Gods mercy to vs for the foundation of God is sure and sealed with this seale Dominus novit qui sunt sui But we are admonished by the Apostle to make our calling and election sure not in the decree of God but in our owne perswasion And it cannot bee sure except we vse the meanes ordained to assure vs. But if wee haue truely discouered in our selues the body of sinne and haue opened into God in a contrite confession and haue bewailed them with teares of vnfeined contrition which S. Augustine calleth Sanguinē vulnerati cordis and haue asked God forgiuenesse and cried him mercy from them This is applicatio remedij that there is a ground for our saith to beleeue the pardon of them sealed to vs and not before God testified of Dauid that he was a man after his owne heart yet he sinned soulely and till he had made confession of his sinne and had deplored it penitentially he was not absolued from it Christ told Peter that Sathan desired to sift him but he had prayed that his faith should not faile him That did not make his threefold denyal of his Master no sinne he knew it and remembring himselfe he went forth from the place where hee had done the fault and wept bitterly The rule therefore is that All the promises of God and our faith in those promises haue reference to the holy vse of the meanes ordained by God for establishing our peace with him Therefore in the name of God goe the way that hee hath ordained for you to walke in follow the holy example of all the faithfull seruants of God who haue gone to Gilead for balme when they haue had any soarenes and haue humbly prostrated their diseases before the Physitian who came to comfort them that mourne and to binde vp the broken hearted and say Domine dimitte nobis debita nostra Another duty is to pray only to God for pardon of our sinnes When Christ said to the sick of the palsey Sonne bee of good cheare thy sinnes bee forgiuen thee The Scribes said within themselues This man blasphemeth Our Sauiour defendeth himselfe by lawfull authority The sonne of man hath power on earth to forgiue sinnes S. Marke is more expresse in this relation for these Scribes gaue a reason why they charged Christ with blasphemy saying Who can forgiue sinnes but God only They were in the right for that generall rule that none but God can forgiue sinnes but they mistooke Christ not knowing him to be God God laieth claime to this authority I euen I am hee that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes And againe I haue blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sinnes returne vnto me for I haue redeemed thee Sing O ye heauens for the Lord hath done it So by the Prophet Ezechiel he saith I will sprinckle cleane water vpon you and yee shall bee cleane from all your filthinesse A new heart also will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you Dauid stirreth vp himselfe to blesse the Lord for this Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits Who forgiueth all thy iniquities Therefore our Sauiour sendeth his disciples to our father in heauen to forgiue them their sinnes Contrary to this doctrine is the precept of the Church of Rome which imposeth on the consciences of men a necessity of auricular confession of all mortall sinnes to the Priest for obteining pardon thereof For if only God must forgiue only to God must confession of sins be made The doctrine and practise of auricular confession in the Church howsoeuer pretended by the Councell of Trent to be the institution of Christ yet did it come in when partly humane policy partly superstition corrupted the Church in the doctrine and discipline thereof For in Saint Augustines time it was not heard of who protesteth against it as a thing vnreasonable and thus he disclaimeth it Quid mihi est cum hominibus vt audiant confessiones meas quasi ipsi sanaturi sint omnes languores meos Curiosum genus ad cognoscendam vitam alienam desidiosum ad corrigendam suam Quid a me quaerunt audire qui sim qui nolunt a te audire qui sint The power of forgiuing sinnes is onely in God but he hath left in his Church a ministeriall dispensation of that power by application to true penitents and they that presse it further inuade the rights of God Therefore to rectifie your iudgements in this point concerning men forgiuing of sinnes know that this belongeth to men two wayes 1 In Church discipline it belongeth to the Minister to absolue penitents for as God hath left in the Church the ministerie of exhortation of doctrine of conuiction and of reprehension so hath he left the ministerie of absolution to pronounce his pardon to them that truely repent them of their sinnes If you obiect that any priuate lay-man may assure him that truely repenteth that his sinnes are forgiuen from the certaine warrant of the word of God or a man may assure himselfe hereof by reading and meditation in holy Scriptures I answer that nothing is well done that hath not the warrant of a lawfull calling to authorize it for that is transgression of the ordinance of God The Apostle doth impose it on all sorts of men promiscuously to exhort and instruct one another but none may performe this duty publiquely but they who are called to it For how shall he preach except he be sent He that gaue his Apostles authoritie to goe into all nations to preach and baptize said also to them whosoeuers sinnes ye remit they are remitted and whosoeuers sinnes ye retaine they are retained And though the Church of Rome doth reserue certaine cases of absolution onely to the Pope as in the right of Peter vnder colour of whose succession he vsurpeth yet the text is cleare that what Christ spake to Peter he spake to the rest and