and if you seeke him hee will bee found of you but if you forsake him he will forsake you The like hath dying Dauid to his deere sonne to be left behinde him And thou Salomon my sonne know the God of thy father and serue him with a perfit hart and a willing minde For the Lord searcheth all harts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of thoughts Jf thou seeke him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he wil cast thee away for euer But what spēd J speech where many giuen graces say spare thy speech J know it wel Then stay J so to you both Right H. J adde but this that as duetie bindeth and many great and honorable fauours both to me and mine require and charge me I rest before my God in praier that goeth out of vnfained lips that it may bee thus with your H. both thus stil I say and thus more thus more agayne and thus still and thus both still more continually during life That those wordes of endlesse comfort may reach vnto you in iudging day Come ye blessed of my father and possesse eternall ioy If this poore trauell of mine may auayle any thing to this effect it is your Honors own proceeded from your owne most deeply bound for euer to be your owne and therefore bold to present it in this sort because he is your owne It was begun in your Honors hearing being that part of the Catechisme that then fell to my course both the lawe and faith hauing bene expounded before the one by my selfe the other by my fellowe that followed because it could not at that time be gone forwarde withall J haue since as J could layd it downe in this sort if it please the Lord for the good of mo VVho all shall welcome it by thus much more as they did the other by how much it bringeth countenance from your Honors both vnto them and is a gift deriued euen from your selues vnto them The Christian Reader els whosoeuer I should wrong too much if I should not comfortably hope he will accept it well since alreadie he hath shewed his loue in the like respect Therefore most humbly beseeching you both Right Honorable to accept my dutie to weigh my hart and to pardon my boldnesse J beseech the Lord againe and againe to multiplie his mercies towardes you both giuing honor here and honor euer in his happie kingdome of eternal comfort VVilton the 11. of May. 1588. Your Honors most humble bounden to death Geruase Babington A PROFITABLE EXPOSITION of the Lords Prayer by way of Questions and Answers ¶ Of Prayer in generalitie MAny things are spoken by many men of Prayer in generalitie and gladly would I heare what you think conuenient of the same Yet would I not prescribe by any questions for feare my want of iudgement in asking might procure in you any needlesse answering Your care is very good yet spare not to speake if I omit any thing whereof you would willingly heare Trueth it is that much is spoken and much may bee spoken of this matter at large but a fewe things may suffice vs at this time hauing fuller discourses to goe to when we will First then let vs consider that Prayer hath a foundation euen in our nature as we are men and is so taught vs by the very instinct and testimonie of reason and conscience that looke what or whomsoeuer we acknowledge and thinke to bee God that and the same wee also willingly confesse ought to be prayed vnto For a perswasion of Godhead standeth not without a confession of Prayer done to the same So wee see in the 14. Psalme where with the deniall of God which the foole maketh in his hart is ioyned an vtter want of prayer and inuocation Contrariwise in the 139. Psal with the confession of God an earnest hartie and often calling vpon his name So that a necessarie consequence the Spirit of GOD maketh it vppon the confession of a God euen by the instinct of nature to vse prayer to the same And contrariwise if we should neuer pray then necessarily must we be euen in the number of those fooles which say in their harts there is no God Which if it were duely and effectually considered of vs it would rowze vs assuredly out of our dead and damnable negligence in this behalfe if there were any spirite of life and feeling in vs and cause vs to acquaint our soules more often and earnestly with this heauenly exercise Fearing euen with a great feare the vengeance of ingratitude towards God for innumerable benefites the plagues in hell due to Atheists and such as denie GOD and the same amongst men that of force must fall vppon vs when being men yet we abhorre from the very nature of man All which three greeuous conditions the want of Prayer forcibly prooueth vpon vs as now wee see Againe the Apostle Saint Paule in his Epistle to the Romanes teaching how the Gentils doing by nature the thinges contayned in the lawe shewe the effect of the lawe written in their harts is a witnesse in steade of many moe sufficient and strong that to pray to God being a thing comprised in the lawe was then is now and euer shall bee whilst man hath mans nature a thing ingrafted and planted of God in the same nature And many other reasons might be brought but these suffice Secondly let vs consider the necessitie of this Christian exercise of Prayer which wee shall euidently see if either we respect the Lord our selues or our brethren For vnto the Lord wee knowe is due euer and eternally here and in the worlde to come praise and thanksgiuing that is Prayer Praise the Lorde all ye people for it is a good thing to sing praises vnto our God O giue thankes vnto the Lord for he is gracious O thanke the Lord of all Lordes c. Yea let euery thing that hath breath praise the Lorde And as long as I haue any being I wil sing praises vnto my God In the world to come see the Scriptures Holy holy Lord God almightie which was and which is and which is to come Thou art worthie O Lord to receiue glory and honor power for thou hast created al things and for thy will sake they are and haue bene created Beside many other places Vnto the Lorde is due worship and seruice of all them that looke for a place in his kingdom of which worship and seruice Prayer is a notable part and therefore necessary Vnto the Lorde is due obedience to his Commaundements if we bee the Lordes for they are holy and iust But this is one that we should pray vnto him and therfore in respect of God Prayer is necessary Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I wil heare thee thou shalt glorifie me saith the Lorde And in an other place
that which our teachers themselues refuse for their owne partes to ioyne with vs as in a course that is neither comfortable nor safe Let vs hearken rather to the Apostle truely aduertising vs to suffer none such as these neither any man liuing at his pleasure to beare rule ouer vs by humblenes of mind and worshipping of Angels aduauncing himselfe in these thinges which hee neuer saw rashly puft vp with his fleshly minde and holdeth not the head c. For assuredly if the consciences of all thē were examined y e delight in other mediators beside Christ to offer vp their prayers to GOD and to speake for them and true confession made of what they finde it would appeare to vs all that this sinne springeth of none other roote than of a persuasion that Christ is not so pitifull and mercifull and willing to bée spoken vnto as other Saints and creatures be Which how blasphemous it is against him to giue his creatures preeminence aboue him in any goodnesse let euery feeling hart discerne and iudge Farre was the godly father from such opinion of our Sauiour when he made him all in all and with truth sayd of him what all true Christians firmely beleeue and holde Ipse os nostrum est per quod patri loquimur oculus noster per quem patrem videmus dextra nostra per quam nos patri offerimus He is our mouth wherewith wee speake vnto God our eye wherewith wee see GOD and our right hande wherewith wee offer our selues vnto GOD. Quo nisi intercedente nec nobis nec Sanctis omnibus quicquam cū deo est But by whose intercession neyther we nor all the Saints in heauen haue any thing to do with the Lord. And y t there remaine no scruple of feare in vs to goe to this gratious mediator euer when we pray consider it in the Scriptures and consider it earnestly that that glistering reason which they vse of our indignitie to goe to him at the first for so I call it because it seemeth so faire at the first vewe neuer discoraged any of the godly mencioned in the worde euer but euen then when they haue seene and thought of their vnworthynes most they haue yet gone vnto God and to no others for helpe Dauid when hee sawe that multitude of offences in him and himselfe so horribly defiled as that there remained almost nothing of olde Dauid in him that is of a good seruant of God neuer yet cried to Abraham Isaac and Iacob nor to any of all the godly departed or Angels in heauen but Miserere mei deus haue mercy vpon me O God and according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine iniquitie Iohn Baptist though hee sawe himselfe vnworthy to loose the very latchet of Christ his shoone yet taught he no other Mediatour to God neither had any other himself but only him The good Centuriō that in so true feeling both of himselfe and Christ confessed he was not worthie vnder whose roofe the Lord should come yet with all that vnworthinesse was not feared from him to aske his helpe euen for his seruaunt The poore Publican vnworthie in his owne eies to looke vpon the heauens yet feareth not to loke vpon his God and to say God be mercifull vnto me a sinner when he might haue called vppon Saints and Angels for mercie if it had béene as good or better as these mad men affirme And so farre was this his doing from presumption displeasaunt to God and vnséeming an vnworthie sinner as that sentence is giuen by the Lord himselfe of it it was pleasant acceptable to God and he iustified more than the other Finally the Prodigall Sonne with the same mouth that confesseth his indignitie euer to be counted a Sonne any more yet calleth vpon his Father for pittie and not vpon any of his Fathers seruaunts Wherfore let vs open our eyes and sée the truth let vs not harden our hartes to day when we heare his voyce the mediator betwixt God and man is thr man Christ Iesus none but he it is he that sitteth on the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs and there is no other And if any man sinne wee haue him our aduocate and wee must know no other Yea Sir but you knowe their answere in this matter if they bee charged they doe not denie they saie but Christ and onely Christ is mediatour of redemption but not of intercession and that which they ascribe to holy spirites it is onely to make intercession for them Indeede they so answere but alasse in vaine For it is but a shifte deuised of Satan to deceiue our soules by if wee receiue it and that may appeare both to them and vs if we haue care to see the truth For hath it first anie warrant in the worde If it haue let them produce it if not let them knowe that euen for this cause it faulteth and we reiect it For if this bee graunted that men may frame distinctions at theyr pleasures there is not the truth to bee named but it may be ouerthrowen Wherefore this is one reason agaynst it it hath no warrant in the worde Secondly was not the high Priest in the lawe mediator in figure both of expiation by sacrifices and of intercession by prayers That is more plainly did not he both offer the sacrifice make prayer And what was this but in shadow to shew that so in the new Testament both these things should bee conioyned in one man also euen the man Christ Iesus he that was mediator of redemption should also be mediatour of intercession To diuide these thē is to make the bodie not answere to the shadowe neither the truth to the figure which may not be For looke whatsoeuer was typically shewed Christ should do that hath he truelie done and performed and to affirme otherwise is great impietie Thirdly these two are both duties of the mediatour and in truth none can be a mediator vnlesse he performe both these things namely both redemption and intercession Now of two duties or partes of the office of a mediatour shall we make two sorts of mediators Truely it is euen all one as if because man consisteth of bodie and soule as of two partes that make but one whole we should say there are two sortes of men one consisting of bodie another of soule which were a trimme speech Or agayne because the Prince hath power ouer body and goods and they both are incident to the prerogatiue of his kinglie office therfore of two things belonging to one person we should make a distinction of persons say there are two sorts of Princes one hauing power ouer body and an other hauing authoritie ouer goods For euen so it is in this matter of a mediator whose office consisteth in both these duties as parts of the same to redeeme the people and to make intercession for them Remember also in the
⧠A profitable Exposition of the Lords Prayer by way of Questions and Answers for most playnnes Together with many fruitfull applications to the life and Soule aswell for the terror of the dull and dead as for the sweet comfort of the tender harted By Geruase Babington With a Table of the principall matters conteyned in this Booke PSALME 119. O how sweete are thy words vnto my throte yea sweeter than honie vnto my mouth AT LONDON Printed by Thomas Orwin for Thomas Charde 1588. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE HIS VERY singular good Lord Henry Earle of Penbrooke Lord Harbert of Cardiff Marnion and S. Quintine Lord President of Wales and the Marches thereof and of the most Honorable Order of the Garter Knight and to the Right Honorable and vertuous Ladie the Countesse his wife G.B. wisheth all mercie and comfort in Christ Iesus both here now and for euer COnsider the olde generatiōs of mē ye children sayd that wise Sonne of Sirach Right Honorable and my very singular good Lord in his tyme marke them well VVas there euer any confounded that put his trust in the Lord Or who hath continued in his feare and was forsaken Or whom did he euer despise that called vpon him Agreeably truely to all Scriptures and experiences euer if they were searched For such a thing is it to cleaue vnto the Lorde with a faithfull heart that the Bride may forget to trim her selfe the day she is maried and the mother her Jnfant she bare of her bodie and esteemeth full deere before the Lord of heauen can forget such The Lorde knoweth the daies of the vpright men their inheritance shalbe perpetual They shall not be confounded in the perillous tyme and in the daies of famine they shall haue enough Though he fall he shall not bee cast of for the Lord putteth vnder his hand The Lord shall exalt them as themselues shall see and their ende sayth the Prophet shall bee peace Thousands of comforts hath the word mo yet these are both many and great ones if we marke thē Gayne is not godlinesse saith the Apostle but godlinesse is great gayne and hath the promise both of this life that to come VVherfore Right Honorable more ioye in this than in all the earth if it might be your owne For the earth must perish and all the glistring glorie of it passe away as a tale that is tolde burnt and consumed melted with heate but the feare of the Lord shall set her seruants before the highest for euer euer Now did the Apostle say to King Agrippa before so many O King Agrippa J knowe thou beleeuest Surely I may say it before as many I knowe Right Honorable your L. beleeueth both Prophets and Apostles and whatsoeuer the childe of God is bound to beleeue vnto saluatiō I say I know it and yet know I it not alone but others with me aswell as J attending your L. both in like and other places And if we should all denye it yet would the world steppe in and say it knewe what we denied God haue the glorie to whō it is due of his free election manifested both to your self and others by a true calling vnto sanctification And it remaineth Right H. that with a spirit flaming with thankefull loue to so gracious a God you let your light shine further further to a greater glory to the Lord a fuller cōfort to your owne soule Performe your selfe therefore in all truth of hart before the iudging eyes of a mightie God still more more as you do alreadie an honorable maintainer and furtherer of his truth A shield and defence to all the godly in their griefes and distresses Carefull to haue both your selfe and your familie gouerned by the precious and holy word of God maintayning and countenancing to that end as most honorably you do both at home and abroade the Lords poore seruants appoynted to that ministerie Be a rare example stil both worthy honoring and following of carefull bestowing of those liuings whereof God hath made your Lordship Patrone Multiplie as the Lord shall assist those your Honors zealous prayers which some can witnesse for the peace of Hierusalem that her rightuousnes may breake forth as the light saluation as a burning lampe And stil say with the Prophet Dauid we wish you good lucke ye that be of the house of the Lord. Your Honorable seruices for a most gracious Soueraine as euer the earth had any and for your deere Countrey let them still as they are be most sweete and ioyful to you In your Honorable place and gouernment carie your zeale as your L. doth euen more more agaynst the incorrigible aduersaries of Judah and Beniamin to note their doings to obserue their drifts and to ouerthrowe their plots Cut off still with your sword of holy Iustice as with exceeding trauell your Lordship most honorably doth those contentions disorders and offences that corruption both breedeth and feedeth ouer much And finally as the Apostle sayth if there be any vertue if there be any praise to God or to Prince to Countrey or to any Right Ho. thinke of that For so shall your L. establish your selfe both in earth and in heauen both here and for euer Yea your self your seede as the former promises haue giuen assurance And so shall you to your God and your self as many as knowe your vertues stand approued euer whatsoeuer either ignorance or vnkindnesse may effect in some VVithout this course care in a measure as the Lord shall giue well may a worlde continue a while flattring fauning with many delights God being patient and forbearing long but the end is destruction death and confusion God being iust and paying at last Your self Madame still more and more as your Ladiship doth partake with your owne what your place permitteth in these Honorable actions make them also your owne Let it still be your honorable iust true praise that you feare the Lord that you loue his truth fauour his followers and abhorre his foes For there is no praise shall continue as this there is no wisedome that may bee compared to it The feare of God is the beginning of wisedome a good vnderstanding haue all they that do thereafter the praise of it indureth for euer Againe let this be your wisedome sayd the Lorde of heauen to that people once euen to heare my wordes and to worke my will with a carefull hart For then shall all Nations say you only are wise and you onely haue knowledge of the best course Let it be your Posie Right Honorable as pleasant as euer it was And now Lorde what is my hope truely my hope is euen in thee Though the Lorde should kill mee yet will I put my trust in him And let that plaine Prophet strengthen your Ladiship still by his words to King Asa all Judah The Lord is with you while ye be with him
