deuotion is kindled and beeing once kindled is conunued and increased Also the diligent marking of those things we are to aske whereof we are put in minde by the words of our praier doth excite and kindle in our benummed and frozen heart a good affection vnto praier For those wordes because they are the words of Christ be the toole or instrument of the Spirit whereby the Spirit of praier will be powerfull and effectuall in vs. And therefore that which Christ here deliuereth When we pray SAY doth binde vs so farreforth as the rehearsall of words in praying is hereunto auaileable to excite and kindle to continue and increase our deuotion least it should waxe colde and benummed and be quenched altogether And hereunto sometime longer praiers serue best otherwise those which are shorter To this purpose Austin in his 121. epistle to Proba writeth many things substantially some whereof pertaining to this place I will here set downe He which forbiddeth much babbling in praier because he knoweth what is needefull for vs doth likewise command that we should alwaies pray and not faint not because he would haue our will made knowne to him whereof he cannot be ignorant but to exercise our desire whereby we may receiue that which we are about to giue For that which he would giue is very great but we are little and strait and can not receiue the same And therefore it is saide vnto vs open thy mouth for so much the more fully shall we receiue that which is exceeding great by how much we doe more faithfully beleeue it more firmely hope for it and more earnestly desire it Therfore we doe alwaies praie in faith hope and charitie with a continued desire but yet at certaine times we doe with words intreat the Lord that so we may admonish our selues how much we haue profited in this desire and likewise excite our selues to doe the same more chearefully That therefore which the Apostle saith pray continually is nothing els but this continually desire a blessed life And therefore at certaine houres we doe withdraw our minde from other cares and busines whereby this desire is cooled in some sort vnto this exercise of praier and by the words of the praier doe admonish our selues to giue heede to that which we desire least that which hath begunne to be warme doe waxe cold altogether and at length be wholly put out vnles it be more often kindled And therefore to continue in praier some long time is not as some thinke to vse much babbling for much speach is one thing and long continued affection is another thing It is saide of the Lord himselfe that he continued whole nights in praier and vsed to pray very lōg The brethren in Egypt are saide to pray very often but yet very briefly and in a manner to dispatch them quickly least that earnestnes which was carefully begū should by longer delay waxe dull and vanish away And by this also they doe sufficiently declare that this earnestnes as it is not to be forced when it will not continue so it is not speedily to be broken off if it will longer endure For in praier we must not vse many wordes and yet we must not want much desire if so be our zeale will perseuere To pray much is to knocke vnto him whome we pray vnto with a continuall and a godly lifting vp of the heart and for the most part this businesse is better performed in sighes and grones then with wordes and by weeping then by speaking For our groning is not hid from him who by his word made all things and desireth not the wordes of man But therefore must we vse words in praier that we may be put in minde to haue regard to that we aske not that we may thinke thereby to teach or mooue the Lord. These things doth Austin teach And for this ende doth S. Paul appoint the publike rehearsall of praier and psalmes in the Church Coloss 3.6 Teach and ad monish your own selues in psalmes hymnes and spirituall songs singing with grace in your hearts vnto the Lord that the words of Christ may dwell in you plenteously 1. Corinth 14.26 When ye come together hath any one a psalme let him pray vvith the Spirit and with the vnderstanding that all things may be done to edification And because it is sometime needefull that we should vse words in praier The excellency of the Lords praier there can be no praier more profitable then that which the Lord himselfe deliuered and appointed For first of all it doth briefly comprehende all those things which can be well and fittely asked of the Lord shewing of whome we must aske them in what manner and order and for what ende and purpose And Saint Austin saith If you shall peruse the wordes of the praiers of all the Saints of God which are extant in the whole scripture and cheifly in the Psalmes you shall finde nothing which is not briefly contained and concluded in this Lords praier Secondly as the Creede containes the rule of faith so this Lords prayer is the rule of all prayers For he that desires any thing in prayer saith Austine or speaketh any thing which cannot pertaine to this Evangelicall prayer his prayer is not spirituall but carnall and vnlawefull Thirdly for authority for the sonne of god himselfe who is our advocate that bringeth our praiers vnto the father who obteyneth for vs the spirit of praier who together with the father heareth vs he prescribed vnto vs this forme of prayer It is a friendly and familier