the whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath saved thee Upon with words Calvin puts a Question If wee restrain this to the cleansing of his body from leprosy What difference betwixt this and the other nine who were also cleansed Hee answers that Christ did otherwise esteem the gift of God than profane men are wont to doe hee looke upon it as a symbol or pledge of God's love to him The ingratitude of the other did as it were infect and contaminate their cleanness Faith only sanctifies the gifts of God that they may be pure to us but he addes in the close that together with his outward cleansing hee had obtained eternal salvation for the Samaritane is saved by his Faith how not only that hee was cured of his leprosy so were the rest but because hee was received into the number So Deodate and others of God's Children and had received this temporall cure as a pledge of God's Fatherly love to him Thus hee With whom Beza seems to concur thus glossing Christ doth good even to the unthankful but the benefits of God profit them only to salvation who are thankfull This I have hinted to shew the advantages that flow from thankfulness Hee 's thankfull for a temporall mercy Christ according to their interpretation assures him of eternall mercy Well let not your afflictions make you less thankfull for the goodness of God in vouchsafing you his Spirit to help you in prayer nay rather double your prayses for the sweetness and seasonableness of this mercy Thus much to the second fort CHAP. XIV I Have only a Third sort to address my self to in a few words and those are they who having been in the deeps have there seen the wonders of the Lord who can bear witness to this Truth and say that had not the Spirit upheld and strengthned them they had perished in their affliction the proud waters had gone over their Soul Canst thou say as Jonah I cryed by reason of my affiction Jonah 2. 2. unto the Lord and he heard mee Out of the belly of hell cryed I and thou heardest my voyce Hath God both prepared thy heart and caused his care to hear hath he both helpt the to pray and helpt thee upon thy prayer so that thou hast an undeniable Testimony of both parts of the Text. viz. that God both gives his Spirit to help our infirmities and that hee knows and accepts the desires of his Spirit because they are according to the will of God What remains but that thou be pressed and exhorted to this 4. sold duty To the doing of which thy own experience may be motive sufficient 1. Beg and use the same help in Prayse which thou hadst in Prayer If thy prayers in affliction were spiritual let not thy joy be carnall There 's a great difference betwixt prayse and gladness Then are they glad because Psalm 107. 30 31. they be quiet O that men would praise the Lord True joy which hath the Lord for its Object hath the Spirit for it's Authour you read of the joy of the Holy Ghost well Rom. 14. 17. Eph. 5. 18. 19. labour to get your hearts tuned by the Spirit Be filled with the Spirit speaking to your selves in Psalmes and hymns and Spiritual sengs singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord The Spirit hath as I may sâ—y helpt thee into debt by enabling thee to pray and prevail now intreat that hee also may help thee out by enabling thee to give unto the Lord in some measure the glory due unto his Name and the rather because the mercy coming in a way of prayer is more then common and therefore cals for more than ordinary thankfulness the high praises of God should be in thy mouth Thou shouldstâ—â—ing that new song which is peculiar Rev. 14. 3. to the saved of the Lord which none can sing but by the Spirit of God Spiritual praises are a language too high for fools none can praise aright but they whose hearts are toucht ' and tuned by the Spirit of God Isa 43. 21. This people have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise Till wee are God's workmanship wee cannot righly give God glory Nor only doe wee need habituall qualifications but actuall excitations Oh desire this additionall mercy that hee who hath delivered thee at the request of his own Spirit making Intercession in thy heart would by the same Spirit raise up thy soul to a high pitch of Spiritual joy and Thanksgiving 2. Turne this experience into obedience be ready at the call of God's Spirit as God was at thy call This is Davids improvement Then I called upon the Lord I was Psalm 116. 4 6 9. brought low and hee helped mee I will walk before the Lord i. e. in obedience to the Lord in the Land of the living Be carefull therefore in hearkning to the motions and following the conduct of the Spirit under Enlargements Oh resolve through grace and beg grace that thou mayst both resolve and perform thy resolutions that thou wilt never grieve thy Comforter by slighting or sinning against him When thou art about to doe any thing which might sadden or provoke him refrain thy self upon a double account Let ingenuity hold thy hands Shall I grieve him now that was my greatest Comfort in my affliction shall I thus requite his kindness Oh I remember his quicknings his sweet enlargments wrought in my heart Oh what cordials did hee provide mee in my sainting fits how did hee stay up hands and heart and keep mee in a waiting praying posture till the Lord at last heard my cry and delivered my soul out of trouble Think thou hearest him calling and saying Is this thy kindness to thy friend did I stand by thee in thy affliction help thy infirmities support thee under thy burdens did I enable thee to pray and wrestle and prevail to be thus requited Oh doe not wound him in thy prosperity who was thy best friend in adversity 2. If Ingenuity will not let Prudence restrain thee The Tables may be turned thy present gleam may be overclouded a storm may be breeding Then mayst thou expect him as much a stranger to thee as now thou art to him I think it was Luthers saying mihi crede res delicata est Spiritus â—ita nos tractat sicut tractatur Beleeve it the Spirit of God is a very tender thing it will deal with us as wee doe with him and this know that thy former experience of his assistance in trouble will make his absence doubly afflicting Let therefore this double cord draw thee to obedience let ingenuity to the Spirit of God let respect to thy own future comfort keep thee from putting forth thy hand to iniquity and engage thee in a course of obedience 3. You that have found the sweetness of this Priviledge in a day of trouble declare it to others that they also may seek after iâ—â— Psalm 66.
used in sincerity when speaking of God they add blessed or worshipped may hee bee so here But as the opinion is singular so the verb here being in the same mood as in the following Petitions speaks this to be of the same nature with the following I conclude it therefore to be a Petition the sense whereof wee shall better understand by explaining the Terms of it 1. What is meant by the name of God 2. What by sanctifying Explicat Thy name The name of God is put 1. for God himself an usuall Hebraism to put names for persons which the Greeks also imitate Acts. 1. 15. The number of names were about 120 Rev. 3. 4. Thou hast a few names c. i. e. persons So the name of Christ is put for Christ himself Acts. 4. 12. Ephes 1. 21. Thus the Name of God is equivalent to God himself Gen. 4. 26. Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord and this is very frequent and obvious 2. Name is put for that which notifies and distinguishes God from all others So those Attributes whereby God hath revealed himself are frequently called his name Se Exod. 3. 15. 15. 3. Isa 43. 6. Exod. 34. 5 6. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee Psam 9. 10. i. e. Thy power wisdom goodness c. 3. It is also put for fame and celebrity for the glory of praise that is publickly given to any one so 't is attributed to God 1 Kings 8. 41. 42. they shall hear of thy great Name Neh. 9. 10. so didst thou get thee a name as wee say A mans name is up when hee is spoken of with general applause 4. Name is put for what ever God makes himself known by as in the 3d. Commandment Now the word and works of God are the things whereby hee discovers himself Here the two first senses are most proper q. d. Be thou magnified and glorified in thy Essence and Attributes Hallowed or sanctified To open that word take the following Conclusions 1. Man is said to sanctify himself or others thus God commands the Israelites to sanctifie to him their first born Exod. 13. 2. and the Priests to sanctify themselves Exod. 19. 22. In this sense to sanctify is to dedicate and set a part to God a thing or person or to prepare for any speciall service 2. God is said to sanctify Man which is either to choose him to some peculiar office as Aaron and his Sons Exod. 29. 44. Or else to infuse habits of graces and make him holy by reall communications of the graces of his Spirit of which 1 Thess 5. 23. and many other Scriptures 3. God is said to sanctify himself Numb 20. 13. when hee vindicates himself from any dishonour or wicked reflexions of mens sins So Ezek. 36. 23. I will sanctify my great name which was profaned among the Heathen which ye have profaned in the midst of them i. e. I will wipe off the reproach which your miscarriages have brought upon my Name amongst the Heathen Thus God sanctified himself upon Aarons Sons Levit. 10. 3. See also Isa 5. 16. But amongst his own people God is said to sanctify himself when hee restores to them the purity of his worship Ezek. 20. 41. or delivers them from any grievous affliction Ezek. 28. 25. and 39. 27. In a word when God by any signall providence declares what hee is or writes any of his attributes so legibly upon his Providences that men may plainly read it hee doth herein sanctifie himself 4. Lastly Man is said to sanctify God Isa 8. 13. Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself that is not to make but to declare God holy and glorious to acknowledge him to be what hee is and to ascribe to him what ever speaks his transcendent excellency In a word to refer our whole life and all our actions and endeavours to his glory according to that 1 Cor. 10. 31. Now the two last senses are proper to this Petition Let thy name be sanctified both by thy self and by us thy Creatures doe thou reveal thy glory and enable us to acknowledg and celebrate it And by the way it is well observed Sr. Rich. Baker how generally these Petitions run that relate to God It is said Hallowed be thy name Not by us lest wee make the Musick of too few voices Thy Kingdom come not to us lest wee assign God too small a Territory Thy will be done Not by us lest wee stint God to too few Servants But wee say Hallowed be thy name and stop there that no mouth may be stopt from glorifying God Thy Kingdom come but not whither because wee should desire its coming into all places Thy will be done Not by whom because it should be done by all The sense then of this Petition may be given in these Scriptures Psam 80. 12. Thou that dwellest between the Cherubins shine forth and Psal 21. 13. Be thou exalted Lord in thine owne strength And Psal 57. 5 11. Be thou exalted O God above heavens let thy glory be above all the earth These may express it as it relates to Gods sanctifying himself And then as it relates to our sanctifying of him Ps 67. 3 5. Let the people praise thee O God yea let all the people praise thee may be a good exposition or Paraphrase upon it So Psal 13. 18. c. The more particular explication I reserve to the Application The Point is this Doctr. 6 The gloryfying or sanctifying of Gods name should be our chief Petition in our addresses to God by prayer This needs no great proof that one Scripture speaks fully to it 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whether yee eat or drink doe all to the glory of God If every thing if our naturall and civil much more our religious actions and if the glory of God must be the highest end of our prayers it clearly followes that it must be first and chief in our Petitions as well as in our intentions I shall for further clearing the thing and preventing mistakes briefly answer a 3. sold Query and then apply it Quest 1. Is it necessary that wee should alwayes keep this order in our Petitions must wee alwayes pray in the first place that Gods name may be sanctifyed Ans 1. The glory of God should alwayes fit highest in our hearts and all our desires and Petitions should be subordinate to this as their end and as far as wee can discern directed to it so that all wee ask should be implicitly and intentionally Petitions that Gods name may be sanctified since in what ever wee ask wee should chiefly intend this and our desires should be ever bounded with this as the condition if wee ask outwards health riches deliverance c. or if spirituals grace or comfort still wee must have an ey to this mark and the nearer any thing comes to this mark the more intense may our desires be and the move earnest our Petitions about it So that
