for ever to our children Let this disswade and perswade us Disswade us from the world for all things in it are changeable as time honour wealth pleasure and beauty perswade us to perfection as our father which is in heaven is perfect standing stedfast in the faith holding fast what wee have received and continuing constant to the end that wee may receive the crowne in heaven LECTIO 3. In Heaven HEre it may be enquired and not amisse how it is that the presence of God is tyed to the heaven Seeing hee is every where so filling all things that hee is comprehended of nothing and so without all things that hee is excluded of nothing For answer hereof it is requisite that wee know that the dispensation of the presence of God is manifold and diverse There is a generall there is a particular there is a personall and there is a locall presence of God By his generall presence hee is present with all his creatures For in him wee live wee move and have our beeing By his particular presence he is present with man and because the sonnes of men are of two sorts therefore the dispensation of this presence is twofold with the child of disobedience hee is present by his providence his power and his justice by his providence maintaining his life by his power ordering his wayes to their appointed ends and by his justice binding him up in the secret of his soule with chaines of darknesse to the judgement of the great day with the child of his free love he is present by his providence maintaining his life by his power keeping him that he dash not his foot against a stone and by his mercy keeping him through faith to eternall salvation By his personall presence hee is present with his Sonne the Lord Jesus by his locall presence he is said to bee in heaven not that the heaven of heavens is able to containe him who is infinite but that there chiefly he manifesteth his glorious presence and his glorious essence to the Angels who have kept their originall integrity to the Soules of the Saints departed and to all of us both in soule and body in the day of our last and finall refreshment In a word God is said to be in heaven as the soule is said to be in the head or heart of man The soule we know animates the whole body and by her presence in every member thereof communicateth life thereto yet by way of preheminencie and excellencie it is said to be in the head and in the heart of man Because in these two parts and from these two parts shee exerciseth her chiefest fnnctions communicateth and deriveth her chiefest influence So is it with God for howsoever by his infinite essence he be every where and filleth all his creatures yet by way of preheminencie and excellencie he is most specially said to be in heaven because there it is that the rayes and glorious beames of his Majestie are chiefly seene and from thence it is that he maketh the steps and impressions of his power knowne to the sonnes of men It is true indeed wee can no where cast our eyes on the creatures but wee do straight perceive the characters of his wisdome power and Majestie For will we looke on the naturall course of the world we see init foure several sorts of creatures The first bare naked and simple substances without either life sense or reason of this sort are the Heavens the Sun the Moone and the Starres The second sort have substance and life but not sense or reason such are the trees plants herbs of the field all which have a vegitative life but no sense nor reason The third sort have life and sense but no reason such as the fowles of the aire the beasts of the field and the fishes of the sea The fourth and last sort hath all of these substance life sense and reason and that is man Now every one of these severall sorts of creatures do exceed one another and serve one for anothers use for wee see the first which are but mere substances serve for the use of them who have life These who have life do serve for the use of them who have reason and man who hath reason hee doth serve hee should serve and shall serve for the use of that God who dwelleth in the Heavens above Now who can looke on the beauty of these creatures Who can consider the reference or who can contemplate aright their correspondence but must straight know and confesse both that there is a God and that hee both made himselfe visible and palpable in his creatures and yet that the full streine of his glory is in Heaven for here wee see but in part wee know but in part and all that we either can see or know of him is but imperfect our perfection is hidden up with him in the Heavens and when wee shall by his power be brought thither wee then shall fully see him as wee are seene and know him as wee are knowne and be changed into his image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord. Now brethren having laid this for a foundatiō that is immoveable that howsoever the Lord is every where yet chiefly hee is in heaven the habitation of his holinesse and that howsoever hee be made visible in all his creatures yet the full and accomplished vision of his glory wee shall not have but in the heavens It resteth that from the consideration hereof wee learne to make use of the same for our spirituall advantage The use that wee make of this is threefold Vse First it teacheth us to whom we should pray Secondly how wee should pray And thirdly how wee should live when wee have prayed First to whom should wee pray but to God and to him who is in heaven There are but two motives which direct man in the time of need to have his recourse to another for helpe The first is affection the second is power who but a foole will in the time of need run for helpe to any man whō hee knoweth doth not love him for it is madnesse for a man to become a suiter where love pleadeth not as a mediator it is for this cause that Christ Jesus our Redeemer hath in the frontispice of this prayer given us the assurance of Gods love to wards us whilst he calls him Our Father that from the assurance of his fatherly love wee may draw neere to the Throne of Grace with boldnesse and there poure out our supplications before him with assurance to be heard in that which we feare The other motive why men in the time of need have their recourse to another is the assurance of his power For though hee were never so wel affected if he be not able our petitions are all in vaine The Lord liveth let the people tremble hee sits betwixt the Cherubins let the Earth be moved let the people imagine vaine things and
