you vpon this A. Euen so God is called the Father euen of the reprobate because hee first created them and yet they cannot be called the children of God except by creation as Adam was no more then the tents and pipes can be called the children of Iaball and Iuball Q. It had béene some benefite and priuiledge if God had béen our naturall Father but to be our Father by adoption séemeth to bée no great matter iâ— it A. Although God bee not our naturall father for so hee is onely of Christ but by grace yet performeth hee â—ll the partes of a naturall Father â—â—tter then any naturall father dooth whatsoâ—â—er Q. The natural Father heareth loue and affection vnto his children A. So dooth GOD vnto his for the Psalmist â—aith As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lorde compassion on them that feare him See more of this poynte in Esay 49. 1â—0 Matth. 7. 9. Q. The naturall Father proudeth thinges necessarie for this life A. So dooth GOD for his Matth. 6. 30. 31. 32. And though wee receiue theâ— of our naturall parents yet they come from GOD. See more of this poynt in 2. King 6. 27. Q. The naturall Father brings by his childe in some arte and knowledge to get his liuing by A. So dooth GOD by his children Ierem. 31. 33. I will write my 〈◊〉 their hearts c. besides that they haue the best schoolemaster the spirit of God Q. The naturall Father defendeth his children from iniuries and wrongs A. So dooth God and willeth vs to come vnto him Shall not God auenge his elect which crie vnto him night and daye Hee is therefore called the helper of the helpes and the widdowe and a father of the fatherles Q. The naturall father chastiseth his children whom he loueth and if he hath cast any out of his fauour he lets him alone to doe what he list A. So dooth God correct his children whom he loueth and therefore dooth he correct them because he loueth them But as for the wicked world worldlings hee lets them growe in prosperitie giuing them vp to their owne hearts lust because hee hath cast them out of his presence and fauour Q. The naturall Father prepareth an inheritance for his children A. So doth God for his Luke 12. 32. It is your Fathers pleasure to giue you the kingdome yea he hath prouided for vs an inheritance as Peter saith immortall and vndefiled that withereth not which is reâ—erâ—â—d in heauen for vs. Q. What vse may we make of this worde Father in this place A. This word Father may serue to expell all distrust 1. Of Gods fauour and all feare in prayer 2. It maketh ioye in our hearts and emboldeneth vs to goe vnto the throne of grace 3. It teacheth vs that we owe him the duetie of children and that wee must liue like the children of such a father if wee looke for benefites at his hands 4. It is auailable to worke patience in vs in trouble and affliction and at such times as our prayers are not graunted at the first Heb. 12. 7. If yee endure chastening God offereth himselfe vnto you 〈…〉 sonnes Q. It shoulde séeme by this preface that we ought not to pray to the second nor third person in the Trinitie that is to say to the Sonne and the holy Ghost but only to the first person that is the Father for so are wee taught to pray Our Father what say you to that A. For the better vnderstanding of this poynt wee must consider that this word Father being spoken of God is put two wayes in the Scripture sometime personally sometime essentially Q. What doe you meane when you say it is put personally A. It is taken personally when it is put but for some one of the three persons or beings in the Trinitie and cannot bee attributed to any of the other persons Q. What doe you meane when you say it is put essentially A. It is taken essentially when it doth extend to the whole essence of being of the Deitie Q. If you can make your meaning more plaine A. Then more plainly this is my meaning that wheresoeuer this word Father is attributed vnto God being ioyned in the same sentence with the Sonne or the holie Ghost or both then it is taken personally that is it is restrayned to the person of the Father only But when it is not coupled nor compared with any of the persons but is taken simply without relation to the other persons then it is taken essentially for the whole Godhead and for all the persons in the Godhead Q. Where is it taken personally A. In these places following The comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the father will send in my name he shall teach you c. The father loueth the sonne and hath giuen all things into his hands If ye then which are euill giue good things vnto the children how much more shall your heauenly father giue the holy Ghost to them that desire him Q. Where is it taken essentially A. In these places following The fowles of the aâ—re sowe not c. and yet your heauenly father feedeth them Wee haue had the fathers of our bodies which corrected vs and we gaue them reuerence should we not much rather be in subiection to the father of spirits that we might liue Q. How is it taken in this prayer A. In these words Our Father which are c. it is taken essentially for the whole