and are with God toward that part of the Church which is militant here on earth and we giue God thankes for them and their glory But wee haue no warrant to resort to them for their intercession but haue an open way to the perfect and full al-sufficient Mediatour Iesus Christ who sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs. Yet let vs see how faithfully this apostata doth quote the Fathers to the maintenance of this idolatrous inuocation I will examine some few of his quotations out of the Fathers that you may tast him in a little for hee that hath dealt doubly with God and vnfaithfully with the faith it selfe what hope can wee haue of him that he same he being now in the cleare light where he may behold the truth would therefore pray to God for such as sit yet here below amiddest many clouds of darkenesse But that he meant not to make Cyprian a Mediatour betweene God and the Church who can better tell then Saint Augustine himselfe who of purpose handling this point doth 1 Shew the necessity of a Mediatour betweene God and vs. 2 He sheweth what kinde of Mediatour hee must be that will serue our turnes God and man and from thence 3 He excludeth Angels Boni igitur Angeli inter miseros mortales beatos immortales medij esse non possunt This declareth his found iudgement against mediations of any but Christ So that adiuuet nos orationibus suis is no prayer to him but a figuratiue kinde of Colloquie with him as when Dauid saith Laudent eum coeli The next authority is S. Aug. De verbis Apostoli Serm. 47. I know not where he found that sermon for we haue in print but 35. in all It were a long worke for me and not so pleasant for you nor profitable that I should pursue this fugitiue Apostata in all his colourable pretences for inuocation of Saints I desire to establish your hearts in the doctrine of truth grounded vpon the name of Father It teacheth vs to seeke the face of God onely in his mediation for whose sake God is become our Father To worke this stedfast faith in you know that there be three things which properly belong to a Mediatour which can be found in none but Christ onely 1 He must be of Gods appointing and declaring to vs none but hee can tell whom he will admit or heare for vs. And we finde Christ onely reuealed If any sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous I am the way no man commeth to the Father but by me 2 He must be iustus institia suâ we say of Angels that they are iust iustitia data a quo nostram ab eo habent iustitiam we say of Saints that they be rather Iustificati then iusti But Christ is called sapientia patris iustitia nostra 3 He must be able to merit for others that no Angell nor Saint can doe Christ confirmed Angels Christ restored man For the angels wee deny not but they may know what our wants are because they are ministring spirits that by the appointment of God doe attend vpon vs yet no Scripture hath reuealed any example of inuocation directed to them But for the Saints they know not our particular necessities they see not the euils which wee suffer onely they know as hauing beene members of the militant Church that we are left behinde them here in a valley of teares and therefore in generall they pray for vs as hath beene said Against their particular knowledge of our wants two plaine texts conuince our aduersaries of errour therein 1 When the Church confesseth that Abraham is ignorant of vs and Israel knoweth vs not 2 Huldah the Prophetesse telleth Iosiah he must bee gathered to his fathers and put into his graue in peace that his eyes may not see all the euill that God would bring vpon that place From whence wee may conclude that they who see not our miseries heare not our prayers and therefore are not to be required to mediate for vs. I conclude this point in the words of S. Aug. All christian men commended each other in their prayers to God and he who praies for all and for whom none praies he is that one and true Mediatour you may easily know whom he meanes We call him Father to teach vs that prayer is a spirituall exercise a worke of the holy Ghost in vs therefore Rea. 4 it is called the spirit of grace and supplications which teacheth vs to pray and enableth vs in praier It is the spirit of God onely which witnesseth to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God by which we call Abba Father Therefore all those that pray to God by that name without that sweet and secret testimony of the holy Ghost assuring them that they are the children of God doe not pray but prate and babble and God heareth them not This confuteth the Popish doctrine of doubting whether we be in the state of grace for shall I call God Father and yet stand in doubt whether he be my Father if I beleeue as I say that hee is my Father vpon what shall I build my faith is it not the suggestion of Gods spirit that is the author of my regeneration and that leadeth me into the way of all truth that telleth me so This is the right comming to God in prayer to aske as S. Iames teacheth nothing doubting to come in assurance of faith We call him Father to comfort all our distresses and Rea. 5 to warrant the successe of our prayers for Christ hath taught vs that this Father exceedeth all naturall Parents both in the knowledge of the necessities of his children and in tendernesse of compassion of them and in readinesse to heare them and grant their requests and in giuing good things to them what can I sinne against my father that he will not forgiue what can I aske that he will not giue Rea. 6 Another great reason is to assure vs of the excellencie of the state of grace for so Saint Iohn doth vrge it Behold what manner of loue the Father hath bestowed vpon vs that we should be called the sonnes of God This would be thought an high honour if wee did wisely consider the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God hereafter the gratious liberty of them here We call the sonnes of rich men happy because they are like to be left full and the sonnes of great men because they shall sit amongst the Princes of the earth but if these be not the Sonnes of God they may one day see poore Lazarus in ioyes when themselues are tormented in flames The truth is though the flesh the world and the deuill oppugne it that there is no man in the way of happinesse but such onely as are the Sonnes of God such onely as haue God to their Father by a speciall interest in him by Iesus Christ If
of Gods workes they are in our eyes and we behold them and take vse of them euery day and they that bestow the most paines in the search of Gods worke do know him most and best and from them his name hath or should haue most honour This booke the Apostle calleth the wisedome of God and seeing this was not found sufficient to make God knowen to the world as he desired for their good 2. Another booke was opened the holy Scriptures of God that by them God might be made manifest and his name declared So saith the Apostle After that in the wisedome of God the world by wisdome knew not God it pleased God by the foolishnes of preaching to saue them that beleeue This preaching taketh the text from the written word of God and they that study that booke well shall know the name of the Lord. God hath recommended to his Church the reading hearing and meditating on his law and the blessed man doth exercise himselfe therein day and night and there is nothing that honoureth a nation more in the sight of all nations of the world then the studie and obedience of this law as Moses sayd to the Lords Israel Keepe therefore and doe them for this is your wisedome and your vnderstanding in the sight of the nations which shall heare all these statutes and say Surely this great nation is a wise and vnderstanding people For what nation is there so great who hath God so nigh vnto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call vpon him for And what nation is there so great that hath statutes and iudgements so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day In which wordes you may obserue 1 That God requireth an exact care for the keeping of his law 2 That this is found and profest by God himselfe to be the wisedome and vnderstanding of his people 3 That it is their glory amongst other nations of the world 4 That by the diligent study and reading and obedience of the law God doth draw nigh to vs 5 That God doth therefore set the law before all the 〈◊〉 6 That Gods name is hereby hallowed of his owne people glorified amongst other nations of the world I beseech you lay all this to heart and I dare say you will call the Church of Rome an hard stepmother to her Children who hideth this booke of God from them for 1 How can the law be well kept when it is not well knowne how can it be well knowen where it is not well preached where euery soule hath not liberty to read and study it at large so that they doe herein hinder the obedience which God requireth to be giuen to his law for as in faith so in obedience how shall they either beleeue or obey without hearing 2 Seeing the wisedome of the Church doth consist in knowing and keeping the law of God doth not the Church of Rome infatuate her children aâ—d make starke fooles of them by hiding the booke of God from them and so robbeth God of his delight for God delighteth not in fooles 3 Seeing the libertie of the law of God is the glorie of a nation the Church of Rome by hiding the booke of God from their people doe make them inglorious and dishonour them to the nations round about them 4 Seeing God doth reueale himself to be neare vnto them that know and study his Law and keepe it the Church of Rome doth what it can to driue it away from amongst them A strange peruersenesse God would draw neere to them by the Ministerie of his word and they refuse him He would be farre off from them when they would make him their creature for the Priests of Rome professe themselues God makers they wil inforce his presence 5 Seeing God doth set his Law before all the people at large the Church of Rome which keepeth vp this booke and forbiddeth the generall communication thereof to all that are capable thereof doth professe it selfe an Antigod herein 6 Seeing by this knowledge and this obedience of the Law the name of God is hallowed and without this it cannot be sanctified as it ought the Church of Rome is guilty of hindering the honour of God both in his Church and without and therefore is no way to be hearkned vnto or embraced as the true Church Let me therefore exhort you so many as do make conscience of hallowing the name of God in which our helpe standeth to exercise your selues in the reading hearing and studie of the holy word of God that you may know the Maiestie Wisedome Holinesse Power and goodnesse of that name that the name of the God of Iacob may defend you from all euill And to this purpose frequent you both diligently and reuerently the house of Gods name and honour where his word is read preached faithfully and sincerely make the Sabbath of the Lord which is a day appointed to the hallowing of Gods name especially your delight for this is the onely outward ordinarie meanes by God deuised and commanded for the making his name knowne to his Church 2. The inward meanes This is without vs for it is the worke of the holy Ghost the meanes to attaine this spirit of God to assist and enable this worke in vs by prayer for so our Sauiour saith If ye then being euill know how to giue good gifts to your children how much more shall your heauenly father giue the holy spirit to them that aske him the gift of this spirit is not obtained by all them that pray but by such onely as pray according to rule and though grace be not necessitated to the outward meanes yet the promise thereof is so annexed to the right vse of the means as we may be bold in that way to lay claime to it God neuer faileth his owne holy ordinances but they that giue themselues to the holy consideration of the workes and word of God and are feruent and frequent in praier such are in the eye and fauour of God and preuaile with him It is a short and sweete praier of Dauid let me commend it to you say it in your hearts often to your God Support and hold me with thy free spirit 2 When we know the name of God our next dutie is to be zealous of the glory of this name for else we do not sanctifie it as we ought Take heed that we doe not speake of it vainly that we doe not blaspheme it profanely that we doe not sweare by it but when we are lawfully called thereto that nothing in the world be more pretious in our estimation then this name of God for God is our blessednesse and the fulnesse of our ioy here reward hereafter his name is glorious and they that haue no other Gods but him will with their soules seeke him and in thought word and deed they will honour his name But God may
