An Exposition Upon the Lords Prayer

TO THE KINGS MAIESTIE.

I Present unto your HIGHNES, an Exposition of the L. Prayer, recorded in S. Mat. 6. even as I spake it for sum of matter. Many were desirous to have it printed. And for that I thought your MAIESTIE the fittest judge, for the commodity of your people. For a Rabbin who wrote from Constantinople seven year ago, to be taught from England, I would print it in Hebrew, if your MAIESTIE will give me leave to go to Germany, where my Librarie yet is; and some works which our Printers cannot set forth for want of skil & letters. And I most humbly crave leave to go thither, & to print for truth of Religion, all that my occasions suffer, for English, Hebrew, & Greek.

O UR Speach with God requireth all the grace that words can afford: and because of our selves we have no skill that way: the Son of GOD teacheth us, what words we may safely use; and declare that the holy Spirit was out teacher. So we may judge by the light that God planted in our souls, when we came into the world: by which we may try, what is light, and from God: and what is darkness, and from Satan.

When God speaketh, he speaketh to the heart of all men: and as an hammer breaketh stones, so his word maketh hearts to yield: that appeareth in all parts of God's word, specially in this Form of prayer. It hath the Consent of all native light, for the open phrase; & more nerely of the Jews Scribes for Divinity, and truly the sum of Christianity: even as the two Tables had of old.

The Law commandeth all good: and here we crave [ 1] grace for to do all that is good: That we may hold GOD [ 2] to be our God, and only : That we regard him as not resemblable by any Image, but as dwelling in light that none can come to; nor imagine what should be like unto [ 3] him: That we neither think nor speak lightly of him, or of his Word, that teacheth of his Nature; but have skil to honor his Name: That we may rest from our own [ 4] works, and keep a continual Sabbath to him: having his kingdom amongst us: as on high he maketh peace, and the mighty Angels do his will.

These Petitions we make for those things which concern God's honor principally.

[ 5] Then follow others for our necessity: That we have a moderate portion, & neither want in scarcity, nor abound in superfluity, but such as serveth our household: that the Officers as Fathers, and the rest as Brethren and Children may live together without sorrow and distress. Now, our sins make a partition between GOD and us: by Rancor, Lust, Theft, Untruth and Avarice: therein, we crave pardon and God's lenity, as we be soft to such as use as amiss. And confess our own weakness under the Aegyptiacall slavery of Satan: and under Tyrantes: such as the Jews felt by Babel, Madai, Javan with Seleuco-lagidae; which as four Beasts made a sea of troubles, till CHRIST brought his kingdom, power and glory over all the world.

This in sum the Lord's Prayer hath: and the two Tables have the same; and as the Tables be answerable one to the other, so is our Lord's prayer unto both. The Law commandeth all that may be known on done: and this prayer desireth full grace for so much. And as all the five Books of Moses, yea, & the Prophets, are but a Commentary upon the Law: so all the New Testament is a Commentary upon the Lord's Prayer▪ and both are pure as silver tried seven times in a vessel of fined earth: wherefore we must examine what is dross here, (by our corrupterror) and remove all such from the pure Metall, that is from God. And we shall need fire of trial, for the Hebrews, the old Scribes and Rabbin's with their side, who have continued over the world, a great part of them dealers with the Law, and to which tenor of speech the New Testament if fitted; they hold the phrases all, as all the terms of the Law, no less then we do: but they deny the pour of them. Therefore they must be better examined: and that will we do by God's help in this sort.

First, considering the knowledge and honor of God • next, our need and distress: and still compare the Lord's prayer with the Dealogue.

Our first speech here, is of GOD: how, we do acknowledge him: we say, O our Father: much try all there must be of this world, before the pure meaning appeareth. The Heathen Philosophers could say; Zeup • te • Jupiter, the Father 〈◊〉 yet they were godless in this world. Also the Jew saith good words from holy Moses, but not 〈◊〉 understood: Thou art our Father, Isa. 63 • 10. and again: Is not he thy Father • De • t▪ 3 • , • . yet both these sorts petish forever because they know not the Father.

Now, the first degree of Father is most holy in this sentence: There be three, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, and these three be one: so the Father is relative to the SON, called the WORD, as in Prov. 30. Who went up to heaven, and came down, who gathereth the wind in his fist, who bound up the waters in a garment: who hath set the borders of the earth: what is HIS Name, and the Name of his SONNE, if thou knowest it. Here we have Father in the highest degree, and the SONNE coeternal: who with the SPIRIT eternal, all three, one infinite Nature created the world. They that miss of Fatherhood in this sense, know not God: and they cannot be saved.

