There is great cause of iubilation in the Church when the righteous increase therefore there is cause of ioy giuen to the Church when the wicked perish The solution of this doubt dependeth vpon this consideration The enemies of God and of our religion are to be considered two waies 1 As they are the creatures of God and partners with vs of the same nature so they are our owne flesh and no man euer hated his owne flesh thus the persons of all men ought to be deare to vs and their life pretious and their welfare desired 2 As they are by their corruptions turned enemies to God and to his Church so shall not I hate them O Lord which hate thee not their persons but their sinnes their malice against the Church that is odio perfecto odi eos Againe in the destruction of Gods enemies we must consider 1 Who it is that punisheth them for it is the hand of God and this is matter of ioy to the Church it is one of the duties of the Sabbath to reioyce in the operations of Gods hand and this is repeated there for one in the Psalmes for the Sabbath Psal 92.4 Thou hast made me glad through thy worke I will triumph in the worke of thy hands When the wicked spring as the grasse and when all the workers of iniquity doe flourish it is that they shall bee destroyed for euer For loe thine enemies O Lord for loe thine enemies shall perish and all the workers of iniquity shall bee scattered Mine eye also shall see my desire vpon mine enemies c. All which sheweth that the ruine and confusion of Gods enemies is the ioy of the Church as it is the worke of Gods hand for doe we not say Tu Domine fecisti and is it not our prayer fiat voluntas tua and are wee not to reioyce in it when it is done doth not God doe all things well and doe not all things worke together for the good of Gods children 2 We must consider who they be that suffer these are brethren with vs according to the flesh here our bowels yearne and we haue cause to mourne and lament on their behalfe for their sinnes that deserued this iudiciall processe against them He that hath a christall glasse in his hand into which his enemie hath infused poison to destroy him and seeth the glasse broken in his hand discouereth the preseruation of his life by that breaking may he not at the same time be glad that the poison is spilt and sorry that so good a glasse is broken The nature which is impoisoned in Gods enemies is Gods creature if the breaking of this glasse of humane nature doe let the poison fall to the ground is there not cause of ioy for the preuention of that euill and yet cause of griefe for the losse of that vessell by which this worke of mischiefe was to be effected Our elements of which we are composed in the frame of our bodies are mixt and not pure and simple bodies the affections that are in the inferiour part of the soule are also mixt for our best courage is shaken with some feare our hope mingled with some doubt our ioy commedled with sorrow that in the very seruice of God we reioyce with trembling In our intellectuall part our vnderstanding is not cleare of clouds in our spirituall and diuine inspirations by the holy ghost there is aliquid carnis some of the naturall man that eclipseth the light and weakeneth the force of the holy ghost in vs. Therefore as there is cause of ioy so is there cause of griefe in the case of Gods enemies but it is a safe rule alwaies to reioyce in the Lord and to approue admire and blesse the operation of his hands The powder traitours whose zeale of the religion of Rome turned them all into gunpowder and inflamed them to that furie and malice as to destroy the peace and the Religion of this Land with one blast how would they haue ioyed to haue brought forth the mischiefe in full birth which they had conceiued yet the bowels of our compassion were moued towards them to see them dye and suffer the iust reward of their most damnable proiection But the bowels of the wicked are cruell shall I shew you the mercy of a Pope it was Sixtus 5. vpon occasion of the murther of Henry the 3. the French King who in ioy of it being performed treacherously by a Monke set on by himselfe doth make a panegyricall oration in the praise of the Creatour and admireth the excellent worke of God in it quod simplex monachus non mutato habitu nongladio clipeoue armatus ad regem libere penetrauit Is not the folly of this sonne of Belial worthy to be despised that makes this a miracle that a Monke vnarmed and in his own habite wherein no man mistrusted him did commit this treason for so these false Monkes were without suspition admitted to the Kings presence but had he changed his habite and come armed he had beene preuented He reioyceth in the Kings death yet he was no heretique as Rome cals heresie but a sonne of the Pope and he layeth the murther to Gods charge Regem Deus per sacratum virum interfecit the whole oration is extant in print they are all ashamed of it so full it is both of folly and malice Wee may not doe the God whom we worship and serue that vnthankefull iniurie to omit the late fearefull example of his iudgement declared vpon a Popish conuenticle assembled in a priuate meeting to an hereticall Sermon they are blinde that see not the hand of God in it and they that take not warning by it to auoyd the like may tempt the iustice of God to some new execution for he hath treasures of wrath I thinke I speake the charitable thoughts of you all it was a iudgement much to be deplored in respect of them that suffered the same So great a number presently either broken with the ruines of the house or smothered with the closenesse of their owne heapes one vpon another others wounded some dead found some fallen into madnesse We haue cause all of vs to lament the sudden violent death of so many of whom we haue cause to perswade our selues charitably that they had the zeale of God but not according to knowledge and that they were made beleeue that they did God good seruice But how many open Churches did they passe by how many learned Preachers might they haue heard at that time from whose light they might haue borrowed light and in whom they might haue heard Iesus Christ speaking to his Church and declaring the way of saluation they forsooke the houses of God to retire themselues into a chamber where their owne weight was their ruine by the iust hand of God as we must needes confesse for his workes are often secret but alwaies iust Did not the blinde leade the blinde and both fell into the ditch
high authority of their Master who by this direction may establish the same as a perpetuall law to his Church to be alwayes in force and may endeare to vs the direction as proceeding from one who not only had wisdome to instruct but authority also to establish his holy instruction in the Church for all ages thereof 2 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sheweth that they desire to bee learners of the art of prayer of him for who better knoweth what may be obtained of God then he who is in the bosome of his father and who better knoweth that we haue need to demand by prayer then hee who hauing taken to him the similitude of sinfull flesh though without sinne hath with it taken vpon him all our infirmities and was in all things like vnto vs sin only excepted For Such an high Priest it became vs to haue who could haue in himselfe the sense and experience of our infirmities and necessities seeing none but such could well instruct vs in these things Againe seeing all our petitions to the father are deliuered vp to him in his name as he is the great Master of the requests to the great King of glory so it was fit that he should approue our petitions which can by no better meanes be performed then by his direction of them and giuing vs instruction what to request of God Their request is to bee taught by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to pray teach vs the art of prayer for to teach them words to be sayed and repeated is not to teach them to pray but to say prayers They need not goe to so great a Master to learne to say prayers any that can teach to speake or to read may teach that Their request entendeth to the very skill and wisdome of praier They consider that prayer is an addresse of their deuotions to God and therefore it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pray to that is to inuocate the Lord to pray to the father Our lesson then is to make choice of this Doctor of the Church this chiefe Doctor of the chaire more then Seraphicall or illuminate the very light of the world and to borrow our light from this Sol justitiae in all dutyes of piety and charity Indeed his Discite à me fils his schoole with all such disciples as are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all reall parts of Gods worship we are to admit no other direction but his they who direct by his warrant And in that sense he saith Be ye not called Rabbi or teachers for on is your teacher euen Christ one by authority all the rest by deputation The name therefore of teacher is proper only in fulnesse of sense to Christ who in our ministery is the teacher of his Church And though some affecting new formes of speech haue of late called the Ministers of the word Teachers and their sermons teaching in a nice nouelty to auoyd the titles vsed by the Church yet let mee tell them that the names of Preachers and preaching are a great deale more modest and expresse our office better and fuller for Christ is the proper teacher and wee as his curates doe but preach his teachings to his Church And if they accompt it a bold ascription to vs to call vs pardoners though Christ saith whosoeuers sinnes ye remit they are