〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with us he is thy compassionate chirurgion binding up thy wounds and powring in them balme and oyle for their refreshment 4. Hee is our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee is our Conquerour and in his strength makes us conquerours also as it is written In all these things wee are more then Conquerours Let us therefore lift up our wearyed hands and strengthen our fainting knees and in patience runne the race that is set before us for in due time wee shall reape our reward if wee faint not for when wee have fought our fight when wee have runne our course and kept fast that which we have received then shall wee receive the end of our faith the salvation of our soules in the day of the Lord Jesus Amen SECTIO 6. Thy kingdome come IN this petition three things are chiefly to be remarked the matter of the Petition the manner of it and the particle of copulation which ties the matter to the manner the matter is a kingdome the manner is our desire wee desire it to come the particle of copulation is Thy for it is no other kingdome wee desire but Gods kingdome First then of the manner of our desire Come and then of the title of appropriation Thine If wee shall returne to the manner of our desire wee desire that Gods kingdome may come wherein for our better understanding these foure severall things are remarkeable First from whence it cōmeth Secondly to whom it comes Thirdly by what way or in what manner it commeth Fourthly to what end it commeth Shall wee enquire from whence it commeth I answer from heaven to whom it commeth I answer to the elect how it commeth I answer it commeth not by observation but by dispensation and finally shall wee enquire to what end it commeth I answer it commeth for the manifestation of Gods glory and the salvation of the penitent sinner of each of these a word First let us looke from whence it commeth I have said it commeth from heaven for the kingdome of God being either externall or internall or eternall all of them come from heaven His externall kingdome commeth from heaven for hee was king before they were made for looke whatsoever they are in themselves that they are of him and by him See Nebuchadnezer in his better reformation It commeth not from the East nor from the West but from God who is the giver of every good gift it cōmeth neither from Athens nor Jerusalem for then either Philosophers had beene Monarchs or the Scribes and Pharisees had beene dominators over the world but not the first for when they seeme to be wise they proved fooles and God turned the understanding of the prudent man to nought No nor the second for although they sate in Moses chaire yet they locked up the key of knowledge and neither entred themselves into the kingdome of God nor did suffer other men to enter If this Kingdome then bee neither from the East nor from the West neither from Athens nor from Jerusalem what rests but it must bee from heaven If his externall kingdome be of this pitch much more is his internall kingdome the communication of his grace to man and the soule of man for the heart of manlyeth not within the compasse or power of man hee onely that made the heart knoweth it and hath the keyes thereof when hee openeth no man shutteth and when hee shuteth there is no man can open againe For Paul may plant and Apollo may water but only God giveth the increase and without him our word is but a tinkling brasse It rests then that wee consider his eternall kingdome which is onely from him by him and for him for from thence hee hath thrust some before time such are the Apostate Angells some in the tract and progresse of time such are the disobedient and incredulous some in the end of time such are they whom he knoweth not What resteth then but since all things are of him frō him through him and for him that unto him we should ascribe the onely bonour of our salvation neither saying with the Pelagian nor with the Somi-Pelagian that our salvation is either in all or in part of our selves for of our selves wee are not able to thinke a good thought but whatsoever wee have wee have received and if it be so why should wee glory c. 2ly I enquire to whom it cōmeth I answer to the elect to the elect onely for many are called but few are chosen And to speake plainly to you In all the dispensation of God nothing is more fearfully remarkable then this to whom the kingdome of God cōmeth For as it was before time so it is in the fulnesse of time as it is in the course fulnes of time so it shall be in the end of time Before time all were not chosen but hee loved Iacob and hated Esau hee appointed some to be vessels of honour and some of dishonour hee had mercy on whom he would have mercy and whom hee would hee left to the hardnesse of their own heart In time hee calleth whō he will the rest are rejected When the old world was drowned hee saved Noah When Sodome and Gomorah was burnt he saved Lot when all the world were Idolaters hee called his servant Abraham to the Land of Canaan and when all the Jewes were opposites to his Sonne hee called the poore to bee partakers of the Gospell No I must tell you a mystery As the choice of the heires of Gods kingdome from eternity was not of all but of some so is not the dispensation of the calling in time of all but of some few for it will come in a land but not in every city it will enter in a city but not in every family and it will enter in a family but not lay hand on every person of the family I say first it will come to a land but not to every city for it came to Judah for there his name was knowne but not to every city for it did not come to the Gargasens they prefer their swine before Christ It will come to a city for it came to Jericho called none but Zacheus it came to Philippi it chused none but Lidia the Gaoler It will come to a family but not to every person of the family to Rome but not to Nere to the family of Narcissus but not to his owne heart And as before time the kingdome of God was not ordeined for all but for some few and as in time it is not effectuall to all but to some few so after all time it shall not bee given to all but to some few for according to the efficacie of the dispensation thereof in time such shall bee the donation and fruition thereof after all time and in the end of time for two shall bee at the mill grinding the one shall bee received the other shall be refused two shall be lying in one bed the one
AN EXPOSITION OF THE Lords Prayer DELIVERED IN two and twenty Lectures At the Church of Lieth in SCOTLAND By Mr WILLIAM WISCHART Parson of Restalrigg LONDON Printed by M. FLESHER for NICOLAS BOURNE at the South entrance of the Royall Exchange 1633. TO THE RIGHT Honorable GEORGE Lord GOURDON sonne and heire to the Lord Marquis of Huntley one of his Majesties most Honorable Privy Councell in the Kingdome of Scotland and chiefe Captaine of the Company of men at armes entertained there by the most Christian King MY LORD AS I love not those rheumatique pens which are alwayes scribling on the Presse for in the multitude of words there must bee much folly no more do l approve those adust complexions from whom no intreaty can wrest any drop of refreshment to the fleece of Gedion for if the one shall bee beaten for the unnecessarie wasting of his masters goods the other certainly shall bee whipt with many stripes for that hee hath hid his masters talent in the earth and not returned his owne unto him with advantage The consideratiō hereof hath made mee the least amongst the thousands of Levi to adventure this small peece to the publique view and censure of the present time a hazard I confesse much greater then I can well sustaine for Ioseph cannot goe to Dothan but hee must bee stript and sold to a Medianite Sampson cannot project a wedlock at Timnagh but hee must bee flouted by a Philistine David cannot congratulate Hanon but his legates must bee dismissed with beards halfe shaved and garments cut to their buttockes yea the very Sonne of God shall not cast out an uncleane spirit but Calumny shall say it was by Beelzebub the Prince of devils What wonder then if