An Exposition Upon the Lords Prayer, Sermon

An Exposition Upon the Lords Prayer · Sermon

A Sermon on the Lords Prayer, preached at Oatelands, before the moſt Noble HENRY, Prince of Wales.

TO THE KINGS MAIESTIE.

I Preſent vntounto your HIGHNES, an Expoſition of the L. Prayer, recorded in S. Mat. 6. euen as I ſpake it for ſumme of matter. Many were deſirous to hauehave it printed. And for that I thought your MAIESTIE the fittest judge, for the commoditie of your people. For a Rabbin who wrote from Conſtantinople ſeuen yeere agoe, to be taught from England, I would print it in Ebrew, if your MAIESTIE will giuegive me leaue to goe to Germanie, where my Librarie yet is; and ſome works which our Printers can not ſet forth for want of ſkil & letters. And I moſt humbly craue leaue to goe thither, & to print for truth of Religion, all that my occaſions ſuffer, for Engliſh, Ebrew, & Greeke.

Your MAIESTIES ſubject Hugh Broughton.

OUR Speach with God requireth all the grace that words can afford:Firſt, generally of the prayer and Decalogue. and becauſe of our ſelues we hauehave no ſkill that way: the Sonne of GOD teacheth us, what words we may ſafely uſe; and declare that the holy Spirit was out teacher.Iohn 1. 4—9.John 1:4 So we may judge by the light that God planted in our ſoules, when we came into the world: by which we may trye, what is light, and from God: and what is darknes, and from Satan.

p. 2When God ſpeaketh, he ſpeaketh to the heart of all men:…, 29 and as an hammer breaketh ſtones, ſo his word maketh hearts to yeeld: that appeareth in all parts of Gods word, ſpecially in this Forme of prayer. It hath the Conſent of al natiue light, for the open phraſe; & more nerely of the Iewes Scribes for Divinitie, and truely the ſumme of Chriſtianitie: euen as the two Tables had of old.

The Law commandeth all good: and here we craue 1grace for to doe all that is good: That we may hold GOD 2to be our God, and only**…: That we regarde him as not reſemblable by any Image, but as dwelling in light that none can come to; nor imagine what ſhould be like unto 3him: That we neither thinke nor ſpeake lightly of him, or of his Word, that teacheth of his Nature; but hauehave ſkil to honour his Name: That we may reſt from our owne 4works, and keepe a continuall Sabbath to him: having his kingdome amongſt us: as on high he maketh peace, and the mightie Angels doe his wil.

Theſe Petitions we make for thoſe things which concerne Gods honour principally.

5Then follow others for our neceſſitie:5. That we hauehave a moderate portion, & neither want in ſcarcitie, nor abound in ſuperfluitie, but ſuch as ſerveth our houſhold: that the Officers as Fathers, and the reſt as Brethren and Children may liue together without ſorrow and diſtres.Eſai… …9, 2. …. …. 8. 9, 10.Isa 9:2Isa 9:8Isa 9:9Isa 9:10 Now, our ſinnes make a partition between GOD and us: by Rancor, Luſt, Theft, Untruth and Avarice: therein, we craue pardon and Gods lenitie, as we be ſoft to ſuch as uſe as amiſſe. And confeſſe our owne weakenes under the Aegyptiacall ſlaverie of Satan: and under Tyrantes: ſuch as the Iewes felt by Babel, Daniel all.Madai, Iavan with Seleuco-lagidae; which as four Beaſts made a ſea of troubles, till CHRIST brought his kingdome, power and glorie over all the world.

p. 3This in ſumme the Lords Prayer hath: and the two Tables hauehave the ſame; and as the Tables be anſwerable one to the other,… ſo is our Lords prayer unto both. The Law commandeth all that may be knowne on done: and this prayer deſireth full grace for ſo much. And as all the fiue Books of Moyſes,Matth. 22, 40Matt 22:40 yea, & the Prophets, are but a Commentarie upon the Law: ſo all the New Teſtament is a Commentarie upon the Lords Prayer▪ and both are pure as ſilver tryed ſeauen tymes in a veſſel of fined earth:Pſalm 12.Ps 12 wherefore we muſt examine what is droſſe here, (by our corrupterror) and remoue all ſuch from the pure Metall, that is from God.1 Corinth. 3.1 Cor 3 And we ſhall neede fire of tryall, for the Hebrews, the old Scribes and Rabbines with their ſide, who hauehave continued over the world, a great part of them dealers with the Law, and to which tenor of ſpeach the New Teſtament if fitted; they hold the phraſes all, as all the termes of the Law, no leſſe then we doe: but they deny the powre of them. Therefore they muſt be better examined: and that will we doe by Gods helpe in this ſorte.

