as litle gods though to the world we shew it not This hidden pride when other sinnes die it begins to get strength and to shewe it selfe and it appeares in vaine thoughts continuallie on euery occasion ascending in the minde As maye appeare in the Pharisie whose thoughts were these wheÌ„ he praied thus within himselfe O God I thank thee that I am not as other men extortioners vniust adulterers or euen as this Publican c. And as this was in him so it is in vs till God giue grace for so that men may haue praise glory in the world they care not for God his glorie though it be defaced Wee must therfore learn to discerne this hidden corruption and to mourn for it for it doeth poison hinder al good desires of glorifying God so long as it may preuaile in the hart 2 Secondly we are taught here to bewaile the hardnesse of our hearts whereby we are hindred from knowing God aright and from discerning the glorie of God in his creatures Mark 6. 52. The Disciples through the hardnesse of their hartes could not see Gods power in the miracle of feeding many thousands with a few loues though themselues were instrumentes of it and the food did increase in their hands Our redeÌ„ption what a wonderfull work is it but how few consider of it or regarde it If wee see a man haue more wit wealth or honour than we haue wee straight woonder at him but beholding Gods creatures we see nothing in them because we do not goe higher to acknowledge the loue power wisedome and iustice of the Creator And this is the cause why Gods name is so slenderly honoured among men 3 The third corruption is our great ingratitude for the Lorde hath made heauen and earth and all other creatures to serue mâ—n yet he is the most vnthankful of al creatures Bestow manie iewels or a kinges ransome on a dead man he wil neuer returne anie kindnes so men being dead in sinne deale with God Commonlie men are like the swine that run with their groines and eat vp the mast but neuer looke vp to the tree from whence it falleth But the godlie are with Dauid to feele this want in themselues and to beseech God to open and as it were to vnlocke their lippes that they may indeuour to be thankfull to God Psal. 51. 15. 4 The fourth is the vngodlines and the innumerable wantes that be in our liues and the sinnes committed in the world Psal. 119. 136 Mine eies saith Dauid gush out with riuers of waters because men keepe not thy lawes The reason is because he which liues in sin reproches Gods name euen as an euill child dishonors his father Now some wil say that this cannot be because our sinnes cannot hurt God Aâ— Yet they are a cause of slandring Gods name among men for as we honour him by our good workes so we dishonour him by our offences Mat. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen 4 Graces to be desired 1 The graces to be desired and to be prayed for at Gods hand are three The first is the knowledge of God that is that we might know him as he hath reueiled himself in his word works and creatures For how shal anie glorifie God before he know him Our knowledge in this life is imperfect Exo. 23. Moses may not see Gods face but his hinder partes 1. Cor. 13. 12. Wee may see God as men doe through spectacles in his word sacraments and creatures And therefore as Paule prayed for the Colossians Col. 1. 10. that they might increase in the knowledge of God so are wee taught to pray for our selues in this petion 2. A zeale for Gods glorie Psal. 69. 9. The zeale of thine house hath eaten me vp Psal. 45. 1. My heart shall vtter or cast vp a good matter I vvill speake in my workes of the king Here the Spirit of God borrowes a comparison froÌ„ men thus As he which hath somewhat lying heauie in his stomâ—cke is neuer at quiet till hee haue cast it vp euen so the care desire to glorifie Gods name must lie vpon a mans heart as an heauie burthen and he is not to bee at ease and quiet with himself till he be disburdened in sounding forth Gods praise Luther saith wel that this is sancta crapula that is an holy surfet and it is no hurt continuallie to haue our harts ouercharged thus 3 A desire to lead a godlie and syncere life as before Gods Majestie We see men that are in some great calling vnder honourable personages wil so order and behaue theÌ„selues as they may please and honour their maisters euen so must our liues bee well ordered and we are to labour to walk worthie of the Lord as Paul speaketh that we may honour our heauenly father Thy kingdome come 1 The Coherence THis petition dependes on the former most excellentlie For in it is laid downe the meanes to procure the first Gods name must be hallowed among men but how is it done by the erecting of Gods kingdome in the heartes of men We cannot glorifie God vntill he rule in our hearts by his word and Spirite 2 The meaning Thy This word doth put vs in mind that there is two kingdoms one Gods that is the kingdome of heauen the other the deuils called the kingdom of darknesse Col. 1. 