people that no let might be to their vnderstanding of the common prayers The same Father againe in an other place saying that wee neede not any vtterance of words alwayes to pray vnto God because the Sacrifice of Iustice is sanctified in the Temple of the mind and in the secret chambers of the hart by and by obiecteth to him selfe wherefore then doth the Priest lift vp his voyce and pray aloude in the open assemblie in the Church and then answereth to the same thus Not that God but that men may heare him and that the people by the sounde of his voyce and vnderstanding of his meaning may be put in minde and by consent ioyned together and lift vp to God Againe he sayth Quid prodest loquutionis integritas quam non sequitur intellectus audientis Cum loquendi omnino nulla sit causa si quod loquimur non intelligunt propter quos vt intelligant loquimur What profite is there in speech be it neuer so perfect if the vnderstanding of the hearer cannot attaine it For there is no cause why wee should speake at all if they vnderstand not what we speake for whose sake wee speake that they may vnderstande vs. Againe Mens mea sine fructu est hoc ait quando id quod dicitur non intelligitur My minde is without fruite This the Apostle S. Paul sayth when the thing that is spoken is not perceyued And again Si intellectum mentis remoueas nemo aedificatur audiendo quod non intelligit Set apart the vnderstanding of the mind and no man hath fruite or profite of the thing that hee peeceiueth not Quid opus est iubilare non intelligere iubilationem vt vox nostra sola iubilet cor non iubilet Sonus enim cordis intellectus est What needeth vs to sing if we vnderstand not what wee sing to sing with our voyce and not with our heart For vnderstanding is the sounde or voyce of the heart These are most playne testimonies and worthy consideration if we desire a truth Origen againe very plainely sayth of such things as are read in the Church Non fuisset necessarium legi haec in ecclesia nisi ex his aedificatio aliqua audientibus praeberetur It should neuer need to reade them vnlesse some edification shoulde come by them to the hearers But without vnderstanding we know not what edification is therfore Origens iudgement is openly this that if Scriptures and prayers shoulde bee in a strange tongue then it were as good that there were neuer any at all of either of thē O marke it Cyprian next as flatly again Not the sound of the voyce but the mind vnderstanding must pray vnto the Lorde with pure intention But my vnderstanding to pray the language to be straunge to me that I pray in is impossible therfore farre was Cyprian from this folly Saint Chrisostome againe the like and many mo that I spare to name in this briefe treatise The fauorers of Rome in latter dayes sawe this trueth and yelded their testimonies plainely for it Lyra and Thomas of Aquin spare not to auouch it that the common seruice in the Primatiue Church was euer in the common vulgar tongue that the people did vnderstande That earnest as some thinke strong defender of the contrary to this by the power of a trueth is drawen to these very woordes that in the Primatiue Church the prayers were made in a commō tongue knowne to the people for cause of their further instruction and it was so necessary to be and againe in an other place It were good the people hauing humble and reuerent heartes vnderstoode the seruice I deny it not And whereas they say they can as heartily as earnestly and with as vehement an affection pray although they knowe not what they say may they not see their owne Doctor say the contrary flatly and a man of no common learning Si populus intelligit orationem Sacerdotis melius reducitur ad Deū deuotius respondet Amen that is If the people vnderstand the prayer of the Priest they are the better brought vnto God with more deuotion farre answer Amen Now there is the same reason of their deuotion openly and of our owne priuatly May they not see it playnely affirmed Quo modo potest debitè Deo psallere qui non intelligit quid psallit How can he rightly sing vnto God that vnderstandeth not himselfe what hee singeth as if hee should say it cannot bee it is impossible and not to be hoped for Last of all is it not an olde saying grounded vppon true reason Jgnoti nulla est cupido there is no desire of the thing that wee knowe not and no desire I thinke is a very colde affection Let vs ende then this poynt of the practise and iudgement of men with that decree of Pope Innocent the third in the Councel of Laterane about the yeere of our Lorde 1200. that in such Cities as should bee concurse of people of diuers nations the Bishop shoulde take order that euery people should haue a Pastor of their owne language which might serue them and minister vnto them in the same A thing very worthy obseruing that euen with the Pope himselfe the trueth of this cause that prayers ought to be vnderstood should preuaile We haue seene then God and wee haue seene men against this great corruption and hinderance of our prayer and men both in practise and iudgement What if we ioyne nowe for conclusion of all verie open reason against it It may doe good For truely euen this striketh so deepe in in this behalfe as any Christian heart may feare euer to come before the Lorde with prayer in this order For it is not one and a verie singular vse of our prayers to strengthen and frame our faith by the experience of mercies asked and receiued at our God his handes It working euer in vs a trust an hope yea an vnspeakeable comfort that he will be as he hath beene being no changeling in himselfe and that whome he hath heard so graciously so readely and so often with graunt of their desires those hee will euer heare and still heare in their right and lawfull prayers to the prayse of his mercie and the ioye of them his seruauntes in their distresses Now this singular vse and profite as I say of prayer are they depriued of that vse to pray in a straunge tongue for if any particular benefite be giuen them they knowe not whether it hath come at their intreaty or no because they know not what they haue prayed for and so receiue they no sure and certaine testimonie of the Lords helpe and goodnesse to them to the comfort of their hartes at all times when they shall néede againe to call vpon him And therefore if this be a blessing to haue true experience nay thousands of experiences of the Lordes swéete fauour to vs
the example of Gods chosen euer with such like and these are great causes to vse it What say you then of the third point concerning the persons to bee prayed vnto I answere that onely God and none but God is to be praied vnto or as the wordes of our faith and Créede hath one GOD in Trinitie and Trinitie in vnitie is to bee worshipped Which answere implying to things as you see to wit that God is to be prayed vnto and onely to bee prayed vnto Let vs see the truth of them both out of the word First then for the former it is mencioned vs in the law Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God serue him swere by his name And in another place Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him and thou shalt cleaue vnto him swere by his name With a number other proofes in euerie place where the word of seruing the Lord by a figure noteth al duties due vnto him in general so implieth this duty of prayer to him in special Euen as Dauid expoūdeth it in his Psalme saying I will worshippe towardes thy holy Temple then expresseth what one thing he meaneth by that worship I will praise thy name because of thy louing kindnesse truth that is by prayer of thanksgiuing and praise I will doe my dutie So than this is plaine and more plain I trust than that it should need proofe that God is to be prayed vnto If anie would haue reason as well as testimonies the Apostle giueth vs a strong one of contraries when he toucheth the Galathians with it as a fault no lesse than Idolatry that they did seruice vnto them which by nature were no Gods For it inferreth plainly our not offending but most right doing when we doe seruice vnto him that is by nature God But praier is a seruice and a great seruice therefore due and most due to the Lord for euer But it is not this that anie man doubteth of and therefore as I sayde not to bee stoode vpon It is the other that is a question to wit whether God onely is to be praied vnto or no and therefore let vs looke to that rather and see the truth Concerning this then is not the Scripture as plaine if wee will not wilfully bee blinde as in the other And doth not our Sauiour Christ put it quite out of doubt when he saith him only shalt thou serue Onely to God auouched by Christ should stand against not only to God affirmed by tenne thousand worldes if there were so many to doe it But the Lorde affirmeth further that he will not giue his glorie to any other and it is a parte of Gods glorie in any Christian iudgemēt I hope to praie vnto him and to make him the fountaine and welspring of all our good For Call vppon me saith the Lorde in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie me The lawe of God saith Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me which is an exclusion of all creatures in heauen and earth from partaking with the Lord in any worship we owe vnto him as our God The 17. Chapter of the second booke of Kings is a notable testimonie of the Lordes abhorring any partners in this behalfe For there we may see and heare him witnesse it vnto our soules who must one day come to iudge them in glorie dreadfull if wee haue not harkned that not to feare him onely is not to feare him at all and not onely to doe after his lawes and commaundements is not at all to doe after them For our additions to the wil of him ouerthroweth vtterly that which wee doe thereof because it is not as wee should doe it that is onely My couenant and charge with the Israelites saith the Lord there was euer this that they should feare no other Gods nor bowe themselues to them nor serue them nor sacrifice to them but onely mee which brought them out of the land of Egipt with great power and a stretched out arme And marke the emphasis Him feare That is as we may see plainly him onely him euer and none but him And therefore ouer and ouer he saith it there no other no other and againe the third time no other Which is proofe sufficient if wee bee the Lordes yet is the Scripture fuller and teacheth vs plainly that they euer were and euer shall bee blasphemous Idolaters iniurious to the Lord that call vppon any in their prayer but the same Lord alone whether it be in heauen or in earth or in the waters vnder the earth whether it bee of golde siluer or whatsoeuer The places are knowne and you may reade them It teacheth vs also that God hath made vs in his great mercie Lordes of all his creatures here and euen the Angels in heauen ministring Spirits to our good as shall please him to appoynt But whatsoeuer we pray vnto we make it superiour to vs and hauing rule and power ouer vs and therefore if it bee a creature we offende greeuously peruerting the Lordes appoynted course and seruilely submitting our selues to that which he in mercie hath put vnder vs not ouer vs in his maner and order Againe that we cannot pray to any thing without beleefe in the same but beleefe must onely be in God and therefore prayer to no other Wherefore it standeth true by the Iudge of trueth the eternall worde of God wee now well see that both God with his worship of prayer is to bée serued and honored and onely God also with exclusion for euer of all others whatsoeuer they may bee and so wee ende this question Your next is through whome or by whome wee must present and offer our Prayers to God It is so And it may bee that in the former question you expected some fuller spéech of Angels and Saints that be dead which many are of opinion may bee called vppon that yet greatly mislike that other folly or rather madnesse of praying to inferiour creatures And if you did it shal now be supplied God willing for I did referre it of purpose hether because no man iustifieth it amongst vs if he haue any cunning that they are simply to bee praied vnto as helpers themselues of themselues but as mediatours to him that is able to helpe that is God the Lorde Let vs see then this if euen but thus much may bee giuen vnto them And to begin at the beginning we know it true that betwixt God and vs a mediatour must needes bee For so sayth the Scripture No man commeth to the father but by me And as there is a God so there is a mediatour betwixt God and man The high Priest in the lawe by God assigned a figure and shadowe of Christ euen in his office taught the same And conscience in vs of our owne vnworthines to appeare before God in our selues and for our selues driuing vs away from his
