upon the Sunne in his strength doe usually call for a vessell ful of water wherein they may boldly behold his Image without dazeling of their eyes so we cannot fully know how God is our father unlesse wee looke on our earthly fathers and from them draw some weake resemblance of the expression so farre as a finite creature may expresse an infinite Creatour To understand this amongst the sons of men there bee three sorts of fathers naturall civill and ecclesiastique A naturall father is he of whom wee have our naturall being from whose loynes wee are powred out like milke and of whose substance we are crowded together like Cheese The civill fathers are those Magistrates whom God hath set in place and preferment above us and of those it is said Honour thy father and thy mother The Ecclesiasticke fathers are the Ministers and Preachers of the word by whom as being the Instruments of Gods worke the life of God is begotten in our soules and of this sort it is that the Apostle sayes Though you have many fathers yet I have begotten you to bee the sonnes of God by the Gospell Now all of these wayes God is our father our naturall father by creation our civill father by providence and sustentation our spirituall and ecclesiasticke father by adoption God from the beginning of time hath beene the father of mankinde but the nearer it drew to the fulnesse of time he became the nearer and the dearer father unto us He was Adams father was knowne to him by his name Gnaliion The most high a comfort answerable to Adams fall He was Abrahams father and knowne to him by his name El-shaddai The all-sufficient and this was a corroborative against Abrahams doubting Hee was Moses father and knowne to him by his name Iehovah which signified a being for in his time hee begun to give a being to his promises made to Abraham Isaac and Iaco◠under this name he was knowne to the Iudges Kings and Prophets of Israel but when the fulnesse of time came God sent his owne Son made of a woman and made under the law and to him hee is made knowne by the name of a Father This is my beloved Sonne and in him our Father also his by nature ours by adoption as it is written Because you are sonnes God hath sent the spirit of his Sonne in your hearts whereby you cry Abba Father And againe To as many as come to him hee gave this prerogative to bee called the sonnes of the living God The knowledge of this that God is our father teacheth us foure things affection faith obedience and true understanding First affection for now I pray not to a severe Iudge nor to a cruell Tyrant nor to a mercilesse stranger but by the contrary to my kind and gracious father who knoweth my neede before I aske and prevents my suite by his favour for he meeteth me kisseth me clotheth me and killeth the fat Calfe for me Secondly faith for what will a kinde father refuse to his begging child The Prophet Isay telleth us 49.15 Although our father that begot us should forget us and our mother should not remember us as the fruit of her wombe yet I will not forget thee for I have graven thee on the palmes of my hands and thy vowes are alwayes in my sight Let us therfore goe boldly to the Throne of grace we shall surely bee heard in that which wee feare for as Ambrose telleth us Dum ex malo servo factus sum filius praedicare quid acceperim fides est non arrogantia non est superbia sed devotio Thirdly obedience For whilst hee sheweth himselfe our mercifull father hee tyeth us to be dutifull children else even then when wee call him father if wee doe not intend a filiall obedience in stead of a father we provoke him to become our Iudge as sitters in the chaire of the scorner for it is written If I be your father where is my honour and if I be your master where is my feare for there is mercy with me onely that I may be feared Fourthly true understanding of two things 1. To whom wee should direct our prayers 2. In whose name To whom not to Angels in heaven nor to Saints departed nor to any Image of wood or stone whatsoever but to him who being the father of eternity is become our father in time and whilst wee doe invoke him it should not bee by the intercession of any Angel or Saint departed or in the name or accompt of our owne merit but onely in the name of Iesus and for his merits sake who not knowing sinne was made sinne for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him LECT 2. Our Father which art in heaven IN our last Sermon wee looked on the person upon whō wee call in that reference wherein wee call him Father We come now to see by what reason we call him Our That wee may understand this the better know this I pray you that our Redeemer Christ Iesus comming into the world not for himselfe nor for his owne sake but for us and ours who were by our sinnes estranged from him hee hath taken our burden upon him that by his super-abundant satisfaction our ransome might be fully satisfied and by the blood of his Crosse all things might be reconciled againe to the Father even all things in heaven and in earth But because there is nothing done by God in time which was not preordained to bee done before time That Christ Iesus should bee our head in time could never have beene duely accomplished unlesse before time he had beene preordained to be our head and we the fellow members of his body Now as in the fulnesse of time he came in our flesh to be our head so here by his example he teacheth us how to carry our selves as dutifull and decent members of his body The truth of this is cleare out of all these Petitions which Christ hath registred to us in his Word before hee suffered in Iohn 17. when hee suffered when hee rose againe and ascended In this hee was our true high Priest carrying our names into the holy place and there preparing a place for us that where he is there we may be also The Vnion therefore of the which he was ordained to be the head before all time made him carefull in time to recollect and gather together the lost and straying members of his incorporatiō and by his example teacheth us not onely to adhere to him by faith as our head but also by love to adhere to others as members of one body But thou wilt say to mee O man where in doth this Vnion consist or how shall I know if I have part in this Vnion For answer hereto let mee tell thee O man What was before the world but Vnion what is in the world but Vnion what shall bee after the world but Vnion Before the world nothing but Vnion one God
