the same in both places the comparing of them together in this exposition will not be vnprofitable And here we must obserue that some latin books omitting some things do repeat this form of praier more briefly in S. Luke then it is described by Mathew For in the beginning it is only said Father and this which followeth in S. Matthew which art in heauen is omitted The third petition also is omitted thy wil be dōe in earth as it is in heauen This also is omitted But deliuer vs from euill And Austine saith expressely in his Enchiridion cap. 115. 116. that the lords praier in Mathew containeth seauen petitions but in S. Luke it hath not seauen but fiue petitions onely And he sheweth that that petition thy wil be done is contained in the two former this but deliuer vs in that which went before it Lead vs not into temptation Whence I gather that the Latin bookes euen in Austins time had the Lords praier according to Luke as it is now read But the Greeke bookes doe set downe that whole prayer euen so with Luke as it is in Mathew saue onely that with Luke doth wāt that conclusiō for thine is the kingdome Now it might seeme that such things as were wanting with Luke in this place haue beene added from the Greeke bookes out of Mathew But Austine in his booke of the words of the Lord vpon Luke cap. 28. And Ambrose in his fift booke of the Sacraments cap. 4. doe so rehearse that whole praier out of Luke as it is extant in Mathew Whence I gather that the latin bookes differed at that time and some of them read it so in Luke in this place as it is in the greeke others read it so as it is now in the vulgar latin translation As for the differēce which is in some words that we wil note in the exposition And that very diuersity of some wordes doth shew that we are not bound to a superstitious rehearsall of wordes in prayer This praier containes three parts the entrance or preface petitions and the conclusion of each whereof I will speake in order Our father which art in heauen The Preface Austine saith whereas in euery earnest sute we ought to procure his good will to whome we make our request and that is most conueniently done by the praise and commendation of his benefites to whome we praie therefore seeing we neither can nor ought to boast of our owne merits before God Christ in the beginning of this praier hath commanded vs to say nothing else but Our father Hugo saith that Christ like a good oratour before the petitions prefixeth a short preface wherin fauour is sought for from the person asked when we say Father from the person asking when we say Our And surly these aduertisments haue their vse But because it hath beene declared before that we are to vse words in praier not so much to mooue the minde of God by rhetoricall insinuations as by rehearsing and meditating on the wordes to stirre vp in our selues attention deuotion confidence and care to frame our praiers aright that we may shew our selues to be such suiters as the Lord would haue therefore those words are principally to be imploied for this ende and purpose We will briefly note out in seuerall points those things which are principally to be thought vpon by occasion of these words As first these words Our father doe giue vs to vnderstand that praier ought not to be such a bare desire in a wishing manner as men are woont to say would God this good might happen vnto me oh that this danger or this euill might be remooued God blesse it and prosper it God forbid and such like but we must expressely name him of whome we desire to haue our request graunted vnto vs. And not in generall tearmes onely as when we say God graunt God forbid but we must by name speake vnto and call vpon him that our praier may be directed vnto him our father as it were in communication And whereas the psalmes doe speake in the third person God be mercifull vnto vs God blesse vs we must vnderstand that praier to be directed either to the mediatour that for his sake God would be mercifull vnto vs and blesse vs or else the deuotion of the mind is to be referred to the second person For it is the Scripture phrase to speake vnto a person present in the third person as Gen. 33.14 Let my lord goe before his seruant 1. King 16.16 Let my lord the King command and chap. 25.25 Let not my lord the King I pray thee set his heart against Nabal And in that vsuall phrase of Scripture let the king liue is vnderstoode I pray God the King may liue And therefore in what words soeuer the prayer be framed the minde must alwaies thinke vpon God and behold him that our desires and requests may be directed vnto him For this is the forme and rule of our prayer to say our Father Secondly these wordes doe admonish vs that prayer or invocation is not to bee directed to any creature but onely to the heauenly father so as we may not direct our prayer to them of whome we are sure their spirits doe liue with God For the name Father is also opposed vnto thē Isay 63. v. 16. Doubtles thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of vs Israell know vs nos thou Lord art our Father and our redeemer Thirdly those wordes doe teach vs that we must so conceiue of God and speake to god in prayer as he hath revealed his essence vnto vs in his word For the heathen when they goe to pray they thinke of a God that is eternall the