Saint Basil did so vnderstand him who saith Christus omnibus pastoribus doctoribus ecclesiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnes ex aequo soluunt et ligant And their owne Thomas of Aquine saith quilibet sacerdos quantum est ex virtute clauium habet potestatem indifferenter in omnes And the very phrase of Christ not saying to whomsoeuer you declare remission of sinnes they are remitted but whosoeuers sinnes ye remit shewing that Christ in our ministery doth this for nos legatione fungimur pro Iesu Christo euen as if Christ did beseech you by vs. Therefore as the waters of Damascus might bee as cleare and as sweet and as wholesome as the waters of Iordan yet not so effectuall to wash off the leprosie of Naaman because the word of the Lord sent Naaman to that Riuer So though any other man in respect of his knowledge and zeale and good
of the name of God God withdrew his kingdome from them and cast them off This shewes how earnestly we had neede to fixe our hearts on the hallowing of Gods name that we may be bold to aske of him and may beleeue to obtaine of him the desired comming of his kingdome Concerning the enemies that we haue to hinder our settingforth and progression to this kingdom of glory they be all the same which would hinder the comming of the kingdome of grace for the way of grace leadeth vs to glorie Sathan by tempting vs here and by accusing vs to God The world partly by fascination of vs leading vs into an ouer-loue of things temporal partly by persecuting of vs with many afflictions and vexations of life Our owne bodie of sinne being like tinder ready to take fire from the least sparke of carnall suggestion all these lay themselues in our way to hinder our passage to this heauenly kingdome Against which we pray Adueniat regnum tuum that is O Lord let none of our enemies preuaile so farre against vs as to hinder the saluation of our soules 2 It is needfull to pray this in respect of the necessary graces of God which we doe naturally want by which wee are made members of that holy commonwealth which is subiect to the Kingdome of Gods grace and made capable of the kingdome of Gods glory These graces of God are partly outward partly inward and Spirituall 1 Of the outward 1 These are the libertie of the Gospell that wee may freely professe Christ and openly avow his holy worship and keepe his Sabbaths and holy daies and our publike meetings in the house of God there was a time when Dauid was forced to fly from the angry face of Saul and escape for his life then hee bewaileth this as his most heauy oppression that hee was banished from the Tabernacle and might not come to the meetings of the holy congregations hee hath a psalme of purpose for that complement Therefore we are much bound to God for this holy liberty of his house and seruice which wee enioy vnder the pious gouernment of our King and in this petition wee pray that this libertie may bee maintained and enlarged to vs and euermore continued that the free vse of the ministrie of the word holy Sacraments may be established in our Church and that the Lord of the haruest would furnish his work with worthy able labourers in this haruest for the perfiting of his Saints And consequently that God would remoue all hinderances to this light either arising from the opposition of such as are profest enemies to it or the wickednesse or vnsufficiency of such as by their weakenesse and vnworthinesse or by their idlenesse and vnprofitablenesse or their vngodlinesse and iniquity may hinder the free course of the Gospell or bring a scandall vpon the Church of God amongst vs. Further we pray for the efficacy of our Ministery in all those that are partakers thereof that God would thereby enlighten the vnderstandings of all our congregations that his name and seruice may be knowne to them and that they may not liue in darkenesse in the sunneshine of this glorious light of truth That when wisdome preacheth they may not walke as fooles when truth preacheth they may not belieue lies when faith preacheth they may not liue in infidelity when holinesse preacheth they may not liue in all sensuall vncleanesse walking in the way of their corrupt lusts in all abomination to the prouoking of God to anger against them The inward meanes for the aduancing of this kingdome of God here desired is the holy Ghost creating in vs new hearts and regenerating vs to a godly life and establishing vs in the same Christ promised to send this Spirit into his Church to abide with it for him foreuer to instruct it to be a remembrancer to it of all things that he had said to it To strengthen it against errours in doctrine to sanctifie it against corruptions of lusts fortifie it against the principalities and powers that oppose it to comfort it in spirituall and temporall grieuances So Adueniat regnum tuum is asmuch as reueale to vs that spirit which thou hast promised to supply thy roome in the perpetuall regiment of thy Church and let the holy Ghost gouerne vs This then is the suite Adueniat regnum gloriae nostrae We pray for the coming of the kingdome of Gods glory which is the consummation of our happinesse as if we would answer Christ he saith It is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome We cry Lord let it come Where our desire of the coming of it doth expresse our expectation of his coming to giue it to vs our loue of his coming and our longing desire of it The reasons why we desire this coming of it are 1 Because God hath reuealed to vs so great a mercy layed vp for vs and reserued in the decree of his good pleasure and wee may bouldly aske it of him for his commandement is Aske and receiue 2 Because God hath