art thou hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I did forbid thee Thirdly a worke of conviction Cursed bee thou for thou hast not continued to obey the things written in the Law Fourthly a worke of contrition making thee to water thy couch with teares and to goe out weepe bitterly Fifthly a worke of consolation Goe thy way home thy sins are forgiven thee Sixthly a worke of adoption whilst by his spirit hee cryes in thee Abba father Seaventhly and lastly a worke of confirmation and perseverance whilst hee keepes thee by the power of his spirit through faith to eternall salvation What do we here pray for this that Gods Kingdome may come and why so because wee can never goe to it except it do first come to us for such as is his eternall knowledge his eternall love his eternall election such is the dispensation of those his graces in time and their remuneration in glory after all time what is then thy duty Oh man herken and I will tell thee Since God hath made his Kingdome ready for thee make thou thy selfe ready for it I say hee hath made his kingdome ready Omnia enim sunt parata All things are ready Matt. 22. Paratae sunt nuptiae the marriage is ready Parata est coena his supper is ready Paratum est cubiculum his marriage chamber is ready Paratum est cubile his bed is ready Paratum est regnum and his Kingdome is ready Now are all things on his part ready and thou art not ready Then woe bee unto thee that ever thou wast borne for Gods sake then dresse and trimme thy selfe in time and say Paratum est cormeum My heart is ready Psalm 57.7 and learn with the spirit in the Revelation to say The day of the Lambes marriage is come and his bride hath made herselfe ready Blessed is the man who in that expectation can so say surely hee shall not want his reward and it shall be said to him Come ye blessed of my Father possesse the Kingdome prepared for yon And when you are come in it shall be cheerfully said to you eate and drinke my friends make merry my well beloved And now having spoken concerning the matter and manner of the Petition it resteth that wee speake concerning the copulation of the one with the other Thy This word is very well inserted here for as none can truly say Our Father but hee who is borne of God and is a fellow member of Christs body so none can desire Gods Kingdome to come but hee who is a member thereof and a fellow heire annexed thereto by Christ Jesus yet the words would be well remarked for Meum and Tuum hath made all the world adoe Man whilst hee keeped the Image of God might have justly said of all the world it is meum but when he fell he could say nothing but turning over the right to God say it is tuum man being begotten againe to the hope of glory in Christ Jesus may justly say to and of all the world it is meum jure adrem but not jure in re for hee oweth all things yet possesseth nothing Looke to Christ to his Apostles and to all his Saints Hebr. 11. What shall wee doe then but since by mastery our Kingdome is taken from us looke for one to come and sigh in our selves saying to God Adveniat regnum tuum Meum tuum cost Abel and Naboth their lives But God would not have it so in Christs Kingdome for there is no Kingdome but his and to him alone wee must justly say Thy Kingdome come Vse What right then hath the Pope to enthrone or dethrone Kings since hee is no universall King himselfe Neither in the matter of power for his breath is not his owne nor in the matter of Grace For hee cannot renew nor redeeme his brothers soule it is a price too great for him to pay nor in the matter of glory for he is the child of perdition hee is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hee goes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly why strugle men for soveraignty and can never be contented since the earth is the Lords and all Kingdomes are his Let us seeke the Kingdome of God and our necessities shall bee cast to us Thirdly and last of all let us beware how wee utter this prayer for it appertaineth not unto the wicked but to the godly not to the wicked for if God should take him at his word his condemnation should come upon him at unawares Perversum est enim optare ut veniat quem times ne veniat Augustine Psalm 97. dicere veniat regnum tuum cum times ne exaudiaris Aug. Psalm 147. It is onely the child of God who as the Hart brayeth for the well-springs of water can truly thirst after God and say I desire to be dissolved And again Come Lord Iesus come quickly Revel 22. LECT 7. Thy will AS in the former Petitions so in this also wee will first looke to the reason why it is so placed and next to the matter of the Petition The placing of it is remarkable both in respect of the Preface as also of the preceding Petitions When wee looke to the Preface this followeth exceeding well upon it For there is propounded to us that Summum bonum and chiefe good which the Sonnes of men doe aime at God himselfe