these few drops of inke leaping straight from my penne to the publique Theater of the world bee both greedily viewed and roundly censured for amids the beames of so pregnant a light and in the throng of so many learned writings already spred abroad on this subject to see a silly David acoast the Philistine of Gath may justly seeme to deserve the rebuke of Eliah I know thy hautines the pride of thy heart But to this supposed reproch let me answer with David What have I done is there not a cause or rather let mee say with Iesus Christ the true Sonne and heire of David If I have said evill beare witnesse of it but if I have spoken truth why do yee smite mee The God whom I serve in the Ministery of his Gospell doth well know my conscience also beareth me witnesse that as in teaching these few sermons I did not affect popularity nor praise of men but his honour who hath honoured mee with his service and the good of that people over whom hee put mee in charge so now when they shall be published to the eyes of all having before beene delivered but to the eares of a few I am neither ambitious of vulgar applause as being no Camelion to feed on such an aire nor do I much regard the frivolous checks of all that goe by for Falsus honor juvat mendax infamia terret Quem nisi mendosum mendacem Therefore whilst I desire to do some service to the Church of God and to contribute my mite to his treasure or my goates skin to the furniture of his Tabernacle I have presumed to present it to your honour my good Lord not onely to begge Patronage from your greatnes but also that by it I may in some measure render due honour unto you for your goodnesse as one not of their number who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are ready to prate of every thing but able to speake right of nothing No my Lord I know and do fully acknowledge that as there are none more truly learned so there is none more sincerely affected to the truth of God and maintenance thereof Let venemous detracting tongues wound as they list wisedome shall be justified of all her children for you have made it apparent to the world by your losse sustained at home and abroad for the testimony of the truth that you have accounted the reproach of Iesus Christ to bee greater riches then all the perishing treasures of Egypt And if there were no more yet the honourable project happy successe of that late expedition imposed by your Prince accepted and accomplished by your Lordship against the locusts of Rome raging in our Northerne quarters It hath clearly instanced to the world that whilst some of deeper profession like Meroz durst not come to the helpe of the Lord against the mighties of the earth you like another Iael did put your left hand to the naile and your right hand to the workmans hammer you have smitten Sisera you have smitten him once and he hath not risen againe Accept then my good Lord this poore handfull of water unworthy I confesse of such a Persian Potentate yet accept in it not what plenty should offer but what my penury can afford The theam is holy and may serve for vesture to a Prince if it had been wrought in Bezaleels loome yet take it howsoever as an evidence of the love and respect I owe you pardon but the weaknesse and the worke is rewarded and my earnest desire praier to God shall bee for your Lordship that your projects may continue holy your actions honourable your house and estate prosperous your death comfortable and your salvation sure in him who hath loved us and given himselfe for us a sacrifice without spot or blemish our Lord Iesus Christ in whom I am and shall alwayes endeavour to remaine Your Lordships servant in the truth W. WISCHART A Table of the Lectures in this booke Lect.  Pag. 1 Our Father which art 1 2 17 3 In Heaven 29 4 Hallowed bee thy Name 56 5 Thy Kingdome come 84 6 110 7 Thy will 133 8 Be done 157 9 In earth as it is in heaven 174 10 Give us this day our daily bread 200 11 225 12 249 13 276 14 And forgive us our trespasses 301 15 325 16 351 17 As wee forgive them that trespasse against us 376 18 And lead us not into temptation 401 19 427 20 455 21 But deliver us from evill 481 22 For thine is the Kingdome the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen 511 FINIS LECTVRES upon the Lords PRAYER LECT 1. MAT. 6. v. 9 10 11 12. Our Father which art in heaven IT may perhaps seeme strange that in the middest of so cleare and manifest a light and to the view of so learned and judicious a people I should be bold to represent a taske of so homely and domestique a straine for I know that there is not one amongst you who hath not all this Prayer by heart yet wisedome I know is justified of her childrē Let the truth therfore beget my Apologie and you shall finde that my travels will not be intended in vaine To speake the truth then there bee foure things
giveth the increase And as we must deny our selves so we must also follow him because of his sufficiency for hee is all-sufficient in his mercy in his wisedome in his power and in his truth In mercy for where our sinne abounded his mercy hath superabounded In wisedome for hee hath so wisely reconciled his mercy to his Justice that hee is satisfied and wee saved In his power for he dwelleth in the heavens and doth on the earth whatsoever hee willeth In his truth for heaven and earth shall passe away but one jot of his word falleth not to the ground If we seeke him he will bee found of us but if we forsake him he wil forsake us too LECT 4. Hallowed bee thy name AFter the Preface wee come in order to looke to the Petitions which are six whereof three have a reference to God and three unto man and his humane weakenesse In handling of these Petitions this shall God willing be the path wherein wee shall walke Wee will first looke to the order of the Petition and see in what distance it standeth with the rest And then wee will look upon the matter conteined in the Petition and see wherin it doth concerne us The order of this Petition is cleere and easie for if these three Petitions which concerne God bee justly preferred to those which concerne man then of necessity that Petition which doth most truly point out Gods honor unto us should first have place and that is this For it doth most lively represent unto us the care of Gods glory To it therefore precedency is duly given Now that this may be a little more cleere I shall labour to give you the evidence thereof both from the commandement of God and the practise of his Saints Shall we looke to the commandement of God it is more then manifest for amongst those ten Commandements which hee gave to Israel the first foure which concerne himselfe are prefixed to those other sixe which concerne but us And amongst these foure that which doth most eminently and evidently set forth his Glory hath both preheminency and precedency of place Answerable unto this is that direction of Christs Matthew 6.33 Seeke first the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and the things of this life shall be cast unto you As God by the authoritie of his word doth require this of us So also at all times it hath beene the practise of his Saints in whom the Spirit of God hath dwelt powerfully ever to preferre the Glory of God to all things in this life yea to their owne life it selfe Looke to the practise of Moses Exodus 32. And of Paul that elect vessell of Mercy Rom. 9.3 Both of them in a burning zeale to the honor of God did wish themselves to bee thrust out from God that in their overthrow his honor might bee the more manifested Let me yet adde to this another consideration of the order and we shall see that it is not without reason that this Petition hath the precedency For in it I finde a wonderfull strain of the wisedom of our Redeemer Christ Jesus In the preface and entry of this prayer he hath led us to direct our Petitions in the termes of affection in the termes of faith and in the termes of feare In the termes of affection whilst we call God a Father In the termes of faith whilst we call him our Father and by faith make him to be ours in Christ Jesus And in the termes of feare whilst we acknowledge his power