An Exposition of the Lords Prayer

An exposition of the Lord's prayer.

THat natural affection and inclinatiō that we have unto our own good, and to the preservation of this our life in some happy estate, not only maketh us to fele our wants & griefs, distresses and dangers, but also forceth us to seek for redress and remedy of the same. But as in the drought of sonmer, there is no good or wholesome water but in the brooks or springes to be hoped for: neither in a storm or tempest any safety for the ship, but in the haven: neither the child being in any fear, will be quiet or think himself safe, until he be in his fathers arms: even so whē we have sought & searched in our miseries, afflictions, or sorrows, all helps or comforts possible; yet our harts cannot be settled, our minds cannot be quieted, until we have drawn the sweet water of true comfort from God himself, that fountain that never faileth; and find our selves entered within the haven of his help, and shrouded from all evil, under the shadow of his wings.

And because the light of knowledge, which we might have had of this good and gracious God, maker of all things, even by the creatures the works of his hands; hath through our corruption been darkened with the clouds of ignorance: it hath come to pass that the most part of men & women in their extremities, seeking by their natural understanding to find out God, have worshipped the creature instead of the Creator, and served the sun, the moon, and the stars, yea and things much meaner and viler then these, which all God hath made to serve our use: the fruit whereof hath been, that they have been punished in their own inventions, and walking in the light of their fire, and in the sparks that they have kindled, they lie down in sorrow.

But that long suffering God, and most ready to forgive, who desireth not the death of a sinner, not regarding the time of this ignorance (to punish it in such sort as it deserved) admonisheth now all everywhere to repent, and calleth us both by the threatenings of the law, and by the promises in the Gospel most comfortably delivered, that we leaving all other helps in our troubles, and hope of succor, would rest and rely only upon him, who can because he is most mighty, and will because he is of much mercy, and full of compassion, hear us when we call, and help us when we stand in need, if he see it to be good for his glory,, and our comfort. So that now the lifting up of pure hands, proceeding from a good conscience, with a pure heart, and faith • nfemed, is through CHRIST Jesus, that acceptable service that we must do, and that holy sacrifice that we must offer. And to the ende we should not by our unworthiness be discouraged, or by the burden of our sins be so pressed down, that we could not with confidence lift up our hearts unto the fountain of grace and mercy, to sue for relief: our Savior CHRIST himself, in whose mouth there was found no guyle, and of whom God himself proclaimed from heaven Hear him, in that prayer which he left unto us, to be as a pattern for us in our prayers to imitate and follow, hath taught us to say Our Father which art in heaven.

What greater consolation, what sweeter comfort can there be, then that we silly worms of of the earth, yea dust and ashes, whose breath is in our nostrils, whose life is but as it were a shadow, and our days but a span longe, or as a tale that is told, should attain to the prerogative to cal God our father? What greater assurance of God's great & unspeakable mercy & loving kindness, thē that we who are the corrupt issue of our disobedient parents, conceived and borne in sin, that drink in wickedness like water, and are by nature not strangers only, but enemies also to God: should (God's spirit bearing witness with our spirit, that we are God's childrē) have boldness to come before his presence, who is holy and a just punisher of transgressors, and say to him with confidence, Our father? he ereby we see that the hatred which was against us is abolished, God's wrath is appeased, sin is pardoned, love is purchased, death destroyed, life restored, heaven and earth agreed, and God & man reconciled. Yea here we are now taught that God loveth us with an assured love, with an unfeigned love, yea with a constant purpose to love us still. He loveth not us as sometime one man loveth another; because he looketh for some good at his hands. For alas what can we yield to him that is not his, & that much more imperfect than when he gave it us? Neither is his love such as often one friend beareth to another, because he is able and willing to pleasure him sometime. But he loveth us as the father loveth his children, because they are his children, and he their father. Even so God loveth us, not because we chose him to be our father, but because he by grace adopted us to be his sons. But there can be no proportion of love in men to serte forth God's love to us ward. For as high as the heaven • s above the earth, so great is his mercy towards them that fear him. And that he might love us still with a steadfast purpose, and might not find in us any cause to be displeased at us: As far as the East is from the West, so far hath he removed our sins from us. Whereby it cometh to pass that we (woeful wyghtes!) that sometime durst not look up unto heaven the place of God's Majesty, neither thought our selves worthy to be accounpted among his meanest servauntes, have now such • oldnes that we dare appear before his face, and say to him, Our Father.

And this indeed is a privilege and prerogative belonging only to God's dear children, to approach v • to the throne of grace, with such assurance. For although he is after a sort, the father not of the godly only, but of the wicked also, yea of all things visible and invisible, because he made them all, and as a good father careth also for them: yet none but such as God hath renewed by his holy spirit and good grace, and in whose harts he hath sealed up the hope of eternal life, can in their prayers say unto him cōfidently, Our Father. And that is it that here we are to learn, not what GOD is in himself; but what they who are moved by their wants and by faith imboldened to pray, should find and feel him to be in their own consciences, that is, not a Judge whom they might fear, but a Father whom they must love, and in whom they must trust.

But here perchance the conscience pressed with the weight of sin, will cast many doubts, even as a man that cometh to talk with him against whom he hath offended, & whose wrath he feareth. When a sinful man that hath broken gods laws, hath neglected his service, and thereby hath deserved his displeasure, shall thus begin to pray, Our Father, and he remembereth howe disobedient he hath been against him to whom he speaketh in such sort, what comfort or confidence can he now find? how shall he persuade himself that so just a god as god is, will accept of so rebellious a child as he knoweth himself to be? Here we must learn to turn away our eyes from our selves▪ and to behoulde our selves in another, or else howe longe soever we speak with god, we shall never have hope to speed. We must remember that our selves are not worthy to offer up our sacrifices of prayer unto god. Our High Priest must offer up the same, and make them a sacrifice of sweet savor unto god, so that our prayer it self shall not, neither can it be accepted, but only for Christ his sake. And not our prayers only, but our selves also are in him elected and chosen before th • foundatiō of the world, that we should be holy, & to the praise of the glo • ie of his grace, wherewith he hath made us accepted in the beloved. And by reason of this adoption and choice that he hath made of us, we are his childrē, evē the heirs of all the promises, and may bouldely call him Fa • her: And that the rather because that Christ Jesus to the end there should be nothing to hinder our hope, hath died for our sins to pay the price for our transgression. And that we not only should be blameless and without spot of sin, but also holy and fulfillers of GOD'S Laws: this our elder brother, who hath perfectelie kept all the commaundem • ntes, ha • h imparted unto us this his holy obedience, so that before GOD it is to be reckoned as ours, and although by us it cannot, yet in us (by him) the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled. Because CHRIST JESUS of GOD is made unto us, Wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. Therefore hereby it appeareth, not only that GOD by grace is our Father, and we his children by adoption (though by nature enemies:) but also that by CHRIST his means, this covenant between God and us is so confirmed and ratified, that though earthly fathers or mothers could be unnatural. so that they would forsake their childrē, the fruit of their body; yet the league between God and us, shall stand taste forever. For in Christ are all the promises of God Yea and Amen. So that although when we consider our own corruption, we may justly confess that God might worthily reject our prayers: yet in regard of God's mercy in Christ toward us, we may conceive good hope, and say to him, Our Father.

This word also teacheth us besides this comfort two necessary lessons: the one for our Conversation, the other for our Faith or Religion. For if we call him Father we do thereby tie our selves to honor and obey him: then also we set him as a pattern before our eyes, whom we have a desire to imitate and follow. For such is the authority of the Father over his children both by God's law, and by the very law of nature, whereby the Gent • les were ruled that knew not God, that their children are bound to keep and do all their lawful and honest commandments. And such is the affection of dutiefull children towards their parents, that in respect of the reverence which they bear to them, they willingly follow their example, and fashion themselves unto their behavior. And thus this one word draweth us unto holy conversation by a double band: the one is of necessity, that must force us: the other of love that must allure us.

And first let us consider what necessity of holy obedience we enioine unto our selves, when we acknowledge him to be our Father. If we must honor our earthly father and mother, as God commandeth, and obeie them as Saint Paul willeth: then we must give ear to Solomon the wise speaking thus unto us. My son keep thy fathers commandment, and forsake not thy mothers instruction. Bind them always upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. First therefore we bind our selves hereby, to hear what God saith, to learn what he teacheth, to delight in that he command • h, to love his word above the honey and the honey comb, & to have more pleasure therein, then in all manner of riches, as did the kingly Prophet David. But because it is not sufficient that we like well of these holy and perfect ways unless we also walk in them: we must apply our selves to practice this obedience, which in God's word is still required, and concerning which, God promiseth great blessings unto them and their children's children, which think upon his commandments to do them. And therefore as our Savior Christ teacheth that they are Blessed that hear the word of God and keep it: so the Apostle Saint James will have us, to be Doers of the word and not he • rers only. For as saith our heavenly teacher, If ye know these things, blessed are ye, if ye do them. Whereby it plainly appeareth, that hearing without doing, learning without following, knowledge without practice, is far from the duty of a natural ch • lde to his Father. Wherefore the Son of S • rach e • horteth us, to honor our parents in word and deed; a good pattern of the honor that we owe unto god.

Now this childlike obedience, is not shown in the only doing of that which he commandeth; unless we patiently suffer such chastisements as it shall please our heavenly Father to lay upon us. For a fool despiseth his fathers instruction, but he that regardeth correction is prudent. That god as a Father correcteth us his children whom he loveth, the Apostle to the Hebrews most plainly teacheth. It therefore beseemeth us to yield unto him the honor & praise of wisdom, whereby we shall persuade our selves that he knoweth what is best for us: Then also to acknowledge his loving kindness towards us to be such, as that he will always have a tender care over us, so that all our afflictions shall be either eased and mitigated, or so ordered, that we out of them shall reap unspeakable comfort. If we comfort and confirm our selves often times with such godly meditations, patience shall have her perfect work in us; so that whether there befall unto us wealth or want, joy or grief, liberty or restraint, health or sickness, praise or reproach, life or death, yet with a settled heart and a contented mind, we shall be able to say within our selves, as did Job that perfect pattern of godly patience, The Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord: and as did Christ in the extremity of his agony Not that I will, but that thou wilt be done. And thus wholye resigning our selves to his holy will, willingly suffering with him, and for his sake here: we shall ioyfullie reign with him through his good grace, else where. And this is that first bande that I spake of, which after a sort forciblie draweth us unto holy conversation: because of the commandment and law which our heavenly Father hath given unto us, the breach whereof as in gods just judgment it deserveth death, so GOD'S obedient children, will have a desire in fear and trembling to walk in the same, not altogether for fear of punishment, but especially because it is our parte and duty, to keep and obey our Fathers commandments.

The other cord whereof I spake, although • draw not so forcibly with such persuasion of necessity: yet it moveth us as effectually, to the holy imitation o • our heavenly father, because he thus exhorteth us: be ye holy, for I am holy. From the which words the Apostle Saint Peter draweth a strong argument to admonish & exhort the Godly of his time, not to fashion them selves according to their former lusts. And the Apostle Saint Paul warneth us, that we Fashion not our selves like unto this world. To reform therefore the vanity of this our days wherein almost nothing delighteth us but new, and those many times most foolish fashions: even in the bowels of Jesus CHRIST I most humbly beseech and earnestly entreat, all them that profess the Gospel, & are by the inestimable goodness of GOD, drawn out of the power of darkness, into the kingdom of light, to remember whose childr • n they are, and to whom they say Our father, that as obedient children they may follow him, in holy and Christian conversation. It grieveth me when I see the vanity of this our nation in this pointe, amongst whom the Gospel hath been preached now above these forty years. But when I see such as profess religion in some good measure, and pretend great zeal, & have more knowledge than others, themselves to use, and in their attendaunts to suffer, instead of modest, monstrous attire and strange: I cannot but blush for shame, & mourn for grief, & quake for fear of God's heavy iudgmen • es against this Lande: which so unthankfully abuseth God's benefits, & so careleslie doth cast of all care of following him, whose children we daily say that we are. I would ask of such professors of religion, whether they take themselves in their apparel nowadaies, to be the godly followers of Saint Paul's council, who willeth Christian women that they array them selves in comely apparel, with shamefastness & modesty, not with broydred hair, or gold, or pearls, or costlie apparel, but (as becometh women that profess the fear of God) with good works. Whose apparelling (as Saint Peter also cōmandeath) let it not be outward with broydred hear, and gold put about, or in putting on of apparel: but let the hid man of the heart be uncorrupt, with a meek and quiet spirit, which is afore God a thing much set by. And after he telleth us, that godly women did so attire themselves in times past. Or rather must not their own conscience testify against them, that they fashion themselves according to those wanton & stately dames, that are by the Prophet Isaiah bitterlie reproved, & against whō God's heavy judgments are fearfully threatened? Of you, evē of such as you are, the holy Martyr Saint Cyprian asketh this question. Fear you not I pray you, least at the day of our resurrection, he that made you shall mistake you, and shut you out, when you run to enjoy the rewards and promises? I suppose there was never more change of fashions then in these our days, whereby we bewray our vanity unto others, make our selves a by word unto the world, cast away from us that modest apparel that only beseemeth Christians, proclaim unto all that we will not profess the fear of the Lord, and many ways provoke God's wrath: And yet when we come to entreat our God we dare cal him Father, whose holiness and incorruption we are so far from following, that we, we I say, that profess more zeal then others, most willingly frāe our selves to the fond fashion of lewd persons. And to the greater heaping up of God's wrath to our condemnation without all excuse, we continue in this excess of pride, in these days, when God pincheth us with hunger, and visiteth our sins with a sharp rod of sickness in many places, and threateneth also destruction by wars. Which signs of God's wrath because they are not of force to abate our foolish pride, but that we remain secure & senceles in that & other transgressions, it maketh the godly not without cause to fear, least a heavier iudgmente hange over our heads, which unless we speedily repent, we are not like to escape. Therefore as we call him Father, so let us seek to resēble him in all holiness, modesty, meekness, lowliness, sobriety, patience & other Christian virtues: that our own consciences may testify with us, that as we call him Father, so we earnestly strive to frame our selves to be like unto him. And thus much for that we learn out of this, concerning our Conversation.

The other thing that our Savior teacheth us hereby when he willeth us to pray thus Our Father, concerneth our Religion: For it instructeth us to whom we ought to make our prayers, that is to God only. For although we have those whom upon earth we may cal Fathers, yet in heaven, whither our prayers ought to be directed, we have but one, as in another place we are taught. So that this name or title that we here give unto God, giveth us to understand, that if with confidence we will pray, we must ask that which we want, of such a one, as both will hear us because he loveth us, and hach taken upon him to do us good: and also can hear us because he made us, and therefore knoweth our secret thoughts, and likewise help us because he hath authority over all

But it is not the meaning of our Savior Christ in teaching us to pray our Father, to condemn as unlawful our prayers that are made unto the second or third persons in the Trinity, the▪ Son, and the holy Ghost, who together do work both in our creation, and our redemption. This is but one God, one I say in nature and substance; and therefore what person soever we have especial regard unto in our prayer, yet our petitions are directed but unto one God. As for the name of the Father, Son, and holy Ghost▪ they are used only for the distinctiō of persons. But we are taught to cal upon God the Father, not to exclud the other persons, but that we may come unto God with the greater assurance, being certainly persuaded that he loveth us as a Father.

Lastly I note in this word, that we are directed in our petitions unto God, because we, we I say sinful wretches, are willed in our own persons not to be afraid to come before him. We are not willed to seek out new mediators, intercessors, or advocates. We learn not here that policy of the Popish Synagogue, to desire the Saints and Angels to pray for us, and to be our spokesmen. But he that told us yea and confirmed it with a double oth, that Whatsoever ye shall ask the Fasher in my name, he will give it you: He is at the right hand of God, & maketh request for us: He I say sendeth us directly to God, and commandeth us to say • ar Father. His directiō is sufficient for our discharge, his word is our warrant. For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, as that chosen vessel of the Lord hath taught us: By which Christ Jesus, We have boldness and entrance with confidence, by faith in him. So that although earthly princes have their Masters of Requestes, and other means to prefer unto them the suites of their subjects, and to solicit their causes, because they are men or women, whose nature will neither suffer them to be in m • places then one at the same instaunt, or to hear what they wish, or know what they want, that stand in need of their help: yet doth Chrysostom justly and upon good ground, commend the godly policy of that constant & cōfident suitor the woman of Canaan, who not seeking for the mediatiō of James, John, or Peter, or of the whole company of the Apostles, in steed of all thē, brought a contrite and humbled heart, & came to the very fountain, thus reasoning within her self: he descended, took our flesh vpō him, & was made man, that I might be bold to speak to him. And as if he would plainly resolve this doubt, & answer this question, he setteth it down as a principle in religiō in many places, that God will rather hear us for our selves, thē other for us, confirming this doctrine by the example of this woman of Canaan, who was not heard when Christ's disciples entreated for her, but her own petition was granted. And therefore Saint Ambrose doth well and truly call them but miserable excuses that men make to cloak their Idolatry, that would make men believe, that it standeth with God as with earthly princes, who commonly hear not their subjects complaints but by the means of others. Let us therefore be bold to come before God, the very fountain of all grace and goodness, the only hope of help, and say unto him seeing Christ hath so commanded us Our Father. For if our own heart condemn us not, (of want of sincerity) then have we boldness to come unto God by Christ, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for us. And thus much concerning the reverent and confident afiection which this word Father teacheth us to have towards them to whom we must pray, whereby we may easily gather howe absurd and base a thing it is, for a Christian to prostrate himself in prayer before any creature.

Now as this title of Father may much encourage us in our prayers, because he is much more loving and kind to us his Children, then any natural Father can be: so yet our boldness must needs war the greater, when we see that our Savior Christ telleth us, that we must cal him Our Father, And to whom speaketh he in this place? Even to whom he teacheth to ask forgiveness of their trespasses: to them whom he flat lie threateneth that unless they forgive others, they shall not be forgiven at God's hand. Therefore we here learn, that our sins cannot make such separation between god and us, if we be desirous, and strive to be separated, and sequestered from them; but that we may assuredly hope to find mercy, and forgiveness at gods hand. For although the sweet baits of ungodliness, do sometimes deceive even the deer sons, and holy Saints of god: yet not the sinning; but the not sorowing, the not reap̄ting for the same, doth procure the hatred of god against us. To omit infinite examples of the holy Fathers in the old testament that might prove this sufficiently, the new testament affordeth us strong testimonies, to assure us that this is true. The sinful woman, zache, Peter, the thief upon the cross, & Paul himself, were very grievous offenders: Yet her inward faith which she did show forth by her earnest repentance was by these most sweet words confirmed, Thy sins are forgiven thee: Salvation came to Zacchaeus his house: Peter afterwards attained to that holy function, to be a feeder of Christ his flock: to the thief was made that comfortable promise: To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise: And Paul was by the commandment of the holy Ghost, Seperated to the Lord's work, a chosen vessel to bear my name (saith God) before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. Now as the unspeakable and vndeserved mercy, which hath been shown unto all these, must teach us with an assured faith to come unto this Our father, inwhome by the means of Christ, we have as good interest as they had: so must their speedy, earnest, and unfeigned repentance, teach us to humble our selves heartily, and with a full purpose of amendment, without delay, before our loving father, and to hearken to that godly council of the prophet Joel who saith: Turn you unto me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning, and rent your hearts, and not your clothes, and turn to the Lord your God. For although the Lord is good to all, and, his mercies are over all his works: and, as high as the heaven is abone the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him: yet they unto whom this loving kindness is extended, may fitly be compared unto vessels dipped into the water, which if they be whole, bring up the vessel full of water: but if they be broken or full of holes, were it never so full, it runneth all out. Even so they that are renewed by the fear of the LORD, which is the beginning of wisdom, are fit vessels not to receive only, but to keep also and contain GOD'S good graces: but they that through their old corruption, are rotten and • ull of riftes, though a sea of mercy should be poured into them, yet shall they be found but empty caskes. Let noc therefore our sins discourage us, but that we may notwithstanding our transgression and imperfections, with unspeakable comfort call him Our Father; let us with an assured purpose of amendment in time to come, and hearty sorrow, for that which is past, humbly acknowledge our sins unto him that is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, For if still we continue in our sins without remorse of conscience, we are so far from having comfort in calling him Our Father, although we sound it out as with a trumpet, and that often every day, that we shall rather find it to be most true that the prophet telleth us, There is no peace (saith the Lord) unto the wicked.

But now if we find that our hearts being purified by faith, and also that being justified by faith, we have peace toward God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. If I say we find that God's sperit, beareth witness with oor spirit, that we are GOD'S children, and so imboldeneth us to call him Our Father: then let us consider of our great preeminence and prerogative, that we have 〈◊〉 all worldly honor and excellency. If he be Our Father, we are his children. If children, we are also heirs, even heirs of God, and heirs annexed with Christ. Now by being such inheritors, we have not only assured hope in the life to come laid up for us: but also most glorious perogatives to our comfort and consolation, whilst we are pilgrims and travellours from our heavenly home. So that whatsoever the world esteem of us, or howsoever men hate or persecute us: yet seeing that Our Father will give us a kingdom, and hath already given to us, and for us, his Son Christ, howe shall he not with him give us all things also? Our Father is not the creator only and preserver of all his creatures; but also the commander and disposer of them. Can we then that are his children and obedient serxants, want any of them that may serve us to GOD'S glory, or our comfort? He careth for the ravens that call upon him, feedeth the fowls of the air, and clotheth most gorgeouslie the lilies of the field, and shall he suffer his own to perish? Noah, no, let us verelie persuade our selves, that because Our Father is both owner and controuller of all things: therefore we his children may with great boldness use the creatures, and receive his blessings, as pledges and assurances, of his farther love towards us. Yea they are sanctified unto us by the word of GOD (we using them according to GOD'S will) and by prayer. But unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, but even their minds and consciences are defiled.

But let us here take heed that we abuse not that liberty, which we have by our Fathers goodness. If we say Our Father; and in confidence of his goodness towards us, are bold to use his creatures: yea if by the word, that is by the lawful use of them, such as God's word hath commanded, they must be sanctified (for otherwise they are vocleane unto us) then must we learn out of GOD'S book to what end, and for what purpose, GOD hath permitted unto us the free use of his creatures. Is it, I pray you, that we should satisfy therewith our monstrous and foolish pride, our filthy lusts, our beastly drunkenness, or ungodly pleasures? Not so for in these things and such like there is a double offense; the committing of such things, and the abuse of GOD'S good creatures. I cannot therefore but marvel at and lamente the brutish folly, or willful stubbornness, of many in our days, who far beyond all compass of measure, or limites of modesty, or regard of their estate, or respect perchance of their ability, strive in pride to exceed one another; proclaiming to the world their folly; misspending their goods, whereof they are but stewards, & must give a strait account; giving perhapes provocation to themselves of lewdness, and bad example unto others. Where is that modesty in apparel that God's word requireth in the professeurs of religion, that moderation in meats and drinks, the sobriety of maids, the humility of matrones? Is this a good use of our Fathers blessings, to strive who can be proudest in all meetings, and most wasteful in all feastinges? When I consider howe greatly we provoke God to cast down upon us his heavy judgments for such our rebellions: howe little we fear (shall I say the threatenings? nay) the execution of his wrath: howe we daily grow in all pride and disorder: howe little sin is punished, and howe securely these things are winked at, to their greater sin and shame that should reform it: I cannot but tremble for fear of some heavy desolatiō that should come upon this land, so secure, yea so stubborn in so great offenses. O Lord they will not behold thy high hand, but they shall see it, and be confounded. Thus as it is comfortable to us, that we may be bold to say Our Father, because we know thereby that he loveth us, and giveth us leave to use his creatures: so should the goodness of God move us to repentance, sobriety and holy obedience, & a fear to offend him, especially in those things that are unto us the pledges of his love.

And now because Christ teacheth every of us to call him Our Father, he letteth us understand, that we are all brethren in a spiritual kindred, being by grace the children of our heavenly Father, partakers of one spirit, as the earnest penny of our most happy hope, heirs of one kingdom, and heavenly inheritance, and inheritors of the selfsame promises. If then it be an absurd and unnatural thing, brethren, to fall out amongst themselves, and to strive, as it seemed to Abraham, who to pacify Lot, when their heardmen were like to disagree, used these words, Let there be no strife I pray thee between me and thee; for we ar • brethren: then let us endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit, in the bond of peace: and above all things put on love which is the bond of perfectness, that we may join with godliness brotherly kindness, and with brotherly kindness love. For this cause it is that our Savior Christ, in this prayer, which he teacheth us, that it may be as a pattern, after which we should frame our petitions, instructeth us not to say O Father, as if we might not have boldness to claim him for ours. Neither doth he will us to say My Father, as if we would share him out amongst us, and make a separation in God's family. But he commandeth us to say Our Father, both in respect of the comfort, whereof I have already spoken: and also to give us to understand, that in our prayers we ought to have an earnest affection, not to benefit our selves only, but with a Christian care, to be mindful of all the members of Christ his Church.

Neither speak I this as condemning such, as in their petitions do speak unto GOD, as if he were their GOD only, saying My God, or, My Father. For I know that the godly in the earnest craving of help, that riseth out of a great feeling of their distressed estate, do often in their deep sighs and groans, send up such prayers unto the God of all mercy. I cried unto my God. O my God deliver me. But the Psalms are full of such requests. Yea and CHRIST himself by his example teacheth us, that it is lawful for us so to pray, when upon the cross he cried My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Much like is the confidence of the blessed Virgin Marie, when she calleth God her Savior. And Saint Paul is boulde to call God, his God. It is therefore not lawful only, but also a more plain proof of an assured conscience, when in their private petitions, which upon special occasions they make, Christians run with a steadfast faith, and frō the bottom of the soul, with feeling of comfort, apply unto their heavy heart, this most gracious God, as a most sovereign salve, to ease their grief. As therefore the godly have, and we may, in our private prayers, most comfortably say My Father, My God, My Lord, or, My Savior, as GOD'S spirit, shall direct our spirit to pray: so yet as any occasion shall arise, we must be mindful also of all the members of Christ his Church, as members of the body, whereinto we acknowledge our selves to be incorporate; and as we feel their afflictions, or know their wants, we must be ready to entreat for them saying Our Father.

