A godly learned exposition, together with apt and profitable notes on the Lords prayer written by the late reuerend orthodoxe diuine, and faithfull seruant of Iesus Christ, Samuel Page ... ; published since his death, by Nathaniel Snape, of Grayes Inne, Esquire.

MATH. 6.13.

Amen.

THis is the last gaspe of this heauenly prayer.

• 1 Consider we what Amen is.
• 2 To what it is said.
• 3 By whom it must be said:
• 4 How we must say it.

1 What Amen is.

It is one of those Hebrew words which is retained in the vse of the Church in all languages, and Gabriel Ger∣son saith it is vsed in Scripture, three wayes.

• 1 Nominaliter.
• 2 Aduerbialiter:
• 3 Verbaliter.

1 Nominaliter, and that

1 Personaliter.

2 Realiter.

Thus it signifieth the truth of the person,* 1.1 and so it is the appellation of Christ.

These things saith Amen, the faithfull and true wit∣nesse, onely proper to Christ. Ego veritas,* 1.2 omnis homo mendax.

Thus it signifieth the truth of things so called:* 1.3 all the promises of God in him are yea and Amen:* 1.4 that is per∣fect truth.

2 Aduerbialiter.

So it signifieth verily, a word of earnest asseueration, sometimes vsed single, sometimes double, Amen, Amen.

Our Sauiour vseth it much in the Gospell, alwaies in serious matters.

* 1.51 In doctrina Baptism. Verily I say vnto you, nisi quis renatus fuerit, &c.

* 1.62 In doctrina Euchar. Amen Amen, dico vobis. Ex∣cept ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man, and drinke his bloud, you haue no life in you.

* 1.73 In doctrina orationis; Amen, Amen, dico vobis quae∣cunque petieritis patrem in nomin•• meo, dabit vobis.

* 1.84 In the doctrine of comfort in afflictions.

Verily, verily I say vnto you, ye shall weepe and lament, and the world shall reioyce, but your sorrow shall bee tur∣ned into ioy.

So it is vsed in many other important passages in holy Scripture.

* 1.9Origen: per quod verbum vernaculo Hebraeorum ser∣mone vera & fidelia esse quae scripta sunt & dicta consig∣natur.

Therefore where you finde that word beginne the sentence, expect some thing of great moment to follow. Attendite, credite.

3 Verbaliter.

And thus it is equiualent to So be it, and is vsed in the close of

• 1 Thankesgiuing.
• 2 Praise.
• 3 And prayer.

1 Of thankesgiuing.

* 1.10The Apostle taketh care that this seruice bee perfor∣med lingua familiari, Idiomate noto, that Amen may be said to it.

2 Of praise or blessing of God.

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,* 1.11 from euerlasting and to euerlasting. Amen and Amen.

Blessed be the Lord for euermore, Amen and Amen.* 1.12

God teacheth his Leuites to blesse his people when they dismisse the congregation.

He addeth,* 1.13 They shall put my name vpon the children of Israel. Amen is his name, and the seale of that bles∣sing.

3 Of prayer.

So our prayers end generally, and it hath a double vse, which I learne of two Fathers.

• 1 Signaculum consensus nostri.
• 2 Votum desiderij nostri.

1 It sheweth our vnderstanding well informed.

2 Our affections feruently inflamed.

2 To what it is said.

1 To the Preface.

2 To the seuen petitions.

3 To the Conclusion.

1 To the Preface.

Here are three things of import.

1 That wee chalenge interest in God, and call him ours.

2 That wee seeke his face as his children, and call him Father.

3 That we lift vp our hearts to him as being in hea∣uen.* 1.14 * 1.15

In all these we vse Amen, both aduerbialiter and ver∣baliter.

1 Amen, verily he is ours, it is vox fidei, wee be∣leeue him so to be.

1 We beleeue our right in him, noster.

2 His loue to vs, in Pater.

3 His prouident power ouer vs, by reason his dwel∣ling is in heauen, from whom euery good and perfect gift commeth.

Amen, verily, as Aquila; fideliter, as Origene, ad confirmationem omnium quae dicta suut: all this is true.

