praiest in secret that is as though thou wert in secret intending onely to approoue thine heart vnto God in praier then thy father seeth thee he knowes thine heart and heares thy praier This is verefied by the example of Ionas who was heard praying in the Whales bellie of Daniel praying in the Lyons denne and of Moses who is said to crie vnto the Lord when as he praied onely in heart The vse of this point is manifold 1. It serueth to admonish vs that when wee pray wee must in singlenesse of heart bring our selues into Gods presence and heartily and truely put vp our requests vnto God so as we may approoue vnto him both our hearts and our prayers for there is nothing in our prayers that can be hid from God and therefore we must not content our selues with the thing done but labour so to pray that God may be well pleased with the manner thereof Secondly hereby we are taught to make conscience not only of our doings and speeches but euen of our very thoughts and that in secret places for though we may conceale the same from men yet we cannot couer them from the eies of God he is inuisible and yet all things are naked before him Thirdly this prooueth that no prayer can lawfully be made to the virgin Marie or to any other Saint departed for he alone is to bee called vpon in praier who sees in secret but God onely sees in secret neither the virgin Marie nor any other of the Saints can see in secret and therefore praier is to be made to none but to God alone The Papists answer that Saints departed see in secret though not of themselues yet by God and in God but that is false the Angels before their fall saw not their own future fal nor the fall of man The blessed Angels in heauen know not now the time and day of the last iudgement yea the Saints departed lie vnder the Altar crying how long Lord beeing ignorant of the time of their full redemption and therfore the Saints departed see not in secret The second reason drawne from Gods promised bountie is in these words shall reward thee openly that is shall repay thee for thy praier in the day of iudgement before the Saints and holy Angels as we expouÌ„ded the same words in the fourth verse This is a notable reason to induce men to pray in a true and holy manner wherein we may see the endlesse mercie of God vouchsafed to them that pray aright if any subiect put vp a supplication to his earthly Prince he takes it for a speciall fauour if the Prince vouchsafe to admit him to his presence behold here the King of Kings will not onely vouchsafe vs accesse vnto the throne of his grace when wee put vp our supplications vnto him but if we pray aright he doth hold himselfe indebted vnto vs for the same and promiseth one day to reward vs openly This farâ—e exceedes the loue of all creatures in heauen and earth no Prince is so kinde and gratious to his best subiects as the Lord is to all that call vpon him in spirit and truth From this place the Papists would gather that prayer is a worke that merits at Gods hand eternall life for thus they reason Where there is repaying by way of reward there is something done which meriteth but vnto prayer there is a repaying therefore it doth merit at Gods hand Answ. Reward is due to man two waies either by desert or of free gift and promise now in this place God will reward man for his prayers not for their desert but of his owne free will and grace because he hath promised so to doe That this is so may thus appeare If a Begger should aske an almes of any man it were absurd to say that the begger by asking did deserue the almes and so stands the case for the merit of our prayers thereby we beg things at Gods hands and therefore can no more merit thereby then the begger can deserue his almes by asking nay rather we may gather hence that Gods rewarding them that pray proceedes from his owne free grace alone for prayer properly is a worke of man vnto God wherein man giues nothing vnto God as the Iewes did in the sacrifices or as is done in some other spiritual sacrifices of the new Testament but onely asketh and receiueth some thing from God and therefore cannot hereby merit any thing at Gods hands And by this may all other places be expounded where reward is promised to mans worke Lastly note the phrase here vsed he shall reward thee openly that is at the last day whence I gather that till the day of iudgement no seruant of God shall fully reape the fruite and benefit of his praiers This must bee well considered of all that haue care to call vpon God vnfainedly for many times after long and earnest praier we feele little or no comfort whereby we may be brought to dislike our estate as though God had no respect vnto vs but we must know that God doth often long deferre to reward his seruants that praie vnto him not doubt but Zacharie and Elizabeth prayed for 〈◊〉 in their yonger age and yet they were not heard till they were both oldeâ— and Dauid saith his eies failed for waiting on God when hee would accomplish his promise made vnto him this we may also see in the petitions of the Lords prayer for they be all according to his will yet the full fruition of the benefits there asked is reserued to the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ Verse 7. And when you pray vse 〈◊〉 vaine repetitions aâ— the heathen for they thinke to be heard for their much babling Our Sauiour Christ hauing deâ—lt against hypocrisie in prayer doth here come to the second vice which hee intends to reforme therein namely babling consisting in the outward forme of praier The words containe two parts â— commandement and a reason thereof The commandement When ye pray vse nâ— vaine repetitions aâ— the heathen doe where first we must know thâ—â— Christ reproues not repetition in praier simply but needelesse repetitions only for Psal. 51. Dauid doth sundrie times repeat his requests for the pardon of sinne and for sanctification also Moses Elâ—â— and our Sauiour Christ praied fourtie daâ—es together and in these long praiers no doubt vsed many repetitions much lesse can we pray one day together without many repetitions Here then by vaine repetitions is meant babling that is a desire and affectation to vse and speake many words in praier and vnder this one vice are condemned all sinnes of the same kind that is all superstâ—ous multiplication of words in praier as the heathen that is such as were not the people of God but alâ—â—ns from the common wealth of Israel and strangers from the couenant of promise In this commandement are condemned many abuses in the manner of
