same prayer is again delivered in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whē you pray say Our Father which art in heaven that is doe it in haec Verba For what other phrase is there to express such a meaning if this be not Besides in this of S. Luke the occasion would be considered It came to passe saith he as Iesus was praying in a certain place that when he ceased one of his Disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray as Iohn also taught his Disciples From whence it may not improbably be gathered that this was the custome of the Doctors of Israel to deliver some certain form of Prayer unto their Disciples to use as it were a Badge and Symbolum of their Discipleship at least Iohn Baptist had done so unto his Disciples and thereupon our Saviours Disciples besought him that he also would give them in like manner some forme of his making that they might also pray with their Masters spirit as Iohns Disciples did with theirs For that either our Saviours or Iohns Disciples knew not how to pray till now were ridiculous to imagine they being both of them Jews who had their certaine set houres of prayer which they constantly observed as the third sixt and ninth It was therefore a forme of prayer of their Masters making which both Iohn is said to have given his Disciples and our Saviours Disciples besought him to give them For the fuller understanding whereof I must tell you something more and the rather because it is not commonly taken notice of and that is That this delivery of the Lords prayer in S. Luke is not the same with that related by S. Matthew but another at another time and upon another occasion That of S. Matthew in that famous Sermon of Christ upon the Mount whereof it is a part that of S. Luke upon a speciall motion of the Disciples at a time when himselfe had done praying That of S. Matthew in the second that of S. Luke in the third yeare after his Baptisme Consider the Text of both and you shall finde it impossible to bring them into one and the same whence it follows that the Disciples when it was first uttered understood not that their Master intended it for a forme of prayer unto them but for a pattern or example onely or it may be to instruct them in speciall in what manner to ask forgiveness of sins For if they had thought he had given them a forme of prayer then they would never have asked him for one now wherefore our Saviour this second time utters himselfe more expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When ye pray say Our Father which art in heaven Thus their inadvertency becomes our confirmation For as Ioseph said to Pharaoh The dreame is doubled unto Pharaoh because the thing is established by God so may wee say here The delivery of this prayer was doubled unto the Disciples that they and we might thereby know the more certainly that our Saviour intended and commended it for a set form of prayer unto his Church Thus much of that set forme of prayer which our Saviour gave unto his Disciples as a precedent and warrant to his Church to give the like forms to her Disciples or members a thing which from her infancy she used to doe But because her practice is called in question as not warranted by Scripture let us see what was the practice of the Church of the old Testament then whose example and use wee can have no better rule to follow in the New First therefore wee find two set forms of prayer or invocation appointed by God himself in the Law of Moses One the form wherewith the Priests were to blesse the people Num. 6. 23. On this wise saith he shall Aaron and his sons blesse the children of Israel saying unto them The Lord blesse thee and keepe thee the Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace Is not this a set forme of Prayer For what is to blesse but to pray over or invocate God for another The second is the forme of profession and prayer to be used by him who had paid his Tithes every third yeare Deut. 26. 13. O Lord God I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house and also have given them unto the Levite and unto the stranger to the Fatherlesse and unto the widow according to all thy commandements which thou hast commanded me I have not transgressed thy Commandements neither have I forgotten them 14. I have not eaten thereof in my mourning neither have I taken away ought thereof for any uncleane use c. 15. Look downe from thy holy habitation from heaven and blesse thy people Israel and the Land which thou hast given us as thou swarest to our Fathers a Land that floweth with Milke and honey But what need we seek thus for scattered Formes when wee have a whole booke of them together The Booke of Psalmes was the Jewish Liturgie or the chiefe part of the vocall service wherewith they worshipped God in the Temple This is evident by the Titles of the Psalms themselves which shew them to have beene commended to the severall Quires in the same to Asaph to the sonnes of Korah to Ieduthun and almost forty of them to the Magister Symphoniae in generall The like wee are to conceive of those which have no titles as for example of the 105 and 96 Psalmes which though they have no such Inscription in the Psalme-booke yet wee finde 1 Chron. 16. 