AN EXPOSITION UPON THE LORDS Prayer, compared with the Decalogue, as it was preached in a Sermon, at Oatelands: before the most Noble, HENRY Prince of Wales. Aug. 13. Anno 1603. With a Postscript, to advertise of an error in all those that leave out the Conclusion of the Lords Prayer. Also, the Creed is annexed, with a short and plain explication of the Article, commonly called: He descended to Hell. BY HUGH BROUGHTON. TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader Grace and Peace. HAving in my custody (Christian Reader) a copy of M. Broughtons' Sermon on the Lord's Prayer: I found it upon perusal, to contain the Sum of all Divinity: especially being so fitly compared with the Decalogue, which maketh the sense more heavenly, and the harmony more sweet: and being composed together with much plainness and brevity, and also garnished with much learning from the ancient Rabbins, which the New Testament alloweth: which when I had well considered, I began to reason with myself, why so worthy a work should be hid from the world, and not rather be communicated to all, for the common good of all: especially considering that it was his continual desire, & constant endeavour (not to hide his learning, but) to spend himself, and his whole estate, in the service of Christ, by advancing the Gospel, and expounding the Holy Schriptures, both the History of them, and also the Doctrine of them. And first, for the History of the Scriptures, he composed it, in a most plain and profitable manner, into one short view, which he called A Consent of Scripture: and herein he did carefully explain three necessary Circumstances, that is to say, Time, Place and Person: without the knowledge of which Circumstances, the History of the Bible can never rightly be understood: and therefore with great pains, and no less learning, he made many several Treatises, upon these three Circumstances; first, proving the truth of them by Scripture: and secondly, in defending of that Truth, against the manifold Errors of former Writers: and also against the manifold cavilations of sundry late Opposers. And therefore all those that upbraid his learned pains with the term of needless Genealogies, and unprofitable Chronologie, they are worthy to bear the burden of their own ignorance: for howsoever, they think in their own conceit, they know much, yet in deed & in truth they might know more, to their greater joy and comfort, if they did not despise the Holy Rules, (I mean the aforenamed Circumstances) wherewith God hath garnished his blessed Word, as a special help to guide every wise hearted Reader in the true understanding of the same. And secondly, this Learned Divine of blessed memory, hath also declared his special love to the Church of God, in adding much help, for the better understanding of the Doctrine of the Bible: although his manner was not to make large commonplace books: because the most Writers do employ their pains about it: therefore he thought it more necessary to employ himself, in giving Rules for the true understanding of the Scriptures, and for the right expounding of some Common places, wherein many Writers do not agree, because the scope of the Scriptures is not rightly understood: and therefore he hath given us warning, how to understand many Common places: as about Predestination, & the Sufferings of Christ: and about the Article, commonly called Christ's Descent into Hell: etc. Also he speaketh much, and to great light, upon the mystery of the Holy Trinity, and of the Incarnation and Resurrection of Christ: as also of the Fall of Man, and of the great mystery of our Redemption: and of many other weighty points: as appeareth in this ensuing Treatise: and in many other of his Works: as in job, Ecclesiastes, Daniel, and his large Commentary on the Appocalypsis: etc. Now if this be true, as it is most evident in the aforenamed books, than it should stop the mouths of all those, that slander his learned pains, because say they, he teacheth no Sanctification: but they do little consider, when they say so, that the Ground of Sanctification consisteth in the Holy and right knowledge of the Word of God, which must first be seated in the mind & conscience, before it can be practised in the life and conversation. O but, say some, his writings are not worth the reading, because they are so difficult & hard to understand: I answer with S. Peter, that many things are hard to be understood in Paul's Epistles, 2 Pet. 3, 16. shall we therefore not count them worth the reading, because they are somewhat difficult? no, no, God requires the pains of the mind for the understanding of his word, for it is a treasure hid in the ground, & therefore they must take pains to dig for it, that will have it: so if men could but endure the pains of the mind, they would speak more reverendly of this man's Writings: but because men love such ease, they cannot see the drift of his Writing: and therefore well may his great Learning lament, because so few regard it: for it is almost solitary and unknown to his own Nation, because few do know, what his learned pains may further, which is more precious than Rubies: Yea, therefore, his knowledge doth power tears down her cheeks, because she is understood of none. But I would to God, that some Learned man would take the pains to contrive all his Works in to one Volume, that so his great learning might not perish in Oblivion: but that the ages to come may have it in Record for their help and furtherance in Divinity studies, who will doubtless reap more fruit by them, than we do, by reason of our unthankfulness, and so the God of all peace be with thee Christian Reader; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. Amen. The wise will understand. Dan. 12. A Sermon on the Lord's Prayer, preached at Oatelands, before the most Noble HENRY, Prince of Wales. TO THE KING'S MAJESTY. I Present unto your HIGHNESS, an Exposition of the L. Prayer, recorded in S. Mat. 6. even as I spoke it for sum of matter. Many were desirous to have it printed. And for that I thought your MAJESTY the fittest judge, for the commodity of your people. For a Rabbin who wrote from Constantinople seven year ago, to be taught from England, I would print it in Hebrew, if your MAJESTY will give me leave to go to Germany, where my Library yet is; and some works which our Printers can not set forth for want of skill & letters. And I most humbly crave leave to go thither, & to print for truth of Religion, all that my occasions suffer, for English, Hebrew, & Greek. Your majesties subject Hugh Broughton. OUR Speech with God requireth all the grace that words can afford: First, generally of the prayer and Decalogue. and because of ourselves we have no skill that way: the Son of GOD teacheth us, what words we may safely use; and declare that the holy Spirit was out teacher. john 1. 4— 9 So we may judge by the light that God planted in our souls, when we came into the world: by which we may try, what is light, and from God: and what is darkness, and from Satan. When God speaketh, he speaketh to the heart of all men: 〈…〉, 29 and as an hammer breaketh stones, so his word maketh hearts to yield: that appeareth in all parts of God's word, specially in this Form of prayer. It hath the Consent of all native light, for the open phrase; & more nearly of the jews Scribes for Divinity, and truly the sum of Christianity: even as the two Tables had of old. The Law commandeth all good: and here we crave grace for to do all that is good: That we may hold GOD to be our God, and only * 〈…〉 : That we regard him as not resemblable by any Image, but as dwelling in light that none can come to; nor imagine what should be like unto him: That we neither think nor speak lightly of him, or of his Word, that teacheth of his Nature; but have skill to honour his Name: That we may rest from our own works, and keep a continual Sabbath to him: having his kingdom amongst us: as on high he maketh peace, and the mighty Angels do his wil These Petitions we make for those things which concern God's honour principally. Then follow others for our necessity: 5. That we have a moderate portion, & neither want in scarcity, nor abound in superfluity, but such as serveth our household: that the Officers as Fathers, and the rest as Brethren and Children may live together without sorrow and distress. Esai●●9, 2. ●. ●. 