This is signaculum fidei.

He that sealeth to his conscience a full perswasion, that God dwelling in heauen, is his father, may be bold to goe on with all the seuen petitions.

* 1.16He that will pray, let him aske in faith and wauer not.

Heare the Church prayer.

* 1.17Looke downe from heauen, and behold from the habi∣tation of thy holinesse and glory, where is thy zeale and strength, and the multitude of thy bowels, and of thy mercies towards me, are they restrained?

* 1.18Doubtlesse thou art our Father, though Abraham bee ignorant of vs, though Israel acknowledge vs not, thou O Lord art our Father, our redeemer, &c.

Say Amen to this, and pray on.

* 1.19There is also another vse of Amen, by way of bles∣sing our selues in the name of the Lord. Amen, So be it: for this is votum desiderij nostri.

1 That he may owne vs and call vs his.

2 That he may loue vs, and call vs children.

3 That he may possesse the place.

From whence euery good gift commeth.

That his prouidence may be our storehouse to sup∣ply all our wants.

That his loue may be our banner.

That his power may be our fenced citie. So be it.

2 Amen to the petitions.

Amen to the whole body of the prayer.* 1.20 Amen to e∣uery part of it, not onely to euery petition, but to eue∣ry member thereof.

2 Aduerbiabiter.

1 For our hearts must be established with a full per∣swasion, that it cannot goe well with vs by any meanes, except all this be done that we pray for.

1 The name of God which is our tower and refuge, must be hallowed, else quo fugiemus?

2 The kingdome of God must come, else who shall raigne ouer vs?

3 The will of God must be obeied by vs, and fulfilled vpon vs, for it is his will to saue vs.

4 And if this will of God be not obeyed on earth, according to the patterne of heauenly obedience, per∣formed by the Angels and Saints of God, it will not be accepted in his sight.

5 If he giue vs not bread, and his blessing with it, we shall not liue in his sight.

6 If he forgiue vs not, wee shall dye in our sinnes: who then shall haue pitty on vs?

7 If we forgiue not as we would be forgiuen, will he not say to vs,

Oughtest not thou to haue forgiuen thy fellow ser∣uant, as I forgaue thee? and he will require the vtmost farthing of our debt of vs.

8 If he leade vs into temptation, and suffer our owne corruptions to guide vs, or Sathans temptations to pre∣uaile against vs, how shall we be able to keepe faith and a good conscience?

9 If hee doe not either preuent euils comming, or support in euils incumbent, or deliuer vs out of them, how can we subsist in them?

Therefore our double Amen is requisite in all these.

1 Signaculum sidci, that we beleeue a necessitie of ob∣taining all these for Gods glory and our good.

2 Votum desiderij, that wee expresse an earnest and feruent desire to preuaile with God in all these.

1 We must pray that his name may bee hallowed, that

2 We may be partakers of his kingdome.

3 We must desire that his will may be done, that we may eate of his bread.

4 We must desire forgiuenesse of sinnes past, and pro∣tection against all after temptations, that we may be de∣liuered from all euils of punishment, and that Sathan may not touch vs.

Leaue out nothing, hee is our father of whom wee aske, and he hath a full hand, and our prayers will open it.

They whose hearts doe say Amen to some part of this prayer, and their zeale tooleth in the rest, obtaine no∣thing of God: but pro corona fidei, they haue poenam per∣fidiae.

How many be there in the world that cry heartily, panem nostrum quotidianum, and libera nos a malo, who neither care for the name, the kingdome, nor the will of God, they neither feele any inconuenience in sinne, nor feare, rather like temptations, which haue a pleasing relish.

Like those that dye with tickling.

Others presse the first petition slightly, concerning the name of God, because they are profane, and sweare by it.

They will allow God a kingdome, and take it away by disobeying his will.

Bread they would haue, but they thinke much to bee limited to aske for the day.