and that which is infinite eternall and incorruptible Woe bee unto that man that shall be thus audaciously blasphemous as to say hee hath merited any thing but condemnation For that man appearing before God and wanting his wedding garment the righteousnesse of Jesus shall surely be stripped naked and his nakednesse shall be seene of men and Angels But thou wilt enquire If man bee not able to obey the Law how can God in his justice give him a Law or correct him for the breach thereof To the first I answer thee out of naturall reason Although thou hast rendered thy selfe unable to obey what injustice is it with God to exact thy obediēce for he created thee able to obey whatsoever hee required of thee Is it not so amongst the sonnes of men in civill actions but what is more God giveth thee although thou be unable a law to square thy life by for three causes Vt scias quid acceperis ut videas quid amiseris ut intelligas unde repetendum sit quod amiseris and as he requireth the obedience of his law of thee for these 3 causes so doth he also correct the breach therof for 3 causes 1. Ad ostētationē debitae miseriae 2 ad emendationem labilis vitae And 3. ad exercitationē necessariae patientiae Vse Since in the tenour of the Law and the Gospell the revealed will of God is shut up as in a treasury or store-house Why is it that man delights in ignorance for from the knowledge of the will of God in these there ariseth light to the understanding and sanctification to the affections If it bee so why then doth the Church of Rome inhibit her followers the reading of the Scriptures and injoyne to them an implicite faith Is this any thing else but to make the blinde lead the blinde that both may fall or is it any thing else but to shut up the key of knowledge and neither enter themselves into the kingdome of God nor suffer others to enter And finally is this any thing else but to keep captive in chaines of darknesse the poore people making them by the tradition of men to account the will of God of no effect The Lord open their eyes to see the vanity of the way wherein they walke and the Lord establish our hearts in the obedience of the light revealed to us lest this be our condemnation that light hath shined but wee have continued contemners of the light because our workes were evill The second thing offered to our consideration is what are the points of his revealed will and what are the duties which hee requireth to bee done of us To this I answer It were a tedious worke to runne over all the duties of a Christian required of him in this word yet for an instance the word of God requireth of us 1. The knowledge of Gods will 2. Faith in his word 3. Obedience to the word beleeved 4. Suffering for the testimony thereof when wee shall be called to it 5. And finally an hungring after our dissolution because we cannot get these things done I say first God requireth of us to know him for thus it is written This is life everlasting to know thee to bee the onely true God And againe I have decreed to know nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucified But thou wilt say how shall I know God I answer God is knowne by nature for the naturall man although hee know not the true God yet by naturall knowledge hee propoundeth something to himselfe for a God And this shall serve for a witnesse against him for whilst by nature hee doth the things of the Law he becommeth a law to himselfe By his workes God also is knowne For the invisible things of him that is his eternall power and Godhead are knowne in the workes of his hands Yet this is not sufficient to salvation For the more a man knoweth of the works except hee bee sanctified the more hee evanisheth in the vanity of his owne imaginations and his foolish heart is the more replenished with darknesse By his word hee is knowne for in the Law hee sheweth what wee ought to doe And in the gospell what we should beleeve For the Law was but a pedagogue to Jesus Christ and all the ceremonies figures and types thereof were but shadowes of things to come the body was Jesus Christ and whosoever in his difficulty hath not recourse to the Law and to the testimony it is because there is neither light nor life in him By grace God is knowne for all the knowledge that man can have of God either from the Law or from the Gospell is in vaine unlesse our hearts bee inclined by the spirit of grace to obey or beleeve for it is written As many as are lead by the Spirit of God are the Sonnes of God and heires of glory By glory wee shall know him fully for here wee know but in part but there we shall see as wee are seene and know as wee are knowne being exchanged to his image from glory to glory by the spirit of the Lord. The second thing that God in his word willeth us to do is to beleeve in him for there is a faith that beleeveth God to be there is a faith that beleeveth God to bee true and there is a faith that beleeveth in God Every faith is not a saving faith this onely saveth when we beleeve in God and rest upon him for the life of our bodies saying Give us this day our daily bread And for the life of our soules saying Forgive us our sinnes So that in faith there must bee three things Sensus assensus appropriatio sense assent and appropriation Now it is the applying faith that saves for it is written Thy faith hath made thee whole The third thing God requireth of us in his word is a sanctified obedience of that which we know and beleeve For it is written This is the will of God even your sanctification Againe Be ye holy as I am holy who hath called you And againe Let your light so shine before men c. For it is not hee who cryeth Lord Lord that shall enter into the Kingdome of heaven but hee that knoweth the will of my Father and doth it It is the will of God that wee suffer for him for it is written Let him that would follow me deny himselfe and take up his crosse and follow mee Brethren this is a lesson the hardest of all for man to learn concerning God for man would learne to know God out of curiosity that he might dispute and reason concerning him Man would beleeve both Gods word and Gods worke out of necessity when they cannot better do Like Pharaoh and his Magicians confessing the finger of God Man also out of custome for civill shame will some time obey God for feare of punishment more then for filiall affectiō but let these all be knit together they shall not so evidently demonstrate the