remitted They may as well thinke it too much to call vs teachers and our sermons teaching to whom Christ also said Ite docete Though I professe distaste of vpstart nouelties yet I admonish you that the title of teacher is peculiar to Christ and if any be so in loue with that forme of nuncupation as to preferre it before the Church-receiued titles I giue them warning of robbing Christ of his due honour let our teachers and teaching bee vnderstood no otherwise but as the Apostle saith nos legatione fungimur and so are in steed of Christ from whose instructions we must not varie And therefore the wise men of Berea did will to examine the preachings of S. Paul by the Scriptures to see by what warrant he instructed them and to enquire who sent them and put their word into their mouth for if Christ be not the teacher wee must not be Disciples 3 The instance as Iohn also taught his Disciples vide diuis pag. 3. Wherein we haue to consider 1 Who Iohn was 2 That he had Disciples whom he taught 3 He taught them to pray 1 Who Iohn was He was the sonne of Zecharie and Elizabeth borne to them in their old age and sanctified in the wombe to the office of a forerunner to prepare the way for Christ as S. Luke at large reports the storie of his natiuitie Christ saith of him Non surrexit maior amongst all that were borne of women then Iohn meaning in respect of his office for whereas all that went before him preached Christ to come and promised he pointed at Christ then appearing and performed to the Church saying This is he Ecce agnus Dei qui tollit peccata mundi Yet he that is least in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he by the kingdome of heauen is meant the cleare preaching of the full Gospell of Iesus Christ and the least of those Preachers who could preach Christ crucified dead and buried raised vp to life and ascended to the Father is greater in the office of ministration of the Gospell then Iohn This Iohn was called the Baptist for that he was the first Minister of that Sacrament and which was to the honour both of the Minister and the Sacrament he baptized Christ himselfe in Iordane at which time both the holy Ghost descended in the forme of a Doue and rested vpon Christ and hee that sent him proclaimed him from heauen his welbeloued Sonne in whom he was well pleased He liued a most holy life seuere and retired saue when he came abroad to teach and baptize he was generally much honoured of the people though some maligned him and in the end he dyed a Martyr for preaching to Herod that it was vnlawfull for him to breake the commandement of God by incestuous commistion with his brother Philips wife By whose suggestion Herodias her daughter begged his head of Herod at a feast vpon aduantage taken of the Kings ouerliberall oath and so he was beheaded in prison thus much the Euangelists doe report of him Whereas Malachie prophecieth of the comming of Eliah the Prophet Behold I will send you Eliah the Prophet before the comming of the great and dreadfull day of the Lord. Which many vnderstanding literally haue made themselues beleeue that the same Eliah who was taken vp in a fiery Chariot should come downe againe into the earth before the day of iudgement our Sauiour Christ hath cleared that prophecie folly saying of Iohn This is he of whom it is written I will send my messenger
these sinne God correcteth them like a Father pro peccato magno paululum supplicijs satis a patre saith one For he that is called our Father is called pater misericordiarum and Deus omnis consolationis If these begge a suit manum suam implet saturat dat cito dat abunde dat quod est vtilius therefore Dauid O Ye sonnes of men how long will ye looke after vanity and seeke after leasing But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himselfe And as a father hath compassion of his children so hath the Lord compassion of all them that feare him Princes and great persons are called filij excelsi in respect of the eminence of their places and the trust of authority and power committed to them these are filij celsitudinis Dei but that honoureth them onely amongst men because they represent the authority and dominion of God here on earth filij quos honorat But there is another sort of Sonnes who be filij amoris and these doe represent their father in his holinesse and goodnesse and these are the Lords delight S. Iohn calleth this a prerogatiue so many as receiued him he gaue them a prerogatiue so be the sonnes of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Either dedit eis licentiam 2 Or dedit eis Ius 3 Dedit eis honorem dignitatem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sheweth that there is a new making required to this filiation for we are fallen from our first creation so farre as from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The honour therefore is great to vs in that wee are the sonnes of God 1 Because God who had an onely begotten Sonne the expresse forme of his substance equall to himselfe whom hee made heire of all things needed not to adopt any other sonnes or to cast the inheritance as Abraham once thought to doe vpon a seruant yet euen so O Father thy good pleasure was such 2 Because by this adoption he hath brought vs into the society of inheritance with that sonne and hath made vs coheires with Christ without derogation to the heire without diminution to the inheritance for we are the sonnes of God here it appeareth not yet what we shall be but this we know that when we shall see him we shall be like him so vnited to him as that his interest in the Father shall be ours I may adde one reason more that there is no name Rea. 7 wherein God doth more delight or in which God is more honoured then the name of a Father S. Cyprian obserueth that God hath no title that giues him so much honour in his Church as this of Father For as God is called Iehouah which is the name of his being so he either enioyeth himselfe eternally or he communicateth himselfe at large to all things that are But in his title of Father hee is impropriate to his Church and hereby he magnifieth himselfe in that diuine attribute which excelleth all his workes for his mercy is aboue all his workes And it is confest of all hands that the worke of Redemption was a greater and more honourable worke then the Creation You heare of no ioy of Angels at the Creation at the natiuity of the sacred Heire ye know what Iubilation there was ioy to all the earth The Angels doe search into this mystery and stoope themselues to the inquisition And the manifold wisedome of God in this worke of our redemption is by the Church reuealed and made knowne to the principalities and powers in heauenly places I conclude this point with the holy exhortation of S. Peter If ye call on the Father who without respect iudgeth according to euery mans worke passe the time of your soiourning here in feare and as before as obedient children not fashioning your selues according to your former lusts in your ignorance c. Let vs make conscience of doing the duty belonging to that gratious name in imitation of our elder brother who saith I come to doe thy will O my God yea thy law is written in my heart For him God testified This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased If we will ambulare sicut ille as S. Peter biddeth vs we must beginne where he began at lex eius scripta est in corde meo And then we shall not sinne against him then shall the power of this Father protect vs from all euill the prouidence of this Father shall supply all our wants the loue of this Father shall be a banner to vs the wisedome of this Father shall be a guide to vs to gouerne all our waies and the eldest sonne of this Father shall speake a good word for vs that we may haue an inheritance amongst those that be sanctified So long as by our faith and obedience we can continue this God our Father we are in good case we shall want nothing he will bring vs by riuers of waters and feede vs in greene pastures Doubtlesse mercy and louing kindnesse shall follow vs all the daies of our life and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord for euer 2 Our this word expresseth the interest that we haue in him to whom we pray From whence we are taught 1 To whom our prayer is addressed not to the first person of the holy Trinity God the Father but to the whole Trinity the Father Sonne and holy Ghost For the first person hath but one Sonne to call him Father and he is called Primogenitus and vnigenitus but God that is the holy Trinity is our Father hee is the common father of all the elect Yet if you demand whether it may be lawfull to direct our prayers to each of the persons seuerally My answer is that I finde inuocations of each in Scriptures and holy stories but so as the whole Trinity is euer sought because the prayers of the Church doe alwaies respect the whole godhead so that hee which calleth vpon God the Father doth vse the mediation of God the Sonne and is assisted therein by God the holy Ghost The Father is principally respected in the worke of Creation the Sonne in the worke of Redemption the holy Ghost in the worke of Sanctification yet neither of these persons is alone in any of these but one God in three persons doth worke all our good in vs. And the Apostle blesseth in that holy name The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you and wee baptize ye in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost for the three distinct persons doe subsist in one godhead 2 We say Our to expresse our faith for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne and our prayers are turned into sinne if we wauer and doubt in them but our faith doth apprehend an interest in the loue of our God to vs if we pray