put away thy sinne thou shalt not dye Be ye mercifull as your heauenly father is mercifull to forgiue presently seeke peace much more giue and yeeld it to them that seeke it of thee the sooner the better Who will not stoppe a little leake in his ship and make his house theight although it be but a small drippe that drinkes in the raine Dauid saith I labour for peace The forgiuenesse that is put off to the death-bed when all hope of reuenge lies as sicke as the diseased person and as neare to deaths dore is feared to be rather the extortion of necessitie then the free worke of piety and charity As he that giueth so he that forgiueth doth it twise if he doe it quickly 2 Some forgiue but not heartily they make faire weather and heale the sores and binde vp the broken bones of friendship and peace with good countenances faire outward addresses and sweet words but their inward parts are all gall and wormewood their bowels are cruell Such hypocrites there be whose kisse of reconciliation is the seale of treason and their next imbracement is death they say as Ioab to Amasa Art thou well my brother when they meane them a present death Saint Cyprian comparing Caine and Abel in their seruice of godly sacrifice saith of them neque in sacrificijs quae Abel Cain primi obtulerunt munera eorum Deus sed corda intuebatur vt ille placeret in munere qui placebat in corde and therefore of Abel Meritò ille dum in sacrificio dei talis esset postmodum sacrificium deo factus est 3 Some forgiue but not totally there remaineth yet some roote of bitternesse for a day of requitall if it may come if God should forgiue vs all the sinnes of our whole life and should retaine but one euen the least of all for his iust reuenge that one were enough to shut the gates of mercy and glory against vs. Our Sauiour saith si quid habet aduersumte frater though it be neuer so little goe and be reconciled Long and sincere friendship doth follow euen reckonings The Master saith in the parable I forgiue thee all the debt 4 Some forgiue but they cannot forget Gods law is peremptorily against it Thou shalt not auenge nor beare any grudge the originall saith Thou shalt not auenge nor keepe that is remember for seruare intendeth seruare iram So Nahum saith The Lord reserueth wrath for his enemies so that not onely vltio but retentio is forbidden The Hebrewes haue thus exemplified it a man would borrow an Axe of his neighbour who will not lend him he commeth another time to his neighbour to borrow and hee answereth thou wouldest not lend mee ergo nor will I lend to thee this is vltio Reuben would borrow money of Simeon Simeon would not lend Simeon after would borrow of Reuben he answereth I will not I deny thee as thou didst me this is retentio both forbidden in the law Therefore as thou wouldest be forgiuen so forgiue for thou shalt be forgiuen as thou forgiuest Forgiue presently that peace may not be neglected Forgiue heartily that peace may not be falsehearted Forgiue totally that there be no after-reckonings Forgiue and forget that there may be an end of strife and then pray sicut nos You see in this petition how God hath put an hooke in our nosthrils and holdeth vs to it either wee must haue peace with men or we shall haue no peace with him The vncharitable man doth neuer pray this petition but he beggeth iudgement at the hands of God and desireth Gods anger I finde a complaint of Saint Chrysostome that multi nolentes dare veniam peccatoribus in se fugiunt istam orationem orare I remember that once I was asked this question by one troubled in his minde for this for hauing a desire as he profest to forgiue great iniuries done to him he yet suspected himselfe that his forgiuenesse was not so compleate as it is here required such as hee sought at the hands of God and he trembled to thinke of asking a iudgement against himselfe therefore hee demanded whether he might not omit that clause in this petition Sicut nos dimittimus I answered him with Saint Chrysostomes answer 1 Qui non sic orat vt Christus docuit non est Christi Discipulus 2 Non exaudit pater orationem nisi quam filius dictauerit And further I added that there is in flesh and bloud a reluctation against all good and therefore we may as well make question of the whole prayer as of that one clause For we pray that the name of God may be sanctified yet we doe not giue the honour due to that name We pray that the kingdome of God may come yet we liue out of the rule and awe of it We pray that the will of God may be done here as in heauen yet wee giue way continually to our owne wils We pray for bread yet wee are not contented with Gods allowance We pray for pardon of our sinnes and sinne on We would not be led into temptation yet euery one is tempted by his owne concupiscence We would be deliuered from euill yet the corruptions of our nature doe carry vs head-long into all sorts of euill Our comfort is that we send vp these our prayers to our Father who knoweth both our naturall infirmities and our good desires proceeding from his spirit and what measure of grace he hath giuen vs according to which he accepteth our prayers for Christ his sake And if I sinne against that corruption in my selfe which maketh my forgiuing of my neighbour defectiue and imperfect doing my best to performe this act of charity according to the law of peace though I come short of accomplishing the same I may safely desire that God to the vttermost of his perfect mercy would so forgiue me as I to the vttermost of that measure of grace which he hath giuen me doe the best to obey his law in forgiuing my brother Saint Augustine is comfortable and conformable in this Sed quoniam perfectorum sunt ista filiorum dei huc se debet omnis fidelis extendere humanum animum ad hunc affectum orando deum secumque agendo luctandoque perducere But I am not of his minde in that which followeth Procul dubio verba sponsionis huius implentur si homo rogatus vt dimittat dimittat ex corde sicut rogans a deo petit dimitti For I resolue that whether our enemie doe aske vs forgiuenesse or not we are bound by the law of charity vnasked to forgiue him I conclude this point pray as thou art taught and doe thy best to be like that which thou pretendest to affect euen in mercy and loue like thy heauenly father lege Ecclus 28. 3 We must haue respect in this petition to trespasses committed against vs for we must take heed that wee intermeddle not with any other forgiuenesse then
shall dye in our sinnes who then shall haue pitty on vs 7 If we forgiue not as we would be forgiuen will he not say to vs Oughtest not thou to haue forgiuen thy fellow seruant as I forgaue thee and he will require the vtmost farthing of our debt of vs. 8 If he leade vs into temptation and suffer our owne corruptions to guide vs or Sathans temptations to preuaile against vs how shall we be able to keepe faith and a good conscience 9 If hee doe not either preuent euils comming or support in euils incumbent or deliuer vs out of them how can we subsist in them Therefore our double Amen is requisite in all these 1 Signaculum sidci that we beleeue a necessitie of obtaining all these for Gods glory and our good 2 Votum desiderij that wee expresse an earnest and feruent desire to preuaile with God in all these 1 We must pray that his name may bee hallowed that 2 We may be partakers of his kingdome 3 We must desire that his will may be done that we may eate of his bread 4 We must desire forgiuenesse of sinnes past and protection against all after temptations that we may be deliuered from all euils of punishment and that Sathan may not touch vs. Leaue out nothing hee is our father of whom wee aske and he hath a full hand and our prayers will open it They whose hearts doe say Amen to some part of this prayer and their zeale tooleth in the rest obtaine nothing of God but pro corona fidei they haue poenam perfidiae How many be there in the world that cry heartily panem nostrum quotidianum and libera nos a malo who neither care for the name the kingdome nor the will of God they neither feele any inconuenience in sinne nor feare rather like temptations which haue a pleasing relish Like those that dye with tickling Others presse the first petition slightly concerning the name of God because they are profane and sweare by it They will allow God a kingdome and take it away by disobeying his will Bread they would haue but they thinke much to bee limited to aske for the day They like the forgiuenesse of their owne sinnes but not the sicut nos They feare not temptation euils they deprecate But Amen to all is our lesson 3 Amen to the conclusion i. In faith beleeuing kingdome power and glory to be his Amen So is it In zeale desiring that God may euer haue all due ascriptions Amen So be it 3 By whom it must be said All that pray must say Amen for as we pray one for another so one with another We haue one God one faith in that God one Baptisme into that faith one Eucharist the seale of the couenant one word the rule of faith and manners one prayer and one Amen They that bring their bodies without their hearts doe increase the company but they doe not mend the quire Cardinall Bellarmine confesseth vsum respondendi Amen antiquissimum in ecclesia But to come to Church onely to heare prayers and not to pray to pray and not to seale it with an Amen is to prophane the seruice and worship of God We are or should be an holy Priest-hood to offer vp vnto God the sacrifice of praise and the incense of prayers with one voyce one heart as Zeph. saith with one shoulder Multorum preces impossibile est contemni So all the congregation and euery part of it must say Amen to all the prayers and to euery petition of them And that was the reason why our holy Church did so dispose of the common prayers that the people should haue their part in sundry short eiaculations that their deuotions might be set a worke to ioyne with the Minister whereas in other reformed Churches