but overcoming evil with goodnes may bee perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect Now this being spoken concerning the persons for whom we offer up this our supplication we must come consider the reason wherfore we must pray so and the reason is because our sins are ours Our Take heed I pray you to this my brethren The reason why wee crave pardon of our sinnes is because sinnes are ours and besides these nothing else in the world is ours I have said that sinne is truly ours This shall serve for the doctrinall part And that nothing in the world is ours besides sinne this shall serve for the morall part First then sinne is truely ours in three respects first in respect of patrimony secondly in respect of practise thirdly in respect of purchase In respect of patrimony The sinnes of our first parents Adam and Eve are ours In respect of practice our actuall sinnes are ours In respect of purchase the sinnes of our neighbours are made ours The sinnes of our first parents are ours for they not onely sinned for themselves but for us also they before us wee in them and after them Do wee not impute the bitternesse of the streame to the fountaine the rottennes of the branch to the root yes surely so is it with us hee was the root wee are the branches he the fountaine we the streames and to expresse this more clearly let me aske you that are acquainted with the art of numbers if that any figure in the first place doth signifie any more but it selfe onely yet by the addition of a cypher 1.2.3 or 4 multiplyeth the signification from ten to hundreds from hundreds to thousands and from thousands to millions It is even so with us Adam Eve sinned and being considered in their own place sinned alone for thēselves but being considered with our addition as being in their loines wee as cyphers have multiplied their burthen they as figures have made us significative they then have not sinned alone but we also in them and with thē their sins are not theirs alone but ours also by copartnership Secondly sin is ours by practise for as our first parents sinned and by their sinne made sinne ours originally so wee also by walking in the footsteps of our fathers and sinning after their examples have made that which was ours by descent from our fathers to be ours actually for as by one man sinne entred into the world and by sinne death so death hath universally runne over all men in respect that in one man all men have sinned yea further because wee have actually built up the sepulchers of our fathers therefore tribulation and anguish is upon the soule of every man that doth evill to the Jew first and also to the Grecian Lastly I say sin is ours by purchase by drawing on us the guilt and punishment of ours neighbours sinne And now thou shalt enquire of mee how a man can bee guilty of his neighbours sinne I answer it may bee done five manner of wayes 1. By connivence 2. By negligence 3. By assent 4. By example 5. By provocation By connivence winking at other mens faults when wee should reprove them to this effect it is written Levit. 19. Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbours sinne lest thou beare sinne for him By negligence in not correcting such for sin as are under our authority This was the sinne of Eli in sparing his sonnes and this is the threatning of Ezechiah in case of silence at the sinnes of his people Ezec. 3. By assent Thus Aaron was guilty of Idolatry when he assented to make the golden calfe By example thus Ieroboam is marked that hee made Israel to sinne And David that hee made the name of God to bee ill spoken of amongst the Gentiles Last of all by provocation this was the sinne of Lots daughters to their incestuous father and Baalams sinne to Israel with the daughters of Moab This then being the doctrinall part shewing how sinnes are ours the morall part succeedeth in which we must cleare this That nothing is so really ours as sinne That wee may the better understand this we must know that there is no creature on earth so naked and indigent as man for naked hee was borne and naked shall he returne againe and hee hath no peculiar or proper thing in the world that hee can justly call his but sinne and infirmity To prove this let us take a survey of all the things in the world Is wealth ours No for riches are painfully gotten carefully kept and wofully lost and yet when we have most adoe with them like an eagle shee takes her wings and flies away so swiftly as she cannot bee recovered and though they bide with us till the end of our dayes yet then they take their leave and wee reserve nothing saving a wounded conscience for the abuse of them Is beauty ours No surely let but a dayes sicknesse take thee by thy hand and loe thou shalt find nothing but age wrinkles the lineaments of death the characters of deformity which shall make thee affraid of thy selfe Is honor thine no surely it vanisheth as the morning cloud as the smoake of a chimney is liker to nothing then our Sun dyalls which point out the houres so long as the Sunne shineth but if a cloud shall intervene serve for nothing but are a dimme statue Is strength thine No let God but write one line of toleration and put it in the hand of thine and straight like Beltazzer thy knees shall beat one against another And with Iob thou shalt scrape thy sores with a potsherd on the dunghill Finally is that breath that wee draw into our nostrels ours no surely it is but sucked up and borrowed from the next aire If God lend thee power thou canst both exhale and evaporate it but if he say not Amen it shall choake thee in the passage Or is this body that thou bearest about thee thine No surely it is of the dust and to the dust it shall returne againe Pittifull wretched man that thou art what is thine nothing but sin and a wounded conscience for sin these are ours by patrimony by practice and by purchase of the which we can never be freed till we put off and change our patrimony practise and purchase Our patrimony by shewing our selves heires not to the first Adam but to the second Our practise by walking no more after the flesh but after the spirit for if wee walke after the flesh we shall dye but if wee walke after the spirit wee shall live Our purchase whilst wee crucifie our selves to the world and the world to us that the life of Jesus may bee made manifest in our mortall bodies and whilst wee forget the things that are behind us c. and account all things as dirt and dung to us in respect of the advantage that wee have in the crosse of Jesus Christ The