Firſt, conſidering the knowledge and honour of God… next, our neede and diſtreſſe: and ſtill compare the Lords prayer with the Dealogue.

Our firſt ſpeach here,Now particularly of every Petition compared with the Decalogue. is of GOD: how, we doe acknoledge 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… Iupiter, the Father … yet they were godleſſe in this world.This entra… to prayer [to our Father]. Is the cry of all Gods children, & therfor they that hauehave other Gods againſt Our Father. Alſo the Iew ſayth good words from holy Moyſes, but not … underſtood: Thou art our Father, Iſa. 63… 10. and againe: Is not he thy Father… De…t▪ 3…, …. yet both theſe ſorts petiſh for ever becauſe they knowe not the Father.

p. 4Now,1 Iohn. 5, 7.1 John 5:7 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 relatiue to the SON, called the WORD, as in Prov. 30. Who went up to heauen, and came downe, who gathereth the winde 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 hauehave Father in the higheſt degree, and the SONNE coeternall: who with the SPIRIT aeternall, all three, one infinite Nature created the world. They that miſſe of Fatherhood in this ſenſe, knowe not God: and they can not be ſaved.

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

ELOHIM is the firſt name,Gen. 1. 1.Gen 1:1 that the Creator of all hath in the Scripture: and in notation it betokeneth MIGHTIE, and in forme a pluralitie; EL-HEM one mightie nature be They. They Iew, Rabbi Bochai upon Gen. 1. confeſſeth ſo much, and bringeth the like myſteries from, Eccleſ. 1…. Remember thy CREATORS in the dayes of thy youth. &c. and from Iſai. 54. IEHOVAH thy MAKERS. Of old tyme the Scribes of Doctors of Iehuda held the Trinitie, untill ſtubborneneſſe againſt the Redeemer drew them to extremitie of blindneſſe: Since, they diſturbe all, and they bred Arrians. But the old Rabbins held it not ſtrange to heare of Father,Hag. 2, 6.Hag 2:6 Sonne, and Holy Spirit, in the Vnitie of Godhead, and in ELOHIM, EL-HEM one mightie Nature be they.

IEHOVAH, likewiſe is of them held in moſt high and holy reverence: and where CHRIST the great GOD ſayth, Deut. 18. Thou ſhalt perfect with IEHOVAH thy p. 5GOD, he ſayth, Matth. 5. Ye ſhall be perfect euen as your Father in heauen is perfect. So we ſee Father to be uſed for IEHOVAH. Now, the terme IEHOVAH 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 untill the whole hoſt of heauen and earth was finiſhed, the name ELOHIM only was uſed: But when the perfect Being had appearance,Gen. 2.Gen 2 then the Creator is termed IEHOVAH ELOHIM.1 Tim. 6. 16.1 Tim 6:16 S. Paul tranſlateth it, Who only hath immortalitie, as Elohim, who is only Mightie.

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

foreign

foreign

foreign

foreign.

Seauen ſounding letters prayſe me God the great and eternall:

The Father of all things,Eſa. 40. 28.Isa 40:28 that never is wearie.

And I am the immortall viole of all things,

Which tune the Concent of the heauenly melodie.

Some holy Iew that reſpected, the thrice holy Name IEHOVAH, ſeemeth to be the Father of this Epigramme: (as they had of auncient tyme verie learned men in the Greeke tongue) cited in Clemens, Euſebius, and in Anthologia.

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

p. 6Alſo that IEHOVAH is ſpoken of CHRIST, Iſat. 6, 9. and Iohn 12, 41. doe ſhew: and that CHRIST is Iehovah, euen the Talmud granteth from Ier. 23, and againe 31. I wil raiſe unto David the Brightnes the luſt: and the name by which they ſhall call him, is Jehovah our righteouſnes: 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 Iuſtice, and unſpeakable mercy: and all truth in all … honoureth theſe names… as errors and haereſies, …argue their authors not to knowe the name of God.

Now for the terme Father, in reſpect of Creature, wee muſt weigh the uſe. The Starres (the Angels) be called the ſonnes of God, Iob. 3. 8. When the morning ſtarres were glad together, and the ſonnes of God ſhouted. So the Angels, which were created with the light the firſt day: they are the ſonnes of Them; the Mightie, the Trinitie. Theſe Angels ſaw the frame of Meteores, and diſtinction of waters, fiſh, fonles, and beaſts, how they could not ſerue their turne. And when man was made, though of the ſlime of the earth, yet in ſoule equall he was to Angels, in wi…re to giuegive names to Creatures. And therefore, when God gaue his Angels charge to ſerue man, that he ſhould not hurt his foote againſt a ſtone;Pſ…l. 1. …4.Ps 50:1Ps 50:4 all ſhould hauehave knowne, that he made his Angel ſpirits, and his Miniſters a fla… of fire. But ſome of them diſdained to marke, how all was made for man, and rebelled againſt IEHOVAH E…OU…M; & diſturbed all the courſe of wiſedome,Gen. 1. 1…. …. 8, 12.Gen 1:1Gen 1:8Gen 1:12 and brought man to rebellion, and all the Creature ſubject unto groning: wherupon 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 p. 7came to performe obedience unto death, to giuegive life: preſently for our ſoules paſſing hence to heauen when they leaue the body, as he through the Vaile of his fleſh entred into the joy of the Father: and they who ſtubbornly deny that,1 Corint. 15. can hauehave no hope of ſalvation. And by his Reſurrectiō our bodies ſhal ariſe in the later day; al of both ſots: as in our death of body al ſoules returne to God that gaue them, to abide judgment for every hid thing good or evil.

