take no thought for this debt nor 〈◊〉 sâ—…e for pardon but securely go on in their finnes as though by continuall increasing of their debt they should the more easily discharge it much like to him that having got a burden of wood and finding it too heavie should cut down more to adde unto the weight or as it is in the ridiculous proverb of the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I cannot â—…arry a goat lay upon me an ox Now these debts are of sundry forts Some are originall sinnes some actuall some inward others outward some of omission others of commission some of ignorance others of knowledge some of infirmity others of presumption some against God some against our neighbours and some against our selves In respect of all and every whereof we are every of us debtours unto God and therefore had need to pray that he would forgive us all and every of our debts Psal. 51. 9. which how many and great they are we may easily know if we will diligently look into our obligation and examine our lives by the law of God c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our In this word confession of sinne is included For it is in effect thus much O Lord we have sinned against thee have mercy therefore on us O Lord according to thy goodnesse and according to the multitude of thy mercies do away our offenses Wash us from our iniquities and cleanse us from our sinnes For we acknowledge our transgressions and our sinnes are alwayes before us Psal. 51. 2 3. Therefore with asking of pardon confession of sinne is conjoyned And this form of prayer is prescribed to be used of the perfectest men in this world as of the Apostles because there is no man that doth good upon the earth and 〈◊〉 â—…ot Eccles 7. 20. If we say saith the holy Apostle John that we have no sinne we deceive our selves and there is no truth in us If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes 〈◊〉 purge us from all iniquity If we say that we have not sinne we make him aliar and his truth is not 〈◊〉 1. John 1. 8 9 10. Here therefore both the Catharists which dream of perfection in this life and also the Pelagians and Papists which hold that a man may fully and perfectly keep the law of God in this life are confuted For such cannot make this petition except they will mock God as all those do that have a conceit of their own perfection Which conceit is in not onely the Catharists and Papists but also in the greatest part of ignorant and secure men who affirm that they love God with all their heart and their neighbour as themselves they never did any man hurt they never doubted of their salvation For howsoever the Scripture speaketh of perfect men and such as walked in all the commandments of God yet certain it is that thereby is meant the uprightnesse of their will and endeavour not the perfection of their obedience which uprightnesse notwithstanding the Scripture calleth perfection the Lord accepting the will for the deed so that upright men may indeed be said to be perfect but in affectu potiùs quà m effectu in their affections rather then their actions Forgive The Lord in forgiving sinnes as he is mercifull so is he just 1. John 1. 9. Neither doth he forgive any sinne for which his justice is not satisfied by the obedience and sufferings of Christ Rom. 3. 26. He is therefore said to forgive our sinnes when as he inputeth them not unto us but accepting of the obedience and sufferings of Christ as a full ransome and satisfaction for them washing away our sâ—…nnes in his bloud covering them with his righteousnesse imputing our sinnes to Christ and his obedience to us so that wâ—… howsoever sinfull in our selves appeaâ—… righteous before him in Christ. When as therefore we do pray for the forgivenesse of our sinnes we do not so desire him to be mercifull as that we would have him forget his justice but we come unto him in the name and mediation of Christ in whom he is well pleased beseeching him to accept of his obedience sufferings as a full satisfaction for our sinnes For remission of sinnes as it is a free work of mercy in respect of us who neither can deserve pardon nor satisfie his justice so in respect of Christ who hath satisfied for us it is a work of justice Now whereas our Saviour Christ doth teach every one of us every day to ask forgivenesse with assurance to be heard we are put in mind both of our misery and Gods mercy Our misery who day by day commit sinne and therefore have need every day to crave remission of our sinnes Gods mercy and long suffering who though he be offended every day yet he is ready to forgive their sinnes who comâ—… unto him by hearty and earnest prayer confessing their sinnes and craving pardon of them But this mercy and long-suffering of God must not encourage us to presume but invite us unto repentance Rom. 2. 4. and 6. 1. Ecclus 5. 4 5 6. Psal. 130. 4. There is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared Joel 2. 13. and encourage us to call upon him This long-suffering of God is to be imitated of us For if he be content to forgive us that finne against him every day then ought we freely to forgive them that offend us c. though it be to seventy times seven times Agaiâ—… iâ—…e very one of us be he never so righteous is bounâ—…â—…o make this prayer that God â—…ould freely reâ—…it our 〈◊〉 then it followeth that none of us can discharge the debt oâ—… by any thing which we arâ—… able to perform satisfie for our sinnes but eiâ—…her they must be freely remitted for Christs sake or elfe we must suffer the punishment due for them Divine remission and humane satisfaction cannot stâ—…nd together We must crave remisâ—…ion therefore we cannoâ—… satiâ—…fie Remissâ—…on of finnes and justification are free Rom. 3. 24. Ephes. 1. 7. Isai. 43. 25. but in satisfaction there is 〈◊〉 Therefore those that trust to their own merits and use this prayer they mock God and condemn themselves They moâ—…k God because they desire him to forgive their sinnes which they do not desire should be forgiven them but trust to satisfie for tâ—…em They condemn themselves because they confesse themselves to be debtours unto God unlesse he remit their debt and yet stand not to his remission but to their own satisfaction by which they appeal to his justice rather then implore his mercy And that no man can satisfie by any works of obedience the justice of God for his sinnes it may further appear by these reasons 1. Because our best obedience is unperfect and ouâ—… righteousnesse like unto a polluted clout and therefore if God should enter into judgement with us he might justly condemn us for our best actions as being
