His name is in the house of his worship our meetings are in his name the prayers of the Church addressed to his name the word which wee heare is reuelatio nominis ejus the Sacraments we receiue is recordatio nominis ejus the Psalmes we sing to his name 2 In respect of our owne good for our helpe standeth in the name of God his name is a strong fortresse to them that trust in him and so long as we haue that name to friend we haue a strong cittie of refuge to fly to in all our vexations an hiding place in a storme therefore the foundation of our safety and the beginning our felicitie driueth it selfe from the name of the God of our health and saluation We must therefore seeke the sanctification thereof first 3 In respect of all the following petitions for except the name of God haue the due honour there can be no hope either of his kingdome that that may come or of his will that it may be performed of vs c. This is Caput votorum and whatsouer we begge of God in all our other petitions if it all aime not at the hallowing of the name our prayers bee turned into sinne It is enough in the second table of the Law to loue our neighbours as our selues but this is angusta dilectio and will not straine to the extent of the first Commandement for we must loue God more then our selues wee must lay down all naturall morall humane respectes and stoope them to this first care of the sanctification of Gods name Rather then that should suffer Moses cryes dele me delibro quem scripsisti So Saint Paul I could wish my selfe accursed from Christ for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh Both of these holy men saw how much the name of God suffered in the Apstoasie of their brethren from God and for the repaire of Gods glory in them and the hallowing of Gods they could haue beene content to haue parted with their glory and saluation in pietie to God in charity to their brethren And surely if the name of God might be glorified in our perdition wee should rather desire the glory of that name then the eternall saluation of our soules for better all the world the whole creature perished then that the glorious name of God should be vnhallowed And this desire in vs cannot hinder our saluation rather it aduanceth it for it is impossible that the soule which hath those holy desires should perish 6. What duties depend vpon this petition 2 We are admonished hereby to seeke the true knowledge of God for wee cannot honour him before we know him and the more we know him the more will his holy name be deare to vs. As Dauid saith They that know thy name will put their trust in thee We are borne with a small glimpse of this knowledge naturally which we haue from the light of the law of God written in our hearts but these be so obscure notions that if we haue not farther helpe to put God more in our sight we may faile of that life eternall which is in the knowledge of him For though the light of nature doth reueale to vs one one God yet it is not cleare enough to shew vs that God in three distinct persons it serueth not to reueale to vs the Mediatour betweene God and man Iesus Christ Therfore to accomplish our knowledge of this God whose name must be hallowed by vs wee must vse the meanes appointed by God which are of two sorts 1. Outward 2. Inward 1 For the outward meanes God hath opened to vs two bookes 1. The booke of his creatures 2 The written booke of his VVord And they that studie both these shal see the name of God so texted in them that he that runneth may read For the booke of Gods creatures that we are stirred vp to study in the Psalme for the Sabbath there is no such delight as that studie for Dauid saith For thou Lord hast made me glad through thy worke I will triumph in the operation of thy hands O Lord how great are thy workes c. These workes of God declare his name to vs when Dauid entred into cōsideration of them he saith O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth who hast set thy glory aboue the heauens When I consider the heauens the worke of thy fingers the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordained Then he descendeth to the Creation of man and the dominion that God gaue him ouer his other workes And applieth it all to the glory of the Creatour so that the consideration of the Creature doth reueale to vs the glory of the Creatour 2 They declare the wisedome of their maker O Lord how manifold are thy workes in wisedome hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches So is this great and wide Sea He hath declared his greatnes in the cōpleate perfection of his worke for so Moses saith Because I will publish the name of the Lord ascribe ye greatnesse vnto our God Hee is the rocke his worke is perfect Dauid is full in this point concerning the declaration of Gods name in his Creatures for when hee had brought in his prouisions for the building of the Temple which was to be performed by Salomon his sonne he deuoted them to that vse in the presence of all the people and there he blessed the Lord before all the congregation saying Blessed be thou Lord God of Israel our father for euer and euer Thine O Lord is the greatnesse and the power and glory and the victory and the Maiestie for all that is in the heauen and earth is thine thine is the kingdome O Lord and thou art exalted as head aboue all Now therefore O God we thanke thee and praise thy glorious name Here is the very close and conclusion of the Lords prayer Quia tuum est regnum potentia gloria 5 When we consider where God hath bestowed all this riches of his fauour holy loue euen vpō man this addeth to the honour of his name for what is man that thou art so mindful of him the Prophets word is Patheticall and maketh the fauour more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that signifieth what is sorrowfull and miserable man The same word he vseth in another place Put them in feare O Lord that the nations may know themselues to be but Aenosh that is sorry men incurably sicke It is a sweete entertainment of our lonely priuatnesse when either we sit at home or ly in our beds or walke abroad it will keepe vs from many loose and euill thoughts and it will honour the name of God to thinke on his workes and to meditate on these thinges We may thanke God for it that let the Church of Rome doe her worst she cannot shut vp nor forbid the reading of this Bible
crucis non haberet signo tamen crucis samuniri curabat To that place came a congregation of euill spirits declaring to their chiefe an account of the euill they had suggested that day One of them told how he had tempted one Andreas a Bishop to some loose desires the chiefe of them and all the rest vrged his further proceeding therein After espying themselues ouer heard by the Iew which lay quietly by them they thought to haue done him a mischiefe but he was so fenced with the signe of the Crosse that they could not but left him and disappeared The next day the Iew told the Bishop what hee had heard what he had done and the Bishop was by him preserued against Sathan he by the Bishop catechised and baptised Thomas Cantipratanus a suffragan Bishop a great collectour and register of miracles reports from his own eyes he saith Proprijs oculis vidi hee trauailed 40. miles of purpose and there laet is oculis vidit One Voluandus a Prior of the Predicants vsed euer in life often to signe his brest with the signe of the Crosse his bones after being taken vp to be deposited in another place they saw vpon his breast bone the signe of the Crosse of a massie and bony substance quasi scutum cordis I should surfet your christian patience if I should recount to you the legend of Saint Francis and the Wolfe how he saued himselfe and ouercame the cruelty of the Wolfe onely by the signe of the Crosse and after by gentle perswasions made the Wolfe as tame as any Lambe and made the Wolfe promise him neuer to vse any cruelty againe For why should it not bee as possible for a Wolfe to speake as an Asse These things the Roman faith doth follow as Esau did the red potage that lost him the blessing And such lying Legends as these doe beget such an opinion of the signe of the crosse that many simple ignorants thinke themselues sufficiently fortified against all euill by that signe George Dowley a Priest set forth a Catechisme in English in An. 1616. 1 Chapter of the signe of the Crosse Where he perswadeth this manner of blessing our selues against all euill Making with the thumbe a crosse vpon the forehead against all euill thoughts Another vpon the mouth against euill words The third vpon the breast against euill workes which proceed from the heart saying By the signe of the holy Crosse from all our enemies deliuer vs good Lord. This is modest blasphemy compared with that in the Breuiary of the Church of Rome where vpon the feast of the Inuent of the crosse the people are required to prostrate themselues before the crosse and to say these words O crux splendidior astris salva catervam in tuis laudibus congregatam Is not this a flying from our father which is in heauen to seeke helpe against euills from a creature the work of mans hands thus doth the idolatrous Church of Rome dishonour God with highest contumely and blasphemy In like manner their desertion of God is further declared in their inuocations of the virgin Mary of Angels and Saints and their images their Agni Dei hallowed graines and Medailes which the superstitious papists doe beare about them as their munition and defence against euils that God may renew his old complaint My people haue committed two euils they haue forsaken me the fountaine of liuing waters and hewed them out Cisternes that can hold no water Against this damnable error and practise let vs learne of him that teacheth vs here to pray of whom we may seeke for deliuerance from all euills let vs obserue the way of the faithfull in all ages of the Church and see who gaue them deliuerance and whither they resorted in all feares and pressures and we shall find that all the faithfull haue sought and found deliuerance no where but in the arme of our father which is in heauen 3 The duties of such as moue God in this petition Let vs see where this petition is placed for it is the last request that we make to God in this prayer teaching vs that none are capable of deliuerance from the power and fury of the Deuill but such as desire of God heartily and zealously 1 That the name of God may haue right done to it by him by hallowing of it 2 That the kingdome of God may rule him 3 That he may liue in obedience of the holy will of God all his life 4 That he may liue vnder the prouidence of God seeking his meat from him and receiuing it with his blessing thankfully and contentedly 5 That he may be pardoned all his sinnes in the mercy of God and shew mercy himselfe to such as offend him 6 That he may be free from new defections or relapses He that faithfully beleeueth and feruently desireth and heartily prayeth for these spirituall graces may safely pray it out Libera nos à malo Therefore all the duties of zeale and piety of knowledge obedience charity temperance mercy repentance godly life are required of him that sollicites this sute to God to be deliuered from all euill for hee that would not suffer ill must take heed as much as hee can to doe none The first caution directeth vs how to compose our selues for this petition that we may preuaile with our God for deliuerance that is by seeking first the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof by desiring to liue in the sober and thankfull vse of his creatures and maintaining a good conscience toward God and men 2 Seeing we pray for deliuerance from all euill wee are admonished to decline and avoid all the occasions of euill he that would not haue his teeth set on edge let him not taste of sowre grapes it is the forbidden fruit that embroileth vs in all the calamities of life that vnparadiseth vs and turnes vs ouer to labour and sorrow It is a certaine signe of our regeneration if wee haue a care to keepe our selues from these euills As S. Iohn saith We know that he that is borne of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that wicked one toucheth him not Which words doe shew that there is a seed of grace in the elect whereby they may keepe themselues from the touch of Sathan The way to keepe our selues from this danger is by Saint Paul thus opened Holding faith and a good conscience 1 Holding faith that is depending only vpon God for our safety louing him and cleauing to him trusting him and resting vpon him desiring the constant course of his vnchangeable loue to vs in Christ Iesus For nothing doth more establish our hearts in faith then the sweet experience that we haue had of Gods former mercies and loue to vs from which we conclude the vndoubted assurance of his future prouidence This was Dauids plea. By thee haue I beene holden vp from the wombe thou art he that tooke me out of my mothers