8. 9, 10. Now, our sins make a partition between GOD and us: by Rancour, Lust, Theft, Untruth and Avarice: therein, we crave pardon and God's lenity, as we be soft to such as use as amiss. And confess our own weakness under the aegyptiacal slavery of Satan: and under Tyrants: such as the jews felt by Babel, Daniel all. Madai, javan with Seleuco-lagidae; which as four Beasts made a sea of troubles, till CHRIST brought his kingdom, power and glory over all the world. This in sum the Lords Prayer hath: and the two Tables have the same; and as the Tables be answerable one to the other, 〈…〉 so is our Lord's prayer unto both. The Law commandeth all that may be known on done: and this prayer desireth full grace for so much. And as all the five Books of Moses, Matth. 22, 40 yea, & the Prophets, are but a Commentary upon the Law: so all the New Testament is a Commentary upon the Lord's Prayer▪ and both are pure as silver tried seven times in a vessel of fined earth: Psalm 12. wherefore we must examine what is dross here, (by our corrupterror) and remove all such from the pure Metal, that is from God. 1 Corinth. 3. And we shall need fire of trial, for the Hebrews, the old Scribes and Rabbins with their side, who have continued over the world, a great part of them dealers with the Law, and to which tenor of speech the New Testament if fitted; they hold the phrases all, as all the terms of the Law, no less than we do: but they deny the power of them. Therefore they must be better examined: and that will we do by God's help in this sort. First, considering the knowledge and honour of God● next, our need and distress: and still compare the Lords prayer with the Dealogue. Our first speech here, Now particularly of every Petition compared with the Decalogue. is of GOD: how, we do acknowledge him: we say, O our Father: much try all there must be of this world, before the pure meaning appeareth. The Heathen Philosophers could say; Zeup●te● jupiter, the Father 〈◊〉 yet they were godless in this world. This entra●●● to prayer [to our Father]. Is the cry of all God's children, & therefore they that have other Gods against Our Father. Also the jew saith good words from holy Moses, but not 〈◊〉 understood: Thou art our Father, Isa. 63● 10. and again: Is not he thy Father's De●t▪ 3●, ●. yet both these sorts petish for ever because they know not the Father. Now, 1 john. 5, 7. the first degree of Father is most holy in this sentence: There be three, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, and these three be one: so the Father is relative to the SON, called the WORD, as in Prov. 30. Who went up to heaven, and came down, who gathereth the wind in his fist, who bound up the waters in a garment: who hath set the borders of the earth: what is HIS Name, and the Name of his SON, if thou knowest it. Here we have Father in the highest degree, and the SON coeternal: who with the SPIRIT aeternal, all three, one infinite Nature created the world. They that miss of Fatherhood in this sense, know not God: and they can not be saved. In another sense, Father, is the ateribute of God, without distinction of Person, as JEHOVAH (in Hebrew) & ELOHIM: which two names must be expounded, that all three may be better understood. ELOHIM is the first name, Gen. 1. 1. that the Creator of all hath in the Scripture: and in notation it betokeneth MIGHTY, and in form a plurality; EL-HEM one mighty nature be They. They jew, Rabbi Bochai upon Gen. 1. confesseth so much, and bringeth the like mysteries from, Eccles. 1●. Remember thy CREATORS in the days of thy youth. etc. and from Isai. 54. JEHOVAH thy MAKERS. Of old time the Scribes of Doctors of jehuda held the Trinity, until stubbornness against the Redeemer drew them to extremity of blindness: Since, they disturb all, and they bred Arrians. But the old Rabbins held it not strange to hear of Father, Hag. 2, 6. Son, and Holy Spirit, in the Unity of Godhead, and in ELOHIM, EL-HEM one mighty Nature be they. JEHOVAH, likewise is of them held in most high and holy reverence: and where CHRIST the great GOD saith, Deut. 18. Thou shalt perfect with JEHOVAH thy GOD, he saith, Matth. 5. Ye shall be perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect. So we see Father to be used for JEHOVAH. Now, the term JEHOVAH must be considered: though no tongue can tell fully the force of it; Being, and giving the Being to all things, and ruling all in order, and performer of promise, doth it betoken. In the narration of Moses, how all the frame of the world was made, still until the whole host of heaven and earth was finished, the name ELOHIM only was used: But when the perfect Being had appearance, Gen. 2. than the Creator is termed JEHOVAH ELOHIM. 1 Tim. 6. 16. S. Paul translateth it, Who only hath immortality, as Elohim, who is only Mighty. Eusebius hath from some ancient Grecian, the sweetest Epigram, that ever was made, which can not be referred to my knowledge, but to jehovah, though in Greek it can not be sounded. Thus it standeth as from God speaking of himself. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Seven sounding letters praise me God the great and eternal: The Father of all things, Esa. 40. 28. that never is weary. And I am the immortal viol of all things, Which tune the Consent of the heavenly melody. Some holy jew that respected, the thrice holy Name JEHOVAH, seemeth to be the Father of this Epigram: (as they had of ancient time very learned men in the Greek tongue) cited in Clemens, Eusebius, and in Anthologia. Now by this which hath been spoken, we see the term Father, the term Elehim, and jehovah, how they be all one. Also that JEHOVAH is spoken of CHRIST, Isat. 6, 9 and john 12, 41. do show: and that CHRIST is jehovah, even the Talmud granteth from jer. 23, and again 31. I will raise unto David the Brightness the lust: and the name by which they shall call him, is Jehovah our righteousness: so we see how the first word in holy Prayer, & of the Decalogue, to be all one. Here we acknowledge the true God, the Eternal of Nature and counsel: Creator and governor of all things: and holy justice, and unspeakable mercy: and all truth in all 〈◊〉 honoureth these namest as errors and heresies, 〈…〉 argue their authors not to know the name of God. Now for the term Father, in respect of Creature, we must weigh the use. The Stars (the Angels) be called the sons of God, job. 3. 8. When the morning stars were glad together, and the sons of God shouted. So the Angels, which were created with the light the first day: they are the sons of Them; the Mighty, the Trinity. These Angels saw the frame of Meteores, and distinction of waters, fish, fonles, and beasts, how they could not serve their turn. And when man was made, though of the slime of the earth, yet in soul equal he was to Angels, in wi●re to give names to Creatures. And therefore, when God gave his Angels charge to serve man, that he should not hurt his foot against a stone; Psal. 1. ●4. all should have known, that he made his Angel spirits, and his Ministers a fla●●● of fire. But some of them disdained to mark, how all was made for man, and rebelled against JEHOVAH E●OU●M; & disturbed all the course of wisdom, Gen. 1. 1●. 〈◊〉. 8, 12. and brought man to rebellion, and all the Creature subject unto groaning: whereupon a new course is manifested; that the SON of God should take the nature of man, to be our brother, that God might be his Father, as he is man, and ours for him, who came to perform obedience unto death, to give life: presently for our souls passing hence to heaven when they leave the body, as he through the vail of his flesh entered into the joy of the Father: and they who stubbornly deny that, 1 Corint. 