An EXPOSITION OF THE LORDS PRAYER made in diuers Lectures and now drawne into Questions and Answers for the greater benefite of the simpler sort Whereunto is prefixed a briefe treatise of prayer for all men Published at the request of diuers godly and well disposed By W. B. Minister of the Word at Reading in Barkshire AT LONDON Printed by the Widdow Orwin for Thomas Man dwelling in Pater-noster row at the signe of the Talbot 1594. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND HIS SINgular good Lord Robert Earle of Essex and Ewe Vicount Hereford and Bourghchier Lord Ferrers and Chartly Lord Bourchier and Louaine Knight of the noble Order of the Garter Master of her Maiesties Horse and one of her Maiesties most honorable priuie Councell W. B. wisheth encrease of al true honor in this life and eternall felicitie in the life to come SOme are desirous right Honorable to store vp those things to their further benefite which before they haue heard to their present comfort like the good men of Athens which sayd to Paul We will heare thee againe of this matter Act. 17. At the request of such men I haue yeelded to the publishing of those Lectures which I made vpon the Lords Prayer notwithstanding the labours of other reuerend excellent men which haue both trauailed farre and waded deepe in this argument And if any man looke for any new matter at my hand he doth but loose his labour for I must confesse that I haue walked by their lights trode their steps for the greatest part of my iourney neither haue I taken vpon me to performe any thing by my self more then others haue done but to ioyne with others in the building of the spirituall temple wherevnto I haue brought such as I had And for my owne part I thinke my selfe most highly bound to praise his heaueÌ„ly Maiestie that hath vouchsafed me the most vnprofitable of al a place amongst his builders though I bring but lime morter to the building and a place amongst his souldiers though I doe but now then strike a stroke or carrie their armour after them and a place amongst his skilful Archers though my selfe doe but giue aime at the marke as it were in respect of them that haue pearced it and gotten the victorie they are gone before with the vintage I come after with the gleanings which may bee as acceptable to some as the haruest is to others And seeing as the Lord blesseth whom he will and by whom he will I knowe no cause of disconteÌ„tednes to remaine vnto any seeing it is lawfull for euery one to doe what good he can both by speaking and writing especially in these dayes wherein Sathan beareth such sway and by his seruants laboureth by all meanes possible to hinder the growth thriuing of Gods church to destroy the faith of Gods childreÌ„ to hold al men in miserable blindnes ignorance yea and if it were possible to bring to passe that God shuld haue no true worship yea no worship at all done vnto him amongst the sonnes of men I am bolde my good Lord to offer this small treatise vnto your Honor both in respect of my bounden duetie as also for the worthines of the matter handled therein which sheweth both the matter of prayer and also the right order and maner of calling vpon the name of God amongst all estates at all times in al places for al wants which is such a poynt of Gods worship as who so hath attained vnto the true knowledge right practise of the same hath obtained a great matter if not the greatest of al in this life For such a one may haue free accesse to the throne of grace and stand in the presence of the almightie when another shall flie from his presence such a one may batter and beate downe the walles the cities and the holdes of mightie enemies when other shall not dare to come neere them he shall breake the prison doores and make yron gates to open of their owne accord when others shall lye by it he shall doe as much with one man as others shall doe with a hundred and more too for he shall be able not onely to preuaile against men yea though they bee many and mightie and craftie but he shall preuaile with God himselfe like Iacob vntill he hath preuailed against Sathan and all the power of hell and gotten the masterie ouer himselfe euen to the deniall of himselfe for the trueths sake which is the greatest victorie that can bee gotten he shall haue power skill to tame his owne affections which is more then the taming of wilde beasts he shall finde patience in aduersitie and thankfulnes in prosperitie and contentation in euery triall he shall see the mountaines couered with heauenly souldiers for the defence of Gods people as Elisha did he shall raise â—he dead and water the earth with aboundance of raine as Elias did he shal stop the mouthes of the hungrie lions without any violence as Daniel did and quench the flames of fire without any water as Shedrach and his fellowes did In a word the effects of prayer are wonderfull and infinite for what may not he haue and effect that shall but aske and haue Who were euer more honoured of men then they that haue giuen most honour vnto God And who doe more honor the Lord then they that doe truely call vpon his name by prayer who more renowned and beloued then