whilest we have time let us do good remembring that the Lord hath placed us here on the earth for a short time to do his will which time if we let passe without repentance and turning to God and doing his will afterwards it will be too late As it is in heaven that is as the Angels in heaven do perform it And they perform Gods will Psal. 103. 20 21. 1. Scienter knowingly 2. Sincerely and uprightly 3. Willingly and chearfully 4. Readily expecting the beck of the Lord Matth. 18. For which cause they are said to stand before the Lord Dan. 7. 10. Revel 5. 11. 5. Speedily without delay For which cause wings are attributed unto them 6. Fully and not by halves 7. Constantly till the Lord bid them cease 8. Faithfully doing all to Gods glory assuming no glory to themselves Revel 19. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As here signifieth not equality but similitude as 1. John 3. 3. For if we should understand it of equality we should pray for an impossibility Eccles 7. 20. No man on the earth doth good and sinneth not True it is indeed that we should contend and aspire towards angelicall perfection although whilest we are on the earth we cannot attein thereunto In this petition therefore we pray that we may perform the will of God on earth after an heavenly and angelicall manner Of this obedience there are two degrees the matter and manner First we will speak of the obedience it self and then of the manner Of the matter of obedience As touching the former Whereas our Saviour teacheth us thus to pray it is evident that of our selves we are not able to do his will and therefore the doctrine of Freewill is here refuted Phil. 2. 13. It is God which worketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both to will and to do of his good pleasure Vt voluntatem Dei faciamus facit hoc ipse Dâ—…us in nobis God himself doeth this in us that we do the will of God Wants to be bewailed The defects therefore which we are to bewail are these 1. Our inability through our own default to perform obedience to the will of God 2. Our pronenesse to sinne and to transgresse the will of God being stirred thereunto by every occasion By our corrupt nature we are as apt to sinne as a bird to flie 3. The frowardnesse of our wills rebelling against the will of God Rom. 7. 23. and our preposterous affections the law in the members 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The carnall mind is enmitie against God Rom. 8. 7. 4. The disobedience also of others must wring tears from us Psal. 119. 136. 5. Our impatience in troubles 2. In respect of the matter wants to be bewailed In respect of the matter we are to bewail our imperfect obedience our righteousnesse being like a polluted cloth Velle praestò est sed perficere bonum non invenio To will is present but I find not how to perform that which is good Rom. 7. 18. Our best actions if God should enter into judgement with us are not justifiable The Graces which we ask We ask 1. in respect of obedience it self That the Lord would vouchsafe us this grace to deny our selves our own wills and affections which are opposite to his will Matth. 16. 24. 2. That we may labour in all things to perform simple obedience to the Lord Heb. 13. 21. more especially That he would convert us and we shall be converted Ezek. 33. 11. 3. That he would bring us to the knowledge of his truth 1. Tim. 2. 4. 4. That he would give us faith which is the gift of God 1. John 3. 23. 5. That he would make us thankfull 1. Thess. 5. 18. 6. That he would sanctifie us 1. Thess. 4. 3. 7. That he would arm us with patience that in all afflictions we may say with Christ Not my will O Father but thine be done Matth. 26. 39 42. 8. That we may not be in subjection to sinne and Satan and carried away captive to the obedience of his wilâ—… 2. Tim. 2. 26. but that he would renew stablish and guide us by his free spirit that we may will and do those things which are acceptable in his sight 9. That we may not be carried away with the world or conformed thereunto but transformed by the renewing of our minds and that we may prove what is the good will of God acceptable and perfect And 10. That we may give up our selves a lively holy and acceptable sacrifice unto God that is our reasonable service of him Rom. 12. 1 2. 2. Of the manner of our obedience As touching the manner We are here taught that we are not to rest in opere operato in the deed done but that we are to be carefull as of the matter so also of the manner It is not sufficient that we do the will of God unlesse we do it after a spirituall manner 2. Chron. 25. 2. Many think if they heare it is sufficient and care not how but Christ saith Luke 8. 18. Take heed how ye heare Therefore we must pray That we may do the will of God as the angels do it in heaven with knowledge faithfulnesse sincerity uprightnesse with willingnesse alacrity chearfulnesse readily speedily fully constantly doing all to the glory of God And whereas he hath appointed us to salvation that we may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the angels Matth. 22. 30. that it may please him to begin our conformity with the angels in this life These wants then we are to bewail and these graces we are to crave in this petition Duties in prayer Further we are in these words taught to perform these duties in prayer 1. That we pray according to Gods will 1. John 5. 14. asking such things onely as he hath promised to grant Otherwise in this petition we pray against our own desires namely that not our will but the will of God may be performed 2. That in our prayers especially for temporall matters we do humbly and willingly submit our selves to his will and wholly resigne over our selves to his good pleasure saying with our Saviour Christ Not my will c. because we ought to be assured that as for his wisdome he knoweth what is best for us so also for his fatherly love he is most ready to grant good things unto us Matth. 7. 11. Rom. 8. 32. and therefore if he deny our requests that the deniall is better then the grant And we are to remember that here we pray not that God would alter his will according to ours but contrariwise that our will may be conformable unto his Duties in our lives As we pray that we may do Gods will on earth as the angels do it in heaven so must we have a true desire an unfeigned care and an upright endeavour in our selves to perform holy obedience to Gods will Otherwise how can we perswade our selves that we pray in