the congregation hath nothing to say but Amen This was so well obserued in the Church in Saint Ieromes time that the people made the Church ring againe with the loud voyce of their ioynt Amen hee saith ad similitudinem coelestis tonitrui reboauit And the Iewes of old in their Synagogues did redouble it Amen Amen 4 How we must say Amen Caninius in voces novi testamenti saith there is 1 Amen pupillum a non intelligentibus 2 Surreptum spoken in hast before the prayer ended 3 Otiosum of them that minde it not 4 Iustorum and that must be said 1 With knowledge They that know thy name will trust in thee If we know what we pray for Who is the giuer of it For whose sake we aske it For what vse What need we haue say Amen heartily They that pray in a strange tongue pray without knowledge therefore God will say to the Church of Rome nescitis quid petatis They that say this prayer and vnderstand it not sinne as much in Our Father as they in Pater noster If God should say to them as Philip to the Eunuch intelligis quid dicis would they not say how can I without a teacher You haue beene taught take heed that you learne for All ignorant deuotion is no better then taking the name of God in vaine 2 Amen must be said with the spirit These two vnderstanding and the spirit must not be parted in our prayers I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the vnderstanding also As the Hart panteth after the water brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God So O God thou art my God early will I seeke thee my soule thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is This spirit is willing though the flesh be weake Our prayer is directed to him who is called the God of spirits who is also a spirit and to be serued in spirit and in truth This is the holy fire from Gods Altar which inflameth deuotion euen the zeale of this spirit this fireth the incense of our prayers and makes them ascend The Amen of the lips is thus welcome to God Populus hic honorat me labijs But let our soules and all that is within vs say Amen euen the hid man of the heart and God will answer vs with his Amen 3 Amen with faith Three things there are in God for faith to fasten on 1 Quia fidelis Dauid vrgeth him vpon that point Heare my prayer O Lord giue eare to my supplications in thy faithfulnesse answere me We pray in confidence of Gods promise for hee is faithfull that promised Saint Peter calleth him a faithfull Creator Commit the keeping of your soules to him in well doing as vnto a faithfull Creator 2 Quia potens We may say boldly with the paralitike Domine si vis potes me mundum facere Apud deum nihil est impossibile Omnia tibi seruiunt Amen may rest in that power which ruleth ouer all and doth quicquid vult 3 Quia volens The first compellation in this prayer is proofe enough of this quia
words and therefore some haue conceiued that these words haue their seuerall reference to each of the three petitions and are not a proper appendix to this alone but to the rest Hallowed be thy name in earth as it is in heauen so in the two following I approue the necessary implication of it in them all but I take it where I find it and it is a full Sicut a compleat example For in heauen are the Angels of God and Dauid saith of them faciunt voluntatem ejus there are the soules of iust men made perfect and now euer since his ascensiō there sitteth at the right hand of God he that taught vs to pray this prayer Who came into the world of purpose to do the wil of his father that sent him he continueth the office yet in heauen A mediator making intercession to the Father for his Church a mighty protector sending his Angels as ministering spirits for the good of them whom he hath called of purpose So that the example is full Iesus Christ the Angels in what difference so euer of ranke or degree the soules of the iust who are also tanquam angeli dei all these obey and fulfill the will of God in perfect obedience to the vttermost of what is exacted of them We pray fiat sicut That is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grudgingly but as Saint Paul saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to the Lord who knowes when he hath seruice that is due to him 1 They do the will of God willingly that is their meat and drinke as Christ said of himselfe here they haue no body of sinne to resist them they haue no flesh to oppresse and burthen them no temptation can fasten vpon them they alwaies behold the face of God attending vpon him to be commanded by him 2 They are exprest to vs as hauing winges wherein the holy Ghost doth declare to our apprehension the quicke readinesse of their expedition in the seruice of God So let Gods will bee done on earth speedily So Dauid I made hast and delaied not to keepe thy Commandements 3 They doe the will of God first for indeed they haue nothing else to doe here on earth wee haue many occasions for the necessities of the body to entertaine time and endeauour and God is so tender of our necessities as to dispense with his law in compassionate support of them But the Angels and heauenly spirits haue no other busines in heauen but to attend the will of God and to doe it at first their nature is so perfectly diuine that they are onely gouerned by the will of God there is nothing concerning themselues to be desired but the aduancement of Gods kingdome ouer all 4 They doe the whole will of God in full obedience For Dauid saith They doe Gods Commandements by obeying the voyce of his Word That is the right way of obedience to be directed by the voyce of the Word of God and to doe so as hee commandeth all that he biddeth Here note that this Sicut doth not imply aequalitatem that we should performe it in the same fulnesse of perfect complete obedience as they do which is impossible for them that dwell in houses of clay and who carrie about them Corpus peccati but qualitatem similitudinem so farre as in holy imitation wee can follow them as Iulus followed Aeneas Sequiturque patrem non passibus aequis This is the heroicall spirit of the elect of God they are therby carried towards perfection what they faile either in act of obedience or in endeuour of seruice that they supply with feruencie of holy desire God heareth the desires of the poore This is further holpen by our griefe of heart and holy sorrow for our weakenesse and holy indignation against our iniquities that hinder this obedience and holy carefulnesse to amend it and holy prayers to God to assist our endeuour herein It is obserued of Lot when hee laboured the conuersion of the Sodomites that his righteous soule was vexed from day to day with their vnlawfull deedes This also pleaseth God that our hatred of sinne in our selues and others do declare that wee seeke for the fulnesse of obedience that the will of God may be fulfilled according to the great example of heauenly seruice 4 What dueties are taught here 1 We must labour for the knowledge of the will of God so saith the Apostle That yee may prooue what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God That is first concerning the secret will of God wee must know that it is absolute not to be changed by God not to be resisted by man but implicitly to be yeelded vnto although we know it not we beleeue it doth decree all things out of wisedome and Counsaile with iustice and goodnesse and all for the best and when God shall by euents declare it to vs wee must know that God is to be praised and thanked for it How therefore we must remember in our deuotions to referre our petitions to this absolute will of God so that our petitions must be with reseruation of that will saluo semper decreto diuino For so Christ prayed his father to take the cup of his passion from him he hath warrant from the following petition to pray against all euill and against Sathan the suggester of it Libera nos a male But because it pleaseth God for some iust motiues in himselfe to determine the exercise of the patience of his Church in afflictions or for some other reason alwayes iust though often secret to let that euill come vpon vs against which we pray therfore our will in this stoopeth to the absolute will of God with that exception of our Sauiour Father if thou be willing remoue this cup from me neuerthelesse not mine but thy will be done Seeing this secret and absolute will of God is within himselfe the Saints of God by a generall warrant for prayer for all things needfull doe goe to God often for such things as in that free and absolute will he hath decreed not to grant and this may be done without sinne in the faithfull and without preuarication of this vnreuealed will of God So we pray for the peace of Ierusalem that is the Church of God when yet God may finde it fit in his wisedome to send the sword amongst them as we see in the Churches of Bohemia both the Palatinates and the French Protestants God hath declared his will to vs in that which they haue suffered and in that which as yet they endure vnder the Popish tyranny of those Iesuited Princes by whom the religion and truth of God is opprest Yet we pray still for their deliuerance from the hand of their enemies but neither disliking the effects nor doubting the wisedome nor quarrelling the counsell of God in this decree but submitting to it So we pray often for the recouerie of our
A GODLY LEARNED EXPOSITION TOGETHER with apt and profitable Notes on the LORDS PRAYER Written by the late Reuerend Orthodoxe Diuine and faithfull Seruant of Iesus Christ SAMVEL PAGE Doctor in Diuinity and Preacher of Gods Word at Deptford Stronde in the County of Kent Published since his death BY NATHANIEL SNAPE of Grayes Inne Esquire LONDON Printed by THOMAS HARPER 1631. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THOMAS Lord Couentry Baron of Ailsborough and Lord Keeper of the Great Seale of ENGLAND c. Right Honourable YOur naturall propensitie and noble inclination to Learning and Religion your good acceptance of this Authors little Manual of priuate Deuotions lately presented to your Lordship and my particular obligation are the cause of this my dedication My relation to the Author brought his papers to my hands and a desire of the Churches benefit bids me send them to the Presse I thought fit to begin with this vpon the Lords Prayer it being the Principle and Rudiment of Christian Religion And albeit diuers learned Expositors haue trauelled very farre in discouerie of the hidden treasure of this Celestiall Myne yet such is the mysterious plenteousnesse of this compendium of Diuinity which is a contexture of God Almighty his owne making as that it doth and euer will affoord continuall studie to the most laborious and curious searcher This is such a prayer as S. Augustine Math. 6. speaketh of Quae paucis verbis res multiplices comprehendit Cuius mysteriorum profunditate Ingeniosorum prudentia stupescit It is a prayer dictated out of Gods owne mouth for our studie and imitation and therefore I shall neede no other motiue to your Lordships fauourable acceptation hereof For the Author your Lordship had some knowledge of him he must be tam quam that is a right Minister of God all his life must as Saint Greg. super Eze. hom 3. saith sonare verbo ardere desiderio And that the Author was not vnlike thus farre I may safely aduenture to the praise of his memory that the Clergy thought him a reuerend learned and orthodoxe Diuine and that the Laytie found him alwaies painfully zealous in the Ministery vpright and conscionable in his life and conuersation how he hath approued himselfe by these his labours I doe in all humblenesse submit to your Lordships graue iudgement and the iudicious Reader Your Lordships humbly deuoted NATHANIEL SNAPE AN EXPOSITION VPON THE LORDS PRAYER LVC. 11.1 And it came to passe that as he was praying in a certaine place when he ceased one of his Disciples said vnto him Lord teach vs to pray as Iohn also taught his Disciples I Follow our Church Catechisme for after the law of the tenne Commandements this caution followeth know this that thou art not able to doe these things of thy selfe nor to walke in the Commandements of God and to serue him without his speciall grace which thou must learne at all times to call for by diligent praier And as we cannot obey without the helpe of praier neither can we pray without both 1 Teaching what and how to pray 2 Helpe and assistance in our praier The Apostle doth confesse this generall and common defect in vs all We know not what wee should pray for as we ought so there is a quid the matter of our praiers and a sicut the manner of them to be learned and there is an helpe to be sought for to carry vs through this holy duty that God may haue honour we good by our praiers Therefore I begin the doctrine of praier at this place wherein 1 There is example of praying shewed the best and greatest Christ himselfe 2 Thereupon a motion is made to Christ the best and ablest Doctor of the Church to direct in praier Doce nos 3 An instance giuen of the like Sicut Ioannes etiam docuit discipulos suos 1 Concerning the example It came to passe that he was praying in a certaine place This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 factum est doth intimate the example of purpose shewed to the Disciples to giue them this occasion to desire instruction in the vse of praier for by such baits the great Fisher of men doth catch men and if we could take notice of it God hath many meanes in continuall tender to vs to inuite and prouoke vs to guide also and direct vs to put vs on and encourage vs to those holy duties which please him Sathan and the world and the flesh cast out their baits of temptations to euill and few of them miscarry but they take Let vs not omit these liuing bookes of Doctrine these walking tables of duty when good examples offer themselues to our eyes especially seeing Saint Peter saith we must ambulare sicut ille wee are much bound to the loue of the holy Ghost who left vs these true Records of his walking that as his mediation with the Father is our way to glory so his example of good life may bee our way of holy conuersation It is that which the Apostle doth require in Timothy Be thou an example of the beleeuers in word in conuersation in charity in spirit in faith in purity and in Titus In all things shew thy selfe an example of good workes The Minister that buildeth onely by his Preaching is but an holy day Preacher but he that buildeth also by example is a continuall preacher Me audite hath life in it when it is followed with sequimini me you shall see after how this good example wrought Christ praied there is often mention of Christs praying the Author to the Hebrewes saith that in the daies of his flesh he cried with strong cryes He spent a whole night in praier He rose in the morning a great while before day hee went out and departed into a solitarie place and there praied So that hee hath giuen himselfe to vs an example of praier of frequent of feruent praier of publike of priuate and secret praier Consider then who giueth vs example of praier the Sonne of God in whom dwelleth the fulnesse of the God-head bodily and who thought it no robberie to be equall with God who therefore is heire of all things and who was in want of nothing who could say Omnia mea tua sunt omnia tua mea sunt There be three vses of praier 1 For necessity some say that petitio est soboles indigentiae and so Christ needed not to pray for he wanted no grace which God had to bestow vpon his humane nature but praier is our city of refuge for our helpe is in the name of the Lord. The name of the Lord is a strong tower to them that trust in him the righteous runneth into it and is safe Praier acquainteth God with our necessities not that he is ignorant of them for wee say well that he knoweth our necessities before we aske and our ignorance in asking and he desireth not our praiers for his owne information but that wee may declare our selues
the Lord say spare thy people O Lord. And the people declare their assent to his praiers by their ioynt Amen The Iewes vttered this with great zeale and therefore doubled it saying Amen Amen They had foure sorts of Amen at praiers whereof three they condemned and refused 1 Was that Amen which was giuen to praiers that they vnderstood not they called it Iethima like to the Amen in the latine seruice which the people doe not vnderstand onely they know when the praier is ended and for fashion sake they say Amen 2 Was that Amen surreptum which was vttered before the praier was finished which shewed a wearinesse they would faine haue it done 3 Otiosum when the people did ioyne only in the Amen at the close and took no regard to the praier going before which is the most general fault of congregations 4 Tzaddik the Amen of the iust whose hearts following the voyce of the prayer quite through the mind and intention zealously affixed to the holy worship concluded with an Amen And Saint Ierome commending the deuotion of Christians in his time doth say that the noise of the Church at this Amen was reboatus Amen ad similitudinem coelest is tonitrui The proper places for these publike meetings be those houses of God which are consecrated to praier our Churches and Oratories and Chappels Priuate praier doth not discharge vs of the duty of publike praier with the Church though some schismatickes and separatists too confident in their owne gift of praier and ill affected to the Church seruice and vncharitably preiudicate against their brethren doe despise our Church praiers and thinke their duty sufficiently discharged in their priuate deuotions For in all ages of the Church since Christ Christians as they were able did striue to erect houses of prayer Temples for the publike conuentions of people to the worship of God They begun this euen in the time of their persecution and euer since they haue had the estimation of Religion and deuotion that haue aduanced any such workes for the accommodating of congregations to this worship as our Church Homily of prayer hath very fully and profitably exprest This prayer of Christ here mentioned was priuate and though he retired from his Disciples as it may bee conceiued to some priuate place yet they take notice of his errand and thereupon followeth 2 The motion following When he ceased one of his Disciples said to him Lord teach vs to pray Wherein I obserue 1 The discreet seasonablenesse of the time for this motion quando cessauit 2 The manner of it one of his Disciples 3 The motion it selfe doce nos orare 1 Of the seasonablenesse of the motion When he ceased after his praier was ended and that he returned to his Disciples this was moued Christ withdrawing from them to this priuate place to pray did admonish them of his desire to be priuate and therefore in good manners they would not interrupt him with vnseasonable Interpellation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 It is our lesson from hence not to giue ouer our prayers to God till wee haue brought our seruice to a pawse it is one of the quarrels against our Church seruice the longsomnesse of it yet the whole seruice at the longest distinctly read may bee well comprehended within an houre and Christ speaketh it passionately and taking it vnkindely Could you not watch with mee one houre Let vs not be weary of well doing Thou louest to bring all thy businesse to a full end that concerneth thy estate or thy delight and wilt thou slight the greatest worke of all which crowneth all the rest with the blessing of God by thy vnconstant and vnfixt indeuotion thinke not the time long that thou spendest in conference with thy God finish thy holy worke with him and then returne to thy occasions as Christ did 2 It is our lesson from the example of these Disciples not to interrupt the deuotions of others not to hinder their praiers it is a kinde of quenching of the spirit in our selues and others to disturbe deuotion or to interpose in an vnseasonable time to hinder Gods seruice It is obserued in Samuel that when he had assembled the people in Mispeh to pray to the Lord and to offer sacrifice that the Philistins hearing of their meeting came vpon them neither Samuel nor the people gaue ouer the seruice that they were then about but rather the more earnestly applied it for The children of Israel said vnto Samuel cease not to cry vnto the Lord our God for vs and hee will saue vs out of the hand of the Philistins and God answered their praiers and desires with desired successe But Saul contrarily vpon the comming of the Philistines against Israel and being then with the Priest to haue consulted with God about that assault hearing of their neere approach said to the Priest Withdraw thy hand and interrupted the consultation and went immediately to the battaile which though it succeeded well for Israels sake yet Saul did quench his owne spirit in neglecting the ordinance of God and hindering the Priest of the Lord in his holy office Amongst our selues let vs take warning not to doe any thing that may disturbe one anothers priuate or publike deuotions If we haue any thing to say to one that is praying let vs after this example of these disciples tarry the time till it come to an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men will take it ill to be troubled in the time of their game or in the presse of a serious businesse or in some earnest conference or in the times of their refection these are no fit times of interpellation who dares take off or call aside a subiect that is speaking to a King who is a man and shall we withdraw one that is in speech with almighty God Doe not say now is best talking with him he is in a good minde For I say vnto you hee that prayeth to God as hee should is not his owne man for the time he is in the spirit and hath abstracted himselfe from the world and euen from himselfe to attend vpon God Therefore prayer is called a pouring forth of our soules before God 2 The manner of this suite One of his Disciples One of them but it is not said which of them but one of them it appeares in the behalfe of the rest of them with himselfe and so Christ did vnderstand him and therefore in answer he said to them verse 2. when ye pray It seemeth by this that the example of Christ tooke amongst them for whilest Christ was from them praying we finde it agreed vpon amongst them to make this motion Obserue in this the power of a good example for when it is in the eyes of them that desire to serue God aright it worketh in them an affection of imitation There were heretiques that denied any originall sinne by propagation but charged all the euill that corrupteth man vpon imitation surely