knowen by faith communicated by love and expected by hope of consummation to the which wee can never attaine but by doing his will For the Kingdome and inheritance of God is not given to rebells nor disobedients but to Sonnes and obeyers For none shall enter into the Kingdome of God but they that know the will of their Master and doe it And as it hath this reference with the preface viz a reference of instruction So when you looke upon it in the reference it carieth with the preceding Petitions you shall finde the reference and relation demonstrative For as God in all things and above all things he hath care of his owne honour and the glory of his name For it is written My Glory I will not give to another Againe as he is the suprem soveraign of heaven and earth c. Having therein a Kingdome of power of grace and of glory So here wee have the evident demonstration of our confidence and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For hee subjoynes this as a touchstone to try whether ourzeale to his honor or our thirst for the righteousnesse and approach of his kingdome be true and sincere or not And by this to see whether wee doe his will or not Desiring us thereby because of the flattery wherewith we flatter our selves in the use of that common proverbe Ad Deum omnes ire volunt post Deum pauci to try and examine our selves whether wee bee truely of that number or not who can say Thy Kingdome come For it is not the hearers but the doers of the law shall bee justified Vse Now from
teacheth them to be rich in grace their nakednesse to bee clothed with salvation and all their crosses and corrections whatsoever sealeth to them their adoption increaseth their patience and assureth them that their soules shall be safe in the day of the Lord Jesus Last of all the evill of evill is that damage and harme which the wicked sustaine by suffering the evill of this life for by the evill of sinne their hearts are hardened the custome of sinne taking away the conscience of sinne and by the evill of punishment their condemnation is sealed to them for whatsoever they suffer in this life is but an earnest penny of their after suffering and a sure fore-runner of that worme which dyeth not and of that fire which goeth not out againe So that whilst wee say Deliver ui from evill our meaning is deliver us O Lord from Sathan the author of sinne from sinne it selfe the first borne of Sathan and from condemnation the stipend and wages of sinne And as for the outward rods compose them so to us that they may not harden our hearts in sinne nor seale to us our condemnation And to this interpretation of evill antiquity giveth assent for St Chrysostome writing upon Matth. 13.19 where Christ calleth the devill The evil one saith Malum hic diabolum vocat docens nos cum eo praelium habere nullo unquam tempore dirimendum cum tamen non sit natura St Ambrose expoundeth it both of the devill and of sin Libera nos à malo dum hoc petimus petit unusquisque ut à malo hoc est à diabolo peccato liberetur Finally St August is of the same opinion whilst hee telleth us Christus non liberabit nos a barbaris sed à diabolo peccato peccati stipendio Now having spoken at length to you concerning our captivity to Sathan sinne and condemnation It is requisite that wee looke on the captives and these are wee for wee say deliver us For the better understanding whereof wee must know that captives are of two sorts either Captivi nati or else Captivi facti captives are either borne so or made so The native or borne captives were the children of such parents as being captives themselves were mancipated and sold for servants and slaves to others These by the Law of God were the possession and true inheritance of their master Levit. 25.45 The captives that were made so are of two sorts for they were either made so by others or by themselves By others whilst being taken in battell and preserved from death they were sold as servants bond-men to others Captives made by themselves were such as without any outward violence imposed on them did for reliefe of their poverty and necessity sell themselves as slaves and servants to others Now these are but bodily captives Answerable to these there are three sorts of spirituall captives and of the captivity of the soule The first are captives by birth and so borne from their mothers wombe such are all men by nature and naturall corruption for wee are all of us borne dead in our sins and trespasses c. And what David said of himselfe all of us may say of our selves In iniquity was I shapen and in sin hath my mother brought mee forth Now in the second place captivity begets captivity as one deepe calleth on another Our originall captivity under which we were born hath lead us violently captive unto actuall sin and rebellions For having brought nothing into the world with us but an uncircumcised heart from thence in all our life time springeth nothing but abominable corruptions Last of all there bee some men who to both their naturall and violent captivity have added a voluntary captivity making themselves captives to sinne and Sathan with a greedy appetite and up lifted hand and these are the children of disobedience from the first sort of captivity it hath pleased God to redeeme us in our baptisme by the lavacre of regeneration and washing of the new birth From the second captivity though wee cannot bee fully delivered so long as wee are in this life wee having received but the first fruits of the spirit yet notwithstanding Jesus Christ our Redeemer hath delivered us by his death the power of his resurrection and fellowship of his afflictions for it is written Wee have not received the Spirit of bondage to