turne our eyes from beholding of vanity That there may not bee in us the violence of sinne assaulting us Wee pray also that wee may not come into the Battaile if it bee possible and that sinne or pollution may not come in against us Secondly that the LORD would assist us in the temptation that the temptation may not prevaile It is a mercie not to bee tempted but if we must bee it is a great mercie not to bee overcome by temptation If hee will not wholly prevent us by his Grace yet that hee will assist us graciously in it It is a mercie not to be assaulted and though assaulted yet that we may be assisted Now this assistance of GOD is two-fold either extraordinary or mediate by the meanes wee speake not so much of the first though that be true but we crave both at the hand of the Lord. First sometimes wee crave for the extraordinary help and assistance of the LORD to assist us either above meanes or in the meanes Wee know the Lord in the time of the Martyrs sufferings did helpe wonderfully their temptations were grievous and afflictions great and yet the Lord did helpe them extraordiarily God did let in abundance of sweetnesse But we passe this and come to the other Secondly we pray especially for such meanes as may helpe us and that appeares in foure particulars First that the Lord would discover the enemie before hee comes that hee would make knowne unto us the engines and wiles and depth of Satan and the subtilty of our owne corrupt hearts which are ready on every hand to surprize us for to be surprized before wee are aware is great danger therefore we pray that the Lord would give us the Spirit of Revelation that wee may take notice of the engines of Satan that hee may be discovered to us the discovery wee know of an evill is to prevent an evill and not foreseeing we cannot prevent He that sees not an evill before it comes will bee overthrowne by it when it comes Many a man perisheth by pride and knowes not what hurts him Thus corruption blowes up the soule This the Lord promiseth Isay 30.21 Thou shalt heare a word behinde thee saying This is the way That GOD may keep a man from sinne hee sends the Spirit of CHRIST to say this is the way walke in it The Text saith 2 Cor. 2. there speaking of the incestuous man Wee are not ignorant of the methods of Satan to us Mat. 20. When the great skirmish was to come our Saviour forewarned Peter and saith I will smite the Shepherd c. and saith Watch and pray for the houre is come c. Hee gives him this warning-peece We pray then that God would make knowne to us the engines of sinne and Satan before they come Wee know it is a great helpe in warre to know the quarters and orders of enemies that so a man may order his actions according thereunto So wee must know where the Devill and our corruptions lye quartered and what be the haunts of our wretched hearts and so to order the help God hath put into our hands for the resisting of them Secondly that the Lord as it were would intrench about us If hee will not foretell us of the enemy that seeing sinne wee may prevent it yet that hee would lay some heavie impediment upon us c. and build some trench about us that wee may not commit those evils wee are tempted unto That though hee doe not reveale the policie of Satan yet that hee would lay some snares that wee may not commit that sinne which otherwise wee would doe And this is a marvellous mercie Gen. 20.7 Abimelech tooke Sarah as though shee had beene Abrahams sister as hee himselfe told him and no question hee had a purpose to take her to be his wife but the Lord laid an impediment the Lord kept Abimelech from Sarah hee took off the edge of his desire and laid a barre betweene them Hos 2.6 7. The Church was running after her abominations now how did the Lord prevent her the Text saith I will hedge thy wayes with thornes and build a wall about thee The Lovers were corruptions and the following of them is the eager pursuit of them Now hee hedges the wayes with Thornes that is hee layes desperate afflictions on them that shee had no liberty to sinne so that shee hath enough to doe to minde her owne miseries Sometimes a man is addicted to base company and then the Lord layes sicknesse to imprison him and to keep him from sinne This is mercy Thirdly the Lord puts armour and weapons on them to fight against their enemies that are opposite to his grace and children Ephes 6. from the 10. to the 19. Be yee strengthened in all might putting on all spirituall abilities 1 Cor. 2. to bee strengthned in every good worke God saith hee covers the heads of his 1 Pet. 1.5 God keepes them by the power of his grace God gives his the whole armour the shield of faith the breast-plate of righteousnesse c. to quench the fiery darts of Satan and to resist him Fourthly God gives a dominion over and conquest against all our enemies and over all our victorious corruptions hee gives a happy issue and successe With the fight hee gives the issue with the victory Revel 1.6 Hee hath made us Kings that is hee hath given us a Kingly authority over all our corruptions Rom. 6 14. Sinne shall not have dominion over you Psal 119.133 so David prayeth Let no iniquity have dominion over mee Thus the Lord assists his in trouble Thirdly as wee pray that the Lord would prevent the occasions of evill and if they come to assist us in them so lastly if wee be foiled and brought under by the temptations of Satan and our own corruptions that the LORD would rescue us from them that have had too much power over us and too too much prevailed against us This wee know was the request and desire of the Prophet David Psal 39. Restore mee to my former health before I goe away from hence and be no more seene As who should say my base lusts are too strong for mee these hands were stout but now feeble therefore LORD give me that former strength His sinnes were as sicknesse Davids case was as when a man hath been sicke and after comes to get up his crummes as though hee had said I knew the time when I had a broken heart for my sinne but now hardened therefore O God spare mee a little while before I goe hence and bee no more seene that I may recover my former courage zeale and strength before I goe hence Rom. 8.2 The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ hath made mee free from the Law of sinne and death Sinne makes Lawes Wee then intreat the Lord that hee would prevent corruption that hee would assist us in temptation ordinarily and extraordinarily that hee would discover the enemy before hee
is fire thus That which burnes is fire but that burnes therefore it is fire now burning is not the cause of fire but an effect of it not a cause for first there must be fire before it can burne so it is a tree because it hath Apples now Apples are not the cause of the Tree but the Tree of the Fruit. What is it to forgive the trespasses of our fellow-brethren and how farre may it be done In the trespasses of a brother three things are considerable First the sinne it selfe Secondly the guilt of that sinne Thirdly the punishment due to that sinne First concerning the sinne In guilt wee must know two things wherein is the Answer First we must know that to forgive properly we cannot it cannot be done by us for who can forgive sinnes but God onely it is one of Gods prerogatives to forgive sinnes and that no creature can doe Secondly as the guilt hath a respect to God so it hath a respect to us for as he is injured so are we when a man steales it is not onely a wrong to the Law of God but also a wrong to me So farre as the sinne doth respect God he pardoneth it and as it concernes me I forgive him And this is done when the heart is as willingly content to doe all the