roga nihil eum de alieno rogaturus Ask boldly of God seeing thou canst ask nothing of him which belongeth to another 2. That our heavenly Father is the sovereigne King and absolute Lord and Governour over all his creatures ruling the good and overruling the evil to whose commandment all the good creatures obey and at whose beck they are ready to do us good And as for the wicked either men or angels they are so overruled by the almighty providence of God that when they seek to annoy us they are against their purpose made the instruments of God to do us good And whereas our Saviour teacheth us to say Thine is the kingdome we are to observe that the kingdome of government which Kings and Princes have it is the kingdome of God whose ministers and leiutenants they are Rom. 13. 4. by whom they reigne Prov. 8. 15. and from whom all authoritie is Rom. 13. 4. Which as it must teach them to subordinate their government unto the Lord and in him to rule their subjects because the kingdome which they exercise is not theirs but Gods their judgement is not theirs but the Lords 2. Chron. 19. 6. so doth it teach all subjects to be subject to their governours so farre forth as they are subordinate to the Lord because in obeying them they obey the Lord and in resisiting them they resist God Rom. 13. 2. But if Magistrates and Kings shall leave their order in commanding that which God forbiddeth we are bound to be subordinate to our supreme King whose the kingdome is in whom onely we are to obey the inferiour governours Ephes. 5. 21. that so far forth as in obeying them we obey also the Lord for better it is to obey God then men Acts 4. 19. 5. 29. And as to obey an inferiour Magistrate which rebelleth against his Prince is to rebell with him so to obey a Prince or Magistrate rebelling against God in that wherein he rebelleth that is in unlawfull things which he commandeth it is also to rebell against God So that not onely good but also evil Princes and Magistrates are to be obeyed but neither good nor bad unto evil More especially the kingdome of God is the kingdome of grace in this life and the kingdome of glorie in the life to come In the former the Lord communicateth grace to his servants ruling in them by his word and Spirit In the latter he communicateth glory to his Saints vouchsafing unto them the fruition of himself who shall be to them all in all Do we therefore desire grace in this life or glory in the life to come God is the King of grace and of glory let us sue to his throne of grace for he will give grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold srom them that walk uprightly Psal. 84. 11. Vses 1. If God be our King we are to be encouraged in all our necessities to call upon him For it is the property of good kings to heare the suits of their subjects and to relieve and defend them 2. If he be the absolute Lord of all his creatures and all things whatsoever be in his power and possession then ought we not to be distrustfully carefull but to cast our care upon God and to depend upon him The earth is the Lords and all that therein is He is a Father that is rich towards all those which put their trust in him 3. If God be our King our duty is to obey him and to behave our selves towards him as dutifull subjects Why call ye me Lord saith our Saviour and do not the things which I command you What is meant by thine is the power And the power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Power belongeth in some degree to all creatures but to God it is ascribed after a peculiar manner In them it is a faculty proceeding from their nature in God it is his essence Theirs is a power created and received from God Acts 17. 28. his is uncreated eternall and from himself Theirs is mixt with impotencie and passive power which maketh them subject to change but Gods power is most perfect and pure without such mixture Theirs is finite as themselves are but his is infinite as himself is And it is infinite 1. in it self 2. in respect of the multitude of effects which he is able to work and unto which his power is extended in which sense it is said to be infinite extensively 3. in respect of the efficacy of working in which regard it is infinite intensively It is infinite extensively because it is extended to all things Matth. 19. 26. Luke 1. 37. and for that cause is called omnipotencie For the Lord never doth so many or so great things but he is able to do infinitely more and greater His power is extended to all things which either can be done and that is called his absolute power or which he will do and that is called his active or ordinary power For whatsoever God will do that he can do yea by his actuall power doth it Psal. 115. 3. but he can do many things by his absolute power which he will never do Matth. 3. 9. and 26. 