on our travels all should bee in vaine For wee may eate and not be satisfied wee may cover our makednesse and not be warme wee may sow much and reape little we may earne wages and put them in a bottomlesse bagge except hee open his hand and fill us with his blessing for then and no otherwise are wee satisfied And thirdly whilst wee begged of God the meanes of our satisfaction so also wee begged them of him in a moderate manner and measure not to give us over-little lest wee should for want steale and Gods name should bee dishonoured by our practice Nor yet over-much lest by reason of our plenty wee should waxe wanton forget the rocke from whence wee were hewen and so in our presumptions perish say Who is the Lord Now having begged these things in that Petition this Petition is duely conjoyned unto it by this particle of conjunction And for since it is certaine that man is a weake and fraile creature in the day of his want ready to runne an ill course and in the day of his prosperity ready to grow proud and mis-know God there can nothing bee better said then Lead us not into temptation that is to say since Sathan is ready at all times in all places and by all occasions to tempt us to sinne Lord watch thou over us by thy grace and good spirit that in the day of our want wee sinne not against thee by despaire and in the day of our wealth and abundance wee sinne not against thee by presumption but learne in whatsoever state wee bee therewith to be content for naked wee came into the world and naked we shall returne againe Again by the same cōjunctive particle And this Petition is duly tyed to that wherein wee begged of God the remission and pardon of our sinnes and that for three severall causes or respects first to teach us to avoid security Secondly to teach us the truth of Gods covenant and thirdly to teach us to submit our selves to the condition of the covenant It teacheth us to beware of security for after the remission of sinne temptation followeth and hee is a great foole who having once gotten the victory over sinne cries to himselfe a perpetuall and permanent peace yes furely for the estate of the servant is not above his master Whilst Sathan dealt with our head Christ Jesus in tempting him though hee mightily declared himselfe to bee the Sonne of God by resisting and repelling his temptations yet in the end it is said that Sathan left him but for a season If then this hath beene the lot and portion of the head what shall become of us that are members If hee dealt so with the greene tree what shall become of us who are withered branches And finally if this hath beene the portion of him who was the cedar of Lebanon what shall become of us who are poore bushes of Isop at the foot of the wall No no O man deceive not thy selfe and after the foile of a sinne over which it may please God in his mercy to give thee victory and peace of conscience in the blood of Jesus dost thou thinke that Sathan can bee so cowardly that after one foile hee dare no more to assault thee No be sure of this so long as the strong man keepes the hold all things are in peace but if with Iacob thou shalt labour to returne to the land of thy nativity Laban shall pursue thee and unlesse the God of thy fathers make his fall upon him hee will not onely kill thee but also the mother upon the young ones For though for a while hee seeme to leave his habitation yet if thou do not watch over the house of thy soule hee shall returne and bring with him seaven other spirits worse then himselfe and the last estate of thy soule shall be worse then the first Secondly it serves to teach us the truth of Gods covenant under which we have not onely cause of joy and spirituall rejoycing but also reason to serve the Lord in feare and walke before him in trembling For the covenant of mercy that God maketh with man in the blood of Christ hath two parts the first carryeth a promise of the remission of our sinnes the second a promise that hee will write his law in our hearts Now this is that new covenant which God promiseth to make with us under the Gospell of which the Apostle Paul writing to the Hebrews tells us that the tenor thereof is not formed according to the tenor of a carnall commandement but according to the power and law of an endlesse life For to what use I pray you shall the remission of our by-gone sinnes serve us if when we are once washed and cleansed wee shall straight with the dogge returne to our vomit or with the sowe to the puddle of our transgressions againe It is well added by the wisedome of God for mans instruction to say no sooner Forgive us our sinnes then straight way to subjoyne And lead us not into temptation for by this meanes wee get the covenant of God made sure and perfect to us whilst hee first sealeth in us the oblituration of the old hand writing of sinne that was against us and in the next roome writeth his law in our hearts and captivateth our affections to his obedience Lastly by the addition of this Petition to the immediately former we were taught to serve the Lord in feare for if this be our misery that our enemies are watchfull and malicious omitting no occasion of snares and temptations that can entrap and if this bee our infirmity and weaknesse that of our selves wee cannot stand one moment in the grace received why should wee not serve the Lord in feare and rejoyce before him in all trembling For as this is the comforr of comforts for a Christian to heare this said to him Sonne bee of good comfort thy sinnes bee forgiven thee So let this bee the square by which hee ruleth and squareth his future obedience Sinne no more lest a worse thing befall thee Thus having cleared to you the dependence of this Petition with that Give us this day our daily bread and with that also Forgive us our sinnes It resteth now that wee consider the words of the Petition it selfe and first those which are deprecatory and then those that are supplicatory First Lead us not into temptation and then But deliver us from evill Lead us not into temptation For the better understanding of the words wee must remember that they are metaphoricall and propounded unto us by way of a figurative translation for in them God teacheth his Church to put up her supplications to God Now wee must understand that although the Church bee but one in her selfe as her God head and husband is one yet is shee alwayes proposed to us under the shadow of two severall considerations For sometimes shee is considered as in heaven and sometimes as shee is on earth that part
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
