OF all things, the Seruice of God is the most due, ne­cessary, and profi­table action of a Christian man. Of all Seruices of God, Prayer is the most excellent for many respects, and of all Prayers, the LORDS PRAYER is the most perfit, vsefull and comfortable. That the Ser­uice of God is to be prefer­red [Page 2] to all other actions of a Christian man, no Christian will doubt, the glory of God being the proper ende of mans creation, whom he is ordained to glorifie: First, temporally, during the time of his pilgrimage vpon this earth; and next for euer in his eternall habitation. That Prayer is to be preferred to all other actions of a Chri­stian man, the Commande­ment giuen vs, the excellen­cie of the Action, and the in­finite fruit we receiue by the vse thereof, doth sufficiently prooue it. The Commande­ment, Pray continually; wee [Page 3] are commanded to do no o­ther thing cōtinually, but to pray: all other things haue fit times set for them. Euery thingEccles. 3. hath a time, as Salo­mon sayes, but prayer is bar­red at no time, if a mans zeale kindle his heart, and dispose his thoughts vnto it. And the excellencie of the action is manifest in that, [...]hat, whereas at all other times when wee speake, it is out with men like our selues; wee then by prayer speake with God, and in a maner conferre with him, as halfe Angels for that time, our faith and hope being, by the [Page 4] force of Prayer, stirred vp and enabled to draw God downe to vs, and make him become ours; yea, euen to dwell with vs, that wee may bee his for euer. And as to the infinite fruite wee re­ceiue by the vse thereof, wee are commanded by our Sa­uiour, to aske and it shall be granted vnto vs, to seeke and wee shall finde, to knocke and it shalbe opened vnto vs. IfLuke 6. we aske bread, we shall not haue stones, if wee aske fishes, wee shall not haue serpents, and if wee aske egges, we shall not haue scor­pions. He also tels vs, what [Page 5] things soeuer wee desire when wee pray, so that wee beleeue we receiue them, we shall haue them; Yea, euen wee are commanded to imi­tate the importunitie of theLuke 18. widowe in prayer, with as­surance of the like successe. And if euer this doctrine was needfull in any age, it is most in ours: for now our zeale to prayer is quite dried vp and cooled, and turned toIn this age we content our selues to talke of the Seruice of God in common discourses, but our actions in­tend nothing losse, euery ig­norant wo­man, and ordi­nary crafts­man taking vpon them to interpret the Scriptures, as Ierome com­plaines ad Paulinum. pratling, especially in this Isle, where the Puritans will haue vs hunt for hearing of Sermons without ceasing, but as little prayer as yee wil, turning the commande­ment [Page 6] of the Apostle from Pray continually, to Preach con­tinually, onely obeying ano­ther commandement of the same Apostle, in preaching and exhorting both in season and out of season. Now that the LORDS PRAYER is the most excellent and perfect of all prayers, is agreed vpon by all Christians, euen by the ve­ry rebellious Brownists them­selues (though they will ne­uer say it in their owne pray­ers) the reason is, because it is the onely Prayer that our Sauiour dictated out of his owne mouth, with a pre­cept to vs of imitation. But [Page 7] that foolish ground where­upon the Brownists disobey CHRISTS precept of imitati­on, is onely founded vpon their imitation of their fa­thers, the English Puritans, whome they striue to out­goe in zeale, vpon their own grounds. For our Puritans wil say no set prayer; forsooth,Set formes of Common Prayers haue euer bene ap­pointed. and vsed in all Churches, in all ages. Conc. Mileuit. can. 12. Nec a­liae omnino pre­ces dicantur in Ecclesia, nisi qua à prudentioribus fuerint tracta­ta, vel compro­batae in Synoda fuerint, &c. that is prescribed by their mother the Church, but eue­ry brother must cōceiue one vpon the sudden, and there­fore the Brownists refuse to say the LORDS PRAYER, because it is a sette Prayer, though prescribed by God himselfe, shifting their dis­obedience [Page 8] vpon this aequi­uocation, that they are com­maunded to pray after this manner, but not in the same words, that is, they may pray, or rather sing the des­cant of it, as their owne vaine braines shall please to conceiue it, but not the plain song; they may pray by a Commentary, but not by a Text.Aug. Symb. ad catech. lib. 4. And thus, nec ag­noscunt Deum pro Patre, nec Ecclesiam pro Matre, in setting downe rules vnto them; for in the Text it selfe, S. Luke 11. Christ himselfe prescribeth, Quando oratis, dicite, PATER NOSTER, &c. and indeed our [Page 9] Puritans goe very neere to ioyne with them in blotting out the LORDS PRAYER. For theyThe first yere of my reigne in England at the conference kept at Hamp­ton Court by my appoint­ment, one of the things quarrelled by the Puritanes, in our English Liturgie, was the repetition of the LORDS Prayer. quarrell our Church for hauing it twice sayd in our dayly Common prayer, so as they could bee content with as little of it as may be. But this monstrous conceit ofAbusing that place, Mat. 10.19. dabitur vo­bis in illa hora, &c. conceiued prayers, with­out any premeditation, spoy­leth both Puritans and Brow­nists. I iustly call it mon­strous, since they will haue a thing both conceiued and borne at once, contrarie to nature, which will haue euery thing to lie in the belly of the mother a certaine [Page 10] time after the concepti­on, there to growe and ri­pen before it bee produced, and this is the vniuersall course of nature, aswell in animall as vegetable things, yea, euen in mineralls with­in the bowels of the earth, though the Alchymists, in that poynt agree with the Puritans and Brownists: and indeede, our Puritans may iustly bee called Chymicall do­ctors in Diuinity, with their Quintessence of refined and pure doctrine. And in this, Grace imitates Nature, not producing any perfect work at the first, but by degrees. [Page 11] But in case men might think that I wrong our Puritans, in calling them the Brownists fathers; I must craue leaue of the Reader to digresse here a little, for his better sa­tisfaction in this point. I tolde you already, how that vpon our Puritans ground of reiecting all set prayers, they refuse to say the LORDS PRAYER. And now I am to prooue, how that vpon our Puritans grounds they found their totall separation from vs. Our Puritans are aduerse to the gouernment of Bi­shops, calling it an Anti­christian gouernement, and [Page 12] therefore the Brownists, lest the ruines of Babylon should fall vpon them, will not acknowledge the Bishops, neither in their name or Title, neither in their Tem­porall or Spirituall iurisdi­ction. And our Puritans quarrell with all the Ce­remonies of our Church, that agree not with their taste, because the Church of Rome doth vse them, who (say they) haue polluted them, though they were cleane before, abusing these words in the Canticle of Sa­lomon; These words of the Canticle were alledged in this sence in the Lincoln shire Puritans Petition, pre­sented by themselues vnto me nigra sum, sed formosa; whereupon the Brownists [Page 13] conclude, that they can no longer remaine in the bo­some of that Church, nor sucke her breasts any longer, that is so polluted with An­tichristian superstitions. And this is the true ground of their separation, for these causes, which make our Pu­ritan ministers, desertores of­ficij sui, & gregis eis commissi, seeme to the Brownists a iust ground for going out of our Church: and because that all our goodly materiall Chur­ches were built in time of Popery, and so polluted by the handes of Papists, and with their consecrations and [Page 12] [...] [Page 13] [...] [Page 14] holy water, therefore to the woods and caues must they goe, like outlawes and re­bels, to their Sermons & di­uine exercises, iust building vponCartwright contra Whit­gift. Cartwrights ground; That he that was once a Po­pish Priest, can neuer be ad­mitted to the Ministery in a rightly reformed Church. And thus haue I sufficiently prooued, I hope, that our Pu­ritans are the founders and fathers of the Brownists; the latter onely boldly putting in practise what the former doe teach, but dare not per­forme. And not onely are our Puritans founders and [Page 15] fathers to the Brownists, but vpon their foundation and ground are also built vp all these innumerable Sects of new Heresies, that now swarme in Amsterdam.

For the true visible Church, when shee is in prosperity, as (God be thanked) she is now in this Kingdome, is ciuitas super montem posita, she is sea­ted vpon the top of a steepe hill, where her children must stay and dwell with her; for one step downe may make them slide ouer the preci­pice, where there is no bush nor stay to hold them by, till they fall to the bottom of the [Page 16] hill with all their weight, where lies that vnquencha­ble fiery lake of fire & brim­stone. For although a man that had neuer knowen Christ, being willing to be­come a Christian, must bee well aduised what Church hee will become a member of, if he be not already bred in the bosome of the true Church; and therein he must trust to his owne conscience to beare him witnesse, what Church doeth truely preach the word of saluation, accor­ding to the reuealed will of God, and doth not mixe, and contradict the points of sal­uation [Page 17] conteined in the Scripture, with their owne traditions: For all the points of our saluation are (God be thanked) cleare and plaine in the Scriptures; a lambe may easily wade through that foord, as SaintGreg. in pra­fat. in Iob. Gregory saith: Yet then assoone as he hath thus made his choyce what Church to liue and die in, audi eam, as Christ com­mands: for his conscience in this must onely serue him for a guide to the right Church, but not to iudge her, but to be iudged by her. For hee that will haue God to bee his Father, must also [Page 18] haue the true Church to bee his Mother, asAug. Symb. ad catechum. S. Augustine sayth. Hold fast therefore your profession, as theEph. 4.14. A­postle exhorts vs, and be not caried away with the winde of euery doctrine; nor trust not to that priuate spirit or holy ghost which our Puri­tans glory in; for then a lit­tle fiery zeale will make thee turne Separatist, and thenThis word proceede, is the phrase that these startup Heretikes vse and applie to themselues when they change from one heresie to another, and euer the last prooues the worst. proceed still on from Brow­nist to some one Sect or o­ther of Anabaptist, and from one of these to another, then to become a Iudaized Tras­kite, and in the ende a pro­fane Familist. Thus yee see, [Page 19] how that letting slippe the holde of the true Church, and, once trusting to the pri­uate spirit of Reformation, according to our Puritans doctrine, it is easie to fall and slide by degrees into the Chaos, filthy sinke and farrago of al horrible heresies, wher­of hell is the iust reward.