33. It is also infinite intensively in respect of the efficacie of the action For the Lord doth not work any thing so effectually or intensively but he is able to effect it infinitely more effectually or intensively Ephes. 3. 20. Vses Uses respecting means I. To humble our selves under the mighty hand of God 1. Pet. 5. 6. not to be lifted up against him with pride nor opposed through obstinacy 1. Pet. 5. 5. Job 9. 4. Rom. 9. 17. Dan. 4. 37. II. To fear God above all things and to be afraid to offend him Matth. 10. 28. 1. Cor. 10. 22. Are we stronger then the Lord III. To repose trust in him Deut. 33. 26. For if God be on our side who can be against us Psal. 27. 1 2 3. Num. 14. 9. Deut. 7. 21. Jer. 42. 11. There is no good thing but he is able to effect it no evil but he is able to deliver us from it No creature can help us unlesse God use it as his instrument for our good no creature can hurt us unlesse God use it as the rod of his anger The devil is â—…trong but he is not able to pull us out of Gods hands nor yet to hinder or stop the course of Gods blessings towards us Vses respecting faith I. To confirm it in believing any article of our faith as of the resurrection Matth. 22. 29. II. To confirm our faith in the promises of God Luke 1. 37. Rom. 4. 19 20 21. III. In prayer For which purpose it is here alledged Matt. 8. 2. 2. Chron. 20. 6. 14. 11 12. Ephes. 3. 20. IV. In the assurance of perseverance unto salvation 1. Pet. 1. 5. Rom. 14. 4. John 10. 29. 2. Tim. 1. 12. What is meant by thine is the glory And the glory Whereby is
prayer or petition for what or for whom they pray in particular the Spirit of God in the Scriptures hath not revealed and it is but foolish curiositie to seek to be wise above that which is written For herein especially is that verified Quae supra nos nihil ad nos that is Things above us belong not unto us much lesse ought we with the superstitious Papists upon an erroneous conceit of theirs I mean the Saints and Angels in particular that is such Saints and Angels praying for us in particular ground an idolatrous practice of our praying unto them But of this also more hereafter 2. Seeing we consider it as the dutie of the living Isa. 38. 19. we are more particularly to consider both who in this world are required to pray and also what is required in them that do pray This dutie is required of all men living without exception All are to call upon God And that their prayer may be accepted of God it is required of all that they should have faith For as much therefore as we are to define prayer as it is effectuall and acceptable for that cause I defined it to be the speech of the faithfull not but that all are bound to pray but that none pray effectually and acceptably but they onely that believe Concerning the partie therefore which is to call upon God I am to shew these two things 1. That it is required of all to pray 2. That it is required of all which do pray that they be faithfull The former I am the rather in this place to perform lest when I have defined Quid sit and so taught how we are to pray I leave place to the question An sit Whether we are to pray at all or not For howsoever it is a great honour and favour for a sinfull man who is but dust and ashes as Abraham upon this occasion confesseth Gen. 18. 27. that the Lord should admit him to familiar speech with his great and glorious Majestie For as Chrysostome saith Quis non admirarâ—…tur tantam benignitatem quam in nos declarat Deus qui nos mortales dignos habuerit qui cum ipso colloquamur nostráque vota apud ipsum deponamus that is Who would not admire this so great goodnesse which God declareth towards us who esteemeth mortalls worthy to talk with him and to lay before him all our suits and that he should be near unto us in all that we do call upon him for Deut. 4. 7. and therefore a thing greatly to be desired and highly to be esteemed of us yet naturally men abhorre from the performance of this dutie which caused the Prophet Isaiah to complain that there was none that called upon the name of the Lord. The reason is because sinne having made a separation between God and us the man whose conscience condemneth him of sinne unrepented of as not being reconciled unto God flieth from his presence as the guilty person or malefactour from the sight of the judge so farre is he from presenting himself voluntarily before the Lord as we see in the examples of our first parents Gen. 3. 8. in Peter before his effectuall calling who perceiving by the miraculous draught of fish the Divinitie of our Saviour Christ desireth him to depart from him for I saith he am a sinfull man in the Gergasines or Gadarenes who being strucken with fear at the miraculous dispossessing of the legion of devils besought our Saviour to depart out of their coasts Matth. 8. 34. Luke 8. 37. It shall be needfull therefore to use some reasons and motives to move us to the performance of this dutie CHAP. II. Reasons moving to the dutie of prayer FIrst therefore the law of nature teacheth all men this principle That there is a God and that this God is to be called upon and worshipped For which cause all nations being never so barbarous though they know not the true God yet by the instinct of nature think themselves bound to call upon that which they suppose to be God If therefore those nations which did not call upon the true God whom indeed they did not know are subject to the curse of God Psal. 69. 6. Jer. 10. 25. how shall they escape the curse of God who knowing him do not call upon him for by their not calling upon him they do deny him Tit. 1. 16. and therefore this is observed as a note of the foolish Atheist who saith that there is no God that he doth not call upon the Lord Psal. 14. 