They like the forgiuenesse of their owne sinnes, but not the sicut & nos.

They feare not temptation: euils they deprecate. But Amen to all is our lesson.

3 Amen to the conclusion, i.

In faith, beleeuing kingdome, power, and glory to be his. Amen. So is it.

In zeale, desiring that God may euer haue all due as∣criptions. Amen. So be it.

3 By whom it must be said.

All that pray, must say Amen, for as we pray one for another, so one with another.

We haue one God, one faith, in that God, one Bap∣tisme into that faith, one Eucharist, the seale of the co∣uenant, one word the rule of faith and manners, one prayer, and one Amen.

They that bring their bodies without their hearts, doe increase the company, but they doe not mend the quire.

Cardinall Bellarmine confesseth vsum respondendi Amen, antiquissimum in ecclesia.

But to come to Church onely to heare prayers, and not to pray, to pray and not to seale it with an Amen, is to prophane the seruice and worship of God.

We are, or should be an holy Priest-hood to offer vp vnto God, the sacrifice of praise, and the incense of prayers with one voyce, one heart, as Zeph. saith, with one shoulder.

Multorum preces impossibile est contemni So all the congregation, and euery part of it, must say Amen to all the prayers, and to euery petition of them.

And that was the reason why our holy Church did so dispose of the common prayers, that the people should haue their part in sundry short eiaculations, that their deuotions might be set a worke to ioyne with the Minister, whereas in other reformed Churches, the congregation hath nothing to say, but Amen.

This was so well obserued in the Church in Saint Ie∣romes time, that the people made the Church ring a∣gaine with the loud voyce of their ioynt Amen: hee saith ad similitudinem coelestis tonitrui reboauit.

And the Iewes of old in their Synagogues, did redou∣ble it, Amen, Amen.

4 How we must say Amen.

Caninius in voces novi testamenti, saith there is

• 1 Amen pupillum, a non intelligentibus.
• 2 Surreptum, spoken in hast before the prayer ended.
• 3 Otiosum, of them that minde it not.
• 4 Iustorum, and that must be said.

1 With knowledge.

They that know thy name will trust in thee.

If we know what we pray for.

Who is the giuer of it.

For whose sake we aske it.

For what vse.

What need we haue, say Amen heartily.

They that pray in a strange tongue, pray without knowledge, therefore God will say to the Church of Rome,* 1.21 nescitis quid petatis.

They that say this prayer, and vnderstand it not, sinne as much in Our Father, as they in Pater noster.

If God should say to them, as Philip to the Eunuch, intelligis quid dicis, would they not say: how can I with∣out a teacher?

You haue beene taught, take heed that you learne; for,

All ignorant deuotion, is no better then taking the name of God in vaine.

2 Amen must be said with the spirit.

These two, vnderstanding and the spirit must not be parted in our prayers.

I will pray with the spirit,* 1.22 and I will pray with the vn∣derstanding also.

As the Hart panteth after the water brookes,* 1.23 so panteth my soule after thee O God: So,

O God thou art my God, early will I seeke thee,* 1.24 my soule thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is.

This spirit is willing, though the flesh be weake.

Our prayer is directed to him who is called the God of spirits, who is also a spirit, and to be serued in spirit and in truth.

This is the holy fire from Gods Altar, which infla∣meth deuotion, euen the zeale of this spirit, this fireth the incense of our prayers, and makes them ascend. The Amen of the lips is thus welcome to God.

Populus hic honorat me labijs. But let our soules, and all that is within vs say Amen, euen the hid man of the heart, and God will answer vs with his Amen.

3 Amen with faith.

Three things there are in God for faith to fasten on.

1 Quia fidelis.

Dauid vrgeth him vpon that point.

Heare my prayer O Lord, giue eare to my supplications,* 1.25 in thy faithfulnesse answere me.

We pray in confidence of Gods promise,* 1.26 for hee is

faithfull that promised.