should it also comfort us in the day of our spirituall conflict For as the marches of Israell were ordered in the wildernesse so should our marches be ordered here on earth When they were to march by day the Lord went before them in the piller of a cloud and by night in a piller of fire When they marched it was said Arise O God and let thine enemier be confounded And when they rested it was said Returne O Lord to the thousands of Israel Their walke was long their journey was wearisome but this comforted them that they had a good leader It is even so withus wee are brought blessed bee God from the bondage of an oppressing Pharo and a turmoiling Egypt where our way is thorny and our adversaries are many and surely unlesse our eyes were towards our leader there should bee no more spirit left in us But this is our comfort in which we should alwayes joy and continually rejoyce that our God the Lord of Hosts is our leader That our Redeemer Christ Jesus hath beene our fellow souldier and is now our Captaine And that the holy Ghost the Comforter is our Generall and goeth out and in before us and fighteth in us and for us Why should not wee then submit our selves to this Regiment The world is led by another spirit for the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth after envy But blessed is the man who is led by God and his good Spirit for whosoever are led by the Spirit of God are the Sonnes of God and if wee be sonnes then also shall wee bee heires and fellow heires with Jesus Christ and made partakers of his glory But now my brethren pardon mee for I have spent a great deale of time in teaching you who is your leader The second question is how he can lead us into temptation The answer hereof ariseth from the word by which our government and leading is represented to us For it is thus in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where if wee shall looke aright on the word wee shall finde it composed of two severall particles of compositition and an originall verbe subjoyned to them The particles of composition are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the verbe is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to lead but the particles of composition added and prefixed to it altereth the signification thereof very much The first particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth in So that whilst this manuduction and government in the day of spirituall combate of a Christian is attributed to God it importeth three things unto us from the word it selfe First a leading into temptation Secondly a leading in temptation Thirdly upon the which from the necessity of his goodnesse must follow a leading out againe according to that which is written Hee suffereth us not to bee tempted above our power but with the temptation hee giveth us the issue that wee may be able to beare it The first part of this conduct is safe the second is gracious the third is glorious without the assured support and presence of God these three are like the waters of Marah turned bitter or like the potage of the children of the Prophets There is death in the pot For if man or Sathan lead to temptation it is doubtfull if they shall lead into temptation it is dangerous and if they cannot lead out of temptation it is desperate Opposing therefore the weaknesse of man to the strength of God and the malice of Sathan to the love of God it cannot but bee well said by man to God Lead us not into temptation not deprecating any part of the composition but his desertion in the verbe To cleare this know that to lead a man into temptation is safe for this cause St Iames saith My brothren count it for exceeding joy when you fall into diverse temptations for this is onely to present anobject of temptation to man or to lead man to encounter with an object of temptation Against this we do not al waies pray for it is safe good for us so to be exercised at sometimes it maketh us watch over our senses to make a covenant with our eyes and with David to pray Lord turne away mine eies from beholding vanity To lead a man into temptation is gracious for as meat is to the hungry or drinke to the thirsty or light to the prisoner so is helpe and support to the cōbatant What other comfort I pray you had David in his conflict with Goliah then this that God was with him in his temptation I come not against thee in mine owne name but in the name of the Lord of Hosts who delivered into my hand the Beare and the Lyon hee will also deliver thee this day into my hand But O take heed my hearts howsoever to be led to temptatiō may be safe to be led in temptation be gracious yet except God lead us out again it cannot any way bee glorious for us for if hee lead us not out againe hee leaveth us in it and woe bee to us when hee so forsaketh us and leaveth us to our selves for in so doing wee shall surely forsake him and perish So that this is sure whilst we say Lead us not into temptation wee do not begge of God that hee would not suffer the objects of temptation to bee presented before us but this only that whilst we are in the conflict hee would not leave us alone but rather that hee would say to us as Iacob said to his sonne God a troop shall fight against him but he shall overcome them at the last But thou wilt say to mee O man How or by what meanes can or doth God lead a man to temptation I answer by foure meanes First by a procured desertiō Secondly by a continuall subduction Thirdly by a righteous tradition Fourthly by a necessary induration By a deserved desertion for whilst wee quench and grieve the Spirit of God by our sinnes it is a righteous thing with the Lord to draw his grace from us that by our falls we may learne to intertaine his grace by which wee stand Secondly by a continued subduction which howsoeit bee but one and the selfe same desertion yet is different in degree and more fearefull because of the continuance Thus hee dealt with the Gentiles Rom. 1. Thirdly by a righteous tradition when men have abused his long suffering patience he gives them over to the efficacie of errour and to the malice of Sathan to bee led by him at his will so hee dealt with Saul 2. Sam. 24.4 And last of all by an uncurable induration for Sathan having gotten entry in a sinner thus walking in the way of errour hee maketh his heart daily harder and harder till out of the hardnesse of his heart that cannot repent hee heape up wrath to himselfe against the day of wrath But thou wilt yet enquire why doth God lead