4. Secondly It is a principall part of that worship of God for which the nature of man was at the first created according to his image and for which it was redeemed viz. that we might worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse and therefore those who will not call upon him rob God of that honour that is due unto him and as much as in them lyeth go about to frustrate that end for which they were created and redeemed So principall that sometimes the duty of invocation is put for the wholâ—… worship of God as Gen. 21. 33. 26. 25. as if it were all in all In which regard the temple which was provided for Gods worship was called the house of prayer Esa. 56. 7. And no marvell for by this one duty of invocation we exercise and testifie our religion our faith our love both of God and man our affiance and hope c. Thirdly It is injoyned in the morall law of God which is generall and perpetuall and is therefore also required in the gospel And if you ask in what part of the law I answer In both tables as a duty of religion to God and of charity to our neighbour for whose good we either pray or give thanks In every commandment as the common means whereby we are enabled to peâ—… form the severall duties and to attein those vertues which are therein prescribed But chiefly it is commanded in the commandments of the first table the obedience wherâ—…of in a great part consisteth herein For hereby God is worshipped in the spirit or inwardly prâ—…cept 1. adored in the body or outwardly prâ—…cept 2. sanctified or glorified in the mouth praecept 3. and a good part of the sanctifying of the sabbath praecept 4. standeth in this Now if any man shall object That he is a sinfull man and that by his sinne he hath made himself unworthy to tread upon the earth or to look up unto heaven and much more unworthy to present himself before the Lord with hope to be heard and consequently that it were great presumption for him to call upon the Lord I answer That it were indeed greater presumption to come before God then it was to rush into the presence of the kings of Persia were it not that the Lord did in like manner hold out unto us the sceptre of his word therein by his manifold commandments injoyning us this duty and by his
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with joy Phil. 1. 4. Jam. 5. 13. If any man be merry let him sing Psalmes The holy Ghost in many places hath joyned them together as Psal. 9. 2. and 33. 1. and 81. 1. and 92. 1 4. and 100. 1 2 4. and therefore they ought not to be severed by us It is the duty of the faithfull who have tasted how good and gracious the Lord is to rejoyce in the Lord Psal. 104. 34. and 149. 5. and 32. 11. and 33. 1. Phil. 4. 4. especially when we prayse him and give him thanks For when men are dull neither affected with any sense of Gods goodnesse nor with chearfulnesse their thanks are not hearty but cold and counterfeit So much of the inward duties CHAP. XXXVII Of the outward expressing inward thankfulnesse by praysing God THe outward duty is to expresse our inward thankfulnesse and chearfulnesse Our thankfulnesse by celebrating and praysing the name of God extolling his goodnesse recounting his mercies and exciting others to prayse God Our chearfulnesse jubilando by making a joyfull noyse and singing unto God Psal. 100. 1. and 81. 1. Jam. 5. 13. Now because naturally we are backward in the performance of this duty insomuch that scarce one of ten can be found to return prayse and thanks unto God as appeareth in the story of the ten lepers Luke 17. 17. I will therefore use some arguments to move us thereunto And first that threefold argument Psal. 147. 1. Praise ye the Lord for it is good to sing prayses to our God for it is pleasant and prayse is comely I. It is good For it is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us 1. Thess. 5. 18. It is the commandment of God in many places Psal. 50. 14. And the same is testified Psal. 92. 1 2. II. It is pleasant Psal. 135. 3. For it is an exercise wherein not onely the faithfull on earth do especially rejoyce but also the Saints and Angels in heaven who enjoy perpetuall joy and happinesse rejoycing and reposing therein a part of their happinesse III. It is decent or comely 1. in respect of God to whom all glory and praise is due and it is therefore just to give unto him the glory and praise which is due unto his name Psal. 92. 2. in respect both of his attributes and works Praise the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Psal. 136. 1 2 c. Secondly in respect of the faithfull Psal. 33. 1. For what can more become those who by Christs benefit are become priests to offer spirituall sacrifices unto God then to sacrifice praise unto him 1. Pet. 2. 5. Revel 1. 5. By him therefore let us offer continually the sacrifice of praise to God that is the fruit of our lips confessing to his name Heb. 13. 15. To these we may adde another ternion of arguments That praise and thanksgiving is an exercise it self most Excellent to God most Honourable to us most Necessary 1. The excellency of it may appear by comparing it first to the sacrifices of the Law For the sacrifice of praise the calves of our lips is farre preferred before the sacrifices of goats and bulls Psal. 50. 14. secondly with Prayer for as it is a more blessed thing to give then to receive Acts 20. 35. so a more excellent thing to give thanks then to beg and crave Again what more excellent thing can be done on earth then that which is the exercise of the Saints and Angels in heaven and therefore to praise God is not onely an excellent but also a blessed exercise wherein the faithfull have reposed happinesse Psal. 84. 