On high, be places of light and joy, called heauen: On high, be places of torment called Hell: the ſeparation is large enough, that the one can not paſſe to the other. The general name is cōmon to both, THE WORLD OF SOVLS, to the Iewes, who knew that all ſoules aſcend out of this world: & HADES, or unknown place, to heathen, who knew not any thing out of this world, but thought, there were beyond the gates of the ſunne, as Homer ſpeaketh, or out of the light of the ſkie, places of diſtinct ſtate, garden for the godly, and Tartarus priſon for the wicked. Then Heathen took not Heauen as we doe, for a place of Gods glorie, out of this world, but for ſome part of the ſtarrie ſkie; as Iuſtin Martyr diſputeth againſt them. But the Scripture lifteth us aboue the heauen of the aire, and heauen of ſtarres, into a third heauen: unto that our Lord w…nt from the croſſe: unto that S. Paul was taken up:2 Cor. 12, 42 Cor 12:4 and all ſaythfull ſhal hauehave a Tabernacle there,Luc. 23. 43.Luke 23:43 when this earthly dwelling is diſſolved. The Thiefe knew, that our Lords ſoule ſhould goe hence thither as all juſt: and our Lord doth confirme him therein.

This courſe the Creater tooke, taking our nature unto him,Rom. 8, 15.Rom 8:15 to be our brother, that we may by his ſpirit cry, Abba Father. In this ſenſe we cry Abba Father, and Elohim, and Eternall, Pſal. 65. 2.Ps 65:2and O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee ſhall all fleſh come.

p. 8Iſrael felt by an outward bleſſing of deliverance from Egypt,Exod. 20, 2, 3Exod 20:2Exod 20:3 the ſpiritual deliverance from Hel, by IEHOVAH, the Eternall: which none other could performe, that he ſhould be their Father, and they ſhould hauehave no other Elohim, mightie defender but him: & that he only ſhould be the hearer of their prayer. and thus the terme Father, and Iehovah, and Elohim, our mightie Iudge and defender, ſound one and the ſame thing.

We treſpaſſe deadly, when we pray to any other againſt the Law: Him only ſhalt thou ſerue; upon which Law, the Scribes ſitting upon Moſes chaire, ſay thus: we hauehave bene taught from age to age, that this worſhip is Prayer: David confirmeth this,Pſalm 50.Ps 50 ſaying: Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will heare thee: and thou ſhalt worſhip me: and our Lord more expreſly in this chap.Matth. 6.Matt 6 When ye pray, pray unto your Father which is in heauen. And neither the holy Apoſtles ever, not the common Iewes at this day, in their Synagogue, pray but unto the Creator. The Iewes know him not: yet hold the generall of praying, only to God, as the holy Doctors, Simeon, Zacharie, 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-Catholiques muſt confeſſe they hauehave no hope of ſalvation:Matth. 6, 7.Matt 6:7 darkening knowledge by words wil nothing help their turne: Their heart telleth them that they hauehave ſmall hope in God, that ſeeke to Creatures: whereas God dwelleth in light, that none can come to: & Creatures know not the heart of man, nor how God pittieth or hardeneth, to ſhew his moſt wiſe government of p. 9the world. So they can not call upon him, whom they knowe not: and miſſe of the true Father, as Baſtards: and they miſſe wilfully: and grope like the blinde at noone day.

Now the terme our, proteſteth, that we will hauehave no other Elohim, but him: none other Patrons for our life and ſoule, 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 owne family fought againſt four kings,Geneſ. 14. Eſai. 41.Gen 14Isa 41 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 Henoch, whom he knew to be in Paradiſe: but made God only his Iudge.

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 farre they muſt be followed, (euen the heathen) as they hold the Law of nature.