good to a brother as though he had never sinned against him We say we forgive him but not forget him this is not to forgive but between whom and me there is nothing to stop me that is to forgive him onely remember this that a man doth sinne in some kinde so that the Lord doth not require that a man should forgive him As if a man that flatters me to my face and back bites me I am not bound to trust him againe He that beares fire in one hand and water in another if he sinne against me once God forgive him but if he sinne against me the second time and I forgive him God forgive him and me When a man cheates me I will never trust him againe till I see good and yet I forgive him when I am as willing to doe him good as though he had never offended me and withall intreat the Lord to pardon him if he hath a lot in Christ seek for the pardon of those sinnes whereby he hath done us wrong This our Saviour did Father forgive them they know not what they doe So also Stephen Acts 7.12 thus we should doe so farre as it concernes us Whether is a man bound to forgive punishment to another Quest as when one hath stolne any thing from us should we not follow the Law on him how farre must a man goe in this case in taking punishment on such an one offending A man may Answ nay it may be so that a man is bound not to forgive it but to punish it and a man should sinne deeply in the neglect of it If one hath murthered another a man is bound to follow the Law on him and to give him the punishment due to the fact How farre may a man goe in this case Quest It appeares in these particulars First Answ when all things considered in all a man sees it may doe good then a man is bound to give punishment When there is nothing but a Bridewell will doe a servant good give it him When a childe is stubborn give him correction and spare him not it is as good as his meat If a wretch belch out his malice if a man can reforme him by punishment give it him for who knowes but it may be the best physick that ever he had and to let him go unpunished in such a case a man is guilty of his sinne because hee might have reformed him by this meanes Secondly if this be a way and meanes to binde a mans hands and to hinder him from the practice of some sinne As if a persecutor intends to persecute another if a man have a suit of Law against him he is bound to cast him into prison for it keeps him from persecuting the Saints of the LORD and so from sinning deeply It is a work of mercy to take a knife from a mad man so to bind such a mans hands that doth so If God put forth an opportunity into a mans hand he is bound to take the Law and it is mercy to him thus to doe Thirdly when a man cannot otherwise maintaine his owne honour or life or some other particular good for the taking off of his own wrong a man is bound in justice to take punishment on such a one as thus If he shall raise a false report on a man it is not a work of tyranny but a work of mercy he ought to right his own wrong that is done unto him by punishment when it cannot otherwise be maintained we are bound to take this course for why mine own honor life and estate is to be preferred before others Fourthly when this course being just will maintaine the goodnesse of a mans profession and Gods glory this should be done when a mans profession lyes at the stake a man is not bound to be mealiemouthed but to make those black-mouthed wretches known to others that they may not dare to bring a scandall upon the glorious Gospel of Christ nor on the professours thereof Thus a man must doe and yet forgive a man for all this if his good or mine or the profession of the Gospel may be furthered hereby this should be And thus a man may goe to law in these cases and the like Now we come to the force of the Argument How is this an Argument to prevaile with GOD to forgive us Quest because wee forgive others where lyes the force of the Argument what vertue is there in this It lyes in 3. particulars and it is a speciall meanes to obtain mercy Answ Lord I forgive others therefore forgive thou me First all the mercie I have it is not firstly in my selfe it is but a river and spring comming from the Sea but mercie is firstly in thy selfe the fountaine and Sea of mercy is in thee Now Lord if I have but some bowels of mercy and some drops of that Ocean of mercy and yet can forgive others much more then thou the fountaine of mercy canst forgive me When the two servants fell out the one pulled the other by the throat and said Pay mee that thou owest me now when the Master of that servant heard of it he said Oh thou wretch dost thou deale thus with him when I deale so favourably with thee and if a sinner must forgive his fellow brother seventy seven times how much more the Lord the God of mercy if he that hath but some mercie received from the fountaine much more the Lord the fountaine it selfe Secondly as we have not from our selves but from God so also that we have is mixt with a great deale of spleene Though some compassion yet mingled with a great
deale of envie though some mercy yet mingled with a great deale of cruelty and a great deale of darknesse with this little starre-light but the Lord hath all love without any hatred all mercy without any cruelty there is no hinderance in the Lord to hinder him Now the soule saith Lord if I that have a great deale of malice can forgive my brethren then how much more thou that hast all mercy and no spleen if men humble their soules before thee wilt forgive Thirdly that mercy that is in us it is but little but it is infinite in the Lord what we can doe is but the first fruit a drop a graine a mustard-seed but abundant in the Lord. Then the soule saith Lord thou art boundlesse and bottomlesse in mercie how much more wilt thou forgive True LORD the talents and debt whereby we are ingaged unto thee are many and great but if wee poore creatures that have but from the Fountain and that we have is mingled with a great deale of malice and that but a drop and yet can forgive how much more thou that hast all first from thy selfe and purely without all mixture of envie and in an infinite abundance how much more canst thou forgive whom thou wilt therefore LORD forgive us for we forgive others How ought the soule to be framed in putting up this Petition Quest It appeares in foure particulars Answ First the soule must see and acknowledge it selfe guilty of those sinnes that appeare in this life wee must see our selvs stand in need of forgivenes now we cannot doe this till we see our selves faulty He that owes nothing what need he crave forgivenesse So forgivenesse of sinnes implyes that wee are guilty of sinne and lyable to the punishment due to sinne They that confesse sinne and forsake it shall finde mercy pro. 28.14 first finde out thy sins then find Gods mercy 1 Cor. 11. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged He that would have GOD forgive him must not forgive himselfe if we judge our selves GOD will not judge us As a Malefactor that sticks to his owne innocencie and will not acknowledge any guilt in vaine hee desires to bee forgiven So a sinner or Malefactor before GODS Tribunall if hee will not confesse his sinne hee shall never finde mercie at the hand of the LORD Therefore I cannot see how a Papist can beg this when as hee thinkes he can satisfie GODS Justice himselfe Secondly we must labour to have the heart see its owne inabilitie to satisfie for sinne or to beare Gods indictment he shall passe upon the soule that is guilty The soule acknowledgeth it selfe unable to answer one of a thousand Behold saith the Psalmist Lord if thou shouldest enter into judgement who were able to abide it but there is mercy with thee that thou mayst be feared Wee are Bankerupts wee cannot answer the debt nor beare the suit if the debtor be able to answer the debt or pay the money hee cares for no kindnesse the sinner is the debtor and if hee can satisfie Gods Justice what need he care If I can abide it what need I crave favour but when it is come to this who can abide it then the LORD will pardon whatsoever is amisse Where-ever the sinner goes he cannot avoid the suit hee needs no pursevant to follow him conscience is arresting the Devill accusing therefore he falls down and cryes mercy mercy to pardon the suit the soule is not able to beare the suit This the Church complaines of Behold our righteousnesse is as menstruous cloath and they Ezek. 36.31 judge themselves worthy to be condemned Now in that I say forgive I imply that I cannot satisfie for sin my selfe Thirdly we should seeke to the free mercie of GOD and of his Grace for what wee need wee should acknowledge his free mercie When the soule sees there is mercie in GOD for him then it is fitted to pray this petition for should I conceive GOD were severe holy just c. though I renounce my sinne yet I could not seek him God is not extreame and rigorous but hee hath mercy in store for those that seeke him in truth and sincerity therefore we should apprehend two things First that God desires not to deale rigorously we should perswade our hearts that God is desirous to welcome our prayers Exod. 34. The Lord is ready to succour our infirmities If we be in misery the Lord will abound in mercy the phrase is multiplying mercy therefore the Apostle calls him the father of mercies and the God of all compassions we have new vexations he hath new compassions nay God hath more good then we can desire he performes more then he promiseth he is abundant in truth above all that he hath revealed himself to be in his Word Isa 55.7 Our God is mercifull and abundant in forgivenesse He multiplies pardons he hath pardons in store mercy to pardon any poore soul But saith the soul what my sinnes committed and continued in marke what he adds though you cannot comprehend it yet he can conceive it his thoughts of mercy are larger in giving then ours in craving Eph. 2. He is able to do above what we can think or aske It was but a cold comfort Isaac gave to Esau he had but one blessing so if Gods mercies come to an end it were but a poor comfort when the soul saith Lord give me and the Lord should say all is drawne dry But there is enough in God to do us good What availes it if a father have a good heart to his child if he hath not to give it what it askes or stands in need of but our heavenly Father abounds in goodnesse Secondly God as he hath abundance of good so he is free and ready to bestow it Esa 55.1 Ho Every one that thirsteth let him buy milke and milke without money or price We would be content to have wine but we have no money to buy it therefore God adds though you be not able to pay for it yet take it Mich. 7.18 Who is a God like our God who pardons sin because mercy pleaseth him The pardoning of our sins is like the overthrowing of Pharaoh in the sea God doth it not because we please him but because his mercy pleaseth him he doth it freely Fourthly we must be content to waite for his mercy that we stand in need of we must both waite for it and be confidently perswaded of it else we crosse the tenure of forgivenesse Heb. 11. God gives mercy to none but those that waite for it In that we aske pardon we are resolved to waite for it for so much is implyed A pardon in law is not authenticall untill it be sealed so God saith he will pardon us but this is not authenticall untill we have set to our seale he saith he will give freely we say we will waite constantly Psal 37.5 Commit thy waies to God and he will care for
Apostle Looke as an ague that is pretty well over-past it lies in the bones and if he that hath it drinke cold water it growes extream and hot by force of opposition So that man that lay lurking before the Word comes and it layes a man flat and it slayes him utterly vers 13. Sinne by the command became out of measure sinfull Looke as it is with a damme the damme stops and the streame swels by force of opposition so the Law stops the streame of sinne and corruption and now it growes exceeding violent Therefore they that have been under good meanes and breake are out of measure shamelesse in their sinfull proceedings this damme that stops makes this sin greater thus the Law of GOD is a Law to a proud heart The Law is not to blame but the heart Secondly the LORD will not suffer the soul to have the power and assistance of the Spirit which formerly he hath had but le ts sin and it grapple till he breake sinne all to peeces Many a time the LORD leaves the soule and will not let it have that power that formerlie it had What can a soul fall Quest No. GOD takes not away his hand Answ but yet he shall not feele it as a man if he stirre not the wheele it will not goe his hand is on it all the while but doth not stirre it therefore it goes not So GOD leaves a man to himselfe though for the while he doth not give him that force whereby he may gaine-say a temptation This befell David LORD Psal 57. take not thy holy Spirit from me that is when God would not helpe David but let him make his part good with the temptations I doubted not but David had grace enough if GOD would have quickened it in him Hezekiah had wisdome enough but GOD left him Thus the LORD is said justly to leade a man into temptation Now wee pray that he would take away all snares that he would not suffer the Word to provoke us but to direct us that we may not be left to our owne strength and that wee may overcome all our spirituall enemies But deliver us from evill HEre observe that though GOD would doe nothing against us yet we are not able to deliver our selves from our owne corrupt hearts What is meant by evill Quest Not so much trouble Answ or punishment but sinne Now in sin are three things First the breach of the Law Secondly the guilt a man gets by this breach and so is liable to this punishment Thirdly the vigour of sinne whereby it rules over the soule Now the former we pray against in the fifth Petition because we stand guilty of the breach of the Law therefore wee pray that God would not enter into Judgement with us And thirdly wee pray here against the power of sinne and that is in three particulars not only in regard of the guilt of it but that the Lord would keep us from the power of it First sinne would be a commander over the soule It is the King Satan is the Gaoler it hath a Kingly Soveraigne Authority and would rule over us sinne is often compared to a King his servants are they to whom they obey Sinne is a Master at least it would be and is so in every naturall soule and it would bee so in the godly The law of life saith the Apostle hath freed mee from the law of death Rom. 8.2 Sinne gives Parliament-Lawes to the Soule and Edicts and as the Centurion bade one servant goe and hee went and another come and he comes so doth sinne say Pride saith it is my pleasure you should be proud therefore I will have you proud and snappish c. Sayes anger I will have you spleniticke and rage Sayes the soule then I will and it shall be done Thus sinne sets up it selfe as a supreame Soveraigne in the soule Hence a proud heart saith I will that I will let GOD say what hee will tell not mee of Lawes it is my minde It is your proud heart sets you Lawes and you yeeld to them Now we pray that GOD however sinne bee in the Soule yet that he would snub and curb it that it may bee an underling in the Soule and daily subdued Secondly as sinne doth and desires to set