praier saith Cyprian to intreat the father by the words of the sonne The father will acknowledge the wordes of the sonne when we make our prayer and then we haue Christ our advocate with the father for our sinnes Let vs propound the wordes of our aduocate when we miserable sinners intreat for our sinnes These thinges saith Cyprian How the Lords praier must be vsed And it were not onely rashnes but impietie to disdaine either the shortnesse or simplicity of the Lords prayer as though thou thy selfe couldst finde out and compose a better forme of praying And yet the rehearsing of the Lords prayer must be no vaine mumbling ouer as though the wordes vttered without vnderstanding had some magicall force but we must consider what the wordes do signifie and put vs in minde of how farre they reach and how many things they conteyne vnder them that we may pray with the spirit and with the vnderstanding 1. Cor. 14. v. 15. and may include our wants in those petitions For by this meanes as it hath bin said those words will stirre vp our deuotion Let vs therefore briefly consider euery point compare the description of S. Mathew with that which is set downe by Luke cap. 11. v. 2. c. For although according to S. Luke Christ repeated that form of prayer at another time and vpon other occasion then Matthew recordeth yet because the forme therof is
they shall be heard For seeing thine is the kingdome which is therefore ordained because in it he will bestow such benefits he hath commanded vs to aske them in his kingdome and hath promised to here vs therfore in these wordes faith shewes it selfe certen of gods good will towards vs and with all professeth that in praier it relieth not on any merits or worthinesse of it owne but on the fauour of God alone for Christs sake for it is the kingdome of Christ and of grace Then to the will of God he addeth power for he saith Thine is the power So that being assured that god is both willing able to performe those things which we aske faith therefore neither can nor ought to doubt of Gods hearing of vs. And because we say Thine is the glorie therefore faith makes account that god who is faithfull in performing the glory of his trueth of his grace and of his power will surely accomplish those things which we aske lest the heathen say where is novv their god Thirdly this clause sheweth vs how we are to vse those benefites which we desire in prayer for what ende we are to aske them and whither we are to referre them and withall here we do promise to what end we will referre them and howe we will vse them or what thankefulnesse we doe promise to God To wit as it is saide Psal 145.10 They shall shewe the glorie of thy kingdome and speake of thy power to cause thy power to be knowne to the sonnes of men and the glorious renowne of thy kingdome Now what is that glorie of Gods kingdoÌ„e how it is to be renowned that whole psalme teacheth from the beginning to the ende Aman in hiphil signifies to trust or to beleeue Whence comes Amen and Emunah faith and truth And thus doth this clause or conclusion of the Lords prayer teach vs very many things Amen This is an hebrew word deriued of a verb which signifieth to beleeue and to trust whence also doe come the names of faith and trueth in the hebrewe tongue It is very significant and therefore is vsed in other tongues And because in this particle ameÌ„ the nature of iustifying saith in applying the promise and in prayer is notably set out we are therefore diligently to marke the signification thereof which that I may the better expound I will propound example of it distinctly This particle amen is especially thus vsed In cursings Deutron 27.15.16 c. Cursed is he c. and the people shall say AmeÌ„ Numb 5.22 If thou hast not defiled the bed c. But if thou hast defiled it c. god make thee accursed c. and the woman shal answer amen amen And Rabbi Dauid saith this was spoken by way of prayer or by way of assuming whereby they tooke vnto themselues and vpon themselues those curses if they had offended II. It is vsed for the most part in praier or inuocation in blessing and thanksgiuing 1. Cor. 14.16 when prayers thanksgiuings are rehearsed the Church answereth Amen Psal 41.14 Amen amen Nehem 8.6 Ezra blessed the Lord and all the people lifted vp their hands and answered Amen amen Tobi. 9.12 they all say Amen to the blessing vpon the marriage Apoc. 7.12 they worshipped God saying AmeÌ„ praise and glory and wisdome and thanks and honour and power and might be vnto our God for euermore Amen And so it is a note of wishing and desiring to witte that faith in a true desire of heart wisheth by true hope expecteth that those thinges which we aske in prayer may be done performed Thus in the story of Samosatenus with Eusebius and with Ambrose in the 4. booke of the sacraments when as in the administration of the Lords supper the bread of the Lord is giueÌ„ to euery one with these wordes Take eate this is the body of Christ giuen for thee for the remission of sinnes Then euery communicant answered Amen And 3. Kings 1.36 there is a notable explication of this particle Amen For when Dauid had commaunded that Salomon should be anointed king to succeed him and had further commaunded them to say God saue king Salomon Benias answered and said Amen Let the Lord God of my Lord the king say so Munster saith it is the imparatiue passiue of the first coniugation for Heamen that the meaning of it should be this let this be true let this be ratified and confirmed of the Lord. The Chaldie dictionarie saith it is the future tense hauing the first letter cut off Ieamen d This is warranted 2. Chr. 1.9 Ieamen deuereâ—a c. Let thy word be verified c. let this be confirmed or stablished The Greekes regarding the roote haue most notably translated that place 3. King 1.36 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So be it the Lord God ratifie and doe the word of my lord the King III. This particle Amen is also vsed when faith receiueth a promise propounded So 1. Chron. 