13. For when all had sinned in Adam God laid this punishmeÌ„t on all that seeing they could not be content to obey their Creator they should be in bondage vnder Sathan So that by nature we are all the children of wrath and the deuill holds vp the scepter of his kingdome in the heartes of men This kingdome is spirituall and the pillers of it are ignorance errour impietie and all disobedience to God in which the deuill whollie delights which also are as it were the lawes of his kingdome Blind ignorant people can not abide this doctrine that the deuill should rule in their hearts they spit at the naming of him say that they defie him with all their heartes but whereas they liue in sinne and practise it as occasion is offered though they can not discerne of themselues yet they make plain proofe that they line in the kingdome of sinne and darknes and are stat vessels of Sathan shal so continew till Christ the strong man come and binde him and cast him out And this is the estate of all the children of Adam in themselues Wherfore our sauiour in this petition teacheth vs to consider our naturall estate and to pray that he would giue vs his Spirit to set vs at libertie in the kingdome of his owne Sonne Kingdome Gods kingdome in scriptures is taken two waies First generallie and so it signifieth that administration by which the Lord gouerneth all thinges yea euen the deuilles themselues of which kingdome mention is made in the end of
first lesson that our Sauiour doeth giue his Disciples that they must denie themselues and follow him 2 The second thing is the knowledge of Gods will for otherwise how shal we do it How shall that seruant please his maister which cannot tell what hee would haue done of him Most men will haue bookes of statutes in their houses and if they be to deal in any great matter they will do nothing vntil they haue looked on the Statute In like maner men must haue the Bible that is the booke of Gods statutes in their houses the lawes of God must bee the men of our counsel Before euerie action wee are to searche what is the will of God and then to doe it Here thē wee are taught to vse the meanes and to pray for knowledge 3 Againe we are here taught to haue a desire in our hearts and an indeuour in our liues in all things to do obedience to Gods word 4 Lastlie we desire patience and strength when it shall please God at anie time to exercise vs with the crosse as Paul prayes for the Colossians that God would strengthē them by the power of his might vnto all patience and long suffering with ioy fulnesse 5. Errour confuted THe Church of Rome teacheth that men by nature haue free-will to good and that men being stirred vp by the holy ghost can of themselues will that which is good But if this were so why might we not pray Let my will bee done So far foorth as the will of man shall agree with Gods will but this cannot be as we see in the tenour of this petition In earth as it is in heauen 1 The meaning HAuing shewed the meaning of this petition thy vvill be done Now we are to speake of the condition which is in what maner we shuld doe it For the question may be how we should doe Gods will the answer is his wil must be done in earth as it is in heauen Heauen By heauē here is meant the soules of faithfull men departed and the elect Angels Psal. 103 20. Praise the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength that doe his commandements in obeying the voice of his vvord Earth By earth is vnderstood nothing but men on earth becaus all other creatures in their kind obey God only man he is rebellious and disobedient Then the meaning is Let thy will be done by vs men on earth as the Angels and saintes departed doe thy will in heauen Qu. Do we here desire to do the will of God in that perfection it is done by angels must we be as perfit as they Ans. the wordes here vsed in earth as it c. do not signifie an equalitie as though our obedience should in this life be in the same degre of perfection with with Angels but a similitude or the like maner of obeying it may be said in what maner do the Angels obey God Answer They doe the wil of God willingly speedily and faithfully and this is signified in that they are saide in the scriptures to bee winged and to stand continually beholding the face of our heauenly Father And this is the manner in which we desire to performe Gods will 2. The wants to be bewailed VVE are heere admonished to bee displeased with our selues for our imperfect obedience to God for our hypocrisie priuie pride presumptiō deadnes of spirit and many other wants which breake out when we are in doing Gods will There is no seruant of God but hath wants in his best works so we must vnderstand Paul Ro. 7. 18. he saith as much as if he culd begin a good thing but not perfect it go through stitch as we say Whē the godly do good works as heare speak Gods word pray praise God c. they perform things acceptable to God but in these actions they finde matter of mourning namely the imperfectiō of the work therfore Dauid praieth Psal. 143. 