Now although this comfortable title which we give unto him, might be sufficient to persuade us, to rely only upon him: yet because our nature is such, that as did the Israelites, we will easily starte aside like a broken bow: and commit the two evils, whereof GOD reprooveth his Idolatrous people in these words My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters: and dig them pittes, broken pittes that can hold no water: therefore our Savior Christ knowing howe ready we are to wander after our own imaginations, and to devise unto our selves such God's, as our selves imagine we may best deal withal, describeth this God to whom we must come, & before whom we must pray, in these words, Our Father which art in heaven. Which words being consi • ered of together, do so set before our eyes the true God upon whom we must call, that we are to foolish if we know him not, to careless of our own good, if we pray to any other. For although the wicked and unbelievers, run after false gods, & kindle a fire, & are compassed about with sparks, as the prophet Isaiah upbraideth the wicked Jews: yet because God heareth our prayers, unto him therefore shall all flesh (that feareth his judgments and hopeth for his mercy) come. Because that as the prophet David in another place saith, there is not any in heaven, or earth, that he doth (or we should) desire but God only. Unto this our heavenly Father the godly have at all times lifted up both hands and he • ts, and have found unspeakable comfort. I will (saith the prophet David) lift mine eyes unto the mountains, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, that hath made heaven and earth▪ But confounded be all they that serve that which is graven: and that glory in Idols. But the Scriptures are most plentiful in this point, namely to show that the true God, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; much less that Apollo was he, who seemed to deliver his Oracles at Delphi, or Jupiter that kept the Capitol at Rome, or Diana of the Ephesians, or any other creature, that foolish men or women worshipped, either in their Temples or elsewhere: but we must pray unto him who hath the heaven for his seat, the earth for his foot-stool, whose substance is incomprehensible, whose ways are unsearchable, whose power is so infinite, that none can resist it, whose goodness is so abundant, that it is as a fountain that cannot be drawn dry. Therefore omitting all creatures be they never so excellent, since Christ hath so commanded us, let us cry confidently in all our necessities, unto our Father which is in heaven.

And this difference which here our Savior Christ teacheth us to make, between our heavenly Father, & all false God's, doth not only reform the superstition of the Gentiles, but also the Idolatry of the Papists, who teach us not to lift up our eyes, or to send up our prayers to heavē to entreat our Father: but they set up Images in their churches, to keep the people's eyes occupied in beholding them, that their minds also may be drawn away from the true God. Both these I say are confuted here by our Savior Christ by one breath because we must sue for help from heaven, not from the Temples of Idols: and in heaven, we ought not to entreat our brethren or sisters, that are at rest before us, but him that is Father & Savior, both to them and us. What gross • nes therefore and folly is it, that they to their condemnation will call themselves wise (as Saint Ambrose complaineth) with whom the dead can do more, and are better accounted of then the living. For they departing from the living god, like better of them, that are dead.

But if our Father be in heaven and we upon the earth, what hope can we have that we shall be hard? Shall our voice pierce the clouds, or shall our cry ascend into the heaven? If at any time, any such thoughts do trouble or discourage us; we may well assure our selves, first that Christ would never have commanded us to ask, but of him of whom we should most certainly be hard. Then also such is the nature of faith (without which we cannot please god: For whatsoever is not of faith is sin ) that it never resteth until it have found out him, in whom only it receiveth comfort. It ever asketh that it may receive, it ever seeketh until it find, it ever knocketh, until the door of mercy be opened. So that although we are upon the earth, and can be heard but a little way; yet our hand of faith reacheth even unto god, and the cry of it soundeth more shrill then a trumpet in his ears, as by the example of Hannah and others most plainly appeareth. And this faith first taketh hold of CHRIST who hath made our attonemente, and so bringeth us before GOD'S seat.

Neither yet must we tie god unto the heavens, that place of glorious majesty, as if he were included within the same. Behould the heavens, and the heavens of heavens, are not able to contain him. Whither shall I go from thy spirit, (saith the prophet David) or whither shall I fly from thy presence? If I ascend into heaven thou art there, and if I lie down in hell, thou art there. Let me take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost partes of the sea: yet thither shall thy hand lead me, and thy righte hand hold me. And as rhe prophet showeth there very plainly, that god is present everywhere: so he also acknowledgeth, that his words and thoughts are not hidden from him. For (saith he) there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, thou knowest it wholly O Lord. Yea thou understandest my thoughts a far of. And therefore the Scriptures speak sometime of gods eye, to show that he seeth all things, sometime of his ear,, to show that he heareth all things, as Tertullian very well noteth. For even the Sea of man's conscience, lieth open before God, as Saint Augustine speaketh. And by this means it cometh to pass, that the child of God, in his prayer crieth so loud that God heareth him, though he make no noise at all: he uttereth no sound, but crieth in his heart. Although therefore we say, Our Father which art in heaven, yet do we not deny him to be upon the earth also; yea he is so near to everyone of us, that in him We live, and move, and have our being: so that he seeth our wants, heareth our sighs and sobbes, knoweth our thoughts, and relieueth our necessities. Therefore in our prayers our comfort may be the greater, because our suites are made unto him, that hath absolute authority and power, both in heaven and earth.

You will perchance ask, why we are taught to say Our Father which art in heaven, seeing he is not in heaven only, but in earth also? I answer first for the avoiding of our superstitious inventions, and wandering affections (as I have declared) that it may be as a bridle to restrain & keep us back, from seeking to any other God, but the true God. Secondly because God's glory most of all appeareth in heaven: where the Seraphims cry one to another Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory: and the four beasts without ceasing day or night, and the twenty-four elders, casting their crowns down before the throne, ascribe all honor, and power, unto him. And whereas the Jews in times past, though they did sufficiently set down God's majesty and magnificence, if they described him thus: that he dwelleth in his holy habitation, and is in his glorious Sanctuary, and sitteth between the Cherubims: now our Savior Christ teacheth both them and us, to lift up our cies higher, and not to seek him in temples made with hands, but to look up unto him, in the place of all honor and excellency. For even that holiest place of all, was but a figure of the true and perfect, that is the heavenly Sanctuary, whereinto our high Priest Christ Jesus is gone before, to make intercession to our God for us.

And thus to consider our Fathers power and greatness, bringeth with it double comfort. First that he unto whom we pray, upon whom we rely, and under the shaddow of whose wings, we desire to be shrouded: is in no danger of his enemies, but far out of their reach. Nimrod that lusty hunter and his companions, thought to build a tower that should reach unto heaven, but the LORDE easily confounded and brought to naught, their proud purposes and attempts. As at all times there have been, so at this day there are to many Nimrods, who do build in their own conceit strong and high towers, setting themselves against the council, the gospel, and people of God. They conspire amongst thenselves, and combine themselves together, they devise their purposes, and endeavor to put in executiō their practices, against the Lord, and against his anointed: they make strong their wicked councils, under the name of holy league, they trouble the peace of Christendom, with their unquiet devices, they make havoc as they cā, of God's people, oppose thenselves to the truth, & under the hypocritical color of religiō, seek to overthrow all religion & truth. But he that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh, the Lord shall have them in derision. For howsoever they flatter thenselves in their power & multitudes, saying in there own perswasiō, we are they that ought to speak, who is Lord over us? yet can they reach no higher thē the earth; & therefore what can their foolish imaginations prevail against him that rode upon the Cherub and did fly, and he came flying upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness his secret place, and his pavilion round about him, even darkness of waters and clouds of the air. At the brightness of whose presence the clouds passed, hail stone, and coals of fire. The Lord also thundered in the heaven, and the Highest gave his voice, hailestone, and coles of fire. Then he sent forth his arrows▪ and scattered them, he increased lightninges, and consumed them? What harm can they do I say to this great and terrible God, with all their might and multitudes? Can they remove the rock of our safety, or overthrow the castle of our confidence? We, no they being conpared unto him, even in their greatest strength, are weaker then water, viler then worms. Yea he hath them so bound and chained, that they cannot hurt the least of his Saints, but by his leave, and therefore to their good. All the mischief then, which they intend against God and his servauntes, shall turn to their own destruction: and this is it that they shall bring to pass; they shall provoke against themselves his implacable, but just anger, in whose favor and love is the well of life, but in his wrath, is certain and eternal death. And this comfort we have because our Father is in heaven, frō which place the dragon and his Angels are cast out, so that woe and danger, belongeth only to the inhabitants of the eatth.

And as it is a great strēgthening of our faith, to know that our Father is not subject to any perils, because he is in the place of power and majesty: so we have this assurance thereby, that we have also by his grace, an interest in that glorious inheritance. For our fathers house, is our home. And therefore our Savior Christ, a little before that he should go into heaven, telleth his disciples, that he doth both go before to▪ prepare a place for them, that (saith he) whe • I am, there may ye be also. This then is our consolatiō. If we here in this world suffer grief or sorrow, if we be subject to persecution & affliction, if we be hated and reviled, if we be scourged & killed: what marvel is it, if our enemy deal no better with us, (for the world is our enemy & hateth us, because we are not of the world, but God hath chosē us out of the world) But whē we come home to our Fathers house, sorrow shall cease, there shall be no danger, no distress, no loss, no affliction, but mirth, without mourning, joy without easing, abundance without wanting, life without ending. This I say shall be our most blessed & happy estate, when we shall be with our Father which is in heaven.

Now a third reason why we are taught to say Our father which art in heaven, is for our instruction. For if our Father be heavenly, holy, separate from sinners, then how ought we to walk before him, in all holy conversation? If our father be in heavē, it becometh not us that profess our selves to be his children, to lie groveling here upon the earth, as if we were tied, or nailed unto the same. It is therefore good that we hearken to the sound & godly advise, that our Savior Christ giveth us concerning this point, which is, that we la • e not up to our selves treasure in earth, but in heaven, For (saith he) where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. And that we follow S. Paul's counsel, who thus exhorteth: Set your affections on things which are above, and not on things which are on the earth. For although God hath given the earth to the sons of men, to live upon it, and to receive the fruits thereof, with our pain and labor: yet our hoped for inheritance is eternal life, not here, but else where; not upon earth, but in heavē. We therefore living in the world, yet must not love the world. We must learn of that kingly prophet David, who thus chargeth us: If riches increase, set not your harts thereon. And of that chosen vessel S. Paul, to use this world, as if we used it not. Our Father is in heaven, our eldest brother, our head and captain is there, our crown of glory is there, our life is hidden there, our true hope and help is there. If then we be children of that Father, brethren unto Christ, menbers of that head, soldiers under that captain, and have any true longing. after those spiritual and eternal good things; we must clime up thither in affection; and howsoever for a time, we are absent in the flesh, travelers, and pilgrims, in this vale of misery, our heart must be at home. With such affection should we always say Our Father which art in heaven. For I pray you with what confidence can we ask any thing of him, as of our heavenly Father, if our own consciences testify against us, that we are worldly, earthly, fleshly, carnally minded, and to be short nothing less then heavenly. We can never persuade ourselves, that our Father will ever have delight in such children, as are so far unlike to their Father; or have pleasure in the sons that are of so contrary disposition.

And thus much concerning the preface of the Lord's prayer, wherein we have comfort and instruction. Comfort, in that we are commanded to call him Father, and that our Father; and such a Father as is in heaven, that is in the place of might and glory, whether we his children have promise that we shall come. So that our Savior Christ would have us hereby, as Moses a far of saw the land of promise, so in our prayers, although on earth as it were to look, unto our heavenly Canaan. Our instruction is to learn to obey God because he is our Father, both in doing that he biddeth, & in suffering that he layeth upon us. Thē also we learn to reform our selves according to the pattern that he setteth before us in all our conversation. For it is a praise for y ^e child, to be lik his virtuous Father. And to whō we must make our prayers we are here plainly taught, nāely to God only whose love to us ward, passeth the love of any Father to his child, who because he is in heaven, we therefore must lift up our harts thither, and have our affections heavenly.

The second part of the Lord's prayer containeth six petitions, whereof the first three teach us to ask such things as chiefly do concern God's glory: the three last petitions, do especially concern our selves, and those things that belong not to our life only, or our body; but also to our soul, and happy or godly life.

The first petition is, Hallowed be thy name. By the name of God is here mente whatsoever we know of God. For as by their names we know all the creatures, in so much as when we hear a thing named, we know what is mente thereby: So those attributes or properties whereby we set forth God's nature, whether of goodness, or of greatenesse, or whatsoever else, are his name. And so the effect of this prayer is, that what thing soever it is, that we hear, learn, or know of GOD, we frame our selves with all reverence to receive it, and to make such use thereof, as may be most to GOD'S glory.

The order it self of these petitions, wherein the things that belong unto God (as it is meet and right) are preferred before those things that concern our selves: teacheth us what reckoning we oughtt to make of all things in this world. For if we be truly sanctified to the Lord, and have such care of God's glory as we ought to have, we will so greatly love it, and so wholly regard it, that no profit, pleasure, joy, love, hope, honor, safety, or life it self, shall more delight us, then the doing of that whereby God may be glofied. No grief, fear, danger, reproach, hatred, loss, or death it self, shall terrify us from doing it. Yea whatsoever it is that concerneth God, either his glory, or his will, or his kingdome, we must as it were forgetting our selves, and what thing soever we most rejoice in, wholly and readily apply our selves to fulfill the same, and to further it with all our endeavor, This is it that God by his servant Moses, requireth of his people in the Law, and our Savior Christ, confirmeth the same unto us as a thing most necessary, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind. And in this respect it is that the same teacher of perfect holiness saith, He that loveth father or mother more then me, is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughthe more then me, is not worthy of me. This zeal to further God's glory, and to obey him, hath so wrought in the godly, that they have been content to be tried by mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover by bonds and prisonment. They were stoned, they were hewn a sunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword, they wandered up and down in sheep's skins, and in goats skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented. This was to our Savior Christ his meat, and always hath been to the Saints of God their greatest joy.

And amongst the things which especially concern GOD, we must begin with the sanctifieng of his name, that is, his glory. First because all our actions, yea our very words and thoughts, ought always to be directed to God's glory, as God willing shall after appear. Then also because the sanctifieng of God's name is so needful, that until an earnest desire thereof be settled & planted in our harts, nothing that we do, can be good or acceptable unto God. If we pray, we must in the requests that we make, have a special eye to God's glory. If we give alms, if we mourn & weep for our sins, if we be doing good to others, in all things our chief regard ought to be this, that god may be glorified. For this cause must the light of religiō or professiō, shine (by our holy & Christian conversation) before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven. For this cause our Savior Christ teacheth us in this prayer to lay this foundation▪ ro set before our eyes first the Hallowing of God's name.

But God's name is of it self holy, in so much as whatsoever we consider in God, whether his wisdom, or his goodness, or his greatness, or his justice, we cannot find anything but holiness in him: so that we must unfeignedly confess, that Holy and reverent is his name: why are we thē taught to pray, that his name which is never other then holy, neither yet can be, should be hallowed? We do not make request that it may be holy in it self, but that we his creatures may sanctify the same, both in our heart & affectiō, loving his word, comforting our selves in his promises, fearing his greatness, trembling at his judgments, rejoicing in his mercies: & also in all our life & cōversatiō, by serving him in holiness and righteousness, such as shall be through Christ acceptable unto him.

And great reasons there are that may not move us only, but that should even force and drive us, earnestly to seek and sue for this: first the commandment of our Savior Christ, which to a Christian mā or womā should be of such weight, that it should more press us, then any profit or pleasure. Then also that duty which of everyone of us is required, in respect whereof it is, that the sweet singer of Israel, doth thus stir us up to that office: Give unto the Lord ye sons of the mighty, give unto the Lord glory & strength. Give unto the Lord glory (due) unto his name, worship the Lord in the glorious sanctuary. And again, Give unto the Lord ye families of the people: give unto the Lord glory & power Give unto the Lord the glory of his name. Whereby we see, how earnestly the spirit of God by the prophet, requireth this duty to be performed. Thirdly the example of the creatures, should be a great inducement to move us thereto. For in that they keep their course, & serve to such use as God created thē unto, thereby they confess the wisdome of God, & acknowledge him to be holy in all his works. Therefore so often as we see spring time, sūmer, harvest, & winter, night & day, light & darkness, the profitable order also of the sun, the moon & the stars, the ornaments of the heavens, & the beauty & comely decking of the earth: we have great cause to praise the maker of these things, & to hallow his name, who hath created these to our use; & to confess his wisdome & power, who hath set thē in so comlie an order; & his mercy to us ward, for whose sakes especially these things were made. And the other creatures, because we have so good use of thē should move us to praise gods name for thē & by their example in that they obey gods order, & so in some sort yield to God's wisdome & goodness due honor, ought to provoke us to glorify his name: so is the example of the Angels, those excellent creatures worthy to be followed, whose song is this in the praise of God, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts.

Fourthly, if we look upon God's benefits towards us many ways, what cause have we to praise him? He hath created us of nothing, according to his own Image, most excellent creatures. He hath given to us comeliness of body, reason, & understanding. He made all things to serve us, & us to set forth his praise. Have we not then great cause to hallow his name? But yet his goodness towards us is greater. Whē we through our corruption, had marred that which he made good; he mended that which was amiss, reformed that was faulty, renewed that was old, and sanctified in some measure, that which was unholy; O therefore that men would confess before the Lord his loving kindness, and declare the wonders that he doeth for the sons of men! For what can we render unto the Lord, for all his benefits towards us? Offer unto God praise, and pay thy vows to the most high. For he that offereth praise doth glorify him.

Now as these & many other reasons may induce us to confess, that we must sanctify God's name, unless we will reject Christ's commandment, neglect our duty, be more slack and dull herein then the senseless creatures, & more unthankful then beseemeth Christians: so there is nothing that should rather allure us, seriously to seek, and earnestly to pray, that God's name may be hallowed, then the great lets & hinderāce that we have, whereby we are made more slack and unwilling to do the same. For of our own nature we are prone and inclining to evil, ready to transgress, delighting in pleasures & fleshly lusts, easily taken with the sweet baits of sin; unwise and vnwary in matters belonging to the salvation of our souls. Our harts are most ready to conceive and think, our mouths to speak and utter, and all the members of our body to do the things that profane the name of God.

Then if we have regard unto the things that are without; good Lord what incouragemente have these our ungodly motions, what provocations unto sin do we feel, what allurementes unto wickedness, what discouragemente from good? The world sometime frowneth, and sometime fawneth, but always deceaueth. The devil stirreth up our own corruption, and bloweth as it were the fire of impiety that is within us, to make us worse then naughte. Our friends under a color of worldly friendship, by worldly persuasion abuse us; our foes by threatenings and brags seek to terrify us. So that sometimes by fair means sometime by foul always by false, we are drawn back, if at any time we would sincerely sanctify the name of God. Since therefore it is so hard a thing for us being so many ways letted to perform this duty: we see, good cause there is, why our Savior Christ in this form of prayer which he setteth before us, should teach us to beg as a thing most necessary, that God's name may be Hallowed.

But why are we taught to ask this of our Father in heaven? Because he only can give it; he only by his holy spirit can work it in us; who also of his abundant grace and mercy, shall and will frame them to it, that earnestly seek it. We can say Our Father which art in heaven. We may speak the words of prayer: But unless we have the spirit of prayer, which God only giveth us from above; although we number our prayers upon our beads or knottes, or score them up as upon a Bakers score, to call God to reckenning for them: yet such prayers are turned but into sin, so far are we from Hallowing God's name by them. If we have in our mouth always, GOD be praised, or, The LORD be thanked, and sing many songs of thanks giving unto the almighty: yet if GOD do not inwardly touch us, with sweet and comfortable feeling of his graces toward us, that we may singe and make melody to the Lord in our harts our mouth or lips are but as a sounding brass or tinkling Cymbal, and yield not to GOD, the honor due unto him. We may bestow our goods upon the poor, or do other external works of charity: but GOD in such things is not glorified, unless we have regard to the end of the law, which is, that love proceed out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of a faith unfeigned; which things unless GOD work in us, we cannot attain to them. And for all our works of obedience to God's law, howsoever men esteem of them: yet are they not either acceptable services to God, or such as can sanctify his name worthily, unless our harts be (first) purified by faith, which because it is God's gift, must be asked of him. For until the tree of our heart be made good, what good fruit I pray you cā we hope, that it may bear? Therefore howsoever in our outward appearaūce, we may seem to have a kind of resemblaūce & imitation, of such godly & Christian deeds: yet because his name is not truly and sincerely hallowed, unless we follow the Apostle Saint Peters council, to Sanctify the Lord God in our hearts: we have no hope, that ever we shall perform this duty holyly, except we have this grace from God, who only must, because he only may, give us new and clean hearts, and renew right spirits within us. Therefore our Savior Christ teacheth us to beg this of him, and to him to say, Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Now to show in few words, what it is that we sue for in this petition: we pray that God will give us such means to learn, and such grace to know God's will, that we also may be obedient unto the same, and so glorify him in words, in works, and every way, yea even in our sufferings also. But because that everyone of us doeth owe a twofold duty unto God; the one general, by that our general vocation, whereby we are called Christians; the other particular, in respect of some more private place, or peculiar function, whereunto we are appointed; it shall not be amiss to consider, how we may both in the one, & other, use the best means to hallow the name of God.

First therefore we pray that the word of god, wherein his justice, wisdom, goodness, & greatness is abundantly revealed, may be published and proclaimed, that the sound of it may be hard far and near. This mean to Hallowe God's name, Saint Paul hath respect unto, when he willeth the Ephesians to pray for him that utterance may be given unto him, that he may open his mouth boldly, to publish the secret of the gospel. And writing to the Colossians; pray (saith he) for us, that God may open unto us the door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ. He willeth also the Thessalonians to pray, that the word of God may have free passage, and be glorified. And unto this had Peter and John regard, when they thus prayed. And now, O Lord • , behold their threatenings, and grant unto thy servauntes with all boldness to speak thy word. And as we desire that the gospel may have happy success, so do we ask that all stops and hinderaunces may be taken out of the way: that the cruelty of the adversaries thereof may be stopped, their malice mitigated, and pride asswaged: that either their hearts may be converted, or their purposes confounded, and brought to naughte. Of which sort of petitions we have many in the Scriptures, but especially in the Psalms. If then this knowledge of God's will, be one of the means that we have to Hallow gods name; with what confidence or comfort of conscience, can they say hallowed be thy name, which seek by all means possible to hinder y ^e course of y ^• gospel in word & deed, teaching y ^e ignorance is the mother of deuotiō affirming most ungodly, & yet stiffly, that lay men or women may not read the Scriptures in the mother tongue, will not suffer them to be translated, but persecute them that love them, yea kill such as read them, and so do what they can, to hide this light, under the bushel of their own traditions? But to leave them that are without unto their Lord to whom they shall either stand or fall: with what countenance can they who profess themselves to like of God's word, and have authority and power to maintain the same in all sincerity and truth, and yet never seek soundly to set forth the same; I say with what countenance can they pray, that God's name may be hallowed? Shall not their own conscience accuse them, that they have not to the uttermost of their powers sanctified God's name, in zealous setting forth of his truth, in their kingdoms, countries, cities, towns, and howsen, wherein God hath made them great, that they might have glorified him? I heartily therefore beseech you, whom God hath lifted up above your brethren, to that end that all your power should be employed to his glory that gave it to you: if you have any regard of duty, love of the truth, tender care of your people, respect of your own estate after this life; so encourage the godly, and compel the obstinate, with others to hallow God's name, by receiving and hearing his word, that here you may say without an accusing conscience in respect of your own negligence herein, Hallowed be thy name; and elsewhere without fear & confusion, hear these words, Give an account of thy stewardship. And we also that are Ministers of God's word, of what great place soever, must remember, that we are salt, to give season, and candles to give light to others, as a light I say shining • n a dark place; and therefore both by speaking and living, we must hallow God's name, especially among them that are committed to our charge: taking great h • ede, that neither by our negl • gence in teachin • , we chearish their ignorance; neither by our ungodly life, w • offend the weak ones, or open the mouth of slanderers.

And as we here pray, that God will by all means publish his word: so we also crave that it may be believed. For otherwise what glory shall God have yielded by us unto him, if the messengers that bring these tidings, may complain with the prophet Isaiah, Lord, who will believe our report, and to whom shall the arm of the Lord be revealed? We therefore desire, that God by his holy spirit, will sanctify our hearts, that when the knowledge of his will is offered unto us, we may not be so godless and graceless, as to jest at it, or the preachers thereof, refuse to hear it, or to persecute it, or them that teach it: but that our consciences may yield unto us this testimony, that God therein speaketh to us, and therefore that we will with all readiness hear it, and with all reverence believe it.

And concerning this point it must here be remembered, that it belongeth to the hallowing of God's name, y ^• we receive no doctrines, but such as out of God's book shall be delivered & taught. For how can we give him the praife of wisdom, if we doubt whether his word contain whatsoeeur is necessary for us to know, and think it fit that there should be matched with it, the traditions of men? Or how can we imagine that to be a rule of our religion, which men so over rule at their pleasure? Therefore that we may truly hallow his name, we must admit no teacher but him only. For we have but one lawmaker in Christ his church, and one Master in the same, even Jesus Christ, to whom God hath assigned that office, and whom he hath commanded us to hear.

But because that the more we know, the greater is our cōdamnation, unless our life be in some measure answerable to the same (for heavy is the judgment of that servant, that knoweth his masters will and doth it not) it is therefore needful that we should set forward yet one step more, towards the hallowing of God's name: that is that unto hearing and believing, we should add doing. But because after in this and in the petitions following, I shall have better occasion to entreat thereof; it shall now suffice only to note thus much: that without our holy obedience, gods name is never truly glorified, and therefore that in this petition we ask, that God will so frame us to obedience, that we may serve to his glory. But the end of our obedience is here chiefly to be noted. For if we obey that we may▪ hallow God's name, as our Savior Christ, most plainly teacheth us that we should: then must we not seek thereby our own praise; much less may we hope thereby to merit and deserve God's favor, and to satisfy for our sins.

But because No man that putteth his hand to to the plough and looketh back, • s apt to the kingdom of God. For we are made partakers of Christ, of we keep sure unto the end, the beginning (of our assurance by the gospel) wherewith we are upholden: and he (only) that endureth to the end, shall be saved: therefore that we may more sincerely glorify god, we pray yet farther, that God would give us constancy and continuance, to persevere always in hallowing his name. For it is an easy matter to speak of religion, and profess the truth, so longe as the world alloweth thereof. But if our friends will forsake us, our neighbors despise us, our enemies trouble us, our Masters molest us, our Landlords undo us, our Magistrates imprison, punish and put us to death, unless we will deny our religion, or dissemble with the world, and yet continue constant; i • we be in danger to leese our friends, our goods, our life, unless we will forsake that God whom we have served, and that faith that we have favored; and persevere in our profession still, then shall we hallow God's name. But this settled & steadfast heart, and firm purpose to abide in the truth, is not in any but in such, as have in their own persuasion, ascribed unto God the praise of power and goodness; that he can if he will, and will if it be good, for his glory, and their comfort deliver thē. They will say then in the face of those bloody tyrants with the three children We are not careful to answer in this matter. Behold, our God whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the hot fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thy hand O king. But if not, be it known to thee O king, that we will not serve thy God's, nor worship the golden Image, which thou hast se • up. They in their very consciences, subscribe unto that which S. Paul testifieth, that God is faithful, which will not suffer his to be tempted above that they be able, but will give the issue with the temptation, that they may be able to bear it. Yea they acknowledge also, the praise of just and righteous dealing to belong unto God, with whom it is a righteous thing, to recompense to such as are troubled, rest with the Saints of God▪ To be short they glorify his name because their constancy doth testify, that they are persuaded that the issues of death belong to God, and therefore will confess him before men, what danger soever may follow of it, rather then by denying him to dishonor his name.