seeth not and he walketh in the Circuite of heauen These are grosse and carnall opinions of God that his high habitation in heauen doth make him a stranger to vs and our wayes or maketh our prayers imperssions to him Am I a God at hand saith the Lord and not a God farre of This title of Gods being in the heauens doth not clip the winges of his presence spread and dilated ouer all the world Whither shall I goe from thy spirit or whither shall I fly from thy presence If I ascend vp into heauen thou art there If I make my bed in hell thou art there c. We must therefore search the reasons why God whose presence filleth all places is here called vpon as dwelling in the heauens He is said to be in the heauens in respect of his Maiestie and glory for as the throne of an earthly Prince is his highest place of greatnesse and glory so we can best conceiue God in his glory when wee cast our selues downe before him sitting vpon his throne so Christ saith Heauen is Gods throne and the earth is his footstoole So Dauid The Lords throne is in Heauen his eyes will consider his eye-liddes will try the children of men This teacheth vs to come before God in our praiers with all humble reuerence feare as before a Prince of highest glory sitting in the thron where he iudgeth right They forget this who come before him and present him with their rude and vndigested extemporall euaporations of their desires daring to petition the highest Maiestie with their vnstudied vnpremeditated supplications Salomon presseth this consideration thus Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hastie to vtter any thing before God for God is in heauen and thou vpon earth therefore let thy words be few If the Maiestie of earthly Princes do make thee study thy petitions and take counsaile what thou shalt desire and in what wordes and that thou weighest euery word in it that thou maiest giue no offence doe not make too bold with God who though he be thy father yet is he an heauenly glorious God whose seat is aboue all The sweet and gracious name of a father may peraduenture make vs too bold and therefore this addition of Maiestie is put to it to temper and moderate our presumption and to awe vs. 2. This mention of heauen in Gods title is a remonstrance of Gods omni-videncie for hee is aboue as in speculo in a watch tower from whence hee discerneth all that is done all the world ouer So Dauid Out of heauen did the Lord behold the earth his eye is ouer all the world Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and opened vnto the eyes of him with whom we haue to doe The Lord is in his holy temple He seeth all mens hearts and discerneth from what affectiōs their praiers are breathed forth into his hearing He seeth who come to him who neglect him he discerneth what it is that bringes to him whether our necessities and wants only or our loue to him he discerneth what vse we intend to make of his gifts if we preuaile with him how we will take it if we speed not in our suites for he knoweth all our thoughts long before So that we are hereby stirred vp to a further conscience of reuerence holy deuotion in our praiers for that we appeare in his presence whose searching doth so narrowly suruey vs from the height of his Sanctuary 3. This mention of the heauens in his title doth expresse the high power of God for what doth more expresse him to vs in fulnesse of omnipotency then this high throne of his greatnesse established in heauen The Heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-worke This addes yet more to our feare for that power is not to be dallied with The Lord killeth and maketh aliue hee bringeth downe to the graue and bringeth vp By strength no man shall preuaile Here is no contesting with this power and no resisting his right hand our father which art in the heauens Take heed that the presumption on the name of Father doe not dash thee against the rocke of his power for There is no rocke like our God Dauid hath secretly directed vs herein But there is forgiuenesse with thee that thou maist be feared This is the best composition of the heart that prayeth to God to loue and hope and beleeue and approach and sue and all with feare for feare will keepe vs within boundes that we offend not Now that we haue both these considerations in sight together in this compellation of our father in heauen we haue also matter of faith as well as feare There be two doubtes which may be cast in prayer which are both remoued in this title and our faith established against them 1. That of the Leper Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane He confest him a Lord he belieued of his power but his doubt was of his will But seeing he is our father there can be no cause of that doubt 2. That of Israel Can God furnish a table in the wildernesse here is doubt of the power of God and this is cleared when we confesse that our father is in heauen For his being in heauen which we here confesse is not a bare habitation there for so the Angels of God are in heauen but it acknowledgeth his Creation of the heauens his possession of them his dominion ouer them the heauens are his imperiall chamber wherein he sitteth as supreme Monarch in most absolute and independent omnipotenc y As Dauid He hath done whatsoeuer he would in heauen and in earth and in all deepe places There be two great hinderances to the preuailance of our praiers 1. Nimia trepidatio when we are too much cast down with the terrour of Diuine Maiestie that is healed in Our father 2. Nimia oscitatio when we beare our selues too bouldly vpon the confidence of his fauour and that is quash tif we consider him in the heauens the place of his high glorie 4 This mention of heauens doth call vs to the consideration of the holinesse of God for that is called the Lords Sanctuarie the Sanctum sanctorum and into that shall enter nothing that is vncleane Therefore in the law so many washings and clensings were in vse so many preparations for any speciall resort to God the people called vpon to sanctifie themselues for God that openeth his hand and filleth our empty vessels as the pottes at the marriage in Cana to the brimme will not powre his pure graces into vncleane vessels And hee that is pure and holy will not receiue the praiers that come from an vncleane and pudled spring of flesh and bloud hee that poureth on the house of Dauid and the inhabitants of
iust men made perfect And to Iesus the Mediatour of the new Couenant and to the bloud of sprinckling that speaketh better things then the bloud of Abel 2. The Petitions These are of two sorts for some doe concerne the glorie of God and our spirituall and eternall good the rest haue reference to this life and the good thereof It is necessary that we be directed by our Sauiour both in the matter what we may aske and in the order where and at what we must begin there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If we put that out of the proper place wee may disorder our praiers and speed the worse Therefore our first petition here is Hallowed be thy name Which wholly is directed to Gods glory for that is first to be desired and sought of vs. In the handling of which words 1 We must search what is here meant by the name of God 2 What it is to Hallow this name 3 Who must doe this 4 Why we doe aske this of God 5 Why we make this our first petition 6 What dueties depend vpon this 1. What is meant by the Name of God Names were giuen to Persons to Creatures and things of old for distinction sake to distinguish one from another and that application by which euery thing is called is the name thereof Therefore God appointed the Creatures which he had put vnder the Dominion of Adam to take their names from him And whatsoeuer Adam called euery Creature that was the name thereof But God hauing none greater then himselfe gaue himselfe his names by which he made himselfe known to the sonnes of men and therefore Moses desirous to know the name of God demanded it of himselfe And God called himselfe I am that I am and bad him say I AM hath sent thee Which great name of Iehovah doth expresse him 1 Eternall in his owne selfe-being altogether independent Yesterday that is from euerlasting to day that is for the present and the same for euer that is both so long as time is and eternally after time is no more Which was which is and which is to come 2 It sheweth the omnipotent production and denuation of all existences from him as the Apostle saith Of him and in him and by him are all things 3 It sheweth his wise and powerfull prouidence in the gubernation and preseruation of all things for seeing the omnipotent hand of creation hath extracted all things out of nothing how easily could they be againe resolued into nothing if the faithfull Creator were not the wise and potent supporter of this creation Sometimes he is called El the strong God Sometimes Elohim Godds in the plurall to expresse the Trinity of persons And so the Preacher vseth the plurall Remember thy Creators in the daies of thy youth first the Father Sonne and holy Ghost Adonai is a proper name to God in respect of his Dominion and absolute Soueraignty ouer all the works of his hands I cannot blame the tendernesse of the Iewes whom the zeale of this glorious name of God restrained from taking it in their mouthes or pronouncing it but vpon great occasion for they were afraid of the terrour of that Commandement which saith The Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine And superstition in that kinde doth come nearer the virtue then profanenesse doth But