Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion, Sermons 4 · Decade 5 · Sermon 5

Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion · Sermons 4 · Decade 5 · Sermon 5

p. 913Of the fourme and manner howe to pray to GOD, that is, Of the calling on the name of the Lorde, where alſo the Lordes prayer is expounded, and alſo ſinging, thankſgiuing, and the force of prayer is entreated.

The fift Sermon.

p. 914AFter the miniſterie of the woord of God in the churche of Chriſt handled, mee thincketh I hauehave conuenient place to entreate of the prayer of the faithfull, wherevnto godly miniſters neuer leaue to ſtirre vp the church.

The word prayer is verie largely taken amonge writers, and in daily vſe: What …yer is.At this preſent we vſe it after y^e ſame maner y^• Dauid the Prophete vſed it, ſaying: Heare my prayer, O God, and let my crie come vntounto thee. For prayer is an humble and earneſt The defi…ition of …ayer and …hat be … partes …ereof.laying forth of a faithfull mind, wherby we either aſke good things at gods handes, or els giuegive him thanckes, for thoſe things which we hauehave receiued. And of prayer chieflye there are two parts, inuocation or aſking, & thanks giuing. By petition we lay open vntounto God the requeſtes and deſires of dure heart, beſéeching him to giuegive vsus good thinges, and that he will turne from vsus euill thinges, as may be to his glorie and good pleaſure, and according to our neceſſitie. In inuocation or petition we comprehend obſecration, whiche is a more vehement prayer, & alſo interceſſion, wherby we cōmend other mens matters to the Lord. For we offer prayers to y^e Lord our God, not onelyonly for our ſelues, but alſo for our brethren, and for their manifold neceſſities, for them that are diſtreſſed with perils, for thoſe that ve ſicke, for them whiche ſuffer perſecution, or are in a manner oppreſſed with other calamities and afflictions. Neither do we exclude beſéechinges, whereby we earneſtly deſire euils to be turned away from our ſelues or frō others. There are alſo complaints, whereby the Saincts in their prayers do holily expoſtulate with God.

Thanckeſgiuing comprehendeth both dunne praiſes, and alſo celebrateth with a ioyfull ſpirite God his noble power, and the benefites receiued at his hand. Herevnto is referred a great part of the pſalmes, wherof part perteine to inuocation or calling vppon God, and ſome ferue to teache or inſtruct, & ſome to declare or expound, whereof at this preſent there is no place to ſpeake. Paule the bleſſed Apoſtle of Chriſt acknowledging theſe parts of prayer, writing to the Coloſ. Col. 4.Col 4ſayeth: Continue in prayer, & watch in the ſame with thankeſgiuing. And to the Philippians: Let your requeſtes Philip. 4.Phil 4be ſhewed vntounto God, in prayer & ſupplication with giuing of thankes. And againe vntounto Timothie: I exhort therfore (ſayth Paule) that firſt of all 1. Tim. 2.1 Tim 2prayers, ſupplicatiōs, interceſſions, & giuing of thanks be made for al men.

Kinds of prayers are theſe. There Kindes of prayers.is a priuate prayer of euerie faithfull man, & there is alſo a publique prayer of the whole church. Priuate prayer is made vntounto God by euerie faithfull man, in what place ſoeuer, either in the houſe or without dores, in the cloſet of his heart, & temple of his owne bodie. For S. Peter went vp into the Actes. 9.Acts 9vppermoſt part of the houſe, and prayed. S. Panſ ſayeth: I will therefore that the me pray eueryevery where, lifting …. Tim. 2.vp pure hands. And Chriſt our Lord himſelfe verie often departed euen out of the temple into the mount to pray. And in the Goſpel hee ſayeth: When thou prayeſt, enter into thy Matth. 6.Matt 6chamber, and when thou haſt ſhutt thy dore, pray to thy father whiche is in ſecrete.

Publique prayer is that which is vſed of y^e church; whiche is made vntounto p. 915God in the holy aſſemblie, according to the accuſtomed order of euerie churche. Nowe the paſtours duetie is as Paule alſo admoniſheth in the 1. Tim. 2. and wée in the laſt Sermon before this hauehave rehearſed, to gather together, inſtruct and preſerue the aſſemblies, in whiche, ſupplications or common prayers are made. And they are greatly to bee blamed, who are more negligent in this behalfe, than becommeth them, neither are they in déede to be ſuffered, which ſéeldome or neuer teach diligently, and are cold in ſtirring vpp a deſire in men to pray. Men by nature are ſlow and ſlacke in the ſtudie of religion: and therefore we hauehave néede of a ſharpe ſpurre. And the charge and office of ſtirring vpp, and prouoking, is committed to the paſtours of churches. The prophets ſomewhere crie: Blowe out the trumpet in Sion, aſſemble a congregation. For in a holy congregation thrée thinges are chiefly vſed, the teaching of the Of holie aſſembliesGoſpel, faithfull prayers, and religious celebration or adminiſtration of y^e Sacraments. And ſometimes there is a collection made, for the reléeuing of the poore and of the church. The holie Scripture wittneſſeth that theſe thinges are not inſtituted at the will and pleaſure of man, but by the authoritie of God, yea, and immediatly after the firſt beginning of thinges, and that they were alſo vſed of y^e moſt holy worſhippers of God. Of thoſe moſt auncient patriarchs both which were firſt before the floud, and which followed immediatly after, there is no doubt, ſince the ſcripture plainly witneſſeth of Iacob himſelfe the nephue of Abraham, that he exected an altar Gene. 35.Gen 35in Bethel, whervnto he aſſembled his whole houſehold, though it were excéeding great, and there offered ſacrifice vntounto God. In Moſes time by the law, in moſt euident commaundements, he inſtituted holy aſſemblies. Yea in the 10. commaundements, he diligently Exod. 20.Exod 20cōmaundeth to ſanctifie the ſabboth day: which alſo comprehēdeth holy aſſemblies. The holy prophets of God do euerie where praiſe and commend the eccleſiaſticall aſſemblies of Gods people. Neither did Chriſt our Lord diſallow them whē he came in y^e fleſh. For as in the moſt notable aſſemblies and feaſtes hee taught with great diligence, euen ſo he gathered and aſſembled together, both the people and alſo his diſciples, whome he ſpecially commaunded that they ſhould not depart from Hieruſalem, but waite for y^e promiſe Luke. 24.Luke 24of the father: which thing when they were gathered together into an Actes. 2.Acts 2aſſemblie and in prayer, we read in y^e Actes to hauehave béene performed. There alſo the aſſemblie of the faithful is cō mended to vsus, as appeareth both in y^e 11. and 14. cap. of the 1. epiſt. of Paul to the Corin. Thoſe ſupplications which the ſame Paule commaundeth to bée made for all them that are ſet in authoritie, are made chiefly in holy aſſē blies. Truely Plinie an heathē author writing to Traianus the Emperour, doth make verie manifeſt mention of holy aſſemblies. Holie aſſemblies had of old time verie excellent promiſes, as we may ſée in the prayer of Solomon, whiche is deſcribed vntounto you in 1. Reg. ….the firſt booke of the Kinges the 8. cap. And at this day y^e church of Chriſt hath promiſes nothing inferiour to them, Chriſt our Lord, ſaying: I ſay vntounto Matth. 18▪Matt 18you, that if two of you ſhall agree in earth as touching any thing that they ſhall aſke, it ſhalbe done for them of my father whiche is in heauen. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the p. 916middeſt of them. Behold, y^e Lord him ſelfe is in the middſt of the aſſemblies of ſaincts. And where y^e Lord is, there is both plentie and the treaſure of all good things. And therefore experience it ſelfe which we hauehave of matters teacheth, that the ſupplications of the church are effectuall. For the Lord heareth the prayers of the church, and deliuereth from euil, thoſe whoſe ſafetie the church commendeth vntounto him. We hauehave oftentimes had experience, y^t they which were in extreme daunger hauehave found verie preſent helpe, euen at the ſame inſtant wherein the congregation hath offered their prayers to the Lord.

Moreouer the example moueth verie many, otherwiſe hard hearted and barbarous. For they ſée y^e deuout godlines of the holy congregation, and the feruencie of the faithful in aſſemblies, & are thereby moued, ſo that entring into themſelues, they acknowledge y^t they are miſerable, & deſire to be partakers of this fellowſhip, according to the ſaying of S. Paul. If therfore whē the whole church is come together in …. Cor. 14.one, and all ſpeake ſtraunge tongues, there come in they that are vnlearned or they whiche beleeue not, will they not ſay that ye are out of your witts? But if all prophecie, and there come in one which beleueth not, or one vnlearned, he is rebuked of all men, & is iudged of all. And ſo are the …ecrets of his heart made manifeſt, and ſo he wil fall downe on his face, and worſhip God, and ſay plainely that God is in you in deede. With what confidence therefore, and howe ſhamefully dare ſome ſet light by holy aſſemblies, and not onelyonly ſet light by them, but alſo ſcorne at them, as if they were aſſembled together without any profite at all? Dauid in his baniſhment maketh complaint of nothing ſo much, as that hee was compelled to wander in the wilderneſſe, and was ſhutt out from holy aſſemblies. For hee promiſeth the Lord, hee wil enter into his holie congregation if euer he be reſtored againe. Verily when the Lord ſayeth in the Goſpell, Hee which is of God, heareth Gods word, it followeth, that they whiche louelove the congregation wherin the word of God is preached, hauehave the naturall mark of the ſonnes of God.

But becauſe many doe not onelye We muſt pray.loathe holy aſſemblies, but alſo ſaye that prayers are altogether ſuperfluous, vaine, and vnprofitable, Before we procéed any further, we will ſhew that the godly muſt pray, and that the prayers of the faithfull are both effectuall, profitable, and neceſſarie. They ſay all thinges are done by the prouidence of God, and therefore prayers are vnprofitable. For that which God hath fore-knowen, that verily will hée bring to paſſe after the manner of his fore knowledge, neither can it be hindered by prayers. But theſe men abuſe the prouidence of God, for that cut of it they gather that thing, which the holy Scriptures do not teach them to gather. For in Deut. in expreſſe woords Moſes hath left written, The Lord had determined to deſtroy you, Deut. 9.Deut 9therefore, I made interceſſion vntounto the Lord, and I found fauour. Ionas Ion. 3. 4.Jonah 3:4threatneth ſo certeine deſtruction vntounto the Niniuites from the Lord, that he euen foretold the number of dayes. But when the men of Niniue beléeued the Lord, and repented, the Lord beecame fauourable to them againe, neither did hée deſtroye them when they repented.

Moreouer Eſaie had ſpoken to Ezechias out of y^e mouth of y^e Lord, Thou p. 917Eſai. 3….Isa 3ſhalt die, and not liue. But when the king powred foorth his prayers, euen from the bottome of his ha…t vntounto the Lord, God chaunged his ſentence that he had pronounced. For the Lord himſelfe ſayeth in Ieremie: I will ſpeake ſoudeinly againſt a nation or a kingdome for to plucke it vp, and to roote it out, and to deſtroy Iere. 18.Jer 18it: But if this nation againſt whome I hauehave pronounced, turne from their wickedneſſe, I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vppon them, &c.

Wherefore, the prayers of the faithfull are effectuall, ſtayinge the wrathfull iudgementes of God, yea, and taking them cleane away. For wheras they obiect againe, That prayer is a declaration of thinges, which Obiectionwée require of the Lord, and that God fore-knoweth all thinges, therefore that thoſe thinges are vnprofitably and ſuperſ…uouſlie declared vntounto him, which he alreadie knoweth, and ſo for that cauſe that prayer is vnprofitable: it is confuted of Chriſt our Lord himſelfe, who when hee had plainely ſaid, Your heauenly father knoweth what thinges ye hauehave neede of before ye aſke of him, Yet neuertheleſſe adding Matth. 6.Matt 6a fourme of prayer hée teacheth vsus to praye. In an other place hee commaundeth vsus and ſtirreth vsus vpp to pray often, Watch, and pray, ſayth hée, leaſt you enter into temptation. And Paule ſayeth, Reioyce alwayes, pray cōtinually. In eueryevery place there are many preceptes of this kinde.2. Theſ. 5.

Neither doe we declare our matters to him, as to one that knoweth them not, but wée vtter them to him that vnderſtandeth the deſires of our heart, and do humble our ſelues at the féete of his maieſtie. Wée aſke that of him, whiche wée knowe wée want, but yet of him certeinely to be receiued, who is the author of all goodneſſe. For wée beleeue his ſure and infallible promiſes: In y^• meane time prayers are not ſuper…uons, for that the Lord would aſſuredly giuegive that whiche wée aſked.

The Lord promiſed the deliuerie Ierem. 2…Jer 2of his people, whereof the godly doubted nothing at all, yet with vnceſſant ſupplications they prayed vntounto the Lord, crying: Deliuer vsus O Lord our God: neither did they thincke they laboured in vaine. To the Anabaptiſtes Anabaptiſtes.pretending abſolute pureneſſe, and therefore being pure, neither can nor ought to pray, Forgiue vsus oure debtes, ſince there remaine no debtes, the moſt holy Euangeliſt and Apoſtle Iohn aunſwereth, and ſaith: If we ſay 1. Iohn. …we hauehave no ſinne, we deceiue our ſ…lues, and the trueth is not in vsus. If wee acknowledge our ſinnes, he is faithful and iuſt to forgiue vsus our ſinnes, and to cleanſe vsus from all vnrighteouſnes. If we ſay that we hauehave not ſinned, we make him a lier, and his woord is not in vsus. For as long as wee liue in this world, there remaine remnaunts of ſinne, to bee waſhed away eueryevery moment by the grace of Chriſt.

Moreouer, where as they obiect, It is written, Wee knowe that GOD doth not heare ſinners, But wee are Iohn. 9.John 9all ſinners, therefore God d…eth heare none of vsus, and ſo mens prayers are found to be vnprofitable. Wée aunſwere, that of ſinners ſome are altogether vngodly and deſpiſers of GOD, thoſe God heareth not. There are againe repentaunt men, and ſuch as feare God, whiche neuertheleſſe are ſinners, and rightly ſo called, becauſe of the remnaunts of ſinne: thoſe God heareth. Whiche might he ſhewed by the examples of Dauid, Manaſſes, Peter, p. 918the théefe erucified with Chriſte, & many other which were both ſinners, and when they pray…d were heard.

Therefore we ſay that the prayers of the faithfull are not onelyonly profitable Prayers … neceſſarie.and effectuall, but alſo neceſſarie vntounto men. For wée are men, defiled with ſinne, deſtitute and void of all goodneſſe, Euerie good giuing and eueryevery perfecte gift is from aboue, and …ames. 1.commeth downe from the father of lightes, He commaundeth vsus to pray, and offereth to them that pray verie large promiſes. Wherefore oure fathers were both verie often exerciſed, and verie …eruent in prayer, by their example teaching vsus that prayers are neceſſarie. The Scripture alſo diligently and at large rehearſeth howe great thinges by their prayers in verie weightie affaires and daungers, yea, in matters moſt neceſſarie, they obteined of our moſt true and moſt bountifull Lord and God. The Apoſtles pray for the holy Ghoſt, faith, and the increaſe of faith, and they receiue their requeſts, not ſpareingly, but liberally, beeing made partakers of all manner graces of Chriſt. In the Goſpel the Publican prayeth in the temple, and ſayeth, God bee mercifull to mee a ſinner: and he foorthwith found …ake. 18.the Lord mercifull vntounto him. What and howe great thinges Helias by his prayers obteined of the Lord, the holy hiſtorie recordeth. And the bleſſed Apoſtle Iames applieth his example vntounto vsus alſo, that wée alſo in faith ſhould call vppon God. Whiche I rehearſe leaſt any man ſhould thincke that that perteineth nothing vntounto vsus. Againe, how much the faithfull prayers of Moſes, Dauid, Ioſaphat, Ezechias, and other valiaunt men preuailed in warres, in famines, in ſickeneſſes, and in other excéeding great dangers, it were long to recite. Theſe examples proue that prayer is both alwayes neceſſarie vntounto men, and verie effectuall. For wée plainely ſée that God is moued with the prayers of his faithfull. For hée is good and God is moued with prayers.mercifull, he loueth vsus, he toke fleſh, that he might be touched with féeling of our infirmities, leaſt we ſhould bée diſmayed at him: hée is true and faithfull, perfourming thoſe thinges faithfully which he promiſeth. What? doth he not fréely, liberally, and bountifully call all men vntounto him, offering himſelfe wholie to them that call vppon him in faith? But in that they which pray do not alwaies receiue that whiche Why they that praye doe not alwayes receiue that they aſke.they aſke, it doeth not proue that prayer is altogether vnprofitable: for it is oftētimes profitable for him that prayeth, not to receiue his requeſtes. There are moreouer many cauſes, for the whiche God either putteth off the things that are aſked, or doeth not graunt them. There is a kind of men which pray, of whome we read written: He that ſtoppeth his …are at the Prou. 21.Prov 21crie of the poore, ſhal crie himſelfe, & not be heard. Againe, Though ye make many prayers, yet will I heare Iſai. 1.Isa 1nothing at all, ſeeing your handes are full of bloud. So againe in Solomon Wiſedome cryeth, teſtifying that ſhe Prou. 1.Prov 1will not heare them that call on her, becauſe they would not firſt heare her giuing them warning in time. All theſe things in a māner are gathered from y^e perſon of them that pray: from the thing it ſelfe which they pray for, that whiche followeth is deriued. S. Iames ſayeth: Yee aſke and receiue not, becauſe ye aſke amiſſe, euen to Iames. 4.Jas 4conſume it vponupon your luſtes. For the Matth. 20.Matt 20Lord alſo aunſwering two euen of his choſen diſciples which required the higheſt roomes in the kingdome of p. 919Chriſt, ſaith: Ye knowe not what ye aſke. Furthermore, holy men when they aſke holy and neceſſarie things, or at the leaſt not vniuſt or euil, whiche neuertheleſſe they receiue not of the Lord, they forthwith thincke that God is a God of iudgement and iuſtice, and therefore that hee will not immediatly deliuer out of afflictions: yet deſire they deliuerance with continuall prayers. Whome the Lord loueth he chaſteneth, whome he chaſteneth, he doeth not to this end, to deſtroy …rou 3. Hebr. 12.Heb 12them, but that they ſhould not be condēned with the wicked world. For it is lawefull in ſuch diſtreſſes to pray with Dauid, Rebuke me not in thine anger, O Lord, neither chaſten Pſal. 38.Ps 38me in thy diſpleaſure, And with Ieremie, Lord …orrecte me in iudgement, not in furie. And with Abacuch, Whē thou art angrie remēber thy merciemercy. The godly doubt nothing of y^e power & goodnes of God to men ward. That which God will, and which is profitable for the children of God, god can do. Innumerable examples of this thing, the old & new teſtament doth affoard vsus. Wherefore when we are not deliuered, when we obteine not our deſires, it is moſt ſure that God wil hauehave it ſo, and that it is profitable for vsus it ſhould ſo be. By this meanes he heareth our prayers when he heareth vsus. For our prayers tend to this end onelyonly, that it might go wel with vsus. God ſince he is onelyonly wiſe, knoweth what can profite and what can hurt vsus, and doth not giuegive vsus y^• we aſke, yet by not giuing, he in verie déed graūteth that whiche is good for vsus. Therefore the lawful prayer of y^e faithful is alwaies effectual, and euermore obteineth his purpoſe, the Lord gaunting to his that which he knoweth to be good.