A GODLY LEARNED EXPOSITION TOGETHER with apt and profitable Notes on the LORDS PRAYER Written by the late Reuerend Orthodoxe Diuine and faithfull Seruant of Iesus Christ SAMVEL PAGE Doctor in Diuinity and Preacher of Gods Word at Deptford Stronde in the County of Kent Published since his death BY NATHANIEL SNAPE of Grayes Inne Esquire LONDON Printed by THOMAS HARPER 1631. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THOMAS Lord Couentry Baron of Ailsborough and Lord Keeper of the Great Seale of ENGLAND c. Right Honourable YOur naturall propensitie and noble inclination to Learning and Religion your good acceptance of this Authors little Manual of priuate Deuotions lately presented to your Lordship and my particular obligation are the cause of this my dedication My relation to the Author brought his papers to my hands and a desire of the Churches benefit bids me send them to the Presse I thought fit to begin with this vpon the Lords Prayer it being the Principle and Rudiment of Christian Religion And albeit diuers learned Expositors haue trauelled very farre in discouerie of the hidden treasure of this Celestiall Myne yet such is the mysterious plenteousnesse of this compendium of Diuinity which is a contexture of God Almighty his owne making as that it doth and euer will affoord continuall studie to the most laborious and curious searcher This is such a prayer as S. Augustine Math. 6. speaketh of Quae paucis verbis res multiplices comprehendit Cuius mysteriorum profunditate Ingeniosorum prudentia stupescit It is a prayer dictated out of Gods owne mouth for our studie and imitation and therefore I shall neede no other motiue to your Lordships fauourable acceptation hereof For the Author your Lordship had some knowledge of him he must be tam quam that is a right Minister of God all his life must as Saint Greg. super Eze. hom 3. saith sonare verbo ardere desiderio And that the Author was not vnlike thus farre I may safely aduenture to the praise of his memory that the Clergy thought him a reuerend learned and orthodoxe Diuine and that the Laytie found him alwaies painfully zealous in the Ministery vpright and conscionable in his life and conuersation how he hath approued himselfe by these his labours I doe in all humblenesse submit to your Lordships graue iudgement and the iudicious Reader Your Lordships humbly deuoted NATHANIEL SNAPE AN EXPOSITION VPON THE LORDS PRAYER LVC. 11.1 And it came to passe that as he was praying in a certaine place when he ceased one of his Disciples said vnto him Lord teach vs to pray as Iohn also taught his Disciples I Follow our Church Catechisme for after the law of the tenne Commandements this caution followeth know this that thou art not able to doe these things of thy selfe nor to walke in the Commandements of God and to serue him without his speciall grace which thou must learne at all times to call for by diligent praier And as we cannot obey without the helpe of praier neither can we pray without both 1 Teaching what and how to pray 2 Helpe and assistance in our praier The Apostle doth confesse this generall and common defect in vs all We know not what wee should pray for as we ought so there is a quid the matter of our praiers and a sicut the manner of them to be learned and there is an helpe to be sought for to carry vs through this holy duty that God may haue honour we good by our praiers Therefore I begin the doctrine of praier at this place wherein 1 There is example of praying shewed the best and greatest Christ himselfe 2 Thereupon a motion is made to Christ the best and ablest Doctor of the Church to direct in praier Doce nos 3 An instance giuen of the like Sicut Ioannes etiam docuit discipulos suos 1 Concerning the example It came to passe that he was praying in a certaine place This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 factum est doth intimate the example of purpose shewed to the Disciples to giue them this occasion to desire instruction in the vse of praier for by such baits the great Fisher of men doth catch men and if we could take notice of it God hath many meanes in continuall tender to vs to inuite and prouoke vs to guide also and direct vs to put vs on and encourage vs to those holy duties which please him Sathan and the world and the flesh cast out their baits of temptations to euill and few of them miscarry but they take Let vs not omit these liuing bookes of Doctrine these walking tables of duty when good examples offer themselues to our eyes especially seeing Saint Peter saith we must ambulare sicut ille wee are much bound to the loue of the holy Ghost who left vs these true Records of his walking that as his mediation with the Father is our way to glory so his example of good life may bee our way of holy conuersation It is that which the Apostle doth require in Timothy Be thou an example of the beleeuers in word in conuersation in charity in spirit in faith in purity and in Titus In all things shew thy selfe an example of good workes The Minister that buildeth onely by his Preaching is but an holy day Preacher but he that buildeth also by example is a continuall preacher Me audite hath life in it when it is followed with sequimini me you shall see after how this good example wrought Christ praied there is often mention of Christs praying the Author to the Hebrewes saith that in the daies of his flesh he cried with strong cryes He spent a whole night in praier He rose in the morning a great while before day hee went out and departed into a solitarie place and there praied So that hee hath giuen himselfe to vs an example of praier of frequent of feruent praier of publike of priuate and secret praier Consider then who giueth vs example of praier the Sonne of God in whom dwelleth the fulnesse of the God-head bodily and who thought it no robberie to be equall with God who therefore is heire of all things and who was in want of nothing who could say Omnia mea tua sunt omnia tua mea sunt There be three vses of praier 1 For necessity some say that petitio est soboles indigentiae and so Christ needed not to pray for he wanted no grace which God had to bestow vpon his humane nature but praier is our city of refuge for our helpe is in the name of the Lord. The name of the Lord is a strong tower to them that trust in him the righteous runneth into it and is safe Praier acquainteth God with our necessities not that he is ignorant of them for wee say well that he knoweth our necessities before we aske and our ignorance in asking and he desireth not our praiers for his owne information but that wee may declare our selues
that spirit that makes vs ouerbold with God is a spirit of presumption and a spirit of pride The holy Spirit of God doth so reueale vs to our selues that we haue cause to feare but not to despaire of grace in time of need it doth not discourage vs from praying but helpeth our infirmities in praying They that feele not these infirmities need not this spirit the whole haue no need of the Physitian therefore incipe ab hoc sensu Thus awakened to a feeling of their want they cry doce nos Which teacheth vs in all defects in our vnderstanding to seeke instruction to desire to be taught for that is the wise mans it is wisdomes aduice If thou cryest after knowledge and liftest vp thy voice for vnderstanding If thou seekest her as siluer and searchest for her as for hid treasures Then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God Wisdome must be sought and you see it is worth the seeking It is a great fauour of God that he hath left his spirit in his Church to teach vs all things necessary for vs to know And it is a good method of holy discretion to begin at doce me before we vndertake to say Come ye children hearken vnto me and I will teach you This is one of the showres of grace that fell vpon the Church after Christs ascension for he led captiuity captiue and he gaue gifts vnto men The Apostle commeth to particulars some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers For the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ This sheweth that God hath left in his holy Church sufficient meanes for the instruction thereof in all holy duties The point is that so many as would bee perfected and built vp in these duties doe seeke that perfection and edification in the meanes ordained by God hee hath said spiritus docebit vos and we haue this treasure of the spirit in earthen vessels that is in them whom the holy ghost hath set apart by speciall vocation to this seruice of God in the congregation So Saint Paul admonisheth the Elders that they take care to feed the flock whereof the holy Ghost hath made them ouerseers And as it is our duties to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so our hearts must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as must feele their owne defects and must say to their teachers Doce me Now for the matter of their suit 1 Their desire to be taught what to pray for A necessary point to be learned for our desires doe affect many things which we may not aske of God by prayer petimus quae appetimus Solomon had the treasures of grace set wide open to him and commanded to aske what he would of God he asked wisdome which God took so well that with wisdome he gaue him other things in abundance heare the word of God to him Because thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thy selfe long life neither hast asked riches for thy selfe nor hast asked the life of thine enemies These bee things that euery man would faine haue long life and riches to accommodate that life withall that our heart desireth and all our enemies out of the way that we might haue nothing to crosse vs. Solomon past by these and begged wisdome this doth serue for all those turnes 2 For long life for Solomon saith dixit pater Heare O my sonne and receiue my sayings and the yeares of thy life shall be many 2 For riches he also addeth Thy barnes shall be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine 3 For the life of our enemies we need not pray for if our enemies be Gods enemies he shall destroy all them that hate him hee will make their flesh to consume like the fat of lambes We are assured that if naturall parents will heare and grant the requests of their children much rather will God giue good things to them that aske of him What those good things be in generall we may know by that of S. Iohn If we aske any thing according to his will hee heareth vs Si utilia non futilia petimus The Scripture is the cleare reuelation of the will of God best light that sheweth vs what is good and what the Lord requireth of vs and what wee may lawfully desire of him And our Sauiour Christ when hee answereth this their request doth briefely comprehend in a short prayer that same summam petendorum which both directeth vs what and limiteth vs how farre wee may aske of the father in his name They that come to aske by prayer without this direction may haue the same answer that the two sonnes of Zebede had you know not what you aske Therefore we must be well aduised what we aske for vnlawfull and vnmeete demands doe turne our prayers into sinne to vs and into dishonour of God whom we petition 2 Their doce nos doth include also the manner of their prayers teach vs how to pray as we ought There are many things required to the right manner of prayer 1 We must pray with vnderstanding that is wee must know what we aske of God in our petitions lest God answer vs as Christ answered the sonnes of Zebede you know not what you aske This condemneth Popish prayers made in a strange language and not vnderstood which is so great an abuse of that holy act of religion as nothing can more vnworthy it S. Aug. alleageth the words of David Beatus populus qui scit iubilationem as the Kings Bible rendreth it Blessed is the people that know the ioyfull sound they shall walke O Lord in the light of thy countenance His note from thence is Quid hoc sit intelligere debemus ut humanâ ratione non quasi avium voce cantemus nam merulae psittaci corvi picae saepe ab hominibus docentur sonare quod nesciunt Scienter autem cantare non avised homini divinâ voluntate concessum est Caelius Rhodoginus writeth that Cardinall Ascanius had a Popiniay that could pronounce distinctly all the articles of the Creed S. Basils rule is lingua sonet mens autem scrutetur sensum eorum quae dicuntur I may vse the words of godly Malachy to such as put vp prayers which they vnderstand not to God Goe now offer this to thy Prince and see if he will accept thy person Will he not thinke himselfe abused and dismisse thee with some sharpe punishment Let me now speake to you my brethren who haue liued long in the light of the gospell where you may haue Manna enough for gathering nay where it is gathered to your hands and nothing required of you but to come and fill your Homers and carry them away full in our publique ministery of the word If
declare vnto you the whole counsell of God The principall points of our doctrine are what wee must beleeue what wee must doe and what wee must pray for The doctrine of faith the doctrine of good life and the doctrine of prayer Iohn taught all these for 1 He preached Christ to them the ground of faith 2 He exhorted them to repentance and good life 3 He taught them also to pray His example is our direction in all these things You also haue two lessons from hence 1 To stirre vp your selues by the example of other Disciples and other congregations to doe the like if you heare of their diligence in hearing and their proficiencie in learning the duties of Gods worship let their sicut their good example inflame you with holy emulation to make as good a progression in knowledge and piety as they haue made For why should other congregations outlearne you in these necessarie duties doe not you thinke that God will require his good seed of the word sowne in you and examine what you haue done with it 2 You are further to be moued to an holy emulation of Gods graces in your selues to contend with your selues to increase your knowledge adde strength and growth to your iudgement that you may outgrow your owne infancy and minority in that spirituall vegetation which is called incrementum Dei so Andrew that had learned of Iohn comes now to be taught of Christ 3 You haue a faire example to require instruction at the hands of them who haue the ouersight of you you may say to that Archippus as the Disciples of Christ did to Christ teach vs as Iohn taught his Disciples that is you may stirre vp your Minister to teach and instruct you as other faithfull and conscionable Ministers of the word doe instruct their congregations The Apostle biddeth the Colossians say to Archippus Take heed to the ministery which thou hast receiued in the Lord that thou fulfill it You haue the same right to his labours in his calling as he hath to the tithes of your labours Christs Disciples put him to it to teach them and let all people doe the like to their minister LVC. 11.2 And hee said vnto them when you pray say Our Father c. HEre begins Christs answer to the Disciples motion in which you may obserue 1 That he answers 2 What he answers 1 That he answers The answer of Christ is ready and present declaring that he accepteth the persons and the requests of these petitioners and herein hee comforteth such as cannot pray declaring himselfe readie to teach them if they demand it of him and he comforteth them that pray to him for any thing necessarie that he heareth prayers and granteth requests So that they which pretend they cannot pray haue no excuse for they know where they may be taught euen in this it is but aske and it shall be giuen to you If Iohn taught his Disciples to pray how much more and sooner will Christ teach those that come to him if the lampe shined so cleare to his schollars how much brighter will the shine bee of this Sunne of righteousnesse But as they made this motion for themselues and for vs so Christ taught them in his answere for themselues and for vs and for the whole Church to the worlds end Christ is now sitting at the right hand of his father but this record of his answere to direct vs in prayer liues