dealt Satan with Eue he made shewe that hee had some good thing to tell her whereby their state might be bettered but it turned to theirs and our destructiō So did the foure hundred false Prophets of Baal contrarie to the true Prophet Michaiah prophecie good successe to Ahab in his war against the Aramites but his harkning to them cost him his life And so dealt Hananie with the Iewes when they were besieged by the King of Babels armie contrarie to Ieremies counsell he prophecied peace and safetie but it turned both to his owne and to their destruction Ier. 28. 1 2. c. The 7. pretence is boldnesse and constancie in suffering for their opinions for a man in obstinacie may liue and die for errour as well as the childe of God may doe for the truth Constancie in opinion is no sure note whereby to iudge a true Prophet for many heretikes haue suffered death confidently for the maintenance of their damnable heresies Thus we see the pretences of false Prophets now hereto wee must adde this second point to wit that for all this they bee but wolues because by their damnable doctrine they seeke to poison and corrupt the soules of simple men If it be said they haue no such intent they themselues thinke it to be the truth I answer that may be true in some but this cleareth them not from beeing wolues for the deuill that hath deluded them who is their Lord and master doth by them dangerously delude and deceiue the simple The Vse 1. Considering this danger of false Prophets we must practise Christs lesson Mat. 10. 16. Be simple as doues that is bee innocent and harmelesse thinking euill of none neither intending euil or offence to any in thought word or deede and yet we must be wise as serpents who haue great subtiltie in sauing and defending their head from harme so must euery one that lookes to be saued labour for so much wisedome whereby hee may preserue himselfe from the hurt of false prophets Now the beginning of this wisedome is to feare God in hi◠word beleeuing his promises obeying his commandements The true feare of God is not without knowledge and therefore euery one must labour to be instructed in the principles of religion for without knowledge we cannot feare God and so shall want true wisdome to eschew false Prophets II. In that the false teacher by so many faire shewes seekes to bring in false doctrine it is euery mans dutie in his place to labour to preserue wholesome doctrine and the puritie of true religion This dutie is necessary for we must be as forward for the truth as the enemie is for falshood and doe as much for God as they doe for the deuill Againe no poyson is more deadly to the body then false doctrine 〈◊〉 to the soule therefore seeing God hath long blessed vs with his truth let vs esteeme it aboue all outward blessings and by seeking to preserue the puritie thereof shew our selues thankfull to God for the same Verse 16. Ye shall know them by their fruits do men gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles This verse those which follow to the 21. containe the third point which Christ laieth down concerning false prophets namely the means whereby we may discerne and iudge of them And herein he obserueth this order First he giues vs a notable rule to direct vs in iudging of false prophets Ye shall know them by their fruits Secondly hee explanes the same rule by a similitude drawne from trees Doe men gather grapes of thornes c. For the rule that we may vnderstand it the better wee are to search what is meant by the fruits of false Prophets A false Prophet must bee considered two waies First as he is a man taking vpon him the name profession of Christ for so false Prophets vse to do and secondly as he is a false prophet in both these respects hee hath his fruits As he is a man taking vpon him the profession of Christs religion hee may bring forth many outward duties of external obedience vnto the moral law but these fruits are not here meant for a false Prophet may dissemble much goe farre in the outward duties of religion so as he cannot be discerned by his generall profession or by the works of his ciuil conuersatiō There be other fruits which come frō him as he is a false prophet by them must he be discerned these therefore are to be considered Now we shall know them the better by searching out the fruits of a true Prophet 〈◊〉 he is a man of God appointed to teach Gods people The fruits of a true Prophet be principally three I. He teacheth and preacheth in the name of God by vertue of calling from God and otherwise dares not presume to teach Rom. 10. 14. How shall he teach vnlesse he be sent and the author to the Hebrewes saith Christ tooke not the honour of beeing the high Priest and Prophet of the Church to himselfe but was called thereto by his father Heb. 5. 5. And this stands with reason for euery true Prophet and teacher stands in Gods roome and is Gods embassadour to deliuer his will to his people which thing none can doe but he whome God calleth and sendeth for that purpose Yet the calling of Prophets and teachers by God is diuers Some are called by voice from God immediatly as were Abraham Moses and Samuel and all the Apostles in the new Testament by the immediate voice of Christ for Paul was called by the voice of Christ from heauen Act. 9. 4 5 6. Againe others haue their calling from God by the speciall message of some Angel or some men Thus was Aaron called by Moses Elisha by Elias and Philip by an Angel to preach to the Eunuch Act. 8. 26. Thirdly others be called by the instinct and motion of Gods spirit so Act. 8. Philip was by ordinarie calling a Deacon but by extraordinarie instinct he became an Euangelist and a preacher of the Gospel for the building of Gods Church These three kinds of calling men into the ministerie were extraordinarie and are now ceased and not to be looked for neither are they to be regarded which say they are thus called at this day A fourth way whereby God now calleth Prophets and teachers into his Church is by his Church for God hath giuen to particular Churches a particular ministeriall power and seruice whereby they may designe a place vnto the teacher and also make manifest that God hath called him Now this authoritie is but ministeriall to designe and manifest whome God hath called for the principall calling is from God for Act. 20. 28. the Elders of the Church of Ephesus are said to be made ouerseers by the holy Ghost when as they were designed thereto by men And by one of these foure waies are all true Prophets and Teachers called Here some may demaund what kind of calling