name and mediation of Christ for in our selues we are sinners our iniquities make a separation betweene God and vs so that wee cannot haue accesse vnto the father saue only by the mediation of Iesus Christ. If we would come with boldnesse into the holy place it must be by the new and liuing way which Christ hath prepared for vs through the vaile that is his flesh 5. In praier we must haue faith wherby we beleeue that the thing we aske shall be done vnto vs Mark 11. 24. whatsoeuer ye aske in praier beleeue that ye shall haue it and it shall bee done vnto you now the ground of this faith must be Gods commandement and his promise which I mentioned before The duties after praier are chiefly two 1. Wee must call to remembrance the praier wee made to God if one man talke with another he will be so attentiue that as neere as may be he will remember the words that passed betweene them and much more ought we so to doe when we talke with God now we must thus meditate on our praiers for this ende that we may the better doe the thing wee aske as we craue in praier the pardon of our sinnes so wee must after praier indeauour to leaue the practise of them What a horrible shame is it for men to begge at Gods hands the pardon of sinne and when they rise from praier to fall againe to the practise of it This is with the dogge to returne to his vomite and with the desperate thiefe to stealing after he hath intreated fauour of the Iudge 2. After praier wee must bee carefull to be as plentifull in thanksgiuing for blessings receiued as wee were in petition to craue them This indeede may bee done in the beginning of our praier though here I mention it last but omitted it may not be Ordinary men haue this humanitie that where they find friendship they will be more plentifull in rendring thankes then in making new requests and if we deale thus with men shall wee not much more doe it with God with whom true thankfulnesse for one blessing is a speciall meanes to procure many moe Now this thankfulnesse must not be onely in word but in deed testified by due obedience in life and conuersation and these are the duties whereby a man shall auoide all carnall ostentation in praier and approoue his heart vnto God therein By this description of the true manner of praier we may learne three things First that the Romish Church doth neither know nor teach nor practise the dutie of praier aright they pray not in knowledge for they pray in an vnknowne tongue and allow of ignorance as the Mother of deuotion they commend doubting by speaking against assurance and so pray not in faith nor obedience they praie not in humilitie for mercie for their sinnes for they thinke to merit by their prayers and which is worst of all they direct not their praiers to God only in the name of Christ but to God and his Saints making the virgin Marie their Mediatresse yea they pray to the wooden crosse which is most horrible Idolatrie Secondly that our common people come farre short of their dutie in this part of Gods worship for their praiers consist chiefly in the bare repetition of words which is onely a lip-labour they pray without knowledge and feeling so must needes faile in many other duties Now this bewraies the manifold wants that be in the praiers of the best Christians for besides their ignorance of many duties in praier their doubting and distrust their dulnesse and deadnesse of heart and their by-thoughts doe all shew that their hearts are not wholly taken vp with Gods glorie as they ought to be Lastly hereby we may see the grosse ignorance of our common people about spels and charmes because they consist of good wordes and many strange things are done thereby therefore they thinke them to bee good praiers but herein they are deceiued through ignorance in the right forme of praier for they that make them and vse them are either gracelesse persons that haue societie with the deuil or grosly deluded through palpable ignorance and they cannot set themselues before God to approoue their hearts vnto him in this action nay the worship that is done herein is to the deuill and the cure that is wrought thereby is his worke for these charmes are his watch-word to stirre him vp to such exploits Furthermore in this clause Pray vnto thy Father which is in secret that is an inuisible God is couched a reason to induce men to the obedience of this commandement to this effect He to whom thou praiest i◠an inuisible God therefore thou must endeauour to approoue the hidden man of thy heart vnto him Hence I gather first that it is an horrible thing to make an image to represent the true God or to worship God in it for God is inuisible The second commandement condemneth thē both as Moses himselfe doth so expound it Deut. 4. 15 16. Ye saw no Image in the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb therefore corrupt not your selues by making you a grauen image or representation of any signe Secondly that there should be no outward pompe in prayer either for gesture or for garments for praier is made to an inuisible Father This ouerthrowes the whole worship of the Popish Church which stands in outward shews of carnall pompe if there be any pomp it must be inward in the graces of the heart among which humilitie is the first ornament Thirdly that all places are alike in respect of Gods presence and of his hearing for hee is a God in secret wheresoeuer a man hath occasion to praie there God is which confuteth them that make the Church a more holy place for praier then other-where and therefore reserue all their praiers till they come thither for now difference of place in respect of Gods presence is taken away God is as well in the fielde and in the priuate house as in the Church and yet Churches are ordained and vsed in a godly policie because a congregation may more conueniently there meete to their mutuall edification in the publike exercise of the word and praier otherwise priuate houses were as good places for Gods worship as Churches if they were so decent and conuenient for edification for in all places men may lift vp pure hands vnto God as the Apostle teacheth And thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly These words containe a two-fold reason wherby Christ perswadeth his hearers and in them all others to the carefull practise of the former dutie of sinceritie in praier The first reason is drawne from Gods All-seeing propertie the second from his bountie Gods all-seeing propertie is set out in these words the father which seeth in secret that is though the father himselfe be inuisible yet when thou
great good as 1. Thereby to kindle their faith and to stirre vp their zeale in praier that they may more earnestly begge the things they want for this ende our Sauiour Christ reasoned with the woman of Canaan before he would cure her daughter 2. To keepe them in humilitie and to preuent spirituall pride thus hee denied to remooue from the Apostle Paul the buffeting of Satan though hee praied for it least hee should bee puffed vp through multitude of reuelations 2. Corinth 12. 7 8 9. 3. To make them esteeme more highly of the blessings of God and to stirre them vp to more thankefulnesse for the same for it is commonly true that things lightly gotten are lightly set by 3. Question How falleth it out that God doth neuer graunt some men their requests Answer 1. Because they make their praiers but not according to Gods will either failing in the time as did the foolish virgins who cried Lord Lord open to vs when the doores were shut Matth. 25. 11 12. or in the things they aske and so the sonnes of Zebedie had not their request because they asked they knewe not what 2. Because they doubt and wauer in praier for such shall not receiue any thing of the Lord Iam. 1. 6 7. 3. Because they pray for wrong ends Ye aske and receiue not because ye aske amisse that you might consume it on your lusts Iam. 4. 5. The Use. 1. This prouident eie of God ouer all our wants teacheth vs what to doe when we are assaulted by any enemie either of bodie or soule we must first of all make God our refuge and tower of defence by getting assurance of our adoption for if we be Gods children he is our father knowing and weighing our wants and hee is most carefull to make supply thereto before we pray Gen. 25. 