promised vs the gift of it and we may boldly claime all the precious promises of God in our praier promise is our warant 3 Because God hath reuealed to vs that he wil shorten 〈◊〉 dayes of the troubles of his Church for the elect sake We pray therefore for the hastening of that time according to his good pleasure 4 Because we haue great examples of this prayer both in earth and in heauen 1 Of the whole creature which groaneth and trauaileth in paine together with vs. Where insteed of praying for this aduent of Christs kingdome there is The earnest expectation of the creature waiting for the manifestation of the Sonne of God For the whole creature hath a promise to be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God 2 Of the elect of God here for that followes And not onely they but our selues also which haue the first fruits of the spirit euen wee our selues groane within our selues wayting for our adoption to wit the redemption of our body 3 We haue helpe in these our groanes from the spirit teaching vs as we ought to pray for this Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with groanings which cannot bee vttered 2 In heauen The soules vnder the altar of them that were slaine for the word of God and for the testimony which they held They cry with a loud voyce saying how long O Lord holy and true dost thou not iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth and they haue their petition answered That when the number of these Saints is fulfilled then this kingdome shall come 4 Regnum gloriae dei The comming of this kingdome is the full consummation of Gods glory both in his gratious mercy to saue
these 3 When any Creature is ioyned with God in the participation of his incommunicable properties 2. In vita When our conuersation doth not maintaine due correspondence with the honour of God whose name we professe and whose obedience we pretend Againe Euery pollution of the name of God by vaine and idle mention thereof without feare and reuerence is an vnhallowing of this name to Gods dishonour So then Hallowed be thy name is let thy glory bee declared and confest according to the excellent greatnesse and goodnesse of it with all reuerence and feare let it neither be forgotten nor despised nor prophaned by any the greatest or least pollution that may be 3. Who must doe this 1 Christ said to his Father Father glorifie thy name he answereth as you haue heard I haue both glorified it and will glorifie it againe Yet I dare not leaue out this desire in this petition but that we may beseech God that his name may be hallowed by himselfe 2 Christ praieth Father glorifie thy Sonne that thy Sonne also may glorifie thee Neither dare I exclude this in our petition but that we may pray that the name of God may be hallowed by the Sonne of God who best knoweth how to doe it 3 The glorious Angels and Archangels Cherubins and Seraphins continually doe cry Holy holy holy Lord God of Saboath as our Church Hymneth I dare not exclude them in our petition Let my name be hallowed by the celestial armies they are the Churches Sicut in the third petition Sicut in Coelo in terrâ 4 We read that the seperate soules of Gods Saints do not cease night and day praising the name of God and hallowing it with their deuotions I take in them also into this petition let the Saints in glory hallow thy name 5 We finde that the Celestiall bodies the Sunne the Moone the Starres the sublimary creatures all in their kindes declare the glorie of God and make his name glorious therefore I will not leaue out them let the name of God be hallowed also in them let all they that serue him testifie of him It is not Sanctificatu or Sanctificent illi or Sanctificemus nos but it is Sanctificetur and therefore let all things that haue a being doe God right in this 6 But I confesse as this praier is put by our Sauiour into our mouthes it concerneth vs to desire of God that especially we may hallow the name of God For the name of God shall neuer suffer from himselfe or from his Sonne or from his heauenly armies or his ther Celestiall bodies or Terrestiall creatures all the danger of his holy name is from vs. We sinfull men and women doe often thinke often speake vnreuerently of Gods name we be the swearers and lyers and blasphemers and prophane persons that blemish the holy glorie of Gods name so that we had need especially to regard our selues in this suite Sanctificetur à nobis nomen tuum So Saint Cyprianus Petimus a Deo vt nomen ejus sanctificetur in nobis And herein wee honour God desiring to be the vessels of his praise the organs and instruments of his glory here on earth Yet let no man thinke that any thing can be added from vs to the holinesse of Gods name onely we pray that his name which is holy in it selfe may be so both conceiued in our hearts and expressed in our embra'd profession and confession of his name to be so and that nothing may come from vs to blemish and indignifie it 4. Why doe we aske this of God The reason is in sight Holinesse is the Lords none can giue the holy spirit of Sanctification but God only None can hallow or sanctifie but they who are holy prophane persons and Diuels may glorifie God but they cannot sanctifie him God will be glorified euen of his enemies whether they will or no but sanctified hee cannot be saue onely of such as are first made holy The Seraphins in the Prophet I say cry one to another Holy holy holy is the Lord God of hoastes the whole earth is full of thy glory And the foure beasts in the Reuelation rest not night and day saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come Vpon Aarons brestplate Holinesse to the Lord. Therefore we must resort