in heaven and in earth And then being to order our Petitions either according to the riches of Gods mercy or to the depth of our misery The first thing that we are desired to crave of God is a heart that can be desirous of his Glory For it is impossible that wee should at any time walke in the obedience of the succeeding Petitions unlesse that our hearts be first inflamed with the zeale of Gods glory For if wee consider aright who is hee that can ingeniously say let thy Kingdome come or thy will be done on earth unlesse he bee first enamored with the love of Gods glory Or who is hee that can content himselfe with his Daily bread or hunger and thirst for the Pardon of his sinnes or strive and wrestle against Temptation who hath not his heart inflamed with the sparkes of the Glory of God surely amongst the sons of men there shall not bee found one no not one For we are here In via non in patria Viatores non cōprehensores And therefore it is impossible for us to desire the reparation of the lost image of God in us or to make a right use of the things of this naturall life unlesse God illuminate our eyes and inflame us with the love of his glory who dwells in glory and hath cloathed himselfe with glory inaccessable which no flesh can conceive and live That the Jewes should have had a chiefe care of this glory it was well demonstrated unto them in the motto of their High Priests that was on their frontlets Sanctitas Iehovae The High-priest was glorious every way in the lower hemne of his garment hee had a fringe interlaced with bells and pomegranats of gold in his brestplate he had the Vrim and the Thummim on his shoulders hee had two Onix stones but on his forehead as one consecrated to the service of God hee had engraven Holinesse to the Lord. Wherein hee did both confesse and petition confesse that God was holy and holinesse it selfe and petition him that he would make him holy as he was who had called him and as the Jewe was thus instructed so also are we who are Gentiles not left without instruction For I must say here of this petition what Paul spoke of faith hope and charity in preferring of charity to the other two hee giveth a reason Those two shall evanish but charity shall convey us to the Kingdome of heaven So fareth it with this petition the rest shall all so evanish Thy kingdome come shall cease whē it cōmeth to us by death Thy will be done in earth shall cease when wee shall rest from our labours and our workes shall follow us Give us this day our daily bread shall cease when wee shall eate of the bread of life Forgive us our sinnes shall cease when wee shall enter into our Masters joy Lead us not into temptation shall cease when God shall tread death sinne and sathan under our feete Thus an end of all these petitions shall come only this one shall have no end at all but shall be like to him to whom it is here ascribed for hee in himselfe is A and Ω the first and the last so shall his honour and glory bee also like unto him a new song hee shall put into our mouth and a deepe Hallelujah in the secret of our hearts wherein the heavens and the earth and the hoasts thereof shall onely resound the praise the
the sonnes of men and the children of nature And to testifie that God is the God of Order and not of confusion he hath in his wisedome set a distinction amōgst his creatures by way of soveraignty three manner of waies 1. He hath given a Kingdome and soveraignty to the celestiall bodies 2. He hath given and established a Kingdome and soveraignty in man 3. Hee hath given a Kingdome and soveraignty to man The soveraignty and Kingdome given to the celestiall bodies is two-fold Of influence and of dominion The soveraignty of influence is acknowledged in nature and by all the children of nature For not only doe these celestiall bodies expresse their influence on the earth the sea and the fruits thereof But also on man and the naturall body of man For man having his body composed of the temperature of the foure Elements Fire Ayre Earth and Water it doth sensibly feele the influence of these celestiall bodies in the mutation and alteration of his health and constitution And as God hath given a soveraignty of influence so hath he likewise given a soveraignty of dominion For it is written Gen 1.16 Hee made two Great lights the Sunne the greater light to rule the day and the Moone the lesser light to rule the night As he gave a Kingdome and soveraignty to the celestiall bodies So did he also establish a soveraignty and Kingdome on man For hee gave unto him soveraignty and dominion over the fishes of the Sea the fowles of the Ayre and over every living thing that moveth on the earth Neither did hee alone subjugate the unreasonable creatures unto him But what is more hee did by his wisedome establish a soveraignty to man amongst men and the sonnes of men For amongst them he hath in his wisdome appointed some to be Masters some to be servants some to be Parents some to bee children some to bee husbands some to bee wives some to bee Judges some to be people some to bee Ministers some to be hearers some to bee Princes and some to bee subjects And in all of these what hath hee done but imprinted in man the Characters and vestiges of his owne primacy and authority For as he is God ouer all and in all blessed for ever So hee hath given unto man as the chiefe and soveraigne of his creatures a chiefe and soveraigne authority not only over his fellow creatures but also over his fellow Brethren that in man as the little world man might perceive the soveraignty of God the creator and Soveraigne of the whole world Last of all he hath set and established a Kingdome and soveraignty in man and that was the Kingdome and soveraignty of the image of God in man For as some celestiall bodies have a Kingdome over the inferiour bodies As man hath authority over the creatures and his fellow Brethren So God hath a Kingdome in man wherein the soule of man is that throne whereon he doth sit The conscience is Gods immediate deputy his assessors are the light of knowledge and understanding writing out a law his Sheriffe or Justice of peace is the will The common people whom he ruleth are the affections Now in all of these being composed and drawne up to an universall bulke and incorporation the image of God stood in man For as man was created the immediate King of the world So God did let him see that hee was his immediate King and Superiour And least that at any time hee should waxe proud and evanish he established a spirituall Kingdome in man Both that he might bee subdued to him that made him and that he might learn to rule aright the Kingdome concreded unto him This then is the Kingdome of man a Kingdome over his fellow creatures a Kingdome over his fellow Brethren a Kingdome over his innated affections Sathan also hath a Kingdome now will you enquire what that Kingdome is It must be answered it is no true Kingdome it is but a tyrannick usurpation like that of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebot who made Israell to sinne or like that of the Bramble who became King of the trees of the forrest That it is no true Kingdome it is cleere out of these severall instances And the instances of his usurpation are foure 1. His inauguration 2. His Vassalls 3. His government 4. His remuneration or reward His inauguration in the first place doth cleere this For he is neither borne to bee a King nor chosen to bee King Not borne a King for hee is but a creature and there is no true King but the Creator who is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords And as he is not a King by birth so also he is not a King by election for none have chosen him to be King over them Yea all that he possesseth he doth possesse by Tyranny Hee said to Christ in the day of his temptation All these are mine But he lied for the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof in it Sathan hath not one foot breadth but what hee either robs or usurpes 2. His Vassalls shew also his illegitimation for as it is in the Kingdome of God so is it also in the true and lawfull Kingdomes of men In Gods Kingdome as he giveth a law