neither that law nor this praier doth prouide for the honour either of so many letters written or such a word sounded by the tongue But as we vse to say that man hath a good name who hath a good estimation of whom report speaketh well So by the name of God in this place I vnderstand the estimation and good opinion and regard and honour of God And so I vnderstand our Sauiours praier to the Father Father glorifie thy name To whom the Father answered I haue both glorified it and will glorifie it againe His desire is that God would reueale his glory so to men that his name may be great and glorious in the world God is very carefull of this for the spreading of his name in the world for he told Moses and bad him say In very deed for this cause haue I raised thee vp to shew in thee my power that my name may be declared throughout all the earth To this end God doth exact obedience to his law That thou maiest feare this glorious and fearefull name The Lord thy God David O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth who hast set thy glory aboue the Heauens The name of God is also taken for the holy attributes of God his wisedome and power and holinesse and goodnesse and eternity or whatsoeuer may honour him euen as the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And for this God hath that glorious name and is so farre aduanced aboue all things insomuch as our Helpe standeth in the name of the Lord who hath made heauen and earth And so it is said by way of benediction The name of the God of Iacob defend thee And it is vsed in our praiers by way of Mediation Helpe vs O God of our saluation for the glory of thy name and deliuer vs and purge away our sinnes for thy names sake You see cause from hence that care be taken of the name of the Lord you heare what his name is not only his titles by which he is known but his glory in all his due attributes 2. What is it to Hallow this name It is nomen sanctum already So Dauid Holy and reuerent is his name and our praier is that it may be Sanctificatum that is so declared and reuealed and so accepted and confest Holinesse to the Lord it is his due Any thing is then sayd to be sanctified when it is vindicate and seperate from common vse to a speciall and reuerend regard the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quisi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 separate from all earthinesse and carnalitie 1 From obliuion the name of God must neuer be forgotten of vs as the Church protesteth The desire of our soule is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee 2 From Contempt When the name of God is remembred to be honoured and confest and praised and sworne by vpon iust occasion the temple at Ierusalem was built to the name of God and God put his name there and thither the Tribes went vp to giue thankes to the name of the Lord. 3 From prophanation either by Blasphemy which is the highest degree of abuse of the name of God or by any other pollution of that holy name Blasphemie is either as Aug. in lingua in vita 1. In lingua 1 When any thing is vnworthily attributed to God that becommeth not his holinesse or wisedome or power or goodnesse c. 2 When any thing is wholly derogated from God which belongeth to any of
these 3 When any Creature is ioyned with God in the participation of his incommunicable properties 2. In vita When our conuersation doth not maintaine due correspondence with the honour of God whose name we professe and whose obedience we pretend Againe Euery pollution of the name of God by vaine and idle mention thereof without feare and reuerence is an vnhallowing of this name to Gods dishonour So then Hallowed be thy name is let thy glory bee declared and confest according to the excellent greatnesse and goodnesse of it with all reuerence and feare let it neither be forgotten nor despised nor prophaned by any the greatest or least pollution that may be 3. Who must doe this 1 Christ said to his Father Father glorifie thy name he answereth as you haue heard I haue both glorified it and will glorifie it againe Yet I dare not leaue out this desire in this petition but that we may beseech God that his name may be hallowed by himselfe 2 Christ praieth Father glorifie thy Sonne that thy Sonne also may glorifie thee Neither dare I exclude this in our petition but that we may pray that the name of God may be hallowed by the Sonne of God who best knoweth how to doe it 3 The glorious Angels and Archangels Cherubins and Seraphins continually doe cry Holy holy holy Lord God of Saboath as our Church Hymneth I dare not exclude them in our petition Let my name be hallowed by the celestial armies they are the Churches Sicut in the third petition Sicut in Coelo in terrâ 4 We read that the seperate soules of Gods Saints do not cease night and day praising the name of God and hallowing it with their deuotions I take in them also into this petition let the Saints in glory hallow thy name 5 We finde that the Celestiall bodies the Sunne the Moone the Starres the sublimary creatures all in their kindes declare the glorie of God and make his name glorious therefore I will not leaue out them let the name of God be hallowed also in them let all they that serue him testifie of him It is not Sanctificatu or Sanctificent illi or Sanctificemus nos but it is Sanctificetur and therefore let all things that haue a being doe God right in this 6 But I confesse as this praier is put by our Sauiour into our mouthes it concerneth vs to desire of God that especially we may hallow the name of God For the name of God shall neuer suffer from himselfe or from his Sonne or from his heauenly armies or his ther Celestiall bodies or Terrestiall creatures all the danger of his holy name is from vs. We sinfull men and women doe often thinke often speake vnreuerently of Gods name we be the swearers and lyers and blasphemers and prophane persons that blemish the holy glorie of Gods name so that we had need especially to regard our selues in this suite Sanctificetur à nobis nomen tuum So Saint Cyprianus Petimus a Deo vt nomen ejus sanctificetur in nobis And herein wee honour God desiring to be the vessels of his praise the organs and instruments of his glory here on earth Yet let no man thinke that any thing can be added from vs to the holinesse of Gods name onely we pray that his name which is holy in it selfe may be so both conceiued in our hearts and expressed in our embra'd profession and confession of his name to be so and that nothing may come from vs to blemish and indignifie it 4. Why doe we aske this of God The reason is in sight Holinesse is the Lords none can giue the holy spirit of Sanctification but God only None can hallow or sanctifie but they who are holy prophane persons and Diuels may glorifie God but they cannot sanctifie him God will be glorified euen of his enemies whether they will or no but sanctified hee cannot be saue onely of such as are first made holy The Seraphins in the Prophet I say cry one to another Holy holy holy is the Lord God of hoastes the whole earth is full of thy glory And the foure beasts in the Reuelation rest not night and day saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come Vpon Aarons brestplate Holinesse to the Lord. Therefore we must resort to the fountaine of Holinesse for the grace of sanctification that he may first sanctifie vs that we may be made able to sanctifie his name We aske this of God 1 For it owne sake because the worke of hallowing the name of God is a good worke in it selfe So Dauid It is a good thing to giue thankes to the Lord. And this beginneth prayer best to glorifie God for his fauours already bestowed for his owne goodnesse which we performe when we say Hallowed be thy name This is the Confession of praise to his name these be the calues of our lippes Sacrum Iustitiae 2. We aske this of God for our owne sakes for seeing none can hallow the name of God but they that are holy wee doe herein begge our owne holinesse of God both holinesse in our vnderstandings to know God and holinesse in our affections to loue him and holinesse of life to serue him and holinesse of perseuerance to hold out herein to the end 3 We aske this of God by way of confession of our owne impotencie for when we desire him that his name may be hallowed by vs we confesse to him that without him we are notable to doe him that seruice for it is not in man to order his owne wayes and without him we can do nothing we confesse that he worketh all good in vs therefore we goe forth in the strength of the Lord and make mention of his righteousnesse only indeed the holinesse that we should giue to the name of God except wee had it from him would not honour him 4 We aske it of him to declare our loue to him for seeing he is our Father as we invocate him it is a debt that sonnes owe to their Parents to perpetuate their names vpon earth and this filiall regard of his fatherly prouidence we expresse in desiring the glory of his name 5 We aske it of him for their sakes that belong to him that God declaring the glorious holinesse of his name men may trust in him for so Dauid They that know thy name will trust in thee So that this maketh way for the following petitions 5. Why we make this our first petition In respect of our dutie for wee were created to this end that God might be glorified in our bodies and soules and to this we were also redeemed therefore Gods part in vs is our best part and his glory our cheifest good And the truth is that except Gods name be hallowed in all that we say or thinke or doe Nihil rite perficitur His name is put vpon vs in our Baptisme In nomine patris et filij c.