though I doe not conceive it alwayes necessary to pray or begin our prayers in these or the like words yet that wee are hereby taught both what to pray for with the greatest intensness viz. things that have a more immediate and infallible tendency to Gods glory as also with what intention to pray for all wee pray for viz. that wee or others may be in a better capacity to glorify God That Text Matth. 6. 33. Seek first c. doth not mainly intend order of time but of dignity first i. e. mainly principally with the greatest earnestness seriousness industry So that the Order of this Petition doth not so much teach us in what order to begin as to what end wee should order and direct our prayers 2. Yet in reason that which should be highest in our intentions should ordinarily be first in our Petitions I say not that it is absolutely necessary that so it should be but surely in Reason that which concerns Gods glory and our spiritual good should have the precedency in an ordinary course That wee give God his glory before wee ask him to give us what makes for our good is very reasonable Though as wee sometimes dispatch smaller buisnesses that mee may be more fit and free for the main so it may not be amiss sometimes to dispatch some Petitions for outwards which may be urgent and pressing upon us that they may not hinder in our more spiritual and more important concernment But this I make not a rule for our ordinary practise but only an expedient in some urgent and extraordinary Cases Quest 2. But what necessity at all of such a Petition since God will see to that himself since hee will infallibly earry on that as his grand design nor can our prayers contribute any thing to it Answ 1. Were it but to testify our desire it were something since that is our great end 1 Cor. 10. 31. Our prayers should express the workings of our hearts towards it nor doth the certainty of Gods effecting any thing supersede our prayers or endeavours about it nay rather if the thing be any way our concernments and within the compass of a promise certainty of the event should edge our prayers indeed wee can pray for nothing absolutely except wee know God will or hath promised to effect it The decrees of God bring-forth upon the knees of prayer when God had bound himself Ezek. 36. 37. by promise for the Jews restauration hee will yet be enquired of that hee may doe it it 's no small evidence of the Truch of grace when our prayers Eccho back Gods promises and when the breathings of our hearts are after the accomplishment of God's grand design in the world 2. But besides 't is our concernment for the sense of the Petition as hath bin hinted is this Lord sanctify thy name and enable us to sanctify it That God shall be gloryfied is certain but that wee may be amongst that number that give him the glory due to his name should be the earnest and most importunate desire of our souls Especially since Thirdly Upon the sanctifying of Gods name by us depends our happiness and indeed to hallow or sanctify the name of God in glory is our very happiness What is our hope or what should be our desire but to be admitted to joyne with the heavenly Quire in singing glory honour and praise to God for ever and ever This is their both work and wages and this is the import of the Petition q. d. Lord enable us so to sanctify thy name on earth that wee may both glorify thee and bee glorified with thee in heaven And who will say This is a needless or frivolous Petition Quest 3. Why is this first in order though wee have partly hinted already yet take this ccount 1. This is the highest end of our Creation and should be of all our actions as hath bin shewd once and again Now the chief end should be first in the intention this is as the Sea out of which all our Petitions should issue and into which they should empty themselves 2. This chiefly intended is as the first-fruits that make the lump holy as the altar that sanctifies the gift when wee have proposed this as our end and praefixt it to our players what ever else wee ask keeping our eye â—xt on this is wel-pleasing to God yea though wee should mistake in the particular God will excuse it If wee ask according to 1 John 5. 14. his will hee heareth us now if wee sincerely intend his glory in our asking wee cannot but in the generall ask according to his will though hee may see good to withold the particular thing wee pray for David designes to build God a house herein proposing 1 Kings â— 18. 2 Sam. 7. 11. to himself the glory of God God approves and rewards this design though hee will not permit David himself to effect his design So that when this is sincerely proposed it facilitates and opens the way for the attainment of other blessings all that wee ask after and in subordination to this shall either be given or denyed in mercy 'T is a grand failure in prayer when wee ask to Jam. 4. 3 waste upon our lusts and 't is a singular excellency when a soul can reflect upon his prayer and say hee hath askt nothing but what hee conceives might tend to the glory of God and might enable him for that end otherwise hee would not have askt it 3. And it is fit wee should prefer God and his grand concernment to our owne Are not wee his Creatures his Servants his Children Should not the Servant gird himself and serve his Master before himself Luk. 17. 8 Should a servant that is wholly maintained by another seek himself in the first place God made us for himself Prov. 16. 4. Rom. 11. ult and therefore wee should make him our principall end That wee first or chiefly pray for Gods glory and the means of it is a duty that results from our Relation to God That wee may afterward ask for our selves is a mercy flowing from Gods condescension and compassion towards us so that wee see There is all the reason in the world why Gods glory should be chief in our intention when wee pray if not alwayes first in our expression Use Now the Use omitting all other is this Labour wee do direct our prayers according to the pattern of this Petition make this ordinarily the first in asking and alwayes the end of what wee aske This should be the primum mobile the spring of all our motions in prayer This is the Term from and to which all our prayers should tend To moove and perswade to this Consider Mot. 1. Wee cannot lightly ask amiss as to particular if wee maâ—â— this our end in general The same Spirit that directs us to this as our end will direct us in asking suitable means to it The arrow that is rightly fixt
upon the mark will lightly hit it God will shew us his way wâ—en wee make himself our end the Spirit will regulate our Petitions when it hath rectified our ends 2. Nor shall wee miss of what wee ask so far as it makes for our end having made Gods glory our chief design and put all other things in subordination to it wee may say with Luther fiat voluntas mea mea quia tua Domine let my will be done mine Lord because thine Your Petitions when thus directed are such as God can no more deny than hee can deny himself for hereby Gods Interest is greater then yours in what ever you pray for I mean so far as the thing askt hath a reall tendency to his glory Oh this frame would make us Israels indeed Princes and prevailers with God Whereas on the contrary prayers that want a good aime want a good issue They are Jam. 4. â— 3. either not granted or if granted not in mercy 3. 'T is worse then Heathenish Idolatry to propose any other as our highest end 't is reall Idolatry Jam. 4. 3. Yee ask amiss that you may consume it upon your lusts and then Verse 4. it follows Yee Adulterers and Adulteresses i. e. in Scripture-phrase yee Idolaters And its worse then Heathenish they at least the wiser sort direct their prayers immediatly to stocks and stones but ultimately to the true God Wee direct our prayers immediatly to the true God but for things which wee intend to bestow upon worse then stocks and stones even our lusts and corruptions remember what was said in speaking to the preface that God must be both our Object and our End in worship wee must both serve God as our Object and seek him as our End and indeed when wee doe not so seek him and his glory wee doe not serve him but seek to serve our selves of him Perverting the ends of duty turns an otherwise commendable and commanded duty into a punishable sin 2 Kings 10. 30. God bids or approves of Jehu's destroying the house of Ahab yet Hosea 1. 4. hee will avenge the blood of Jezaell upon the house of Jehu the Reason may be because though hee did it at Gods command yet hee mist it in the end so it may be in the case of prayer Let this suffice by way of motive Now for Direction that wee may prosecute this as our end and that wee may imitate our pattern in this particular and I shall give the same in each Petition Take these Two Direct 1. Labour well to understand what is implyed in this Petition what particulars are coucht ' under this generall That so you may enlarge upon it and frame your prayers according to it that the matter of your Petition may correspond to your pattern Now that I may more particularly shew you what is implyed and included in this Petition which was purposely reserved to this place remember what I layed down in the preliminary propositions viz. that Every Petition did imply something by way of Acknowledgment aswell as include something by way of Petition 1. Then in this Petition is implyed a three fold Acknowledgment which you may amplify in your imitation of it 1. That God is in himself infinitly glorious that is There are those essential excellencies and perfections in God which â—ender him admirable and adorable by all his creatures and that those discoveries which hee hath made of himself in his word and works set him above all our blessing and praise Now this you may amplify in the language of Moses for I shall all along hint Scripture-phrase for your help and advantage Exod. 15. 