7. That they were delivered by David into the hands of Asaph and his Brethren for formes to thanke the Lord. This a man would think were sufficient to take away all scruple in this point especially when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solve◠and all the reformed Churches use to sing the same Psalmes not onely as set formes but set in Meeter that is after a humane composure Are not the Psalmes set formes of Confession of Prayer and of Praising God And in case there had been no prayers amongst them yet what reason could be given why it should not bee as lawfull to pray unto God in a set forme as to praise him in such a one What therefore doe they say to this Why they tell us that the Psalmes are not sung in the Church unto God but so rehearsed for instruction of the people onely namely as the Chapters and Lessons are there read and no otherwise But if either wee doe ought or may sing the Psalmes in the Church with the same end and purpose that the Church of the old Testament did and it were absurd to say wee might not this exception will not subsist for what is more certaine then that the Church of Israel used the Psalmes for Formes of praising and invocating God What mean else those formes Cantemus Domino Psallite Domino and the like so frequent in them But there are more direct
DIATRIBAE DISCOVRSES ON DIVERS TEXTS OF SCRIPTVRE Delivered upon severall occasions BY JOSEPH MEDE B. D. late Fellow of Christs Colledge in CAMBRIDGE Printed by the Authors own Copy The Contents you shall finde in the next leafe LONDON Printed by M. F. for JOHN CLARK and are to be sold at his Shop under S. Peters Church in Cornhill M DC XLII The Contents of the severall Texts of Scripture delivered in this Treatise S. MATTH 6. 9. Thus therefore pray ye Our Father c. pag. 1. MATTH 6. 9. LUKE 11. 2. Sanctified or hallowed be thy Name p. 17. ACTS 17. 4. There associated themselves to Paul and Silas of the worshipping Greeks a great multitude p. 82. 2 PETER 2. 4. For if God spared not the Angels which sinned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darknesse to be reserved unto Iudgement c. so we translate it To which of S. Peter answers that of S. Iude as almost that whole Epistle doth to this verse 6. And the Angels which kept not their first estate or principality but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darknesse unto the Iudgement of the great Day p. 99. 1 COR. 4. 1. Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God p. 108. S. IOHN 10. 20. He hath a Devill and is mad p 120. PROVERBS 21. 16. The Man that wandreth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the Congregation of the Dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in coetu Gigantum p. 132. GEN. 49. 10. The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a Law-giver from between his feet untill SHILOH come and unto him shall the gathering of the People be p. 144. PSALME 8. 2. Out of the Mouth of Babes and Sucklings thou hast ordained strength because of thine enemies that thou mightest quell the Enemy and the Avenger p. 155. ZACH. 4. 10. These seven are the Eyes of the Lord which run to and fro through the whole earth p. 172. S. MARK 11. 17. Is it not written My House shall be called a House of Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to all the Nations p. 187. S. JOHN 4. 23. But the hour commeth and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth For the Father seeketh such to worship him pag. 197. S. LUKE 24. 45. Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures 46. And said unto them Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day p. 210. EXOD. 4. 25. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the fore-skin of her son and cast it at his feet and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sponsus sanguinum tu mihi es pag. 222. EZEKIEL 20. 20. Hallow my Sabbath and they shall be a sign between me and you to acknowledge that I Iehovah am your God pag. 234. 1 COR 11. 5. Every woman praying or prophecying with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head p. 246. TITUS 3. 5. By the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost p. 262. IOSH. 24. 26. And Ioshâ—…ah took a great stone and set it up there viz. in Sichem under the Oak which was in the Sanctuary of the Lord Alii by the Sanctuary Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 274 1 TIM 5. 17. Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they that labour in the Word and Doctrine p. 296. ACTS 2. 5. And there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sojourning at Ierusalem Iows devout men out of every Nation under heaven p. 311. 1 COR. 9. 14. Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 324. Three other Treatises by the same Author formerly Printed which may be added viz. 1. The Name ALTAR or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. CHURCHES that is Appropriate Places for Christian Worship 1 COR. 11. 22. Have ye not houses to eat and drink in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or despise ye the CHVRCH of God 3. The Reverence of GODS HOVSE ECCLESIASTES 5. 1. Look to thy foot or feet when thou commest to the House of God and be more ready to obey then to offer the sacrifice of fools for they know not that they doe evill Errata FOlio 9. line 10. testimonies in r. testimonies In. fol. 24. l. 16 28. the Hebrew words are false printed and misplaced fol. 87. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words inverted fol 88. line 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fo 125. line 19. the Hebrew words are inverted line 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fol. 130. line 14. siqui r. siquis fol. 150. line 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fol. 162. ult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fol. 184. in the margin the Hebrew is amisse fol. 229. the Hebrew is transposed and mis-printed fo 273. line 14. imitation r. initiation so 284 line 3. Actâ— 21. r Acts 16. fol. 334. line 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 DISCOVRSES ON DIVERS TEXTS of SCRIPTURE S. MATTHEW 6. 