thinketh on them though heauen be Gods throne and the earth his footstoole yet will hee looke to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit yea the Lord will dwell with him that is of a contrite and broken heart Christ came to preach the glad tidings of the Gospel to the poore yea the Lord filleth the hungrie that is the poore and hungrie soule with good things but the rich he sends emptie away Let these and many such fauours with God which they enioy prouoke vs to become poore in spirit Secondly are they blessed that be poore in spirit then here all poore and wretched persons in the world may learne to make good vse of their wants and distresses they must consider them as the hand of God vpon them and thereby be ledde to the viewe of their sinnes and by the consideration of their sinnes be brought to see their miserie in theÌ„selues the true ground of this spirituall pouertie Now when they are once poore in spirit they are in a blessed state in the iudgement of Christ. If a man bleed dangerously at the nose the best way to saue his life is to let him blood else-where and so turne the course of the blood another way euen so when a man is oppressed with worldly calamities hee cannot finde any comfort in them for in themselues they are Gods curses yet if thereby he can bee brought to see his spirituall pouertie then of curses they become blessings vnto him and therefore when we are in any distresse wee must not onely fixe our eies vpon the outward crosse but by meanes of that labour to see the pouertie of our soules and so will the crosse lead vs to happinesse Thirdly they that abound with worldly wealth must hereby learne to become poore if they would be saued Poore I say not in goods but in soule and spirit this indeed is hard to flesh and blood for naturally euery rich man blesseth himselfe in his outward estate and perswades himselfe that God loues him because he giues him wealth but such conceits must he striue against and learne of God to reioyce in this that he is made lowe Iam 〈…〉 Fourthly on this saying of Christ that the poore are blessed the Popish teachers obseruing the word translated poore to beâ—oken outward pouertie goe about to builde their vowe of voluntarie pouertie whereby men renouncing their wealth and possessions of this world doe be take themselues to some Monasterie there to liue a poore and solitarie life But their voluntarie pouertie will not agree with this text son Christs poorâ— here pronounced blessed are such as by reason of their pouerty are miserable and wretched wanting outward comforts as we shewed oâ—t of Luke where Christ opposeth them to the rich who abound with all worldly delights but to vndergoe the Popish vow of voluntarie pouertie is no estate of miserie or distresse for who doe liue in greater â—ase or enioy more freedome from the crosses and vexations of this life then their begging Friers Againe if their vowed pouertie had any ground in this text then Christ should pronounce such poore blessed as made themselues poore but that he doth not for then in the next verse he should pronounce such mourners blessed as voluntarily cause themselues to mourne for that verse dependeth on this as a more full explanation of this first rule But no man will say that they that mourne without a cause are there called blessed and therefore Popish vowed pouertie hath no ground on this place And thus much of the persons II. Point Wherein the blessednes of these poore consists namely in hauing a right to the kingdome of heauen For theirs is the kingdome of heauen By kingdome of heauen for the better conceiuing of this blessednes we must vnderstand a state or condition of man whereby he is in Gods fauour and hath fellowship with God The truth of this description is euident by the tenour of the new Testament Now this estate of man is called a Kingdome because herein God rules as king and man obeies as Gods subiect for no man can be in Gods fauour nor enioy his fellowship vnlesse God be his King ruling in his heart by his word and spirit and he Gods subiect resigning himselfe to be ruled by him for this happie estate consists in Gods gracious ruling of man and mans holy subiection vnto God Indeede fewe doe see any great happines in this estate but the truth is mans whole felicity stands herein Rom. 14. 