up a master-like rule and a supreame Soveraign Lord like dominion So sinne carries the soule and sometimes separates the soule from GOD whereas the command of GOD should be a guide to us and take place in our hearts this Rebell it takes up Armes resists stands in defiance against the rule of the Spirit Hence come all these phrases they forsook God resisted GOD and turned their backes to his commands What saith pride shall I bee a slave that the Word should awe mee and snub mee I will never yeeld it while I live I will dye first This is a Devill that drawes you from GOD and will carry you to Hell Rom. 7.23 that is the meaning of this place Sinne carries a man captive that when the soule sees it selfe so ruled by him a gracious heart would teare it selfe off if it could but a naturall man is a slave to sinne sinne gets head and so the soule dares not affect any good in another nor labour for it in it selfe Thirdly sinne leaves a kinde of blemish and staine upon the soule after the commission of it There is a kinde of jeering to the heart and a cunning wrong of the soule hence the Scripture calls it the excrement of naughtinesse c. though the act of sinne be gone yet there is a blemish on the Soule Peter after his denyall of CHRIST was averted from CHRIST So a man after sinne shall finde himselfe dull to any good and prone to any evill This is the staine of sinne when a mans arme is put out of joynt besides the fall there is a bruise So after a man hath broken the Commandements of the LORD the LORD unjoynts him hee is more awake to any good then ever Galath 6. If any man bee unjoynted by sinne So that of the Romanes they wound their owne soules This sinne doth now these wee pray against partly against the power of sinne partly against the authority of sinne partly against the staine of sinne But deliver us from evill To deliver from evil implyes three things First wee pray that the LORD would prevent all those occasions and struglings and distempers of sinne that trouble us these wee pray against to wit that hee would take off these distempers whereby sinne would lay siege against the Soule that hee would remove those things that would remove us from him This is that wisdome promiseth Prov. 6.21 Shee will keepe and walke with them that walke with her and shee will keepe him from the way of the wicked woman Sinne is like a Harlot therefore the LORD is pleased to expresse it after that manner Now it is the mercie of the LORD that he will
A briefe EXPOSITION OF THE Lords Prayer Wherein the meaning of the words is laid open to the understanding of weake Christians and what the carriage of their hearts ought to be in preferring each Petition By Mr. THO. HOOKER Preacher of Gods Word LONDON Printed by Moses Bell for Benjamine Allen and are to be sold at his shop in Popes head Alley at the signe of the Crown 1645. A briefe EXPOSITION OF THE LORDS PRAYER IN the Prayer are three things observable 1. The Preface Our Father 2. The Prayer it selfe divided into six petitions 3. The conclusion of faith in the word Amen The soule goes up to heaven and follows the petition hallowed be thy name let it be Lord as thou mayst have glory Looke as a man that darts an Arrow hee puts the utmost of his strength unto it So the word Amen speeds all the rest speeds all and brings a good issue to the soule by all First for the Preface and there we must examin in generall two things the sense and meaning of the words Secondly what ground of incouragement it affords us to seek God And First observe the party sought Father Secondly the excellencie of him which art in heaven Thirdly the interest we have in him he is Our Father Why Quest or in what sense is God called a Father First Resp He is the Father of Christ by eternall generation Secondly he is the Father of men two wayes 1. By creation so the Scripture runnes Job 1.9 the Angels are called the sonnes of God Job 1.9 because they were created by God so God is our Father by creation and thus hee is a Father to the just and unjust Psal 139. Psal 139. I am wonderfully made saith the Text. 2. By adoption and grace in that he doth freely take us to be his sonnes in Christ he puts us into the right of his children as a man puts a stranger into the right of his sonne And thus God is a Father to his chosen onely that looke what Christ hath Rom. 8.17 they have Rom. 8.17 If sonnes then heires we are heires Gods chosen children both these wayes God is our Father Doe we onely pray to the Father Quest in that wee say Our Father No Resp we pray not to the Father only but we pray to the holy Trinity we make mention of the Father only yet we must direct our prayers to one God in three persons in that Godhead however we mention not all yet we direct to all all our petitions the reason is this because otherwise we should have made an Idoll of God I say concerning but of one person we make an idoll of God and call not upon him as he is How may we apprehend of God aright in prayer Quest Thus Resp as God hath revealed himselfe in his Word so we apprehend him not putting any image at all upon him as Instance thus two wayes First he that creates all governs all knowes all sees all by whom I live move and have my being to that God I pray The Scripture hath revealed God thus and he fills heaven and earth c. To that God then that is thus infinite to him I call I goe now no further to the seeing of an image but to an all-seeing God I come Secondly instance thus looke abroad into the creatures and in all you shall see a power and a goodnesse Now from whence came this power The power of Beasts came not from the power of trees and the like but there was a first power which gave all power to the creatures The Creator is infinitely more powerfull then the creature There is goodnesse also in the creatures all that came from the first goodnesse that let out it selfe now that which lets forth it selfe to the creature is in the Creator infinitely above the creature that is the Lord. Thus you must quit your selves of an image he that gives all is above all God gives all therefore he is above all and to that God I put up my petition Why doe we not mention the Sonne and the Holy Ghost as well as the Father Quest Because the Father is the first person in the Trinity Resp and the Fountaine from whence all flowes the Father workes of himselfe the Sonne of him the Holy Ghost from them both therefore we mention him onely though we may mention the other yet we pray onely to the Father How doth this word Father help a man to call on God by Prayer Quest When we conceive of God as a Father Resp it puts us in minde of his mercy that he will pitty us as a Father A man will be reconciled unto his sonne easily and will spare his sonne though he be a prodigall yet a father will passe by and cover all So I pray to a Father did I pray to a Judge that will condemn me or an enemy that would not be reconciled to me little hope I had to speed because I have wronged him yet I will arise and goe to my Father and say Father I have sinned Psal 103.13 As a father pitties his sonne Psal 103. 13. so God pittieth them that fear him He is my child saith God though stubborne and I must look to him When a mans rebellions witnesse against him and Satan vexeth him and saith What dost thou think to have mercy and art so vile True saith the soule I am naught but I goe to a father If a child doe but ayme at a thing the father accepts him if he speak but halfe a sentence the Father interprets it So this is the great incouragement of the faithfull to goe to God that notwithstanding so many failings and though so dead and so barren yet a father beares all The Lord interprets all though but broken speeches he accepts all and regards all We have a Father to to goe to that is willing to passe by many failings Secondly we have a ground of pitty if it be but a sigh he receives it So this may perswade us of the willingnesse of God to help us If a man were to goe to him that is hard-hearted little hope hee had to speed we say he is a cruell man we had as good pull water out of a flint c. A child will not beg of a stranger but will goe to his father so we pray to our Father that is more willing to heare and grant then we are to aske Luke 15. I will goe to my Father saith the Prodigall as who should say I am unworthy yet I goe to a Father Nay the Lord heares before we call he prepares the heart to call and answers what it craves when they aske The father puts into the childs mouth what it shall say and then hee will give it what it craves so God would have us seek for abundance of mercy open thy mouth c. God would faine give but none will crave it is God that must give