11. glorious in holiness fearfull in praises doing wonders or in the language of God himself Exod. 34. 6 7. The Lord The Lord God merciful and gracious or of David 1 Chron. 29. 11 12. Thine O Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory or of Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 20. 6. Art not thou God in Heaven and rulest thou not over all the Kingdoms of the Heathen Nor only in generall but occasionally you may particularize in Gods imcomprehensibleness in the words of Zophar Job 11. 7 8. or Paul 1 Tim. 6. 16. his Immensity Psam 47. 2. and 95. 3. Isa 40. 15. 22. his power and faith-fulness Psam 89. 8. his immutability Mal. 3. 6. Jam. 1. 17. his mercy Exod. 34. 6 7 his eternity Psam 90. 2. his purity Hab. 1. 13. Psam 5. 4. Thus you may acknowledge the excellency of his works and providences Neh. 9. 6. Psam 19. 1. 4. and 8. 1. and 104. 24. and 145. 10. Thus may you upon occasion single out one or more of his Attributes or works for the reflexion of these upon God is the glory that wee doe owe and can only render to God 2. That as God is glorious in himself so it is our duty and the duty of all his creatures especially Saints and Angels so to acknowledge him that as wee are his Creatures much more as his servants and children wee ought to reflect upon him the glory of his attributes and works This may be done in the Psalmists language Psal Psal 65. 1. 89. 7. greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him And here again wee may enlarge into the particular obligations that are upon us to give glory to him As our Creation Psam 139. 14-17 I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made Our Birth and the provision God made for us in our infancy Psam 22. 9 10. and 71. 6. our protection preservation deliverance Psam 116. 8. c. And here you see what an ample field you have to expatiate in here you may take occasion to reckon up the most singular and signal experiences you have had of Gods goodness as so many obligations upon you to give God his glory 3. In this Petition is implyed an acknowledgment of your own and others inability for this high imployment this as you have heard is part of the sense of this Petition to beg of God grace and ability wherewith to glorify him So that it is an implicit acknowledgment of our own insufficiency This may be done in Pauls language 2 Cor. 3. 5. Not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves or in that of the Levites Neh. 9. 5. or of David Psam 106. 2. Who can â—â—ter his mighty acts or shew forth all his praise Here you may take occasion to amplify upon your owne ignorance and narrow apprehensions of God in Zophar's words Job 11. 6 7. or Agur's Prov. 30. 2 3. or in those words Job 26. ult So likewise you may acknowledge the backwardness of your hearts the coldness and straitness of your affections implyed in that Petition of David Psal 51. 15. Thus may you occasionally enlarge on these things 2. As there is something acknowledged so there is something begged I
is possible that some who know God Rom. 1. 21 may not glorify him as God yet it is impossible that they that know him not should so glorify him therefore wee may take up on the behalf of our selves and others that excellent prayer of Paul for his Ephesians Ephes 1. 17 18 19. So likewise wee may begge deliverance from Atheism Idolatry Errour falshood from looseness carelesness and unsuitable walking from wretched profaneness damnable hypocrisy self-seeking affâ—ctâ—tion of applause and vain glory all which stand in a direct opposition to Gods glory pray that God will pull downe that great Idoll self which like Bel in the Apocryphall story devoures all and robs God of his glory that hee will lay us and others low in our owne eys that hee will put us in mind wee are not our owne 1 Cor. 6. 20. and therefore shou'd glorify him in our bodies and Spirits 2. And as to Helps pray wee that God will work in us those abilities give us those graces bestow on us those blessings and afford us those opportunities whereby with and for which wee may most sanctify him It would be infinite to particularize indeed to reckon up the means relating to this part of the Petition would be to run through the whole duty of man and all the other Petitions are but means subordinate to this yet to instance in some things especially conducing hereunto 1. Pray for the sanctifying work of Gods Spirit upon your hearts 'T is impossible you should sanctify Gods name aright till hee sanctify your nature man indeed was a well tuned instrument fitted to celebrate the glory of his Creatour but the Fall him quite out of order and no hand but his that made can mend it Put in suit that promise for your selves and others Isa 43. 21. that God will form you for himself that you may how forth his praise and as Luk. 1. 74 75. wee may serve him without feare in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our life That hee will tune your hearts and open your lips that c. That hee would work in you all those graces of knowledg love saith fear delight zeal c. which may be as so many strings sounding forth his glory so that your hearts may be as David inditing Psal 45. 1. good matter that you may make things touching the King even the Lord of hosts and that they may be in such a frame as to be apt to take all occasions to glorify him â—â— wee see David's was from the contemplation of his works and providences Psal 8. 1. and 57. 7. and 104. Tot and 108. 1. O God my heart is fixed c. 2. And that God will make us and others fruitfull and aboundant in every good work since as it is in John 15. 8. herein is our heavenly Father glorified if wee bring forth much fruit 'T is not the great talker but the holy and circumspect walker that brings glory to God bespeak God therefore that you and others to whom the grace of God hath appeared may be effectually taught to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts Tit. 2. 11 12. That you may be stedfast unmoovable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord. 1 Cor. 15. ult pray that your light may so shine Matth. 5. 18. That you may be holy in all conversation and godliness 2 Pet. 3. 11. 3. A third advantage of glorifying God will be if wee pray that God will so dispose of us and all our concernments that we may be in the fittest capacity to glorify him That as he hath made us for that end he will so dispose of us that we may be alwayes instrumentall for it That all his providences may both administer matter and excite our hearts to praise him to this purpose you may borrow the words of Agur Prov. 30. 8 9. Give mee neither poverty nor riches c. left I should be full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord. Or left I should be poor and steal and take thy name in vain q. d. Lord I find my heart in either extream apt to dishonour thee I therefore beg a mean condition as most fitting me for my main end which is thy Glory This should be the import of our prayer 4. That our lips may be opened our tongues toucht with a coal from Gods Altar that wee may be enabled to speak of God with that reverence where-with it becomes us and to give him the calves of our lips the sacritice of praise â— borrow to this purpose the words of David Psalm 51. 15. Lord open thou my lips that my mouth may shew forth thy praise Pray with him Psalm 71. 8. Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day that the word may be fitted to your lips Prov. 22. 18. Psalm 126. 2. 5. In a word that when soever Gods glory comes in competition with any self-advantage with any pleasure profit oâ— worldly accommodation you may be enabled to preferre that to all your owne concernment in the words of David Psal 115. 1. That as the 24. Elders Rev. 4 10 11. you may take the Crowns from your heads and lay them at the feet of God and ascribe all to him nothing to your selves Thus for the matter of your Petitions in conformity to this Direct 2. But it is not enough that the matter of your Petitions be according to your pattern but you are also to endeavour that the frame of your hearts be suited to the matter of your Petition It is easy to amplify in words upon this or any other of the Petitions but not so easy to get a right frame of spirit Therefore 1. Labour after a frame of spirit exceedingly enlarged in apprehensions of the infinite excellencies and essentiall glory of God else you doe but mock God Endeavour that your hearts may be hot within you Psal 39. 3. may boyle up good matter Psal 45. 1. Then are our prayers right when our apprehensions are much wider then our expressions when it is with us in this case as it was with Elihu Job 32. 18. When wee are full of matter and the spirit within us constraineth us when our belly is as wine which hath no vent and ready to burst like new bottles 2. Get a heart very sensible and tender of Gods dishonour such a frame as that of David Psal 42. 10. As with a sword in my bones they reproach mee while they say Where is now thy God When as Psal 69. 9. The zeal of Gods house and name eates us up and the reproaches of those that reproach God fall upon us when the darkning of Gods glory goes nearer our hearts than any loss or cross in our owne greatest concernments This Petition put up with such a frame is exceeding acceptable and well-pleasing to the Almighty Oh when a soul can be more sensible of Gods dishonour and more vehemently begg the vindication of his Name and
importunity and wrestlings with God for what you stand in most need of to have corruptions subdued grace strengthned wants supplyed Doth God bind and strengthen your arms Lay hold on his strength let him not go till he bless you spend not this strength in throwing feathers or beating the Air if God by his Spirit enlarge your heart do you then open your Psal 81 10. John 16. 