met with I dare not promise much it is presumption nor underprize my pains since some say it is a slie vain-glory a begging by refusing I much desire you would not discourage these my first endeavours and if you chance to spie a blemish in Venus her face not to eye it more than all her beauty which if you doe you have got a bargain but lost a chapman every one can say it is an easier thing to finde fault with than to mend And he that will mend what here 's amisse hath leave to finde fault with what he list I speak not this to make a variance but salve a difference assuring my self he is not a Scholar that will carp I have put my self to the worlds wide venture and aime at my * Scholars Coat to defend my cause Humorous heads who have more words than wit and censures than solidity they can gain nought at my hands by their opprobries these have a good word for none not then for me It is the ingenuous auspicious Reader I relie on for his favour whose favourable report shall make my printed paper his debtor and my self his devoted To the Author of the Prayer THE Author of the Book in all humility begs leave to dedicate these few ensuing lines to the Author of this Prayer Christ Jesus God blessed for ever Amen O my God and my King the holy Pen-man of this most holy prayer thou art one who wa st who art to be forever God and yet man man and yet God In thee the Godhead is hominified in thee the manhood is deified thou art an immense Majesty present with us in earth and at the same time Lord President in Heaven Thou art one in person yet hast two natures one of the three Persons yet all the three but one in substance begot before all Time born in the dispensation of Time not to encrease thy honour but to set us from thrall Thou taughtest Exemplo Thou taughtest Praecepto Voce By learning us Prece By praying for us Thou prayedst to thy Father for us Thou preachedst to us how we should pray to thy Father not as we will but as thou hast wil'd thou teachest us what to say and we are bound to say thy prayer Thou hast taught us how to pray so ties us not at all times to the same words O thou wisdome of the Father let me learn wisdome from thy lips Who to furnish the meanest of * In Understanding men prescribes them a Plat-forme who so sets down a plat-form as licenses the more gifted to exercise their gift of prayer Thy prayer O Christ is not given to stint the spirit thy prayer is lent to support it Blessed be thou my God and my Christ who hast not only purchased for us to be cal'd Gods Sons but taught us to say Our Farther Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I give over thy prayer I honour its Author I reverence its matter I admire its method it was made by Christ God made by Christ for man usefull for all men never could so much be contained in so narrow a room but that of Gods making the Sons penning the Holy Ghost his inspiring Let the Enthusiasts slight it the fratra cilli lay it by as men conceiving they are come to an acme of perfection yet such as fail I finde in the best of my expressions that let them be the protasis this shall be the apodosis and if with my own I begin with our Lords * Prayers I desire to make an end the Lords Prayer is the summary of all things necessary and when I have prayed for all I can in this as in a glasse my Christ lets me see the face of all my desires while I am expounding this sacred Prayer Lord let thy sacred Spirit descend down upon me so shall thy Name be honoured and I inabled to discharge this great work I have in hand O thou who madest this prayer make me understand its meaning and while I am in hand with this work blow the spark of my meditations into a flame let my paraphrase be set Carbo lampas a light shinning and lamp burning by this light guide babes in knowledge on to a set form of prayer by it confute all Hereticks who deny a set form of prayer O my Christ I will shut up my too much boldnesse of speech to thee with admiration of thee who art all in all unto us all bread to feed us wine to cherish us the white robe to cover us thou hast slain our sins by thy passion quickned us to a life of grace by thy Resurrection provided a mansion for us by thy Ascension we may enter in for thou art the door no danger by the way for our Christ is the way we can have no better assurance then from him is the truth nor let us fear the sting of death for we are servants to the Lord of life to him who is the way the truth and the life O my Saviour I blesse God for thee I glory in thee I cast my self upon thee upon the bended knee of my body I beg thy blessing praying in thy own words saying thy own Prayer Our Father which art c. The Author of the Book his Speech to the Prayer O All heavenly Prayer the very language of the Lord