beene heard according to their cry How many in sicknesse have called for helpe how many in poverty have called for support and how many in exile have called for deliverance and yet have not obtained it Looke to David himselfe and to his expostulation Psalm 22. I have called vnto thee by day but thou heardest not and I poured out my plants before thee in the night season and yet I have no audience Last of all how many of the Sonnes and Saints of God having fallen into temptation and snares of the devill have cryed unto God for ease release and deliverance to their wounded conscience and have not obtained it Let David witnesse in his 51. Psalm Whilst hee cryeth Restore me O Lord to the joy of thy salvation and take not thy free spirit from mee And let the Apostle Paul also beare witnesse whilst being buffeted by the angel of sathan he cryed thrice unto the Lord that the spirit of temptation might depart frō him yet behold hee received no answer but this My grace is sufficyent for thee Now I say if in all these man may pray and not be heard accordingly if under the body and burthen of both temporall and spirituall calamities hee sigh and groane and yet cannot be heard in that which he feareth wherefore and to what end I pray you is it that man should plead in these words of Petition or why should they bee tyed to this forme and platforme of prayer To this it is that our Master and Saviour Jesus Christ giveth an answer in this word For c. for in so saying hee strengtheneth and stayeth the weake hearts and feeble knees of his servants against all feare and infidelity whatsoever by leading them to the consideration of the might power and glory of him to whom wee pray So that his meaning is whilst he saith For c. poore and weake creature that thou art wouldst thou draw neere to God faint not though at the first thou obtaine not the victory possesse thy soule in patience hold fast that which thou hast received continue constant in prayer for hee is a great and mighty God whom thou supplicatest and hee is both willing and able to keep that which thou hast cōcredited unto him though hee winke at spirituall or temporall desertions for a while yet bee sure hee will come at last and salvation under his wings and a mighty deliverance under his right hand For never King on earth had either such power to vindicate or affection to pitty or commiserate his subjects as God hath to the deliverance of his Saints For hee is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and his and his onely are all kingdomes all power and glory for ever Now this being the meaning of the illative particle For it resteth that wee make use of it Vse I see man is a weake creature weake in all things for he is weak in knowledge in obedience and in suffering But especially weake in faith I say hee is weake in knowledge for hee knoweth not the things of God neither can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned weake in obedience for the good that hee would do that he doth not and the evill that he would not do that he is led captive to doe In suffering for the bread and water of affliction are hard for him to digest and who is hee who will gladly deny himselfe and take up his crosse and follow Jesus But wee are chiefly and above all weake in faith for even then when God hath made us in his light to see light and when hee hath in some measure captivated our affections unto his obedience when hee hath sanctified our crosse and given us some measure of patience under it and finally when hee hath led us by the hand unto the throne of grace and there by the power of his spirit hath taught us to poure out our desires before him with sighs which cannot bee expressed unlesse in an instant and at the first cry wee bee heard in that which wee feare and get out petitions answered with a sutable correspondence O how weary are wee how faint and how doubt wee of the love and mercy of our God towards us yet here is the love of God made manifest that though our sinne bee out of measure sinfull yet his grace is a rich grace and hee multiplyeth unto us grace upon grace insomuch that hee will not onely call upon us to come unto him in the day of our trouble that hee may deliver us but when wee cannot come hee will draw us and when wee are come hee wil teach us both how and what to pray and finally when wee begin to doubt and fall to despaire hee underpropeth our weake faith by the arguments of his love his power and his glory It is our part therfore whē we addres our selves to God by prayer to make these his peculiar instructions not onely the significations of our desires and trenchmen our hearts best wishes but also by their confident and faithfull evaporations to make them arguments to our selves of our audience for as the prayer of faith availeth much if it be fervēt so the faint-hearted lewk-warme desires of men reap nothing at Gods hands unlesse perhaps it make him cast back the dust of their facrifices into their faces and turne their prayer into sin And thus much I have spoken for the word of inference here used For. Wee must come now and looke on the tenor of the words wherein our Saviour and Redeemer comforteth and stayeth our weake faith and strengthen eith us in our prayers both from doubting and despaire The arguments hee draweth out for our incouragement are two The first is drawne from that anthority and supreme soveraignty which hee hath not onely over man but also over heaven earth and hell and all the hosts and inhabitants thereof The second is drawn from the true titles dignity or attributes of that kingdome and these are three A powerfull a glorious and an eternall everlasting kingdome But let us return to the first argument of faith and incouragement to confidence in our prayer which is taken from Gods kingdome For by this meanes hee maketh a direct reciproeation betwixt this conclusion and the second Petition of this prayer and withall a direct opposition betwixt this conclusion and the last Petition In the second Petition he taught us to seeke the advancement of his kingdome in these words Let thy kingdome come In these words hee letteth us see that hee will seeke nothing of us by way of obedience but that which hee will enable us to do Therefore he ascribeth to himselfe a supreme soveraignty over all the world and a kingdome more eminent then all those which are amongst the sonnes of men to teach us that as kings do not impose lawes upon their subjects to bee snares unto them of rebellion and disobedience but rather statutes easie for observance just in their exaction and safe