His name 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
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
his name The Lawes of this kingdome are the holy Scriptures and these are called often the kingdome of heauen in their Ministerie for by them the glory and power of Gods kingdome is declared on earth and they are The rod of his mouth The arme of God by which he directeth and aweth all his subiects Therefore the Scepter of this Kingdome is called Sceptrum iustitiae This Kingdome of God is 1 Outward in the visible profession of the same faith and coniunction in one body of a Church and so all that ioyne together in the one worship of the same God professing to be ruled and gouerned by his holy Lawes are the visible kingdome 2 Inward in the hearts of all the elect people of God And so Christ saith Behold the kingdome of God is within you For God reigneth in the hearts and consciences of all his chosen by their faith and obedience and loue and this kingdome is not meate or drinke but it is Righteousnesse Peace and ioy in the holy Ghost 1. Righteousnesse that is the iustification of his subiect by faith whereby Christ is made to vs of God righteousnesse because the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to vs. 2 Peace for the Gospell of the kingdome is called the Gospell of peace because it filleth vs with peace of conscience in the assurance of the pardon of all our sinnes and it giueth vs a loue of outward peace in the Church knitting vs so together with the bonds of loue that as much as in vs lieth we desire to haue peace with all men 3 Ioy in the holy Ghost for where righteousnesse and peace dwell there is all spirituall ioy The voyce of ioy is in the Tabernacles of the righteous for hauing once tasted how sweete the Lord is then the soule delighteth in the Lord. Then the Statutes of God taste sweeter then hony or the hony combe they are more pretious then all manner of riches they are the very ioy of our hearts Then the feete of them that bring vs glad tydings of peace are beautifull Then the house of Gods worship is the place of our delight we will begge of God that we may dwell there where his honour dwelleth Then we shall loue the holy assemblies and be glad when it is sayd to vs we will goe vp to the house of the Lord our feete shall then stand in the gates of Gods house And the assembly of his armies will seeme to vs to be in perfect beauty Then we shall call the Sabbath of the Lord our delight and we shall make conscience of doing our owne will vpon Gods holy day Then shall we be weaned from the immoderate loue of the world and contentednesse shall meete with godlinesse Then shall we find and tast sweetnesse in afflictons and perciue it good for vs that wee haue beene afflicted and shal reioyce in our sufferings for Iesus Christ so then the kingdome of grace is two fold 1 Generall in the whole body of the Church where Christ reigneth King beeing head of his Church to guide it with his wisedome to saue and defend it by his power to Sanctifie it by his Spirit 2 Particular in euery elect member of the Church where Christ reigneth in the conscience and hid man of the heart gouerning and protecting and teaching and sanctifying the same to himselfe 3. Regnum gloriae 1 Nostrae 2 Dei This is that heauenly inheritance of the Church which Christ hath purchased for all the faithfull of which our Sauiour saith Feare not little flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you the kingdome And of this is said Come yee blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Of this Dauid saith I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse and before In thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand pleasures for euermore This is a place of glory 1 In respect of the holinesse of the subiects of it for no vncleane thing can enter into it it is called Ciuitas sancta He that is left in Ierusalem and he that remaineth in Sion shall be called holy euen euery one that is written among the liuing in Ierusalem When the Lord shall haue washed away the filth of the daughters of Sion and shall haue purged the bloud of Ierusalem from the middest thereof by the spirit of iudgement and by the spirit of burning 2 It is a kingdome of glorie because all the subiects of it are stripped out of all their infirmities and made like to the glorious Angels of God Yea the Scripture telleth vs more that we shall be like to Christ because we shall see him as he is More it saith that our vile bodies shall be like his glorious bodie Eternall health eternall ioy perfect and full knowledge blessednesse which shall neuer be taken away from vs and a full and finall abolition of all our wantes Here is that Crowne of righteousnesse and the reward of faith and the purchase of our Mediatour Here we are subiects and Kings our subiection is a royaltie for we reigne with Christ and the adoption of children is so complete in heauen and in glory that like the Elder sonne in the parable of the prodigall all that our father hath is ours The kingdome of grace is the way to the kingdome of glory it is the suburbs of this abiding city The kingdome of grace is that kingdome which Christ exerciseth in his Church here and which he deliuereth vp to God his father when the kingdome of glory cometh of which the Apostle saith Then cometh the end when he shall haue deliuered vp the kingdome to God euen the Father when he shall haue put downe all rule and all authority and power For he must reigne till hee haue put downe all his enemies vnder his feete Then shall the sonne also himselfe be subiect to him that put all things vnder him that God may be all in all Where the Apostle sheweth the vtter cessation of the kingdome of grace swallowed vp of this kingdome of glory This place of the Apostle is notable and containeth points of deepe consideration 1 Concerning Christs deliuering vp of the kingdome we must know that Christ is King as God and man so is the head of his Church and this kingdome hee holdeth by vertue of his office as hee is Mediatour between God and man and when that worke is accomplished in the fulnesse of his glory of the elect then that kingdome must cease and be giuen vp into the hands of the Father who gaue him the administration thereof for the gathering together of the Saints and for the bringing of all the elect to him 2 When he saith that Christ shall deliuer vp this kingdome to his Father let no man conceiue that the Father was all this while out of his kingdome and is now by the Sonne restored at
last to it For as the Psalmist The Lord is king be the earth neuer so impatient hee sitteth betweene the Cherubimes But the kingdome of God is opposed by sundry enemies and he hath committed the vengeance of his enemies to his Son who when he hath subdued all the enemies of his fathers kingdome to him then shall the kingdome of God appeare in ful glorie and there shall be none left to oppose it or to rise against it 3. Where it is said that the Sonne himselfe by whom all the enemies of this kingdome shall be subdued shall then be subiect to the father this reuealeth a double mysterie of grace to the Church 1 That the Sonne hauing finished the office of his Mediatourship betweene God and man shall not lay downe his humanity with it for when it is said that the Sonne shall be subiect to the Father that cannot be in respect of his Diuinity for so he is equall to the Father he must therefore continue man still 2 The vse of the humanity of Christ retained after the accomplishment of his office and the deliuery vp of the kingdome of his Father is another gratious mystery for he remaineth still the head of the Church and that is the knot of our vnion to the Father for Christ hath a double Office 1 One of reconciling the Church to his Father 2 Another of confirming and establishing the Church in this glory He drawes vs to him by his word by his spirit that he may reconcile vs and so he presenteth vs to his father without spot or wrinckle and confirmeth vs in that state both of fauour glory by maintaining our vnion with him for which he keepeth the hypostaticall vnion eternally vndissolued Indeed that Hypostaticall vnion of the Diuine nature with our humanity is not compleate in absolute perfection till wee be one with him as he is with the father which hee prayeth for And therefore the Apostle calleth the Church triumphant The fulnesse of him that filleth all in all for when he hath drawen all to him and made them one with him as he is one with the Father then there is that perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he desireth and no opposition left to resist or disturbe it for euer Then the father is declared vniuersall King and his glory is reuealed without any Eclipse all the clouds which obscured it are remooued all the enemies of it vtterly confounded Then is he both reuealed and confest The King of glory Now you haue heard how many sorts of kingdomes God hath the next question is which of these kingdomes we pray for that it may come And here I wonder that I finde great interpreters both ancient and moderne at some difference some vnderstanding the petition of one others of another of these kingdomes but the solution is easie and it is worke for another day to resolue it To cleare this question of which of these kingdomes this is meant one obiection is made that these three first petitions of this prayer by consent of most interpreters are to be referred wholly to the glory of God and concerne God onely from whence it is concluded that wee pray not here for the kingdome of grace by which God ruleth in his Church at large and particularly in the soules and consciences of the faithfull for to pray so is to