in this book of the eternall gospell here wee may haue it at a short warning and though Iohns prayer be lost and no monument left of it yet this holy direction contained in his answere to his disciples shall remaine and what he saith to them hee saith to all that haue the same desire and affection to learne to pray When you pray say Our father c. Our comfortable lesson from hence is that it is not labour lost to come to Christ with our petitions to bee instructed as he is the wisdome of the father to teach vs so he is the goodnesse and loue of his father and our father to heare and answere our lawfull and good petitions Which Dauid doth make as an encouragement to all men to pray O thou that hearest prayer vnto thee shall all flesh come This is wisdome to know how to speake and what to aske of God and S. Iames biddeth If any of you lack wisdome let him aske of God who giueth to all men liberally 2 What he answereth When you pray say Our father His answere doth containe a forme of holy prayer to be vsed when you pray wherein two mistakes may wrong the good meaning of our Sauiour 1 If wee thinke this so precise a direction for prayer as that we may neuer vse any other words but these in prayer but that all our prayers must be totidem verbis for that that is not our Sauiours meaning is plain in the doctrine of prayer deliuered by our Sauiour in the sermon which he preached on the mount where hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is pray on this manner or to this purpose according to these instructions in this forme contained For I must informe you that the precise frame of the prayer for the words thereof is not punctually the same in S. Matthew and S. Luke which shewes that there is no necssitation of the Church obliging it to the words thereof 2 Another mistake is on the contrary hand when we quite forsake the words which Christ himselfe hath put into our mouthes and esteeme this prayer but as a coppy to write after a mould to make prayers by and not a prayer it selfe This error hath put it selfe in print and some of our nouelists haue taken vpon them to shew reason why this should neuer be vsed for a prayer His late Maiesty of worthy memory giues a quick touch of this erroneous fancy in his learned and godly exposition of the Lords prayer for he saith that the Brownists the authors of this opinion doe approue this prayer for a samplar to make prayers by but refuse it for a prayer because they hold all set formes of prayer vnlawfull His Maiesty saith well that they like praying by descant and not by plainesong by commentary but not by text 1 One reason against the vse of this prayer is because it is Scripture which were a good reason to iustifie the vse of it for that is the vse of Dauids Psalmes and the holy hymnes of Scripture to apply them to our occasion It is Scripture In manus tuas Domine commendo animam meam yet Christ vsed it for a prayer vpon the crosse 2 They alledge that prayer must expresse our wants to God in particular but the Lords prayer is generall Our answer is that both in generall and in particular we must pray to God and therefore our larger prayers doe referre themselues to the generall heads of this prayer and this concludeth them all and this prayer is
full euen in particular petitions 3 They plead that this is not to be vsed for a prayer because it is but the patterne by which prayers are to be made which we answere thus 1 It is vntrue that this is onely a patterne to make prayers by it is a prayer also 2 It is no good consequence because it is a patterne therefore it is not a prayer for it is plaine that it is both and it is a sinne against holy Scripture to abridge the full vse of it We alleadge for the vse of it 1 The plaine precept of our Sauiour Pray Our father c. not thus only but this and so long as wee doe what he commandeth we cannot doe amisse 2 The excellency of it from the author for it was dictated from Christ himselfe who best knoweth how to direct and is best acquainted with the stile of heauen 3 The excellency of it from the matter containing in it the summe of all things to bee desired of God by vs. 4 The excellency from the method of it containing the perfect order of those things which are to bee desired which first 5 The excellency of it for vse being a short and compendious composition easie to be remembred and repeated 6 The excellency of it for perspicuity and plainnesse being easie to such as desire to informe themselues what and how to pray 7 The excellency of it in the continuall practise of the Church euer since it was taught first by Christ in all the ages of the Church and the best examples of all times S. Cyprian speaketh to so good purpose for the vse of this prayer as I shall thinke his words worthy your hearing and consideration Quae potest esse magis spiritualis oratio quà m quae à Christo nobis data est à quo nobis spiritus sanctus missus est Quae vera magis apud Deum precatio quà m quae à filio qui est veritas de ejus ore prolata est Oremus itaque fratres dilectissimi sicut magister Deus docuit Amica familiaris rogatio est Deum de suo rogare ad aures ejus ascendere Christi orationem Agnoscat pater filij sui verba cum precem faciamus Qui habitat intùs in pectore ipse sit in voce cum ipsum habeamus advocatum apud patrem pro peccatis nostris quando pro delictis nostris peccatores nos petimus advocati nostri verba promamus Nam cum dicat quodcunque petieritis in nomine meo dabit vobis quantò efficaciùs impetramus quod in nomine ejus petimus si petamus ipsius oratione You see in this learned father and godly martyr that the vse of this prayer is both commanded earnestly and iustified by strong reasons effectually S. Aug. preaching vpon this prayer doth fall into admiration of it saying O verè coelestis oratio quae tota est oratio De tempore serm 126. Therefore Master Calvin learnedly and iudiciously falleth also into admiration of the louing kindnes and fauour of Christ to vs Dum unigenitus Dei filius nobis verba in os suggerit quae mentem nostram omni haesitatione expediant He also calleth it formam and regulam of praying for indeed it is both So I hope I haue satisfied you in the point of lawfulnesse to vse these very words in prayer 3 I must adde yet another rub in our way before I come to the words of the prayer The King complaineth in his exposition hereof that in the conference at Hampton Court wherein the chiefe agents on the behalfe of those who tooke exceptions to our Liturgy were heard and their grieuances there laid open this was one that the Lords prayer is so often repeated in our common seruice as it is indeed After the confession and absolution and againe in the Letany And amiddest the seruice after the lesson againe before the ten commandements bee read it is appointed to be repeated His Maiesty thinks they that dislike the often vse of it would haue as little of it as they could and peraduenture none of it if they durst appeare to their secret dislike Let me be accomptable to you why this prayer is so often vsed in our Church seruice Durandus saith well that it is Sal omnium diuinorum officiorum And so interspersed seasoneth euery part of our seruice 1 After confession of our sinnes to God and the absolution of the penitent pronounced to the comfort of all that haue repentingly confessed their sinnes This prayer hath good place for how shall we better begin our directions in Gods house of prayer then with the prayer that his Sonne the Master of this house hath taught vs. This is vsed at first for the sanctifying of vs to the holy seruice then begun for comming there to feed our soules with the bread of life it is grace before our spirituall meat 2 When we haue heard the word of God in the Psalmes and Lessons the Priest in the name of God blesseth the people and they him and they returne to their deuotions in prayer which we also resume beginning at that prayer which doth regulate all the rest it craueth a blessing vpon the word which wee haue heard and it putteth vs on with more earnestnesse and encrease of zeale to prostrate our wants before God And therein wee shew our obedience in praying the words of Christ and after our holy wisdome in our other praiers composing them according to the rule of that prayer 3 The Letany contaīneth a full exposition of the Lords prayer beeing the most diuine composition that euer the sanctified heart of man composed besides the holy canonicall Scripture fit for all times for all persons and therefore wee conclude that with the Lords prayer as the Well head from whence euery drop of it deriued it selfe It is also appointed to be repeated before the tenne Commandements as a preparatiue to the hearing of the law of God that we may seeke from God all necessarie graces both spirituall and temporall whereby we are inabled to the faithfull keeping of the law in affection and holy obedience True it is that if wee doe but onely say ouer the words of this praier and doe not zealously apply it to these occasions it is a vaine lip-labour and God is much dishonoured in it therefore doe but wisely consider the holy vse that may be made of it and Gods seruice shall be much aduanced in the reuerend vse of it Another reason for the frequent vse of this praier is in respect of the full contents of it for it is so large and extendeth it selfe to so many necessary graces desired as no mans memory can so soone present them to his affection to send vp our petitions to God for them all in the flames of zeale and deuotion all at once wee haue therefore no better way then to frame our requests according to euery petition and then to returne with the same words to God But what
if we repeate the same words to iterate the same petitions to God why is it more blameable in vs then in Christ himselfe who in the Garden is said to haue vsed three times seuerally the same words not the same petition onely Or then in Saint Paul who when Sathan buffeted him did three times pray the same prayer as hee confesseth Neither can I be perswaded that the contrite Publican in the Gospell did giue ouer with once saying Lord be mercifull vnto me a sinner no question he often pressed his humble suit The practise of the Church of Rome to say ouer so many Pater nosters like Parrets not vnderstanding what they say or thinking that God will take his seruice and our deuotions by number without weight is an abhominable abusing of the Maiestie of God and of the holy exercise of prayer it is also a foolish beguiling of themselues But the often repeating this prayer or any other made by the rule of this or any one petition of this is a good signe of that importunity which Christ commendeth in prayer and which we finde effectuall by the euents thereof in the parable of the Widow and vniust Iudge and of him that borrowed loaues of his neighbour It is a rule of charitie to make the best construction we can of any thing that is done or said by our neighbour and therefore in the directions of the holy Church of which we are members and parts and into which by our Baptisme we are admitted it is both piety and charity to make the best of all and not to abuse our wit to finde faults we are very happy in this that God hath by his owne Sonne taught vs both what good things to aske of God and in what fit words and I dare presse the frequent vse hereof vpon warrant of this plain and cleare text Quando oratis dicite quandocunque oratis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may beare a siquando Here is the wood for our sacrifice the very matter of prayer prouided to our hands and methodically put in order we haue rather the sacrifice it selfe prepared and nothing wanteth but fire from heauen to enflame it that is our holy zeale and that may be had for asking if by faith we demand it of God Plato finding that the people of his time were very ill instructed how to pray and did many times desire things to their owne hurt taught them this forme of prayer from an old Poet Iuppiter rex optima nobis vouentibus non vouentibus tribue mala autem poscentibus quoque abesse iube But we may say of Christ hee hath shewed thee O man what is good what thou maist boldly aske by faith he hath drawne thy petition himselfe and puts thee on vpon thy suit that thou shalt neither goe on thine owne head nor in thine owne name ne pecces lingua tua I will yet adde one note Christ saith when ye pray as putting it for granted that you thinke vpon it as a necessary duty that you resolue vpon it as a fit seruice of God to pray So when you Fast saith hee doe thus as supposing that you will finde times for these things if you make no conscience of prayer this direction is of no vse to you To pray you haue heard is an holy serious act of religion and a principall part of Gods worship when you really doe that say thus if it be but saying of prayers as good let it alone It is to no purpose to teach men how to pray that haue no meaning or purpose to pray neither is it to any purpose to teach them the way to heauen that set their faces not to Ierusalem but to Babylon It is a great fault in them that doe not pray and yet say Our father as all they doe whose tongues repeat the words and yet neither their vnderstandings are instructed either in the matter or order of the petitions nor their affections once moued at any thing they say This is a direction for none but such as desire to learne it for none but such as desire to make vse of it that is for such as would poure sorth their hearts and open their desires to God When you meane to doe so you may either vse these very words or you may frame your petitions in this order or if you haue any one of these petitions alone to sollicite God in this may be your rule and direction I must therefore call vpon you to pray and in your prayer to follow this holy direction and to make you more able for it I haue vndertaken to interpret this holy prayer to you wherein you shall see what you may aske and you must keepe you so precisely to this rule as not to dare to aske any thing else for Christ would not say when you pray say Our father but that he meaneth to giue you a full instruction and to set you in a good and perfect way of prayer Whatsoeuer you aske more then this or beside this is sinne and prouoketh God against you Our Father which art in heauen I come now to the prayer it selfe and herein I will not forsake a path so well beaten before me by so many great and learned iudgements both ancient and of yesterday who diuide this whole prayer into three parts 1 An inuocation in the first words 2 Petitions in the body of it 3 A conclusion giuing reason of both 1 Of the Inuocation This hath three words in it which containe the three parts of the inuocation 1 Father shewing who it is to whom our praiers are directed 2 Our expressing the interest that wee haue in him 3 In heauen pointing to the place from whence we looke for helpe and where this our heauenly father is 1 Father herein consider 1 Who is meant in that title 2 Why he is inuocated vnder that title 1 Who is meant No doubt is made that this praier is addressed to God and it is cleare that in this we are by Christ onely directed to God for when they sayd doce nos orare they desired the full instruction in all things concerning praier and when Christ answered them pray our Father he gaue them a full direction in which it is necessary mainely that they be taught to whom they must pray and if Christ doe onely direct them to God wee may conclude that none but God may be called vpon in our praier Our reasons for this onely inuocation of the name of God are 1 From this direction for if any else be to be inuocated Christ himselfe hath not giuen a full instruction who directeth vs onely to our Father in heauen But it is sinnefull to charge the wisedome of God with defect in his directions for if we aske wisedome of God hee giueth it abundantly as S. Iames saith this had beene short of giuing wisedome abundantly for he hath not giuen