And if this our constancy come to farther trial, then must we by our suffering hallow God's name, wherein are diverse points to be considered. As first the cause. For not everyone that is hanged vpō a tree, as was Christ, suffereth as a weldoer; for the thieves were justly punished. Not everyone that was stoned to death, as was Steven, was a Martyr; for it was a death appointed to many malefactors. Not everyone that is cut in pieces, as was Isaiah, is a prophet, for it is a death adjudged to many wicked persons. It is not the death, but the cause that maketh one to be a Martyr. If we therefore suffer for our evil doings, how is God glorified thereby? If ye be railed upon for the Name of Christ, blessed are ye: for the spirit of God, and of glory resteth upon you: which on their part (that persecute you) is evil spoken of, but on your part is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murthere • , or as a thief, or as an evil doer, or as a busy body, in other men's matters. Therefore to the ende we may even in this, confidently lift up our hearts unto God, we pray here, that if it seem good unto him, to give leave to our enemies at any time, to have power over us, whether for our chastisement, or for our trial: yet he will always so guide us by his good grace, that we never justly deserve any their punishments. But if for God's cause, for his truth and gospel, for his glory, we endure anything; because therein we hallow God's name, our Savior Christ speaketh unto us to comfort us: Blessed are ye, when men revile you, and persecute you, & say all manner of evil against you for my sake▪ falsl • . Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven.

But the cause of our suffering being not evil, we must afterwards have great regard, that we make it not worse, by handling it not well. We must not therefore be angry at the means which God useth to humble and afflict us, although it be done by our enemies; we must not seek to take revenge; we must not murmur or repine against God: but we must love our enemies, bless them that curse us, do good to them that hate us, and pray for them that do hurt and persecute us. So did Christ when he was upon the cross: Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. So did Steven the first Martyr that was stoned to death: he cried with a loud voice: lay not this sin to their charge. So did Saint Paul that chosen vessel, who of himself for our example testifieth thus, and of his brethren the Apostles: We are reviled, and yet we • less: we are persecuted and suffer it; we are evil spoken of, and we • • ray. If we first endeavor to c 〈…〉 e up unto this step of perfection, we shall in the ende go higher, and learn of the same Apostle To give thanks in all things, not in prosperity only, but also in adversity. And this lesson patient Job by his example teacheth us: Naked (saith he) came I out of my mothers womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken it: blessed be the name of the Lord. And that this our patient and settled mind, may (as the Apostle exhorteth us) be known unto all men, it much concerneth the hallowing of God's name. And therefore in this prayer we make request, that God will in all our sufferings, arm us with such quietness, and indue us with such a thankfulness of heart, that we may praise God for all that he sendeth, and even from the bottom of heart say The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. And this we crave at the hand of God so often as we say H • llowed be thy name.

Thirdly it must be considered to what end we must endure with patience, if we thereby will hallow God's name. For the Merchant through hope of gain▪ and profit, is oft times content to take in hand many dangerous voyages, to abide much trouble, and sustain much grief. Other men will do the like for their pleasures and delights. And they that run in a race, or wrestle for a game, as the Apostle teacheth us, will abstain from such things as may hinder them, although it be but to get a corruptible crown. Some for their sufferings look for praise of men, other for merit of God. But all these respects that we have to our selves, do hinder us for seeking the glory of god, or hallowing his name. What must then▪ be the principal end that we should have regard unto? Even God's will: because it is his pleasure it should be so; Which the Apostle Saint Peter, calleth a suffering for conscience sake toward God, or as in another place he saith For the Lord's sake. And that we may the more willingly, for God's cause,, take in good parte, whatsoever he shall lay upon us: we must call to mind howe graciously God dealeth with us, how fatherly he chastiseth us, howe gently he correcteth us, how long he spareth us, how slow he is to anger, how ready to forgive: These I say and such like meditations, would be strong inducements to move us, in all our sufferings, be they never so grievous, to sanctify the name of God.

Hitherto I have declared, howe that in this first petition, we ask that God would grant us the means to hallow his name, either in our doings or in our sufferings. In our doings that he will direct us to know, believe, obey, and confess his will; in our sufferings, that the cause may be good, the manner godly, the end God's glory, Now it remaineth that I show against the assaults of sin what use we have of this petition even in our good works: that is, in what respect we need to pray, that in them, gods name may be hallowed.

Fulgentius that godly and learned father, who as it seemeth had good experience of the subtleties of Satan, and kn • w the depth of his deceauable devices: giveth a most necessary and Christian caveat, unto Proba a godly and virtuous virgins: admonishing her to take good heed, that if that tempter and enemy of mankind, cannot draw her to do the things that are evil, he make her not proud of doing, the things that are good. For sometime when he cannot prevail by the sins where unto he allureth: yet he overcometh us by our own virtues. He riseth, by those means that should press him; and foileth us, by virtue that overthroweth him. But this is not the first attempt of Satan, he maketh this his last refuge. When by no other means he can bring his purpose to pass, then he trieth this way. His earnest endeavor is, to snare us in his gins, and catch us in his traps. And therefore he will as that Father there reporteth see if he can draw v • to sin, and that for the most part by sweet allurements. Sed violas lasciua iacit, fo • ijs{que} osarū, d • micat, as Prudentius very well noteth in the cumbate between Sobriety and Riot. Excess saith he or riot That wanton casteth violets in men's ways, and fighteth with rose leaves. And thē after he showeth that by such means, the strength or courage of virtue being somewhat abated, vice by little and little creepeth in. If this device of his have not good success, yet he will not give over, but trieth another way. He w • l endeavor to discourage us from doing of good, setting before us many terrors, and many dangers. If that prevail not, yet hath he a third sleight, and that very dangerous, by corrupting some way or other, our good actions, and our good affection • , with some old leaven of sin, to hinder as much as may be our holy ovedience unto gods will. And if in that we also withstand him, thē his last shift is, to make us proud, of that that is in us. Seeing therefore his cōmō enemy of mankind, hath so sundry ways, to hinder us frō sāctifieng gods name; either openlie, by tēpting us to manifest & know • wickedness, or covertly by poluting our good works, sometime with sin, whē we are doing thē, sontime with pride, whē we have dōe thē: it is most needful that we take good heed, and watch all opportunities to glorify god. And whereas I have before spoken of our obedience as of a mean to hallow gods name (as it is in deed a principal mean, to the which the rest are but helps) that the obedience of our harts, that is the readiness & willingness which before I have said we beg at god hands, may have her perfect work, let us consider further what we crave in this petitiō, concerning the performance & accōplishing, of those our good motions, & godly desires to obeyour heavenly Father. We ask as doth the prophet David, that the Lord will keep us frō presumptuous sins, that he will not let thē reign over us: That he will keep us I say frō such sins & trāsgressions, as the world knoweth & accoūteth for sin: Least the reproof wherewith y ^• Apostle S. Paul toucheth his country mē the Jews, should charge us whē he saith, The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you. For if mē glorify our heavenly Father when they see our good works, as our Savior Christ plainly teacheth us; then when they behold y ^• evil works, especially of them that profess more knowledge of godliness thē other do, they dishonor & take occasiō to reproach his glory thereby, Therefore y ^• we may attain unto y ^• Hallowing of God's name, we first pray, y ^• that whereby it may be profaned & evil spoken of, may be reformed in us, that is, that the whole body of sin, may in us at the least be snubbed, that it abound not in the fruits of ungodliness.

But because it is no great praise for a man to say of fruit or of a tree that they are not evil; but that it is looked for that the goodness thereof should be commended: even so gods name is not much hallowed, in that we cannot justly • e charged with grievous crimes: but thē shall his name be truly sanctified, when we are created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God h • th ordained, that we should wa • ke in them: when we serve the Lord in holiness & righteousness, all the day • of our life. Hereof come these exhortations in the Scripture very common: Cease to do evil, learn to do well, eschew evil, do good. And that is it also that we here crave at God's hand Hallowed be thy name: Teach us O Lord so to live, that we may serve thee, so to do, that we may glorify thee, to have our candle so burning, the light of our lamp so shining, we may so be clothed with the wedding garment of holy conversation answerable to our professiō, and so be decked with the roabe of righteousness and godly life, that through us, & by us, thy name may always be praised. For our works are much better then a thousand mouths, to set forth God's glory. And we are known to be God's children, not by words, but by works, as the tree is judged to be good, not by the leaves or flowers, but by the fruit, as Saint Barnard saith.

But in our good works there may be many wants, which are as spots and stains in a piece of white clothe, whereby the beauty of it is marred: so I say, there are in our good deeds such imperfections, as hinder the sound and sincere hallowing of gods name. Let us well examine our own hearts▪ and I doubt not but we will all most humbly confess, that the best works that we do, are not such as god requireth of us in every respect, or that cā worthily set out his holy name. Our knowledge is here imperfect, we know (but) in part. For now we see through a glass, darkly. Our love is far short of the rule whereby it must be tried. For who can say whilst he liveth in this vale of misery, that he hath his heart so hallowed, and his affections so sanctified unto god, that he can love the Lord his God with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his mind? If a man be so shamlesse as to say he could; yet I am sure no man is so senseless, but that sometime, his own conscience will tell him he cannot. The rule of charity towards our neighbors is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Which perfection if at any time, upon some good and godly motions, and effectual working of gods spirit, if I say a godly man have sometime attained unto such perfection of love, that the love towards his neighbor, hath made him forget himself, his profit or safety; yet alas such heavenly affections have so bad lodging in this our body subject to sin and corruptiō, that long they cannot tarry or abide with us. How weak is the faith even of God's dear children? How soon is the light of God's promises, which by his spirit he hath kindled in us, dimmed with fear and mistrust upon every occasion? How is our faith darkened many times with these thick clouds of despair? If any of us be better persuaded of our selves, & feel not our infirmity in this behalf let us look upon the godly that are gone before us, Abraham, David, Job, Jeremiah, Peter, with many such like, who feeling a sweet taste and comfort in God's promises; yet in danger and distress, shown manifest tokens, and some of them made plain confession of their great weakness. All which being considered, we may learn thereby, earnestly to call upon our good GOD, that it may please him so to lighten our ignorance, to increase our love to God, and our charity to our neighbor, and to strengthen our faith, that we in, and by this, may always Sanctify his holy name.

And as we have very often wants and infirmities in our good and godly cogitations, and in our deeds also: so sometime they are mingled with very sinful and corrupt affections. As when we will seem to serve God, yet not for God's cause, but to please men, to seek preferment, to gain either goods or friends, or for fear of loss. And to this end, and in this regard have many things been done under the name of y ^• works of charity, whereby rather idle loiterers are maintained, then the poor and needy relieved. Yea and such is our corruption, that if our works of duty towards our neighbor, have not altogether such considerations: yet we shall find a coldness, or unwillingness, or some negligence in performing of the same. Al which stumbling blocks and impedimentes, we are here taught to pray that they may be taken out of the way, that we in hallowing of God's name may have a free course and passage: that these worldly respects being reformed, our coldness somewhat kindled, and all our wants supplied, we may truly set forth the praise of God's name.

And because we are here commanded to ask that, the contrary whereof hath a flat prohibition in the third commandment, there is a great coherence between the one and the other, in so much as we may well expound this petition, by that commandment. Therefore that we take not in vain GOD'S holy name, it is very necessary, that in all, even our best works, we endeavor to call for a sincere affection to do the same. For that holiness of heart, is that oil and incense which must be laid upon the people of Israel's meat offerings to make them through Christ, sweet and savory unto God. If we talk of religion, we must do it with great reverence. What have the lips polluted with wicked words, or the mouth defiled with excess of drinking, or that tongue that is stained with untruths and shames, what have these to do with the word of God? Fear they not that straight interrogatiue. whereupon they are to be examined, before a Judge that knoweth all things, yea seeth the secrets of the heart, whereof David maketh mention: Unto the wicked said God, what hast thou to do, to decalre my ordinances, that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth. Seeing thou hatest to be reformed, and hast cast my words behind thee? A jewel of▪ gold in a swine's snowte is nothing comely. And GOD'S holy and sacred words, in the mouth of a profane man are nothing seemly. O consider this ye that forget GOD▪ in the midst of your drunken assemblies and meetings. You never almost talk of religion, but when your tables are defiled with spewings, your stomachs oppressed with surfettinges, your heads made giddy with immeasurable and ungodly quaffings, your tongue scarce able to speak, your legs to carry you: yea when you are least like unto men, then will you most talk of God, of whom we should not think, but as of the God of glory, whom we m • st not worship, but devoutly, or serve, but with fear, of whose word we should not talk, but with reverence, neither of his praise, but with joyfulness, by whom we must not speak, but in truth, judgment, righteousness, so shall we Hallowe the name of God. And this I trust may suffice to teach us, that in all the general duties of a Christian man or woman, nothing can be acceptable unto God, but that whereby we go about to Hallowe God's name. Let us therefore in all our conversati • n strive to sanctify God's name, in our words, in our works, in all our endeavors, yea in thos • our ordinary well wishings unto others, God speed, God bless, God save, and such like, not using them as words of course, for fashion sake, but let us earnestly endeavor, to have them to proceed from a sanctified affection.

And as we cannot in these offices and works, which every Christian is bound to do, please. GOD unless we have an earnest care of his glory: so neither in those particular callings which are amongst us, Civil or Ecclefiasticall, even from the highest to the lowest, must we do anything, but that our chief scope and purpose must be, to hallow the name of our heavenly Father. Kings and mighty Monarchs must rule and govern, not seeking their own pride, pro • ite, or pleasure, but GOD'S glory, Subjects also in their obedience, must set before their eyes that ende. The greater wealth or authority that he giveth to any, the better means they have, and by a more straighte bond such men are tied to glorify God, as the parable of the Talentes teacheth us. And therefore I cannot but much lamente, the dangerous case which they stand in, upon whom God hath bestowed great talentes of authority or wisdom, with which notwithstanding, they gain nothing so much as they might • o to God's honor. I would advise all such before it be too late, to fear that sharp but just judgment, that when such as are low shall have mercy, yet the mighty shall be mightelie tormented. For if through their fault, others have not glorified as they ought to do the name of God; how shall they stand before their Lord and Master, when he shall call them to reckoning? Such men often have emulation am • ng themselves, and strive who shall be greatest, who shall be most praised and renowned: But who striveth to be best, and chiefly respecteth the honoring of God? Therefore in steed of Macheuill his profane conceits, & the perilous policies of worldly men, who make for the most part religion, to wait as a handmaid, upon the earthly wisdom of men, which is not descended from above: But leaving I say such patterns, which we are but too ready to follow; let this petitiō hallowed be thy name, be as a glass before our eyes, according to the which, we will address our whole life and conversation. It is a good prayer for every of us to begin our day work withal. Princes, subjects, high, low, learned, unlearned: yea the laborer and handicrafts man. That everyone of us may be diligent in our calling, not abusing it to do wrong or violence, to deceive or defrawde, by any false waightes, faulse measures, faulse labor or work. To be short, it were very good we would take nothing in hand, but that lifting up our hearts unto God, saying with a devout mind, Hallowed he thy name, we would consecrate our work to GOD'S glory. But here Princes whose consciences are chiefelye charged for good refourmation both in their CHURCH and Common wealth, may do well to set before them the examples of the godly kings of Judah in the things wherein they are commended by the spirit of God. As that of Asa who took away the high places, brake down the Images, put down the groves. And when Jehoshaphat came to be king, he did these things yet more. But Hezekiah went farther then they, for besides such abuses in religion as they reformed, he also brake the brazen Serpent that Moses had made, because the people bur • t incense to it. So careful were these godly kings, that there should not be in the ways of their people any stumbling blocks, whereat either the weak might be • ffended, or the obstinate confirmed. For princes must have as tender a care over their people, that they command not anything whereof just offense may be taken, or the conscience grieved: as mothers have not to give any meat to their children, which they know is not fit for their tender stomaches: And ought to consider whether the things which they command, do tend to the sanctifying of God's name or not. For that must be the mark that they must aim at.

And for their whole duty it is a notable good lesson that the Queen of the South as our Savior Christ calleth her, giveth unto Solomon the most reno • med Prince for wisdom that we can read of: Thy God hath made thee king over Israel (saith she) to execute judgment & justice. And this execution of judgment & Justice in Sovereign Princes standeth in making of Magistrates not for favor, but such as they know to be godly, men of courage, hating covetousness, fearing God: even such as will carefully & faithfully look to the people that are under them. Then also these that have this supreme government, must have an eye to such their Magistrates. lest they pervert justice or do wrong, and punish them sharply if they find them faulty, because their ungodly dealing is hurtful to many. They must care to provide good laws and cause them to be executed. They must set themselves against the sins of their lande with might and main: punishing especially the greater sort, that others by their example may be afraid to offend. They must take great heed lest by not punishing the sins of their subjects, or pardoning their dangerous and great transgressions: they do make themselves partakers of other men's murders, adulteries, violences, or wrongs whatsoever. To be short they may sanctify God's name as they ought, they should fashion their household after David's pattern, and the rule of the Apostles, in modesty (though seemly enough for princes courts) and comely attire, leaving foolish and unseemly fashions (wherein now in these days there is to much delight) to such as profess not in so sincere sort as we do, the gospel of Christ. For we ought with all readiness to obey S. Paul that forbiddeth us to fashion our selves after this world, but would have us to delight in another change, which is of all sorts to little regarded; namely in the renewing of our mind. Unto those godly & Christiā virtues, should princes seek to the uttermost of their power to conform their people, & so shall they sanctify God's name, which by contempt of these things is exceedingly profaned.

But sovereign princes are forced to use the help of inferior Magistrates for their better governing of their subjects: Which if they do not zealously seek to set forth God's glory, must one day feel to their confusion, that which Eli heard and felt: They that despise me, shall be despised. For God will cal the greatest of you to a reckonning. Look well then I pray you to your charge, sanctify God's name yourselves, and by sharp punishments reform thē that are stains & blots, nay the biles & botches of our land. I hear credebly that as in to many places, so even in the right eye of our realm there are soul motes, nay filthy beāes, I mean notorious houses of graceless persons that live to filthely. And although the stews are not suffered, yet to many known places there are of shameless harlots, in the eyes of the government, under the nose of Magistrates that have authority enough to reform such faults, if they had care and courage to perform so good a service to the hallowing of God's name. Where is the zeal of Phineas in you the Magistrates, to turn away the Lord's wrath from this lande by your courage in reforming so great filthiness: Fear you not least he that threatened by his prophet that he would visit Jerusalem with lights, should come and visit London, and find out all those filthy corners that you suffer, which are a stain to that we profess, a dishonor to our country, a snare to the people, and against yourselves invisible arguments either of your carelessness in looking to your charge, or of coldness in setting forth God's glory. You think perchance the offenders are to many and to well frended for you to punish. The better service you shall perform to her that hath under god placed you in your authority; The more good shall you do your country in reforming that sin in such persons; the more shall you Sanctify the name of GOD, in showing your zeal and courage, in defense of his glory. Be furtherers therefore of that you beg, that with more boldness you may say, Hallowed be thy name.

And for us that are called unto that high function of the ministry of the word, our service and whole travail ought so to be dedicated to the Lord, that we should seek nothing so earnestly as God's glory. For we are as messengers from our Lord and Master, to woo in his behalf, and to win the good will of men & women to him. We are as friends to the bridegroom, who rejoice not only at the hearing of his voice, but also prepare and decke the bride, that she may please her husband. We should be shepherds, to watch Christ's flock from wolves and wandering; Stewards, to give God's family their meat in due season; voices, crying out against sin and superstion; God's husbandmen, to sow and plant in the field of his church, laborers in his vineyard, to prune his vine, his soldiers, to fight his battles against all his enemies; Yea we should be light, to direct, and salt to season others, that by our Ministry God's glory may shine, and his name be hallowed. And therefore our continual groaning, our sighing and sobbing unto God ought to be, that by our ministry God's name may be sanctified.

And here, oh that it pleased God to give me a fountain of tears, to lament and bewail the misery of these our days, wherein the sun of God's truth shineth most clearly, and the star of his word appeareth most beautifully, but because we are blinded with the love of ease, or gain, or some such corruption, the eye of our conscience being put out, we see not that the neglect of our duty, procureth against us most imminent danger; because we follow rather the deceaueable lusts of the wicked world, then seek in our calling with our whole endeavor to glorify God. Many of us are content to take the charge, of the poor ignorant & untaught people, that we may enjoy the fat and the fleece; but who learneth of that good shepherd to call his own sheep by name and lead them out, and to go before them, & to teach them to know his voice? Many of us study to serve and glorify men, that they may glorify us again, and serve our turn; with adding charge to charge, living to living, even sin to sin. Some wait in the court and great men's houses gaping and suing still for more, although they have no great care to discharge the charge that is already committed unto them. Some loiter in the country, with too little regard of doing their duty. Alas how is the people by this means nussed in ignorance, confirmed in error and superstitiō, made a pray to every runagate Priest that cometh from Rome or Reims, to draw them to rebellion against God and man, whereby God doth want his honor, and princes their obedience? This therefore is a most needful meditation, whereabout our heart should always be occupied: this is a necessary prayer for us to make, not daily only, but howrely, that God's name may be sanctified, by our diligence, care, watchfulness, and faithfulness in our ministry. And thus much of the first petition of the prayer, Hallowed be thy name.

The two petitions next following, are but as it were the means to perform the former. For if God's kingdom be established, and his will obeyed, then is his name hallowed. But the first of these two, is this, Thy kingdome come. For in earthly kingdoms, there is first a kingdom and state established, then follow the laws & decrees which in the same must be obeyed: even so in giving due honor to our heavenly Father, we must first acknowledge▪ his thr • ne, and power, then also we must frame our selves to live according to his laws and will.

But what is the meaning of this request? was not God king evē then whē our Savior Christ taught us this form of prayer? Or doth he not now rule with power and majesty? If he do, why are we taught to say Thy kingdom come? With that kinglie Prophet David we must confess: ( O Lord) Thy throne is establ • shed of old: thou art from everlasting. And again The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. Yea The Lord sitteth upon the floods, and the LORD doth remain king forever. He is a great king over all the earth. We pray not therefore in this request, that God may be a king, but Thy kingdom come. As if we should say. O God we acknowledge and confess that thou rulest & raignest in heaven and earth; to thee all creatures stoop and thee they serve; thou commaundest the sea, and it obeieth; the winds and waves, and they are calm and quiet; thou settest up princes, and mighty ones, thou makest of the meanest; again thou pluckest them down, and dauntest their stout stomachs, with thine angry countenance; thou turnest also their hearts, as seemeth good to thy divine wisdom. As thou thus showest thyself, to be a king over all thy creatures; so reign after a more especial manner in thine elect children, to our good, and their glory.

Now the kingdom of God is taken after two sorts. For it signifieth either the kingdom of grace▪ or the kingdom of glory, both which we crave in this petition. But first and principally, that which is called the kingdom of grace. We desire therefore in this, that GOD will so reform our hearts and frame them to obedience, that he in us may have the dominion, and bear the sway, and we may yield our selves to be governed by his spirit. But because we must clime up to this throne of grace by certain steppes: there are here sundry things sued for. As first that the Lord will work in us, a reverence to the rod, or scepter of his power, which is his word, thereby to subdue our rebellious affections, & to tame our ungodly lusts: so that whensoever we shall begin to wander after our own ways, we by this scepter may be reclaimed.

But God's kingdom is not as yet established amongst us, as soon as we are content to hear him speak; but it is farther required of us, that by God's good grace our evil affections being cut of, this immortal seed, this Word of truth, may be planted and grafted into the heart of us, & there grow fruitful and yield good increase, of holy and Christian conversation. So that when the old man is crucified with Christ and the whole body of sin destroyed, that we serve not sin from henceforth: And are renewed in the spirit of our mind: and put on the new wan, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness, and have mortified our members which are upon the earth: then have we attained to the second step of gods kingdom. So that to entreat god that his kingdom may come, is to beseech him, that by his holy spirit, our affections being subjected to the rule of reason, (of reasō I say guided by gods word) our willes framed to gods pleasure▪ our minds also lightened by his spirit of Wisdom and council, and all the members of our body, being made Servants unto righteousness in holiness: we love nothing but him, we fear nothing more thē him, we serve nothing besides him, neither will in our harts be subject to any other but to him, giving to him all honor and fear.

Thirdly we ask in this petition, the increase of his graces in us, and to us ward; that we stepping forward from grace to grace, from faith to faith, may join virtue with faith; and with virtue, knowledge; and with knowledge, temperāce; and with temperance, patience; & with patience, godliness; and with godliness, brotherly kindness; and with brotherly kindness, love. For if these things be among us and abound, they will make us that we neither shall be idle, nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. When our life shall be adorned, with this fair chain of Christian virtues, much more precious & beawtifull then any chain of gold about our neck, or bracelets about our arms: then the kingdom of god, hath mighty increases in us. This happy increase in heavenly graces, the Apostle prayeth for unto the Philippians; I p • ay (salrh he) that your love may abound more and more, in knowledge, & in all judgment. And to the Colossians We cease not to pray for you, and to desire that you might be fulfiled with knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. And these things doth our Savior Christ teach us to ask in these words, Thy kingdom come. For by the coming of God's kingdom we desire nothing else, but that it should be made manifest, increased, & perfected in us, by his good help and succor.

But now because The kingdom of God is not meat nor drink, but righteousness, and peace, and io • e in the holy Ghost: we may hereby assure our selves, that God's meaning is not, in or by these outward observances to reign over us, or to entangle our consciences with such trifles. For Meat maketh not us acceptable to God: for neither if we eat, have we the more, neither if we eat not, have we the less. In which words Saint Paul teacheth us the self-same lesson that he learned of our Savior Christ. That which goeth into the mouth defileth not the man, but that which cometh out of the mouth, that defileth the mā. So that not the meat and drink, which we with thanksgiving to him that bestoweth the same upon us, receive moderately, and use them soberly, maketh us more unholy; but blasphemies, swearings, slanderings, cursings, revilings, malicious and corrupt speeches, do load us with sin. Neither doth abstinence from God's good creatures sanctify them that abstain, but rather (if they therefore esteem themselves the holier) defileth them. This prayer then extendeth it self even unto the things that are external. For in it we crave that no man at his pleasure bear rule over us, or condemn us in meats and drink, or in respect of a holiday or new moon, or of the Sabbath: especially that these things, or rather a superstitious conceit of these things, should never bear such sway in our consciences, that our own heart would forb • de us, saying, Touch not, taste not, handle not, and that our own persuasion would make us afraid, to take our parte of any of God's creatures, which without breach of the law of charity, or the political ordinances of the common Wealth, may be received. Therefore we pray, that righteousness and peace, and joy in the holy Ghost, may so be rooted and settled in our hearts, that we may with a Christian courage, either use these external things as meats, marriage, and such like, which some men in the abundance of their impiety, have accounted profane at sometime, or for some men: or refuse the bondage of ceremonies as may most serve for GOD'S glory, and other men's good. And thus we see howe GOD reigneth in our hearts as king, both in framing our harts to an inward and sincere obedience; and also in governing our consciences in the good use of all his creatures.