24. mouth wide enough and God will fil it Ask that your joy may be full Let not such an advantage slip without some notable execution done upon some leading corruption pray down some domineering lust pray in some grace that is wanting pray up into exercise some grace that lies languishing and ready to die in thy soul 2. Improve these seasons as an evidence of this great Truth viz. That the Spirits help in prayer is no melancholy dream as the prophane world imagine but a great reality What stronger or more pregnant demonstration can you have of it than your own sense and experience Hereby you may fortifie your selves against the scoffs of ungodly men and pity those that speak evil of things they know not You may say as Christ to the Woman of Samaria If thou knewest the gift of God If you had known those sweet divine enablements which I have felt and experienced you would not thus blaspheme against the Spirits operation Or as the Apostle of those that crucified our Saviour Had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of glory So did these poor miserable creatures know they would not deride and scoff at these things Besides you may improve these feelings against the Devils suggestions when at any time he shall endeavour to perswade you into Atheistical and blasphemous thoughts as that the things spoken in the Word and by Ministers concerning the Spirit of God and its operations are meer delusions that there is no God no Christ no Spirit c. How may you from your own experience confute him and return him such an Answer Now Satan thou dost plainly shew thy self what the Word of Truth reports thee a Lyar from the beginning Wouldst thou have me disbelieve my own sense and feelings Have I not the witness in my self Do I not seel the lively and vigorous operations of that Holy Spirit against which thou blasphemest Doth it not sweetly inspire and enable me to wrestle with my God in prayer Doth it not sometimes life me up even above my self in heavenly breathings and pantings after Jesus Christ and sometimes lay me low in the convincing sight and sense of my own baseness and unworthiness Sure I am that flesh and blood could never carry me out or furnish me with such enablements c. Again These assistances may bestead thee in a dark day when thou art under the hidings of Gods face in a state of Desertion and wantest the sensible presence and lively workings of Gods Spirit Then may these experiences be a heart-cheering Cordial Then maist thou call to remembrance thy Songs in the night thy prayers thy holy breathings and enlargements and the very remembrance may prove reviving to thy soul and by such Musings the fire may kindle again which seems almost extinguisht 3. Improve the Spirits assistances as a Motive and inducement to be more frequent and constant in this duty and against the pull-backs and discouragements from it which at any time thou meerest withall Thus bespeak thy soul Why so dull and beartless Why so backward to a duty wherein thou hast found and maist still hope to find so mighty a Helper True indeed it is a duty of much difficulty and utterly above my own ability but why should I be discouraged I can do all things through the Spirit strengthning me How soon can the Spirit turn this barren Wilderness of my heart into a standing water and this dry ground into water-springs How quickly can be breathe upon me and cause these dry bones to live Why should my own Impotency discourage me when I may expect the help of Omnipotency What though I can do nothing in my own strength cannot the Spirit of Grace make his strength perfect in my weakness and enable me from a like experience to say with the Apostle when I am weak then I am strong Remember that our blessed Saviour hath promised to procure the sending of a Comforter John 14. 16. that shall abide with us for ever and therefore however you may not at present feel its lively assistances yet you may be assured it is in you since you have experimentally known its power and influences and this may encourage you to set upon duty even when under the greatest indispositions and discouragements in hope that when you begin to lift this powerful Helper will lift with you It is much to depend upon another we do in a sort engage them to do for us when we tell them we will trust to them So if under wants weaknesses indispositions discouragements we would yet go upon our work depending on the Spirit and expecting his enablemants it would be a singular means to engage his assistance And here let me advise the complaining self-discouraging Christian Thou that complainest of thy deadness distractedness inability and that thou wantest the Spirits help as formerly Take this word of counsel and make tryal of it Turn thy sad complaints into humble confidence resolve with thy self not to be discouraged from duty Say thus Well I am unable to do any thing I know not what to ask nor how to pray but I will go notwithstanding and the weaker I am in my self the more confidently will I expect the assistance of that Spirit whose work it is to help our infirmities and to make intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered I am assured he can and I shall humbly hope he will quicken my deadness enlarge my straitness and make up all my wants from his abundance Thus to improve your experienced assistances would be the best way to have them continued to you for hereby you give the Spirit of God much glory 4. And forget not to improve them into thankfulness Let not God lose his glory and thou shalt not want the comfort Improve the Spirits assistance as well in blessing God for what thou hast as in begging what thou wantest and amongst other mercies forget not to be thankfull for this mercy it self as being one of the choicest Say as David Who am I Lord that I should 1 Chron. 29. 14. be able to serve thee with such alacrity to pray though alas with much infirmity many distractions yet with such a measure of faith fervency importunity It is because thy Spirit enables that thy servant hath 2 Sam. 7. 27. found in his heart to pray this prayer before thee Oh when thou feelest at any time the warming enlarging influences of the Spirit of Supplication rise not off thy knees till thou hast made thy thankful acknowledgements to him who hath drawn out
sins then then do most probably cause the Spirits withdrawment I answer 1. Sins that carry much of the will in them presumptuous sins when light is held prisoner and captivated by lust 2. Or sins long lien in when we wallow as the Swine in the mire of sin It is supposed David lay some Moneths in the sin of Murder and Adultery before he repented and he intimates as you have heard that he wanted the joy of Gods salvation he felt decayes and fears tho taking away of Gods Spirit Oâ— 3. Sins more directly against the Spirits guiding or assisting when we will not take its directions hearken to its counsels or when we abuse its grace and assistances See then whether thou hast not cause to charge such kind of sins upon thy self Hast thou not shut thine eyes against some beam of spiritual light Hast thou not known the will of thy heavenly Father as to some sin which thou oughtest to abandon or duty which thou oughtest to set upon and yet neglected to do it If such sins be upon thee thou maist probably conclude they are those that have grieved the Spirit Again Is there not some sin that hath been thy old acquaintance that thou hast lien and lived in a long time what sin or sins are they that like Rehoboam's young Counsellors have been brought up with thee Those also may have robbed thee of the Spirits gracious assistance But especially Sâ—â— if thou hast not refused the Spirit as a guide when it called thee to duty hast thou not neglected put it off slubber'd it over When it hath disswaded thee from some sin or perswaded to some duty Hast thou not pulled away the shoulder Hast thou not withstood its motions Been like green Wood that didst not take fire by those heavenly sparks So for its assistances hast thou not quenched discouraged slighted them When he hath called to open and put in his fingers by the hole of the door thou hast seigned excuses Worldly concernments have called thee another way Or may be when he hath breathed upon thee and carried thee above thy self in any duty thou hast grown proud secure and applauded thy self instead of ascribing glory to God See if some or many of these or the like be not found in thee Nor rest in a general discovery for its easie to say in general that such sins are ours but labour to be as particular and distinct as possibly thou canst Recollect times and places when thou hast been especially guilty Remember what good motions thou hast had and rejected Such a time God by his Spirit gave me a lively Touch Oh I felt the Babe spring within but how did I smother it Such a time I came off proud of my enlargement Such a time I had clear discoveries powerfull convictions strong impulses but gave them cold entertainment dismist them with fair promises and ineffectual purposes c. These O! these are grievous to the holy Spirit of God Direct 2. Humble thy self before the Lord confess and give glory to God Accept of the punishment of thine iniquity and Lev. 26. 42. this with all seriousness with real grief shame and self-abhorrency aggravate thy sin before the Lord acknowledge how gracious he hath been in vouchsafing thee such experiences and how ingrateful thou hast been in slighting and abusing them Shall I put words into thy mouth but O that they may not be meer words Oh that they may be the very sense of thy soul and breathings of thy heart Let these therefore be the workings of thy soul Righteous art thou O Lord and just are thy judgements What can be more highly agreeable to the Rule of Justice than that from Matth. 13. 12. him that hath noâ— should be taken even that which he hath Especially when the having was without desert but the taking away is most justly deserved What sawest thou in me O gracious God that thou shouldst ever bestow so high a favour on me That thy blessed Spirit should ever take up its abode in such a filthy polluted soul That it should strengthen my hands and enable me to wrestle and prevail with thy glorious Majesty Oh the heavenly transports the kindly meltings the over-powring motions that my soul hath felt the sweet sallies and Eruptions of my Spirit in prayer when quickned and enlivened by thy grace How could I run the way of thy Commandments Psal 119. 32. when thou hadst thus enlarged my heart Being thus drawn how could I Cant 1. 3. run after thee Having continual supplies of new strength by thy blessed Spirit how could I mount up with wings as an Eagle run and Isa 40. 31. not be weary walk and not faint Then was Prayer the delight of my soul yea even to pour out my soul in tears for sin was to me as the Dew of Hermon and the dew that Psal 133. 3. descended upon the Mountains of Sion Those waters distilled by the fire of thy Spirit became Wine of consolation to me Those groanings not to be uttered how did they ease my heart How often have I with Hannah come before thee in bitterness of soul with a sorrowful Spirit but being through thy grace enabled to pour out my soul before thee I have gone away and my countenance hath been no more sad But O monstrous Ingratitude This rich this superabundant grace have I turned into wantonness these precious experiences and peculiar vouchsafements have been made fuel for pride and security I have rob'd thy blessed Spirit of its glory and gloried in that as mine the praise whereof was wholly due to him Yea Lord many a time have I quencht the Spirit and powred water upon those sparks of good motions which he hath cast into my soul Even then when I have known his voice yea when he hath knockt with much importunity I have chosen rather to lye slugging upon a bed of ease than to rise and open though I had known by former experience that he was no empty handed guest What could I expect less than what thou hast inflicted for Should the Majesty of Heaven alwayes put up such abuses Should I think to grieve the blessed Spirit of God from day to day and yet have his company and assistance as before No Lord thou art righteous but I am wicked and shouldst thou for ever hide thy face shouldst thou leave me under a prayerless sensless frame and let me grow into a seared condition shouldst thou make me at last lie down in sorrow yea in the lake of fire and brimstone for ever it were but what I have deserved Alas how many thousands are in those flames that never sinned at that rate that I have They knew not and did not and therefore deserve a few stripes but I have known thy will nay thy gracious Spirit hath stirred me up to do it yea hath offered his help in the doing of it yet I have refused and slighted his offers and therefore deserve