22. When the two twinnes stroue together in Rebekâ—aes wombe shee sent to aske the Lord thereof no doubt by Isaac her husband who before had praied for her verse 21. So when Iehosaphat was beset with many enemies he cried vnto the Lord for helpe and was deliuered 2. Chron. 18. 31. and Chap. 20. 12. And it was the Prophet Dauids practise to haue recourse to God in all his troubles for which cause he calles the Lord his rocks his resting and hiding place Secondly hereby wee are taught to haue a moderate care for the things of this life for wee haue a father in heauen who careth for vs knowing all our wants and readie to make supply thereof before wee pray In these daies most men set their hearts vpon the world and trust to outward meanes more then to God himselfe which comes from this because they want a true perswasion of their adoption in Christ for if they knew that God were their father then surely this perswasion would take place in their hearts God knowes my wants and is carefull for the supply thereof and therefore I will trust in him and obey him Thirdly this teacheth vs in any necessitie or affliction to subiect our selues to the will of God labouring to be thankfull for that estate as well as for prosperitie and studying to please and honour God therein for he is a father who seeth all our wants before we complaine and is carefull for our good knowing that affliction is better for vs then prosperitie or else hee would send vs deliuerance for it is all one with him and he delights not in the affliction of his people Fourthly this serues to arme vs against all carnall and slauish feare whereby mens hearts are oppressed either in regard of death or of the day of iudgement for though the deuill rage against vs yet when death commeth God is our father who knoweth our wants and the way to comfort vs and is both willing and able so to doe In a word this meditation serueth to stirre vs vp to all dutifull obedience in the whole course of our liues for who can but bee thankfull vnto such a father as knowes all his wants and as he is able so also he is willing and readie to make supply thereto this therefore should enlarge our hearts to blesse God that is such a father vnto vs in Christ. Verse 9. After this maner therefore pray ye Our Father which art in heauen halowed be thy name Our Sauiour Christ hauing forbidden his Disciples all carnall and superstitious kind of praying doth here prescribe vnto them a most holy forme of true praier but before he come vnto it he giues them this commandement After this manner therefore pray yee Saint Luke hath it thus When you pray say Our father c. In which words Christ inioynes his Disciples to vse a right and holy forme of praier the patterne whereof is after set downe Now because this point is controuersall I will briefly set downe how farre forth this praier of Christ is prescribed vnto vs to wit for matter and forme we must imitate and follow it in all our praiers but wee are not tied to the very words of this praier but may freely vse them or other words at our pleasure for our Sauiour Christ oft-times praied in other words and so did the Apostles as we may see by Pauls praters in his Epistles wherein hee obserueth the matter and manner of this praier but yet vseth other words yea S. Luke setting down this very forme of praier doth somewhat alter from the words of S. Matthew Vpon this commandement it may well be demanded whether it be profitable and necessarie to vse a set forme of praier either priuately or publikely in the seruice of God Ans. I take a set forme of praier either publikely or priuately to be both profitable and necessarie set I say both fer the matter and manner and if need require for the very words also my reasons are these I. That which God hath ordained is both profitable and necessarie but God hath ordained that men should vse set formes of praier for the Priests were inioyned a set forme of praier in blessing the people Num. 6. â—3 24. and the 92. Psal. is a set praier for the Sabbath day yea all the Psalmes of Dauid some few Psalmes of doctrine only excepted are set forms of praiers to be vsed of the church of God for euer in this place Christ prescribes a set forme of praier not onely for the matter and manner but also for the words and the like did Iohn Baptist when he taught his disciples to pray II. Reason In man there be sundrie wants in prayer as ignorance in the vnderstanding distractions in the minde obliuion in the memorie both of Gods commandement and promises in the heart is much deadnes dulnes and distrust in the tongue many times is want of such conuenient vtterance as should be in him that would speake vnto God and in most men there is that bashfulnes that they cannot vtter and dispose the desires of
title Father properly belongs to God who is a father simply by creation giuing beeing to all things and preseruing them by his prouidence Men indeede are called fathers but that is onely secondarily because in some properties of fatherhood they resemble God Now this title is giuen to God sometime simply considered without personall relation as Deut. 32. 6. Doe ye sâ— reward the Lord O foolish people is not he thy father that hath bought thee Orherwhile it is giuen to the particular persons in Trinitie as first and principally to the first person who is commonly called the Father And the second person in Trinitie is sometime called Father as Isa. 9. 6. the father of Eternitie because he is the ground of our adoption whereby we become eternally the sonnes of God and therefore he is brought in thus complaining of reproach Behold I and the children which the Lord hath giuen me are as signes and wonders in Israel for the author to the Hebrewes expounds that place of Christ Heb. 2. 13. he is said to haue seede Isa. 53. 10. And the holy Ghost may proportionally be called Father because with the Father and the Sonne he giues beeing to all things But in this place by father is meant properly the first person who is first and cheifly the father of Christ and in Christ our father He is the father of Christ first by nature begetting him as he is the Sonne of his owne substance before all worlds by communicating vnto him his whole essence or Godhead Secondly he is the father of Christ aâ— Christ is man by the grace of personall vnion for the manhood of Christ doth wholly subsist in the Godhead of the second person and therefore Christ as he is man I say not his manhood which is a nature not a person may well be called the Sonne of God And in this relation of himselfe to the first person Christ saith My Father is greater then I Ioh. 14. 28. God the father is our father not by nature or in regard of personall vnion but by the grace of Adoption in Christ for God sent his Sâ—â—ne made of a woman that is incarnate that we might receiue the adoption of sonnes And this grace we receiue when we truly beleeue in his name Ioh. 3. 12. and Gal. 3. 26. God for Christs sake beeing content to receiue vs for his sonnes and daughters Which art in heauen God is said to be in heauen not as though he were included in the circle of the heauens for the heauens and the heauens of heauens are not able to containe him 1. king 8. 