Creatour almighty but who that God is they knowe not But we are taught by these wordes to make a difference betweene our calling vpon God and the praiers of the heathen and to thinke that we call vpon that God who hath thus made knowne his beeing vnto vs in his word that he is the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost to witte the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who sendeth the spirit of his sonne into the hearts of the faithfull whereby we crie Abba father For so the word Father is to be vnderstood essentiallie in this place for God or for the Diuine Maiesty or for the whole Trinity which is the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost as it is written Deut. 32. v. 6. Is not he thy father that hath bought thee which hath made thee and proportioned thee Isaie 63. v. 16. Thou Lord art our father and our redeemer or he that dischargeth vs from bondage The Sonne also is called by this generall title Father of Eternity Isay 9.6 And the holy ghost is called the Father of the poore This title therefore doth admonish vs when we are about to pray to settle our minde against all levity inconsideration pride in such deuotion reuerence and humility as those which
remember themselues to poure out the wordes of their prayer not vnto the aire or before any creatures but before the diuine Maiestie whom we come vnto in our praier Eph. 3. v. 14. before whose face we doe appeare Psal 141.2 and Psal 119.58 beseeching him to be neere and present in all our supplications Fourthly the word Father also may very well be vnderstood personally or in relation for the person of the father the mētion and moouing whereof doth necessarily include the Sonne whereto it hath relation And by the spirit of the Sonne we crie Abba Father So that the seuerall persons of the Trinitie in their offices and benefits toward the Church are offered to our consideratiō in the preface of this praier And thus Saint Paul did vnderstand the name Father in prayer indiuerse places and specially Eph. 3.14 For this cause doe I bend my knees vnto the father of our Lord Iesus Christ And Christ himselfe expoundeth Our father when he saith Ioh. 20.17 I ascende vnto my father and your father to my God and to your God Therefore this title comprizeth not onely that the father from eternitie hath begotten his onely begotten Sonne but in respect of the Father it containeth the benefits of our regeneration adoption and calling to an heauenly inheritance In respect of the Sonne the mediatour it containeth the merit office and the benefits of his propitiation reconciliation intercession that it may warne vs of that which the Sonne promiseth Ioh. 16.23 Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the father in my name he will giue it you And because a doubting and distrustfull praier obtaineth nothing Iam. 1.6 but as it is written Mark 11.24 I say vnto you what soeuer ye shall desire when ye pray if you shall not vvauer in heart but beleeue that ye shall receiue it they shall be done vnto you So that this title Our father teacheth vs with what faith and confidence we are to pray vnto God to wit not in proud and Pharisaicall presumption for our owne iustice or worthinesse for the works and merits either of our selues or others but with an humble acknowledgement and confession of our owne vnworthines for the merit and intercession of the onely Sonne of God our Mediatour for whome the father hath adopted vs to be sonnes and heires Eph. 1.5 As Daniel saith in his praier We haue sinned and done wickedly we doe not present our supplications before thee in our owne righteousnes but in thy great tender mercies heare vs for the Lords sake Likewise that whereto this title fasher hath relation doth put vs in minde of most sweete consolation Heb. 2.17 That in things concerning God vve haue a mercifull and a faithfull high priest And 1. Ioh. 2.1 If we sinne we haue an advocate with the father who is the propitiation for our sinnes Hebr. 7.25 and 9.24 Euer liuing and appearing in the sight of God for vs to make intercession for vs which by him doe come vnto God For he hath receiued gifts for men Psal 68.19 and he bestoweth the same on vs Eph. 4.11 So by these words that we are not commanded to call God a Lord iust great almightie terrible but our Father is stirred vp in those which pray confidence that they shall be heard and obtaine their requests Hebr. 4.16 Let vs therefore goe boldly to the throne of grace that we may receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede And most sweete is the saying of Bernard That praier which tasteth sweet of a fatherly name giueth me assurance that I shall obtaine all my requests For the title Father affoardeth vs this confidence as Christ himselfe declareth Ioh. 16.23 that our praiers are not either grieuous or vngratefull vnto God but the father so loueth vs that he is delighted with this our dutie if we come vnto him by our praiers and his fatherly minde is carefull for our necessities Matth. 