And now I returne to my purpose, crauing pardon for this digression; for the zeale I haue to preserue the Church from these foxes, and little foxes, Heretikes and Secta­ries, hath enforced mee, that with the Doue tooke this Oliue branch in my mouth [Page 20] in this Meditation of mine vpon the LORDS PRAYER; to seeme to play the Rauen that was sent out of the Ark, in flying ouer the sweete O­liue boughes, and lighting on a stinking carrion.

The LORDS PRAYER then being my present Me­ditation, I haue thought good, first to set downe the Prayer it selfe, as it is written by Saint Matthew; next, I wil, with Gods grace, shortly in­terpret the meaning thereof; and last, I will in very fewe wordes draw it into a short summe: which will bee the more easily vnderstood whē [Page 21] the meaning of the wordes shall bee first explaned. The words then are these: OVR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOVVED BE THY NAME: THY KING­DOME COME: THY WILL BE DONE IN EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN: GIVE VS THIS DAY OVR DAILY BREAD: AND FORGIVE VS OVR DEBTS, AS WE FOR­GIVE OVR DEBTORS: AND LEAD VS NOT INTO TEM­PTATION, BVT DELIVER VS FROM EVIL: FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOME, AND THE POVVER, AND THE GLORY, FOR EVER, AMEN.

OVR FATHER: FATHER, is a title of dignitie and ho­nour, but OVR FATHER is a title of infinite loue, ioyned with greatnesse. These two first wordes, are to put vs in minde, that are but dust and ashes, what person wee are to speake vnto; for prepa­ring our reuerence in the highest degree; not like the Puritans, to talke homely with God, as our fellow; who therefore loue to sit Iack-fellowlike with Christ at the Lords Table, as his bre­thren and camerades: and yet our reuerence to be mix­ed with a sweete confidence [Page 23] in his loue; for he is our Fa­ther, and we are his adopted children and coheires with Christ of his Kingdome. E­uery one of vs is cōmanded to call him OVR FATHER, in the plurall number, to shew that holy communion which is among the Saints, and that euery one of vs is a member of a body of a Church, that is compacted of many members: contra­ry to those little start-vp sects in Amsterdam, where two or three make a Church; and contrary to all those con­temners of Antiquitie, that wil haue nothing, but all Ba­bylonish [Page 24] till their time.

WHICH ART IN HEAVEN: This is the place where the Throne of his Maiestie is set; for though he be present euery where, as well in his infinite essence as power, in spight both of Vorstius and some of the Ar­minians; yet is he onely re­sident in heauen, as the Seat of his Maiestie, according to that of Esay 66.1. Heauen is my Throne, and earth is my foot­stoole. And by the nomina­tion here of heauen, it puts vs in minde what Father we pray vnto, that it is no earth­ly man, but onely our hea­uenly [Page 25] Father, sursum corda.

Now we come to the Pe­titions, the number where­of by most of the ancient Church was reckoned to be seuen, diuiding in two Peti­tions, Leade vs not into tem­ptation, and deliuer vs from euill: whereas of late dayes wee haue confounded them in one. But surely in mine opinion, the Fathers had good reason to diuide them, as I shall shew in the owne time.

HALLOVVED BE THY NAME: This is the first Petition, and this is the affirmatiue of that whereof [Page 26] the contrary is prohibited in the third Commandement. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vaine. Wee first make this Peti­tion, that all men may doe their homage which they owe vnto God, as wee now doe, before wee make our suites, either for the publike welfare of the Church, or our owne priuate benefite. For it were an impudent thing for any Subiect to make a sute to his Souereigne Prince, before hee did his homage vnto him. The prin­cipall ende for which God created man after his Image, [Page 27] was that hee might sanctifie his Name; and this is not onely the Office of the Mili­tant Church here, and of eue­ry one of them; but it is al­so the eternall Office of the Church triumphant in Hea­uen, composed of Angels and men, who without ceasing praise and sanctifie the Name of God for euer. We sancti­fie his Name in this earth, either when wee praise God, pray to him with reuerence, or speake of his wonderfull workes, repent vs of our sinnes with confession of them, edifie our brethren to saluation, or beare witnesse [Page 28] to the trueth being duely re­quired. Wee are also to ob­serue that these wordes are not here set downe in the present time, Wee hallowe thy Name, but in the sense of the optatiue moode, Hallowed be thy Name; because euery Christian man, as a feeling member of the body of the Church, ought to pray that Gods Name may bee praised, and sanctified by men and Angels: not onely for the present, but in all times com­ming, and after that there shalbe no more time, for euer and euer eternally. And al­though wee knowe it must [Page 29] and euer will be so, yet wee pray and wish it; to shewe and expresse our harmonie and holy zeale to praise God, ioyntly with the rest of the members, both of the Mili­tant & triumphant Church. But that wee are to pray for in this Petition is, that all the behauiour of the Mili­tant Church may euer be di­rected chiefly to that ende, that his Name may be san­ctified in all their words and actions. Now that wee doe not wish God to be hallow­ed, but his Name; the reason is easie, for God is not onely perfectly holy, but he is euen [Page 30] ipsa sanctitas, & quicquid est in Deo est Deus: therefore wee pray that his Name may bee hallowed amongst vs here vpon earth, as himselfe is perfectly holy both in his Name and essence, not that hereby wee can imagine to make him and his Name ho­ly, but that God would giue vs grace to vse it holily. It is also to bee noted, that not only in this prayer, but euen in all other prayers, wee speake to God in the singu­lar number, Thou, whereas, We, is a stile of greatnesse amongst men; the reason is, that God is one, yea vnitie [Page 31] it selfe: not that wee ac­knowledge with the Iewes, Arrians, and other Hereticks, but one person in the God­head, blotting out both the Sonne and the Holy Ghost; but because though there be three persons, yet is there but one indiuiduall essence, one in three & three in one distinguished, but not diui­ded, according to the Atha­nasian Creed. And there­fore because wee haue only one to pray vnto, to whom onely all glorie appertaines, wee call him Thou, per excel­lentiam; keeping out of our Kalender, aswell the Hea­then [Page 32] gods as the Popish Saints: for God Almighty will haue no felowes ioy­ned in worship with him, as himselfe declares in the first of the tenne Comman­dements, and also in Esay 42.8. God tells vs, hee will not giue his glory to another.

THY KINGDOME COME, This is the second Petition, and it will admit two interpretations, that may both stand with the Analogie of Faith. The first, that in these words we pray for the second comming of CHRIST, which is promised to bee hastened for the elects [Page 33] sake: the reason is that an end may bee put to the mise­ries of the Church, especi­ally in regard of that feare­full defection that is threat­ned to come in the latter daies, and whereof we in our dayes haue the dolefull ex­perience, thatLuke 18. [...]. Faith shall not bee found on the earth, and theMatth. 24.12. loue of many shall waxe colde. And whosoe­uer will make choice of this interpretation, must vnder­stand the next Petition in this forme, In the meane time, Thy will bee done in earth as it is in Heauen. The other interpretation is, to which [Page 34] I rather encline, that the words of thy Kingdome come are seconded by the next fol­lowing Petition, Thy will bee done in earth, as it is in Hea­uen. The reasons perswa­ding me to like best of this opinion are two; Frst, be­cause it is CHRISTS vsuall phrase in the Gospell by the Kingdome of Heauen to meane the Church Mili­tant; and all the faithfull are bound to pray for the flou­rishing prosperitie of the Church, and that there may bee peace in Israel. The o­ther reason is, because of the next following Petiti­on, [Page 35] Thy will bee done, &c. that is, that by the meanes of the flourishing of the Church, the will of God may be done in earth as it is in heauen. And vpon the other part, although wee bee comman­ded when wee shall see the signes going before the lat­ter day, toLuke 21.28. lift vp our heads, knowing that the latter day, the day of our deliuerance is at hand: and although S. Paul tells vs, that the Rom. 8.22. whole crea­tion groaneth and trauaileth in paine, to be renewed; and that S. Iohn after he had been raui­shed in spirit, where besides many other heauenly myste­ries, [Page 36] he saw the glory of the very Throne of God. Albeit (I say) that vpō that glorious sight he burst foorth in these words,Reuel. 22.20 etiam veni Domine Iesu: yet I can finde no cleare place of Scripture that com­mands euery faithfull man to pray continually for the hastening of the Lords com­ming: and to aleadge these words in the LORDS PRAY­ER for it, is petitio principij, and to take controuersum pro confesso. For though death be the deliuerer of euery faithful man frō this prison & body of sin, to eternall felicitie, our Sauiour by his death & pas­sion [Page 37] hauing killed the sting of death in vs: and although S. Paul, rauished in a high contemplation, wished to bePhil. 1.23. dissolued, & be with Christ, yet haue wee no warrant e­uery man to pray for the ha­stening of his owne death; and death is to euery parti­cular faithfull man the same thing, that the generall trans­mutation will be at the latter day to the whole body of the Elect; except that wee will, after the generall disso­lution, attaine to a greater degree of glory. Now that wee desire the Kingdome of God to come, is thereby [Page 38] meant, that wee desire, that the Church of God may more and more be spred vp­on the face of the earth; and that the number of the elect may bee multiplied. In a word, that he would send a plentifull haruest, with suffi­cient store of labourers.