feare againe but the Spirit of adoption whereby wee cry Abba father And againe Therefore we are no more servants but sonnes From the last sort of captivity there is no redemption at all for if Sathan the devill hath right enough to a man by nature man shall adde to that captivity a greater by selling himselfe like Achab to commit iniquity There is no more sacrifice reserved for that mans sinne but a fearefull expectation of judgement and of that fire which shall devoure the wicked Now my brethren of this which hath beene said concerning our captivity I would gladly that in a word or two you should make some use Vse There are many captives in the world whom we cannot get delivered notwithstanding wee will labour to extend some of our supply to them For first wee can upon the first hearing compassionate their captivity and beare a part and have some sympathy with them in their distresse Secondly we can sometimes goe further then this for we can goe knock at the prison dore and call for them and goe in and visite them and comfort them with our best consolations We can goe somewhat further yet and besides our comfort wee can helpe them with some of our meanes wee can buy bread to their hunger and drinke to their thirst and clothes to their nakednesse And last of all we can engage our selves for their deliverance and by our engagements set them free Are not these good offices of charity and true straines of mercy Yes surely they are so Art not thou then much beholding to Christ whosoever thou art that art set free from the bondage of sin for he hath done al these to thee whilst thou wert in daaknesse and bondage under sinne and Sathan Hee did first pitty and compassionate thee when thou hadst no pitty on thy selfe and even then when thou wert a stranger and enemy to him hee spread his skirts over thee and covered thy nakednesse Secondly hee hath visited thee as he came downe to visit Israel in her affliction not in judgment as Sodome but in mercy and in a plentifull compassion and therefore Zachary blesseth him for that hee visited and then redeemed his people Thirdly hee became beneficiall to us not onely giving us wine to make the heart glad and oyle to make the face to shine but also in comforting our soules Hee hath given us his flesh for meate his blood for drinke his righteousnesse for our â—…ing his word for our instruction and his Spirit for our guide Fourthly and last of all hee hath taken our debt upon him and paying
promulgated wee shall finde it that it is onely to the elect vessels of mercy and to the children of Gods free love whereas to the reprobate men and Angels there is neither promise nor hope of pardon left For their judgement is sealed and their condemnation sleepes not Againe as to Jesus Christ the mediator of the new covenant a free pardon hee obtained not he paid the utmost farthing that was requisite for the satisfaction of the justice of God onely to man and the elect amongst the sonnes of men hath God voluntarily and freely forgiven the burthen and the debt of sinne And I call this a voluntary and free forgivenesse for three respects In respect of God the Father in respect of God the Sonne and in respect of God the Holy Ghost For I say first in respect of God the Father for hee who said In the day that thou shalt eate thou shalt surely die said also the seed of the woman shall tread downe the head of the serpent And againe God so loved the world that hee sent his owne Sonne to the death of the Crosse that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have eternall life It is free also in respect of God the Sonne for hee as willingly and freely assented to the great worke of mans redemption howsoever the way was sharpe and thorny as the Father was willing in his eternall wisedome to propose it And therefore it is written of him that he laid his life down and tooke it up againe hee laid it downe for none could take it from him and hee tooke it up againe for it was impossible that hee could bee holden of the sorrows of the grave Lastly the pardon and remission of our sinnes is free in respect of God the Holy Ghost for willingly and freely without any merit on our part he commeth downe and dwelleth in our soules illuminates our understanding rectifieth our will sanctifieth our affections makes intercession for us with sighs and groanes that cannot be expressed and keepes us by the power of his grace through faith to eternall salvation for it is written Because wee are sonnes God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts whereby we cry Abba Father And againe because wee of our selves know neither how to pray nor what to pray the spirit helpeth our infirmities and maketh intercession for us with sighs that cannot bee expressed And also it is written That as hee hath begotten us to a lively hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the death to an inheritance which is immortall and undefiled that withers not away but is reserved for us in the heavens So also he keeps us by the power of the Spirit through faith to eternall salvation Vse Now having thus cleared the meaning of the word it rests that wee make use of it for our instructions and the uses that arise from it are two the one serveth for rebuke the other for comfort the rebuke falleth on the Church of Rome the comfort shall returne to us and to every soule in whom the grace of God dwelleth The rebuke that ariseth to the Church of Rome is this in these words wee are commanded to crave pardon for our debts in the plurall number and indefinitely now wee know this to bee true that those Propositions which are indefinite are universall in correspondence Whilst then wee crave pardon and