although they went too farre in this opinion of the force of imitation wee may truely charge a great deale euen the most of our euill vpon it It giueth all Superiors warning to obserue their whole carriage warily For children wil take great notice what their Parents say or doe the eyes of the Hand-maid vpon the hand of her Mistresse the eyes of Pupils on their Tutors of Subiects to their Soueraigne and their good example may doe much good their ill example may corrupt and peruert much here Christs example of praying did put them all vpon it to make a motion concerning praier Obserue also a modest ciuill manner obserued amongst them though there were many of them I suppose the full number of his Disciples yet but one speaketh for all It is a good precept of the Apostles and applyable to all conuersations of men Let all things be done decently and in good order In our publique meetings where all of vs doe come to moue our God in petitions for things necessary for vs it were a rude and vnciuill confusion if we should all speake at once euery man the desire of his heart therefore the Minister is appointed to speake for vs all and we as before declare our consent of hearts either in some short eiaculation of prayer or in our deuout Amen 3 The motion it selfe Lord teach vs to pray Wherein obserue 1 That they found it a necessary duty to pray 2 That they found themselues not well instructed in that duty and therefore desired to be taught 3 That they resort to their Master and intreate him to teach them 1 They finde it a necessary duty If there had beene no other prouocation but the example of their faithfull Master that had beene sufficient to proue to them the necessitie of this duty 1 I cannot conceiue of these Disciples that they were vtterly ignorant of this duty before because I know that prayer which is the inuocation of power able to helpe vs as we beleeue is a suggestion of nature for as no man is simpliciter atheos but beleeues in some deity whose power is sufficient to protect them from euill and to giue them supply of their wants so naturall reason directeth to seeke that protection and supply by way of petition and therefore in the ship that transported Ionah in the storme euery man called vpon his god Euery man had a god to whom he might flye in time of need and danger and in that extremitie to that god euery man directed his prayer therefore the Disciples could not be ignorant of this duty which is a lesson taught in the schoole of nature 2 The practise of the Church taught them the vse of prayer there was Domus orationis and men vsually went vp thither to pray The Scribes and Pharises were great examples of frequent of long prayers Neither can I suspect these Disciples strangers to the better examples of the holy men and women of foregoing times whose holy deuotion and worship of God those Bookes of Scripture which then were read publiquely in their Synagogues did sufficiently declare But all this is helped and their affections be now by Christs example stirred to apprehend the necessity therof more then before Examples be of great vse in this kinde Beloued this is a necessary point to be taught and beleeued whosoeuer shall desire to be instructed in the doctrine of prayer let him be first perswaded of the necessity of this duty Two things doe make this duty of prayer necessary in the Church and amongst the holy seruants of God 1 The ordinance of God who hath commanded it 2 Our owne necessities which are no other way to be relieued 1 Concerning Gods ordinance We finde it often commanded in Scripture in direct termes and it is implied in the two great Commandements of the Law for not onely obedience is commanded therein but all those holy duties also by which our obedience may be any waies furthered and that giues great place in the precept to prayer seeing that is the chiefest meanes by which we doe obtaine that ability by which the law of God is in any measure fulfilled And therefore it is a note of the faithfull that they be viri orationum and where God giueth his spirit there is prayer for his is a spirit of grace and supplications Vnder the name of prayer is comprehended the whole duty of Christian religion for the Apostle saith Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued Which words are taken from the Prophet Ioel as the margent of the Bibles directeth you And it is vrged also by the Apostle Saint Peter And the Apostle doth well declare that prayer is the chiefe part of Gods worship by that gradation for no man praieth aright but he that beleeueth and none beleeueth but hee that hath heard and none can heare without a Preacher none can Preach except he be sent In which gradation you may obserue the whole worke of mans guiding to saluation is accomplished in prayer For first God sendeth his Minister to Preach his word to his Church he is not disobedient to the heauenly calling but goeth on the errand of God and preacheth in season and out of season The faithfull heare the word from him faith commeth by this hearing and doth bring forth this ripe fruit of inuocation so that the worke of meanes is compleate in prayer and saluation followeth which maketh prayer the summe of Christian duty and to stand there for the whole exercise and practise of religion In the contrary Dauid describing the vngodly by many notes doth conclude with this as the last and strongest proofe to conuince them of vngodlinesse They call not vpon the name of the Lord. The reason on Gods part is for by prayer God is honoured This declareth him to be God when the eyes of all things looke vp to him when wee seeke his face and confesse him the onely giuer of euery good and perfect gift this is a sacrifice of righteousnesse With such sacrifices GOD is pleased so that our Sauiour pressed no doctrine more by precept then prayer in three seuerall words commanding the same thing Petite quaerite pulsate And to encourage the seruice hee directeth vs both in the matter and forme of praier and in the way and meanes to the Father in his name and he fortifieth the precept with full and gratious promises made to them that doe pray to him And the Apostles doe so much vrge this duty Saint Paul to pray continually to put our whole strength to prayer Saint Iames vrgeth the same precept and sheweth that wisedome is obtained by prayer and declareth what it is that makes many prayers miscarry when we aske amisse But the feruent prayers of the iust doe speed alwaies 2 Another matter that necessitateth the duty of prayer is that God hath left vs no other reuealed meanes to obtaine supply of our wants but by prayer insomuch as
what God hath directly promised to vs yet hee requireth vs to demand this of him by prayer whether it be for giuing vs good things or for remouing euill from vs. God himselfe doth giue it a cause of his indignation against Iacob Thou hast not called vpon me O Iacob therefore I haue giuen Iacob to the curse and Israel to reproach God in fauour meant to forgiue the friends of Iob who had not spoken right of him as Iob had done and therefore he blameth them and sheweth his anger kindled against them yet notwithstanding hee directeth them the way of their reconciliation to him They must offer sacrifice to God for themselues and Iob must pray for them Him I will accept saith God so his prayer preuailed for them with God The like fauour God meant to Abimelech yet hee passed it to him by prayer by the prayer of Abraham He is a Prophet he shall pray for thee viues Pharaoh himselfe could discerne that there was no way out of the plague that oppressed Egypt but by prayer and therefore he saith to Moses Intreate the Lord that he may take away the Frogges from me and my people It is obiected that the wicked of the earth doe possesse many great fauours of God and in more plenty then the iust and yet they neither pray for what they want nor giue thankes for what they receiue and indeed God is not in all their waies Let not this quench our zeale or abate any thing from the reuerent frequencie of this holy duty for God the Father hath two manners and kindes of distribution and dispensation of his fauours amongst the children of men here on earth 1 God bestoweth his gifts as a faithfull Creator and so he is conseruer of his creatures by a generall prouidence and thus he letteth his Sunne shine and his raine fall vpon the iust and vniust thus he openeth his hand and filleth all things with plenty 2 God bestoweth other fauours as a mercifull Father for Iesus Christs sake and with those fauours his blessing goeth forth and passeth vpon them onely that feare him for seeing he hath ordained Christ his Sonne to be the way of his blessing all the benefits that he bestoweth on man without the mediation of Iesus Christ doe come without his blessing The vngodly of the earth doe receiue many of Gods common gifts but not by the way of grace therefore they are without his blessing so that we cannot esteeme the owners thereof rich seeing the blessing of God maketh man truely rich But whatsoeuer the vngodly possesse is to them vnsanctified therefore let not our eye be set vpon that which they haue and enioy to enuy their prosperity rather let vs consider the want of Gods blessing to lament their miserie and let Saint Paul teach vs that The good things which God bestoweth on his deare children are sanctified by the word of God and by prayer Thus the gifts of God are made blessings to vs the holy Ghost hath an hand in the dispensation of them to Gods glory in vs the aduancement of our saluation The difference betweene these two receiuers doth appeare to vs 1 In the effect that these gifts worke in them 2 In the vse to which they are applied 1 For the effect Where God for Christs sake doth bestow and wee doe receiue good things from him there followeth contentation which euer accompanieth godlinesse but the vngodly man is neuer satisfied 2 For the vse The iust man applieth all the gifts of God to three ends 1 To the glory of God for he vseth the gifts of God as the faculties of well doing whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glory of God 2 To the good of our neighbour for that is the law proximum tuum vt teipsum so that in the Church of God there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and both our spirituall and temporall gifts doe by communion of charity so participate themselues to our brethren and sisters as the stomach in the body receiueth in nourishing food not for it selfe onely though into it selfe first but for the good of the whole body 3 Because the end of our creation was not for this life and we haue here no abiding city therefore the faithfull doe apply all the gifts of God as helpes to the prosecution of eternall life whereas the vngodly finde them impediments to them the cause is for they make them the end of their labours and fixe their hearts vpon them The doctrine of the necessity of prayer is thus cleared from the Commandement by which it is imposed and from our necessities no other way to be relieued 2 In the next place I obserued in those Disciples that they found themselues not well instructed in that seruice of God and therefore desire to be taught And this is a common defect for although by a naturall instinct we know that good things are sought by prayer and the wants and griefes which we doe feele will easily breake forth into words yet the Apostle saith Wee know not what wee should pray for as we ought I vnderstand that the Apostles doe here desire to be instructed 1 In the matter of prayer what to aske 2 In the manner of it as they ought But because this motion doth arise from a sense of defect in themselues we know not saith Saint Paul 1 Then of that sense 1 Euery man hath this defect for flesh and bloud is not wise enough to pray prayer is the worke of a better spirit then that which enliues and actuates our mortall bodies it is the worke of the holy Ghost the same spirit that is the spirit of grace is also the spirit of supplications But euery man doth not feele this defect for many doe ouerweene their ability this way and despise the helpe of all set prayers and take vpon them to be able without any other directions to tell their owne tales to God Almighty and vpon this ability which they conceiue in themselues for this seruice they doe neglect the publique meetings of our Church to our common prayers I iudge not their sufficiencie that way but I must admonish you that you doe mistrust it euery man in himselfe so farre as to put all the feare and holy reuerence you can to this worke For if we be carefull in petitions to great personages and Princes to weigh our words and to aduise with our best care both what and how we desire This holy seruice of God which is so maine a part of Gods worship cannot bee vndertaken with too much feare and reuerence wee cannot come too prepared to this conference with our God They that are sensible hereof as no doubt these Apostles were doe well to desire to be taught Wee had need to bee taught our owne and it is not quenching the spirit in our brethren to admonish them of this naturall vnfitnesse that is in vs to pray