THY WILL BE DONE IN EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. This third Peti­tion I take to be a Prayer, to grant vs the meanes of attai­ning to his Kingdome; as if yee would say, Thy Kingdome come, and to this effect let thy will bee done, &c. S. Luke hath it, as in heauen, so in earth, [Page 39] to shew how precisely wee ought to wish that Gods will were done in earth iust as it is in heauen. God hath twoVoluntas sig­ni & benepla­citi. wills, a reuealed will to­wards vs, and that will is here vnderstood: hee hath also a secret will in his eter­nall counsell, whereby all things are gouerned, and in the end made euer to turne to his glory, often times drawing good effects out of bad causes, and light out of darkenesse, to the fulfilling either of his mercie or iu­stice, Which made S. Augu­stine say, bonum est vt fit malum.

Wee are then to pray, that his reuealed will may bee o­beyed [Page 40] in earth by his mili­tant Church, as it is by his triumphing Church in hea­uen: then would this Mi­litant Church vpon earth obserue better the two Ta­bles of the Law, then now they do, and then would the Church be free of Schismes, Heresies, and all new opini­ons; but this is neuer to bee looked for in this world. We are onely to wish, that God would multiply and increase his blessings vpon her, in that measure that hee shall thinke most expedient for his glory, and her comfort. For let the vaine Chiliasts gape after that thousand [Page 41] yeeres of Christs kingdome to bee setled vpon earth, and let Brightman bring downe that heauenly Ierusalem, and settle it in this world, the word of God assures vs, that the latter dayes shall prooue the worst, and most dange­rous dayes. Now as for the performance of the decrees and secret will of God; wee are not commanded to pray for that, for it is ineuitable; but wee must without mur­muring submit our selues vnto it, saying with our Sa­uiour, Mat. 26.39. not my will, but thy will bee done. For the first Article of the Apostles [Page 42] Creede teacheth vs, that God is Almighty, how euer Vorsti­us and the Arminians thinke to rob him of his eternall de­cree, and secret will, making many things to bee done in this world whether hee will or not.

GIVE VS THIS DAY OVR DAILY BREAD. This is the fourth Petition in order, but the first that e­uery particular man is to begge for himselfe; hauing first preferred his generall petitions for the aduance­ment of the glorie of GOD, and the felicitie, by consequence, of the whole [Page 43] Church militant in generall. But though euery man in particular is to begge this for himselfe, yet doe wee begge it for vs, in the plurall num­ber; and this we doe to shew our charitie, as feeling mem­bers of that Body, whereof Christ is the Head: and so in all the rest of our petitions following, according to that rule in the New Testament,Iames 5.16. Orate alij pro alijs. And by this word, OVR, are we also taught neuer to pray for our selues, without praying also for our neighbour. But vp­on this rule of praying one for another, to ground the [Page 44] prayer to the Saints to pray for vs, is very farre fetched; for then should follow, That since we are commanded to pray one for another, wee should pray for the Saints, as well as they for vs. Surely we that are vpon this earth, are commanded to pray one for another, but no menti­on is made of Saints nor An­gels in that precept, nor any where else in the word of God; and it is a good sure rule in Theologie, in matter of the worship of God, Quod dubitas ne feceris; according to that of S. Paul, Rom. 14.5. Let euery man bee fully perswa­ded [Page 45] in his minde. Besides, we doe not make a formall pray­er and worship one to ano­ther, that he may pray for vs, as the Papists doe to their Saints. I meddle not with that question, whether the Saints or Angels pray for vs or not; but I am sure wee haue no warrant in the word of God to pray to them for that end. Now the thing we pray for in this petition, is our dayly bread, which this day we begge at Gods hand. Wee begge our dayly bread, this day, at Gods hand, to shew that from the poorest beg­ger to the greatest King, no [Page 46] mortall creature is exeemed from that necessitie of dayly begging all temporall bene­fits that we haue neede of, at Gods hand: for euery houre, yea, euery minute wee haue neede of GODS assistance, both in our Spirituall and Temporall necessities; and therefore Saint Luke hath it, day by day, to expresse our dayly necessitie so to pray. And wee are to obserue, that not onely in this Petition, which is the first in order of these foure which euery man prayes for himselfe; but also in the other three follow­ing, this word dayly, is to bee [Page 47] vnderstood, although it bee not expressed: for wee haue dayly, yea, hourely neede to craue pardon for our sinnes, to pray that we be not ledde into temptation, and to bee preserued from all euill. By this word, Hodie, this day, is likewise vnderstood the sup­plying of our temporall ne­cessities through the whole course of our life; for in that sence the word, Hodie, for theHeb. 3.7. whole life, is taken in diuers places of the Scripture.

This word, dayly, doeth likewise put vs in mind, that wee are but pilgrims in this world, and therefore are not [Page 48] to make a setled prouision for our selues here; accor­ding to the rule that our Sa­uiour gaue to his Apostles, not to take care for to mor­row. Not that hereby all lawfull prouidence is for­bidden to any man, accor­ding to his degree, for that were a tempting of God; but onely that wee should not haue a distrustfull or anxious care, nor preferre the care of prouiding for worldly things, to our care of laying vp a store of heauenly trea­sure: laying our speciall trust vpon Gods blessing of our lawfull and moderate indu­strie, [Page 49] for prouision of tempo­ral things; remembring euer, that in vaine we plant or sow, except God giue the increase and blessing vnto it. For our principall care must euer be for our heauenly habitation, and then God will the better blesse & prosper our second and moderate care, for pro­uiding for our temporall ne­cessities. Let vs care for the principall, and not omit the other, as Christ said to the Pharisees, Mat. 23.23. By this word, bread, that we pray for, is signified & vnderstood all kinde of food, or other tem­porall necessities. Bread tho­row [Page 50] all the Scriptures signi­fies all sort of food; for it is the most cōmon & necessary sort of food for man. And we see euen in these Northren parts of the world where wee liue, and where flesh is most eaten, corne whereof bread is made, is only called victuall, & the word of victual comes à victu, because we liue vpon it: and notwithstanding the abundance of flesh that wee consume, yet good cheape yeeres or deare yeeres, are onely counted so, because of the abundance or scarcetie of corne in these yeeres. And therefore CHRIST ordained [Page 51] the Sacrament in bread, to represent thereby our foode in generall vnto vs; for his flesh is very meat indeede. All our temporall necessities are also comprehended here vnder the name of bread, to teach vs, that as bread is the commonest foode both to rich and poore, so we ought to pray onely for such tem­porall things as are necessary for our esse, or at farthest for our bene esse; but not for those things that are ad lu­xum & ad superfluitatem. For commonly we abuse them to our owne hurt, & they serue vs but for baites to entice vs [Page 52] to sinne: but if it shall please God, liberally to bestow like­wise these things vpon vs, we are bound to be thankful for them, vsing them with sobri­ety and without excesse, ac­cording to our ranks and cal­lings, euer remēbring whose gift they are. And when wee pray for Bread, that is, to be supplied of all our tempo­rall necessities, wee must al­so comprehend therein the staffe of bread, that is, to pray that the blessing may bee ioyned with the benefite, that it may serue vs for the right vse for which it is or­dained: otherwise wee shall [Page 53] starue of hunger and the bread in our mouthes, wee shall die like the Israelites, with the flesh of Quailes a­mongst our teeth, and we shall haue all things for the supplying of our worldly necessities, and yet want the vse and comfort of them: like the rich Miser, who a­bounding in wealth starues for want, or like the carri­age-Moyle that carries a loade of prouender, and yet cannot satisfie her hungrie belly with any part of it. Now that wee pray God to giue it vs, it is easie to be vn­derstood; for the Lord is the [Page 54] onely proprietarie both of Heauen and Earth, and all that therein is, and wee are onely Vsu-fructuaries and his Tenants at will, euery one of vs of such little par­cels of earth, as it pleaseth him to bestow vpon vs; nam Psal. 24.1. Domini est terra & plenitu­do eius.