so they obey and say Thy Will be done in earth as it is in heaven He is the shepheard they are the flock His sheep heare his voice and they will not follow a stranger In the Kingdome of Sathan it is otherwise they are all children of disobedience howsoever conspiring an evill yet unto every good worke they are reprobate Of whom the true Christian may say as Iacob said of Simeon and Levi They are brethren in evill but in their secret let not my soule come and my glory be not thou joyned with their Assembly 3. In his government how ruleth he I pray you Not as a true soveraigne but as a trecherous usurpator Hee hath no part in man but that which he hath stolne For he steales First light out of the understanding then true desire out of the affections and thereafter full authority and commandement out of the will Where I pray you had hee ever place since his fall but what he stole He stole away by a lie the heart of Eve from God the heart of Cain from his brother the heart of Cham from his father the heart of Esau from his blessing the heart of Ieroboam from his God and the heart of Iudas from the Saviour of the world Yea now he is amongst us and he is likewise stealing either our hearts from the word by sleepe or the seed of the word out of our hearts that it may not take root and bring forth increase to our peace 4. His usurpation is knowen in his remuneration and reward A true King rewards answerably the service of a good subject and when hee findes his coffers emptie hee will coyne occasions to gratifie his faithfull servant God acclaimes this to himselfe as a
art thou hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I did forbid thee Thirdly a worke of conviction Cursed bee thou for thou hast not continued to obey the things written in the Law Fourthly a worke of contrition making thee to water thy couch with teares and to goe out weepe bitterly Fifthly a worke of consolation Goe thy way home thy sins are forgiven thee Sixthly a worke of adoption whilst by his spirit hee cryes in thee Abba father Seaventhly and lastly a worke of confirmation and perseverance whilst hee keepes thee by the power of his spirit through faith to eternall salvation What do we here pray for this that Gods Kingdome may come and why so because wee can never goe to it except it do first come to us for such as is his eternall knowledge his eternall love his eternall election such is the dispensation of those his graces in time and their remuneration in glory after all time what is then thy duty Oh man herken and I will tell thee Since God hath made his Kingdome ready for thee make thou thy selfe ready for it I say hee hath made his kingdome ready Omnia enim sunt parata All things are ready Matt. 22. Paratae sunt nuptiae the marriage is ready Parata est coena his supper is ready Paratum est cubiculum his marriage chamber is ready Paratum est cubile his bed is ready Paratum est regnum and his Kingdome is ready Now are all things on his part ready and thou art not ready Then woe bee unto thee that ever thou wast borne for Gods sake then dresse and trimme thy selfe in time and say Paratum est cormeum My heart is ready Psalm 57.7 and learn with the spirit in the Revelation to say The day of the Lambes marriage is come and his bride hath made herselfe ready Blessed is the man who in that expectation can so say surely hee shall not want his reward and it shall be said to him Come ye blessed of my Father possesse the Kingdome prepared for yon And when you are come in it shall be cheerfully said to you eate and drinke my friends make merry my well beloved And now having spoken concerning the matter and manner of the Petition it resteth that wee speake concerning the copulation of the one with the other Thy This word is very well inserted here for as none can truly say Our Father but hee who is borne of God and is a fellow member of Christs body so none can desire Gods Kingdome to come but hee who is a member thereof and a fellow heire annexed thereto by Christ Jesus yet the words would be well remarked for Meum and Tuum hath made all the world adoe Man whilst hee keeped the Image of God might have justly said of all the world it is meum but when he fell he could say nothing but turning over the right to God say it is tuum man being begotten againe to the hope of glory in Christ Jesus may justly say to and of all the world it is meum jure adrem but not jure in re for hee oweth all things yet possesseth nothing Looke to Christ to his Apostles and to all his Saints Hebr. 11. What shall wee doe then but since by mastery our Kingdome is taken from us looke for one to come and sigh in our selves saying to God Adveniat regnum tuum Meum tuum cost Abel and Naboth their lives But God would not have it so in Christs Kingdome for there is no Kingdome but his and to him alone wee must justly say Thy Kingdome come Vse What right then hath the Pope to enthrone or dethrone Kings since hee is no universall King himselfe Neither in the matter of power for his breath is not his owne nor in the matter of Grace For hee cannot renew nor redeeme his brothers soule it is a price too great for him to pay nor in the matter of glory for he is the child of perdition hee is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hee goes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly why strugle men for soveraignty and can never be contented since the earth is the Lords and all Kingdomes are his Let us seeke the Kingdome of God and our necessities shall bee cast to us Thirdly and last of all let us beware how wee utter this prayer for it appertaineth not unto the wicked but to the godly not to the wicked for if God should take him at his word his condemnation should come upon him at unawares Perversum est enim optare ut veniat quem times ne veniat Augustine Psalm 97. dicere veniat regnum tuum cum times ne exaudiaris Aug. Psalm 147. It is onely the child of God who as the Hart brayeth for the well-springs of water can truly thirst after God and say I desire to be dissolved And again Come Lord Iesus come quickly Revel 22. LECT 7. Thy will AS in the former Petitions so in this also wee will first looke to the reason why it is so placed and next to the matter of the Petition The placing of it is remarkable both in respect of the Preface as also of the preceding Petitions When wee looke to the Preface this followeth exceeding well upon it For there is propounded to us that Summum bonum and chiefe good which the Sonnes of men doe aime at God himselfe knowen by faith communicated by love and expected by hope of consummation to the which wee can never attaine but by doing his will For the Kingdome and inheritance of God is not given to rebells nor disobedients but to Sonnes and obeyers For none shall enter into the Kingdome of God but they that know the will of their Master and doe it And as it hath this reference with the preface viz a reference of instruction So when you looke upon it in the reference it carieth with the preceding Petitions you shall finde the reference and relation demonstrative For as God in all things and above all things he hath care of his owne honour and the glory of his name For it is written My Glory I will not give to another Againe as he is the suprem soveraign of heaven and earth c. Having therein a Kingdome of power of grace and of glory So here wee have the evident demonstration of our confidence and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For hee subjoynes this as a touchstone to try whether ourzeale to his honor or our thirst for the righteousnesse and approach of his kingdome be true and sincere or not And by this to see whether wee doe his will or not Desiring us thereby because of the flattery wherewith we flatter our selves in the use of that common proverbe Ad Deum omnes ire volunt post Deum pauci to try and examine our selves whether wee bee truely of that number or not who can say Thy Kingdome come For it is not the hearers but the doers of the law shall bee justified Vse Now from