17. The kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but righteousnes peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Here the Apostle teacheth vs three things namely that when Gods spirit rules in a mans heart then first he is iustified there is righteousnes secondly he hath peace with God euen that peace of conscience which passeth all vnderstanding thirdly the ioy of the holy Ghost which is all vnspeakable comfort passing all worldly ioy whatsoeuer And these three doe notably set out the state of an happie man which will yet more plainly appeare by their contraries in Iudas who beeing a wretched sinner vnrighteously betraied his master and thereupon fell into the miserie of a guiltie accusing conscience which was the cause of his desperate death and also that his bodie burst asunder and his bowells gushed out now if an euill conscience be so fearefull then â—ow blessed an estate is the peace and ioy of a good conscience which a man then hath when God by his word and spirit ruleth in his heart Againe this estate is called the kingdome of heauen because that man in whom Christ 〈…〉 by his word and spirit is alreadie himselfe in heauen though iâ— bodie he be yet on earth for heauen is like a citie with two gates thorough both of which a man must passe before he obtaine the full â—oyes thereof now so soone as God by his word and spirit rules in any mans heart he is alreadie entred the 〈…〉 te of grace which is the first gate the other remaines to be passed thorough at the time of death which is the gate of glorie and then he is in full possession Doth true happines consist in this estate where Christ ruleth and man obeies then here behold the errour of all Philosophers and wise men of this world touching happines for some haue placed it in pleasure some in wealth and others in ciuill vertue and some in all these But the truth is it stands in none of these A naturall man may haue all these and yet be condemned for the ciuill vertues of the heathen were in them but glorious sinnes Our Sauiour Christ hath here reuealed more vnto vs then all the wise men of the world did euer know and hereby we haue iust occasion to magnifie the bookes of Scripture farre aboue all humane writings because they doe fully set out vnto vs the nature and estate of true felicitie which no humane
could wish and so might haue continued if he would for hee was the adopted sonne of Pharaohs daughter but yet Moses left them all and chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God in Goshen then to enioy all the pleasures of Egypt And this he did because they were but the pleasures of sinne which hee could not enioy vnlesse hee would forsake the true feare and worship of God and all good conscience his example we ought to follow Now that we may auoid all the occasions of sinne and so put in practise this wholesome precept of our Sauiour Christ I wil here intreat of the occasions of sinne and shew withall how they may be auoyded By occasion of sinne I meane any thing that either of it selfe or by mans abuse becomes offensiue and prouoketh vnto sinne In this large acceptance an occasion of sinne extendeth it selfe not onely to such things as are euill but euen to things good and commendable in themselues which by mans abuse cause transgression against God Occasions of sinne are two-fold either giuen or taken An occasion giuen is that thing either word or action that is euill in it selfe the speaking or doing whereof stirres a man effectually to sinne Occasions giuen are two-fold either of one man vnto another or of man vnto himselfe The occasions whereby one man may prouoke another to sinne are many I will reduce them vnto sixe heads The first is badde counsell whereby one man perswadeth another vnto sinne This is a great cause of much euill in the world thus came the fall of our first parents for Sathan perswaded Eue and Eue her husband thus came the crucifying of the Lord of life for the high ' Priests and Rulers perswaded the people to aske Barrabas and to destroy Iesus Hence commeth seeking vnto wisards one friend perswades another for their outward good as they thinke yea from this bad counsel comes the common neglect of all good duties in Gods worship The second is consent or approbation of sinne and it is two-folde secret or open Secret approbation and consent is when men see sinne committed and are not grieued thereat for this cause the Apostle Paul checketh the Corinthians that they were not sorrowfull but rather puffed vp at the facte of the incestuous man whereby they did in some sort hearten him in his sinnes this is a great occasion of sinne in our daies The Prophet Dauid was of another minde his eies gushed out riuers of teares because men brake Gods lawes Open approbation of sinne is when men doe openly countenance sinners and lewd persons which make profession of badde practises this is a great occasion of many horrible impieties hereby the hands of the wicked are strengthened in their wickednesse as the Lord complaineth and this is the sinne of this age for who is so badde that hath not some patrone of his euill and some backe friend to sooth him in his sinne which makes sinne shameles and sinners impudent But all Gods children must follow Elisha who in great feruencie of spirit told Iehoram to his face though he were a king that if it had not bâ—ene for the preseuce of good King Iehosaphat he would not haue looked towards him nor seene him the Lord himselfe will not take the wicked by the hand neither can he endure that his children should helpe the wicked or loue them that hate the Lord. The third occasion giuen is prouocation vnto sinne when either by word or deed men excite or drawe on others to some euill as vnto anger reuenge hatred to drunkennesse or such like and this is a common fault of those that delight in drunken fellowship The fourth occasion is neglect of good duties vnto our brethren as of exhortation admonition instruction or rebuke Ioshua 7. Achan stole the execrable thing for himselfe alone yet all the people are charged with that fault and punished for it the cause was their neglect to keepe one another from that sinne according as God commanded theÌ„ chap. 6. 