In another sense, Father, is the ateribute of God, without distinction of Person, as JEHOVAH (in Hebrew) & ELOHIM: which two names must be expounded, that all three may be better understood.

ELOHIM is the first name, that the Creator of all hath in the Scripture: and in notation it betokeneth MIGHTIE, and in form a plurality; EL-HEM one mighty nature be They. They Jew, Rabbi Bochai upon Gen. 1. confesseth so much, and bringeth the like mysteries from, Eccles. 1 • . Remember thy CREATORS in the days of thy youth. &c. and from Isai. 54. JEHOVAH thy MAKERS. Of old time the Scribes of Doctors of Iehuda held the Trinity, until stubbornness against the Redeemer drew them to extremity of blindness: Since, they disturb all, and they bred Arians. But the old Rabbins held it not strange to hear of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in the Unity of Godhead, and in ELOHIM, EL-HEM one mighty Nature be they.

JEHOVAH, likewise is of them held in most high and holy reverence: and where CHRIST the great GOD saith, Deut. 18. Thou shalt perfect with JEHOVAH thy GOD, he saith, Matth. 5. Ye shall be perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect. So we see Father to be used for JEHOVAH. Now, the term JEHOVAH must be considered: though no tongue can tell fully the force of it; Being, and giving the Being to all things, and ruling all in order, and performer of promise, doth it betoken. In the narration of Moses, how all the frame of the world was made, still until the whole host of heaven and earth was finished, the name ELOHIM only was used: But when the perfect Being had appearance, then the Creator is termed JEHOVAH ELOHIM. S. Paul translateth it, Who only hath immortality, as Elohim, who is only Mightie.

Eusebius hath from some ancient Grecian, the sweetest Epigram, that ever was made, which cannot be referred to my knowledge, but to Jehovah, though in Greek it cannot be sounded. Thus it standeth as from God speaking of himself.

Some holy Jew that respected, the thrice holy Name JEHOVAH, seemeth to be the Father of this Epigramme: (as they had of ancient time very learned men in the Greek tongue) cited in Clemens, Eusebius, and in Anthologia.

Now by this which hath been spoken, we see the term Father, the term Elehim, and Jehovah, how they be all one.

Also that JEHOVAH is spoken of CHRIST, Isat. 6, 9. and John 12, 41. do show: and that CHRIST is Jehovah, even the Talmud granteth from Ier. 23, and again 31. I will raise unto David the Brightnes the lust: and the name by which they shall call him, is Jehovah our righteousness: so we see how the first word in holy Prayer, & of the Decalogue, to be all one.

Here we acknowledge the true God, the Eternal of Nature and counsel: Creator and governor of all things: and holy Justice, and unspeakable mercy: and all truth in all 〈◊〉 honoreth these names • as errors and heresies, argue their authors not to know the name of God.

Now for the term Father, in respect of Creature, we must weigh the use. The Stars (the Angels) be called the sons of God, Job. 3. 8. When the morning stars were glad together, and the sons of God shouted. So the Angels, which were created with the light the first day: they are the sons of Them; the Mightie, the Trinity. These Angels saw the frame of Meteores, and distinction of waters, fish, fonles, and beasts, how they could not serve their turn. And when man was made, though of the slime of the earth, yet in soul equal he was to Angels, in wi • re to give names to Creatures. And therefore, when God gave his Angels charge to serve man, that he should not hurt his foot against a stone; all should have known, that he made his Angel spirits, and his Ministers a fla ••• of fire. But some of them disdained to mark, how all was made for man, and rebelled against JEHOVAH E • OU • M; & disturbed all the course of wisdom, and brought man to rebellion, and all the Creature subject unto groaning: whereupon a new course is manifested; that the SONNE of God should take the nature of man, to be our brother, that God might be his Father, as he is man, and ours for him, who came to perform obedience unto death, to give life: presently for our souls passing hence to heaven when they leave the body, as he through the Vail of his flesh entered into the joy of the Father: and they who stubbornly deny that, can have no hope of salvation. And by his Resurrectiō our bodies shall arise in the later day; all of both sots: as in our death of body all souls return to God that gave them, to abide judgment for every hid thing good or evil.