4. Blessed are they that dwell in thine house they will be still praysing thee 2. Praise is Honourable to God Psal. 50. 23. He that sacrificeth praise he honoureth me God so highly esteemeth his praises proceeding from us as if thereby sometâ—…ing were added to his glory to which being infinite nothing can be added Therefore the praysing of God in the Scriptures is called blâ—…ssing Psal. 103. 1. the magnifying of God Luke 1. 46. and the glorifying of his name Matth. 9. 6. the making of his praise glorious Psal. 66. 2. or as some reade appone gloriam nomini ejus appoint glory to his name not that our praises indeed do make him great or glorious or adde to the glory of his name for his name is exalted above all praise Nehem. 9. 5. but that to incourage us to this duty he is pleased so to term the setting forth of his praise and the declaring or celebrating of his glory 3. It is Necessary I. Necessitate praecepti by necessity of precept Psal. 50. 14. 1. Thess. 5. 18. the which imposeth necessitatem officii the necessity of duty and the rather because we are priests ordained to offer spiritâ—…all sacrifices 1. Pet. 2. 5. Revel 1. 3. Heb. 13. 15. because in our daily prayers we desire that we may glorifie his name and therefore in our lives are to endeavour it We desire also that his will may be done but this is the will of God 1. Thess. 5. 18. Would we as we pray do the will of God as it is done in heaven then must we be frequent in sounding forth his praise for this is the exercise of the Saints and Angels in heaven II. Necessitate medii by necessity of the means as a necessary means in respect both of our good and Gods glory 1. Of our good for new blessings because it is the condition upon which the Lord promiseth to heare and deliver us Psal. 50. 15. And in this respect thanksgiving is also profitable because God will honour them that honour him 1. Sâ—…m 2. 30. The readiest way to obtein new blessings is to give thanks for the old not that by giving thanks we deserve better and greater blessings as the Papists teach for this iâ—… before confuted 2. In respect of Gods glory which is the sovereigne end of all All creatures do set forth Gods glory Psal. 19. 1. and 148. The dumbe creatures as Basil saith are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 silent praysers piercing preachers of Gods hidden works but much more men who set forth Gods praise not onely as the matter but as the instruments of his praise Psal. 145. 10. Our speech was given us to glorifie God therefore our tongue is our glory So that they are worse then bruit creatures who are mute in Gods praises Yea such necessitie there is of praysing and glorifying of God that if men should be silent God would make the stones to sound forth his praise III. Necessitate signi by the necessitie of the signe For it is necessary not onely that we should be thankfull unto God for his mercies but also that we should expresse our thankfulnesse And for as much as we cannot referre or recompense Gods bounty for our goodnesse will not reach to him Psal. 16. 3. It
birds fowls of heaven and the wicked spirits in heavenly places Ephes. 6. 12. and 2. 2. The second is that heaven wherein the starres are which are called the host of heaven The third is the seat of the blessed and throne of God called Coelum empy reum because of the light 1. Tim. 6. 16. paradise 2. Cor. 12. 4. and the third heaven in respect of the two lower and in the same sense the heaven of heavens Psal. 115. 16. 1. Kings 8. 27. God is all in all But this place is especially to be understood of the third heaven which is the place of the Lords habitation 1. Kings 8. 30. How is God said to be in heaven seeing he is everywhere If God be everywhere then is he also in heaven But God is said to be in heaven not that he is included therein 1. Kings 8. 27. and therefore not circumscriptivè by circumscription as the body of Christ nor definitivè definitively as the finite spirits but he is there and everywhere repletive filling all places Jer. 23. 23. but yet so as he is every-where totus wholly But yet after a more speciall manner he is said to be in heaven Because there especially he manifesteth his glory there he is seen face to face there he communicateth himself thence he sendeth down his blessings judgements Rom. 1. 18. thence he speaketh to men thence Christ descended thence the holy Ghost Matth. 3. thither Christ ascended there he sitteth and thence he returneth to judgement And as the soul is said to be tota in toto tota in qualibet parte all in the whole and in every part all and yet in respect of the chief operations is said to be seated in the head as it were the heaven of this Microcosme so God who is everywhere wholly both in the world and out of it is said to be in heaven Heaven is his throne Isai. 66. 1. there he prepared his seat Psal. 103. 19. there he sitteth Psal. 2. 4. that is the habitation of his holinesse c. Isai. 63. 15. the place of his habitation 1. Kings 8. 30. Secondly when Christ saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the heavens he meaneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heavenly as Matth. 6. 26. And he is called heavenly because the shallownesse of our minds cannot better conceive of the unspeakable glory and excellent majestie of God then under this name For nothing more excellent and glorious is subject to our sense then the heaven Whereas therefore the Scriptures give this title to God they teach us to ascribe unto him majestie glorious essence omnipresent power infinite wisdome unspeakable mercy endlesse The sense therefore of these words is this Thou that sittest upon heaven as thy throne glorious in majestie infinite in essence power wisdome and mercy Vses concerning prayer I. THe adoration of images reliques condemned we are taught to lift up our mind eyes hands to God being in heaven We may therefore say as Psal. 121. 