preface it selfe Our Father vvhich art in heuen It contains a descriptiō of the true Iehoua to whom we pray and that by two arguments the first is drawen from a relation Our Father the second is taken frō the subiect or place Which art in heuen Father 1. The meaning IN the opening of this word or title of God two questions are to be opened 1. Quest. Whether by this title Father is signified the whol Trinitie or some one person thereof Ans. Otherwhiles this name is attributed to all the persons in Trinitie or any of them Malac. 2. 10. Haue we not all one Father c. Luk. 3. 38. Which was the sonne of Adam which was the sonne of God And in Isai. 9. 6 christ is called the father of eternitie because al that ar truly knit to him and born a new by him they are eternally made the sons of God Again oftentimes it is giuen to the first persō in trinitie as in those places where one person is conferred with another And so in this place principally for some speciall respects this title agrees to the first person For first he is the father of Christ as he is the eternall worde of the father and that by nature because hee is of the same essence with him Secondly he is father to Christ in respect of his manhood not by nature or adoption but by personall vnion because the humane nature doeth subsist in the person of the word Thirdly hee is a father to all the faithfull by adoption in Christ. 2. Question Whether we are to pray to the Sonne and holy Ghost as to the Father Ans. Inuocation belonges to all the three persons in Trinitie and not only to the father Act. 7. 59. Steuen praieth Lord Iesus receiue my spirit 1. Thes. 3. 2. Now God our father and our Lord Iesus Christ guide our iourney vnto you 2. Cor. 13. 13. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God the communion of the holy Ghost be vvith you Some say this praier is a perfect platforme of all praiers and in it wee are taught to direct our praiers to the Father not to the Son or holy spirit I answer the Father Sonne and holy Ghost are three distinct persons yet they are not to be seuered or diuided because they al subsist in one and the same Godhead or diuine nature And further in all outward actions as in the creation and preseruation of the world and the saluation of the elect they are not seuered or deuided for they al work together onely they are distinguished in the maner of working Now if they be not deuided in nature or operation then they are not to be seuered in worship And in this place we direct our praiers to the father because he is the first in order yet so as then we imploy the Son and holy Ghost For we pray to the father in the name of the Sonne by the assistance of the holy Ghost And to what persone soeuer the praier is directed we must alwaies remember in minde and heart to include the rest 2. The Vse THe vses of this point are manifolde 1. First whereas we are taught to com to God as to a father and therefore in the name of his Son our Sauiour Christ wee learne to lay the first ground of all our praiers in the holding maintaining of the vnion and distinction of the three persons in Trinitie This being the lowest and the first foundation of praier it is requisite that al which woulde pray aright should haue this knowledge rightly to beleeue of the Trinitie to know how the three persons agree and how they are distinguished the order of them how the Father is the first the Sonne the second the holy Ghost the third and therefore how the father is to be called vpon in the name of the Sonne by the holy Ghost Hence it is manifest that ignorant and sillie people which do not so much as dreame of the vnion distinction and order of the persons in Trinitie mak but cold and slender kind of praying 2. Secondly we may learn hereby that we are not in any wise to inuocate Saintes and Angels but onely the true Iehoua The reason stands thus This praier is either a perfect platform for all praiers or not to say it were not were an injurie to our Sauiour Christ to say it is so is also to grant that it doth fully set downe to whome al praiers are to be made Papistes that are the great patrons of invocation of Saints in their reformed breuiaries and missales deal very fōdly for first they pray to Mary that she would pray to Christ for them and when they haue so done like Iuglers they come to Christ and pray vnto him that hee would accept Maries praier for them 3. Thirdly we learne that there can be no intercessour betweene God and vs but onely Christ. For here we ar taught to come to God not as to a Iudge but as to a kind and louing Father Now he is a father to vs onely by Christ as for Angels and Saints al creatures they are not able to procure by any meanes that God shoulde become a father no not so much as to one man 4. Againe if the God to whom we pray be a father we must learn to acquaint our selues with the promises which hee hath made in his word to quicken our hearts in praier vnto him For this word Father implies redines and willingnes in God to heare and be mercifull to our praiers And a father cannot but must needs mak some promises of fauour to those that be his children and therefore it cannot be that he should call God truly his father which hath not in his heart this assurance that God will fulfill his promises vnto him Promises made to praier these and such like are to bee marked as follow 2. Chron. 7. 14. If my people among vvhome my name is called vpon do humble themselues and pray seek my presence and turne from their wicked waies then I will heave in heuen be mercifull to their sinnes 2. Chron. 15. 2. The Lord is with you while you be with him and if ye seeke him he will be found of you Isai. 65. 24. Before they call I wil answere and whiles they speak I vvill heare Mat. 7. 7. Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke and ye shal find knock and it shall be opened Luk. 11. 13 If ye vvhich are euil can giue good gifts vnto your children how much more shal your heauenly father giue the holy ghost to them that desire him Rom. 10. 12. Hee that is Lord ouer all is rich vnto all that call on him Iam. 4. 8. Drawe neere vnto God and he will draw neere vnto you 5. If God be a father who is called vpon then praier is the note of Gods Child S. Luke and S. Paul set out the faithfull seruants of God by this note Act. 9 14. He hath
