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 vpon the earth and sinneth not 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 and to 〈◊〉 us from all iniquity If we say that we have not 〈◊〉 we make him a lâ—…ar and his truth is not in us 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 securâ—… 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 â—…t 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 sinnes in his bloud covering them with his righteousnesse imputing our sinnes to Christ and his obedience to us so that we howsoever sinfull in our selves appear 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 come 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 sinne against him every day then ought we freely to forgive them that offend us c. though it be to seventy times seven times Again if every one of us be he never so righteous is bound to make this prayer that God would freely remit our sinnes then it followeth that none of us can discharge the debt or by any thing which we are able to perform satisfie for our sinnes but either they must be freely remitted for Christs sake or else we must suffer the punishment due for them Divine remission and humane satisfaction cannot stand together We must crave remission therefore we cannot satisfie Remission of sinnes and justification are free Rom. 3. 24. Ephes. 1. 7. Isai. 43. 25. but in satisfaction there is recompense Therefore those that trust to their own merits and use this prayer they mock God and condemn themselves They mock God because they desire him to forgive their sinnes which they do not desire should be forgiven them but trust to satisfie for them 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 our righteousnesse like unto a polluted â—…lout and therefore if God should enter into judgement with us he might justly condemn us for our best actions as being not performed in that manner and measure which his law requireth and therefore every one had need to pray as Psal. 143. 2. Enter not into judgement c. Secondly because whatsoever obedience we can perform it is a debt and duty Luke 17. 10. When we have done all that is commanded we must say that we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 12. and 13. 8. Gal. 5. 3. Now certain it is that we cannot satisfie debt with debt but notwithstanding our latter obedience we shall be debtours in respect of the former debt unsatisfied Seeing therefore we are not able
life and in the world to come In all which respects we must esteem our sinnes as a most heavy burden and being weary thereof we are by prayer to come unto the Lord that we may be eased thereof Matth. 11. 28. Neither are we to bewail our sinnes alone but as we are to pray for the pardon of other mens sinnes so are we also to mourn for the iniquities of the place and time wherein we live Ezek. 9. 8. Psal. 119. 136 158. 2. We are to bewail the hardnesse of our hearts that we cannot so bewail our sinnes as we ought 3. Our want of faith and assurance of the remission of our sinnes The graces which we desire are 1. Remission of sinnes and justification viz. that God would cancell the bill of debt Col. 2. 14. that he would take away our sinnes and cast them into the bottom of the sea Mich. 7. 18 19. that he would impute the merits and obedience of Christ unto us And secondly because we receive remission of sinnes and are justified by faith by which we apprehend the righteousnesse of Christ to our justification and without which the merits of Christ are not communicated unto us therefore we desire not onely that he would forgive us our sinnes but also that he would work in us a true faith whereby we may have assurance of the pardon of our sinnes and peace of conscience 3. Because our faith is weak therefore we are to pray for the increase thereof Luke 17. 5. and also that God would blesse unto us the means of the begetting and increasing of our faith 4. Because reconciliation and adoption are unseparable companions of justification we therefore must also pray that he would receive us unto his love and favour and give us his spirit of adoption that howsoever we be by nature the children of wrath yet being reconciled unto him in Christ we may have the testimony of his Spirit testifying to our spirits that we are the children of God 5. We pray not onely for righteousnesse and assurance of justification and peace of conscience arising from thence Rom. 5. 1. but also for the joy of the holy Ghost proceeding from them both Rom. 14. 17. Now that we may with fervencie beg these graces of God we must besides the sight and sense of our sinnes and the misery which they bring upon us consider the necessity of these graces First of remission of sinnes because sinne maketh a separation between God and us Isai. 59. 1. and maketh us subject both to the curse of God in this life and after and therefore above all things in the world we are to desire freedome from our sinnes without which our estate is most miserable c. and without which we cannot be saved Contrariwiâ—…e in remission of sinne consisteth happinesse Psal. 32. 1 2. Secondly of faith without which the benefits of Christ are not effectuall to our justification sanctification or salvation By it we are made partakers of all the benefits of Christ to our justification and salvation In which respect the same benefits in the Scriptures which proceed from Christ are also ascribed unto faith Upon which follow reconciliation peace with God and joy in the holy Ghost and the beginning of eternall life it self in this life As we must pray for the forgivenesse of our sins in fervencie so also in faith that as we unfeignedly desire pardon of sinnes reconciliation with God so we are truly to believe that the Lord will heare our prayer that he will receive us unto mercy and at the length grant unto us the certificate of his Spirit the Spirit of adoption For that which he hath commanded us to ask he hath promised to give He commandeth us to ask remission of sinnes justification the Spirit of adoption c. therefore consequently we are stedfastly to believe that we shall obtein them The forgivenesse of sinnes is a chief part of the covenant of grace Heb. 10. 17. The Spirit of adoption is expressely promised to those that ask him Luke 11. 13. There remaineth that we pray with perseverance never ceasing day by day to call upon God for the forgivenesse of our sinnes and certificate of the holy Spirit assuring us thereof untill the Lord say unto our souls I am your salvation and shed abroad his love in our hearts Neither are we then to cease from this prayer but as we sinne daily so are we daily to crave forgivenesse and as our faith is weak and mixt with doubting so daily to desire the increase thereof c. Duties to be performed in our lives If we would make this prayer with upright hearts or would either hope to obtein this request or assurance that our prayer is heard I. We must be adorned with humility 1. Pet. 5. 5. whereby we must acknowledge our selves so deeply indebted unto the Lord by reason of our manifold sinnes that he may most justly glorifie his name in our endlesse confusion and that in respect thereof we are not worthy to look up unto heaven or to breathe in the aire or to live upon the earth and that therefore it is the great mercy of the Lord that we are not consumed For if we have humble and contrite hearts the Lord will be ready to heare our prayer and to pardon our sinnes The Lord resisteth the proud but he giveth grace to the humble Jam. 4. 6. 1. Pet. 5. 5. The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and c. Psal. 51. 17. Psal. 34. 18. Example in the humbled Publicane Luke 18. 14. For Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Matth. 9. 13. Luke 4. 18. Matth. 11. 28. Whom doth he call with promise to ease them of the burden of sinne but those that trâ—…vail under the burden of sinne and are weary thereof If therefore God hath given thee an humble heart thou mayest be encouraged to come unto him for grace and pardon of sinnes For as it was said of the blind man so it may be said of every one that is poore in spirit Be of good comfort he calleth thee But as humility maketh us fit to receive Gods grace in the pardoning of our sinnes so is it also a good signe that our sinnes are pardoned For they onely are happy whose sins are forgiven 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 câ—…ceit 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 justification and remission of sinnes Acts 26. 18. because faith alone apprehendeth the merits and righteousnesse 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