9. Thus therefore pray ye Our Father c. IT was well hoped after the question about the lawfulness and fitness of a set forme of Prayer had been so long debated in our Church that the sect of those who opposed it had been ere this well-nigh extinguished but experience tels us the contrary that this fancy is not onely still living but begins as it were to recover and get strength afresh In which regard my discourse at this time will not be unseasonable if taking my rise from these words of our Saviour I acquaint you upon what grounds and example this practise of the Christian Church hath been established and how frivolous and weak the reasons are which some of late doe bring against it To begin therefore You see by the Text I have now read that our blessed Saviour delivered a set form of prayer unto his Disciples and in so doing hath commended the use of a set form of prayer unto his Church Thus therefore saith he pray ye Our Father which art in heaven c. Is not this a set form of prayer and did not our Saviour deliver it to be used by his Disciples They tell us No. For Thus say they in this place is not thus to be understood but for in this manner to this effect or sense or after this pattern not in these words and syllables To this I answer It is true that this form of prayer is a pattern for us to make other prayers by but that this only should be the meaning of our Saviours Thus and not the rehearsall of the words themselves I utterly deny and I prove it out of the eleventh Chapter of S. Luke where the
and expresse testimonies In the 1 Chron. 25. it is expresly said of Ieduthuâ— and his soâ—â—es that their office was to prophesie with a Harpe to give thanks and to praise the Lord. In the second of Chron. 30. 21. wee read that the Levites and Priests praised the Lord day by day singing with loud Instruments unto the Lord. And as ye heard even now out of 1 Chron. 16. that David at the time when he brought up the Ark unto Jerusalem then first delivered the 105. and 95 Psalms into the hands of Aâ—… and his sonnes to confesse or give thanks unto the Lord. And lastly to leave no place for farther doubt wee read Ezra 3. 11. That the Levites the sonnes of Asaph were set with Cymbals to praise the Lord after the ordinance of David King of Israel And that they sung together by course in praising giving thanks unto the Lord because he is good for his mercy endureth for ever For this reason the foure and twenty Courses or Quires into which the singers of the Temple were divided by King David to serve in their turnes consisted each of them of twelve according to the number of the tribes of Israel that so every Tribe might have a mouth and voyce to praise and to give thanks unto God for him in the Temple Thus we have seene what warrant to pray and call upon God in a set forme hath from the practice of the Church of God in the old Testament And if reason may have place in the publike service of God where one is the mouth of many there is none so proper and convenient For how can the Minister be said properly to be the mouth of the Congregation in prayer unto God when the Congregation is not first made acquainted and privy to what he is to render unto God in their names which in a voluntary and extemporary Prayer they are not nor well can be I am sure neither so properly nor conveniently as in a set forme which both they and the whole Church have agreed upon and offer unto God at the same time though in severall places in the self-same forme and words And this may be a second reason I meane from Vniformity For how can the Church being a mysticall Body better testifie her unity before God then in her uniformity in calling upon him especially our Saviour telling us that if but two or three shall agree together on earth as touching anything that they shall ask it shall be done unto them of his Father which is in heaven So prevailable with Allmighty God is the power of consent in prayer Let us now in the last place see what reasons they bring who contend altogether for voluntary prayer and would have no set formes used First they say it is the ordinance of God that the Church should be edified by the gifts of her Ministers as well in praying as preaching Ergo their prayers should be extemporary or voluntary because in reading a set forme this gift cannot be shewn To this I answer First that there is not in this point the same reason for Prayer and for Preaching for in prayer I meane Publique the Minister is the mouth of the Church unto God and therefore it were convenient they should know what he puts up to God in their names but in preaching he is not so Secondly Why should not the Pastours and Ministers of the Church edify the Church by their gift of prayer as well in composing a set forme of prayer for her use by generall agreement as in uttering a voluntary or extemporary prayer in a particular Congregation Thirdly Are not the members of the Church to be edified as well by the Spirit of the Church as the Church or some part thereof by the Spirit of a member But how can the Church edifie her members by her gift of prayer otherwise then by a set form agreed upon by her consent Fourthly Ostentation of gifts is one thing but edification by them another Ostentation of the gift