to the fountaine of Holinesse for the grace of sanctification that he may first sanctifie vs that we may be made able to sanctifie his name We aske this of God 1 For it owne sake because the worke of hallowing the name of God is a good worke in it selfe So Dauid It is a good thing to giue thankes to the Lord. And this beginneth prayer best to glorifie God for his fauours already bestowed for his owne goodnesse which we performe when we say Hallowed be thy name This is the Confession of praise to his name these be the calues of our lippes Sacrum Iustitiae 2. We aske this of God for our owne sakes for seeing none can hallow the name of God but they that are holy wee doe herein begge our owne holinesse of God both holinesse in our vnderstandings to know God and holinesse in our affections to loue him and holinesse of life to serue him and holinesse of perseuerance to hold out herein to the end 3 We aske this of God by way of confession of our owne impotencie for when we desire him that his name may be hallowed by vs we confesse to him that without him we are notable to doe him that seruice for it is not in man to order his owne wayes and without him we can do nothing we confesse that he worketh all good in vs therefore we goe forth in the strength of the Lord and make mention of his righteousnesse only indeed the holinesse that we should giue to the name of God except wee had it from him would not honour him 4 We aske it of him to declare our loue to him for seeing he is our Father as we invocate him it is a debt that sonnes owe to their Parents to perpetuate their names vpon earth and this filiall regard of his fatherly prouidence we expresse in desiring the glory of his name 5 We aske it of him for their sakes that belong to him that God declaring the glorious holinesse of his name men may trust in him for so Dauid They that know thy name will trust in thee So that this maketh way for the following petitions 5. Why we make this our first petition In respect of our dutie for wee were created to this end that God might be glorified in our bodies and soules and to this we were also redeemed therefore Gods part in vs is our best part and his glory our cheifest good And the truth is that except Gods name be hallowed in all that we say or thinke or doe Nihil rite perficitur His name is put vpon vs in our Baptisme In nomine patris et filij c.
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
enemies 1 Sathan takes vpon him to be the Prince of this world and maketh many beleeue that hee hath power to giue kingdomes where he listeth 2 The Pope vsurpeth dominion ouer all Princes and giues out that God hath set him in the world ouer the nations and ouer kingdomes to roote out and to pull downe and to destroy and to throw downe and to build and io plant Blasphemously applying to himselfe the power which God giueth to his Word in the Ministery of the Prophets 3 There is imperium peccati of which the Apostle saith When they knew God they glorified him not as God but became vaine in their imaginations and their foolish hearts were darkened professing themselues wise they became fooles and changed the glory of the vncorruptible God into an image made like to a corruptible man and to birdes and four-footed beastes and creeping things 4 There is imperium mortis Death reigned from Adam to Moses That is before the law was written much more hath death reigned since the law published for the strength of sinne is the law Death came in by sinne and hath dilated an empire ouer all the earth that we see daily what desolations it maketh in the same It is appointed to al men once to die 2 Concerning Sathan Christ saith The Prince of this world is cast out and Saint Paul saith The God of peace shall crush Sathan vnder your feete shortly And when we pray Let the kingdome of thy power come we pray that God would destroy the kingdome of Sathan and cast him out and tread him vnder our feete that God may reigne abroad gloriously in the world 2 Concerning the Pope hee is that Antichrist that man of sinne the sonne of perdition of which the Apostle speaketh who exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God or is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God But it followeth that The Lord shall consume him with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy him with the brightnesse of his comming Whose comming is after the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders Therfore when we pray that the kingdome of Gods power may come wee pray that God would be pleased to appeare in power against this vsurper and deluder of his subiects to destroy him that he may no longer infatuate and befoole the world with an opinion of his power or holinesse but that hee may be reuealed as hee is a man of sinne ful of subtilty and the child of the deuil as Simon Magus his predecessor and the true founder of his impostures was 3 Concerning sinne the Apostle hath aduised Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies that you should obey it in the lusts thereof He hath also comforted vs againe Sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you for yee are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace Wee pray therefore that God would exercise this his power against the kingdome of sinne that the body of sinne may be destroyed that henceforth wee should not serue sinne For the Dominion of sinne doth teach men to resist the power of God and to say Nolumus hunc regnare super nos it teacheth man to be proud and cruell Dauid Lord how long shall the wicked how long shall the wicked triumph How long shall they vtter and speake hard things and all the