gracious promises encouraging us thereunto This therefore may be a fourth argument or motive For if God hath commanded us to call upon him and hath promised to heare us in obedience to his commandment and in faith in his promises we are to call upon him being assured that he who hath commanded us to pray and hath promised to heare will graciously accept our prayers The speciall commandments are dispersed in many places of the scripture and so likewise the promises I will cite a few places where they are conjoyned Psal. 50. 14 15. Offer unto God thanksgiving and call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Matth. 7. 7 8. Ask and ye shall have 〈◊〉 and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you for whosoever asketh receiveth c. Joh. 16. 23 24. Verily verily I say unto you Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full To these commandments adde 1. Thess. 5. 17 18. Pray without ceasing in every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you And to the promises that in Psal. 145. 18. belongeth The Lord is near to all that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth And therefore they can no sooner call but he heareth Dan. 9. 23. Yea before we call the Lord hath promised to heare Esa. 65. 24. Which sheweth that he is more ready to heare then we are to call upon him CHAP. III. Other motives to the duty of prayer UNto these we may adde three principall motives viz. the excellency the profit the necessity of invocation that the excellency may invite the profit allure the necessity draw us to the performance thereof First therefore it is excellent and honourable For this is a great honour and high favour for a sinfull and mortall man who is but dust and ashes to have ordinary accesse unto God and free conference with him but especially to have the Lord near unto to us in all things that we call upon him for Deut. 4. 7. For it is no small honour for a man to have free accesse to his prince who is made of the same mould and to have as we say the kings eare Illud maximum saith Chrysostome quòd quisquis or at cum Deo colloquitur Quantae autem dignitatis sit hominem cum Deo miscere sermonem neminem latet That is the greatest priviledge that whosoever prayeth talketh with God And how great a dignity it is for a man to be admitted conference with God none can be ignorant But it is not onely honourable unto us but which is much more to be regarded unto God himself For hereby we asscribe unto him omniscience omnipotency and all-sufficiency infinite mercy and goodnesse acknowledging him to be the authour and fountain of all good things And therefore he preferreth the sacrifice of prayse and of prayer which are the calves of our lips before the sacrifice of goats and bulls Psal. 50. 8. ad 16. For as touching the sacrifice of a broken and humble soul poured forth in prayer the holy Ghost testifieth that the Lord esteemeth it in stead of all sacrifices Psal. 51. 17. And for the other of praise the Lord professeth Psal. 50. 23. He that offereth or sacrificeth praise honoureth me By prayer we glorifie God for magna est Dei gloria saith Augustine ut nos simus mendici ejus that is It is the great glory of God that we are his beggers But by praysing much more for to prayse God is to magnifie and glorifie him and by these terms it is expressed in the scriptures But profit is that respect which most men look after Psal. 4. 6. There be many which say Who will shew us any good And in this particular What will it profit us if we shall call upon God Job 21. 15. First for prayse If we glorifie God he will glorifie us 1. Sam. 2. 30. Secondly for prayer The profit is so great that it is the ordinary means of obteining all good things which we do desire and of avoyding all evil which we fear It hath the promises both of this life and of a better neither is there any good thing which the Lord hath ordeined for us whether temporall for our good or spirituall for our salvation but he hath appointed that we should obtein it by prayer Prayer is the key of Gods treasury yea it is clavis coeli that is the key of heaven It is armour of proof against all tentations serving for all parts and therefore not assigned to any one Ephes. 6. 18. flagillum diaboli the scourge of the devill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sovereigne remedy against all evil In the spirituall life it is as the hand in the temporall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the instrument of instruments But the profit is best manifested by the promises of God which are infallible especially if ye will compare Matth. 7. 7 8. with John 16. 23. and 1. John 5. 14. Whosoever â—…sketh any thing whatsoever in the name of Christ according to Gods will it shall be granted What promise can be more large then whosoever and whatsoever In a word God is rich unto all that call upon him for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10. 12 13. CHAP. IIII. Three questions cleared NOw for the further clearing of this point concerning the profit and efficacy of prayer there are three questions to be decided 1. Whether prayer be 〈◊〉 impetratorium or of any efficacy to obtein our desires 2. And if it be Whether by prayer we do alwayes obtein our desires 3. Whether there be any other profit or fruit to be expected by our prayers besides the obteining of our desires The decision of the first question is needfull not onely because some hereticks have held prayer to be superfluous but chiefly because our adversaries father this heresie upon us Those that take away the use of prayer ground their fansie on the knowledge and providence of God For first If God our heavenly Father do know our wants and be of himself ready to supply them shall not we seem to doubt either of his knowledge or of his goodnesse if we pray unto him Answ. Our Saviour indeed doth teach us that God our heavenly Father doth know our wants and is willing to supply them Matth. 6. 32. but yet in the same chapter he teacheth us to pray and promiseth that by prayer we shall obtein Matth. 7. 7 8. and therefore in obedience to the commandment and in faith in the promise we are to call upon God whatsoever flesh and bloud can object to the contrary Gods knowledge of our wants and readinesse to supply them must free us from distrustfull care and move us with affiance to seek unto God in all our