forgivenesse of our debts wee universally begge mercy and pardon for all our sinnes for both originall and actuall sins For our sinnes of infirmity and our sins of presumption for sinfull omissions and commissions for the sinfull thoughts of our heart and words of our mouth and actions of our conversation Now in respect of all these wee have need to draw neere unto God and to say Forgive What meane those Doctors of the Romish Church to teach that there is a sort of sinne which in it selfe and of it selfe is veniall and that some onely are mortall but it is cleare out of the word of God that there is not any sin which is not mortall for every sinne is a breach of the law and every sinne and transgression shall receive a just recompence of reward Hee that sinneth without the law shall perish without the law and hee that sinneth under the law shall bee judged by the law and againe The wages of sinne is death I graunt indeed if wee looke to that excellent price that was given for our sinnes no sinnes are mortall for such is the worth and excellencie of that blood of Jesus which speaketh better things then the blood of Abell that whosoever shall have part in it shall stand without spot or blemish before the presence of the glory of God with joy and whosoever shall have but a drop of it to sprinkle on the posts of the doore of his soule the destroying Angell shall not come neere him but though his sinnes were as red as scarlet yet by vertue of his blood they shall bee as white as snow But on the other part if thou shalt looke upon thy sinne in its owne nature and because of thy esteeme and account of it it seeme veniall to thee wilt thou therefore say that it is veniall in it selfe O foole that thou art thou deceives thy owne soule The smallest coyne and the basest bullion that beareth the Kings stampe on it is as currant as the richest and purest gold that is seaven times tryed in the fire and to counterfeit that coyne is as reall treason as hee that either adulterates or falsifies the purest coyne It is so with us in our debts to God the meanest offence wee can commit is as culpable of judgement as those that are of greater nature for wee must not judge of our sinnes according to the quantity number or quality but chiefly according to the person and Majestie against whom they are committed Is not hee as great a theefe that robs the cottage of the poore as hee that robs the Palace of the Prince yes surely and greater for the Prinâ—e hath wherewithall to repaire his losse but the poore hath not Tell mee I pray you is there any sinne in the world smaller then the point of a thorne no surely yet the meanest thorne that was in the crowne of Christ drew blood of him The thornes that were in that crown were thy sinnes it was thy sinnes that drew blood of him and peirced his heart while there came blood and water out of it gushing and yet vaine man that thou art thou wilt say they are veniall how canst thou call that veniall and of no weight which was rated at so great a value as the sufferings of the Sonne of God the least drop of whose blood was of more worth then all the worme-eaten children of men on the earth Looke never therefore O man upon â—hy sinne in the judgement and with the eyes of nature that is but a false prospective and deceiving glasse looke on it as it lay on the backe
meaning of the words to bee Let them that are not yet called bee brought within the compasse of thy covenant and the bosome of thy Church that as wee beleeve so they may beleeve also and as thy will is done by us so it may bee done by them Both of these opinions are not only tolerable but also laudable For we are bound by religion not only to subdue the lusts of our flesh and to live after the Spirit but also wee are bound in charity to begge of God that all such as appertaine to his election may be in due time called justified and glorified That so there may be but one shepheard and one sheepfold and God may bee over all and in all blessed for ever But if I may speak it without the prejudice of so great lights Howsoever both these Petitions be requisite for the Christian yet doe not I thinke that either of them be here meant But with Chrysostome I doe thinke that this Petition differs nothing from that precept of the Apostles Collos 3.1 If yee bee risen with Iesus Christ seeke those things that are above By earth then I understand men that are on earth and by heaven the Angels of God and the Spirits of good and just men departed So that the meaning of the petition is Since it hath pleased thee O Father who dwellest in Heaven to make thy name knowne to us and be called upon of us And seeing thou hast honored us by the making us members of thy true Church and thy Kingdome of grace here on earth O let thy Spirit of Grace dwel so powerfully and plentifully in us that as thy holy Angells and glorified Saints doe thy will in heaven So we that are but weake and sinfull men may captivate our wils to thy obedience here on earth Well then by Earth wee must understand not only earthly men but also the place where Even on earth and while we live in it But let us remarke the word for it is generall Our Saviour teaching us the person the time and the place of Gods obedience saith not Thy will be done in the field in the city in the sea or in the dry land but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per universum terrarum orbem Through all the whole world And as David sayes in his 97. Psalme Make thy way knowne on earth and thy saving health to all Nations The persons then by whom he will have Gods will done are men who are of the earth and to the earth returne again And the place where in the earth and whilst wee