are renewed I find there is no allay to trouble like this even to pour out my soul to the Lord which by the help of Gods Spirit I can do in some weak measure this is hearts-ease I can upon this account glory in my sorrowful infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me Therefore I 2 Cor. 12. 9 10. take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in perseoutions in distresses for Christs sake or in other Troubles that come upon me in the world for when I am weak in my self then through the Spirits assistance I am strong If this be thy condition and experience I have two words of Counsell to impart to thee 1. Use and improve to the utmost this great mercy hold on in this duty Continue in prayer while thy trouble continues I Col. 4. 2. mean that thou double and treble thy importunity in reference to the Affliction thou art under do as Paul pray thrice often 2 Cor. 12. 8. 2 Kin. 13. 19. smite with this arrow not three times only but six or seven yea an hundred times But not to speak in the clouds There is a threefold improvement which you should make of the Spirits help in trouble all having relation to Affliction and exceedingly tending to your advantage in it Take them in order 1. Improve the Spirits help especially to beg a blessing upon your affliction be earnest for sanctification and spiritual improvement under it be not so importunate to have the plaister taken off as to have it made effectual to heal some spiritual distemper Let thy soul breathe out such desires as these Lord make this stroak humbling healing quickning May some corrupt blood run out at this wound Let some hidden lust be discovered let my faith be resined my delight in thy wayes be increased as my outward 2 Cor. 14. 16. man decayes let my inward man be renewed day by day Thus be more importunate to find the good of it then to be freed from the evil of it as thou seelest the smart so be earnest that thou maist find the benefit such prayers are according to the will of God and therefore he will return a gracious answer Self may prompt us to beg ease and deliverance but Grace should teach us to beg spiritual advantage especially since the promises of doing us good by affliction are so full so many and since there is not a shorter cut to a sanctified deliverance than to have affliction sanctified 2. Improve this mercy as an alleviating consideration do as those that carry a heavy burden they lay something betwixt their shoulder and the thing they carry to make it lye easier Put this consideration betwixt thy shoulder and the burden it will make it abundantly lighter as you have already heard Oh what a calming cheering thought may this be Well though I am afflicted yet I am not cast off God still holds me up with one hand as he smites me with the other while I have the blessed spirit of God to take by the heavy end and lift with me how patient how cheerful should I be As it said in a like case The Inhabitant shall not say I am Isa 33. 24. sick the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity which some thus interpert q. d. The people shall not be sensible of sickness and bodily distempers Sense of pardon shall take away sense of pain their outward afflictions shall be as no affliction sin which is the sting thereof being taken away So may the soul under trouble which hath this great advantage say This trouble is nothing so long as I can thus fetch in ease support and comfort 3. Improve it also as a preservative from taking offence at the Cross or from taking indirect wayes to get from under it For think how unreasonable a thing it were to be offended to quarrel or murmure when God doth abundantly compensate the bitterness of thy suffering with the sweetness of this experience Or why shouldest thou go else where for ease and comfort when thou hast so ready a way to God He hath laid a Cross on thy back but he hath withall put his Spirit within thee and thereby thou canst fetch in support this is enough to bear charges be the journey as I may say never so long or chargeable Thus argue Why should I go elsewhere I can turn in to my Heavenly Father I can commit Psa 55. 22. my self to the Lord and cast my burden upon him and he will sustain me What need I goe down to Egypt for help why should I wound Conscience by base complyances why should I ask a guard of Kings or fly for shelter to brambles with will but scratch and teâ—r mee when I can by Faith and Prayer dwell in the secret place of the most high and abide under the shadow of the Almighty Is there not a God in Israel and have I not that Spirit of Adoption whereby I can cry Abba Father why should I got to Baalzebub the God of Ekron Through grace I will not sin nor charge God foolishly If hee strike harder I will pray harder and cry lowder Thus emprove this precious mercy 2. The Second word of advice I have for such is this Let thy returns of thankfulness for this mercy be neither straitned nor slackned because of thy affliction rather be more thankfull delay not to pay God the praise due to him nor pay him with the shortest For consider this Priviledge is not only an allay to thy affliction but it changeth the very nature of it it turnes the Cross into a blessing This I presume will be readily acknowledg'd that the worst that can befall us is mercy if it work for the best if it improve and fit us for glory if it make our graces more flourishing and vigourous and shall make the Crown of glory more ponderous Now this is the Effect of the Spirits help in prayer it turns afflictions into advantages our losses become our gain and is there not cause of joy and thankfulness What Paul saith of his bonds and imprisonment I know this shall turn to Phil. 1. 19. my salvation how through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Christ The same may you say of your troubles Be they what they will I know these shall turn to my salvation I know these shall promote my eternall happiness through the supplies of the Spirit in Prayer Therefore bless God in the midst of trouble rejoyce in this mercy and the rather because this will be a singular means not only to have the Spirits assistance continued but to have it more increased Thanksgiving is a duty that brings meat in the mouth of it you cannot give God the praise of any mercy but hee will add another mercy to it The thankfull Leper upon his returning to give thanks receives an additionall Testimony Goe thy way thy faith Luk. 17. 19 Calv. in loc hath made
mean particular things under this generall I shall reduce what is included by way of Petition to these two general heads 1. Wee are according to this Petition to pray that God will glorify himself that hee will doe that which most tends to his owne glory which wee may doe in the words of the Psalmist Psam 57. 5 11. and As our Savior Joh. 12. 28. Father glorify thy Name 115. 1. and in order to this end that hee will both remove what ever darkens his glory and bring about the things that most tend to the advancement of it Since as you heard in the Propositions premised each Petition implies a deprecation of the hindrances and prayer for what tends to the furtherance of the thing prayed for Now it would be infinite here to summe up all the particular hindrances of or means to advance the glory of God I shall only hint a few generals 1. Then as to the impediments of Gods glory there are three more generall whereby the honour of God is darkned and Ecclipsed in the world which in complyance with this Petition wee must pray against 1. That Idolatry and false Worship which raignes in a great part of the world this is a black cloud that darkens the name of God hereby the glory due to God is given to others and his praise to graven Images Divels and those that are no Gods The host of heaven Angels men bruits stocks and stones c. rob God of his glory Oh how should wee wrestle with God that these Dagon's may fall before his Ark Turn that of the Psalmist Psal 97. 6 7. into prayer Let the heavens declare thy righteousness O Lord and all the people see thy glory Confounded be all they that serve graven Images that boast themselves of Idols Plead the many promises for the conversion Idolatrous nations that they may say with Ephraim Hos 14. 8. What have I to doe any more with Idols that their Idols of Silver and Idols of Gold which they made each one for himself to worship may be cast to the moles and to the bats Isa 2. 20. That hee will turn to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent Zeph. 3. 9. So that there may be one Lord and his name one Zech. 14. 9. And that from the rising of the Sun even unto the goeing down of the same his Mal. 1. 11. name may be great among the Gentiles and in every place incense may be offered to his name and a pure offering and his name may be great among the Heathen 2. The Blasphemy of Gods name occasioned by the wicked's mistakes and misinterpretations of his providences It pleases the Lord often to obscure his way Psam 77. 19. And his providences seem for a time to savour the wicked Psal 73. 3 4 5. Job 21. 8-14 Hence they gather sad conclusions dishourable to God discourageing to the Godly though at last destructive to themselves and hereby Gods glory is for the present much eclipsed when God seemes to savour the wicked and to frown upon his own people when they that work wickedness Mal. 3. 15. are delivered men will call the proud happy Now though nothing is surer then that God will vindicate his honour and wipe off the reproach that is cast upon him yet our part is to mind God of it in the Psalmists words Psam 74. 18 22 23. Remember this that the enemy hath reproached O Lord and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name Arise O God plead thine owne cause remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily forget not the voice of thine enemies Wee are to pray that God will fill their faces with shame c. Psal 83. 16 18. that hee will sanctify himself upon them That hee will hasten the time when judgment shall return unto righteousness and the upright in heart may Psal 94. 15 follow after it And so order it in his providences that men may be forced to say Verily there is a reward for the righteous verily hee is a God that judgeth in the earth Psalm 58. ult 3. The profaneness atheism impiety and all manner of iniquity that reigns amongst those that professe and call upon his name How doe the vile miscarriages of those that profess themselves worshippers of the true God obscure his glory and make his name to stink amongst Pagans and Idolaters This therefore wee should with all earnestness beseech the Majesty of heaven that all that name his Name may depart from 2 Tim. 2. 19. iniquity That the wickedness of the wicked may in this sense come to an end That there may be no root amongst us that beareth gall and wormwood Deut. 29. 18. That no root of bitterness springing up trouble us and many be defiled Hebr. 12. 15. That no professing Christian may be a professed Atheist a practicall blasphemer of that holy name whereby hee is called Thus for the impediments to be deprecated 2. As to the means whereby God may glorify himself and which wee are to pray for in order thereunto they are infinite nor shall I trouble you with particulars a few Instances may serve Pray wee then that God will discover himself that hee will shine forth and display his glorious attributes to the world Psal 80. 1 2. and 94. 1 2. That hee will make himself known Psal 67. 2 3. That men may know that hee whose name alone is Jehovah is the most High over all the earth for if his Name were known aright it would be glorified Again That hee will take to himself his great power and Rev. 11. 17 Reign That hee so rule all the affairs of the world as that each wheel may move in a direct tendency to his glory Again that the Gospel may be propagated Infidels Heathens Turks Pagans and Idolaters Converted That hee will confound the wicked and make bare his arme in the signall and seasonable deliverances of his Church and people In a word that all the transactions of God in the world may be ordered to the most advantagious way of glorifying his great Name This is the first generall included in this Petition 2. Wee are also according to this Petition to pray that wee and others may be enabled to glorify him that he will frame our hearts to praise him and fill our mouths with his glory That all the creatures may be as a well-turned Instrument harmoniously sounding forth the glory of their Creatour In this sense may wee use that so often quoted Scripture Psal 67. 3 5. and 51. 15. And here also wee may amplify in deprecating hindrances and a begging bilities To touch on each 1. Pray we in complyance with this Petition that God will remove from us and others whatsoever hinders us from paying him that tribute of glory due unto his name for instance that ignorance and blinduesse that Reigns in the world for though it