Furthermore, the Lord deferreth to Why God …eferreth …o giuegive that which …e meaneth to giuegive…perfourme that whiche is aſked, yea and at ſomtime ſéemeth altogether to neglecte our prayers: but hee doeth that by prolonging to trie his: that he may make their faith y^e more feruent, and his giftes alſo more acceptable, whiche are ſo much the more ioyfully receiued, by how much they are looked for by an ardent deſire. In this temptation let that ſaying of the prophete comfort vsus. Can a woman forgett her Iſai. 49.Isa 49child, & not hauehave compaſſion on the ſonne of her owne wombe? Though they ſhuld forget, yet wil not I forget thee. For y^e church had ſaid, God hath forſaken me, & my Lord hath forgotten me. Let vsus now cōſider what maner Who is to be called vppon of them that pray.of prayer that ſhuld be, which he y^• calleth on God vſeth. That queſtion cannot bee better reſolued, than by weighing the chiefeſt circumſtances. Firſt therefore let vsus conſider, who muſt bee called vppon of them that pray. None verily but y^e one and only God. For thrée things are required of him whiche is prayed vntounto. Firſt, that he heare y^e prayers of all the men in the whole world, that he pierce and exactly know their hearts, yea that he know more rightly and better all the deſires of men than men themſelues can vtter them. Secondly that he be preſent euerie where, & hauehave power ouer all thinges in heauen, in earth, and in hell, whiche hath in his power all the wayes, and all the meanes to helpe. Thirdly that his will be excéeding good, and readie prepared, that that which he can, he may alſo be willing to do. But theſe properties are found in God onelyonly. For God onelyonly ſearcheth the reines and the harts: he onelyonly ſéeth and heareth all thinges: he onelyonly knoweth more perfectly thoſe things which are within and without man, than man himſelfe: he onelyonly is p. 920preſent in all places: hee onelyonly is Almightie: he onelyonly is wiſe: the will of God onelyonly imbraceth man with moſt perfect goodnes, & is alwayes readie, & onelyonly procureth faithfully that which is profitable for man: therefore ought God only to bée called vponupon. But who can attribute theſe properties, were it to y^e moſt choſen ſoules in heauen w^t out blaſphemie and ſacrilege? Therefore the ſoules in heauen liuing with God are not to be called vponupon. Eſpecially ſince y^e ſcripture in plaine words teſtifieth, y^e Abraham & Iacob know vsus not, and commaundeth vsus to cal on …ſai. 63.God, and forbiddeth to communicate thoſe thinges which are Gods to creatures. And that we ſay nothing elſe, to whom I pray you, of all the ſaincts or angels in heauen can we ſay without bluſhing, O our father whiche art in heauen, & that which followeth in the Lords prayer? Let vsus therfore call vponupon God onelyonly that heauenly father, whome alone all the ſainctes, or godly men as many as hauehave bin in y^e church, hauehave called vppon. But ſince no mortal man, how good ſoeuer hee ſéeme to …y whom God the Father is called vpō.be, is worthie to come forth into the ſight of y^e eternall and moſt holy God: whiche thinge all men with one voice confeſſe, many in déed and diuerſe patrones, interceſſours, and aduocates, are choſen and receiued of them that pray, by whoſe interceſſiō either they themſelues might be brought to God, or their prayers preſented vntounto God. Wherfore ſome hauehave choſen to themſelues angels, other apoſtles, other y^e moſt holy, & among all other women, that bleſſed virgin y^e mother of Chriſt: other ſome hauehave choſen other, as they hauehave put confidence in this man or y^e man: but they hauehave forged theſe thinges vntounto themſelues out of the imagination of their owne hart, & hauehave not learned them at the mouth of y^e Lord. The ſcripture y^• only rule of truth ſetteth forth to vsus one mediatour, interceſſour, patrone, & aduocate, by whom we m…y come vntounto God, & by whome we may preſent our prayers vntounto the Lord. All y^e prayers of all men are vnpleaſant and abhominable, which are not made by Chriſt Ieſus. Neither doeth true faith ſuffer vsus to forge and imagine another aduocate for Chriſt, or ſome other with Chriſt in the ſight of God, nor our ſelues alone without our aduocate Chriſt to ruſhe into the preſence of God y^e father. Here true Chriſtiās are ſeparated from Iewes, from Turkes, yea and Papiſtes alſo. For they deſpiſing the ſonne of God, call vponupon the father only, without the mediation of Chriſt Ieſus. But the voice of God by the Goſpel and his Apoſtles pronounceth againſt them. In the Goſpel we read y^e Lord ſaid: The father hath committed all iudgement Iohn. 5.John 5vntounto the ſonne, beecauſe that all men ſhuld honour the ſonne, euen as they honor the father. He that honoureth not the ſonne, the ſame honoreth not the father, which hath ſent him. And againe, I am the way, & the trueth, & the life. No man cōmeth to the father, Iohn. 14.John 14but by me. And Iohn the Apoſtle and Euāgeliſt ſaith, Who ſoeuer denieth the ſonne, the ſame hath not the father. 1. Iohn. 2.1 John 2But theſe men doe not acknowledge Chriſt to be y^e only interceſſour, but teach y^e ſaincts in his ſtéed or with him ought to bee called vppon as patrones before God. But y^e ſame Iohn ſhewing an aduocate vntounto Chriſtiās, did not appoint him ſelfe, did not lay before vsus ſainctes in ſtéed of Chriſt, or them with Chriſt, But, ſaieth he, wee hauehave an aduocate with GOD the father Ieſus Chriſt the righteous. Neither doeth Paule ſhewe vsus any other p. 921in 1. Tim. 2. cap. and Heb. 7. cap. To y^e Epheſi. By Chriſt (ſayth he) wee hauehave Ephe. 3.Eph 3bouldneſſe & entraunce with confidēce by faith in him. Chriſt is ſufficient for them that beléeue, as in whom alone the father hath ſtoared vpp all good things, commaunding vsus to aſke thoſe thinges in him, and by him thorough prayer. Theſe thinges are ſufficient for minds not deſirous of contention. They that wil, let them ſerch further in the third Sermon of the fourth Decade.

I hauehave told you who is to be prayed vntounto, or called vppon of the godly What thinges prouoke man to call vppon God.worſhipers of God, and by whome: to witt, God alone, by the onelyonly ſonne of God our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Let vsus now ſée what ſhould ſtirre vp man to call vppon God: ſurely the ſpirite of our God principally. For prayer is rightly counted amonge the giftes of grace. For neither could we earneſtly nor hartily call vponupon our God, vnleſſe we be ſtirred vpp and prouoked thervnto by the ſpirite of God. For albeit the commaundement of God will vsus to pray, & preſent neceſſitie and daunger driue vsus, and the example of other allure vsus to pray, yet all theſe thinges would doe nothing, vnleſſe the ſpirite inforce our minds vntounto his will, and guide and kéepe vsus in prayer. Therefore though there be many cauſes concurring, whiche moue men to prayer: yet the chiefe original of prayer is the holy Ghoſt, to whoſe motion and gouernement in the entraunce of all prayers, whoſoeuer pray with any fruite, do begge with an holy preface. To this perteine theſe words of y^e holy Apoſtle: The ſpirite alſo (ſaith hée) helpeth our infirmities. For we know Rom. 8.Rom 8not what to pray as we ought: but the ſpirite it ſelfe maketh requeſts for vsus, with ſighes which cannot be expreſſed. But he which ſearcheth the harts, knoweth what is the meaning of the ſpirite, for he maketh requeſts for the ſaincts according to the will of God. In déede the ſpirite of God is ſaid to make interceſſion, not that he in very déed prayeth, & groaneth, but becauſe he ſtirreth vp our mindes to pray and to ſighe, and bringeth to paſſe, that according to the pleaſure of GOD wée ſhould make interceſſion or pray for the Sainctes, that is to ſaye for oure ſelues. But let vsus conſider with what abilities hée muſt be furniſhed, which With wha… abilities …he muſt b… furniſhed which cō meth to pray vntounto God.cōmeth of purpoſe to pray vntounto God. Firſt it is neceſſarie that hée lay aſide all opinion of his owne worthineſſe and righteouſneſſe, that hee acknowledge himſelfe to bee a ſinner, and to ſtand in néed of all good thinges: and ſo let him yéeld himſelfe vntounto y^e méere merciemercy of God, deſiring of the ſame to be filled with all things that are good. For that great prophete of God Daniel ſaieth: Wee doe not preſent our Dan. 9.Dan 9prayers before thee, in our own righteouſnes, but in thy manifold mercies. Alſo you read the like prayers offered vntounto God Pſal. 79. For the people of the Lord crie: Helpe vsus O Lord of our ſaluation, for the glorie of thy name, deliuer vsus, and be mercifull vntounto our ſinnes, for thy names ſake. Remember not our ſinnes of old, make haſt and let thy merciemercy deliuer vsus. In the new Teſtament the Phariſeie in Luke, truſting in his owne righteouſneſſe, Luke. 18.Luke 18is put by, and caſt off from the Lord, but the Publican fréely confeſſing his ſinnes, and crauing merciemercy of God, is heard and iuſtified. For vnleſſe we acknowledge our nakednes, weakenes, and pouertie, who, I pray you, wil pray vntounto God? For not they that beſtrong, but they that bee ſicke hauehave neede of the Phyſician. p. 922And the Lorde in the Goſpell ſayth, Aſke and ye ſhal receiue, knocke and it ſhalbe opened vntounto you, ſeeke and ye ſhall finde. Hee therfore that is commaunded to aſke that he may receiue, hath not as yet that he aſketh: he that knocketh, by knocking ſignifieth that he ſtandeth without doores: and he whiche ſéeketh, hathe loſt that which yet he ſéeketh for. We therefore being ſhut out from the ioyes of Paradiſe, by prayer do ſéeke and aſke for that whiche we hauehave loſt and hauehave not. Therefore where as Dauid and Ezechias and other ſaintes of God in prayer do alledge their owne righteouſnes, for which they ſéeme worthily to require to be heard, truely they regarde not their owne worthineſſe, but rather the trueth of God. He hath promiſed that he will heare them that worſhip him, therfore the Godly ſay: Beholde wee are thy worſhippers, therefore it is méete thou ſhouldeſt not neglect vsus, but deliuer vsus. In the meane while in other places they ſpeake in ſuche ſort of their righteouſneſſe, that we cannot doubt, that in their prayers they made mention of their righteouſneſſe, with a certeine meaſure and limitation. Enter not into iudgement with thy ſeruant (ſayth Dauid) for in thy ſight ſhal no man liuing be iuſtified. &c.

Furthermore, and that whiche is the chiefe of all, it is needefull that Faith is … that ….they which pray, muſt hauehave a true & feruent faith. Let the doctrine of faith therefore in the matter of prayer, ſhewe vsus lighte as the morning ſtarr, and with an aſſured hope to obtein of God the thing which is aſked, let him that prayeth make his petition. Let him aſke in faith, ſayth ſaint Iames, nothing wauering: for he that …mes. 1.wauereth is like a waue of the Sea, toſt of the winde, and carried with violence. Neither let that man think, that he ſhal receiue any thing of the Lord.

And Paule alſo ſayth, Howe ſhall they call vppon him, on whome they hauehave not beleeued? I hauehave ſpoken of faith in the fourth ſermon of the firſte Decade. But to the ende that faith may increaſe in iuſt meaſure, & flouriſh and continue ſtable, we muſt labour in the promiſes and examples from eueryevery place gathered together. We will recite a fewe. In the booke of Pſalmes we read, Offer vntounto God Pſal. 50.Ps 50thankſgiuing, and pay thy vowes vntounto the moſt higheſt. And, Cal vponupon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliuer thee, and thou ſhalt glorifie mee. Againe, The Lord is nigh vntounto al that Pſal. 145.Ps 145call vponupon him, vntounto all ſuch as cal vponupon him in trueth (or faithfully.) He wil fulfil the deſire of them that feare him: he will alſo heare their crie, and will ſaue them. Againe in Eſaie, the Eſa. 65.Isa 65Lord ſaith, And it ſhal come to paſſe that before they call, I will anſwere them, and while they are but yet thinking how to ſpeake, I wil heare them. In Matth. the Lord ſayth, Aſke and it ſhalbe giuen you, ſeeke and ye ſhall finde, knock and it ſhalbe opened vnyou. For whoſouer aſketh receiueth, & whoſoeuer ſeeketh findeth, & to him that knocketh it ſhalbe opened, &c. In the ſame Goſpell the Lord ſayth, And Matth. 21.Matt 21al thinges whatſoeuer ye ſhall aſke in prayer, beleeuing, ye ſhall receiue. In the 11. of Marke the ſame ſentence is Mark. 11.Mark 11thus alledged. Whatſoeuer, ſaith he, ye deſire when ye pray, beleeue that ye ſhall hauehave it, and it ſhalbe done vntounto you. Againe, in the goſpel according to Saint Iohn the Lord ſaith, Whatſoeuer Iohn. 14.John 14ye ſhall aſke in my name, that wil I do. Againe, Verily, verily, I ſay vntounto you, Whatſoeuer ye ſhall aſke p. 923Iohn. 16.John 16the father in my name, hee wil giuegive it you. Aſke and ye ſhall receiue. Dauid frameth an argument of the example of the Fathers, and ſaith, Our Fathers hoped in thee, they truſted in Pſal. 22.Ps 22thee, and thou diddeſt deliuer them, they called vponupon thee, and they were helped, they did put their truſt in the, and were not confounded. For therevpō he gathereth that he alſo ſhal not be forſaken of the Lord. In the hyſtorie of the Goſpell are verie many examples to be ſéene which excéedingly confirme & eſtabliſh the faith of the Godly. But ſince faith is not a vaine imagination, but an effectual power Let the life of him that prayeth be anſwearable to his faith.working by the holy Ghoſt all kinde of good woorkes (thoughe they neither truſt vntounto theſe, neither thinke in conſideration of them to be heard) yet neuertheleſſe ſuche ſinners as are faithfull doe not impudently and without repentaunce truſt to their owne wittes, dealing onelyonly in wordes with the Lorde, but they ioyne a holy life with prayers. For Solomon ſayth, Hee that turneth his Prou. 2….Prov 2eare from hearing the Lawe, his prayer ſhal bee abhominable. And the Lorde ſaith in Eſaie, Though ye make many prayers, yet will I heare Iſaie. 1nothing at all, ſeeing your handes are full of bloud. Of ſuche impenitent perſons we vnderſtande that in the Goſpell, God heareth not ſinners. But that more is, the Saintes ſhal obteine nothinge if they continue Iohn. 9.John 9prayer for ſuche. For Ieremie praying earneſtly for his people, otherwiſe being obſtinately wicked, heareth, Thou ſhalt not not pray for this people, thou ſhalte neither giuegive Iere. 7. 11.Jer 7:11thankes nor bidde prayer for them, make thou no interceſsion for them, for, in no wiſe will I heare thee. Seeſt thou not what they doe in the cities of Iuda? The children gather ſtickes, the Fathers kindle the fire, the women kneade the doughe to make cakes for the Que…ne of heauen. They powre out drinke offeringes vntounto ſtraunge Gods, to prouoke mee vntounto wrath. After the ſame manner, ſayeth the Lorde in Ezechiel, If I ſend a peſtilence into this Lande, and if Noe, Iob, and Daniel Ezech. 14.Ezek 14were therein, (or in the middeſt of it,) as truely as I liue, ſayth the Lord God, they ſhal deliuer neither ſonne nor daughter, but ſaue their owne ſoules in their righteouſneſſe.