On high, be places of light and joy, called heaven: On high, be places of torment called Hell: the separation is large enough, that the one cannot pass to the other. The general name is common to both, THE WORLD OF SOVLS, to the Jews, who knew that all souls ascend out of this world: & HADES, or unknown place, to heathen, who knew not anything out of this world, but thought, there were beyond the gates of the sun, as Homer speaketh, or out of the light of the sky, places of distinct state, garden for the godly, and Tartarus prison for the wicked. Then Heathen took not Heaven as we do, for a place of God's glory, out of this world, but for some part of the starry sky; as Justin Martyr disputeth against them. But the Scripture lifteth us above the heaven of the air, and heaven of stars, into a third heaven: unto that our Lord w • nt from the cross: unto that S. Paul was taken up: and all saythfull shall have a Tabernacle there, when this earthly dwelling is dissolved. The Thief knew, that our Lord's soul should go hence thither as all just: and our Lord doth confirm him therein.

This course the Creater took, taking our nature unto him, to be our brother, that we may by his spirit cry, Abba Father. In this sense we cry Abba Father, and Elohim, and Eternal, and O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.

Israel felt by an outward blessing of deliverance from Egypt, the spiritual deliverance from Hel, by JEHOVAH, the Eternal: which none other could perform, that he should be their Father, and they should have no other Elohim, mighty defender but him: & that he only should be the hearer of their prayer. and thus the term Father, and Jehovah, and Elohim, our mighty Judge and defender, sound one and the same thing.

We trespass deadly, when we pray to any other against the Law: Him only shalt thou serve; upon which Law, the Scribes sitting upon Moses chair, say thus: we have been taught from age to age, that this worship is Prayer: David confirmeth this, saying: Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will hear thee: and thou shalt worship me: and our Lord more expressly in this chap. When ye pray, pray unto your Father which is in heaven. And neither the holy Apostles ever, not the common Jews at this day, in their Synagogue, pray but unto the Creator. The Jews know him not: yet hold the general of praying, only to God, as the holy Doctors, Simeon, Zechariah, and our Lord his Kinred in S. Luke chap. 3. and Matth. 1. professed openly. And as he that sacrificed unto any, but unto God, was to be destroyed as cursed: So, the greater subduction of honor from God, maketh one more cursed. But prayer is more then sacrifice. Therefore the giving of the greater to a Creature is more cursed.

By this, the Pseudo-Catholics must confess they have no hope of salvation: darkening knowledge by words will nothing help their turn: Their heart telleth them that they have small hope in God, that seek to Creatures: whereas God dwelleth in light, that none can come to: & Creatures know not the heart of man, nor how God pitieth or hardeneth, to show his most wise government of the world. So they cannot call upon him, whom they know not: and miss of the true Father, as Bastards: and they miss willfully: and grope like the blind at noon day.

Now the term our, protesteth, that we will have no other Elohim, but him: none other Patrons for our life and soul, but him, who is our Creator: by him we came into the World: to his providence only we commit our state: his Angels pitch their tents about us, when he commandeth: but not any our supplication to them. When Abraham with his own family fought against four kings, he trusted only in God: and as God would, the Angels fought for him; not by any prayer unto them: Neither did he pray eure unto Adam, or Enoch, whom he knew to be in Paradise: but made God only his Judge.

On earth Ciuil Magistrates be Elohim: and the Angels also be so called, as Psal. 97, 7. Let all the Elohim worship him. But for Civil Officers, so far they must be followed, (even the heathen) as they hold the Law of nature.

In assemblies of God's people, which may make judges of their own; it is unlawful to plead before infidels: Moses Bxod. 18. telleth that; where the Rulers must be men of religion towards God: & also the Talmud teacheth the same: and God confirmeth it, 1 Cor. 6. saying, Dare any of you plead before Infidels.

But here come doubts, because God saith: Thou shalt make unto thee, a King of thy Brethren. The Jews held it unlawful to obey heathen: and often rebelled against oth: as did Zedekiah against Nebucadnetzar: and Theudas and Barcosba against the Romans: yet the Talmud taught: that whē the Jews admitted once the coin of any prince, therein they acknowledged him their governor: and our Lord confirmeth that acknowledgment, upon the image & superscription of Caesar. And full often doth S. Paul teach,that obedience, & S. Peter omitteth not the same doctrine: both foresaw, that as the Jews rejected Governors, because they would judge in their own laws: so in time Scholers would among us: pretending that Politicians in heathon studies were not fit. But Christianity having no new matter, but the Incarnation of the Angel of our Covenant, the Eternal king of glory, and his Resurrection: having, I say, no new matter but that, wherein the world would staggar, suffereth not Scholars to bear such sway: but requireth others, Politiciās always to be Bishops in their Paroches, to censure the Messengers of the Church; who should read learnedly the Bible: (which few can do, and which labor spendeth all a man's youth) And all the sage should speak upon request: and the rest judge. In such assemblies, one day might open all the Bible: while plain matters be only touched, and only difficulties be handled. But men love darkness: and will have other Elohim then God willeth.

