the same in both places the comparing of them together in this exposition will not be vnprofitable And here we must obserue that some latin books omitting some things do repeat this form of praier more briefly in S. Luke then it is described by Mathew For in the beginning it is only said Father and this which followeth in S. Matthew which art in heauen is omitted The third petition also is omitted thy wil be dōe in earth as it is in heauen This also is omitted But deliuer vs from euill And Austine saith expressely in his Enchiridion cap. 115. 116. that the lords praier in Mathew containeth seauen petitions but in S. Luke it hath not seauen but fiue petitions onely And he sheweth that that petition thy wil be done is contained in the two former this but deliuer vs in that which went before it Lead vs not into temptation Whence I gather that the Latin bookes euen in Austins time had the Lords praier according to Luke as it is now read But the Greeke bookes doe set downe that whole prayer euen so with Luke as it is in Mathew saue onely that with Luke doth wāt that conclusiō for thine is the kingdome Now it might seeme that such things as were wanting with Luke in this place haue beene added from the Greeke bookes out of Mathew But Austine in his booke of the words of the Lord vpon Luke cap. 28. And Ambrose in his fift booke of the Sacraments cap. 4. doe so rehearse that whole praier out of Luke as it is extant in Mathew Whence I gather that the latin bookes differed at that time and some of them read it so in Luke in this place as it is in the greeke others read it so as it is now in the vulgar latin translation As for the differēce which is in some words that we wil note in the exposition And that very diuersity of some wordes doth shew that we are not bound to a superstitious rehearsall of wordes in prayer This praier containes three parts the entrance or preface petitions and the conclusion of each whereof I will speake in order Our father which art in heauen The Preface Austine saith whereas in euery earnest sute we ought to procure his good will to whome we make our request and that is most conueniently done by the praise and commendation of his benefites to whome we praie therefore seeing we neither can nor ought to boast of our owne merits before God Christ in the beginning of this praier hath commanded vs to say nothing else but Our father Hugo saith that Christ like a good oratour before the petitions prefixeth a short preface wherin fauour is sought for from the person asked when we say Father from the person asking when we say Our And surly these aduertisments haue their vse But because it hath beene declared before that we are to vse words in praier not so much to mooue the minde of God by rhetoricall insinuations as by rehearsing and meditating on the wordes to stirre vp in our selues attention deuotion confidence and care to frame our praiers aright that we may shew our selues to be such suiters as the Lord would haue therefore those words are principally to be imploied for this ende and purpose We will briefly note out in seuerall points those things which are principally to be thought vpon by occasion of these words As first these words Our father doe giue vs to vnderstand that praier ought not to be such a bare desire in a wishing manner as men are woont to say would God this good might happen vnto me oh that this danger or this euill might be remooued God blesse it and prosper it God forbid and such like but we must expressely name him of whome we desire to haue our request graunted vnto vs. And not in generall tearmes onely as when we say God graunt God forbid but we must by name speake vnto and call vpon him that our praier may be directed vnto him our father as it were in communication And whereas the psalmes doe speake in the third person God be mercifull vnto vs God blesse vs we must vnderstand that praier to be directed either to the mediatour that for his sake God would be mercifull vnto vs and blesse vs or else the deuotion of the mind is to be referred to the second person For it is the Scripture phrase to speake vnto a person present in the third person as Gen. 33.14 Let my lord goe before his seruant 1. King 16.16 Let my lord the King command and chap. 25.25 Let not my lord the King I pray thee set his heart against Nabal And in that vsuall phrase of Scripture let the king liue is vnderstoode I pray God the King may liue And therefore in what words soeuer the prayer be framed the minde must alwaies thinke vpon God and behold him that our desires and requests may be directed vnto him For this is the forme and rule of our prayer to say our Father Secondly these wordes doe admonish vs that prayer or invocation is not to bee directed to any creature but onely to the heauenly father so as we may not direct our prayer to them of whome we are sure their spirits doe liue with God For the name Father is also opposed vnto thē Isay 63. v. 16. Doubtles thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of vs Israell know vs nos thou Lord art our Father and our redeemer Thirdly those wordes doe teach vs that we must so conceiue of God and speake to god in prayer as he hath revealed his essence vnto vs in his word For the heathen when they goe to pray they thinke of a God that is eternall the Creatour almighty but who that God is they knowe not But we are taught by these wordes to make a difference betweene our calling vpon God and the praiers of the heathen and to thinke that we call vpon that God who hath thus made knowne his beeing vnto vs in his word that he is the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost to witte the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who sendeth the spirit of his sonne into the hearts of the faithfull whereby we crie Abba father For so the word Father is to be vnderstood essentiallie in this place for God or for the Diuine Maiesty or for the whole Trinity which is the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost as it is written Deut. 32. v. 6. Is not he thy father that hath bought thee which hath made thee and proportioned thee Isaie 63. v. 16. Thou Lord art our father and our redeemer or he that dischargeth vs from bondage The Sonne also is called by this generall title Father of Eternity Isay 9.6 And the holy ghost is called the Father of the poore This title therefore doth admonish vs when we are about to pray to settle our minde against all levity inconsideration pride in such deuotion reuerence and humility as those which
HONI SOIT QVI MAâ—â— PENâ—â— Newly translated out of Latine into English Printed by Iohn Legate Printer to the Vniversitie of Cambridge 1598 The Printer to the Reader CHristian Reader although the very name of the author of this exposition vvere a sufficient argument to commend the same vnto thee yet because I haue vndertaken the publishing hereof after so many labours of our ovvne learned and godly countrimen faithfully performed in this kinde I thought it not amisse in a word or two to giue some reason of my fact And first of all the excellencie of this exposition vvhich I commend not so much of mine owne knowledge as vpon the iudgement of very godly and learned men mooued me in this sort to communicate it to the whole countrie The praise vvhich seemeth peculiar vnto it issueth from a double fountaine first from the learned interpretation of the words in their natiue sense secondly from the ample and euideiâ—â— declaration of the true and full meaning of the Spirit of God in euery petition which he hath indeauoured to set downe from the proprietie of the wordes in the Greeke and Hebrew tongue shewing in such sort what blessings we are to aske and what sinnes we must bewaile that not onely the simple by the blessing of God vpon their endeauour may in short time hereby learne to pray in faith and in obedience but the godly also and the learned that haue atteined to further measure of knowledge and of grace may increase their knowledge and further edifie themselues in their most holy faith Thus wishing vnto thee the Spirit of prayer which may teach thee to vse the meanes whereby thou maist pray with the Spirit and with vnderstanding also I take my leaue and here ende AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORDS PRAIER Our father which art c. THere be not onely cauills of profane men but also conceits in the hearts of the godly themselues which trouble them much against the necessitie and benefit of vsing praier For first if God know what we want before we aske what neede is there or what auaileth it to shew and solicite our suits to him which knoweth them alreadie for such rehearsalls are woont to be troublesome and grieuous S. Hierome answereth very finely That in prayer we are no shewers but suiters and it is one thing to make knowne to him that is ignorant and another thing to intreat and aske of him that knoweth Yet this answer remooueth not all difficultie For our heauenly father doth not onely know what thing we want but also vnasked of his fatherly care and fauour is readie and forward of his owne accord to helpe vs before we aske And therefore it seemeth there is either no benefit or no neede of praying I answer we doe not pray with that intent and for that ende as though we would by our praiers stirre vp God and put him in minde of his dutie beeing negligent and careles of our affaires or otherwise as beeing hard and merciles allure him by our praiers and bring him into an other minde We know indeede that God is readie of his owne accord to giue good things but yet to those which doe repent and humble themselues vnder the mightie hand of God who by faith do seeke knocke and aske And therefore we doe poure out our praiers before God not for that we doubt of his good will but that we may indeede shew our selues to bring true repentance because he hath promised sorgiuenesse of sinnes to them which repent Ezek. 