Tim. 5. 8. Gen. 41. 34. 2 Cor. 12. 14. but wee must neither immoderately thirst after nor excessively hoard up these earthly things nor should wee murmur or repine if wee have not in our hand a visible sufficiency for life Much goods and those layd up and that for many Years was the rich mans fin and folly and especially that hee did thereupon charme his soul into a sleep of carnall confidence and security Luk. 12. 19. 6. And then what wee ask must be in a way of begging not claiming 't is Give not Pay us and we must withall remember our usuall saying Beggars must not be choosers He that deserves nothing and worse than nothing should be thankfull for every thing Remember wee have forfeited all 't is indulgence if any thing be given us 't is but justice if wee be-denyed in what wee ask God is debtour to none and therefore all hee gives is of his bounty but wee lie open to his justice and therefore all hee gives us is both of bounty and merey Be not therefore peremptory with God claime not any thing disclaim thine owne worthiness of any thing learn so to ask that if the thing be granted thou mayest ascribe all to mercy if denyed thou mayst subscribe to Justice Use Let us suit our Petitions for temporals to this pattern Pray for them but so pray as you are here taught to begge them For Mott That outward blessing is doubly sweet which is the return of prayer hee that can so look on his outward things cannot but both tast more than others in them and doe more with and for them Prayer both fetches the blessings and a blessing upon them 1 Tim. 4. 5. Every thing is sanctified by the word and prayer 't is true Eccl. 9. 2. No mans knows either love or hatred by all that is before him outwards are no evidences of the divine speciall love But when wee can call them Samuels Askt of God they 1 Sam. 1. 20. carry a more then ordinary impress of Gods favour upon them especially if as 28. she her Samuel so we do give them back to God by way dedication and thankfull improvement There is some difference betwixt having and enjoying Eccl. 6 2. To some God hath given riches wealth and honour but giveth him not power to eat thereof A plague indeed to Tantalize in the fulness of outwards to be poor with abundance but now where outwards are given in to prayer ordinarily they are improved by prayse and enjoyed with comfort The good-will of him that dwelt in the Deut. 33. 16. bush is more then all the rest of Joseph's blessing and multiplies each particular a thousandsold this is more legibly written upon those good things that prayer obtains Ask them then but keep to your pattern for Mot. 1. To ask otherwise is to tempt God Psal 78. 18. that is to try what God can or will do and that is very provoking God loves to be urged with but not beyond his promises Seldom doth too much eagerness and importunity in asking temporals pass without some remarkable token of Gods displeasure And 2. It is to ask that which is hurtfull to ourselves Rachel is set upon having children Gen. 30. 1. God gives her a Ben-oni a Son of Sorrows and it costs her her life Chapt. â—5 16 18. Israel will have quails and they â—ave them with a vengennce they have â—heir hearts desire but leanness is sent into their â—â—uls Psal 106 15. Therefore be sure to â—eep within the prescribed limits Direct 1. Labour well to understand what â—â— implyed and included in this Petition And â—ere 1. Some acknowledgments are made as 1. That God is the supreme proprietor and absolute Lord of all the creatures this acknowledgment wee may make in Davia's words Psal 24. 1. or 1 Chron. 29. 11 12 14 16. Yea herein wee acknowledge that â—ven what wee have is his since even those that have dayly bread and more are taught to say Give us which is an implicit acknowledgment that they may not warrantably use what they have till they have 〈◊〉 Gods leave nor can comfortably use it till they have beg'd his blessing so that you are in complyance with this Petition to acknowledg God the owner of all things else What ground have you to ask them at Gods hands 2. That wee have by the Fall forfeited all our right to the creature and deserve either to be wholly deprived of them or to have them cursed to us in their use So that when we come to ask any outward blessing we should come in such self-condemning language as this Lord we confess wee are as so many condemned Traytours or Malefactors such as deserve not life muchless the good things of this life But since it hath pleased thy Majestie to indulge us so far as to give us our lives Oh deny us not that which may make our lives comfortable to us True Lord wee have forfeited that title and Interest which thou didst graciously vouchsafe us at first and therefore wee must come upon a new score we cannot use them lawfully without thy leave nor tast sweetness in them without Thy blessing c. 3. That all our pain and toyle for the getting of outward things is vain except God give them in upon our labour and industry Psal 127. 2 3. That it is in vain to rise up early lie down late and eat the bread of sorrow that though we sow much we shall reap little that God can blast our Corn in the field blow upon it in the Barn or Garners and when wee earn wages wee shall but put it into a bagge with holes except God attend our endeavours with his blessing Hag. 1. 6 9. And when wee have got any thing it is not in our power to use it to his glory or our owne advantage except hee give us power to doe it Eccl. 6. 2. wee shall eat our bread all our dayes in darkness and discomfort Eccl. 5. 17. and our immoderate care will only pierce us thorow with many sorrows 1 Tim. 6. 10. Wee shall labour in the very fire and weary our selves for very vanity Habb 2. 13. except the Lord bless our labours 2 Some Particulars by way of Petition are included The principall whereof together with their limitations take in the following particulars 1. That it wiâ—l please the Lord to preserve our lives so long as hee sees good in his infinite wisdom and as may make for his glory and our good this is necessarily included for To what end doe we ask bread but in order to the sustentation and preservation of our lives So that in begging bread we do much more begge life Borrow Davids words to this purpose Psal 119. 175. Let my soul live and it shall praise thee or the prayer of Hezekiah Isa 38. David asked life Psal 21. 4. So that our request must be of this import Lord let mee live till I have done thy work and
be made good viz. that he will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able And so for inward corruptions and the bait and snares of the world that you may have Interest in that sweet intercessory Petition of our blessed Saviour John 17. 15. I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world but that thou wouldst keep them from the evilâ— that he will so restrain our enemies and so strengthen and sortify us that we may have cause to take up that gratulatory Psalm viz. 124th that though Sathan or his Instruments may be permitted to make attempts upon us as Senacherib against Judah and the Syrians against Samaria yet they may have a hook put in their nosthrils and return with shame and disappointment in a word That the wicked one may not touch us in the sense of that Text 1 John 5. 18. that is Letaliter with a deadly touch or as some tactu qualitativo with such a touch as may leave an impression of his owne divelish Spirit upon us such a touch as the needle hath from the Loadstone 3. That he will not withdraw from us in our tryals and conflicts that if he call us to fight he will stand by and encourage us To be led into temptation is no great matter if we be not left in it and indeed we are never to purpose led into it tâ—ll we be left in it till Gód deal with us as with Judas and Saul suffer Sathan to fill our hearts this therefore we have need to be earnest for that if Sathan must winnow us our Saviour may so intercede for us that our Luk. 22. 31 32. 2 Cor. 12 9 faith may not fail if the messenger of Sathan must buffer us the grace of God may be sufficient for us Though we cannot peremptorily and absolutely pray for Victory over every temptation since we neither know what God hath decreed nor how far a foil for a time may advantage us afterwards 4. That he will keep us from running our selves into temptations this is both necessary in it self and doubtless implyed in this Petition though there were no outward Tempter no World or Devil yet our owne hearts would be and indeed are our worst Tempters in many cases our temptations are home-born though nursed by Sathan for Instance when troubles arise for the profession of the Truth and we cannot owne some Truth of God but we must expose our selves to hardships and sufferings how do men act the part of the Tempter upon themselves how do our carnal hearts bespeak us in the language of Peter to our Saviour Master spare thy self this shall not be unto thee What distinctions and evasions do we study to escape suffering While we should be studying duty and preparing for danger we are studying to escape the latter by declining and shaking off the former Like Jonah when he foresaw that he was sent upon a troublesome and dangerous embassy he out-runs the work to avoid the trouble Pray then that we may not be left to our selves as the Jews Psam 81. 11. Then we shall be sure to be our owne Tempters 5. That in those temptations of probation which himself pleases to excercise us withal he will enable us to carry as Christians shewing forth our graces that we may like Abraham if tryed by faith offer up our Isaacs Hebr. 11. 15. that our patience may shine as Job's did through the clouds of temptation and affliction that we may not sin with our mouths or charge God foolishly How shamefully do we miscarry when God leaves us as David and Hezekiah how shall we dishonour God blemish the Gospel cause the enemy to blaspheme through our misdemeanors if the Lord who layes the tryal upon us do not stand by us in it and teach us how to carry under it Therefore pray Lord if thou will prove us help us that we may approve our selves If thou wilt excercise us with Temptations fortify us with grace that the issue of the tryal may be thy glory and our comfort If thou try us by prosperity keep us humble and obedient if by adversity keep us from despondency indirect actings theft maligning others c. 6. That if in his infinite wisdom he see it good at any time to suffer us to be foyled and leave us to our owne weakness for our humiliation or for other good and gracious ends he will not leave us wholly and finally that it may be with us as is prophesyed of Gad Gen. 49. 