none knowes but the Spirit of God and as it is not made known so we have nothing to doe with it in this place What is the revealed will of God Quest It is the purpose of God that hee hath made known to us by his Word Answ and revealed to us in his workes whatever is done in heaven or earth is the will of God I did not know God would destroy Bohemia and the Palatinate before I saw it this is the will here meant I did not know of such a friends death before he dyed and then we must say Thy will be done What ever God hath made known either by workes or words that we pray to have done What is this doing of the will of God Quest It consists in Answ and implyes two things First that whatever God makes known to be his will to bring upon us we should willingly submit and yeeld unto it If God would have me poore when it is done we should approve of the accomplishment of Gods will It is the breach of many commandements that when God thwarts our desire we are unwilling it should be done The wife is unwilling her husband should dye and the husband that the wife should dye never lost a man such a wife as I this is professedly against this petition We must imitate that of the good Prophet David Psal 39. I held my tongue and said nothing Will the Lord have it not a word more then his spirit yeelds presently takes the stroke doth not thwart the good will of the Lord this is the practice of David Eli Hezekiah It is the Lord let him doe what he will Nay our blessed Saviour himselfe saith Not my will but thy will be done But this is the folly of our hearts we take up Armes against Gods will God would have us to be poore and we will be rich This is not to doe the will of God Though God force us to doe it yet that is no thankes to us Thus we sinne desperately Secondly the heart is not only content with what God will have us suffer whether losse of life friends liberty and the like but there is another will must be done by us what God reveales to be a duty must be discharged by us If there be a truth to be made known to us we must acquaint our selves with the will of the Lord and then with all diligence practice it Make my heart one with thine that I may ever feare thy Name Let thy will be mine Oh saith the soule that I might ever feare thy Name this is to do the will of God We doe not say let it be spoken of and considered of by me but let it be done let it be accomplished by me Wee must not lift at it and give God good words and talke and leave it undone but labour to doe it It is not enough for the childe to say I know what my father commands but I must doe what I list Such hearts cannot pray to expect any thing at the hand of the Lord now and then to look at a duty c. and to say I would it were so will not serve the turne Away with that sluggishnesse to wish the will of God were done and yet you will have your own wills To this precept belongs that we should set on others to doe Gods pleasure In vaine doe we wish it to be done and yet doe not provoke on others to doe it Paul when Agrippa and he was grapling together saith Agrippa thou hast perswaded me almost to be a Christian not almost saith Paul but I would have thee altogether as I am except these bonds I would not have thee fettered as I am but inlarged in heart to doe Gods will So that of Joshua I and my house will serve the Lord he that not onely neglects Gods will himselfe but hinders others that man doth not pray this petition aright he that saith Thy will be done and in the mean time withdrawes others by his secret allurements and saith what should I be such a foole to be at other mens bow and beck to sit howling in a corner as thou dost No no well be it known to thee thou that wilt not do Gods will here the Lord will have his will done on thee one day to thy cost He that will not doe Gods will here God will send him packing to Hell and there he will execute his will upon him whether he will or no How must we doe the will of God we doe now and then stumble at a duty and now and then take up a service Quest and we are neither whores nor theeves but yet we are now and then peevish and wayward c. is not this enough No Answ no you must doe it in earth as it is in Heaven not now to be something and then to be nothing now a Saint and then a Devill but you must doe the will of God as it is in Heaven But can a man doe the will of God on earth as the blessed Angels doe it in Heaven Quest A man cannot doe it in that measure the Angels doe it Answ but we may doe it as they doe and performe equall obedience with them though not in quantity yet in quality A childe followes the father though it cannot run so fast as the father A Scholler may imitate the copie and write after it though not write so fast and well So the servants of the Lord cannot doe the will of God here so in that measure that the Angels doe it in Heaven but in quality like them Let their obedience be our pattern not in the measure but in the manner of it In what things must it be done Quest and how can wee expresse any action like theirs This resemblance is in foure particulars Answ First they doe it readily they are prest and ready at hand to doe the good will of the Lord upon all occasions they doe not withdraw themselves but presently upon every occasion doe what the Lord requires We read Job 1. that the sonnes of God appeared before him they are ever in his sight to give attendance upon him as the handmaid is ever at the hand of her Mistris So that of Isaiah the Text saith they cover their faces before the Mercy Seat they cover their faces in token of awfulnesse and reverence and cry Holy Holy They are ever before him as a dutifull servant is ever at his Masters beck They are at hand in this readines of theirs to doe the will of the Lord we should imitate them to be ever prepared and at hand to doe the will of God not to have our affections stragling but with Ananias we must say Here Lord with Abraham Behold thy servant is at hand Thus it should be with the soule the Lord saith you must not have this sinne and that corruption we must reply Thy will be done LORD we must not say as Moses when