true God but an idole for the true God is the Father the Sonne and holy Ghost Forasmuch therefore as the Jews and Turks do not worship the Trinity they are not worshippers of the true God but as our Saviour said of the Samaritanes They worship they know not what John 4. not acknowledging the true God nor Jesus Christ whom he hath sent John 5. 23. He that honoureth not the Sonne honoureth not the Father and Whosoever denieth the Sonne hath not the Father 1. John 2. 23. Here therefore it may be demanded That seeing we are to worship the holy Trinitie whether it be lawfull to direct our prayers to some one person as to the Father to the Sonne or to the holy Ghost He that acknowledgeth the Trinitie when in his prayers he nameth one onely person he doth not exclude the other persons but rather includeth thē For in every person or supposite that is named the Divine nature is presupposed so that when the Father is nominated Christ and so the holy Ghost is the same God which is invocated and therefore as there is one essence of all the persons so one worship Furthermore concerning our Saviour Christ it may also be demanded That seeing God is the onely object of religious invocation whether he being the mediatour between God and man is to be invocated and if he be how and in what respect we are to call upon him That he is to be called upon as our Lord and Saviour in whose name we are baptized in whom we believe and trust there is no doubt All men must honour him as they honour the Father John 5. 23. and All the angels must adore him Heb. 1. 6. and to his name must every knee bow Phil. 2. 10. Examples Stephen Acts 7. 59. Thomas John 20. 28. the Apostles Luke 24. 52. But all the question is Whether we are to call upon Christ as God alone or as man alone or as both God and man Since our Saviour Christ was incarnate and did personally and inseparably unite unto himself the humane nature his whole person as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Immanuel God manifested in the flesh is to be worshipped by one and the same act of invocation and worship without separation or division The Papists have found out a peculiar worship for the humanitie of Christ and for the blessed Virgin which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the humanitie of Christ as it doth not subsist of it self so are we not severally to worship it with Nestorius but the whole person both God and man But yet so as that our prayer be not directed to the humanity which is a creature but to the Sonne of God having assumed and united unto himself the humane nature So saith Cyrill Non igitur tanquam hominem adoramus Emmanuelem Absit Deliramentum enim hoc esset deceptio ac error In hoc enim nihil differremus ab his qui creaturam colunt ultra Conditorem Factorem that is We do not therefore worship our Emmanuél as man alone God forbid For this were a dotage a false conceit and errour neither should we in this differ from those which worship the creature more then their Creatour and Maker To conclude this second point Whereas the whole world almost is overflown with idolatry as with an universall deluge the Paganes invocating a multitude of false gods the Jews and Turks worshipping one God but not in the Trinitie of persons nor acknowledging Jesus Christ the Papists which call themselves the Catholick Church invocating besides the true God a multitude of angels and Saints images the crosse and Eucharist and in their prayers representing the invisible and incomprehensible God in a visible form notwithstanding God in his great mercy hath taken us who professe the reformed religion into the ark of his Church teaching us by his word and spirit to call upon him the true God in the name of Christ his Sonne himself also being near unto us as he was to the Church of Israel in all that we call upon him for Deut. 4. 7. CHAP. XIIII That Christ alone is the Mediatour of intercession as well as redemption HAving spoken of the subject of invocation viz. men and the object viz. God we are now in the third place to enquire how it cometh to passe that man being stained and polluted with sinne and by reason thereof an enemie to God should have any accesse unto God or be admitted to any speech with him who is most just and terrible a consuming fire hating all iniquitie with perfect hatred Indeed it must be confessed that sinne maketh a separation between God and man and that both we are unworthy in our selves to appear before God and our prayers also by reason of our manifold wants and corruptions unworthy to be offered unto him And therefore of necessitie a mediatour was to come between God and man who reconciling us unto God and covering our imperfections might make both our persons and our prayers acceptable unto God And for as much as it was needfull that the justice of God should be satisfied in the same nature wherein he had been offended neither could obedience be performed to the law given to man nor the punishment due to the sinnes of man be satisfied but by man neither could the righteousnesse be meritorious for all nor the price of ransome sufficient if the person which should perform both were not God It was likewise needfull that the mediatour who should reconcile us unto God and make us and our prayers acceptable unto him should be both God and man therefore God in his unspeakable mercy hath appointed and given his onely begotten Sonne to be our Mediatour Advocate and Intercessour who having assumed our nature should therein satisfie his justice and appease his wrath and having performed perfect obedience for us and given himself a ransome for our sinnes should ascend into heaven and there sitting at the right hand of the Father should make intercession for us that both the persons of such as believe in him and their prayers which call upon God in his name should be accepted of him But as in the former points we were forced to prove two things not onely that God is to be invocated but that he alone is to be called upon and not Saints and Angels so in this we are by the like superstition of the Papists compelled to demonstrate two things first that Christ is the onely Mediatour of intercession and secondly that we are alwayes to call upon God in his name For as they invocate others besides God and so are indeed worshippers of more gods so have they appointed other mediatours and intercessours besides Christ. And the reason is alike in both But the Apostle teacheth us That as there is but one God so there is but one Mediatour between God and man the man Christ. The Papists make two sorts of mediatours the one