And whereas God saith: Thou shalt not make unto thee Elohim of, gold, Elohim of silver. The Scribes sitting in the chair of Moses truly conclude, that Governors that buy their places, fall to be Elohim of gold and silver. And Episcopy of Elders in policy of God's people made by money, may no more be honored then an Idol.

The heathen known slaves of Satan had outward obedience, till God by Civil Policy, and Constantine might did fell them: and so Elohim of gold may have in Courts, but as men ha •• of all true hearts; and men hateful unto God, as Idols. But the true Officer is worthy of double honor: as the Prince Theophilus to whom God, dedicated two parts of the N. Testament: that all should follow such a Bishop, and have no Father, nor Rabbi, but God and his Vicars: whereof Kings & Rulers are the chief Episcopy and Elders: and the Readers of the word, which should be or rare skill: yet are superiors only in diligence.

Al Jews towns had Ros Ielibah, an head of their council, Episcopus, Tzophe: as Antigonus successor to Alexander Macedon, was holden Tzopheh, or Episcopus of Asia. But none of the Jews Episcopy ruled saving for one voice; and so far he was Elohim. When Ananias went further, S. Paul gave him over to God's eternal curse: and he and his son Eleazar authors of Rebellion, brought Jerusalem to be Iebus again, and trodden down, while they knew not Elohim.

And thus much for the names that warn of right knowledge of God.

For God his honor two warnings are given: the one for the eyes, the other for the tongue: but both depend upon the heart. Now God dwelleth in light, that none can come to: and would by the frame of the world teach us of his eternal pour and Godhead. But our sloth, admiring the Creature, will worship him by that. So the stars were Heathens gods; so the form of a man's body is the Papists: against that, CHRIST engraved the Law in stone: Thou shalt not make unto thyself any graven Image or likeness of anything, that is in heaven or earth, or the seas, which the shore keepeth in the lower channel.

God requireth the pains of the mind to think upon him, and to follow his Word: and none of that course can abide Idols: neither did Idol-knights ever admire God's nature or love his Word. Nothing in the air, our next heaven, or among the starry heaven, is like unto him: but we must ascend into the third Heaven, above all this visible world, unto an unspekable light, to think well of God: and in that light God is invisible, and thence bringeth his hid Counsels into light, for them that in mind worship him: others be Batts and Mould-warts.

And when we say, that our Father is in the third heaven, we proclaim rejection of all that worship images, as not being the children of God. So we here go above all eyesight: and ascend in our minds, above this visible world, unto the world of Souls: whither all ascend, either to joy in the light of God, in heaven, and Paradise: or to woe of darkness of Hell and Torment. All that in light of mind will not ascend to heaven, shall ascend to the throne of God to hear condemnation, & to have on high a place of woe forever and ever.

In the days of Enoch men corrupted the calling upon God's name, giving stars his glory: but the flood taught them the penalty, when their bodies became wrinkled by waters: and their spirits went up to eternal prison. So Babel was built to the worship of stars, because men that made their bellies their god, would, and could not with their heavy hearts ascend the heavens, but by tongues exhorted unto Idols name, & easy devotion: For that, God did cut them off from Adams tongue, and hope of his life forever: saving the few that would endure the minds pains, to search how God in Christ reconciled the world unto himself. And God so hated the heathen, that he gave by Moses an hedge of Laws to keep Israel from amity with them: even for the very powling the head, that they should not be like the Arabians, as Maymony full well expoundeth that Law, Levite. 19. and all should still shun the garment polluted by the fleshly minded men.

A further pains of the mind, is required for the honor of God: to sanctify his name: and the Law forbidding to take his Name in vain, includeth that in a Commandment, Now all God's doctrine is called his Name: all holy speeches of him: In his LAW shall the nations trust. Isa. 42. In his NAME, saith Matth. 12. The Attributes, ELOHIM, JEHOVAH, EL-SHADDAI, ADONAI, • AH, TZVR: the Mightie, the Eternal, the All-sufficient, the Stay of the World, the Giver of life and breath, the Rock, & such: these are abridgements of the Bible, and the Bible a Commentary upon them. So, by NAME, all holy doctrine is contained: and we pray for knowledge in it; as the Law maketh all guilty, that taketh his NAME in vain.