AND FORGIVE VS OVR DEBTS, AS VVE FORGIVE OVR DEBTERS. This is the fift Petition, and the most important of them all, for e­uery man in particular; and therfore we are not to craue that inestimable benefite of the pardon of our debts, ex­cept [Page 55] vpon that condition, that wee forgiue our deb­ters. S. Luke expresseth this condition more clearely: for hee hath it thus, And forgiue vs our sinnes; for wee also for­giue euery one that is indebted vnto vs. So as God cannot bee mooued for any other condition to pardon our sinnes, but because hee sees wee haue already pardoned euery one that hath offen­ded vs; and where euery one is expressed, none is ex­cepted: durus est hic sermo amongst them that are thought the braue men of this world. Our sinnes are [Page 56] called debts in Saint Mathew, as an argument à maiore ad minus, that if wee would haue God to pardon vs our debts, how can we refuse to pardon our debters; except wee looke for the likeMatth. 18.34 re­ward that the euill seruant got of his master: and in Saint Luke they are called sinnes, to teach vs that if wee would haue our heauenly Father, to remit vnto vs all our innumerable mortall sinnes; how much more haue wee reason to pardon the offences of our brethren against vs, which are but slight debts, in comparison [Page 57] of our grieuous sinnes a­gainst God. And in that wee pray God to forgiue vs our sinnes, wee thereby make a generall implicite confession of our sinnes: for if wee had committed no sinnes, wee would haue no neede to craue pardon for them. Whereupon it doth necessarily follow, that if the doctrine of the Church of Rome bee true, that diuers men can keepe the tenne Commandements, without euer in their life committing any mortall sinne; then must all such persons bee exeemed from praying the [Page 58] LORDS PRAYER, as not ha­uing neede of it, and their di­stinction betweene Mortall and Veniall sinnes cannot elide this consequence. For what needes a man craue pardon at God for his Veni­all sinnes, when hee may haue as many pardons from the PopeThis was foelix error in the Church of Rome. For the monstrous & vnsupportable abuse of these pardons in Germany in the time of Leo de­cimus, awaked Luther, by whom such a breach was made in the Popes iuris­diction, as could neuer after be made vp againe., as hee shall please to bestow his money vpon, both for Mortall and Ve­niall sinnes; and not only for sinnes already committed, but euen for sinnes to come, which is a farre greater grace then euer God promised vs. And I protest that I haue seene two of these Authen­ticall [Page 59] Bulles with mine eyes; one, when I was very young in Scotland, and it was taken from a Scottish Priest; and the other I saw here in Eng­land, taken from an Irish­man, and both of them par­doning such & such sinnes, aswell by-past as to come. But I returne to their di­stinction betwixt Mortall and Veniall sinnes. For Ve­niall sinnes carry the soules but to Purgatory, according to their doctrine, whereof the Pope hath the key to o­pen and locke at his plea­sure▪ and yet I hope no man doubts, but all the Apostles [Page 60] prayed the LORDS PRAYER; for their Master taught it them in speciall, as appeares in S. Luke: and it is likely that they were as holy, and com­mitted as few Mortal sinnes, as any of the Popes late le­gended Saints haue done. But wee are all commanded in S. Matthew to pray thus, and where all are comman­ded none are excepted, no not the blessed Virgine her selfe, (whom all ages shall call blessed) though the gray Friers, and Bellarmine with them, labour hard to exeeme her, both from originall and actual sinnes. And we ought [Page 61] dayly to make this generall confession of our sinnes, and craue pardon for them, be­cause we daily commit sins,Prou. 24.16. Septies in die cadit iustus. Heere now are wee taught to confesse our sinnes to God, but I cannot find, that in any place of the Scrip­tures a necessitie is imposed vpon vs, vnder the paine of damnation, of confessing the least one of our secret sinnes to a Priest: nay if the least sinnefull thought be omit­ted, all the charme is spilt. For as to that place,Iames 5.16. Confite­mini alij alijs; if ye meane it of the offences made by one a­gainst [Page 62] another in this world, a Priest will not be necessa­ry to take the confession; or if yee meane it by confession of sinnes, we are not by that commandement restrained to make it to no other degree of persons, but to a Priest: though I confesse indeede, a godly discreet Church man is the fittest friend, that a man can choose to confesse his sinnes vnto; and by his helpe to obtaine comfort, and absolution of his sinnes, by the power of the keyes. Neither will these places serue their turne, Dic Matth. 18.17 Eccle­siae, or, Present Matth. 8.4. thy selfe to the [Page 63] high Priest, or,Iohn 20.23. Quorum remi­seritis peccata. For the first of these places, Dic Ecclesiae, is onely meant by the offences that one of vs commits a­gainst another; besides that the Confession in that case must be publike, the offence being first made publike, for purging the publike scan­dal, contrary to their priuate whispering in a Priests eare, who is bound by his profes­siō, neuer to reueale it to any creature, no though the con­cealing of it should indanger a Kings life, and the destru­ction of a whole kingdome:According to that asser­tion of a Ie­suit, mentio­ned in resp. ad Epist. Card. Per­ronij. pag. 28. nay euen though it should [Page 64] endanger the life of our Sa­uiour, if hee were come in mortall flesh into this world againe. And the second con­cerning the cōming before the high Priest, is likewise to bee vnderstood of a publike action; besides that their presenting themselues be­fore the high Priest, was ra­ther done for a publike Thankesgiuing, and decla­ration of their obtaining of health, or any such benefit, as is manifest in that particular case of cleansing of the Le­per, to whom Christ gaueMatth. 8.4. that commandement. And as to the third place, Quorum [Page 65] remiseritis peccata; that doth indeed conteine the power of the Keyes giuen to the Church, not by astricting e­uery particular man, to make a particular enumeration of euery sinne, to a priuat Priest by auricular confession: but onely to shew the Churches ministeriall power in pardo­ning, that is, in declaring such sinnes to be pardoned in heauen, as the partie shall then shew a due contrition for. And yet Bellarmine is not ashamed to say, that this con­strained Auricular confessi­on of theirs, is Iuris diuini, and grounded vpon the word [Page 66] of God. For my part, with * Caluine I commend Con­fession,Iust. lib. 3. cap. 4. sect. 12. euen priuately to a Churchman, as I said before. And with all my heart I wish it were more in custome a­mongst vs then it is, as a thing of excellent vse, especi­ally for preparing men to re­ceiue the Sacrament worthi­ly. But that necessitie impo­sed vpon it by the Romish Church, that euery secret thought that can be stretch­ed towards any sinne, must bee reuealed to a Confessor; that necessitie, I say, I iustly condemne, as hauing no warrant at all in the word of [Page 67] God, though very benefici­all to the Church of Rome. Now as to the clause irritant in the contract betwixt God and vs, That he will not par­don our sinnes, except wee first forgiue euery one that is indebted to vs, I told you already, it is durus sermo; and specially to them that are thought to haue high spirits: but I am sure wee shall neuer attaine to that height of our heauenly habitation, except wee doe it. Since then this clause is causa sine qua non, in the point of our eternall feli­citie, we haue all great reason seriously to consider, First, [Page 68] what we are to win or lose, in the performing or not per­forming, of this condition set vnto vs: And next, whe­ther the performance there­of, may easily bee done or not, in case wee haue a minde to it. For the first, the case is plaine; for by performing of this cōdition vpon our part, wee gaine the Kingdome of Heauen, by obtayning par­don for our sinnes: & by not performing it, wee shut with our owne hands the gates of heauen against vs; for with­out remission of sinnes can bee no saluation. As to the next questiō, our braue men, [Page 69] at least these that would be thought so, tell vs that this is a hard and almost impos­sible condition, and that wee must put our selues in Christs mercy for not per­forming this, no more then diuers other of his precepts; as, If Matt. 5.39. one giue thee a boxe vp­on the one eare, hold vp the o­ther; andMatt. 18.9. if thine eye offend thee, plucke it out, for better it is &c. But these two are not to bee vnderstood as abso­lute precepts, as some of the Anabaptists haue done the first of them, and some o­therOrigen was iustly punished in a point like this, for tur­ning all the plaine places of the Scripture into allegories, being so blinded in the literall misun­derstāding of the allegory of castratiō, as he foolishly gelded himselfe. Heretikes haue done [Page 70] the last. But they are onely meant comparatiuely, as thus: Rather then that thou shouldest thy selfe be the a­uenger of thine own wrong resistendo malo, ratione vllâ malâ; and so to take the sword out of Gods and his Deputie the Magistrates hand, it were better or lesse harme for thee to indure a double iniurie. Otherwise fortitude were a vice, which indeed is a high vertue, be­ing righly defined and vn­derstood. For vim vi repellere, is iuris naturalis; and our Saui­our came not to peruert or destroy Nature, but onely to [Page 71] rectifie and sanctifie it: and I dare say, there is no vaine fabulous Romanzo, that more highly commends fortitude, and valiant menIt is a Te­nent fit for an Atheisticall Machiauell to hold, that Re­ligion daunts a mans cou­rage; and a­bundantly cō­futed by the constancie of many thou­sand Martyrs. for their valour, then the Scripture doeth: but all is in the right vse of it. And so is likewise to bee vnderstood that, of plucking out thine eye; for if thou cannot keepe thy selfe from giuing of­fence, by the meanes of one of thine eyes, better it were or lesse harme to plucke it out and bee saued with the losse of one eye, then bee damned with both. But the meaning of this precept is [Page 72] not to be vnderstood literal­ly, of the amputation, or de­structiō of any of our mem­bers, for that were a sort of parricide: but onely, that if we finde that any of our sen­ces prouoke vs to bee temp­ted, as if the sight of faire and beautifull women pro­uoke vs to lust, or if any o­ther of our sences tempt vs to any sinne, let vs depriue our selues of such occasions, which may otherwise bee lawfull, rather then hazard to be ledde into temptation by them; and so by depri­uing our selues of that sight, which so much pleaseth vs, [Page 73] we doe, as it were, plucke out one of our eyes: and by de­priuing our selues from the hearing of that which so much delights vs, we cut off in a maner one of our eares; and the like in the other sen­ces. For when wee depriue our selues of that vse of any of our senses, which we most delight in, we doe in a man­ner robbe our selues of that fence. And whereas they ac­count this condition in the LORDS PRAYER to be im­possible to be performed: I answere, It is blasphemie to say, that any of Christs pre­cepts are impossible to bee [Page 74] performed; for it is to giue himselfe the lie, who out of his owne mouth told vs, thatMatth. 11.28, 30. his yoke is easie, and bids vs that are burthened, come to him, and he will ease vs. For our Sauiour came into this world, that by his me­rits and passion, hee might redeeme vs from the thral­dome of the Law, to the li­bertie of the sonnes of God. Since therefore this conditi­on is of no lower price then the Kingdome of heauen, and that it is not only possi­ble, but easie to be perfor­med by vs, if we will earnest­ly set our mindes to it; what [Page 75] should we not doe, omnem mouendo lapidem, for enabling vs to attaine to so great a feli­citie, and to eschew so great a misery? for there is no mid­way in this case. Now the onely way for enabling vs to performe it, is by our earnest prayer to God, that hee will enable vs to doe it, accor­ding to that of S. Augustine, Da Domine quod iubes, & iube quod vis: For it is true, that that grace is a flower, that growes not in our owne gar­den, but wee must set our minde to it, as I said already, and not lazily leaue it off, and betake vs to his mercie, [Page 76] because it agrees not with our humour and passions: for wilfully to disobey his precept, is a plaine refusing, and scorne of his mercie, which is but offered vnto vs in case of obedience; and to refuse obedience because it is against our minde, is like the excuse of the Tobacco-drunkards, who cannot ab­staine from that filthy stin­king smoake, because, for­sooth, they are bewitched with it. And this is an excuse for any sinne, they will not leaue it, because they cannot leaue it; but the trueth is, be­cause they will not leaue it: [Page 77] like a sluggard, who when he hath lien in bed, & slept more then can doe him good; yet he cannot rise, because he wil not rise for lazines. But since we cannot pardon them that haue offended vs, except wee haue charity, I will shortly set down & describe the contra­ry to it, which is rancour and reuenge, that so I may make that diuine vertue of charity, the better to shine & appeare in the owne colours, when her contrary is set downe, ex diametro opposed vnto her, according to that olde and true saying, Contraria iuxtase posita magis elucescunt.