Wherefore it followeth, that the ſupplications of vnrepentant men, & impudently perſeuearing in their ſinnes, thoughe they crie without ceaſſing, Helpe vsus O God our Sauiour, Deliuer vsus O Lorde, We beeſeeche thee to heare vsus, are altogether fruiteleſſe. For they deſire to be preſerued that they might take their further pleaſure, and committe wickedneſſe. And though God giuegive vsus fréely thoſe thinges whiche we aſke, yet it is neceſſarie that an affection or deſire to liue wel do accompany ſo great benefits receiued at the hands of God. For here we ought moſt diligently to take héede, that we thinke not we ſhalbe heard for our vertues ſake, but for the méere mercy of God in Chriſte Ieſu.

Moreouer whoſoeuer deſireth to Our mind… muſt bee …fted vp …o heauenly thinges.hauehave his praiers to be acceptable vntounto God, let him lift vp his mind from earthly things vntounto heauenly things Touching that thing y^e bleſſed Martyr of Chriſt Cyprian eloquently and holily intreating, ſayth: When wee ſtand occupied in prayer, wee muſt with our whole hart watch and be diligent in prayer. Let all worldly and fleſhly thoughtes departe, neither let p. 924the mind thinke vponupon any thing elſe, at that time, than only that whiche it praieth. Let thy breaſt be ſhut againſt the aduerſarie, and let it be open to God only, neither let it ſuffer the enimie of god to enter into it in the time of prayer. For he oftentimes ſtealeth vponupon vsus and entereth in, and ſubtily deceiuing vsus turneth away our prayers from God▪ that we may hauehave one thing in our hart, & another thing in our mouthe: but not the ſound of the voice, but the minde and ſenſe ought to pray vntounto God with an vnfeigned affection. Thus farre hée.

But that the minde of him y^e prayeth may bee lifted vp from earthly thinges vntounto heauenly thinges, y^• is chiefly the worke of the ſpirit, of true fayth, the ſtedfaſtnes of hope, and the feruent louelove of god: if alſo we hauehave in remembrance the dreadfull maieſtie of God, before whoſe eyes we ſtande praying. Him al the creatures in heauen & in earth do worſhip & reuerēce: thouſand thouſandes of Angels ſerue him. Let vsus thinke with our ſelues how profitable and neceſſarie things we aſke of God: without whiche we can not be happie. Let vsus moreouer remoue frō vsus al thoſe things whiche either deteine and kéepe vsus in this world, or pull vsus backe vntounto earthly things, of which ſort are theſe, ſlouthfulnes, couetouſnes, & ſurfetting, and to be ſhorte, al other ſinnes like vntounto theſe. And contrariwiſe let vsus applie our ſelues to watchfulnes, ſobernes, gentleneſſe, & liberalitie. Surely the Scripture, almoſt eueryevery where, ioyneth vntounto prayer, faſting and mercy.

For theſe vertues make vsus more chearfull and readie to pray throughe faith.

Daniel ſayth, I turned my face vntounto the Lord God, and ſought him D…niel. 9.by praier & ſupplicatiō, with faſting, ſackcloath, and aſhes. Neither vnlike to this doe Ionas and Ioel teache. Yea in the Goſpel and writinges of the Apoſtles, we eueryevery where heare, Watche, be feruent in prayer, bee ſober. For the bellie being full, either no prayers at all, or elſe fat and vnweildie prayers are made. Whereof we reade that ſaint Auguſtine ſaid, Wilt thou hauehave thy prayer flie vppe vntounto God, make it two winges, Faſting, and Almes deedes. For in the Actes of the Apoſtles the Angel of the Lord ſaith to Cornelius the Centurion, Thyprayers, and thine almes deeds are had in remembraunce in the Actes. 10Acts 10ſight of God.

And ſurely God requireth of vsus feruent prayer: but it can not chooſe Let prayer proceede from louelove.but be colde, whiche is not inflamed with charitie. Therfore they that be cruell, and vnwilling to forgiue their brethren their treſpaſſes, and do ſtill retein hatred toward their brethren, cannot pray before God, who ſayth, And when ye ſtand praying, forgiue if ye hauehave ought againſt any man, that Mark. 11.Mark 11your Father alſo whiche is in heauen may forgiue you your treſpaſſes. And again, If ye forgiue men their treſpaſſes, Matth. 6.Matt 6your heauenly father ſhal alſo forgiue you. But if ye forgiue not men their treſpaſſes, no more ſhal your Heauenly Father forgiue you your treſpaſſes.

And in another place he ſayeth, Matth. 5.Matt 5Therefore if thou bring thy gyft vnthe Altar, and there remembreſt that thy brother hathe ought againſt thee, leaue there thy gyfte before the Altar, and goe thy waye, firſt be reconciled to thy brother, and then come & offer thy gyft. For otherwiſe all thy gyftes ſhall not bee acceptable vntounto God.

p. 925Let vsus therefore willingly forgiue, & let vsus louelove & do good vntounto oure neighbors, ſo our prayers ſhal pearce y^e heauens. Agreable vntounto this is y^• we pray We muſte not praye with the mouthe …nely but with the …a…t.not only with the mouth or voice, but with the mind and inward affection of the hart, and with the ſpirite and feruencie. There was no voice heard of Moſes, neither of Anna the mother of Samuel, when they prayed, but moſt earneſtly in ſpirite they cried vntounto God, who alſo hearde: and l…dd him ſafely with all the people of Iſrael through the redde Sea out of the moſte bloudie handes of the Egyptians, & her which afore was barren he made fruitefull. And contrariwiſe, we read that the Lord in the Goſpel, out of Eſay alledged theſe wordes againſt the Phariſeis. This people, draweth nighe vntounto mee with their Matth. 15Matt 15mouth, and honoureth me with their lippes, howbeit their hart is farre frō me, but in vaine do they worſhip me, teaching doctrines preceptes of men. Therefore aptly ſaide Paule, I will pray with the ſpirite, and wil pray 1. Cor. 14.1 Cor 14with the vnderſtanding alſo, where he calleth the liuely breath and voice of man, Spirite. By theſe heauenly teſtimonies, their prayers are condemned, who with a marueilous rouling and ſwiftneſſe of the tounge, in a ſhorte ſpace babble many wordes, and thoſe maimed and curtayled, vttering wordes without ſenſe. For their minde in the meane while is otherwiſe occupied. No other deſire is there felt of them, vnleſſe happilie this ſéeme a deſire, in that they pant and blowe, haſting to make an ende of praying. Among whiche kinde of men Monkes and prieſtes are chiefe, who pray for money & for their hire: that is, ſell a thing of naught for a great price vntounto the madde people: not that prayers are vaine of them ſelues, but becauſe being vſed after that maner, they become vaine. Of theſe men the Lorde pronounceth in the Goſpel, Woe be vntounto you Scribes and Phariſeis, Hypocrites, for ye deuoure Matth. 23.Matt 23widowes houſes, and that vnderunder a pretence of long prayer, therefore ye ſhal receiue the greater damnation. I know what theſe Sophiſters do here bring foorth and alledge for the defence of prayers ſaid for rewarde or ſtipend: but in fewe wordes I giuegive them this knotte to looſe. Theſe men that pray in this ſorte, either hauehave fayth and charitie, or elſe they hauehave not: if they hauehave, they pray without rewarde, for charities ſake: if they hauehave not, their prayers ar of no effect, and therefore with a falſe ſhewe they deceiue the ignorant people, paying their money for lawfull prayers, whereas they requite them with vnlawful: and if they were lawful, yet were they neither to be ſold or boght.

This is alſo required of him that prayeth, that he deſire not things vnworthie for God to graunt, nor require We muſt require nothing that …s vnwor…hy for God to graunt & cōtrary to his lawes.thoſe things that are contrarie to the lawes of God. For S. Iohn the Apoſtle ſaith, If we aſke any thing according to his wil, he heareth vsus: therefore when we aſke thinges vnworthie for God to graūt, he heareth vsus not. Moreouer alwayes and in all 1. Iohn. 53.our prayers, our wil and our deſires ought to be obedient to God and his wil. Therefore let no man go aboute wickedly to tye God to certein circū ſtāces: let no man preſcribe vntounto God at what time, in what place, or after what manner hee ſhall bring to paſſe any thing, that he wil doe. God who is only wiſe knoweth whē it is time to helpe. He is alſo both faithfull and omnipotent, and able in déede to doe p. 926greater thinges, than either we can aſke or vnderſtand. Which thing we alſo read that Paule hath ſaid. Therfore not without cauſe is that moſte honeſt widowe Iudith verie angrie with Oſias the Prieſt, becauſe he appointed Iudith. 8.Jdt 8a ſette number of dayes vntounto God, which being ended he ſhould deliuer, or otherwiſe they wold giuegive vp the citie. For Iudith ſaith What maner of ſentence is this, whereunto Oſias hath conſented, to deliuer the Citie vntounto the Aſsyrians, if within fiue dayes there come not ſuccour for vsus? And who are ye that tempt the Lord? This is not a ſentence like to obteine merciemercy, but rather to prouoke wrath & kindle diſpleaſure. You hauehave ſet the merciemercy of God a time, & hauehave appointed him a day after your own phantaſie. But for aſmuch as the Lord is patient, let vsus ſo much the rather repent & craue pardon at his handes by powring out of teares. Therfore Dauid is read to hauehave ſpoken moſt godly being in extreme daunger, If I ſhal finde fauour in the eyes of the Lorde, hee will …. Samu. 15bring me againe: but if he ſay to me, I hauehave no luſt to thee, behold here am I, let him doe with me, what ſeemeth good in his eyes.

And nowe alſo long continuance is verie néedefull in prayers. Aſke We muſte continue …n prayer.ſaith the Lord in the Goſpell, and it ſhalbe giuen you: ſeeke & ye ſhal find: knock, & it ſhal be opened vntounto you. And by this heaping together of wordes, he often remembreth vsus of continuance in prayer. Aſke, ſaith he, earneſtly & conſtantly, as they do whiche require things whereof they ſtand in néede: Seeke, as they are wonte that ſearch for thinges that are hidden and pretious: Knocke, as they are wont, who with earneſt deſire couet to come in to their friend. For all theſe ſayinges doe not onelyonly ſignifie a deſire, but alſo a continual ſtudie, to obteine thinges required. In the Goſpell according to ſaint Luke the Lord put foorth a parable tending to this ende, that we ought alwayes to pray and neuer to be weried. For Paul alſo ſaith, Reioyce alway, pray continually, 1. Theſſ. 5.1 Thess 5in all thinges giuegive thankes. Yet let no man think that by theſe words of the Lord, and the Apoſtle, the errour of y^e heretiques Pſallini or Euchitae is confirmed. They did nothing elſe but pray. The Lord commaundeth to pray alwayes, that is to ſay as often as wee conueniently may, at al times and in all places, to be of an vpright hart toward God in al things, which ſhould always waite for good thinges at Gods hande, and giuegive him thanks for benefites receiued: whiche ſhould alſo continually aſke fauour of him. Suche an endeuoure is commended vntounto vsus in Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of whom Luke maketh mention: That ſhe departed Luke. 1.Luke 1not from the temple, but night and day ſerued the Lord with faſtings and prayers: not that ſhe did nothing elſe, hauing no regarde to her bodie, nor did at any time eate, drinke, or ſléepe, but becauſe that was her continuall and chiefeſt buſineſſe. For at this day, ſpeaking after the ſame maner, we ſay that the huſbandman doth labour without ceaſſing, and the ſtudent reade night and day: when as yet all men vnderſtand, that by this kinde of ſpéech is ſignified a continual, and an excéeding great diligence in worke and reading. The woman of Syrophoeniſſa in Matth. Chapter 15. ſheweth vntounto vsus a notable example of vnwearied continuance in prayer or inuocation. But if ſo be GOD ſéem to neglect vsus, or to defer our requeſts p. 927longer then is méete, let vsus alwayes remember what the Prophet hath ſaid, Yet a litle while and he that Ab…c 2. Heb. 10.Heb 10ſhal come will come and wil not tarie, and the iuſt ſhal liue by faith; &c.

Here it ſhalbe verie eaſie to ſhew the time of prayer, whereof inquirie is made, to wit, When we ought to pray. We ought therefore priuately When we muſt pray.to pray alwayes. For continually while wee liue there is diuerſe and manifolde matter offered vntounto vsus to pray. Pray therefore as oft as y^e ſpirite moueth thée, & as often as neceſſitie it ſelfe, or mater prouoketh thée to pray. Yet let nothing here be of conſtraint: let all things procéede from a willing & frée ſpirite. But publique prayers are …eſtrained to time. For ther are ſette & foreappointed hours to pray, ſet houres are thoſe certeine times receiued of y^e Churche, wherin in the morning or euening y^e whole congregation aſſembleth together to heare the word of God, to praye, and to receiue the Sacramentes. That the auncient Churches whiche were in times paſt did not méete together in an holy aſſemblie, all at one time, and the ſelfe ſame houres, Socrates in his Hiſtorie beareth witneſſe. And in this diuerſitie there is no daunger.

Let it be left to the diſcretion of the Churches to come together vntounto the ſeruice of God when it ſhal ſéeme moſte neceſſarie, comely, méete, and profitable vntounto them ſelues. Moreouer foreappointed houres of prayer, are thoſe whiche are ſet or forewarned for a certeine time by the Church for preſente neceſſities ſake. In daungerous times and in weightie affaires the holie Apoſtles appointed prayers and faſtinges. Which thing alſo at this day is lawfull without ſuperſtition, and with iuſt moderation. And that this is a moſte auncient ordinaunce, it appeareth out of theſe woordes of the Prophete Ioel. Blowe, the trumpet Ioel. 2.Joel 2in Sion, ſanctifie a faſt, call a ſolemne aſſemblie, gather the people together, &c. Doeth not the Apoſtle commaunde man and wife priuately 1. Cor. 7.1 Cor 7to ſeparate themſelues for a time, and to abſteine from their lawfull delightes, that prayer in neceſſitie may be the more feruent? And nowe alſo it will not be hard to iudge of y^e place Of the place of prayer.of praier. For as at al times priuatly, ſo alſo in all places, I hauehave ſaide in y^e beginning of this ſermon, y^• holy men may pray. For the true prayer of holy men is not tyed to any place, neither is it iudged better in one place, than in another. For the goodneſſe or worthines of the prayer is not eſtéemed by the place, but by the minde of him that prayeth. For the Lorde in the Goſpel ſayth, The houre will come, and now is, when the true worſhippers Iohn. 4.John 4ſhall worſhip the father in ſpirite and in trueth, &c. But they are in no wiſe to be paſſed ouer, in To praye… in the chamber.this place, who are perſuaded that the godly may pray in no other place, but at home in their chamber. To the confirmation wherof, they wreſt theſe words of our ſauiour. But thou Matth. 6.Matt 6when thou prayeſt, enter into thy chamber, and when thou haſte ſhut thy doore, pray to thy Father which is in ſecrete, and thy Father which ſeeeth in ſecrete ſhal rewarde thee openly. But theſe wordes hauehave an Antitheſis or contrarie ſentence to that whiche goeth afore. For there went before, And when thou prayeſt thou ſhalt not be as the Hypocrites are, for they louelove to ſtand praying in the Synagogues, and in the corners of the ſtreets, that they may be ſeene of men. p. 928Againſte this immediately he oppoſeth, But thou whē thou prayeſt enter into thy chāber. And as in reprouing y^e abuſe of prayer, hee did not properly condemne the place, but rather ſpake figuratiuely after this manner: The Phariſeis with their prayers whiche they make in the ſtréetes do hunt after praiſe and commendation of the people. So on the contrarie parte making mention of a chamber, he meant not that the place, of it ſelfe, maketh the prayer either better or worſe: but hee taught by a figuratiue ſpéeche, that wee ought to pray with an vpright minde, and moſte frée from hunting after the praiſe of men. For he that prayeth with a minde not troubled with affections, hauing regarde only vntounto God, he prayeth in his chamber, whether he pray in the Churche or in the ſtreete. For otherwiſe the Lord prayed with his Diſciples in the temple, in the citie, in the fielde, and whereſoeuer occaſion was offered. Alſo it followeth, And the Father which ſeeth thee in ſecrete, ſhal reward thee openly, that is to ſay, The Father, who alloweth the minde that is not proud, but humble and frée from ambition, will rewarde thée openly. But publique prayers are vſed in the Churche, or aſſemblie of Saintes: which if any man deſpiſe, ſaying that prayer ought not to be tyed to any place, I can not thinke him woorthie the name of a Chriſtian, ſince he ſhamefully abuſeth Chriſtian libertie. Finally, of aſſemblies I hauehave ſpoken before, we will peraduenture ſpeake more in the laſt Sermon of this Decade.

Here commeth alſo to be handeled The geſture of thē that pray.y^e geſture of thoſe that pray, But let all riot, all pride, all immoderate trimming of the bodie, be farr frō thē y^• ſhal come into the Church of Chriſt to pray. He ſhould ſéeme filthily to hauehave ſcorned the Godly magiſtrate, whoſoeuer he were, that in comming to craue pardon for his fault, would lay aſide his mourning wéedes, and putting on white apparell, proudely appeare before the aſſembly of graue and godly Senatours. Suche a one might be iudged worthie, not onelyonly to be denied of his requeſt, but alſo to be caſt into priſon. And who wil denie that they more ſhamefully mock God, who comming into the Churche to aſke pardon, being oppreſſed with the burthen of their ſinnes, and yet in that place to be ſo farre off from being humble, that they rather appeare before the preſence of God and his Saintes hauing their bodies ſo attyred, as they thereby bothe prouoke y^e wrath of God a new againſt them, and doe grieuouſly offende the moſt godly y^• are in y^e church. Wherfore Paul at large teacheth that modeſtie, comely, and humble behauiour is to be vſed in the church. The place is to be ſéene in the 11. cha. of the firſt Epiſtle to y^e Cor. That which remaineth of this matter the bleſſed martyr of Chriſt Cyprian, cōprehendeth in theſe wordes. Let the wordes & prayers of ſuch as pray, be orderly gouerned, keeping modeſtie & ſhamfaſtneſſe. Let vsus thinke we ſtande in the ſight of God. God his eyes muſt be delighted, bothe in the geſture of our bodie, and manner of our wordes: for as it is the part of an impudēt perſon to vſe clamorous ſhoutes in praying, ſo cōtrariwiſe it beſemes a ſhamfaſt perſō to pray with modeſt prayers. Some fooliſhly imagine y^• prayer is made either better or worſe, by y^e geſture of our bodies. Therfore let p. 929them heare S. Auguſt. lib. 2. ad Simplicianum Quaeſt. 4. ſaying, It ſkilleth not after what ſort our bodies be placed▪ ſo that the minde beeing preſente with God, doe bring her purpoſe to paſſe. For we both pray ſtanding, as it is written, The Publicane ſtoode a farre off: and knéeling, as we reade in the Actes of the Apoſtles: and ſitting, as did Dauid and Helias. And vnleſſe we might pray lying, it ſhuld not hauehave bin writen in the Pſalmes, Euerie night waſh I my bedde. For when any man ſeeketh to pray, he placeth the members of his bodie after ſuch a maner as it ſhal ſéeme moſt meete to him for the time to ſtirre vp his deuotion.