regard it Esa. 66. 2. To him will I look even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit Psal. 34. 18. The Lord is near to them that are of a broken heart and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit For thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy places with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of them that be contrite Esa. 57. 15. Ecclus 35. 17. The prayer of the humble pierceth the clouds and will not depart till the most High shall behold to execute judgement c. But to speak more particularly Humility hath the promise both of temporall benefits Prov. 22. 4. The reward of humility is riches glory and life and spirituall Prov. 3. 34. grace Prov. 11. 4. wisdome Prov. 22. 4. the fear of God and finally blessednesse Matth. 5. 3. And therefore let us follow the counsel of James chap. 4. 10. to cast down our selves before the Lord and he will lift us up and of Peter 1. epist. 5. 6. to deck our selves inwardly with lowlinesse of mind for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble In the examples also of the godly we may observe that the most holy men have most abased themselves when they have come into Gods presence Abraham the father of the faithfull making request to God in behalf of the Sodomites acknowledgeth himself to be but dust and ashes Gen. 18. 27. Jacob who was called Israel because by his wresting in prayer he prevailed with God confesseth himself lesse then the least of Gods mercies Gen. 32. 10. David a man according to Gods own heart in the humility of his soul desireth the Lord not to enter into judgement with him c. Psal. 143. 2. And 2. Sam. 6. 22. he professeth that he would be vile before the Lord. Isaiah the prophet at whose prayer the sunne went back being admitted into the presence of God crieth out that he was a man of polluted lips Daniel a man greatly beloved humbly acknowledgeth his sinnes and refuseth to come in his own worthinesse Dan. 9. 18. and likewise Ezra chap. 9. 6. The Centurion of whom our Saviour testifieth that he had not found the like faith in Israel Matth. 8. 8. professeth himself to be unworthy that Christ should come under his roof The woman of Syrophenicia to whom our Saviour gave testimonie that great was her faith confesseth her self to be but as a dog in comparison of the Israelites Mat. 15. 27. The repenting prodigall received to favour confesseth himself unworthy to be called a son Luke 15. 21. The Publicane who went home justified shewed great signes of humilitie Let us therefore avoiding the proud conceit of all Pharisaical Popish justitiaries who are not afraid to present themselves before God trusting in their own merits follow the advice of Paul Rom. 12. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as some expound it to go the same way with the humble so we shall come to the same end of the way which is the salvation of our souls the which unlesse we be humble even as children we cannot attein But he that is humble as a child shall be the greatest in the kingdome of heaven Matth. 14. 3 4. Now these two graces whereof I have last spoken faith and humilitie must necessarily go together For we must not be so humbled in regard of our unworthinesse in our selves but that notwithstanding we are to trust in Gods mercy accepting of us in Christ we are so to have affiance in the mercies of God merits of Christ that we disclaim all worthines in our selves Here therefore they offend 1. Who come to God in a Pharisaicall conceit of their own worthinesse for which they presume to be heard If it be obiected that the faithfull sometimes alledge their own pietie in their prayers as an argument to obtein their desires as David Psal. 86. 2. Hezekiah Isa. 58. 3. I answer 1. They alledge their own pietie as a gift of God and testimonie of his favour to confirm their faith not ascribing it to their own desert but to the favour grace of God by which they do confesse that they are what they are 1. Cor. 15. 10. For it is the nature of true faith to strip him where it is of all praise that all glory may be given unto God Psal. 115. 1. Non dignitatem suam sed dignationem Divinam allegant They alledge not their own dignitie but Gods acceptance 2. Because the promises of hearing our prayers are restrained to the godly they alledge their piety as a testimonie to their own souls that the promise belongeth to them 1. John 3. 22. Non hoc dico quin accepta gratia fiduciam donet orandi Sed non oportet ut in ea constituat quisquam fiduciam impetrandi Hoc solum conferunt haec promissa dona ut ab eadem misericordia quae tribuit haec sperentur etiam ampliora that is I do not say this because grace received doth give confidence in praying For none ought in it to place their trust of obteining But these gifts promised do onely conferre this that of that mercy which giveth these things we may also hope for greater More particularly for Davids pâ—…ayer Preserve my soul for I am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one on whom thou hast shewed great mercie save thy servant that trusteth in thee For Gods promise is not to fail them that put their trust in him For Hezekiah The Lord had promised David That his sonnes if they walked before him in uprightnesse should not want a sonne to succeed them in the crown Whereas therefore the prophet Isaiah brought this message to Hezekiah being sick that he should die having yet no issue he desireth the Lord to remember that he had walked uprightly before him and therefore intreateth the Lord that according to his promise he might not die without a sonne to succeed him and so obteined the lengthening of his dayes for fifteen yeares in which time God granted him a sonne to succeed him 2. Those that pray ambitiously to be seen and praised of men for such hypocrites have their reward Matth. 6. 5. Nisi humilitas omnia quaecunque bene fecimus praecesserit comitetur consecuta fuerit praeposita quam intueamur apposita cui adhaereamus imposita quâ reprimamur j am nobis de aliquo bono facto gaudentibus totum extor quet è manu superbia Vitia quippe caetera in peccatis superbia verò etiam in rectè factis timenda est nè illa quae laudabiliter facta sunt ipsius laudis cupiditate amittantur Unlesse humilitie do precede accompanie and follow all whatsoever we have well done and be preposed that we may behold it and apposed that we may adhere unto it and imposed that
