s4. A profitable Expoìtion Thcn touching thc forme it Idle which our Saùiour hath laydc downe, it con_ fiflcth of three principal( partes. Firft,of a preface; fecendly, of the Petitions themfelues; and laoly,of a con- The Lordes clufion. The preface inthefe words, Our Father which art snHeauen. The petitions prayer 2I in order after. The concinuion thus, for thine is the Kingdome, the power, anstheglo- three parrs, rie,foreuerandeuer,e4men. The firo part which is the preface,fhorte in words,but plentiful! in matter, is fo layde downe by the wifedotne of the LORD IESVS ; as that euery word carrieth his weight,& bringeth to vs in vfe therof moll fingular profite. Th firo is, FATHER, by which Name,we are taught tofpeaktunto our çoD when wee pray vnto him: and fee the vfe. There is no Prayer as wee well knowe,and befpte hath bene declared, that can pierce the cares ofe.4 /migh_ y . f Creatiti: tie od,vnlefhe it be made both in affeéhion and Faith. Affe &ion bath his want -O- t Reder . ç non. 'great, and too great often in our corruption, and therefore in mercie of a graci- wSaotifi.ous GOg, bellies and meanesprouided for it. This is one euermore to con- estíos. fder, to whome I pray, and to whome I fpeake; Namely:, not to a feuere and The The víeo thhe fowreIudge, not to a cruel! and mercileffe Tyrant, not to a oranger that know- te our tonics. ..ethtnec.uot, or bath no alliance with Mee, but to a Father; yea , in IESZIS CHRIST now my Fathcr,a kinde,a louing, a good, atender Father,who loo_ kethvponmee with bowels ofmercie and pittie, figheth for mee before I come, runneth out when I doe come,meeteth mce, embraceth mee, falleth about my necke with his armes, weepeth vpon me in melting motions of louing kindne(iè, heareth mee fpeake, weigheth myfute, whether it may bee my good, and can as fooue in çonclufion ceale to bee God, as denie mee any thing that may be my be- nefite. And ó then,the affection that we may pray with,ifwe confider this Name of FATHER. My fou!cmay thirlr,myheart may long ,yea burne and burilas it were within mee,with defire euer to come to my Father, for hcis euer a Father, andbath euer the nature of his Name,though I be vile. And therefore let vs take the vfe intended by the Lord in this given Title,and pray cheerfully, with fweet comfort in.the conceit of whome we fpeakeunto euermore, When Affeftion then is thus kindled and flìrred vp, looke at Faith in the nest place,which allo mull concurrewith it, or elfe in vainewe pray, and obtaine no- thing. alfo bath ofìhe wadvfe taugt vs togfayand our pray inch name well, and ofFatheerhWhereby arifccth in vs,and ought Father. euermore,an Affirrance of his willingneffe and readinefle to helpe vp. For what will a Father, denie unto his begging childe, that may doe him good ? 'Pater quid neg abitfiljt ,yu tam dedat,gaod Porter e?I? What will that Father denk to his Sonnes, which bath already graunted this,to be theyr Father ; yea fuch a Father, as being not our Father, bath redeemed vs to him, his veter enemies, with no leffe price, then t hat precious blood of his owne and onely beloued Sonne ? O how (hallhec (with him)not giue vs all things alto? Ifwce which are mill, yet in the nature of Fathers,giuc good gifles to our children,how much more (hall our Father which Rom. E.; a, is in Heaven glue good things to them thataske him. Cana soomanforgetherchild, Math. y. r r, and not haue campafon ofthe fonne of her wombe ? Though it could bee, yet will not forget thee. `Peholde I haue grauen thee vppon the palmes ofmy hander, thywalles are euer in my fight. Iudge then,the willingnes of the Lorde euermore, to graunt ourprofitable prayers,and be ftrengthened in Faith by this worde FATHER. ` Primot fermo quanta fit gratie vide,errfuauitetit: d Homo :faciemtuam non audebas ad Cu /um attollere, q 5. oeulostuosinterramdir: ebae ubititacce ifis ratiam hri t exmalo eruo,fatlusetbo.. verse t6, .. .Q r f P g C % nos Filius. Non croó hie arrogancia eft, fedfidet.Pradteare auód acceperir,non eft japerbia, fed deuotio. The firfl worde of Prayer,ofwhat grace and fweetnes it is, ò Man, fee 'flmbr :ltb: 5 and confider. Thou dud} not rift thy face toHeauen,but threw thine eyes downc de Sacram: to the earth,and fuddenly thou receyuedit mercie in Chrif ; of an cuill feruant, to aDt be made a good Sonne. Heere is no arrogancie,but faith. And to publifh abroad what thou haftceceiued, is nopride,but deuotion,faid the godly Father Ambrofe. A third
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