18. This is a great occasion of impietie among vs if neighbour would admonish neighbour and one brother an other sinne would not be so rife as it is But this dutie is not onely neglected of priuate men one to another but of publike persons who are more bound vnto it The Magistrate is negligent in punishing and the Minister in reproouing sinne and the master of the family carelesse in reforming those that are vnder him which causeth sinne to abound The fift occasion giuen is euill Example in the practise of any sinne whatsoener which may be knowne this is most dangerous like vnto wild fire that inflameth all places whereon it lighteth The truth hereof appeares among vs for let any one man or woman take vp a new fashion in attire and presently the same is generally receiued let a man inuent or sing a leud song and presently it is learned of all euen of little children that can scarse speake whence also comes it that crawling infants should sweare roundly and frame themselues to all impietie when they cannot speake readily but from the bad example of their Elders with whome they are brought vp Now among all men their bad example is most dangerous who make the greater profession of Religion They are like false lights vpon the shoare which lead the shippesvpon the sands And therefore such as shew any care or forwardnes in holy practises of religion must haue speciall watch ouer all their waies that if it be possible they may be blamelesse both in word and deede for all men haue an eye at them and the wicked would gladly spie holes in their coate The last occasion giuen is the priuate slandering of Gods Ministers and the disgracing of their Ministerie this is an offence as generall as the rest and it causeth many to contemne the meanes of their saluation When men meete together their common talke is of the Ministers and of their doctrine not to be edified by mutuall conference but onely to disgrace their persons and to make their ministerie contemptible but they little know what mischiefe this causeth and therefore it ought to be auoided These are occasions of sinning giuen by one man to another for the auoiding whereof which is the plucking out of the eye and cutting off the hand here commanded this Rule must be obserued We must hate and eschew the occasions of sinne as deadly poison and esteeme those persons that giue them vnto vs in that regard as ill as the deuill Thus Christ dealt with Peter his owne disciple when he went about to hinder him from doing his Fathers will in suffering for our sinnes saying Come behinde me Satan considering him in that action as if he had beene the deuill himselfe for we must know that the deuill comes not openly vnto men but cunningly conuaies himselfe in these
Againe in the new Testament the Apostles ordained that in euery Church there should be Deacons that is men of wisdome and discretion who were to gather for the poore and likewise to dispose of that which was giuen according as euery man had neede in which very order of prouision for the poore the Lord forbids all waÌ„dring begging II. These wandring beggers are the shame and reproch of the people where they are suffered for it argueth want of care of good order in gouerners and want of mercie in the rich that they gather all to themselues without regard how the poore should liue III. In releeuing these wandring beggers there is this double want in the giuer he cannot tell what to giue nor how much because he knowes not the state of the partie that beggeth Now in almes deedes there ought to be a double discretion the giuer ought to know both his owne abilitie and also the necessitie of the receiuers IV. Common releeuing at mens doores makes many beggers and maintaines a wicked generation for these wandring beggers are for the most part flat Atheists regarding nothing but their bellie separating themselues from all congregations and from begging many fall to stealing or els they take such pleasure therein that they will neuer leaue it no not for a yearely rent This is knowne to be true by experience All which things duly considered must moue the Magistrates and euery other in their place to see that better order be obserued for the poore then doore-releeuing to all that come And sith good lawes are made in this behalfe men ought in conscience to see the same obserued and kept neither can any man without sinne traÌ„sgresse the same Indeede if good order were not prouided for the poore it were better to releeue them in their wandring course then to suffer them to starue for so dealt Christ his disciples with the poore when good order failed among the Iewes they releeued them in the high waies streetes VII Point At what time must Almes be giuen Ans. Hereof the Scripture speaketh little yet this may be gathered thence First that releefe must be giuen when present occasion requireth therfore Salomon saith Say not to thy neigbour Goe and come again to morow if thou now haue it Secondly that the Sabbath day is a fit time for the giuing of releefe for the poore for the Apostle commanded the Corinthians that each one should lay aside vpon that day according as God had prospered him the weeke before that which he would giue for the poore where by the way it may be obserued that daily giuing at mens doores was not allowed by the Apostles Also touching Trades-men this may be added from this that the Apostle makes contribution for the poore a Sabbath daies worke that wheras they vse to imploy part of the Lords day both morning euening in seruing their customers for their own priuate benefite this can not be â—arranted onely this they may doe vpon the Sabbath they should sell vnto none but to such as buie of necessitie and then they may not make a priuate gaine of their sale but must turne that worke to a worke of mercie for the poore either selling without gaine if it be a poore bodie that buies or giuing the gaine of that which they sell to the rich for the releefe of the poore This indeed will hardly be obtained at trades-mens hands but yet they must know that the whole Sabbath day is the Lords wherin he wil be worshipped with delight neither ought men to doe therein their owne workes nor seeke their owne wills nor speake their owne words Isa. 58. 