In aſſemblies of Gods people,1. Corint. …. which may make judges of their owne; it is unlawfull 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,Deut. 1…. Ezek. 17. 13. 14. 15. & 21, 23.Deut 1Ezek 17:13Ezek 17:14Ezek 17:15Ezek 21:23 becauſe God ſayth: Thou ſhalt make unto thee, a King of thy Brethren. The Iewes held it unlawfull 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 Iewes admitted once the coine of any prince, therein they acknowledged him their governour: and our Lord confirmeth that acknowledgment,Luke 2…. 2….Luke 2:2 upon the image & p. 10ſuperſcription of Caeſar. And full often doth S. Paul teach,that obedience,Rom. 13. Tit. 3. 1 Petr. 2, 13.Rom 13Titus 3:1 & S. Peter omitteth not the ſame doctrine: both foreſaw, that as the Iewes rejected Governours, becauſe they would judge in their owne lawes: ſo in tyme Scholers would among us: pretending that Politicians in heathon ſtudies were not fitt. But Chriſtianitie having no new matter, but the Incarnation of the Angel of our Covenant, the Eternall king of glorie, and his Reſurrection: having, I ſay, no new matter but that, wherein the world would ſtaggar, ſuffereth not Scholars to beare 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 doe, and which labor ſpendeth all a mans youth) And all the ſage ſhould ſpeak upon requeſt: and the reſt judge. In ſuch aſſemblies, one day might open all the Bible: while plaine matters be only touched, and only difficulties be handled. But men louelove darkenes: and will hauehave other Elohim then God willeth.

And wheras God ſayth: Thou ſhalt not make unto thee Elohim of, gold, Elohim of ſilver. The Scribes ſitting in the chaire of Moſes truly conclude, that Governours that buy their places, fall to be Elohim of gold and ſilver. And Epiſcopi of Elders in policie of Gods people made by money, may no more be honoured then an Idol.

The heathen knowen ſlaues of Satan had outward obedience, till God by Civill Policie, and Conſtantinus might did fell them: and ſo Elohim of gold may hauehave 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 honour:A…lo…. 1. 1. as the Prince Theophilus to whom God, dedicated two parts of the N. Teſtament: that all ſhould follow ſuch a Biſhop, and hauehave no Father, nor Rabbi, but God and p. 11his Vicars: wherof Kings & Rulers are the chief Epiſcopi and Elders: and the Readers of the word, which ſhould be or rare ſkill: yet are ſuperiors only in diligence.

Al Iewes townes had Ros Ielibah, an head of their councill, Epiſcopus, Tzophe: as Antigonus ſucceſſor to Alexander Macedon, was holden Tzopheh, or Epiſcopus of Aſia. But none of the Iewes Epiſcopi ruled ſaving for one voice;Dio. Sicul. and ſo farre he was Elohim. Act. Rab. Abr. Ben David in Cabala.When Ananias went further, S. Paul gaue him over to Gods eternall curſe: and he and his ſonne Eleazar authors of Rebellion, brought Ieruſalem to be Iebus againe, and troden down, while they knew not Elohim.

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

For God his honour two warnings are giuen:Which art in heauen: & therfor by Commath. 2. not to be faſhioned by any thing in heaven or earth. 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 eternall powre and Godhead. But our ſloth, admiring the Creature, will worſhip him by that. So the ſtars were Heathens gods; ſo the forme of a mans bodie is the Papiſts: againſt that, CHRIST engraved the Law in ſtone: Thou ſhalt not make unto thy ſelf any grauen Image or likenes of any thing, that is in heauen or earth, or the ſeas, which the ſhore keepeth in the lower chanel.

God requireth the paynes of the minde to thinke upon him, and to follow his Word: and none of that courſe can abide Idols: neither did Idol-knights ever admire Gods nature or louelove his Word.Pſalm 89.Ps 89 Nothing in the aire, our next heauen, or among the ſtarrie heauen, is like unto him: but we muſt aſcend into the third Heauen, aboue all this viſible world, unto an unſpekable light, to think wel of God: and in that light God is inviſible, and thence bringeth his p. 12hid Counſels into light, for them that in minde worſhip him: others be Batts and Mould-warts.

And when we ſay, that our Father is in the third heauen, we proclaime rejection of all that worſhip images, as not being the children of God. So we here goe aboue all eyeſight: and aſcend in our minds, aboue this viſible world, unto the world of Soules: whither all aſcend, either to joy in the light of God, in heauen, and Paradiſe: or to woe of darknes of Hell and Torment. All that in light of minde wil not aſcend to heauen, ſhal aſcend to the throne of God to heare condemnation, & to hauehave on high a place of woe for ever and ever.