the godly and zealous in true religion And what godlines or religon can there be without the true knowledge and right practise of prayer who were euer more valiant in warre more milde in peace more cherefull in prison more sober in libertie more painefull in health more comfortable in sicknes more godly in their life or more happie in their death then the faithfull And who were euer faithfull without prayer which is the chiefest fruite of faith borne with faith both borne together like twinnes To whome doth the Lord giue his grace and fauour but to the humble and lowly And who were euer truly humbled but those which by prayer vnto God in the bitter feeling of sinne haue most confessed and acknowledged their wantes their weaknesses their imperfections and al their iniquities Where did euer the manifolde graces of God meete and dwell but in the soule of the faithfull which haue still beene conuersant in calling vpon the name of Iehouah For hee that hath the spirite of prayer hath a speedie messenger continually in a readines at all needes to trauell for him betweene heauen and earth and sometime bringeth with him liuely faith and true repentance sometime ioy in the holy Ghost sometime patience in affliction sometime assurance of Gods eternall fauour sometime deliueraÌ„ce out of danger sometime wisdome and discretion sometime zeale of Gods glory and loue to the brethren sometime one grace and sometime another sometime it causeth all these graces of God to meete together in one man
their comfort 3. Sometime to open their shame and naughtie corrupte nature as namely their impatience their vnthankefulnesse their dulnesse their distrustfulnesse c. which were in them and they not knowing so much Q. Why wil the Lord thus lay open their shame A. For three causes 1. To let them see that they are not the men that they tooke themselues to be 2. That they may liue afterward in greater warines knowing their own weaknes 3. That they may the more earnestly desire his helpe knowing their owne wantes Q. It should séeme that these kinds of temptations which procéed from God may be better called proofes and trials then temptations may they not A. Yea it is very true so they ought to be esteemed and accounted Q. But seeing as GOD vseth these trials to the profite of his chosen and his-owne glorie why shoulde wée pray against them A. Wee ought for all that to pray that wee may not fall into them because wee must abhorre to commit anything wherby our God is iustly offended Q. If God be offeÌ„ded with our déedes why doth he bring vs into them A. With our deedes hee is offended but with that which hee bringeth to passe by them namely our humilitie warines c. he is delighted Q. What difference is there between Gods tempting of his children and his tempting of the reprobate A. This teÌ„ptatioÌ„ into which God bringeth his elect endureth but for a time but the reprobate he bringeth into a perpetual teÌ„ptatioÌ„ vtterly giuing theÌ„ vp to Sathan hardening them in wickednes for euer Q. Is it not vniust that God should leade some into temptation and harden them in wickednes yet punish them for their sinnes A. No for euen in this life wee may see good and iust causes that God should harden the reprobate and leade them into this wofull and eternall temptation Q. What cause can you alledge for y â— A. They are worthy to be hardened and therefore what vnrighteousnesse is it in God to harden them that are worthy to be hardened Q. How can that be when the scripture is plaine that God himselfe hath hardened their hartes A. When the scripture saith that God hardeneth men the meaning is not that they were soft before and that then God did harden them when they were soft before but that God maketh them harder and that is lustly done for their former hardnes deserued to be made harder Q. Why doth not the Lorde soâ—ten all men A. If any man will say it is Gods fault that he softneth not all men let him shew that God first hardened all men and not themselues Q. That is true indéede bâ—t what of that A. If al men first hardened themselues what shall constraine God to soften them againe If he will he sheweth his mercy If he will not he sheweth his iustice But who shall compell him to shew his mercie where he may shew his iustice Q. I am satisfied for this poynt but what vse may we make hereof A. By the knowledge of this poynt the godly may learne to haue in reuerend admiration the exceeding great goodnes of God when they shall consider that he vouchsafeth to take them into the number of those whom of his mercy he would soften whereas of his iustice hee might haue hardened them for euer Q. Do none tempt man but God A. Yes man tempteth man and Sathan tempteth man Q. How doth one man tempt another A. Two waies sometime for good sometime for hurt Q. When are they for good A. When wee try him whom wee doe suspect as some that aske to borrow money c. before they neede Q. How doe men tempt men for the hurt one of another A. Two waies sometimes by words sometime by deedes or both together Q. How by words A. By propounding captious curious questions as the Scribes Pharisees did tempt Christ Mat. 22. 16. Luk. 20. 