tendernesse secondly immutabilitie 2 The name of Father putteth vs to search what right we haue to that name 1 There is a generall interest in that name which is communicated to all creatures by which all things that haue being must call God their Father because hee is to them all the author both of their being and conseruation for of him and by him and through him are all things And if Iabal may be called the father of all such as dwell in tents and of such as haue Cattell And Iubal the father of such as handle the Harpe and Organs Because these were the first beginners of these arts amongst men Much more may all things call God their common Father in whom all things liue moue and haue their being But thus God is the father of wicked men of the deuils and of hell as being the Creator of their substances and the author of their being The Church of God doth not vnderualue this interest in God though thus common to all creatures that haue being though the worst and most despised creatures of earth sea and hell doe participate with them therein Who loues the ayre the worse because euill men and noxious creatures hurtfull to man doe breath it in and out and liue by it Who loues the Sunne the worse because it shines vpon the good and bad vpon sweet gardens and loathsome stinkes and dunghils or the raine that fals vpon all grounds Amongst the benefits that wee thanke God for this hath good place wee giue him thankes that when we were not he gaue vs a being It is a great wisedome and it is attained by faith to vnderstand that the world was ordained by the word of God so that the things which we see are not made of things which did appeare And therefore the Prophet calleth vpon the creatures the Angels the hoast of heauen the Sunne and Moone and Starres and Waters c. Let them praise the name of the Lord for he commanded and they were created He also established them The donation of being and the conseruation in being be great fauours and therefore God is called Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keeping all things This putteth vs in minde to take heed that we turne not the blessing of our being into a curse by corrupting our waies and doing euill in the sight of God It is otherwise with vs then it is with other creatures many of them perish and loose their being Angels and men are created to immortality and they that possesse not the immortality of life and glory shall bee possessed of the contrary immortality of confusion and paine So that the doctrine of our creation doth admonish vs to remember our Creator betimes that we may addresse our whole being to him for we see that all other creatures in their kinde doe serue him and keepe the vse for which they were ordained 2 There is a more speciall interest in this title of Father belonging to men who haue receiued fauour in their creation aboue other creatures 1 For he made man in imagine suâ which he did to no other creature on earth 2 He made him in honour but a little lower then the Angels crowned with glory 3 Hee made him immortall for though his fall brought in death yet the death of Christ destroyed it and the soules of men cannot die and the dead bodies of men shall rise againe to an eternall reunion with their soules 4 He made him to rule And this putteth vs in minde of a great debt of duty to God who hauing vs as his clay in his hand when he might haue made vs beasts or fowles and fishes wormes or flyes he chose rather to make vs men to giue vs the vse of reason discourse and speech Which though it be a gift common to vs with the wicked and vngodly of the earth yet let vs thinke neuer the worse of it for to be a man is to be an epitome a little Mappe of the whole world and there is a way open for men as much to excell men as men generally are more excellent then bruit beasts 3 There is yet a more speciall interest that some men haue in this title to call God Father then others haue which none but Christ can warrant vs to challenge and therefore none but he can teach vs to call God Father in this sense and that is by right of adoption For when we had lost the fauour of God being dead in trespasses and sinnes and separated from the life of God and thereby in a more miserable condition then all our seruant creatures associated also with those rebell Angels that kept not their first estate but forsooke their habitation Then it pleased God to send his sonne first in promises then in types shadowes and in the fulnesse of time in the fulnesse of performance to reconcile vs to himselfe and to purchase for vs an eternall inheritance that we might be called the sonnes of God and enfeoffed in all the liberties of Gods elect children so the Apostle We haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby wee cry Abba that is father This is the interest of all the faithfull in God and none but the elect doe call him by that name by a iust claime to the graces annexed to that name and deriued from it Rea. 3 This reuealeth to vs a third reason why we call God Father that is to shew that we goe to him in our prayers the right way which is by Iesus Christ for there is no other way to the Father One Mediatour betweene God and man the man Iesus Christ For in this last kinde of gratious paternity God is onely a Father to vs in Christ and for his sake And to shew our faith in God grounded vpon the sufficient merits of Iesus Christ wee seeke the face of God vnder that title which our Iesus hath bought with his bloud which is called the bloud of the euerlasting couenant So that the name of Father giuen to God in this prayer doth teach vs that all the prayers of the Church must be offered vp to God in the mediation of Iesus Christ For we call not God Father by Angels or Saints but by Christ onely therefore we must seeke this Father onely in and by Iesus Christ He himself hath taught vs this for he saith whatsoeuer you shall aske the Father in my name it shall be giuen you The Renegado of Spalato in his last Manifesto doth muster vp heapes of proofes to maintaine inuocation of Angels and Saints against the truth against his owne former auouchments of the contrarie against his owne conscience if he haue any left after his apostacie He laboureth to proue that Angels and Saints departed doe continually pray for vs wee deny it not wee know that there is a communion of charity in the whole body of the Church and doubt not of their perfect charitie who are released hence
1 I obserue how quickly vpon the forbearance of the law the Papists doe take aduantage to congregate themselues into assemblies and to make open profession of their opposition to vs. 2. How readie the treacherous Priests who haue fallen from vs by Apostasie are to confirme the Apostasie of such as are gone from vs to tempt others not established 3. Another speciall obseruation in that conuenticle was the time when this suddaine destruction came vpon Papists it was by their new computation of the yeare in the Gregorian Calender on their fift day of Nouember So that God would haue them tast of his iustice with a touch and remembrance of that dismall day which their religion had dessigned to our ruine now they haue their fift of Nouember as well as we but with so mercifull a difference on our part so iust a difference on their part that when they shall thinke of our fift of Nouember they may see their owne hand plotting mischiefe Gods hand detecting and defeating it and their fift of Nouember will acknowledge no hand but of Almighty God in the whole worke of their destruction Their intendment forged in hell was to haue wrought vpward to blow vp all this execution from the hand of God wrought downeward in the fall On our fift of Nouember the great assembly of the State which maintaine true Religions was aimed at On their fift of Nouember a priuate Conuenticle hereticall changelings and such as haue denied the faith of Christ here rightly and sincerely taught were hit And as their day intended the sodaine death of some of their owne friends to make those whom they hated more sure So it is to be feared that some of our owne Protestants somewhat too curious to pry somewhit too daring to aduenture into the tents of the enemie did pay deare for their ouer curious diligence in ioyning themselues with vnlawfull assemblies The vse of those fearefull examples of Gods iustice vpon those that forsake the true Church of God is not to reioyce in their destruction But secondly to remember the threatning Word of our Sauiour Except yee repent yee shall all likewise perish For God wanteth not matter of iust quarrell against the best of vs all to punish vs also and to make vs examples of his iust vengeance if he were not our Father louing and indulgent toward vs for Christs sake in whom he loueth and spareth and forbeareth vs and we haue no other way to keepe him a father but by our true repentance of our sinnes and obedience to his holy Word 2. It is a warning to vs seeing he that we pray to is our father in a speciall reference to all the sincere professours of the holy truth of God without schisme heresie or superstition that therefore we keepe our selues in the vnity of the Church not forsaking the assemblies of our brethren whom either faction or superstition hath separated from vs. These sinners against their owne soules are a dangerous societie let vs haue nothing to doe with them in their hereticall seperations the very eye vpon them may bee dangerous for these are the windowes of the body Mors intrat per fenestras Dauids Prayer is Auerie oculos meos ne videant vanitatem And let not vs say aperiam oculos meos vt videam If we take hurt by looking on we may too late complaine with him in the Poet Cur aliquid vidi Cur noxia lumina feci Is it not safer to avoyd poyson then to drinke it in vpon confidence of our antidote 3. Let the name of our Father moue a compassion in vs towards our brethren staggering in Religion to confirme them fallen from vs to reduce them to the vnity of our Church this partly by our earnest prayers to God for them partly by our wholesome and good counsailes giuen to them partly by the example of our good life directing them when they shall be witnesses of our conformity in life with the doctrine of our faith may be happily performed with much more ioy then we can take in the ruine and destruction of them though they be a generation that doth not set their hearts aright and in whose sight our liues are nothing pretious Till God do declare them his enemies let vs hope and iudge the best of them but the time shall come when God will come himselfe to purge his floore and to diuide betweene the Chaffe and the Wheat betweene the good graine the tares then those whom God shall cast off as his enemies the communion of Saints shall know them and they shall haue warrant to reioyce in their eternall destruction and they shall haue commandement from the iudge of quicke and dead to triumph ouer them Reioyce ouer her thou heauen and yee holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath auenged you on her And in the next Chapter there is an Halleluiah sung in heauen and God is praised for the destruction of Babylon that is the kingdome of Antichrist Let vs with praier striue with God so long as we liue to encrease the number of his faithfull ones to dilate the boundes of his Church and to adde to it dayly such as may be saued with vs. And let vs with patience awaite the iustice of God which in the last day will be reuealed when the sheepe and goats shall be parted and when God shall declare both with whom we shall reioyce in the communion of his Saints and ouer whom we shall triumph in the Synagogue of Sathan then shall the glorie of God both wayes delight vs and we shall haue our desire vpon all Gods enemies Which art in heauen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who art in the heauens The name of heauen in Scripture is giuen at large to all that space that is aboue the earth so that the ayre where the fowles doe flye is called heauen and they volatilia coeli the planets and the fixed starres are heauenly bodies and there is an heauen farre aboue all heauens to which Christ is said to be exalted We comprehend all in this word for God is dwelling in them all Yet we must take heed that we confine not our God to any certaine place for he is infinite and incomprehensible himselfe telleth vs so Can any hide himselfe in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord doe not I fill heauen and earth saith the Lord Salomon confesseth when he had built God an house at Ierusalem Behold the heauen and heauen of heauens cannot containe thee how much lesse this house that I haue builded Else what comfort had we to pray or hope to bee heard if we did not beleeue the omnipresence of God Eliphaz in Iob doth dispute this point Is not God in the height of heauen and behold the height of the starres how high they are And thou saist how doth God know can hee iudge through the darke cloudes Thicke cloudes are a courening to him that he
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