pray for our selues And the same is alleaged for the kingdome of glory which God giueth to his chosen for they say to pray for the comming of that is also to pray for our selues and for our owne future glory And for the first which is the kingdome of Gods power by which hee ruleth the world which hee hath made that is thought not to be here meant because that kingdome hath euer beene come since God began the world begun in the creation and proceeding in the conuersation and gubernation thereof Therefore it is concluded that no other kingdome here is praied for but the last of Gods full glory when Christ shall haue subdued all his enemies vnder his feet and shall then himselfe be subiect to him when God shal be all in all To which obiection my answer is that the ground of this dispute is false and fallacious that only the glory of God is desired in the three first petitions without respect had at all to our selues For in the first petition when wee desire of God the hallowing of his name doe we not desire that it may be hallowed by vs and therein we doe as well begge our owne sanctification to that holy seruice as the speciall honour of Gods name for as I haue shewed the name of God will be glorified in despight of all opposers but it is sanctified onely by such as are holy So in this second petition we exclude not our selues though we seeke the glory of God we doe withall seeke our owne glorie in it therfore I am not carried with the strong streame of our later writers though of reuerend memorie in the Church of God to shrinke vp this petition to any one of these aboue mentioned kingdomes but I shall euer in my deuotions comprehend them all 1 We desire the comming of the kingdome of Gods power in the generall gouernment of the world for though that kingdome be come already in part yet it may be more declared to the world then yet it is and it must be exercised with the continuation of the world yet more and more and that we pray for For how many nations and languages of the world yet are there who though they doe confesse some deity whom they pretend to serue yet they are not come to this knowledge to beleeue and confesse that The Lord is King The comming of the Kingdome of Gods power to these may declare him King of kings and Lord of Lords Though the Deuill could not catch the Sonne of God in this net hee hath preuailed with many to make them beleeue that hee is the supreme Monarch of this world and that all the kingdomes of the earth are at his dispose which maketh many goe to the Deuill for the kingdomes of this world though some ouer-weaning the Popes temporall power by which hee claimeth a Monarchicall supremacie ouer the kingdomes of all the world haue sought to him for such high preferment For the Pope stands as stiffly vpon the claime of all the kingdomes subiection to him as the Deuill doth They are all giuen to me and to whomsoeuer I will I giue them Therefore I pray let thy kingdome O Lord declare it selfe and let the Deuill and the Pope both know and learne the lesson which thou taughtest proud Nabuchadnezar that The most high ruleth in the kingdome of men and giueth it to whomsoeuer he will Let all the nations of the earth know that these two great impostors the Deuill the Pope do gull their credulous deuotoes for neither of them hath any thing to doe with the kingdomes of the
world God hath reserued that supremacie of right in regno potentiae ejus Lord let that kingdome come Amen It is the phrase of Dauid Before Ephraim and Manasse stirre vp thy strength and come and saue vs. All thy workes shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall blesse thee They shall speake of the glory of thy kingdome and talke of thy power To make knowen to the sonnes of men his mighty acts and the glorious Maiesty of his kingdome Thy kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations This Saint Augustine vnderstandeth of the kingdome of Gods power for he saith in it appeareth quam potens deus qui fecit terram quam potens qui impleuit terram bonis qui dedit vitam animalibus semina terrae c. Dauid speaketh of this kingdome The Lord is King let the earth reioyce let the multitude of Israel be glad Read on and you shall see that hee speaketh there of this kingdome of Gods power and haue wee not good cause to pray that this kingdome may come which bringeth such ioy to all the earth such reioycing to the multitude of the Iles. 2 Wee desire the comming of Gods kingdome of grace whereby his Sonne reigneth in our hearts and consciences for so we shall be made fit and able to hallow the name of God and thus Saint Ambrose saith Tunc venit regnum dei quando ejus estis gratiam consequuiti By the coming of this kingdome the light of Gods truth is set vp in our vnderstandings and the fire of Gods zeale is kindled in our affections from whence ariseth an vtter abnegation of our selues a contempt of the world in our affections wholly stooped to the subiection of Christ and a cleare reuelation of the truth of God in our vnderstanding by which it is freed from all errours of iudgement and rightly informed in Credendis in agendis in petendis And herein we seeke and aske the glory of God for how can we honour him more then by desiring that hee would aduance the kingdome of his Sonne in his Church and in all the hearts of his elect seuerally wee also desire of God our owne good withall that wee may be subiects of this kingdome that his Sonne may reigne within vs. For this he saith My sonne giue me thy heart Giue it me that I may make it the seate of my kingdome that I may set vp my throne in it And we say take it O Lord we yeeld it vp vnto thee reigne thou and rule in it say thou of my heart say thou of thy Church Here will I dwell for I haue a delight in it 3. There is yet a further request in this petition for the kingdome of Gods glory that which God giueth in reward to his chosen seruants let that kingdome come Wherein first wee seeke the glory of God for the subiects and faithfull and loyall vassalls of a king are the glory of his Crowne In these God is glorified both in his power and wisedome and holinesse and iustice and in his mercy which is aboue all his works this mercy doth keepe within the pale and fense of his kingdome of grace and none but the subiects of that kingdome drinke deepe of it this is the marrow and fatnesse of Gods house that oleum laetitiae wherewith the electare annointed from top to toe and it is not giuen in fulnesse of measure heaped vp and pressed downe till it be made compleate in the kingdom of glory Then the glory of God is full in his triumphant Church his communion of Saints 2 We seeke our owne good in this petition for this is our summum bonum this is the gift of God to vs the glory of his bounty the crowne of righteousnesse by which we are iust by Iesus Christ in the sight of God This is that immensumpondus gloriae the prize of that high calling for which we forget that which is behind stretch and striue our selues to that which is before running with patience the race that is set before vs and so running that we may obtain this the reward of our righteousnesse the crowne of our reioycing the saluation of our soules This we begge not so much for our owne sakes that we may be made glorious as for the name of Gods sake that that may be glorified in vs and by vs. And that this is properly also desired in this petition this proofe may serue this is that kingdome for which the elect were elected this is the full accomplishment of Gods grace to vs and glory in vs this is the kingdome prouided for Gods Saints from the beginning of the world This is the hope and expectation of all the iust and no question our Sauiour would not leaue this out of our prayer and it is desired but by consequent in any other petition therefore no question it is included in this the words the sense the matter do all beare it for all that hallow the name of God on earth are promised the inheritance of this kingdome in glory and what God promiseth we may boldy aske of him for he hath sayd Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Lastly there is a kingdome of Gods glory which he reserueth to himselfe and that is his finall conquest of all his enemies the bringing of all things in subiection to him which we haue great reason to desire that the glory of God may be cōpleate as in vs his Saints so in himself the holy Saints in heauen doe pray for this kingdome Euen so come quickly Lord Iesus They desire it that hee may deliuer vp his kingdom to God the father that God may be all in all And the prouision of the former kingdome of glory is for all such as loue the appearing of God in that kingdome wherefore wee haue cause to pray for the coming of that Kingdome So are the faithfull described looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Sauiour Iesus Christ This is that glorious appearance of God which wee pray for and which the soules vnder the alter do hasten by their prayers wherein God shall be all in all Therefore of all these kingdomes doe I vnderstand this holy petition Let the kingdome of thy power the kingdome of thy grace thy kingdome of our glory thy kingdom of thine owne finall and full glory come 2 How we would haue this kingdome come We must therfore know that though the kingdom be the Lords and he ruleth ouer all Yet there be enemies that aduance thēselues against these kingdomes they not flesh and bloud onely but powers and Principalities Such make warre with God and vsurpe dominion Our praier therfore is that as Moses rod did deuoure the rods of the sorcerers so the kingdome of God may destroy all contrary vsurpation or opposition 1 The kingdome of Gods power on earth is opposed by many