But when prayer is not ſought, but an appetite or deſire to pray is offered, when any thing commeth on the ſoudeine into our minde, whereby wee are deuoutly moued to pray with ſighes that can not be vttered, after what manner ſoeuer it findeth a man, doubtleſſe prayer is not to be deferred, vntill we hauehave ſought in what place we may ſitt, or where we may ſtande or knéele downe. Tertullian, making mention of the behauiour of the Chriſtians of his time whē they prayed, in his Apologie againſt the Gentiles ſaith: We Chriſtians are al of vsus euermore praying for al men, looking vppe into heauen, with our handes ſpread abroade, becauſe we are harmleſſe: we are bare headed, becauſe wee are not aſhamed: to bee ſhorte, wee neede none to put vsus in remembraunce, becauſe wee pray from the harte.

Where notwithſtanding we muſt chefely hauehave in our remembrance the doctrine of our Sauiour in the Goſpell ſaying, When thou prayeſt, thou ſhalt not bee as the hypocrites are: for they louelove to pray ſtanding in the Synagogues, and in the corners of the ſtreets, that they may be ſeene of men, verily I ſay vntounto you they hauehave their reward. For aboue all thinges we muſt beware that we neither pray priuately nor publiquely to this end, neither yet faſhion the geſture of our bodie, to get the vaine prayſe of the people, that we may ſéeme to be renowmed and accounted holie before men. It ſufficeth that wee pleaſe GOD, and be allowed by his iudgement.

In the diſcourſe of prayer, no man will ſay, that it is the ſmalleſt thing to knowe what you ought to What we muſt aſke or pray for of God.pray, what thing you ſhould aſke of God, or for whome you ſhould pray. Here are to be conſidered the perſons and thinges: perſons are either publique or priuate. Publique perſons, are Biſhops, Teachers, Magiſtrates and all ſet in authoritie. For theſe men, the writinges of the Prophetes, Euangeliſtes, and Apoſtles giuegive commandement to pray. Paule more than once requireth interceſſions to be made by the Churche vntounto the Lorde for him, that he might be deliuered from diſordered & froward men, and that he might fréely preach the Goſpell as it becamme him to preache it. The ſame Paule commaundeth vsus to pray for al thoſe that Ephe. 6. 2. Theſſ. 3. 1. Tim. 2.Eph 62 Thess 31 Tim 2be ſet in authoritie, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlineſſe and honeſtie.

Priuate perſons are, our parents, wife, children, kinſfolk, allies, neighbours, citizens, friends, enimies, ſick perſons, captiues, ſuch as ar afflicted, & to be ſhort, all that are nigh about vsus, whoſe helth and ſafetie, nature and Chriſtian charitie willeth by prayers to commend vntounto God, and p. 930whereof there are alſo teſtimonies and examples in the Scripture. But the thinges we ſhoulde pray for, are thoſe good things that are to be deſired, wherof ſome are heauenly, ſpirituall, or eternall: and other earthly, corporall, or temporall. Moreouer ſome thinges verilie are common, otherſome againe are priuate: thoſe things that are common pertaine to the whole church & common wealth, neither belonge they to a fewe, as do priuate things. And ſpirituall things are chiefly reckoned to be theſe, faith, hope, charitie, perſeuerāce, and that whole companie of all manner vertues, the profite and ſafetie of the Church, forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, and life euerlaſting. Among the whiche not vnfitly are reckoned the giftes of vnderſtandinge the liberall Sciences, well ordered Scholes, faithfull teachers, godlie Magiſtrates, & vpright lawes. Corporall things are, a peaceable common wealth, ſtrong and valiant armies for warre, helth, ſtrength, and comlineſſe of bodie, abundance or ſufficient wealth, the ſafe proſperitie of wife and children, the protection & defence of fréendes and Citizens, peace, a good name, and otherthings which are of this kinde.

But no man is ignorant that we ought to hauehave a greater care of ſpirituall things, than corporall thinges, and principally to deſire heauenlie things. And in corporall things, there is alſo a choyce to be vſed, that the profit of the common wealth be preferred before our own priuate gain. For the common wealth continuing in ſafetie, the Citizens may alſo be ſafe. And ſo long as ſcholes and Vniuerſities, or places of learning, be mainteyned, there is hope that the common wealth ſhall neuer be deſtitute of wiſe & vpright gouernours.

There are alſo in temporall goods, ſome better than other ſome: thoſe thinges that are beſte therefore, the Saincts or godly men doe chiefely require of the Lord, and neuertheleſſe thoſe whiche are of leſſe value they vnderſtand to come from him, and therefore they aſke them alſo of the Lorde. They that are but meanely It is lawful to aſke corporall goodes of the Lorde.exerciſed in the Scriptures, affirme that it is not lawful in prayer to aſke corporall goods of the Lord. But they are cōfuted by many examples of the Scripture. For not onelyonly the Patriarches and Prophets, but alſo the Apoſtles of Chriſte aſked temporall goods of the Lord, as defence againſt their enimies, a good reporte, and other things neceſſary for the bodie. Which thing we ſhall lerne anon by the fourme of prayer, which the lord him ſelfe hath taught vsus, diligently ſhewing vsus what we ſhould aſke.

This alſo commeth in queſtion, in what toung prayer muſt be made? They that affirme, that priuatly and In what tongue we muſt pray.publiquely wee muſte praye in Latine, ſéeme in my iudgement to be out of their wits, vnleſſe they ſpeake of ſuche as are ſkilfull in the Latine tounge. For ſince wee muſt pray, not onelyonly with mouth and voice, but alſo with hart & minde, how I pray you ſhall he praye with hearte and minde, who vſeth a language he vnderſtandeth not? Indéede he vttereth godlie wordes, but he knoweth not what he ſayeth. For it cōmeth all to one reckoning, to pray neuer a whit or not at all, and to babble out words which are not vnderſtoode.

Let eueryevery nation therefore pray in that language which it vnderſtandeth beſt, and moſte familiarly. And no leſſe madneſſe is it in publique p. 931aſſemblies to vſe a ſtraunge language: which thinge alſo hath béen the roote of the greateſt euilles in the church. Whatſoeuer the prieſts that were ordained of God, and the Prophetes which were ſente from him, ſpake or rehearſed to the people of olde time in the church, they did not ſpeake or recite them in the Chaldean, Indian, or Perſian, but in the Hebrue tongue, that is, in their vulgar and mother tongue.

They wrote alſo bookes in their vulgar tongue. Chriſt our Lorde together with his Apoſtles vſed the vulgar tongue. He furniſhed the Apoſtles with the gift of tongues, that they might ſpeake to eueryevery nation. And for ſo much as in that age the Gréeke tongue of all other was moſt plentifull and common, the Apoſtles wrote not in the Hebrue tongue, but in the vulgar Gréeke tongue. Truely it behoueth that thoſe things that are done in the publique church for the holie aſſemblies ſake, ſhoulde be vnderſtoode of all men. For otherwiſe in vaine ſhoulde ſo many men be aſſembled together. Whereby it is cléerer than the day light, that they that hauehave brought in ſtraunge tongues into the church of God, hauehave troubled all thinges, hauehave quenched the feruentneſſe of mennes mindes, yea, and hauehave baniſhed out of the church, both prayer it ſelfe, and the vſe of prayer, and all the fruite and profite that ſhoulde come of thinges done in the church. And truely the Romane and Latine Prince hath brought this Latine abhomination into the church of God. He crieth out that it is wickedly done, if Germanie, England, Fraunce, Polande, and Hungarie, do vſe both in prayer and all other kinde of ſeruice in y^e church, not the Romane or Latine tongue, but Dutch or Germane ſpéech, Engliſh, French, Poloniſh, or the Hungarian language.

S. Paule once handling this controuerſie, ſaith in plaine wordes: If I pray in a ſtraunge tongue, my ſpirite or voyce prayeth, but my vnderſtanding is without fruite. What is it 1. Cor. 141 Cor 14then? I will pray with the ſpirite, but I will praye with the vnderſtanding alſo. I will ſing with the ſpirite, but I will ſinge with the vnderſtandinge alſo. Elſe when thou bleſſeſt with the ſpirite, howe ſhall he that occupieth the roome of the vnlearned, ſaye Amen, at thy giuing of thankes, ſeeing he knoweth not what thou ſayeſt? Thou verily giueſt thankes well, but the other is not edified. I thanke my God I ſpeake languages more thā you all, yet had I rather in the church to ſpeake fiue wordes with mine vnderſtanding, that I might alſo inſtruct others, than ten thouſande wordes in a ſtraunge tongue. And truely this verie place doth Iuſtinian the Emperour cite In Nouell. Conſt. 123. where he ſtraightly commaundeth Biſhops & Miniſters not ſecreatly, but with a lowde voice which might be heard of the people, to recite the holy oblation and prayers vſed in holy baptiſme, to the intente that thereby the mindes of the hearers might be ſtirred vp, with greater deuotion to ſet forth the prayſes of God.

Moreouer it is euident that Gregorie him ſelfe who is called the great, ſpake to his Citizens in the Citie of Rome in their countrie language: which thinge he him ſelfe witneſſeth in y^e preface of his Commentarie vponupon Ezechiel, to Marianus the biſhop.

Of the Gréeke biſhops, no man is ignoraunt, that they had their whole p. 932ſeruice in their Churches, in their owne natiue language, & hauehave lefte their writinges vntounto vsus in the ſame tongue. We might therfore worthily be iudged mad & voide of vnderſtanding, if we alſo in the adminiſtration of diuine ſeruice in y^e church vſe not our owne language, ſince ſo many and ſo excellēt examples, both of moſt famous churches, & of moſte ſingular Biſhops and gouernours of the church hauehave gone before vsus, that I ſpeake not againe of the moſte expreſſe and manifeſt doctrine of S. Paule the Apoſtle.

This place now requireth that I ſpeake ſomewhat of ſinginge in the Of Sing…ge in … churchchurch, and of canonical houres. But let no man thinke that prayers ſung with mās voice are more acceptable vntounto God, than if they were plainly ſpokē or vttered. For God is neither allured with the ſwéeteneſſe of mans voyce, neither is he offended though prayers be vttered in a hoarſe or baſe ſounde. Prayer is commended for faith and godlineſſe of minde, & not for any outward ſhewe. Thoſe outwarde thinges are rather vſed as meanes to ſtirre vsus vp, albéeit euen they alſo take little effect, vnleſſe the ſpirite of God doe inflame our harts. Neither can any man deny but that the cuſtome of ſinging is very auncient. For the holy ſcripture witneſſeth that the Leuites in the auncient church longe before the comming of …. Paral. 29Chriſt did ſinge, yea, and that they did ſinge at the commaundement of God. And againe, I thinke no man can deny, that the ſame cunning kind of muſicke brought into the church of God by Dauid, was both accounted among the ceremonies, and that the ſame was aboliſhed together with the temple and the ceremonies. We reade not of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, who is the true Meſſias, and full perfection of the law, that he ſoung in any place, either in y^e temple or without the temple, or that any where he taught his diſciples to ſinge, or commaunded them to ordaine ſinging in the Churches. For that which is read in Matthew and Marke, (foreign, Matth. 26 Mark. 14.Matt 26Mark 14which may be engliſhed, And when they had ſoung an Hymne or pſalme, they went out into the mount of Oliues,) is ſuch a kinde of ſaying, as doeth not neceſſarily force vsus to vnderſtand that the Lord ſang with his diſciples. For a Hymne, which is the praiſe due vntounto God, may be hū bly vttered without quauering of y^e voice. Truely the olde tranſlation in both places, as well in Matthew, as in Marke, conſtantly interpreteth it, Et hymno dicto exierunt in montem Oliuarum, that is to ſay, When they had ſaide an Hymne, they wente out into the mounte of Oliues. Eraſmus in Matthew hath trauſlated it, Et cum hymnum ceciniſſent, whē they had ſung an Hymne: but tranſlating Marke, he ſaith, Et cum hymnum dixiſſent, whē they had ſaid an hymne: but in either place is red foreign. And foreign ſignifieth to prayſe, or to ſet forth ones prayſe, which both by ſinging, & alſo without ſinginge hath béen accuſtomed to be done. And albéeit we neither reade that the lord himſelf commaūded ſinging to his Apoſtles, neither that they ordained ſinging in y^e Church, neither yet do reade in the Actes of the Apoſtles that they them ſelues did ſinge in holy aſſemblies, yet Paule did not rebuke the church at Corinth, which began to ſinge either Paul rebuked not them that ſounge.of her owne accorde, or by a certeine imitation of the olde Church, p. 933becauſe he ſawe their māner of ſinging differed much from the olde. He therefore ſuffered ſinging of Pſalmes, but in the meane time he preferred before it prophecie or the office of preaching: and he alſo required of them that did ſing, bothe a meſure to be kept, and alſo that it ſhould be done with vnderſtanding, without which doutleſſe bothe prayer & ſinging is not only vnprofitable, but alſo hurtfull. I wil pray with the ſpirit, (ſaith the Apoſtle) and will pray with 1. Cor. 14.1 Cor 14the vnderſtanding alſo: I will ſinge with the ſpirit, and will ſing with the vnderſtanding alſo. Neither doe I knowe, that in any place elſe the Apoſtle maketh mention of ſinging in holie aſſemblyes, vnleſſe we liſte to applie that hether which Paule hath left written in the 3. to the Coloſſians, though that may ſéeme to be a priuate inſtitution. For that whiche he hath left written in his Epiſtle to the Epheſians in theſe words: Be not drunken with wine, wherein is exceſſe, Ephe. 5.Eph 5but be fulfilled with the ſpirite, ſpeaking vntounto your ſelues in pſalmes, and Hymnes, and ſpirituall ſonges, ſinging and making melodie to the Lord in your harts: Giuing thankes alwayes for all thinges vntounto God euen the Father, in the name of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, What manner of ſaying it is, it is eaſily iudged by the occaſion and order of the words. For he ſpeaketh nothing of the publique ſinging accuſtomed to be vſed in the Church, but of the priuate manner of ſinging. For he had reſpect vntounto riotous banquets, where, for the moſte parte were vſed to be ſung of ſuch as were wel tippled, ſongs which were not verie honeſt. Be ye not therefore drunke with wine, ſaith the Apoſtle, leſt ye ſing ſonges that are ſcarſe honeſt, but rather if ye liſt to ſing, ſing Pſalmes and ſpirituall ſonges.

Wherevnto this alſo may be added, that euen in thoſe kinds of ſongs he requireth rather the ſonge of the hart, than the warbling of the voice, ſo far off is it that he at any time alloweth vncomely ſhrikings, either publique or priuate: albeit the ſenſe and meaning ſhalbe more ſimple and plaine, if we vnderſtand, In corde, which ſignifieth in the hart, to be ſpoken in that place in ſted of, ioyfully or from the hart. Wherfore no man can or ought to diſallowe moderate and godly ſinging of Pſalmes, whethere it be publiquely vſed in holie aſſemblies, or at home in priuat houſes. And truely you ſhall finde many teſtimonies in the eccleſiaſticall hiſtorie written by Euſebius and Sozomenus, The manner of the a…ncient ſingi…g in the Churche.declaring that the Eſterne Churches euen immediatly after the time of the Apoſtles did vſe to ſinge Pſalmes and Hymnes vntounto Chriſte our Lorde. Ye ſhall alſo finde this, that by certaine decrées of counſels it was ordeyned, that no other thinge ſhould either be read or ſoūg in holie aſſemblies, but onelyonly the canonicall Scripture. For euen betimes there began neither a meane to be kept in the Churche, neither the canonicall ſcripture only to be vſed, for that certaine men intermedled their owne ſonges.