27. and indeede he is neither included nor excluded any place beeing infinite and so euery where but because his maiestie and glorie is most eminent in the highest heauens to his Saints and Angels and thence doth he manifest himselfe vnto vs in his power wisdome iustice and mercie while we are on earth for heauen is his throne and the earth his footstoole Isa 6â— 1. So that the meaning of this preface is this O Lord God thou art the father of our Lord Iesus Christ and in him our most mercifull father by Adoption and grace thou art a most glorious God who dost in heauen and from heauen manifest thy glorious power and mercie thy wisdome iustice c. â— The Instructions I. This title Father here giuen to God teacheth vs to whome we must direct our prayers not to Saints or Angels or any other creatures but to God alone Reasons I. This is a perfect patterne of true praier wanting no direction for the right performance of this part of Gods worship now this directs vs onely vnto God in praier II. God onely is the author and giuer of all good things Iam. 1. 16. and therefore we must aske them of him alone III. The Lord onely who is infinite and omni potentican heare all mens praiers at all times and in all places and therefore he alone is to be praied vnto and not Saints departed as the Papists teach II. By this title we may see in what order we must direct our pâ—aâ—ers vnto God for as the word of God reuealeth God vnto vs so must we pray vnto him now the Scripture reuealeth God vnto vs to be one in essence and three in person vz. the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost whereof the Father is first the Sonne is the second the holy Ghost the third in order though noâ— in time oâ— greatues Thus and no otherwaies must we conceiue of God neither seuering the Godhead from the persons nor the persons from the Godhead And thus also must we worship him euen one God in three persons and three persons in one God And yet seeing the Father is first in order the Sonne the second and the holy Ghost the third therfore when we pray to God we must obserue this order directing our praiers to God the Father in the mediation of the Sonne by the assistance of the holy Ghost as Christ here teacheth vs to say Our father Quest. May we not direct our praiers to the Soâ—ne or to the holy Ghost by name Ans. Yes for Stephen praied to the Sonne Act. 7. 59. Lord Iesus receiue my spirit and Christ bids hiâ— Disciples Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost that is calling vpon the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost Obiect But in this perfect platforme we are taught to pray to the Father alone Ans. Though the Father alone be here named yet the other two persons are not hereby excluded the Father indeede is most vsually named because he is the first in order but yet with him alwaies is implied the Sonne and the holy Ghost for as all the three persons subsist in one and the same diuine nature or Godhead and are not seuered in will in counsell or in outward actions as creation preseruation and redemption saue onely that they are distinguished in the maner of working so likewise must they be all conceiued in our minds together when we pray and none seuered out though they be not named we must pray to all though we name but one hauing in that one relation to the rest in our minde and heart And if we conceiue aright of the order of the persons in Trinitie subsisting in the vnitie of essence we may safely name in our praiers which person we will so that withall we include the rest in our minde and may also if we name all place them in such order as best fitteth our present occasion as the Apostle doth in his benediction 1 â— Cor. 13. 13. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christâ— and the loâ—e of God the father and the communion of the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 with you allâ— Aâ—en where he placeth the second person before first because by the grace of Christ we come to be partakers of the loue of God the father III. In this title Father see the true ground
becomes a workâ— of mercie 187. m Life eternall described 476. b. a Christian life lead by faith 477. 478. a patterne of a godly life 279. m. 324. b. rules for it 359. b. 405. b. temporall life hath his certaine period 381. c. miserie of mans life 406. m. how Christ esteemes a godly life 534. b Light twofold 54. b. all Christians should be lights 57. m Logycke approoued 200. c Long-suffering 36. c Looking to lust or idle looking 112 c. how to looke to Gods glorie 119. c Losses a ground of patience in losses 402. c Loue described 201. c. examples of loue in practise 202. m. a rule of louing our neighbour 211. m. brotherly loue wanting 421. m. how to get loue 462. m. Lust in heart is sinne 114. c. it is two-fold 115. m. motiues to subdue it 116. m Luthers conuersion 77. m M MAgistracie approoued 109. c. 176. c. Magistrates dutie in keeping the Law 78. b Man-slaughter is murther 98. m Mariage after diuorce for adulterie 146. c Masters of families dutie 273. c. 465. c Meditation on Gods creatures 161. c Meekenesse described 15. b. and handled by the fruits ground thereof ib. 16. b. motiues to meekenesse 16. c Mercie described 24. b. duties of mercie ib. c. a mercifull man described 25. b. motiues to mercie 25. â— 380. b. rules for the exercise of mercie 26. m Merit of workes confuted 28. m. 45. m. 225. b. 286. m. 382. m Minde how corrupted by Adams fall 360. m Ministers office two-fold 58. b. 82. m. the end thereof 67. c. his dutie in preaching 47. m. 441. c. he must preserue the puritie of the word 438. c. and the credit of his ministerie 550. m. the ministers peculiar sinne 49. c. foure kindes of vnsauourie ministers 50. b. their dangerous estate 51. b. whether ministers making apostacie from the truth may bee receiued into the Ministerie 52. c. how ministers are lights their dutie thereupon 54. b. their conuersation should bee blamelesse 56. c. 82. c. a ministers comfort against his peoples vntowardnes 83. b. what commends a minister 507. m. of ministèrs calling 501. m Ministerie of the wicked may be vsed 505. c. Christs ministerie full of maiestie and yet planie 546. m. causes thereof 549. m A Miracle described 522. b. God onely works them ibid. how man workes a miracle ibid. Miracles are now ceased ibid. c. miraculous works no sufficient ground of nâ—w doctrâ—â—e 499. b. 524. m Moses writ the first scripture 464. c Morall law described in 3. points 69. m. how it differs from the Gospel 69. c. Popish errour in confounding them 70. b. wherein they consent 73. b Murther in three degrees 91. b N NAme how to get a good name 416. c Naturall corruption makes vs vnsauourie 48. c Neighbour taken two waies 200. b Noah his Arke of the quantitie of it 129. b O OAth two things in an oath 154. c. the straite bond of an oath 153. b. a constrained oath binds ib. m. an oath gotten by errour binds ibid. m. and indamaging our estate ib. c. the popes dispensation froÌ„ a binding oath ibid. c. the Pharisies doctrine of oathes 154. b. indirect oathes or sivearing by the creatures forbidden 159. b. 169. m. minsed oathes forbidden 156. b Obedience two-fold 276. c. branches of new obedieÌ„ce 517. fruits of it 539. b. motiues to it ib m. hinderances to obedience 277. m. furtherances ibid. c. 278. m. resemblance of our obedience to the angels 280. c Occasions of sinnes oâ— offences described 1â—0 c. kinds of offences ib. Offences