6. v. 32. And of his owne accord is readie and forward to heare and to helpe vs Luk. 11.9 and psal 103.13 As a father hath compassion on his children c. Againe this title teacheth them that pray to consider and trie themselues whether they be indeede the sonnes of God members and brethren of Christ ingraffed of the father For they that goe on in their sinnes without repentance and doe not seeke imbrace Christ by true faith that by him they may be reconciled vnto God cannot call God father So very many things doth this title teach vs. Fiftly whereas we doe not onely say Father but our father this bringeth vs to the consideration of that which Christ saith Ioh. 20.17 I ascend vnto my father and your father to witte that we should conceiue and thînke that God who is by nature the father of Christ is for his sake by grace out father also not by nature but by adoption And least we should thinke that he were onely the father of some few which be indued with great vertues and excellent gifts therefore when we say our father we doe include the whole bodie of beleeuers wherein all the members are not alike The consideration whereof serues to beat downe pride and to worke humilitie in the children of God that haue attained to greater measure of grace that they may not chalenge any thing peculiar to themselues in this fatherhood but reckon themselues among the cōmon flocke of Gods children saying Our father It serueth also to put courage into the weaker sort that they may not thinke themselues to be excluded frō that fatherhood but make account that God is no lesse their father then the father of Marie Iohn Baptist and Paul and therefore are they commanded to say Our father For we pray vnto a father that iudgeth vvithout respect of persons 1. Pet. 1.17 Lastly this very title doth put vs in mind of brotherly loue for if there be one which is our father Math. 23.9 then are we brethren and members one to another Mala. 2.10 Haue we not all one father and one God why then doth euery one despise his brother This also teacheth vs to pray not onely for our owne wants but also to cōmend vnto God in our praier the necessities of our whole brotherhoode and of euery member thereof saying Our father giue vs forgiue vs. Neither neede we to doubt if so be we be members of that bodie but that the common praiers of the whole bodie doe also include our necessities For therefore especially hath he fitted a forme of praier for such an harmonie or consent as himselfe speaketh because he doth principally require our praiers to be common that a few might meete together in his name and agree among themselues what they will aske Math. 18.20 And yet because we are commanded to pray in secret priuately in our chamber therefore when we say Our father it is requisite that euery one doth applie vnto himselfe that common promise of the fatherhoode as Thomas said well My God and my Lord and as
more Thirdly what blessings are to be acknowledged in euery petition that we may be thankfull for the same and that this confession and thanksgiuing may be kindled may grow and be increased in vs. Fourthly in euery petition there must be humble confession that those things which are propounded are not asked of vs continually nor earnestly and feruently but seldome and coldly and that we doe not sufficiently consider of the greatnes thereof and that contrarie to our request we our selues indeed doe refuse and shake off those blessings which we craue and the euills which in word we pray against by the very contrarie acte we fetch and drawe vnto our selues that we doe not acknowledge benefits receiued neither are heartily thankfull for them but forget the same that we regard them not neither vse them reuerently with thankfulnes to the glorie of God but vngratefully through abuse doe bestow them ill These things are to be acknowledged and bewailed with humble confession in euery petition and withal we must thinke vpon and by praier seeke for reformation And all those things are to be applied both in generall to the whole bodie of the Church and priuately vnto our selues and namely also vnto those whose necessitie is knowne vnto vs. Thus shall we haue large meditation in euery petition which we will not handle in this place because it is not my purpose at this time but wil commend the same to euery mans priuate deuotion Onely we will expound the wordes in euery petitâ—on and shew the meaning withall briefly declaring how they may and ought to be applied to those foure heads or chiefe places Hallowed be thy name That we may finde out the true meaning of this petition we must expound the words There is no doubt but here is treated the praise honour renowme of God For Name is oft taken for glorie and renowme Gen. 6.4 they are called men of Name whose fame was renowmed Deutr. 26.19 The most high will set thee above all nations which he hath made in praise in Name and in glorie The word Hallowed as we shall shew by and by is often vsed when any thing is highly and gloriously renowmed as famous But that we may the better consider the meaning of this petition in a godly meditation we will for plainnes sake deuide the exposition into some parts I. And first in generall this petition being put in the first place doth commend vnto vs the desire of Gods glorie that we should chiefly and before all things care for and seeke the glorie of God And that we should referre al things which we aske and doe to Gods glorie as to the true end 1. Cor. 10. v. 31. Doe all to the glorie of God And because in this corruption of our nature we are not much carefull for the true glorie of God