meaning of the words to bee Let them that are not yet called bee brought within the compasse of thy covenant and the bosome of thy Church that as wee beleeve so they may beleeve also and as thy will is done by us so it may bee done by them Both of these opinions are not only tolerable but also laudable For we are bound by religion not only to subdue the lusts of our flesh and to live after the Spirit but also wee are bound in charity to begge of God that all such as appertaine to his election may be in due time called justified and glorified That so there may be but one shepheard and one sheepfold and God may bee over all and in all blessed for ever But if I may speak it without the prejudice of so great lights Howsoever both these Petitions be requisite for the Christian yet doe not I thinke that either of them be here meant But with Chrysostome I doe thinke that this Petition differs nothing from that precept of the Apostles Collos 3.1 If yee bee risen with Iesus Christ seeke those things that are above By earth then I understand men that are on earth and by heaven the Angels of God and the Spirits of good and just men departed So that the meaning of the petition is Since it hath pleased thee O Father who dwellest in Heaven to make thy name knowne to us and be called upon of us And seeing thou hast honored us by the making us members of thy true Church and thy Kingdome of grace here on earth O let thy Spirit of Grace dwel so powerfully and plentifully in us that as thy holy Angells and glorified Saints doe thy will in heaven So we that are but weake and sinfull men may captivate our wils to thy obedience here on earth Well then by Earth wee must understand not only earthly men but also the place where Even on earth and while we live in it But let us remarke the word for it is generall Our Saviour teaching us the person the time and the place of Gods obedience saith not Thy will be done in the field in the city in the sea or in the dry land but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per universum terrarum orbem Through all the whole world And as David sayes in his 97. Psalme Make thy way knowne on earth and thy saving health to all Nations The persons then by whom he will have Gods will done are men who are of the earth and to the earth returne again And the place where in the earth and whilst wee live in it For unlesse wee doe the will of God here wee shall not enter into our Masters joy hereafter In the second roome wee must looke to the patterne and it is called heaven by the which as I told you already Augustine and Chrysostome do understand the holy Angells of God and the glorified Spirits of men These are said to bee in heaven But by these alone the word is not only understood For as there are more heavens then one so are they more that do the will of God in heaven then those blessed Spirits alone I say there are more heavens then one and it is cleere For it is said in the preface of this prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plurall number and it is knowne and manifest in nature For this expansum or void wherein are the fowles is called a heaven and they the fowles of the heaven Againe these seaven subordinate spheares in the which the seaven Planets doe raigne are called heaven also Againe that place wherein are the fixed Starres is called a heaven also And finally that place of felicity which is above all of these is called heaven and the third heaven and the heaven of heavens and the Paradise of God Now as all of these are furnished with their severall host and inhabitants So is the will of God done in all of these by their severall host and inhabitants For in the lower heavens which we call our firmament the will of God is done by the fowles of the ayre and by the treasures of windes raine snow haile and the thunder In the second heaven the will of God is done by the Sunne the Moone and the Starres In the third heaven also the will of God is done by the holy Angells who have kept their originall integrity and by the congregation of the first born who rest from their labours and have entred into their Masters joy The words then are cleere By earth is meant man made of earth returning to the earth and living on the earth By heaven is meant all the host and inhabitants of the whole heavens of God whether they be the first second or third heaven But chiefly the third Now the resemblance and parallel of the obedience is remarkable As it is in Heaven For it may be enquired how doe the Angells and Saints departed obey the will of God in heaven I answere they obey it five manner of wayes Speedily Cheerfully Fully sincerely constantly and perfectly Speedily and without delay cheerfully and without murmuring fully and without omission sincerely without dissimulation constātly without wearying and perfectly without halting Now is it possible for man so to doe Gods will No certainly wee cannot doe it speedily for like Lot we linger to goe out of Sodome We cannot doe it cheerfully for like Israel wee grudge and murmur in the way to our rest We cannot doe it fully for the good that wee would doe we doe not c. We doe it not sincerely and without dissimulation for although wee honour him with our mouthes our hearts are farre from him We doe it not constantly and without wearying for to day we are fervent and to morrow wee are lukewarme neither hot nor cold Neither doe we it perfectly for we know but in a part and see but in a part and our perfection is laid up for us in the life to come But why doe we then pray for it since wee cannot attaine to it I answere though we cannot attaine to it yet wee should strive after it For there is a time comming wherein we shall obtaine and attaine to that perfection wee aime at And that is our last moment and day of our dissolution Like Israel compassing Jericho And Sampson groaning under his blindnesse Vse Now the use of all this When God made man he made him conforme to his patterne for he made him like to himselfe and to his owne Image When God commanded to build him a Tabernacle he gave a patterne to it in the mount and never a pinne was in the Tabernacle but what was commanded So it is here when Christ Jesus desireth us to doe Gods will he writeth to us a copy doe it in earth as it is done in heaven Not that we are able to attaine to it but that we must strive after it Let us looke but to a naturall Parent Hee calleth upon
secondly for instruction It serves for rebuke to the Church of Rome who by the imposition of their extraordinary and unnecessary fastings hope to enter into the kingdome of God But to those I say yet not I but Jesus Christ for me Fooles and hypocrites you make cleane the outer side of the cup and the platter but within all is foule and full of ravening Foole dost thou thinke that the kingdome of God standeth in meate and drinke or in apparell No no it standeth in righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost What careth God I pray thee for a bit of meat that goeth into thy belly or for that rag of clothes that covereth thy nakednesse When he is hungry will he tell thee or when hee is thirsty will hee that thou shouldest give him drinke or if he were cold or naked would hee begge the use of thy garment No surely those things are not for him but for us and for our use Hee made our bodies of the earth earthly hee hath breathed the breath of life in our nostrils that by it wee may live in the body he hath given us also the use of his creatures for the preservation of that sparke till hee recall it What is it then should make man so bold to inhibit the use of that thing which God hath licenced or what art thou O man that darest pollute that which God hath sanctified to thee Well hath the Apostle Paul fore-prophesied of thee that in so doing thou hast a shew of godlinesse but in effect thou hast denyed the power thereof for these things may have a shew of wisdome in a will-worship and neglect of the body but in effect they are but the rudiments of the world and the ordinances and traditions of men for they hold not of our head which is Christ Jesus I graunt indeed it fareth not with the soule and the body as it fareth betwixt an evill matched man and his wife the thing that the one willeth the other willeth not and if