we examine you what is meant by the name of God what it is to hallow it what is meant by the kingdome of God and how would you haue it come c. If you doe not vnderstand what you aske of God in these petitions are you any better then those byrds that are taught to speake but cannot vnderstand And doe not the Papists pray to as good purpose in Latine as you in English if you vnderstand not what you aske Therefore for your better information resort to such as Christ hath left in his Church to instruct you and say doce me orare For if you vnderstand not your selues in your petitions neither will God vnderstand you 2 We must pray with reuerence This must be inward of the soule and outward of the body The soule must compose it selfe in holy feare to this conference with God lest when we doe seeke for mercy from him we awake his power and iustice against our selues Our prayer applyeth it selfe that way from whence our helpe commeth and Our helpe is in the name of the Lord who hath made heauen and earth Prayer is called the calling vpon the name of the Lord and David saith holy and reuerent is his name The old law amongst the heathen for their homely gods was Deos castè adeunto There is in God greatnesse which filleth vs with feare and goodnesse which filleth vs with hope the inward reuerence that we must bring with vs to prayer must be a mixt composition of the heart partly put on with hope and partly stopped with feare for all feare will keep vs away from God and all hope will make vs too bold when we come to him To this must be added to expresse this outward reuerence for the body must not sit out in this holy seruice that is the temple of the holy ghost euery whit of it must shew reuerence I deny not but the heart may pray reuerently to God in inward deuotion when no appearance thereof comes abroad in voice in posture in gesture in countenance But ordinarily the prostration of the body or geniculation the lifting vp of the eyes and hands haue beene the expressions of prayer in great examples And the consideration of the great and high Maiestie of God may well stoope vs to these reuerend formes which ought not to be forborne where with conuenience they may be vsed for God challengeth it as a part of his honour To mee shall euery knee bow and he giues it in reward to his sonne that at his name euery knee shall bow and euery tongue shall confesse to him 3 In perfect sense of our want 1 For if we pray for good things wee must feele the want of them and rightly vnderstand that neither wee can well be without them neither are we able to receiue them any where else then from the open giuing hand of God neither can we desire them of him by any meritorious seruice we can performe to him rather wee deserue all ill at his hands malum poenae to reuenge in vs malum culpae Neither can we haue them from him but by way of petition as he hath commanded vs. 2 If we pray against euill wee must feele our selues iustly imbarqued in the feare or smart thereof and that none but the preseruer of man can either preuent the euill that we feare or subuent vs in the euill wee feele none but he can defend vs against it or protect vs in it or deliuer vs from it Therefore we must heartily affect the good that we pray for and perfectly abhorre the euill against which we pray 4 We must pray in feruencie of spirit so the Apostle admonishing vs to many holy duties addeth this Continuing instant in prayer for qui timidè rogat docet negare and therefore hee requireth vs to be feruent in the spirit olla feruens seipsum purgat The prayer of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent It is noted in the best example of all that Christ in the daies of his flesh offered vp his prayers and supplications to his Father with strong cries and teares the Euangelist addeth with sweat trickling downe his face of water and bloud which was like the plague of fire mingled with haile amongst the Egyptians for that shower of water and bloud which Christ wept from his agonized body did lay and calme the storme of Gods indignation against sinne and did burne vp and drown the proud Prince of darkenesse that he was neuer able to preuaile against the Church and death was swallowed vp in victory The greatest prayer is that holy fire with which the Church fighteth against Sathan and therefore feruent prayer is by Saint Augustine called Deo sacrificium oranti subsidium daemonibus flagellum They that offer vp to God their prayers in the heate of fury as the two sonnes of thunder let fire come from heauen and consume the Samaritans and that vent the bitternesse of their intemperate spleene in curses and imprecations to Gods dishonour and the breach of charity they do offer strange fire and this offering doth expose the offerers thereof to the fire of Gods fury This feruor is in respect of the holinesse of God 5 We must pray in sincerity of heart not in hypocrisie the sincere heart is in good earnest with God and therefore is importunate resembled therefore to hunger 〈…〉 man which indangereth miscarrying if it be not satisfied There is no way for prayers that come of some double hearts God is one and Cor simplex that is sine plicis is his delight this in respect of the wisedome of God 6 We must pray in faith Let vs draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith And Saint Iames Let him aske in faith nothing wauering for hee that wauereth is like a waue of the sea driuen with the wind and tossed for let not that man thinke that hee shall receiue any thing of the Lord. The ground of this faith is the goodnesse and truth of God whose promise bindeth him to grant all that wee aske of him in the name of his Sonne 7 Wee must pray in the mediation of Iesus Christ for if we consider the greatnesse and glory of God it is such that the Angels when they stand before God doe couer their faces with their wings therefore there is no appearing for vs sinfull men in the presence of that glorious Maiestie of our selues but we must goe by the way of a Mediatour to him This was figured in the old law in the High Priest who did beare the names of the children of Israel before the Lord. Aaron was a figure of Iesus Christ who is declared our onely Mediatour for there is one God and one mediatour betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus Quid est dulcius quam genitorem in nomine vnigeniti inuocare Aug. med cap. 5. So much of the world as acknowledge
last to it For as the Psalmist The Lord is king be the earth neuer so impatient hee sitteth betweene the Cherubimes But the kingdome of God is opposed by sundry enemies and he hath committed the vengeance of his enemies to his Son who when he hath subdued all the enemies of his fathers kingdome to him then shall the kingdome of God appeare in ful glorie and there shall be none left to oppose it or to rise against it 3. Where it is said that the Sonne himselfe by whom all the enemies of this kingdome shall be subdued shall then be subiect to the father this reuealeth a double mysterie of grace to the Church 1 That the Sonne hauing finished the office of his Mediatourship betweene God and man shall not lay downe his humanity with it for when it is said that the Sonne shall be subiect to the Father that cannot be in respect of his Diuinity for so he is equall to the Father he must therefore continue man still 2 The vse of the humanity of Christ retained after the accomplishment of his office and the deliuery vp of the kingdome of his Father is another gratious mystery for he remaineth still the head of the Church and that is the knot of our vnion to the Father for Christ hath a double Office 1 One of reconciling the Church to his Father 2 Another of confirming and establishing the Church in this glory He drawes vs to him by his word by his spirit that he may reconcile vs and so he presenteth vs to his father without spot or wrinckle and confirmeth vs in that state both of fauour glory by maintaining our vnion with him for which he keepeth the hypostaticall vnion eternally vndissolued Indeed that Hypostaticall vnion of the Diuine nature with our humanity is not compleate in absolute perfection till wee be one with him as he is with the father which hee prayeth for And therefore the Apostle calleth the Church triumphant The fulnesse of him that filleth all in all for when he hath drawen all to him and made them one with him as he is one with the Father then there is that perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he desireth and no opposition left to resist or disturbe it for euer Then the father is declared vniuersall King and his glory is reuealed without any Eclipse all the clouds which obscured it are remooued all the enemies of it vtterly confounded Then is he both reuealed and confest The King of glory Now you haue heard how many sorts of kingdomes God hath the next question is which of these kingdomes we pray for that it may come And here I wonder that I finde great interpreters both ancient and moderne at some difference some vnderstanding the petition of one others of another of these kingdomes but the solution is easie and it is worke for another day to resolue it To cleare this question of which of these kingdomes this is meant one obiection is made that these three first petitions of this prayer by consent of most interpreters are to be referred wholly to the glory of God and concerne God onely from whence it is concluded that wee pray not here for the kingdome of grace by which God ruleth in his Church at large and particularly in the soules and consciences of the faithfull for to pray so is to pray for our selues And the same is alleaged for the kingdome of glory which God giueth to his chosen for they say to pray for the comming of that