16.36 after the rehearsall of the promises of God this is added And let all the people say Amen Ier. 11. v. 5. The Lord repeateth this promise I will be your God and you shall be my people that I may confirme mine oath c. and I answered saith Ieremie Amen O Lord and Ierem. 28.6 when Hananie prophecied of prosperitie Ieremie saith Amen and addeth a large exposition of that word Amen The Lord so doe the Lord confirme thy words that it may be so as thou hast prophecied Luke 1. Marie hath notably expressed the signification of this particle Amen Be it vnto me according to thy word And these significations come all to one almost which yet for plainer explications sake I thought good thus to distinguish that the properties of faith in applying the promise and in prayer might the better be considered by the vse of this particle Amen IV. Amen is vsed for a note of affirmation and asseveration as 2. Cor. 1.20 The promises of God are not yea and nay to witte as though in them one thing might be said in word and an other thing thought in the heart or els might be promised in words and in deed be not performed but in Christ they are yea Amen where the Hebrew worde Amen is expounded by the Greek particle ναὶ which is a note of affirming and asseuering Isa 65.16 He that shall blesse himselfe in the earth shall blesse himselfe in God Amen and he that sweareth shall sweare in God Amen Whereas the greeke word ναὶ so the word Amen also is a note of swearing when any thing is affirmed and auouched as though an oath were added thereto this last signification agreeth to those places in the gospels where Christ saith AmeÌ„ I say vnto you And because the root AmaÌ„ with those wordes that are deriued thereof hath the signification of truth certenty stability constancy c. therfore if it be referred to the person speaking it beareth this sense I speake not at randum rashly or lightly but truely certenly earnestly and constantly and that is I say I affirme and avouch as though I added an oath or if it be referred to that which is spoken it hath this sense that which I say is no wauering thought or doubtfull opinioÌ„ but it is true certen sure and stable which I say which is neither chaunged nor altered but is vndoubtedly so decreed in the will of God and shall indeed be so accomplished And the doubling of the word Amen Amen doth enforce the asseueration and may wel be expressed in our suparlatiue degree which the hebrewes want It is most sure and firme that I say Furthermore this particle amen in the greeke translation of the olde testament is sometime expressed by the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fiat be it so Deutron 27.15 and 26. Psal 41.14.3 Kings 1.36 Numb 5.22 Sometime it is translated by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truely Ier. 28.6 sometime the hebrew worde is vsed still 1. Chron. 16.36 let the people say ameÌ„ so Ier 11.5 Nehem. 8.6 Tob. 9.12 the particle amen is vsed in the greeke tongue so it is kept still in the new testameÌ„t where sometime the exposition of it is set down For that which is said of the widow Mar. 12.43 Amen I say c. in Luk. 21.3 is thus expounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 surely I say vnto you Nowe whereas this praier is concluded with this particle Amen it teacheth vs that when we come to the ende of our praier we must consider with what deuotion we haue prayed that it be no colde mumbling ouer of words Therefore after we haue laid open our necessities and our requests at the ende our minde is excited and stirred vp to conceiue an earnest request from the very heart whereby the heat of our desire is kindled and inflamed which with inward sighes doth humbly and deuoutly wish and desire that our praier may be ratified and confirmed with God that our heauenly father for Christ our Mediatours sake would bow downe his eare would heare and receiue our praier and performe those things which we desire Amen Amen let that be done let that be done O Lord which I haue asked II. By this particle faith doth shew it selfe not to doubt or to be caried about with the waues of mistrust whether God will heare vs and will performe those things which we aske but to make sure account that as God hath commaunded vs to aske and hath promised that he will heare so he will faithfully performe and accomplish our requests Againe by this particle faith doth stirre vp it selfe it doth vphold defend and confirme it selfe against doubtings For it taketh the worde Amen from that promise Amen amen I say vnto you what soeuer ye shall aske the father in thy name he will giue it you and hereto he ioynes his owne Amen as it were a seale because he makes full account that God is faithfull and true Ioh. 3. And hence Ierome very finely calleth this particle Amen the seale of prayer FINIS