20. Q. What is that A. To entangle men in their wordes to bring them within compasse of lawe or to winne some aduantage against the trueth by the weakenes and slendernes of mens answeres Q. How by déedes A. When by their owne example or by vrging the examples of others they labour to draw men to euill Q. How are we to pray against these temptations A. Wee are to beseech the Lord 1. To keepe vs from trials aboue our power to satisfie 2. That it would please him to giue vs a mouth and vtterance to speake to his glorie that the enemie may haue no iust aduantage against the cause which we maintaine Of Sathans tempting Q. HOwe proue you that Sathan tempteth any man to euill A. I proue it two waies 1. By the testimonie of the worde of God as in 1. Peter 5. 8. 1. Iohn 3. 8. Iohn 8. 44. 2. By his owne confession in Iob. 1. 7. 8. for when the Lorde asked him from whence he came hee saide that he came from compassing the earâ—h Q. What doth he meane by compassing the earth A. Hee meaneth that hee came from tempting the inhabitants of the earth Q. Why did not Sathan tell the Lord a lye as Cain did but tell the trueth so plainely A. Because hee knewe that it was in vaine for him to lie vnto God for he knew that God knewe well enough where hee had beene Q. Seeing Sathan told the Lord the trueth why doth he teach men to lye A. By that wee may see that carnall men doe not know so much of God as the verie diuell doth Q. But why will the Diuell teach his schollers to doe worse then hee will doe himselfe A. That hee might bring them if it were possible into a worse plight then he is in himselfe Q. Where doth Sathan tempt men A. In all places Q. What in Temples and Churches and at holy exercises A. Yea there hee is most busie both at the exercises of prayer and preaching and when they be done Q. What is his drift at the time of holy exercises A. His purpose is to compasse mens eyes with shewes and their eares with soundes and their sences with sleepe and their thoughts with fancies and all to hinder them from hearing Q. What if hee cannot preuaile that way what doth he then A. Then when wee are gone hee will compasse vs with business and cares and pleasures and quarrels either to make vs forget that we heard or els to contemn it Q. Papists teach men that the diuell is afraid of holy water and holy bread and holy candles and hallowed bels the name of Iesus and the signe of the crosse and that these things will driue him away what thinke you of that A. The diuell inuented those weapons himselfe for the Papistes to fight withall because hee knew that they could neuer hurt him with them but themselues Q. No is not the diuell afraide of the name of Iesus A. If the diuell were afraid of the name of Iesus hee would not haue tempted the Lorde Iesus himselfe and how
inferiours one water for the baptizing of great mens children and another for poore mens children one bread and wine for the veluet gowne and another for the frize gowne But on the contrarie in the reformed Churches of Christ there is one place of meeting for all one pastour to instruct all one Sabboth to bee kept of all one font and one water for the baptizing of al one time for the receiuing of all and at the Lords Supper all receiue together all partake of the same bread and wine all drinke of the same cuppe and all giue thankes by the same spirite for the same benefites and where it is not so it should bee so Q. You haue satisfied mee for that poynt but haue you any thing els to note vpon this word Our A. Yea it teacheth vs further that if we bee of the number of Gods children then all the faithfull in al places doe commend vs to God in their prayers euen as themselues and amongst those there are some Abrahams some Moses some Elias some Iobes c. whose prayers are more effectuall then others Q. What and is this such a benefite A. Yea it is a great benefite for if wee feele not that zeale and power of faith c. in prayer which we desire yet we are not to bee discouraged for that is euer in some of them which is wanting in vs and Christ hath so framed this prayer that saying it wee cannot chuse but pray as well for others as for our selues Q. But will not this make men negligent in prayer A. No this is not to make any negligēt in prayer but to strengthen those that are diligent Q. If you haue any thing els to obserue from these wordes Our father note it briefly that wee may goe forward A. But one thing more I drawe out of them and that is a confirmation of two maine poynts 1. Concerning particular faith in applying Christs merites vnto our felues 2. The certaintie of our saluation For the first when I say Our father I am taught to call GOD my father and so Christ my redeemer c. for when I exclude my selfe I cannot truely say Our father For the second I know that God being my father he loueth me and that I shall be partaker of saluation for whom he loueth once he loueth for euer therefore my saluation is certaine and sure VVhich art in heauen Q. Why are these words added A. In the former words wee are taught what the Lord is concerning vs viz. a louing father In these words wee learne what he is in himselfe viz. a God of all maiestie