The sinne of rancour and reuenge proceeds from base­nesse and want of courage in men, & euen amongst beasts and creeping things it pro­ceeds of a defect and want of courage in thē. Among men these are iustly to be accoun­ted the basest that are repro­bates and outlawes to their heauenly King; for these that are disgraced and banished euen out of an earthly Kings Court, are in a lower estate, then these that are highly preferred in it. The first that euer practised it, was Cain vpon his brother Abel, for not beeing able to auenge [Page 79] himselfe vpō God, who was the agent, for accepting his brothers oblation, and reie­cting of his, hee exercised his rancour vpon his brother in murthering of him, who was but the patient. But what came of this? Hee was made an Outlaw and a run­nagate for it, both from the presence of God, and his owne father. O braue Cain, thou wast brauely exalted and preferred for this braue and manly act, in giuing the first example of mur­ther and shedding of inno­cent bloud! Wee read of an­other after, who not con­tent [Page 80] [...] [Page 81] [...] [Page 80] to practise it, made his vaunt of it, as of a braue and honourable resolution; and this was Lamech, who made his vaunt of reuenge before his two wiues, to make them afraid of him, as it is thought. But if it be true that some of the Iewish Rab­bines guesse at, he killed Cain, and so got the curse for his reward, that GOD set vpon any that should kill Cain, when hee had marked him. How euer it bee, sure I am, that both Cain and hee were damned, and all their posteritie destroyed by the Flood. But of this point I [Page 81] neede to cite no more ex­amples, whereof there bee so many thousands in all ages. And I will come a degree lower, from wicked men to cowardes; for though wicked men and Outlawes bee inferiour to honest and good men; yet cowards are farre inferiour to them, for they are not ac­counted in the ranke of men. And it is a knowen and vn­deniable truth, that cowards are much more cruell and vindicatiue, then men of courage are: for a coward can neuer enough secure himselfe of his enemie; In so [Page 82] much as when hee is lying dead at his feete, hee is yet afraid, qu'il ne lue saute aux yeux, as the French Prouerbe is. But let vs looke a de­gree lower yet, vpon wo­men, who are weaker ves­sels then men: the world knowes that the most part of them are cowards, and it is also well knowen, that they are a great deale more vin­dicatiue and cruell then men. But if we will yet goe lower, euen to beastes, wee shall finde that the feareful­lest beasts are euer the most cruell and vindicatiue. What the Lion is, my dicton tells [Page 83] you, Est nobilis ira leonis, &c. Besides that, the most part of the beasts of reafe, and the noblest sorts of them, prey for hunger and for necessitie of food, and not for reuenge. But the Deere that are so na­turally cowards, as one chop of a Beagle, will make a herd of great Stagges runne a­way, I know not how ma­ny miles, these cowardly beasts, I say, who neuer dare fight, but when they are enraged, either with lust, desperate feare, or reuenge: yet are they so cruel after that they haue once gotten the victory, that when life leaues [Page 84] the partie whome one of them hath ouercome; yet will hee not leaue him for a long time after, still woun­ding the dead carkase, and insulting and trampling vp­on it. And the better to ex­presse the reuenging nature of these fearefull creatures, I haue thought it not amisse to set downe here, what I haue heard by credible re­port to haue beene done by two diuers Stagges in two diuers places. The one of the Stagges was in a little Red Deere Parke of the late Viscount Bindon, which kee­ping rut in a corner of the [Page 85] Parke with a brace of Hinds, the Keeper chanced in ma­king his walke, to come tho­row the bush where these Hindes were, whereupon they ranne away, and the Stagge followed them: but not being able to make them stay with him any longer, by reason of their suddaine fright, he looked backe once or twice very sullenly vpon the Keeper, without pres­sing to do any more for that time. But within two dayes after, or thereabout, he wat­ched the Keeper walking in the Parke, and after hee had worne him by little and lit­tle [Page 86] to a strait, at a corner of the Pale he ranne fiercely at the Keeper, broke his bill, & gaue him many wounds, whereof hee dyed within a day or two after, though the Stagge was put from him at that time, by I know not what accident. The other Stagge was one of them that was first put in, in my Lord of Suffolkes Redde-Deere Parke, who, being the first rut time there, mastered on­ly by one Deere, that was greater and older then hee, and so kept from the Hinds; watched his time the next spring when the other mew­ed [Page 87] his head, he being still vn­mewed, as the yonger deere, and immediatly thereupon set on him in a morning in the sight of one of the Kee­pers first, and then of all the rest: & notwithstanding that they followed him, for sa­uing the other, both on horse and foot as fast as they could, yet neuer left he coursing of his felow through the Parke, like a Grey-hound after a Hare, till he killed him with a number of wounds. And this vindicatiue Stagge did I kill after with my Hounds, I and all my Huntesmen gi­uing him no other style, but, [Page 88] The murtherer. And of all beasts none are more vnpro­fitable for the necessary vse of man, then Apes and Mon­kies, seeming only to be cre­ated in ludibrium naturae; so as Galen carried euer some of them about with him wher­soeuer he went, only to make Anatomies of them, for their likenesse in proportion to man. For in Galens time it was thought an inhumane thing to make Anatomies of men or women, wherein the Christian world now hath lesse horrour then the Ethnikes then had. And that sort of beastes are [Page 89] knowen to bee so naturall cowards, that they dare ne­uer pursue any body to bite them, but women or chil­dren, and such as they see a­frayd of them or flying from them; and yet will they re­member an iniurie two or three yeares, and watch an opportunity for reuenging it. And if wee will goe yet lower, euen to them that licke the dust of the earth, as to Serpents and all sorts of venimous wormes, the Hi­stories are full of their ma­litious and reuengefull na­ture: but it is no new thing with them, the seede of the [Page 90] woman must bruise their heads, and they must bite his heele. Nay will wee for conclusion of this point, consider of the very lowest of all places, euen hell itselfe; wee shall finde that the in­habitants thereof, the de­uills, breathe nothing but malice and reuenge. Satan was a lyer and a murtherer from the beginning, and his first worke, after his fall, was to auenge himselfe vp­on the Image of GOD in man, by deceauing him; since his malice could not reach to God himselfe, ma­king choice of that malici­ous [Page 91] beast the Serpent for his organe. And now, I hope, I haue sufficiently prooued by the low descent of this sinne by degrees, euen to hell it selfe, that as it is a grieuous, so it is a base sinne, contrary to true courage. But since wee haue now put it in hell, from whence it first came, there let vs leaue it, and so­lace our sight a little with the contemplation of that diuine Vertue, Charity, the right opposite to that hellish sinne and vice.