any neighbour shall pacifie the strife with reason hee hath gained a soule It is even so with the matter of fasting if whilst the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit fighteth against the flesh wee can beate downe our bodies and bring them in subjection it is more then requisite But if wee shall think hypocritically by so doing to merit or procure to our selves the Kingdome of heaven wee deceive our soules and our labour is in vaine for the kingdome of God standeth neither in meat drinke or apparell but in righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Vse 2. And as it serves for rebuke of the Church of Rome so doth it also for instruction to our reformed Church and that in a twofold manner for it teacheth a lesson to the rich man and another also to the poore man It teacheth the rich man to eschew covetousnesse for if God give him bread hee giveth him all that hee oweth him wee cannot bee content till our table be richly decked and our cup overflow but alas these things ought not to be so for we came naked into the world and naked we shall returne againe If wee get therefore food and rayment it becomes us therewith to be contented Nature is not curious in herd yet nor chargeable in her fare shee can say with the Poët Vivitur parvo bene all that she craveth is but bread and water a clout to cover her nakednesse and a hole to hide her head in when God sendeth more she can use it with sobriety when God denyeth it shee can bee thankfull and say with Iob The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken c. And when she seeth the best chear in the world set before her she accounteth it all but bread The crummes of the rich mans table was bread although refused to Lazarus and the rich mans sumptuous fare was but bread Daniels pulse and water was bread and the Kings royall fare was but bread the huskes of the swine was bread to the prodigall child and his fathers feast was but bread Thus the true christian in all things is content hee canne bee abased and hee can abound he can bee hungry and he can bee full he can want and he can have Philip. 4. And in the midst of his fulnesse hee is carefull of nothing so much as that the Lord send not a leannesse upon his soule Secondly as it teacheth the richman to measure the things of this life not by the ell of his desires which have no end but by the ell of nature which is short soone contented so from this the poore man hath a lesson of content When hee looketh to his neighbour and seeth him better cloathed better fed better followed and better favored then himselfe truly nature would grudge and murmure in a naturall man But if thou bee a christian let mee exhort thee in the name of Jesus whose name is called upon by thee represse these fond imaginations Consider that God hath taken nothing from thee but what hee gave thee And that in wisdome hee holdeth thee short of those things that hee himselfe may be thy portiō Blessed art thou if he be so to thee It may be for a time thou hunger and thirst but thou shalt bee satisfied and it may be for a time that thou mourne and weepe but thou shalt be comforted The way to procure thy content it not to measure thy want with other mens wealth No no but looke to the woe that their wealth hath bred them and consider how ease and fulnesse of bread hath made their hearts fat and hath lulled them into the lethargie of a giddie minde whilst by means of thy want God hath preserved his life in thy soule Wouldst thou then change estates no doe not if thou be wise for they who possesse those things stand in slippery places they seldome or never leave their owners without a fall How many this day are in hell who would goe naked to bee partakers of the garment of righteousnesse who would be still hungry to get a poore crumme of the booke of life and dye a thousand deaths for thirst to get one drop of that water that could coole the heate of that flame which they sustaine but oh they cannot obtaine it they have lost their time and their judgement is sealed While therefore thou hast time in time redeeme the time for the daies are evill and if thou get food and raiment learne therewith to be content and if thou be greedy of any thing in the world be greedy of grace for if thou hast the grace of God thou art richer then Cresus because thou hast Christ who when hee was rich became poore that in his povertie thou mightest be made rich LECT 11. Give us this day our daily bread THe second thing considerable in these words is the person of whom wee aske this and it is of God for whilst in the preface wee say Our
sole title and precinct of his endowment but also the title and sole reciprocation hee craves of us and that both in the matter of his obedience and of our content and desires In the matter of our obedience hee will have it to day To day if you will heare his voice harden not your hearts And of our desires Give us this day our daily bread and reasō good it is that it should speake so for by so saying first hee pares the covetous mans nailes Secondly hee bindeth up the prodigalls hands and cutteth downe the Epicures vaine hope I say First by this word hee pares the covetous mans nailes for hee will pare them himselfe hee lets them grow that hee may scrape and scratch and gather together without satisfaction of desire without wearying in travell He riseth early in the morning and goeth late to bed at night and all the day long eates the bread of sorrow as if his belly was like his heart triangular and uncapable of satisfaction but foole that he is what is this he doth knoweth hee not that wee are but here to day and away to morrow for All flesh is grasse Care not therefore for the morrow but let the morrow care for it selfe for this day hath enough of its owne griefe Et magno apparatu breve iter vitae non instruitur sed oneratur Secondly God by this word bindes up the prodigals hands for it is the desire of many men in the world to have God giving them not one peece this day and another peece to morrow as we stand in need of it but wee will have al our portion together as the prodigall child said Father give mee my portion that befalls mee and when hee got it you know what became of it God therefore being wiser then wee will not cast all our patrimony in our lap together but like a wise father will give us our estate but peece peece and will see how we imploy the little hee lendeth us that hee may make us Lords over much and wee may every day honour him in the suit and request of his supply Lastly hee cutteth the vaine hope of the Epicure who like an atheist makes covenant with death and an agreement with hell and saith with the whore in the Revelation I am a Queene and shall see no mourning To this man God cries here as hee cryed to the rich man in the Gospell saying Foole this night they shall take thy soule from thee so here hee cryes to the Epicure This day thou shalt dye and shalt not see the morrow by one dayes disease I will beat that soule of thine out of her cittadell Watch therefore and pray for yee know not at what houre the theefe will come One day is too long to dwell in the tents of Kedar but in the presence of the Auncient of dayes there is fulnesse of joy and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore LECTIO 14. And forgive us our trespasses IN handling of this Petition wee have two things to consider the coherence or dependence of this Petition with the former and next the tenour and force of the Petition it selfe The coherence is evident in the conjunctive particle and. For whilst in the last petition Our Redeemer Christ Jesus teacheth us to begge of him things meete for the maintenance of this our naturall life hee packed up the Petition in some few words of necessitie so here knowing that man is too much addicted to set his heart and fixe his affections upon the earth and the things thereof in a snatch as it were hee recals us againe to the consideration of the soule and teacheth us to hunger and thirst for righteousnesse and the life and well being of the soule For what shall it availe a man if hee winne the whole world and lose his owne soule In a word by the