those things which we doe which we aske which we receiue we doe either not at all or in truth not earnestly referre them to the glorie of God but in stead of glorie we put contempt and râ—proch vpon God we profane we pollute and blaspheme his name therefore we are commanded to praie that God from heauen would kindle preserue and increase in vs a true desire of Gods glorie and that we may be kept defended and deliuered from all forgetfulnes contempt prophaning defiling and blaspheming the name of God and of his glorie II. Secondly the name of God doth signifie whatsoeuer proprieties of perfection attributes or vertues God hath reuealed and declared in his word concerning his essence his will and his workes as that he is wise iust great terrible good gentle mercifull patient penitent ielous visiting iniquitie and such like The Ievves because they will not pronounce the name Iehovah Thargum Hierosolymi tanum in stead thereof vse Shem. Thence the Caldie paraphrase for God himselfe putteth Shem and Hashem a name Gen. 10.9 for the vertues or perfections of God are the very essence of God Now that name of God cannot be hallowed by any addition infusion accesse or increase of holines as it is written of vs He that is holy let him be more holy Apoc 22.11 for it is holy in it selfe that is seuered and exempt from excelling and exceeding all other common and prophane things in puritie and holines But as the word hallowed is vsed Levit 10. v. 3. for when the Lord had slaine the two sonnes of Aaron which offered straunge fire he saith I vvill be sanctified in those vvhich come neare me and Ezek. 38. v. 23. For the vengeance taken vpon Gog and Magog he saith I will be magnified and sanctisied I saie 5. v. 16. After the threatning of punishments he saith The Lord of hoasts shall be exalted in iudgemeÌ„t and the holy God shall be hallowed in iustice Ezek. 20. v. 9. Speaking of the returne of his people he saith I will be sanctified of you in the sight of the heathen and chap. 28. v. 22. of the punishment of Sidon and the deliuerance of Israel he saith I will be sanctified in them Chap. 36.23 Concerning the returne of his people he saith Not for you but for myne owne holy name will I doe this thing I will sanctifie mine owne great name that the heathen may knowe that I am the Lora when I shall be sanctified in you before them And in this sense doe we pray that God would exhibite shew forth and declare the glory and excellency of his name that is of his perfections of his attributes or vertues whereof we haue spokeÌ„ by some notable worke in his Church or against his enimies like as it may be peculiarly expounded and vnderstood of euery name of god which thing I leaue and coÌ„mend to the priuate diligence of the Reader So likewise considering that Our Father went before and nowe followeth Hallowed be thy name we may well vnderstand by Name the benefits of the person the office of the Father the merits and benefits of the sonne the Mediatour and the office and blessings of the holy ghost which are revealed made known in the scripture Those we desire to be hallowed that is mercifully to be declared made knowne and shewed forth towards vs. So the scripture saith we must beleeue in the name of the onely begotten that we receiue remission of sinnes and eternall life in the name and by the name of Christ If these things be seuerally vnfoulded they will affoard very large meditation ὑπομνήματα but we onely lay downe the cheife heads of things for memories sake III. By relation also we desire that the name of god may be hallowed among vs with vs and of vs that is that those attributes which we said were comprehended vnder the name of god might shine forth with vs become knowne in vs be spread abroad and become renowned in all the world According as the scripture saith I will be sanctified before the nations that they may know that I am the lord And the contrary whereby we are forbidden
yeelding wholly vnto it Or els to be lead into temptation is to be delighted with the suggestion of some sinne to be carried wholly into it is to giue full consent to the temptation Now Christ vseth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth not so much to lead into as to carry into as Austine also obserued when any thing is saide to be lead or caried into The Greeke interpreters translate Hebi which commeth of Bo by the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to bring to to bring vpon to lead into to carie into And the Hebrew word is vsed in the same sense about the worshipping of the calfe Exod. 32. v. 21. Thou hast brought vpon thy people a great sinne Gen. 26.10 Thou shouldest haue brought a trespasse vpon vs. Gen. 27.12 I shall bring a curse vpon me and not a blessing Psal 66.11 Thou hast brought vs into a snare 3. King 21.29 I will not bring euill in his daies But the phrase To lead or carie into temptation whereupon the meaning of this petition dependeth may best be vnderstood by comparing together the vse thereof The Scripture speaketh thus of the assault or sending of temptations 1. Cor. 10.13 No temptation hath taken laid hold on or assailed you but such as pertaine to man Iam 1.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth not barely signifie to fall into temptation but to runne into to bite vpō temptatiōs And that is yet more grieuous which Paul saith 1. Timoth. 