Herein standeth the greatest care of true Christian Policy: how all congregations may have many Bishops to sanctify God's Name: to know the truth, and to speak it with fear and care. In this standeth only the joy of our souls: and it were better for us, that we were never born, then to miss of this: for the price is Gehenna.

While the families, that hoped in Christ were few: that one Bishop might teach them, the Law was not written: Sem, Arphaxad, Selah, Heber, Abraham, and his sons by Returah, (whence Job was) Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, taught theirs the redemption by word of mouth, & equity by the Law of nature. But when Israel multiplied, a few suffised not to be Bishops, then a Law was written: and all Israel forty years had leisure to learn it. And Levites were the common Bishops in the land: as Bishop Eleazar, special one. PAKID, a man of charge, is Episcopus in the LXX. & 1 Timoth. 3. But not Levites only were learned. Al Paroches through the twelve Tribes had their Doctors of their own: and all of Israel often, and no Levite: as some were only of Levites in their 48 towns lotted to Levi: and the high Council might be all of Israel, or all of Levi, as it should fall out. The Synagogues or Paroches had nothing to do with sacrifice: nor had any ceremony of Levi: no cope of Linnen, as Aaron, neither linen: only one shirt, a Girdle, and a Cap, as Levites in the Temple. Neither might they anymore imitate Aaron's attire, then they might sacrifice there.

In their Synagogues they read the Law, and all saving hand-laborers, thrice a week from Childhood frequented Divinity-schools. Of them the chief were chosen to rule, and to teach after Angelus Ecclesiae had read: or they might by sage leave read: after reading, the chosen to rule: and to teach, called Elders or Bishops, desired the best in esteem to speak: or, after often approbation they might offer their payns. And this Policy, Luc. 4. and 1 Corin. 14. alloweth. So reason bred this policy: and the holy Nation practiced the same 1400 years; knowing it a hard point to sanctify God's Law: and to beware the taking of God's Name in vain.

Many high poyn • s stand herein. The truth of the Texts of both Testaments: for the pureness of Copies, and the right helps for understanding, & the sufficiency of God's Word for salvation: these be the chiefest: and all deceived kingdoms are cursed for missing herein: and the best may begin to look better about them. And all of wealth must know, that their bent must be to know, how to sanctify God's name: As rash swearers so all deceived do take God's name in vain. Wherefore all that are of ability, should from youth know the Law: and all well might by skillful guides: and a kingdom of Glory must have many glorious in it: and they be simple, that hope by bare hearing of Sermons to become learned. As many Gentlemen spend their time to sanctify God's name, so all should, & the most part would, if Teachers learned before they taught.

The effect of this maketh the kingdom of heaven to be amongst us: that men should obey God in CHRIST on earth, as the Angels obey, being sent out ministering spirits for them, that shall inherit salvation. For that, we have one day in the Law, the seventh day, which Adam kept, and all the Fathers, til in Egypt they forsook Gode. Then they found by Manna not rained, that day which was the sabbath: and they are commanded to remember, and keep that Day holy. And that day our Lord rested wholly in the grave, and so finished the Ceremony. And his resurrection bringing light into the world, made the day where in God said; Let there be light; as it was the first in order, to be also the first in dignity.

In the beginning, the first day after Adam fell, Adam bestowed in sacrifice to meditate on Christ his Rest: and the first day, after performance of that Rest, became the LORD'S DAY: which Angels with most comfortable joy celebrate in the Gospel: and in which our Lord often shown himself, wherefore the Church kept it Act. 20. and Apoc. 1. our Lord appeared unto John in Patmos, and took away the covering from all the Bible, on that day, being called the LORD'S Day. So the same authority, which appointed Adam, the next day to his fall to Rest in hope of Christ: appointeth us the next to our Lord's Rest performed most absolutely.

Adam was to study upon the Creation, which his fall brought under vanity, and upon the hope of better Rest. And we are to joy in the day of our Light manifested unto the world, and a plain token of the new world. So the Jews Sabbath and ours, tend both to one and the same purpose, though the day be altered.

And their universal consent standeth from Moses plain narration, for the word of not eating of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil, and Satan's reply, and the eating, and sentences, and loss of Paradise; that all fell the same day, the first day of man: and accordingly at noon day, our Lord on the tree began the Combat with Satan, and at the cool of the day went into his kingdom, through the veil of his flesh; leaving this world, which the Latin heathen call, Descendere ad Inferos: the Greeks, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : the Jews to return to God, or, to asceud. And they are barbarous babes, that know neither Latin, Creek nor Hebrew, nor Divinity, whither just souls were to go.