live in it For unlesse wee doe the will of God here wee shall not enter into our Masters joy hereafter In the second roome wee must looke to the patterne and it is called heaven by the which as I told you already Augustine and Chrysostome do understand the holy Angells of God and the glorified Spirits of men These are said to bee in heaven But by these alone the word is not only understood For as there are more heavens then one so are they more that do the will of God in heaven then those blessed Spirits alone I say there are more heavens then one and it is cleere For it is said in the preface of this prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plurall number and it is knowne and manifest in nature For this expansum or void wherein are the fowles is called a heaven and they the fowles of the heaven Againe these seaven subordinate spheares in the which the seaven Planets doe raigne are called heaven also Againe that place wherein are the fixed Starres is called a heaven also And finally that place of felicity which is above all of these is called heaven and the third heaven and the heaven of heavens and the Paradise of God Now as all of these are furnished with their severall host and inhabitants So is the will of God done in all of these by their severall host and inhabitants For in the lower heavens which we call our firmament the will of God is done by the fowles of the ayre and by the treasures of windes raine snow haile and the thunder In the second heaven the will of God is done by the Sunne the Moone and the Starres In the third heaven also the will of God is done by the holy Angells who have kept their originall integrity and by the congregation of the first born who rest from their labours and have entred into their Masters joy The words then are cleere By earth is meant man made of earth returning to the earth and living on the earth By heaven is meant all the host and inhabitants of the whole heavens of God whether they be the first second or third heaven But chiefly the third Now the resemblance and parallel of the obedience is remarkable As it is in Heaven For it may be enquired how doe the Angells and Saints departed obey the will of God in heaven I answere they obey it five manner of wayes Speedily Cheerfully Fully sincerely constantly and perfectly Speedily and without delay cheerfully and without murmuring fully and without omission sincerely without dissimulation constātly without wearying and perfectly without halting Now is it possible for man so to doe Gods will No certainly wee cannot doe it speedily for like Lot we linger to goe out of Sodome We cannot doe it cheerfully for like Israel wee grudge and murmur in the way to our rest We cannot doe it fully for the good that wee would doe we doe not c. We doe it not sincerely and without dissimulation for although wee honour him with our mouthes our hearts are farre from him We doe it not constantly and without wearying for to day we are fervent and to morrow wee are lukewarme neither hot nor cold Neither doe we it perfectly for we know but in a part and see but in a part and our perfection is laid up for us in the life to come But why doe we then pray for it since wee cannot attaine to it I answere though we cannot attaine to it yet wee should strive after it For there is a time comming wherein we shall obtaine and attaine to that perfection wee aime at And that is our last moment and day of our dissolution Like Israel compassing Jericho And Sampson groaning under his blindnesse Vse Now the use of all this When God made man he made him conforme to his patterne for he made him like to himselfe and to his owne Image When God commanded to build him a Tabernacle he gave a patterne to it in the mount and never a pinne was in the Tabernacle but what was commanded So it is here when Christ Jesus desireth us to doe Gods will he writeth to us a copy doe it in earth as it is done in heaven Not that we are able to attaine to it but that we must strive after it Let us looke but to a naturall Parent Hee calleth upon
many malicious powerfull and politick And like the sons of Zerviah too mighty for us unlesse that hee who commandeth us to fight fight in us and for us wee cannot be victorious Secondly when hee is called to battell let him not bee a coward for hee hath more then good company his God for a Captaine watching over him his Redeemer his elder brother fighting for him the holy Ghost his comforter fighting in him his fellow brethren standing on his one hand and all the Angels of heaven on the other and who would not fight with so good company No no my brethren let us lift up our faint hearts and strengthen our weake knees though the conflict be hard the conquest is honourable for God will shortly tread Sathan under our feet through Jesus Christ out Lord. Amen LECTIO 20. Lead us not into temptation c. ACcording to the tenor of of our first proposed method wee have already spoken unto you of the first three things that were remarkable in this Petition to wit of our calling temptation of our enemies the world the devill and the flesh And thirdly of our fellow souldiers Jesus Christ in the dayes of his flesh our fellow brethren now Saints in heaven and our fellow brethren here militant on earth It resteth now that wee consider and ponder aright the fourth and last thing remarkable in them to wit who is our Leader and it is God for to him and to him alone it is that we put up supplication and say Lead us not into temptation Now in handling of this point three things are chiefly remarkable First who it is that is our Leader and why it is that hee is so called Secondly how it is that hee leads us into temptation And