But this petition Thy kingdom come, may not only be understood of that particular power, which we wish that God would show in everyone of us (whereof hitherto I have spoken:) but also more generally that God would show himself to bear rule in his church, that his word might be obeyed, his truth maintained, his people preserved, his enemies scattered, that we all his servants, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, should serve him without fear; in holiness & righteousness before him, all the days of our life. To be short we pray that in this church of God, or among the people of God, the traditions of men being rejected, unwritten verities (so called, but in truth falsities) abolished, & all decrees besides the holy and sacred Scriptures, trodden under foot; the light of God's laws may only shine unto us, and the scepter of his word be only obeyed among us.

And thus we see what is the sum and substance of that we ask here, Thy kingdom come: namely that as in the former petition we craved that God might have honor due to his name, which by sundry means is performed, so in this we entreat him also, that he may have holy obedience, that his word may have such effect, as that it being planted in us, and sin rooted out, we may greatly increase in all godliness. And further that the peace of God so rule in our consciences, that we never stand in any fear, lawfully to use God's good creatures; that God only, and not superstitious conceits, may rule in our hearts, and bear the sway. And lastly that our heavenly Father, will so guide his whole Church after the light of his word, and so defend it of his great goodness; that it neither be brought into the bondage of the kingdom of darkness, by error; neither yet be made a pray to the wicked, by their ungodly and cruel practices.

Now how great is the necessity of this prayer, as all men may easily see, that enter into any due consideration, of the miserable estate of this wicked world: so the g • dly cannot but confess it, and therefore often and earnestly seek and sue, that GOD'S kingdom may come. For alas when we take a view of the practices of the world, we may easily see, that a great number of them, who have in their mouths not seldom these words, Thy kingdom come, yet do not endeavor by such good and great means as God hath given unto them, to set forth the same; even they who should be the great laborers to set it up, and after some sort pillars in this world to uphold it, by that great authority and power that God hath called them unto; do nothing so much as seek to set up themselves, and advaunce their posterity, setting forward God's kingdom in the mean time, but by grains and scruples. Doth not religion many times serve policy, and the gospel of God, attend upon the pleasure of men? Profit, delight, ease, favor of men, estimation and credit in the world, and such like things, are chiefly thought upon, but GOD'S kingdom, no further then it may stand with these. Seeing therefore there is so little hope, that great ones will abandon their own affections, to enlarge GOD'S kingdom: we have good cause to ask this of him, who can rule and guid the harts of all men, & use the means of all creatures to serve his turn.

Again the gospel hath now above forty years been preached in this our land. Shall we ask what reformation in religion, is now more then at the first? Some things were then tolerated, if not offensuie to many of the godly, yet needles and unfruitful, to speak the least evil of them. Are they not still left and suffered, yea so, that sometimes godly men, are by them brought in bondage and subiectiō, unto Atheists and ungodly persons, and enemies unto religion, who seek by them to take advantage against faithful ministers that reprove their sin, or discover their disobedience? If Cōmon wealths have their parlamentes, for taking order for inconveniences, and to reform such things as by experience are found to be evil: If men of occupation, will revewe the work that they have made, and correct that is faulty: howe cometh it to pass, that in the Church there is so little amending of that which is amiss▪ why should we abound in knowledge more and more, as a little before is shown, if not to practice it? And howe can we be said to practice it, if we seek not to fashion our selves in all things according to it▪ But you will say the laws of men need mending, because they are imperfect: As for God's law it is such as may not be altered, and so pure, that it cannot be bettered. This is most true. Yet if we have sometimes borne with some things not in material pointes, but in things of less moment, least at the first we should offend the weak (for then that was alleged) it were in my judgment good for us to take heed, that by to much forbearing, we make them not obstinate and stubborn, that weere but weak, and so by means to increase their sin: or grieve and offend in such things the most godly. God hath given unto this realm many blessings, great light and knowledge of the gospel of salvation, and a most peaceable profession of the same, by the means of our most blessed sovereign: oh that it might please his Fatherlie kindness, so to work yet more in her heart, that nothing might be left in God's service, seemeth it never so little, but that which should set forward God's kingdom. God is my witness I seek not undutifully any innovation or alteration, I thank God heartily for that sincere truth that we have, but I wish to all Christian Princes, but especially to such as God hath set over this our lande, to be jealous with great jealousy for the Lord God of hosts, and with a fervent zeal, to seek the increase of God's kingdom, and the taking away of anything that may hinder it: that so growing nearer and nearer to the perfection of this kingdom, we may with greater comfort say always, Thy kingdom come.

But there are also among us, such as are enemies to this kingdom of God, which he by his Son Christ Jesus doth administer & govern; who will have a Pope to rule over them, a man whose office, is derogatory unto Christ, whose doctrines are contrary to the word of God, and whose doings, are like the doings for the most parte, of profane men. And as they use all means they can, to overthrow this kingdom of God, (for they seek all ways, either to pull down the scepter of this kingdom which is the word, or to keep it hidden in the case, that it be not seen) so are many of them in our North countries perilous subjects to the kingdoms of men. And though they will promise much, and profess great fidelity, and protest confidently of their loyalty: yet I would wish that you whom GOD hath made great, to oppose yourselves against the greatest of his adversaries, either abroad, or at home, should not trust them. For why their neighbors, find them at home stubborn enough, and very insolent upon every occasion. These dare (so I had almost said rebelliouslie, they dare I say) so boldly, withstand the truth, that there are with us some households, and diverse children, that either will not, or dare not come to the Church. Yea and they dare sometime to assemble in great companies, which how dangerous a thing it may be in policy, let wise politickes judge. For my part I know it to be little good Divinity, to suffer the wedding dinner to be so unfurnished; they should be compelled to come in.

You will perchance reply, that there is authority enough by Commission to conuente them. But who shall bring them in, especially in these wild countries? They are many, they are bold, and some of them godless enough, and such whose state cannot be meaner then it is, and so fit for any change. And therefore it is needful such were looked unto. I have heard also that there are of them, who though they will not in any wise submit themselves to the kingdom of God: yet they find means to exempt thenselves, from the danger of the laws of men. They are so well frended, that they can, nay they dare procure themselves to be bound, to answer before them, whose name and authority should be fearful, to such willful withdrawers of their loyalty & obedience: because that as through their greatness they may, so in respect of their duty, they must have a vigilant eye over such starting subjects. But what is the cause of this their boldness? Is it because they hope to find more favor there where they are not known, then among them that are somewhat acquainted with their behavior? Indeed they sometime find too much. Or is it rather because they trust never to be called before them to make answer? It may very well be. For who wll imagine, that they who are troubled with so many matters of great importance, may have leisure to think of recusants two hundred miles from them▪ But if the most honorable table would indeed call such, and let thē taste somewhat of law, if they would not dutifully cōform themselves, they might work a terror in the hearts of very many that are now obstinate. But if under that color, they be free frō all lawful punishment; at home, because they will not answer; above, because they are never called; consider I pray you, how repugnaunt that course is to the laws, and how dangerous to the state. If any man may live in a common wealth, and not be a subject in the same, but despise the laws, and contemn authority, what may grow thereof it is not hard to conjecture. These things make gods deer children, seeing such faintnes in some to maintain God's cause; in other, such boldness, even in these days of the gospel, to impugn the truth, and despise authority; the consideration I say of such things, causeth them in grief, with groans to cry, and in anguish of heart to say, Thy kingdom come. To be short, the abundance of sin, the slackness of punishment, the incouragment of the bad, the oppressions of them that cannot withstand, the excess in pride, the monstrous shapes of men and women, in their head, and in their body, & that when God calleth us to mourning and lamentation, these I say, and many other our gross transgressions, wherewith we defile our land, pollute our selves, procure God's wrath, and provoke his judgments against us, give us just cause earnestly to cry, Thy kingdom come.

But besides these impedimentes which we find without, whereby the increase of God's kingdom is greatly hindered, if every of us consider truly, what we feel within our selves, it will make us seriou • lie to say, Thy kingdom come. For we have our own lusts as rebellious subjects, striving to reign in us, and to bear the sway. And they are to GOD'S kingdom sworn enemies. Satan taketh occasion thereby also, to blow the bellows, and to stir the coals of our corruption, and to make our own lusts, our pleasures and delites, to fight against our souls. His only endeavor is to set up his throne in our hearts, that we might serve him as our king. The world likewise as a deceitful neighbor, sometime favoreth and flattereth, sometime threateneth us, leaving nothing untried, to beguyle us. Thus everyone of these three • , enemies to our king and to us, seek to set up in our consciences, their chair of estate, and to get the Soveraignetie over us. Satan an old crafty adversary, subtle, malicious, cruel, vigilant, watching all opportunities, going always about seeking to devour. The world wherein we live, wherein is plenty both of things which we love, and that we have, that we like, and that we fear. Yea our own selves, our flesh, that we have always with us, and cannot leave it; our own affections which always go with us, sleep with us, and which we can neither mislike of, nor be without, All these laboring to bring us into subjection unto them. is it not necessary that we crave of god, that he will show his power in us, and by his spirit mightily subd • e th • se our mortal foes, and deliver us out of their thralldom?

But because this Kingdom of grace, is as it were always in the cradel; (for the Church shall always find enemies, to trouble the quiet peace thereof, and stumbling blocks in her way, to hinder all her godly proceedings:) as we seek in this petition the direction of gods spirit, for our sanctification, and the defense of his stretched out arm, for our protection, whilst we must do him service in this vale of misery; so do we also pray for the consummation of our joy, the ending of our miseries, the finishing of our battles, the full fruition of our happy estate; which is that we call the Kingdom of glory. Neither is this kingdom of grace and of glory, two diverse kingdoms: But the kingdom that we cal of Grace, is the beginning, of that which we call of Glory. Therefore the kingdom of Grace is as if a king new called to his kinkdome, and finding many that rebel against him, have continual toile and trouble, striving and fighting always against thē, that rise up against him; neither can he be said to have a glorious & flourishing kingdom, until that he having subdued his adversaries, reign quietly and peaceably over his subjects. But when his estate is without fear or danger, either of foreign or home enemies, then is he indeed a glorious and triumphant king. Even so we whilst here we live, compassed about with mighty & malicious foes on every side, which seek either by fair means, to entice us, or by false means, to deceive us, or by forcible means, to contstrain us, to obey their will; against whom we are not able to lift up our hand, or oppose our selves, but as we are assisted by God's good grace: although we we are by the power and spirit of Christ kings unto God, yet doeth not our glory as yet appear. But when these our bodies shall be renewed, death ablolished▪ and life restored, and we shall be wholly sanctified to the sincere service of our God; then shall we have mirth without mourning, joy without sorrowing, light without shaddowing, glory without fading, bliss without ending. We are here although heirs, yet not much differing from servants, because we are under age (for we are but children:) but when we are perfect men, and (come) to the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ, then shall we possess eternally, that inheritance which here we hope for, and strive to attain unto.

If then as we crave here God's good grace to direct and defend us, in this our place of perilous pilgrimage, so we also beg of God an end of these our miserable days: then let us consider what affections we ought to have, and how we should be minded, when we say Thy kingdom come. We desire him to consume the world, to hasten the coming of his son Christ Jesus, to judge the quick & the dead: we provoke him to pronounce his sentence. What manner of persons (then) ought we to be in holy conversation and godliness? Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of god. Shall we sin without remorse, or transgress the law of God, without regard? Shall we walk after our own lusts, wallowing in our worldly delights, greedy desires, malicious purposes, deceitful practices, and follow such ungodly ways, and yet say, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly? Let us take heed if we so do, lest our own tongue cal for vengeance against our selves, and our prayers be turned into sin. But if we will in good earnest, and with an assured persuasion that we shall be heard, and with comfort say, Thy kingdo • come: then must we fly from evil, hate sin, and be sorry for our transgressions, we must love godliness, and have a constant purpose of amendment: that this glorious kingdom of GOD whensoever it cometh, it may come to our consolation, and not to our confusion. Therefore so often as we beg this at gods hand, it behooveth everyone of us, from the highest to the lowest, carefully to consider, howe sincerely we have performed all manner of duties to GOD or man, howe we have aimed at that mark in our whole life, howe we our selves have furthered the same kingdom, to the uttermost of our power, for fear least when our mouth shall say Thy kingdom come, our own heart answer us, that we by our doings do hinder the same, and that we ask we wot not what, and that we would not have. And thus much of the two petitions.

Now followeth in order the third petition, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. But because this word Will of god, hath not in the scripture always one signification, we must understand, that it is sometime taken for gods secret and hidden council, as Joseph telleth his brethren, that it was not they, but god that sent him before for their preservation: showing that god therein, had his Will, that is, his secrete council. And Saint Peter willeth us if God's will be so (that is, if GOD in his determinate purpose, have so appointed it) that we rather suffer for well doing, then for evil. And if we should expound this petition after this interpretation, the sense is not evil. For then it hath this meaning. O LORD GOD who in wisdom governest all things, and disposest of thy creatures, as it seemeth good to thee according to thy unspeakable knowledge, whose thoughts are out of our reach, and thy ways past finding out: work thine own will, perform in us thy pleasure. Thou art the potter, we are as the potte. Thou art the Creator, we are thy creatures, the works of thy hands. Thy will be done. Of this mind was that most patient Job. In this sense our Savior CHRIST said, Not my will, but thine be done. According to this will of GOD, was Paul ready not to be bound only, but to die also at Jerusalem, for the name of the LORD Jesus. And the godly at Cesaria, when neither by entreating, nor by tears, they could turn him from going to Jerusalem, submitting themselves to God's good pleasure, said; The will of the Lord be done.

Sometime by God's will, we are to understand his known or revealed will. Of this Saint Paul saith, This is the will of God even your sanctification. And Saint Peter; So is the will of God, that by well • doing, ye may put to silence the ignorance of the foolish men. And of this the prophet David maketh this suite unto god: Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God. And then this prayer hath this sense. O Lord, in heaven what thou biddest is done, what thou commaundest is obeyed: frame also our hearts that are here upon the earth, to serve thee as sincerely, and to do thy will as readily. And this do I take to be the true meaning of these words. So that here we pray, not so much that gods determinate council may stand and be executed, as that we may do that which is acceptable to him. For this will of god is simply good, and acceptable to him when it is performed. But that his secrete will or determined council as Saint Peter calleth it, is good but in respect of such ends or purposes, as GOD hath appointed the same unto.

And here is it first to be marked of whom our Savior CHRIST teacheth us to beg this: even of our heavenly Father. If we of our selves had power to do GOD'S will, and to perform his commandments, then were this petition, as also the two former, needless. But such is our blindness, y ^• we cannot know his pleasure of our own selves, or by our skill: For the natural man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. And when we understand our heavenly Fathers will, such is our stubbornness sometime that we will not do it, Because the wisdom of the flesh, is enemity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Yea and when God hath begun in us his work of new birth, so that we have our minds lightened in such sort, that we have some understanding of his law; and our harts so reformed, that fain we would be obedient unto it: yet such is our weakness, that The good thing which we would, we do not; but the evil which we would not, that do we. Because there is a law in our members, rebelling against the law of our mind, and leading us captive to the law of sin, which is in our members. We then being such, and so far from all ability to keep God's law: it is most needful that we should seek for strength from God, to supply our weakness, and for his grace, to reform all our infirmities, & crave this of him as our Savior Christ hath taught us, saying Thy will be done.

And this untowardness which we in our selves do find, yea the lets and hindrances which we meet withal, whensoever we endeavor to perform the same; is one reason that should induce us to think this petition to be very necessary, to be used of us often. For seeing, as I have shown before, we ought to employ our whole life to glorify God's name; and that is done especially, by resigning our selves who • e to be ruled by his laws, and to obey his will: if we look upon our rebellious affections, which are continually striving to hinder our good courses, and so to make us dishonor God, we will I warrant you often, from the very bottom of our heart with deep sighs say; Thy will be done. If we apply our selves wholly to depend upon God, and to make him our staff & stay: the least trouble or danger that we fall into, either moveth us to some mistrust of God's help, or maketh us too earnestly to hang upon worldly means. In poverty, we cannot rest upon God's providence, who was unto Abraham his exceeding great reward, & hath promised to give us all things that we stand in need of; but to enrich our selves, we will labor too greedily and mistrustfully, deal deceitfully, take other men's goods or possessions by fraud or force, and use many ways, rather then apply our selves to know and do God's will. It is the will of God, that we should love our enemies; bless them that curse us; do good to them that hate us; and pray for them which hurt us, and persecute us. But what doeth the corrupt nature of man in this? We grudge, we murmur, we revile, we bear malice, we seek revenge. We are sometime violently carried with a furious motion, to show all extremity: sometime a conceit of our estimatiō & credit, maketh us to overthwart this will of God, lest others should think us, not to be men of our hands. An inordinate love of the world, doth entangle us; an ambitious desire of praise and preferment, doth tickle us; the filthy lust of our wanton flesh, be witcheth us; the vain fear of man whose breath is in his nostrils, discourageth us; to be short, so many affections as we have, so many enemies within us, oppose thenselves, to the will of God, and seek to make us follow the will and lust of man. In all these extremities, if we have any good regard of our duty to God, we will say with sobs, Thy will be done.

And then if on the other side we remember, what heavy judgments God hath denounced, against the transgressors of his word and will, how unhappy shall be their ende: it will make us, in anguish and bitterness of our soul to say, Thy will done. For as they are blessed that know the will of GOD and do it: so the servante that knoweth his Masters will, and prepareth not himself, neither doeth according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. For without (the heavenly Jerusalem and holy city) shall be dogs, and enchanters▪ and whore mongers & murderers, & Idolaters, & whosoever loveth or maketh lies. Because they have not the wedding garment of sincerity and holy conversation, They shall be bound hand and foot▪ and taken away (from the wedding dinner) and east into utter darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. They shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which • s the second death. That therefore we may in some good measure, be reformed by the grace of his holy spirit, to do that which is agreeable to his will, and escape his wrath, ( into whose hands to fall it is a fearful thing ) let us learn of our heavenly teacher to say, Thy will be done.

Here therefore we utterly renounce our own will, and abandon our own desires, and bid farewell to all our affections, whatsoever are not agreeable to God's pleasure. We humbly acknowledge, and reverently conf • sse, that his word is perfect, and his will is good, and that as it cannot be but corrupt, that cometh from us: so whatsoever he willeth, must needs be holy. And to the ende we may attain to the doing of the same, we first pray here, that we may have understanding of his will. For how can we do it, unless we know it? For as in the first petition we have asked that his word may be published and maintained, and in the second that it may be reverenced, as the scepter and mace, whereby he maketh his power known: so here we pray, that we may be framed to do and practice the same. First therefore we must know God's will, & so think of that which the prophet requesteth of God, saying Teach me, O Lord the way of thy commandments. Give me understanding and I will keep thy law. Make me to understand the way of thy precepts If the prophet David, whom God had endued with great knowledge of his law, whereby he was made wiser then his enemies, had need to beg this knowledge of god, then how much more we, who seek it not so zealously, and seriously as he did? Let us therefore when we say this prayer, remember that our minds are dark • ned with the gross mist of ignorance, and entreat God that in his great mercy, by his holy spirit he will lighten our harts that we may know his will.

Then secondly it is necessary that we love his will: wherein we have also that kingly prophet a pattern whom we should follow. Oh (saith he) how I love thy law, it is my meditation continually. I love thy commandments above gold, yea above much fine gold. And that we may love it the more fervently, he assureth us that great good shall befall them that love it. They that love thy law shall have great porsperity, and shall have no hurt▪ What is the cause we follow our worldly delights either of profit or of pleasure to greedely? It is not because we love them? If then we could love heavenly things; by howe much they are better worth loving, so much more easily we would seek after them. Here therefore we pray that GOD will incline our heart unto his testimonies.

And although having attained to these two things, we have goue forward two good steppes, to the doing of GOD'S will: yet are we not come to the perfection. Thirdly we ask here of GOD, that he will give us ability to do the same. For as before I shown, we are weak and very unable to serve GOD according to his word. We have many drawebackes, that will not suffer us to go on forward, with such constant courage as we ought to do. The commandment it self hard to perform, because it requireth all the powers of man, to the perfect keeping of it. All which things being considered we do not only pray that GOD will direct us, in the paths of his commandments; but also that he will strengthen our weakness, supply all our wants, Stay our steps on his paths, that our feet slide not, perform that good work that he hath begun in us, to the day of JESUS CHRIST: make us perfect, confirm, strengthen, and stablish us, in every good way. To be short we pray, that we who without CHRIST are not able to do anything, may be able to do all things (agreeable to GOD'S will) by the help of Christ that strengtheneth us. All these things we beg of our heavenly father in this sort of prayer, when we say Thy will be done.

And least we should surmise or suppose, that we pray here that the Angels that stand before God's face, and are ministering spirits, to serve for his glory and our good, might perform the duty that they owe unto him: our Savior Christ giveth us to understand, that we desire that God's will may be done In ea • th, of us sinful and wretched creatures, that live in this vale of misery. Thy will be done in earth. This earth is the place of trouble and trial, of temptations and offenses, of lets and hindrances, of sin and wickedness. Whilest therefore we are in the place of striving and fighting, we must endeavor so to fight the Lord's battle, that our enemies being by God's good grace subdued, we may without let or hindrance, do the will of our heavenly Father. Even here I say where the danger is of not doing GOD'S will, we beg that our God will so stand with us, that we may do it, triumphing over all things, that withstand the same.

In this also doth our Savior Christ reform our corrupt and forward thoughts. For we acknowledging our own imperfection, & that sincere holiness, which the law as a severe schoolmaster prescribeth unto us, which we are not by any means able to perform: are straight ways ready either like faint hearted soldiers, to yield without striking one stroke, and not to endeavor to perform God's will: or else imagine that it is enough, that the Saints of God▪ shall then attain unto perfect holiness, when this corruptible body hath put on incorruption: and so put of from time to time, to apply our selves, unto the will of God. But our Savior Christ correcteth that error, teaching us that howsoever we find our selves unable to do as we should; yet while we are vpō the earth, we must strive to be perfect. We must seek to deny our own will, that God's will may be obeyed. This should be our meditation night & day. For the accōplishing hereof, we should humbly beg his grace, Which only vorketh in us both the will, and the deed, even of his good pleasure, that his holy will may be done upon earth.

And because that many times we deceive our selves with a bare show or shadow of holiness; and delight to set before us the example of others, not judging our selves to be evil, if other be worse: therefore he giveth us a pattern to imitate and follow, whereby if we be directed, we shall not do amiss. He draweth us to a consideration of those heavenly spirits, and pointeth as it were with the finger, unto that holy obedience of the celestial Saints: that we seeing how sincerely they do God's will, may endeavor our selves to do the like. Therefore he teacheth us thus to pray, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Not that we can hope, that whiles we carry about us this body subject to sin, we may ever attain to such perfect fulfilling of God's will as either they do, or we should perform: but God's dear children should have such desires, & hearken unto this godly exhortation, or rather admonition, that our heavenly Master giveth us. Be ye therefore perfect, as you • father wh • ch is in heaven, is perfect. And if we thus endeavor to be better then we can be, & are displeased at our selves, for being worse then we should be: then for Christ his sake, shall all our wants be pardoned, and all our imperfections covered, under the cloke of his perfect obedience. Therefore we may with good comfort pray, Thy will be done in earth as it is heavē, seeing that which is lacking in us, shall be fulfilled in him, and that sincere obedience which is inherent in him only, shall be imputed unto us as ours.

And that we may aim nearer the mark of true obedience, let us call to mind, howe the Angels in heaven do obey GOD. First therefore they obey willingly, without murmuring or grudging, without repining or resisting. And this is as an excellent perfume, to make our obedience sweet and savorie, if it come from a willing heart. For th • s is Abraham commended unto us, that when GOD willed him, to get him out of the country, (where he was borne) and from his kindred, and from his fathers house, to a land that GOD would show him, without any reasoning or disputing he obeyed God's will. The Apostle there • ore to the Hebrews; showeth this to be a notable fruit or effect of faith. It is required that the people offer their sacrifices, with a willing heart, and Moses to their praise, giveth testimony that they did so. David giving advice and fatherly council to Solomon his son, concerning the building of the Temple saith thus: And thou Solomon, my son, know thou the God, of thy Fathers, and serve him wi • h a perfect heart, and willing mind. And if we will give any thing to such as stand in need: If there be first a willing mind, it is acceptable according to that a man hath, and not according to that he h • th not. And, as every man wisheth in his heart, so let him give, not grudginglie, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. If we have chardge of of people committed to us, we should care for them (for them I say not for our selves) not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind. So the Apostle Saint Peter teacheth us, Saint Paul also testifieth the same. This we see, that whether we offer to GOD, or give to man; whether we serve the Creator, or govern our fellow creatures, yea in all things that we would have well done, a joyful and willing mind, is as I said before, as it were the salt that maketh it savory: because that without this willingness, nothing y ^• we do cā have any seasō in it. But being seasoned herewith through Christ & for his sake, it shall be acceptable.

A second thing that commendeth the obedience of the Angels, is their readiness and speed that they use to perform it. They make no delay, they put not of frō time to time, but with all hast dispatch their business. And therefore in the sixth of Isaiah, and in sundry places of the prophet Ezekiel, the Angels are described having wings, wherewith they fly, for speedy dispatch of their messages. And in this point we have also Abraham a very good pattern, when he was commanded to offer up his son Isaac, the son of his age, the only hope of the promises. For to follow God's will even in that point, Abraham rose up early in the morning: behold his readiness. Our Savior Christ adviseth us thus, Agree with thine adversary quickly. For as in all things delay is d • ngerous, so in God's matters, or when we go about his work, it is before God most odious. This the Prophet David knew, and therefore he speaketh thus to GOD, I made hast, and delayed not to keep thy commandments. Alesson most necessary for all Christians. men or women. Our sins are great: they cry out for vengeance; yet we differ and put of from day today the time of our repentance. But since it is gods will that we should repent, and turn from our ungodliness unto the Lord, as his manifold exhortations unto repentance, do declare; Let us not lull our selves asleep in the cradell of security, prolonging the time for our amendment, but let us heartily without hypocrisy, and hastily without delaye, eschew evil and follow after good.