Jesus the Christian * A good Word till abused Directory The Rubricks Epitomy short in words copious in matter which gives God his Due begs all needfull for us all all thy precious petitions it is my every daies prayer may be writ with the pen of a Diamond in my heart O Divine Prayer I am purposed to give thee every morning the visit every night to hold conference with thee the first to salute the last to take my leave of Thou hast taught me to blesse God my here welfare my hereafter happinesse what to seek a Kingdome how to ensure it by doing what thou wilt as thou wilt O most holy prayer which suites God for us all and for all needfull which teaches us how to unravell our debts and discharge them to prevent sin by praying against sin yea prayes in the midst of our temptations for safe deliverance Thou art magnum in parvo yet sayest little yet when we have said all we can we can say no more I admire thy brevity short yet sweet few words yet full as the Patriarchs sacks understood we at length what thou comprehendest in short we would every day lengthen our esteem of thee lessen our opinion of our own barren expressions But I am sorry thou art so slighted by those who think themselves none-such and for my part I would be very sorry to be such as they are O most sacred Prayer whither wilt thou go the Enthusiast his hasty conceptions will be thy death the Sectarian Minister for fear of popular displeasure is feared to acknowledge thee in the Pulpit yet thou hast one
THE Lords Prayer UNCLASPED WITH A Vindication of it against All Schismaticks Hereticks cal'd Enthusiasts Fratra cilli By James Harwood B. D. Luk. 11.2 When ye pray say Our Father c. Mat. 26.44 And he left them and went away again and prayed the third time saying the Same words LONDON Printed for the Author and are to be sold by G. and H. Eversden at the Grayhound in Pauls-Church-yard 1654. To the Worshipfull Citizens and Inhabitants in Pater-Noster-Row THrice noble and much honoured Citizens Give me leave to present to you that prayer which Christ presented to all Christians The more enemies it hath found in the Name of Christ Iesus the more I beg of you to countenance it and befriend it Though some in these sad times have underprized our high calling yet none must doubt to call this our Lords Prayer Religion is at a low ebbe when Gods Ministers and Christs own Prayer is little or nought set by Justly have we been punished and righteous O Lord art thou in all thy works yet what ever we suffer I beseech you in the name of God and Christ to be the Patron of this Prayer which among some cal'd Christians hath found as many scorners as Christ its maker among the Jewes mockers when you speak to God ere you end be pleased thus to pray Mat. 6. and this to say Luk. 11. The one Evangelist registring the Rule to pray by that other recording the subject matter of our prayers and both intimating thus much to all ages if we lay by this prayer we lose the rule to pray by if we say not this prayer we misse much if not most our Christ commanded us to pray for I will not trouble your religious ears with those horrid profane speechos uttered and in publick against this pious prayer It 's no wonder to me Christs own prayer hath so many enemies where the Devils Doctrine hath so many fast friends But this is condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darknesse better than light falshood than truth and a fantastick Enthusiasme more than Christs own Orizon I desire rather to pity than to reproach the brain-sick Humourists of our times whose disloyall censures like disloyall subjects have scandalized their supreme Soveraign the King of Salem the Son of God The cause because he prescribed this set form of prayer and hence it is pretended the spirit is stinted for that the matter and form prescribed But have you not heard how he who had a larger portion of the Spirit than all living who thought it no robbery to be equall with God the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane prayed three times and every time used the self same words Let his precept there * Luk. 11.2 his practise * Mat. 26.41 there encourage your worshipfull society to patronize this book of Prayer nay the very name of your Abide shall make me more confide as God hath placed you in such an Eden who knowes but it 's to protect this Prayer which came out of the Paradise the Breast of our Messias your earthly Lot is faln to you in a fair soyle while the plat of ground you inhabit is P. N. R. as in that Row you have a corporall residence so you shall not want a true Beadsman to be earnest with God at your end you may live for ever in his Bosome from whence came this prayer a prayer I beseech you oft to iterate for a speedy post which will