of prayer is indeed best shewn in a voluntary or extemporary prayer but the Church may be edified as well by a set forme Yea such a forme in the publique service of God is more edificative then a voluntary And that both because the Congregation is first made acquainted therewith and secondly because they are better secured from being ingaged in ought that might be unfit to speak unto God either for matter or manner or such as they would not have given their consent to if they had been aware of it For now that extraordinary assistance of the Holy Ghost which was in the Primitive and Apostolicall times is long since ceased And all men to whom that office belongeth to speake to God for others are not at all times discreet and well advised when they speake to him at will and extempore but subject to miscariage Lastly I answer That the Church is to be edified by the gift of her Ministers in voluntary prayer loco tempore in fit place and upon fit occasions not in all places and upon all occasions And thus much to this objection But they object secondly that the Spirit ought to be free and unlimited and that therefore a Book or set forme of prayer which limits the spirit in praying is not to be tolerated or used To this I answer it is false that the acting of the Spirit in one Christan may not be limited or regulated by the Spirit of another especially the spirit of a particular man in the publike worship by the spirit of the Church whereof he is a member For doth not the Apostle tell us 1 Cor. 14. that even that extraordinary spirit of Prophecy usuall in his time might be limited by the spirit of another Prophet Let the Prophets saith he speak two or three and let the other judg If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his peace Is not this a limiting He gives a reason For the spirits of the Prophets saith he are subject to the Prophets Besides are not the spirits of the people as well limited and determined by a voluntary prayer when they joyne therein with their Minister as they are by a set forme True the spirit of the Minister is then free but theirs is not so but tied and led by the spirit of the Minister as much as if he used a set forme But to elude this they tell us that the Question is not of limiting the spirit of the people but of the Minister onely For as for the people no more is required of them but to join with their Minister and to testifie it by saying Amen but the spirit of the Minister ought to be left free and not to be limited But where is this written that the one may not be limited as well as the other We heard the Apostle say even now The spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets If in prophecying why not in praying And
what shew of reasoÌ„ can be given why the spirit of a particular Minister in the publick worship of the Church may not yea ought not to be limited and regulated by the spirit of the Church representative as well as the spirit of a whole Congregation by the spirit of a particular Minister For every particular Minister is as much subordinate to the spirit of the Church representative as the spirit of the Congregation is to his So much for this objection There remaineth yet a third which may be answered in two or three words No set forme of prayer say they can serve for all occasions What then Yet why may it not be used for all such occasions as it serves for if any sudden and unexpected occasion happen for which the Church cannot provide the spirit of her Ministers is free Who will forbid them to supply in such a case that by a voluntary and arbitrary forme which the Church could not provide for in a set forme And this is what I intended to say of this argument THE SANCTIFICATION OF GODS NAME MATTH 6. 9. LUKE 11. 2. Sanctificetur nomen tuum Sanctified or hallowed be thy Name ALthough I make no question but that which we so often repeat unto Almighty God in our daily prayers is for the generall meaning thereof by the most of us in some competent measure understood Yet because by a more full and distinct explication the knowledge of some may be improved and the meditations of others occasioned to a further search I hope I shall not doe amisse nor be thought to have chosen a theame either needlesse or not so fit for this Auditory if I shall inquire what that is we pray for in this first Petition of the prayer our Lord hath taught us when we desire That Gods Name may be sanctified For perhaps we shall find more contained therein then is commonly taken notice of The words are few and therefore shall need no other Analyse then what their very number presents unto us viz. Gods Name and the sanctifying thereof Sanctificetur Nomen tuum I will begin first with the last in order but first in nature Nomen tuum Gods Name By which according to the style of holy Scripture we are to understand in this place first of all God himself or his sacred Deity to wit abstractly expressed according to the style of eminency and dignity 〈◊〉 Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Divine Majesty as we are wont for the King to say His Majesty or the Kings Majesty and of other persons of honour and eminency Their Highnesse Their Honour His Excellency and the like So of God His Name and sometimes with the self-same meaning His Glory as Ier. 2. 11. Hath any Nation changed their Gods which yet are no Gods but my people have changed their Glory i. their God for that which is good for nought So Psalme 106. 20. of the Calf made in the Wildernesse They changed their Glorie into the similitude of an Oxe that eateth grasse And S. Paul Rom. 1. 