of the name of God God withdrew his kingdome from them and cast them off This shewes how earnestly we had neede to fixe our hearts on the hallowing of Gods name that we may be bold to aske of him and may beleeue to obtaine of him the desired comming of his kingdome Concerning the enemies that we haue to hinder our settingforth and progression to this kingdom of glory they be all the same which would hinder the comming of the kingdome of grace for the way of grace leadeth vs to glorie Sathan by tempting vs here and by accusing vs to God The world partly by fascination of vs leading vs into an ouer-loue of things temporal partly by persecuting of vs with many afflictions and vexations of life Our owne bodie of sinne being like tinder ready to take fire from the least sparke of carnall suggestion all these lay themselues in our way to hinder our passage to this heauenly kingdome Against which we pray Adueniat regnum tuum that is O Lord let none of our enemies preuaile so farre against vs as to hinder the saluation of our soules 2 It is needfull to pray this in respect of the necessary graces of God which we doe naturally want by which wee are made members of that holy commonwealth which is subiect to the Kingdome of Gods grace and made capable of the kingdome of Gods glory These graces of God are partly outward partly inward and Spirituall 1 Of the outward 1 These are the libertie of the Gospell that wee may freely professe Christ and openly avow his holy worship and keepe his Sabbaths and holy daies and our publike meetings in the house of God there was a time when Dauid was forced to fly from the angry face of Saul and escape for his life then hee bewaileth this as his most heauy oppression that hee was banished from the Tabernacle and might not come to the meetings of the holy congregations hee hath a psalme of purpose for that complement Therefore we are much bound to God for this holy liberty of his house and seruice which wee enioy vnder the pious gouernment of our King and in this petition wee pray that this libertie may bee maintained and enlarged to vs and euermore continued that the free vse of the ministrie of the word holy Sacraments may be established in our Church and that the Lord of the haruest would furnish his work with worthy able labourers in this haruest for the perfiting of his Saints And consequently that God would remoue all hinderances to this light either arising from the opposition of such as are profest enemies to it or the wickednesse or vnsufficiency of such as by their weakenesse and vnworthinesse or by their idlenesse and vnprofitablenesse or their vngodlinesse and iniquity may hinder the free course of the Gospell or bring a scandall vpon the Church of God amongst vs. Further we pray for the efficacy of our Ministery in all those that are partakers thereof that God would thereby enlighten the vnderstandings of all our congregations that his name and seruice may be knowne to them and that they may not liue in darkenesse in the sunneshine of this glorious light of truth That when wisdome preacheth they may not walke as fooles when truth preacheth they may not belieue lies when faith preacheth they may not liue in infidelity when holinesse preacheth they may not liue in all sensuall vncleanesse walking in the way of their corrupt lusts in all abomination to the prouoking of God to anger against them The inward meanes for the aduancing of this kingdome of God here desired is the holy Ghost creating in vs new hearts and regenerating vs to a godly life and establishing vs in the same Christ promised to send this Spirit into his Church to abide with it for him foreuer to instruct it to be a remembrancer to it of all things that he had said to it To strengthen it against errours in doctrine to sanctifie it against corruptions of lusts fortifie it against the principalities and powers that oppose it to comfort it in spirituall and temporall grieuances So Adueniat regnum tuum is asmuch as reueale to vs that spirit which thou hast promised to supply thy roome in the perpetuall regiment of thy Church and let the holy Ghost gouerne vs This then is the suite Adueniat regnum gloriae nostrae We pray for the coming of the kingdome of Gods glory which is the consummation of our happinesse as if we would answer Christ he saith It is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome We cry Lord let it come Where our desire of the coming of it doth expresse our expectation of his coming to giue it to vs our loue of his coming and our longing desire of it The reasons why we desire this coming of it are 1 Because God hath reuealed to vs so great a mercy layed vp for vs and reserued in the decree of his good pleasure and wee may bouldly aske it of him for his commandement is Aske and receiue 2 Because God hath promised vs the gift of it and we may boldly claime all the precious promises of God in our praier promise is our warant 3 Because God hath reuealed to vs that he wil shorten 〈◊〉 dayes of the troubles of his Church for the elect sake We pray therefore for the hastening of that time according to his good pleasure 4 Because we haue great examples of this prayer both in earth and in heauen 1 Of the whole creature which groaneth and trauaileth in paine together with vs. Where insteed of praying for this aduent of Christs kingdome there is The earnest expectation of the creature waiting for the manifestation of the Sonne of God For the whole creature hath a promise to be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God 2 Of the elect of God here for that followes And not onely they but our selues also which haue the first fruits of the spirit euen wee our selues groane within our selues wayting for our adoption to wit the redemption of our body 3 We haue helpe in these our groanes from the spirit teaching vs as we ought to pray for this Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with groanings which cannot bee vttered 2 In heauen The soules vnder the altar of them that were slaine for the word of God and for the testimony which they held They cry with a loud voyce saying how long O Lord holy and true dost thou not iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth and they haue their petition answered That when the number of these Saints is fulfilled then this kingdome shall come 4 Regnum gloriae dei The comming of this kingdome is the full consummation of Gods glory both in his gratious mercy to saue
his Church and his vpright iustice in the finall confusion of all his enemies Then shall our glory be full when God is all in all and raigneth absolute soueraigne without any eclipse of glory by the interposure of opposition These are the full contents of this petition 3 What duties we learne from hence The proper duties arising from hence doe concerne vs 1 In our reference to our God 2 In the regard of our selues 3 In regard of our neighbours 1 In our reference to God 1 That wee seeke and labour to aduance the kingdome of God by all meanes that God may exercise his power and grace and mercy and glory freely and fully and that neither our ignorance nor infirmity nor iniquity may obscure his glory or resist his gouernment knowing for what wee were made that wee might bee temples of the holy Ghost that Christ might rule in our hearts by faith that wee might glorifie God in our bodies and in our soules because in our creation he gaue vs a perfect being and in our redemption hee accomplisht a full and perfect restitution of vs to his fauour and to all those full benefits which follow the same namely that Christ is made to vs of God wisedome iustification sanctification and finall redemption from all sinne and punishment For this what shall we render to the Lord is not this a debt that we owe to him to seeke the aduancement of his glory all that we can and to set forth his praise 2 In regard of our selues 1 It is our dutie to liue like subiects of this kingdome that is humbled vnder the mighty hand of God to the obedience of his will and stooped vnder the correcting hand with patience to beare his chastenings though for the present they seeme grieuous Contented with the state of life and the proportion of Gods allowance to vs for we resist his gouernment and repine at his administration of the world if wee bee not content with that which he bestoweth on vs resting vpon his holy prouidence in the vse of lawfull meanes for godlinesse and contentednesse must be ioyned in vs and our hearts must not fasten vpon things temporall but wee must looke before vs to the full reward which God hath laid vp for vs. 2 Seeing we liue vnder the kingdome of Gods grace in which we haue the liberty of that holy meanes by which we may grow vp to be perfect men in Christ Iesus We must not turne this grace of God into wantonnesse by abusing it to our owne perdition but like thriftie Merchants make the vttermost of these holy commodities that is Of the free liberty of the Word and Sacraments and of the house of God and his Saints of the ministerie of the Word and the holy writings of learned and pious men set forth for our further building vp to be an house for the Lord. Not in surfetting and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse not in strife and enuying this is not the way to heauen New creatures 3 Seeing wee liue in expectation of the kingdome of Gods glory our duty is to obserue and remember our latter end and to consider that our whole life is our way to this kingdome let vs therefore hasten toward it to meete it comming towards vs this was Iobs holy Meditation All the daies of my appointed time will I waite till my changing shall come And when death shall come let vs know and beleeue that it is no more but a translation from death to life and Transitus ad Regnum 4 Seeing wee pray for the comming of Gods glory that he may raigne ouer all let vs while we are here begin an heauen vpon earth by praising and magnifying the name of the Lord and practise the new song of the Church here that being admitted into the Quire of the iust we may not cease night and day to glorifie him in heauen where we shall be able to doe it more fully and perfectly 5 Let vs consider that there is no such way to make happy our temporall life as to liue thus in the humble subiection to this kingdome for who shall harme you if you doe that which is good godlinesse hath the promises of both liues and all things turne to the best to them that loue God 3 In regard of our neighbours We must seeke to draw one another to Gods kingdome like those in the Prophet They helped euery one his neighbour and euery one said to his brother be of good courage So the Lord Repent and turne others from their transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine And many shall goe and say come ye and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his waies and wee shall walke in his pathes O house of Iacob come ye and let vs walke in the light of the Lord this kingdome doth not breed iealousie here is enough for all LVC. 11.2 Thy will be done as in heauen so earth OBserue the coherence of these petitions which are martialed with such excellent wisedome that the first of them is the end which we aime at that God may be hallowed in vs in his holy name and so haue from vs the honour due to him And that this may bee effected in vs wee pray in the second petition for the aduancement establishment and enlargement of Gods kingdome both of power grace and glory And now in this third Petition wee pray that this kingdome of God being erected amongst vs we may by his grace liue in due subiection to it that the Church militant in earth may honour him euen so as the Church triumphant doth in heauen In the handling whereof 1 We must vnderstand what is meant by the will of God 2 Quid hoc est facere 3 How this will is desired to be done as in heauen so in earth 4 What duties are taught herein 1 What is this will of God The will of God is vnderstood two waies 1 As it is in it selfe by which hee intendeth createth gouerneth and disposeth all things according to the good pleasure of his will and so the will of God is both absolute necessitating all euents which hee hath foreseene and determined and of that the Apostle speaketh saying who hath resisted his will and of that Christ saith fiat voluntas tua and of that those holy seruants of God spake who when they could not disswade Pauls going to Ierusalem they ceased saying The will of the Lord be done 2 The will of God is vnderstood to bee that manifestation of his seruice and our dutie which directeth vs what to doe and what to eschew what to beleeue and what to aske according to his will and this is written and reuealed to vs in holy Scripture I dare not with our many English Writers vpon this Petition quite exclude the absolute will of God and limit the Petition onely to