seeks not the will of the LORD Now we must come to the second thing As we should do the will of GOD our selves so we should further on others and that appears in two particulars First we should further on others in the discharge of duty Secondly we should joine sides with others in the performing of duty First for the first we must further on others That is a pregnant place Heb. 10. Provoke one another to love and good works we must not only stand by and look on others but provoke and egge on others to stir up them to do the will of the LORD 2 Cor. 9.3 the LORD there commends them because they gave good example to their brethren It is good to have a stirring heart Satan sets on others to sin A little leaven leavens the whole lump A man useth not to be drunk alone but to draw on others with him If Satan and his instruments be so how much more ought we to do the contrary There is not a duty that more promotes GODS glory then this wicked men as infectious persons labour to infect others so should we be forward to help others These be as Stewards they provoke their fellow-servants go about reproving exhorting one another Thus a Christian should set on every man and spurre on others to do the will of GOD not only to take a Lecture our selves but call on others to it Secondly we should labour to joine sides with them to do GODS will It was the practice of the Scribes and Pharisees to lay heavy loads and burthens upon others but not stir them themselves but we should joine sides and lend a helping-hand in the performance of duty When a Cart is at a set it is not enough for a man to stand by and say I would it were out c. and yet never lend a helping hand but he must joine with others to help it out and if one teame will not do it out on another to it so when time of troubles comes we should be at the Cannons mouth at a dead lift when another is not able to get out by reason of temptation then we must join sides with them pray and mourn with them Zac. 8.12 Let us go to the House of the Lord we wil go also So it is not enough to professe our selves GODS servants but we must pray also for others and suffer also if necessity requires as it was Davids speech Psal 38. Let us praise the Lord together at a lift So if we would do GODS will it is GODS will as to pray our selves so we should say to others let us pray and study together that the will of GOD may be done It is not enough to wish that GODS will might be done and we stand by with our hands in our pockets and do not provoke on others and lay reproaches on them what you pray c. This heart is professedly against the will of God these are fore-men in the Devils shops and schollers of the highest forme in Satans schoole but if we desire to have GODS will done let us set to our shoulders to the burthen and help others Thus much for the third Petition Thy will be done c. Give us this day our daily bread VVE come now to the other three Petitions and they concern our selves meerly The first is concerning the things of this life And the other is concerning spirituall gifts and it consists partly in justification and partly in sanctification But first for the order Quest why do we beg for the things of this life before spirituall mercies our bodily bread before our spirituall Answ Because in nature a man must have an outward being before we have a better This life is the time of our trading and after this life there is no grace to be had Therefore we must have this life before we can live everlastingly with GOD hereafter no man can get GOD by the means that doth not live therefore though the other be more necessary yet a man except he have this he cannot have the other that living here bodily we may live spiritually hereafter Now for the sense of the words First what is meant by giving Secondly what is meant by bread with all the circumstances daily bread and our daily bread c. First for the word giving implyes 3. things First that the Lord out of his goodnesse and wise bounty would provide what may be profitable for us and which we stand in need of in a word what we want he would supply Secondly that he would preserve and continue these good things that he hath bestowed upon us that he would graciously continue that lot and portion unto us Psal 16. thou maintainest my lot the Lord doth not onely give patrimony to his children but preserves and continues that which is needfull for them to them Thirdly that the Lord would be pleased to send in the sweet of his blessing upon all the blessings and mercies he hath been pleased to bestow on us The blessing of the Lord is the staffe of bread It is not enough to have these things for bread may choake us the houses we inhabit may fall upon our heads if they be not blessed to us The covetous man is as if he had nothing if the Lord let in but a secret curse and veine of vengeance into his soule A man may have many outward blessings and yet have all the sweet tooke from him yea many times all that a man hath may be a torment to him the Lord can take off all the sweet therefore we pray and intreat that the Lord would give us the sweet of them that they may be comfortable to us as they are in themselves that the Lord would give all blesse all and preserve all and sanctifie all to us that they may be all to us as they are in themselves What is meant by bread Quest Under this word bread are included all necessary helps and comforts of this life Answ whatever concernes our lives good name estate all things belonging to these is bread Because bread is the staffe of life most especially usefull for life Reason other things are necessary but wee cannot be without this bread Therefore the Lord puts a part for the whole and therefore we pray that the LORD would give and continue and blesse all things that are necessary for us unto us What kinde of bread must it be Quest Our bread Answ not that wee can procure or purchase it but the word Our implyes two things First that wee may have a right and title to all these things in Christ that we may have a tenure of them For all these things are not the wicked mans properly he usurps them and he shall answer for them he sits at a rack-rent he shall be plagued for them Now we pray that they may be our fee-simple not that we must pay for them but that we may have the right and
wee must not looke to the quantity not for a month or a quarter but goe to the Lord as to a market let him dispose it or else wee beg one thing and desire another the Lord will be content to give us bread not pearles not to cocker us but to give us what we stand in need of That of Hagar should be our prayer Give me not too much lest I be proud nor too little lest I put forth my hand to wickednesse Prov. 30. but give me food convenient It is better to be at Gods allowance then our owne A childe happily would have a coat foure or five yards too long and to tire him or fire to burne him but a father will not have it too long to tyre him or fire to burne him So our Father wee would over-flow our measures out-run our portions too beyond our need It is with us as it is with dyets sicke men would have hot wines and salt meates and eate excessively but the Physitian orders all his dyet for if hee should have his fill it would kill him A full body and a full stomack would increase the humour So the Lord is a marvelous skilfull Physitian we have proud hearts and would have dainties and if we should have riches as we would God should lose his honour which now he hath by us being kept under hatches therefore the Lord dyets us Divers creatures are kept in divers things Cherries are kept in Sugar but Beefe is kept in salt pickell and not in sugar for otherwise it would stinke Nothing would serve some if the Lord should not dyet them but they would be as proud and as saucie as ever they could therefore the Lord is compelled to dyet them Thus we should be content with the least pittance that the Lord sees fitting for us and he that is thus the Lord will give him enough for his baites in this pilgrimage And thus much for this Petition And forgive us our trespasses c. THis is the fifth Petition touching the good of man There are three Petitions concerning God and three concerning us this life and a better the first we have handled and those that concern our