23. They changed the Glory i. the Majesty of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible man c. Such is the notion but much more frequent of Gods Name In a word Nomen Del in this kinde of use is nothing else but Divinum Numen Whence it is that in Scripture To call upon the Name of God To blaspheme the Name of God To love his Name To sweare by his Name To build a Temple to his Name for his Name to dwell there And in the New Testament To beleeve in the Name of the Lord Iesus To call upon the Name of the Lord Iesus these I say and the like expressions have no other meaning then to doe these things to the Divine Majesty to the Lord Jesus whose is that Name above every Name where at every knee must bow Accordingly here Sanctificetur Nomen tuum Hallowed be thy Name is as much as to say Sanctificetur Numen tuum Sanctified be thy Divine Majesty Secondly under the Name of God here to be sanctified or hallowed understand besides the Majesty of his Godhead that also super quod invocatum est Nomen ejus whereupon his Name is called or that which is called by his Name as we in our Bibles commonly expresse this phrase of Scripture that is all whatsoever is Gods or God is the Lord and owner of by a peculiar right such as are things sacred whether they be persons or whether things by distinction so called or Times or Places which have upon them a relation of peculiarnesse towards God For such as these are said in Scripture To have the Name of God called upon them or To be called by his Name that is To be His. Thus we read in Scripture of an House which had the Name of God upon it or which was called by his Name that is of Gods House 1 Kings 8. 43. Ier. 7. 10. c. Of a City upon which the Name of God was called or named to wit the Holy City Jerusalem the City of the great King the Lord of hosts Ier. 25. 29. Dan. 9. 18. Of an Ark upon which the Name of God the Lord was called 1 Chro. 13. 6. 2 Sam. 6. 2. that is the Lords Ark or the Ark of his Covenant as it is elsewhere named Of a people upon which the Name of the Lord was called or which were called by his Name Deut. 28. 10. Dan. 9. 19. and elsewhere that is were his peculiar and holy people as is said in like manner and with like meaning of the Church of the New Testament Iames 2. 7. Acts 15 17. I represent not these places of Scripture at large because I know that every eare that is acquainted with Scripture can beare witness unto them And for the meaning of this expression of Gods Name to be called upon a thing or a thing to be called by his Name that it is all one as to say it to be His besides the evidence of the matter wherabout it is used appeares by the same phrase used in two other places of the like relation of men to that which is theirs as Gen. 48 16. Where Iacob blessing Iosephs sons saith The Angell which redeemed me from all evil blesse the lads and let my name be called upon them That is let them be mine namely as Reuben and Simeon are mine as he saith a little before for they are words of adoption Again in the fourth of Esay where it is said That seven women should take hold of one man and say We will eat our own bread and weare our own apparel onely let thy Name be called upon us to take away our reproach That is Doe thou own us or let us be thine that it may not be a reproach unto us that we have no husband The Ancients were wont to set the Names of the Owners upon their houses and other possessions whâ—ch they called Tituli Titles Chrysologus Serm. 145.
Peace on earth Good will towards men For the conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to bee taken here for a copulative but as Vau is frequently in the Hebrew for a conjunction causall or for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glory to God in the highest for that there is Peace on earth Good-will towards men Or if we retain the copulative sense yet we must understand the words following as spoken by way of gratulation Glory be to God on high and welcome peace on earth good-will towards men Or both causally and gratulatorily thus Glory be to God in the highest for ô factum bene there is peace on earth and good-will towards men To begin with the first the Doxology or praise Glory be to God in the Highest that is Let the Angels glorifie him who dwels on high for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be referred to Glory and not to God the sense being glorified be God by those on high and not God who dwels on high be glorified This may appear by the like expression in the 148. Psalm whence this Glorification seems to be borrowed Praise ye the Lord from the heavens praise him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ratâ—e ye him all his Angels praise ye him all his Host. Therefore Iunius for Praise ye the Lord from the Heavens hath Laudate cum coelites The Chaldee for Laudate eum in excelsis Laudate eum Angeli excelsi In like manner here Gloria in excelsis â—eo are the words of the Angelicall Quire inciting themselves and all the Host to give glory and praise unto God for these wonderfull tidings Now therefore let us see what this Glory is and how it is given to God To tell you every signification of the word Glory in Scripture might perhaps distract the hearer but would inform him little Nor will it be to purpose to reckon up every signification it hath when it is spoken of God I will therefore name only the two principall ones And first Glory when it is referred to God often signifies the Divine Presence or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in this Chapter a little before my Text when it is said The Glory of the Lord shone round about the Shepheards and they were sore afraid But this is not the signification in my Text but another which I shall now tell you For Glory besides signifies in Scripture the high and glorious Supereminency or Majesty of God which consisteth in his threefold Supremacy of Power of Wisdome and of Goodnesse And as words of eminency and dignity with us as Majesty Highnesse Honour Worship are used for the persons themselves to whom such Dignity belongeth as when we say His Majesty his Highnesse his Honour his Worship so in the Scripture and among the Hebrews His Glory or the Glory of the Lord is used to note the Divine Essence or Deity it self As in 2 Pet. 1. 