mee unlesse it were given thee from above Unto this the Apostle Paul subscribeth Rom. 13.1 There is no power but of God and the powers that are ordained of God Now this title of Gods power Christ bringeth in here as an attribute by which hee may underproppe our weakenesse And his meaning is O man why doubtest thou and why art thou fearfull to come to God and pray to him How many evidences hast thou of his power manifested to thee for thy protection Is it not by him and by his power that thou livest movest and hast thy beeing was it not by him by the word of his power that all things were made of nothing Is it not by him and by the might of his power that all things are preserved in that state order and frame in which they now are Was it not by him and the might of his power that fire came downe to destroy Sodome That the seadrowned Pharo the earth swallowed up Corah Dathan and Abirom That Ieroboams hand was dryed up that the mercilesse fire had mercy on the children and the hungry lyons fed not on Daniel That the windes and seas are stilled and calmed and finally that the very devills of hell are curbed that they cannot goe beyond the chaine of his power and good pleasure These things are all evidences of his power But his power is yet not knowne in things that are spirituall Looke to our eternall election our temporall redemptiō our effectuall calling the resurrection of our bodies and upon the glory bestowed both upon soule and body and from thence let us never doubt of his power Hee of himselfe is able to do all things and by his power wee are able to do all things and hee hath manifested his power towards us that by it wee may be instructed by it comforted and by it corrected In a word it serveth for our instruction correction and consolation For our instruction in the path of charity for our correction in the way of our presumption and for our consolation in the day of our trouble First for our instruction in the path of charity For wee do no sooner see our neighbour fall but straight way we are precise and prejudicate censurers not remembring our selves lest wee also bee tempted Nor yet remembring the power of God who is able to ingraffe those againe Rom. 14.4 Secondly it serveth for our correction in the way of our presumption for wee thinke if man can befriend us wee are safe and sure but as fooles wee vanish for the Egyptians are but men not gods and their horses are but flesh not spirit When Ephraim saw his wound and Iudah felt his soare they ranne to Iacob and Ashur but their wound was not healed for there is no helpe but in the Lord And whosoever shall seeke helpe beside him may aske counsell at his stocke but his staffe shall answer him for the Lord shall meete him as a lyon and as a lyons whelpe shall teare him in peeces and none shall deliver him Last of all it serveth for our comfort in the day of trouble Man beare thou the crosse that God hath laid upon thee for thy haires bee numbred thy teares be put in his bottle be thou assured that the Lord will deliver thee in the day of trouble when thou art incompassed with the waters of affliction The second attribute of his kingdome is glory which hath many severall significations in Scripture First it is taken for the majesty of God which whilst man doth celebrate it is said they shew forth his glory Thus did the sheepheards heare that sweete Haliluiah sang by the Angells Glory bee to God on high And David Psalm 8. The heavens declare the glory of God Secondly by the glory of God in the time of the Law was meant the Arke of God 1. Sam. 4. The glory is departed Thirdly it signifieth the visible testimony of Gods presence in a cloud Exod. 16.8 Fourthly it is taken for the light of the Gospell 2. Cor. 4.4 Fifthly by the glory of God is understood the image of God according to which man was created Rom. 3.23 All flesh have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God Vse First bee carefull of the glory of God that his name bee not ill spoken of because of thy bad conversation Secondly suffer for him For all the sufferings of this life are not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed in us Thirdly sigh and groane for Christs appearing for it is the day of the revelation of thy glory For ever and ever Amen THis is life everlasting to know thee to bee the onely true God and whom thou hast sent thy Sonne the Lord Iesus This is the absolute excellencie of mans knowledge But to attaine hereunto the way is hard for No man hath knowne the Father at any time save the Son and he to whom the Sonne hath revealed him And till the Sonne hath revealed him in his beeing by delineating to them the back-parts of the Father for No man can see God and live It is true indeed if wee shall compare our knowledge of God who live under the Gospell with those who went before us under the Law wee cannot but confesse that our light in regard of theirs is before the light of the Sunne compared to the morning starre for it is written They saw but from a farre and under a vaile but wee behold his glory with open face And yet notwithstanding this our illumination we are imperfect our perfection may bee full in respect of parts yet is not in respect of degrees For our helpe therefore whilst wee dwell in the valley of Meseck tents of Kedar he is pleased to manifest unto us though not absolutely what he is that is to say his nature yet who hee is that is to say what are his attributes for by this hee teacheth us to know both who hee is in himselfe and how he carries himselfe to us Now thus we may know him in his wayes and dispensations towards us Hee hath revealed himselfe three manner of wayes Per viam negationis per viam causationis per viam eminentiae By way of negation by way of causation and by way of excellency By way of negation or denyall hee makes himselfe knowne to us while hee denies the imperfections of the creatures to appertaine unto him as creator and therefore it is said of him that he is immortall invisible immutable that hee cannot lie that hee cannot repent By way of causation while hee makes himselfe to bee knowne to be the cause of all things that are for it is written By him were made all things and without him was made nothing that was made And againe In him wee live wee move and have our beeing And againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By way of excellency while as we looking on the excellencie of the creature are lead to consider the supereminent excellencie of the creator in his wisdome power strength