the same in both places the comparing of them together in this exposition will not be vnprofitable And here we must obserue that some latin books omitting some things do repeat this form of praier more briefly in S. Luke then it is described by Mathew For in the beginning it is only said Father and this which followeth in S. Matthew which art in heauen is omitted The third petition also is omitted thy wil be dōe in earth as it is in heauen This also is omitted But deliuer vs from euill And Austine saith expressely in his Enchiridion cap. 115. 116. that the lords praier in Mathew containeth seauen petitions but in S. Luke it hath not seauen but fiue petitions onely And he sheweth that that petition thy wil be done is contained in the two former this but deliuer vs in that which went before it Lead vs not into temptation Whence I gather that the Latin bookes euen in Austins time had the Lords praier according to Luke as it is now read But the Greeke bookes doe set downe that whole prayer euen so with Luke as it is in Mathew saue onely that with Luke doth wāt that conclusiō for thine is the kingdome Now it might seeme that such things as were wanting with Luke in this place haue beene added from the Greeke bookes out of Mathew But Austine in his booke of the words of the Lord vpon Luke cap. 28. And Ambrose in his fift booke of the Sacraments cap. 4. doe so rehearse that whole praier out of Luke as it is extant in Mathew Whence I gather that the latin bookes differed at that time and some of them read it so in Luke in this place as it is in the greeke others read it so as it is now in the vulgar latin translation As for the differēce which is in some words that we wil note in the exposition And that very diuersity of some wordes doth shew that we are not bound to a superstitious rehearsall of wordes in prayer This praier containes three parts the entrance or preface petitions and the conclusion of each whereof I will speake in order Our father which art in heauen The Preface Austine saith whereas in euery earnest sute we ought to procure his good will to whome we make our request and that is most conueniently done by the praise and commendation of his benefites to whome we praie therefore seeing we neither can nor ought to boast of our owne merits before God Christ in the beginning of this praier hath commanded vs to say nothing else but Our father Hugo saith that Christ like a good oratour before the petitions prefixeth a short preface wherin fauour is sought for from the person asked when we say Father from the person asking when we say Our And surly these aduertisments haue their vse But because it hath beene declared before that we are to vse words in praier not so much to mooue the minde of God by rhetoricall insinuations as by rehearsing and meditating on the wordes to stirre vp in our selues attention deuotion confidence and care to frame our praiers aright that we may shew our selues to be such suiters as the Lord would haue therefore those words are principally to be imploied for this ende and purpose We will briefly note out in seuerall points those things which are principally to be thought vpon by occasion of these words As first these words Our father doe giue vs to vnderstand that praier ought not to be such a bare desire in a wishing manner as men are woont to say would God this good might happen vnto me oh that this danger or this euill might be remooued God blesse it and prosper it God forbid and such like but we must expressely name him of whome we desire to haue our request graunted vnto vs. And not in generall tearmes onely as when we say God graunt God forbid but we must by name speake vnto and call vpon him that our praier may be directed vnto him our father as it were in communication And whereas the psalmes doe speake in the third person God be mercifull vnto vs God blesse vs we must vnderstand that praier to be directed either to the mediatour that for his sake God would be mercifull vnto vs and blesse vs or else the deuotion of the mind is to be referred to the second person For it is the Scripture phrase to speake vnto a person present in the third person as Gen. 33.14 Let my lord goe before his seruant 1. King 16.16 Let my lord the King command and chap. 25.25 Let not my lord the King I pray thee set his heart against Nabal And in that vsuall phrase of Scripture let the king liue is vnderstoode I pray God the King may liue And therefore in what words soeuer the prayer be framed the minde must alwaies thinke vpon God and behold him that our desires and requests may be directed vnto him For this is the forme and rule of our prayer to say our Father Secondly these wordes doe admonish vs that prayer or invocation is not to bee directed to any creature but onely to the heauenly father so as we may not direct our prayer to them of whome we are sure their spirits doe liue with God For the name Father is also opposed vnto thē Isay 63. v. 16. Doubtles thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of vs Israell know vs nos thou Lord art our Father and our redeemer Thirdly those wordes doe teach vs that we must so