15. can have no hope of salvation. And by his Resurrection our bodies shall arise in the later day; all of both sots: as in our death of body all souls return to God that gave them, to abide judgement for every hid thing good or evil. On high, be places of light and joy, called heaven: On high, be places of torment called Hell: the separation is large enough, that the one can not pass to the other. The general name is common to both, THE WORLD OF SOULS, to the jews, who knew that all souls ascend out of this world: & HADES, or unknown place, to heathen, who knew not any thing out of this world, but thought, there were beyond the gates of the sun, as Homer speaketh, or out of the light of the sky, places of distinct state, garden for the godly, and Tartarus prison for the wicked. Then Heathen took not Heaven as we do, for a place of God's glory, out of this world, but for some part of the starry sky; as justin Martyr disputeth against them. But the Scripture lifteth us above the heaven of the air, and heaven of stars, into a third heaven: unto that our Lord w●nt from the cross: unto that S. Paul was taken up: 2 Cor. 12, 4 and all faithful shall have a Tabernacle there, Luc. 23. 43. when this earthly dwelling is dissolved. The Thief knew, that our Lord's soul should go hence thither as all just: and our Lord doth confirm him therein. This course the Creater took, taking our nature unto him, Rom. 8, 15. to be our brother, that we may by his spirit cry, Abba Father. In this sense we cry Abba Father, and Elohim, and Eternal, Psal. 65. 2. and O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. Israel felt by an outward blessing of deliverance from Egypt, Exod. 20, 2, 3 the spiritual deliverance from Hell, by JEHOVAH, the Eternal: which none other could perform, that he should be their Father, and they should have no other Elohim, mighty defender but him: & that he only should be the hearer of their prayer. and thus the term Father, and jehovah, and Elohim, our mighty judge and defender, sound one and the same thing. We trespass deadly, when we pray to any other against the Law: Him only shalt thou serve; upon which Law, the Scribes sitting upon Moses chair, say thus: we have been taught from age to age, that this worship is Prayer: David confirmeth this, Psalm 50. saying: Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will hear thee: and thou shalt worship me: and our Lord more expressly in this chap. Matth. 6. When ye pray, pray unto your Father which is in heaven. And neither the holy Apostles ever, not the common jews at this day, in their Synagogue, pray but unto the Creator. The jews know him not: yet hold the general of praying, only to God, as the holy Doctors, Simeon, Zacharie, and our Lord his Kindred in S. Luke chap. 3. and Matth. 1. professed openly. And as he that sacrificed unto any, but unto God, was to be destroyed as cursed: So, the greater subduction of honour from God, maketh one more cursed. But prayer is more than sacrifice. Therefore the giving of the greater to a Creature is more cursed. By this, the Pseudocatholiques must confess they have no hope of salvation: Matth. 6, 7. darkening knowledge by words will nothing help their turn: Their heart telleth them that they have small hope in God, that seek to Creatures: whereas God dwelleth in light, that none can come to: & Creatures know not the heart of man, nor how God pitieth or hardeneth, to show his most wise government of the world. So they can not call upon him, whom they know not: and miss of the true Father, as Bastards: and they miss wilfully: and grope like the blind at noon day. Now the term our, protesteth, that we will have no other Elohim, but him: none other Patrons for our life and soul, but him, who is our Creator: by him we came into the World: to his providence only we commit our state: his Angels pitch their tents about us, when he commandeth: but not any our supplication to them. When Abraham with his own family fought against four kings, Genes. 14. Esai. 41. he trusted only in God: and as God would, the Angels fought for him; not by any prayer unto them: Neither did he pray eure unto Adam, or Henoch, whom he knew to be in Paradise: but made God only his judge. On earth Civil Magistrates be Elohim: and the Angels also be so called, as Psal. 97, 7. Let all the Elohim worship him. But for Civil Officers, so far they must be followed, (even the heathen) as they hold the Law of nature. In assemblies of God's people, 1. Corint. ●. which may make judges of their own; it is unlawful to plead before infidels: Moses Bxod. 18. telleth that; where the Rulers must be men of religion towards God: & also the Talmud teacheth the same: and God confirmeth it, 1 Cor. 6. saying, Dare any of you plead before Infidels. But here come doubts, Deut. 1●. Ezek. 17. 13. 14. 15. & 21, 23. because God saith: Thou shalt make unto thee, a King of thy Brethren. The jews held it unlawful to obey heathen: and often rebelled against oath: as did Zedekiah against Nebucadnetzar: and Theudas and Barcosba against the Romans: yet the Talmud taught: that when the jews admitted once the coin of any prince, therein they acknowledged him their governor: and our Lord confirmeth that acknowledgement, Luke 2●. 2●. upon the image & superscription of Caesar. And full often doth S. Paul teach, that obedience, Rom. 13. Tit. 3. 1 Petr. 2, 13. & S. Peter omitteth not the same doctrine: both foresaw, that as the jews rejected Governors, because they would judge in their own laws: so in time Scholars would among us: pretending that Politicians in heathon studies were not fit. But Christianity having no new matter, but the Incarnation of the Angel of our Covenant, the Eternal king of glory, and his Resurrection: having, I say, no new matter but that, wherein the world would staggar, suffereth not Scholars to bear such sway: but requireth others, Politicians always to be Bishops in their parochs, to censure the Messengers of the Church; who should read learnedly the Bible: (which few can do, and which labour spendeth all a man's youth) And all the sage should speak upon request: and the rest judge. In such assemblies, one day might open all the Bible: while plain matters be only touched, and only difficulties be handled. But men love darkness: and will have other Elohim than God willeth. And whereas God saith: Thou shalt not make unto thee Elohim of, gold, Elohim of silver. The Scribes sitting in the chair of Moses truly conclude, that Governors that buy their places, fall to be Elohim of gold and silver. And Episcopi of Elders in policy of God's people made by money, may no more be honoured then an Idol. The heathen known slaves of Satan had outward obedience, till God by Civil Policy, and Constantinus might did fallen them: and so Elohim of gold may have in Courts, but as men ha●● of all true hearts; and men hateful unto God, as Idols. But the true Officer is worthy of double honour: A●lo●. 1. 1. as the Prince Theophilus to whom God, dedicated two parts of the N. Testament: that all should follow such a Bishop, and have no Father, nor Rabbi, but God and his Vicars: whereof Kings & Rulers are the chief Episcopi and Elders: and the Readers of the word, which should be or rare skill: yet are superiors only in diligence. All jews towns had Ros jelibah, an head of their council, Episcopus, Tzophe: as Antigonus' successor to Alexander Macedon, was holden Tzopheh, or Episcopus of Asia. But none of the jews Episcopi ruled saving for one voice; Dio. Sicul. and so far he was Elohim. Act. Rab. Abr. Ben David in Cabala. When Ananias went further, S. Paul gave him over to God's eternal curse: and he and his son Eleazar authors of Rebellion, brought jerusalem to be jebus again, and trodden down, while they knew not Elohim. And thus much for the names that warn of right knowledge of God. For God his honour two warnings are given: Which art in heaven: & therefore by Commath. 