concluded with it though Hebrew decet sane verily in supplications it it most seemly for all Amen Afferre to utter Amen the custom of the Churches which if harmless is good to observe craving that from us who confirmed all that was asked communi consensu with one consent by hearkening I might say by tarrying untill the Preacher in his blessing said Amen O magnificum eâ—â—â—acissimum verbum AMEN O powerful and wonderful Amen God is Amen Christ is Amen O good O blessed Saviour the Word and Amen cryed one perfect my prayers in Amen Amen let it be done Amen let it be done and in my mouth let thy words be fulfilled thy prayer compleated and say Amen to which I add the Rabbins proverb he who saith Amen in this life is worthy to say it in the life to come understand the Christian expression worthily It is written in the life of that great light of the reformed Church of France Beza that his last Sermon was upon the third Petition of this prayer Thy will be done ceasing here to preach it that he might go to Heaven for to do it But God our Father and our Lord Iesus Christ hath conducted us through the land from the Dan to the Beersheba of this prayer and hath let us see both the rising and setting of the Sun of this most perfect plat-form and two Novembers betwixt which there were seen many and unusual Funerals Trains and Mourners going about the streets we still surviving for which and all other his mercies blessed be his glorious Name for ever and let the whole earth be filled with his glory Amen and AMEN Errata sic Corrige IT is a certain truth laid down amongst disputable things That it is a good Book and well Printed that hath but one or two or but ten Errata's from first to last And Printers in their common talk I might say in judgment not only condemns a faultlesse Book but summarily adjudgeth it to the flames immediatly as monstruous In this there are Literal Marginal and Textual escapes among others let these few be thus corrected Page 18. line 11. for pound read pownd p. 77. l. 33. for us r. O. p. 100. l. 18. for possibility r. possibly p. 207. l. 10. for sin is r. finis p. 301. l. 9. for tasting r. fasting p. 379. l. 7. for thou only r. not only p. 442. l. 1. for that this r. that is p. 452. l. 19. for opposit r. apposit Marg. p. 2. for 2. 11. r. 2. 2. for 24. r. 34. sic de ceteris Sea Mirrour lib. 1. Demonstrat 4. Wither Cant. 4. â— Full. Holy State lib. 2. c. 9 Tolbootâ— Church Novem. 17. 1667 Dan. 8. 1â— Heb. 13 15. Num. 28. 3. Acts 3. 1 Acts 10. 3. Ionah 2. 11. Luke 11. 2. Alsted Theol. Cat. S. 3. c. 13. Gen. 24. 17. Psal. 51. 11. Aquin. 2 2dae Q. 83. Art 1. Art 10. Chrys. de O. rand lib. 2. Iohn 15 16. Rom 8. 26. Iona. 3. 8 Rom. 12. 1 Chrys. de Orand lib. 1. Bucan loc Com. 35. Luk. 1. 28 Greg. Moral lib. 32. c. 27. Psal. 32. 3. Luk. 13. 4. Mark 7. 3 Heb. 10 21 Mat. 6. 5 Mat. 22 12 Iudg. 16 15 Ier. 18 12 Eph. 6. 6 Chrys. Hom. 30 in Gen. Bucan loc Com. 35 Areâ— loc Com. 72 Lonicer Theat Hist. in Exempl tert praecep Hos. 11. 8 Psal. 5. 1 Gen. 18 â—7 Beda Expos. 1 In Sam. c. 12 Mat. 6 6 2 〈◊〉 Quaest. 8 Art 12 Psal. 100 10. 1 Cor. 6 20 Isa. 38 3 1 Cor. 11 1 Psal. 46 1. 1 Tim. 6 16 Mat. 4. 10 Mark 4 â—9 Val. Max. lib. 7. c. 2. Exter Brom. Summ Praed de orat Damas. orth fid lib. 3. c. 24 Psal. 90 12 1 Kings 10. 14 Hilar. in Psal. 53 enarr Ib. in Psal. 54 Ber. in Quad. Ser. 6 Matth. 6 33 Hug. Card. in loc Gen. 41. 20 Byerl Prom. Moral in Fest. S. Cath. Ioh. 6. 27 Cajet