reckonings make long friends The comfort is that where particular confession cannot perfect the account it be there supplied with a generall of all our sinnes both remembred and forgotten knowne and vnknowne This was Dauids course for hauing said who can tell how oft he hath offended he addeth cleanse me O Lord from my secret sinnes in which generall request there is ingrost a full confession of all If this generall confession auailed not to this purpose the rule could not hold that at what time so euer a sinner repenteth him of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart all his sinnes should be put out of remembrance The conuerted thiefe on the Crosse had many sinnes to repent euen after he was nailed to the Crosse hee reproached Christ and whilest he was blaspheming his heart smote him and he reproued his fellow and confessed that they suffered iustly therefore he sought and found grace It were most vnhappy for man and would make the way of saluation vnpossible vnpassable if a generall contrition for the whole body of sinne did not ease the conscience when the shortnesse of time and forgetfulnesse doe hinder a particular enumeration of all the seuerall prouocations of the wrath of God against sinne for ignorantly we offend often 3 A third duty ioyned with this confession of the mouth is confession of the heart vnfainedly touched with remorse of sinne for sinne must be first discerned and discouered before it can put vs into shame and feare and griefe for it This yeeldeth vs guilty into the power of iustice and saith like the sonnes of Iacob when the cup was found in Beniamins sacke What shall I say vnto my Lord what shall I speake or how shall I cleare my selfe God hath found out mine iniquity But the tender conscience feareth lest this compunction come short of the sorrow that is due and proportionable to the trespasse for we should haue as great a measure and proportion of hatred to the sinne wherein we offend as there hath beene in vs loue of euill But the delectation of the sinne remembred doth often take out the sting of fit remorse The comfort is that as a father hath compassion of his children so the Lord c. For he knoweth whereof we be made c. We cannot brush off this dust but it will still foule vs and make vs vncleane the law of our members during the vnion of our soule with our body cannot bee repealed therefore the most sanctified man that liues doth finde 1 That either he doth not finde the heinous condition of his sinne to fit it with proportionable remorse 2 Or he doth not sufficiently regard the due punishment to fit it with proportionable feare for according as a man feareth such is Gods displeasure 3 Or not enough consider the foulenesse of the fact to fit it with due shame and hatred of it Therefore considering our imperfections and knowing that our old man is not cannot be vtterly destroyed in vs let it be our comfort yet that wee doe the euill which we would not if we had a measure of grace sufficient to resist it and Dauid will tell vs that our God heareth the desires of the poore 4 A fourth dutie implied here is renouation of our life for when we aske God forgiuenesse of sinnes wee must take heed that we doe not turne it into a practise to doe euill and cry God mercy for it when we haue done as if that were al that we desired to haue leaue to sinne to wipe off the old score and to runne againe into Gods debt still pleading for pardon and still offending Therfore that which God requireth of this petitioner is that he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wee be renued in the spirits of our mindes to walke from henceforth in newnesse of life For neither circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumcision but a new creature and as many as walke according to this rule peace is vpon them and vpon the Israel of God So that this petitioner must haue a care to his walke that it be secundum hanc regulam of holinesse and piety Here the tender conscience feareth much 1 Because we finde not the image of God repaired in vs for we are nothing like him Against this comfort thy selfe for that is not to be hoped for in this life Saint Iohn saith of vs all comprehending therein all the elect of God We are the sonnes of God but it doth not appeare what we shall be but we know that when he shall appeare wee shall be like him for we shall see him as he is So that till he appeare we cannot be like him But Saint Paul saith of the Thessalonians euen here ye are the children of the light and of the day and as peremptorily he saith not of the night nor of darkenesse But I say I doe not finde my life amended how then can I say dimitte mihi Indeed I confesse that our time is best spent in the reformation of our liues and here is worke enough to take vp all the time of our life and our whole measure of grace They that studie this well see so much weakenesse in themselues to vndergoe this worke that they cry out for helpe It is time for thee Lord to put to thine helping hand Our comfort against this griefe is Thou also hast wrought all our workes in vs we that are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the shop in which God worketh cannot suddenly discerne the operations of God within vs for who knoweth his owne heart And the more wee striue toward perfection the more wee discerne the length of the voyage and the weakenesse and defects both in our skill and prouisions to accomplish the same wherefore we mistrust our selues and the better wee grow the worse estimation we still haue of our selues God worketh much good in vs that we are not aware of we are dust and ashes and in these ashes are many embers of grace raked vp the time will come when God will reueale vs to our selues himselfe to vs and then we shall finde our selues much better then our opinion This doth God a while conceale that we may both worke out our saluation with feare and trembling in a godly mortification of the deedes of the flesh passing the time of our dwelling here in feare God who bringeth good out of euill by miraculous extraction and who maketh light to arise out of darkenesse doth make two good vses euen of that remaine of sinne which suruiueth our repentance and of that propension which procliueth vs to euill 1 As the law is called the strength of sinne so these sinnes that remaine in vs and corruption which escapeth our repentance may bee called the strength of grace For the elect of God the more sensible they bee of their owne both pollution by sinne and weakenesse to resist it and impotencie to reforme it so much the more feruent is their zeale of the glory of
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
it is called Malum poenae Is there any euill in the city and I haue not done it Among the many exceptions that are taken against our booke of Common prayer this is quarrelled by some Ministers of Deuonshire and Cornwall because in the Collect for the 22. Sunday after Trinity our Church prayeth thus Lord we beseech thee to keepe thy houshold the Church in continuall godlinesse that through thy protection it may be free from all aduersities Againe this they obiect That this petition is against the manifest word of God and against his decree and true faith for it is written We must through many afflictions enter into the kingdome of God and All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecutions and In the world ye shall haue tribulation God hath promised that we shall not be swallowed vp of aduersitie but no promise that we shall be free from all ergo To pray for that whereof we haue no proofe is against faith and so sinne To this our answer is 1 That it is no sinne to pray against the decree of God concerning our punishment by aduersities 1 Because this decree of God is reuocable as appeareth by the example of the Niniuites to whom Ionah preached threatning them destruction withing forty daies and God defended his truth and iustice against Ionah who tooke the reuocation thereof impatiently which example proueth these decrees of God to bee conditionall with exception of true repentance And Zephany preaching repentance to Iudah and Ierusalem admonisheth them to hasten their repentance before the decree bring forth And though the decree passe yet he comforteth them It may be ye shall be hid in the day of she Lords anger Therefore the word of God is our warrant to pray against the decree of God and our possibility is double Either in the auersment of the decree Or in our occultation from the force of it Did not Christ who saith in the world you shall haue afflictions pray against this decree I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keepe them from euill Where he vseth the same word that is here vsed in this petition What euill doth he meane there but both Sathan the euill one and all euils both of sinne and punishment euen all aduersities 2 Christ himselfe who came into the world to bee made a sacrifice for our sinne by his death on the crosse who foreknew and foretold what hee should suffer at Ierusalem and went thither of purpose to vndergoe that bitter passion and to drinke of that cup yet hee prayed three times to his father to let that cup passe from him If our wisdome alleadge that that prayer was with reseruation of his fathers will let our charity plead the same for our Church prayer that we desire of God to be free from all aduersities with that reseruation as in this prayer fiat voluntas tua then libera a nos à malo 3 Here they alleadge that we haue no promise to secure vs against all aduersities what say they to the promises made by Moses to them that keepe the law there is no euill to them that haue those blessings And what say they to the promise of Dauid There shall no euill