2. not to be fashioned by any thing in heaven or earth. the one for the eyes, the other for the tongue: but both depend upon the heart. Now God dwelleth in light, that none can come to: and would by the frame of the world teach us of his eternal power and Godhead. But our sloth, admiring the Creature, will worship him by that. So the stars were Heathens gods; so the form of a man's body is the Papists: against that, CHRIST engraved the Law in stone: Thou shalt not make unto thyself any graven Image or likeness of any thing, that is in heaven or earth, or the seas, which the shore keepeth in the lower channel. God requireth the pains of the mind to think upon him, and to follow his Word: and none of that course can abide Idols: neither did Idol-knights ever admire God's nature or love his Word. Psalm 89. Nothing in the air, our next heaven, or among the starry heaven, is like unto him: but we must ascend into the third Heaven, above all this visible world, unto an unspekable light, to think well of God: and in that light God is invisible, and thence bringeth his hid Counsels into light, for them that in mind worship him: others be bats and Mouldwarts. And when we say, that our Father is in the third heaven, we proclaim rejection of all that worship images, as not being the children of God. So we here go above all eyesight: and ascend in our minds, above this visible world, unto the world of Souls: whither all ascend, either to joy in the light of God, in heaven, and Paradise: or to woe of darkness of Hell and Torment. All that in light of mind will not ascend to heaven, shall ascend to the throne of God to hear condemnation, & to have on high a place of woe for ever and ever. In the days of Enosh men corrupted the calling upon God's name, Gen. 4. ●6. giving stars his glory: but the flood taught them the penalty, 1. 〈◊〉. 16. 1 Pe●. ●, 19 when their bodies became wrinkled by waters: and their spirits went up to eternal prison. So Babel was built to the worship of stars, because men that made their bellies their god, would, and could not with their heavy hearts ascend the heavens, but by tongues exhorted unto Idols name, & easy devotion: For that, God did cut them off from Adam's tongue, and hope of his life for ever: saving the few that would endure the minds pains, 2. Corin●. 5. to search how God in Christ reconciled the world unto himself. And God so hated the heathen, that he gave by Moses an hedge of Laws to keep Israel from amity with them: even for the very polling the head, that they should not be like the Arabians, as Maymony full well expoundeth that Law, 〈…〉 Levit. 19 and all should still shun the garment polluted by the fleshly minded men. A further pains of the mind, 〈…〉 is required for the honour of God: to sanctify his name: and the Law forbidding to take his Name in vain, includeth that in a Commandment, Now all God's doctrine is called his Name: all holy speeches of him: In his LAW shall the nations trust. Isa. 42. In his NAME, saith Matth. 12. The Attributes, ELOHIM, JEHOVAH, EL-SHADDAI, ADONAI, ●AH, TZUR: the Mighty, the Eternal, the All-sufficient, the Stay of the World, the Giver of life and breath, the Rock, & such: these are abridgements of the Bible, and the Bible a Commentary upon them. 1. Tim. 6, 1. So, by NAME, all holy doctrine is contained: and we pray for knowledge in it; as the Law maketh all guilty, that taketh his NAME in vain. Herein standeth the greatest care of true Christian Policy: how all congregations may have many Bishops to sanctify God's Name: to know the truth, and to speak it with fear and care. In this standeth only the joy of our souls: and it were better for us, that we were never born, then to miss of this: for the price is Gehenna. While the families, that hoped in Christ were few: that one Bishop might teach them, the Law was not written: Sem, Arphaxad, Selah, Heber, Abraham, and his sons by Returah, (whence job was) Isaac, jacob, joseph, taught theirs the redemption by word of mouth, & equity by the Law of nature. But when Israel multiplied, a few sufficed not to be Bishops, than a Law was written: and all Israel forty years had leisure to learn it. And Levites were the common Bishops in the land: as Bishop Eleazar, special one. PAKID, a man of charge, is Episcopus in the LXX. & 1 Timoth. 3. But not Levites only were learned. All parochs through the twelve Tribes had their Doctors of their own: and all of Israel often, and no Levite: as some were only of Levites in their 48 towns lotted to Levi: and the high Council might be all of Israel, or all of Levi, as it should fall out. The Synagogues or parochs had nothing to do with sacrifice: nor had any ceremony of Levi: no cope of Linen, as Aaron, neither linen: only one shirt, a Girdle, and a Cap, as Levites in the Temple. Neither might they any more imitate Aaron's attire, than they might sacrifice there. In their Synagogues they read the Law, and all saving hand-laborers, thrice a week from Childhood frequented Divinitie-scholes. Of them the chief were chosen to rule, and to teach after Angelus Ecclesiae had read: or they might by sage leave read: after reading, the chosen to rule: and to teach, called Elders or Bishops, desired the best in esteem to speak: or, after often approbation they might offer their pains. And this Policy, Luc. 4. and 1 Corin. 14. alloweth. So reason bred this policy: and the holy Nation practised the same 1400 years; knowing it a hard point to sanctify God's Law: and to beware the taking of God's Name in vain. Many high points stand herein. The truth of the Texts of both Testaments: for the pureness of Copies, and the right helps for understanding, & the sufficiency of God's Word for salvation: these be the chiefest: and all deceived kingdoms are cursed for missing herein: and the best may begin to look better about them. And all of wealth must know, that their bent must be to know, how to sanctify God's name: As rash swearers so all deceived do take God's name in vain. Wherefore all that are of ability, should from youth know the Law: and all well might by skilful guides: and a kingdom of Glory must have many glorious in it: and they be simple, that hope by bare hearing of Sermons to become learned. As many Gentlemen spend their time to sanctify God's name, so all should, & the most part would, if Teachers learned before they taught. The effect of this maketh the kingdom of heaven to be amongst us: 〈…〉, thy will be done on earth as it is heaven:] as when the sabbaoth is duly sanctified, than God's kingdom is advanced Command. 4. that men should obey God in CHRIST on earth, as the Angels obey, being sent out ministering spirits for them, that shall inherit salvation. For that, we have one day in the Law, the seventh day, which Adam kept, and all the Fathers, till in Egypt they forsook Good. Then they found by Manna not rained, that day which was the sabbath: and they are commanded to remember, and keep that Day holy. And that day our Lord rested wholly in the grave, and so finished the Ceremony. And his resurrection bringing light into the world, made the day where in God said; Let there be light; as it was the first in order, to be also the first in dignity. In the beginning, Gen. 3. 