Gods mercy to vs for the foundation of God is sure and sealed with this seale Dominus novit qui sunt sui But we are admonished by the Apostle to make our calling and election sure not in the decree of God but in our owne perswasion And it cannot bee sure except we vse the meanes ordained to assure vs. But if wee haue truely discouered in our selues the body of sinne and haue opened into God in a contrite confession and haue bewailed them with teares of vnfeined contrition which S. Augustine calleth Sanguinē vulnerati cordis and haue asked God forgiuenesse and cried him mercy from them This is applicatio remedij that there is a ground for our saith to beleeue the pardon of them sealed to vs and not before God testified of Dauid that he was a man after his owne heart yet he sinned soulely and till he had made confession of his sinne and had deplored it penitentially he was not absolued from it Christ told Peter that Sathan desired to sift him but he had prayed that his faith should not faile him That did not make his threefold denyal of his Master no sinne he knew it and remembring himselfe he went forth from the place where hee had done the fault and wept bitterly The rule therefore is that All the promises of God and our faith in those promises haue reference to the holy vse of the meanes ordained by God for establishing our peace with him Therefore in the name of God goe the way that hee hath ordained for you to walke in follow the holy example of all the faithfull seruants of God who haue gone to Gilead for balme when they haue had any soarenes and haue humbly prostrated their diseases before the Physitian who came to comfort them that mourne and to binde vp the broken hearted and say Domine dimitte nobis debita nostra Another duty is to pray only to God for pardon of our sinnes When Christ said to the sick of the palsey Sonne bee of good cheare thy sinnes bee forgiuen thee The Scribes said within themselues This man blasphemeth Our Sauiour defendeth himselfe by lawfull authority The sonne of man hath power on earth to forgiue sinnes S. Marke is more expresse in this relation for these Scribes gaue a reason why they charged Christ with blasphemy saying Who can forgiue sinnes but God only They were in the right for that generall rule that none but God can forgiue sinnes but they mistooke Christ not knowing him to be God God laieth claime to this authority I euen I am hee that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes And againe I haue blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sinnes returne vnto me for I haue redeemed thee Sing O ye heauens for the Lord hath done it So by the Prophet Ezechiel he saith I will sprinckle cleane water vpon you and yee shall bee cleane from all your filthinesse A new heart also will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you Dauid stirreth vp himselfe to blesse the Lord for this Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits Who forgiueth all thy iniquities Therefore our Sauiour sendeth his disciples to our father in heauen to forgiue them their sinnes Contrary to this doctrine is the precept of the Church of Rome which imposeth on the consciences of men a necessity of auricular confession of all mortall sinnes to the Priest for obteining pardon thereof For if only God must forgiue only to God must confession of sins be made The doctrine and practise of auricular confession in the Church howsoeuer pretended by the Councell of Trent to be the institution of Christ yet did it come in when partly humane policy partly superstition corrupted the Church in the doctrine and discipline thereof For in Saint Augustines time it was not heard of who protesteth against it as a thing vnreasonable and thus he disclaimeth it Quid mihi est cum hominibus vt audiant confessiones meas quasi ipsi sanaturi sint omnes languores meos Curiosum genus ad cognoscendam vitam alienam desidiosum ad corrigendam suam Quid a me quaerunt audire qui sim qui nolunt a te audire qui sint The power of forgiuing sinnes is onely in God but he hath left in his Church a ministeriall dispensation of that power by application to true penitents and they that presse it further inuade the rights of God Therefore to rectifie your iudgements in this point concerning men forgiuing of sinnes know that this belongeth to men two wayes 1 In Church discipline it belongeth to the Minister to absolue penitents for as God hath left in the Church the ministerie of exhortation of doctrine of conuiction and of reprehension so hath he left the ministerie of absolution to pronounce his pardon to them that truely repent them of their sinnes If you obiect that any priuate lay-man may assure him that truely repenteth that his sinnes are forgiuen from the certaine warrant of the word of God or a man may assure himselfe hereof by reading and meditation in holy Scriptures I answer that nothing is well done that hath not the warrant of a lawfull calling to authorize it for that is transgression of the ordinance of God The Apostle doth impose it on all sorts of men promiscuously to exhort and instruct one another but none may performe this duty publiquely but they who are called to it For how shall he preach except he be sent He that gaue his Apostles authoritie to goe into all nations to preach and baptize said also to them whosoeuers sinnes ye remit they are remitted and whosoeuers sinnes ye retaine they are retained And though the Church of Rome doth reserue certaine cases of absolution onely to the Pope as in the right of Peter vnder colour of whose succession he vsurpeth yet the text is cleare that what Christ spake to Peter he spake to the rest and Saint Basil did so vnderstand him who saith Christus omnibus pastoribus doctoribus ecclesiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnes ex aequo soluunt et ligant And their owne Thomas of Aquine saith quilibet sacerdos quantum est ex virtute clauium habet potestatem indifferenter in omnes And the very phrase of Christ not saying to whomsoeuer you declare remission of sinnes they are remitted but whosoeuers sinnes ye remit shewing that Christ in our ministery doth this for nos legatione fungimur pro Iesu Christo euen as if Christ did beseech you by vs. Therefore as the waters of Damascus might bee as cleare and as sweet and as wholesome as the waters of Iordan yet not so effectuall to wash off the leprosie of Naaman because the word of the Lord sent Naaman to that Riuer So though any other man in respect of his knowledge and zeale and good
life may be fit to minister comfort to soules sicke of the leprosie of sinne yet none can purge this leprosie by forgiuing the sinnes and absoluing the sinner from the guilt and punishment of them but the ministers who are called and separated by the voyce of God to that office It is well exprest in the words of Christ for when he speaketh of this power of absolution and giueth it to his Apostles he vseth the same word to them which he vseth in the Lords prayer for in my Text he teacheth vs to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to them hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For as God hath reconciled the world to himselfe by Iesus Christ so hath he giuen to vs the ministery of reconciliation So that the Ministers forgiuing of sinnes is no intrusion vpon the rights of God no impeachment of the honour of God but it is his owne act declared by his own ordinance and by his appointment particularly applyed Yet haue we no warrant to say to our Minister forgiue vs our sinnes but hauing declared to him our repentance we may pray to God for his pardon and desire our Minister by the power giuen to him by Iesus Christ to pronounce it to vs. This power was in the Church long before the comming of Christ into the world as it may appeare by the words of Elihu to Iob. For he speaking of the remedy which God hath ordained for the restoring of sinners saith If there be with him an Angell an Interpreter one among a thousand to shew vnto man his vprightnesse Then hee is gratious vnto him and saith Deliuer him from going downe into the pit I haue found a ransome Obserue Gods ordinance in calling a Minister to bee his Angell or messenger euery man is not fit for this seruice such a one is one of a thousand to him God committeth the office of an interpreter to declare to man his vprightnesse that is to comfort him against the terrours of his sinne by preaching to him the doctrine of Iustification by the righteousnesse of Christ To him is committed the office of deliuering a sinner from the pit that is from hell and that is by absoluing him from his sinnes this is the greatest power that is left vnto any creature vpon earth For to vse the words of the holy Ghost to which of the Angels did God say at any time that he should deliuer a soule from going downe into the pit To the King is committed the ciuill gouernment of vs in policie to the Lawyer the care of our goods and good name to the Physitian the care of our health of body to the Souldier the care of our goods and liues but our soules are committed to the care of the Minister to saue them So saith the Apostle Thou shalt be able to saue thy selfe and those that heare thee which made Saint Ambrose say Nihil in hoc saeculo excellentius Sacerdotibus Our power is to deliuer men vp to Sathan by binding and to saue them from going downe to the pit by loosing of them from their sinnes Master Caluin is iudicious and moderate in this point for he aduiseth sinners that are burthened in their consciences for sinne rather to seeke the remedy in the meanes ordained and setled by God in the Church then any other way which is to exonerate their conscience of the burthen of sinne to some godly learned and discreet Minister of the word Cuius officium est publicè priuatim pop dei euangelica doctrina consolari But such an euen course must be held herein vt tyrannidem abesse velint a se a populo superstitionem Therefore let me admonish you in the holy feare of God to seeke the forgiuenesse of sinnes and the peace of your consciences in the holy and good way which God hath ordained and especially vpon your sicke beds when you are enditing your whole life to God neglect not the establishing of your hearts in the remission of sinnes by confession and absolution Let not a iealousie of Popish superstition discourage you from this for what is there in christian religion which they haue not corrupted but doe you separate the cleane from the vile and forsake not the holy direction of Gods word It is againe obiected if I must onely aske forgiuenesse of God for my sinne why is there mention here of my forgiuing such as doe trespasse against me Is it lawfull for me to aske man forgiuenesse of any sinne I answer that euery sinne that wee commit doth trespasse God being the preuarication of his law but if that sinne doe trespasse our brother also we must goe and be reconciled to our brother for if it be possible so much as lyeth in vs we must haue peace with all men Man may forgiue the offence done by his brother to him but the offence done to the law of God none but God can forgiue I will speake a bold word it is a truth God may forgiue a sinne committed against man so farre as it is a breach of the law of duty and obedience to him without man but God cannot forgiue a sinne done by one man against another except the man trespassed doe forgiue it for there can be no reconciliation betweene God and vs so long as there is warre between our brother and vs. Our Sauiour hath exprest as much When thou commest to offer thy gift vpon the Altar and remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thy gift goe and be reconciled c. It may appeare also in the very case of debt he that is a debter to his neighbour and refuseth to make him satisfaction doth breake the law of the kingdome and is an offender against the King and therefore is the kings prisoner for breach of the Kings law the King may forgiue his prisoner the breach of his law wherein hee is trespassed but he cannot forgiue the debt which hee oweth to his subiect If wee would haue a full forgiuenesse of our sinnes wheresoeuer they offend let vs labour to giue satisfaction but if we meete with harsh natures to whom no reasonable satisfaction is answerable they begge their owne iudgement in this petition for so shall they bee forgiuen as they forgiue and they shall finde God as inexorable and as implacable as themselues are 6 Another duty we learne here in the word nobis for we are taught charitably to pray for the forgiuenesse of one anothers sinnes not of our owne onely We doe not pray God for the pardon of the sinnes of the Angels that fell they kept not their first estate and the holy Ghost hath reuealed to vs that there is no possibility of their reconciliation to God for Saint Peter saith God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them downe to hell and deliuered them into chaines of darkenesse to be reserued vnto iudgement The God of spirits spared not the spirits that transgressed but the Prophet
buffeted him But especially in Christs storie we behold him in his full strength forty dayes and forty nights tempting him in the wildernesse In all these God himselfe had an hand for hauing furnished our first Parents with all graces belonging to a complete creation he gaue them an vncontrolled free-will to doe good or euill and left them to Sathan to proue them In Iobs storie it is plaine that he hindred Sathan to tempt the wisedome holinesse and patience of Iob In Saint Peters story Christ said that Sathan desired to sift him and Christ gaue him leaue so to doe And of Saint Paul it is expresly profest by himselfe There was giuen to me a thorne in the flesh the messenger of Sathan to buffet me And Christ himselfe was led by the spirit of God to his temptation Therefore our duty is taught by the Apostle whom resist stedfast in the faith Lest Sathan should get an aduantage of vs for we are not ignorant of his deuices It is comfort to vs that the Apostle doth intimate that Sathan may be resisted Therefore it is our owne fault if Sathan doe preuaile against vs seeing there is in vs a power to resist him This power though it be not of our selues yet it is within our selues in that seed remaining in vs which is the grace of election of which Saint Iohn speaketh and he that is with vs is greater then he that is against vs for though our enemy be called Legion because there are many our Elohim our one Gods three and one is able to tread Sathan vnder our feete quickly Submit your selues therefore to God resist the deuill and he will flye from you True it is of him Non tam fortis est fortitudine suâ quam infirmitate nostrâ Let vs therefore stoope as low as we can to him that made vs our faithfull Creator custos hominum is his name but let vs rise vp against Sathan to resist him Christ gaue vs example for when he by the word and spirit of God resisted him at last he droue him away for a season sent away with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So when he came after closely conueying himselfe in the semblance of loue and speaking in the mouth of Peter disswading the passion of Christ yet he discouered him there and sent him packing with another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thus must we doe if we will auoid his temptations remembring how Euah lost her innocency and Paradise with it because she endured the treatie with Sathan and stood out the disputation with him But thou man of God flye those things Fly to this petition and aske of God that he would not leade thee into temptation but that he would giue thee both wisedome to discouer it and grace to dislike it and strength to resist it Sathans darts are fiery and strongly shot and cunningly aymed the seruants of God haue much adoe to quench them When Sathan had suggested to Dauid to number the people he propounded the matter to Ioab Ioab discerned the temptation and disswaded it saying to Dauid Why doth my Lord the King delight in this thing But Sathan had moued Dauid to this and his temptation had taken so deepe an impression in him that he would not hearken to good counsaile So though Peter had warning of him by Christ telling him how Sathan desired to sift him telling him that that night he would attempt it and that he would yeeld though he had engaged himselfe by solemne