workers of iniquity bâ—ast themselues They breake in peeces thy people O Lord and afflict thine heritage They slay the widow and the fatherlesse and murther the stranger Yet they say the Lord shall not see Sinne is a dominearing and daring tyrant so that wee haue cause with Dauid to awake the iustice of God against it O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth O God to whom vengeance belongeth shew thy selfe Lift vp thy selfe thou iudge of the earth render a reward to the proud and that is our adveniat regnum tuum 4 Concerning death which maketh such hauocke in the workes of God God hath said O death I will be thy plagues O graue I will be thy destruction repentance shall be hid from mine eyes And this is that we pray for let thy kingdome of thy power destroy death for euer that we may insult ouer it saying O death where is thy sling O graue where is thy victory We pray God to take his rod of yron into his hand and to breake in peeces all the rebels to his kingdome of power here on earth 2 Concerning the kingdome of grace 1 We pray that that kingdome may come that is that God would declare his Sonne the king and Soueraigne Monarch of his Church and that he would rule therein by his Word and holy Spirit 2 That God would aduance the kingdome of his Sonne Iesus Christ in the hearts of all his elect people seuerally that they may liue in the knowledge loue faith and obedience of him 1 And this is a most necessarie petition to be put vp often to God in regard of those enemies which doe oppose this domination and seeke to dethrone the Sonne of God in vs. 2 And in regard of those necessarie graces which are wanting in vs and can by no other way be supplied but by the aduancement and establishment of that kingdom in vs. 1 For the enemies of this kingdome 1 The great enemie of the Church is Sathan the Prince of darkenesse that great red Dragon in the Reuelation that watched the woman with childe to deuoure the fruite of her wombe as soone as it should be borne this is the Deuil persecuting the Church of God the fruitfull mother of the elect whose issue we are This is he that corrupted our first parents in Paradice by his temptations and hauing sowed his seed of all iniquitie in them defiled the whole nature of mankind and made it obnoxious to the curse of the Law And when the second Adam came to accomplish the remedy of that fall hee persecuted him by Herod in his infancie that he was to be carried into Egypt for refuge and after his Baptisme hee tempted him in the wildernesse fortie dayes and this Prince of the world set many a worke to bring him to the Crosse he came himselfe to him with a new assault a little before his passion as Christ himselfe confest but he had nought in him of his to worke vpon This Lyon goeth about continually compassing the earth seeking whom he may deuoure whom resist saith Peter our way of resistance is to pray Adueniat regnum tuum 2 The world is an enemie to this kingdome of Christ for Christ saith The world hateth you because you are not of the world that is the wicked sonnes of disobedience who are called filij saeculi huius Vnder this title of the world I comprehend all the open and secret enemies of the Gospell The Pope here we will giue him the first place because his scarlet vesturs are died
from his way and liue Turne ye Turne ye from your euill wayes for why will yee die O house of Israel So our Sauiour It is not the will of your Father that is in heauen that one of these little ones should perish To declare this to be his will he rose early to send his Prophets to his people to conuert them to him And our Sauiour in the Gospell doth resemble himself to that good shepherd that went into the wildernesse to seeke a straied sheep to bring it backe to the flocke to the woman that lighted a Candle and swept her house and sought diligently till she found her lost groat Both of them made merry when they found what they had lost Such ioy God hath in the conuersion of a sinner When a profane person becommeth holy when a couetous person turneth liberall when a drunkard becometh sober and a glutton temperate when a swearer feareth an oath a lier loueth the truth when a breaker of the Sabbath is glad when it is sayd to him Come let vs goe vp to the house of the Lord and answereth them My feete shall stand in thy gates O Ierusalem When an oppressor turnes mercifull and a proud man humble and a contentious man quiet and peaceable this is as God would haue it and this is ioy to the Almighty and the Angels of heauen reioyce in it for this is the will of God But in the contrarie our sinnes doe grieue the holy one of Israel grieue not the spirit of God our sinnes do ouercharge him hee complaineth that he is like a Cart ouerladen with sheaues Our sinnes put him into a storme of indignation therfore our conuersion is his will 2 Seeing out conuersion beginneth at the abnegation of our selues that also is the will of God he that will be my Disciple saith our Sauiour must forsake all and follow me Sua suos se as Saint Bernard and none is acceptable according to his wil but he that is a new Creature This maketh a perfect conuersion and this incorporateth vs in the body of the Church for God doth not will our forsaking of our selues and renouncing of the world for our hurt and losse but for our greater good that he himselfe may be our rocke and fortresse our refuge and exceeding great reward 3 The will of God is our obedience to his holy lawes which he hath giuen vs as his couenant that in keeping of them it might goe well with vs. His owne mouth hath reuealed his will in this point O that there were such an heart in them that they would feare me