thirdly whilst hee leads us into temptation whether hee be guilty of sinne or no The first thing observable is Who is our leader I answer God and that very God who being one in essence is three in persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost God the Father is our leader and therefore hee is called the Lord of Hosts God the Sonne is our leader and therefore tooke upon him our flesh that in it hee being first a souldier might thereafter become our leader Finally God the holy Ghost is now by deputation become our leader and therefore it is written That as many as are led by the Spirit are the Sonnes of God God the Father is our leader and for that cause is stiled the Lord of Hosts Dominus exercituum this is his name for ever and this is his memoriall unto all ages Of all the titles that God hath in scripture there is not one so often used by God himselfe as this For shall wee looke but upon two Prophets Isayah and Ieremiah and in them alone this title is attributed to God above an hundred thirty times It is not a title then likely to bee looked upon but with deepe and due consideration let us then looke upon it Our leader God is called the Lord of hostes in these respects first in respect of the generall frame of all his creatures who being viewed and considered in a masse together are nothing else but a pitched field and a battell set in aray fighting for the honour of God and the obedience that is due unto him For in the heaven of heavens there is an host of blessed Angels covering their faces and bowing their knees before his Throne singing a deepe Halleluiah and casting their crownes downe at his feet And this company is called an host for Luke 2. whilst they appeared to the sheepheards at the birth of Christ it is written of them There was a multitude of Angels and an heavenly host praising God and saying Glory be to God on high and to men on earth peace and goodwill Let us from that place looke a little lower and behold the starry firmament that is above our heads and there wee shall finde that hee is the Lord of hosts also for there the Sunne moone and Starres are his souldiers they fight for him and against his enemies as it is cleare out of the history of Ioshuah and Iudges and of these the Prophet Isayah saith 45.12 speaking of God I even I have stretched out the heavens and their host I have commanded but let us come a little lower and looke to the cattle that walke and the creeping things that move on the face of the earth and all of these are both the host and army of God fighting for his obedience and treading under foot those that rise up against him as is cleare from the dust and ashes of Egypt fighting against Pharo Againe if wee shall withdraw our eyes from the unreasonable creature to man who is indued with reason What I pray you are all the battells armies conflicts and skirmishes of nation against nation of kingdome against kingdome of country against country of people against people but the armies and battells of the Lord the rods of his indignation and the staffe of his wrath punishing the land because of the sinnes of them that dwell therein and man by the sword of man for his iniquity for the sword of a stranger is the revenger of the quarrell of Gods covenant Thirdly will wee looke on these our native and domesticke armies of flesh that are in these our mortall bodies I meane the ague the webbe in the eye the paine in the tooth the consumption of the lungs the shortnesse of the breath the stone in the reines the tympany of the belly and the gout in the feet what are all these but the armies of God and host of the Almighty fighting in man against man because man hath fought against God who was his leader Last of all hee is Lord of hosts also in a spirituall sense for he is our Captaine and leader in our spirituall warfare against the devill the world and the lusts of our owne flesh For it is by him and by his grace alone that wee have either courage to encounter strength to stand fast or patience to persevere unto the end And as in this hee is our leader and Captaine so doth he also hold the reines of our enemies chariots it was hee that made the wheeles of Pharoes chariots to fall off It was he that threw the stone at the fore-head of Goliah It was hee that smote the Philistines with the jawbone of an Asse It was hee that thrust the dart through Achabs brigandine and it was he alone that put a bridle in the lips of Zenacharih and a hooke in his nostrels and finally it is hee and hee alone who for our sakes by death hath destroyed him who hath the power of death that is the devill and hath put into our mouth that tryumphant song of victory O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Blessed be God the Father through Iesus Christ our Lord in all these things we are more then Conquerers because our leader hath