presence inferreth it necessarily with it that there must bee a Mediatour for vs. But who this is and euer was through the malice of Satan working in his members is become a question We say with the truth and his due glorie Christ Iesus our Lord and he onely The Papistes say Christ but not Christ onely Our warrants bee many and strong against them First expresse words There is one God and one Mediatour betwixt God and man the man Christ Iesus Marke the place well and see how first he determineth the number and saith there is but one Secondly the person who that one is euen the man Christ Iesus Thirdly why there is but one and no moe namely because there is but one God and no moe Which is a singular proofe euery one blushing to denye the one and yet daring to auouch the other So then by this place it is got that one GOD and but one Mediatour and that Christ also but mo mediatours mo Gods of necessitie which they will not teach I hope plainly Secondly all those places that appoynt vs to praie in Christ his name making euer mention of him and onely of him without any addition of any other doe they not with a mightie strength vphold our soules in this faith For wanted the Lorde either power or will to adde further trueth if there had bene any such Or is he that saith he will honor them that honor him become enuious towarde his Saints and will not speake of their lawful honor if this were it to pray to them Thirdly can any man bee our mediator with God but he that is iust himselfe fully and perfectly before God And was there euer any such or can be to the worlds ende but only Christ Is not any thing whatsoeuer it bee that commeth not of faith sinne And commeth faith any way but from the word Then either some porofe out of the word against Christ only and for others aswell as Christ or to beleeue it is sinne and a death for euer without repentance Dare we of our owne heades take the honour of Christ ascribed to him so expressely in his worde and giue it to others equally with him without a warrant It is written Gloriam meam alteri non dabo I will not giue my glory to an other and hee that writ it shall iudge vs for breaking it vnlesse wee can shew his dispensation Sanctos defunctos pro nobis orare ex nulla scriptura Canonica edocemur That the Saintes departed pray for vs it appeareth not in any Canonicall Scripture Et quamuis id faterer non tamen ex eo sequeretur nos oportere sanctos defunctos inuocare And although that it should be granted yet follow therevpon it would not that we should pray vnto them for assured by the word of God we cannot be that they heare our prayers And without that assurance what comfort can we pray withal vnto them Wherfore most grieuously doe they offende both against Christ and religion that make mediators beside him We are plainely tolde that hee maketh intercession for vs but wee are not tolde of any others I write vnto you litle children sayth Saint Iohn that you sin not and if any man do sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiatioÌ„ for our sinnes In which place of Scripture Saint Austen noteth two thinges First howe the Apostle doeth not say yee haue an aduocate but we haue an aduocate teaching vs thereby that there was neuer any so holy but that he had neede of Christ to be his mediator aswell as others and therefore he did not separate himselfe from others in that respect secondly that hee did not say ye haue me an aduocate with the father but yee haue Iesus Christ the righteous neque ego exoro pro peccatis vestris neither is it I that intreat for the pardon of your sins but Christ For had the Apostle Iohn sayde otherwise quis â—um ferret bonorum atque sidelium Christianorum what good and faithfull Christian coulde haue abidden it Quis sicut Apostolum Christi non sicut Antichristum intueretur Yea who woulde haue looked vpon him as vpon an Apostle of Christ and not as vpon a very Antichrist What a notable testimonie is this against other mediators beside Christ and how hapneth it that our Papists see it not or thinke better not of it if they see it But I pray you heare the same Father againe in an other place Quem inuenirem qui me reconciliaret tibi An eunduÌ„ mihi fuit ad angelos At qua prece quibus sacramentis Whom should I finde to reconcile me to thee Should I goe to the Angels with what prayer with what sacraments Haue not many done thus and bin deluded with the ill Angell transforming himselfe into an Angell of light Verax ergo mediator Christus the true mediator therefore is Christ Iesus And much more in those two good Chapters to this purpose These proofes may suffice in this briefe treatise yet are there many moe Themselues haue had euen by the mightie power of an able God to giue his trueth passage a true féeling of the safetie of the one and the danger of the other their witnes of it should truely work both with them and vs. With them to drawe them to a sweete trueth and with vs to strengthen vs where wee stand since the Lord hath made his enemies confesse the soundnes of our fayth Cassander sayde it of his owne practise Ego in meis precibus non soleo Sanctos inuocare sed inuocationem dirigo ad Deum ipsum idque in nomine Christi Hoc enim tutius existimo I sayth he do not vse to pray to any of the Saints my selfe but I direct my prayers to God himselfe and that in the name of Christ for that I iudge more safe An other of them againe Tutius iucundius loquor ad meum Iesum quà m ad aliquem Sanctorum spirituum Both with more safetie and comfort doe I speake vnto my Iesus than to any of the holy spirites Is not this strange that our enemies shoulde confesse our maner of praying to God alone by the mediation of his beloued sonne both more safe and more comfortable and for the same causes vse it so themselues and yet teach others otherwise Should faithful teachers seeke to saue themselues and make no conscience to kill others And is this to deale faithfully with the Lordes inheritance the price of his sonnes blood to teach them to do what not onely by knowledge in iudgement but by inward feeling of conscience they find neither so safe nor comfortable as the way we vse themselues also is Wo and woe againe must needes be to such as euen agninst their owne feeling direct the people committed to them And what madnes is this in vs if wee suffer our selues by any subtill perswasions to bee led vnto
there any true goodwill which is not allowed by God Should not his liking and allowance bee the rule and guide of vs and all our doings If then we can finde where hee biddeth vs shewe our goodwill in this sorte vse it and feare not if we cannot neuer thinke that is goodwill which wanteth the Lordes stampe vpon it vnlesse you will affirme that GOD condemneth good dueties to our Brethren which God forbid Then consider againe that albeit it neither hurt nor profite them yet in truth it hurteth vs that doe it both because it is an action without warrant and therefore not of faith and so sinne and because also it confirmeth and proppeth vp that lewd opinion of Purgatorie so derogatorie to the truth of God the comfort of his children Therefore if we will shewe goodwill to our friendes departed let vs speake of them as men and women in the hands of God and in such comfort as that they neede not any prayers of vs departed in a true faith and therfore now possessors of the promise euen of such ioyes as no eye hath seene no eare hath heard neither any hart bene able to conceiue of For thus to hope of them is like friendes to hope of them and thus to speake hurteth not our selues Our phrases may be as easely God hath had mercie on him I trust as GOD haue mercie on him he is with GOD I hope he is at rest from his labours he hath finished his course or any such like If wee will a little at first labour to forget a bad custome when it seeketh to come vpon our tongues so readily Then for the place in the Machabees our answer first toucheth the books and then the matter The bookes we except against as not Canonicall that is of authoritie to build our faith and obedience vpon and the reasons of our so doing are such as neuer haue neither can bée truely answered by any aduersarie I pray you let it not greeue you both to heare thē and very diligently to marke them First the holy Ghost neuer vseth to epitomise contract and prophane mens workes and writings but is able of himselfe to write and lay downe whatsoeuer may be profitable for his Church and so hath euer done But y e second booke of Machabees whence this place for Prayer for the dead is taken is an abridgement wholly out of the fiue bookes of Iason the Cirenian as the author himselfe confesseth and therefore not a writing or booke of the holy Ghost Secondly the Author of this booke craueth pardon for his wants and saith it is aswell as he was able to doe but thus neuer the holy Ghost at any mans hands For how should God craue pardon of man and say it is as well as he was able to doe Therefore this most mightely and euidently vnlesse we shut our eyes and stoppe our eares against the truth telleth vs this booke is not as the rest of the Scriptures whereon we safely stay our selues Thirdly in the writings of the holy Ghost there are no contrarieties euer but in these bookes there are and therefore no Scripture by inspiration from the holy Ghost Wil you thinke of some of them In the first booke it is said of Iudas that hee was slaine of Bacchides his armie and that Ionathas and Simon his brethren buried him in his fathers Sepulcher in the Citie of Modin and all the Israelites wept for him c. In the second booke he is aliue againe and writeth letters 36. yeeres after he was dead Can both these be true If not then marke the credite of this booke Not vnlike to this is that which is written of Antiochus his death In the first booke it is sayd he laide him downe vppon his bed sicke and there dyed with such circumstances of the matter as there you may reade and see your selfe In the second booke and first Chapter it is sayd that he entring the temple of Nanea the Priestes opened a priuie doore of the Vaute and cast downe stones like Thunder vpon him and his companie and brused them in peeces cut off their heades and threw them out to the rest of their companie that were without In the 9. Chapter of the same booke it is sayd he dyed a miserable death among the mountaines These be greater contrarieties thā I trust any man that feareth GOD will thinke may be in bookes whereof the holy Ghost is author And therefore you see wee doe not without great cause refuse to learne our faith out of these Bookes If mens iudgements bee regarded of vs we heare and see what the Fathers thought Hierom Epiphan Athanasius and Cyprian reiect these bookes in this sorte as not to be rules of faith Yea the Bishop of Rome himselfe Gregorie 200. yeeres after Austen reiecteth them as not Canonicall and if other men be of small regard with them yet would GOD the Papistes would respect their owne Bishop But Austen they say affirmeth them Canonicall O why should not loue of truth banish all cauilles Austen doth so and in the very same place that they alleage sayth the contrary How then is Austen contrary to himselfe No their owne eyes see as well as we if they will that when he calleth them not Canonicall he taketh the worde strictly and properly and meaneth they are no groundes and rules for our faith when hee calleth them Canonical he taketh the word largely and meaneth they are such as may bee read in the Churches for examples of the great and marueilous passions and persecutions of the Martyrs Beleeue not me but heare himselfe First that they are not Canonicall In Machabaeorum libris c. Although there may some thing bee found in the bookes of the Machabees meete for this order of writing and worthie to bee ioyned with the number of miracles yet hereof wee will haue no care for that wee haue intended only to touch a short rehearsall of the miracles contayned in the bookes of holy Canon See how he saith they are not Canonicall and therefore hée will not accept of the miracles in them Againe Haec supputatio non in scripturis sanctis quae appellantur Canonicae sed in alijs inuenitur in quibus sunt Machabaeorum libri This reckoning is not founde in the holie Scriptures that are called Canonicall but in certaine other bookes among which are the bookes of the Machabees Many such testimonies might bee alleadged out of this Father but these suffice in this treatise Now that they are Canonicall heare himselfe againe Libros Machabaeorum ecclesia habet pro canonicis propter quorundam Martyrum passiones vehementes atque mirabiles The Church accompteth the bookes of the Machabees as canonicall not for the aucthoritie and weight of trueth but for the great and meruailous passions and persecutions of Martyrs therein contained And againe that scripture that beareth the name of the Machabees is receiued not vnprofitably of the Church so that
of Father Whereby ariseth in vs and ought euermore an assurance of his willingnesse and readinesse to help vs. For what will a Father denie vnto his begging childe that may doe him good pater quid negabit filijs qui iam dedit quod pater est What will that Father denie to sonnes which hath alreadie granted this to be their Father Yea such a father as being not our father hath redeemed vs to him his vtter enimies with no lesse price than the precious bloud of his owne and onely deere beloued sonne O how shall he with him not giue vs al things also If we which are euil yet in the nature of fathers giue good giftes to our children how much more shall our Father which is in heauen giue good things to them that aske him Can a woman forget her child and not haue compassion of the sonne of her wombe Though it coulde bee yet will not I forget thee Behold I haue gtauen thee vpon the palmes of my handes thy walles are euer in my sight Iudge then the willingnesse of the Lorde euermore to grant our profitable praiers and be strengthened in fayth by this word Father Primus sermo quantae sit gratiae vide et suauitatis O homo faciem tuam nō audebas ad coelum attollere oculos tuos in terram dirigebas et subitò accepisti gratiam Christi ex malo seruo factus es bonus filius Non ergo hîc arrogantia est sed fides Praedicare quod acceperis non est superbia sed deuotio The first worde of Prayer of what grace and sweetnesse it is O man see and consider Thou durst not lift thy face to heauen but threw thine eyes downe to the earth and sodeinly thou receiuedst mercie in Christe of an euill seruant to be made a good sonne Heere is no arrogancie but faith And to publish abroade what thou hast receiued is no pride but deuotion sayde the godly Father Ambrose A third vse of this worde Father is to put vs in mind also of the dutie of children for we may not thinke that we calling him daily by this tender name of mercy and fauour and expecting at his hands the fruits of such nature as his name importeth wee in the meane time loosely and lewdly may behaue our selues and neyther before God nor man walking as children yet foolishlie feede our selues with the hope of childrens benefites from their Father There is no such matter if we take that course but euen as often as we open our mouths and praie this prayer so often euen of our owne mouthes the Lord shall iudge vs that wee calling him Father yet liue not nor desire to liue in the duties of his children O fearefull chaunge of a sweete name to a dreadfull witnesse of woe vnto vs. Saie then O Father but doe or indeauour to do the office of a childe For it is passed from him and lyeth before vs to stand till heauen and earth perish he expecteth it and we are commaunded it If I bee your Father where is my honor if I be your maister where is my feare And therefore wel said the godly Father Quemadmodum nobii placemus de Deo patre sic sibi placeat et Deus de nobis As we take pleasure of GOD to be our Father so let vs doe as he also may take pleasure of vs to be his children Yea well sayth the worde which wee must neuer forget Gird vp the loynes of your minde bee sober and trust perfectlie on the grace that is brought vnto you by the reuelation of Iesus Christ as obedient children not fashioning your selues vnder the former lust of your ignorāce but as hee which hath called you is holie so be you holy in all manner of conuersatiō And if he cal him father which without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans worke passe the time of your dwelling here in feare so forth to the end of the chapter And the Apostle Paule in lyke maner I therfore being prisoner in the Lord praie you that ye walke worthy of the vocation whervnto ye are called With many other such places And certainly it is true our sinfull soules shall one daie rew the proofe of it if it be not warned God heareth not sinners but if a man bee a worshipper of God and doth his will him heareth he Yea therefore marke it with a minde and a conscience carefull to performe the lyke euermore How both Dauid perswadeth y e Lord to heare him and strengtheneth himself in assurāce to be heard by performance of the dutie of a childe to him whom he calleth in his praier his Father eyther before or after Before in these places Saue me for I haue sought thy precepts And againe Let thy hand saue mee for I haue chosen thy precepts And in the last verse of that Psalme Seeke thy seruaunt for I doo not forget thy commaundements With such lyke speeches many Afterwarde as appeareth in the 145. verse Heare me O Lord and I will keepe thy statutes By which practise of the Saint of GOD wee may make this assured but dreadful conclusion that Father in mouth and Sonne without sense in lyfe maketh him of a Father a Iudge and tourneth his fauour into furie his pittie into plagues and our hoped health in heauen into assured woe in hell for euermore Therefore againe and againe let vs take this profit of this word Father euen to reforme vs daily as the Lord shal strengthen into the obedience of children So shall wee saie in comfort with Saint Iohn Whatsoeuer wee aske we receiue of him because we kepe his commaundementes and doo those things which are pleasing in his sight Yet doe we no waie strengthen the errour of merite heereby but testifying hereby our selues in truth not in a lying name and shew only the children of God both please the Lorde with the obedience of faith and comfort our selues in truth of promises altogether free made by a good Father vnto the same A fourth fruite agayne may be of this worde Father in this beginning euen to proue vnto the consciences of the whole world the sufficiencie and perfection of the worke of Christ for vs. For by which God is so fully pacified and pleased so contented and satisfied as that of a Iudge to punish he becommeth a Father to fauour and we of enimies sonnes and fellow heires with Christ that is absolute perfect and euerie waie full But by the worke of Christ for vs this is done and wee in the knowledge thereof bee so euen by the same Christe commaunded not in the spirit of feare but of faith and comfort boldly to call him Father Therefore the worke of Christ for vs most perfect glorious and absolute This giueth faith for feare this giueth hope of safetie from the power of all foes From the strength of the lawe from