and keepe my Commandements alwayes that it might be well with them and with their children for euer Wherein God is not a seuere exactor of more duetie then we are able to performe but requireth our best endeuour to doe his will and taketh that for pay Neither doth he will this to make profit to himselfe of our obedience but for vs that it may be well with vs and our children for euer 4 The will of God is our holinesse in this obedience that we purge our Conscience from dead workes that we may serue the liuing God That we possesse our vessels that is our bodies in holinesse for they be Vasa animarum a treasure in earthen vessels of great price immortall soules in mortall bodies For this is the will of God euen your sanctification hee giueth the reason of it For God hath not called vs to vncleanesse but to holi 〈…〉 And this was figured in the washings and purifications of the old law and directly commanded by God saying Be ye holy as I am holy But ye are a royall Priesthood Gens sancta 2 The will of God concerning faith is that we beleeue in him and trust him they that know thy name will trust in thee that we cast all our care vpon him that we belieue in him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ and this also for our eternall good For so saith our Sauiour And this is the will of him that sent me that euery one which seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him may haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day This is the law of faith and it is the law of life For it is written The iust man shall liue by faith How needfull this petition is that the will of God may be wrought in vs this way by faith we may soone see 1 If we consider our naturall infidelity for the natural man is so far from beleeuing that he hath not the vnderstanding to discerne those things which belong to the spirit of God neither can hee saith the Apostle for they are spiritually discerned And without faith it is impossible to please God This infidelitie must be purged before the will of God can be done by vs and till this be purged the very preaching of the word the meanes ordained by God to beget faith in vs seemeth foolishnesse For it is as much labour lost to preach spiritual things to a man that hath no faith as to vrge naturall reasons to a man that hath no wit for neither of these vessels be open to receiue any of this pretious liquor stopt with ignorance and vnbeleefe 2 We haue reason to aske this of God because faith is his gift and though he suffereth vs to acquire it by little and little by the hearing of the Word yet the word of God is not any better then litera mortua in it selfe except the holy Ghost do worke by it to beget first then to nourish and encrease our faith 3 Because as Saint Cyprian obserueth well Nobis à diabolo obsistitur quo minus per omnia noster animus atque actus deo obsequatur and therefore he addeth Vt fiat voluntas dei à nobis opus est voluntate dei i. e. ope et protectione quia nemo suis viribus fortis est This is a potent aduersarie hath both his temptations to allure vs and his prouocation to vexe vs wee had need craue ayd against him and God hath laid help vpon one that is mightie to giue vs helpe we had need pray for faith to fasten our hold vpon that helpe If either by fight or flight we can put him off and lay hold vpon the hornes of this altar sub hac indulgentia et misericordia saith Cyprian tuti sumus This enemie hath a great aduantage of vs because of the treason of our owne wils for nothing is more prone and propense to euill then the will of man and there is nothing in man that man loues more then to haue his will euen the regenerate man findeth his will wilfull often and vnruly still We had neede to pray for the will of God to put in to correct and direct our wills 3 The manner how we desire this will of God to be done As in heauen so in earth The 3 first petitions that are addressed mainely to the honour of God end at these
hath beene said it is plaine how God leadeth into temptation and that it is a malitious slander that is put vpon the Protestants by the shauelings of Rome that we maintaine God to bee the authour and suggestor of sinne Campian in his paradoxes of the Protestants chargeth Master Caluin with this and shamelesly citeth a chapter in his institutions which beareth this title and maketh it good by learned proofes Deumita impiorum opera vti animos flectere ad exequenda sua iudicia vt purus ipse ab omni labe maneat Wherein he maintaineth that no euill is or can bee done against the will of God for where were his prouidence if any thing could be done whether he will or no so that there is not a bare permission of God but there is the hand of action in all euils for seeing in him all liue moue and haue their being there can be nothing done but by his power And Thomas of Aquine hath put a difference betweene these two Actio Actionis vitium wee cannot exclude the will and power of God from the action we cannot include his approbation of the euill in the action Yet Maldonate the Iesuite vpon this petition demandeth quomodo nos deus in tentationem inducitur he answereth facilè Caluinistae respondent quia nos ad peccandum impellit he addeth facile est hareticum esse We reply facile est mendacem esse Master Caluins booke is in many hands and they that will reade him vpon this point shall conuince his accusers of malitious calumniation and shall finde the truth of God cleerely and learnedly and vnanswerably maintained against all contradiction and strife of tongues 3 What duties are required of those that moue God in this petition 1 We are admonished to know the danger that we are in of being tempted to