17. There came a voice saith S. Peter from the excellent Glory that is from God the Father This is my welbeloved Son in whom I am well pleased Rom. 1. The Gentiles are said to have changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likenesse of things corruptible As it is said in the 106. Psal. ver 20. of the Israelites in the Wildernesse That they changed their Glory into the similitude of an Oxe that eateth grasse S. Iohn cap. 1. 14. of his Gospel says of the Son We beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten Son of God According to which sense he is called Heb. 1. The brightnesse of his Fathers glory and the expresse Image of his person where the latter words are an exposition of the former Image expounding brightnesse and person or substance expounding glory If Glory therefore signifie the Divine Majesty or Greatnesse to glorifie or give glory unto God is nothing else but to acknowledge this Majesty or greatnesse of His namely his supereminent Power his Wisdom and Goodnesse for in the peerlesse supereminency of these three under which all his other Attributes are comprehended his glorious Majesty consisteth Take this withall That all the religious service and worship we give unto God whether we praise him pray or give thanks unto him is nothing else but the acknowledging of this glory either in deed or word namely by confessing it or doing some act whereby we acknowledge it To come to particulars By our Faith we confesse his Wisdome and Truth by our thanksgiving his Goodnesse and Mercy when we pray we acknowledge his Power and Dominion and therefore the form of prayer our Saviour taught us concludes For thine is the kingdome power and glory In praise we confesse all these or any of them according to that in the Hymne of the Church Te Deum laudamus Te Dominum confitemur We praise thee O God we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. All which is evident by those forms of glorification set down in the Apocalypse which are nothing else but expresse and particular acknowledgements of the greatnesse or Majesty of God and his peerlesse prerogatives When the four Wights are said to have given glory honour and thanks to him that sate upon the Throne what was their Ditty but this Thou art worthy ô Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created When the Lamb opened the book with 7. Seals the Wights the Elders and every creature in heaven in earth and under the earth sung Worthy is the Lamb to receive power and riches and strength and honour and blessing And again Blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever In which we may observe the whole glorification to consist in the acknowledgement of these three soveraign prerogatives of the Divine Majesty his Power his Wisdome his Goodnesse The two first Power and Wisdom are expresse and Riches and Strength belong to Power The third is contained in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessing or thanksgiving which is nothing else but the confession of the Divine goodnesse Hence it is that the Septuagint and Vulgar Latine commonly render the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifie to praise and glorifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confiteor Confitemini Domino quoniam bonus quoniam in saeculum misericordia ejus Psal. 106. 107. 136. Confitebor tibi Domino in toto corde meo quoniam audisti verba oris mei Psal. 138. Confitemini Domino invocate nomen ejus Psal. 105. and the like And in the 148. Psal. Confessio ejus super coelum terram that is His glory is above the heaven and the earth The Holy Ghost in the New Testament useth the same language Luc. 11. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes where we have I thank thee ô Father Beza and Erasmus read
and to rise from the dead the third day and that remission of sins should be preached in his Name among the Nations But where is this publication of remission of sins by Christ written for in those formall words we shall hardly finde it Let us take here the Angels key and we shall for they tell us that peace on earth is this good-will towards men Now do not the Prophets speak of some peace on earth which Messiah should bring with him when he comes yes surely well then let us look for this publication of remission of sins under that name and we shall finde it Isay 9. 6. Vnto us a Childe is born unto us a Son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderfull Counsellor the mighty God the Father of eternity the Prince of peace that is of peace not between men and men but between God and men and of the increase of his government and peace shall be no end Isay 52. 