the name of God is here meant whatsoeuer it is that truely of him may bee affirmed as that he is good iust gracious c. And this shall haue warrant euident and plaine euen from the Lord himselfe in that manifestation of himselfe to his seruant Moses were he sayth he will make all his good go before him and proclayme the name of the Lord before him and doing so in deede his name is neyther this word nor that as Iehouah Tetragrammaton or such like either in Hebrew or Greeke this tongue or that but it is this The Lord the Lorde strong mercifull and gracious slowe to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercie for thousandes forgiuing iniquitie transgression and sinne and not making the wicked innocent visiting the iniquity of the Fathers vppon the children vnto the third and fourth generation See then the greate and glorious name of GOD what it is And what is meant I pray you by Hallowing of that name To hallow or to sanctifie signifieth two things Either to make holy that which before was not so but polluted vncleane In which sorte our Sauiour Christ dooth hallowe and sanctifie vs making vs of the sinful sonnes of Adam the righteous sons of God in himselfe Either else that which of it selfe and in it selfe is alreadie holie so to repute and take so with all reuerence to acknowledge and confesse and so euer to vse and to speake of In which sense again wisedome that of her selfe is most iust is sayd to be iustified of her children that is to be so esteemed iudged and taken And in the third of Iohn He that hath receiued his testimonie saith he hath sealed that God is true That is nothing but this doth cause and bring to passe that God as he is in himself in déede true truth it self so hee is acknowledged of others to bee Now in his latter signification is it taken heere And therfore thus expounded by the learned Sanctificari hîc est reuelari obseruari glorificari honorari verè agnosci To bée hallowed here is to be reuealed obserued glorified honoured and truely acknowledged And againe Sanctificari Dei nomen dicitur cum sacrum venerabile purum augustum esse a nobis agnoscitur et praedicatur et nullo modo contemptim aut irreuerenter cogitetur aut sumatur The name of God is said to be hallowed when it is confessed published as holy reuerend pure and high and such as by no meanes is eyther thought of or taken of vs contemptibly or vnreuerently So that in plaine speech this petition is thus much O Lord let that maiestie and holinesse that is in thy selfe that iustice mercie and power which thou shewest in thy works and that truth wisedome and goodnesse which is in thy word with all thy vertue generally whatsoeuer comprehended in thy nature and fit for the knowledge and vse of man bee more and more dayly knowen of man and receiued amōg vs with that dread honor and reuerence that is fitte for such a name both in word and worke thought deede and euery way A notable request sure and well beseeming the sonnes of God desirous of their Fathers glorie But thus me think you doe not restraine it only to man so that in man only this glory of his name is to appeare No in deede neither ought I. But know it as a fault in Tertullian and Cyprian so to doe For so large is the reach of this petition as that it toucheth not onelie men godly and vngodly reprobate or elect but euen all things in this world whatsoeuer than to be ordayned of the Lorde For in the verie least thing appeareth some maiestie power eternitie and vertue of him which in this petition wee desire as well may appeare and bee seene and celebrated to the praise of him as those greater matters that are in man And therefore cryeth the Prophet of God in his Psalme to all creatures to praise the Lord Sunne and Moone and starres and light heauen and earth dragons deeps fire and water haile and snowe winde and vapours stormes and tempests mountaines and hils trees beasts cattell wormes and all feathered foules and in conclusion euery thing to exalt hallowe and sanctifie the name of the Lord. For his name onely is excellent his praise aboue heauen and earth And to the same end is the 104. Psalme a verie notable song of Dauid also teaching vs plainly that in all the workes of the Lord there is a portion of this his name that is of his maiestie power wisedome and goodnesse which in this petition and by these wordes we ought to begge of him which may appeare be seene noted marked and obserued celebrated in this world to his glorie more and more So that you see prayer dooth not meane onely man but all things in that order that I haue declared Euery thing as it is better and better knowen contayning matter and argument of Gods praise either in respect of workmanship vse nature all or some Yet it respecteth man chieflie as the worke of God wherein he hath shewed himselfe most and layed downe largest arguments to the glorie of his name It doth so and therefore so let vs think of it And first see howe it beggeth for vs knowledge and vnderstanding still more and more of his name and nature because knowledge goeth before obedience Which request of knowledge carieth with it an industrie and endeuour in vs in all diligence euer to obserue the Lord in his workes to marke the power the wisedome the goodnesse of him in creating them and in giuing such nature vse and operation to them in disposing them in such an order in continuing them in such a course and so foorth and condemneth the too too common and damnable dulnesse of the world in so continuall vse and so little a regarde of these things being the maine cause of grieuous vnthankfulnesse and not sanctifying of the name of God in vs. Secondly we begge in it as one saith Non modò vt nomen Dei in intellectu pe◠fidem et noticiam Dei verumetiam ore corpore vitaque tota sanctificetur et glorificetur Not onely that the name of GOD in our vnderstanding by faith and knowledge of GOD but also in mouth bodie and our whole life may bee sanctified and glorified Of which hallowing of the name of God speaketh the Lord himselfe by his Prophet saying I will sanctifie my greate name which was polluted among the Heathen c. How will he do it or what is this sanctification Marke how it followeth I will powre cleane water vpon you and you shall bee cleane yea from all your filthinesse and from all your Idols will I cleanse you A new heart also will I giue you and a newe spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stonie hart out of your body giue you an hart
spoken as that wee shoulde continue and delight in filthynes or vnrighteousnesse But it is a declaration of the course that the wicked will take and withall a secret confirmation of the godly notwithstanding the same As if he shoulde haue sayd be not you troubled or hindred in your most godly course of obedience to me either by the continuance and euer increasing of the wicked in their wickednes or by my toleraunce and long forbearing to smite them But folowe you me and my commandements stagger not looke not backe giue not ouer and as for the wicked he that is vniust let him be vniust still and he that is filthy let him be filthy still their punishment they shall bee sure of in their time and for you goe ye on without stop let them bee as they are to their woe The prayer O Mightie GOD looke vppon vs woormes and wretches here at thy feete lying and begging mercy Let vs obtaine of thy fatherly goodnes what thou hast so louingly taught vs to aske that thy name may bee halowed Let our eyes and the eyes of all men lightned by thy grace behold that maiestie and holynes that is in thy selfe more and more that Iustice mercy and power which thou shewest in thy works and that truth wisedome and goodnes which is in thy worde more and more with all thy vertues generally whatsoeuer comprehended in thy nature and fit for the knowledge and vse of man let them be more and more dayly knowne vnto vs. And when in mercy thou hast bestowed as it may seeme good to thine owne wisedome this knowledge vpon vs. O heauenly father let it not be in vs a bare knowledge but ioyne to our knowledge that dread and honour that regard and reuerence in our obedience that is fit for such a name both in word and worke thought and deede and euery way Make vs O Lorde euer more and more to auoyde and shunne what polluteth thy name causeth thy truth to heare euill of the wicked Remoue and ouerturne also good Lorde all those thinges in thy good tyme which prophane blemish and blot this glory of thine shining either in thy selfe in thy word or in thy works Such as are these irreligious Atheists of our sinfull dayes which with their mockes and scoffes tants and iests deride all goodnes out-face all conscience and care to please thee and dayly woorke disdayne where they may haue hearing of obedience to thy blessed will O thou mightie God remoue their seats out of kingdomes countryes Out of Cities and townes and out of priuate houses and families Awake Lorde in thy power and thinke of thy holy name let not these inchaunters and charmers preuaile against thee and glorye that they haue banished out of so many places the feare of thy name They are vnholy and they woulde haue all such they are vncleane and they infect where they come they are grieuous rockes of no small offence and good Lorde remoue them from thy chosen Lessen also for thy holy name sake the cōplayners of thy prouidence the murmurers at thy iudgements carpers and cauillers at thy word allurers to loosenes of life and behauiour and al that polluting thy holy name yet hate to be reformed Finally deere father let not the shames of vngodlines dayly before our faces cary vs away Neither these deepe waterfloods drowne our soules the lewde and loose examples wee beholde with griefe let them neuer preuayle against vs to peruert vs but if thy iust wrath haue sealed their confusion they being vniust let thē bee vniust still they being filthy let them be filthy still to their owne wo not to our stoppe or hinderance to do our dueties in seeking to knowe thy glorious name more and more and to sanctifie and hallow it according to that true knowledge more and more And deerest God begin not only obedience in vs but confirme thy fauour to vs euermore strengthen and establish vs in all goodnes make strong our inward man against all assaults and these seely soules pend vp in sinfull prison during life by welcome change receyue when tyme shall bee with thee to liue till thy day of doome and then receyuing their mates againe but immortal and incorruptible with them to liue conioyned againe for euermore in ioye and comfort But not this for our sakes O mightie Lorde but for Iesus Christ our onely life and Sauiour Amen The second Petition Thy kingdome come HAuing besought the Lord in the former petition that his name might be hallowed that is as then was sayde that that maiestie and holinesse which is in himselfe that iustice mercie and power which hee sheweth in his workes and that truth wisdome and goodnesse which is in his worde with all other vertues generallie whatsoeuer comprehended in his nature and fit for the knowledge and vse of man might be more and more dayly knowen of men and receiue amongst vs that dreade honour and reuerence that is fit for such a name both in word and worke thought and deede and euerie waie it fitly followeth in the second place to beseech the same Lorde to graunt waie and meanes whereby that same shall be effected and brought to passe namelie that his kingdome may come For if the Lord rule and raigne in vs and ouer vs it shal be so And if he do not it shal not be so No we shal be so far from sanctifying his name that for wāt of his kingdome in vs Satan shall erect his kingdome in vs the effects wherof shall be great and grieuous pollutions of his name Wherfore the order is most conuenient and good The wordes of the petition are few and easily vnderstoode if we marke them For the kingdome of GOD is the ruling and raigning of GOD in the heartes of men and the comming of this kingdome is the beginning increasing and continuing of it in vs. So thy kingdome come is in effect thus much as if we should saie O Lorde erect and begin O Lord increase and propagate O Lord establish and euer continue in our hearts thy rule and gouernment to the death of sinne and life of righteousnes the true effects of thy ruling euer Which yet is not so plaine as it will be when wee haue considered of the seuerall members implied in these wordes For we must vnderstand that when we are taught to praie for this kingdome of God all the meanes whereby it is effected in vs are included to be prayed for as also all stops and lets enimies hinderaunces whatsoeuer withstanding this kingdome prayed agaynst that they may bee remooued and taken awaie To bee then as plaine as I can the kingdome of God is sayde to bee of three sortes to witte of power of grace and of glorie The kingdome of power is that soueraigntie which the Lord hath ouer al the things in this worlde directing guiding ruling and disposing of euery one of them as his good pleasure is and causing all the
Satan in vs by any meanes subdue our sinfull flesh and all the wicked lusts therof to the inlarging of thy kingdome here vpon earth and grant that all the powers of body and soule may be inabled by thy holy Spirite to worke acceptably in thy sight that thou mayest dwell in vs and wee in thee for euer and all thyne our enemies vtterly troden downe thou mayst gloriously reigne and triumph ouer all and wee by Christ may finally as thy children and heires be made partakers of thy euerlasting kingdome Now is not this brought to passe but by meanes and therefore as we pray for the thing that the Lord would graunt it so pray we also inclusiuely for the meanes that in mercy they may bee giuen to the effecting of it The meanes are these first the word euen this heauenly and blessed woorde of God so finally accompted of in the worlde and not onely so but euen hated despised and reiected of numbers For so sayth the Apostle it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth to the Iew first also to the Grecian that is it is the mightie instrument of GOD without which men are damned and cast away Yea such an instrument it is of power and force wher it pleaseth the Lord that it hath greater strength and authoritie than all the eloquence than all the wisedome than all the learning than all the pollicie power of the worlde Let the dayes before vs witnes to this truth I meane those primitiue times when the Lorde began to powre his mercy on mankind for Christ by the ministerie of his Christ and of his disciples wherein notwithstanding this diuine word of his was resisted by all the worldly gifts and powers which I named yet had it marueilous successe and did wonderfully increase Demosthenes and Cicero for their eloquence Solon and Aristides for their wisedome Plato and Aristotle for their learning Alexander and Pompey for their manhood were of power of fame and in the world when they liued able by these gifts to doe much Yet the best of all these had much to do euen a fewe yeres to keepe their owne Citizens their owne countreymen their owne subiects in obedience and to cause them to giue place to good and wholsome Counsel and to obey lawes prouided for their owne profit Yea euerie one of them almost to their owne confusion prooued of howe small force their wisedome their eloquence their power was and with the ende of their liues left their common weales welneere vtterly decayed and vndone But cōtrarywise the Apostles not learned but poore fishermen not with any inticing words of mans wisedome not commended or set forth with those giftes ornaments that men so greatly do esteem went foorth into the worlde preaching the disdayned Gospell of Christ crucified and by the simple doctrine thereof did in fewe yeres for the state of religion chaunge the face of the whole worlde notwithstanding that the Empire of Rome and other mightie principalities did to the vttermost of their power resist it and the reformation that by the Apostles in this maner was begun continued and spred it selfe mightily and marueilously euen against the assaults of most cruel and tyrannicall persecutions vnder Nero Domitian Traian Adrian Anthony Dioclesian and many mo A force farre passing the power of man that in the midst of al such bloody deaths most exquisite torments yet was able dayly to get children to the kingdome of Christ yea and that so