2. Enter not into iudgement vvith thy seruant and here we may see how far wide the Church of Rome is that holds good works to be any way meritorious that be euery way imperfect If the mē of that church had grace they might see that the corruptiōs of the flesh wer as gynes fetters about their legs that when they would faine runne the waies of Gods commādements they are constrained to halt downe right and to trail their loynes after them 3 Grace to be desired THE grace here to be desired is synceritie of heart in doing Gods will so as wee may keepe a good conscience before God and men Act. 24. 16. And for this cause I indeuoured alwaies to haue a clear conscience towards God and towards men This must we hunger after pray for seing it is not sufficient to abstaine from euill but also to doe good and in doing good striue to come to perfection Giue vs this day our daily bread 1 The Coherence THus much of the thre first petitions which concerne God now follow the other three which concern our selues In which order we learn to pray for those things which concerne God absolutelie and for those thinges which concerne our selues not absolutely but so farre foorth as they shall make for God his glorie the building of his kingdom and the doing of his wil. But how dependes this petition on the former In the first wee are taught to pray that Gods name might bee hallowed which is done whē God raigns in our hearts his wil is done Now further his will is obeyed in three thinges first by depending on his prouidence for the thinges of this life secondly by depending on his mercy for the pardon of sin thirdly by depending on his power and might in resisting temptations And thus Gods will is obeyed 2 The meaning BRead By this one means of sustayning our bodies and temporarie liues all other meanes are vnderstood as meat drinke cloathing helth liberty peace c. Gen 3. 19. Thou shalt eat thy bread vz. get thy liuing in the sweat of thy browes Out of this we learn 2. instructions for why doth the Lord teache vs to craue onely bread and not meate and other dainties It is for 2. causes the first is that we might hereby learn frugalitie and moderation in our diet apparel houses and be content if wee haue no more but bread seeing wee desire no more We must not with the Israelites murmur because they had nothing but Manna Quest. Must wee vse Gods creatures onely for necessitie Ans. we may vse them not onely for necessitie but also for honest delight plesure Psal. 104. 15. God giues wine to make glad the heart of man and oyle to make his face shine And Iohn 12. 3. Our Sauiour Christ allowed of the fact of Mary which tooke a pounde of ointment of spikenard very costly and annointed his very feete so that all the house was filled with the smell though Iudas did esteeme it wast But yet if the Lord shall graunt but
we giue him thanks and praise him Phil. 4. 6. But in al thinges let your requests be shevved to God in praier and supplication vvith thanksgiuing There is none but in want he will be ready to pray but when we haue receiued we ar slack in giuing of thanks but hee which wil pray aright must join theÌ„ both together And the sum of all Gods praise stands in these three points 1. That he is an absolute King 2. Secondly that hee hath absolute power to rule al thinges 3. That hauing power and a kingdome he hath glory also which appears in the holding of his kingdome and the â—hewing of his power in gouerning of it 4. Whatsoeuer we ask we must refer it to Gods glorie this is the first thing which wee were taught to craue and the 〈◊〉 we ar to performe because it is noted both in the beginning end of the praier Thus muche of the vse of these words altogether Now let vs mak vse of theÌ„ particularly First where as we say Thine is the kingdome Magistrates and rulers must knowe that all the authoritie and rule which they haue is from the Lord therefore they must remember to order themselues as gods Vicegerents vsing their power to bring men in subjection to Gods lawes and referring all their callings to his glorie 2 Where we say Thine is the power Wee are admonished when we are to performe anie worke as to doe seruice to God to walk in our callings that we haue no power of our selues and for this cause wee must ask power at Gods handes that we may be enabled to walke vprightly before him and doe our duties 3 In saying Thine is the glory we learn that if we wold haue a good report and praise among men wee must aboue all things seeke Gods glorie not regarding so much our own If he giue thee praise among men giue him thankes if not be content because al glorie is his Amen 1. The meaning VVE haue heard the preface and the petitions what they are Now followeth the third part which is the assent or testification of faith required in prayer in this word Amen And it containes more than men at the first woulde imagine It signifies Certainlie so be it or it shal be so 2. Cor. 1. 