power and dominion The 1. sheweth his willingnes to help vs. The 2. sheweth his abilitie to helpe vs. Q. Why doth the Lord Iesus speake of his willingnes and abilitie A. To shew that of those two we must be perswaded in prayer or els we cannot pray aright Some came to Christ doubting of his willingnes as the leper Master if thou wilt thou canst make mee cleane Some doubting of his power as the man whose sonne had a dumbe spirit If thou canst doe any thing for vs helpe vs c. But here we are taught not to be like either of them Q. God is euery where why then is he sayd to be in heauen A. Because he is euery where therfore he must needes be in heauen Q. But why is hee sayd to haue his dwelling in heauen rather then in any place of the world or in all the world A. For two causes 1. Because his glorie is most apparant there 2. Because we see from thence most euident signes of his properties and attributes more then in other places as of his omnipotencie wisedome goodnesse iustice mercie c. Q. What vse may we make of these words A. Wee may make vse of them many wayes 1. They teach vs that God hath power ouer all and can performe that which he promiseth Q. How doe you gather that A. I gather it thus As the heauen is hier then the elementall world so he that sits in the heauen must needes haue all things in subiection vnder him And as wee cannot see any thing aboue heauen so we are not to imagine any thing aboue him See Psal. 2. 4. Psal. 24. 3. Psal. 113. 4 Q. What els may wee gather from them A. They teach vs that God is no earthly father but heauenly and immortall therefore not subiect to alteration in nature nor change in his purpose as men be And this makes much for the certaintie of the election of Gods children seeing it dependeth vpon such a father See the places quoted Q. What els doe wee learne from them A. They serue to breede a reuerence in vs when we pray because wee bee but dust and ashes and wee speake vnto that God that as the Psalmist sayth hath deuouring fire going before him and mightie tempests are stirred vp about him c. Q. Declare your meaning more fullie A. I meane that seeing in prayer wee speake vnto the immortall king of heauen and earth we should not clappe our selues downe so vnreuerently as vsually many doe thinking of any thing rather then of the mightie Maiestie of him to whom wee pray but with a reuerende trembling and affection of all our parts and to vse the very words of a reuerend father leisurely carefully and heartely considering the puissance glorie and imperiall Maiestie of him to whome wee speake Q. What els doe they affoord vs A. Lastly they teach vs That not onely our mindes ought to be sequestred from other but in all our conuersation to behaue our selues as becommeth the children of such a heauenly father Which art in heauen Q. These wordes which art are the wordes of one speaking vnto another and not of another what may wée learne by that A. They shewe the Churches priuiledge which is such that euery true child of God may haue free accesse vnto God by Christ and may not onely speake of God but vnto God himselfe Q. What vse may wee make of this poynt A. The vse of this point is foure fold Two waies against the Papists Two waies for our selues Q. How may it serue against the Papistes A. 1. It teacheth vs that seeing as we talke with God himselfe therefore wee need no Images to put vs in mind of him for what neede one haue a picture to put him in mind of him with whome he is conuersant and in conference 2. It teacheth vs that we need no other mediatours then Christ to goe vnto God for vs seeing as we speake in prayer vnto God our selues Q. That is verie true nowe what vse maye wée make of it for our selues A. 1. It is a comfort to the children of GOD to remember that their prayers goe straight from their lippes into the eares of the Lorde and are not spilt vpon the ground 2. This poynt must bee our instruction and it serueth to breede
moderate labour and faithfull prayer Q. He saith againe Labour not for the meate that perisheth Iohn 6. 27. Lay not vp treasure on earth where theeues breake through c. Luk. 12. 33. A. These speeches are by way of comparison spoken comparing earthly things with heauenly things and his meaning is that wee should not labour so much for this life as for the life to come because the one doth perish the other doth not and so for treasuring vp treasure on earth the like is to be said Q. What néed rich mē say this prayer that haue enough for many yeares A. For two causes they ought also to pray this prayer 1. To acknowledge the giuer 2. Though they haue riches yet the vse cōfort safetie is of God The fift Petition And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Q. WHy is this next A. From the placing of this in the next place wee learne two things 1. That we must haue a care of the life to come as well as of prouision for this life Q. Why if we haue our daily bread what neede we care for any more A. All the thinges of this worlde will doe vs no good except our sinnes be forgiuen vs. Q. What is the forgiuenes of our sinnes such a great matter A. Yea it is such a thing that without it there is no