In the dayes of Enoſh men corrupted the calling upon Gods name,Gen. 4. …6.Gen 4:6 giving ſtarres his glorie: but the flood taught them the penaltie,1. …. 16. 1 Pe…. …, 19. when their bodies became wrinkled by waters: and their ſpirits went up to eternall priſon. So Babel was built to the worſhip of ſtars, becauſe men that made their bellies their god, would, and could not with their heavie hearts aſcend the heauens, but by tongues exhorted unto Idols name, & eaſie devotion: For that, God did cutte them off from Adams tongue, and hope of his life for ever: ſaving the few that would endure the minds paynes,2. Corin…. 5. to ſearch how God in Christ reconciled the world unto himſelf. And God ſo hated the heathen, that he gaue by Moſes an hedge of Lawes to keep Iſrael from amitie with them: euen for the verie powling the head, that they ſhould not be like the Arabians, as Maymony full well expoundeth that Law,… Levit. 19. and all ſhould ſtill ſhunne the garment polluted by the fleſhly minded men.

A further paynes of the minde,… is required for the honour of God: to ſanctifie his name: and the Law forbidding to take his Name in vayn, includeth that in a Commandement, Now all Gods doctrine is called his Name: all holy p. 13ſpeaches of him: In his LAW ſhal the nations truſt. Iſa. 42. In his NAME, ſayth Matth. 12. The Attributes, ELOHIM, IEHOVAH, EL-SHADDAI, ADONAI, …AH, TZVR: the Mightie, the Eternall, 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 Commentarie upon them.1. Tim. 6, 1.1 Tim 6:1 So, by NAME, all holy doctrine is conteyned: and we pray for knowledge in it; as the Law maketh all guiltie, that taketh his NAME in vayne.

Herein ſtandeth the greateſt care of true Chriſtian Policie: how all congregations may hauehave many Biſhops to ſanctifie Gods Name: to know the truth, and to ſpeake it with fear and care. In this ſtandeth only the joy of our ſoules: and it were better for us, that we were never born, then to miſſe 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 ſonnes by Returah, (whence Iob was) Iſaac, Iacob, Ioſeph, taught theirs the redemtion by word of mouth, & equitie by the Law of nature. But when Iſrael multiplied, a few ſuffiſed not to be Biſhops, then a Law was written: and all Iſrael fortie yeeres had leaſure to learne it. And Levites were the common Biſhops in the land: as Biſhop Eleazar, ſpeciall one. PAKID, a man of charge, is Epiſcopus in the LXX. & 1 Timoth. 3. But not Levites onelyonly were learned. Al Paroches through the twelue Tribes had their Doctors of their owne: and all of Iſrael often, and no Levite: as ſome were only of Levites in their 48 townes lotted to Levi: and the high Councill might be all of Iſrael, or all of Levi, as it ſhould fal out. The Synagogues or Paroches had nothing to doe with ſacrifice: nor had any ceremonie of Levi: no cope of Linnen, as Aaron, neither linnen: only one ſhirt, a p. 14Girdle, and a Cappe, as Levites in the Temple. Neyther might they any more imitate Aharons attire, then they might ſacrifice there.

In their Synagogues they read the Law, and all ſaving hand-laborers, thrice a weeke from Childhood frequented Divinitie-ſcholes. Of them the chief were choſen to rule, and to teach after Angelus Eccleſiae had read: or they might by ſage leaue read: after reading, the choſen to rule: and to teach, called Elders or Biſhops, deſired the beſt in eſteem to ſpeake: or, after often approbation they might offer their payns. And this Policie, Luc. 4. and 1 Corin. 14. alloweth. So reaſon bred this policie: and the holy Nation practiſed the ſame 1400 yeres; knowing it a hard point to ſanctifie Gods Law: and to beware the taking of Gods Name in vayn.

Many high poyn…s ſtand herein. The truth of the Texts of both Teſtaments: for the purenes of Coppies, and the right helps for underſtanding, & the ſufficiencie of Gods Word for ſalvation: theſe be the chiefeſt: and all deceived kingdomes are curſed for miſſing herein: and the beſt may begin to looke better about them. And all of wealth muſt know, that their bent muſt be to know, how to ſanctifie Gods name: As raſh ſwearers ſo al deceived doe take Gods name in vayn. Wherfore all that are of abilitie, ſhould from youth know the Law: and all wel might by ſkilfull guides: and a kingdome of Glorie muſt hauehave many glorious in it: and they be ſimple, that hope by bare hearing of Sermons to become learned. As many Gentlemen ſpend their tyme to ſanctifie Gods name, ſo all ſhould, & the moſt part would, if Teachers learned before they taught.