giuen sixe wâ—â—â—s 121. b. the way to auoide them 12â— c. of offences taken 127 foure heades of offences taken ib. c. the remedies ib. Offences should be auoided 120. m Oppressors a terrour vnto them 418. m Original sinne the greatnesse of it 509. b Owne wee may not doe with our owne what we will 187. b P PArdon of sinne how God grants it 293. b. a true signe thereof 300. c. it must be beleeued particularly 321. b Parents dutie to their children 456. b. their prerogatiue for apprehending Gods mercie 455. c Pastor how euery Christian is a pastor 431. c Patience in affliction taught 76. c 280. b. 487. c Peace in generall described 34. c. kinds of peace ib. how to get and keepe true peace 36. c. 302. b. how to esteeme it 183. c Peace-makers who 34. c. to God-ward 37. m Peace-breakers who and their estate 38. m People ought to be able to iudge of teachers 505. m. their dutie to their ministers 58. m. when a people cease to bee Gods people 167. m Perfection legall and Euangelicall 213. c. 214. Perfection in parts and in degrees 214. c. how Gods childe is perfect 215. b Periurie described 149. c. 150. the grieuousnesse of this sinne 152. m. three kinds of periurie ib. m. whether sworne members of societies bee periured in breaking their statutes 151. m. whether he may be put to sweare that is thought will periure himselfe 152. m Persecution and the kinds of it 40 41. of flight in persecution 446. b Pharisies described 84. c Pilgrimage going confuted 258. m Place difference of place for religious vse abolished 239. c Pompe worldly pompe is vanitie 386. m Poore what poore are blessed 8. consolation to the poore 11. c. duties of the poore in regard of their pouertie 199. b. how the poore may haue sufficient 400. b the degrees of pouertie 190. b. popish voluntarie pouertie confuted 9. c. 195. c Poperie a false religion 481. b. corrupted 504. m. no reconciliation with poperie 35. m. delight in popish writers dangerous 495. c. popes Bulls bee Satans instruments 44. m Praier the necessitie of it 231. obiections against it answered 23â— parts of prayer 230. b. the right manner of praying 236. m. 254. b. of reuerence in praier 258. c. 234. m. foure conditions in acceptable praier 446. c. of a set forme of prayer 249. c. of publike praier 253. m. why we pray notwithstanding God knows our wants 247. m. why God delaies to graunt our praiers ibid. why God neuer graunts some men their requests ibid. c. of applying Gods promise in prayer 256. m. 451. m. a double proppe to our hearts in prayer 259. c. of praying standing 230. c. how Papists faile in prayer 238. c. prayer to Saints vnlawfull 240. c. prayer cannot merit 241. m. sundrie abuses in prayer 242. m. we must pray for others 256. c. in loue 257. m. in zeale 448. b. constantly 449. c. Lords praier how farre forth prescribed 249. m. the excellencie of it 251. c. how it is made a patterne to our praiers 32â— b Praise how to praise God 319. m. the author and ground of true praise 228. c Preaching in a right manner 48. c 54. â— 436. c. 472. c. 550. c. carnall preaching 27. m. Preachers may be condemned 52â— c Pride of minde and heart 218. c. 426. m. the practise of pride 219. m. why pride must be auoided and how 219. m. pride in
in obeying the voice of his word And because this exposition is generally receiued I will not stand to prooue it this onely we must remember that here wee pray not to performe obedience equall in measure and degree to the obedience of the Saints Angels in heauen but such as is like vnto it for this note of comparison here imports a likenesse and resemblance and not equalitie Now this likenesse here stands in 4. things First in cheerefulnesse willingnesse for the holy angels obey the commandement of God freely and readily without murmuring or constraint for this cause they are said to come and stand before God Iob. 1. 6. and to behold his face Matth. 18. 10. to expresse their voluntarie seruice vnto God and so should Gods children obey God as Paul speaketh of Philemons beneficence it must not be as it were of necessitie but willingly As in the case of Almes-giuing God loues a cheerefull giuer so in all obedience he likes a cheerefull doing and therefore hee saith if there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath In this regard Peter besought the Elders to feed the flocke of God depending on them and to care for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a readie minde and the Apostle Paul saith If I doe it willingly I haue a reward This vertue the Prophet Dauid expressed notably Psalm 40. 6 7 8 when God as it were bored newe eares in his soule then he said Lâ—â— I come I desired to doe thy will Secondly in Prioritie for the Angels preferre to doe the will of God before all other things and therefore they are said to stand in his presence continually as it were waiting vpon his pleasure and the like affection for obedience vnto God must be in all his children This Abraham notably testifies when at Gods command he would haue killed Isaac testifying thereby that he preferred obedience vnto God before the deerest thing in the world this also wee may see in Dauid Psalm 119. 14. I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches and verse 127. I loue thy commandements aboue golde yea aboue much fine gold and in our Sauiour Christ who said when he was wearie and hungrie My meate is to doe the will of him that sent me and to finish hâ—â— worke Iohn 4. 34. Thirdly in speede and quickenesse for the Angels doe Gods will without all delaie or slackenesse which the Scripture signifies by their wings and flying which it ascribeth vnto them and the like alacritie should Gods children shew in their obedience vnto God Psal. 119. 60. I made hast and delaied not to keepe thy commandements Fourthly in faithfulnesse the Angels doe not Gods will by halues or peace-meale but throughly and perfectly wherein soeuer God imployeth them and so should wee bee faithfull in doing Gods will endeauouring to yeeld sincere obedience not to some but to all Gods commandements which concerne vs Psalme 119. 6. I shall not bee confounded when I haue respect vnto all thy commandements 2. Kings 23. 25. King Iosias turned to the Lord with all his soule with all his heart and with all his might according to all the law of Moses an example to be followed of all Gods children that so they may be like to the blessed Angels The 1. Use. Wants to be bewailed First this patterne of Angelicall obedience here propounded for our imitation must teach vs to acknowledge and bewaile the naturall hardnesse deadnesse and vntowardnesse of our hearts in yeelding obedience vnto the will of God if wee feele not this dull and vntoward heart we may suspect our selues of the want of grace for euery gratious heart feeles it more or lesse and bewailes it vnto God and so must we doe if we say in truth Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Secondly wee must here also bewaile the want of sinceritie and faithfulnesse in doing Gods will our maymed and halte obedience shewes how farre we come short of this Angelical example many content themselues with the outward seruice of the bodie and neuer regard the inward worship of the heart and others haue respect to outward duties of pietie that concerne God but for vprightnes and mercy towards men they little regard this the Angels doe not 2. Use. Graces to be desired Hereby also we must learne to pray for the spirit of freedome whereby we may be deliuered from the bondage of corruption and so may the more freely and cheerefully and heartily endeauour to doe Gods will Psal. 51. 