plentifully that well were they that might runne and professe themselues Christians that they might dye the death for it continually It is a very notable storie that is written of such as this worde of the Lord had begotten to Christ in Edessa a citie in Mesopotamia who being as it is sayd banished out of all Churches by the decree of the Emperour made their meetings in y e fileds Which espied of the Emperour in a very great rage hee strooke his chiefe captaine with his fist and asked why therehence also they were not remoued according as he had commanded The Captaine the next day determineth to dispatch them but yet in pitie to them although himselfe a Pagan by secret meanes letteth it go abroad that the next day he would destroy al that were found at those méetings hoping thereby to warne them to absteine and so to saue themselues But sée y e power of this word in the harts of men The next day the Christians although thus admonished yet flocke thither in more plentiful sort than at other times yet runne headlong as it were and in great hast as men affraide to come to late to dye Amongst all the Captaines noted a certaine woman so hastely and with such speede to runne out of her house as that shee stayed not either to shut the doore of her house or to put on her clothes as womanhoode woulde and in her armes a litle infant When hee sawe it he commanded to call her to him and being come asked her whither she made all that hast Into the field saith she wher the christians meet And hast thou not heard sayth he that the chief Captaine is going thither to put to the sworde all hee findeth there Yes saith she I haue heard it and therfore I make hast that I may be there when hee commeth And what wilt thou do with this yong babe sayth he Take it with me also sayth shee that if the Lord will it may be vouchsafed martyrdome also When the Captayne heard this he stayed his course commanded his charet to turne and to the Emperour presently he goeth told him if it pleased his maiestie to cōmand him death he was ready but to do what he commaunded he could not for thus and thus had hee seene it and so declared vnto the Emperor all this storie Who by and by was appeased stayed his hande and restrayned his intended euill to such zealous louers of their God See nowe how true it is that the Apostle sayth it is the power of God that is potens instrumentum the mightie instrument of God to get men and keepe men to the Lorde They were accompted the men that troubled all the worlde yet were they not discouraged Ligabantur include bantur cedebātur torquebantur tamen multiplicabantur They were bound sayth S. Austen they were tormented and racked and yet for all this they multiplied and increased So was it euē in these latter daies of ours when all pitie and truth was buried as it were in the bottome of the Sea Antichrist of Rome in his ruffe power and strength exalting himselfe aboue all that was called God and made Princes and Emperours to kisse his feete yea when it was death almost to thinke of the restoring of true religion euen then I say did this word of the Lord in the mouth of one simple man at the first against the clamors of Monkes and Friers against the
scorning of Bishops against the power of the Pope against the assistance of temporal Princes against all torments by fire by fagot by sword by imprisonment light such a candel as now shineth to all the Countrey of Europe and by the power of man it cannot be put out Wherefore iudge whether the Apostle sayd not true when speaking of this word he sayd it was a weapon not carnall but mightie through God to cast downe holds casting downe the imaginations euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ c. Wherefore we see by this first proofe playne enough that a meanes and a most mightie strong and powreful meanes to erect this kingdom of God in our harts which here we pray for is the word of God For there is no wisedome no Counsell no strength against it But though all the heathen rage most horribly and the people imagine continually yet it is but a vayne thing Though Kings and Princes and all the powers of this earth bande themselues against it yet will it not serue For hee that dwelleth in the heauen shall laugh them to scorne this word of his preuaileth where he will to whom he will when he will and as long as he will Other playne proofes y t this is a meanes to erect this kingdome are these first Saint Iames where it is sayd Of his owne wil he begat vs with the word of truth that we should be as the first fruites of his creatures The authour of all good sayth Saint Iames in generall and of this good in speciall namely our newe birth is the Lorde and the meanes is the word euen the word of truth So sayth our Sauiour himselfe in the Gospel Sanctifie them O Father with thy trueth and what is that thy word is truth So sayth Saint Paul Though ye haue ten thousand instructers in Christ yet haue yee not many Fathers for in Christ Iesus I haue begotten you And by what meanes through the Gospel And againe I beseech thee for my sonne Onesimus whom I haue begottē in my bonds to wit by the word And againe this one thing woulde I learne of you O foolish Galathians receyued ye the Spirit by the works of the lawe or by the hearing of fayth preached vnto you Likewise S. Peter Being borne anew not of mortall seed but immortal by the word of god And lastly father Abraham from heauen They haue Moses and the Prophetes let them heare them c. as if hee shoulde haue sayde if thou wouldst haue thy brethren begotten to the Lord that he ruling in them they may rule heere with him and escape that place of torment where thou now iustly art the meanes truely is Moses and the Prophets that is the worde of God for if that erect not the kingdome of GOD in them it shall not be erected by any dead if they should rise and be sent vnto them For that is the meanes which the Lorde hath ordayned and which to this day hath had power to beget to him so many as he would haue Wherefore when the Lord will promise a blessing to a kingdome Countrey and people that shall bee in deede a great blessing he promiseth this word and this word in plentifull measure and when hee will threaten a plague and a grieuous plague then sayth hee beholde the dayes come that I will send a famine in the land not a famine of breade nor a thirst for water but of hearing the worde of the Lorde And they shall wander from Sea to Sea and from the North euen vnto the East shall they runne too and fro to seeke the woorde of the Lorde and shall not finde it So then see wee that this woorde of our God is his mightie meanes to rayse vp this kingdome of his grace in vs this day when we haue it giuing something so as it were laying one stone to this spirituall building the next day giuing more and so laying as it were an other stone and so on to a perfite man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ that is till he haue wrought his wil in vs in this world and meaneth to translate vs to an other Wherefore as wee pray that the Lorde in mercy woulde erect this kingdome in vs when we pray Thy kingdome come so do we beseech the Lorde in this petition to graunt vs all the meanes appoynted and ordeyned of him to this building and by name this mightie meanes mercy great of his holy worde that wee may haue it amongst vs stil and enioy it in peace if it be his will to the raysing vp of these spiritual walles of a spirituall house of God within vs dayly more and more till it be fully finished to the pleasure of his maiestie here our eternall comfort heere and elsewhere for euer with him in his other kingdome of glory And the God of heauen and all mercy grant this to vs and make vs thankful for it Now beloued is this worde either read vnto vs or of vs without any preaching or preached vnto vs For by these two meanes buildeth it in vs and not by lying in our houses bound in siluer or golde or any costly sort whatsoeuer No mor then the Phisitions prescription confected by the Apothecarie and brought vnto vs profiteth our disease by standing in the windowe and not further touched And therefore as I haue sayd that it was a meanes and proued it to you out of the same word so let me say a little to you of the vsing of this meanes also Of reading the word TWo extremities there are which of all Gods chosen are to be eschewed the one is an estimation of reading so great as that being had wee feele no want neither thinke it a want neuer or seldome to haue any preaching The other is so farre to extoll preaching as that wee vtterly contemne reading yea exclude it from all power in the blessing of God to worke faith in vs or any The meane betwixt both which is a right and true conceipt both of reading and preaching Know we therfore that in the word they are both commended yea commanded and ordained of the Lord as meanes to erect this kingdome of his in our hearts for which wee pray and of which wee now speake And first for reading to name but a fewe places of a number marke what the Lord in his law layd downe for all his people Euery seuenth yeere when the yeere of freedome shall be in the feast of the tabernacles when all Israel shall come to appeare before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose thou shalt reade this Lawe before all Israel that they may heare it Garher the people together men women and children and thy straunger that is within thy gates that they may heare and that
and learned with one consent haue euer sayde that it is greate That we feede our faith thereby rayse vp our affiance fasten our hope growe experte in the Scriptures so that we cannot so easilie be deceiued by false teachers that wee are made acquainted with the phrase and whereas by a preacher one booke cannot be gone ouer in diuerse yeres by this profitable and godly vse of reading the Scriptures euen all the bookes of God are gone ouer many times in one yeere to the great instructiō of people if they wil themselues Let no hardening therefore in the name of al blasphemous Papists call reading of the Scriptures to the people in the Church a spirituall dumbnesse and a thing vnprofitable but let vs with y e chosen of the Lord euer reuerence the good of it blesse God for our libertie For it had neuer ben written in letters to this daie it had neuer ben translated into sundrie tongues by the gift from heauen of the knowledge of tongues neither euer had it bene commanded by the Lord to be read to the people if it had not bin a sanctified meanes by him to the great good of his people and Church Wherefore to go no further since we see it plainly to bee of the Lord both commanded and blessed let vs see a little if it be not also so for the people themselues to reade it if they haue the abilitie Surelie it is For the wordes are playne Search the Scriptures And they cannot with truth bee restrayned from giuing a warrant of reading to all men Blessed is the man that meditateth in the law of God day night Is meditation lawfull all reading damnable Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his waie euen by ruling himself after thy worde Are young men then boūd to rule themselues after Gods booke and yet no man suffered to looke within the leaues A thousand such places there are which I neede not to note Timothie was brought vp in the reading and knowledge of Scriptures from his childhood and the Lord hath commended it The Beraeans tooke theyr Bibles turned to the proues of Paulē when he preached and they are highly commended The Eunuch had his booke in the Chariot and the Lord looked on him The worde of GOD must dwell plentiously amongst vs c. as is there written and therefore wee may reade it We must take the swoorde of the spirite which is the worde of God as well as eyther helmet or breast plate or anie other part of our spirituall armour and therefore we may reade it Wherefore well sayde Saint Austen Nec solùm sufficiat quod in ecclesia diuinas lectiones auditis sed etiam in domibus vestris aut ipsi legite aut alios legentes requirite Let it not content you to heare the holy Scripture read vnto you in the Church onely but in your houses also at home eyther reade them your selues or cause others to reade them Well decreed that first Councell of Nice that no house should be without eyther a Bible or at least a new Testament Well crieth Origen Vtinam omnes faceremus quod scriptum est scrutamini scripturas Woulde God we did all as it is written Search the Scriptures Wel cried that good Father Cōparate vobis Biblia animarū pharmaca seculares Get you Bibles yelaie men for they are the medicines of your soules c. But see the iniquitie of Rome It shall bée lawfull to reade anie mans booke Si faciat pro nobis that is if he be a Papist yea and the mo wee haue in our closets and chambers of such bookes the holier Catholiques wee but the Lordes booke that is able to make vs wise vnto saluation and is sweeter than the honie we may not touch it we may not haue it or reade it For if we doe we shall be heretiques So mans worke shall make vs Saintes and Gods worke diuells Popish writings Catholikes and heauenly writing heretiks if they be read O dreadfull blasphemie and doctrine of death Greate is the patience of the Lorde that putteth vp this and beareth it daylie when with great iustice heauen and earth might agree together to flashe out fire to consume such teachers the other to rend in peeces and swallow vp the ashes when they art burnt of such blasphemers Is not this to shutte vp the kingdome of God before men and neyther to enter in themselues nor to suffer others that woulde enter And Woe to such sayth the Lorde there Hoc non est sanantium nec viuificantium sed magis grauantium et angentium Et multo verior hic lex inuenitur Maledictum dicens omnem qui in errorem mittat caecum in via This is not the parte of them that would heale or giue life but rather of them that augment the burthen and increase ignorance And herein is the lawe wel verified Cursed is he that leadeth the blinde out of the waie What is this but with the amazed ones in the Prophet to saïe Tace et ne recorderis nominis Domini Holde thy peace and neuer thinke vpon the name of the Lord. These men be the right successours of Antiochus and Maximinus who for lyke pollicie burnt the bookes of God least the people shoulde reade them Whereas the godly and first christened Emperor Constantine caused the Bible to be written out and to bee sent abroade into all Kingdomes Countries and Cities of his dominion And king Adelstane heere in England caused it to bee translated into the English tongue that all might reade it Of Iulian the wicked Emperour who charged the Christians with it as an high fault that their women were so skilfull in the Scriptures Forgetting what Saint Hierome writeth that all the maidens about Lady Paula were set dayly to learne the Scriptures Let vs remember how many saued soules are nowe with the Lorde in rest that beeing able to reade neuer a word vpon the booke themselues yet by hearing others reade vnto thē haue receiued blessing from the Lord thereof euen to acknowledge to resist the enimy to a strength with their blouds to seale the truth of that they heard by hearing learned beside all other Churches the Monuments of this our Church will affoord vs many What manner of men and women would these haue beene if they could haue read themselues Let vs remember what Saint Austen confesseth of himselfe that beeing inclined to the heresie of the Manichees he heard a voyce saying Tolle et lege Take vp and reade meaning the booke of God which hee presently did and so by reading was conuerted And concerning reading of the Scriptures eyther vnto the people in the Church by the Ministers or anie other appoynted to that seruice or by the people themselues priuatly at home in theyr houses in a tongue that they vnderstand Let vs conclude vpon playne recited proues that it is a means