is also to pray for our selues and for our owne future glory And for the first which is the kingdome of Gods power by which hee ruleth the world which hee hath made that is thought not to be here meant because that kingdome hath euer beene come since God began the world begun in the creation and proceeding in the conuersation and gubernation thereof Therefore it is concluded that no other kingdome here is praied for but the last of Gods full glory when Christ shall haue subdued all his enemies vnder his feet and shall then himselfe be subiect to him when God shal be all in all To which obiection my answer is that the ground of this dispute is false and fallacious that only the glory of God is desired in the three first petitions without respect had at all to our selues For in the first petition when wee desire of God the hallowing of his name doe we not desire that it may be hallowed by vs and therein we doe as well begge our owne sanctification to that holy seruice as the speciall honour of Gods name for as I haue shewed the name of God will be glorified in despight of all opposers but it is sanctified onely by such as are holy So in this second petition we exclude not our selues though we seeke the glory of God we doe withall seeke our owne glorie in it therfore I am not carried with the strong streame of our later writers though of reuerend memorie in the Church of God to shrinke vp this petition to any one of these aboue mentioned kingdomes but I shall euer in my deuotions comprehend them all 1 We desire the comming of the kingdome of Gods power in the generall gouernment of the world for though that kingdome be come already in part yet it may be more declared to the world then yet it is and it must be exercised with the continuation of the world yet more and more and that we pray for For how many nations and languages of the world yet are there who though they doe confesse some deity whom they pretend to serue yet they are not come to this knowledge to beleeue and confesse that The Lord is King The comming of the Kingdome of Gods power to these may declare him King of kings and Lord of Lords Though the Deuill could not catch the Sonne of God in this net hee hath preuailed with many to make them beleeue that hee is the supreme Monarch of this world and that all the kingdomes of the earth are at his dispose which maketh many goe to the Deuill for the kingdomes of this world though some ouer-weaning the Popes temporall power by which hee claimeth a Monarchicall supremacie ouer the kingdomes of all the world haue sought to him for such high preferment For the Pope stands as stiffly vpon the claime of all the kingdomes subiection to him as the Deuill doth They are all giuen to me and to whomsoeuer I will I giue them Therefore I pray let thy kingdome O Lord declare it selfe and let the Deuill and the Pope both know and learne the lesson which thou taughtest proud Nabuchadnezar that The most high ruleth in the kingdome of men and giueth it to whomsoeuer he will Let all the nations of the earth know that these two great impostors the Deuill the Pope do gull their credulous deuotoes for neither of them hath any thing to doe with the kingdomes of the
it exceeding ioy when ye fall into diuers temptations this is probatio fidei Dauid beggeth this of God proue me O Lord and try me Saint Augustine Hic vre hic seca this is euer meant to Gods glory and for our good we deprecate it not wholly we pray against the first of these which is Gods leading vs into temptation ad poenam cùm delinquimus for this is Gods act for the punishment of some former to leaue vs to Sathans power for a time 3 Desertio in poena So Iob was by God led into temptation when God gaue Sathan leaue to vexe him with many afflictions wherein God did so hide and conceale his protection that the faith and patience of Iob were staggered and suffered a very hard assault And in like manner was Ieremiah led into temptation when his passion brake forth into some extremities And Saint Paul knew that it was God who led him into that great temptation when the Angell of Sathan buffeted him and hee therefore did thrice beseech the Lord that he might depart from him this was one of Gods desertions wherein hee left his faithfull seruants for a time of which himselfe speaketh by his holy Prophet For a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a little season During the fit the seruants of God wanting the light of this countenance of God discouer great weakenesse as you haue heard in the former examples and it will better appeare if you heare themselues vtter their own passions Dauid felt this desertion strongly when he complained Will the Lord cast off for euer and will he be fauourable no more Is his mercy cleane gone for euer doth his promise faile for euermore Hath God forgotten to be gratious hath he in anger shut vp his tender mercies Here Gods desertion led Dauid into temptation This kinde of desertion in punishment the Sonne of God himselfe felt on the Crosse which brake forth into that bitter complaint when he said My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Here was no doubt of the loue of God but here the plaintiue smarted and in the anguish of his paine complained of what he suffered being for the time engulfed in afflictions This was Gedeons case the Angell of the Lord said to him The Lord is with thee he replyed O my Lord if the Lord be with vs why then is all this befallen vs where be all his miracles which our Fathers told vs of saying Did not the Lord bring vs out of Egypt but now the Lord hath forsaken vs and deliuered vs into the hands of the Midianites Many of Gods faithfull seruants finde and feele in themselues a decay of faith an vnwillingnesse and vnablenesse to pray a feare and almost a despaire of the presence and fauour of God a quenching of the spirit in them Some are so farre gone in this desertion as to apprehend the disfauour of God so deepely as to see no way out of it for the time and therefore they iudge themselues vnworthy to liue any longer and are tempted by Sathan to destroy themselues Some are left in their sinnes as Dauid and Peter were and many of Gods Saints who doe many things amisse All these cases are full of danger and require of vs to be importunate suiters to our God for his fauour that hee would not leade vs into any of these temptations that he would not be a looker on or stand farre off when we are thus assaulted that he would not keepe in the influence of his grace from working effectually in vs first ne veniant secondly ne vincant And here for comfort of the faithfull in these kinde of temptations we are taught 1 That there is danger in these temptations but God hath in mercy directed vs where to seek helpe remedy euen from our father which is in heauen and hee that biddeth vs aske his helpe hath promised to giue to them that aske and to open to them that knocke at the gates of his mercy therefore Christ biddeth vs pray ne nos inducas 2 That it is God that leadeth his seruants into these temptations from whence we may comfortably conclude 1 That they shall not preuaile totally and finally against vs for God will suffer no man to be tempted beyond his strength but will giue issue to the temptation though they doe not sodainly finde the way out of them and though they presse and oppresse vs for the time with great violence for his compassions faile not 2 That he which taught vs this prayer the sonne of God was man and himselfe indured temptation and was in all things tempted like to vs and ouercame these temptations for vs. 3 That Christ our Sauiour doth assist vs in our temptations with his prayers to the Father as he said to Peter But I haue prayed for thee that thy faith may not faile 4 That God in these spirituall and temporall desertions doth giue vs grace for grace that if he hide himselfe from vs by with-holding one necessary grace the want whereof doth disquiet vs and put vs in feare yet he gratiously supplieth vs otherwise with some other fauour wherein he secretly signifieth to vs that he hath not quite forsaken vs. So when Dauid by the treasonable insurrection of his sonne saw a curtaine drawne betweene him and the face of his God yet God in fauour gaue him an humble and patient heart to cast himselfe at his foote and to tarry in expectation of his will If the Lord thus say I haue no delight in thee behold here I am let him doe to mee as seemeth good in his eyes Though he giue not the grace of taking away from vs the Angell of Sathan that buffereth vs as he did Paul he saith my grace is sufficient for thee he armeth vs with such fortification and munition as shall safeguard vs from Sathans victory Or if he giueth not the grace of remoue of our temptations from vs in stead thereof hee remoueth vs in grace and good fauour from them The righteous is taken away from the euill to come so to Iosiah Behold I will gather thee to thy fathers in peace and thine eyes shall not see the euill that I will bring vpon this place Or if he take away from vs the sense of his loue and feeling of the comforts of his spirit in stead thereof hee giueth vs an holy desire and longing after him which the Apostle calleth sighes and groanes which cannot bee exprest as in Dauid I cryed vnto God with my voyce euen vnto God with my voyce and hee gaue eare vnto me 2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord my soare â—â—nne in the night and ceased not my soule refused to be comforted Reade on and you shall find that God did not leaue him comfortlesse but when hee could not feele the fauour of God he found the grace of prayer and perceiued that God heard him By this that
life may be fit to minister comfort to soules sicke of the leprosie of sinne yet none can purge this leprosie by forgiuing the sinnes and absoluing the sinner from the guilt and punishment of them but the ministers who are called and separated by the voyce of God to that office It is well exprest in the words of Christ for when he speaketh of this power of absolution and giueth it to his Apostles he vseth the same word to them which he vseth in the Lords prayer for in my Text he teacheth vs to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to them hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For as God hath reconciled the world to himselfe by Iesus Christ so hath he giuen to vs the ministery of reconciliation So that the Ministers forgiuing of sinnes is no intrusion vpon the rights of God no impeachment of the honour of God but it is his owne act declared by his own ordinance and by his appointment particularly applyed Yet haue we no warrant to say to our Minister forgiue vs our sinnes but hauing declared to him our repentance we may pray to God for his pardon and desire our Minister by the power giuen to him by Iesus Christ to pronounce it to vs. This power was in the Church long before the comming of Christ into the world as it may appeare by the words of Elihu to Iob. For he speaking of the remedy which God hath ordained for the restoring of sinners saith If there be with him an Angell an Interpreter one among a thousand to shew vnto man his vprightnesse Then hee is gratious vnto him and saith Deliuer him from going downe into the pit I haue found a ransome Obserue Gods ordinance in calling a Minister to bee his Angell or messenger euery man is not fit for this