1. Should I lift mine eyes to images whence then should I have help my help is from God Therefore as Psal. 123. 1. To thee I lift up mine eyes O thou who dwellest in the heavens II. We are taught not to direct our prayer towards any certain place as the Jews towards the temple but we may turn any way towards God in heaven And if we are not bound to look towards any certain place much lesse to go on pilgrimage to it III. Neither must our minds go on pilgrimage whilest we are praying but above the earth and all earthly cogitations our minds with our hands are to be lifted up unto the heavens Lam. 3. 4. Psal. 25. 1. as at all times so especially in the time of prayer our conversation ought to be in heaven IV. When we are commanded to call God our heavenly Father we are taught to abandon all base conceits concerning God Psal. 50. 13. and to ascribe unto him incomprehensible glory and majesty infinite power and essence wisdome unsearchable mercy endlesse Majesty as sitting upon the heaven as upon his throne the earth being his footstool Isai. 66. 1. Which must teach us reverence and not rashly to utter any thing before God For God is in heaven full of majestie and glory and thou upon earth dust and worms meat Eccles 5. 1. Power that is Might infinite omnipotencie Right infinite and authority universall Potentia Power Psal. 115. 3. Our God is in heaven whatsoever he will he doeth Which must teach us to pray with affiance being assured that our heavenly Father is able to do for us according to yea above our requests yea above our thought Ephes. 3. 20. Thus Jehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20. 6. Art not thou God in heaven so as power is in thine hand which none can resist Potestas Authority So faith Jehoshaphat Art not thou God in heaven and dost not thou rule over all nations So Psal. 103. 20. The Lord hath established his seat in heaven and his kingdome is over all On him therefore our trust must be reposed by whose providence and power all things are governed in heaven and in earth For hereby we learn that the Lord is not onely able in respect of his might but hath right also to bestow upon us any good thing Audacter Deum roga nihil illum de alieno 〈◊〉 Beg boldly of God seeing thou canst ask nothing of him which belongeth to another Infinite essence and omnipresence for so is the heaven said to be his throne as that the earth also is his footstool and so is he in both as that he is also everywhere and in every place totus For we may not think that God is farre from us Acts 17. 27. because he is said to be in heaven as the wicked imagine Job 22. 13. but we must acknowledge that he is alwayes present with us Psal. 139. 7 8 9 c. and as it is Psal. 145. 18. Deut. 4. 7. near unto us when we call upon him yea where two or three are gathered together in his name he is in the middest of them Matth. 18. 20. If therefore thou prayest in secret the Lord heareth thee Matth. 6. 6. if in the closet of thine heart without any speech he heareth the voyce and cry of the heart Exod. 14. 15. 1. Sam. 1. 13. Assure thy self therefore that thou speakest not into the air or utterest thy words in vain but that thou pourest forth thy requests into the bosome of the Lord. Wisdome unsearchable For as the heavens are high above the earth so are the Lords thoughts above ours Isai. 55. 9. We must therefore submit our selves to his will which is most wise and just neither let us circumscribe him but rather resigne our selves unto him who best knoweth what is fit for us Mercy unspeakable Whereby all these attributes are effectuall to our good For if earthly parents do know to give good things to their children much more doth our heavenly
Father Matth. 7. 11. This thereforè must not discourage us that he sitteth above in heaven in the high throne of his majestie 〈◊〉 though he dwelleth above yet he mercifully abaseth himself to behold the things which be in heaven and in earth Psal. 113. 5 6. He looketh down from the high place of his holinesse even from heà ven doth the Lord look down upon earth that he might heare the mourning of the prisoner and deliver the children of death Psal. 102. 19 20. Neither ought his power to terrifie us for he useth it to our good Deut. 33. 26. â—…e rideth or sitteth upon the heavens for our help Him therefore let us exalt who rideth on the highest heavens Psal. 68. 4. Here therefore is discovered the hypocrisie of those men who calling upon God as their Father in heaven lift not up their hearts to heaven but let them lie groveling on the earth who imagine God to be like themselves who without reverence speak unto him or use vain babbling who trust not in his power nor acknowledge his presence with them unreverently behaving themselves because they see him not that submit not themselves to his fatherly wisdome nor rest in his mercy and goodnesse Vses in our lives First if our Father be in heaven who also hath begotten us to an heavenly inheritance then we who are the children of God are in this world pilgrimes from God and from our countrey and therefore ought not to mindearthly things but have our conversation in heaven Phil. 3. 19 20. Secondly if God our Father be full of maiesty and power we ought to fear him and to stand in aw Thirdly if omnipotent let us rest confidently under his protection neither let the fear of any danger draw us unto sinne for God is able to deliver us Dan. 17. And on the other side let us fear to sinne for he is able to destroy both body and soul in hell Matth. 