spirituall being follow First for the order Secondly the sense and meaning of the words Thirdly the frame of the heart in putting up this Petition First for the order why it is thus placed justification before sanctification Reason The reason is because sanctification flowes from justification being justified we are sanctified first we are acquitted of our sins whereof we stand guilty before him and then he sanctifies us first this then the other the other are the sprigs and this the main branch we beg for faith c. but they are included in this Secondy for the sense of the words First here is the Petition Forgive us our trespasses Secondly the Reason As we forgive others or For we forgive others that trespasse against us so Lord forgive thou us this is the argument whereby we win the favour of the Lord. What is meant by debts Quest By debts are meant all sinnes Answ all failing of all kindes of omission or commission now they are called debts because we owe all obedience to God to love him above all and our neighbours as our selves and these being the articles of agreement the sleighting and neglect of this brings us into debt with God For first we are bound to these Secondly by breaking these we deserve the punishment due to the breach of it now when we omit any thing we forfeit and are cast behinde hand And thirdly wee are lyable to the execution of the punishment due to us in the breach of this thus sins are debts and debts sinnes of omission or commission What is it to forgive To forgive is this Quest we beg that the Lord would be pleased not to take advantage of us because of our debts Answ nor yet to proceed in the rigour of this Law to do that it requires Now our sins require we should be condemned and executed A malefactors forfeiting his bond is cast in his cause and then cast into the prison and execution sued out for the satisfaction of this debt now we beg of the Lord that he would not condemn us in the Court of conscience nor execute his justice on us this is to forgive and this proceeds from mercy But how can God do thus will this stand with the justice of God Quest not to be satisfied for our faults to pardon without satisfaction No Answ but though the party do not satisfie yet if the surety do it is sufficient so though he doth forgive us yet he looks for it at the sureties hand as the creditor doth not require the debt at the debtors hand but at his hand that is bound to make satisfaction for the debt so the Lord doth not require satisfaction of us as he might to exact the utmost farthing because thou sinnest thou shalt die the LORD will not exact this of us but he requires this satisfaction of the LORD JESUS so that GOD the Father is satisfied though not by us mercy to me and justice to CHRIST mercy on my part and justice on CHRISTS part Thus we see what it is to forgive us that is that the LORD would not arest us but the surety that he would not exact of us but take all of CHRIST Whether are a mans sins forgiven at once Quest or at sundry times At the first time Answ when a man believes in the LORD JESUS CHRIST at that time all his sins past present or to come are remitted The sins he commits after beleeving or in beleeving or before beleeving are all pardoned Justification doth not increase or decrease but sinne it is pardoned at the first act of beleeving Though sanctification may have degrees one man may be more sanctified then another but this hath none but he is fully justified and all his sins past present or to come are pardoned to him in CHRIST all phrases in Scripture implie thus much Jer. 32. I will pardon their sins and remember them no more Ezek. 38. I will blot them out of my remembrance Now the Argument is this I will conclude in divers Propositions First Argum. our Saviour by once suffering suffered for the sins of the Elect past present and to come the infinite wrath of GOD the Father fell on him for my sins now this wrath is all one in him and being all one and infinite and our Saviour suffering this whole and infinite wrath of GOD the Father if he had suffered for 10000. worlds he could have suffered no more Gods wrath could not be but infinite so were his sufferings he might have applyed his suffering to many thousands more if he would and yet have suffered no more Adam's sinne was enough to infect a thousand worlds and our Saviours merits are sufficient for a thousands worlds Secondly those sufferings that he suffered
come that hee would intrench about us and give us Armour and weapons to resist it and give us dominion over our enemies and that if wee be overcome hee would rescue and recover us out of them This is the sum of this Petition Now wee come to the frame of the heart that we should bring before God Quest that so wee may be fit to receive the good we sue for at the hand of God Now wherein doth it appeare The frame of heart and disposition of Soule Answ that best be-seemes us in the putting up of this Petition appeares principally in four things First when wee desire that the Lord would not let us bee drawne aside nor led into temptation wee must labour to avoid all occasions as may bee too strong for us or like to prevaile over us In vaine wee desire to bee delivered from evill when wee rush into evill and into temptations Hee that should take pitch into his hand and pray not to defiled put fire into his bosome and pray not to be burnt it is a sleighting of Gods mercy and a provoking of God to wrath rather then a begging of mercy We would count it a madnesse for a man to cast himselfe into the Sea and desire to be saved to make our selves sick that God may make us whole againe It is nothing else but as we may say to make God worke so to runne into evill and to pray to the Lord to deliver us from evill it is provoking and mocking of the Lord the wise mans rule is here memorable Prov. 23.23 If a man be given to his appetite let him put his knife to his throat If thou lovest the wine looke not upon it a man that is given to his apetite it is in vaine to pray against it and yet nourish it but thou must put thy knife to thy throat abstaine from that which may provoke it for if we please our appetite it will be a temptation to us Psal 30. The promises and the providence of the Lord go together He will succour us and relieve us but it must be in the way of providence we must be in the way He that goes out of the way and craves Gods assistance shall never have it but hales on evill on himselfe Matthew 10.18 our Saviour speaking of offences saith If thy hand cause thee to offend cut it off and if thine eye cause thee to offend pluck it out That is were thy sinnes as neere to thee as thy right hand in regard of profit or thy right eye in regard of pleasure cut them off pluck them out fling them away rather then be foiled by them In vaine wee crave the assistance of the Lord and in the meane time lay blocks before us it is presumption therefore no marvell if many times the Lord leaves a man in the lurch because he doth not that he praies for It is enough to cause the Lord to curse us when we do not avoid occasions of evill he that will not fall into the pit let him not come neer the brinke of it he that will not be snared by evill let him not come neer the occasions of evill Secondly if we be weake of our selves and cannot prevent the occasions of evill yet bee carefull to seeke all such meanes as may be succourable and helpfull to us if we cannot helpe it but that these will surprize us let us seeke the meanes that may succour us in our need The sicke man that craves succour of the Lord must use the meanes the Lord hath appointed happily thou findest temptations pressing on in thy calling thou canst not