Charitie is not onely a diuine Vertue, but God him­selfe is Charitie, as I said al­ready. [Page 90] [...] [Page 91] [...] [Page 92] Saint Paul recko­ning the three great1. Cor. 13. Theo­logicall Vertues, without which no man can be saued, not onely puts in Charitie for one, but euen for the most excellent of all, with­out the which the rest are nothing. And it is also the onely permanent Vertue of them all; for Faith and Hope remaine only with the elect, while they are in this world, but Charitie is euer with them, here and hence for e­uer. Yea euen, will ye looke to God himselfe, misericordia eius super omnia opera eius, and mercie is a worke of Cha­ritie. [Page 93] Charitie dwells with God; and all the Elect, An­gels, Saints and men are clad with it, eternally. I know not by what fortune, the dicton of PACIFICVS was added to my title, at my comming in England; that of the Lion, expressing true fortitude, hauing been my dicton before: but I am not ashamed of this addition; for King Salomon was a figure of CHRIST in that, that hee was a King of peace. The grea­test gift that our Sauiour gaue his Apostles, immedi­ately before his Ascension, was, that hee left his Peace, [Page 94] with them; hee himselfe ha­uing prayed for his persecu­tours, and forgiuen his owne death, as the Prouerbe is. The footsteps of his charitie be­ing so viuely imprinted in the disciple whom his Ma­ster loued, and who leaned on our Sauiours bosome; as hee said nothing, wrote no­thing, did nothing: yea in a maner breathed nothing all the dayes of his life, but Loue and Charitie. To the bles­sed Virgin and him CHRIST vpon the Crosse recommen­ded their charitable cohabi­tation together, as Mother and Sonne: his stile in all his [Page 95] writings, is full of loue and charitie, his Gospel and Epi­stles sound nothing but cha­ritie. YeaHieron. in E­pist Pauli ad Gal. S. Hierome maketh mention, that when hee was so old, as he could not preach and scarce walke, hee would many times make himselfe bee ledde to the Preaching place, and there repeating oft these wordes, Little children loue one another, hee would come backe againe; and be­ing asked why hee so often repeated that sentence, his answere was, This is the new and last Commandement that our Master left vs, Et si solum fiat, sufficit. But aboue all the [Page 96] third Chapter of his Gospel deserues to be grauen in let­ters of Marble, in the hearts of all Christians, especially the sixteenth verse thereof, God so loued the world, &c. And here I must record to the eternall memorie and good fame, of my father in Law the late King of Den­marke, that hee not being a Scholler; yet tooke hee the paines to write vp a littleThis manuel of my father in law, S [...]r PE­TER YOVNG, my old Master brought out of Denmarke, and shewed me, [...]nd told me also of this forme of his death. Manuell, with his owne hand, of some of the most cōfortable selected Psalmes, which was his continuall Vade mecum, as Homers Iliads was to Alexander: And at his [Page 97] death hee made that part of the third Chapter of S. Iohns Gospel to bee read ouer & o­uer vnto him. And as hee thus died happily, so left he a goodly and prosperous po­steritie behinde him. And in the issue of one of his, I hope, God shall in his mercy deale with me in one point, as hee did with Iob: if in not resto­ring vnto mee so many chil­dren as he hath taken frō me; yet in restoring them vnto me in my childrens children; praying God to blesse that worke of mercie, that hee hath already begun towards me in this point. But to re­turne [Page 98] to Saint Iohn, wee may see at last, euen by his death, how God loued him for his charitie, besides the mani­fold other proofes, that hee gaue him thereof during his life; for he died peaceably in his bed, full of dayes, and was the notablest Confessor that euer was, albeit no Martyr, as all the rest of the Apostles were. To conclude then my description of this diuine vertue, Charity, I remit you to that patterne, which that admirable, learned, and elo­quent penne-man of the ho­ly Ghost, hath set foorth of her in his thirteenth of his [Page 99] first to the Corinthians.

And thus hauing with the pensill of my penne re­presented vnto you, as viue­ly as I can, in so little com­passe, the bright beautie of this diuine vertue, Charitie: it rests that I set downe her true limits, and how we may make our right vse of her, by knowing towards whom our charitie is to bee exten­ded, in what cases, and in what measure; that so wee may be able to performe vp­on our part, that condition which God so exactly re­quires at our hands. As to the first question, towards [Page 100] whom; no doubt we ought to extend our charitie to­wards all persons, yea, euen in some sort to beastes: wee are in diuers places of the Scripture commaunded to beePro. 12.10. mercifull to our beasts,1. Cor. 9.9. boui trituranti os non obliga­bis. But wee ought especi­ally to beeGal. 6.10. charitable to the houshold of faith, and then we are more particularly to measure our charitie accor­ding to those degrees that do more or lesse concerne vs; as our Countrey, our Ma­gistrates Spirituall or Tem­porall, the strangers within our gates, widowes and or­phans; [Page 101] and those of our con­sanguinitie or affinitie, our wiues, parents, brethren or sisters, or children, our pro­fessed frindes, especially those that wee are obliged vnto in thankefulnesse. And as we ought to be charitable to all persons, so are wee bound to extend our chari­tie to them in all cases, by gi­uing them either spirituall or temporal comfort, as they haue neede of it; assisting them aswell with our aduice and counsell, as with our for­tunes: but in our assisting them, especially with our fortunes, wee are to measure [Page 102] it, according to the before mentioned degrees, and our owne abilities; otherwise, whereas wee were able be­fore to ease the burthens of others, wee shall then make our selues to become bur­thensome to others. And a­boue all, we must pardon all them that haue offended vs, which is the direct point now in hand. But in all these cases of Charitie, wee are to obserue such a measure, as may preserue vs from both extremities; for though wee be to pray for all men, yet are wee not to keepe company with all men, much lesse to [Page 103] bee in professed friendship with euery man. No man ought to be so secure of him­selfe, as not to be afraide to be corrupted with euil com­pany: yee know the saying, Corrumpunt bonos mores collo­quia mala; and therefore,1. Cor. 15.33. Qui stat, videat ne cadat; 1. Cor. 10.12. besides the euill name a man gets by haunting infamous compa­nie. It is reported of that ho­ly Apostle of loue, of whom I lately made large mention, that one day in his age heeIrenaus ad­uersus haeres. lib. 3. & Euseb. lib. 3. eccl. hist. cap. 25. went in Ephesus, to bathe himselfe in a hot Bath, and seeing Cerinthus the heretike, he hasted out of the bath be­fore [Page 104] he was bathed, fearing that the Bath should fall, be­cause Cerinthus the enemie of the trueth was in it. And indeed this practise of his a­grees well with his doctrine in his Epistle; If thou meete one that brings not this do­ctrine,Io. ep. 2. 10. ne dicas ei, aue, lest thou bee partaker of his sinne. Since then this holy Apostle whom his Master loued was so afraide of euill company, how much more reason haue wee to bee so, considering how much weaker the best of vs are in spirituall gra­ces, then he was? And like­wise this condition which [Page 105] is required at our hands, in pardoning them that offend vs, hath also the owne limits, which makes the perfor­mance thereof the more ea­sie vnto vs. For our Sauiour commaunds vs, to forgiue them that offend vs, as oft as they repent them of their offending vs: so as they are as well tyed to repent, as wee to forgiue, albeit our for­giuenesse must not be pre­cisely tyed to their repen­tance, Marke the 11.25. When yee stand and pray, &c. So as what part soeuer of the world your debtour bee in, you cannot pray with fruit [Page 106] except you forgiue him. We must also vnderstand, that our forgiuing them that of­fend vs, ties not the hands of such of vs as are Magistrates, to punish them that are of­fendours, according to the nature of their offences; so that wee doe it for our zeale to Iustice onely, and not for seruing of our owne parti­cular endes, or satisfaction of our passions. And priuate men are not by this precept restrained, from complai­ning to the lawfull Magi­strate, and seeking redresse of the iniuries done vnto them, agreeable to the quali­ties [Page 107] of the offences, accor­ding to that rule of our Sa­uiour, Dic Ecclesiae: but wee ought so to loue, & esteeme euery man more or lesse, ac­cording as their Vertues, good name, or particular be­hauiour towards vs shall de­serue. Wee are no way like­wise barred of our iust de­fence, in case wee be vnlaw­fully inuaded and assailed; for defence is iuris naturalis, and tolerated by the Lawes of all Nations; onely we are to keepe rancour and malice out of our hearts, and our handes from reuenge: for reuenge belongs onely to [Page 108] GOD, and by deputation from him, to his Lieutenants vpon earth,Rom. 12.19. Mihi vindictam ego retribuam. And I pray you, what life would we haue in this world, if euery man were his owne Iudge, and a­uenged his owne iniuries? Sure I am, there would bee no need of Kings nor Magi­strates, and I thinke, there would bee no people left to be gouerned. For then eue­ry man would be homo homi­ni lupus, whereas, by the con­trary, men are created to bee [...] animalia gregalia, and to liue together like sociable crea­tures. It was a curse pro­nounced [Page 109] vpon Ismael, when it was prophecied, that his hand should hee against euery man, Gen. 16.12. and euery mans hand a­gainst him. But our braue spi­rited men, cannot digest wrongs so easily, and they are ashamed to complaine to the Magistrats. I answere, they must then bee ashamed to obey GOD, and the King, and consequently to liue vn­der their protection, but like Giants and mighty hunters, they must wander vp and downe the world, and liue vpon spoile. But what vse is there for swords then and sword-men? I answere, ex­cellent [Page 110] good vse, for the ser­uice of GOD, their King and their countrey, for their own iust defence, and preseruing the weaker sort from iniurie or oppression, in case of acci­dentall necessitie. How ho­nourably are the worthies of Dauid recorded in the word of God,1. Chron. 11. and what made the Gentiles to deïfie Hercules? Reade the ancient oathes of the Orders of Knighthood, in speciall, ours of the Order of the Garter, and euen the oath that is still giuen to eue­ry ordinary Knight at this day in Scotland; and let vs vpon this occasion consi­der [Page 111] with pitie the miserable case that too many are in, in this Island; who will not receiue the Sacrament, be­cause they haue malice in their hearts; forgetting Saint Pauls two precepts,1. Cor. 11.28. first to trie our selues, and then to come. But they thinke it enough to prooue them­selues, so they neuer come, and thinke it neuer time for them to come there, till they be perfect; not remembring that CHRIST came in this world for the sicke and not for the whole, and that wee come to that Table weake and full of infirmities, to be [Page 112] strengthened with that Spi­rituall and Heauenly foode; only carrying with vs there, a will and an earnest desire of amendement. And if they will not purge their hearts of malice, what can their ab­staining from the Lords Sup­per auayle them? For how shall they pray the LORDS PRAYER, except they for­giue their debtours? and consequently how shal they obtaine remission of sinnes, without which there can be no saluation? They must re­solue then, as long as they liue in this state, to liue as Outlawes and Aliants from [Page 113] the couenant of God; and if they die without repen­tance, to bee certaine of damnation. Truely the best man liuing hath great neede to pray earnestly to bee pre­serued from a sodaine death, as it is in our English Le­tanie, that before his end he may haue space and grace to purge his heart, and cleere his conscience from all vn­cleanesse. For wee are all of vs entised and allured to our owne perdition, by three terrible perswasiue solici­tours, the World, the Flesh, and the Deuill. But if the best liue still in that daun­gerous [Page 114] warrefare, what case then are these men in, if they shall die in that open rebel­lion, in disobeying the com­mandement of God, and not being able to pray for the re­mission of their sinnes? & yet is none of them secure of a minutes repriual from death. Surely, me thinks, the appre­hension of a sodaine death should be a perpetual torture to their consciences; and yet the number of them is growen so great amongst vs here, as a man cannot dis­cerne betwixt a Papist and an Atheist, in this point: for many Papists take the pre­text [Page 115] of malice for keeping them out of the penaltie of the Law, for not receiuing the Sacrament. And now that I haue bene a great deale longer vpon this Petition then vpon any of the rest, I hope the Reader will easily excuse mee, since the remis­sion of our sinnes is causa sine qua non to euery Chri­stian man (as I saide before) as also since this condition annexed vnto it, is so light­ly regarded, and so little o­beyed in our age, yea euen in the Court, and amongst the better sort of men, I meane for qualitie. Follow­ing [Page 116] in this the example of CHRIST himselfe, the Au­thour of this prayer, who in the same place, where hee teacheth it, Matth. 6. doeth immediatly there after en­large himselfe vpon the in­terpretation of the conditi­on of this Petition, without pressing to interpret any of the rest.