8.23 that he will asswage his iudgements and bestow his blessings Ier. 18.8 and giue grace vnto the humble 1. Pet. 5.5 And that it may appeare that when we call vpon God and thinke vpon his promises we bring with vs and likewise doe exercise true faith because the Lord hath promised all good things to him that doth knocke and aske Math. 7.7 and that we doe come boldly to the throne of grace that we may receiue mercie and find grace to helpe in time of need Hebr. 4.16 Againe spirituall blessings can not otherwise be receiued then by faith indeede bodely or outward benefits are oft bestowed vpon the wicked also and yet that those may be profitable vnto vs it is the will of God that we should wait for them by hope and receiue them by faith from his fatherly hand And therefore we pray in faith that we may shew forth our desire to receiue from God not onely corporall blessings but those especially which are spirituall heauenly and eternall And that we would so receiue from God the blessings of this life that by his blessing they may be profitable vnto vs. And because God would haue this glorie giuen to himselfe to be the fountaine the author and giuer of euery good thing Iam. 1.17 that we should wholly relie vpon him we therfore in praier doe testifie that we neither ascribe them to any other nor seek them elswhere but doe wholly hope for expect and require the same from God alone for God hath promised that he will be readie and willing to helpe such Also in our praiers we doe thus lay open our wants and miseries before God not as though we knewe them not but that by pouring out our cares in the Lords boâ—some we may disburden ease our owne soule And the promise is most sweete and comfortable Psal 37.5 and 55.22 1. Pet. 5.7 Roule cast thy waies vpon the Lord and he will haue care and bring it to passe Chrysostome addeth also this reason why we should pray That by often calling vpon God we may become familiar with him Again that we may more highly esteem and more reuerently vse that which God bestoweth vpon vs when we aske and knocke These things are carefully to be thought vpon concerning the necessitie and benefite of praier least that beeing otherwaies too cold and backward vnto praier by these conceits that God is forward to help vs of his owne accord we doe suffer our selues to be withdrawne from the exercise of praier Neither let vs abuse that most sweete sentence of the readie good-will of God toward vs which ought rather to be an incitation and a motiue to excite and confirme our diligence confidence in praier There be some which reason thus or at least doe trouble themselues with those conceits seeing God vnasked and before we pray doth know yea beforehand hath set down appointed what he will doe and what he will giue we doe therefore either aske in vain that which otherwaies should come to passe or els doe wickedly in praying as though we hoped by our praier to turne God from his firme decree and purpose and so make him changeable and vnconstant To this obiection some answer thus If that which we aske be ordained before-hand to be done then we pray vpon good and sure confidence If it be not yet we goe not about to hinder or stoppe the course of Gods predestination because we pray that Gods
deuotion is kindled and beeing once kindled is conunued and increased Also the diligent marking of those things we are to aske whereof we are put in minde by the words of our praier doth excite and kindle in our benummed and frozen heart a good affection vnto praier For those wordes because they are the words of Christ be the toole or instrument of the Spirit whereby the Spirit of praier will be powerfull and effectuall in vs. And therefore that which Christ here deliuereth When we pray SAY doth binde vs so farreforth as the rehearsall of words in praying is hereunto auaileable to excite and kindle to continue and increase our deuotion least it should waxe colde and benummed and be quenched altogether And hereunto sometime longer praiers serue best otherwise those which are shorter To this purpose Austin in his 121. epistle to Proba writeth many things substantially some whereof pertaining to this place I will here set downe He which forbiddeth much babbling in praier because he knoweth what is needefull for vs doth likewise command that we should alwaies pray and not faint not because he would haue our will made knowne to him whereof he cannot be ignorant but to exercise our desire whereby we may receiue that which we are about to giue For that which he would giue is very great but we are little and strait and can not receiue the same And therefore it is saide vnto vs open thy mouth for so much the more fully shall we receiue that which is exceeding great by how much we doe more faithfully beleeue it more firmely hope for it and more earnestly desire it Therfore we doe alwaies praie in faith hope and charitie with a continued desire but yet at certaine times we doe with words