vs. How came it to passe that the Iewish people so seeing dayly the wonderfull workes of God for them the proofes of his power mercie and goodnesse aboue all the nations of the world yet persisted vnfaithfull stubburne and wayward to so good a God O sayth Moses these things being done for you yet hath the Lorde giuen you an heart to perceiue and eyes to see and eares to heare vnto this daie teaching vs playnly that such hart such eyes and eares are onely the Lords to giue and without such gift we profite nothing no not by the verie euident extraordinarie mercies of God In another place agayne The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart the heart of thy seede that thou mayest loue the Lord thy GOD with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou mayest liue As if hee shoulde saie neuer thinke of anie loue of GOD faythfull and true as possible to be within thee and consequently no obedience loue being the root of all excepte the Lorde circumcise thine heart that is purge all thy wicked affections giue hearing reading a blessing which thing is not in thine owne power to doe It is I sayth the Lord by the prophet Esaie that receiue the spirite of the humble and giue lyfe to them that are of a contrite heart If the Lorde worke in one he worketh in all the spirites of men are ruled and gouerned vnto good onelie by him If he touch vs we are touched if hee turne vs wee are turned and if hee reuiue not and giue life we sinke in all our sinnes as vnfeeling wretches and abide in death How playnly sayth it agayne the Prophet Ezekiel I wil giue you a newe heart and I will put a newe Spirit within you and will take away the stony heart out of your body giue you an heart of flesh And I will put my spirit within you and and cause you to walke in my statutes c. O see and marke howe all lets bee remooued and all grace giuen by the Lorde alone in mercy seeking our saluation And therefore knowe it true as the truth is true that neither hearing nor reading preaching or priuat speaking auaileth euer to doe vs good except the guiding grace of the Lorde direct vs to it by a blessing giuen to them all or any when they are vsed And therefore as for the word so for the blessing of it by the Spirit of God do we euer pray when we say these words Thy kingdom come Then opened he their vnderstanding sayth the Gospell of our Sauiour Christ that they might vnderstand the Scripture And Lydia attended to those thinges which Paul spake because the Lord opened her heart So that neither one nor other Lydia nor the disciples of Christ see heare or vnderstand except the Lorde giue the eye the eare and the heart It is the holy Spirit that teacheth teacheth into all trueth and without whome still still all meanes remaine vnprofitable There is an oyntment sayth Saint Iohn from him that is holy and that anoynting teacheth you all things that is the grace of the holy ghost Wherefore I cease not to make mencion of you in my prayers sayth the holy Apostle and to bowe my knees vnto the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ that he would giue vnto you the Spirit of wisedome and reuelation through the knowledge of him that the eyes of your vnderstanding may bee lightned that we may knowe what the hope of his calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritaunce is in the Saints c. And that yee may bee strengthened by his Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by fayth and yee may bee able to comprehend with all Saynts what is the bredth and length and depth and height c. See Pauls refuge for profitte to his preaching for life and light for these Ephesians euen to the Lorde for his holy Spirite to soften and supple their stony heartes to illuminate and lighten their darke mindes and to make that sweete to them that is sower to many and fruitefull to them by his mightie power that is neuer so to any without the same Wherefore to goe no further knowe it for conclusion that wee praying for Gods kingdome to come vnto vs in this petition by the hearing and preaching of his worde the meanes appoynted of him to erect the same and seeing well by all this that hath bene said that neither one nor other of these meanes cā preuaile with vs any thing vnlesse the Lorde also with them giue the power of his Spirit and the blessing of his grace in our hearts by them therefore there is included herein also euen praier for this grace and the petition being vnderstoode of vs is thus much with the Lord as we should in playne termes say O Lord giue vs not onely thy worde to reade and heare but the heauenly grace of thy holy Spirit also to sanctifie blesse and make fruitefull to vs both our reading and hearing that so reading and so hearing thy kingdome may come vnto vs and thou ruling and wee ruled wee may liue for euer with thee according to thy promise See then still further matter of this petition And since the Lord hath taught vs thus to pray for the helpe of his hande and the blessing of his grace to all the meanes of good vnto vs and so guided the tongues of his children euer before this forme was layde downe vnto them though in other wordes Let vs brethren looke vpon this occasion into our corruption for truely the Lorde reueileth a secret vnto vs of our natures that thousands sée not when hee thus teacheth vs that without his Spirite no meanes profite vs. We trust to our witts to our skill to our yeres and youth and I know not what and wee thinke wee haue wings of nature aboue our fellowes many of vs to flye aloft and to sée the secretes of the Lord but truely it is not so we haue all sinned and sinne hath cut our wings that wee cannot flye aboue wee haue all in our first parentes transgressed and that transgression hath dazeled and darkened our eyes closed our eares and benummed our heartes that we can neither see heare nor feele except it bee giuen vs from aboue as wee haue now fully bene taught As naturall men we perceyue not the thinges that are of GOD we are not able to thinke a thought that is good but all our sufficiencie is of God and by his grace only we are what we are that good is if any trueth bee opened to vs the Lord hath done it and cōcerning life eternall flesh and blood reueileth nothing to vs but the father in heauen reade without this spirit and the booke is sealed to vs heare without this Spirite and it is a pleasant song that sinketh not but passeth with the time pray without this
distinction is Tertullians against Martion and receiued vsually That euill which is called the punishment of euill there is no question neither but God willeth and is the author of it he being y e iudge of whose warrant it is done and the punishment it selfe being a worke of iustice against sinne being also good The question is de malo culpae of that euill that is the euill it selfe howe God willeth it or not And concerning this matter see first on the one side what is truth thou art not a God sayth the Prophet Dauid that louest wickednes neither shall any euil dwel with thee No thou louest righteousnesse hatest iniquitie Perditio tua ex te Israel et auxilium a me thy destruction Israel is by thy selfe and of thy selfe and in mee is thy helpe When the deuill speaketh a lye hee speaketh of his owne for hee is a lyar and the father thereof Sée then the true author of euill not God but Satan Furthermore if God be all good how can hee will the thing that is euill euery thing willing but that which is agreeable to the nature thereof This striueth therefore with his goodnes It is contrary also to his power for what good that hee will is not hee able to bring to passe without the meanes of euill and if he be then needeth not he to wil any euil to the end to compasse some good by it that otherwise he could not It is cōtrary to his mercy which extendeth it self vpon them that haue done euill It is contrary to his iustice which promiseth it in others And playnely wee see then that the Lord doth not will any euil Which Saint Austen acknowledged when he said Deus non est author vllius rei qua homo fit deterior God is neuer author of any thing wherby man may be made the worse Now on the otherside heare againe what is truth also The Lorde hardened Pharohs heart The Lord deliuereth men vp into a reprobate mind to do those things which are not conuenient the Lorde sendeth men strong delusions to beleeue lies the Lorde sent a spirit to seduce Achab and put him in the mouth of all Achabs Prophets with many such things testified of the Lorde in the word which in vs were euill and séeme so to be in the Lord also if our knowledge be not better to distinguish and to cleare him in whom there can be no vnrighteousnesse euer Hereupon swell the Libertines in blasphemy against the Lord and excusing themselues charge him with their wicked wayes Hereat also stumbled the Manichees and therfore made duo principia two originals or first causes of actions the one most good from whence came al goodnes the other most euill from whence came all euill and the punishment of all euill And hereat also sticke many saying God suffereth these thinges to bee done but no further But I pray you let vs aske them whether God suffer them willingly or against his will If they say willingly then confesse they that God hath a part in the action and that is more than suffring if they say vnwillingly then make they him not omnipotent for cannot he let any thing that he wil not we know he can and there is none that can resist his will sayth the Apostle Wherfore to helpe this matter and to answere with truth we must vnderstand a fewe thinges and I pray you hearken We must distinguish of sinne and we must distinguish of will Sinne hath two distinctions fit for this purpose to bee knowne For either it is considered simply in it selfe and by it selfe as a thing contrary to the law of God or it is considered as a cause of sinne and euill folowing or thirdly as a iust punishment of sinne that went before The first GOD neuer willeth neither can will the second so also But in the third respect God is sayde to will euill to wit not as it is euil but as it is poena peccati the punishment of euill Which in deede is a iust thing of the Lord. So doth hee punish sinne with sinne as in the place before named hee punished the Gentiles with deliuery vp to a reprobate minde to worke euil because when they knewe God they glorified him not as God neither were thankfull The second distinction is this in sinne and all euill there is the action and the deformitie or euill of and in the action The first God may well for he is in deede the very first efficient cause of euery action according to that saying in him we liue moue haue our being and deus operatur in omnibus 1. Cor. 12.16 and of him for him c. omnia Rom. 11.16 Touching the second we must vnderstand that will is either proper or improper Proper when wee will a thing for it selfe either as a good thing in deede or at least so iudged of vs improper when we will a thing not for it selfe as good of it selfe but for some other good that shal folow it And thus may we will that thing that is euill as a man willeth the cutting of some member for the safety of all y e rest So God willeth euill things not because he alloweth them or loueth that which is properly to will but seeth in his mercy hee so disposing them some good shall followe of them which as I say is to wil improperly and herein we sée howe still the obiect of will is good in the Lord. To apply then all this to God so farre as our question requireth let vs vnderstand that that euil which is a punishment inflicted by God for some former euill we may say that God willeth For so teacheth vs the same God himselfe by his Prophet saying I forme the light and create the darkenes I make peace and create euill I the Lord do al these things Marke howe the Lorde sayth hee createth euill That is the euill that is a iust punishment of some former euil or sinne The like againe by the Prophet Amos shall a trumpet be blowne in a Citie and the Lord hath not done it Out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth not euill and good Is it not a knowne trueth in diuinitie that the Lorde punisheth often sinne with sinne Now all sinne we knowe is euill if we respect it selfe but if we respect it as it commeth from God to punish sinne withal then is in that respect not euill but a iust right and good thing The hardning of Pharohs hart in Pharoh was euill in God it was a iust punishment of his sinne The deceyuing of Achab with a lye in it selfe considered was euill but as God did it for a punishment of his sinne it was not euill but iust That strong delusion whereof Paul speaketh in it selfe is euill but if we marke it inflicted by God as a punishment for want of loue to the trueth so it is a iust thing
and not euill So the deliuering of the Gentiles into a reprobate mind and all such examples in the woorde Tertullian against Marcian and Augustine against Iulian handle this matter and may further bee read of it This sufficeth to shewe that although wee say that God willeth often that thing that in it selfe considered is euil yet as it proceedeth from him that it should be so and consequeÌ„tly he the author of euil it followeth not For many times euill is the punishment of euill that is iust with the Lord euer Concerning the second distinction how God may bee the author of the action and yet not of the euill any way in the action sée by these similitudes The Sunne lighting with his hote beames vppon a dead carcasse causeth a strong and loathsome sauour yet is not the Sunne either vnswéete it self or the cause of that vnswéetenes but the carion it selfe For if the Sunne were the cause then euer the like cause the like effect but wee see it is not so but contrary when it lighteth vppon sweete hearbes and odoriferous flowers it draweth out of them great sweetenes and pleasaunt smels Againe the earth wee all knowe with her sap and moysture feedeth and nourisheth al the trees plantes and rootes that are yet is not that earth cause why this tree bringeth a bitter fruite and that hearbe or roote a bad tast but the nature seuerall of y e things themselues is the cause of that Thirdly the pure worde of the Lorde is preached or read and one sauoureth and gathereth to life an other to death and destruction is now y e word cause of those seuerall effects or the creatures themselues blessed or not blessed with Gods holy Spirit Thus may the Lorde then bee author of an action and yet not of the euill in the action and so hee séemeth to will euill when yet in trueth he doeth not What is now his reueiled will All that which in the holy booke of his worde hee hath layd downe and declared to be the duetie which he will haue performed of vs towards him And is this that will which here we pray may be done Yea this is it and therefore if wee will vnderstand this petition let vs looke what is required of vs in this worde and all that we begge of the Lord strength and abilitie to doe We beseech him that whereas the mindes of earthly men burning with lustes are commonly caried to desire and to doe those things that most displease God hee of his mercie will with the mouing of his holy Spirit so chaunge and fashion all the willes of vs all to that will of his maiestie that we may will and wish nothing that his diuine will misliketh Praecamur optamus vt non tantum faciat Deus quod vult sed nos facâ—re possimus quod vult We pray that not onely God would doe his will but that wee may doe what is his will sayth Cyprian To runne ouer all the dueties of a Christian required in the word were too long let vs therefore not so doe but for example sake of all the rest consider these three First we knowe it is the Lords will that wee should beleeue in Iesus Christ whome he hath sent and that by faith in his name wee and all the worlde should obtayne remission of our sinnes and eternall life So God loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life And againe This is the worke of God that is the worke that God requireth of you that ye beleeue in him whome he hath sent Wherefore in this petition wee beseech him that that will of his may be done in vs that is that we may receiue grace so to doe and neuer to looke for saluation in any other Secondly we knowe it is the Lordes will that wee should in a true faith leade a holy and cleane life for so sayth the Apostle haec est voluntas dei sanctificatio vestra This is the wil of God euen your sanctification and that ye should absteyne from fornication that euery one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence as the Gentils which know not God What do we then in this petition but beseech the Lord that that will may be daylie done of vs and we daylie chaunged by the renewing grace of his blessed spirite into such men and women as he desireth delighteth in namely into holy creatures walking not after the flesh but after the spirit and so consequently sauouring not the things of the flesh but of the spirit That we may be holy as he is holy That our light may so shine before men as they may see our good workes and glorifie our father which is in heauen that wee may keepe iudgement and doe iustice in our callings that being buried with Christ by baptisme into his death as he is risen froÌ„ the dead to the glory of the father so we also might walke in newnes of life That sinne may not rule in our mortall bodies that we should obey it in the lusts thereof or giue our members as weapons of vnrightiousnes vnto sin That fornication and al vncleannes or couetousnes may not once be named amongst vs as becommeth Saynts That we may putte on as the elect of GOD holy and beloued the bowells of mercy kindnes humblenes of mind mekenes long suffring forbearing one another if any man haue a quarrell to an other and forgiuing euen as Christ hath forgiuen vs and what should I saie We beseche the Lord euen that very GOD of peace to sanctifie vs throughout that our whole Spirit and soule and body may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ And with Dauid we saie in effect Looke if there bee any way of wickednesse in mee and leade mee in the way euerlasting Thus saith Cyprian Voluntas Dei quam stabiliri fieri precamur est quam Christus fecit docuit humilitas in conuersatione stabilitas in fide verecundia in verbis infactis iustitia in operibus misericordia in moribus disciplina The will of God which wee pray to bee established and done is that which Christ both did and taught humilitie in life stabilitie in faith shamefastnes in words iustice in deedes mercie in workes discipline in manners And doe we thus pray then to be holy O my beloued what shall we answer the Lorde then I say not for our vnholinesse but euen for our securitie dulnesse deadnesse and conceiued hartie pleasure in vnholinesse Was it euer counted better than a mockerie to seeme to aske a thing and yet to doe against it To desire a Phisition to helpe vnto health in the meane while our selues with al our might to féede vpon the foes of that wished good Consider then our cases and the cases of