with thanks Col. 3. 17. Thanks is to be given with joy but we are many times in distresse and consequently in grief The Apostle as he exhorteth us to give thanks alwayes 1. Thess. 5. 18. so also to rejoyce alwayes v. 16. But you must understand this as spoken to the faithfull who rejoyce in God being perswaded of his love towards them For those who have not tasted how good the Lord is nor are perswaded of Gods love towards them they have no peace and much lesse joy Paulus non omnes ad hoc juge gaudium sed tantùm sui similes invitare videtur Paul doth not seem to invite all to continuall joy but onely those who are like himself But the faithfull who are at peace with God have also joy in the holy Ghost whereby they do rejoyce in God in all estates not onely in time of peace prosperity but also in time of adversity Rom. 5. 3. Yea the greatest afflictions of this life are to be born of the godly not onely meekly and patiently but also comfortably and thankfuly For 1. as God in all his judgements remembreth mercy so must our faith apprehend his mercy as well as our sense apprehendeth his judgements And therefore we ought to say with Job chap. 13. 15. Though he kill me yet will I trust in him 2. Because the faithfull have this priviledge that as nothing can hurt them Isai. 54. 17. so all things even their afflictions do work together for their good Rom. 8. 28. 3. Because God afflicteth them for their good whether by triall or chastisement 4. Because with the outward affliction he vouchsafeth inward comfort 2. Cor. 1. 5. 1. Sam. 30. 6. Acts 16. 25. Psal. 94. 19. 5. Because the afflictions of the faithfull though for sinne are under their desert and in them the anger of God is carried not against their persons but against their sinne 6. Because of those other favours of God which in their afflictions they do enjoy Desinentes contristari propter ea quae non habemus de rebus praesentibus gratias agere debemus Ceasing to grieve for those things we have not we are to give thanks for things which we presently have 7. Because though positive blessings are wanting yet there are alwayes innumerable privative blessings for which we are to give thanks Consider the evils we have deserved and the dangers whereunto we are exposed Consider that by our sinnes we have deserved all the plagues denounced in the law Deut. 28. 15. not onely in this life but also in the world to come Whilest therefore our condition is better then those in hell we have cause to prayse God who hath not dealt with us after our sinnes nor rewarded us after our iniquities Psal. 103. 10. Lam. 3. 22. Now if they are bound to prayse God that are not consumed how much more have we cause to prayse God whom he hath not onely not consumed but hath heaped and multiplied his mercies upon us both privative and positive And as at all times we are to prayse God so in solemn festivalls ordained to that end such as was that of Purim Esth. 9. and ours of the Fifth of November for our marvellous deliverance from that horrible conspiracy of the Papists by the gunpouder-treason FINIS A GODLY AND FRUITFULL EXPOSITION OF THE LORDS PRAYER Shewing the meaning of the words and the duties required in the severall Petitions both in respect of prayer it self and also in respect of our lives PHIL. 4. 6. Be carefull for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God ¶ Printed by Roger Daniel Printer to the Universitie of Cambridge Ann. Dom. MDCXL MATTH 6. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LUKE 11. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 TO call upon the name of God by hearty and effectuall prayer is a duty in it self most excellent to God most glorious to our selves most profitable and necessary But such is the blindnesse and ignorance of our minds the dulnesse and hardnesse of our hearts that we know not either how to pray or what to ask Like to Zebedee's children Matth. 22. 20. We ask we know not what and as Paul speaketh Rom. 8. 26. We know not what to pray as we ought Wherefore our Saviour Christ in abundant mercy towards us that he might relieve our wants in this behalf hath set down a prescript form of prayer whereby we are to frame ours commanding us when we do pray to pray thus In which words as he forbiddeth us not to use this prayer so he doth not alwayes bind us to use the same words For here two extremities are to be avoided the first of the Brownists who think it unlawfull to use the prescript form of these words the second of the Papists who superstitiously â—…nsist in the very words and syllables themselves As touching the first Our Saviour commandeth us thus to pray and more plainly Luke 11. 2. When ye pray say Our Father c. Therefore unlesse it be unlawfull to obey the expresse commandment of our Saviour Christ it is lawfull to use these words Secondly the book of Psalmes doth prove that we may have set forms of prayers Psal. 86. is a form of prayer to be used in affliction The 92 is Psalmus in diem Sabbati A Psalme for the Sabbath The 102 Oratio pro paupere A Psalme for a poore man The 136 A solemn form of thanksgiving 2. Chron. 7. 6. and 20. 21. For the second when Christ commandeth to pray thus he doth not tie us to the words but to the things We must pray for such things as herein summarily are conteined with such affections as are herein prescribed For we must understand that our Saviour Christ propoundeth this prayer as a brief summe of all those things which we are to ask For as the Creed is summa credendorum the summe of things to be believed the Decalogue summa agendorum the summe of things to be done so the Lords Prayer is summa petendorum the summe of things to be desired But as all things particularly to be believed are not particularly expressed in the Creed nor all things to be done in the Decalogue so neither are all things particularized in the Lords prayer for which we are to ask And therefore it is lawfull nay expedient and necessary often to descend into the particulars themselves For the proving whereof we have so many arguments as there are prayers of the godly recorded in the word For though all of them may be referred to this prayer or some part thereof yet none of them are conceived in the same words And moreover Matthew and Luke in setting down this prayer are not curious in observing the same words And therefore superstitious is the opinion and practice of the Church of Rome who think that the bare repetition of these words in an unknown tongue without understanding or faith