* 1.27Saint Peter calleth him a faithfull Creator; Commit the keeping of your soules to him in well doing, as vnto a faithfull Creator.

2 Quia potens.

We may say boldly with the paralitike,

Domine si vis potes me mundum facere.

Apud deum nihil est impossibile.

Omnia tibi seruiunt.

Amen may rest in that power which ruleth ouer all, and doth quicquid vult.

3 Quia volens.

The first compellation in this prayer is proofe enough of this, quia pater noster.

Whatsoeuer we aske according to his will, wee ob∣taine, all those petitions are according to his will; hee that is in his bosome, hath taught vs this prayer. Attri∣buta dei hoc volunt.

1 His holinesse affecteth the hallowing of his name.

2 His glory, the comming of his kingdome.

3 His iustice, the doing of his will.

4 His bounty, the giuing of bread.

5 His mercy forgiuing of sinnes.

6 His wisedome in preuenting temptations.

7 His power in deliuering from euill

He is willing to magnifie his own glorious attributes, in all these, therefore wee may safely say, Amen to all these petitions, seeing we aske them all according to his holy will.

To conclude in this prayer, we cast our selues at the feete of our Father, wee seeke his kingdome first, and

the righteousnesse thereof, in the three first petitions.

Then we pleade our owne cause in the foure last.

We begin in confession of his goodnesse, wee end in confession of his greatnesse, hee is our α, hee is our 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

In the first we pleade our interest in him, in the last we acknowledge his interest in vs; we seale all with one Amen.

And euen that Amen of ours is petitorie, and begges his Amen, that as wee, so hee would say to our whole prayer. So be it.

He that biddeth vs pray, prayed himselfe with sup∣plications and strong cryes in the dayes of his flesh.

As Bernard, Sic gessit, sic iussit: and he hath taught vs how and what to pray.

Would not one of vs that had a suit to the King, perswade himselfe that he should preuaile if the Prince should penne his petition for him with his owne hand, and put it into his to deliuer?

Would not the King know his owne sonnes hand? would not his very Character commend the cause to gratious hearing?

It is our case, GOD is our King of old, we are his humble suppliants and poore creatures, Christ the Sonne of God, the Prince, hath endighted here our Petition, wee pray coldly, and offend very fouly in the deliuery of our petition, if we speed not.

For his drawing our petition is GODS Amen to it.

Much wrong hath this holy prayer done to it in the Church of Rome, often repeated in a strange tongue.

Much wrong generally done, euen where the light of the Gospell shineth, when it is onely said,

and not vnderstood. I haue done my best to helpe your vnderstandings in the exposition of it, and God giue his blessing to my faithfull labours herein.

To whose sufficient grace I recommend you, for he is able to build you vp further in knowledge and faith, and zeale, and obedience, and to giue you an inheritance amongst those that are sanctified.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1 Personaliter:
• * 1.2

  Reu. 3.14.
• * 1.3

  2 Realiter.
• * 1.4

  2 Cor. 1.20.
• * 1.5

  Ioh. 3.5.
• * 1.6

  Ioh 6.53.
• * 1.7

  Ioh. 16.23.
• * 1.8

  Ioh. 16.20.
• * 1.9

  In Rom. 16.
• * 1.10

  1 Cor. 14.16.
• * 1.11

  Psal. 41.13.
• * 1.12

  Psal 80.52. Numb. 6.23.
• * 1.13

  27.
• * 1.14

  1 The Preface.
• * 1.15

  1 Aduerbi.
• * 1.16

  Iam. 1.6.
• * 1.17

  Isa. 63.15.
• * 1.18

  16.
• * 1.19

  2 Ʋerbal.
• * 1.20

  2. The petiti∣ons.
• * 1.21

  Math 20.22.
• * 1.22

  1 Cor. 14.15.
• * 1.23

  Psal 42.1.
• * 1.24

  Psal. 63.1.
• * 1.25

  Psal. 143.1.
• * 1.26

  Heb. 10.20.
• * 1.27

  1 Pet. 4.19.