21. Apoc. 13. ●. the first day after Adam fell, Adam bestowed in sacrifice to meditate on Christ his Rest: and the first day, after performance of that Rest, became the LORDS DAY: which Angels with most comfortable joy celebrate in the Gospel: and in which our Lord often showed himself, wherefore the Church kept it Act. 20. and Apoc. 1. our Lord appeared unto john in Patmos, and took away the covering from all the Bible, on that day, being called the LORDS Day. So the same authority, which appointed Adam, the next day to his fall to Rest in hope of Christ: appointeth us the next to our Lords Rest performed most absolutely. Adam was to study upon the Creation, which his fall brought under vanity, and upon the hope of better Rest. And we are to joy in the day of our Light manifested unto the world, and a plain token of the new world. So the jews Sabbath and ours, tend both to one and the same purpose, though the day be altered. And their universal consent standeth from Moses plain narration, for the word of not eating of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil, and Satan's reply, and the eating, and sentences, and loss of Paradise; that all fell the same day, the first day of man: and accordingly at noon day, our Lord on the tree began the Combat with Satan, and at the cool of the day went into his kingdom, through the vail of his flesh; leaving this world, which the Latin heathen call, Descendere ad Inferos: the Greeks, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: the jews to return to God, or, to asceud. And they are barbarous babes, that know neither Latin, Creek nor Hebrew, nor Divinity, whither just souls were to go. The term Kingdoms, is taken in three degrees: 1. For God's power over all: 2. for his mercy's manifestation: and 3. for the happy state of glory in heaven. But all go by knowledge together: they which know God aright as Governor, will embrace him as a Redeemer; and shall find him an eternal comforter. For these degrees we pray; Deut. ●0. 12. Rom. 10. 6. but the second is most of difficulty for the mind to go up to heaven to bring Christ down, and to go to the deep, to bring Christ from the dead: and to die with Christ: and to seek those things which are above: Therefore God's power in Christ, is by the noblest part called, the kingdom of Heaven. And the government in the Gospel affairs to cherish and rule men in the Church is the policy of heaven. The jews though they, many of them, knew not the person of Christ; yet they had & have all, that the Apostles teach: and therefore therein no strife was in all the N. Testament: both sides held the same mind for the old Testament: and differed not for one letter. Both held the same Common places from Moses: and agree, saving in Traditions, and about MESSIAH: but for government they agreed: Archysynagogus, Readers of the Law and prophets, the qualities of a Bishop or Elder, the providing for the poor, the manner of excommunication, and absolution, the Laws to bridle Elders from tyranny: all these are the same in both: and reason requireth so much, and will suffer no more in effect. And our Policy might soon come in equity near this, if all Bishops were as many be: and they which worst may would not be holden the Candle. A translation by consent & study of all, & prayers from very Scripture might be soon afforded, and unlawful, imitation of Aaron's attire might be left with ease: and these points most vex us, wherein many Bishops never made any stir. Both equally held that the Vestments of the Temple might not come into the synagogue; and for the Temple all were put away, when our Lord was put in grave. So the Laws of this Kingdom be plain. But the study of the Word for the Hebrew Testament, and the Greek Testament, as we carry our course is infinite: yet by conference of the N. Testament with Hebrews, most easy & pleasant. And a learned jew would tell whom the Apostles express in all their speachcs: so shining be the Teachers of this Kingdom. And thus much for the Petitions: and Precepts tending directly to the knowledge and honour of God. Order biddeth to handle next, [Give us this day our daily bread, lest 〈◊〉 want we 〈◊〉 against 〈◊〉, and against all 〈…〉. the things that secure all our distress: For which we pray that ability be given us, by giving good, or forgiving ill: as the Law giveth charge, so to do. We are commanded, to honour our Father and Mother: that is to show them all care, and performance of good. So Abraham showed Terah how the God of glory appeared unto him; and drew him from Mesopotamia to Haran, to go for Chanaan, to be partaker of all his good. So Moses tendered jethro, and showed what good he should have by joining to Israel. Now this can not be performed between kindred, unless outward ability be reasonable: for that, we pray for sufficient food, that neither abundance drive us to height of mind; nor want, to anger against God: Agur the son of jakeh, so prayed, Pro●● 30 Provertie or riches give me not: nourish me with bread of fit measure for me. That very phrase the Holy Spirit translateth from the Proverbs to this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a new framed word, plain by Comparison, with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abundant, and by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absence, being between both, as limited by both. Agur giveth a reason of his demand, for mean wealth: saying, lest I be full, and lie, and say, who is the Lord: or lest I be poor and steal: and contemn the name of my God. As every particular should rest in mean wealth, whole states should do the like. Israel learned that, by the Manna, where the much diminished, and the little sufficed. And all judah's policy required the same: that the rich should help the poor: so that riches could not be great. And the Heathen Porphyri, cited by Euscbius teacheth that of the jews policy, the content of riches was practised in the whole tenor of it. Yet the mistrustful heart of man, is wholly set upon storing up. And the pharisees pretending contemt of the world, loved silver notably: to whom the Parable of hospital Abraham and Lazar or Eleazar, that made God his helper, and of the Rich in flames was propounded. And upon this matter our Lord speaketh much hereafter, in the sweetest speeches that ever were spoken: as, Matth. 6. Luke 12. Store not upon the earth: but store in heaven: care not for meat, drink and clothing: look upon the fowls, & consider the lilies, seek for the Kingdom of heaven. The enemies of Christ in the Talmud jerusalemie, have this saying stolen from our Gospel, in these words of Monabases son to King Agrippa, in abridgement thus; The friends chide him for giving all to the poor: He said▪ My Fathers stored for earth, I store for heaven: my Fathers stored where hand hath stroke; I store where hand hath no stroke; my Fathers stored Mammona; I store for souls: This sayeth jerusalemie stealing wit from our Gospel. 1. Tim 5, 4. So we desire our daily food in competent sort, to recompense them, whose care preserveth us; as our Parents, and the state wherein we live. Against this we trespass, when by pretence of Religion we overthrew civil policy, as the Pope doth, and all that holy and whit of his in part. Religion should be so cleared, that all by twenty years of age might be eunning in all the Bible: that every Officers should be as duty and name requireth a Bishop. One hour would utter many more direct Positions for the Bible, than all our Bishops yet knew: if hateful dealing hindered not, and unthankful envy. If one will, one will hazard all upon this. Further Trespass is in Covet, in all trades: and the greatest in Students: who commonly for errors become wealthy: men of true learning little care for wealth, because they regard God: as josuah, that sought for himself no part of the Land: and for the contrary, S. james told the jews, how they fed themselves, as to the day of slaughter. So the true regard of honouring Parents and the State should define our daily bread. And men of State are equally limited by Law: the King may not multiply horses, not multiple money: but as all Israel trusted in God to keep their towns, when thrice a year they went to jerusalem: And God taught Heathen by Pharaoh and Senacherib, not to seek destruction: so God's favour, not horses should be the strength of a Kingdom. The hebrews limit the King's money, even so much as payeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wages for his servants: store will be a sore. Isaiah blameth judah in Azariah's days for multiplying horses and money. And in his last year telleth of ten calamities and utter ruin, which hastened one after another, most vehement upon the trusters in their own strength: See the Consent, for 10. calamities further touching the sla●e. Ahaz lost 120000 in one battle: Ezekiah twice felt Assur heavy: Manasseh was in Babel prisoner; Ammon died by sword: good josiah by an arrow: joachaz soon is captive, and dead: joakim is buried like an Ass: jehojachin had 37 years imprisonment: & Zedekiah would see nothing, till he had his eyes plucked out: And the whole nation lost their Temple, City and Land: wealth & pride, for horses and money brought all this. So all States should rest in their daily bread to honour the whole government in competent sort. An other extremity is here, 〈…〉 Contemt of due care: Idle folk and hinderers of the common good, be as hurtful, as covetous deceitful Scholars: & should be holden as wicked as they, and each one, & Public men chiefly, should sweat, to employ all to the best. And hence floweth that care for Colonies, for which India giveth place: And an honourable thing it is, for our solely the ends of the earth, the possession of Christ, Psalm. 