But this is a needful glass, for such as are in authority to look in, whether they be such as bear the sway, and have the rule of others, or such as by their greatness are able to do good to others. For it is the will of god, that we as the members of one body, should all have • are to do good one to another, and that the most excellent members, whom GOD hath made most honorable, should herein show most readiness. You therefore whom GOD hath placed in high rooms, and set you near unto princes, giving you favor in their eyes: help the distressed, pity the poor, further their just suites, prefer their honest causes, Open thy mouth for the dumb, in the cause of all the children of destruction: Yea and do it speedily, not looking to they gain, but to his good, and God's glory. And that you may show that you have an earnest care, with all speed to further gods will▪ and to do him this good service: have an eye to your servants, look into their doings, suffer not in any wise their love of filthy lucre, (for the Apostle Saint Peter justly calleth it filthy, if it be any hindrance to the performance of GOD'S holy will) let not I say their greedy getting, sometime to maintain riot and vain expenses, be any stain to yourselves, or stop of the cause of the poor suitor, or let of doing the will of GOD in such sort, as may be most acceptable to him, A lesson doubtless necessary to be taught in our days wherein bribery is so common, that for the most parte the favor of great personages, is greatly abused thereby. For the distressed ones, whose cause is not only to be pitied, but also some remedy to be provided for y ^• same, by the means of such buying & selling the help that they hope for, are forced many times to pay for the very looks that they have, and words that they hear, much more for any good that is done unto them. By such means it cometh to pass, that the benefit which at the length they receive, with much suite and great charge, is so late and long in getting, that the expenses of their suits grow greater, then the benefit that they reap, so that where they hoped for gain, they find loss. But if we know what we ask in this petition, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven, we must from hence forth, learn with more readiness to succor them that stand in need of our help.

It is the will of God likewise, that Judges, and such as have administration of justice committed to them; as men of courage, fearing God, and dealing truly, should execute judgment, not as their judgment, but as God's judgment, as it is indeed, and therefore they must deal therein, with a perfect heart. And doubtless the Magistrates in whom are these virtues, commended by Jethro and Jehoshaphat, cannot but earnestly endeavor, with such speed as they may, to dispatch the causes that are brought before them. But I know not how it cometh to pass, that in many courts suits hang very long, poor men's causes go slowly forward; which fault cannot altogether be imputed unto the obstinacye of the parties, who many times will rather follow the baddest shifts that any wrangling lawyer can find out, then they will leese their unjust matter: but surely such as sit upon the bench might somewhat mend those things, if they durst for fear of great ones; or would show themselves free frō corruption This is it that the prophet Amos complaineth of against the princes of the children of Israel, Ye have (saith he) turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness, into wormwoode. Where he doth not find fault only, because they oppressed and did wrong; but that evē if they did righte, yet it was with such delays, and with so excessive charges, as that the very fruit of righteousness was bitter unto them; so that a wrong sentence or judgment with speed against them, would less have hurt them, then the matter going on their side doth, being so dela • ed. If therefore we upon the earth, will do the will of our heavenly Father as it is done in heaven: we must then strive to do it readily and with speed as do the ministering spirits of God.

A third thing required in our obedience is faithfulness, which also the prophet David seemeth to commend the Angels, for in these words Praise the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength, that do his commandment, in obeying the voice of his word. For following the prescript rule of gods word, without mingling or mangling the same (which is here ascribed unto the Angels) is to deal faithfully, and according to the credit committed. It is required of the stewards (saith Saint Paul) that eve • y man be found faithful. Faithful Samuel was the Lord's prophet. The faithfulness of the servants that gained by their talents is praised. The Apostle Saint Paul commending unto the Corinthians Timothy: and to the Ephesians Tychichus: & to the Colossians Epaphras, giveth unto thē this praise, that they were faithful. And it is said of Moses, that he was faithful in all (God's) house. Now wherein so ever we will serve God, let us do it faithfully and with a perfect heart, as Jehoshaphat exhorted his Judges. If thou be a Magistrate, and have authority and government committed unto thee, be thou faithful to God, who hath brought thee to that honor and to the people, to whom thou owest thyself, with that thou canst do. If thou be a teacher and minister of the word, to show light to them that sit in darkness, sight to the blind, and knowledge to the ignorant: let thy care over thy flock, thy diligence in thy ministry, thy painfulnes in thy thy calling, thy discretion in deviding aright the word of god, thy skill and courage in rejecting the traditions of men, thy travel in cutting down sin, thy striving for the truth, proclaim and testify thy faithfulness in thy function. If god have committed to thee the talent of honor and ability, learn how Job in like estate behavedued himself, that thou mayest faithfully occupy, until thy master come, or else cal thee to account. He therefore thus reporteth. I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish •• me upon me; and I caused the widows heart to rejoice. I put on justice; and it covered me; my judgment was as a robe, and a crown. I was the eyes to the blind, and I was the feet to the lame▪ I was a father to the poor; and when I knew not the cause, I sought it out diligently. I brake also the chawes of the unrighteous man; & pluck • the pray out of his teeth. God made him a mighty man; he faithfully employed his might, to the benefit of them that stood in need, by comforting the afflicted, by relieving the distressed, by resisting the cruel purposes of the wicked. Oh that in these our days, we had among us many Job's; I say many such, as could and would be patrons for the poor, against the violence of their oppressors. To be short, subjects to their princes, inferiors to their superiors, servants to their Masters, and everyone of us in such offices or duties as we owe to others, must show our selves faithful, that the will of our heavenly Father, who hath appointed to everyone of us our calling, and after what sort we should walk in the same, may be done of us in earth, willingly without▪ gruging, readily without delaying, faithfully without corrupting as it is of the Angels in heavē. So shall we find y ^• fruit of that promise, A faithful mā shall abound in blessings. And thus much for the three first petitions, which in a manner wholly cōcern the glory of god, & wherein we should show, what care we have of his honor.

Having now shown our selves zealous for him whose we are, we are come to our own wants▪ & sue to have thē supplied. And here we must learn to pray after another manner, & as it were to chāg our key, to ask with less fervency, I mean not of faith (for we must as assuredly look for performance in these, as in the other) but of affectiō. The things that belong unto God, we must so crave, as that our prayers may testify, that our hearts are wholly kindled with a fervent love to y ^• same, & that we are consumed & eaten up with the zeal of him. We beg thē simply & without condition. But when we seek to have our necessities rely • ed, we must always understand this condition: If God will, & if it may stand with his glory and our good. For we should be so affected, that whatsoever becometh of us, we regard not, so that God may be hanored. Not our life, not our own salvation, should be dearer to us, then gods glory. And therefore because the mercy of God towards the people of Israel, whom he had chosen for his inheritance, did much set forth his glory, Moses • ather desired to be • ased out of the book▪ (of life) which God had written, then that by the destructiō of that people, God's glory should be diminished: and S. Paul in defense thereof was content, to have been separated from Christ. Which examples may teach us, how much greater earnestness we may use, in asking those things that concern God, then the things that belong to our selves.

Now there are three petitions also that concern our selves. The first of them, concerneth the things that belong to this life: the other two pertain to the life to come. The first craveth the bodies sustenāce, y ^• two last, the souls happiness. But how cometh it to pass, that we are taught first to ask the things earthly? Are these trāsitory blessings, that belong only to this world, more excellent then the spiritual graces, which are helps and furtherances to the life to come? Is the body more worth then the soul▪ or earth to be sought for, before heavē? Not so. Our savior Christ whē he willeth us not to fear them that can kill the body only, vut him that can destroy both body & soul: teacheth us that the soul should be espetially regarded. Yea he expressly chargeth us, first to seek the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, with this promise, that then All these (wordly) things shall be ministered unto us. The principal thing that we should care for, is eternal life; such things as belong to the body are but accessories, & in comparison of the first, of no account. And yet our heavenly teacher in this pattern of prayer, directeth us first to ask Our, daily bread, that is food and raiment and other necessaries, for this present life, and afterwards to beg a supply, of the wants of our soul.

He seemeth herein first to have had a true consideration of our infirmities, and to have trained and enticed us forward by our own affections. For as good and natural mothers, when they will teach their children to go, cast something before them y ^• they have delight in, whereby they all lure them to press forward after the same; and when they would have them to reach forth their hand, they hold somewhat before their eyes which may move them to take hold thereof; not that the things whereby she allureth her child, to do that she would, are of any reckoning, but they are used to effect better matters: even so our Savior Christ, knowing that the things that belong to our body, are for the most parte, more grievou • lie wanted, more heartily loved, and more earnestly sought for; teacheth us by exercising our selves to ask these things, to have more will and skill, to crave the things that are better. So that when we pray according to that form of prayer here set down, we are to cal to remembrance, how loath we are to lack, & howe ready we are to seek, for these things; and with all to accuse our selves, who in spiritual graces, are very little touched with very great wants, little fear great dangers, and seek slackly and slowly, for eternal good things. And thus is this petition in the first place, not as most necessary, or as if tha • we desire therein were most excellent; but as that which commonly we fainest would have.

Secondly we are hereby taught, to confess and acknowledge our own great weakness, or rather vnhability, to attain to the things that are heavenly. For if meat, drink, and clothes, which in the judgment of man, may be gotten by industry and travel, and are ordinarily had here upon earth (for the ground doth yield us our sustenance, and the beasts of the field, and the worms themselves help us with clothing) if I say these cōmō helps of our life cannot otherwise be had, but at the hand of our heavenly Father: then I pray you what madness is it, if we that cannot get sustenance for our life, or cleathes for our • arkesses, think we have in our own power the spiritual graces, and hepe that by our industry & works we may obtain the same. For if •• e cannot put fruitfulness into the ground, or the nourishing power into our meat, • ut that it must come • rō God: how much less are we able, to make the field of our heart f • t • fertil, and to s • ncti • y our selves, unto our LORD GOD? And thus should our heart reason within us, when we are taught to ask first of GOD our daily bread.

Thirdly this also should work in us a wonderful comfort. For we being by adoption the children of God, and felio wheires with Christ of that everlasting inheritance, which by his blood sheedings hath purchased for us; and seeing notwithstanding our hope and home is in heavē, yet he would have us to ask, that he might give, these temporal blessings to us: We may be much more assuredly persuaded, that he shall not suffer us to want anything, that may further us to eternal life. The consolation that we are to gather out of this, standeth especially upon consideration of that our most happy estate, that we shall fully enjoy in the life to come. For our GOD, Of his abundant mercy, hath he begot̄ us again, unto a lively hoppe, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead; to an inheritance immortal, and undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us, which are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation. To this ende he hath made us kings, to conquer all our enemies, and to subdue our rebellious affections: And Priests, to offer up our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable unto GOD: and shall he not furnish us with things necessary for these fūctions? Yes undoubtedly, he that teacheth us to ask things necessary for the body, which is many times a hindrance to all our good purposes; doth even thereby assure us, that we shall be readily hard, and easily obtain, if we beg heavenly things. And thus we see howe our Savior CHRIST, willing v • to begin first with the supply of our bodily wants, lifteth us up thereby, unto an assured hope, of obtainng heavenly graces and benefits.

And thus much for the order. Now let us consider the petition it self. Unto our heavenly Father we say, Give us this day our daily bread. Are we not hereby taught, that whensoever we would have our prayers heard, or requests granted, we must pray unto our heavenly Father. Whether we sue for things belonging to God's glory, or that touch our selves; whether for temporal or eternal graces, it is God, to whom only we must pray, who only can hear, who only will give, that we stand in need of. In this petition this may evidently appear, as also it is plain in the rest. Who is it I pray you that ruleth the heavens and earth, that causeth the rain to fall from the firmament, and the clouds to drop their dew in due season, giving rain early and late, the first and the latter rain? Even the Father of rain, who giveth rain upon the earth, and poureth water upon the streets: who also restraineth the drops of water, (whereby it cometh to pass that) the rain poureth down, by the vapor thereof. And that God, that said at the first, Let the earth bud forth the bud of the herb, that seedeth seed, the fruitful tree, which beareth fruit according to his kind: doeth even at this day Make the grass to grow upon the mounetaines, he giveth to be • stes their food, and to the young Ravens that cry. He feedeth the fowls of the heaven, & clo • theth the grass of the field most gallantly. All the beasts of the forest are his, a • d the ca • tell of a thousand mounetaines. Yea, The world is his, and all that therein is. Is it not then great reason that if we will have use of the creature, we should ask leave of the Creator? If we will • enjoy any thing that belongeth to him, that we beg it at his hands? Let then the sorrows of them be increased and multiplied that offer to another God (their prayers,) and seek either to stocks and stones, or to the Saints who they imagine are represented by their Images: but no doubt the lines shall fall unto us in pleasant places, yea we shall have a fair heritage, if we with confidence, prostrating our selves before the throne of grace, say as Christ here teacheth us, Give us this day, our daily bread.

And because we are commanded to ask of gods gift our daily bread, what can be more plain, to repress in us all fraud and shifts, all violence and wrongs, or any other way of getting, but only by his blessing. If thou get by lying and forswearing, as Ahab king of Israel, by the help of Jezebel his wife, got Nabothes vineyard: If thou get by violence & oppression, as S. James saith the rich men of the world do of the poor, of the which also the scriptures in many places, but namely that holy man Job, & Isaiah the prophet do bitterly complain, as we also justly may in our days: If thou get by stealing and robbery expreslye against the eighth commandment: If thou get by defrauding thy brother (which is reproved by Saint Paul) in any bargaining, buying, or selling: to be short, if by might, wealth, wresting of Law, wrangling, vsery, bribery to hinder the good cause, if I say by any evil means, direct, or indirecte, thou get abundance of treasure, wherewith thou buildest many princelike palaces, farest dilicatelie, art appareled gorgeouslie, fillest thy cofers with gold and coin▪ thou must not take these thy riches to be GOD'S good gift; but gotten by thine unlawful dealing, & therefore no blessing belongeth unto them: for the treasures of wickedness, profit nothing.

But some man will here perhaps ask a question; if these riches come not by the gift of God, how they then enjoy them. Can they get them whether God will or not? Not so. For he that did mouzel the mouths, and stay the fierce nature, of the hungry Lions; & •• ache the extreme heat of the burning fire, so that it had no power to hurt: and destroy the crafty council of subtle Ahithophel; and made the waters of Egypt and the earth also sundry ways barren for their obstinacy, as the story of Exodus showeth: can if he will, and as he will, prevent all their policies, hinder all their purposes, frustrate all their labors, and with the breath of his mouth, bring to nothing, all the fruit of their travelles. Yea themseues also, (what account soever the world maketh of them) are in such subjection to his will, that they have no strength, when he will weaken them, no authority, when he will abase them, no excellency, when he will humble them; as might be proved by many examples; so that as their driftes have no good is • ue, so themselves have no force, against the LORDES will. It is then God's will • o give so good a blessing, to so evil endeavors, as to enrich men by so • ad means? Yea verily, •• e may be said then to bless them, when he increaseth to them worldly wealth, to convince their own consciences, to make them more inexcusable, to heap up coals of fire upon their head: not • or any love, he beareth to wrong, or delight that he hath in oppression. So then although he giveth • v • n such goods after a sort, because he giveth a kind of wordly blessing to their s •• r • ; yet he is properly said to give us those things, wherewith • e enricheth us by a happy increase, of our godly labors, in sone lawful calling. And that he will thus give unto us things necessary for this life, we ask in this petition Give us this day our daily bread.

Here then we learn to depend upon God's providence, and to rest upon his goodness: Not that▪ we should in the mean time live idly, without calling, or without care, buty walking in our vocation, (which also must be such as may be necessary & profitable to y ^• cōmō wealth) we follow not gain too greedily, we do not cark and care too mistrustfully, we do not seek to increase by our industry and labors unlawfully, or vnthākfully ascribe that unto the gift of the creature, which we receive of the bountiful goodness of the creator. We here pray that God will give us some such place in the common wealth, as that we may therein be profitable to our selves and others. Then also that God will give unto all our labors & pains good success. Thirdly, that he will increase our store in such sort, that we may see and be forced to confess, that the Lord hath left a blessing behind him. And lastly, that he will give power and virtue to these creatures, that they may be profitable unto our use and turn to our good, as God willing after shall be said.

And as in the beginning of this prayer he taught us to say, Our father, that we might think of that communion of Saints, and fellowship that we have one with another, and frame our affections accordingly: so here he teacheth us, not to think of our own wants only, but also to pray for the supply of the wants of others. And therefore he willeth us to say, Give US OUR bread, and not give Mee MY bread. For if we be the members of JESUS CHRIST, in whom we are coupled and knit together into one body, and by whose spirit we are united, and made of one mind: we can no more be without feeling of our brethren's miseries, then our body can be without grief, if our hand, or foot, or any other member of the same, be pinched & pained. The law it self that saith unto us▪ Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, giveth us to understand, that we should not be more unmindful of others, then of our selves. So that if we know of any particular parson, that hath want of things necessary for this life, we learn here to be mindful of such. And because we are sure that there are many unknown unto us, that stand in need of meat for their bellies, and clothing for their backs▪ we are here admonished, to have a general care for all our brethren and sisters, and do here entreat God, to give to such as lack necessary maintenance for this life.

But when we say Give us this day our daily bread, doth Christ by this word ( us ) mean only those who may truly and undoubtedly, cal God their Father, as the words themselves seem to import (for it seemeth by this prayer, Our Father, Give us our bread, that we are taught to be mindful of our brethren only) or else must we also think of the miseries of them, that as▪ yet do not call God their Father, no neither can they, because they know him not? This is a thing most certain and out of question, that our care must extend unto all men. And although they do not show themselves to be our brethren, or to obey our Fathers, that either by security in ungodliness, and wickedness without remorse of conscience, or by serving of Idols, the work of men's hands, do pollute and dishonor the name of God: yet must we be careful to do them good: First in respect of the excellency of their creation, and because they are the work of his hands that made us. I • regard whereof also, we are bound to pi • y the beasts and fowls, and must not mussell the mouth of the Ox that laboreth for us, but help them out of the pit if they be in danger, and let them have their due rest. Then also howsoever they seem to be unto us, yet the Lord's hand is not so tied, but that when he will, be may draw them into his fold. For we know not, whether they be goats, or wandering sheep. Therefore we must not cast away all care even of them; but as occasion shall serve, commend them to God's good providence, for their meat and maintenance: so shall we follow the Apostles council, that willeth us to do good to all men. But our especial care must be for our brethren (and all they are our brethren, that are partakers of our holy profession.) And for that cause, when that elect & chosen vessel▪ Saint Paul had warned the Galatians in the place before alleged, that they should do good to all, he by and by addeth, But specially unto thē which are of the household of faith.

It followeth give us This day our daily bread. Because the nature of man is in these bodily things too too earnest, nether can easily keep any measure in seeking the same; therefore our Savior Christ restraineth herein our greedy appetite, and tieth our desires to certain lists and limits, y ^• they wander not to far out of the way. Whereas therefore we have naturally, an earnest love to lay up much store, for many years,▪ and with a greedy affection to gather goods; our Savior Christ giveth us in these words a caveat, to correct that vice, & teacheth us, that our affectiō should reach no further, then the present day: give us this day our da • lie bread. Now what can be more absurd, then that we should desire of God, that knoweth the very thoughts of our heart; is a just judge; and hateth all dissumulation and hypocrisy; & shall punish the same▪ that he would give us things necessary for this day, and yet we have provided before hand, with excessive care, for many years? Is not this to mock God, and to deal deceitfully with him, from whose eyes nothing can be hidden. The Lord therefore so restrain our corrupt affections, wandering after the wealth of this world, y ^• our own harts never be witnesses against our tongues of lying, when we say Give us this day our daily bread.

But is all providing before hand forbidden and unlawful? May not a man if his ability will serve, keep anything for the better maintenance of his family, and education of his children, and bestow his goods upon that, which afterwards, may be profitable to them and theirs? Yes verily: and we are warranted therein, by the examples of the godly, and the word it self. Jacob went over Jordan to Mesopotamia, when hre fled from the wrath of his brother Isaiah, with his Staff only, that is, poor & destitute. But God so blessed his labors & travel, under his uncle Laban, that he grew to great wealth. For the man increased exceedingly, and hade many flocks, and maid servants, and men servants, and camels, and asses. Now what did he with these things? did he leave them behind him, where he had gotten them? had he no care of the time to come? Yes: when he returned home to his own country, he took all with him, that God had given him, as after in the story of Genesis it appeareth. Joseph foreseeing a dearth that should follow, laid up provision of corn for sundry years. Neither was it unlawful for the people of God, to buy land one of another, and so to care for time to come; only this is provided, that one oppress not another therein. And in the story of Ruth we have an example thereof▪ For Boaz buyeth the land that was Elimechs And our savior Christ himself, every of whose actions serveth to us for an instruction, when he had fed about five thousand people with five barley loaves and two fishes, and that they were satisfied, said to his disciples: Gather up the broken meat that remaineth, that no • hing be lost. And the Apostle Saint Paul teacheth us, that fathers ought to lay up for their children, which he would not have done, if it hade been ungodly. Nay on the contrary he saith expressly, that • f there be any that provideth not for his own, and namely for them of his household, he denieth the faith▪ & is worse then an Infidel. But that these words, do not so strictly forbid all care for tomorrow, or the time that followeth, that it should be ungodly to make any provision for the same; nature it self may teach us. For we get in summer to live upon in the winter. Yea we gather in harvest that, wherewith we must be nourished the year following. And the meaner sort upon the market day, provide for the weeks iustenance. And these things are not unlawfully done, or otherwise thē becometh good Christians, but well & wisely.

How shall we then so moderate our affections, and walk in a middle way, that we neither break Christ's commandment, Care not for the morrow, or despise his advise in this petition, Give us This Day, our daily bread: neither yet on the other side, show our selves too careless for our estate, and for the well-fare of our posterity? Although it is very hard for us, who by our corruption are carried easily, to an unlawful care for things of this life, to walk without staggering in the right pathe: yet there is a Christian and frugal regard, not lawful only, but also necessary, I say not that may, but that must be had, which but for our bad affections that pollute it, could have no show of evil. First our greedye lust, must not so far over rule us, as that in getting of things we be unjust, not caring by what wrong or wickedness we come by it, so that we have it. For we must always make this reckoning, that as a little before, out of Solomon I shown, The treasures of wickedness (such are they that are wickedly gotten) profit nothing, they have no promise of good, they shall not pleasure us, because they procure God's wrath against us.

Then also, that which in law and conscience is honestly and truly come by, and in that respect we may justly claim to be ours; yet is it not so ours as that we may use it as we will. For we are but stewards of our Masters goods, for the benefit of others. And although our Master will not be so hard with us, but that he will be content, that we thrive under him, yea he is every way abundant in all goodness towards us: yet would he not have us careless of others; nay he will be angry with us, if we be so greedy of enriching our selves, that we neglect the distressed estate of the poor and afflicted. And as we must have great care, that we maintain not in any wise, the idle and unprofitable life of the loose loiterers: so we must on the other side, have a good regard, that the poor and needy be competently relieved, and all godly endeavors, well supplied. And this being performed, why should not that which remaineth be our portion, to keep against the time of need? Sickness may come unto us, and many other occasions there may fall out, whereby by our daily labor, we cannot help our selves. Doth godliness teach us, that then we may not have anything to sustain our bodies withal? That wise man Solomon, teacheth us rather to learn of the Pissemire, in the summer of our youth, health, strength, and the time of such other good means, which God affordeth us to get by; that we provide for the winter of our age, sickness, weakness, & for such other casualties, that may bring us to want. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, & many other good men were rich. Was that any offense against God, y ^• they abounded in wealth? God forbid: these worldly goods are God's great blessing, if they be well used, they are given by him, and of his goodness. If then to have store be no fault. why must we pray as if we should have no more, but for this present time? To be short; by this we are admonished, not to spare our goods, when occasion shall be offered to spend them to God's glory, & the good of others. Then also that we must not set our delight upon them, if any remain unto us. If riches increase, set not your hearts upon them. For, he that trusteth in hi • riches shall fall. According to that which the Apostle Saint Paul willeth Timothy to give charge of: saying: Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, and that they trust not in uncertain riches. Therefore we must not care mistrustfully for tomorrow, doubting whether God care for us or not; for that were to deny God's providence, and to cal into question that abundant love, that he beareth to all his creatures. Neither must we care greedely; for that were to depend upon our selves more then we should, as if God's blessing upon our labor were not sufficient, unless our greedy affection should watch over it, or rather control it. But we must care to do our duty in our vocation, honestly, faithfully, & painfully, committing the success to God, to give increase at his pleasure. We must care also with fear and trembling, to walk before him in holiness & righteousness, least by our ungodliness we should provoke him, instead of a blessing, to send a curse vpō us. And if we thus care for tomorrow, yea for all the days of our life, although we be not altogether careless of worldly matters, but think of providing for time to come, yet we shall pray with the more comfort, Give us this day our daily bread. A • d thus we see, that although our Savior Christ restraineth here our immoderate & greedy care, & correcteth the confidence that we have in our diligence, & industry, yet it is not simply unlawful to provide for our selves, so that we have a suff • cient care of others. But our fault is, that we commonly begin at the wrong end, that is, we will first serve our selves in all abundance, before we have any eye to our neighbors wants.

Furthermore our Savior Christ instructing us thus to pray, give us This day, our daily bread; teacheth us that we must daily use this exercise of our faith which is in prayer. And therefore as our body needeth food daily, so must we also beg it daily of him, that openeth his hand, and filleth all things living with his good pleasure. Even so long as we have a day to live, we must say, give us this day our daily bread. And thus we learn with one breath, what is our daily want▪ and what ought to be our daily duty. For Christ by the parable of y ^• unrighteous Judge, teacheth us to pray always, and not to be • aint. The Apostle Saint Paul exhorteth the Colessions to continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thank •• giving. And also the Romans, and the Thessalomans, to pray always. But because we are very flacke and sluggish, to offer up these our spiritual sacrifices, (such is our dulues:) therefore it is amiss, that our own wants should ever as it were iogge us on the elbow, to put us in mind what we should do. For in this petition, we request no more but this days bread; and therefore if tomorrow, and afterwards we will be fed, we must make a new suit, and ask it again.

But why do we ask for Our daily bread? If it be ours, what need we to ask it? If we have it not, why do we call it ours? Not without great cause doth that our heavenly teacher, will us in this sort to pray unto our GOD. First by this word ours, to signify unto us (as I noted before) that compassion and fellowfeeling, that we should have, for every of our brethren's grief. Here therefore we are taught to pray, not for our selves only, but to have a supply of such things, as others lack. So that this word Ours, comprehendeth not only things necessary for our selves, but for our household also, to whom we owe that duty to be careful for them: yea for all them that are of this brotherhoode, and that may say unto our God, Ovr father which art in heaven. Yea and in some respect for all God's creatures, mankind especially, over whom, that we should have a conven • ent car • , there is great reason as is before declared.