The effect of this maketh the kingdome of heauen to be amongſt us:…, thy will be done on earth as it is heaven:] as when the ſabba…th is duly ſanctified, then Gods kingdome is advanced Command. 4. that men ſhould obey God in CHRIST on p. 15earth, as the Angels obey, being ſent out miniſtring ſpirits for them, that ſhall inherit ſalvation. For that, we hauehave one day in the Law, the ſeauenth day, which Adam kept, and all the Fathers, til in Egypt they forſook Gode. Then they found by Manna not rayned, that day which was the ſabboth: and they are commanded to remember, and keep that Day holy. And that day our Lord reſted wholly in the graue, and ſo finiſhed the Ceremonie. And his reſurrection bringing light into the world, made the day where in God ſayd; Let there be light; as it was the firſt in order, to be alſo the firſt in dignitie.

In the beginning,Gen. 3. 21. Apoc. 13. ….Gen 3:21Rev 13 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 LORDS DAY: which Angels with moſt comfortable joy celebrate in the Goſpell: and in which our Lord often ſhewed himſelf, wherefore the Church kept it Act. 20. and Apoc. 1. our Lord appeared unto Iohn in Patmos, and took away the covering from all the Bible, on that day, being called the LORDS Day. So the ſame authoritie, which appointed Adam, the next day to his fall to Reſt in hope of Christ: appointeth us the next to our Lords Reſt performed moſt abſolutely.

Adam was to ſtudie upon the Creation, which his fall brought under vanitie, and upon the hope of better Reſt. And we are to joy in the day of our Light manifeſted unto the world, and a plaine token of the new world. So the Iewes Sabboth and ours, tende both to one and the ſame purpoſe, though the day be altered.

And their univerſal conſent ſtandeth from Moſes playn narration, for the word of not eating of the Tree of knowledge of good and evill, and Satans reply, and the eating, and ſentences, and loſſe of Paradiſe; that all fell the ſame p. 16day, the firſt day of man: and accordingly at noone day, our Lord on the tree began the Combat with Satan, and at the cool of the day went into his kingdome, through the vaile of his fleſh; leaving this world, which the Latine heathen call, Deſcendere ad Inferos: the Grekes, foreign: the Iewes to returne to God, or, to aſceud. And they are barbarous babes, that know neyther Latin, Creek nor Ebrew, nor Divinitie, whither juſt ſoules were to goe.

The terme Kingdoms, is taken in three degrees: 1. For Gods powre over all: 2. for his mercies manifeſtation: and 3. for the happie ſtate of glorie in heauen. But all goe by knowledge together: they which know God aright as Governour, will embrace him as a Redeemer; and ſhal finde him an eternall comforter. For theſe degrees wee pray;Deut. …0. 12. Rom. 10. 6.Rom 10:6 but the ſecond is moſt of difficultie for the minde to goe up to heauen to bring Christ downe, and to goe to the deep, to bring Christ from the dead: and to dye with Chriſt: and to ſeeke thoſe things which are aboue: Therefore Gods powre in Chriſt, is by the nobleſt part called, the kingdome of Heauen.

And the government in the Goſpel affaires to cheriſh and rule men in the Church is the policie of heauen. The Iewes though they, many of them, knew not the perſon of Chriſt; yet they had & hauehave all, that the Apoſtles teach: and therefore therein no ſtrife was in al the N. Teſtament: both ſides held the ſame minde 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 p. 17requireth ſo much, and will ſuffer no more in effect.

And our Policie might ſoone come in equitie nere this, if all Biſhops were as many be: and they which worſt may would not be holden the Candle. A tranſlation by conſent & ſtudie of all, & prayers from verie Scripture might be ſone afforded, and unlawful, imitation of Aharons attire might be left with eaſe: and theſe points moſt vex us, wherin many Biſhops never made any ſtirre.

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 graue. So the Lawes of this Kingdome be playn. But the ſtudie of the Word for the Hebrew Teſtament, and the Greeke Teſtament, as we carie our courſe is inſinite: yet by conference of the N. Teſtament with Hebrews, moſt eaſie & pleaſant. And a learned Iew would tell whom the Apoſtles expreſſe in all their ſpeachcs: ſo ſhining be the Teachers of this Kingdome.

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

Order biddeth to handle next,[GiueGive us this day our dayly bread, leaſt … want we … againſt …, and againſt all …. the things that ſuccour all our diſtreſſe: For which we pray that abilitie be giuen us, by giving good, or forgiving ill: as the Lawe giveth charge, ſo to doe. We are commanded, to honour our Father and Mother: that is to ſhew them all care, and performance of good. So Abraham ſhewed Terah how the God of glorie appeared unto him; and drewe him from Meſopotamia to Haran, to goe for Chanaan, to be partaker of all his good. So Moſes tendered Iethro, and ſhewed what good he ſhould hauehave by joyning to Iſrael.