avoid it the more the occasions are the more seek for the meanes that may fortifie thee Hee that will be healed let him seeke the Physician he that is out of the way and would be set in the right way let him inquire it out and not sit still and say Lord have mercy upon me c. but seeke unto God in the use of the meanes It was that which Joshuah did chapter the seventh he called upon God but yet the Lord did not help him but said Why doest thou so Israel hath sinned looke to that in vaine it is to pray that the enemie may not prevaile and labour not to get sinne out of the camp but doe that and then the overthrow of the Enemies will bee farre enough from thee Thirdly when wee have found the meanes labour to bee content to bee ordered by all the meanes and helps that God hath been pleased to ordaine for our good It is a madnesse to crave as Balaam Oh that I might die the death of the righteous and not live their life to see the way and not to walke in it Jer. 42. they said to the Prophet Inquire at the mouth of the Lord and whatsoever he commandeth that wee will doe but when they heard and knew it they would not In vaine it is to crave the pardon of sinne when we looke not to the promise to desire sinne to be subdued and yet not to abide the meanes that should doe it but if a man faith he will not be counselled but will have his proud heart and will walke in all his owne waies how can he say deliver me from this proud heart when he will not have counsell take place When a man is in horrour of heart when conscience flies in his face it is in vaine to whine then and yet not to be ruled by the Word of God but be as vaine as ever as loose as ever and as iddle as ever Thou beggest one thing and desirest another and so long never put up this Petition Fourthly wee must relye upon the Lord for a blessing and successe in all wee pray for or do We must so use the meanes as if there were no promise to helpe us and yet so depend on God for all as though the meanes could doe nothing Observe all thy occasions and say counsell and advise is good but the Lord must set them on man lives not by bread only but by the blessing of God in the meanes goe to the Spirit of the Lord and see there a greater power then in all meanes 2 King 2. If thou canst see me taken up then shalt thou have my Spirit double upon thee The meaning is if thou seest the God that takes me up then he will give thee his Spirit looke to God above all meanes and he that is thus disposed praies aright to be delivered For thine is the Kingdome VVE have done with the sixe Petitions three concerning God his Name Kingdome Will three concerning our selves concerning things of this life and of a better to wit justification sanctification we come now to the conclusion and considerin it two things First the thanksgiving Secondly the conclusion of faith in the word Amen In the thanksgiving is included both a reason of the Petition as also a forme of thanksgiving as who should say wee doe not presume wee can do
any thing unlesse thou dost worke in us what thou requirest of us For thine is the Kingdome It is not in our power to doe what wee should or what thou requirest of us but the Kingdome is thine all comes from thee O Lord and let all the glory of all be returned to thee again Doe we hallow thy name and pray for thy Kingdome to come and thy will be done why it is thou Lord that must give the power we beg all from thee and this is included in the word power For as that we should say we have no power to do any thing do thou all Lord and take thou the glory of all so that is the ground why we beg all of him and returne all to him What is here meant by Kingdome Quest First the word Kingdom doth discover the right and authority of God to give all things we want Answ thou Lord hast the disposing of all things we have no authority nor no property that is in us thine is the Kingdome thou hast all power to do what thou wilt The Master doth what he will in his family and the King rules in his Realme so doth the Lord rule in the heart of his Secondly the Lord hath not only authority to do what he will but full and abundant sufficiency to dispose of all according to his will and pleasure Kings may want power to do what they would and the sons of Zeruiah may be too strong for David but as the Lord hath title to all so his arme is long enough his ability sufficient enough to do all there is much infirmity in us but none at all in thee And the glory THe glory of a thing we know appeares in two things First the excellency of it Secondly in the beauty and splendor of its excellency this sets forth the glory of a thing as who should say if any beauty excellency or glory be in the creature it is thine oh Lord for thine is the Kingdome power and the glory Thine What doth this word thine imply Quest It implies three particulars Answ First that all authority sufficiency and excellency is firstly in God all is his by possession and propriety Any thing that we have or enjoy it is but what we have of him it is but a glimpse and reflexion of that glory in God and it is all firstly in God and he leases it out it is my God and my portion God is the roote of all we are or have all power and sufficiency is in him firstly Secondly so all comes from him whatever is in the creature comes from him all are but tenants and leasures of that they have from the Lord who is the great possessour of Heaven and Earth Thirdly it implies that we should acknowledge all belonging to him give every man his due whose is this honour and power the Lords let him have it then and this is to put off all ability and sufficiencie from our selves and to acknowledge all to come from him As thongh the soule should say Is there any thing in me Lord it is because thou givest it Thou givest unto us all our abilities and hearts to pray and it is thou that hearest us when we pray It is all free mercie all abilities are from thee therefore Lord take all for all is thine Thus the soule disclaimes all selfe For ever and ever c. THat is everlasting power is in thee which differs from all other power all mans power is from GOD but the Kingdom of GOD his power and his glory it is for ever and ever We cannot pray alwayes our abilities faile and our hearts faint but thy power endures for ever the good things of this life meat drink cloth c. some times are gone but yet thy power endures for ever to succour us When our abilities faile yet power is for ever and ever in thee to renew them Amen THe word Amen implyes three things First the terme of asseveration and it discovers the truth of a thing Secondly a wish Oh saith the soule that it might be Thirdly the voyce of a confident faith It is so it is done Lord all these three are implyed but this last mainly here intended These things wee have prayed for that according to thy will they are verily done As also there is a secret looking after the Petition when it is put up the soule followes the Petition Now saith the soule they speed the LDRD grants these petitions as a man that shoots an Arrow he looks after it So the soule saith Oh that the Lord would speed it So when the Petitions are sent to heaven the heart followes the blow and looks after them it sends his Amen oh that it might be so and then faith saith it is done undoubtedly As true as the Lord is faithfull so these must needs be done The word Amen strikes the match thorow The soule wisheth Oh that it might bee done saith saith it is done already Prayer is as the key when a man wants provision hee goes to the Treasurie and fetcheth it So prayer fetcheth comfort peace and assurance c. and Amen turns the key it is mine saith the Soule Prayer is as a Golden Key FINIS