reynes and doeth not spare and powreth my gaul vppon the ground Hee hath broken me with one breaking vppon an other and runneth vpon me like a Gyant Here you see not onely aduersitie and affliction but euen a marueilous measure yet the man deere to the Lords heart that indured it Euery woorde hath a power to expresse a great temptation if you marke them Compassed round about his reynes cut not spared his very gaull as it were powred out one breaking vpon an other and runne vppon with the Lorde as with a Gyant Are you able to say you haue such measure of woe vpon you you cannot if you will speake trueth And yet was Iob for all this measure as I say the Lordes chosen In the 19. chapter marke againe his phrase His armies sayth he came together made their way vpon me and camped about my tabernacle Before he sayd the Lords archers now he sayth the Lordes armies still noting both great number and great strength What can you or I say Happely wee may say the Lorde hath shot one headlesse arrowe at vs to quicken vs awake vs out of earthly worldly securitie happely an arrowe with a heade that hath somewhat pearced let it be two or three or twentie alas this is not the number of the Lordes archers this is not to feele the armies of the Lord and his battels euen all his battels ioyned together against vs. I pray you therefore still marke Iobs measure and your measure and yet Iob loued In his 30. chapter Thou turnest thy selfe cruelly against me and art enemy vnto me with the strength of thy hand Thou takest me vp and causest me to ride vppon the wind and makest my strength to fayle When hee sayth cruelly his meaning is not to accuse God but to declare the vehemency of his affliction wherby he was caried beside himselfe And by the word wind he compareth his afflictions to a tempest or whirlewinde Therefore still note the measure We may safely acknowledge the Lords rod vpon vs but yet may we not say it is all his rod when it is but a twigge And I assure my selfe if we looke at Iobs measure ours is skarse a twigge Howe then should Satan whisper any discomfort to vs for our measure whatsoeuer it is when it is not comparable to his whom wee knowe notwithstanding loued Was Dauid lightly humbled whē he said there is no whole part in my body by reason of my sin when he cried Why art thou so sad my soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee still trust in God c. Was it a litle measure that Abraham and Isaac so wandred tossed from pillar to post as we say in perils feares and many afflictions and yet contayned not the promise Was it a litle measure that Iacob susteyned first to haue his owne and onely brother sweare his death as it were then to leaue Father and Mother house and home Countrey and friendes and to seeke for a worlde abroade to serue paynefully his owne vncle and in the ende to be vnkindly requited with an other than hee wished to beginne other seuen yeres againe or else loose his desire to be pinched in his wages enuyed and maliced by his owne flesh driuen to depart without any farewel pursued after vexed with wrongfull accusations and charges to haue the wife whome hee loued not altogether vpright in iudgement of religion his bed defiled by his eldest sonne his daughter rauished and taken away a horrible murder committed by Simeon and Leui vpon that quarell Ioseph solde but as hee thought murdered by a wilde beast with many mo very bitter and smarting temptations if you marke the story Thus may you then go ouer the Scriptures and see the measure of others many compare it with yours and be truely comforted if God so wil. For certainely wee are not tried and humbled like these men your owne conscience must acknowledge it and reason will euict it whether you will or no. For if God lay no more vpon any than according to his abilitie to beare and our fayth when the greatest yet is inferiour to those then assuredly our tryals are inferiour also And so their examples our true comfort against this assault drawen from the measure that wee indure Folow then this course and as you reade marke not only matter of affliction but measure and I warrant you this lying deuil wil hide his head conuinced with a trueth Your order now leadeth you to reuewe howe man tempteth or trieth man But that hauing in my opinion sufficiently bene touched before it will not bee amisse if you goe to the last poynt namely howe Satan tempteth vs. And I altogether put my selfe vppon your direction yet with this note by the way that the selfe same temptations may bee sayde to proceede from Satan that otherwise haue beene sayde to come from God From Satan in malice from God in mercy From Satan as they vrge and perswade vs to any euill contrary to the worde From the Lorde as they open to vs our weakenes in fayth and sundry corruptions driuing vs to his selfe as to our true strength and support in all our weaknes Which being remembred then say we concerning this diuision that the temptations of Satan are infinite and cannot bee named of any man albeit felt of all men as the Lord will giue him leaue to shewe his malice of some more of some lesse and of euery one somewhat Hee tempteth in iudgement to error and heresie hee tempteth in life to sinne and impietie and what infinite branches haue these two heades The errors and heresies that haue bene of old what an heape are they if I should take this course or who can tell what euen yet dayly he worketh in this behalfe throughout the worlde stuffing mens heades and filling their hearts with great vntruths Some hee hath perswaded heretofore and still no doubt will perswade if God permit him that an estate of the true Church heere on earth is to bee expected more perfit and holy than in deede is true And he telleth them that if any Church be so separated from the world that therein in deede and trueth all mens liues be framed according to the woorde of God that is a true Church and if any Church bee not so separated from the world but that in it are found some without repentance which liue not according to the worde of God but haue their blots and spots both in fayth to God and loue to mā that is a false church from which the children of God must separate themselues least they should bee partakers of other mens sinnes So that the imperfections of a Church and the faults of some in the Church not remoued by by from the same shall vtterly take away both name and nature of a Church from that place A great and grieuous vntrueth surely and such as we may say of with S. Hilarie Archangeli nesciunt
his times Yet neither that desperate impietie of the Pharisies nor that loose libertie that ouerflowed as it were the Church then could hinder Christ either from vsing the same forme of seruing God with the people or from comming into the same temple with the multitude to the publique exercises of Religion there appoynted But he would bee circumcised with the rest and presented in the temple as others were when the time came and doe all things with them appoynted by the lawe for him to doe If any man doubt of it let him consider the Scripture well that sayth When the fulnes of time was come God sent foorth his sonne made of a woman and made vnder the lawe that hee might redeeme theÌ„ which were vnder the lawe that we might receiue the adoption of sonnes Hee speaketh of the Ceremoniall lawe by name and therfore no question but he performed whatsoeuer therein was commanded and of man whom he was to redéeme ought to be performed Let him consider also Christes owne wordes when he sayd Wee worship what wee knowe ioyning himselfe not with a fewe picked and choyse Christians but with the whole multitude of the people of the Iewes and adding a reason that proueth so much for saluation commeth from the Iewes Which is as much as if he should haue sayd for the Religion not of some certaine but of the whole people or bodie of the Iewes is a seruice that pleaseth God for his owne appoyntment of it and therefore I communicate with them therein my selfe and we worship what we knowe together Musculus considering asmuch therefore noteth by our Sauiours example what care and conscience ought to bee in euery Christian to obserue the forme of his owne nation in seruing God if it may be warranted And it is not vnnoted of many others that our Sauiour notwithstanding the great corruptions of that Church communicated with it in all holy exercises and made not an other Church by himselfe of some certayne better people and yet there wanted not such euen in those euil daies diuers as Zachary Elizabeth Mary Simeon and others besides his disciples So that our Sauiours example is playne against this deceiuing error that we speake of namely that any man communicating in the publique exercises of religion according to the word of God appoynted with the wicked should by their companie there bee polluted he himselfe hauing a good conscience and doing his duetie as he ought From our Sauiour Christ let vs next come to his disciples tyme and see if they followed not the very same course and trod not in the very same steps of their masters practise Let vs remember the Church of Corinth which the Apostle in the Spirite of trueth calleth the Church of God sanctified beloued and abounding with the gifts of God And yet in it were many imperfections and sundry great and foule enormities There was enuying and strife and diuisions one holding of Paul an other of Apollos an other of Cephas in so much that the Apostle telleth them they are carnall and he could not speake vnto them as vnto spirituall men but as vnto carnall There was puffing and swelling pride in such order that the Apostle asketh shall I come vnto you with a rod or in loue There was fornication and euen such as is not named among the Gentiles one had his Fathers wife and they that sawe it and knewe it were puffed vp and sorowed not neither punished as they ought so foule a wickednes There was quarelling brabling and busie going to lawe one with an other and that vnder infidels Men and women that were maried together made separations and diuorses of themselues one from an other of their owne authorities and when themselues listed without word and warrant without right and conscience which the Apostle rebuketh and telleth them might not be so There was going to the prophane bankets of the Gentiles and eating of thinges sacrificed to Idols with great offence to the weake The vâ—ry Sacrament of the Lords Supper was greatly prophaned Those Spirituall giftes which the Lorde gaue them they abused bragging ambitiously of them and so robbing God of his prayse for them hauing no consideration of their brethren to edifie theÌ„ by an humble mind submitting it selfe to the capacitie of the weakest On the other side they that were inferiors in gifts enuyed the superiors and went about to make a departure so that all that body was as it were skattered and rent in pieces That notable gift of tongues and languages they greatly abused neglecting prophecie And what should I say the very resurrection that great Article of a christians faith was called in question in that Church and yet for all that and al these that I haue thus named it ceased not to bee a Church and the Church of God and Sanctified and beloued and blessed and made rich with many graces neither for these blots might any man haue bene iustified then to haue giuen it the blacke stone of condemnation and to haue separated himselfe from it as from no Church Let vs remember the GalathiaÌ„s of whom the Apostle complaineth that they were so soone remoued away vnto an other Gospell from him that had called them in the grace of Christ that they were bewitched not to obey the trueth but to turne againe vnto impotent and beggerly rudiments seeking to be in bondage to them againe as at the beginning that they obserued dayes moneths tymes and yeres and so foorth euery of which was a great blot and spot and all together a very great declyning from a right course yet neuerthelesse doth the Apostle in the Spirit of trueth salute them as the Church of God and so nameth them and so taketh them To the playne prouing of this truth that imperfections in a Church where the worde is preached truely and the Sacraments administred according to the institution of Christ taketh not away the name of a Church And marke it in Paul because we seeke not nowe other examples howe notwithstanding these great blemishes in Corinth Galatia and other places that he came to yet he euer without any scruple â—ntered into their Churches into y e Iewes Synagogues and into all places to pray and to interpret the Scriptures Yea hee made no doubt to exhibite himselfe in the Temple to call vpon God and to vse other lawfull ceremonies together with others that vsed them although the wickednes impietie of the Scribes Pharises which were there then was exceeding foule and great Neither doth he euer perswade any of the better sort when hee speaketh of the faults either in Corinth or Galatia or other Churches to forbeare all communion with those Churches till thinges were better reformed but onely exhorteth them to beware the vices and euils he speaketh of and neuer mencioneth any separation Which assuredly he would haue done if it had bene as satan
by this temptation that now we handle seeketh to perswade Therfore I pray you let vs all note it and thinke of it And as hee did not forbid others such communion so himself did not breake that felowship as already hath appeared and more may if wee marke his practise For hee sayth to the Philippians that he had no body like Timotheus but al did séeke their own and not that which is Iesus Christs Yet neuer do we find that he separated him selfe from their company for feare of partaking with their sinnes And diuers such other places there are What might be added of those famous Churches in the Reuelation Ephesus Pergamus Thyatira and others Doth not the Spirit of God lay downe their blemishes and sheweth what he had against them and those no litle things some of them and yet yeldeth them the names and titles of Churches and calleth their ministers angels What then if a man in those dayes shoulde haue taken offence at these wants of these Churches weakenesses of men and haue sayde they haue preaching but they are not reformed as they should be and therefore I will cut my selfe from them and communicate no longer with them would it haue bene alowed Consider the Lord Iesus his preaching with more holynes and power than euer any else could or shall Were all reformed that heard him nay were his owne disciples reformed wholy How then were they so often rebuked of the Lorde and that iustly Consider the Prophets that were hidden prophesie and did it carefully and yet were told that the people would not obey them Consider the Apostle that sayth we are a sweete sauour to God in some that perish Consider that hee which willeth Paul to plant and Apollo to water reserueth the gift of increase to himselfe and giueth it where when and so farre as he pleaseth So that if the Lords ministers in very great heauines and continuall sorow of heart would wish themselues euen separated from Christ for their brethrens winning yet shall no moe come to the father than Christ will drawe and this happy change must bee at his good pleasure not at their desire How then may we safely fall out with the preaching and preacher and with the Church and her children for want of that which onely GOD must giue and the best preachers haue fayled to obtaine though faithfully doing their dueties namely a full reformation as wee would Shall that holy worde not reforme me because it reformeth not others shall it not be a sauour to me of life to life because to others it is a sauour of death to death If hee offer mee a penny shall I bid him keepe it except hee will giue others as much at my direction May not the Lorde doe with his owne as it pleaseth him for mee or shall I grudge to the Spirite his blowing where he listeth