7. How beautifull upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings that publisheth peace that bringeth good tidings of good that publisheth salvation that saith unto Zion Thy God reigneth which place S. Paul Rom. 10. 15. interprets of the publication of the Gospel of Christ. Esay 53. 5. The chastisement of our peace was upon him that is he suffered for the remission of our sins Is. 57. 19. quoted by S. Paul to the Ephesians Chap. 2. Peace to him that is afarre off and to him that is near saith the Lord and I will heal him Ezek. 34. 24 25. I the Lord will be their God and my servant David King Messiah a Prince among them And I will make a Covenant of peace with them So Chap. 37. 26. Hag. 2. 9. The glory of this latter house shall be greater then of the former saith the Lord of Hosts and in this place will I give peace saith the Lord of Hosts Zech. 9. 10. Shout ô daughter of Ierusalem behold thy King commeth unto thee and he shall speak peace unto the Heathen and his Dominion shall be from Sea to Sea and from the River unto the end of the earth Thus much of the Use to be made of the Angels expression in this heavenly Carol Now I shall propound to your consideration another and that taken from the argument it self namely that if Almighty God our heavenly Father be so graciously disposed to us-ward as to be reconciled unto us by forgiving us our trespasses then ought we semblably to be reconciled to our brethren and forgive them their trespasses when they have wronged or offended us Leo Serm. 6. de Nativit Natalis Domini natalis est pacis ergo singuli fideles offerant Patri pacificorum concordiam filiorum The Illation is good we have the authority of the Apostle S. Iohn to back it 1 Ioh. 4. 10. God saith he so loved us that he sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins What follows Beloved saith he if God so loved us we ought to love end another So I say if God be so gracious to forgive and be reconciled to us we ought as it were to eccho this his loving kindnesse and to forgive and be reconciled one to another This congruity and semblablenesse of our actions and affections one towards another with Gods favour and mercy towards us is the Rule and Reason not only of this but of many other duties he requires at our hands Thus the Jews were every seventh year to manumise their servants as an act of congruity and thankfulnesse to God who had delivered them when they were servants out of the land of Egypt and house of bondage They were bidden to use a stranger kindly because themselves had been strangers and God when they were oppressed had been compassionate and kinde towards them and redeemed them from their thraldome Likewise we reade in the Gospel Luk. 8. 36. Be ye mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull And Matth. 5. Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtain mercy In a word God hath revealed he will shew mercy to none but such as appear before him with this congruity Iames 2. 13. He shall have judgement without mercy that sheweth no mercy and therefore the tenor of our sentence at the last judgement runs Come ye blessed and be partakers of mercy because ye have shewed it But Goe ye cursed without all mercy into Hell fire because ye have shewed no mercy Thus we see how God requires this congruity in generall and as for the particular of reconcilement and forgiving our brother it is written in capitall letters and urged in such sort as it might not unfitly be termed the Livery of Christianity In so much that if we consider it duly it cannot but breed astonishment that the evidence and necessity should be so apparent and the practice among those who look for the benefit of Christ and call upon his Name so little regarded when as I dare boldly pronounce there is no remission of sins to be looked for at the hands of God without it An invincible argument whereof is That our Saviour himself in the prayer he hath taught his Church hath put in a barre against asking it but upon this condition Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us If we ask not with this disposition there is no promise that any such prayer shall be heard nay our Saviour tels us in plain terms it shall not If saith he you forgive not men their trespasses no more will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses How then can any man whose heart is fraught with malice and meditates revenge against his brother hear this and not tremble Is it not a fearfull thing for a man to carry in his own bosome not only an evidence that his sins are unpardoned but a barre too that he cannot ask the forgivenesse of them Let no man deceive himself Etsi enim multis bonis conscientiis abundemus saith S. Chrysostome reconciliatione tamen contemptâ nullum possumus promereri solatium As the fifth Commandement is called by the Apostle the first Commandement of promise so is this petition for forgivenesse of sins the only petition with condition and such a condition too as our Saviour dwels upon and enforces when he had delivered this form of prayer to his Disciples For he passes by all the rest of the petitions and singles out this alone to comment upon as that wherein the chiefest moment lay and without which all our prayer would be uneffectuall and to no purpose A further confirmation of which we have in that parable of Servus nequam Matth. 18. whom his Lord being moved with compassion when he besought him forgave a debt of ten thousand Talents But he finding one of his fellow-servants which ought him an hundred pence though he fell at his feet and besought him yet would not hear him but cast him into prison