The term Kingdoms, is taken in three degrees: 1. For God's pour over all: 2. for his mercies manifestation: and 3. for the happy state of glory in heaven. But all go by knowledge together: they which know God aright as Governor, will embrace him as a Redeemer; and shall find him an eternal comforter. For these degrees we pray; but the second is most of difficulty for the mind to go up to heaven to bring Christ down, and to go to the deep, to bring Christ from the dead: and to die with Christ: and to seek those things which are above: Therefore God's pour in Christ, is by the noblest part called, the kingdom of Heaven.

And the government in the Gospel affairs to cherish and rule men in the Church is the policy of heaven. The Jews though they, many of them, knew not the person of Christ; yet they had & have all, that the Apostles teach: and therefore therein no strife was in all the N. Testament: both sides held the same mind for the Old Testament: and differed not for one letter. Both held the same Common places from Moses: and agree, saving in Traditions, and about MESSIAH: but for government they agreed: Archysynagogus, Readers of the Law and prophets, the qualities of a Bishop or Elder, the providing for the poor, the manner of excommunication, and absolution, the Laws to bridle Elders from tyranny: all these are the same in both: and reason requireth so much, and will suffer no more in effect.

And our Policy might soon come in equity nere this, if all Bishops were as many be: and they which worst may would not be holden the Candle. A translation by consent & study of all, & prayers from very Scripture might be sone afforded, and unlawful, imitation of Aaron's attire might be left with ease: and these points most vex us, wherein many Bishops never made any stir.

Both equally held that the Vestments of the Temple might not come into the synagogue; and for the Temple all were put away, when our Lord was put in grave. So the Laws of this Kingdom be plain. But the study of the Word for the Hebrew Testament, and the Greek Testament, as we carry our course is infinite: yet by conference of the N. Testament with Hebrews, most easy & pleasant. And a learned Jew would tell whom the Apostles express in all their speachcs: so shining be the Teachers of this Kingdom.

And thus much for the Petitions: and Precepts tending directly to the knowledge and honor of God.

Order biddeth to handle next, the things that succor all our distress: For which we pray that ability be given us, by giving good, or forgiving ill: as the Law giveth charge, so to do. We are commanded, to honor our Father and Mother: that is to show them all care, and performance of good. So Abraham shown Terah how the God of glory appeared unto him; and drew him from Mesopotamia to Haran, to go for Canaan, to be partaker of all his good. So Moses tendered Jethro, and shown what good he should have by joining to Israel.

Now this cannot be performed between kindred, unless outward ability be reasonable: for that, we pray for sufficient food, that neither abundance drive us to height of mind; nor want, to anger against God: Agur the son of Iakeh, so prayed, Pro •• 30 Provertie or riches give me not: nourish me with bread of fit measure for me. That very phrase the Holy Spirit translateth from the Proverbs to this place 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by a new framed word, plain by Comparison, with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 abundant, and by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 absence, being between both, as limited by both. Agur giveth a reason of his demand, for mean wealth: saying, least I be full, and lie, and say, who is the Lord: or least I be poor and steal: and contemn the name of my God.

As every particular should rest in mean wealth, whole states should do the like. Israel learned that, by the Manna, where the much diminished, and the little sufficed. And all Judah's policy required the same: that the rich should help the poor: so that riches could not be great. And the Heathen Porphyri, cited by Euscbius teacheth that of the Jews policy, the content of riches was practiced in the whole tenor of it. Yet the mistrustful heart of man, is wholly set upon storing up. And the Pharisees pretending contempt of the world, loved silver notably: to whom the Parable of hospital Abraham and Lazar or Eleazar, that made God his helper, and of the Rich in flames was propounded. And upon this matter our Lord speaketh much hereafter, in the sweetest speeches that ever were spoken: as, Store not upon the earth: but store in heaven: care not for meat, drink and clothing: look upon the fowls, & consider the lilies, seek for the Kingdom of heaven.

The enemies of Christ in the Talmud Ierusalemie, have this saying stolen from our Gospel, in these words of Monabases son to King Agrippa, in abridgment thus; The friends chide him for giving all to the poor: He said▪ My Fathers stored for earth, I store for heaven: my Fathers stored where hand hath stroke; I store where hand hath no stroke; my Fathers stored Mammona; I store for souls: This saith Ierusalemie stealing wit from our Gospel. So we desire our daily food in competent sort, to recompense them, whose care preserveth us; as our Parents, and the state wherein we live.