seruice such a one is one of a thousand to him God committeth the office of an interpreter to declare to man his vprightnesse that is to comfort him against the terrours of his sinne by preaching to him the doctrine of Iustification by the righteousnesse of Christ To him is committed the office of deliuering a sinner from the pit that is from hell and that is by absoluing him from his sinnes this is the greatest power that is left vnto any creature vpon earth For to vse the words of the holy Ghost to which of the Angels did God say at any time that he should deliuer a soule from going downe into the pit To the King is committed the ciuill gouernment of vs in policie to the Lawyer the care of our goods and good name to the Physitian the care of our health of body to the Souldier the care of our goods and liues but our soules are committed to the care of the Minister to saue them So saith the Apostle Thou shalt be able to saue thy selfe and those that heare thee which made Saint Ambrose say Nihil in hoc saeculo excellentius Sacerdotibus Our power is to deliuer men vp to Sathan by binding and to saue them from going downe to the pit by loosing of them from their sinnes Master Caluin is iudicious and moderate in this point for he aduiseth sinners that are burthened in their consciences for sinne rather to seeke the remedy in the meanes ordained and setled by God in the Church then any other way which is to exonerate their conscience of the burthen of sinne to some godly learned and discreet Minister of the word Cuius officium est publicè priuatim pop dei euangelica doctrina consolari But such an euen course must be held herein vt tyrannidem abesse velint a se a populo superstitionem Therefore let me admonish you in the holy feare of God to seeke the forgiuenesse of sinnes and the peace of your consciences in the holy and good way which God hath ordained and especially vpon your sicke beds when you are enditing your whole life to God neglect not the establishing of your hearts in the remission of sinnes by confession and absolution Let not a iealousie of Popish superstition discourage you from this for what is there in christian religion which they haue not corrupted but doe you separate the cleane from the vile and forsake not the holy direction of Gods word It is againe obiected if I must onely aske forgiuenesse of God for my sinne why is there mention here of my forgiuing such as doe trespasse against me Is it lawfull for me to aske man forgiuenesse of any sinne I answer that euery sinne that wee commit doth trespasse God being the preuarication of his law but if that sinne doe trespasse our brother also we must goe and be reconciled to our brother for if it be possible so much as lyeth in vs we must haue peace with all men Man may forgiue the offence done by his brother to him but the offence done to the law of God none but God can forgiue I will speake a bold word it is a truth God may forgiue a sinne committed against man so farre as it is a breach of the law of duty and obedience to him without man but God cannot forgiue a sinne done by one man against another except the man trespassed doe forgiue it for there can be no reconciliation betweene God and vs so long as there is warre between our brother and vs. Our Sauiour hath exprest as much When thou commest to offer thy gift vpon the Altar and remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thy gift goe and be reconciled c. It may appeare also in the very case of debt he that is a debter to his neighbour and refuseth to make him satisfaction doth breake the law of the kingdome and is an offender against the King and therefore is the kings prisoner for breach of the Kings law the King may forgiue his prisoner the breach of his law wherein hee is trespassed but he cannot forgiue the debt which hee oweth to his subiect If wee would haue a full forgiuenesse of our sinnes wheresoeuer they offend let vs labour to giue satisfaction but if we meete with harsh natures to whom no reasonable satisfaction is answerable they begge their owne iudgement in this petition for so shall they bee forgiuen as they forgiue and they shall finde God as inexorable and as implacable as themselues are 6 Another duty we learne here in the word nobis for we are taught charitably to pray for the forgiuenesse of one anothers sinnes not of our owne onely We doe not pray God for the pardon of the sinnes of the Angels that fell they kept not their first estate and the holy Ghost hath reuealed to vs that there is no possibility of their reconciliation to God for Saint Peter saith God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them downe to hell and deliuered them into chaines of darkenesse to be reserued vnto iudgement The God of spirits spared not the spirits that transgressed but the Prophet
Dauid saith O thou that hearest prayer vnto thee shall all flesh come Vpon which words Saint Augustine quare omnis caro quia carnem assumpsit Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himselfe likewise tooke part of the same but Verily he tooke not on him the nature of Angels but he tooke on him the seed of Abraham The sinne of Angels for many reasons is an vnpardonable sinne a sinne vnto death and Saint Iohn saith I say not that thou pray for it 1 Because all men deriue themselues from one Adam he stood or fell for the whole species If God should haue beene extreame to marke and punish all that was amisse who could haue stood the Lord looked downe from heauen vpon the children of men and found not one that did good not one and if God had not in iudgement thought vpon mercy all mankinde must needs haue perished in their sinnes But God at once creating innumerable Angels euery one stood or fell to his owne proper good or euill 2 The euill Angels corrupted themselues but man was by their suggestion and temptation corrupted and sinnes selfe-growing selfe-sowne are more prouoking then such as come by iniection and insinuation from without 3 The Angels ambition was to bee like God in his omnipotencie which is an incommunicable propertie of diuine essence and cannot bee imparted to any creature but man desired onely to be like God in his omniscience which we knost was committed to the soule of Christ in our nature 4 The Angels being intellectuall spirits and dwelling in the presence of God and enioying the full light of glory next to God would not offend by errour or ignorance but their transgression must needs be damnable apostacie from God and malitious opposition against God which is the sin against the holy Ghost not to bee 〈…〉 The schoole saith there be three sorts of will 1 Of God who neuer turneth 2 Of Angels which may turne but cannot returne 3 Of men who turne and returne But the Angels obstinacie is without returne Therefore those Misericordes as Augustine doth call them who deeme a possibilitie of the recouery of deuils to the fauour of God and of their saluation doe deceiue themselues and abuse the patience and ouerweene the mercy of God But we ought to pray one for another so Saint Iames admonisheth pray one for another that you may be healed for the effectuall feruent prayer of the righteous man auaileth much It is not vnprobable that the prayer of Christ father forgiue them serued effectually to the conuersion of the Centurion and the prayer of Stephen for the conuersion of Saul who kept the garments of them that stoned him God himselfe declared to the friends of Iob that Iob should pray for them to him and he promised to accept his face Or if you will looke higher God in a dreame reproued Abimelech for Sarah Abrahams wife and hee said to him Now therefore restore the man his wife for he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee and thou shalt liue There is great reason why wee should pray for the pardoning of one anothers sinnes 1 Out of the zeale of piety to God that his name may be hallowed that his kingdome may bee reuealed and established that his will may bee done Vnrighteousnesse and sinne doe hinder the glory of God in all these So that if it were possible to root out all sinne nothing were more to bee desired that God might not be eclipsed in any of his glory 2 Out of charity to them that sinne that we may so beare one anothers burthens and endeuour the healing of their soares they be deuils and not men that would haue their brethren perish in their sinnes 3 Out of charity to our selues that 1 We may adde to our owne glory in heauen and encrease our owne ioy in the full society of the communion of Saints 2 That we may make our owne liues on earth more happy liuing amongst such as doe feare the Lord and hauing our conuersation amongst such as are purified which remoueth the two dangerous infections of euill counsell and euill example which corrupt many 4 Out of an holy indignation against sinne as being a thing of it selfe hatefull and abominable and extremely dangerous to both liues 5 Out of a sanctified malice against Sathan who raigneth in all the sonnes of disobedience whose pardon if we could obtaine of God by our prayers hee should haue no subiects 6 Out of faith in the sufficient sacrifice of Christ for when all of vs pray for the forgiuenesse of all mens sins we shew that the fountaine which God hath opened to the house of Dauid and to the Inhabitants of Israel for sinne and for vncleanenesse can neuer be drawne dry that there is water enough therein to wash vs all throughly to wash vs all cleane and to purge vs all from all sinnes This including all men in our prayers for the pardon of sinnes doth blame all those who by their euill example or by their counsaile doe prouoke or intice others to sinne How canst thou say to God dimitte nobis when thou giuest thy neighbour strong drinke â—â—ll 〈…〉 When thou tellest him tales in the whisper of secrecie to enfire him against his brother When thou by secret detraction dost make him appeare worse then he is When thou reioycest in his sinnes that they are the occasion of his ruine When thou makest thy selfe sport with the sinnes of thy brother all such reioycing is contrary to this petition and God will tell thee that thou art not in good earnest with him when thou prayest to haue him pardoned with thee and in good earnest hee that heareth thy prayers will not pardon thee the sinne of this petition I conclude this point of our duty 1 Search thy wayes for sinne 2 Confesse 3 Be contrite 4 Amend thy life 5 Seeke this pardon onely from God 6 Pray in charity and the Lord giue thee thy hearts desire and fulfill all thy counsaile 2 From the condition annexed to this petition as we forgiue them that are our debters or if wee reade it as a reason or motiue to put home the petition for pardon for we forgiue 1 We are taught to take notice of our naturall corruption which is such as we cannot liue in society one with another but one way or other we shall be offensiue one to another Our Sauiour therefore teacheth vs in this petition not to seeke the pardon of our owne sinnes to God but in the way of peace If we finde continuall need of Gods mercy to vs we must be mercifull as our heauenly Father is mercifull for that is his law proximum vt teipsum It is a great inducement to God to perswade our preuailing with him in this suite if wee see our hearts doe freely forgiue iniuries done to vs therefore when Christ taught vs this prayer this petition aboue all