happen vnto thee neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling May not we say Blessed are the people that are in such a case May we not pray to be in such a case Sure we may pray for the protection of God that includeth a deliuerance from all aduersity Againe the Psalmist saith The Lord shall preserue thee from all euill hee shall preserue thy soule This is that we pray for in libera nos à malo 4 In our Church Collect we pray to be free from all aduersities And if we come to take a full weight of the word aduersities doth it not signifie such things onely as are against vs This word will not beare the stresse to include all afflictions and tribulations whatsoeuer for in the afflictions of the iust there is bonum It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted This bonum is no aduersity it is not against vs but as Physick which is against the disease Our prayer is libera nos not morbis nostris There is malum in affliction in pouerty in losses in defamation c. There euill is in all that we haue in all that we suffer not in the nature but in the vse of them vermis divitiarum against this wee pray The wise son of Iakeh saw this euill in pouerty and in riches and prayed against it the euill of riches is Lest I be full and deny thee and say who is the Lord The euill of pouerty is Lest I bee poore and steale and take the name of my God in vaine The euill of honour is pride Lest thy heart bee exalted aboue thy brethren The euill of power and authority is oppression The euill of a low degree is enuy against all these we pray these are aduersities Libera nos Therefore our Church Letany like a comment vpon this text like a descant vpon this plainsong doth expresse this petition more at large 2 Declaring from what we desire to bee deliuered from all euill and mischiefe c. in foure seuerall eiaculations 2 By what we desire to be deliuered that is by that which Christ was by that he did and by that he suffered in two By the mystery of his holy incarnation c. 3 In what times specially of danger wee desire to bee deliuered that is in all times of tribulation in all times of prosperity in the houre of death and at the day of iudgement Which prayer of the Church though it hath not pleased all yet is it warantable by this last petition of the Lords prayer and sober iudgements may make an holy vse of it There is a particular enumeration of many euils to which we are here subiect especially our sinne which breedeth and spawneth them all let our holy thoughts comprehend them all in this one full petition Deliuer vs from euill Sed libera nos à malo We may also include in this petition all the present and incumbent calamities of life all present paines in our bodies or griefes in our mindes all wants of things necessary for life and whatsoeuer present affliction distresseth our owne persons or any member of the Church of God All euils personall or popular For our Sauiour saith Sufficient vnto the day is the euill thereof Euery day then hath it euill and bringeth with it sundry inconueniences which we desire God to put off from vs. And as we beg bread for the food of this day and pardon of sinnes for this day and deprecate this daies temptations to euill so we pray against this daies vexations that nothing may disquiet or molest vs to hinder the seruice of our God or the labours in our seuerall callings For Iob
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
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
things reuealed done by all that loue and conscionably serue him 11 His goodnesse in himselfe and toward all things that haue being of him 12 His grace by which he declareth himselfe in Iesus Christ the father of vs all 13 His mercy in which he couereth our sinnes and pardoneth all our iniquities 14 His righteousnesse by which hee iustifieth his elect and condemneth the vngodly In all these God is glorious in his Church and his Church confesseth it 2 He is glorious in his workes It is a worke for the Sabbath to thinke of them Dauid makes two good vses of them 1 To debase himselfe 2 To exalt God O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth 3 He is glorious in his word 1 In veritate it is called verbum veritatis 2 In aeternitate durat in saeculum Truth maketh vs free and eternity crowneth vs with indesinent perpetuity Our faith is hereby supported that seeing our God is the King of glory and all our prayers are directed to his glory that he will therefore heare vs from heauen and when he heareth he will haue mercy And in that faith we all say Amen to these our holy deuotions MATH 6.13 Amen THis is the last gaspe of this heauenly prayer 1 Consider we what Amen is 2 To what it is said 3 By whom it must be said 4 How we must say it 1 What Amen is It is one of those Hebrew words which is retained in the vse of the Church in all languages and Gabriel Gerson saith it is vsed in Scripture three wayes 1 Nominaliter 2 Aduerbialiter 3 Verbaliter 1 Nominaliter and that 1 Personaliter 2 Realiter Thus it signifieth the truth of the person and so it is the appellation of Christ These things saith Amen the faithfull and true witnesse onely proper to Christ Ego veritas omnis homo mendax Thus it signifieth the truth of things so called all the promises of God in him are yea and Amen that is perfect truth 2 Aduerbialiter So it signifieth verily a word of earnest asseueration sometimes vsed single sometimes double Amen Amen Our Sauiour vseth it much in the Gospell alwaies in serious matters 1 In doctrina Baptism Verily I say vnto you nisi quis renatus fuerit c. 2 In doctrina Euchar. Amen Amen dico vobis Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud you haue no life in you 3 In doctrina orationis Amen Amen dico vobis quaecunque petieritis patrem in nominâ— meo dabit vobis 4 In the doctrine of comfort in afflictions Verily verily I say vnto you ye shall weepe and lament and the world shall reioyce but your sorrow shall bee turned into ioy So it is vsed in many other important passages in holy Scripture Origen per quod verbum vernaculo Hebraeorum sermone vera fidelia esse quae scripta sunt dicta consignatur Therefore where you finde that word beginne the sentence expect some thing of great moment to follow Attendite credite 3 Verbaliter And thus it is equiualent to So be it and is vsed in the close of 1 Thankesgiuing 2 Praise 3 And prayer 1 Of thankesgiuing The Apostle taketh care that this seruice bee performed lingua familiari Idiomate noto that Amen may be said to it 2 Of praise or blessing of God Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from euerlasting and to euerlasting Amen and Amen Blessed be the Lord for euermore Amen and Amen God teacheth his Leuites to blesse his people when they dismisse the congregation He addeth They shall put my name vpon the children of Israel Amen is his name and the seale of that blessing 3 Of prayer So our prayers end generally and it hath a double vse which I learne of two Fathers 1 Signaculum consensus nostri 2 Votum desiderij nostri 1 It sheweth our vnderstanding well informed 2 Our affections feruently inflamed 2 To what it is said 1 To the Preface 2 To the seuen petitions 3 To the Conclusion 1 To the Preface Here are three things of import 1 That wee chalenge interest in God and call him ours 2 That wee seeke his face as his children and call him Father 3 That we lift vp our hearts to him as being in heauen In all these we vse Amen both aduerbialiter and verbaliter 1 Amen verily he is ours it is vox fidei wee beleeue him so to be 1 We beleeue our right in him noster 2 His loue to vs in Pater 3 His prouident power ouer vs by reason his dwelling is in heauen from whom euery good and perfect gift commeth Amen verily as Aquila fideliter as Origene ad confirmationem omnium quae dicta suut all this is true This is signaculum fidei He that sealeth to his conscience a full perswasion that God dwelling in heauen is his father may be bold to goe on with all the seuen petitions He that will pray let him aske in faith and wauer not Heare the Church prayer Looke downe from heauen and behold from the habitation of thy holinesse and glory where is thy zeale and strength and the multitude of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards me are they restrained Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham bee ignorant of vs though Israel acknowledge vs not thou O Lord art our Father our redeemer c. Say Amen to this and pray on There is also another vse of Amen by way of blessing our selues in the name of the Lord. Amen So be it for this is votum desiderij nostri 1 That he may owne vs and call vs his 2 That he may loue vs and call vs children 3 That he may possesse the place From whence euery good gift commeth That his prouidence may be our storehouse to supply all our wants That his loue may be our banner That his power may be our fenced citie So be it 2 Amen to the petitions Amen to the whole body of the prayer Amen to euery part of it not onely to euery petition but to euery member thereof 2 Aduerbiabiter 1 For our hearts must be established with a full perswasion that it cannot goe well with vs by any meanes except all this be done that we pray for 1 The name of God which is our tower and refuge must be hallowed else quo fugiemus 2 The kingdome of God must come else who shall raigne ouer vs 3 The will of God must be obeied by vs and fulfilled vpon vs for it is his will to saue vs. 4 And if this will of God be not obeyed on earth according to the patterne of heauenly obedience performed by the Angels and Saints of God it will not be accepted in his sight 5 If he giue vs not bread and his blessing with it we shall not liue in his sight 6 If he forgiue vs not wee