conjoyning and tying of this petition to the former I can resemble our Saviour to nothing better then to a wise and skilfull Pylot who seeing his company sicke and weary with continuall stormes at sea when he knoweth hee is neere any land letteth his sick and faint hearted company go on shore to refresh themselves to get the aire of the land to take in new victuals and provision to serve the necessitie of their succeeding voyage but if hee finde them to begin to be enamored with love of the land and the pleasures thereof straight wayes hee sendeth a boat on shoare reclaimes them frō the surfet of their pleasures telling them that if any amongst them would bee at home at his owne Countrie hee must come aboard againe for it is not the dallying with the pleasures of a strange country that will bring him home to his owne soyle It is even so with our Saviour in these words for in the first three Petitions wee were set to sea and commanded to saile home to heaven for whilst man honours Gods name advanceth Gods kingdome and doth Gods will what is hee doing but sailing through a stormy sea to a good harbour and a quiet haven of rest now because while men have lanched out to the sea of the world and are sailing homeward many crosse windes and boisterous stormes hinder them by the way Christ like a discreete and mercifull pylot and master of our ship in the last Petition giveth us this day our daily bread sets us on shoare and lets us play a while in the free aire and refresheth us with the pleasures of nature giving us leave to satiate and satisfie our selves with such provision as the necessity of this our naturall life required at our hands but knowing very well the nature of man that when hee getteth leave to play with the world hee will take a large inch to the ell and that in stead of satisfying his necessitie hee will inebriate and surfet himselfe therefore in this Petition And forgive us our trespasses hee shootes a boat after them and calls them to come home and to come aboard againe for feare that by playing too long with the world and the pleasures of the shoore they lose the opportunity of their voiage homeward for as the wisdome of the world is foolishnesse with God so the love of the world is enmity with God and whosoever is a friend of the worlds is an enemie of God Iames 4. vers 4. And this I take to bee the reason of the coherence of this Petition to the former Vse Let us now looke upon this tye and particle of conjunction that wee may learne something from it The uses and observations which arise here-from are these First it teacheth how to use the things of this world Man since the fall of the first Adam hath brought nothing into the world with him but an uncircumcised heart and a body of sinne dwelling in his flesh and from thence as from a bitter roote of corruption floweth nothing in all his conversation but fearfull and rebellious transgressions amongst the which
beene heard according to their cry How many in sicknesse have called for helpe how many in poverty have called for support and how many in exile have called for deliverance and yet have not obtained it Looke to David himselfe and to his expostulation Psalm 22. I have called vnto thee by day but thou heardest not and I poured out my plants before thee in the night season and yet I have no audience Last of all how many of the Sonnes and Saints of God having fallen into temptation and snares of the devill have cryed unto God for ease release and deliverance to their wounded conscience and have not obtained it Let David witnesse in his 51. Psalm Whilst hee cryeth Restore me O Lord to the joy of thy salvation and take not thy free spirit from mee And let the Apostle Paul also beare witnesse whilst being buffeted by the angel of sathan he cryed thrice unto the Lord that the spirit of temptation might depart frō him yet behold hee received no answer but this My grace is sufficyent for thee Now I say if in all these man may pray and not be heard accordingly if under the body and burthen of both temporall and spirituall calamities hee sigh and groane and yet cannot be heard in that which he feareth wherefore and to what end I pray you is it that man should plead in these words of Petition or why should they bee tyed to this forme and platforme of prayer To this it is that our Master and Saviour Jesus Christ giveth an answer in this word For c. for in so saying hee strengtheneth and stayeth the weake hearts and feeble knees of his servants against all feare and infidelity whatsoever by leading them to the consideration of the might power and glory of him to whom wee pray So that his meaning is whilst he saith For c. poore and weake creature that thou art wouldst thou draw neere to God faint not though at the first thou obtaine not the victory possesse thy soule in patience hold fast that which thou hast received continue constant in prayer for hee is a great and mighty God whom thou supplicatest and hee is both willing and able to keep that which thou hast cōcredited unto him though hee winke at spirituall or temporall desertions for a while yet bee sure hee will come at last and salvation under his wings and a mighty deliverance under his right hand For never King on earth had either such power to vindicate or affection to pitty or commiserate his subjects as God hath to the deliverance of his Saints For hee is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and his and his onely are all kingdomes all power and glory for ever Now this being the meaning of the illative particle For it resteth that wee make use of it Vse I see man is a weake creature weake in all things for he is weak in knowledge in obedience and in suffering But especially weake in faith I say hee is weake in knowledge for hee knoweth not the things of God neither can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned weake in obedience for the good that hee would do that he doth not and the evill that he would not do that he is led captive to doe In suffering for the bread and water of affliction are hard for him to digest and who is hee who will gladly deny himselfe and take up his crosse and follow Jesus But wee are chiefly and above all weake in faith for even then when God hath made us in his light to see light and when hee hath in some measure captivated our affections unto his obedience when hee hath sanctified our crosse and given us some measure of patience under it and finally when hee hath led us by the hand unto the throne of grace and there by the power of his spirit hath taught us to poure out our desires before him with sighs which cannot bee expressed unlesse in an instant and at the first cry wee bee heard in that which wee feare and get out petitions answered with a sutable correspondence O how weary are wee how faint and how doubt wee of the love and mercy of our God towards us yet here is the love of God made manifest that though our sinne bee out of measure sinfull yet his grace is a rich grace and hee multiplyeth unto us grace upon grace insomuch that hee will not onely call upon us to come unto him in the day of our trouble that hee may deliver us but when wee cannot come hee will draw us and when wee are come hee wil teach us both how and what to pray and finally when wee begin to doubt and fall to despaire hee underpropeth our weake faith by the arguments of his love his power and his glory It is our part therfore whē we addres our selves to God by prayer to make these his peculiar instructions not onely the significations of our desires and trenchmen our hearts best wishes but also by their confident and faithfull evaporations to make them arguments to our selves of our audience for as the prayer of faith availeth much if it be fervēt so the faint-hearted lewk-warme desires of men reap nothing at Gods hands unlesse perhaps it make him cast back the dust of their facrifices into their faces and turne their prayer into sin And thus much I have spoken for the word of inference here used For. Wee must come now and looke on the tenor of the words wherein our Saviour and Redeemer comforteth and stayeth our weake faith and strengthen