Now this can not be performed between kindred, unles outward abilitie be reſonable: for that, we pray for ſufficient food, that neither aboundance driue us to height of p. 18minde; nor want, to anger againſt God: Agur the ſonne of Iakeh, ſo prayed, Pro… 30 Provertie or riches giuegive me not: nouriſh me with bread of fitte meaſure for me. That verie phraſe the Holy Spirit tranſlateth from the Proverbs to this place foreign by a new fram'd word, playn by Compariſon, with foreign aboundant, and by foreign abſence, being between both, as limited by both. Agur giveth a reaſon of his demand, for meane wealth: ſaying, least I be full, and lye, and ſay, who is the Lord: or least I be poor and ſteale: and contemne the name of my God.

As every particular ſhould reſt in meane wealth, whole ſtates ſhould doe the like. Iſrael learned that, by the Manna, where the much diminiſhed, and the litle ſufficed. And all Iudahs pollicie 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 Iewes pollicie, the content of riches was practiſed in the whole tenor of it. Yet the miſtruſtfull heart of man, is wholly ſet upon ſtoring up. And the Phariſies pretending contemt of the world, loved ſilver notably: to whom the Parable of hoſpitall 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 ſpeaches that ever were ſpoken: as,Matth. 6. Luke 12.Matt 6Luke 12 Store not upon the earth: but ſtore in heauen: care not for meat, drink and clothing: look upon the foules, & conſider the lilies, ſeek for the Kingdome of heauen.

The enemies of Chriſt in the Talmud Ieruſalemie, hauehave this ſaying ſtollen from our Goſpell, in theſe words of Monabaſes ſonne to King Agrippa, in abridgment thus; The friends chide him for giving all to the poor: He ſayd▪ My Fathers ſtored for earth, I ſtore for heauen: my Fathers ſtored where hand hath ſtroke; I ſtore where hand hath no ſtroke; my p. 19Fathers ſtored Mammona; I ſtore for ſoules: This ſayeth Ieruſalemie ſtealing witte from our Goſpel.1. Tim 5, 4.1 Tim 5:4 So we deſire our dayly food in competent ſort, to recompence them, whoſe care preſerveth us; as our Parents, and the ſtate wherin we liue.

Againſt this we treſpaſſe, when by pretence of Religion we overthrow civill pollicie, as the Pope doth, and all that holy and whit of his in part. Religion ſhould be ſo cleared, that all by twentie yeeres of age might be eunning in all the Bible: that everie Officers ſhould be as duetie and name requireth a Biſhop. One howre would utter many more direct Poſitions for the Bible, then all our Biſhops yet knew: if hatefull dealing hindred not, and unthankfull envie. 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 litle care for wealth, becauſe they regard God: as Ioſuah, that ſought for himſelf no part of the Land: and for the contrarie, S. Iames told the Iewes, how they fedde themſelues, as to the day of ſlaughter. So the true regard of honouring Parents and the State ſhould define our dayly bread.

And men of State are equally limited by Law: the King may not multiplie horſes, not multiple money: but as all Iſrael truſted in God to keepe their townes, when thrice a yeere they went to Ieruſalem: And God taught Heathen by Pharaoh and Senacherib, not to ſeek deſtruction: ſo Gods favour, not horſes ſhould be the ſtrength of a Kingdome. The Ebrewes limit the Kings money, euen ſo much as payeth foreign the wages for his ſervants: ſtore will be a ſore.

Iſaiah blameth Iudah in Azariahs dayes for multiplying horſes and money. And in his laſt yeere telleth of tenne p. 20calamities and utter ruyn, which haſtened one after another, moſt vehement upon the truſters in their owne ſtrength:Se the Concent, for 10. calamities further touching the ſla…e. Ahaz loſt 120000 in one battel: Ezekiah twice felt Aſſur heavie: Manaſſeh was in Babel priſoner; Ammon died by ſword: good Ioſiah by an arrow: Ioachaz ſoone is captiue, and dead: Ioakim is buried like an Aſſe: Iehojachin had 37 yeres impriſonment: & Zedekiah would ſee nothing, till he had his eyes pluckt out: And the whole nation loſt their Temple, Citie and Land: wealth & pride, for horſes and money brought all this. So al States ſhould reſt in their dayly bread to honour the whole government in competent ſort.

An other extremitie is here,… Contemt of due care: Idle folk and hinderers of the common good, be as hurtfull, as covetous deceitfull Scholars: & ſhould be holden as wicked as they, and each one, & Publique men chiefly, ſhould ſweate, to imploy all to the beſt. And hence floweth that care for Colonies, for which India giveth place: And an honourable thing it is, for our ſolie the ends of the earth, the poſſeſſion of Chriſt,Pſalm. 2.Ps 2 to benifite others and our ſelues: when our Teachers be learned in troupes, as many be in deede: this courſe will avoyd a courſe.

And thus much for our diſtres, holpen by giving good. Forgiving ill, commeth after it.