Yet héere (déerly beloued) I thought good to put you in mind of two excellent What mā … of ſinging was in old time vſed.things concerning this matter. The firſt of them is, that the ſinging of the ancient Church was a far other kinde of ſinging, than that which at this day is vſed. For Eraſmus Roter. doeth rightly iudge, that the ſinging vſed in the ancient churches was no other than a diſtincte and meaſured p. 934pronoūtiation, ſuch as at this day in ſome places is vſed in pronoūcing of y^e pſalmes, the goſpel, and the Lordes prayer. Truly Plinie the Lieftenant in Aſia, by diligēt ſearch or examinatiō of matters found out, y^t y^e chriſtians at certaine appointed times met together before day, & ſoūg a Pſalme together amonge them ſelues vntounto Chriſte their God. The place of Plinie is to be ſéene in the 10. book of his Epiſtles to Traianus the Emperour. Alſo Rabanus Maurus, lib. inſti. Cler. 2 cap. 48. ſaith. The primitiue church did ſo ſing, that with a little altering of the voyce, it made him that ſange to be heard the further, ſo that the ſinging was more like lowd reading than ſong. Theſe things he borrowed out of the 33. chap. of S. Auſtines 10. book of confeſſions, who in that place plainly confeſſeth, that he doth ſinne, when he is more delighted with the ſwéetnes of the voices, than with the ſenſe of the words, and therefor deſireth that all the melodious tunes of ſwéet ſongs, wherewith the pſalter of Dauid is repleniſhed, might be remoued from his eares, and the hearing of the Church. For it ſéemed to be more ſafe, which he remēbred he had often heard concerning Athanaſius Biſhop of Alexandria, who with ſo little ſtrayning of the voice, made the Reader of the Pſalme to vtter it, that he rather ſéemed to read than to ſing. The laſt of the things I ſaid I would put you in mind of, is, that ſinging, howſoeuer Song was alwaies fre but not …niuerſally vſed.it be an auncient inſtitution, neuertheleſſe was neuer vniuerſal, & of neceſſiti thruſt vpō y^e churches, but it was frée, neither was it always vſed in all churches. Whereunto may be added that which Sozomenus witneſſeth, that thoſe Churches whiche did ſing, vſed not the very ſame kindes of prayers, or Pſalmes, or readings, or the very ſame time. Socrates alſo in the 5. book of his hiſtorie cha. 22. ſaith. To be ſhort, in all Countries eueryevery where, you ſhall not finde two churches which in all points agrée together in prayer. And that it was long yer the Weſterne Churches receiued melodie or the cuſtome of ſinging, it appéereth euen by the teſtimonie of Auguſtine, who in his 9. booke of Confeſſ. Chap. 7. rehearſeth that Ambroſe béeing oppreſſed with the ſnares & perſecutions of Iuſtina the Arian Empreſſe, ordained that hymnes and pſalmes ſhould be ſoung, according to the cuſtome of the Eaſte partes, ſince whiche time the cuſtome of ſinging hath béene reteined and alſo receiued of other partes of the worlde. Neuertheleſſe before the Weſterne churches receiued the order of ſinging, they were eſtemed of all them of the Eaſt to be true Churches, neither came it into any mans braine, that therefore they were hereticall and ſchiſmaticall Churches, or not rightlie gouerned, becauſe they were deſtitute of ſong or melodie. No man gathered, The Eaſterne Churches ſing, the Weſterne doe not ſo: therefore they are no churches. If this vprightnes and Agrement in ſinging in the Church.libertie had remained ſafe and vnaltered, that is to ſaye, If according to that auncient vſe of ſinging, nothing had béene ſoung but canonicall ſcriptures, if it had bene ſtil in the libertie of the churches, to ſing or not to ſing, truely at this day there ſhould be no controuerſie in the Churche, aboute ſinging in the church. For thoſe churches whiche ſhould vſe ſinging after the ancient maner practiſed in ſinging would ſing the word of God, and p. 935the prayſes of God onelyonly, neither would they think y^t in this point they ſurpaſſed other Churches, neither would they condemne thoſe Churches that ſang not at all: where as alſo theſe would not deſpiſe them that vſed ſoberly and godlily to ſing.

For if godly men perſeuere in the ſtudie of godlineſſe, and in daylie prayers, though they ſing not, yet remaine they neuertheleſſe the ſonnes of GOD. Neither yet doth all ſinging, and in eueryevery place edifie: neither are all Churches fitt to ſinge. Doeth not Rabanus ſaye, in the ſame place that I euen nowe cited? For fleſhly minded mennes ſake, & not for ſuch as are guided by the ſpirite, the cuſtome of ſinging is inſtituted in the Church, that they that are not moued by wordes, may bee allured with the ſweetneſſe of the melody, &c.

But the ſinging about which there is controuerſie at this day, is not that auncient ſinging, but that more is, both in matter and tune, for the moſt parte, it is cleane contrarie to the olde. The common ſort call it Gregories ſinging, doubtleſſe not of that great Gregorie, who ſéemeth not to hauehave béene very fréendlie to ſinging, Gregories ſinging.as it appeareth by his conſtitution, whiche is read in the Regiſtre, in the fifte parte thereof, Cap. 44.

Wee ſhall therefore ſéeme to iudge more truely, if we referre it to Gregorie the fifte, which is ſaid to hauehave béene enthronized aboute the yéere of our Lorde 995. and moreouer to hauehave vſed the healpe of, I knowe not who, one Robertus Carnotenſis. Yet there are ſome whiche aſcribe it to Vitalianus, ſome to Gelaſius. It yrc…eth mee to rehearſe what Durandus hath patcht together of this matter, in his Rat. Diuin. lib. 5. For I little weigh it.

There are manie thinges in this kinde of ſinging to be diſcommended. what thinges are to …e diſcō mended in the vſe of ſinging in the churchFor firſt of all many things, yea the moſt are ſoung contrarie to true godlines, neither are all thinges that are ſounge taken out of the holie Scriptures, but out of I knowe not what kinde of Legendes, and out of the traditions of men. And thoſe things whiche are ſoung out of the Scriptures are, for the moſte parte, ſo wreſted and corrupted, that there remaineth no parte of the heauenly ſenſe or meaning. Creatures and deade men are called vponupon. Moreouer, this kinde of ſinginge is commaunded, and they ſinge not of their owne accorde or good will, but vponupon conſtrainte: yea they ſinge for money, and to th'end that they may get an Eccleſiaſticall benefice, as they terme it. OnelyOnly Clearkes, hyred for that purpoſe, doe nowe a dayes ſinge: not the whole Churche of Chriſte, as in time paſte hath béene accuſtomed. Neither is there any ende or meaſure in their ſinginge. They ſinge day and night. And to this fooliſhe and vngodly kinde of ſinginge, as to a heauenlie or meritorious worke, there is more attributed than true faith doeth allowe. A man maye well ſay that it is that much babbling, which the Lorde in Matthewe forbiddeth and condemneth as an Heatheniſh ſuperſtition. They ſinge moreouer in a ſtraunge tongue, which fewe doe vnderſtand, and therefore without any profite at all to the church.

There is hearde a longe ſounde, quauered and ſtreyned to and fro, backewarde and forewarde, whereof p. 936a man can not vnderſtand one worde. Often times the Singers ſtriue amonge themſelues for the excellencie of voyces, whereby it commeth to paſſe that the whole Churche ringeth with an hoarſe kinde of yellinge, and through the ſtrife that riſeth about their voyces, the hearers little vnderſtande what is ſounge. I ſay nothing at this preſent of their muſicke which they call Figuratiue, and of their muſicall inſtrumentes, all whiche are conteined in a manner in their Organes, as they terme them. I ſaye nothinge of their Diriges, or prayers for the deade. Of which I hauehave alſo intreated in an other place.

But theſe, and ſuch other like, ſo occupied the whole time of diuine ſeruice in the Churche, that verie little or none was lefte for true prayers, and for the holie and heauenlie preaching of the worde of God. Therefore for moſte iuſte cauſes, they that beléeue the Goſpell, doe neither vſe ſuch ſinging, neither ſuffer it in the Church of God. And they ſéeme to deale verie deuoutly, and in like manner moſte wiſely, whiche beſtowe the beſte parte of the time, or euen the verie whole time of eccleſtaſticall aſſemblies in feruent and quiete prayers, and in the wholeſome preachinge of the worde of God, omitting that ſinginge: eſpecially ſince it is a harde thinge, ſo to limitte or reſtraine ſinginge, which otherwiſe is tollerable, leaſte at ſome time it excéede and go beyond the appointed boundes.

Furthermore, that our auncient Of canonicall hou…es.predeceſſours had certeine and appointed houres, wherein they prayed bothe priuately in their houſes, and publiquely in aſſemblies, all the holie Scripture witneſſeth in many places.

Dauid more than once in his Pſalmes ſayeth, that he will goe vntounto the Lord in the Morning and Eueninge. Daniel prayed vntounto Dan. 6.Dan 6the Lorde at thrée ſeuerall houres or times of the day. Againe, Dauid ſaith, Seuen times in a day doe I praiſe thee. But by ſeuen times he vnderſtandeth many times.

For ſo elſe-where we reade written, I will ſmite you for your ſinnes ſeuen times. And againe, Leuit. 26. Pro. 24.Lev 26Prov 24The iuſt man falleth ſeuen times, and riſeth vp againe. And alſo, If thy brother ſinne ſeuen times Luke. 17.Luke 17in a daye, and turne ſeuen times in a day vntounto thee, &c.

Seuen times therefore in diuerſe places, as alſo in this of Dauid, is put for many times. And Chriſte our Lorde, hath tyed the priuate prayers of the faithfull, (as wee hauehave alſo tolde you before) neither to place, nor yete to time: he hath not taken away publique prayers. For he is the Lord, not of confuſion but of order. But his Diſciples when they were in the land of Iurie, did them ſelues alſo obſerue the accuſtomed houres of praying whiche that nation kept, at libertie, not of neceſſitie, and ſpecially for the aſſemblies ſake. For Peter & Iohn Actes. 3.Acts 3goe vp into the temple at the ninth houre of prayer. In the day of pentecoſt, all the Saincts with one accorde Actes. 2.Acts 2were gathered together & receiued the holy Ghoſt at the thirde houre of the day. And it is alſo read p. 937that Peter priuately went vpp into the vpper parte of the houſe, aboute the ſixt houre.

The Temple béeing deſtroyed, and the Iewes ſcattered abroade, the Churches gathered out of the Gentiles did not obſerue like houres of gatheringes together, or of aſſemblies, but at their owne libertie, as to eueryevery church it ſéemed moſt méete and conuenient.

Of which diuerſitie truely, the Eccleſiaſticall hiſtorie alſo makethe Trip. li. 9. Cap. 39.mention, yet for the moſt part there were houres in the morning and euening vſed for aſſemblies. S. Hierome (in his Epitaph vppon Paula) expounding not the rite or order of the vniuerſall church, what it ſhould doe in holie aſſemblies, but what the companyes of ſolitarie virgins are woont to doe of their owne accorde, ſayeth:

In the morning, at three, ſixe, and nine of the clocke, at euening, at midnight, they did ſing the Pſalter by order. OnelyOnly vponupon the Sunday they went vntounto the Church neere vntounto the whiche they dwelt, &c.

So it perteineth to priuate inſtitution, which of the ſame ſorte is read writen to Laeta, touching the inſtitution of her daughter, and to Demetriades, De cuſtodienda virginitate.

And truely the greater or more famous, & ſolemne Churches (whiche at this daye they call Cathedrall, to witt, of Cathedra a Chayre, or of the order of Prophetes teaching or profeſſing there, as ſome time the Churche of Antioche, Corinth, Alexandria, and ſuche like ſéemed to hauehave béene) at certeine houeres, to witt, in the morning, at noone, yea, at Euening alſo aſſembled to expound or diſcuſſe the holie canonicall Scriptures.

The foundations of that obſeruation ſéeme to bee layed in the Churche of the Corinthians. Of whiche the Apoſtle aboundauntlie witneſſeth 1. Corint. 14. Chapter.

Euſebius in the fifte Booke of his eccleſiaſtical hiſtorie, and 9. Chapter, making mention of an eccleſiaſticall Schoole at Alexandria, ſayeth: From a long time the doctrine and exerciſe of the holie Scriptures flouriſhed among them: which cuſtome alſo continueth euen to our time, whiche we hauehave hearde alſo to be inſtituted by menne mightie in Eloquence, and in the ſtudie of the holie Scriptures, to witt, after the example of the Corinthian Church.

Some markes of this moſte wholeſome rite or cuſtome, appeared ſometime in the Occidentall or Weſte Church, as it is to be gathered out of the writinges of Sainct Ambroſe and Auguſtine.

But truely in theſe very times, and in the times immediatly following, when all nations in a manner were together by the eares with perpetuall warres, and when the Romane Empire in reuengement of the bloud of Chriſte, of his holie Apoſtles and Martyres, according to the Prophecie of Daniel, and Sainct Iohn the Apoſtle and Euangeliſte, was torne in peeces, & made a pray for all people: The Gothes or Germanes ruſhing vppon them on this ſide, the Hunnes and other barbarous Souldiours on the other ſide aſſaulting Rome ſharply, the beſt Scholes were ſpoyled, goodly Libraries were burned, honeſt & good ſtudies periſhed, whervpon were giuen vntounto y^e churches Doctors or teachers p. 938moſt vnlike vntounto y^e auncient doctours and teachers, who were not furniſhed with that abilitie, that they could deale in the holy Scriptures with ſuch dexteritie and fruitefulneſſe, as their predeceſſours. In this diſorder & downefall, leaſt nothing ſhould remaine of y^e canonicall ſcriptures vntouched, it is euident that there roſe vp men not altogether negligent of the canonicall doctrine, who diuided the whole canonicall ſcripture, after ſuch a ſort into parts, and for the whole courſe of the yeare, that they might once in a yeare read ouer the whole Bible, and the Pſalter oftner, yea, euen eueryevery ſeuenight. They vſed the pſalmes in ſtéed of prayers, to whiche as times increaſed, many other prayers alſo were ioyned. And leaſt the verie reading of the ſcripturs ſhould ſéeme to want al expoſition, the readinges, lectures, or homilies of the fathers were therevnto added at the length: not that y^e prieſtes ſhould read them ſecretely to thē ſelues (as at this day in a maner they are woont to do:) or that they ſhould w^t a poſt-haſt reading mumble them vp in ſtéede of mattins, but that they ſhould throughly handle them in the open church, as an exerciſe before the people, to the edification of the church. That I maye not nowe rehearſe that this rite was not receiued of all men, ſo farre off is it from beeing ſtreictly commaunded. Of whiche thing there remain ſome tokens or proofes In Diſtinct. 15. Sancta Rom. Furthermore, of reading the canonicall Scriptures, thoſe houres wherin they were read, ſéemed to be named Canonical: as alſo Canons are ſo called of ſtudying and reading the Canonicall Scriptures. But at what time this was done, and who were the doers thereof, it is not certeinely knowen. Some doe attribute ſome parte hereof to Hierome, other ſome to Damaſus, and ſome to Pelagius the ſecond of that name, otherſome alſo to Gelaſius and Gregorie.

And becauſe homilies and lectures not a few are ſaid to be Bedaes, and other doctours of later time, finally, for that many other thinges are read in thoſe hourely prayers, whiche ſauour neuer a whit of antiquitie: truly as it is an inſtitution patched vpp diuerſely and at ſundrie times, ſo is it farre more new than the papiſts thincke or take it to bée. Neither are there ſome wanting which affirme, that at the requeſt of Carolus Magnus, Paulus Diaconus, or monke of Caſſina, and monke Iſuarde, ordeined and deliuered to the Churche ſelected or choſen leſſons, thoſe eſpecially which cōcerne the Saincts, and are accuſtomed to be read in theſe houres. But howſoeuer the matter ſtandeth, moſt certeine it is, that thoſe houres at this day commaunded, and called Canonicall, are the inuention of man, and not of God, and ragged and rotten reliques or ſhadowes of the old Law. Wherevnto, beſide, that there are many fables, toyes, & follies annexed, it cannot be denied. Truly at this day there appereth ſuch a mingle mangle or hotchpotch, that it ſéemeth vtterly vnworthy, either to bee vſed or ſuffered any longer in the church of Chriſt, vnleſſe wée had rather that care were taken for the bellies of ſome, than for the good ſtate and well-fare of the whole Church. Of whiche thus much thus farre.

It remaineth in the laſt place to diſcuſſe howe wee muſt praye, what How we muſt pray.words, or what fourme of prayer wée muſt vſe. Truely there are many fourmes of prayer, but none better p. 939than that whiche our Lord, the onelyonly beloued ſonne of God the father hath deliuered. Neither is there a more certeine forme, as comprehending in fewe words all in all. In this ſummarie hee hath preſcribed, what is worthie of him, what is acceptable to him, what is neceſſarie for vsus, and to bee ſhort, what hee is willing to graunt. Wherevppon S. Cyprian expounding the Lords prayer, amonge other thinges ſayeth: Hee that made vsus to liue, the ſame hath taught vsus alſo to pray euen of the ſame his bountifulneſſe, whereby hee hath vouchſafed both to giuegive and to beſtowe all other thinges whatſoeuer, that when wee ſpeake with the father in that prayer and ſupplicaton whiche the ſonne hath taught vsus, wee may bee the more eaſlie or readily heard, and may truly and ſpiritually worſhipp him. For what prayer can bee more ſpirituall, than that whiche is giuen vntounto vsus of Chriſte, from whome alſo the holy Ghoſte is ſent vntounto vsus? What prayer before the father more true, than that of the ſonne, proceeding out of his mouth, who is trueth it ſelfe? So that to pray otherwiſe thā he hath taught, is not onelyonly ignoraunce, but alſo offence: ſince hee him ſelfe hath ſett downe, and ſaide: Yee caſt aſide the commaundement of God to ſtabliſh your owne tradition. Therefore (dearely beloued brethrene) let vsus pray, as God our maiſter hath taught vsus. It is a friendly and familiar prayer to call vppon God in ſuch manner as hee hath taught vsus: and when that the prayer of Chriſt commeth to his eares, let the father acknowledge the woordes of his ſonne, when wee pray. Hee that dwelleth within the heart, let him alſo bee in the tongue. And ſince wee hauehave him oure aduocate with the father for oure ſinnes, when wee beeing ſinners aſke pardon for oure offences, let vsus vtter the woordes of our Aduocate. For ſince hee ſayeth, Whatſoeuer ye ſhall aſke the father in my name, hee will giuegive it you, howe much more effectually doe wee obteine that, which wee aſke in the name of Chriſt, if wee aſke it in his prayer? Thus farre hée.