19. A troop shall overcome him but he shall overcome at last That though he chasten us he will not give us over to death but at last restore to us the joy of his Salvation and stablish us with his free Spirit That with Sampson we may at last be avenged of our enemies that though we fall yet we may not be utterly cast down but may be at last more then conquerours through him that loved us and gave himself for us 7. That in stead of those things which may proove snares and temptations to us hee would so order all his dispensations to us as they may incite us to holyness this is the contrary implyed in this Petition q. d. Lord in stead of Sathan standing at my right hand to tempt me let me have thy good Spirit alwayes egging and urging me to that which is good in stead of the wicked enticeing or discouraging me let me have thy Saints by their friendly reproofs counsels exhortations and examples provoking me to holyness let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindness and let him reproove me it shall be an excellent oyl which shall not break my head Psal 141. 5. In stead of that measure of outwards which may be a snare let me have that which shall be a spur to piety In a word Let me have such Ordinances such providences let me be in such company in such a condition so order all things about me that thy work within me may go on with power and all things may concurre and according to that great promise Rom. 8. 28. work together for my good 8. That he will appoint a good issue of all temptations that befal us according to that promise 1 Cor. 10. 13. that he will with the temptation also make a way to escape that we way be able to bear it that he will so limit our temptations as to measure and continuance that we be not tempted more or longer than is for our good and so issue them at last that we may come out as Job and we may have double at our latter end as to grace and comfort to what we had at the beginning and that at last he will so deliver us from them as that we may be set out of the reach of them being translated into that state where Sathan shall not be able to tempt us any more this is the highest round of this ladder and then both parts of the Petition shall be fulfilled then
many is peremptory for its divine authority saith It is causelesly and without warrant omitted by the Church of Rome nay he calls it sacriledge in them that steal away this Thanksgiving from prayer as if it were no part of it Another tells us that one Greek Copy Lucae Brugensis Var Lection omits it one Latin Copy hath it That the Greek Fathers Chrysostom Theophylact Euthymius and the Author of the imperfect work on Matthew assert it the Latin Fathers Tertullian Cyprian Hierom Ambrose Augustin and others following them omit it himself leaves it doubtful I shall only give you the Reasons of a late Writer for its authentickness 1. Without it this pattern had been deficient Leigh's Annotations 2. The Greek Copies have it 3. The Syriack Paraphrast translates it 4. Chrysostom and Theophylact expound it which Reasons methinks seem sufficient to beget at least a probable perswasion of its divine Authority I shall acquiesee in these together with the peremptory assertion of that aboye-mentioned Reverend and Judicious usher See also Ward on Matthew largly dispâ—â—ing the Case Author whose judgment methinks might sway much with the contrary-minded I conclude therefore that it is of divine authority and if not added by our Saviour which I think most probable yet at least borrowed from the forementioned Texts Dan. 7. 14. 1 Chron. 29. 11. Wee may look on the words 1. In their respective consideration to the whole body of the prayer 2. In their absolute consideration and in each they would afford us several Lessons in the bare naming whereof I shall content my self The words then as connected with the former are an argument enforcing the Petitions Thence observe Doct. 1. Our prayers should be backt and strengthned with arguments Doct. 2. Our arguments should be drawn from God not from our selves not from our own worthiness this is plain from the words Then considered in themselves as a distinct branch of this pattern of Prayer or an appendix to it we may in the general learn this lesson from them Doct. 3. Thanksgivings and gratulatory acknowledgments should be mixed with our prayers and Petitions Besides should we take the words in pieces and consider the particulars here ascribed to God each of them would afford us a distinct observation Kingdom this was explained before Here I conceive it properly signifies the universal and absolute Soveraignty of God over the whole world or that right of Dominion which is originally and transcendently invested in him all other Kings and Potentates being but his seudatories Prov. 8. 15. Power That is proportionable ability 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and strength to manage this Kingdom Some have power and not right Eccl. 4. 1. on the side of the oppressour there was power or strength Others have right but want power Kings and Princes sometimes become weak as others God cuts off the Spirits of Princes makes them wander in the wilderness where there is no way But Right and Power strength and Soveraignty are never separated in God and then Glory Praise or honour that is the reflexion of both the former things upon God or the Creatures acknowledging and ascribeing them as due to God And all this not for a time his Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom his strength everlasting strength and his glory as himself endureth for ever Each of these would afford a large field of discourse but I shall wind them up in this one Proposition Doct. 4. Supreme Right and Power belong to God and therefore Glory is due to him for ever The Seal set to this Form is the word Amen a word of Hebrew Original kept untranslated in most languages to betoken Ainsw say some the unity of Faith and Spirit which ought to be amongst beleevers This word is used in the beginning of a Sentence and then it is vox asseverantis a note of affirmation and being redoubled makes the affirmation more vehement thus where we read Verily other languages have it Amen Or else it is annexed to the end of Sentences or Petitions and then it is Buxtorf fidentis assentientis particula a note of assent confidence expectation as also of ones sincere desire that the thing may be The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amen in the Original signifies Truth and being used in the end of Sentences or prayers signifies as much as firmum ratum esto vere fiat So be it even so so it is so that it implies both a desire to be heard So may it be as is used Deut. 27. 15. Jer. 28. 6. and so the Note is this Doct. 5. Our prayers should be put up with enlarged desires of audience and answer And it also signifies our assent and confidence So it shall be or So it is The Note is Doct. 6. Our prayers should be put up in faith and followed with a beleeving expectation of gracious returns from God this is the sense of that Psal 17. 2. and will look up These things might have been spoken to at large but I have rather chosen to give this light touch upon them having dispatch't what I mainly intended in speaking to the Petitions I shall commend you with these poor labours to the blessing of God only let me begg of you that my pains may not be frustrate by your casting behind your back the things that have been delivered my design was to help those who neglect the duty of prayer especially in their families upon pretence of their want of gifts and abilities let but such make use of those helps I have here proposed and begin to comment upon this excellent pattern and the several Petitions to which purpose I have hinted Scripture-phrase and expression and I doubt not but they shall by degrees experience their abilities growing and indeed I know not a better way of improving the Gift of prayer But then take â—eed of resting in the gift when attained Let the second of those Directions annexed to each Petition be well heeded think it not enough that your prayers be directed by this pattern but labour that the frame of your hearts be suited to the matter of your Petitions Then may you be assued that God will hear you and at last you shall be translated from praying to prayfing from imitating Christ in this weak manner to enjoy him in glory and to sing eternal Hallelujab's to him that fitteth upon the Throne and Rev. 5. 13. to the Lamb for ever and ever CHAP. XI The Observations deducible from the Connexion Scope and matter of the Lord's Prayer had it been handled in that way of Exposition which is now in Vse 1. GOd's foreknowledge of what we want is no Supersedeas to our asking Compare Matth. 6. 8. with 9. Verse 2. Prayer is a duty befitting all ranks and degrees of Christians The Multitude The Disciples Matth. 5. 1. are taught it 3. We have need to be taught and taught again how to perform the Duty of Prayer as we ought for
though Christ here teach his Disciples yet Luke 11. 1 2. they desire to be taught again 4. Under ignorance and inability for Prayer Christ is both able and ready to instruct us and therefore we should beg of him The Apostle Luk. 11. 1 2. finds Christ as ready to teach as he to desire it 5. It is no disparagement to be urged to what 's good from the example of an Inferiour Christ takes it not ill that the Disciples urge him with John's example who was but his forerunner Luk. 11. 1. 6. Jesus Christ in teaching his Disciples did not so much intend to furnish them with words as to instruct them in the matter of Prayer Non jubet Christus suos conceptis verbis orare c. Calvin This is plain from the variety of expression in the Two Evangelists 7. Succinct and comprehensive Methods and Epitome's are an excellent way of teaching For this is here the Method of the best of Teachers and this commends Catechizing 8. The Spirits inward teaching excludes not verbal and ministerial Instruction For though the Gospel be the Ministration of the Spirit and though all Christ's True Disciples are endued with the Spirit yet he saw fit and necessary to leave them this standing Directory for their Instruction 9. Prayer is a duty of a vast latitude and comprehension For within the bounds of this exact pattern are compehended 1. The Grand concernments of God 2. Of our selves both as to soul and body 3. And of Others viz. the Church Nation Neighbourhood our Relations c. So much is imported in the word Our which duely considered may 1. Warrant long praying upon occasion 2. And shew us our imperfections in Prayer 10. The Concernments of Gods glory and Kingdom should have the preheminence above our own in our desires and prayers This is plain from the Order of the Petitions 11. The matter of Prayers is not whatever our corrupt Passions or blind fancies dictate to us but what makes for Gods glory our own or other good spiritual or temporal with subordination to his glory Within these bounds is the matter of the Lords Prayer circumscribed which calls upon us to take heed we offer not strange fire or ask we know not what as they Mark. 10. 