3. 38. and the Angels Job 1. By adoption in Christ Ephes. 1. 5. So every believer is born of God 1. John 5. 1. For to so many as believe in Christ God hath given this priviledge to be the sonnes of God John 1. 12. And in this sense is every faithfull man to call God Father But here it may be demanded Whether the whole Trinitie is called upon in the name of Father or the first Person alone The word Father is attributed unto God two wayes either essentially or personally Essentially when he is so called in respect of the creatures 1. Cor. 8. 6. Personally when it hath relation to the other Persons the Sonne and the holy Ghost In this place it hath relation to the creatures So Deut. 32. 6. Isai. 63. 16. But howsoever the whole Trinity is our Father so to be worshipped of us yet this speech is more peculiarly directed to the first Person the fountain of the Godhead who is the Father of Christ Ephes. 3. 14. and in him our Father John 20. 17. yet so as in worshipping him we joyntly worship the other two who as they are â—…ll one in essence coequall and coeternall concurring also in all actions towards us so they are altogether to be worshipped O God thou Father of Christ and in him our Father who givest the Spirit of thy Sonne whereby we cry Abba Father to thee we present our prayers in the name of thy Son craving the help of the holy Ghost The second Person is called our Father Isai. 9. 6. so may the holy Ghost who doth regenerate us Deut. 32. 6. and to either of them may our prayers be directed Acts 7. 59. So that our prayer may be directed to any or to all the Persons 2. Cor. 13. 13. or to two of them 1. Thess. 3. 11. We are taught to whom to direct our prayers namely to God alone For seeing our Saviour hath commanded us when we pray to say Our Father it is evident that we break the commandment if we direct our prayers to any to whom we may not say Our Father c. Which title without blasphemy we cannot attribute to any but onely to the Lord who is our heavenly Father Jer. 31. 9. Sum Israeli Pater I am a Father to Israel Secondly whereas by nature we are the children of wrath and yet commanded to call upon God as our Father we are taught in whose name we are to come unto God Not in our own names or worthinesse Dan. 9. 18. for then we shall find him a Judge rather then a Father but onely in the name and mediation of Christ Eph. 3. 12. in whom he is our Father and in whose name he hath promised to grant whatsoever we ask according to his will It is well said of Calvine Cùm Deum Patrem vocamus Christi nomen praetendimus When we call God Father we pretend the name of Christ. 3. We are taught that the help of the holy Ghost is necessary in prayer For how should we which were children of wrath dare to call God our Father or be assured that we be his children By the holy Ghost who is the spirit of adoption beareth witnesse to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God we cry in our hearts Abba Father Rom. 2. 15 16. For if none can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost then much lesse can a man call upon God as his Father in Christ except he be endued by the holy Ghost We must therefore as the Apostle teacheth us Ephes. 2. 18. call upon God the Father in the name of the Sonne by the assistance of the holy Ghost so shall we though unworthy and unable to call upon God in Christ be accepted and by the holy Ghost be enabled to pray according to God Here therefore first are they refuted who think they may lawfully direct their prayers either to Angels or Saints to whom the name Father is opposed Isai. 63. 16. or to their images sâ—…ying to a stock or stone Our father Jer. 2. 27. If God be our heavenly Father who is more willing to give good things then any earthly parents and also all-sufficient why should we seek to any other unlesse we can either accuse him of unkindnesse or object want of power unto him Secondly if God be our Father in Christ then ought we with boldnâ—…sse to come unto the throne of grace through him Ephes. 3. 12. Neither do we need any other mediation then of the Sonne who is the onely Mediatour as of redemption so also of intercession 1. Tim. 2. 5. contrary to the doctrine of the Papists who teach men to use the mediation of Saints Whereas our Saviour John 16. 26. having commanded us to pray in his name addeth I say not that I will intreat the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you Duties in Prayer IF God be our Father we must come 1. In reverence as unto our heavenly Father 2. In dutifull thankfull and sonne-like affection acknowledging his mercy of Adoption who when we were by nature children of wrath adopted us to be his sonnes and if sonnes then heirs Behold what love the Father hath shewed on us that we should be called the sonnes of God 3. In faith and assurance not onely that we and our prayers are accepted in Christ but that our prayers shall be granted unto us of our Father as may be most for his glory and our good And that we may come in faith let us consider First that without faith we are no sonnes of his but children of wrath Ephes. 2. 3 12. and if we believe we are the sonnes of God John 1. 12. and of the houshold of faith Secondly that if God be our Father in Christ he will grant us what good thing soever we ask For 1. he is affected as a good Father towards his children yea his love towards us is so much greater then the love of earthly parents as his goodnesse and mercy is greater Isai. 63. 16. Psal. 27. 10. Isai. 49. 15. Matth. 7. 11. Luke 11. 13. 2. In that he is our Father he hath given us the greatest gift that can be imagined and therefore will not deâ—…y the lesse Pater quid 〈◊〉 filiis qui jam 〈◊〉 quòd pater est What will the father deny to his sons who hath vouchsafed already to be our Father For if he have sâ—… loved us that he gave his Son for us that in him we might be adopted his children how shall hâ—… not with him give us all good things Rom. 8. 32. 3. In that he hath vouchsafed us this great love to be our Father and that we should be his children he hath also made us his heirs provided us an inheritance in heaven For as he gave his Sonne in pretium for a price so he reserveth himself in praemium for a reward If therefore it be our Fathers