loved us with a love unspeakable in Jesus Christ In this manner then is God the Father our leader yet not hee alone as hee is the Father this his authority hee hath given and derived from him to his Son our Redeemer according as it is written All power is given mee both in heaven and in earth And that we may know more perfectly how our Redeemer Jesus is become our leader look I pray you on the severall parts periods of his Commandement authority given unto him in our flesh and for our sake for it was either preordained before time prosecuted in time or shall be perfected after all time when time shall be no more Before time he was preordained to be our leader for it is not only written that in him it hath pleased the Father before the foundatioÌ„s of the world were laid to chuse us to be heires of glory But also it was told by the Apostle St Peter that of all his sufferings nothing did befall him but that which was preordained to befall him by the secret counsell and eternall purpose of God Hee was also sent in time to be our leader and that in many severall points of accomplishment for first hee is promised secondly prefigured thirdly that the prefiguration might bee made relative to the promise the promise is reiterated fourthly lest man should have fainted under the expectation of the promise hee is sent in the fulnesse of time First hee was promised to bee our leader and Captaine in Paradise I will put an emnity betwixt thy seed and the seed of the woman he shall bruise thy head but thou shalt bruise his heele Secondly as hee was promised so hee was as also prefigured to bee our Captaine And though by many prefigurations yet by none more lively then by those of Phares and Zares Ishmael and Isaack Iacob and Esau Of all which it may bee truly said The elder shall serve the yonger Thirdly as hee was prefigured so also was the prefiguration strengthened by a new promise for to this effect was it said The branch of David the stemme of lesse the sonne of a virgin and the Emanuel of God promised under the Law by the Prophets Fourthly lest the fainting hearts of men should have perished under the weight of their expectation in the fulnesse of time hee was sent in our flesh first to play the part of a souldier in himselfe and then to become a leader and Captaine to us That in the dayes of his flesh hee was a souldier it is cleare for it is written Hee offered up strong cryes and supplications and was heard in that which hee feared That in his ascentioÌ„ he became our Captaine it is sure also for it is written Hee led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men Finally that in the end of time hee shall bee our Captaine and leader it is manifest also in that which is written When hee had suâ—dued all things under his feet then hee shall give up the kingdome to his Father that the Father may be all in all Thus both the Father and the Sonne are our leaders Now as this relation is founded in the person of the Father and from him derived unto the Sonne So also from them both by way of Economy it is derived unto the Holy Ghost for it is written Rom. 8. So many as are lead by the Spirit of God are the Sonnes of God And againe It is expedient that I goe from you to the Father for unlesse I goe to the Father the Comforter shall not come to you But when I shall send the Comforter from the Father unto you hee shall lead you in all truth and comfort you in all your adversities But that his authority and government may bee the better felt of us learne I pray you to know that the alligory of his government is fitting to command mans obedience either as hee is a pilgrim or as hee is a souldier for whether hee lead us as pilgrims in an unknowne way or as weake souldiers in our hard conflict his operations to us and in us are threefold For he leadeth us Monendo movendo removende that is to say he forewarneth us hee incourageth us and hee removeth something from us If wee looke on our selves as pilgrims and so hee first forewarneth us of the difficulties of the way for it is written Strait and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there bee that enter in thereat Againe Through manifold tribulations we must enter into the Kingdome of God And as hee forewarneth us so also hee leadeth us by moving us for hee not onely calleth upon us Come unto mee all yee that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you But also when wee fall hee lifteth us up againe and whom hee loveth hee loveth to the end and whom hee once taketh by the hand none can take them out againe Finally hee removeth the impediments of our journey out of the way for howsoever he suffer us to be tempted for a while yet with the temptation hee giveth us the issue that wee may beare it Againe if wee looke on our selves as souldiers in 〈◊〉 Christian warfare hee useth the same operations in us He first forewarneth us of our danger whosoever would live godlily must suffer persecution for the testimony of Jesus Hee incourageth us also to the fight In the world ye shall have trouble but in mee yee shall have peace Bee yee therefore of good comfort for I have overcome the world Finally hee removeth our adversaries from us for howsoever for our triall and exercise he suffer us to bee hardly assaulted for a while yet in the end hee treadeth Sathan under foot and crowneth our soules not onely with victory but also with salvation Vse Now then seeing God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost are our leaders both in our pilgrimage and spirituall conflict it should both humble and comfort us humble us in that wee cannot walke without a guide Noah was stronger then wee but when hee forgot his guide he fell Sampson was stronger then wee but when hee forsooke his guide hee fell Salomon was wiser then wee but when hee forsooke his guide he fell David was holier then wee but forsaking his guide hee fell Peter was more stedfast then wee and yet forsaking his guide hee fell Israel was a people elected and chosen beyond and before us but because they forgot the guide of their youth therefore they were left to themselves to do the things that were not convenient and received such recompence of their errour as was meet It becommeth all of us therefore whilst wee thinke that wee stand to take heed that wee fall not And to say to God as the Eunuch said to Philip How can I understand without a guide Send out therefore O Lord the light of thy truth and let thy good spirit lead us into the land of thy righteousnesse Againe as this should humble us so