An Exposition Upon the Lords Prayer, Title page – To the reader
AN EXPOSITION VPONUPON THE LORDS Prayer, compared with the Decalogue, as it was preached in a Sermon, at Oatelands: before the moſt Noble, HENRY Prince of Wales.
Aug. 13. Anno 1603.
VVith a Poſtſcript, to advertiſe of an error in all thoſe that leaue out the Concluſion of the Lords Prayer.
Alſo, the Creed is annexed, vvith a ſhort and plaine explication of the Article, commonly called: He deſcended to Hell.
BY HVGH BROVGHTON.
TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader Grace and Peace.
HAving in my cuſtodie (Chriſtian Reader) a coppie of M. Broughtons Sermon on the Lords Prayer: I found it upon peruſall, to conteine the Summe of all Divinitie: eſpecially being ſo fitly compared with the Decalogue, which maketh the ſence more heauenly, and the harmonie more ſweet: and being compoſed together with much plainenes and brevitie, and alſo garnished with much learning from the auncient Rabbins, which the New Teſtament alloweth: which when I had wel conſidered, I began to reaſon with my ſelf, why ſo worthy a worke should be hidde from the world, and not rather be communicated to all, for the common good of all: eſpecially conſidering that it was his continuall deſire, & conſtant endeavour (not to hide his learning, but) to ſpende him ſelf, and his whole estate, in the ſervice of Christ, by advancing the Goſpell, and expounding the Holy Schriptures, both the Hiſtorie of them, and alſo the Doctrine of them.
And firſt, for the Hiſtorie of the Scriptures, he compoſed it, in a moſt plaine and profitable manner, into one ſhort viewe, which he called A Conſent of Scripture: and herein he did carefully explaine three neceſſarie Circumſtances, that is to ſay, Tyme, Place and Perſon: without the knowledge of which Circumſtances, the Hiſtorie of the Bible can never rightly be underſtood: and therefore with great paynes, and no leſſe learning, he made many ſeverall Treatiſes, upon theſe three Circumſtances; firſt, proving the truth of them by Scripture: and ſecondly, in defending of that Truth, against the manifold Errors of former Writers: and alſo againſt the manifold cavilations of ſundry late Oppoſers. And therefore all thoſe that upbraide his learned paynes with the terme of needleſſe Genealogies, and unprofitable Chronologie, they are worthy to beare the burden of their owne ignorance: for howſoever, they thinke in their owne conceite, they know much, yet in deede & in truth they might know more, to their greater joy and comfort, if they did not deſpiſe the Holy Rules, (I meane the afore-named Circumſtances) wherewith God hath garniſhed his bleſſed Word, as a ſpeciall help to guide everie wiſe hearted Reader in the true underſtanding of the ſame.
And ſecondly, this Learned Divine of bleſſed memorie, hath alſo declared his ſpeciall louelove to the Church of God, in adding much help, for the better understanding of the Doctrine of the Bible: although his manner was not to make large Common-place bookes: becauſe the moſt Writers doe imploy their paynes about it: therefore he thought it more neceſſarie to imploy himſelfe, in giving Rules for the true underſtanding of the Scriptures, and for the right expounding of ſome Common places, wherein many Writers doe not agree, becauſe the ſcope of the Scriptures is not rightly underſtood: and therefore he hath giuen us warning, how to underſtand many Common places: as about Predeſtination, & the Sufferings of Chriſt: and about the Article, commonly called Chriſtes Diſcent into Hel: &c. Alſo he ſpeaketh much, and to great light, upon the myſterie of the Holy Trinitie, and of the Incarnation and Reſurrection of Chriſt: as alſo of the Fall of Man, and of the great myſterie of our Redemption: and of many other weighty poynts: as appeareth in this inſuing Treatiſe: and in many other of his Works: as in Iob, Eccleſiaſtes, Daniel, and his large Commentarie on the Appocalypſis: &c. Now if this be true, as it is moſt evident in the aforenamed books, then it ſhould ſtop the mouthes of all thoſe, that ſlander his learned paynes, becauſe ſay they, he teacheth no Sanctification: but they doe litle conſider, when they ſay ſo, that the Ground of Sanctification conſisteth in the Holy and right knowledge of the Word of God, which muſt firſt be ſeated in the minde & conſcience, before it can be practiſed in the life and converſation.
O but, ſay ſome, his writings are not worth the reading, becauſe they are ſo difficult & hard to understand: I anſwer with S. Peter, that many things are hard to be understood in Pauls Epiſtles, 2 Pet. 3, 16. ſhall we therfore not count them worth the reading, becauſe they are ſomewhat difficult? no, no, God requires the paines of the mind for the understāding of his word, for it is a treaſure hid in the ground, & therfore they muſt take paynes to digge for it, that will hauehave it: ſo if men could but endure the paynes of the minde, they would ſpeake more reverendly of this mans Writings: but becauſe men louelove ſuch eaſe, they cannot ſee the drift of his Writing: and therefore well may his great Learning lamente, becauſe ſo fewe regarde it: for it is almost ſollitarie and unknowne to his owne Nation, becauſe fewe doe knowe, what his learned paynes may further, which is more precious then Rubies: Yea, therefore, his knowledge doth powre teares downe her cheekes, becauſe ſhee is understood of none. But I would to God, that ſome Learned man would take the paynes to contriue al his Workes in to one Volume, that ſo his great learning might not periſh in Oblivion: but that the ages to come may hauehave it in Record for their help and furtherance in Divinitie ſtudies, who wil doubtles reape more fruit by them, then we doe, by reaſon of our vnthankfulnes, and ſo the God of all peace be with thee Chriſtian Reader; and the Lord giuegive thee understanding in all things. Amen.
The wiſe wil vnderſtand.
Dan. 12.