13. VIII Point In what manner must Almes be giuen Ans. Hereof more is to be spoken in the chapter following yet from this text these things may be obserued First that Almes-giuing must be free the giuer must neither looke for recompence at the hands of man nor thinke to merit any thing thereby at the hands of God That Popish conceit depriues a man of the true comfort of the spirit in this worke of mercy none but Christ by his obedience could euer merit at Gods hands Secondly our hearts in giuing must be touched with charitie and the bowels of compassion we must giue with cheerefulnes for without loue all that we giue is nothing 1. Cor. 13. 3. and the Lord loueth a cheerfull giuer 2. Cor. 9. 7. now if we consider the poore as our owne flesh and see Gods image in them this will mooue vs to pitie Thirdly in the person of the poore we must consider Christ Iesus and giue vnto them as we would giue vnto Christ. This will mooue vs to giue and that chearefully for in the day of iudgement Christ will make it known that he comes for releefe to the rich in the person of the poore to the mercilesse he will say In as much as ye did it not to them ye did it not to me but to the mercifull thus In as much as ye did it vnto one of the least of these my brethren ye haue done it vnto me Fourthly our almes must be giuen as a pledge of our thankefulnesse vnto God for the blessings we enioy for all we haue commeth from God and of his hand it is whatsoeuer we giue now he professeth that when men doe good and distribute to the poore he is well pleased with such sacrifices Hauing seene what this dutie of Almes-giuing is and how it must be performed we must now stirre vp our selues to put the same in practise and to mooue vs hereunto consider the reasons following I. We all desire to be counted religious now if we would be such indeede we must visit the fatherlesse and widowes we must doe good and giue almes to the poore for this is pure religion and vndefiled before God as Iames saith To come to the Church and heare the word and to receiue the Sacraments are good things but without mercie to the poore they are not regarded but hated of God Isa. 1. 13 14 15. II. If a man should offer vnto vs a peece of ground to manure and till for our owne reaping we would take it kindely and bestowe both paines and seede vpon it behold the poore are sent of God to the rich as a peece of ground to be tilled and when they giue to the poore they sowe vpon the ground now as Paul saith in this case looke as a man soweth so shall he reape we therefore must sow liberally that we may also reape liberally III. Prov. 19. 17. He that hath mercie vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lord we would easily be mooued to lend if we had an honest man to be suretie vnto vs for returning of our owne with aduantage well the Lord offers himselfe to the rich to be suretie for the poore who then will feare to lend hauing so good a debter
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
their heart before others in that order which were meete Now to make supplie of all these wants a set forme of praier is to be vsed whereunto all the powers of bodie and soule may be well fitted III. Reason The ancient Church of God long before the time of Poperie vsed a set forme of praier indeede for the first three hundred yeares after Christ by reason of continuall persecution they could not doe so but after those times there was a set forme of praier vsed in all Churches in so much as the souldiers in the field had their set praiers And in many Councels it was decreed that no Church should vse any forme of praier but such as was allowed and appointed and that for these causes first that there might be an vniformitie in the solemne worship of God and secondly that the ignorance and negligence of many Pastors might be preuented who otherwise would haue omitted this dutie in their congregations and therefore there was then set downe a generall forme of Confession of faith of praier and thanksgiuing and of administration of the Sacraments Now considering set praier is Gods ordinance and the imperfections of man require it and the same hath beene so long vsed in former ages I doubt not to affirme the same to be both profitable and necessarie whereby we may see how blinde and rash they are who tearme set prayer an abominable Idol and as loathsome vnto God as swines â—lesh was to the Iewes These be loathsome and vnreuerend tearmes but that we may know their follie and error the better let vs here scanne their principall Reasons against set praier and they be two I. To read a sermon penned by an other is no preaching and therefore to repeate a set praier is no praier Ans. The reason is naught for in reading a penned sermon a man cannot expresse the gift of prophesie but in reading a set praier he may shew the gift of praier as namely a touched heart for his sinnes an hungring desire after grace and a thankfull heart for Gods mercies and herein doth praier consist and not in the words II. Reason We must pray freely as the spirit mooues vs and therefore to vse set formes of praier is to stint and quench the good motions of the spirit Ans. This reason were somewhat if euery one receiued such a portion and measure of the spirit as did inable him hereunto but seeing in this life we haue but the first fruits thereof and not the tenths as one saith we are to vse all good helps to make supplie vnto our wants for in the practise of holy duties we are like vnto a man that is