euill 2 Of Gods iustice in leauing many in their temptations for their punishment 3 Of our easinesse in yeelding of our impotencie in resisting temptations 4 Of the necessitie of faith to apprehend the remedy of this temptation 5 Of the vse and application of this remedy 1 The danger The danger as you haue heard is double 1 From within vs by our concupiscence 2 From without vs by Sathan 1 The danger from within vs is by the Apostle Saint Iames well set forth Euery man is tempted when he is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and inticed Against this the Apostle instructeth vs. Dearely beloued I beseech you as pilgrims and strangers abstaine from fleshly lusts which warre against the soule The way to put them off at the first breeding of them is to meete with them in their conception and to kill them vpon the neast according to the old rule principijs obstat If ye through the spirit doe mortifie the deedes of the body ye shall liue But then sinne is growne to a full stature when it commeth to deeds of the body yet euen then not inuincible But it is not safe suffering of lust to hatch her yonglings and to send them abroad in deeds of the body it is a surer way to begin sooner Blessed shall hee be that taketh and dasheth the little ones against the stones for it is a true rule that primi motus ad peccata sunt peccata We kill whole neasts of yong vermine not for any hurt that they haue done yet but because they are ex genere noxio they are inuisam genus so must we breake the egges of concupiscence for as the Prophet saith Out of the Serpents roote shall come forth a Cockatrice and his fruit shall be a fiery flying Serpent Therefore the surest way is to lay our Axe to this roote And let no man excuse himselfe of being ouertaken with a temptation for it is a mans owne fault and not his excuse if he be so miscarried for this I dare say The vnregenerate man by the light of the law written in his heart by the finger of God hath vnderstanding to distinguish betweene good and euill and though humane appetite doe approue euill yet humane reason doth defie it Therefore to the naturall man I say If he desire to leade a morall and ciuill life in the society of men let him rather be directed by his reason then his appetite and let reason doubt of all the faire tenders of appetite and proue all things and hold onely what is good In the regenerate man there is the spirit of God and the will of man these the Apostle saith are contrary the one to the other for the flesh that is the will of man lusteth against the spirit so that except by this spirit we mortifie those lusts we shall suffer sinne to raigne in our mortall bodies to our obedience of it in the lusts thereof But hee that desireth to leade a christian and a holy life is admonished omnicustodia custodire cor suum and when his owne corruption is kindling a fire in him to giue way to the spirit of God to blow it out for the spirit of God is not either idle or impotent in the children of God to resist concupiscence if we doe hearken to it and imbrace the good motions thereof Here is the safety of a christian in this spirituall combat for if we incline to the better part and rather suffer our selues to be led and guided by the spirit of God then by our owne spirits temptation to euill is soon put off and wee ouercome euill with goodnesse therefore our rest must be that of Ioseph How shall I doe this great euill and so sinne against God If there be a voyce before vs wasting vs to euill God hath told vs Thine eare shall heare a word behinde thee this is the way walke ye in it when ye turne to the right hand and when ye turne to the left If the naturall man cannot doe euill against his owne reason but that will rise vp against it to resist it surely the regenerate man cannot doe euill against the conscience and the secret checke of the spirit of God but hee shall be sure to heare of it This is a worke of grace in the faithfull seruants of God that they take timely notice of these spawning lusts and muster the graces of the spirit of God and array them against their first appearing calling for helpe from him that is mighty in this petition Leade vs not into temptation 2 Our second danger is from without vs by Sathan who goeth about sometimes as to Euah with an apple of temptation like a subtle Serpent sometimes with fire and tempests and instruments of violence as to Iob. In Iobs story wee finde how he comes into the presence of God how he seeketh for leaue to afflict and how he spareth not the vttermost of malice so farre as his power and leaue extendeth In Saint Peters story wee see how he desireth to sift and winnow him In Saint Pauls storie we reade how the angell of Sathan
and lying heauier and smarting more sharpely vpon vs then before let vs consider this to bee done in the equall iustice of God whose iudgements are saepe occulta but nunquam iniusta And remember that of Saint Paul All things worke together for the good of them that loue God and Saint Augustine Sine tentatione probatus esse nullus potest This is the Lords fire and though it burne and scorch it preuaileth not but vpon our drosse the gold is safe It is the Lords fanne it preuaileth onely against the chaffe the good wheate is the purer for it and the fitter for the garner 3 To our brethren when we see them shaken with a temptation and struggling with sinne wrastling with Sathan and almost foiled let vs not iudge them forsaken of the Lord but visited in his iustice for their good and you that are spirituall restore such a one with the spirit of meekenesse considering your selues lest you also be tempted Ply them with all spirituall consolations