12. Restore to me the ioy of thy saluation and stablish me by thy free spirit the holy Ghost is therefore called the free spirit because it giues liberty from the bondage of sinne and makes the heart free and forward and cheerefull in Gods seruice for where the spirit of the Lord is there is libertie 2. Cor. 3. 17. 3. Vse Duties to be practised Because we must practise the good things we pray for therefore here we are taught to frame our liues to an holy Imitation of the blessed Angels Though we cannot attaine to the measure of their obedience yet we must endeauour after their manner of obedience in readinesse c. and so by following them beginne our heauen in this world This will not stand with their humour who account zeale in religion affected precisenesse but such as call God father in sinceritie must set before them the obedience of the holy Angels as a patterne for their imitation Now in them we may obscrue these things for vs to follow First they desired before Christs incarnation to looke into the mysterie of our redemption wrought by Christ 1. Pet. 1. 12. although it concerne them not as it doth vs for they neuer fell and they are established by another grace then of redemption now herein we must follow the Angels or if it were possible goe beyond them for Christ took not the Angels but the seede of Abraham his redemption concernes vs and therefore we much more must be diligent searchers out of this mysterie in the Gospel Secondly the Angels are maintainers of true religion and of the worship of God for the law was giuen by Angels Gal. 3. 19. The most of Daniels visions were shewed by an Angel and so was the reuelation vnto Iohn Reuel 1. 1. the Angels brought the Apostles out of prison to preach the Gospel sundrie times They are enemies to Idolatrie for Apoc. 19. 10. when Iohn would haue worshipped the Angel he forbad him saying See thou doe it not worship God herein also we must be followers of Angels by furthering the Gospel and true worship of God to the vttermost of our power by hindering all Idolatrie and shewing our selues enemies to all the enemies of God and of his truth Thirdly the Angels were alwaies seruiceable vnto Christ they
by dogs and swine from whence the meaning of Christ may be plainely thus set downe Giue not that which is holy c. that is haue regard how to whom ye dispense the word and sacraments and if any person be openly conuicted of obstinate enmitie to your doctrine to such publish not my worde be they dogs in railing or swine in senslesse contemning and scorning of the same The Vses 1. Hence wee may see what course is to be vsed of Gods ministers in the preaching dispeÌ„sing of his holy word they must first preach publish the word of God to al men without exception grace must be offered to all good and badde then they must obserue what fruite and effect the word hath with them whether it worke reformation of life in them or not and though as yet they see not that fruit thereof in them yet they must not condemne them as dogs but rather waite and pray for their conuersion to see if at any time God will giue them repentance according as Saint Paul chargeth Timothie 2. Tim. 2. 25. Thirdly hauing waited for their conuersion he must labour to conuince their very conscience of the truth which they in heart and life denie so as he may say with Paul If our Gospel be hid it is hidde to them that perish 2. Cor. 4. 3. but if after all this they giue euident signes of malicious and obstinate enmitie against the word scorning and rayling on the doctrine of God and on the ministers thereof then are they to be cast out by the Church and to be accounted as dogges and to be barred from the word of life till they repent This was Christs owne practise toward the Iewes at the first he preached vnto them the Gospel of the kingdome by Iohn Baptist in his owne person and by his Disciples but when as he saw some of them maliciously obstinate then he propounded his doctrine vnto them in parables vnto them that they might be hardened in sinne and after expounded the same priuately to his Disciples The Disciples likewise after the ascension of Christ preached still vnto the Iewes euen when they were persecuted by them but at length when as they saw that of obstinate malice they oppugned the truth putting it from them and iudging themselues vnworthie eternall life then they turned to the Gentiles Act. 13. 46. Now in this that hath beene said we may note two things first the long suffering and great patience of God that will not haue a sinner liuing in the Church condemned till he haue brought him through all the meanes of his conuersion and till he be past hope Thus he dealt with the old world expecting their repentance an hundred and twentie yeares whereunto he then called them by the preaching of Noah Gen. 6. Secondly hereby we must learne to moderate our iudgements concerning wicked men a man must not be condemned for a dogge or for a swine till he giue euident signes of obstinate malice and wilfull contempt of the word and vntill he doe euen conuict himselfe to be such a one by a wilfull contempt of the meanes of his saluation This serues to shew their rashnesse and indiscretion that condemne our Church for no Church and our people for no people of God iudging them for dogges and swine when as they haue not yet conuicted them of obstinate malice in sinne or error It will be said they haue admonished them by writing I answer that their owne bookes haue more errors in them then they doe hold whome they admonish and so their writings can be no sufficient conuiction Secondly here obserue that men become dogges and swine by their wilfull repelling that holy doctrine of God which should purge them and make them cleane It is the naturall propertie of a dog to returne to his vomit and of a swine to his wallowing in the mire as the prouerbe is and hereof they can by no meanes be bereaued And all men by nature returne to the vomit and filth of their sinnes like dogs swine and they which will by no meanes suffer theÌ„selues to be drawen from their old sinnes they haue these properties of dogges swinerand looke as those beasts were excluded the Lords tabernacle congregation vnder the law so are these men debarred from the word sacraments and all holy things vnder the Gospel they are an abhomination vnto the Lord see Psal. 56. 6. and Psal. 50. 16. In this regard we are to be admonished to suffer our selues to be clensed and reformed by the word of God Ye are cleane saith Christ by the word which I haue spoken vnto you Ioh. 15. 3. where he maketh the word of God the instrument of our purification to which effect he saith in his praier to his father Sanctifie them with thy truth thy word is truth Ioh. 17. 17. And Saint Peter saith our soules are purified in obeying the truth by the spirit 1. Pet. 1. 