newly recouered of some grieuous sicknes who can walke in his chamber yet not by himselfe alone but either with his staffe or leaning vpon an other mans shoulder euen so we beeing weake and feeble in praier had neede of the helpe of set formes of praier to hold vp our feeble hands vnto God and therefore it is requisite for men to vse set formes of praier at least for the matter and order thereof in their owne hearts yea and many times it is needefull for some to vse set praiers for words for many that haue true grace in their hearts want vtterance to expresse it and if they might not vse set formes of praier they should be depriued of many great comforts especially when they pray with others So that if the heart be rightly prepared thereto set praier doth not quench but helpe the weake gifts of the spirit both in the heart and tongue By this then we see that neither our Church nor any other where a set forme of diuine seruice is established is therefore to be blamed because the same is both necessarie and profitable Secondly here we see that it is meete and necessarie we should haue some set forme of prayer in our hearts according to our peculiar estates whereby we may expresse vnto God our particular wants and craue supplie thereof particularly some thinke we must onely pray vpon extraordinarie instinct and motion of the spirit but so many be our wants that vnlesse we prepare our selues before hand we cannot pray aright and therfore to auoid many distractions and lets in our mind heart and vtterance it shall be sound needeful to prescribe vnto our selues a set forme of praier we are content to keepe a set order for our diet and apparell and why should we not doe it in praier which concernes the comfort and refreshing of our soules A second thing to be gathered from this commandement is this That the Lords praier is the most excellent forme of praier that is or can be made by any creature for it was indited and propounded by the sonne of God who is the wisdome of the father Now the excellencie of it stands in these things I. in the pithie shortnes of it for in few words it compriseth endlesse matter II. in the perfection of it for it containeth in it whatsoeuer is to be asked in prayer in which respect it is well called of one the abridgement of the whole Gospel III. in the order thereof which hereafter we shall see in the resolution of it IV. in the acceptation it hath with God the father for it containeth the words of Christ his sonne in whome the Father is well pleased Use. 1. The excellencie of this praier sheweth plainly that if any set forme of praier may be vsed then this may being indited by the Mediatour of the Church And therefore the Anabaptists of our daies are fouly deceiued who denie the vse hereof for a praier wheÌ„ as before this time for the space of fifteene hundred yeares after Christ there was neuer any that disallowed it Secondly hence we see that the practise of those preachers is commendable who vse to conclude their prayers with the Lords prayer for hereby as by a most perfect and excellent praier the wants and imperfections of our prayers are supplied Thirdly whereas some would gather from the perfection and excellencie of this prayer that it alone is sufficient to be vsed they are deceiued for Christs intent was rather to commend this prayer vnto vs for matter and manner then for the words thereof Againe though it be a most perfect prayer yet it is only generall but euery true beleeuer must haue particular prayers whereby in speciall forme and manner his particular estate and condition may be made knowne vnto the Lord yet so as they be alwaies suitable vnto this forme here prescribed And thus much of the Commandement Now followeth the prayer it selfe Our Father which art in heauen halowed be thy name c. This praier hath three parts I. a preface II. the petitions III. the conclusion The Preface in these words Our Father which art in heauen In the handling whereof as also in the rest of this praier I will first propound the Meaning then the Instructions I. The Meaning Our Father This
brought the tidings of his birth to the shepheards Luk. 2. 9 10. they ministred vnto him in his temptation Mat. 4. 11. in his Agonie Luk. 22. 43. in his resurrection Math. 28. 2. and ascension Act. 1. 10. so should we performe vnto Christ all the seruice we can Fourthly they spend their time in praising and lawding the name of God and so should we labour to haue our hearts inlarged for his glorie and our mouthes filled with his praises Fiftly they be seruiceable for our good if we be Gods children though they be farre better then we are Heb. 1. 14. They are ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes which shall be heires of saluation Psal. 91. 12. They are as nurces to beare Gods children in their hands Psal. 34. 7. The Angel of the Lord pitcheth round about them that feare him And all this they doe vnto vs of loue as though it were not inioyned them So we after their example must imploy our selues in soule and bodie calling credit and all we haue for the good of men Sixtly the Angels are ioyfull when sinners are humbled and conuerted from sinne vnto God Luk. 15. 10. and they are grieued when men by sinne dishonour God And the like affections should be in vs we should mourne for all sinne in our selues and others whereby God is dishonoured and haue our hearts to leape for ioy when sinners repent and turne vnto God In the world to come we shall be like the Angels of heauen in glorie Math. 22. 