conceiue of God and speake to god in prayer as he hath revealed his essence vnto vs in his word For the heathen when they goe to pray they thinke of a God that is eternall the Creatour almighty but who that God is they knowe not But we are taught by these wordes to make a difference betweene our calling vpon God and the praiers of the heathen and to thinke that we call vpon that God who hath thus made knowne his beeing vnto vs in his word that he is the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost to witte the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who sendeth the spirit of his sonne into the hearts of the faithfull whereby we crie Abba father For so the word Father is to be vnderstood essentiallie in this place for God or for the Diuine Maiesty or for the whole Trinity which is the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost as it is written Deut. 32. v. 6. Is not he thy father that hath bought thee which hath made thee and proportioned thee Isaie 63. v. 16. Thou Lord art our father and our redeemer or he that dischargeth vs from bondage The Sonne also is called by this generall title Father of Eternity Isay 9.6 And the holy ghost is called the Father of the poore This title therefore doth admonish vs when we are about to pray to settle our minde against all levity inconsideration pride in such deuotion reuerence and humility as those which
remember themselues to poure out the wordes of their prayer not vnto the aire or before any creatures but before the diuine Maiestie whom we come vnto in our praier Eph. 3. v. 14. before whose face we doe appeare Psal 141.2 and Psal 119.58 beseeching him to be neere and present in all our supplications Fourthly the word Father also may very well be vnderstood personally or in relation for the person of the father the mētion and moouing whereof doth necessarily include the Sonne whereto it hath relation And by the spirit of the Sonne we crie Abba Father So that the seuerall persons of the Trinitie in their offices and benefits toward the Church are offered to our consideratiō in the preface of this praier And thus Saint Paul did vnderstand the name Father in prayer indiuerse places and specially Eph. 3.14 For this cause doe I bend my knees vnto the father of our Lord Iesus Christ And Christ himselfe expoundeth Our father when he saith Ioh. 20.17 I ascende vnto my father and your father to my God and to your God Therefore this title comprizeth not onely that the father from eternitie hath begotten his onely begotten Sonne but in respect of the Father it containeth the benefits of our regeneration adoption and calling to an heauenly inheritance In respect of the Sonne the mediatour it containeth the merit office and the benefits of his propitiation reconciliation intercession that it may warne vs of that which the Sonne promiseth Ioh. 16.23 Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the father in my name he will giue it you And because a doubting and distrustfull praier obtaineth nothing Iam. 1.6 but as it is written Mark 11.24 I say vnto you what soeuer ye shall desire when ye pray if you shall not vvauer in heart but beleeue that ye shall receiue it they shall be done vnto you So that this title Our father teacheth vs with what faith and confidence we are to pray vnto God to wit not in proud and Pharisaicall presumption for our owne iustice or worthinesse for the works and merits either of our selues or others but with an humble acknowledgement and confession of our owne vnworthines for the merit and intercession of the onely Sonne of God our Mediatour for whome the father hath adopted vs to be sonnes and heires Eph. 1.5 As Daniel saith in his praier We haue sinned and done wickedly we doe not present our supplications before thee in our owne righteousnes but in thy great tender mercies heare vs for the Lords sake Likewise that whereto this title fasher hath relation doth put vs in minde of most sweete consolation Heb. 2.17 That in things concerning God vve haue a mercifull and a faithfull high priest And 1. Ioh. 2.1 If we sinne we haue an advocate with the father who is the propitiation for our sinnes Hebr. 7.25 and 9.24 Euer liuing and appearing in the sight of God for vs to make intercession for vs which by him doe come vnto God For he hath receiued gifts for men Psal 68.19 and he bestoweth the same on vs Eph. 4.11 So by these words that we are not commanded to call God a Lord iust great almightie terrible but our Father is stirred vp in those which pray confidence that they shall be heard and obtaine their requests Hebr. 4.16 Let vs therefore goe boldly to the throne of grace that we may receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede And most sweete is the saying of Bernard That praier which tasteth sweet of a fatherly name giueth me assurance that I shall obtaine all my requests For the title Father affoardeth vs this confidence as Christ himselfe declareth Ioh. 16.23 that our praiers are not either grieuous or vngratefull vnto God but the father so loueth vs that he is delighted with this our dutie if we come vnto him by our praiers and his fatherly minde is carefull for our necessities Matth. 