deitie and doth not exclude but inlcude the Sonne and the holy Ghost the they are all one in nature and substance with the Father Q. If they bee all one in nature and substance then the second person Iesus Christ is called father too is he not A. Yes he is so called by the Prophet Esai To vs a childe is borne to vs a sonne is giuen c. and they shal call his name Counsellor the mightie God the euerlasting father c. Q. Then it appeareth that wee may also pray to Iesus Christ and the holie Ghost and we doe so in this prayer but can you shew any that haue prayed vnto them by name A. Yea Stephen called on God and sayd Lord Iesus receiue my spirit And S. Paul praâ—ed to the holy Ghost saying The fellowship of the holy Ghost be with you all Now of this word Our Q. Why doth the Lord Iesus teach vs to say Our Father rather then my father A. For diuers causes 1. To teach vs that true prayer is tied to Church of God onely and therefore requireth of necessitie vnitie with the same Q. What reason can you giue for this A. My reason is this We cannot pray aright except God be our father in Christ if God be our father in Christ then we be his children if wee bee his children then are we also brethren to his children if we bee brethren to them
and not to presumption as the Apostle teacheth in Rom. 6. 1. Rom. 2. 5. and therefore we ought not to abuse it Q. What else doe wee gather from this worde forgiue A. It dooth further teach vs that there is no satisfaction to Gods iustice for sinne by workes of our owne no not in temporall punishments but the dooing away of four sinnes is of Gods mere fauour Q. How doe you gather that vpon this worde forgiue A. It dooth necessarily followe for if God dooth freely forgiue vs our sinnes then we do not satisfie for them for to forgiue and to satisfie be contraries Q. What is here ment by forgiuing of sinnes A. To forgiue sinnes is to couer them â—or not to impute them vnto vs. See Psalm 32. 1. Q. But may not wee make satisfaction to GOD for our sinnes our selues A. No it is not possible Q. How may that appeare A. It shall easilie appeare if wee consider against whome wee sinne or whose commandements we transgresse Q. We sinne against God I knowe that but what of that A. Yea but that is not all but we must consider that God is infinite therefore the offence is multiplied according to the worthines of the person against whom it is committed Q. And what doe you inferre vpon that A. I inferre that our offence against God cannot but bee infinite and consequently so must our punishment be too Q. And must that punishment be suffered A. Yea for Gods iustice requireth the same Q. How shall wee doe then to bee saued for if we suffer it we can neuer bee saued because that which is infinite is without ende A. In deede it is true and therefore we haue neede of a remedie or else we cannot be saued Q. But what shall that remedie be Gods mercie A. No for mercie must not be contrarie to iustice Q. What then Gods iustice A. No for wee haue neede of mercie Q. By what meane may God execute his iustice with â—â—sanulling his mercie or exercise mercie without preiudice of his iustice A. To appease his wrath and to make way for his mercie there must come some satisfaction betweene God and Man Q. What manner of satisfaction must that be A. Considering the faulte is infinite and the punishment must bee proportionable to the faulte and the satisfaction likewise to the punishment therefore it must be infinitely infinite Q. How shall that be made cannot man helpe to make it A. No hee can doe nothing that waie Q. No What if hee shoulde doe the workes of the law of God wil not that satisfie Gods iustice A. To satisfie by the workes of the law we cannot for two causes 1. Because it is a taske which no man can keepe 2. If we coulde yet all the workes of the lawe bee debtes and no man can discharge one debt with another Q. What if man offer himselfe to God A. If man should offer himselfe he offereth nothing but vnthankfulnes and disobedience and wickednes that is he prouoketh Gods wrath more and more Q. What if man shoulde offer the whole world vnto God A. If he should what should he offer but that which hee hath first receiued of God and lost againe by his disobedience Q. What if the Angels shoulde step in to satisfie for man A. If the creature should labour to pacifie the Creator a thing finite in goodnes to couer an infinite euill the indebted to discharge one that is more indebted what were that but a couering that doth but halfe couer and a plaster infinitly too little for the sore Q. How then shall this satisfaction be made A. God himselfe must be faine to step in betweene his iustice and his mercy and as he created vs at the first so to create vs new againe and this is it which the scripture calleth regeneration Q. Who then shall bee this mediator God vnto God infinite to infinite and able both to discharge the bond and to asswage the infinite punishment A. That must needes be the second person in the Trinitie the son of God who is also God equal with the father and therefore infinite Q. Why must