From hence ariſeth a queſtion, Whether wée be ſo tyed to the words Whether we be tyed to the wordes of the Lords prayer.of the Lords prayer, that wee maye not pray in other woordes at all? I aunſwere, That the Lord would not ſo tye vsus to his woordes, ſett downe and conceiued, as though it were not lawefull to vſe other woords, or another fourme: but he ſet foorth vntounto vsus certeine vniuerſall thinges, vntounto the whiche wée might referre all our prayers. For Auguſtine alſo to Proba De orando Deo, Of praying vntounto god, ſheweth that there is nothing in any place in the holy Scriptures prayed for, which is not comprehended in the Lords prayer. For, ſayeth hee, if you runue ouer & through all the words of all holie prayers, you ſhall finde nothinge, whiche this prayer of the Lord doeth not comprehend & conteine. To which woordes hee addeth immediatly: So that it is free to vſe ſuch and ſuch woordes in praying, howbeit to ſay the ſame thinges: but to ſpeake other thinges it is not free. Moſt warelie therefore and wiſely do they, who referre all their prayers vntounto the Lords prayer, vntounto the whiche they attribute the chiefe and principall place, and kéeping it continually in their minde, doe meditate therevppon, and exerciſe themſelues therein.

There is wont alſo another queſtion to be aſked, What néed there is p. 940What it needeth …o expreſſe … d…ſires …nto God … wordes.to expreſſe and op…n oure deſires in woordes vntounto God, ſince hée alreadie knoweth all thinges? Wée tould you anon after the beginning of this Sermon, that our prayer is an humbling of oure ſelues before the maieſtie of God, where vntounto moreouer wee add this: Wée doe not expreſſe and open oure deſires vntounto God, as thoughe hée knewe them not, or that wée would teach him being ignoraunt, or that we would entreate and gett gods fauour with our curious, labourſome, and eloquent prayer, but for oure owne ſakes wée vſe woordes, wherewith to ſtirre vpp our ſelues. And to this end all the moſt holy men of God are read in the Pſalmes and holy hiſtories, to hauehave declared their deſires largly vntounto the Lord.

Wee are not, (ſayeth S. Hierome) declarers, but crauers. For it is one thing to declare a thing to him that is ignoraunt, and another thinge to craue a thing of him that knoweth. In that, it is a declaratiō, in this: a duetie. There wee faithfully declare, here wee lamentably beſeech. And Sainct Auguſtine ſayeth, Wordes are needfull for vsus, wherewith wee maye bee moued, and diligently conſider what wee ſhould aſke, not wherewith wee ſhould beleeue that the Lord is either taught or entreated.

Wherefore when the Lord forbad much babbling or vaine lipplabour in Howe liplabour or muche babbling is forbidden.prayer, he did not ſimplie tye the prayer of the faithfull, vntounto a fewe and ſhort ſumme of woordes, but hée forbiddeth vsus after the manner of Ethnickes to powre out many woordes without witt, reaſon, meaning and vnderſtanding, & ſo finally to thincke that wée ſhalbe heard for oure muche babbling ſake, and often repeating of prayers: as at this day they doe falſlye thinke, which ſay a certeine number of prayers, which they call Roſaries of prayers. For the Lord addeth: They thincke they ſhalbe heard for their much babbling ſake. S. Auguſtine maketh difference betwene babbling much, and praying much. To babble much, ſayeth he, is in praying to make many ſuperfluous woordes in a neceſſarie matter. But to praye much, is, to call vntounto him, whome we pray vntounto, with a longe & godly ſtirring vpp of the heart. For this buſineſſe for the moſt part, is accompliſhed more with ſighinges, than with ſpeakings. And anon, It is not wicked and fruitleſſe, when wee hauehave leaſure, to pray the longer. For it is written of our Lord himſelfe, that he ſpēt the whole night in prayer, and prayed a long time. Wherein what did he elſe, but giuegive vsus an example? Thus farre hée. And if it be a hard matter for any man to pray long and continually, he may breake off his prayer: howbeit hee muſt to it againe, and oftentimes renue the ſame a freſh. For ſuch ſhort ſpeaking in prayer, is praiſe-worthie. And that we may make an end of this place, let no man thinke, that in praying hee declareth oure affaires vntounto God, as not knowing them: Let no man thincke that hee is heard, for his ſetting forth, and euen for his labourſome and exact ſetting foorth and that oftentimes repeated, and with moſt earne…t out-cries inſtilled or powred into the eares of God: Let no man thinke that his prayer muſt ſtand vppon a certeine number, that is to fay, that Pater noſters muſt be numbered vpp to our God, as not hauing a good memorie, & to a Lord ill to be truſted, vppon corrals & beades, put together vppon a lace, ſeruing (as it were) to make a reckoning or accompt.

p. 941And béecauſe I hauehave ſaid, which all godly men alſo throughout the whole world confeſſe, that a moſt perfecte platforme of praying is deliuered vntounto vsus in y^e Lords prayer, by our Lord Ieſus Chriſte him ſelfe, it remaineth that we cite word for word that moſt holy fourme of praying, orderly made with moſt diuine words, euen by the mouth of the Lord, as Matthewe the Apoſtle hath lefte it recorded vntounto vsus, and then to expound y^e ſame as briefly and plainely as may be, to the intent that eueryevery one may the better vnderſtand what he prayeth, & …éele a more effectuall working inwardly. Of that moſt Heauenlye prayer, this is the fourme.

O Our father which arte in Heauen, hallowed bee thy name. Thy kingdome come. Thy will be done as well in earth, as it is in heauen. GiueGive vsus this day our daily bread. And forgiue vsus our **Or, debtes.treſpaſſes, as we forgiue **Or, our debters.them that treſpaſe againſt vsus. And lead vsus not into temptation, but deliuer vsus from euill. A men.

This moſt holy prayer of our lord Ieſus Chriſt our ſauiour, our doctour The lords Prayer deuided.or teacher & higheſt prieſt, deliuered to y^e catholique church to be a catholique fourme or rule to praye vntounto God, is wont to be diuided into a litle preface, and ſixe petitions, ſome reckon ſeuen. Some ſay that the thrée former petitions ſerue chiefely to the ſpreading abroad of Gods glorie, the thrée latter concerne the care of our ſelues, and aſke thoſe thinges that are néedefull for vsus. But they ſéeme in manner all to conteine both. The little preface is this, O our father which art in heauen. By this wée call vppon GOD, and dedicating oure ſelues vntounto him, wée committ oure ſelues wholie vntounto his protection and merciemercy. And euerie word hath his highe myſteries. For our Lord would hauehave vsus rather pray with vnderſtanding than with woordes. Theſe therefore doe admoniſhe vsus, and ſuffice to bee thought vppon: but the minde beeing inſtructed with the holy Ghoſte, whiche I told you is néedefull before all thinges, to them that pray, and being lifted vpp to the beholding of God, and of heauenly thinges, doeth deuoutly and ardently meditate theſe thinges.

And truely the woord Father putteth vsus in minde of many thinges together. Father.For firſt it teacheth vsus, that all oure prayers are to bee offered to none other, than to him, which is a father, that is to ſay, that onelyonly God is to bee called vppon, and not another for him, or another with him. For our God and father is one, the fulneſſe and ſufficiencie of all good thinges, in whome only the faithfull are acquieted and doe reſt, and without whome they ſéeke nothing that is truely good. And verilie this prayer can be offered to no creature. For to whiche of the Angels or the Sainctes canſt thou ſay without ſacrilege? O our father whiche art in heauen, &c.

p. 942Furthermore this word Father teacheth vsus, through whome wee ſhould The Lords prayer offered to the Father by Chriſt.call vppon this father, not by the mediation or by the mouthes of ſainctes, but by Ieſus Chriſt our lord: through whome only we are made the ſonnes of God, who were otherwiſe by birth, and by nature the children of wrath. Who (I pray you) durſt come for the before the preſence of the moſt highe and euerlaſting God, and call him Father, and himſelfe Sonne, vnleſſe the father, in his beloued and naturall ſonne, had adopted vsus the ſonnes of grace? Therfore when we ſay Father, we ſpeake from the mouth of y^e ſonne, who hath taught vsus ſo to pray, and by whome we be promoted into this dignitie, that it néedeth nothing at all to add the name of Chriſte, and to ſaye: Wée pray thée (O heauenly father) for Chriſts ſake, ſince in the firſt word Father, we comprehend the whole myſterie of the ſonne of God, and our redemption. For in ſomuch as hee is our father, wee are his ſonnes, and that by the merite of Chriſt: therefore wée call vppon the father, and ſo call him through Chriſt: that I may not now repeat, that we pray ſo from the mouth of Chriſt.

Moreouer, this ſwéete and fauourable woord Father, diſburtheneth vsus cleane of all diſtruſt of heart. For wée call him Father, not ſomuch in conſideration of his creating of all things, as for his ſingular and fatherly goodwill toward vsus. Wherevpon, though he be Lord God, and in déede a great Lord, and an Allmightie God: yet when wée praye wée attribute none of theſe names vntounto him, but call him fathér, becauſe in déede he wiſheth vsus wel, loueth vsus, taketh care and charge ouer vsus, and hauing pitie vppon vsus, is deſirous, yea, of his owne accorde and good will toward vsus, to ſtoare and heape vppon vsus all good things whatſoeuer. Hetherto appertaine the teſtimonies of the Prophets, eſpecially that of Dauid. The Lord is full of Pſal. 103.Ps 103compaſſion and merciemercy, ſlowe to anger and of great kindneſſe. Hee will not alway chide, neither keepe his anger for euer. Hee hath not dealt with vsus after our ſinnes, nor rewarded vsus according to our iniquities. For as high as the heauen is aboue the earth, ſo great is his merciemercy toward them that feare him. As farre as the Eaſt is from the weſt, ſo farre hath hee remoued oure ſinnes from vsus. As a father hath compaſſion on his children, ſo hath the Lord compaſſion on them that feare him. For hee knoweth whereof wee bee made, hee remembreth that wee are but duſt. A verie excellent example of this thinge is to be ſéene in the Goſpel after S. Luke, Luke. 15.Luke 15where the louing father is painted out with wonderfull affections receiuing into fauour again that prodigall ſonne & waſter of his wealth. Herevnto is added this word Our, whiche Our.putteth vsus in minde of two thinges. For firſt it is a ſmall matter to acknowledge God to be the God and father of all, or to be the God and father of others, vnleſſe we alſo beléeue that he is our father, vnleſſe wee dedicate & yéeld our ſelues wholy into his faith and protection, as of our father, who wiſheth well vntounto vsus, loueth vsus, hath a care ouer vsus, at no time and place neglecteth vsus: for vnleſſe wee doe ſo beléeue, neither with faith, nor with the louelove of GOD is oure prayer commended, and therefore not a whit acceptable vntounto God. But that that beſt and greateſt God is our God, we doe vnderſtand as well by his manifold benefites, as alſo ſpeciallie by the p. 943myſterie of our redemption throughe Chriſt. Of which thing wée hauehave ſpoken elſewhere.

Furthermore ſince he bad vsus pray Our father, and not, My father, ſtreight waye vppon the verie beginning he requireth louelove of vsus. For his will is that we ſhould not onelyonly hauehave care of our owne ſaluation, but of the ſaluation of all other men. For wée are all the members of one body: wherevppon, each ſeuerall one prayeth not ſeuerally for themſelues, but euerie one for the ſafety of all the members, and alſo the whole bodie. Touching that matter I ſpake before, when I intreated of the manner of prayeing vntounto God.

There is by and by added, Which art in heauen, not that God is ſhut vp Which art in heauen.in heauen, as in a priſon. Solomon the happieſt and wiſeſt king of all, cō futing that errour long agone, ſaid: If the heauens of heauens are not able to conteine thee, howe muche leſſe this 3. Reg. ….houſe? To which woordes, I thincke, that may be annexed which Stephan alledged in the Actes of the Apoſtles, out of Eſaie, concerning the ſame Actes. 7.Acts 7thing. Hee is therefore ſaid to bee in heauen, becauſe his diuine maieſtie, and power, and glorie, ſhineth moſt of all in the heauens. For in y^e whole courſe of nature, there is nothing more glorious, nothing more beautifull, than the heauens.

Moreouer the father exhibiteth and giueth him ſelfe vntounto vsus to bee enioyed in the heauens. Heauen is the countrie common to vsus all, where wée beléeue that GOD and oure father doeth dwel, and where we worſhipp GOD and oure father: albeit wee beléeue that hee is in euerie place, and alwayes preſent with all. For as heauen compaſſeth and couereth all thinges, and is eueryevery where diſtant from the earthby euen ſpaces: ſo the preſence of his maieſtie alſo doth fayle vsus in no place. Wée hauehave heauen eueryevery where in our ſight: wée are eueryevery where in the ſighte of God. But beſide this, by mention made of heauen, wee are put in minde of oure duetie, and our wretchedneſſe.

It is our duetie, to be lifted vpp in our mindes by praying into heauen, and to forgett earthly thinges, and more to bee delighted with that heauenly father and countrie, than with this earthly priſon and exile. It is our wretchedneſſe, that beeing baniſhed out of that countrie for oure ſinnes, and wandering in this earth, wée are ſubiecte to diuers calamities, and therefore béeing conſtreined by neceſſitie we neuer ceaſſe crying vntounto the father. But firſt of all ſaying, Which art in heauen, wée make a difference betwéene the father whome wée call vppon, ſaying, Our, and our earthly father, attributing allmightineſſe vntounto him. Hée ſurely that is called vppon and ought to heare, muſt know all, ſée all, and heare all, yea and more too, will and bee able to doe all. Therefore to his goodwill to vsus ward, which in theſe woords, Our father, wée hauehave expreſſed, wee do now ioyne knowledge of all thinges, and power to do althings, adding, Which art in heauen. By theſe wordes the faith of them that pray is ſtirred vpp and confirmed.

Nowe there doe followe, in order, Hallowed be thy name.ſixe petitions. The firſt is, Hallowed be thy name. Wée hauehave called God our father, and our ſelues his ſonnes. But it is the part of ſonnes to honour or glorifie their father, and therefore immediatly vppon the beginning, we deſire that the name of the Lord God p. 944and our father might be ſanctified or hallowed. That truely is holy and vndefiled alwayes in it ſelfe: neither is it made any whitt the better or the worſe by vsus. Wherevppon we pray that that which is and remaineth holy in it ſelfe, ſhould be acknowledged of vsus to bee ſuch, and alwayes ſanctified of vsus.

A name, is the definition of any thing whatſoeuer, and names are inuented to make a difference of one thinge from another, whereby they mighte bée knowen amonge themſelues. But GOD is infinite and vnmeaſurable: The name of God.moreouer, hee is one, therefore hée hath not a name whereby to bee defined, hee néedeth not a name whereby to be diſcerned from other Gods. Therefore thoſe names that are attributed vntounto him in the Scriptures, are attributed for our infirmitie, to the end that by ſome reaſon and compariſon, wee mighte vnderſtand ſomethinges that are ſpoken of him that is vnmeaſurable and infinite. Therefore the name of GOD in verye deede, is GOD him ſelfe with all his Maieſtie and glorie.

To Sanctifie or Hallowe, otherwhiles To ſanctifie or hallowe.ſignifieth to ſeparate thinges from a prophane vntounto an holy vſe. In this place it ſignifieth, to magnifie, to praiſe, and to glorifie. Wée deſire therefore that GOD himſelfe, who of his owne nature is a good, holie, and for euer bleſſed, gentle, bountifull, and a mercifull father, might as hée is in himſelfe, bee acknowledged and magnified of all vsus, that all nations leauing their errour and hereſies, mighte conſecrate them ſelues in trueth, to this one onelyonly father and God: that all thinges which defile the name of the Lord, of whiche ſort are wicked deceiptes, or practiſes, vngodlineſſe, Epicuriſme, an vncleane life, and eſpecially corrupte and antichriſtian doctrine, may bee taken awaye, that béeing inlightened, wee mighte ſanctifie or hallowe the name of the Lord.

Wherefore, in this petition we deſire the holy ghoſt, the verie onelyonly authour it ſelfe of all true ſanctification. Wée pray for true faith in GOD by Chriſt thoroughout the whole world. Wée pray for holy thoughtes, and a pure life, wherewith wée might glorifie the name of the Lord: whiche is done while euerie one doeth his owne duetie, while Sathan the authour of al vncleanneſſe is caſt out, while corrupt doctrine is taken awaye, and deceipt ceaſſeth, while the filthineſſe of the world is baniſhed. This petition the moſt excellent king and Prophete Dauid ſetteth forth in theſe wordes, GOD be mercifull vntounto vsus & bleſſe vsus, ſhewe vsus the light of his countenaunce, and bee mercifull vntounto vsus, that thy way may be knowen vppon earth, thy ſauing health amonge all nations. Let the people praiſe thee, O God, yea let all the people praiſe thee. And as followeth in the thréeſcore and ſeuenth Pſal. To this belongeth the whole prayer of oure Sauiour deſcribed by S. Iohn in the 17. Chapiter of his Goſpel.

The ſecond petition, is, Thy Thy kingdome come.kingdome come. For y^e name of God and our father cannot bee ſanctified or hallowed, vnleſſe hee reigne in vsus. There is one kingdome of GOD, another of the diuel. Furthermore, one kingdome of God is ſaid to bee of glorie, and another rightly of grace. The kingdome of glorie is not of p. 945this world but of another world.