2. to benefit others and ourselves: when our Teachers be learned in troops, as many be in deed: this course will avoid a course. And thus much for our distress, holpen by giving good. Forgiving ill, cometh after it. The Law saith: 〈…〉 Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt not desire, etc. For all this the Law is spiritual: and unjust anger is guilty before the high Sanedrin: & the Lust by sight is adultery: & deceit by sleight, as in Preachers chiefly is theft: and all Covet in condemnation. For this we condemn all of Adam, that they offend us, and we them: and we pardon them, considering the common misery: and so crave pardon of God, as we pardon them. And herein we consider the cause of our fall: for murdering hate: for adulterous desire: for thievish sophistry, for lying falsehood, and desiring more than our own. Outward occasions tempt our weak natures; and to God we pray, Led us not into tentation, but deliver us from evil. that he would deliver us from them. God tempteth no man to ill: but he tempteth all men by outward trials: jam. 1. and unless God help us, by Satan's whelps we will be soon caught: from him we pray to be delivered: as in all things he is brsie: 1 Pet. 5. 1 John. 2. jam. 4. by reason that all in the world, Is the desire of the eye, the desire of the flesh, and the pride of life: whence we are at war with ourselves. And thus, prayer for grace, and commandment for duty have been compared. Now followeth a conclusion of most glorious style: For this Conclusion of the kingdom, power and glory of Christ, see the Post for, following. For thine is the kingdom, the power and glory, for ever and ever: this Conclusion cometh most goodly, and most godly: and when we mark whence it cometh, a world of knowledge cometh with it. But first we have a great Combat for the possession of it. The Pope his Latin Translation hath it not: he disputeth that it should be a trifling addition by Gregory Martin: & his Arabic Translation printed at Rome hath it not and our Communion book (for which our Right Reverend Fathers too much contend) hath it not. And one Greek Copy in the French Library, cited R. Ste. had it not: what shall we then say to it, if it be no part of the Bible, it is wicked to say, our Lord spoke it: and by our BB. subscription it is evident that we have not a new Testament. The sews say for the Testament in Ierusal. sane. A Testament that faileth in part, faileth in all. Wherefore our Bishops must herein leave the Pope: and he must looth himself. And thus standeth the Case: strong by copies, and stronger by matter: first, of sixteen Copies in the French Library, cited by Ro. Stephen fifteen had this clause: and reason might tell, some trifler left it out, either by the Latin: or by not knowing why S. Luke left it out: But all of judgement know, that abridgers in Scripture be short. And S. Luke in the blessings hath but five of the whole. And from the first Narrator, matters are to be had: as even the Pope standeth to his Latin for S. Matthew. Besides, the Arabic written Translations, one which I have, brought lately from the East: an other which the worthy renowned Arias Montanus lent the learned Printer Raphelingius, these have the saying: Thine is the Kingdom, the power, and glory, for ever and ever. And here cometh the Pope to judgement, how his Arabic Copy should not agree with the Greek: seeing other Copies do: if Copies common have that sentence, how should his miss it. The Arabic notation is plain, and void of schooltricks: and seeing their Translations that are abroad have this clause, reason telleth that the Greek Originals, that went over Arabia had it: as all the usual in the West. Besides the Chaldi Ethiopian printed at Rome hath this: and the nation was large, reaching over East & South. So millions of Original Greek Copies in those quarters are supposed to have the same. Also the Siriaque Translation hath, Thine is the Kingdom, the power and Glory, for ever and ever: so millions then held it part of the New Testament: and hold the Pope a Corrupter. And Theophilact in Greek printed at Rome 1542, hath the sentence. So by number of voices it standeth as God's word. And better by matter; for when the four fierce beasts, Daniel 7. had taken away the holy Iewes Kingdom, One like a SON OF MAN cometh in the clouds of heaven: and goeth again to the everlasting in days: and to him is given kingdom, power, and glory over all nations. There is a plain prophecy of the Incarnation and Ascension of our Lord: and soon after, Dani●l. 9 24, the year of his death is told: and withal a return from Babel, by hope in his blood: as from Egypt by the blood of a Lamb. And so this sentence containeth all the Gospel. And if God had not spoken it, Amen:] this is the subscription to prayer● so Israel subscribed to the law Deut 1●. 15. etc. & 5. 27. Thus Prayer & the Decalogue have been compared. man had never thought of it. But now we see a most glorious Conclusion, and fit for his wisdom, whom all Nations, People, and Tongues should honour. To whom be all glory for ever. Amen. A POSTSCRIPT. To all that wish to be heard in prayer. An Advertisement of the Lords Prayer, wounded from the Pope's Translation: against God's Greek, the only Anchor of our Hope. TWO things we are to use for Religion: if we will be void of wavering: and we should be vigilant for them: for we have been greatly deceived: and hurt by negligence & ignorance herein. First this, we must hold: that we have a pure Bible to every letter, when copies are wisely examined: though particular copies jar; yet always some hold that, which reason telleth the Author wrote. The other is, that we be able to show for all that we hold, to be the Bible against all adversaries: that the words bear the wisdom of God: and that no man could speak to such wise purpose, as all sage will still confirm by sure consent. Against both these we trespass in the communion book, for the Lords Prayer, of which we should esteem more than of all the jewels in the world: we leave out from the Lords Prayer in S. Matthew, as the Pope's Latin Testament doth, this saying, Thine is the kingdom, the power and glory for ever and ever: being in the Greek Original, which only is properly the New Testament: and being taken by our Lord from Dan. 7. where his kingdom lighteneth all the world: more than the Chalcedon of judah gave light in the chosen or right Care in Aaron's breast. 〈…〉. The greatness of our error in both, must be weighed in Goldsmith's balances: if we care to avoid the wrath of him, which poiseth the mountains in weight. 