convey and in a trice all your supplicats to your great Master God Almighty A rare preparation which fits you for your passage from Egypt unto Canaan In a word this prayer is that salt which seasons all your undertakings Nor do I attribute this vertue to the bare outward saying your Pater noster but as being joyned with the hearts sincerity nor would I the outward form totidem verbis to be neglected for know 't as thou maist be an hypocrite and do God all bodily service so thou canst never be a good Christian and deny to do it I would you therefore exercise this set form of prayer to shew you are no Enthusiasts to joyne also with your voice the spirit of understanding to shew you are good Christians That command * Luk. 11 of Christ shall be your warrant to go down to this his forge to sharpen your blunted goads and mattocks I speak not this as a despiser of them have the gift of making a prayer that I say is to comfort such as have a mean portion of the gift of prayer It 's may purpose then not to pick a quarrell but prevent a duell and tell you what is justifiable a set form not to implead to pray as the spirit moves so be joyned with it the spirit of understanding To conclude our Christ his precept hath made this Prayer legitimate and when we pray let us understand what 's that we pray and this shall stop the mouthes of all oppugners I will add a widowes mite to this work by recommending once more this prayers unfolding to your protection which if not for love to me who owns nought to merit at you hands yet for the honour of Christ I doubt not but you will accept of the tendered service of Your Wel-wisher J. H. The Epistle to the Vulgar MY two years Catechismes I have put in print for you to peruse and that which was delivered more at large is now thus * Short concise here you may spie much matter in few words and if any word you understand not I have made this star * to direct you to the marginall note to give you light and let you see my plain meaning As I was loth to unfold this sacred subject in a * Base sordid style so to help your conceptions I have not disdained to english English words and let you know by the Margent the meaning of that which otherwise might have passed your understanding I know it for the truth of God better are five words in a known tongue than five thousand in an unknown It is this that hath made me stoop in explaining down to the meanest of your capacities yet if you understand not what comes first to hand mark what followes for commonly my following words explain my former I desire to be counted foolish to make you wise in Christ Jesus If ought here offered outstrip your relish blame not altogether me but in part your apprehensive wit for the world and dulnesse to conceive the things of God God of his goodnesse make you all wise unto salvation To the more Ingenuous Reader READER IT is the fashion of quick and nimble wits to value nought if not accommodated with some rarities though I have made the margent not for you who are all eyes yet the matter of an attractive power to draw nigh your ears be pleased to peruse this little Book and either all or none it may be you may finde a somewhat you never
of daies when I am first in my own thoughts I am the last in Gods Book Let me set my self and all my wants a while aside till God be served let his glory be my aime in prime the second place will serve all my needs In glorifying thee a glorious good redounds to me I will not clip thy coine of glory lest I go not for currant in thy kingdome of grace O that thou wouldest inlarge my heart to give thee praise lest the want of this Foreman cause the rest of the Jurore my petitions to be excepted against in the presence of thee the Judge of Heaven and Earth The second Petition THe second Petition now succeeds by name Thy Kingdome come I will God willing speak upon The Number The Nature of the words to be explained First for number here is but one word difficult to be understood two in the former one here Can we learn no lesson from Gods plaining his speech O it shewes us 1. The more we acquaint our selves with God Three Intracts more plainly he will speak to us 2. As we grow in devotion we shall grow in understanding 3. That Gods Word with modesty the more we dive into it the more knowledge God gives to hold up our heads from drowning in the gulf of false exposition I am resolved to hold out my Rosary The Avowry with the Collect. reinforce my genius to peruse the Scriptures and all to prevent misprision augment my talent and enucleate the Text. Here is only one word to be explained Kingdome This word may be taken four waies 1. For the Scripture thus Mat. 21.43 where said Auferetur a vobis regnum Dei The Kingdome of God shall be taken from you 