The kingdome of Grace is the kingdome of Chriſte in this world, wherein Chriſt reigneth by the holy ſpirite in his faithfull ones, whiche of their owne accord ſubmit themſelues vntounto him to bee gouerned, ſaying and doeing thoſe thinges, which beautifie and beſéeme chriſtians. The diuell alſo reigneth in the children of vnbeléefe, which yeeld themſelues vntounto him to be gouerned according to his vngodlineſſe and wickedneſſe, doeinge thoſe thinges which are not onelyonly delightfull to the fleſh, but whiche turne to y^e reproch of Gods maieſtie: whom after this life by the iuſt iudgement of God, the diuel, the king of the vngodly catcheth vntounto hell, into the kingdome of death and iudgement, there continually to burne.

Moreouer the earthly kingdome, which princes of this world gouerne, is called either the kingdome of God, or the kingdome of the diuell euen as it ſhall faſhion & frame it ſelfe to one of the twaine. All theſe things wée do knit vpp in fewe words, becauſe wée hauehave more plentifully entreated of them in another place. Wherefore we pray in this ſecond petition, that Chriſte might reigne and liue in vsus, and wée in him, that the kingdome of Chriſt might be ſpread abroad and inlarged, and preuaile thoroughe the whole world: that Doctours or teachers, and eccleſiaſticall magiſtrates, finally, that princes alſo, yea and ſcholes too, and whoſoeuer may further the kingdome of Chriſte, béeing annoynted and watered with his graces may flouriſh, ouercome and triumphe: furthermore, we pray that the kingdome of the diuel and antichriſte maye bée broken and vanquiſhed, leaſt it hurte and annoye the Sainctes, that with with the kingdome of the diuell, all vngodlineſſe may be daſht and troden vnderunder foote: to be ſhort, that all the weapons and armour of Antichriſtianiſme may be broken into ſhiuers and come to naught. Laſtly, we pray in this ſecond petition, that after we hauehave ſayled out of the tempeſtuous gulfe of this worlde, we might be receiued and gathered vntounto Chriſt, and all the Saintes, into the euerlaſting kingdome of glory. For as we deſire the kingdome of God to come vntounto vsus, and God to reigne in vsus, ſo we praye to come, or to be receiued into his kingdome, and to liue for euer with him moſt holily.

The thirde petition is, Thy will Thy will be done.be done, as wel in earth, as it is in heauen. God reigneth not in vsus, vnleſſe we be obedient vntounto him: therefore after his kingdome, we deſire the grace of perfect obedience. For we deſire not that God do what he will. For continually Gods will is done, albeit we neuer pray for it, and though we wreſtle and ſtriue againſt it with all our might. For the Prophet ſayth, Our God is in heauen, he hath Pſal. 113.Ps 113done whatſoeuer pleaſed him in heauen and in earth. We aſke therefore that what he will, the ſame he maye make vsus both to will, and to do. For his wil is alwayes good: but our wil through the corruption of ſinne, is euill. Therefore we pray him to be preſent with vsus w^t his grace, that our will may be regenerated and framed to the good wil of God, that of it own accorde it yealde it ſelfe to the holie Ghoſte to be framed: that his grace will that, which he inſpireth: that he finiſh in vsus that which he hath wel begon, giuegive vsus moreouer ſtrength and patience herevnto: y^t as well in proſperitie as in aduerſitie, wee maye acknowledge p. 946y^e wil of God, leaſt we wil any thing of our ſelues, and ſwel & be puffed vp in proſperitie, in aduerſitie alſo faint and periſh: but that we may apply our ſelues in all thinges, and through all thinges, to be gouerned by his will, to wit, after this maner to ſubmit our will to his will. Furthermore, if we aſke any thing contrarie to his will, that he would not graunt it, but rather pardon oure fooliſhneſſe, and weaken our will, whiche is not good for vsus: to inſtruct and teache vsus in his good will, to the end we may doubt nothing, that this is alwayes to be followed, that this is alwayes good, and that this worketh all thinges for our commoditie and benefite.

In this pointe, the faithfull féele a verie greate battell in them ſelues, As well in earth, as it is in hea…en.Paule witneſſing and ſaying, The fleſh luſteth againſt the ſpirite, and the ſpirit againſt the fleſh. And theſe two are at mutual enimitie betwene them ſelues, that what thinges ye would, that ye can not do. Therefore we deſire not any kinde of framing our will to Gods will, but we adde, As well in earth as it is in heauen, that is, Graunt, O father, that thy wil may be done in vsus earthly men, as it is done in thy Saints, the bleſſed ſpirites. Theſe doe not ſtriue againſte thy moſt holy will in heauen, but being of one mynde they only wil that, whiche thou wilt, yea rather, in this one thing they are bleſſed and happie, that they agrée & acquiet themſelues in thy will. Truely it is not the leaſt part of felicitie or happineſſe in To will that which God willeth is a good part of happineſſe.earth, to will that God willeth: it is the greateſt vnhappineſſe not to will that whiche God willeth. And this truely by infinite examples might be declared. I will alledge only one and that common too. Some one is grieuouſly ſicke, and féeleth paines and torments ſcarce tollerable: but he in the meane time acknowledgeth that he ſuffereth theſe thinges by the commaundement and will of God, his moſt good, bountifull, and iuſt father, who wiſheth him well, and hath ſent this grieuous calamitie for his ſaluation, and for his owne glory: doth not he in the middeſt of his torments by ſubmitting him ſelfe to the will of God, féele refreſhing? and that which ſeemed moſt ſharpe and moſt bitter to man, by this voluntarie and frée ſubmiſſion, he maketh it delightfull and moſt ſwéete? Againe, another is ſick, vexed not with a verie great diſeaſe, but this man doth not acknowledge this ſickneſſe to be layde vponupon him by the good will of GOD, yea rather thinketh that God knoweth not the diſeaſe, that God doth not care for the diſeaſe, therefore he referreth it vntounto diuers and ſundrie cauſes, and imagineth and ſéeketh diuers meanes to heale it, and in theſe things he is wō derfully vexed and afflicted, and yet by ſtriuing ſo againſt the will of god, he féeleth no refreſhing or comfort at all. What therefore doth he elſe, nilling that whiche God willeth, than, (whiche they are wont to doe) by yll meanes auoyding euill, double the ſame. Wherefore the foundation of all happineſſe, is faythfull obedience, whereby we fully ſubmit our ſelues and what ſo euer elſe vntounto vsus belongeth to the good wil of God: and therefore in this greateſt petition, we praye vntounto the father, that he woulde gyue vsus regeneration or neweneſſe of heart, true obedience, perſeuering patience, and a mynde alwayes and in all thinges agréeing with and obeying God.

p. 947The fourth petition is ſuch, GiueGive vsus this day our daily breade. For the Bread.will of God can not be done in vsus, vnleſſe we be nouriſhed and ſtrengthened with the bread of God. Bread among the Hebricians, ſignifieth all kynde of meates, and the preſeruing or ſuſtenaunce of the ſubſtaunce of man. Wherevpon we reade it ſayde in the prophet, I wil breake the ſtaffe of breade. But man conſiſteth of two ſubſtances, the ſoule and body. The ſoule is the ſpirite: the body is made of earth and other elements. Therefore it is preſerued with two kinds of breade, ſpirituall and corporall. The ſpirituall meate of the ſoule, wherby it is preſerued in life, is y^e very word of God, procéeding out of the mouth of God: the Lord out of the lawe repeating and ſaying, Man liueth not by bread only, but by eueryevery woord that Matth. 4. Deut. 8.Matt 4Deut 8commeth out of the mouth of God. And for bycauſe this onelyonly ſetteth forth vntounto the faithful the eternal and incarnate word of God, I meane the very ſon of God, we rightly acknowlege him to be the meate of the ſoule, yea the meate of a whole faithful mā. For he him ſelfe witneſſeth that he is the bread that came downe from heauen, of which they that eate ſhall not die, but hauehave life euerlaſting. Corporall breade conſiſteth of elements, and is earthly, and comprehendeth meate, drinke, rayment, proſperous health of body, maintenaunce, to be ſhorte, the ſafetie and good eſtate of mās life. And this bread truly we cal Oures: not y^t it is not the gift & benefit Oures.of God, but bicauſe it is appointed for vsus, & perteneth to our preſeruatiō & is neceſſary for vsus: yet in y^e mean ſeſon whē we cal it Daily, or, foreign, y^t is to ſay, for the morrow, we ſignifie Daylie.that it is y^e moſt excellenteſt of all, which only can ſuſtaine and preſerue our ſubſtance, aſmuch as is ſufficient & as long as it is méete, & altogether after y^e ſame maner & order which is néedful. For we ſaid afore y^t it is not our part to preſcribe vntounto God a maner of doing or giuing. To this alſo perteine thoſe words folowing, GiueGive vsus this day: For it belōgeth only vntounto GiueGive.god to giuegive: neither agréeth this petition to any creature. Dauid ſaith, Al things wait vpō thee, that thou maiſt giuegive thē meate in due ſeaſon, when thou giueſt them, they gather it, whē thou openeſt thy hand, all things are filled with good. Againe, The eyes of al things do looke vpō thee, O Lord, & thou giueſt thē meat in due ſeaſō, thou openeſt thy hand, & filleſt with thy bleſsing eueryevery liuing creature. Now we pray, GiueGive vsus, not GiueGive me, VsUs.which putteth vsus in mind again both of brotherly louelove, and vnitie. For we ought not only to ſéeke our owne, but alſo to pray for the ſafetie and preſeruation of all other men. The worde, This day, appointeth vsus a meaſure. This day.For this we ſay, Suffice thou vsus, O Lord, daily, and eueryevery moment, with as much as is néedful and enough for vsus: which thou thy ſelfe only knoweſt beſt of all. For we are admoniſhed by the waye, that we ſhoulde not burne with immoderate deſire of tranſitorie things, and that we ſhould not lauiſh them out riotouſly whē we hauehave them, looſing both our goods, and our ſoules. And therefore that wiſe man is read to hauehave ſayde: Two thinges hauehave I required of thee, denie me thē Pro. 30.Prov 30not before I die. Remoue farre from me vanitie and lyes, giuegive me neyther pouertie nor riches, onelyonly feede me with foode conuenient for me: leaſt peraduenture being full I ſhould denie thee, and ſay, who is the Lord? or p. 948being oppreſſed with pouertie, fal to ſtealing, and forſweare the name of my God. Therfore in this fourth petition, we yeald our ſelues wholy into the care and tuition of God the father, and cōmit our ſelues to his prouidence, that he which only is able to ſaue vsus, might féede, defend, and ſaue vsus. For vnleſſe he poure his bleſſing vponupon vsus, vnleſſe he giuegive vsus ſtrength by thoſe thinges that are meanes perteyning to oure ſuſtentation and maintenaunce, all thinges are of no force. We pray for the happie courſe of the worde of God, for the Paſtors of the Churche them ſelues, for the mainteyners of the common weale, for the ſafetie of the Church and common weale. We craue that the bountifull father would ſupply all wants, and giuegive what ſo euer things are neceſſarie for the ſuſtentation, both of the body and the ſoule.

Furthermore, leaſt any ſhoulde thinke him ſelfe vnworthy of the daily And forgiue vsus.breade, bicauſe it is due to children and not to dogs, and therefore ſhould praye the ſlowlier and with a more ſlender courage, the Lord preuenting this carefulneſſe of the godly, addeth the fifte petition, which is this, And forgiue vsus our debtes, as we forgiue our debters. In theſe words we aſke forgiueneſſe of our ſinnes. And that we may obteine forgiueneſſe of oure ſinnes, it is néedefull that we confeſſe our ſelues to be ſinners. For vnleſſe we doe this, howe ſhall we pray that our ſinnes ſhoulde be forgiuen vsus? Truely, all the Saints vſe this order of praying. Therefore all of them acknowledge thē ſelues to be ſinners. For there remaine reliques, yea euē in the regenerate, & moſt holy men, which daily burſt out into euill thoughts, euil ſayings & doings, yea & oftentimes into haynous offences. But whatſoeuer faults & ſinnes oures be, firſt truely we confeſſe thē humbly to god the father, & afterward pray him to forgiue them. We call our ſinnes debtes, God him ſelfe ſo teaching, bicauſe Our debtes.we are indebted for the puniſhment (as the price) of them vntounto God. And he forgiueth our debtes, when he taketh not deſerued puniſhmēt of vsus, ſo iudgeing of vsus, as if we were nothing indebted vntounto him.

For the alluſion is made to corporall debtes: which if the creditour forgiue the debter, he hath no further power to caſt in priſon, or to puniſhe him which was his debter. Therfore not only the fault is forgiuē vntounto vsus, but the puniſhment alſo. Neither doe we make any wordes of our merites vntounto the father, but we ſay, Remit or forgiue vsus our debtes. By the worde remiſſion, is ment a frée forgiueneſſe of ſinnes.

For he forgiueth vsus, bycauſe we are not able to paye. Wherevpon we reade in the Goſpel, When the debters were not able to pay, he forgaue Luke. 7.Luke 7them both their debtes. The like are ſet downe in the 18. chapter of Matth. Therfore by no merite of ours, by no ſatiſfactiō of ours, but by the bountifulneſſe of God, through Chriſte, we praye that all our ſinnes may be forgiuen vsus. Neyther doe the Saintes here doubt of the certeintie of forgiueneſſe. For the Lorde ſayth in the goſpel, Whatſoeuer ye aske in my name, beleeuing, ye ſhall receiue it: they therefore that praye in faith, doubt not that their ſinnes are forgiuen thē for Chriſtes ſake. For ſo alſo we confeſſe in our Créede, I beleeue the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes.

We adde foorthwith her…vntounto, As As we forgiue our debters.we forgiue our debters: not that we p. 949ſhoulde thinke through our forgiueneſſe, that we deſerue or obteine forgiueneſſe of oure ſinnes: for otherwiſe the reaſon of remiſſion were not certeine. For he that eyther bringeth, or doth any thing, for which thinges ſake ſinne is taken away, or he that ſatiſfieth for ſinne, to him nothing is forgiuen, but rather recompenced as a deſart. Therefore for other cauſes theſe things ſéeme to be added. Firſt for ſo muche as we be carefull for forgiueneſſe, of which many doubt, the Lordes will is to comfort our infirmitie, by adding this as it were a ſigne, whereby we might vnderſtand, that ſo ſurely our ſinnes are forgiuen vsus of God, as we are ſure we hauehave remitted and forgiuen other their offences, wherewith they hauehave offended vsus. Furthermore, his will was to driue out of vsus all olde grudge, hatred, and malice, and to driue into vsus the ſtudie and deſire of louelove and charitie, and to admoniſh vsus of our duetie, that if as yet there did ſticke in our myndes any part of olde enmities, we may know that it ought altogether to be layde aſide, and caſt out of our ſtomach, yea, and that euen nowe we muſt call vponupon the Lorde to moue our heartes, that we may be able to doe it. Surely, we doe hardly lay downe old iniuries and offences. But it is méete that we forgiue oure brethren leſſer faults, which hauehave obteined pardon of verie great ſinnes of our moſte gratious father: vnleſſe happily we liſt to take tryall of his fortune, who in the parable of the Goſpell had him ſelfe proofe of the greate bountifulneſſe and liberalitie of the Lorde in forgiuing him, he in the meane while being fierce and cruell towarde his brother, in exacting of him a verie ſmall and trifling debt. The parable is verie well knowen in the 18. chapter of S. Matth.

The ſixt and laſt petition is, And And lead… vsus not into, &c.lead vsus not into temptation, but deliuer vsus from euill. For ſinne is neuer ſo forgiuen, that there remaineth not cōcupiſcence in the fleſh, which temptations ſtirre vpp, and lead into diuerſe kindes of ſinnes. And theſe are of diuerſe ſortes. For firſt God tempteth vsus, when hee biddeth vsus doe any thing whereby to proue vsus, as when he bad Abraham to offer vp his ſonne: or elſe when he ſendeth aduerſitie vppon vsus, that with the fire of temptation hée maye both fine our faith, and cleanſe away the droſſe of our miſdéedes. Theſe temptations of God tend to the ſaluation of the faithfull.

Wherefore wee doe not ſimplie pray, not to be tempted. For y^e temptation of God is profitable. For that man is ſaid to be bleſſed, which ſuffereth temptation, For when he is tried, Iames. 1.Jas 1hee ſhall receiue the crowne of life. Wée pray alſo that we be not ledd into temptation. For the diuel likewiſe tempteth, we are tempted of y^e world, and of our fleſh. There are temptations on our righthand and on our left, tending to this end to ouerthrow vsus, to drowne vsus in the bottomleſſe pitt of our ſinnes, and thereby to deſtroye vsus: when that is done, we are not only tempted, but wee are ledd into and alſo intrapped in temptation. Such a petition therefore we doe make, If it pleaſe thée, O heauenly father, to exerciſe vsus with thy wholeſome temptations, wée beſéeche thée graunt that we may be found tryed: and ſuffer vsus not to be ledd by a diueliſhe and wicked temptation, that leauing thée, and being made bondſiaues to our enimy, and drowned in the gulfe of wickedneſſes, we be caught & kept of him in p. 950euil, ſinne, and in our owne deſtruction. For now wée add the contrarie clauſe, which alſo expoundeth the former, which as other ſay, is the ſeuenth petition. But deliuer vsus from euill, But deliuer vsus frō euill.foreign, I ſay, from that euil, to wit, from ſathan, who elſwhere is called a tempter. Deliuer vsus from ſathan and from all euils which he ſendeth: deliuer vsus from ſnares, craftie practiſes, deceyuings, from warre, famine, captiuitie, plague, from all thoſe things which are euill, hurtfull, and daungerous. Thoſe things that are ſuch, our heauenly father knoweth verie well, to whome we ſay here, GiueGive vsus healthfull and good things, take away from vsus thoſe things whiche thou knoweſt to be hurtfull and euill, And ſo briefly we conclude the Lordes prayer, adding moreouer, Amen. That confirmation and giuing Amen.of aſſent, is read to hauehave bene common and vſuall of olde, as it is to ſée in Deut. 27. Nehem. 8. 1. Cor. 14. The ſame in the beginning doth expreſſe our deſire. For we confeſſe that we deſire thoſe things heartily which we pray for. Beſides that, it declareth the certeintie of our fayth. As if we ſhoulde ſay, I beléeue aſſuredly, that theſe things are graunted vntounto me of God. For Amen, is as muche as if one ſhould ſay, So be it. And the lord in the Goſpell oftentimes, ſayth: **Whiche …s cōmonly tranſla…ed, Veri…y, Verily.Amen Amen, I ſay vntounto you, that is, of a certeintie I tell you the trueth: Or, I vtter and pronounce vntounto you the vndoubted truth. And ſo the faithfull after they hauehave offered prayers vntounto God, hauing their mindes pacified, doe nowe ioyfully waite for the giftes of the Lorde.