comfort in the things of this life Q. How proue you that A. By the speech of the Lorde Iesus to the man that had a palsie Sonne be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee To teach vs that nothing can giue good comfort but the forgiuenes of sinnes Q. Why dooth he say be of good comforte rather then bee of comforte any comforte is good is it not A. No this is to teach vs that all comfort is not good comfort for some is counterfeite and false as that which ariseth from transitorie things but onely that is true comfort which groweth vppon the fauour of God in pardoning of sinnes Q. What is the second thing wee learne from the order and placing of this next to the former A. Secondly wee learne hereby that if wee want our dayly bread our sinnes are the cause for when sinne entred into the worlde the curse entred See these places Gen. 3. 17. 18. Deut. 28. 15. c. Deut. 32. from the 13. verse to the 26. Q. How shall wee doe to auoyde the curse of God A. Wee must desire the Lord in mercy to doe away our sinnes and not to deale with vs in iudgement for sinne is the stop of Gods blessings and when our sinnes are remoued then is there a way made for daily bread Q. What vse may wee make of this poynt A. This poynt serueth for our instruction two waies 1. To teach vs that religion is not the cause of want as some doe imagine like Achab who saide that Elias troubled Israel when in deed it was himselfe but sinne is the cause 2. That when we want any temporall thing for this life we should examine ourselues of sinne and of some speciall sinne that God is angry with which hath depriued vs of that which we want and would haue Q. How proue you that A. By the testimonie of the Scripture in Iere. 5. 24. 25. For they say not in their hearts let vs now feare the Lord our God that giueth raine both early and late in due season hee reserueth vnto vs the appoynted weekes of the haruest 25. Yet your iniquities haue turned away these things your sinnes haue hindred good things from you Againe when Achan was vnknowne that plaied the theefe in taking away the cursed thing Israel was plagued but when search was made and hee executed the plague ceased So should wee also make search in our selues when the hand of God is against vs vntil we finde what sinne it is that hath moued God against vs. Forgiue Q. What doth this worde Forgiue teach vs A. It teacheth vs many things 1. That before pardō can be obtained our sinnes must bee truely and vnfainedly confessed to God without couering or excusing any at all Q. How proue you that A. Out of Psal. 32. 5. I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee neither hid I mine iniquitie for I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lorde and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Prou. 28. Hee that hideth his sinne shall not prosper but he that confesseth them and forsaketh them shall haue mercie Q. Of how many sortes is the confession of sinnes A. It is of two sortes either Ciuill or Religious Q. What manner of confession is that which you call Ciuill A. That is a ciuill confession of sinne which is made before a ciuill Iudge or Magistrate by malefactors Q. What example haue you thereof in the Scripture A. Such kinde of confession was that which Achan made when he was examined before Ioshua Iosh. 7. 19. 20. Q. When is it religious A. When it is made to God onely as a part of his worship Q. Of how many sortes is this religious confession A. It is double either priuat to God onely or publique in the assemblies of the church of God Q. When must it be priuat A. When the sinne is priuat Q. Of how many sortes is publique confession A. It is of two sortes either generally to bee made by the minister with the whole congregation together or particularly by some one man before the congregation Q. How many waies doe you consider that which is made by the whole congregation A. Two waies for it is either ordinarie as at the vsuall and common assemblies or extraordinarie as in time of some great and generall calamitie For the proofe of the former see Leuit. 16. 20. 21. for the trueth of the latter see Ioel. 2. 15. 16. 17. And this confession of the sinnes of others may bee made also to God by any godly man priuatly in time of any great and generall affliction as in Dan. 9. 4. 5. 6. c. Q. When must publique confession of sinne bee made by one man particularly A. When any one hath committed any offence that is publique and heinous Q. Why must it be publique A. That the Church of God may be satisfied which by that sinne was offended Q. What meane you when you say the Church is offended A. That is to be vnderstood two maner of wayes 1. The spirite of God which is in the faithfull is grieued at the sinne 2. The faithfull being led by the spirite of God are also grieued to see God dishonored Q. Why euery man shall beare his owne sinne we shall not answer for an other mans offence what need we then care or be grieued at the matter A. Yes wee ought to bee grieued in two respects 1. In respect of God 2. In respect of others Q. Why in respect of God A. Because he is 1. Our God and father therefore we must bee grieued when wee see him