O fearefull falling out with the Lord and his offred goodnes if it bee considered earnestly Wee should remember againe when wee looke so after the fruites of amendment in a Church and stumble so dangerously for wāt of what we wish that Pharisees make greater shewes to some mens eyes than poore Publicanes doe and yet the one iustified more than the other with a righteous God We should remember that Elias was deceyued when hee thought that there were no mo that were reformed but himselfe Our eyes cannot see all men neither can we euer know the worke of the worde preached Inward graces are often where we thought not and outwarde carie more then we know Some iudged lead proues fined golde and glistring gold that seemed to bee proues drossie lead A tender conscience sweete feeling an hope in Christ and his promises inward cryings by faythfull prayer holy thoughtes and meditations sweete prickes and melting motions remorse for sinne and spirituall fights humilitie of heart and peace of mind patience ioy and a number such they bee secret graces not alwayes knowne and discerned of euery man where in truth they are at least not in such measure as in deede they are And therefore since we cannot knowe all either people or graces wrought by the worde preached and there may bee a want aswell in our not seeing all with Elias as in mens misdoings greatly should we feare to condemne and iudge the Churches of GOD for not answering their teaching with any reformation It is an earnest charge and of a mightie God See that ye despise not one of these litle ones For I say vnto you that in heauen their Angels alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in heauen What greater contempt than to thinke that Publicane is not like me I am reformed I am sanctified I haue receyued the holy Ghost others haue not and these by name haue not so O take heede Iudge not thus rashly an other mans seruant All is not gold that glistereth neither all bowers of their knees to Baal that are yet so thought to be euen of a Prophet Lastly wee should lift vp our heads and open our eyes in a louing heart a little wider that we may see the profites of the worde and the gracious mercies of the Lorde to any Church euer and with as hungrie a heart delight to discerne the graces of men as the faults of men Yea much more And if wee see many superstitions banished many abuses amended many snared consciences and fettered soules inlarged true loue of diuers good things and true hatred of diuers euil things wrought Ougly and often othes in many decayed knowledge both in youth and age increased the hearing of the word with Prayers and Sacraments diligently frequented priuate regarde of families in the gouernours of them greatly amended diet and apparell tempred the poore reléeued Princes obeyed peace maintayned c. to confesse then to the due glorie of a gracious God that this is something and this measure some although not all Loue spieth any good wher it loueth loue couereth many things that are not well Surely it doth not for wants denie the good neither for some condemne all And thus if we would looke at Churches children of the Churches no doubt no doubt Satans combe would be cut touching this temptation If any man will say shewe me these reformed ones and good ones in a Church what answereth a learned father Quid hac re opus est Annon satis est eos in ecclesia esse Quāobrem cùm ipsa communionem habetote manete in ecclesia ad sacros coetus sacramenta quemadmodum oportet accedite Etiamsi enim multi impuri publici peccatores non mundati in ea sint tamen vos ab illis non polluemini non magis quam Apostolos Iudaei polluerunt Quin potiùs videte ne à vobis ipsis polluamini propterea quòd multum vobis tribuitis iudicatis omnes plurimum vobis placetis Itaque spiritualis superbia contemptus nimium vestris animis insidet
That is What needeth this Sufficeth it not y t they are in the Church Wherefore with the Church do you communicate abide ye in her and come ye as you ought vnto the assemblies and Sacraments For although there bee many impure ones and publique offenders not reformed in the same yet shall not you bée defiled by them no more than the Apostles were defiled of the Iewes Rather take you heede that ye bee not defiled of your selues because ye attribut so much to your selues ye iudge all men and very much please your selues Therefore spirituall pride and contempt ouermuch resteth in your mindes Thus doe we see the worde of God against this temptation teaching strength If I should adioyne the witnesses of this truth froÌ„ time to time I might be long A little let mée doe it though not much because I haue bene so long alreadie Cyprian spake thus in his time full earnestly Et si videntur in ecclesia zizania c. Although there be tares seene in the Church and impure vessels of dishonor yet is there no cause why wee should depart from the Church onely let vs indeuour that we may be wheate our selues vessels of golde or siluer vnto honor And as for the earthen vessels it is the Lordes proper office and prerogatiue to breake them that hath only the non barre neither may any man chalenge to himselfe that which is peculiar to the Sonne onely namely to be able to make cleane the floore and to purge away the chaffe and all tares by mans iudgement For proude is this obstinacie and sacrilegious is this presumption which wicked madnes taketh to it selfe Austen in his time thus There were many good men in the olde Church before Christ Dic mihi quis tunc iustorum separauit sibi altare Tell me what one of all these iust men in those daies made a seperated Altar for himselfe from the rest Yet multa scelera admittebat iniquus populus ille Many wicked things committed then that wicked people They sacrificed to Idols they killed the Prophets nemo tamen iustorum recessit ab vnitate and yet none of the godly departed from the vnitie Vno templo miscebantur sed mixti non erant corde They were mingled or ioyned together in one temple but they were not of one minde meaning they approued not any euill that was done Si hoc est consentire malefacientibus esse cum eis in ecclesia consentiebat etiam ipse c. If this bee to consent to euill to bee with euill men in the Church then consented he to false brethreÌ„ that sayth he was with them in perill of them and that suffred those impure preachers amongst the Philippians Zizania ergo vel paleam Catholicae segetis nobiscum copiosissimè accusent sed nobiscum ferre patientissime non recusent Wherfore let them with vs find fault with the tares chaffe as they please fréely but theÌ„ let them with vs agayne indure them patiently Et propter malos filios non separemur a matre And for other euill sonnes let vs not shake of and say farewell to our mother For we do not for the chaffe forsake the Lords floore we doe not breake out of the Lords Nette for any bad fish inclosed therein with vs wee doe not runne away from the Lordes flock for the Gotes that are there to be seperated in the ende finally we doe not goe out of y e house of God for the vessels therein made vnto dishonor And a number such like sayings hath Austen in these bookes and diuers other places of his workes if this were my purposed course but they neede not Consider what Maister Caluin sayth and let both you and me marke his iudgement Let vs learne sayth he to giue this honour to the worde of God and his holy Sacraments that wheresoeuer wee see theÌ„ there we acknowledge a Church And let both these poynts remayne established as most certaine truths first that he is without all iust excuse that willingly forsaketh the outwarde Communion of the Church where the worde of God is preached and the Sacraments administred Secondly that the faults neither of fewe nor many can any whit hinder vs from testifying our faith rightly by vse of such ceremonies as God hath ordayned Because that by no other mans vnworthines whether he bee Pastor or priuate man a godly conscience can be hurt neither are the holy misteries lesse pure or profitable to a godly man because together with him the wicked also handle them Finally if all things in the Church be not so wel as they should bee concerning correction of faults yet let neither priuate men therefore departe by and by from the Church nor the Pastors themselues if they cannot according to their harts desire purge al things that néed amendment therefore throwe away their ministerie or with vnwonted rigorousnes trouble the whole Church Many other places hath this man to this end very worthie reading if I might both note all and be briefe too But it cannot be and therfore I followe him no further Only I request that wee may diligently obserue it how Satan hath euer tempted the children of God to receiue this error and how faithfull teachers withstood it still And if euer he deceiue any what holdeth them in and hindreth their reformation Surely quia vanam gloriam hominum attendunt insensatorum non contemnunt opprobrium qui dicturi sunt quare modò Because they regarde the vayne praise of men and doe not contemne the speech of the foolish which will say Why now or is he now câ—me home c. And with that heauenly counsell of the spirit of God I conclude this matter Let vs not forsake that fellowship that we haue one with an other as the maner of some is The Lord make it sinke in eiery mans hart to his good The second temptation concerning the Ministers OThers he perswadeth that the whole matter of the woorde and Sacraments dependeth vpon the â—olynes and goodnes of thâ— minister so y t if he haue any spot or crime theÌ„ may there be no receyuing of these things at his haÌ„ds A most poysoned dart also of a destroying deuil whersoeuer he throweth it and worthy to be carefully knowne of vs al how hurtful and preiudiciall to the glory of God it is Not that ministers shoulde not be good for the word is playne there is no heart seasoned with one corne of the Spirit of God but it wisheth that all offences were drowned in the depth of the Sea that come this way and that ministers as they are called in the worde Angels so euen with Angels purity if it were possible they might walke in this worlde before all men but that Gods mysteries maâ— not fall by mans miseries and his holy ordinaunces cease to be holy for vnholy dispâ—sers Knowe we therefore touching this temptation that whosoeuer heareth the word preached and
not be deceiued The Lord will surely smite euery seruant that doth not his will whether he knowe or knowe not because his ignoraunce is not of creation but from Adam by fall neither shall any good meaning erroniously had excuse any man more than it did the Iewes which ignorantly crucifying Christ and persecuting the Apostles were perswaded they did God great seruice And as God doth thus so doth he require of the Magistrates hand to whom in deede he hath committed the sword not in vayne that after the procuring of such meanes for their instruction by publique preaching and priuat perswasions as our Sauiour hath appoynted for the calling of men from their errors to the knowledge of his truth they forbeare not either to require godly duetie or to punish the want as the offence shall deserue not fearing the speeches of men for the glorie of God neither displeasing him to please them If they crye as they do it is crueltie crueltie and enough to driue men to dispayre Wee can but wish them the best still houlding a truth our selues and doing in moderation and mercie what shall make vs dispayre if wee doe not God requiring it of vs at our perill And at their owne peril must it be if they take darknes for light and light for darknes Surely their bloud is vpon themselues because they haue bin warned and had the meanes S. Austen will tell them the Donatistes slew themselues rather then they would change their heresie yet did not such their feareful madnesse terrifie godly Princes from condigne chastisements of so great impietie And thus much may suffice of this temptation If any list to be further satisâ—ied by English treatises hereof let him peruse the godly answers of diuers to the Papists Maister Doctor Bilson M. Trauers and others But this lawfull moderate and profitable correction wil be called cruel and mercilesse persecution No newes if it be For so did these seduced creatures in their times and the Papists euen stil exclayme when their heresie and obstinacie is punished Wherevpon both Austen in his time and others in these daies are driuen to followe their cries and to purge away this vniust sâ—aunder which in deede would neuer be so vntruely made if men would not foolishly thinke pro ecclesia Dei facere quicquid inquieta temeritate faciuÌ„t that euery thing is done in the cause of the Church that is done by their owne vnquiet rashnesse and headinesse For the matter it selfe it hath bene answered it truly may be answered that euery one that spareth is not a friend neither euery one that beateth a foe But better are the wounds of a friend than the voluntarie kisses of an enemie Melius est cum seueritate diligere quà m cum lenitate decipere Better it is with seueritie to loue than with lenitie to deceiue Can man loue man more than God loueth him Yet in the loue of GOD there is often correction and often chastisement and the same though neuer ioyous for the present but greeuous yet after bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto them which are thereby exercised and they say with the Prophet It is good for them that they haue bene chastised Why then must mans compulsion euer be persecution Cùm boni mali eadem faciunt eademque patiuntur non factis poenis sed causis vtique discernendi sunt When the good and euill either doe or suffer the same things they must be discerned and distinguished not by punishments but by causes Pharoh was sharpe in sundrie actions to the Israelites and what was Moses when he made them drinke vp the ashes of their golden calfe and three thousand of them to bee slayne with the sworde speedely When his anger seemed fearce agaynst Aaron himselfe and the people quaked as it were vnder him Similia fecerunt sed non similiter prodesse voluerunt The things they did after a sort were like for they were both sharpe but their minds were not alike to profite And therefore what Pharoh did was tyrannicall persecution what Moses did lawful and liked punishment of a greeuous fault Iesabel slew some Prophets and Eliah slew some Prophets Sed diuersa merita facientium diuersa passorum But diuers was the merit both of the doers and sufferers Iesabel slew true Prophets and it was a bloudie persecution Eliah slew false Prophets and it was no persecution as we speake of the word in euill part In the death of Christ God had his work and man had his work Yet was God pure man guiltie How Nisi quia in re vna quam fecerunt causa noÌ„ erat vna ob quam fecerunt But because in one thing which they did there was not one cause for which they did it There were three crosses at our Sauiours death vpon one the theefe to bee saued vpon an other the theefe to bee damned in the middle Christ Quid similius istis crucibus quid dissimilius istis pendentibus Quos passio iungebant causa separabat What more like than these crosses What more vnlike than these that hanged vpoÌ„ them Whom a like punishment conioyned a farre vnlike cause disioyned Paule was deliuered to the Iayler to be imprisoned Paule him selfe would the incestuous to bee deliuered to Satan to bee reformed The one is a greater matter than the other and yet the lesser a wicked persecution the greater none Discamus igitur frater Let vs therefore learne brother saith S. Austen in like doings to discerne vnlike mindes of the doers neither let vs with closed eyes sclaunder and accuse well willers as euil hurters of vs. If it were euer so glorious as some would make it to be punished and to sustayne correction the Lord might haue sayd blessed are they that are so vsed and neuer haue added propter iustitiam for righteousnesse sake Wherefore an euident truth it is that they are not Martyrs that suffer punishment for euill doing propter Christianae vtilitatis impiam diuisionem and for a wicked diuision of Christian vnitie but they y t suffer for well doing and for righteousnesse sake Agar was punished of Sara yet she that punished was blamelesse she that was punished blame-worthie Therefore doth the Prophet say Iudica me Deus discerne causam non dixit poenam sed causam Iudge mee O Lord discerne my cause He doth not say my punishment but my cause Againe they persecuted me without a cause but the Lord was my helper His coÌ„fort and glorie is not that hee was persecuted but that in deede and truth it was without a a cause Dauid himselfe pursued his enemies tooke them and consumed them And sayd he would cut off al the workers of iniquitie from the Citie of the Lord. Yet no persecutor more than all other Kings and Princes both in the word and out renowned for due and zealous punishing of offences In his enim omnibus quid attenditur nisi quis eorum