10. 28. If God be omnipresent let us behave our selves as in his presence and walk before him in uprightnesse of heart If our heavenly Father be most wise and mercifull let us cast our care upon him in all our necessities depending on him As for those that are mere worldlings terrae filii who neither stand in aw of his majesty nor trust in his power nor walk as in his presence nor depend upon his fatherly goodnesse they cannot but in hypocrisie call God their heavenly Father Now if we joyn these two together of which we have spoken severally That God is our Father and therefore willing to heare us and also in heaven and therefore able to grant our desires there will be no place left to diffidence and distrust seeing God is both willing and able to grant our requests Therefore we ought not to be distrustfully carefull but with confidence and assurance that we shall be heard to make our requests known unto God Phil. 4. 6. seeing as Fulgentius saith Deus multus est ad ignoscendum in hoc multo nihil deest in quo omnipotens misericordia omnipotentia misericors est God is much in forgiving in this much nothing is missing in whom is omnipotent mercy and mercifull omnipotence The consideration of either of these may stirre up a man to pray but if he doubt of either I see not how he can pray in faith The leper Mark 1. 40. being perswaded of Christs power desireth him to make him clean the father of him that was possessed Mark 9. 22. having some good opinion of Christs willingnesse intreated his help for the dispossessing of the unclean spirit But because the one was not assured of his willingnesse the other of his power they make but doubtfull prayers If thou wilt thou canst make me clean If thou canst do any thing help us But we may be assured of both in our heavenly Father and therefore are to be encouraged to pray in faith c. The division of the Petitions HItherto we have spoken of the preface Now we are to proceed unto the petitions Which are in number six but yet in respect of the objects they may be distinguished into two sorts For either they concern more properly and immediately the glory of God without respect of our own profit or else our own good and mediately the glory of God For in the three former we say Thy name Thy kingdome Thy will in the three latter us and our c. Those that concern Gods glory are indeed most profitable for us for with his own glory he joyneth the good and salvation of the elect For if we glorifie the name of God he will glorifie us if we be subjects of the kingdome of grace we shall be inheriters of the kingdome of glory if we do the will of God upon earth we shall enter into the kingdome of heaven But in propounding these petitions we are not to respect our own profit but the glory of God Those which immediately concern our own good must also mediately respect the glory of God whereunto if our good be not referred it is not good Those which immediately concern the glory of God are set down in the first place By which order our Saviour Christ teacheth us to preferre Gods glory before our own good yea if they should come in comparison before our own salvation Exod. 32. 32. because Gods glory is the end and therefore better then those things which are referred thereunto For which cause not onely in order of petitions but also in the measure of our affections the glory of God must be preferred before our own good Ideóque in tribus primis petitionibus oratio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est cùm posteriores conjunctionibus colligantur And therefore in the three first petitions there is no copulative when as the three latter are tied together with conjunctions In the three first petitions we desire either the glory of God it self as the end or else the means whereby his glory is procured the end in the first petition the means in the other two For then is God glorified when his kingdome is advanced and his will fulfilled This order teacheth us that the main end of all our desires and actions should be the glory of God I. Petition FIrst of the first petition Wherein we are to learn the meaning of the words and then to consider the uses which arise from thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hallowed be thy name The name of God signifieth both God himself and his attributes which â—…re himself and also that whereby he is named In the former sense the word name is often used to signifie the persons named as Acts 1. 15. and 4. 12. Revel 3. 4. and 11. 13. So the name of God is put for God himself Joel 2. 23. Deut. 28. 58. Hereupon the Hebrews use to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is His name is himself and he is his name And hereunto belong those places in which the name of God
take no thought for this debt nor 〈◊〉 sâ—…e for pardon but securely go on in their finnes as though by continuall increasing of their debt they should the more easily discharge it much like to him that having got a burden of wood and finding it too heavie should cut down more to adde unto the weight or as it is in the ridiculous proverb of the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I cannot â—…arry a goat lay upon me an ox Now these debts are of sundry forts Some are originall sinnes some actuall some inward others outward some of omission others of commission some of ignorance others of knowledge some of infirmity others of presumption some against God some against our neighbours and some against our selves In respect of all and every whereof we are every of us debtours unto God and therefore had need to pray that he would forgive us all and every of our debts Psal. 51. 