euen those especially wherewith God hath in like tryals comforted you and expect their happy comming forth of the furnace of this probation with victory Pray for them with your selues Leade not vs O Lord into temptation let not the enemy preuaile against vs. This charity runnes in euery veyne of this prayer no petition is without it and euery petitioner must bee as hearty and zealous in the cause of his brethren as for himselfe for we are members one of another and the law commandeth to loue our neighbour as our selfe 3 We must consider our facility in yeelding our impotency in resisting temptations It is Saint Cyprians note vpon this petition Quando hoc rogamus admonemur infirmitatis imbecillitatis nostrae neque se insolenter extollat neque sibi superbe atque arroganter aliquid assumat neque aut confessionis aut passionis gloriam suam ducat In temptations the faithfull are hardly distinguished from the reprobate which makes many of Gods beloued seruants doubt whether they be in the state of grace or no. Yea the elect of God haue commonly a deepe impression both of the conscience of their sinne and of the sense of Gods wrath and of feare and of the vengeance to come 1 Therefore our duty in this case is to renounce our selues vtterly and to lay downe all confidence of our owne strength for by his owne strength none can preuaile Wherefore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes this will cast vs vpon the mercy of God and put vs vnder the shadow of his wings 2 In regard of our infirmity to resist temptations our duty is as much as wee can to decline the battaile which is here desired for Christ hath not taught vs to petition God to assist vs in temptation or to deliuer vs out of it but rather to keepe vs altogether from it Leade vs not into temptation For he knowes whereof we are made Neuer did any of the Saints of God come off so faire from temptations but that they had some very deepe wound and the scarre of it remained after the healing Adam and Salomon had their fals and the scarre remaining is that to this day many are vnsatisfied concerning their saluation and though there be no iust cause of such doubt yet it may passe for a punishment that their fall well deserued Noah and Lot had their drunken fits and the holy story hath recorded them Iosephus Dauid carries that blemish vpon record and his praise hath that exception saue onely in the matter of Vriah the Hittite Iob and Ieremie haue their passions and pangs of impatience registred The pusillanimity of the Apostles the speciall incredulitie of Thomas the renegation of Peter and his oblique treading reproued by Saint Paul all these are blemishes in their stories and trophies in Sathans Therefore O Lord leade vs not into temptation 4 We must consider the necessitie of faith to apprehend this fauour He that prayes leade vs not must beleeue that 1 We cannot be led by any opposite arme against his protection it cannot be done without him 2 That he is able to diuert all temptations from vs vt ne in ficiant if hee please vt ne interficiant if they doe their worst 1 It is Cyprians note qua in parte ostenditur nihil contra aduersarium posse nos nisi Deus ante permiserit He teacheth vs the duty arising hence vt omnis timor noster atque deuotio ad deum conuertatur There is nothing to be feared in a subordinate power if we keepe the supreame to friend who regards the frownes of any subiect power vpon whom the face of his Soueraigne shines cleare from whence all inferiour greatnesse doth borrow light Who knowes not that the power of Sathan is all borrowed and limited therefore no cause of feare from him if we cleaue to the rocke of our defence who is the holy one of Israel 2 Seeing he in whom we trust can diuert temptations from vs we haue warning whither to goe to preuent them and this petition in our mouth from a feruent spirit is the charme that putteth them off with this we goe so defenced against them that Iosephs Mistresse may solicite day by day her vnchast suit for his vnhonest welcome of her vnlawfull desires and loose all her labour 5 Concerning the right vse and application of this remedie Seeing we finde temptation so dangerous and our God so iust to punish by it our selues so apt to yeeld to it so weake to resist it seeing wee know where we may haue helpe I conclude this point Let euery one that desireth to escape this danger and who would not fall in the tryall of his faith labour to auoid temptations all that we can and to pray continually against them that we may haue Gods preuenting grace to keepe vs out of them his subuecting grace to assist vs in them his filiall grace deliuering vs alwayes from them To this purpose let vs take a learned fathers good counsaile Semper inueniat te inimicus occupatum pray continually in all things giue thankes be hearing or reading or meditating on thy duty to God and thy neighbour remembring and confessing thy sinnes deploring them deprecating Gods wrath striuing against thine owne corruptions indeuouring to amend thy life labouring alwayes to haue a good conscience before God and men walking with God It is Saint Augustines note vpon this petition Cum sancti petant ne nos inferas in tentationem quid aliud petunt nisi vt in sanctitate perseuerent aske of God wisedome from aboue to discerne temptations strength to resist them faith to ouercome them And for those instruments of Sathan that tempt thee to euill know the voyce of Sathan speaking in them as Christ did when Peter tempted him and say vnto them as Ahab did Eliah haue I found thee O mine enemy If any tempt thee to wantonnesse to drunkennesse to breach of the Sabbath to contention enflaming thee against