eith us in our prayers both from doubting and despaire The arguments hee draweth out for our incouragement are two The first is drawne from that anthority and supreme soveraignty which hee hath not onely over man but also over heaven earth and hell and all the hosts and inhabitants thereof The second is drawn from the true titles dignity or attributes of that kingdome and these are three A powerfull a glorious and an eternall everlasting kingdome But let us return to the first argument of faith and incouragement to confidence in our prayer which is taken from Gods kingdome For by this meanes hee maketh a direct reciproeation betwixt this conclusion and the second Petition of this prayer and withall a direct opposition betwixt this conclusion and the last Petition In the second Petition he taught us to seeke the advancement of his kingdome in these words Let thy kingdome come In these words hee letteth us see that hee will seeke nothing of us by way of obedience but that which hee will enable us to do Therefore he ascribeth to himselfe a supreme soveraignty over all the world and a kingdome more eminent then all those which are amongst the sonnes of men to teach us that as kings do not impose lawes upon their subjects to bee snares unto them of rebellion and disobedience but rather statutes easie for observance just in their exaction and safe
or permanency Hence it is that by way of eminent excellency above the creature hee hath made amongst many his other attributes himselfe known to us by his eternity an attribute so absolutely proper to him that it cannot properly be attributed to any creature beside him It is true indeed the decrees of God are truly called eternall in their act but not if wee consider them in their execution for howsoever they were decreed from all eternity yet they are finite in respect of time for in time they receive their accomplishment The soules of men are truly called eternall yet not properly for howsoever they be eternall essences induring for ever yet had they a beginning in time for till God breathed in mās nostrels man was not a living soule The Sacrament of Circumcision was called the eternall covenant Exod. 17. yet it is but catachrestically termed so for properly it was not so it had a beginning in the dayes of Abraham Nothing then can be properly called eternall but God himselfe in respect of his eternall essence and the blood of the Sonne of God in respect of the eternall value thereof God in respect of his eternall essence trinity of persons is from everlasting to everlasting for this is his name I am that I am The value also of the blood of the Son of God is eternall though not in respect of the incarnation yet in respect of the operation thereof for by the blood of that immaculate lambe slaine before the foundations of the world in time wee have received peace attonement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and after all time a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conformity vnto his image and establishment in the grace wherein we stand But thou wilt enquire if God onely bee truly and properly eternall how is eternity according to his kingdome and that his kingdome is for ever and ever The answer is easie whatsoever is in God is God and his attributes are like unto himselfe for as hee is in himselfe eternall so is his kingdome his power and glory The consideration of these things serves us for a manifold use First our God is eternall and so is his love to wards us Who shall separate us from the love of God shall tribulation or anguish famine or nakednesse c. No in all these things wee are more then conquerers Secondly the vertue of the death of Jesus is eternall Who shall lay any thing then to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that justifies who shall condemne It is Iesus Christ who hath died for us and now in the heavens makes intercession for us at the right hand of the Majesty Thirdly God is eternall and his kingdome is for ever what need wee then to feare what man can doe unto us they can but kill the body but Let us feare him who can cast both soule and body in hell fire where the worme dyes not and the fire goes not out Fourthly our God is eternall and his kingdome for ever and ever Why should wee then seeke the things of this life that perish No no it becomes us not to set our eyes on things that are seene and are temporall but on those things that are not seenand are eternall Finally since our God is eternall his kingdome endureth for ever why should we weary or murmur under the rod of our visitation for all the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glory to be revealed for our afflictions are but light and endure for a moment but it is an eternall weight of glory passing in excellency that is laid up for us who are kept by the power of his Sonne through faith to eternall salvation Amen THis is the last gaspe and breath of this prayer many such ejaculations have the servats of God breathed in the last period of their extremities Iacob said O Lord I have waited for thy salvation Old Father Simeon could say Now let thy servant depart in peace The righteous say in the 8. to the Romans That they having received the first fruits of the spirit do sigh in themselves waiting for the adoption and redemption of their mortall bodies and the soules of the Saints under the Altar in the Revelation can say O Lord how long Our Saviour Christ Jesus in place of all these things teacheth us to say Amen And for understanding hereof let us first learne what it is or how it must be said As to the first Amen is a word taken in Scripture three manner of waies nominally adverbially and verbally Nominally it signifies to us Jesus Christ the second person of the Trinity for it is thus written Revel 3.14 These things saith Amen the faithfull and the true witnesse Neither this alone but what is more it gives a reality to what hee hath spoken or promised for it is written his promises are not yea and nay but yea and Amen Adverbially it is a word of earnest asseveration for so useth our Saviour Verily verily I say unto you whose primitive is Amen Amen dico vobis Verbally and so it is equivalent to so be it whether it be in the matter of thank esgiving of praise or of prayer In the matter of thanksgiving 1. Cor. 14.16 That Amen may be said In the matter of praise Psal 41.13 Blessed bee the Lord from everlasting to everlasting Amen and Amen In the matter of prayer and then it hath a double use for then it is vel signaculum consensus nostri vel votum desiderly nostri To all of the former Petitions it is not only signaculum consonsus nostri but also votum desiderij nostri for in these we do not onely acknowledge that our Father dwells in heaven that his name must bee hallowed that his kingdome must come that his will must be done in earth as it is in heaven but withall it is votum desiderij nostri our earnest desire Give us this day our daily bread Forgive us our sinnes Lead us not into temptation and deliver us from all evill And in all of these wee are taught not onely to assent but also to desire to assent and acknowledge the glory power and soveraignty of his dread essence to desire and begge from his all-sufficiency the support of our infirmity that his strength may be knowne in our weaknesse and his power may be made manifest in our infirmity Thus then knowing that all things are of him and by him and for him what rests but that in respect of his all-sufficiencie and eternall kingdome power and glory wee should draw neare unto him begge of him that he who is only able may keep us that we fall not and that he would present us without spot or blemish before the presence of his glory with joy who is God only wise immortall and invisible in whose presence is the fulnesse of all joy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore Amen God of his infinite mercy and goodnesse make us all carefull of his glory whilst wee are in this life that in the day of Christs appearance we may be made partakers of that eternall glory which is laid up for us in the heavens and purchased to us by his blessed merits Amen FINIS