But is this bread ours so, that none must have any portiō thereof▪ Have we it only to our selves? No: I have said a little before, that we are but stewards, as in truth we are, in all these things that we receive of God. The talents are delivered to us not that we should keep them▪ or use them at our pleasure, but to occupy, that good may redound to others thereof. Therefore in this respect, this which we cal our bread, is none other, but that which God hath committed to our trust, that whereof he hath made us dealers, that we should as Isaiah exhorteth, Deale our bread unto the hungry. Which Job did as himself doth testify abū • atly, in not restraining the desire of the poor or widow, but filling their bellies with his morsels, & every way releiuing thē. But here we must understand, y ^• this liberality towards the needy, is not required in like measure or plenty to be performed of everyone, but according as God hath made th • m able. The poor widow that gave her two mites, was more commended, then all they that gave more by much. Only this is required, that our heart without all hypocrisy or diss • mulation, being earnestly bent to do therein what we can, we should with a Christian compassion, not pity them only, but also help them that lack. And they whose state is so mean, that they can spare nothing for others, if they have yet a willing mind, to do good when they can, even this readiness in them is acceptable unto God, for Christ his sake: who requireth not that of any, that he giveth not to them first. And this I speak to this ende, that none should faint in this petition or be discouraged, if they be not able to e • tend their goodness unto the needy. They may also say without fear give us Our bread, because as they are able, they are well content, to imparte the same to other that need sorer then they do.

But in this word our savior Christ especially teacheth us, to content our selves with our own. Our bread, that is, that which we get truly by our labor, travel, or painefulnes in our vocation. So that we have here two things to be considered. First that we take nothing that belongeth to others. Then also, that we inioie not anything, but that we may justly claim to be our own, by our true laboring in our calling for the same.

For the interpretation then of this petitiō, we must consider of the eight and ten commandments, for the keeping whereof we are taught to pray. Namelie that we use no subteltie, falsehood or deceit; that we get not anything by picking & stealing; that we wrong none by might or oppression; that we delight not in spoil and robbery; to be short that we may not for our own profit or gain, use any unlawful means to the hurt or hinderāce of another. And as we pray that our hands may be clean and free from violence and wrongs: so also that our hearts and affections, & all our desires, may be void of coveting an evil covetousness, as the prophet speaketh, or from so much as wishing that, we have no good righte unto.

Then also concerning our faithfulness in our vocation, that everyone may therein do that work, that God hath appointed him unto, we crave his assistance: As if we would say. O Lord thou hast ordained to everyone of us, our place & standing, thou hast givē us some might & means, to be profitable to our selves and others; thou wouldst also have us keep our standing carefully▪ and to take pains in the same diligently: give me▪ O Lord, skill and will, so to labor in my calling, that I eat not the bread of slothfulness, or give myself over to idleness, or the works that belong not to my vocatiō, or other exercises that may hinder the same; that we may in some measure be worthy of the bread that we eat, and of the woorldlie blessings that we enjoy: so that we may with confidence call it Ours, seeing we▪ travel to do some duty for the same. This petition therefore giveth to everyone of us a necessary instruction. Art thou a Prince, and sittest in the throne of Majesty? It is the seat of government▪ Thy very place teacheth thee, that it is looked for at thy hands, zealouslie to set forward GOD'S truth; to repress errors; to reform any thing that is amiss in the Church or common wealth; to execute judgment; to do justice; to be a comfort to the oppressed; a terror to the oppressors; to be a strength to the weak▪ and to be short, to have a care, I say a great and continual care, over all that are committed to thy charge. And sure herein the Sovereign authority, • s it is worthy of all honor and obedience, (for God hath set them over all other:) so yet they that are in it, are in some respect in a hard estate. For they must not only themselves, have a fatherly regard over their people: but also they must have a vigilant eye, over the magistrates whom they place under them, that they abuse not their authority, to the hurt of any. For God shall require this duty of the higher powers, who are ordained immediately by him. The inferior authority I confess also is of God, but appointed by the highest; who therefore are bound in duty and conscience, to have good respect, that they do as they ought, every of them in their place. Which watchfulness over their subjects, when Princes find it to be in them, so that their conscience beareth them witness, that they have earnestly endeavored to do this their work: oh how sweetly may they pray, and with what great confidence may they say, give us this day our daily bread.

And you all who are next under the highest power, as your Princes favor maketh you great; so yet God hath his work in it. As the Prince giveth you a charge▪ so the Prince of all Princes, will require one day at your hands the performance thereof, and will have an eye to your doings. You are not of the meanest servants that God hath. He hath allowed you a liberal portion, that you might be the better able to serve him sincerely. Be so painful to do good every way in your places. that at night when you go to rest, your own heart finding comfort, that GOD by his spirit hath wrought in you that day paste, ability and readiness to walk in your vocations, and in the morning likewise, when you shall find in you a willingness to do the like, you may with confidence assurance say, Give us this day our daily bread. Ours I say, which by thy good grace, we have labored for.

As for you my fellow laborers in the Lord's work (and I pray God we may be found laborers, not lotterers) it is pity if we take no pains that we should have any gains. If we be shepherds, what life more painful? If we be watch men, who should be more vigilant▪ If we be stewards, what calling should be more discreet and faithful? It we be voices, what are we good for, but when we sound to the edifying of the people? If we be light, we must shine unto others. If we be salt, we must season others. Is the shephearde that loytereth when he should labor, the watch man that sleepeth when he should watch, or the steward that regardeth not the household, but is absent, or otherwise occupied then about his his charge, worthy of meat and mainetenaunce? We think not so of our servants. If we be not crying voices we do little good. And the light under the bushel is unprofitable, the salt that is unsavory, is good for nothing, but to be cast out, and trodden under feet of men. Therefore that we may with an assured confidence ask Our bread, even as servants that have been at work, look for their meals, let us in our vocation be discreet and diligent; let us I say be faithful about our Masters business.

And if we go through all estates of men, all kind of callings, this commandment is general and belongeth unto all, even from the highest to the lowest: Occup • e till I come, go about thy business, work in thy calling, be not idle or slothful. And it is also most certain, that every of us, shall one day hear this dreadful charge, Give an account of thy stewardshippe, unless by faithful labor, we wisely provide against that day. Is there any one member of the body unprofitable or without some office? Not the least or basest parte of the body can be well spared, because it serveth to some use. So should it be in every common wealth. The loitering life should be hated of all. Draco that great law-maker among the Athenians punished by death such as were found idle. The Judges of Areopagus by Athens, curiously inquired, by what trade men lived, and grievously corrected the slothful persons. And the Massilians would not permit any to be a free man in their city unless he had some honest trade to live by. It is written that Renneth (I suppose the second) king of Scots, made laws that fugitiues, vagabōds, and idle persons (mark howe they be marrowd) should be whipped, and burnt in the check. And also if there were any slothful husbands among them, that would suffer their ground to be come through weeds unfruitful, for the first offense he forfeited an Ox, for the second fault ten, for the third he lost his lande. And Alexander the third • King there, commanded that the Magistrates should seuerelie punish all that neither had some good occupation to maintain them, nor some patrimony. But infinite examples might be alleged to this end. Saint Paul that willeth the Thessalonians to work with their own hands, that they might behave themselves honestlie toward them that are without, and that nothing be lacking unto them: would also that such as have not any handy labor, should yet work painfully in their calling, as may easily appear by the godly instructions and charges, that he giveth to Timothy and Ty • e.

There was sometime in France a king Lews by name, son to Charles the simple, who by reason of his slothfulness or idleness, was surnamed Do-nothing. We have too many in these our days that full well deserve that name. For I pray you what are the exercises of many of our gentlemen, and also of sundry others? How do they profit the common wealth? do they not bestow the day, nay in a manner all their days in hunting, hawking, wanton courting, dancing, or such vain delights, which if they be well look • into, will perchance be found to be some ways as hurtful to the common wealth▪ as they are unprofitable to them that use thē? But do they better employ the night? Not much For even then also they have their carding, dising, and such other pastimes, to spend their thrift, and to wast good time. I speak not against some of these things, as if I would condemn them as simply evil. But in the least evil of them, it were to be wished that there were moderation used, and that we would remember, that none of all these things, is a necessary calling in a common wealth. And when any have toiled themselves in these things day and night, taking much more pains, then others have done, that have notwithstanding been profitable to their country, then would I know of them, what comfort they have in respect of all their labor, when they should ask their meat at the hand of God, to say unto him, Give us our bread? Howe have they deserved it? Are these travels such as God will accept of? No no, my dear brethrē: I am verily persuaded that among many great transgressions, whereby we have provoked the Lord to anger, one of the greatest that procured the late long and grievous famine, not without other plagues of God also, is this common idle life, which a great number of the do-nothings do live in these days, as if they were borne but to go up and down, take their pleasure, and carry their own clothes. O let this then be speedily reformed. Let us apply our selves diligently, to serve God and our country in some good calling, that having in some good sort done our duty, we may boldly come to our Master and say, Give us Our bread.

And thus I trust it appeareth, that we may not justly call it ours, unless we come truly by it, or labor for it painfully. But by labor here I do not understand only that pains that the body taketh, handy crafts, or those that we cal day-labors. For the Prince laboreth, in taking care to govern well: the Counselors and nobles, in devising and advising, and executing orders necessary for the Church and common wealth. Ministers, by being in their calling, & amongst their flock, discreet and diligent, the gentlemen in seeking by authority and council, to prevent evil, between neighbors, & to do good. And these labors, which are rather the work of the heart, then of the hands, are far more painful, then is the travel of the body. For when the laboring man hath done his day work, he eateth his meat sweetly, and sleepeth soundly: Whereas they that sit in the highest places, feed many times with care and grief, break their sleep; and beat their brains, for others good. Are they not then well worthy, to have a greater portion allowed for their maintenance? Yes verily. And I pray GOD that they and everyone of them, may so work in their places, that whatsoever it is that they have, they may lawfully come by it, and take good pains for it, that when they say, Give us our bread, their own heart may not answer, thou carest more for thy profit, pleasure, ease, estimation, preferment, then for the doing of thy duty to the good of others, therefore there is little or nothing due to thee. For although the laborer is worthy of his wages; yet is there none of us, but if we hire men to work, and we see they loiter when they should labor, we will not only think their meat, drink, and wages, evil bestowed upon them; but also judge them to be • thieves and robbers, that take that they work not for.

Now because we are willed to pray for our Daily bread, this word Daily may put us in mind of the frailty of our nature. For hereby we acknowledge & confess, that unless the Lord do daily nourish, & as it were repair our decaying bodies, they cannot continue. But the word may perchance more aptly be expounded, by that prayer of Solomon, Feede me with food convenient for me: or as the Syrian te • t readeth this petition, Give me the bread that is necessary. And so this word teacheth us temperance and moderation, and to content our selves with that meat and drink, that may sufficiently strengthen our body, to continue y ^e labor of every day. And therefore we cal it Daily bread, that is needful for our daily sustenāce. Drūkards therefore & gluttons, & such other Epicurs, as mak their belly their god, & have their whole delight in quaffing & surfeiting, who in excess of their wickedness, will scoffingly speak of their daily bread, or daily drink, have here so little defense of their prophance abuse, of God's good creatures; or of their jesting at the word of God: y ^• it rather condemneth them, in that they take these things so excessively, which they should use so soberly: & because by y ^• abuse of thē, they impoverish thenselves, weaken their bodies, wast their wits, & every way unable themselves, to do good in their calling. Is it thē any marvel, though that just revenger of wickedness, take frō godless wrethes, many tims their necessary maintenance? Or if they ask & receive not, because they ask amiss, that they might consume it on their lust? But let us crave as we ought to do, that as God hath set us our task, and appointed us our work; so he will relieve us in such sort, as that we may be able well to endure his work, and do our duties daily.

But whether do they that have great store of all things, rich revenues, large possessions, & the world at will, need to make this petition▪ Give us this day our daily bread? Yes verily as well as the meanest▪ For the Lord can if he will, break the staff of our bread, and bring a famine, because it shall not be able to nourish them that eat it, or do them good. He can also, as by common experience we may learn, bring unto our stomachs such a loathsomeness, that we cannot abide to receive any meat. Or he can so weaken us by sickness, that when we have eaten it shall not profit us. And so of his other creatures. Therefore that the things which God doth bestow upon us may be to our comfort, we entreat him in this petitiō, that as we daily receive his blessings, so he will bless us unto them, and them unto us, that they may turn to our good, and bring daily nourishment to our bodies. And this is to be added to the causes before alleged, why we ask our Dailie bread, not only to correct our care but also that though we have plenty, GOD may bless our abundance, that it may be profitable to us.

But what is meant by this word bread, and what are the things that here we sue for? First we ask in this petition, for those things that do most near concern the body, that he will give us bread to eat, & clothes to put on, as Jacob going towards his uncle Laban, when he fled for fear of his brother Esau, desired of God. Of whom as it seemeth S. Paul learned that lesson, which he also taught to Timothy, When we have food and raiment, let us therewith be content. And because as it seemeth, our Savior Christ meant in this one word, to comprehend all things whatsoever we here stand in need of unto our sustenance and apparel, we may add also, our house or habitation, with their appurtenaunces which may worthily be reckoned amongst God's blessings. And therefore the prophet Moses, showing howe God was many ways gracious and good unto the people of Israel, declareth to them, that God gave them cities which they built not, houses full of all manner of goods which they filled not, welles digged which they digged not, vineyardes and Olive trees, which they planted not. Now all such things we ask here of God, so far forth as they may be necessary for us. Neither let any of us deceive our selves, because we see that men ordinarily by good husbandry thrive and wax rich; let us not I say be brought therefore to imagine, that we by our industry, can procure these things to our selves. The godly have always asked these things of God, acknowledging him to be the fountain, from whence they must spring, as I said before of Jacob. The prophet David saith: The eyes of all wait upon thee (O Lord) thou givest them their meat in • ue season. But this I have touched in the beginning of this petition more largely. And as God giveth these things, so man hath no means of himself, that can help him anything. And therefore to correct such thoughts in y ^• Israealits, Moses telleth them, that it is god, that giveth thē power to get substance. Then let us humbly confess, that it is God's full hand, that must increase our store, & therefore this bread, y ^• is, whatsoever this life needeth, let us crave of him.

But why doth our Savior Christ rather under the name of bread then of anything else, teach us to pray to have all our necessities relieved. Bread is a food nothing sumptuous, but very common, and is for the most parte the poor man's dish▪ We are therefore hereby taught, to content our selves with whatsoever, it shall please God to bestow upon us. If as we are taught we ask bread; shall we think much and murmur, if god bestow not upon us dainty fare, costly apparel, and sumptuous buildings? O let us carefully remember what we beg, and let us compare it with that the most of us have, either in food, or in clothing, and yet can scarcely be content with it; and we shall see & must confess, that although by our words, we would make God believe (if we could deceive him) that anything would please us, yet by our deeds, we do proclaim it, as by the sound of a trumpet, that we cannot be satisfied with any thing. But especially concerning apparel. For every new fashion, be it never so fond or vain, pleaseth us for better thē y ^• old, be it never so comely. But what marvel is it though we love strāg fashions of apparel; since y ^• we seek to mak our body also as strāg as we can. Yea the very head of mā w ^e is the principal menber in the body, within this few years, how foolishly hath it been disguised, both in the heir of the head, and also in the heard? How hath it been altered, to howe many (I had almost said monstrous) forms, hath it been changed: Although it is not unlawful before God to wear costly apparel, (for good men & womē as we may read in scriptures have always dōe it) so yet there should be respect had, to the place and calling that men and women are of, which I suppose was never less respected in this our Realm, thē at this day. Whereby it is come to pass, that y ^• living which hath in times past, been sufficient to fill many bellies, & clothe many backs; is now scarce able to disguise one body. For why should I not call it disguising, when they utterly forget, not only the rules that the Apostle in many places giveth of comely attire, but also seem in apparel to disguise all Christian modesty. Yea and this sin aboūdeath in the house of Israel, I say in the houses of them, that will say in outward appearance as well as others, Give us this day our daily bread. The abuse also of other creatures of God, is to great. But I may not stay here to speak of thē particularely. Only I pray the godly reader, by that which hath been spoken, to judge of the rest, and in everything to examine himself, whether as he is content, to ask of our heavenly Father bread, that is, whatsoever it shall please GOD, be it never so mean, to supply his want, whether I say by his doings, he find himself to be well content with the same. And let us frame our selves according to the godly council of the Apostle which is this, Have no care of the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof.

What then, do I here hold it unlawful, for friends to meet and make merry together in more abundant manner then ordinarily: Not altogether unlawful; but yet when I remember both times past & times present, I am verily persuaded, y ^• any great good cometh not thereof; At the least I know these meetings are very dangerous. Job understood so much, or else he would never have been so careful for his children as it appeareth he was, to sanctify them, and after sacrifices, to make reconciliation, and to entreat God for them. And Solomon preferreth the house of mourning, before the house of feasting, doubtless because though it is les pleasant, yet it is also less dangerous. Therefore for feastinges & all such like pleasures wherein we delight, I would wish they should be more seldom, and not so ordinary; more moderate, and not excessive, at the times of joy, not in the days of mourning; when God fawneth upon us, not when he threateneth, much less when he sharply scourgeth us. And let us never so rejoice in the creatures, but that the more liberally we take of them, we may always remember, that the more thankful we ought to be to our heavenly Father, by whose goodness we have received so good a portion. And thus, although this bread that we beg doth signify, but such sustenance as must of necessity be had, for the preservation of our body: yet because that in this vale of misery, some recreatiō is some time needful, to give us as it were a breathing time from continual sorrow and grief, even this also the godly may ask, & be warranted by this petition. For if berad strengthen the heart of man, as David teacheth us: and the hearts of such as fear the Lord, are cast down by many griefs and vexations, and so made faint and weak: then may they be bold to ask of their good God, who hath a tender care over them, not only for that bread that maintaineth the bodily life; but for y ^• also that may cherish and raise up the very soul discomfited. But chose pleasures I say the godly may more boldly use then other, because they are in less danger to abuse them, seeing their affections are in heaven, and they after a sort sequestered from these worldly delights. As for them that are defiled and unbelieving (that is to say wicked and ungodly men, because) their very minds and consciences are defiled, & by that means are become, to every good work reprobate, all things that they do, all things that they have are turned into sin, and therefore their mirth shall ende with mourning, their joy with weeping, their pleasure and delight with woe • and heaviness.

Now there are other things also, which are after some sort necessary for this life, without the which, we cannot well do our duties to God or mā. As cōpetent ability for worldly goods. And therefore Salomō in his prayer maketh request thus, Give me not poverty, nor riches. Why not poverty? Leaste I be poor and steal, and take the name of my GOD in vain. Health of body also. For as sickness is among the plagues, which god threateneth to bring upon his people, when they are found disobedient: so is health, among his good blessings, especially if it be well used. But it is many times taken away, for, and by, abusing it Then also peace abroad, and quietness at home, are unto the godly, sweet helps to the performance of Christian duties: that the stumbling blocks of malice and mischief, discord and debate, being removed out of our way: we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, should serve God without fear, all the days of our life, in holiness, and righteousness before him. All these things, and such like as appertain unto this life, we crave of God here under the name of daily bread.

But to what end do we, or at the least should we, ask all these things of our heavenly Father? May we here only have respect to our own pleasure or profit, or cherish any other of our worldly affections? As in the three first, we especially regard gods glory, but yet so also, as that it may be well with us, if we set forth the same: So in this, although we somewhat regard our selves, yet the sum & substance of all is, that we may the better walk in our calling, and serve god in the place or estate, that he hath appointed us to live in. So that if we beg riches, health of body, honor among men, authority, knowledge, wisdom, or any other such thing, we must neither sue for these things to spend them vnthriftely for our selves, or hurtfullie against others, by suites and violences, but that we may be the better able to set forth God's honor in our vocations. And if God have given us any portion of any of these, we must remember whose stewards we are who hath bestowed them upon us, to what end, & that we must be called to an account for our using or abusing of them. Which meditations, if they could often and earnestly be thought upon, and enter deeply into our hearts: I doubt not, but it would readily ease us, not only of many our foolish, vain, and ungodly expenses, but also reform, sundry our evil and outrageous affections. And that we ought especially to regard this end in asking; & anne at this mark in spending or using all these worldly helps, we may see in one or two examples, (for in so plain a matter many need not.) What was it I pray you that grieved David, when he was banished out of his country by the cruelty of Saul or other his enemies? Was it that he left his friends, his wife and family, or that he wanted his goods or possessions? It was his absence from God's house that most of all troubled him, as himself doeth plainly testify. O Lord of hosts (saith he) howe amiable are thy dwellings? My soul longeth, yea and fainteth for the courts of the Lord, my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God. Yea he accounteth the birds happy, that may build their nests near God's altars, and the men blessed that dwell in his house. And this his earnest love to God's house, he in another place doth testify when he saith: I rejoiced when they said to me • , we will go into the house of the Lord. Desireth he to be at home and enjoy his goods, to live at ease, in pleasure and delight, or to seek his gain greedely? No, but to praise god, in his holy house, with other. And that good king Hezethiah when he was like to die, was grieved that he should no more praise God among the living; but after having received promise of life, the chiefest thing that he thinketh upon, is to be thankful unto God for his goodness. Thus we see why these godly kings desired either life or living. Even to honor God in it, and by it. And thus much of the fourth petition, wherein we are taught to ask of God all things necessary for this present life, yea if need be for our honest delight therein, so that we use them holily, and moderately, and to God's glory.

After we have begged that which any way belongeth to the body: it now followeth, that we should with a much more earnest affection, sue for those things that belong to the soul. Well saith that ancient Father Cyprian, After a supply of food, pardon of sins is prayed for, that he who is fed of God, may live in God: and not only this present and short life, may be provided for, but also that which lasteth ever, to which we may come, if our offenses be forgiven us. And whereas there are two things necessary for us in this behalf, sorrow for sins that are past, even such sorrow as may drive us to crave at God's hand pardon and forgiveness; the other a purpose of amendment in our life after; First we are taught to begin with forgiveness of the trespasses that we have committed, and then to crave a continuance in godliness, in the rest of our life.

To speak therefore of the first of these two, which is in number the fifth petition, it is not a simple petitiō, as are the other, but it hath a kind of limitation, or as the Lawyers speak, rather a stipulation and promise annexed to the same, Forgive us, as we forgive others. But let us first consider of the prayer, which is, Forgive us our trespasses. Which thing howe necessary it is that we should crave, it will easily appear, if we have any regard either to this life, or to the life to come. For as Godliness is profitable to all things, which hath the promise of the life present, and of that that is to come: so on the other side, sin and ungodliness, hindereth God's blessings that they cannot in so abundant measure be bestowed upon us, as otherwise they should be, it depriveth us of our hope, seperateth us from God, and razeth out his image, according to which we were created. And as God promiseth to bless our store, our cattle, our fields our cities, our houses, the fruit of our body, and our selves also, if we serve and fear him: So on the contrary, he threateneth many plagues to be poured out against such as transgress his laws, and break his commandments. But that sin procureth plagues, and provoketh God's wrath, if we would doubt of it, the drowning of y ^• world, the fearful destruction of Sodom, and all those cities of the plain, the plagues of Egypt, the punishments of God's own people for their sinning against the Lord, as in sundry places of the book of Judges is described, the carrying away of the ten tribes, the captivity of Judah, the destroying of Jerusalem, the utter defacing and rasing of the temple, are so sufficient testimonies, & plain demonstrations of it, that they who see it not, are too blind, and they who fear not God's heavy indignation against them for sin, when they look but upon themselves and what they deserve, are to secure and senseless. By this therefore I trust it doth appear, that they who are sinners, have great need to ask forgiveness of their offenses, and to say as here we are taught, Forgive us our trespasses.

But now the question will be whether we be sinners or not; or at the least whether our sins be so great and grievous, that they must procure (unless they be forgiven) the fearful displeasure of God. For such is the corruption of our nature, that we will seek as much as we can to justify our selves, as did the most wicked and rebellious Jews, who because the Temple of the Lord was among them, and they might therefore come and stand before the Lord; thought all was well with them, their sacrifices must needs be acceptable to God, & they an holy and good people. Or else if our conscience will not suffer us so quietly to sleep upon our sins, but that we are sometimes put in mind of them; then will we extenuate them in our own persuasion as much as we can, so that so bad as we are, we will not seem to be. We will either lay the fault upon other, as Adam did upon Eve, The woman (saith he) which thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. Yea he doth not only lay the fault upon his wife, but some what also upon God, that gave him that woman for his help, which was herein his hindrance. And the woman being charged, blameth the serpent, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. Or else perchance we will in words mitigat the grievousness of our fac • , as Aaron did, when he had suffered the people to commit Idolatry to a golden calf, nay had furthered them therein, in making them their calf of their earings, wherewith when Moses charged him, mark I pray you, how as much as might be, he excuseth himself, making his fault small. First he blameth the people, they were set on mischief, and would needs have God's to go before them. Then (it followeth) I said to them, y • have gold, pluck it of: and they brought it me, and I cast it into the fire, and thereof came this calf. Who would now think by his words, that he had made any great fault? And yet he did not so much as dissuade the people from their wickedness, which he ought to have done. But he called for their gold earings, fashioned them with a graving tool, and made it a molten calf. Then he made an altar before it, and proclaimed an holiday for it. So that he who first yielded to their Idolatrous affections, now is content to maintain the same. And yet would he persuade Moses, as if it were all the people's doing, and that calf came without his help, to be a golden calf. We deceive our selves also sometime by other men's example. Yea and often we do wrong, because we are ignorant, and know not howe to do well, and yet even this our ignorance also is willful, because we will not hear that we might learn. With such fig tree leaves we seek to hide our sins, that we cannot see them; and with such mists we dazzle our own eyes, that we cannot perceive them as we ought. And by that means we know not the necessity of this petition, Forgive us our trespasses.