AND LEADE VS NOT INTO TEMPTATION. The Arminians cannot but mislike the frame of this Petition; for I am sure, they would haue it, And suffer vs not to bee ledde into temptation; and Vor­stius would adde, as farre, [Page 117] Lord, as is in thy power, for thy power is not infinite. And vp­on the other part, wee are also to eschew the other ex­tremitie of some Puritans, who by consequent make God Authour of sinne; with which error the Papists doe wrongfully charge our re­ligion; but medio tutiùs itur. SaintAugust. de praedestinatione Sanctorum. de dono perseueran­tiae. contra Pela­gianos; & passim alibi in sun ope­ribus. Augustine is the best decider of this question, to whom I remit mee. In so high a point it is fit for eue­ry man, sapere ad sobrietatem; which is Saint Pauls coun­sell, Rom. 12. Notwithstan­ding that himselfe was ra­uished to the third heauen, [Page 118] and best acquainted with these high mysteries; not to bee searched vnto, but to be adored. And it sufficeth vs to know that Adam by his fall, lost his free will, both to himselfe and all his posterity; so as the best of vs all hath not one good thought in him, except it come from God; who drawes by his effectuall grace, out of that attainted and corrupt masse, whom hee pleaseth, for theRom. 9.18. worke of his Mercie, lea­uing the rest to their owne wayes, which all leade to perdition: so as though GodIoh. 6.44. drawe all the Elect vnto [Page 119] him, who otherwise can ne­uer win heauen, yet doeth he force none to fall from him; perditio tua ex te Israel. Ose. 13.9. And therefore God is said to leade vs into temptation, when by a strong hand he preserues vs not frō it; & so was he said to harden Pharaos heart because he did not soften it: Euen as a nurse, hauing a childe that is but beginning yet to learne to goe, may be iustly said to make the childe fall, if shee leaue it alone, knowing that it cannot scape a fall without helpe. Now temptations are either bred within vs, or come from externall causes; [Page 120] If they breed within vs, ear­nest prayer and holy Medi­tations are often to be vsed; cures also would bee applied of contrarie qualitie to these sins that wee finde budding within vs, for contraria con­trarijs curantur: good bookes likewise wilbe a great helpe, and specially the good ad­uice of a sound Diuine, pro­uided that hee haue the repu­tation of a good life. And if our temptations come from externall causes; if any of our sences bee caught with vn­lawfull delights, let vs then (as I sayde already) depriue our sences of these dange­rous [Page 121] obiects. If prosperitie or aduersity bring vs in temp­tation, let vs apply the re­medies accordingly: against aduersitie tempting vs to de­spaire, let vs arme our selues with patience the best wee can, flie solitude, and oft seeke consolation from wise, godly, honest, and entire friends. If we be tempted with prosperity (which com­monly is the more dange­rous, though the other be sharper) let vs consider by euery little disease, and other crosses, our naturall frailtie, often meditate vpon the ne­cessitie of death, and be care­full [Page 122] to reade and heare oft good funerall Sermons, Pul­uis es, Gen. 3.19. & in puluerem reuerteris. And in a word, let vs con­sider, that hauing so many tempters, and occasions of temptation within & about vs, all the houres of the day; so as the whole life of a true Christian, is nothing els but a continuall triall of his con­stancie, in his vncessant spi­rituall warrefare. Wee haue therefore the greater reason to watch our selues continu­ally, and carefully take heede to all our thoughts and acti­ons: for otherwise it will be in vaine for vs to pray to [Page 123] God, not to leade vs in tem­ptation, and in the meane time we shall be leading our selues into it vpon euery oc­casion; like one that will wilfully lie in the myre, and call to another to helpe him out of it.

BVT DELIVER VS FROM EVIL. This is the last petiti­on, and the seuenth in the ac­count of the ancient Church, as I tolde you before, and the sixt as we now doe ordina­rily reckon it. The Fathers made it the seuenth, diui­ding it from, Leade vs not into temptation, because wee pray heere to be deliuered [Page 124] from euill. Now deliuerie presupposeth a preceding thraldome, or at least an im­minent danger; so as in the former petition wee pray to be kept out of temptation in times to come; and in this we pray to be deliuered frō all euill that already is fallen, or presently hangeth vpon vs; not onely euill ofMalum poe­na & malum culpa. temp­tation, but euill of punish­ment, or whatsoeuer aduer­sitie that is laid vpon vs. But our Church makes this a branch of the former Petiti­on, and so a part of the sixt; in regard it begins with [...], but, as yee would say, Lord [Page 125] leade vs not into temptation, but keepe vs euer safe from all such euill. But whether ye account it the seuenth Petition, or a branch of the sixt, either of the wayes is orthodoxe, and good enough, (though the older way bee the fuller, as I haue now showen) for the substance is, that we pray to God, not to leade vs in temp­tation, but to deliuer vs from any euill either present or to come. The Greeke hath it, [...], from the euill one; and these words put vs in minde, what need we haue of conti­nuall prayer to God, to bee preserued from that old trai­terous [Page 126] and restlesse enemie,1. Pet. 5.8. qui circundat terram, like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure. And by this Petition thus vnderstood, we are taught, not to trust to our owne strength, against so strong and fiercely cruell an enemie, but to bee armed with faith, that we may safe­ly sleepe,Psal. 91.4. sub vmbra alarum tuarum Domine. The latine translation, â malo, will beare either any euill thing, or the euill one; and our vulgar translation, euill, is generall for eschewing of any euill that may befall vs, whether by the meanes of Satan, or [Page 127] otherwise. And so we are to pray that God by his merci­full hand would deliuer vs from all euill, either in cor­porall or spirituall things; either against our temporall necessities and comforts in this life, or our spirituall gra­ces for our eternall saluation: that wee may lie downe safe, and rise againe, and not be a­fraid, though thousands of enemies, both spirituall and temporall, should encom­passe vs. Heere now the LORDS PRAYER ends in S. Luke, but in Saint Matthew is subioyned that Epilogue, For thine is the Kingdome, the [Page 128] power and the glory for euer. Amen.