9. which how many and great they are we may easily know if we will diligently look into our obligation and examine our lives by the law of God c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our In this word confession of sinne is included For it is in effect thus much O Lord we have sinned against thee have mercy therefore on us O Lord according to thy goodnesse and according to the multitude of thy mercies do away our offenses Wash us from our iniquities and cleanse us from our sinnes For we acknowledge our transgressions and our sinnes are alwayes before us Psal. 51. 2 3. Therefore with asking of pardon confession of sinne is conjoyned And this form of prayer is prescribed to be used of the perfectest men in this world as of the Apostles because there is no man that doth good upon the earth and 〈◊〉 â—…ot Eccles 7. 20. If we say saith the holy Apostle John that we have no sinne we deceive our selves and there is no truth in us If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes 〈◊〉 purge us from all iniquity If we say that we have not sinne we make him aliar and his truth is not 〈◊〉 1. John 1. 8 9 10. Here therefore both the Catharists which dream of perfection in this life and also the Pelagians and Papists which hold that a man may fully and perfectly keep the law of God in this life are confuted For such cannot make this petition except they will mock God as all those do that have a conceit of their own perfection Which conceit is in not onely the Catharists and Papists but also in the greatest part of ignorant and secure men who affirm that they love God with all their heart and their neighbour as themselves they never did any man hurt they never doubted of their salvation For howsoever the Scripture speaketh of perfect men and such as walked in all the commandments of God yet certain it is that thereby is meant the uprightnesse of their will and endeavour not the perfection of their obedience which uprightnesse notwithstanding the Scripture calleth perfection the Lord accepting the will for the deed so that upright men may indeed be said to be perfect but in affectu potiùs quà m effectu in their affections rather then their actions Forgive The Lord in forgiving sinnes as he is mercifull so is he just 1. John 1. 9. Neither doth he forgive any sinne for which his justice is not satisfied by the obedience and sufferings of Christ Rom. 3. 26. He is therefore said to forgive our sinnes when as he inputeth them not unto us but accepting of the obedience and sufferings of Christ as a full ransome and satisfaction for them washing away our sâ—…nnes in his bloud covering them with his righteousnesse imputing our sinnes to Christ and his obedience to us so that wâ—… howsoever sinfull in our selves appeaâ—… righteous before him in Christ. When as therefore we do pray for the forgivenesse of our sinnes we do not so desire him to be mercifull as that we would have him forget his justice but we come unto him in the name and mediation of Christ in whom he is well pleased beseeching him to accept of his obedience sufferings as a full satisfaction for our sinnes For remission of sinnes as it is a free work of mercy in respect of us who neither can deserve pardon nor satisfie his justice so in respect of Christ who hath satisfied for us it is a work of justice Now whereas our Saviour Christ doth teach every one of us every day to ask forgivenesse with assurance to be heard we are put in mind both of our misery and Gods mercy Our misery who day by day commit sinne and therefore have need every day to crave remission of our sinnes Gods mercy and long suffering who though he be offended every day yet he is ready to forgive their sinnes who comâ—… unto him by hearty and earnest prayer confessing their sinnes and craving pardon of them But this mercy and long-suffering of God must not encourage us to presume but invite us unto repentance Rom. 2. 4. and 6. 1. Ecclus 5. 4 5 6. Psal. 130. 4. There is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared Joel 2. 13. and encourage us to call upon him This long-suffering of God is to be imitated of us For if he be content to forgive us that finne against him every day then ought we freely to forgive them that offend us c. though it be to seventy times seven times Agaiâ—… iâ—…e very one of us be he never so righteous is bounâ—…â—…o make this prayer that God â—…ould freely reâ—…it our 〈◊〉 then it followeth that none of us can discharge the debt oâ—… by any thing which we arâ—… able to perform satisfie for our sinnes but eiâ—…her they must be freely remitted for Christs sake or elfe we must suffer the punishment due for them Divine remission and humane satisfaction cannot stâ—…nd together We must crave remisâ—…ion therefore we cannoâ—… satiâ—…fie Remissâ—…on of finnes and justification are free Rom. 3. 24. Ephes. 1. 7. Isai. 43. 25. but in satisfaction there is 〈◊〉 Therefore those that trust to their own merits and use this prayer they mock God and condemn themselves They moâ—…k God because they desire him to forgive their sinnes which they do not desire should be forgiven them but trust to satisfie for tâ—…em They condemn themselves because they confesse themselves to be debtours unto God unlesse he remit their debt and yet stand not to his remission but to their own satisfaction by which they appeal to his justice rather then implore his mercy And that no man can satisfie by any works of obedience the justice of God for his sinnes it may further appear by these reasons 1. Because our best obedience is unperfect and ouâ—… righteousnesse like unto a polluted clout and therefore if God should enter into judgement with us he might justly condemn us for our best actions as being