38. 12. Gods glory must be the Alpha and Omega of our Prayers The First Petition is that his name be hallowed the Conclusion is a Doxology or ascription of Kingdom power and glory to him How seldom do we sincerely and intentionally make it so These from the Connexion Scope and Matter in general From the Preface 1. GOd alone is to be prayed to What becomes of Saints and Angels Will the Papists say They are included under the Title Father But one is our Father which is in Heaven Matth. 23. 9. Or will they charge our Saviour as a defective Teacher or that out of envy he said nothing of their Mediatours as intending to Monopolize the whole of that Office to himself He only deserves it And as there is but one God to whom so but one Mediatour by whom we pray 1 Tim. 2. 5. I see not how that Popish fiction can stand without derogation from the perfection of this pattern 2. God cloaths himself with such Titles as may most invite and encourage us to call upon him For what Title can administer more boldness or confidence than that of a Father How apt are we to go to God as if we went to an enemy or stranger or one we have no relation to 3. God is the Common Father of Beleevers in Christ For this is especially here meant not our general Relation as his Creatures that 't a low and poor encouragement and that he is a common Father the Pronoun Our imports 4. Reverence and Charity must be joyned with our Confidence in prayer Reverence for we come to God as a Father to whom honour and reverence is due Mal. 1. 6. Charity for we are taught to take in others not appropriating that Relation to our selves alone 5. Raised glorious and heavenly apprehensions of God become us in our addresses to God Therefore are we taught to call upon him as being in heaven i. e. giving out glorious manifestations of himself there 6. God will not be called upon by visible Act. 7 55. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tendo representations Therefore we are taught to say which art in Heaven to take off eyes and thoughts from all sensible Objects and that we may with Stephen look up stedfastly into heaven and by the eye of faith behold him which is invisible 7. God hath not tyed nor should his people tye themselves to set their faces this way or that way towards this or that place under the Gospel but that we lift up especially the eye of Faith towards himself For this expression which art in Heaven calls us from the Jewish rite of looking towards the Temple c. 1. PETITION 1. THe incomprehensible God hath given out such manifestations of himself as whereby we may know him from all pretended Deities and according to which we may conceive and speak of him All this is imported by Gods Name here which the Apostle Rom. 1. 19. calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. d. that which is knowable of God 2. The Name of God is peculiarly holy Name i. e. both God himself and all those manifestations of himself whereby he hath made himself known whether his Attributes Word or Works Holy i. e. pure right singularly excellent Peculiarly i. e. Essentially so God himself and eminently so all that whereby he hath manifested himself This Observation is thus grounded viz. To sanctify his name is not as the word may seem to import to make it holy but to conceive acknowledge and profess it to be what indeed it is that is peculiarly holy So that the holyness of Gods name is the grouud of our sanctifying it because it is holy we must so acknowledg it 3. Though God can sanctify his name i. e. manifest it to be holy and glorious yet he will have us to testify our desire by praying that He will sanctify it For this as hath been explained is one sense of the Petition viz. that God will sanctify his own name vindicate his honour and let out upon the world resplendent beams of his own glory 4. The sanctification of Gods name that is the declaring acknowledging and celebrating of his holiness ought to be the principal desire and endeavour of every one that calls God Father Therefore is this Petition the first in Order 5. We cannot sanctify the name of God as we ought without enablement from God Therefore we are taught to pray this Petition because our ability for it must come from God II. PETITION 1. GOd hath a Kingdom durable through all ages and diffusive through the world For all Gods people in all ages and places are taught to pray thy Kingdom come 2.
of God For we must every day say Give us this Day c. Which doth allow moderate care or Provision for the future but â—frbids trusting in either 9. Prayer is a singular means to procure a supply of all necessaries for this life Else our Saviour would not have taught us this Petition V. PETITION 1. THough temporal things may be asked yet we are not to dwell upon them but to arise from them to spiritual things Therefore hath our Saviour couch't the infinite necessities of this life in one single Petition 2. Pardon of sin is a mercy attainable and one of the first and choicest we should ask of God 3. Confession of sin is a requisite condition in order to Pardon for therefore are we taught to pray thus that in so praying we may acknowledg and pass sentence upon our selves 4. Man by sin becomes a debtour to God and stands bound to satisfy his justice For in Matthew sins are called debts and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Forgive imports releasment cancelling a debt dismissing a Prisoner 5. Satisfaction for sin is an impossibility as to a mans self For could satisfaction be made by any this Petition as to such would be unnecessary whereas it is to be put up by all see Gal. 3. 21 22. 6. Christ's satisfaction is no Contradiction to a free Pardon of sin but the Foundation of it no Contradiction for even he that made the satisfaction hath yet taught us to pray Forgive us c. The foundation of it for though it be not mentioned in the Petition it is necessarily implyed 1. In that we pray for pardon in subordination to Gods glory but it cannot consist with the glory of his Truth Gen. 2. 17. to pardon without compensation 2. We pray for pardon in a way agreeable to Gods will but this is by faith on Christ's satisfaction Hebr. 10. 10. 3. The Remission which is here begged includes Reconciliation Justification and Adoption which Divines call the Relative Ames Medull Lib. 1. C. 27. change according to that general Rule layd down in our Entrance upon the Petitions Now 't is certain all these are procured by the Death and satisfaction of Christ See Rom. 5. 10. Phil. 3. 9. Gal. 4. 4 5. 7. All Christians even of the highest attainments have need to pray dayly for the Pardon of sin For this Petition as the whole is of general concernment The grounds of this you may see in the exposition 8. Men while upon earth will have need to forgive and be forgiven mutual Trespasses and offences So much is imported in that as we forgive c. 9. It is Gods good pleasure that they that expect mercy from him should shew mercy to others 10. A merciful reconcileable frame is singularly pleasing to God and may be an encouragement to beg and hope for pardon at the hands of God These two are plain from the words VI. PETITION 1. WE have need to pray as well for preservation from sin as the pardon of it Therefore is this Petition added to and conjoyned with the foregoing 2. Temptations are the great means whereby sin is propagated in the world i. e. whereby men are drawn into sin and their corruptions are drawn out Therefore when we should pray to be kept from sin we are taught to say Lead us not into Temptation 3s Man cannot be brought into a Temptation without Gods permission and Ordination For by Leading is imported both the permissive and ordering Providence of God See the Exposition 4. The best of men cannot keep themselves out of Temptation without Gods keeping for Lead us not into Temptation is as much as Keep us that we be not drawn into it or run upon it 5. However we may not absolutely pray to be kept out of Temptation yet we should be earnest with God to keep us from the evil of it for thus the later clause seems to respect the former q. d. Lord if thy will be keep us out of Temptation but however keep us from the evil or hurt of it 6. To be preserved from the evil of a Temptation it is sometimes necessary that we be pul'd out by violence 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pull us out See the Exposition 7. To be kept from Temptation or from the evil of it well deserves the name of a Deliverance So we translate it Deliver us 8. Prayer is a singular means to keep us from Temptations or from the evil of it Matth. 26. 41. 9. God is the great and only Saviour and deliverer of his people from all kind of sinful or sorrowful evils for though evils of sin be especially meant here yet I doubt not but all other evils are also to be referred to this Place 10. The summe of what we can desire in order to eternal happiness is to be delivered from the Guilt and Power of sin to be justified for in these two last Petitions are comprized all the spirituall good things which are necessary to fit us for glory and all these though they are comprehensive of many Particulars are coucht ' in these two things viz. Forgiveness of sin and Deliverance from Temptation THE CONCLUSION 1. PRayer and Praise are fitly conjoyned Psal 116. 13. I will take the Cup of Salvation and call on the Name of the Lord. 2. To praise God aright is to acknowledg what belongs to him For thine is the Kingdom 3. Gods Kingdom is peculiar supreme and absolutely independent .. For so we are taught to acknowledg it Thine q. d. wherein there is no Corrival The Kingdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. d. Such a Kingdom so absolute as none like it 4. Power indeed and in the proper notion of it belongs only to the Lord Psal 62. 11. 5. Glory is peculiarly eminently and ultimately due to God alone 6. The Kingdom power and glory belonging to God are eternal For ever 7. 'T is but reasonable to pray and desire that the Name of God may be sanctified 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for or because his Kingdom may come his Will may be done This Doxology being joyned to the Body of the Prayer with the Particle for which is Illative and Aetiological gives sufficient Reason for all those Petitions 8. Because Kingdom Power and Glory is the Lord's therefore 't is fit and reasonable and necessary that we should go to him by prayer for whatever good thing we need whether for soul or body This stands upon the same foundation with the former 9. Though in a proper sense God is not Vid. Ursin in Clausulam Precationis Dominicae moved with arguments i. e. perswaded to do that which otherwise he would not yet he both allowes and requires us to use argument in Prayer Thus the Doxology is brought in as an Argument why God should grant the Petitions 10. Our strongest arguments in Prayer are drawn from God himself and from his attributes Here 's nothing but Thine is the Kingdom c. 11. Our Prayers should be the breathings of our fouls and not only the expressions of our Lips So much Amen imports being as it were a hearty wish in the close q. d. Be it so Lord grant what we have here desired 12. Faith should follow our prayers and wait for a gracious answer of them So Amen also imports q. d. So it is or shall be I beleeve that it shall be even as I have asked FINIS