it be the second person A. For two causes 1. Because he is the wisdome of the father for as he at the first vttered his wisedome in creating vs so he was to employ the same in regenerating vs. 2. Because wee were to bee adopted his children that is admitted to an inheritance which coulde not bee done but by the mediation of his owne naturall sonne Q. How did the sonne of God satisfie God for our sinnes hee being God himselfe A. Hee in his infinite Godhead recompenced honour that great benefite and call vpon the father in his name and thus we come to the forgiuenes of our sins which here we are taught to pray for Q. You haue wel satisfied me for this 〈…〉 let vs come to the next word why doe wee say forgiue vs and not forgiue me A. Therein wee are taught to beseech the Lord as heartely to forgiue the sinnes of our brethren as our own See Iam. 5. 17. Exod. 32. 21. Rom. 9. 1. Q. What if we faile in this duetie A. Then we faile in the greatest duetie of brotherly loue and Christian compassion neither can wee say that we loue the brethren neither can we bee assured that we are the members of Christ. Q. What doe we not loue our brethren except wee care for their soules what if we with them riches honours and fauours in this life is not this sufficient A. No the best loue of man to man consisteth in wishing his spirituall good the good of his soule forgiuenes of his sinnes true ioy in the holy Ghost c. Q. Where reade you of any that were grieued for the sinnes of the people A. In Psalm 119. 136. Dauid sayth his eyes gushed out with teares because men kept not the law of God Q. What thinke you of those that laugh for ioy when they see men brâ—ake the commandements of God and yet say this prayer A. If they knowe what they say their sin is the greater and they must needes be condeÌ„ned of notable hypocrisie but indeed it argueth that they neuer felt that in their harts which they vtter with their lips Q. What els doe you gather vpon these words forgiue vs A. We learne further that if wee must desire God to forgiue both them and vs we must not allure them to sinne Q. How doe you gather that A. It must needes follow for if we be mediatours and sutors for pardon we may not in any case bee procurers to wickednes for shall he that sueth for the Princes pardon for a Traytor or a murtherer or c. when he hath so done goe presently stir vp the same partie to work treason againe or to murther againe God forbid Q. But this is a thing most rise especially amongst such as beare the name of good fellowes A. It is too true indeede but it is wicked good
that are taught of that towne are taught by him Or if there be but one way into a Noble mans house and suppose by one gate onely the way lyeth into the house if any man aske of vs whether he may not goe into the house another way wee will answere and say No al men go in at this gate or the Noble man hath giuen commandement that all shall come in at that gate meaning that so many as doe goe in doe enter by that gate So in God there is but one will by which all men doe enter into heauen that is all that doe enter into heauen doe passe by that will of God and not without it nor besides it nor against it But yet there is a third sense of that place in Timot. God will that all men shall be saued c. That is God hath certainly decreed that all his elect and chosen people shall be saued but not euery particular man in the worlde And wee are to consider that this word all is not put alwayes in the scripture for euery particular man woman and childe but sometime for the greater part and sometime for the elect only For the greater part it is taken in Gen 47. 15. All the Egyptians came vnto Ioseph and sayd giue vs bread c. that is a great part of the Egyptians came to Ioseph for you must imagine that some might be sicke some were infants and could not come And so it is also taken in Matth. 21. 10. When he was come into Ierusalem all the citie was moued that is the greatest part of the citie was moued And in Mark 1. 5. All the countrey of Iudea went out vnto Iohn and were baptized of him that is a great companie of Iudea For the elect only it is also taken sometime as in Luk. 3. 6. All flesh shall see the saluation of God that is all the elect shall â—â—e it And in Rom. 5. 18. As by the offence of one man the fault came on all men to condemnation so by the iustifying of one the benefite abounded toward all to the iustification of life that is towards all the elect it abounded And in 1. Cor. 15. 22. As by Adam all dye so by Christ shall al be made aliue that is all the elect shall bee saued by Christ. These generall speeches must be restrained to their kinds because as Pet. Martyr sayth the holy scripture doth marke two sorts of men one of the godly and another of the wicked and doth vsually set downe vniuersall or generall propositions of them both which the wise and discreete reader should obserue and referre them or restraine them to their proper kinde of which they bee spoken and of which they are to bee vnderstood As for example in Iohn 6. 45. They shall all be taught of Goa Ioh. 12. 