Against this we trespass, when by pretence of Religion we overthrow civil policy, as the Pope doth, and all that holy and whit of his in part. Religion should be so cleared, that all by twenty years of age might be eunning in all the Bible: that every Officers should be as duty and name requireth a Bishop. One hour would utter many more direct Positions for the Bible, then all our Bishops yet knew: if hateful dealing hindered not, and unthankful envy. If one will, one will hazard all upon this.

Further Trespas is in Covet, in all trades: and the greatest in Students: who commonly for errors become wealthy: men of true learning little care for wealth, because they regard God: as Joshua, that sought for himself no part of the Land: and for the contrary, S. James told the Jews, how they fed themselves, as to the day of slaughter. So the true regard of honoring Parents and the State should define our daily bread.

And men of State are equally limited by Law: the King may not multiply horses, not multiple money: but as all Israel trusted in God to keep their towns, when thrice a year they went to Jerusalem: And God taught Heathen by Pharaoh and Sennacherib, not to seek destruction: so God's favor, not horses should be the strength of a Kingdom. The Hebrews limit the Kings money, even so much as payeth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the wages for his servants: store will be a sore.

Isaiah blameth Judah in Azariahs days for multiplying horses and money. And in his last year telleth of ten calamities and utter ruyn, which hastened one after another, most vehement upon the trusters in their own strength: Ahaz lost 120000 in one battle: Hezekiah twice felt Assur heavy: Manasseh was in Babel prisoner; Ammon died by sword: good Josiah by an arrow: Ioachaz soon is captive, and dead: Joakim is buried like an Ass: Iehojachin had 37 years imprisonment: & Zedekiah would see nothing, till he had his eyes plucked out: And the whole nation lost their Temple, City and Land: wealth & pride, for horses and money brought all this. So all States should rest in their daily bread to honor the whole government in competent sort.

An other extremity is here, Contemt of due care: Idle folk and hinderers of the common good, be as hurtful, as covetous deceitful Scholars: & should be holden as wicked as they, and each one, & Public men chiefly, should sweat, to employ all to the best. And hence floweth that care for Colonies, for which India giveth place: And an honorable thing it is, for our solie the ends of the earth, the possession of Christ, to benifite others and our selves: when our Teachers be learned in troupes, as many be in deed: this course will avoid a course.

And thus much for our distress, holpen by giving good. Forgiving ill, cometh after it.

The Law saith: Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt not desire, &c. For all this the Law is spiritual: and unjust anger is guilty before the high Sanhedrin: & the Lust by sight is adultery: & deceit by sleight, as in Preachers chiefly is theft: and all Covet in condemnation. For this we condemn all of Adam, that they offend us, and we them: and we pardon them, considering the common misery: and so crave pardon of God, as we pardon them. And herein we consider the cause of our fall: for murdering hate: for adulterous desire: for thievish sophistry, for lying falsehood, and desiring more then our own.

Outward occasions tempt our weak natures; and to God we pray, that he would deliver us from them. God tempteth no man to ill: but he tempteth all men by outward trials: and unless God help us, by Satan's whelps we will be soon caught: from him we pray to be delivered: as in all things he is brsie: by reason that all in the world, Is the desire of the eye, the desire of the flesh, and the pride of life: whence we are at war with our selves. And thus, prayer for grace, and commandment for duty have been compared.

Now followeth a conclusion of most glorious style: For thine is the kingdom, the pour and glory, forever and ever: this Conclusion cometh most goodly, and most godly: and when we mark whence it cometh, a world of knowledge cometh with it. But first we have a great Combat for the possession of it. The Pope his Latin Translation hath it not: he disputeth that it should be a trifling addition by Gregory Martyn: & his Arabic Translation printed at Rome hath it not and our Communion book (for which our Right Reverend Fathers too much contend) hath it not. And one Greek Coppie in the French Librarie, cited R. Ste. had it not: what shall we then say to it, if it be no part of the Bible, it is wicked to say, our Lord spake it: and by our BB. subscription it is evident that we have not a New Testament. The sewes say for the Testament in Ierusal. Saned. A Testament that faileth in part, faileth in all. Wherefore our Bishops must herein leave the Pope: and he must looth himself.

And thus standeth the Case: strong by copies, and stronger by matter: first, of sixteen Copies in the French Librarie, cited by Ro. Stephen fifteen had this clause: and reason might tell, some trifler left it out, either by the Latin: or by not knowing why S. Luke left it out: But all of judgment know, that abridgers in Scripture be short. And S. Luke in the blessings hath but five of the whole. And from the first Narrator, matters are to be had: as even the Pope standeth to his Latin for S. Matthew.