6.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they fall into temptations as it were into a snare which drowne men in destruction and perdition Luk. 22. v. 40. Pray least ye enter into temptation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is least at vnawares beeing vnprouided without armour and fight ye be wrapped in temptation which may ouercome you yea drowne you VVhence it is plaine that we are lead into temptation when we are left vnto our selues destitute of the helpe of God and are driuen into are plunged thrust downe or cast headlong into the wiles and mightie assaults of the deuills temptations and are suffered to be ouerwhelmed therewith as though we were euery way ensnared in a ginne And we doe not pray without naming any person onely that we may not be lead into temptation but speaking vnto our heauēly father we say Lead not thou vs into temptation And Austin noteth that many read this petition after this māner Suffer vs not to be lead into temptation But the meaning is more full if it be read Lead vs not c. And because the deceit of temptation doth farre exceed our weaknesse for we fight not with flesh and blood but against the powers of darkenesse and spiritual deceits Eph. 6.12 And there is great danger lest we should yeeld in temptation and be ouercome and so drowned in perdition Therefore first of all we pray because Satan hath not liberty to tempt vs so much either as he would or could doe but so much as God permitteth and giueth him leaue Iob. 1.12 that our heauenly father would not cast vs off and deliuer vs to the lust to the treasons and power of this tēpter but that he would dispose of and moderate the temptation and not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that which by his grace and gift we are able to beare as Paul saith 1. Cor. 10.13 II. When Satan desireth to tempt vs or to winnow vs we pray that our heauenly father would not forsake vs and leaue vs alone vnto our selues neither depriue vs of his present grace and helpe in the fit of temptation but that he would be present with vs and assist vs to driue away to put backe to suppresse and bridle the deuill ministring strength and courage vnto vs that beeing strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Ephe. 6.13 We may beare the temptation Iam. 1.12 We may withstand it 1. Pet. 5.10 and may not yeeld nor be ouercome nor faint in the time of temptation Luk. 8.13 or be ouerwhelmed in perdition 1. Tim. 6.9 but Ephe. 6.11 dispatching them al may be able to fight and stand fast and in the time of temptation may be kept from euill Ioh. 17.15 And that Christ our mediatour Luke 22.32 may pray for vs that our faith our hope our patience our striuing and constancy may not faile III. Because we our selues are secure vnprouided and drousie in time of temptation not considering the wiles and the power of this tempter and our owne manifold infirmities neither are we very much carefull about the danger of temptation we therefore pray that the Lord himselfe would raise vs out of the sleepe of security as he teacheth his Apostles Luk. 22. v. 46. That we may watch praying with all carefulnesse and vehemency lest we enter into temptation that God himselfe would arme vs giuing vs wisdome and strength that that we may well oppose the same against temptations IV. We pray that god would giue vs patience consolation and hope Rom. 5.4 that howelong or howe grieuouslie soeuer god will haue vs to be tempted we may be able to beare it being contented with the grace of god as it was answered to Paul 2. Cor. 12.9 V. we praie that when we are bound in the snare of temptation and cannot thence deliuer our selues nor find any way out that he would giue such an issue 1. Cor. 10.13 that me may sustaine and beare it that it may be profitable for vs and turne to the glory of God VI. Because he knoweth we haue but small strength we pray that Christ would keepe vs from the dangerous and deadly hower of temptation as it is Apoc. 3.3 VII We praie that God would keepe vs in the time of temptation from the presumption of Peter and from Sauls dispaire VIII that god in his indignation would not punish one sinne with another and so leade vs into dangerous temptation as he did Dauid 2. Sam. 24. 1. and 1. Chron. 21. v. 1. and that he would not giue vs vp to the lusts of our owne heart Psal 81.13 or into a reprobate sense Rom. 1.28 or to hardnes of heart that we should not grieue Eph. 4.18 And this interpretation beeing gathered out of the scripture it selfe is the plainest and most safe And these things we must pray for in generall for the whole Church priuately for our selues and namely for others that are tempted crauing deliuerance from euills praying for blessings giuing thankes for benefits receiued and confessing that we doe not manfully striue against temptations that we yeeld vnto them that we doe not prepare our selues against temptations that we take not the armour of God that we our selues minister baites vnto the tempter we sweep dresse vp the house Luke 11.25 we giue our members as weapons vnto the tempter Romans 6.19 All which points we haue expounded before and here onely doe briefly point out the leads of instructions leauing to set down at large the ful meditations that this