〈…〉 First we betray our ground of faith, & make ourselves ascoffe, to the jews, and Turks: the jews hold it to be impossible for God to be a giver of the New Testament, & not a preserver: all creatures God preserveth in their kind, and to the jews the old Testament, that no one letter can be lost, by a work of many a thousand eyes and hands, as a dictionary for this purpose. And if we cannot defend, that we have a pure New Testament: for every word in some copy, they will, and well may think, that we have but quicksands, for the stay of our Religion: so the jews would damn us. And as Arias Montanus recordeth, the Turks make this their ground, that the Scripture is corrupt, and Machumed an author of uncorrupt wisdom, gave them Conqnest by his skill. But the Pope presseth nearer, for thus he reasoneth. If the Scripture be corrupt, the Church must judge: But the Scripture is corrupt: Therefore the Church must judge. For the proof of his assumption, even the Lords prayer is brought: a Text daily in use, ever since the Apostles times: and if he can persuade corruption to be therein, he may better do for other places, less in use. In his Latin Translation this sentence is left out: and in his Arabik, power, and glory, for ever, Amen. And we follow him & his Latin copy still, in our Common Prayer Book, made from his Latin Translation, and not from the Greek Original: to make this sure against ourselves, That the Church, not the word should judge: that so often as we say the Lords Prayer, so often we should help the Pope, for the Church's authority against the Kingdom, power and Glory of Christ and his Word. Hence Gregory Martin the Pope's Factor, doth triumph against that sentence: and doth call it by Erasmus testimony, a trifling Addition: and well might he be bold: against us; seeing we join with him against ourselves. And if we had once used the sentence, as S. Matthew doth, & in repetition left it out, as S. Luke doth: & all abridgers in Scripture alter somewhat in speech, according as their argument, and present scope requireth: then we had neither holpen the Pope, nor hurt ourselves. In S. Matth. chapt. 5. 6. 7. our Lord his sermon handleth the Talmudique Common place, for the kingdom of MESSIAS: 〈…〉 upon this Law: You shall make you a King over you of your Brethren: he showeth that his kingdom is of the poor in spirit, for the meek, for the mourners, for the hungry after justice, for the persecuted, and such: And in the Prayer lappeth the Kingdom, from Dan. 7. where the poor jews are defended against the four Beasts, that come out of the Seas, and perished before our Lord his coming in the flesh. So to this sense, the sentence was most glorious: but to bare prayer, as the Apostles required a form, it was not easy to consider it, without further discourse, Marc. 10. Act. 1. for men that looked for glory on the earth: and so S. Luke omitted it: because it was enough to be spoken once: if we had followed now the one, and now the other, we had honoured both: But now we join with the Pope's Latin Translation of man's wit and slight maiming of the Bible, and that which hath no authority against the holy Greek Original, which hath the power of him, job 26. that framed all the World, and beautified the heavens by his spirit. Professed Scholars, that cannot see how they following the Pope, betray their forts and holds to the enemy; may well be holden Bats and Mouldwarts. The Greek Testaments, all the printed, even among Papists damn the Latin: as that of Theophilact printed at Rome: and the Ethiopian, or Chaldean printed there: and the Syriac printed at Vienna and Antwerp: so the strength of truth is invincible: but that we betray out selves to our enemy: and all the glory of Christ his word. And thus much for the pureness of the Text, tried against the Pope's greatest hope. Now for the other point of judgement, to discern what is more than man's wit could breed. Here we have occasion to mark how this saying, Thine is the kingdom, the power, and glory for ever, telleth that God not man spoke it▪ and that it is no trifling Addition, but a most heavenly Conclusion of him, that in the Creation had nothing idle, 〈◊〉. 1. nor imperfect. And here we may consider two most profitable matters: the one, the light this saying giveth to the Prophets: the other, how it perfecte●h the fitting of prayer to the Decalogue. All men should mark in the New Testament where the like saying were in the old: that will bring sweet meditation. The pharisees say, Luke. 20. 14. This is the heir: come, let us kill him: so said the patriarchs of joseph, lest he should rule, Genes. 37, 20 Come, let us kill him: we see the end: God turned both the evils to salvation. Elias is termed of bad Achab (like his Father Omri) Diastrephon, a Destroyer: so of the Scribes our Lord is called Diastrephon, Luke 23. 2● a Destroyer: yet Elias was taken up in a fiery Chariot: and our Lords ascension sent fiery tongues, and a fire on the earth: and we know the end of Achab and the jews: & may remember a sweet harmony in God's judgements, old and new alike. So S. Paul in his term, of better Resurrection, in the Machabean Martyrs, Hebr. 11. taking his phrase from the 12. of Daniel, teacheth plainly, how that chapter speaketh of Antiochus Epihanes, and not of the end of the world: and in one word doth, being marked, rid us from errors matching the Lybian sands. We had never dreamt of the Romans, to be a fourth Monarch there, if we had well marked S. Paul. But as Antiochus the vile was there spoken of, in the end of wrath, as in the little horn, chap. 8. so he not a Roman should have been holden the little horn, chap. 7. and the last mighty Tyrant of the fourth Beast: by such light, we may judge God the author of such words. burr that is most manifest in this kingly saying, Thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and Glory for ever and ever. In Dan. chap. 7. when the fourth Beast is cast into the fire, one like a SON of MAN cometh with the clouds of heaven, and again ascendeth to the everlasting, and is brought before him, and to him was given kingdom, power, and glory, that all nations should serve him. The very jews to this day jarchi and Sadaias upon that place confess MESSIAS, He speaketh as S. Luke recor●eth, the Angel's 〈◊〉. Luk 2 13. to be there, The son of man.. And Sadaias noteth that by, with clouds of heaven, the Angels are meant who should attend MESSIAS coming into the world: and the jews might know thence, that when the Grecians were overthrown, MESSIAS should be borne: and we see in the Gospel, that the wicked even then talked as the godly for the time, being instructed by Daniel. Now Dan. chapt. 9 it is plainly spoken, that Messias shall be stain: and not for himself, but to * ●o s●ale ●espasse. finish sin, to wake expiation for iniquity, as being the most holy, in whom the Prince of this world could find nothing, and who was a Sacrificer for our sins. And to this day the jews confess, that MESSIAS: NACID, or Prince, or Leader, is the Redeemer, called Nagid, or Leader, or Commander of Nations: Esai. 55. A Commenter that of late wrote upon Dan. 9 confesseth that: But the Incarnation and Resurrection passeth flesh and blood; Roman. 10. which saith, Who can go up to heaven to bring Christ down? Or who can go into the deep, to bring Christ from the dead. Aben Ezra, the jew, who 500 years ago, in the Isle Rhodes commented upon Daniel, confesseth that Gabriels 490 years began at daniel's prayer, & ended when MESSIAS was slain: and Rambam confesseth, (as Galatin us citeth his words) that the holy of holy is MESSIAS the sanctified from the sons of David. Such helps to salvation breaking out Iewes confession, as iron breaketh our fire from flint stones, by the Visions of Daniel, chapt. 7. and chapt. 9 for the son of man.. Now the Conclusion of the Lords prayer doth call us directly to Dan. 7. and thence to chapt. 9 therefore it calleth into mind. all that those Visions have: so the end of the fourth Kingdom is seen to be a little before our Lord his Incarnation: so his most glorious incarnation celebrated by Angels, so his Ascension attended by the same: so the name MESSIAS, and death of the Just for the unjust; and Covenant for many in the Lord's supper, and year of death and jubilee, and ending of Moses Ceremonies; all be called into mind by this sentence: Thine is the Kingdom power and glory, for ever and ever. And as the morning spreadeth over the Mountains, and light flitteth from East to West; so this sentence spreadeth over all the Doctrine of the Kingdom: Matt. 5. & 7. that the subjects of MESSIAS are poor, and in the Sea, but builded upon the ROCK. And thus much for the Divine light, by which this sentence may be known, 2. Tim. 3. 