Besides, the Arabic written Translations, one which I have, brought lately from the East: another which the worthy renowned Arias Montanus lent the learned Printer Raphelingius, these have the saying: Thyne is the Kingdom, the pour, and glory, forever and ever.

And here cometh the Pope to judgment, how his Arabic Coppie should not agree with the Greek: seeing other Copies do: if Copies common have that sentence, how should his miss it. The Arabic notation is plain, and void of schooltricks: and seeing their Translations that are abroad have this clause, reason telleth that the Greek Originals, that went over Arabia had it: as all the usual in the West. Besides the Chaldi Ethiopian printed at Rome hath this: and the nation was large, reaching over East & South. So millions of Original Greek Copies in those quarters are supposed to have the same. Also the Siriaque Translation hath, Thine is the Kingdom, the Pour and Glory, forever and ever: so millions then held it part of the New Testament: and hold the Pope a Corrupter. And Theophilact in Greek printed at Rome 1542, hath the sentence. So by number of voices it standeth as God's word.

And better by matter; for when the four fierce beasts, Daniel 7. had taken away the holy Jews Kingdom, One like a SONNE OF MAN cometh in the clouds of heaven: and goeth again to the everlasting in days: and to him is given kingdom, power, and glory over all nations. There is a plain prophecy of the Incarnation and Ascension of our Lord: and soon after, the year of his death is told: and withal a return from Babel, by hope in his blood: as from Egypt by the blood of a Lamb. And so this sentence containeth all the Gospel. And if God had not spoken it, man had never thought of it. But now we see a most glorious Conclusion, and fit for his wisdom, whom all Nations, People, and Tongues should honor. To whom be all glory forever. Amen.

A direct Explanation of the Article of our Lord's souls departure from this world.

T HE Holy Ghost teacheth plainly, that our Lord his soul went from his body into the hands of God, for so he saith: O Father into thy hands I commend my spirit. And so the faithful Thief believed, when he said: O Lord remember thou me, when thou cemest in to thy Kingdom. He as the Scribes and Doctors believed, that all faithful souls go from this world unto the joys of God, which place they call Paradise. And that belief our Lord confirmed, saying: This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. And S. Paul speaketh to the Hebrews: that, through the veil of his flesh he went into the holy Place, into Heaven.

Common speech called the place of the stars, Heaven: and because it is the beauty of the visible world, they held it the fittest term to express the world, where God shown himself, to the blessed in joy, before his throne: And the cursed which are there, have a place of torments; called by a borrowed speech, Gehinnam, the Valley of Hinnom; that was properly a place near Jerusalem, where children were brent to Molesh: and being a most miserable place was fit to show the seat of them, which have ascended hence to God's throne, to abide a judgment unto eternal pains: & be tormented before God and Lam forever and ever.

All souls of men ascend: and none ever descended: but as death his inferior to life, it is termed a descent: and the going from a place lower of esteem, is called a descent: as, from Jerusalem to Samaria.

That which Christians call, the world to come, is called of the Jews in their common writings, the world of souls: and of the Grecians of all ages, Hades: And the Philosophers hield it a most happy thing, for a just man to go from this World to Hades.

The Apostles Articles of belief was written in Greek, & according to the Greek it must be expounded. There is Hades, the World of souls: where be distinct places of joy, (for our Lord, and Abraham, & Lazarus, and all the holy) called Heaven: and of sorrow, called Hell. The souls of the one place, know the case of the other. And when we speak of the just, that he is gone to Hades, we mean, that he is gone hence unto the joys of God. And so would all Grecians in the world understand the Christians Symbolum, or badge of our Profession.

When men speak of a horse losing life: they would say, He is dead: when of a man, that hath an immortal soul, He is dead and gone to Hades: the one for the body, the other for the soul.

And Heathen had no greater ground of encouragement to die for their Counttey, then the hope of good in Hades. And hence we must note that our Lord twice ascended: once in soul only from the Cross: the other time in body and soul into the air, and unto the place of joy, where all glory shineth.

The English, He descended into Hel; is as clean contrary to the Greek, which is our ground herein, as black is to white: and as we take Hell, therein we deny our Lord to be the holy one of God, and our foregoer into joy: for he hath said, that none shall pass from the damned, to Abraham. And if we be found to have contrary rules of faith, God will judge us wicked, for professing as Truth matter disagreable.

The mainteyners of the translation, He descended to Hell, should be forced to revoke that, and the high scholars to translate it aright. And as holy Matrons, many of old were prophets, & openly did good, so always they ought to know the truth: and to require where they may, the contrary to be removed.