Therefore that we may sweetly and savorly say to our heavenly Father, Forgive us our trespasses, we must confess that we are offenders. For if we so do, we have this comfort, If we acknoweledge our sins, he is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Let us therefore consider what we are by nature. We are the sinful seed of our disobedient Father Adam; conceived and borne in sin and iniquity; our heart and affections, prone and ready to evil; our mind and understanding ignorant and unskillful of that which is good. Out of this corrupt spring and filthy fountain, what good or sweet water can be looked for? Verily this crabbe tree, bringeth forth nothing but the sower crabs of breach of God's law: in so much as the godly themselves, who are in part become new men, so far forth as the spirit of sanctification hath regenerated them, yet are forced to complain, that as Saint Paul of himself saith, I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind, and leading me captive unto the law of sin, which is in my members: even so all the rest of us must needs say, as he also doth, that we do not the good thing which we would, but the evil, that we would not, that do we. For alas what duties do we omit, that God requireth of us? What works leave we undone, that we are commanded to do? For many things which we should, we do not, because we know them not. And not seldom we are like to servants that know their Masters will, and do it not, because of such draw-backs as we find within our selves, which hinder us in our course of holy obedience. And as we leave undone many good things, so that good also that we do, is done for the most part so coldly & negligently, so unwillingly and without such delight as we ought to have in it, to such wrong ends, & in such worldly respects, that if we have any true feeling of our own affections, and a right knowledge of a good work, what it is, and how it must be perfected, we shall find that nothing can be more comfortable to us, then that we may boldly say, Forgive us our trespasses. Especially if we add to these considerations, a view of our sins which daily we do commit, in thought word & deed, against God, against man, privily and openlie, in jest, in earnest, in youth, in our age. Of these I mean not to speak particularly, but leave every Christian man or woman to examine their own hearts without hypocrisy, and their own thoughts, without partiality. Onlie this will I advise all, that mean truly and sincerely to try themselves, that they do not prove their deeds; by the false rule or squire of men's examples, looking what other do (for then we commonly content our selves that we be not so bad as the worst, and we can find none so good by far, as we should be, excepting only Christ) but God's word must be the glass by which we should dress our selves, and the pattern that we ought to follow, by which if we be guided, we cannot do amiss.

If I say we should thus earnestly rip up our hurtes, then should we easily find that we need the corrosiue of repentance, unpleasant, but yet wholesome, to eat aware the dead affections of our corrupt consciences, and polluted minds, that the sovereign salve of Christ his death, may be the more effectual to the forgiveness of our sins. And if we seek not this help, we shall undoubtedly prove to our great grief, that the taste of sin is too too bitter, and the end thereof shall be uncomfortable. For we cannot dwell with a more noisome neighbor, or receive a worse guest then sin is. If thou reject her, she flattereth thee; if thou hear her, she deceaveth thee; if thou lodge her, she snareth thee; if thou keep her to long, she killeth thee; so that the better thou doest welcome her, the more she seeketh thy destruction; and the more thou pleasest her, the more she crieth to God for vengeance against thee. For if the sins of Sodom did cry, why may not ours▪ When thou wouldest be quiet, she disquieteth thee; whē thou wouldest sleep, she wakeneth thee; yea she is unpleasant sauce to thy meat, and troubleth all thy delights. So that thou canst find no true rest, until thou feel forgiveness of sin.

And let us not here deceive our selves, imagining our sins are not so great, but that we have many ways and means to take them away, so that we need not for them ask forgiveness at the hand of GOD. This is a caveat or admonition very necessary to be given, because the Church of Rome, as in many points it swarveth quite from the sincere truth; so in this, do they to mightily maintain and foster in the hearts of men, a secure sencelesnesse in sin, and hinder their endeavor of turning unto God, persuading them that for many of their sins they need not say with the humble Publican, O God be merciful to me a sinner. For concupiscence, they deny it to be a sin. Which their doctrine if they could by some shifts and subtleties, defend to be good and true: yet how unseasonable is it at any time, especially in these our days of to much licenciousnes, to make the people secure in anything that is not good? They cofesse it to be viciouse, and vice, the fountain of temptations, the law of the members resisting the Law of God, evil, the nourisher of sin, the way unto sin, the effect of original sin, a civillwar, unlawful, hated of God, the cause of sin Hath this fruit of theirs so pleasant a taste, that it must not be said to be a crab? What wrong do we unto God, or what incouragment in transgression give we unto man, that we must have these that will be the holy ones of the world, to be our adversaries, in defense of so bad a thing▪ I think myself sufficiently satisfied for that point, in that the Apostle Saint Paul calleth concupiscence sin: yea and not once, but often, as our adversaries grant. Why should I seek ways to make it no sin? The Lord rather of his infinite mercy, work in our hearts, a detestation of that and all things that are evil, and give the spirit of prayer, even as concerning concupiscence to say, Forgive us our trespasses.

And as they would not have concupiscence to be sin, how badly soever they write or else think of it, so have they venial sins, that may be purged and taken away by light and easy means, for the which they imagine (as it seemeth) they need not say fervently in good earnest Forgive us our trespasses, but they think we may be as easily freede from them, as we may be cleansed from the filth of our feet, and that all the venial sins put together, are not so evil as one mortal sin, in so much as if God would do his worst, he could not punish a venial sin, (which is purged by some work of charity) but only by temporal punishments. And therefore for them there needeth no repentance: a little holy water, or the bishops blessing, or a knock upon thy breast with thy fist, or the mumbling up of Pater noster will serve the turn. These men are afraid belike, least men should hate their own wickedness, and mistake of their own imperfections, and so seek unto him: that is the only Physician to heal them. And by that means the great gains that they got for Masses and Trentals, Diriges, and their other satisfactions, should be diminished. For although they have many ways to take away venial sin, yet none is either more commended, or oftener prescribed, then that by their money (especially such as had good store) they should hire Priests, but above all other the Monks or Friers, to help thē after they were departed out of this life, with their purchased prayers, to pluck them out of Porgatory, and so they could not with any great feeling or fervency say, Forgive us our trespasses.

As for the difference between sins vental & mortal, we do in some sort willingly receive it; but not in their sense. We know that there is a sin that is mortal indeed, for it shall never be forgiven, a sin (I say) unto death, for which Saint John darreth not warrant us, that we may pray, which our Savior Christ calleth a sin against the holy ghost. B •• all other sins be they never so great or many, are by the grace of God pardonable and venial. Although of their own nature, how light account soever we make of them, they are mortal, that is, they deserve, yea & also bring death, unless that our deadly wound, and dangerous disease, be cured by that merciful Samaritan, that had pitiful compassion upon him that was sore wounded by thieves; & that good Physician, that came to heal the sick, and call the sinners unto repentance. Otherwise our heavenly teacher, that true interpreter of the Law of God, would never have told us, that we sin and transgtesse, not only by our actions, but also by our affections. Neither would Saint Paul so sorowfully have said, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me, frō the body of this death? That is, saith Primasius an ancient Father upon this place deadly pleasure, delight of the flesh, infirm •• y of the body, and the force of custom. If he acknowledge that his body deserved death in respect of sin, as here he doth; and yet being now regenerate, he was more free from great and notorious offenses, or those which they cal mortal sins, then ever was any Papist in the world: then belike he confesseth that this his body, was a body of death▪ that is subject to, or deserving death for venial sin, but that Christ delivered him frō the same. So that we may with greater earnestness, & yet with an assured hope say, Forgive us our trespasses.

Neither yet do we make all sins equal or alike. We know, that in the offenses themselves, there was a difference, between the excuse that Abraham (not so wholly depending upon God as he should have done) caused his wife to make to save his life, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, and Ah • melech king of Gerar: and that fault of Peter, who denied his Master with cursing & swearing. Lottes wife in looking back as she was departing from Sodom sinned not so grievoully, as did Lot in his drunkenes and incest. Shimei his cursing of David, was not so heinous a trespass, as David's killing of Uriah, and adultery with Bethsabe his wise. W • e know that all sins are to be esteemed great or little, according to their obiectes and circumstances. But because in least trespass there is guiltiness found, and transgression of the Law of GOD: therefore even for them must we pray earnestly and say, Forgive us our trespass;. And thus much for the necessity of this petition, in respect of the corruption wherewith we are polluted, and the sins wherewith we are defiled.

Now if we look into the Danger that we fall into by reason thereof: then did the chased heart, never so desire the water brooks, as our soul will desire the forgiveness of our offenses. For they shorten God's arm, and as it were fetter or tie his hands, from doing us good; they hinder his blessings; procure his plagues; hasten his judgments. For he that in mercy visiteth the earth, and watereth it, and make h • trich, blessing the bud, crowning the year with his goodness, and so giveth great increase to them that fear him: even he also Turneth the floods into a Wilderness, and the springes of water into drynes, a fruitfvll lande into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. But these are small matters in comparison of the terrors of the conscience, which feeleth fearful cogitations without comfort or consolation: which maketh the godly to groan grievously, to sigh & sob seriously. As for the wicked they betray all helps that reason offereth; their own thoughts are to them most cruel tormentors. If they look up to heaven, they tremble at God's presence; if they behold the earth, they imagine every grass pile to be a witness against them; When they consider of the creatures, they take them for their enemies, as if GOD, against whom they know and feel they have sinned, had armed them to their destruction; they suspect all things; they fear all things; goods, lands, wife, children, unto them are unpleasant. To be short, they find no sweetness or pleasure in anything, no help, no hope: but would give all the world if it were theirs, that with an assured conscience (such as GOD'S children have) they could say, Forgive us our trespasses.

And thus we see, that all without exception are sinners in such sort, as that everyone needeth to ask God forgiveness: and also that our transgressions, are odious before God, hurtful to our selves, and to our own consciences, as a most heavy burden. And shall we yet flatter our selves in our sins, and promise to our selves peace and safety, even when we may justly look for sudden destruction? What were the iniquities of Sodom, that procured her fearful desolation? Pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her, and her daughters; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. Are not our transgressions as great as these: Our sumptuous building beyond all compass of measure, our gorgeous apparel far above our degree, our misshapen heads, our disfigured faces, and monstrous disguised bodies shall testify against us of our pride before God and man. Our over common drunkenes, and excessive surfeiting, or compelling others to drink more then they may, that we may please and delight our selves in their beastly behavior (a thing hated of profane kings, and yet with great applause used of us:) our misp • nding of days and nights, in this fearful abuse of God's good creatures, doth publish and proclaim that we have to much fullness, when our brethren about us faint for want of sustenance. As for idleness, the beginning of evil, and the very burial of a man that is alive (for idleness hideth all the good things that are in a man) it is to well liked of. I speak not of such only as do nothing, but also of them that are not occupied about things profitable to others. For it is one kind of idleness, not to be well occupied. And this reigneth to much in some of the greater sort, who for the most parte, do least evil when they are idle. Who if they would regard their calling as they ought, might do much good, being painefullie busied to walk in the same. And for the poor and needy, God grant that they who have the commanding of others, would straitlye call upon the execution of the godly laws provided in that behalf (which otherwise are like to do little good) until they be throughout this Realm, even in the uttermost North partes so established, that the impotent may be well relieved, as duty bindeth us; and the slothful forced to work, as Christian policy teacheth us.

Cursing and swearing are so little reproved, that young children dare without shame or fear, defile their mouths therewith. Whoredom is counted but a sweet sin, especially among great ones, whom none dare reprove, much less correct, though their bastards stand up daily, to bear witness against them, of their filthy life. But howsoever, as those ungodly men do think, and dare say, The lips of a strange woman drop as an honey comb, and her mouth is more soft then oil: yet the ende of her is bitter as wormewoode, and sharp as a two edged sword. Her feet go down to death, and her steppes take hold of hell. Yea, though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and GOD prolongeth his days: yet I know it shall be well with them that fear the LORDE, and do reverence before him. But it shall not be will to the wicked, neither shall he prolonge his days, he shall be like a shaddow, because he feareth not before GOD. If then they dare, whilst GOD suffereth them, like untamed coltes to play in the haltar; both do wickedly, because they are without fear of due and deserved punishment; and speak of it without shame, because they have cast of all Christian modesty; and make a sport of sin, as if they would say with those wicked ones, that Wearied the Lord with their words: where is the God of judgment? Or as they of whom Jeremiah complaineth, that as if the threatenings of God's judgments against them, had been all but a fable, durst as it were challenge God, to dhe as he had threatened saying, Where is the word of the LORDE? Let it come now: If I say they be come to such depth of security in sin, yet let them be well assured, that for all these things, God will bring them to judgment. But it would be to long to reckon up our sins, in consideration whereof, we may see if we be not too blind, and know if we be not senseless, that it is most necessary, that we should earnestly and faithfully say to our heavenly Father, Forgive us our trespasses, not only in respect of those lesser sins that are common unto all, and lead unto death if they be not forgiven: but also in respect of our many great sins, wherewith we pollute our Lande, and indaunger our own souls.

And now it is time that we consider what we ask in this petition, and what we have to learn out of the same. First it is not unprofitable for us to remember, to whom our Savior Christ giveth this pattern of prayer. Saint Luke reporteth that one of his disciples said unto him, Master teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples: and thereupon he said, When ye pray, say, Ovr father &c. And it seemeth also by Saint Matthew that he taught this, his disciples being gathered about him. Yea there is none so perfect, • neither hath been (Christ only excepted) but that he must, if he will see God, say Forgive us our trespasses. And in asking forgiveness of sins, we confess our selves to be sinners: which thing is good for us to do, as David by his experience teacheth us, who saith thus, When I held my tongue (& confessed not my faults) my bones consumed. But if we acknowledge our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all iniquity. Let us therefore with that kingly prophet Confess against our selves our wickedness unto the Lfrd: Unto the Lord I say whom we have offended, and who can forgive them, and will if we ask earnestly, for his son Christ his sake. But as for that Popish shrift, or confession in the ears of a Priest, I say thereof boldly with Saint Augustine: What have I to do with men, that they should hear my confession, as if they would heal all my infirmities? A curious sort of men are they, to pry into another man's life; but slow and slothful to amende their own. And here because the begging of forgiveness of offenses, employeth a confession of the same, the Puritans called Cathari (for it is a name fit for them that say they are perfect, not for such as only wish that things were more sincere) those Puritans I say are here strongly confuted. For if all must ask forgiveness of sin, then all have sin. So are the Novatians also, who denied hope of mercy to such as fell after Baptism to notorious sins. But if there had been no hope of remissiō, Christ would not have taught such to say, Forgive us our trespasses.

Secondly we are here taught, howe this our transgression is taken away, namely by forgiveness. And seeing he who is our heavenly prophet, teacheth us, that by this means, we must be cleared and freed from sin: Let us learn of him; for he is our only Master; and believe him, for he is the truth; and receive his doctrine, for if there were never guile found in his mouth, surly in this matter, of so great wait, belonging to the salvation of our souls, he will not deceive us. He then that teacheth us to feel our sin: willeth us to say, Forgive us our trespasses. Now S. Matthew and Saint Luke differ somewhat in words, in this petition, though not in the matter. For Saint Matthew willeth us to ask forgiveness of our debts. The self same word in the Sirian tongue, (which it is thought our Savior Christ did speak) signifieth both Debt, and also Sin. And therefore whereas after Saint Matthew we pray, forgive us our debts, after Saint Luke we say, forgive us our trespasses, expressing that in plain terms, which the other, by a very apt figurative speech, did signify. For man was many ways bound unto God, to yield unto him holy and sincere obedience. First because He hath made us, and not we our selves. Then also we acknowledge him to be our Lord, we must then serve him; our Father, we ought then to honor him. Having thus so many ways right over us, and an interest in us, look what he commandeth, we ought to obey. But we have forfeited our recognisance; we have not performed covenant, and paid our debt, but are by sin brought further behind hand with him, then ever we can be able to satisfy for. For we are even that distressed servant, that had nothing to pay a very great sum, neither could we ever have satisfied the same, but it pleased that king our Master, to forgive us all the debt. We are that man that fell among thieves, and was robbed of all that he had, in so much as his raiment was taken from him; and was also wounded, and so left not able to help himself. For our goodly and gorgeous garment, of holy obedience, by the force of sin is taken from us, and we are now clad, with the filthy rags of our own corruption. And that worse is, we are so weakened by the wounds of our transgression, that we as half dead, are no way able to help our selves. We must therefore pray, that the most merciful Samaritan, even Christ our Savior, will power into this our wound, the wine of comfort, and oil of compassion, that he I say would heal us with this sweet salve, Thy sins are forgiven thee. For otherwise we shall not find our selves only half dead, as the Church of Rome, straining this parable somewhat further then they should, doth erroneously gather; but even wholly or quite dead, as our Savior Christ teacheth, purposely declaring what our estate is; and the apostle in sundry places, yea rotten in our corruption.

If then the debt of our sin be so great, & we have not anything to satisfy for the same: If all we had by our creation to help our selves withal, be taken from us, and we so weakened with the wounds of sin, that we have no strength left, wherewith to recover our salvation, or to cast from us the burden of sin: Let us say wi • h the prophet David, Blessed is he whose wickedness is forgiven, and whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity. Our Savior Christ maketh us in this, like to a poor man, that is bound in obligation, or set in a debt book, for a sum which he knoweth not howe to pay, and yet if he cannot satisfy it, he must die in prison. Oh how joyful will that poor man be, if he be put in hope, that upon his suit the debt will be pardoned, the bill canceled, or the book crossed? Even so doth our Savior Christ comfort hereby the distressed conscience, whom he teacheth to say, Forgive us our trespasses. For although our conscience tell us, that we cannot make payment; yet Christ hereby assureth us, that there is great hope of pardon & forgiveness. And because he teacheth us to say Forgive us our trespasses, we are infallibly to gather, that we cannot have our quietus est, until our heavenly Father, who is our creditor, forgive the debt: neither can we be eased of the burden, or freed from the guilt of sin, but by him that calleth all unto him that are weary and laden, promising that he will ease them.

But what are these sins that we ask forgiveness of? If we believe the very pillars of the church of Rome, they will tell us that venial sins, may many ways be taken away, so that if we do not ask forgiveness, yet by any work of charity they are so purged, that they cannot be punished eternally. Therefore though among other remedies for such small stains, the saying of the Pater noster, say they is one, that will quite take it out, or wipe it away: yet because there are many other helps (as before I said) they think it not very needful that we should ask forgiveness thereof. Or if it so fall out that they say dimitte nobis debita nostra, (for to speak in the tongue we know, it hath been thought heretical, and worthy extreme punishment) yet their meaning is not thereby to crave humbly pardon and forgives as here we are taught: but even by speaking these very words, to merit the taking away of the venial sin. For they will have all their works sati • factory; So little beholding they will be to Christ.

As for Mortall sins they are heavier, then that they can so easily be removed (so they teach us) as by asking forgiveness. And therefore to be cleansed from them, they will have us to do other great works, to merit and deserve or make recompense for the same. And the Popes pardons are a good remedy for them, a good salve for that sore, or else they have maruelously deceived the world these many years, in promising pardon of sins without exception, to such as had their indulgences. But howsoever they have borne the world in hand, that we must (our sins being once in baptism remitted) make satisfaction by our works, for the transgressions of the law, whereby we after baptism offend: yet it is most certain, that the least sins that we can commit, because they hinder that perfection which the law requireth, are therefore no way but by pardon abolished. And the greatest offenses because they are as fowl spots in a white garmente, can no way be washed away but by forgiveness: so that for all our sins of what weight or quality so ever they be, against God, against man, in word, thought, or deed, of commission, or of omission; we must learn of Christ to say, Forgive us our trespasses.

And if any man ask, why we should daily crave this forgiveness, or oftener as God's spirit shall move us, seeing that in baptism there is full remission of all our sins, past, present, or to come. I answer that in this prayer, we crave at the hands of our most merciful Father, that we who cannot if we be not too careless, but feel the weight and burden of our sins which still presseth us down, and acknowledge the filthiness of them, in the sight of God, may comfortably feel and find, within our own consciences, that forgiveness and pardon of our transgressions, which God in his word, hath promised, and in baptism sealeth up unto us. So that hereby we show a continual care and longing, that that Sacrament and the grace thereby assured unto us, may effectually comfort our mourning minds, and raise up our feeble harts, weakened and grieved with the wound of sin.

Moreover because our Savior Christ teacheth us to say, Forgive us our trespasses, he adviseth us to be careful while here we live and walk in that way, wherein are stumbling blocks, and stones to stumble at on every side; and we our selves so weak that we are not able to go vprightelie in the perfect way: that we may sue for our own peace, and make our own requests, that he against whom only we have chiefelye offended in breaking of his law and commandments, will pardon and forgive us. But if we will leave this to be done by our atturnies, and to be dispatched by our delegates, we have no warrant for that in God's book; and therefore shall find no comfort thereof, in the time of death, nor fruit of it afterwards.

Lastly the forgiving of this debt importeth as much, as the acquitting us of the fault, and of the punishment. For who can say the debt is forgiven, if the debtor be cast in prison, or otherwise punishod for not paying it? Even so in this debt that we owe to God, because our savior Christ instructeth us, that we must ask forgiveness of it, we may have an assured confidence, that not the fault only, but also all the effects of God's displeasure, due to us for the same, are taken away. Otherwise (which God forbid that any Christian should once think) God were not a just God, if he should punish without cause. And what cause can there be of punishment, when there is no offense? Or in what equity can the fault be laid against us, which is pardoned. Therefore against that Popish Paradox of half forgiveness, (who will not in any wise, that the punishment should be forgiven, but the fault only) let us hold fast this most comfortable doctrine, that he that said to him that was sick of the palsy Thy sins are forgiven thee, said also, arise take up thy bed and go to thine house. Yea let us with a constant persuasion, oppose our selves against that Pop • she doctrine, whereby the Church of Rome, for their own gain and lucre, seeketh to hide from the distressed consciences, the inestimable benefit of CHRIST his death; assuring our selves that he who thus spoke to that diseased man, arise take up thy bed, and go to thine house, that we may know that the Son of man hath authority in earth to forgive sins, as the three Evangelistes with one month bear witness, thereby also giveth us to understand that if the punishment remain, there can be no certain persuasion of the heart, that the fault is pardoned. And thus much for this petition

Now followeth the condition, or the promise annexed thereto, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And here we are to remember, that we do not hereby so justify our selves, or commend our forgiving of others, as if it were so perfect, that we would not crave of GOD to be more merciful to us, then we can be to them that offend us, But we only show, howe that the consideration of our debt, wherein we stand indebted to GOD, and in his danger, maketh us willing and ready to forgive such as have falted to us, that with better assurance we may ask forgiveness. So that we do not in these words, ask like measure of mercy at God's hands, as we are willing to show to others (for we cannot so freely, and heartily forgive, neither with so sincere an affection as we ought) but do even testify before God, that we are not desirous to bear any malice or envy, but rather would bear with our brethren, that our heavenly Father, might not be provoked to deal hardly with us.

Neither must we imagine that our forgiving others, is the cause why God forgiveth us (God forbid that this so necessary a petition, should be carried up by so weak a wing) but rather we do by the consideration of God's great goodness to us ward; tie our selves to be good to others, and have a resoluce purpose to forgive. And this is a most necessary addition, to put us in mind of the hard measure, that we may justly at God's hands look for, if we show our selves unmerciful to others. For, With what measure we meat, it shall be measured to us again. And if we do not forgive men their trespasses, no more will our heavenly Father forgive us our trespasses. This is plainly taught us in the parable of that rigorous servant, who because he would not forgive his fellow one hundred pence, but entreated him very hardly, was therefore himself delivered to the tormentor, until he should pay that which he should never be able to satisfy for. For there shall be condemnation merciless, to him that showeth not mercy.

And seeing we cal God our heavenly Father, & thereby acknowledge our selves to be his children: it is good reasō that as in Christian virtues we seek to imitate our Father: so in this also, according to that commandment of our Savior CHRIST, Be ye merciful as your Father also is merciful; knowing that our labor therein shall not be in vain; seeing that he in whom all the promises are Yea, and Amen, that is are performed and accomplished hath thus proclaimed: Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Heereby then we learn. that when we prostrate our selves before the God of all mercy, looking for mercy and forgiveness of our sins: we must cleanse our own hearts from all corruption of rancor and malice, and by the sanctification of the spirit, have a full and resolute purpose, of pardoning whatsoever offenses committed against us.. For otherwise we ask against our selves a heavy judgment, if with a mind purposing revenge and hatred, we say to our heavenly Father, that great and mighty GOD, forgive us, as we forgive them that trespass against us. For it is all one as if we should say, I will not forgive, and therefore forgive me not. And then as the prophet David saith, they are happy whose sins are forgiven: so on the contrary where forgiveness of sins is not, there is nothing but a portion with the devil and his Angels, in utter darkness, weeping and wailing & gnashing of teeth. Therefore when we will pray to our good God, let us first strive to the uttermost of our power, to sweep out of every corner of our hearts, the filth of malice; and endeavor not to forgive only, but also as much as in us lieth to forget, whatsoever wrongs any man, either by word or deed hath offered unto us: that having this testimony of a good conscience, that we as heartily as we can do, pardon all faults committed against us, we may with the greater assurance of the same holy spirit, which hath wrought this good in us, say to our heavenly Father, Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.

But shall that forgiving them that trespass against me acquit them of sin, and make them free frō that iniquity, as the Pope saith he doth by his pardons ease men of that burden? Not so. For in every such sin there is an offense against God, which we cannot medle withal. For what have we to do, to take God's office vpō us? There is also a wrong done unto man. This man may remit, so far forth as it concerneth him.

Neither yet must we imagine that all wrongs or evil dealings must be suffered amongst men, because it becometh Christians to be ready to forgive. For first this is no inhibition to Magistrates, but that they may pronouncing just judgments against malefactors, seek by force of Law, to restrain and bridle evil doing among men. But they also must take heed, that they execute the Laws, lawfully: that is, without respect of persons, not for fear or favor of any, either for love or hatred, or for hope of gain, or with any other corrupt affection: Least they pronouncing a just sentence or judgment, yet not justly, because they are moved thereto by some affection, be found guilty of innocent blood, and defile with their corruptions, GOD'S judgments.

And private men also, may without breach of the Law of Christianity, restrain and reform the wrongs done unto them. But we must in any wise take good heed, that neither our earnestness in seeking our righte, or in defending our selves, be any occasion of offense unto others; or that we give them just cause to slander our profession: And also our mind, must even in seeking lawful means, to redress such wrongs as we suffer, be far from malice or rancor (as before I have said) least as another hath offended against the law of charity in wronging us either in word or deed: so we also break the same law, whilst with an unlawful affection, we seek lawful mends. And thus much of the fifth petition.

Now followeth the sirt, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Wherein we pray for help & assistance of God's spirit, against sin, in time to come, as we have craved before, forgiveness of things past. And this petition consisteth of two parts. For we first entreat him, that he will not deal with us, as in his deserved wrath he might: secondly that we may have his merciful deliverance from evil. The first parte therefore is expressed in these words: And lead us not into temptation. Which words might in my judgment easily be understood, and should have had no great difficulty in thē, but that there have been some at all times, that wresting the word of God to a wrong and wicked sense, even unto their own destruction as Saint Peter telleth us, would for their own excuse, make God, even that God that hath no delight in iniquity, but is a just revēger of all wickedness, to be the cause & author of their evil. The Manichees those ancient Heretics, among many other their heresies did hold this blasphemy. Yea and some other also perchance before them. In which respect Saint Ambrose, and longe before him Saint Cyprian, durst not say with our Savior CHRIST, lead us not, but let us not, or, suffer us not, to be led into temptation, perverting the sense; and changing the words. Neither are there wanting in these days, which are boulde to charge us with that same blasphemy, if we ascribe unto GOD anymore, then permission or suffering the actions of wicked men.