32. If I were lift vp from the earth I will draw all men vnto me sayth the Lord Iesus And in Esai 66. 23. From moneth to moneth and from Sabbath to Sabbath shal al flesh come to worship before me sayth the Lord. And in Ioel 2. 28. I will powre out my spirit vpon al flesh with many such like Now all these places are vniuersally and generally propounded but yet they are to be restrained onely to the godly and faithfull people of the Lord of them onely they are to bee vnderstood and cannot be applyed to the wicked So there be other places of scripture which be as vniuersally propounded but are to be vnderstood only of the wicked and vnfaithfull and not of the godly as in Iohn 3. 32. That he testifieth which he hath seene and heard but no man receiueth his testimonie that is none of the wicked receiue it or very fewe doe receiue it for the faithfull doe receiue it but the reprobate and vnbeleeuers doe not receiue it And in Matth. 10. 22. Ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake that is of al the wicked And againe see the like in Philip. 2. 21. All seeke their owne not that which is Iesus Christs that is a great number do so all the wicked doe so but not the godly There bee many moe places like vnto these which must bee restrained to their proper kind but this may suffice for an answere to that obiection out of Timothie There is another obiection as common as the former and to as great purpose And thus they reason So many shall bee saued as Christ dyed for but Christ dyed for all therefore all shall bee saued To which obiection some answere as the Schoolemen doe that Christ dyed for all men sufficienter non efficaciter sufficiently but not effectually meaning that his death was sufficient to haue saued 10000. worlds in respect of the merite of his death by reason of the worthines of his person if all did beleeue in him but all doe not beleeue in him therefore all shall not be saued But this distinction of sufficiencie and efficacie is thought and that of very learned Diuines to bee a very idle distinction and too weake to beare away the burden of the question for if Christ dyed sufficiently for all he dyed effectually for all and if it be not effectuall how is it sufficient And they hold that the efficacie of his death and the sufficiencie of his death be all one But to this replie will be answered againe that it is sufficient in respect of his owne merite and should be effectuall for all if all did beleeue But all doe not beleeue and for them it is not effectuall True it is for vnbeleeuers it is neither effectual nor sufficient And whereas it is effectuall for the faithfull it is in respect of the infinite merite of his death passion by reason of the worthines and excellencie of his person wherein dwelt the fulnes of the Godhead bodily or els it had been neither sufficient nor effectuall for them no more then for the other Now whereas they say if all did beleeue in him his death were sufficient to saue all it is true but then it is demaunded againe Why al doe not beleeue It cannot be denied but that faiâ—h is the gift of God and that it is not in mans power to beleeue when hee will as freewill Papists dreame Sure it was neuer intended in the vnchangeâ—ble will and eternall purpose of God that they should beleeue as it was his purpose on the other side to giue faith to his elect And as it was neuer intended by God that all should beleeue so likewise was it neuer intended by God that his Sonne shuld dye for al but it was euer intended by his diuine Maiestie that his elect only should beleeue so likewise was it inteÌ„ded that his Sonne should dye only for the elect whom onely the Lord purposed from euerlasting to saue by faith in the merits of his Sonnes death passion But as touching the vnbeleeuers it was
then haue wee true faith and loue if wee haue true faith and loue then are we knit to Christ and one to another if we bee so then are wee of the true Church of Christ. Q. What is wee were not of the Church A. They that are not of the Church can not make this prayer Q. Why then belike of necessitie we ought to haue vnitie with the true Church in faith and doctrine and substance of religion A. It is very true for as wee haue our father adopting vs and making vs his children so here we professe that we hold our faith with all the members of Gods Church and holde one and the selfe same true religion and worship of God with them yea and all that can say this prayer truely are ioyned in vnitie of faith and religion in respect of the substance Q. What think you then of Schismatiques which doe separate themselues from the publique exercises of the Church A. It followeth therfore that no Schismatiques can truely say Our Father because in their hellish pride they coumpt the children of GOD none of their brethren Q. What els doth this word our teach A. Secondly it teacheth vs that wee must haue Christian loue vnto all men without the dishonor of God and breach of a good conscience See 1. Ioh. 5. 