30. let vs therefore here testifie this hope by beginning our heauen vpon earth in becomming like to the Angels though not in glorie yet in obedience Here lastly obserue what honour we are to giue to the Angels of heauen namely the honour of Imitation becomming like vnto them in obedience and treading in the steps of their vertues but for the honour of inuocation that is due to God alone and we must not giue it to Angels damnable therefore is the doctrine and practise of the Church of Rome who pray vnto the Angels and giue vnto them the honour of God in religious worship vers 11. Giue vs this day our daily bread The coherence Hitherto we haue handled the petitions that concerne Gods golrie now we come to the petitions that concerne our selues as the word Us doth plainly shew in these three which follow and they depend vpon the former as an explication of the manner of our obedience for there we asked grace to doe Gods will and here we pray for those blessings and mercies wherein we may expresse our obedience for we doe Gods will when we depend vpon his prouidence for the blessings of this life when we relie vpon his mercie for the pardon of our sinnes and trust in his power for strength against temptation and deliuerance from euill Now then to come particularly to this fourth petition hauing in the former craued grace to doe Gods will in our particular callings here we pray for such sufficiencie of all temporall blessings whereby we may glorifie God therein In the handling of this petition sixe points are to be considered 1. what we aske Bread 2. what bread we aske daily bread 3. whose bread ours 4. for what time this day 5. to whome to vs 6. whence we would haue it by gift from God giue vs. For the first The thing we aske is Bread But what is meant by Bread is not agreed vpon some expound it spiritually of Christs bodie and blood the foode of the soule in the word and Sacraments But the vnfitnesse of this exposition we shall see by the weakenesse of their reasons alleadged for it First they say it is not meete that in so heauenly a praier we should aske so base a thing as materiall bread of our heauenly father Ans. If God command vs to aske him bread and to depende vpon him for it wee must not iudge basely of it nowe in this chapter God commands vs to depend vpon him for foode to eate yea 1. Pet. 5. 7. we must cast all our care on him and Iacobs practise in praying for bread to eate Gen. 28. 20. and Agurs praying for a competencie in outward things Prov. 30. 8. declare plainely the lawfulnesse thereof Secondly they say we must first seeke Gods kingdome and his righteousnesse and then all these things shall be cast vpon vs v. 33. Ans. Distrustfull and distracting care is there onely forbidden but a moderate care is there allowed and therefore praier for them is vndoubtedly lawfull The second opinion touching Bread is of the Papists to wit that here we aske not onely all necessarie sustenance for the bodie but much more all spirituall foode namely the blessed Sacrament which is Christ the bread of life But neither is this so fit for first we praied for spirituall things directly in the second petition Secondly sacramentall bread cannot here be meant because it was not ordained when Christ taught his Disciples this praier Thirdly their exposition is against their owne practise for if by bread were meant Christ in the Sacrament then the people should be fed therewith euery day which they barre them frō The third opinion is that by bread is meant corporall food and blessings necessarie to temporall life onely and this I take to be the truth for these reasons which also make against the former expositions First S. Luke the best interpreter of our Sauiour Christ expounds the words of bread that serues for the day that is for euery day Luk. 11. 3. and therefore it must needes be bodily for spirituall food once truly receiued serues not for a day but for euer Ioh. 4. 14. Secondly this is a perfect platforme of praier and therefore must containe petition for temporall blessings els it were not perfect now we cannot comprehend our requests for temporall blessings vnder any other petition but this onely and therefore Christ here propoundeth them Now properly bread imports that sustenance made of graine which is fit and conuenient for mans bodily nourishment such as Melchisedek brought out to Abraham and his companie with wine for their refreshing Gen. 14. 18. and such is meant in Scripture where bread is opposed to wine or water But more generally it is taken for all kinde of foode whatsoeuer whereby life is preserued in which sense goates milke is called bread Prov. 27. 27. and the fruit of trees Ier. 11. 19. and all things that passe too and fro in trafficke Prov. 31. 14. Now in this place it must be taken in a generall sense not onely for bread but for all other necessarie foode and for raiment also with health peace libertie and all other things that are meete and needfull for the good outward estate of man of family or common wealth The vses 1. In that Christ bids vs pray for bread and not for dainties hereby he would teach vs to beware of couetousnes the common sinne