22. Now we are by nature dogges and swine inclined to the filth of our own sinnes returning thereto with greedines neither can we of our selues be broken of this property but when occasion is offered we doe naturally runne to our old sinnes as the swine and dogges doe to their filth and vomit In consideration whereof we ought to subiect our selues to the word of God labouring to see and feele our owne vncleannesse and to crie with Dauid Wash me throughly from my sinnes and with Peter Not my feete onely but my whole bodie that so it may be said of â—s We are cleane throughout by Christs word If we see any vncleannes in our hearts or liues we must purge it out by this word and returne no more to the filth of our former sinnes It is the propertie of Christs sheepe to heare his voice and to obey the same let vs hereby testifie our solues to be his sheepe that so we may be distinguished from dogges and swine Here it may be demanded whether we should make confession of our faith before dogges and swine Ans. Yes if we be called thereunto we are bound to doe it â—e alwaies readie saith the Apostle to giue an answer to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you 1. Pet. 3. 15. And in this place our Sauiour Christ speaketh of the pâ—â—ading and dispensing of the word not of confession Now in preaching men acknowledge the word to belong vnto their hearers but in confession they declare the word to belong vnto themselues alone Further here we are to consider diuerâ— points concerning Excommunication First the foundation thereof It is an ordinance of God for all dogges and swine by Christs commandement must be kept from holy things â— many that liue in the Church are open 〈◊〉 of the name of Christâ— some others 〈◊〉 heretâ—â—â—es and these â—â—â—â—wiâ—e are to be barred from the word and sacraments yea a man liuing in the Church may be worse in practise then an open
true euen among the heathen vers 11. If ye then which are euill c. Here is the application of the comparison the ground whereof was laid downe in the two former verses And by euill he meanes not euery sinner but such as are stained with malice enuie and selfe-loue beeing bent to seeke their owne good onely for so saith the Master to the enuious labourer Matth. 20. 15. Is thine eye euill because I am good that is art thou enuious because I am bountifull In these words Christ giues vs to vnderstand that it is the note of an euill man to be giuen wholly to seeke his owne good though otherwise he liue ciuilly for this is a fruite of euill couetousnes and selfeloue Experience sheweth the gricuous 〈…〉 se of this sinne for thence come the manifold practises of iniustice cruelty and oppression that be in the world hence it is that times of dearth are made more heauie vpon the poore then otherwaies Gods hand hath sent them because the rich seeke their owne good and commoditie onely at such times hence come ingrossing deceiuing and inclosing to the spoile of the poore We must therefore beware of this sinnefull practise and on the otherside giue our selues to practise goodnesse towardes others setting our selues to the practise of loue which seeketh not her owne things but is bountifull that so we may shew forth our loue to God by wel-doing to our brethren as the Apostle bids vs Gal. 5. 13. Doe seruice one to another by loue and Phil. 2. 4. Looke not euery man on his owne things but euery man also on the things of other men This was good King Iosias his practise for which cause among many particular vertues all his goodnesses are said to be recorded 2. Chron. 35. 26. And Saint Paul likewise became all things to all men that he might winne some and though he were free from all men yet he made himselfe seruant vnto all men that he might winne the moe 1. Cor. 9. 19. 22. You that are euill can giue good gifts that is bread fish and such like as Luk. 11. 11 12. Here it is plaine that an euill man may haue some kind of vertues in him whereby he may doe some good works Quest. How can this be for an euill man wants faith and so whatsoeuer he doth is sinne Answ. We must know that the gifts of the spirit are of two-sorts some are common whereby the corruption of mans nature is onely restrained and limited for the maintaining of ciuill societies that man with man may liue in some order and quietnesse And hence it was that among the heathen some were iust some mild some liberall c. All these came from the spirit yet not renuing the parties but onely restraining their naturall wickednesse And of this sort of gifts is the loue and care of parents towards their children and the loue of children againe towards their parents And these and such like euill men may haue for they are not sanctifying vertues but rather shadowes thereof The second kinde of the gifts of the spirit are more speciall gifts and graces whereby the corruption of mans nature is mortified and in some part abolished and the graces of Gods image are renued in man whereby they become louing meeke iust temperate c. which in the regenerate are true christian vertues and the exercise hereof is the doing of good works indeede How much more shall your heauenly father giue good things to them that aske him The 〈…〉 ords containe the second part of the comparison wherein Christ doth amplifie and set out the bountifulnes of God in his gifts to his children and Saint Luke specifieth these good things to be the gift of the holy Ghost in regard of grace and operation Here then three points are to be handled I. Who giues these good things II. What is giuen III. To whom For the first the author of these good things is the Father for of him and from him commeth euery good gift and euery perfect giuing Quest. But this gift is the holy Ghost now the holy Ghost is God how then can he bee giuen this seemes to imply inequalitie in the Trinitie for the person giuing must haue power and authoritie ouer the person giuen Answ. Wee must know first that this action of the father in giuing the holy Ghost is not by vertue of superiour power and authoritie but by consent the holy Ghost is freely willing to be giuen of the father for all three persons beeing one and the same God must needs haue one and the same will as in all things so in this gift Secondly this giuing is not in essence or person but in regard of operation and grace as loue ioy peace c. in the hearts of Gods children II. Point What are these good things giuen Answ. The holy Ghost Quest. Why should the father giue the holy Ghost and not the holy Ghost as well giue the father seeing they are equall Answ. The reason is because of that order which the diuine wisedome manifesteth in the Trinitie for though all three persons bee equall in all properties of the godhead which is one and the same in them all yet they are distinct in order the father beeing the first person the sonne not the first but the second and the holy Ghost not the first person nor the second but the third and hence it is that the father giues the sonne both the father and the sonne giue the holy Ghost yet not in person but in regard of gifts and operation and that by free and equall consent not from superioritie or by constraint III. Point To whom doth the father giue this gift of the holy Ghost Answ. To them that aske him Hence some would gather that man hath free will by nature in his conuersion because hee must first aske and then comes the gift of the holy Ghost Answ. We must know that by the holy Ghost here is meant not the beginning of grace but the increase thereof and a greater measure of gifts with a more sensible feeling of them for this promise is made to Gods children that aske which noâ—e can be but by the holy Ghost See this in the Disciples Ioh. 20. 22. Christ said to Disciples who had true grace before Receiue the holy Ghost and yet also after that the holy Ghost came downe vpon them in the forme of clouen tongues of fire Act. 〈…〉 Now these latter giuings were in regard of greater measure as it is said they were filled with the holy Ghost v. 3. Againe by them that aske is not meant euery one that vttereth words of request to God but those that aske in faith and pray aright by graced-as Rom. 10. 14. How can they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued and Rom. 8. 26. We know not what to pray as we ought but the spirit helpeth our infirmities and maketh request for the Saints according to the will