protestation against it though the temptation was to deny his Master and that thrice which seemed to Peter a thing impossible to be wrought in him yet because he resisted not Sathan in the very act of temptation Sathan preuailed and Peter was foiled and till his fall he remembred not the words of Iesus then he did and rose vp against Sathan and rained so many teares from his eyes which in Saint Augustine are called sanguis vulnerati cordis that with those penitentiall waters hee both purged his defiled soule from the sinne that he had committed and he quenched the fiery darts of Sathan who had polluted him This resistance must be constant for Sathan is called Beelzebub the god of flyes flyes if they be beaten off will come on againe so will Sathan for if he be driuen off from vs once he will not so giue vs ouer but as Balak brought Balaam from place to place to try if any where he would curse Israel so will Sathan doe leaue no place no time free from his assaults to doe mischiefe 2 We finde that God doth sometimes in his iustice leaue men a while in temptation for their punishment Saint Augustine Multi precando ita dicunt ne patiaris nos induci in tentationem exponentes quomodo dictum est ne inducas non enim per seipsum inducit deus sed induci patitur eum quem sine auxilio deseruerit ordine occultissimo meritis The duty required of vs here is double 1 That we take care not to prouoke God by our sinnes to this desertion of vs. Sometimes when God discerneth vs negligent in our duties of piety cooling in our zeale or charity swelling in presumption of his fauour ouer-ioyed with prosperity better fed then taught boasting of our knowledge ouer-weening our strength of grace restie in idlenesse or any other way ouergrowne with selfe-loue he sends the Angell of Sathan to cuffe and buffet vs till wee know him and our selues better Was not Dauid sicke of prosperity when God left him to Sathan to tempt him to adultery was hee not sicke of honour when he would needs haue his people numbred that hee might know how great a King hee was Was not Ezechiah sicke of peace when hee shewed his treasure to a strange Ambassador Was not Peter sicke of his faith when he durst chalenge Sathan to a duell in the protestation of his true loyalty to his Master Therefore God left them for a time to temptation and taught vs that to fall off from God neuer so little putteth vs into the danger of Sathan therefore tempt not God by sinne lest he leade thee into temptation 2 We are taught our seuerall duties to God to our selues and to our brethren from the consideration of this diuine iustice 1 To God that we must not thinke much when any such tryall by temptation come vpon vs to murmure and repine at him or to resist his right hand for hee doth this in his iustice to punish our former sinnes or by way of preuention to keepe vs from sinnes to come or for our tryall of faith to establish vs the more in his grace and to make vse of our example therefore let vs rest vpon this it is the Lord let him doe with mee as it pleaseth him If he say I haue no delight in thee loe here I am c. good is the word of the Lord. 2 To our selues if wee feele temptations both comming thicker
also telleth vs by his experience Man that is borne of woman is of few daies and full of trouble The best of Gods seruants commonly smart most in these daily grieuances for iudgement beginneth at Gods house Dauid makes great moane often in his Psalmes griefes in his body vnquietnesse in his soule persecutions from his enemies and innumerable vexations S. Paul complaineth of laboures stripes imprisonments shipwrack many perils by land and by sea wearinesse painfulnesse watching fasting hunger thirst cold nakednesse And who is he that walketh conscionably in the feare of God that hath not cause to complaine with Dauid Innumerable troubles haue compassed me about 2 The remedy of this Pater noster libera nos The deliuerance here desired of our father is that copiosa redemptio plentifull redemption which Dauid doth speake of which is By grace of preuention to keepe them off from vs ne ingruant 2 By grace of subuention to support vs in these euils ne opprimant 3 By grace of full deliuerance to remoue them vtterly from vs ne destruant 1 For the grace of preuention Dauid was very neare a shrewd turne when Saul the king threw his iauelin at him So was he when Michall conueied him away through a window that he might escape the messengers which Saul sent of purpose to kill him S. Paul had such a deliuerance In Damascus the Gouernor vnder Aretas the king kept the city with a garrison desirous to apprehend me And through the windowes in a basket I was let downe by the wall and escaped The Scripture is full of examples of this kind and he that obserueth well the course of his own life will find many of these gratious preuentions of euill wherewith the hand of our great deliuerer hath kept off many euils from him Destruction was come euen to the very gates of Niniueh and within forty daies all had perished had not mercy interposed In 88. when Spaine girded on her harnesse against this land and came hitherward with purpose to inuade with the Popes promise to conquer and possesse this kingdome here was the Deuill suggesting the Pope abetting and the Spaniard attempting and God preuenting In 1605 the machination of the powder treason by the sonnes of Belial men of blood the corroboration of the plot by the agents for the Pope the secret abetment of it from Spaine the prosecution of it to the day of destruction lost all their strength and spit their venome vpon themselues in the defeat of their treason the destruction of the traitours and in the perpetuall reproach of Popish religion to all the ends of the world and to the last period of time All this by this preuenting goodnesse of God who kept vs from the euill and would not suffer vs to fall into the pit that they had digged for our soules For this Christ prayed his father Pater si possibile est transeat hic calix And this is that which is promised to the faithfull There shall no euill befall thee neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling He shall giue his Angels charge ne offendas This is the chiefest of Gods deliuerances and the fullest of Gods temporall mercies this also is a common and usuall tendernesse of God to vs to preserue vs from danger but this is neither so sensibly perceiued nor receiued so thankfully as it deserues It may bee we may report our strange escapes with wonder and tell them for newes but we do not commonly giue God the honor due to his name for them by praysing him for them as we ought 2 The grace of subuention in euils This was the fauour that the father did to the sonne in the agony that he suffered in the garden for hee sent to him then And there appeared to him an Angell from heauen strengthening him Christ our louing Sauiour chose rather to be comforted in his sorrowes then to bee kept quite from them for he did vndergoe them for vs as S. Ambrose sweetly saith Suscepit tristitiam meam vt mihi largiretur laetitiam suam and againe Debuit dolorem suscipere vt vinceret And God sent to him his Angell to comfort him in this distresse as Beda saith Sicut propter nos tristis est propter nos confortatur that we might know that so many as are by faith vnited to Christ haue interest in Gods spirituall consolations in the middest of all troubles Thus Saint Paul was comforted aboord the ship in his dangerous voyage to Rome the Angell of the Lord appeared to him and promised him his owne life and all their liues that sailed with him Thus was Noah supported in the deluge of the whole world Lot in the conflagration of Sodome Daniel in the den of Lyons the three Children in the fierie furnace Ioseph in the prison Peter also being in ward Our Father to whom wee pray euen as Ionah from the belly of hell is called the father of mercies and the God of all comfort who comforteth vs in all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort you which be in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selues are comforted of God So he himselfe is a comforter and he would haue vs comforters one to another and his Angels be comforters Yet for all this to make vp a full consolation Christ saith I will giue you another comforter and he promiseth his abode with vs for euer This grace of subuention though it doe not quit the afflictions yet it taketh away the euill of them so that the Saints of God are exprest reioycing in tribulations which they could not doe if the euill thereof were not remoued This mercy of subuention if neither charitie nor zeale desire it yet smart and paine will extort it from men for who suffers paine or griefe or losse or infamie but in the pang of the fit he cryeth God helpe me 3 The grace of full deliuerance Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of them all The snare is broken we are deliuered This fauour Noah and Lot had so had Daniel and the three Children first comforted in tribulations then deliuered from them and Ioseph of whom it is said that they put his feete in the stockes the iron entred into his soule He had the innocency of his cause to comfort him and though for a time he did suffer this affliction in the prison as a malefactor for so we must vnderstand the storie yet after some time of suffering God did giue him fauour in the sight of the Keeper and then he had comfort in his captiuity And as the Psalmist saith he abode there vntill the time that his word came the word of the Lord tryed him The King sent and loosed him the ruler of the people and let him goe free The time when his word came was the time when he interpreted to Pharaoh his double dreame then the word of
the Lord tryed him and approued him innocent of the great offence for which he lay bound We can cry loud in the smart of paine and griefe for this full deliuerance as Saint Paul when he had as hee saith a Thorne in the flesh the messenger of Sathan to buffet him Which I conceiue to be some sharpe bodily sicknesse accompanied with some strong and dangerous temptations But in that affliction as Dauid saith when his sore ranne and ceased not he confesseth for this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me Here he craueth deliuerance from euill a full riddance such as may amount to a finall departure of it from him This kinde of deliuerance God doth esteeme meritorious and therefore he putteth it in the front of the law I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the house of bondage this was but a figure of our deliuerance from the deuill for which hee exacteth a strict obedience of his whole law And we are deliuered still from euils for that being deliuered from the hand of our enemies c. liberati de manu inimicorum serntamus ei 2 Next followeth the deliuerer We haue warrant here to aske deliuerance of none to seeke deliuerance no where but from God for as Dauid saith Our helpe is in the name of the Lord who made heauen and earth The heathens had their two sorts of gods 1 Their white gods to whom they went for all good turnes 2 Their blacke gods which were depulsores malorum they resorted to them against euils We know but one God and of him we say Loe this is our God we haue waited for him and he will saue vs this is the Lord we haue waited for him we will be glad and reioyce in his saluation This agrees with the title that Iob giueth to God O thou preseruer of men And that which Saint Peter giueth him who calleth him a faithfull Creator God himselfe telleth vs so There is no God beside me a iust God and a Sauiour there is none beside me Looke vnto me and be ye saued all the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else Three times together in two verses he hath excluded all other there is none else Let vs see how they haue sped that sought deliuerance any other way and not from God In the great famine of Samaria a woman sues to the King crying Helpe my Lord O King but the King answered her If the Lord doe not helpe thee whence should I helpe thee out of the barne floore or out of the winepresse And therefore Dauid saith Trust not in Princes nor in any sonne of man for there is no helpe in them In the danger of warre Israel sought helpe from Egypt and they had this thanke for their labour Woe be to them that goe downe to Egypt for helpe and stay on horses and trust in Chariots and in horsemen because they are many and very strong but they looke not to the holy one of Israel neither seeke the Lord. 3 Here is their errour the Egyptians are men and not God and their horses flesh and not spirit when the Lord shall stretch forth his hand he that helpeth shall fall and he that is holpen shall fall downe and they shall all faile together In disease Asa King of Iudah committed that errour recorded to his infamie In the 39. yeare of his raigne he was diseased in his feete vntill his disease was exceeding great yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord but to the Physitians To the Lord and not to the Physitians to the Physitians and not to the Lord both wrong To both the author and meanes he should haue sought 4 Saul wanting helpe in case of intelligence went to consult Almighty God as he had vsed to doe in his serious affaires often with good successe But the Lord answered him not Therefore in that distresse he went to the woman the Witch of Endor that had a familiar spirit and she presented to him a representation of Samuel who was dead from whom he receiued a true prediction of his future sorrowes Whether the successe of this example or the naturall itch that is in our desire to know future euents or whatsoeuer other heathenish rapture doth transport many so it is that Witches and Wizards are yet frequented both for intelligence and health in griefes and losse as if he that is euill in abstract and concrete could be authour of any good to men This hangs not well together to pray to God to deliuer vs from euill and craue helpe of him who is of all euils the worst to demand the truth of a lyar to seeke health of a murtherer to procure deliuerance or desire helpe from the deuill Dauid saith well that God made man pure but hee sought many inuentions Some in euils either feared or prement flye to the name of Iesus not religiously trusting in him that carries saluation in his name but superstitiously ouer-weening the letters syllables and sound of that name as if the deuill were afraid of that word And the cunning Serpent hath not spared sometimes to pretend a feare of it of purpose to nourish that superstition which hath made it passible in the Church of Rome But Sathan dares shew himself against that name as we see Then certaine of the vagabond Iewes exorcists tooke vpon them to call ouer them that had vncleane spirits the name of the Lord Iesus saying we adiure you by Iesus whom Paul preached But obserue the successe The man in whom the euill spirit was leapt vpon them and ouercame them and preuailed against them so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded Did this abate any thing of the honour or power of that name amongst the faithfull the next verse saith no. And this was knowne to all the Iewes and Greekes also dwelling at Ephesus and feare fell on them all and the name of the Lord Iesus was magnified For they did rightly conceiue that the name of Iesus was prophaned by those exorcists seeing not that name but the faith in it was the rod of Sathan for the faith of Gods people hath power not from the syllables of that name but from the efficacie of his power who carrieth that name to scourge Sathan 6 Others for preuention or subuention in euils haue reforted to the signe of the Crosse it is in the Church of Rome an ordinary munition against all euils The Popish Legends are full of pretty tales of the great wonders that the signe of the Crosse hath effected in depulsion of euils Gregory the great tels a true storie quia pene tanti de eo testes sunt quanti babitatores eiusdem loci existunt Yet none could testifie it but vpon one mans credit a Iew belated and wanting lodging reposed himselfe neare to Apolloes Temple in Rome qui quamâ—is fidem