happy whose sins are forgâ—…ven but those that are poore in spirit are happy Matth. 5. 3. therefore their sinnes are forgiven Whereas contrariwise if we be proud and have a Pharisaicall conceiâ—… of our selves it is a fearfull signe that we remain in our sinnes John 9. 41. Luke 18. 14. II. If we would have forgivenesse of our sinnes we must believe in Christ. For by faith alone we have jusâ—…ification and remiâ—…sion of sinnes Acts 26. 18. because faith alone apprehendeth the merits and righteousnesâ—…e of Christ whereby we are justified Now this and the former must go together We must be cast down in our selves acknowledging our selves that we are no better in our selves then the firebrands of hell and yet withall we must relie upon Christ and his merits being perswaded that notwithsâ—…anding our manifold sinnes yet the Lord will receive us iâ—…to his love and favour imputing unto us the righteousnesse of his Sonne and coveâ—…ing us therewith as with a garment If thus we believe in Christ we need not doubt of the pardon of our sins because Christ having satisfied the justice of his 〈◊〉 for all the sinnes of 〈◊〉 which believe in him the remission therefore of sinnes to them that believe is a work not onely of mercy but also of justice 3. If we would truly make this prayer viz. in hatred of sinne have any assurance to our own souls that our sinnes are forgiven we must repent of those sinnes which we desire to be remitted and forsake those sinnes which we would have the Lord forgive Ezek. 18. 21 22. At what time soever c. Prov. 28. 13. He that confesseth his sinnes and forsaketh them c. And therefore as Isaiah exhorteth chap. 55. 7. let the wicked forsake his way c. If therefore we would effectually crave the pardon of our sins we must have a true purpose of heart and resolution to forsake them And if we would have assurance that according to our prayer our sinnes be forgiven we must have a true endeavour to leave them and to perform the contrary duties If therefore we have neither purpose in our hearts nor â—…ndeavour in our lives to forsake our sinnes we may not look that the Lord will pardon them If in my heart I regard wickednesse c. Psal. 66. 18. For the Lord heareth not sinners that is who do not repent of their sinnes nor have a true purpose to leave them John 9. 31. Prov. 28. 13. 4. If we make this prayer in faith and truly believe in God for the forgivenesse of our sinnes this perswasion will have this effect in us to make us fear to sinne and by sinne to displease and dishonour God There is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared Psal. 130. 4. The bounty of the Lord must draw us to repentance Rom. 2. 4. Nay further those that believe their sinnes are forgiven them and are perswaded of Gods love and favour shed abroad in their hearts by the holy Ghost they cannot choose but love him much who hath forgiven them much Luke 7. 47. and shew forth their love in keeping his commandments 5. If in prayer we unfeignedly desire faith and assurance of the forgivenesse of our sinnes then we will be most carefull in our lives to use and to use aright the means of begetting and increasing this faith as the hearing of the word receiving of the Sacraments c. 6. If we truly desire reconciliation with God in Christ then will we seâ—… in all things to please him For if we please our selves in displeafing him as the very nature of sinne is to displease God how can we perswade our selves that we are reconciled unto God or desire so to be 7. If we would have any assurance that our sinnes are forgiven we must be ready to forgive our neighbours the offenses which they commit against us For if ye saith Christ Matth. 6. 14. forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you but if ye do not c. But of this more in the reason Here therefore is discovered the hypocrisie of those men 1. who crave pardon of sinne in a Pharisaicall conceit of their own perfection freedome from sinne 2. who have no true hatred of sinne nor purpose to leave it 3. who please themselves in displeasing God and yet would seem to desire reconciliation with God 4. who desire faith and yet neglect and contemne the means 5. who with the ungracious servant looking to have pardon of ten thousand talents of his master would not remit a small debt to his fellow-servant Matth. 18. 28. whom he ought to have loved for his Masters sake c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These words are a solemn profession unto God of our brotherly love serving both to confirm our faith in obteining pardon and also to 〈◊〉 our love to God who hath forgiven us much in the love of our brethren for his sake For whereas divers men making this prayer for pardon of sinne either do not believe at all the pardon of their sinne or else deceive themselves with an opinion of faith not loving him of whom they look for pardon nor their brethren for his sake but with the ungracious servant Matth. 18. 28. exact small debts of their brethren and revenge offenses committed against them as though they could love God and yet hate their brother therefore our Saviour teacheth us to adde to the petition this protestation that if we be able to make it in truth we may be assured of the forgivenesse of our sinnes and not be deceived as many are in our assurance First therefore because we are so full of infidelity and diâ—…idence that we are hardly brought to believe in particular the forgivenesse of our own sinnes and consequently to make this prayer in faith our Saviour teacheth us to use this notable argument not so much to move God as to confirm our selves drawn from the lesse to the greater As we â—…lso forgive c. or as it is more plainly set down in Luke For even we also forgive c. And the reason standeth thus If we who have not so much pitie in regard of thine abundant mercy as is a drop of water in comparison of the Ocean sea if we I say be readie to forgive the offenses and injâ—…ries done against us then no doubt thou wiâ—… forgive our offenses which we from the bottom of our hearts confesse unto thee with deprecation of pardon But even we Lord whose mercy is as nothing in comparison of thine arâ—… readie to remit offenses committed against us and therefore as we earnestly crave pardon so we do unfeignedly believe that thou wilt forgive us our sinnes The connexion of the proposition is necessarie For as we say Quod in minori valet valet etiam in majori That which is of force in the lesser is of force also in the greater If a drop of pity in us doth wash