6. v. 32. And of his owne accord is readie and forward to heare and to helpe vs Luk. 11.9 and psal 103.13 As a father hath compassion on his children c. Againe this title teacheth them that pray to consider and trie themselues whether they be indeede the sonnes of God members and brethren of Christ ingraffed of the father For they that goe on in their sinnes without repentance and doe not seeke imbrace Christ by true faith that by him they may be reconciled vnto God cannot call God father So very many things doth this title teach vs. Fiftly whereas we doe not onely say Father but our father this bringeth vs to the consideration of that which Christ saith Ioh. 20.17 I ascend vnto my father and your father to witte that we should conceiue and thînke that God who is by nature the father of Christ is for his sake by grace out father also not by nature but by adoption And least we should thinke that he were onely the father of some few which be indued with great vertues and excellent gifts therefore when we say our father we doe include the whole bodie of beleeuers wherein all the members are not alike The consideration whereof serues to beat downe pride and to worke humilitie in the children of God that haue attained to greater measure of grace that they may not chalenge any thing peculiar to themselues in this fatherhood but reckon themselues among the cōmon flocke of Gods children saying Our father It serueth also to put courage into the weaker sort that they may not thinke themselues to be excluded frō that fatherhood but make account that God is no lesse their father then the father of Marie Iohn Baptist and Paul and therefore are they commanded to say Our father For we pray vnto a father that iudgeth vvithout respect of persons 1. Pet. 1.17 Lastly this very title doth put vs in mind of brotherly loue for if there be one which is our father Math. 23.9 then are we brethren and members one to another Mala. 2.10 Haue we not all one father and one God why then doth euery one despise his brother This also teacheth vs to pray not onely for our owne wants but also to cōmend vnto God in our praier the necessities of our whole brotherhoode and of euery member thereof saying Our father giue vs forgiue vs. Neither neede we to doubt if so be we be members of that bodie but that the common praiers of the whole bodie doe also include our necessities For therefore especially hath he fitted a forme of praier for such an harmonie or consent as himselfe speaketh because he doth principally require our praiers to be common that a few might meete together in his name and agree among themselues what they will aske Math. 18.20 And yet because we are commanded to pray in secret priuately in our chamber therefore when we say Our father it is requisite that euery one doth applie vnto himselfe that common promise of the fatherhoode as Thomas said well My God and my Lord and as
to pollute to profane or blaspheme the name of god sheweth most plainely what it is to hallow or sanctify it We pray therefore that god would giue vs grace to acknowledge to consider reuerently to set forth aduance those vertues and workes of god in thought word and deed As it is vvritten Psal 48.11 According to thy name so is thy praise Which also may and ought to be enlarged in this exposition and meditation vnto all the essentiall and personall vertues of god Againe we do heare desire that we may with holinesse and reuerence thinke and speake of the workes and iudgements of god that we be not euil or envious cēsuters so as we should wrongfully or prophanely iudge of his prouidence and chastisements towards vs and of his long suffering towards our enimies by complaining and murmuring against the same or else abuse his goodnesse his gentlenesse and patience Numb 20. v. 12. whē Moses and Aaron doubted of obtaining water and the people murmured the lord saith ye haue not beleeued me that ye might sanctifie me before the children of Israell 1. Pet. 3.5 Be not afraide in time of persequution but sanctifie the Lord in your hearts IV. Seing the name of god concerning his essence his will his workes and iudgements is made knowne to vs in the word we doe pray that the name of god that is his word may be giuen and preached vnto vs purely sincerely in true and sound vnderstanding holily that is without corruption or deprauation that sincere and faithfull ministers may be giuen vs for the edification of the Church which may discharge their duty faithfully and be furnished with necessarie gifts And that we may be mercifully kept and preserued from all corrupting and deprauing of the word of god from woolues and hirelings V. Answerable to this we must acknowledge the giuing of the word for the holy and singular blessing of god we must reuerently receiue it with diligence and deuotion heare thinke and meditate on the same We must also sanctifie and adorne the same with a godly life lest by vs the name and doctrine of god be polluted and euil spoken of 1. Tim. 6. v. 1. And that other by our godly conuersation may be drawne to loue and embrace this doctrine Math. 5. v. 16. that they may see our good workes and glorifie your father Rom. 2. v. 23. By breaking the lawe thou dishonourest God and for you is the name of god blasphemed Nowe let all these parts be applyed to the foure general heades before set down To wit I. What blessings we desire to be giuen vs to be preserued and increased II. From what euills we