Who will seriously consi­der the occasion, whereup­on our Sauiour taught the LORDS PRAYER in both the Gospels, hee shall finde, that Christ taught it twice; first, priuately to his disciples, at the suite of one of them to teach them to pray; and then he taught the Petitions one­ly, prefixing that short pre­amble, Our Father which art in Heauen: and at that time he expressed two or three of the Petitions in this Prayer, more plainly then hee did af­ter in his publicke Sermon [Page 129] before the people. For his manner was euer, to expresse himselfe more plainly to his disciples, then hee did to the whole people: and this is the forme set downe in the 11. of S. Luke. And after at another time, hee taught it vpon the mountaine, to a multitude of people in the middest of a long Sermon that he made vnto them, and then hee added this foresaid Epilogue; & this form is cō­tained in the sixt of Matthew, at which time it seemes hee added the Epilogue, to teach the people to pray, both with the greater confidence and [Page 130] reuerence, since to him whō they prayed vnto, belonged the Kingdome, &c. It is true that this Epilogue is wan­ting in the vulgar Latine Translation, euen in Saint Matthew: and Robert Steuen that learned Printer sayth it is also wanting in some old greeke exemplar; but that is no matter, it is sufficiently ac­knowledged to bee Canoni­call. Now as to the words of this Epilogue, they con­taine the reason of our pray­ing to our heauenly Father; for his is the Kingdome, hee is not onely a King, but the Kingdome per excellentiam is [Page 131] his [...]. Euen as, although there shalbe multi Antichristi, yet is the great Antichrist, head of the generall defecti­on, called [...]: So as God is the onely KING of all in so­lidum, al earthly depute kings kingdomes being but small brookes and riuers deriued from that Sea. And hee is not onely King of all, but power is his onely, so as he is not onely an infinitely great KING, (for great Kings may not doe all that they would) but hee is also an infinitely powerfull, and Almightie KING. And not onely is the Kingdome his, and the [Page 132] Power his, but also the Glory is his, which maketh the o­ther two excellent: so as all worldly kingdomes, powers and honours (for without honour all worldly King­domes and powers are no­thing) are onely drops bor­rowed out of that great and vast Ocean. But if all this were but temporall, then might wee doubt of the de­cay thereof; and therefore to resolue vs of this doubt also, For euer, is subioyned to the end of these supremely high titles; to shew that his Kingdome, his Power and his Glory is neuer to receiue [Page 133] end, change or diminution. Remembring then, that in the first wordes of this Pray­er, wee call him Our Father, which settles our confidence in his loue; and in the last words thereof we acknow­ledge his infinite power: with great comfort wee may be confident, that hee both may and will heare, & grant these our petitions. And to this Prayer is Amen put, as the conclusion of all; for here­by are wee stirred vp, to re­collect shortly to our me­mory all that which we haue said: adding a faithfull wish, that our petitions may bee [Page 134] granted vnto vs. Which is a signe that wee should know what we say, when we make this Prayer, contrary to the Papists, who teach ignorant wiues and children, to mum­ble, or rather mangle this Prayer in Latine ad intentio­nem Ecclesiae. But if Saint Pauls rule be true in his 14. of his 1. to the Corinthians, those ignorants can neuer say A­men to their owne prayer which they vnderstand not: but the Church of Rome hath not onely euill lucke to be contrary to S. Paul in this point, but also to Christes owne prohibition, in his pre­face [Page 135] to this same Prayer in the 6. of S. Matthew. For there he forbids vaine repetitions, as the heathen doe, but bids them pray thus. Now they haue preferred the imita­tion of the Heathen to CHRISTS example, witnesse our Ladies Rosarie, and wit­nesse all their prayers vpon Beades, making vp such a rable of Paters and Aues, contrarie to CHRIST that forbids vaine repetitions▪ and I am sure there cannot bee a vayner repetition, then to repeate aI read with mine eies with­in these 10. or 12. veeres, a litle Pamphlet, set out by an English Priest, printed in some part of the Archdukes dominion, which laboured to maintaine by many arguments, that the LORDS PRAYER, and other short prayers, were more profitable for the vulgar and ignorant sort, to be said by them in Latine, although they vnderstood it not, then in their owne naturall language. prayer they vn­derstand [Page 136] not; and contrarie to Saint Paul also, as I said already, and I dare say with­out any precept or example of antiquity, for the space of many hundred yeeres af­ter CHRIST: and yet these vaine and ignorant repetiti­ons are matters of great me­rit with them. And it is also to bee obserued, that al­though our Sauiour com­manded vs to make our pe­titions to God in his Name, yet hath he not made menti­on of his owne Name in this prayer, not that I doubt but that vnder the Name of the FATHER in this Prayer, all [Page 137] the Trinity is to bee vnder­stood; but it may bee that hee hath omitted the inser­ting of his Name in this prayer, foreseeing that in the latter dayes, superstition would insert too many inter­cessours in our prayers, both of hee and she Saints. And surely the darkenesse of this superstition was so grosse in our fathers times, as a great Theologue was not asha­med, within little more then these threescore yeeres; to preach publikely in Saint Andrewes; That the LORDS PRAYER might be said to our Lady: whereupon grew [Page 138] such a controuersie in the Vniuersitie there, that a Sy­node in that same place, was forced to take knowledge of it and decide it. And what lesse superstition was it in so learned a man as Bonauen­ture, to turne the meaning of the Psalmes vpon our Lady? I meane whatsoeuer was spoken of God in them to be meant of our Ladie: and yet was this famous booke of his reprinted at Paris with­in these few yeares. But since God in his great mer­cie hath freed vs in this Island, from that more then Egyptian darkenesse, I cannot [Page 139] wonder ynough at the in­constancie of too many a­mongst vs in our dayes; that like fooles faine of flitting, as the Scottish prouerbe is, are so greedie of nouelties; that forsaking the pure verity for painted tables, they wil wil­fully hoodwink themselues, and thrust their heads in the darke againe, refusing the light, which they may liue and ioy in, if they list.

And thus hauing ended this my Meditation vpon the LORDS PRAYER, it rests onely that I draw it into a short summe (as I promised) that wee may the better vn­derstand, [Page 140] and remember what we pray; and that our prayer may the more viuely and deeply be imprinted and engrauen in our hearts. And it is shortly this: We first for a preamble inuocate God, by the sweet name of Our Father; thereby to settle our confi­dence in his loue, that hee will heare and grant our pe­titions; next, to breede the greater reuerence in vs, and to assure our selues of his all­seeing eye, wee make menti­on of the place of the resi­dence of his glory, which is Heauen. Then wee make first three generall petitions [Page 141] for his glory, before wee come to our owne particu­lar suits. In the first where­of wee doe our homage vnto him, in wishing his Name to bee hallowed, both in Hea­uen and earth, like as wee then doe; then our next ge­nerall petition is, that his kingdome may come, as wel generally and vniuersally at his second comming, as that the militant Church may flourish in the meane time, and that we may in Gods ap­pointed time, euery one of vs come to that Kingdome of his. That in the meane time his will may bee done [Page 142] in earth as it is in heauen, the effect which the Kingdome of heauen in this earth will produce, which is our third and last generall petition for the propagation of his glo­ry, and the felicitie of his Church. And if we please a little deeplier to meditate vp­on these three petitions, they may likewise put vs in mind of the Trinitie; of God the Father, by wishing his Name to be sanctified, whose Name no tongue can expresse: of God the Sonne, by wishing his Kingdome to come, for hee is King, Priest, and Pro­phet, and of his Kingdome [Page 143] there shall neuer be an ende. And wee are put in mind of God the holy Ghost, by pray­ing that his wil may be done in earth, as it is in Heauen, for he it is that sanctifies the wils of the elect, and makes them acceptable to God the Father, through Iesus Christ. And our first priuate suite that followes, is for our dai­ly bread; for except God pre­sently furnish, and sustaine vs, with that which our temporall necessities doe re­quire; our beeing in this world will faile before wee can performe any part of our seruice which he requires at [Page 144] our handes, and a suddaine death will preuent our due preparation for our iourney to our true home. Wee next pray for remission of our by-past sinnes, that wee may stand recti in curia, being washed in the blood of the Lambe; for else our cor­porall sustenance doth but feede vs to the slaughter. And wee shew our selues ca­pable of this great and in­estimable blessing and bene­fit, by the profession of our Charitie in pardoning our brethren, according to his commandement. And then the vgly horrour of our by-past [Page 145] sinnes, and our true and sencible sorrow for the same, togither with the ac­knowledgement of our own weakenesse, and distrust in our own strength, makes vs pray that wee be not hereaf­ter ledde into so dangerous temptations: but that he will hereafter deliuer vs from all euil both in body & soule; especially from the cruel and craftie assaults of that euill one. And as in the preamble we called him our heauenly Father, to stirre vp our reue­rent confidence in his loue; so doe wee in the Epilogue acknowledge his Almightie [Page 146] and eternall glorious power: thereby to assure our selues, that he is as able, as he is rea­dy to heare and graunt these our petitions; closing vp all with AMEN, for the streng­thening our wishes with that small measure of faith that is in vs, and assurance of the trueth of the perfor­mance of our petitions, that our requests may be graun­ted. To which I adde ano­ther AMEN, etiam fiat DOMINE IESV.