2. For the visible Church thus Mat. 5.19 where said He that shall break one of the least of these Commandements and teach men so shall be call'd the least in the Kingdome of Heaven 3. It may be taken for the grace of God Luk. 17. where said The Kingdome of God is within you 4. For the Church triumphant Mat. 8.11 where said Many shall come from the East and the West and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of Heaven Now all may be here meant though in prime but one 1. And then we pray in this Petition That Gods Word and its understanding may come among us 2. That upon earth there may be a fellowship of faithfull professors visible 3. That Gods grace sent by that sayne his Spirit in that Charriot the ministery of his Word may visit our hearts 4. That these daies of misery being perioded Gods Kingdome of glory we may be seated in it In one word we pray for four things 1. That the word of God and its sound may be heard in our land 2. That we may be Gods visible Church on earth 3. For Gods grace 4. And for heaven at our ending Of this last what hopes without that precedent A circumvolution of the four fold sense Again its presumption to brag of grace and live without the Church Lastly it we aime at all we must doe a somewhat more It you purpose to be members of the Church be inspired with the Spirit hereafter have heaven let the Word of God dwell plentifully in your hearts I am resolved for my own part to make much of Gods Word The Avowry with the Collect. a mean to make me a member of the Church aequire grace and gain heaven You may be bad ground and sown with this seed A review the Word where this seed Interpretation 1. the Word for so it s call'd Luk. 8. is not sown that most fertile soils manured with Ethicks and the humane arts brings out but figtree-like cursed fruit Hence it is we pray way may be made for the Word of God and it may come ut adveniat hoc regnum that the kingdome may come So the Latine signifies which makes us sensible of Two things Extracts two 1. Our Condition 2. That in Expectation 1. Of our Condition that we are dronish in our devotion and love our ease more than our gains apparent while we pray Thy Kingdome come to us we walk not on to it 2. This in the second place makes us sensible of what in expectation That since advenit verbum the Word is come into our towns oratories ears that now prayed for is that the Word may enter into our hearts I am resolved to take notice of my backwardnesse in devotion The Avowry and all to make me more eager now this * Messenger sayne Gods Word is come to open the door of my heart and give it harbour Now this word its hieroglyphick or resemblance is a Kingdome for whilest we pray Gods Kingdome may come we mean Gods Word the word of truth And in these particulars the resemblance holds 1. For Kingdome like Resembances Gods Word is of power to correct instruct and reprove 2. It 's of force sufficient to make all outlawes inlaw themselves to Gods Law 3. Hath strength enough to meet in the field and to oppose all opposers be they Schismaticks or Hereticks Schismaticall in Discipline or Hereticall in Doctrine 4. The Nerves of a Kingdome are meat and ammunition such is the Word we live by it Deut. 8.3 it is call'd the sword of the Spirit Ephes 6.17 hath in it to feed at home and defend abroad 5. The best of Kingdomes Canaan had its commendation for abounding with milk and honey such is this whole land the word and therefore call'd sincere milk 1 Pet. 2.2 And therefore aver'd when the Prophet Ezekiel had put in his mouth a morsell of this earth that it was in his mouth as honey for sweetness Ezek. 3 3. I have travel'd through the land of the Philistims and the wildernesse of Sin A Supplicat But now O Lord strengthen my resolution to set up my resting place of abode in this * he means the word Taught Kingdome That here we pray for is a visible Church Interpretation 2. thy Kingdome come that is Lord let us enjoy a Church visible This interpretation I next bring in for that unmeet to be a Church untill it have received Gods good word Here we have leave to pray as against an Elias his paucity and the 7000. inforc't concealment So for liberty to continue daily in the Temple and to finde the favour to preach and hear the Gospell Act. 2.46 47. We pray then in this petition and it 's allowed for God by this second Exposition 1. That God may adde daily unto the Church Extracts two such as shall be saved 2. For the flourishing estate of the Church to the outward eye of the world Divers can endure the Queens * Church Daughter to be all glorious within but not that her Raiment should be of pure gold They cry all for sincerity within will tolerate no honourable train without Others would have the Church in worse case