fenced and armed with this petition And so much time as escapeth vs free from these euils is gained in the patience and long suffering of God to vs to offer vp to God the due tribute of our thankes There should then be no vacation from this double seruice of prayer and prayse for not onely one day telleth another but one houre and minute telleth another of Gods great deliuerances of vs from euill Sathan is our profest aduersarie you may see in Iobs historie what he did what he would doe if the power of God did not restraine him if the protection of God did not defend vs neither should our bodies nor our goods nor our cattaile nor our fruits of the earth nor our children be safe if his hand might be stretched out but the preseruer of men keepeth vs resisteth him 5 Obserue the course of this whole prayer for why doe we desire the honour of Gods holy name but for this that we may flye to it as our tower of strength to defend and deliuer vs from all euill for our helpe is in the name of the Lord. They that know thy name will trust in thee for thou neuer failest them that seeke thee And why doe wee desire the comming of the kingdome of God but that we may be safe from euill being vnder his holy regiment who is able to treade Sathan vnder our feete And why doe we desire that the will of God may bee done but that we may liue in holy obedience to him that we that be his seruants and the sheepe of his pasture may walke without feare in the valley of the shadow of death Why doe we desire life of God to be fed by his hand and blessing with our daily bread but that wee may be preserued by his prouidence from all things that may hurt and annoy vs. Why doe wee desire forgiuenesse of sinnes past and present but to assure his protection and to establish our hearts with grace that wee may serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse Why doe we desire preseruation from temptation but to secure our liues against the pollution and infection of sinne So that these petitions mutuò se generant we desire to obtaine of God all that we aske in the sixe former petitions that we may be deliuered from euill and we desire to be deliuered from euill that we may doe all the duties required in those former requests And let him that desireth to speed in this last supplication cast backe his eye vpon the rest that hee may rectifie himselfe in primo medio imo to the pleasing of God in his prayer 6 Let vs haue faith to beleeue a good successe of our prayers and to apprehend the louing kindenesse of God to vs in Iesus Christ for hee is the Angell of the couenant of this mercy He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the deuil if the sonne therefore make you free you shall be free indeed He giueth perfect liberty from the hands of all our enemies that we may serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him Wee cannot haue this deliuerance without faith to apprehend and apply it therefore let vs remember the former mercies of God to strengthen our faith as Dauid Our father 's trusted in thee they trusted in thee and thou didst deliuer them They cryed vnto thee and were deliuered they trusted in thee and were not confounded He is the rocke of our safety let vs build our neasts and lay out yong ones in the holes of this rocke for they that trust in him can want nothing that is good for them MATH 6.13 For thine is the kingdome and the power and the glory for euer IT is plaine in the storie of the Gospell that Christ did twise teach to pray this prayer once priuately which Saint Luke relateth and that at the request of his Disciples Another time publikely in his sermon preached vpon the Mount reported here by Saint Matthew These words which are the close and conclusion of the Lords prayer are omitted in Saint Luke But in his publique sermon they are added as you reade here therefore from hence wee borrow them to supply the prayer in Saint Luke The Disciples obtained what they desired in Saint Luke for Christ taught them to pray and the prayer doth extend no further then these seuen petitions for nothing is desired of God in these words of the conclusion added in Saint Matthew And here let me shew you a great want of iudgement and charity in some of our brethren who haue tendered to his Maiestie some exceptions against our booke of Common Prayer by the way of Question whereof this is one Whether it be an acceptable seruing of God rather to follow the masse-booke in omitting these words then the scripture in vsing of them Sol. 1 You may easily discerne a roote of bitternesse in this obiection for these words are not found in this Scripture and yet here Christ is desired to teach his Disciples to pray and charity might haue as well seene the want of these words in this Scripture as in the masse-booke and thought our imitation rather guided by this text then by that idolatrous booke Sol. 2 Master Beza who tooke great paines to search all the old coppies of the new Testament to perfect his edition thereof by comparing them together doth confesse that in many coppies hee found these words wanting both in Saint Matthew and Saint Luke He addeth also that many interpreters haue thought them put into the text as being the common conclusion vsed by the Christians in their prayers Further he alleadgeth that three of the antient Fathers of purpose expounding the Lords prayer haue omitted this conclusion and haue not so much as mentioned it that is Cyprian Augustine and Ierome So that this vncharitable construction of leauing out these words in the booke of common Prayer will light as heauy vpon Saint Luke and these holy Fathers of the Church as vpon our booke through whose sides these are pierced with this dart of false witnesse to the manifest preuarication of that holy commandement But let them charge it vpon vs doth any Minister in Sol. 3 reading of diuine Seruice euer omit the adding this conclusion to the rest or are we forbidden to vse it rather doe we not vnderstand it intended that it should be added as we vse to say quod necessario subintelligitur non deest Else they might also quarrell the booke for onely beginning the Lords prayer as in many places Zeale is madnesse if it be not guided by a right vnderstanding and tempered with charity I could not omit the answering for our Church against this vniust imputation both to stop the mouth of slander and to fasten shame on the foreheads that blush not at these pickt quarrels And also to settle your iudgements in a sober construction of those things which the Church hath established and done for vs.
Arias Montanus giues this note vpon these words in Saint Matthew Animaduerte lector hanc clausulam non esse de textu he addeth also that in the Greeke Church the congregation doth neuer repeate this clause but when they haue with the Minister said libera nos a malo The Priest onely pronounceth these words quia tuum est regnum c. And learned Erasmus thinkes that these words might be added to the Lords prayer by the vse of the Church as at the end of the Psalmes we added that holy acclamation of Gloria patri filio spiritui sancto yet neither of these Apocryphicall or without diuine authority for Dauid is said to blesse the Lord before all the congregation saying Thine O Lord is the greatnesse power and glory and the maiesty and the victory for all that is in the heauen and earth is thine Thine is the kingdome O Lord and thou art exalted as head aboue all Therefore approuing the vse of this conclusion of the Lords prayer we proceed in it 1 And call it by the name which is giuen to it by the holy Ghost our Blessing of God after prayer this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 We will consider it as a motiue to God to grant vs the requests made in the seuen petitions 3 As it is a strengthening of our faith to aske all these things at the hands of God 1 This is a blessing of God We are said to blesse God when we doe praise him and giue him the honour due to his name So Saint Paul meant it Blessed be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort And it agreeth well with our duty that we petitioning this father in this prayer for all mercies and all comfort and wrastling with him in our prayer as Iacob did for his blessing vpon vs should also blesse him and praise his name Rea. 1 And for our direction herein we haue our Sicut in coelo in terra for Iohn heard euery creature which is in heauen and in earth and vnder the earth and such as are in the sea saying Blessing honour glory and power bee vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne and vnto the lambe for euer and euer Rea. 2 Let vs consider what Dauid saith Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised We pray in our first petition Hallowed be thy name for the name of God is great and Dauid saith According to thy name O God so is thy praise vnto the ends of the earth thy hand is full of righteousnesse We labour to open that hand by our prayers that we may partake of his righteousnesse therefore to him belongeth praise for his names sake We are created to this end to glorifie God in our bodies Rea. 3 and in our soules and this is the way to honour him ipse dixit Who so offereth praise glorifieth me Dauid often calleth it Sacrificium laudis And he calleth these kinde of sacrifices the sacrifices of righteousnesse These be called vituli labiorum in Hose they are called fructus labiorum confitentium nomini eius by the author to the Hebrewes The Saints of God haue vsed to cast themselues downe at his feete that in their humiliation he may bee exalted when we kneele or prostrate our selues to one that standeth by vs we make him shew high ouer vs therefore when the Lords faithfull seruants come to him to worship they fall low on their knees before him They euacuate themselues and put off all honour and estimation from themselues to giue it all to him this is blessing of God So doe we in this prayer all petition then confession 2 Consider this as a motiue to God to grant the petitions herein contained 1 Wherein obserue that we haue no arguments to induce God to goodnesse towards vs but such onely as are drawne from himselfe and his owne holy and great attributes Therefore Daniel renounceth all respects drawne from himselfe as vnpleadable Wee doe not present our supplications before thee for our owne righteousnesse but for thy great mercies therefore he prayeth O Lord heare O Lord forgiue O Lord hearken and doe deferre not for thine owne sake O my God So Nehemiah in his prayer doth make a contrite confession of his sinnes to God and the sinnes of all the people and his plea for mercy and forgiuenesse and for further grace and fauour of God is the promise of God Remember the word that thou commandedst by thy seruant Moses So we pray remember thine owne kingdome thy power and thy glory when we aske of thee these petitions for we haue nothing of our own worth the remembring for whose sake thou shouldest grant our requests 2 Let vs consider how these may be motiues to perswade our God to heare our prayers we doe herein acknowledge and ascribe to God 1 Kingdome as Dauid saith The Lord is King the earth may be glad thereof he is no tyrant but a King to whom belongeth the procuration of the good of his Subiects Hee is our King of old saith Dauid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is therefore the breath of our nostrils he is the common father of vs all ruling vs with authority and loue And because thou art our King we pray thee to glorifie thine owne name in thy Church to let thy kingdome come to it To aduance thy will in it To sustaine vs thy subiects with all the necessaries and conueniences of life To seale thy pardon of all our sinnes To keepe vs from the infection of new sinnes from relapses into our old ones To defend vs from the power of the deuill and to saue vs from any thing that may offend and hurt vs. 2 Power is ascribed to God Wherein we appeale to the omnipotency of our Father we acknowledge him able to doe whatsoeuer hee will in heauen and earth So Nehemiah beginneth his prayer O Lord God of heauen the great and terrible God So began Daniel O Lord the great and dreadfull God This confession of Gods power doth incline the greatnesse and might of God to stoope it selfe to vs for power takes no ioy in aduancing it self against weaknes Amongst men there be of those barbarous and inhumane natures which abuse power to vnmercifull tyranny and oppression but when we confesse the power of God we submit to it and thereby moue the God of power to declare the same to our good He hath power in spirituall graces to bestow them on vs that we may serue him in the hallowing of his name his power can extend his kingdome ouer all his power onely can make vs able to doe his will this power commandeth heauen and earth to minister to our necessities He hath power to pardon all sinnes and to preserue vs from temptation and euill Therefore the consideration of our confession of his power moueth him to grant our requests in all