away the offense of our brother how much more shall the multitude of his mercies wash away our offenses And our Saviour reasoneth elsewhere Matth. 7. 11. If yee which are evil can give good things to your children how much more c. If therefore our consciences do testifie unto us the truth of the assumption That we are readie to forgive them that offend us we may also be assured of the truth of the conclusion That God also forgiveth our sinnes 2. Whereas many abuse the mercy of God whereof they presume for the pardoning of their sinnes dealing unthankfully with God in cruelty revenge exercised upon their brethren and so deceive themselves with a conceit of faith and assurance of the pardon of their sinnes when indeed their sinne is not pardoned therefore our Saviour Christ would have this protestation added that it may be a touchstone to trie whether we have remission of sinne and assurance thereof For as our Saviour saith that he to whom much is forgiven loveth much Luke 7. 47. and he that loveth God truly cannot but love his brother for Gods cause For as John saith 1. Epist. 4. 20. If any say that he loveth God and hateth his brother he is a liar c. and chap 5. 1. Every one that loveth him that hath begotten doth also love him that is begotten of him And Love covereth the multitude of offenses Prov. 10. 12. Therefore if we will not forgive our brethren that offend against us it is an evident argument that we do not love them If we love not our neighbour certain it is that we love not God If we love not God it is a certain signe that we do not believe in him nor are perswaded of his love towards us in the forgiving of our sinnes If we believe not this Christs righteousnesse and merits are not imputed unto us to our justification and remission of our sinnes And therefore if we be not willing and ready to remit offenses committed against us it is a certain signe that our sinnes are not forgiven of God As contrariwise our brotherly love in remitting offenses is a sure token of the forgivenesse of our sins For as our Saviour saith Matth. 6. 14 15. If ye forgive men their offenses then will your heavenly Father also forgive you Some expound these words as if in them we did alledge a cause why God should forgive us or as though our forgiving of our brethren did merit forgivenesse of sinnes at the hands of God As the Papists also expound that speech of our Saviour Luke 7. 47. Many sinnes are forgiven her for she loved much Whereas in truth the love either of God or of our neighbour for Gods cause is an effect and so a signe of Gods love towards us in forgiving our sinnes We love God because he loved us first 1. John 4. 19. And so doth our Saviour in that place argue not from the cause to the effect but from the effect to the cause as also appeareth by the opposition in the latter part of that verse but to whom lesse is forgiven he loveth lesse and by the parable of the two debtours ver 41. whereof he loved more to which more was forgiven So that our love is not the cause of forgivenesse but the forgivenesse of our sinnes is the cause of our love and therefore our love an effect fruit and signe of the forgivenesse of our sinnes Again our justification and remission of sinnes is free proceeding from the mere love of God without any desert of ours Rom. 3. 24. howbeit it is deserved through the merits of Christ. And surely if our forgiving of offenses were the cause why our sinnes be forgiven then may we thank our selves for our justification neither should we need to pray that God would forgive us for Christs merits but for our own deserts And lastly the Apostle Paul exhorteth us to forgive our brethren as to a fruit and effect of Christs forgiving us Ephes. 4. 32. Col. 3. 13. Forgiving one another even as Christ hath freely forgiven you In these words therefore is not set down the cause of the forgivenesse of our sinnes but an argument from the lesse to the greater to confirm our faith in the assurance of the forgivenesse of our sinnes that lesse being also an undoubted fruit and sure signe of the remission of our sinnes But now let us consider the words particularly and so come to the uses By our debters is meant such as have offended or wronged us or as the Apostle speaketh Col. 3. 13. against whom we have any quarrel But what debters am I to forgive may some body say I can be content sometimes to put up an injury at the hands of my better but I cannot brook that my equall should crow over me or that mine inferiour should be too sawcie with me I can be content to remit some offenses but great indignities I cannot put up Answ. Our Saviour speaketh indefinitely and generally without difference of debters so that whosoever is our debter we must forgive him if we would have assurance that God hath forgiven our sinnes But this is more plainly expressed Luke 11. For even we also for give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one that is indebted to us So that our love must not be partiall neither is it if it be indeed for Gods cause in whom we are to love our friends and for whom we are to love our enemies May not a man therefore require and exact his debts of his debter if he would have God forgive his debts Our Saviour doth not speak of the debts of money or goods but of trespasses offenses and wrongs which in the Chaldee and Syriack tongue are called debts c. As for due debts of money and goods them thou mayest exact of those which are able to pay 〈◊〉 so that it be done without using rigour or seeking extremities What is meant by we forgive We forgive God alone forgiveth sinnes how then can we be said to forgive our debters We must distinguish both of the debt which is forgiven and also of forgiving In every offense committed against the neighbour two parties are offended God mediately and the neighbour immediately And so it may be considered either as a transgression of the law of God and so it is properly called sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as it 〈◊〉 or hindreth the neighbour and is called an injury or wrong As therefore it is a transgression of the law of God no man can remit it but as it is an injury or wrong done to a man he may remit it Again God is said to forgive a sinne when he is content not onely to forget the fault but also to forgive the punishment for the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to the sinner Man is said to forgive an 〈◊〉 not when he remitteth the punishment due unto it by the law of God for that is not in