For the clearing of this point, because I purpose to speak one word or two, first I proclaim it unto the world, that we are so far from making God the author of sin,, in our selves or others, ▪that we fully consent in doctrine with Saint James, and give unto him the right hand of fellowship, when he admonisheth thus; Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God. For God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. But yet we know that it is not in vain, that our Savior Christ saith Lead us not into temptation. Neither is it a kind of speech, strange unto them that are acquainted in God's book. For God is said to harden Pharaohs heart. And in the prophet Isaiah, the people complain thus. O Lord why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our hearts from thy fear? And the Apostle Saint Paul, speaking of the Idolatrous Gentiles, saith that God gau • them up to their hearts lusts, unto vile affections, into a reprobate mind. And showing God's heavy judgments against them that perish; by the deceive ableness of that man of sin, and child of perdition, he pronounceth that God shall send thē strong delusions, that they should believe lies. In all which things the selfsame judgment of God against the wicked is expressed, that here is spoken of by our Savior Christ. For to harden the heart • , to make to err, to deliver into a reprobate mind, to send strong illusions, is nothing else, but to lead into temptation, and the holy Ghost chargeth God with all these.

Now therefore let us reverently adore the judgments of God, and soberly consider, howe the holy Scriptures ascribe these things to god. And first we must resolve with our selves, and h • ld it as a principle in Divinity, that God doth not put any evil into any; he corrupteth not their heart; neither maketh he them evil, that were good. This be far from any Christian heart, thus to think of God. But as he is holy, he loveth holiness, and is the author of all goodness. And although God draweth all them that come unto Christ, by the sweet motions of the holy spirit, as by a strong cord, or a double chain: yet doth he not force or contstrain any, either to do evil or good. For he is a most pleasant spring of wholesome water, from which no bitterness can come: and although he move us effectually, yet he cōstraineth us not forcibly to serve him, much less then to displease him. For he desireth not that the wicked should die. These two things because they are confessed of all, need no further proof. Namely that God putteth not evil into any; neither constraineth them to do evil.

From what founetaine then followeth the evil that we commit? Everie man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own concupiscence and is enticed, saith Saint James. That fruit springeth, from the root of bitterness that is in us. And we so readilye, nay so greedily, yield unto the provocations of sin, that we need no forcing at all thereto. For this cause Job saith, that we drink in wickedness as water: and the Apostle to the Hebrews speaketh of the pleasures of sin, as doeth Saint James also. It is therefore good council that the same Apostle to the Hebrews giveth. Exhort one another daily while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened, through the deceitfulness of sin. For sin is like a cup, well mingled with sugar and delectable spices above, but with poison, in the bottom. At the first it hath delight & pleasure, but in the end, bitterness & death. Thus then it appeareth, that sin cometh not from God, but from our selves, yea and that with too much readiness.

How then is God said to harden the heart, to lead into temptation, to give up, or deliver into noisome lusts, or a reprobate sense? Or how doth he make men to err? For as I have shown before, all these things are affirmed of him. He first withdraweth his holy spirit from those whom he is said to harden, and by that means are they become hard and unprofitable to any good work, having that living founetaine of heavenly graces stopped from them, whereby only they can be softened. For as GOD may be truly said to harden the earth, as also he doth threaten by his prophet Moses, that he will make the earth hard as brass, for the wickedness of the people, not because he putteth any hardness into it, but because in withholding the drops of heaven, and the rain from above, it is become dry▪ and unfruitful: so he hardeneth us, when he softeneth us not.

Then likewise he doth more then suffer men to be solicited by such motions, & allured by such occasions, as through their fault draw thē to sin, and turn in the godly to their bettering, by making them to walk more warily before the Lord: but to the wicked, these occasions which are offered, & they most greedily according to their corruption do abuse, are as it were furtheraunces, to the plucking upon them gods just judgments. This may appear by that story of Ahab. God purposing to execute his wrath upon Ahab a wicked king, hath with his ministering spirits, as it were a consultation, and saith: Who shall entice Ahab, that he may go & fall at Ramoth G • lead? And there came forth a certain evil spirit and offered his service in this sort: I (saith he) will be a lying spirit, in the mouth of all his Prophets. To whom the Lord said, thou shalt entice him, and also prevail, go forth and do so. And of this the prophet of the Lo • de M • chaiah doeth conclude, that the Lord hath put a lying spirit, in the mouth of all Ahab's prophets. And why should we think it strange, that God should in such sort deal with his creatures. The mother that loveth the child most tenderly, yet if she see him too greedye of a knife, will perchance sometime let the child hold the knife in his hand, yea will so guide the knife, that it shall cut his finger, not that she is careless or that she doeth not regard her child, but thereby she teacheth him to take heed, how he meddle with a knife again. So God dealeth many times with thē whō he loveth, by casting such blocks in their way, at the which whilst through their default they stumble and fall, they may learn afterwards, to look better to their feet, and to take heed more carefully. As for the wicked and rebellious, God as a just judge, delivereth them up into a reprobate mind, as to a tormentor, even hereto, begin their endless punishment.

And as by such occasions he trieth the faithfulness of his servants, and discovereth the hypocrisy of the wicked: so doeth he also give wit and knowledge unto all men whereby they devise; and • ower also and ability, to execute and do even those things, that are contrary to his will. For whatsoever understanding or strength we have to do anything, from him only we have it, In whom we live, move, and have our being. For God even our good God, that hath given unto us such gifts of body or mind; doth not for the most parte withdraw the same, no not when we go about those things that displease him: but doeth therein as pollitike and wise princes will do, when they see subjects whom they advanced to high authority, begin to abuse their honor, and to despise their sufferaigne. They will let such a one alone until they have taken him in the snare, and then will they not only resume their dignity, and take it from him, but his life also. Even so God letteth men alone that do abuse these his gifts, but when he seeth his time, they shall pay dear for it; and shall render a heavy account, of their contempt of God's good graces.

And whereas I said before, that God doeth more then suffer occasions to be offered unto mē, which they readily turn to their hurt, as appeareth by his consulting of Ahab's destruction, his sending of that lying spirit whereby he was deceived; it is very consonant to the whole doctrine of the holy Scriptures, which teach God to be governor and ruler of the world, that the answer of the tongue is of the Lord, that the steps of man are ruled of the Lord. For O LORDE I know (saith the prophet Jeremiah) that the way of man is not in himself, neither is it in man to walk and direct his step • . Yea, the kings heart (be he never so mighty) is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of waters: he turneth it, whithersoever it pleaseth him. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father, saith Christ our Savior. The Lot is cast into the lap: but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord. If he rule the tongue & steps, yea the harts of princes; if he have to do in the taking of sparrows, and the disposing of lots: doth it not hereby manifestly appear, that he worketh also in our actions, and in the occasions which we turn to good or evil? But let us learn by examples howe these occasions of the evil that we do, are of God. David was allured to sin by the sight of Bathsheba. That Bathsheba did bathe her self, and that David did at that time▪ rise out of his bed, and walk on the roof of his Palace, these actions, which were the occasion of his sins, were governed and directed by God. It was no doubt God's work also, that the Damosel did charge Peter to have been one of them that followed Christ, which was unto him an occasion, to forswear and curse himself in the denial thereof. He that governeth the sparowes in their falling to the earth, and ordereth the lots, did also direct them in these actions. What then? did God cause David to lust, or Peter to deny his Master? No he made David to see Bathsheba, and Peter to hear what the Damosel said: but the one had his own lust kindled by the sight of his eye, the other his faith sore shakē, by hearing that question of the maid: and they both were deceived by their own corruption, and drawn to sin by their own fault.

But God hath in these things no sinful affection, he is holy in all his works. And as a wise governor of all our actions, by such falls he letteth his children see their weakness, that they may take better hold of him that is their strength; and so in mercy forsaketh them, for a time, that that they may cleave the faster to him forever. But against the wicked, by such means he executeth his just judgments, punishing in the • sin by sin. And this is it that the Apostle Saint Paul teacheth the Thessalonians. Because (saith he) they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved: therefore God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe lies, that all they might be damned which believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. And thus do we yield unto our great God sovereignty and dominion, in acknowledging his power and working in all things. And thus we give unto him the praise of wisdom, Who (daily) commandeth the light (of his mercy and justice) to shine out of the darkness (of our sins.)

Now out of this which hitherto hath been said, we learn first that God in all that we do hat evil is, is author of the fact, but not of the fault; of the work, but not of the wickedness that is therein. So that we must in every such action, be wise to put a difference, betwixt that which is God's part therein; & that which our corrupt nature polluteth: as in many things there is to be seen a manifest discrepaunce between a thing it self, and the imperfection that is in the same. A workman cutteth with an axe or edgetoole that is broken or rough. The workman is cause of the cutting, but not of the roughness or uneven cutting. The school-master maketh his scholar that stammereth to say his lesson, and he in saying stutteth or stammereth. The Master is the cause of his speaking, as justly he may (for he hath authority over him) but the stammering, is of some imperfection in his speech. Or the Master commandeth his servant that halteth, to go to do such business as he hath for him to do: he is now the cause of his servants going, but not of his halting; that is of himself. So likewise God in all our works, worketh in us, or with us, so far as there is no corruption in the same: but the sin that we commit, is wholly ours, and not his, as of the son of Sirach we may truly learn.

Secondly that whatsoever he worketh in us, he doth it always to a good end, and with a good affection: either mercifully dealing with his children to their amendment; or justly executing his judgments against the impenitent; and always setting forth his glory, both in the one, & by the other. So that if we rightly examine his ings, we shall be so far frō making him the Author of sin, that we may rather plainly confess, as truly we may, with the Apostle Saint Paul, that God shall be justified in his words, (yea and in his works also) and overcome when he is iu • ged. And thus much of this questiō, whether God be the author of sin, which God forbid we should once surmise.

But for these words of this petition, there is not in my judgment any great hardness therein. For we pray, that God would not deal with us according to our deserving, neither reward us according to our wickedness, but that he would strengthen our weakness, correct our cowardice, reform our infirmities, and supply all our wants: not giving us over to our own lusts; but watching over us with a vigilant eye, that we fall not into such wicked lusts, as our own corrupt nature is prone unto. But because of this request there are sundry branches, it is not unprofitable to speak of the particular things contained in this prayer.

First therefore we crave of God, that seeing our weakness is such, as that we have always just cause to mistrust our own strength; God will in such sort deal with us, that we be not tempted. That is, that no occasion be offered unto us, whereby we may be moved to evil. For our nature is like to a water, which so long as it is not stirred or troubled seemeth clear: But if a stick, or any other thing, be it never so clean, be thrust into the same, the filth and mud ariseth, and showeth it self: even so we, upon every occasion do show our corruption, and our wicked affections upon every light motion, are most ready to burst forth. We therefore knowing our proneness to sin, and our weakness to withstand such assaults, first desire that we be not tempted or solicited to evil.

Then also that if God see it to be fit, either for his glory, or our good, that we should so be tried: we crave that God in this our trial, will not withdraw from us his helping hand, leaving us to our selves, and our own concupiscence. Because we know that we are not then able to withstand the very lease assaulte, one minute of an hour, but that readilye we yield, and are lead away captives.

And thirdelye we ask, that he will assist us by his grace. Because it is not enough if he doeth but look on. Therefore we desire of our heavenly Father, that he will not suffer us to be tempted • boue that we be able, but will even give the issue with the temptation, that we may be able to bear it. That so we may hear to our unspeakable comfort, that ioieful voice: My grace is sufficient for thee: for my • ower is made perfect through weakness.

Lastly, in consideration of our sins which have deserved, that God should in most severe manner deal with us: we beseech GOD, not to punish our former wickedness, with the loosing of the rains of liberty to sin hereafter: neither to acquit our looseness of life, with ignorance or contempt of the word, as God doeth many times most justly: neither yet on the contrary, to render to us wickedness of life, even with greediness, without remorse; for our carelessness in the knowledge and service of him. For that God doeth thus deal with his disobedient servants, as many other testimonies do prove, so none more plainly, then that which the Apostle Saint Paul writeth to the Romans, that the Heathen did after some sort know God, but did not glorify him as God, wherefore God gave them up to their hearts lusts, and to uncleanness, yea to most vile & unnatural filthiness. And thus much concerning the first parte of this petition, wherein we entreat God to forbear to pour forth his displeasure.

The seconde parte of this prayer, is a craving of his grace and assistance, but deliver us from evil. He that understandeth not howe necessary this petition is; knoweth not how weak, simple, and heedless himself is; how strong, crafty, and diligent an adversary he hath. He considereth not in what place he liveth, namely in the world, which sometime by fair words, and show of profit or pleasure or such like worldly things deceiveth; and sometime by fears, dangers, griefs, & vexations terrifieth. He remembereth not howe great and ready a mean, this his subtle and fly enemy hath to prevail, by reason of our own flesh, which lusteth against the spirit, whereby it cometh to pass, that we have a law in our members, rebelling against the law of our mind. And upon this occasion it is no hard matter for him to prevail, who hath within our selves so mighty helps, namely our desires, delights, pleasures, and all our natural disposition. So that the Apostle S. Peter had good reason to exhort us thus, abstain from fleshly lusts which fight against the soul. We therefore that are of our selves so weak, and subject to sin, and have that our ancient adversary who still goeth about as a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour, with whom also our own lusts have made such a conspiracy, that they are ready to betray and deliver us into his hands: we I say, that stand in such a dangerous case, & see our nature to be polluted with original corruption, and our li • e to be stained with our actual and committed transgressions, have great cause not only to say; but even to cry from the bottom of the heart, with faith vnfamed, deliver us from evil.

And as on the one side, we see our wants in that we are taught thus to pray; and our weakness to resist the assaults of Satan: so we understand also how unable we are to deliver our selves from evil: whether it be that evil one, our ancient enemy; or our own evil lusts within us, that are always drawing us to evil; or any outward evil, whereby we are troubled. In all these we must crave help of our heavenly Father, otherwise we cannot be delivered from them. For even he that gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers, because they sinned against the Lord, as the story of the kings showeth: He I say, and no creature, no Saint, no Angel, but as he is gods ministering spirit, sent and appointed to do that service, is of power, to free us from any danger or distress. And therefore we must rest under the shaddow of his wings, and not seek any other patron or helper. In our necessities & bodily wants, unto him we must say, Deliver us from evil.

As for the evil whereby our soul is assaulted, we are much less able to free our selves from it. Even we I say that have received the first fruits of the spiri • ; and are se • led by the spirit of Go • unto the day of redemption. We are borne not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God: with the word of truth; that are borne (I say) anewe, not of mortal seed, but of immortal, by the word of God, who liveth, and endureth forever: We that have so many graces bestowed upon us, cannot be truly freede, until the son have made us free, and therefore must sub, and sigh, seek, and sue, for that leading spirit of God, that Spirit of adoption, whereby we (may) cry Abba, Father, and crave this grace and help of him, whereby we may be delivered. For therefore did our Savior Christ teach his holy Apostles, Saint Peter, upon whom he had bestowed many great graces, Saint John, whō he loved above the rest, and Saint James, which three were counted to be pillars in the Church, and the rest thus to pray, that all succeeding ages might learn, that our heavenly Father only can work this our deliverance frō evil.

Now although whilst we are in this vale of misery, we always have occasions, to beseech God to deliver us from all sorts of evil, bodily & ghostly, temporal and spiritual: yet here especially we pray to be delivered ftō those evils, the committing whereof, is an offense against God. And because that for the perfecting of this our deliverance, there are sundry things so necessary, that without them it cannot be: therefore in this petition, we sue for all those things.

As first, that it would please god to loose the chains of sin, and to break the fetters of iniquity, and to set our heart at liberty, from that miserable thraldōe and bondage wherein our transgression holdeth us; that we being delivered from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness, all the days of our life.

Secondly, that we being freede from sin, and enlarged from the dominion thereof; may be coupled and knit fast unto Christ our head, so that by his spirit and power, we may receive a godly increase, in all Christian conversation, towards god or man. According to this did the prophet David make his humble suite thus: O kni • my heart unto thee that I may fear thy name. Our soul being thus glued unto GOD, with the glewe of love and zeal towards him, we shall be so shielded under the shadow of his wings, and fenced about with the power of his spirit, that not the gates of hell, shall be able to bring us into thralldom, or work our woe.

And that we may stand the faster, in that freedom and liberty whereunto God hath brought us: we thirdly ask of him, that he will give unto us, both his spiritual armor for our safety and defense, the girdle of verity, the breast-plate of righteousness, the shielde of faith, the helmet of salvation: and also for a weapon, whereby we may annoy and put back our adversary, the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. For being thus armed at all assays, with this spiritual complete armor, we shall with great confidence say, deliver us from evil, and with greater comfort, feel the effect thereof.

Fourthly, we beg of him, that he will buckle unto us this armor, that it may be fast and not easily shaken of, when we are in the battle: And that he will teach us, to use aright that spiritual sword, which is the power of God unto salvation, to everyone that believeth. For we see that many do handle the same to their own destruction: whilst they pervert the scriptures either for the mainetenaunce of their blasphemies and heresies; or for defense of their wickedness.

Last of all we ask of our heavenly Father, that he will vouchsafe not only to encourage us to fight with a good courage the Lord's battle; but also that he will hold us up that we fall not, and when we are down, that he will so protect us, that then our enemy give us not a deadly wound, but that he will raise us up again, and make us able to stand against all assaults of sin.

But because these things cannot be perfected in us, unless God by his spirit make us new creatures, taking away by little and little this our corruption: we therefore ask in this petition, that it will please our heavenly Father, the worker of all mercy and grace; to give unto us a hatred and detestation, of our own ungodly & wicked affections, which of our selves we cannot attain unto. For we are greedily and violently carried, to love and like them but too well▪ Therefore here we crave that God would scatter and consume in us by his good grace, all those motions whereby the world and Satan our ancient enemy seeketh to deceive us. Then also that by the fire of his holy spirit, he will kindle in our hearts, an earnest love and longing. after the truth, godliness, with all other Christian virtues, that as by our hatred of sin, we declare our selves no • to be of the worser sort: so by our love of holy obedience we may prove our selves, to be the children of God. And because in Christianity chiefly, not to profit is to go back: therefore we also send up our groans unto our good God, that he will increase in us these good things, and make us to grow in knowledge and heavenly wisdom, zeal, godliness, love, patience, temperance, and such other Christian ornaments. And moreover that he will strengthen our weakness, and confirm our feebleness, that we in this combat may prevail, and obtain the victory through Christ that liveth in us, and strengtheneth us.

Now after these petitions in some sort explained, remaineth the addition or conclusion of the Lord's prayer: For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever, and ever, amen. Which words although they are omitted by S. Luke, yet are they worthy to be thought upon, not only because they are written by Saint Matthe we, but also because they contain pr • fitable doctrine. And whereas there are two things necessary for us to be persuaded of, in all the prayers that we make, either to God or man, if we will pray confidently, and with h • pe that we shall be heard: that is an assurance of God's love, and a knowledge of his might: in the preface of this prayer, Christ hath taught the former, when he assureth us that his love towards us is such, as that we may without doubting cal him Father: and now in the knit • ing up of the same, he calleth us to the consideration of his power: that we with comfort may cal upon such a God, as both will hear us, because he loveth us, and can help us, because all power belongeth unto him.

And first when we acknowledge that kingdom to be his, we are taught not to have our eyes dazzled with the external glory of these worldly Princes or Potentates, whose breath is in their nostrils, it departeth, they return to their earth, and then their thoughts perish: but to fixe our heart and hope upon him, to whom of right all kingdom and dominion belongeth: and in comparison of whom, the mightiest Monarchs and most puissant Princes that rule upon the earth, are but petty magistrates, that owe unto him honor and homage. For when we confess that kingdom is belonging to him, it is as much as if we had said, that the kings that we see to rule and reign upon the face of the earth, are his lievetenants, set in their rooms by him, and by him to be deposed as he shall see it fit. They are to obey his commandments, and to govern as he prescribeth; or else that great king whose righte to reign we do here confess, shall punish thē for abusing their authority. Sovereign and absolute kings they are not, howsoever they come to their royal estate, but his subjects and servants. For whatsoever may be said to be kingdom, we say here that it is his.

Secondly we ascribe unto him power. So that as in the former title, we confess that he only hath right to rule and govern: so here we grant that he hath ability and means to dispose of all things at his pleasure. Earthly kings and princes be they never so mighty, and have they never so good right to reign over their subjects yet cannot always either subdue their rebellious traitors that rise up against them; or without these ambitious neighbors, that seek to encroach upon their Dominions. But this our king, as he may claim as his own all the kingdoms of the earth, yea the rule of heaven and earth, and of all his creatures: so because power is his, that is, belongeth unto him, and to no other, therefore hath he such might, that none can withdraw their necks from the yoke of his government. Neither Pharaoh the mighty, nor Nabuchad-nezer the proud, nor Julian the Apostate (who confessed himself to be to weak to deal with this mighty and powerful king) were able to withstand him. For he hath not only the Angels, his ministering spirits, to work his will; but men also at his commandment, to execute his just wrath; not only against their enemies, and such as they hated, but even against their friends and companions, as did the Midianites in the days of Gideon. He (such is his power) can cast down hailstones upon his adversaries to destroy them, as they did against the five Kings that were gathered against Joshua. He can cause them to hear a noise of chariots, and horses, and a great army, as he did for Samaria aga • nst the Syrians, so that they fled for fear. Yea what thing is there so weak or base, that he cannot make strong or valiant, to work his will. The frogs, flies, lice, yea the ashes or dust under our feet, are mean creatures and contemptible. But God by them made the stubborn and hard heart of Pharaoh to yield. Worthely therefore we yield unto him the power and might, who because he doth but speak the word, and things are effected, therefore doth even what himself willeth. So that we justly may say as Christ hath taught us, thine is power.

Thirdly we ascribe unto him glory, that is, honor, laude, and praise. Because he wisely governeth the whole world, and mightily disposeth of all things, as it seemeth good to him: we do therefore confess most willingly, that not unto us, but to his name the praise must be given. The sum therefore of this conclusion is, that GOD rightfullie may, and mightelie doth, dispose of all things; and therefore that the glory of all our actions belongeth unto him, and no other.

And we must mark this word for, which showeth that the words following are a reason of that which went before. We seem therefore in the shutting up of this prayer, to declare what it is that hath imboldened us to call upon him. Even this, because kingdom is his, and therefore nothing ca •• e be done, but at his appointmente. Power is his, and therefore we can have no help, but from him. Glory is his, and therefore cannot be yielded to our selves, for any our doings, or to any other creatures whatsoever. Here therefore we learn a most necessary lesson, which the LORDE GOD for his great mercies sake, imprinte in the hearts of them that call upon the name of the LORDE, that they may learn to depart from that great iniquity, wherewith the world hath been, and yet is, most dangerously infected. For we have in our necessities, distress or danger, vowed our vows unto them that were no God's, that if they would deliver us, we would be thankful for it, and offer some token of thankfulness unto them. We have prayed unto them, as if they could help us. We have vowed our selves before them, as if they had been God's. We have put in them too much trust and confidence, as if they had been able to do us good. Yea, before stocks and stones, the work of some carpenter or Mason, with the help of a Painter, we have said even before the Images of men or women, without regard of what sex or sort they are, Our father.

But here our Savior CHRIST in these words teacheth us, that we cannot confidentlye call upon any for help or succor, but only upon him to whom kingdom, power, and glory belongeth, that is upon God only. Let them then that do please themselves so well, in their invocation of Saints or other creatures, bring forth and set before us any creature in heaven and earth, any Angel or Archangel, any Sainte departed man or woman, that can truly challenge to themselves kingdom, power, and glory; then may they with the better assurance call upon such, if also they have any warraunte out of the word of GOD, that such will have a Father-like love and care over them. But kingdom, power, and glory belong to GOD only, and therefore our prayers also, cannot well and Christianlike be made or directed to any other. And thus much for the instruction or lesson that here we have to learn.

We have also out of this comfort or consolation, in that we▪ who in the b • ginning assured our selves of his Fatherly love towards us, do now also know his power and might that he hath to do us good. So that as we may rightly and truly persuade our selves, that he will help us because he hath a Fatherly affection unto us: so we may assure our selves likewise, that he can do us any good, that we stand in need of, because that all kingdom, power, and glory is his, and therefore all things are at his commandemente. And thus much as it pleased God to direct my pen, have I thought good to set down, for the explanation of that, which we commonly call the Lord's prayer.

Now I beseech thee (O Christian Reader) to consider well with thyself, how necessary an exercise prayer is for us, who here as Pilgrimes and strangers▪ do travel in this vale of misery, where we find many wants, fall into many dangers, are swallowed up of many griefs, and compassed about on every side, with many lusts, that fight against our soul. In all which calamities, we have no supply, safety, comfort, or defense but in flying to our heavenly Father, making our moan, & uttering our complaints unto him, and as it were shaddowing our selves, under the protection of his wings. Neither can we do this, but by humbling our selves before the throne of grace, by our fervent and faithful prayers, crying not in words only, but in heart especially, Our Father which art in heaven.

And because above all things God's glory must be sought for; let us as we are here taught first and for most pray, that our good and gracious God▪ will so direct our hearts, our mou • hes, and all the members of our body that in thought, word, and deed, we may seek everyone of us, in our vocation and place, and according to the talent committed unto us to glorify his holy name, yielding our selves to be governed in all things by him, and that we may study to the uttermost of our power, and employ our whole endeavor to advance his kingdom; submitting our wills unto his most holy will, in all our conversation.

And let it not content us when we have thus prayed as in this prayer we are taught: but let us also examine without partiality, whether we have according to the trust committed to us, sincerely sanctified God's name, enlarged his kingdom, and obeyed his will, according to the authority, power, learning, wisdom or wealth bestowed upon us: that if we find our selves short in any duty, prince or subject, of high or low degree, learned or unlearned, we may know & confess, that to beg of God, that which our selves do not with our whole might strive to further; is to bewray the weakness of our prayers, that they come not from the good treasure of a sanctified heart▪ and to discover our own hypocrisy.

Or if we ask the things that perta •• e to us, whether belonging to this life present, or else those most excellent graces, of forgiveness of sins, and sanctification of God's spirit, to keep us frō sin: we must always remember, that to prayer, we most join practice of holy obedience and Christian life, that we may pour forth our prayers not only with lifting up of pure hands, but also with a cōfident demauding, which a good conscience maketh to God. By this means it shall come to pass, that as our adversaries will drive us to use that comfortable remedy of prayer, whereby we shall think our selves well quieted, when we have made our moan to our heavenly Father: so our petitions, proceeding from such a sanctified heart, shall be acceptable to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, being seasoned and mad • savory and sweet▪ with those sweet Odours, that were given to that Angel with the golden censer that he should off • r with the prayers of all Saints. To the which Angel, even the Angel of the covenant, Christ Jesus, with the Father and the h • lie Ghost, be all honor, power, and glor • e now and ever: Amen.