1. Q. What els doth it teach vs A. Thirdly it putteth vs in minde of that sympathie and fellow-feeling of our brethrens miseries which may moue vs to helpe them euen when we can haue fit occasion for we are all as members of one and the same bodie by faith therefore if one bee hurt all must helpe if one bee grieued all must bee grieued and if one reioyce all must reioyce See the places quoted Q. May we not say at any time My father but alwayes Our father A. Yes as in sicknesse pouertie c. so that wee haue a care of others aswell as of our selues for in prayer al pride and selfe-loue must be quite shut out Q. What els may wée gather from this word Our A. Fourthly it banisheth all pride and disdaine of our brethren and breedeth all humilitie and lowlines yea and it teacheth vs to haue a base conceit of our selues and a reuerend opinion of others yea euen of the simplest if they feare God and haue the spirit of adoption which God knoweth for then are they the sonnes and daughters of the same father that wee haue or professe to haue Q. What must superiours and men of authoritie which haue great places callings so far humble themselues vnto simple poore Christians as you say A. Yea that they must if they will call God their father and to deale plainly no superiour can vse this prayer aright before they so abase themselues that they take the most simple and meanest Christians that are for their brethren and so likewise vse them Q. Some will not be called brethren nor call others by that name for they hold this name of brother or sister especially in Christ to be a most odious name they vse it if they do vse it at al in scorne and reproch accompting them Puritanes c. Which vse such kinde of spéeches what say you of them A. Surely I thinke that they doe much forget theÌ„selues for howsoeuer they will seeme to deny defie y â— name of brother sister out of prayer â—et in prayer if they pray as they oughâ— they doe confesse it except they doe mocke and dissemble with God which is no small sinne for God cannot be our father except the rest of his children and true Christians be our brethren Q. If superiours must so abase themselues as to take the simplest and meanest for their brethren and so their equals then you shall agrée with the Anabaptists which would haue no distinction nor difference to bee allowed betwéene the Prince and subiect the Magistrate and people betwéene one and another but all must be as one A. No sir that is not my meaning farre be it from me for there must bee degrees of persons of callings and of estates and there must be a distinction between Magistrates and inferiours for the auoyding of disorder and confusion and maintenance of peace which is Gods ordinance or els all should be head or all should be foote c. which were as monsterous and absurd in the bodie politicall as it would be in a bodie naturall Q. If that bee not your meaning then what is your meaning A. This I meane and affirme that all those which haue any prerogatiue aboue others should consider that though they bee aboue others in things of this world yet others may be aboue them in heauenly things and equall with them in respect of their heauenly father who hath called vs all with a heauenly calling to a heauenly inheritance Q. How may this poynt bee confirmed A. By the testimonie of holy scripture When S. Paul would perswade masters to deale well by thier seruants he vseth this as a reason that they haue a master in heauen with whom is no respect of persons And this is the Apostles meaning when he sayth There is neither Iewe nor Grecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for you are all one in Christ Iesus In the 26. verse hee sheweth the reason why and how For â—e are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus And for this cause it is sayd The King shall haue the booke of the law by him that he exalt not himself aboue his brethreÌ„ For want of the true knowledge of this poynt the CorinthiaÌ„s despised the poore and would not receiue the Lords Supper with them and therefore the Apostle reproueth them and willeth them to tarrie one for another Q. How can his equalitie and superioritie stand together and be acknowledged on both sides at one time and in one place and in one action busines A. Very well as they do in the publike assemblies and exercises of the Church where 1. That a distinction difference of persons degrees may appeare for auoiding of confusioÌ„ c. euery man hath his place appointed according to his worthines in respect of office or calling or learning or degree or birth or wealth c. then 2. That it may likewise appeare that we are all brethren hauing one God whom we call Our father in the merites of Christ and because all by one faith beleeue one Sauiour and look all by him for one kingdome therefore there is also in token thereof a communitie equalitie of diuers things without any respect of persons Q. How doe you meane that A. Not as the Anabaptistes which would haue all things common but my meaning is this There is not one place for the poore another for the rich one Minister for the greater learned and another for the lesse learned one Sabboth for superiours another for