20. It is often taken for a bare assent of the people saying Amen to the Minister but in this place it containes more for euerie point in this prayer is not onlie a direction for publike prayer but for priuate also and must be saide as well of the Minister as of the people Nowe then there being two principall thinges in prayer the first a desire of grace the secoÌ„d faith whereby wee beleeue that God will grant things desired The first is expressed in the sixe petitions The latter is set forth in this worde Amen carrying this sence in effect As we haue craued these thinges at thy handes O Lord so we doe beleeue that for Christ his sake in good time thou wilt grant them to vs. Therefore this part is more excellent than the former by howe much our faith is more excellent than our desire For in this word is contained the testification of our faith whereas the petitions are onlie testifications of our desires And as it is in the end so also it is the seale of our prayers to make them authentical and it is to be vsed as I take it not onlie for this end to answer the Minister but also to testifie our faith for the things desired 2 Grace to be desired HEreby wee are taught what grace we ar to shew in praier We must labour to giue assent to Gods promises when we pray striue against doubting and vnbeleefe Mar. 9. 11. Lord I beleeue Lord help my vnbeleefe Psal. 42. 11. Why art thou cast down my soul and why art thou 〈◊〉 within me wait on god Manie there are that wil stande vpon the strength of their faith plead for themselues that they neuer doubted but they ar far wide for true faith beeing imperfect is alwaies accompanied with doubting more or lesse Wherefore the heart which feeles no doubting is not filled with faith but with presumption As for them which are molested with doubtings complaine of them they haue lesse cause to feare for as fire and water do neuer striue til they meete no more doth doubting and vnbeleefe til faith come into a man To conclude we see what an excellent worke prayer is in which two moste excellent graces of a Christian man bee shewed foorth hungring after mercy faith this might moue men to learn to pray praier being the exercise of grace Of the vse of the Lords praier THe principal vse of the Lords prayer is to direct God his Church in making their praiers in all places at al times and vpon all occasions though their praiers should be innumerable and vnles they be framed after this they can not be right In the vsing of it for direction there be three thinges required 1 The first is the knowledge of the Lordes prayer and al the partes thereof He that would pray by it must vnderstaÌ„d the meaning therof the wants therein to be bewailed and the graces to bee desired for which end it hath bin expounded 2. Knowing this there is in the seconde place required thus much skil that he be able to referr euerie want grace to one of the sixe petitions for example feeling in himselfe pride of heart he must be able to say this is a want in the first petition and feeling a rebellion slownes in doing Gods commandment he must be able to say this is a sin to be prayed against in the 3. petition Thus euery want he must refer to his proper hed again he must refer euery grace to be desired to one of the sixe petitions is streÌ„gth in temptation to the sixt assiance in Gods prouidence to the fourth knowledge of God to the first c. and so in the rest 3. In the third place he must before he pray consider what bee his wantes and imperfections which moste trouble him as also the graces which he wold obtain then for the helping of his memorie he must goe to the petitions and he must set those thinges first in his mind which do concern the first petition and those which concern the second petition must haue the second place in his mind and so he must proceed in order as shall haue occasion Thus a man keeping in minde the order of the petitions as they stand shall be able by referring euery grace and want vnto his proper head to mak a distinct prayer and to varie it as time place and other occasions shall moue him Quest. Must we of necessity follow al the petitions in conceiuing a praier An. No but only those which doe principallie belong to the time place occasion as Paule maketh a prayer Col. 1. 9. 10. and all the points of it may be referred to the third and