bodies really for whatsoeuer he doth is by Gods permission only we must be carefull to please God and to relie on him who will shortly tread Satan vnder the feet of all his children Rom. 16. 20. 6. Use. That which we aske of God in praier we must sincerely endeauour after in life and therefore as we pray to God not to be carried into temptation so must we seeke to arme and furnish our selues with grace that wee may bee able to encounter with our spirituall enemies and to withstand their assaults This is the Apostles counsell Eph. 6. 11. 12 13. c. Put â—ee on the whole armour of God that ye may bee able to stand against the assaults of the deuill c. then after hee nameth those Christian vertues which as spirituall armour the childe of God must take vnto him and arme his soule withall if hee would perseuere in grace vnto the ende The first part of this armour is truth or veritie wherewith the loynes must be girt about and this is an excellent grace whereby a man professeth true religion endeauoureth himselfe in the practise of all the duties of religion in sinceritie his speeches and his actions are sutable proceeding from an honest heart that truely meaneth whatsoeuer the tongue vttereth or the members of the bodie doe practise The second part is iustice or righteousnesse when a man leades his life so vnblameably and vprightly that hee can truly say with the Apostle Paul I knowe nothing by my selfe 1. Corinth 4. 4. Indeede the best Christian hath his faults and falls but yet he must not liue in known sins for then he cannot say I know nothing by my selfe The third is the preparation of the Gospel of peace wherewith the feete must be shod By Gospel of peace is meant the glad tidings of saluation by Christ reuealed in the Gospel which promiseth pardon of sinne and life euerlasting by Christ and commandeth vs by way of thankfulnesse to denie our selues to take vp our crosse and to follow Christ now when we finde our affections thus cleauing vnto Christ though it be through tribulation then haue we put vpon our â—eete this spirituall furniâ—ure The fourth is the sheild of faith by which a man laies hold on the mercie of God in Christ for his saluation and vnder it shrowds himselfe against the fierie darts of Satan The fifth is â—ope by which we waite for that saluation which we apprehend by faith The sixt is the word of God which we must make a rule and square to all our thoughts words and deedes seeking to subdue thereby all contrarie motions that would take place in our hearts The last is praier whereby we betake our selues to God in all estates crauing mercie for the pardon of our sinnes and strength of grace to resist temptation and an happie deliuerance out of the middest of it And he that can take to himselfe these excellent vertues and put vpon him this compleat armour of Christianitie is readie and fit to meete with any temptation whatsoeuer and howsoeuer he may be assaulted yet he cannot be ouercome neither shall the gates of hell euer preuaile against him to hinder his saluation But deliuer vs from euill These words containe the second part of this petition which is added as an exposition of the former for then are we not lead into temptation when God deliuers vs from it giuing strength to withstand and a good issue out of it The meaning Some thinke that by euill here is meant Satan onely that euill one as he is called Matth. 13. 13. But we are to enlarge it further to comprehend all our spirituall enemies for first this title euill is not onely giuen to Satan but to sinne also Rom. 12. 9. Let vs abhorre that which is euill 1. Pet. 3. 11. Eschew euill And to the world 1. Ioh. 5. 19. The whole world lieth in euill Gal. 1. 4. Christ gaue himselfe to deliuer vs from this present euill world And to the flesh that is the corruption of our nature for that is the euill treasure of the heart Matth. 12. 35. Secondly that aduantage which the Deuill hath against vs is by the world the flesh and sinne and therefore with that euill one the Deuill sinne the world and the flesh must be vnderstood Indeede the Deuill is that maine and principall euill and great tempter against whome we pray chiefly but yet we also pâ—ay against sinne the flesh and the world because they are Satans agents and instruments in temptation against vs. We pray not to be deliuered from Satans presence for that is not possible while wee liue in this vale of teares where the deuil is a Prince with an infinite multitude of wicked spirits all which bestirre themselues most busily to get aduantage against Gods child neither is his presence so dangerous though it were visible But here we haue a greater matter in hand which wee pray against euen Satans sleights and policies which he exerciseth against all men but especially against Gods children for their ruine and destruction they indeede are many but here I will propound sixe most dangerous policies of Satan which we are to watch against I. Policie When men haue many good things in them as knowledge in the mysterie of saluation beside other morall vertues as temperance iustice c. then the deuil labours that concupiscence may still raigne in their hearts by their lying and liuing in some one sinne or other whereto they are naturally inclined Caine no doubt was brought vp in the knowledge and seruice of God as well as Abel for he offered sacrifice vnto God though not with the like truth of heart that Abel did but herewith all the deuil so wrought that the horrible sinne of hatred and malice should possesse his heart which brought him to kill his brother and so to destruction so Iudas no doubt had excellent gifts of wisedome and prouidence and therefore among all the Disciples hee was made as it were the Steward of our Sauiour Christs familie hee had questionlesse much knowledge and his carriage was such in his profession that the Disciples knewe not hee should bee the traitor but euery one was afraid of himselfe when our Sauiour Christ said One of you shall betray me Iohn 13. 22. yet for all this the deuill so wrought in his heart that the concupiscence of couetousnesse should raigne in him which mooued him to betray his master and so brought him to perdition And this course Satan holds to this present day in the bosome of the Church of God hee labours by might and maine to holde the professors of religion in some one sinne or other and therefore wee must alwaies praie as here wee are taught that this naturall concupiscence may bee daiely mortified and made weake so as it budde not forth in any branch of sinne raigning in vs. II. Policie When Satan cannot procure some grosse corruption to raigne