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 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 orat cum Deo colloquitur Quantae autem dignitatis sit hominem cum Deo miscere sermonem nemâ—…nem lâ—…tet 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. flagellum diaboli the scourge of the devill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… 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 asketh 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 opuâ—… 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 necessities to which end our Saviour Christ informeth us of Gods knowledge and fatherly love And so the Apostle Phil. 4. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be not distrustfully carefull for any thing but in every thing let your requests by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving be made known before God The perswasion therefore of Gods knowledge and love must not hinder us from prayer but rather incourage us with faith and affiance to call upon him Neither do we call upon God either to inform him in that which he knoweth not or to move him to that which he hath not purposed but to do our duty to God and our selves to God in worshipping him by this exercise and acknowledging him by prayer and thanksgiving to be the authour of all
when in his prayers he nameth one onely person he doth not exclude the other persons but rather includeth theÌ„ 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 doub 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 Delir amentum 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 Emmanuel 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 onelâ—… 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 of redemption the other of intercession and they do confesse in word that Christ is the onely Mediatour of redemption but of intercession they adjoyn other mediatours unto him viz. the Saints departed Here therefore I will shew two things 1. That they seem to acknowledge other mediatours of redemption and so in deed overthrow that which in word they confesse 2. That none can be mediatour of intercession who is not also of redemption For as touching the first in many of their authorized prayers they desire God to have mercie on them in forgiving their sinnes and in giving unto them good things as well spirituall as temporall for the merits and intercession of the Saints and so plainly thrust the Saints into the office of Christ. And
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 humblâ—…d 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 faitâ—… 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 accâ—…a gratia siduciam donet orandi Sed non oportet ut in 〈◊〉 constituat quisquam fiduciam impetr andi Hoc solum conferunt haec promissa dona ut ab cadem 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 prayer 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 jam nobis de aliâ—…uo bono facto gaudentibus totum extorquet 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 thereby we may be repressed pride will wring out of our hand all we have done whilest we rejoyce of our doing any good deed For other vices are to be feared in our sinfull actions but pride onely is to be feared in our good deeds lest those things which are laudably done be lost by our greedie coveting of praise 3. Those that pray with spirituall pride and ostentation as the Brownists being proud that they are able to conceive as it were ex tempore a prayer unto God and with such varietie as to use no set form nor twice to use the same words 4. Those that by their prayer look to satisfie for their sinnes and to merit at the hands of God as the Papists For
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 sinâ—…es 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 insist 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 Decalogâ—… 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 is ex opere operato meritorious as though our Saviour Christ had prescribed these words to be used as a charm c. First whereas our Saviour Christ propoundeth this form we may be assured that it is a perfect pattern of prayer that nothing ought to be asked which is not in it conteined For in him are all the treasures of the wisdome and knowledge of God Col. 2. 3. He knoweth what is acceptable unto God what is needfull for us therefore in this prayer is conteined whatsoever is either fit for God to grant or for us to ask By this then as a pattern we are to form our prayers and as by a rule we are to examine them
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 all 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 saying 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 boldnesse 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 deny the lesfe Pater quid negabit filiis qui jam dedit quòd pater est What will the father deny to his sons who hath vouchsafed already to be our Father For if he have so loved us that he gave his Son for us that in him we might be adopted his children how shall he 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 pleasure to give us a kingdome we need not fear but that he will grant us matters of lesse moment Luke 12. 32. 4. In sonne-like submission we are to call upon God our Father c. Matth. 26. 39 42. And in this faith we are to rest in the will of our Father submitting our selves thereto knowing that he will dispose of us for the best Duties in our lives IF we call God our Father we must behave our selves as dutifull and obedient children 1. Pet. 1. 14. we must walk worthy our calling Ephes. 4. 1. For seeing we have these promises namely that God will be a Father unto us and that we shall be his sonnes and daughters we ought to cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of
in our selves then the firebrands of hell and yet withall we must relie upon Christ and his merits being perswaded that notwithstanding our manifold sinnes yet the Lord will receive us into his love and favour imputing unto us the righteousnesse of his Sonne and covering 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 Father for all the sinnes of them 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 endeavour 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 seek in all things to please him For if we please our selves in displeasing 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 testifie 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 diffidence 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 also 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 injuries done against us then no doubt thou wilt 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 are 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