thē and of reconciliation to god Now where this perswasion is indeede there followes necessarilie Christs dwelling in the heart which stands in two thinges the first is the ordering and ruling of the thoghts affections and desires of the heart according to his will as a maister rules in his house the second is the continuance of his rule For hee cannot be saide to dwell in a place who rules in it but for a day The third is the knowledg and the acknowledgement of the infinite greatnes of God his loue in Christ an effect of the former vers 18. 19. the wordes are thus explaned Rooted and grounded Here the loue of God wherewith hee loues the elect is as a roote and foundation of all Gods benefits election vocation iustification and glorification Men ar rooted and grounded in loue when Gods spirite assures their hearts of Gods loue doth giue them some inward sense and feeling of it For then they are as it were sensiblie put into the roote and laid on the foundation With al Saintes Paule desires this benefite not onely to the Ephesians but also for all the faithfull with them What is the length the bredth Here is a speech borrowed from Geomitricians and it signifieth the absolute greatnes or infinitenes of Gods loue and that it is like a worlde which for length bredth height depth is endles Heere note the order of receuing grace First Christ dwelles in the hart by faith Secondly thē comes a sense and feeling of Gods loue as it were by certain drops thereof Thirdly after this ariseth a plētifull knowledge and apprehension of Gods loue and as it wer the powring out of a sea into a mans heart that for greatnes hath neither bottome nor bank And knowe the loue of Christ these wordes as I take it are an exposition of the former for to comprehende the loue of God is nothing else but to knowe the loue of Christ considering that all whome the father loueth hee loueth them in Christ Which passeth knowledge That is which for the greatnes of it noe man can fullie know The fourth thing is the fulnesse of Gods graces verse 19. Here the fulnesse of God doth not signifie the fulnes of the Godhead or deuine nature but the perfection of the inner man which shall not be till after this life Nowe followes the thāksgiuing or the praise of God ver 20. 21. containing these points 1. The matter of praise his power and bountifulnes whereby he canne worke exceeding aboundantly aboue all we ask or think and both these are not only to be conceiued in mind but also may be felt in the heart according to the power that worketh in vs. 2. the forme of praise glorie vnto God by Christ as all benefits are receiued from the father by Christ. The proper place of true praise of God the Church 4. The continuance of his praise through all generations for euer Philip. 1. 9. AND this I praie that your loue maie abound yet more and more in knowledg and al sense 10. That yee may discerne things that differ to the end yee may be pure and without offence to the daie of Christ. 11. Filled with fruites of righteousnes vvhich are by Iesus Christ vnto the praise and glorie of God The Exposition THis praier containes three parts In the first Paul praieth for increase of loue in the Philip. whether it be to God or to men verse 9. and he shewes the meanes of increase which ar two knowledg and sense or feeling For to goe backeward the more a godly man feeles Gods loue and hath experience of Gods word in himselfe the more he knowes Gods word and perceiues his loue vnto him the more hee is assured of Gods loue the more he loues god again and his neighbour for his sake The second thing praied for is the gift of discerning whereby mē know what is true what fals what is to be done what to be left vndone the ends of this gift ar two The first that by meanes of it they may bee pure or sincere that is keepe a good conscience before God and men in their liues and callings The second is to be without offence that is innocent giuing no occasions of euill to any and not taking thē offered by others and the continuance of these is noted to the daie of Christ which is the time in which he commeth to vs either by our death or by the last judgement Thirdly he praieth that they might abounde in good workes which ar described by a similitud fruits of righteousnes Christians being fruitfull trees Exech 4. 7. 12. Esay 61. 3. 2. By the cause efficient which ar by Christ. 3. By the end vnto the glorie and praise of God Colos. 1. 9 I cease not to praie for you and to desire that ye might be filled with knowledg of his will in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding 10. That ye might vvalk vvorthie of the lord please him in al things fructifying in all good workes and increasing in the acknowledgment of God 11 Strengthened vvith all might thorough his glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering vvith ioyfulnes 12 Giuing thanks to the father which hath made vs fit to be partakers of the inheritāce of the saints in light 13 Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his owne sonne The Exposition THese wordes containe a praier and a thankesgiuing In the praier three things are asked The first is the increase of the knowledge of Gods reueiled vvill in his worde and he deuides it into two partes Wisdom which is not only to know Gods word but also to apply it to euery action for the right and holy performing thereof and spiritual vnderstanding which is when men by the assistance of Gods spirit do conceiue the will of God in general without applying Secondly Paule praies for the fruites of this knowledge which are foure 1. To walke woorthy of God as good seruants do who in their apparell gesture and all their doings