intreat the Lord that so we may admonish our selues how much we haue profited in this desire and likewise excite our selues to doe the same more chearefully That therefore which the Apostle saith pray continually is nothing els but this continually desire a blessed life And therefore at certaine houres we doe withdraw our minde from other cares and busines whereby this desire is cooled in some sort vnto this exercise of praier and by the words of the praier doe admonish our selues to giue heede to that which we desire least that which hath begunne to be warme doe waxe cold altogether and at length be wholly put out vnles it be more often kindled And therefore to continue in praier some long time is not as some thinke to vse much babbling for much speach is one thing and long continued affection is another thing It is saide of the Lord himselfe that he continued whole nights in praier and vsed to pray very lōg The brethren in Egypt are saide to pray very often but yet very briefly and in a manner to dispatch them quickly least that earnestnes which was carefully begū should by longer delay waxe dull and vanish away And by this also they doe sufficiently declare that this earnestnes as it is not to be forced when it will not continue so it is not speedily to be broken off if it will longer endure For in praier we must not vse many wordes and yet we must not want much desire if so be our zeale will perseuere To pray much is to knocke vnto him whome we pray vnto with a continuall and a godly lifting vp of the heart and for the most part this businesse is better performed in sighes and grones then with wordes and by weeping then by speaking For our groning is not hid from him who by his word made all things and desireth not the wordes of man But therefore must we vse words in praier that we may be put in minde to haue regard to that we aske not that we may thinke thereby to teach or mooue the Lord. These things doth Austin teach And for this ende doth S. Paul appoint the publike rehearsall of praier and psalmes in the Church Coloss 3.6 Teach and ad monish your own selues in psalmes hymnes and spirituall songs singing with grace in your hearts vnto the Lord that the words of Christ may dwell in you plenteously 1. Corinth 14.26 When ye come together hath any one a psalme let him pray vvith the Spirit and with the vnderstanding that all things may be done to edification And because it is sometime needefull that we should vse words in praier The excellency of the Lords praier there can be no praier more profitable then that which the Lord himselfe deliuered and appointed For first of all it doth briefly comprehende all those things which can be well and fittely asked of the Lord shewing of whome we must aske them in what manner and order and for what ende and purpose And Saint Austin saith If you shall peruse the wordes of the praiers of all the Saints of God which are extant in the whole scripture and cheifly in the Psalmes you shall finde nothing which is not briefly contained and concluded in this Lords praier Secondly as the Creede containes the rule of faith so this Lords prayer is the rule of all prayers For he that desires any thing in prayer saith Austine or speaketh any thing which cannot pertaine to this Evangelicall prayer his prayer is not spirituall but carnall and vnlawefull Thirdly for authority for the sonne of god himselfe who is our advocate that bringeth our praiers vnto the father who obteyneth for vs the spirit of praier who together with the father heareth vs he prescribed vnto vs this forme of prayer It is a friendly and familier praier saith Cyprian to intreat the father by the words of the sonne The father will acknowledge the wordes of the sonne when we make our prayer and then we haue Christ our advocate with the father for our sinnes Let vs propound the wordes of our aduocate when we miserable sinners intreat for our sinnes These thinges saith Cyprian How the Lords praier must be vsed And it were not onely rashnes but impietie to disdaine either the shortnesse or simplicity of the Lords prayer as though thou thy selfe couldst finde out and compose a better forme of praying And yet the rehearsing of the Lords prayer must be no vaine mumbling ouer as though the wordes vttered without vnderstanding had some magicall force but we must consider what the wordes do signifie and put vs in minde of how farre they reach and how many things they conteyne vnder them that we may pray with the spirit and with the vnderstanding 1. Cor. 14. v. 15. and may include our wants in those petitions For by this meanes as it hath bin said those words will stirre vp our deuotion Let vs therefore briefly consider euery point compare the description of S. Mathew with that which is set downe by Luke cap. 11. v. 2. c. For although according to S. Luke Christ repeated that form of prayer at another time and vpon other occasion then Matthew recordeth yet because the forme therof is