though wee cannot see the shaddow of the sunne mooue yet wee may perceiue that it doth mooâ—e Now by their fruits it is cleare they bee corrupt for they reuerse the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles both in the Commandements of the Law and in the Articles of faith First they disanull the first commaundement by making to themselues other Gods beside the true God for they pray vnto Saints and therein acknowledge a diuine propriety in them and also giue vnto them the honour due to God alone and so set vp vnto themselues the creature in the roome of the creator The second they reuerse by worshipping God himselfe and dead men in images Christ himselfe in the crucifixe yea in a peece of bread wherein they match the grossest idolatry aâ—ong the heathen and the best learned among them teach that the Rood the Crosse and Cruciâ—ixe are to bee worshipped with the same worship wherwith Christ himselfe is worshipped In the 6. Command touching murther they coÌ„demne the killing one of another but yet if a priest come from the Pope kill a Protestant Prince the Lords annointed King or Queene that is not onely no sinne but a â—â—â—t notable rare and memorable works Against the 7. commandement they maintaine the vow of single life necessarie in their religious orders whereby as also by their stues they cause all filthinesse 〈◊〉 natioÌ„ to abound among them And for the tenth commandement they say that concupiscence after baptisme is no sinne properly In the Articles of faith they ouerturne those that concerne Christ making him no Sauiour but a diuine instrument whereby we saue our selues for they â—ake mens good workes 〈◊〉 by Gods grace after thâ— first instification truly and properly mâ—ritorious and fully worthy of euerlasting life And his offices they haue parted from him his kingly and propheticall offices betweene him and the Pope and his Priesthood between him and euery popish priest as wee haue shewed before so that by these fruits we plainly see their apostacie which is enough though we know not when and by whom it came 2. Vse Here also we haue to answer such among our selues as renounce our Church as beeing no true Church of Christ because say they we want true ministers and so haue not a right ministerie among vs. But hence we answer that we haue the true Church of God and our ministers be the true ministers of God for proofe hereof our ministers haue the outward calling of the Church of England they say indeede our calling is nought because they haue power from God to call in whose hands it is But to omit that question for this time sufficient approbation of our ministery may be had from the fruits of our ministers as they are ministers for to leaue the fruits of their liues as sufficient meanes to iudge them by our ministers teach through Gods blessing the true and wholesome doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles and are alloued and called hereto by the gouernours of the Church and accepted of their people whose obedience to the faith is the seale of their ministery and this is sufficient to confirme the calling of our ministers if it had not Christ would not haue said Ye shal know them by their fruits 3. Use. Whereas Christ saith Ye shall know them speaking to all his hearers he takes it for graunted that euery beleeuer may bee able to iudge of false Prophets and therefore euery one in the Church of God ought to labour for so much knowledge whereby hee may bee able to knowe a Teacher by his fruits and doctrine This then sheweth that euery one ought to know the summe of true religion comprised in the Articles of faith and in the commandements of the Law both for their true meaning and right and profitable vse vnto themselues which thing I note because I know many deceiue themselues herein thinking that God will excuse them for their want of knowledge because they are not booke-learned But let vs consider wee haue euery one this care to be able to iudge of meates which concerne our bodies which be wholesome and which not should wee not then haue much more care of our soules to be able to discerne of doctrines in religion which be either the poison or saluation of our soules 4. Vse Whereas wholesome doctrine out of Scripture is a note of a true Prophet it teacheth vs that we may lawfully vse the ministery of those men whose liues and conuersations be euill and offensiue if so be their doctrine bee sound and good The Disciples of our Sauiour Christ must not doe according to the waies of the Scribes and Pharisies but yet they must hearâ— them when they sit in Moses chaire that is when they teach Moses doctrine And Paul is glad when Christ is truly preached though it be not in sinceritie of affection but of enuie When the Disciples saw a man that was not called by any speciall calling to follow Christ as themselues were and cast out deuills in the name of Christ they thought it intolerable and therefore forbad him but Christ said Forbid him not for he that is not against vs is with vs And the like may be saide of them that preach wholesome doctrine though their liues be still offensiue for in doctrine they be with Christ and so farre-forth must be approoued Againe consider that the vertue and efficacie of the word and Sacraments administred by men is not from the minister but from God a letter is not the worse because it is brought by an vnhonest or vnfaithfull carier Neither doth the euill conscience of the minister defile the good conscience of the honest hearer and worthie receiuer This must be remembred because many take offence at the life of the minister so as they will not heare his doctrine if his conuersation be scandalous V. In that a Prophet is to be knowne by his fruits and the maine fruit of a true Prophet stands in the good handling of Gods word for the edification and saluation of his hearers hence the children of the Prophets and those that are set a part for the ministerie of the word are taught that they must make this the maine and principall ende of all their studies to be able to bring forth the fruits of a true Prophet that is to interpret â—â—ight the word of God and thence to gather out wholesome doctrines and vses for the edification of Gods people And for the inforcing of this dutie let vs consider first that it is Gods commandement so to doe 1. Cor. 14. 1. Seeke for spirituall gifts but specially to prophesie Againe the greatest skill of a Prophet stands in the true expounding and right diuiding of Scripture so as it may become food for mens soules 2. Tim. 2. 15. Show thy selfe a workeman that needeth not to be ashamed in diuiding the word of truth aright And lastly this true fruit