desire to be kept deliuered III. What benefits we must acknowledge to be bestowed on vs and what thanks we ought to render againe for the same IV. What manner of confefsion of sinns we must make from thēce And let these be applyed in speciall vnto the whole Church and in particular vnto our selues and vnto those whose want we know So will the meditation of this petition be very large Let thy kingdome come to In greeke it is simple come but because in Luke 11. v. 20. it is written The kingdome of God is come vnto you It is not amisse translated adueniat Let come too Moreouer the kingdome of god is taken diuers waies For there is a generall or vniuersall kingdome of God whereby he doth mightily gouerne all creatures Psal 103. v. 19. his kingdome ruleth ouer all and Psal 145.13 Thy kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome But this we doe not properly vnderstand for that doth mightely runne ouer all nothing can hinder it neither any creature withdraw it selfe from vnder it vnles we vnderstand our prayer thus that all men may acknowledge obserue and reuerence the prouidence of that kingdome of God whereby he ruleth gouerneth and disposeth all things and that they may humbly subiect themselues vnto it in all things Againe there is the kingdome of grace in the Church in this life and the kingdome of glory in the life to come which is heere properly to be vnderstood as the preface it selfe sheweth For we say Our father thy kingdome come And this is called the kingdome of the father the kingdome of Christ and the kingdome of heauen the more to commend the free gift of God we say not that we come to the kingdome of God but doe pray that it may come to vs or as Christ more plainely speaketh Luke 11.20 that the kingdome of God may come before hand vnto vs. And this is called the kingdome of the father the kingdome of Christ the kingdome of heauen Nowe the kingdome of grace is not meat and drinke but righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. v. 17. It consisteth not in speach but in trueth and in power 1. Cor. 2. v. 5. We pray therefore that the holy ghost may be giuen vs that he may be powerfull in vs by the word to illuminate to conuert iustifie sanctify to lead guide confirme preserue vs that we may be found in that kingdome and there abide and perseuere lest we should fall away thence againe and slide backe into the kingdome of Satan That God would oppose his owne kingdome against the kingdome of Satan and of the world that he would keepe backe and bind the deuil that he would suppres beare downe and breake of the treasons and the power of the deuil and the world and mercifully defend keepe his church from the same that is as the Psalmist saith Psal 110.2 that he would rule by the power of his right hand in the middest of his enimies that he would tread down Satan vnder our feete Rom. 16. v. 20. keepe vs from the world Ioh. 17. v. 15. that we may ouercome the world 1. Ioh. 5.4 and Ioh. 16.33 that he would deliuer vs from the present euill world Gal. 1.4 least we should loue and desire the kingdome of the world contemning and neglecting the kingdome of God least sinne should raigne in our mort all bodies Rom. 6.12 and iniquitie beare rule ouer vs Psal 9.13 and 119. but that sinne may be crucified and mortified in vs Galat. 5.24 that we may become subiect to the direction of the Holy ghost and be transformed of him into the obedience of god and become seruants vnto righteousnesse That we answer not thus We wil not haue this man to raigne ouer vs. Luk. 9.14 that we cast not off his yoke from vs. Psal 2.3 but take it vnto vs because his yoke is sweete and easie that we may finde rest vnto our soules that trauailing and beeing heauie laden we may flie to the throne of his kingdome and there haue refreshing Math. 11.29 Hebr. 4.16 that we may first seeke the kingdome of God Math. 6.33 that we may sit downe in the kingdome of heauen and not be cast thence Math. 8.11 that we be not offences in the kingdome of God Math. 18.6 that the kingdome of
for the creature is sanctified by the word and praier Where by word he vnderstandeth that word of God by which the vse and gouerment of the creatures which were created for our good was giuen to men in the beginning Gen. 1.8 and after it was lost by sinne was restored againe by the intercession of the sonne Gen. 9.2 And whereby the difference of meates is taken away in the newe testament Colos 2.16 That all things may be pure Titus 1.15 By prayer also he vnderstandeth that wherby as adopted children we craue that our owne bread may be giuen vnto vs from the bountifull hand of our father with his blessing that so the vse thereof may please God and we may inioy the same with ioyfull and good conscience For this also is the speciall gift of God as Salomon saith To eate of his owne bread to drinke and to reioyce Eccles 3.12 and 5.17 Thus are these things to be asked in generall for the whole body of the Church priuately for our selues and namely for others whose necessity we knowe that so we may apply this petition to the foure generall heads before set downe I. What blessings we are to aske II. What euills we are to pray against that they may be remooued taken away and we deliuered from them III. For what benefits we are to be thankefull vnto God IV. What sinnes of