The Law ſayth:… Thou ſhalt not kill. Thou ſhalt not commit adulterie. Thou ſhalt not ſteale. Thou ſhalt not beare falſe witnes. Thou ſhalt not deſire, &c. For all this the Law is ſpirituall: and unjuſt anger is guiltie before the high Sanedrin: & the Lust by ſight is adulterie: & deceit by ſleight, as in Preachers chiefly is theft: and all Covet in condemnation. For this we condemne all of Adam, that they offend us, and we them: and we pardon them, conſidering the common miſerie: and ſo craue pardon of God, as we p. 21pardon them. And herein we conſider the cauſe of our fall: for murdering hate: for adulterous deſire: for thieviſh ſophiſtrie, for lying falſehood, and deſiring more then our owne.

Outward occaſions tempt our weake natures; and to God we pray,Lead us not into tentation, but deliver us from evill. that he would deliver us from them. God tempteth no man to ill: but he tempteth all men by outward tryals:Iam. 1.Jas 1 and unles God help us, by Satans whelps we will be ſoon caught: from him we pray to be delivered: as in all things he is brſie:1 Pet. 5. 1 John. 2. Iam. 4.1 Pet 51 John 2Jas 4 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 warre with our ſelues. And thus, prayer for grace, and commandement for duetie hauehave been compared.

Now followeth a concluſion of moſt glorious ſtile:For this Concluſion of the kingdom, power and glory of Chriſt, ſe the Poſt for, following. For thyne is the kingdome, the powre and glorie, for ever and ever: this Concluſion commeth moſt goodly, and moſt godly: and when we marke whence it commeth, a world of knowledge commeth with it. But firſt we hauehave 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 Arabique 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 Greeke 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 hauehave not a new Teſtament. The ſewes ſay for the Teſtament in Ieruſal. Saned. A Teſtament that fayleth in part, fayleth in all. Wherefore our Biſhops muſt herein leaue the Pope: and he muſt looth himſelf.

And thus ſtandeth the Caſe: ſtrong by coppies, and p. 22ſtronger by matter: firſt, of ſixteen Coppies in the French Librarie, cited by Ro. Stephen fifteene had this clauſe: and reaſon might tell, ſome trifler left it out, eyther by the Latine: or by not knowing why S. Luke left it out: But all of judgement know, that abridgers in Scripture be ſhort. And S. Luke in the bleſſings hath but fiue of the whole. And from the firſt Narrator, matters are to be had: as euen the Pope ſtandeth to his Latine for S. Matthew.

Beſides, the Arabique written Tranſlations, one which I hauehave, brought lately from the Eaſt: an other which the worthy renowmed Arias Montanus lent the learned Printer Raphelingius, theſe hauehave the ſaying: Thyne is the Kingdome, the powre, and glorie, for ever and ever.

And here commeth the Pope to judgment, how his Arabique Coppie ſhould not agree with the Greeke: ſeing other Coppies doe: if Coppies common hauehave that ſentence, how ſhould his miſſe it. The Arabique notation is plaine, and voyde of ſchooltricks: and ſeing their Tranſlations that are abroad hauehave this clauſe, reaſon telleth that the Greeke Originals, that went over Arabia had it: as all the uſuall in the Weſt. Beſides the Chaldi Ethiopian printed at Rome hath this: and the nation was large, reaching over Eaſt & South. So millions of Originall Greek Coppies in thoſe quarters are ſuppoſed to hauehave the ſame. Alſo the Siriaque Tranſlation hath, Thine is the Kingdome, the Powre and Glorie, for ever and ever: ſo millions then held it part of the New Teſtament: and hold the Pope a Corrupter. And Theophilact in Greeke printed at Rome 1542, hath the ſentence. So by number of voyces it ſtandeth as Gods word.

And better by matter; for when the four fierce beaſts, Daniel 7. had taken away the holy Iewes Kingdome, One like a SONNE OF MAN commeth in the clouds of heauen: p. 23and goeth againe to the everlasting in dayes: and to him is giuen kingdome, power, and glorie over all nations. There is a plaine prophecie of the Incarnation and Aſcention of our Lord: and ſoone after,Dani…l. 9. 24, the yeere of his death is told: and withall a returne from Babel, by hope in his blood: as from Egypt by the blood of a Lambe. And ſo this ſentence conteyneth all the Goſpell. And if God had not ſpoken it,Amen:] this is the ſubſcription to prayer… ſo Iſrael ſubſcribed to the law Deut 1…. 15. &c. & 5. 27. Thus Prayer & the Decalogue hauehave beene compared.Deut 1:15 man had never thought of it. But now we ſee a moſt glorious Concluſion, and fitte for his wiſdome, whom all Nations, People, and Tongues ſhould honour. To whom be all glorie for ever. Amen.