15. to be no trifling addition, but breathed from God, and a most heavenly parcel of the New Testament; which the Pope's barbarous Latin Translation would disannul; & others allowance of it would make to be no part of the New Testament. Now for the second point, how it absolveth the harmony of the Prayer and Decalogue, the meditation will have profitable matter: but all must be considered together. God saith: I am the Eternal thy God: Thou shalt have no other Elohim (God and judge) but me. We pray, O our Father: to thee only we pray and fly. God saith: Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven Image, nor the likeness of any thing, etc. We say: Isai. 40. 〈◊〉 Thou art in Heaven; in light that none can come to, nor think to what thou canst be likened. God saith: Thou shalt not take the Name of the Eternal, thy God in vain. We pray: Sanctified be thy Name. God saith: Ezech. 20, 20 Remember that thou keep holy the Saboth day: as God's kingdoms badge. We pray: Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. God saith: Honour thy Father and Mother, that it may be well with thee. We pray: Give us; all estates, our competent nourishment. God saith: Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour; Thou shalt not covet. We pray: Forgive us our trespasses, as me forgive them that trespass against us: and lead us not into hard trials, but deliver us from evil. Now the Proem of the Decalogue, and end of the Prayer are to be viewed. Thine is the Kingdom, the power & the glory for ever. God saith: I am the Eternal thy God; that brought thee out of the Land of Egypt: that was with great glory: and with the blood of the Lamb▪ and overthrow of Pharaoh and his Host in the Red Sea; and terror of Nations: and plague of Amalek, (that would fight against his Cousins in Izhak) and shaking of the earth, and flight of the Sea. jeremy telleth, that the Delivery from Babel, should be more glorious: and what persuaded 49000 jews to leave Babel, but the hope of him, which should come with the Clouds of Heaven, and have Kingdom, power and glory for ever. In the first year of Bel-esh-zar they saw, that Bel, and Idols bred but fire and sorrow, and eternal Rest was in the kingdom of Christ: and they knew when the kingdom should fall, and Cyrus deliver them, and all Nations hear of their demanding of the way to Zion, upon the hope of the Son of Man coming to show the Kingdom of heaven to all Nations: and to shake even the heaven of Moses policy: so that hope turned to the world's salvation by Christ: wherefore that speech was worthy to be in the Lord's prayer, to light our hearts in Christ; without whom we have no right at all to say, Abba Father. Wherefore they that deny this glorious sentence to be part of the New Testament, or countenance the deniers, are in most heinous blame: and should amend all that is amiss. Every blemish wherewith we stain Scripture, will grieve the sage: especially the maiming of the prayer, which first the Holy Ghost gave for the very syllables, to be a perpetual form in the Church. If our sacrifice be herein blemished, God will not so willingly hear us. I Believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth: and in jesus Christ, 〈◊〉 son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, borne of the Virgin Marie, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crocified, dead, and buried, he * Or, [He went to God.] as all faithful go to God in soul, when they die. went to the World of souls: the † Christ was to rise the third day to fulfil the Scriptures: & to be the first fruits from the deal: and after sortie days he ascended both in soul and body own to the Father. And we through his resurrection shall at the last day ascend also in soul and body into heaven, and ever be with the Lord. third day he arose from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father: from thence he shall come, to judge both the quick & the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, that there is a holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting, Amen. A direct Explanation of the Article of our Lords souls departure from this world. THE Holy Ghost teacheth plainly, that our Lord his soul went from his body into the hands of God, for so he saith: O Father into thy hands I commend my spirit. And so the faithful Thief believed, when he said: O Lord remember thou me, when thou cemest in to thy Kingdom. He as the Scribes and Doctors believed, that all faithful souls go from this world unto the joys of God, which place they call Paradise. And that belief our Lord confirmed, saying: This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. And S. Paul speaketh to the Hebrews: that, through the veil of his flesh he went into the holy Place, into Heaven. Common speech called the place of the stars, Heaven: and because it is the beauty of the visible world, they held it the fittest term to express the world, where God showed himself, to the blessed in joy, before his throne: And the cursed which are there, have a place of torments; called by a borrowed speech, Gehinnam, the Valley of Hinnom; that was properly a place near jerusalem, where children were brent to Molesh: and being a most miserable place was fit to show the seat of them, which have ascended hence to God's throne, to abide a judgement unto eternal pains: & be tormented before God and Lam for ever and ever. All souls of men ascend: and none ever descended: but as death his inferior to life, it is termed a descent: and the going from a place lower of esteem, is called a descent: as, from jerusalem to Samaria. That which Christians call, the world to come, is called of the jews in their common writings, the world of souls: and of the Grecians of all ages, Hades: And the Philosophers hield it a most happy thing, for a just man to go from this World to Hades. The Apostles Articles of belief was written in Greek, & according to the Greek it must be expounded. There is Hades, the World of souls: where be distinct places of joy, (for our Lord, and Abraham, & Lazarus, and all the holy) called Heaven: and of sorrow, called Hell. The souls of the one place, know the case of the other. And when we speak of the just, that he is gone to Hades, we mean, that he is gone hence unto the joys of God. And so would all Grecians in the world understand the Christians Symbolum, or badge of our Profession. When men speak of a horse losing life: they would say, He is dead: when of a man, that hath an immortal soul, He is dead and gone to Hades: the one for the body, the other for the soul. And Heathen had no greater ground of encouragement to die for their Counttey, than the hope of good in Hades. And hence we must note that our Lord twice ascended: once in soul only from the Cross: the other time in body and soul into the air, and unto the place of joy, where all glory shineth. The English, He descended into Hell; is as clean contrary to the Greek, which is our ground herein, as black is to white: and as we take Hell, therein we deny our Lord to be the holy one of God, and our foregoer into joy: for he hath said, that none shall pass from the damned, to Abraham. And if we be found to have contrary rules of faith, God will judge us wicked, for professing as Truth matter disagreeable. The maintainers of the translation, He descended to Hell, should be forced to revoke that, and the high scholars to translate it aright. And as holy Matrons, many of old were prophets, & openly did good, so always they ought to know the truth: and to require where they may, the contrary to be removed. The wicked will be wicked still: and no wicked will understand: But the wise will understand. H. B. FINIS. Faults escaped in the printing. Page 3. line 18. and in other place● for power, read power. Page 11. line 4. for 〈…〉 Page 17. line 4. for holden, read holding.