ours we must acknowledge and confesse vnto god in this petition for pardon and amendment Forgiue vs our debts The asking of daily bread is not therefore put before the remission of sinnes in the order of prayer as though money were to be sought for in the first place and godlinesse learned after wealth is gotten For our Sauiour Christ biddeth vs first seeke the kingdome of God Mat. 6.33 But because we are naturally carried to seeke worldly goods and it is the will of god that his benefits should take footing in vs in earthly things and thence lift vp the minde to the knowledge of god and to the desire of spirituall and heauenly blessings So Ioh. 4.53 The ruler with all his family was brought to beleeue in Christ by the outward curing of his sonne and Gen. 28.20 Iacob saith If God will keepe me in my iourney and giue me foode and raiment the Lord shall be my god Therefore after the petition for bread is straight ioyned the petition for remission of sinnes and they are knit together by this copulatiue particle καὶ and to teach vs that with what earnest desire we are naturally carried to seeke worldly goods with the like feruency of spirit we should desire care for those things which concerne the eternall saluation of our soules and the naturall desire of bodily goodes and wealth which notwithstāding Christ in this praier doth restraine and moderate may also teach vs this by the coniunction copulatiue καὶ that we must pray for food to god and referre the issue and euent to his good pleasure as hath beene saide Nowe those which Mathewe calleth debts Luke expoundeth Sinnes that we may knowe what kinde of debts are vnderstood in this place And it is a vsuall Ghaldaeisme to vse the word Chab which signifieth to be indebted or bound to for to sinne to do wickedly And Christ in his sermons oft times putteth debt for sinnes offences and wickednesse as in the parable Math. 18.24 In the story of the sinfull woman Luke 7.47 And Luk. 13. v. 2. Thinke ye that those on whome the tower of Silo fell were greater debters then the rest Here then this phrase is to be marked and we must consider what instructions we must learne from this that sinnes are called debts For seeing that men do either frame vnto themselues sinnes from priuate superstition and from the traditions men or else from some Pharisaicall conceit doe challenge vnto themselues iustice and perfection this name debt doth lead vs vnto the lawe or decaloge as it were to an obligation which is the rule of Gods iustice shewing what our nature ought to be what we ought to doe and what to omit in what manner with what perfection puritie As Christ saith Luke 17.10 vve haue done those things vvhich vve were commaunded to doe And Rom. 8.12 vve are debters to liue after the spirite And because that is the forme of our obligation vnto God it sheweth vs by the contrary how many waies we runne into exceeding great debt by doing those things which we ought not to doe by leauing vndone those things which we ought to doe and such things as we performe by doing them amisse imperfectly impurely The same phrase also signifieth a fault guiltinesse an offence and condemnation as there are many examples when as for want of paying a debt one is condemned to some punishment so the greeks vse the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to owe as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to owe a penaltie or forfeiture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that are condēned to die or condēned in a summe of money So Christ expoūdeth this Mat. 5.25 thou shalt be cast into prison and not come thence till thou hast paid the vttermost farthing Math. 18.25 When he had nothing to pay his master commaunded him to be soulde with all that he had So that this very phrase teacheth vs to aske forgiuenesse both of the fault and of the punishment contrary to the distinction of the Papists Now for what ende the Lord doth oft times lay vpon the Godly in this life after the sinne is forgiuen temporall punishmēts not of curses but of correction we haue shewed else where And because the Lord inioyneth his Apostles those who haue god for their father to make this petition for pardon of sinne euery day as we pray daily for bread it sheweth against the Pelagians that no child of God is perfect without sinne in this life who hath not neede euery day to humble himselfe and pray for the pardon of his sinnes It sheweth also against the Nonatians that they which sinne after baptisme and reconciliation may obtaine pardon if they turne againe and repent for they which are baptized and reconciled vnto god are commaunded to pray for the pardon of their sinnes looke what we aske in his name by his commaundement he hath promised with an oath to giue the same vnto vs. The one whereof that is the doctrine against the Pelagians doth put vs in mind of our owne weaknes euery day serues to bring vs to humilitie The other shewing that the mercie and pardon of the Father is offered vnto vs euery day if we turne vnto him serues to strengthen our faith that we should not despaire And this mercie and pardon we are commanded to seeke for by praier not of the angels or of Saints but of God himselfe in the vse of those meanes by which God will giue remission of sinns And because we are commanded to pray for the