Furthermore, ſome doe place before the worde Amen, immediately after the rehearſall of theſe wordes, But deliuer vsus from euill (for thine is For thine is the kingdome, power, and glorie for euer.the kingdome, and the power, and the glorie for euer) Amen.

But Eraſmus Roterod, in his Annotations vponupon the new Teſtament, witneſſeth, that thoſe wordes are not found in any old latine copie: but are found added in al Gréeke copies, how be it not expoūded of any of the interpreters, but of Chryſoſtome only and his follower Theophilacte. And that therefore they ſéemed vntounto him to be added vntounto the Lordes prayer, as ſome hauehave added theſe vntounto the Pſalmes, Glorie bee to the father, to the ſonne, &c. The ſame Eraſmus immediately adioyneth, Wherefore there is no cauſe why Laurentius Valla ſhould ſtomache the matter, that a good part of the Lordes prayer was curtayled. Their raſhneſſe was rather to be reproued, who feared not to ſo heauenly a prayer to patch their owne toyes. For I maye call them toyes, in compariſon of that whiche God hath taught, what ſo euer hath procéeded from men, eſpecially if that which men hauehave added and put to, be compared with Chriſt the authour of prayer. Neyther did Eraſmus onelyonly doubt of this addition. For the Spaniſhe copie, which they call Codex Cō plutenſis, hath, That it ſeemeth more credible, that theſe wordes are not a part of the Lords praier, as a member of the whole, but put in through the faulte of ſome certeine Writers, or Printers. In the ſame booke is by and by added, And albeit S. Chryſoſtome in his commentaries vppon Matth. homil. 20. do expounde theſe words, as if they were of the text, yet it is coniectured to be more true, that euen in his time the firſt originals in this treatiſe were corrupted: wherevpon none of the Latines, no not of p. 951the auncient interpreters or entreaters thereof is read to hauehave made any mention of theſe woordes. And ſurely this is truely ſaid. For the moſt diligent interpreters, which hauehave taken in hand ſingularly word for word to expound the Lords prayer, as were S. Cyprian, Hierome, & Auguſtine, of this addition hauehave not ſpoken ſo much as one word. Thus much hauehave I ſpoken hetherto of the lords prayer, and of calling vppon Gods name, of whiche Solomon the wiſeſt that euer was, moſt truely pronounceth, The name of the Lord is a ſtrong Tower, …ro. 18.the righteous runneth vntounto it and is exalted, that is, he ſtandeth and is preſerued in a ſafe, or in a high place, out of the reach of any weapon. Wée wil ſay ſomewhat (as wee hauehave done of this) of thankes giuing an other kinde of prayer. And thoughe the ſame alſo be comprehended in y^e Lords prayer, Of thanks giuinge(for it comprehendeth all thinges belonging to true prayer, therefore it conteineth thankſgiuing alſo:) yet after the expoūding of that I alſo would intreate of this by it ſelfe, leaſt by mingling of things there riſe a confuſion or diſorder in our mindes. And truely the Lord requireth thankeſgiuing of vsus: of whiche thinge there are extant in the holy Scriptures arguments not a fewe. For howe many praiſes, reioycings, & thankſgiuings, are read in the Pſalmes, written and left both of Dauid, and of other Prophets? And in the lawe alſo the Lord inſtituted a peculiar kinde of oblation and ſacrifice, whiche wee hauehave ſaid is called the Euchariſt or the ſacrifice of thankeſgiuing. What thing elſe was the ſupper of the Paſſeouer, but a thankeſgiuing, for the deliueraunce out of the Aegyptian captiuitie?

Surely, oure Lord Ieſus Chriſte, both inſtituting a remembraunce of all his benefits, and eſpecially of the redemption purchaſed by his death, and knitting vpp all ſacrifices in breuitie, deliuered the Euchariſt or ſacramente of thankeſgiuinge to his church. As wee will declare in place conuenient, and hauehave partly ſhewed in our former ſermons. Mankinde in proſperitie is all vppon luſtineſſe and iollitie, and ſéeldome times thinketh with himſelfe frō whence proſperitie cōmeth: ſo he doth not ſet by thoſe ſpirituall myſteries and benefites ſo much as otherwiſe hee ought. But they ſéeme to be ſwine and not men, which doe not onelyonly not ſet by the benefites of God as they ought, but doe moreouer contemne them, and tread them vnderunder féete. The heauie iudgement of God doth tarrie for them. Furthermore the ſacrifice of praiſe & thankeſgiuing is due to God onelyonly. We owe thankes giuing o… ly to GodFor he is the onelyonly giuer and authour of all good things, though in the meane while he vſe the meanes and miniſterie of men and other creatures. Some prince ſendeth vntounto thée a moſt royall gift, and that by a courtier not of the loweſt degrée, but a moſt choſen man: yet to him neuertheleſſe though he bée a noble man, thou giueſt not thankes, but to the prince, from whome the gift came: howbeit in the meane while thou doeſt honeſtly confeſſe that the Courtier herein beſtowed his labour for thy ſake. But he had not beſtowed it vnleſſe his prince had ſo commaunded, and ſo the whole benefite at the Thankes are to be giuen to God thrughe Chriſt.length redoundeth vntounto y^e prince him ſelfe, euen vntounto him alone. And as all our inuocation or calling vppon God is acceptable vntounto GOD the father, thorough Ieſus Chriſte oure Lord: ſo no thankeſgiuing of ours, is acceptable vntounto God, vnleſſe it bee offered p. 952through Ieſus Chriſte. For hetherto perteyneth the myſterie of the altar of incenſe, whereof mention is made in the ceremonies of the lawe. But the Apoſtle alſo ſayth, GiueGive thankes Ephe. 5.Eph 5alwayes for all things vntounto God and the father, in the name of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt. And againe he ſaith, By Hebr. 13.Heb 13him wee offer ſacrifice of prayſe alwayes to God, that is, the fruite of lippes confeſsing his name.

But that we may be thankefull The bene…tes of God muſt be acknow…edged.for all the benefites of God, and offer continuall thankeſgiuing vntounto God, it is néedefull firſte to acknowledge and well to weigh with oure ſelues the benefites of God. For theſe being not yet knowne or rightly weyed, our mynde is not ſet on fire to gyue God thankes for his benefites. And theſe are indéede diuers, yea they are infinit. For they are priuate & publique, generall and ſpeciall, ſpirituall & corporal, temporal and eternall, eccleſiaſticall and politicall, ſingular and excellent. But who can reckon vp all their kindes and partes? God created, beautified, garniſhed, and made this worlde fruitfull for man. To the miniſterie of this he ſeuerally appointeth angelicall ſpirites, whom hee had created miniſters for him ſelfe. He giueth vsus ſoules and bodies, which he furniſheth and ſtoreth with infinite gifts and abilities, and that, which farre paſſeth all other benefits, he looſed man being intangled in ſin, he deliuered him being a bondſlaue to the diuell. For the ſonne of GOD ſetteth vsus frée into the libertie of the ſonnes of God: by dying, he quickeneth: by ſheading his bloud, he purgeth and cleanſeth: he giueth vsus with his ſpirite, whereby we may be guided and preſerued in this baniſhement, vntill we be receiued into that oure euerlaſting and true countrie. They that conſider theſe thinges with a true fayth, can not chooſe but be rapte into the prayſe and ſetting foorth of Gods▪ goodneſſe, and into a wondering at a thing doubtleſſe to be maruelled at, that the gratious and mightie God hath ſuche a ſpecial care of men, than whome this earth hath nothing either more wretched or miſerable. Here the Saints of God are deſtitute of words. Neither hauehave they How the godly giuegive thankes vntounto God.words méete enough for this ſo great a matter. Dauid cryeth, O Lorde our God howe woonderfull is thy name in all the worlde, for that thou haſt Pſal. 8.Ps 8ſet thy glorie aboue the heauens, and as followeth in the eight Pſal. And againe the ſame, Who am I O Lorde God? and what is the houſe of my father, that thou haſt brought me hitherto? (or ſo aduaunced me?) And what can Dauid ſay further vntounto 2. Sam. 7.2 Sam 7thee? for thou Lord God knoweſt thy ſeruant, and ſo foorth as followeth in the 2. booke of Samuel, cha. 7. The ſame Dauid hath ſet downe a moſte notable forme of bleſſing or praiſing, or giuing thankes vntounto God, in y^e 103 Pſal. whiche beginneth thus, Bleſſe the Lorde O my ſoule, and all that is within me bleſſe his holy name. Bleſſe the Lord O my ſoule, and forget not all his benefites, who forgiueth al thy wickedneſſe. And ſo forth. But what néede any more wordes? The Lordes prayer may be a moſte perfect forme of prayſing God, and giuing thankes to God, for all his benefites, & ſerue in ſtead of many. For as the preface and all the petitions do call vntounto our remembraunce, and abſolutely ſet foorthe vntounto vsus Gods greateſt benefites, moſt liberally beſtowed vpō vsus, & alſo vpō al other: ſo if we conſider y^t it is our dutie …o giuegive p. 953thanks to God for eueryevery one of theſe, and by and by beginne, euen at the beginning of the Lordes prayer, to weighe this chiefly with our ſelues, that God the father, of his vnſpeakeable merciemercy to vsus ward, hath adopted vsus miſerable ſinners into the number of ſonnes, by whome he will be ſanctified, and in whom he wil reigne and at the laſte alſo tranſlate vntounto his euerlaſting kingdome: that I maye ſpeake nothing of other petitions, what plentifull matter, of prayſing God, and giuing thankes vntounto him, ſhall be miniſtred? But theſe thinges are better and more rightly vnderſtood by good, godly, and deuout exerciſe, than by preceptes thoughe neuer ſo diligent.

And the Lord doth ſo much eſtéeme this thankes giuing offered vntounto him Thāks giuing a ſacrifice.with true humilitie of mynde and alſo faith, that he receiueth it, and counteth it for a moſt acceptable ſacrifice. Of this thing there is very often mē tion in the olde Teſtament, as when it is ſayde, Who ſo euer offereth me thankes and prayſe, hee honoureth Pſal. 50.Ps 50me, I will not reproue thee, bycauſe of thy ſacrifices, I will take no bullockes out of thy houſe, nor goates out of thy fouldes. Offer vntounto God the ſacrifice of prayſe, and paye thy vowes vntounto the moſt higheſt. And call vponupon me in the day of trouble, I will heare thee (and deliuer thée) and thou ſhalt glorifie me. Againe, I wil offer vntounto thee the ſacrifice of thankeſgiuing, Pſal. 116.Ps 116and I will call vppon the name of the Lorde. And Oſeas alſo ſayth, Take theſe wordes with you, Oſe. 24.and turne ye to the Lord, and ſay vntounto him, O for giuegive vsus all our ſinnes, & receiue vsus gratiouſly (Nim recht fur gut) and then will we offer the calues of our lippes vntounto thee. After which maner Malachie alſo hath left written, I hauehave no pleaſure in you, ſayth the Lorde of hoaſtes, neyther Mala. 1.Mal 1will I receiue an offering at youre hande. For from the riſing of the Sunne vntounto the going downe of the ſame, my name is greate among the Gentiles: and in eueryevery place incenſe and a pure offering ſhall bee offered to my name, for my name is greate among the Gentiles, ſayth the Lord of hoaſtes,

Furthermore, this Pure offering, al y^e old interpreters w^t great cōſent, Irenaeus chiefly & Tertullian, doe interprete Euchariſtia, that is to ſay, prayſes and thankeſgiuinges, and prayer procéeding from a pure heart, and a good conſcience, and an vnfeigned fayth. Truely for no other cauſe hauehave the auncient fathers called the Euchariſte or myſticall Supper of Chriſte, a ſacrifice, than for that in it prayſe and thankeſgiuing is offered vntounto God. For the Apoſtle Paule ſheweth that Chriſte was once offered, and that he can not be offered often or any more.

For great is the worthineſſe, power, Of the force or vertue of prayer.and vertue, not onelyonly of prayſe or thankeſgiuing, but alſo of prayer wholy, I meane of inuocation alſo it ſelfe. Whereof although I hauehave already ſpoken ſomewhat, where I declared that our prayers are effectual, yet do I adde theſe fewe words. The Saintes truely had a moſt ardent deſire of praying, bycauſe of the wonderfull force of prayer.

For that I maye ſay nothing of thoſe moſte auncient fathers before and anonafter the floud, did not Abraham praye when he receiued the promiſes? and as often as he chaunged his dwelling, did not he call vppon God? At his prayer king Abimelech p. 954is deliuered from death, and barrennes, whiche the Lord being diſpleaſed layed vppon his houſe is cured. Iacob powred forth moſt ardent prayers vntounto God, and receiued of him ineſtimable benefits. In Exodus Moſes prayeth, not once, but often, and taketh away the plagues from the Aegyptiās, which the Lord by his iuſt iudgement had brought vppon them. At the prayer of Moſes the Amalechites turne their backes: and when he ceaſſed or left off, the Iſraelites fledd away. Againe, when the fire of the Lord deuoured the vttmoſt parts of the tents of Iſrael, they cried vntounto Moſes, and Moſes againe cried vntounto the lord, and ſoudeinly the fire that deuoured them was conſumed. Againe, the people murmured againſt the Lord, and vengeaunce is prepared, but Moſes by milde & continuall prayer quencheth the wrath of God. For it is ſaid vntounto him, I hauehave let them goe according to thy word. Anon after when the people began a freſh to murmur againſt Moſes and Aaron, and that the vengeaunce of God had alreadie conſumed foureteene thouſand & ſeuen hundred men, Aaron at the commaundement of Moſes, burneth incenſe, and ſtanding betwéne the dead and thoſe that were liuing, howbeit néere and appointed to death, hee pleadeth for and obteineth pardon by prayers. Innumerable other of this kinde are read of Moſes. Ioſue, Moſes ſucceſſour, by prayers, made the courſe of the ſunne and moone ſo long to ſtay, vntil he had reuenged himſelfe vponupon his enimies. Anna, without any voyce heard, by prayer putteth from her the reproche of barrennes, and forthwith is made a fruitfull mother of verie many children. Samuel the moſt godly ſonne of godly Anna, by prayer vanquiſheth the Philiſtin…s, and ſoudeinely in the time of Harueſt raiſed vpp a mightie tempeſt of thunder and raine. Wée doe alſo read things not vnlike of Helias. Ionas in like manner prayed in the Whales bellie, and was caſt on the ſhore ſafe. Ioſaphat, and Ezechias, moſt religious kinges, by prayers powred foorth vntounto God by faith, doe triumphe ouer their moſt puiſſaunt enimies. Nehemias aſked nothing of his king, before hee had firſt prayed to the Lord of heauen, therefore hée obteined all thinges. The moſt valiaunt and man-like ſtomacht. Iudith, by prayer ouerthrew and ſlue Holophernes, y^e moſt proud enimie of Gods people, and the terrour of all nations. And as Daniel brought all his affaires to paſſe by prayers vntounto God: ſo Heſter tooke a déede in hand that was neceſſarie for Gods people, and with thrée dayes faſting, and daily prayers bringeth it to an happie end. In the moſt bleſſed, and moſt deſired birth of our Lord IESVS, companies of angels are heard ſinging praiſes together vntounto God. What, and did not oure Lord when his life was in extreme daunger beetake him ſelfe to prayer, and by and by heard the voice of an angel comforting him?

The Apoſtles together with the reſt of the church pray with one accord, about the third houre of the day, and anon they receiue the holy Ghoſt. And when the Apoſtles were in daungers, the church crieth ſuppliantly for Gods help, and preſently without delay findeth ſuccour. They receiue much libertie to ſpeake & woorke very great ſignes and myracles among the people. Peter by an Angel of God, is brought out of a verie ſtrong and fenced priſon. What ſhould I ſpeake of Paule and Silas praying and prayſing p. 955the Lord in priſon? Is it not read that y^e foundations of the priſon were all ſhaken with an earthquake, and by that occaſion the kéeper of the priſon was turned vntounto God? Examples of which ſort truely I could bring innumerable, but that I am perſuaded that to the Godly theſe are ſufficient. And faithfull men doe not attribute theſe forces, effects, or vertues to prayer, as to a worke of ours, but as procéeding from faith, and ſo to God himſelfe, whiche promiſeth theſe thinges, and perfourmeth them to the faithful. For the iudgement of Paul touching theſe is knowen, in the 11. to the Hebrues, and that all glorie is due to one God. Who vouchſafe ſo to illuminate all our mindes, that our prayer may alwayes pleaſe him. Amen.