or permanency Hence it is that by way of eminent excellency above the creature hee hath made amongst many his other attributes himselfe known to us by his eternity an attribute so absolutely proper to him that it cannot properly be attributed to any creature beside him It is true indeed the decrees of God are truly called eternall in their act but not if wee consider them in their execution for howsoever they were decreed from all eternity yet they are finite in respect of time for in time they receive their accomplishment The soules of men are truly called eternall yet not properly for howsoever they be eternall essences induring for ever yet had they a beginning in time for till God breathed in mās nostrels man was not a living soule The Sacrament of Circumcision was called the eternall covenant Exod. 17. yet it is but catachrestically termed so for properly it was not so it had a beginning in the dayes of Abraham Nothing then can be properly called eternall but God himselfe in respect of his eternall essence and the blood of the Sonne of God in respect of the eternall value thereof God in respect of his eternall essence trinity of persons is from everlasting to everlasting for this is his name I am that I am The value also of the blood of the Son of God is eternall though not in respect of the incarnation yet in respect of the operation thereof for by the blood of that immaculate lambe slaine before the foundations of the world in time wee have received peace attonement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and after all time a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conformity vnto his image and establishment in the grace wherein we stand But thou wilt enquire if God onely bee truly and properly eternall how is eternity according to his kingdome and that his kingdome is for ever and ever The answer is easie whatsoever is in God is God and his attributes are like unto himselfe for as hee is in himselfe eternall so is his kingdome his power and glory The consideration of these things serves us for a manifold use First our God is eternall and so is his love to wards us Who shall separate us from the love of God shall tribulation or anguish famine or nakednesse c. No in all these things wee are more then conquerers Secondly the vertue of the death of Jesus is eternall Who shall lay any thing then to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that justifies who shall condemne It is Iesus Christ who hath died for us and now in the heavens makes intercession for us at the right hand of the Majesty Thirdly God is eternall and his kingdome is for ever what need wee then to feare what man can doe unto us they can but kill the body but Let us feare him who can cast both soule and body in hell fire where the worme dyes not and the fire goes not out Fourthly our God is eternall and his kingdome for ever and ever Why should wee then seeke the things of this life that perish No no it becomes us not to set our eyes on things that are seene and are temporall but on those things that are not seenand are eternall Finally since our God is eternall his kingdome endureth for ever why should we weary or murmur under the rod of our visitation for all the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glory to be revealed for our afflictions are but light and endure for a moment but it is an eternall weight of glory passing in excellency that is laid up for us who are kept by the power of his Sonne through faith to eternall salvation Amen THis is the last gaspe and breath of this prayer many such ejaculations have the servats of God breathed in the last period of their extremities Iacob said O Lord I have waited for thy salvation Old Father Simeon could say Now let thy servant depart in peace The righteous say in the 8. to the Romans That they having received the first fruits of the spirit do sigh in themselves waiting for the adoption and redemption of their mortall bodies and the soules of the Saints under the Altar in the Revelation can say O Lord how long Our Saviour Christ Jesus in place of all these things teacheth us to say Amen And for understanding hereof let us first learne what it is or how it must be said As to the first Amen is a word taken in Scripture three manner of waies nominally adverbially and verbally Nominally it signifies to us Jesus Christ the second person of the Trinity for it is thus written Revel 3.14 These things saith Amen the faithfull and the true witnesse Neither this alone but what is more it gives a reality to what hee hath spoken or promised for it is written his promises are not yea and nay but yea and Amen Adverbially it is a word of earnest asseveration for so useth our Saviour Verily verily I say unto you whose primitive is Amen Amen dico vobis Verbally and so it is equivalent to so be it whether it be in the matter of thank esgiving of praise or of prayer In the matter of thanksgiving 1. Cor. 14.16 That Amen may be said In the matter of praise Psal 41.13 Blessed bee the Lord from everlasting to everlasting Amen and Amen In the matter of prayer and then it hath a double use for then it is vel signaculum consensus nostri vel votum desiderly nostri To all of the former Petitions it is not only signaculum consonsus nostri but also votum desiderij nostri for in these we do not onely acknowledge that our Father dwells in heaven that his name must bee hallowed that his kingdome must come that his will must be done in earth as it is in heaven but withall it is votum desiderij nostri our earnest desire Give us this day our daily bread Forgive us our sinnes Lead us not into temptation and deliver us from all evill And in all of these wee are taught not onely to assent but also to desire to assent and acknowledge the glory power and soveraignty of his dread essence to desire and begge from his all-sufficiency the support of our infirmity that his strength may be knowne in our weaknesse and his power may be made manifest in our infirmity Thus then knowing that all things are of him and by him and for him what rests but that in respect of his all-sufficiencie and eternall kingdome power and glory wee should draw neare unto him begge of him that he who is only able may keep us that we fall not and that he would present us without spot or blemish before the presence of his glory with joy who is God only wise immortall and invisible in whose presence is the fulnesse of all joy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore Amen God of his infinite mercy and goodnesse make us all carefull of his glory whilst wee are in this life that in the day of Christs appearance we may be made partakers of that eternall glory which is laid up for us in the heavens and purchased to us by his blessed merits Amen FINIS