authoritie to binde al that cal on thy name 1. Cor. 1. 2. To them that are sanctified by Iesus Christ saints by calling with all that call on the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And contrariwise Psal. 14. 4. It is made one of the properties of an Atheist Neuer to cal on the name of God And such persons as neither wil nor can or vse not hartely to pray to God they may say that they are perswaded there is a God but in their doings they bear themselues as if there wer no God 6. He which would pray aright must be like the prodigall childe that is he must not onely confesse his sin saying Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee c. but also haue a ful purpose neuer after to offend his Father For how can a Childe call him father whome hee cares not continually to displease through his lewd conditions He cannot do it neither can any Father delight in suche a child therefore in praier we must call to minde our lewdnes and rebellions against our heauenly Father and with the Publican in heuines of soule say Lord be mercifull to me a sinner He which can truly do this is a kind child If we consider our selues as we are by nature wee are the children of the deuill noe childe so like his Father as wee are like him and in this estate we continually rebel against God for the Deuill hath al the heart our whol joy is to serue and please him A man that is to pray must think on this and be heauy for it And happy yea a thousand times happy ar they who haue grace giuen them to see this their state to bewaile it And further it is not sufficient to confesse our sinnes against our mercifull Father but wee must set downe with our selues neuer in such sort to offend him againe and to leade a newe life This point is very profitable for these times For many there be when any crosse or sicknes comes on them they will pray and promise repentance and all obedience to Gods worde if it shall please God to deliuer them but this vsually is but in hypocrisie they dissemble with God and men For when their sicknes is past like a dogge that hath bene in the water they shake their eares and runne streight with all greedinesse to their former sinnes Is this to call God father No hee that doth this shall not haue God to be his father but the man that is wounded in his soul for his offēces past and carrieth a purpose in his heart neuer wittingly and willingly to offend God againe 7. Lastly here we ar to obserue that he which would pray must be indued with the spirit of adoptiō the workes whereof in the matter of praier are twofold The first to moue him to crie and call on God as a father It is no easie thing to pray For to a man of himselfe it is as easie to mooue the whole earth with his hand how then comes it that we pray It is a blessed worke of the spirit Rom. 8. 15. Wee haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby vve crie Abba that is Father and Rom. 8. 26. Likewise the spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee knowe not what to pray as we ought but the spirit it self maketh request And. Zach. 12. 10. the holy Ghost is called the spirit of grace and deprecations or praiers Wel then the man that woulde pray must haue Gods spirite to bee his schoolmaster to teach him to pray with grones and sighes of the hart for the wordes make not the praier but the grones desires of the hart and a man praies for no more then he desires with his heart and hee which desires nothing praies not at all but spends liplabor The second work of the spirit is to assure vs in our consciences that we are in the state of grace reconciled to God Rom. 8. 16. The spirit of adoption beareth witnes with our spirits that we are the children of God And this inward certificate of the spirit in all exercises of invocation is very necessarie for hee which wants this assurance if hee be secure and benummed in his sinnes will not and if he be touched in conscience for them for his life hee dare not cal God Father Also this confutes the opiniō of the church of Rome which teacheth that a man must doubt whether hee be adopted or no. For howe can a man trulie cal God Father when he doubts whether he be the child of God or no. It is a miserable kinde of praying to call God Father and to doubt whether he be a father Indeede it is true that doubts will often rise but it is our dutie to striue against them and not to yeeld vnto them Yea but say they to be certain of Gods mercy is presumption I answere if it be presumption it is an holy presumption because God hath bidden vs call him father Our Father The meaning THus much of the argument of relation now let vs proceede It is further said Our Father Quest. Whether may it bee lawfull for vs in praier to say not our father but my father Ans. A Christian may in priuate praier say My Father This is warranted by the example of our Sauiour Mat 26. 39. O my Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me And Mat. 27. 46. My God my God whie hast thou forsaken mee The meaning of Christe is not to binde vs to these wordes but to teache vs that in our praiers wee must not haue regard to our selues onely but also to our brethren therefore when we pray for them in our priuate praiers as for our selues wee put in practise the true meaning of these wordes 2. The Vses 1 VVHen we pray we must not make request onlie for our selues our own good but for others also as the Church and people of GOD perswading our selues that we also are partakers of their praiers and for the better clearing of this point let vs search who they are for whome we are to pray Of men there be two sortes some liuing some dead Of these two kindes the liuing are to be praied for and there is no praying for the dead A man that is dead knowes what shall be his estate eternally if he died a wicked person his state shall be according in eternall torments if hee died godly then he shall rest with God in his kingdom Apoc. 14. 13. Blessed are they vvhich die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their vvorkes follow them Gal. 6. 10. While vve haue time let vs do good to al men Where we may note that there is a time namelie after death when we cannot Againe of the liuing some are our enemies and some our frends Our frends are they which are of the same religion affection disposition Foes are either priuate or publike publike foes are either enemies to our country as tyrants traitors c. or enemies
last petitions Againe a Christian man may mak an excellent confession of his sins by this praier if he shal keping the order of the petitions confesse and bewaile the sins which euerie petition requires vs to pray against it serues to mak a thanksgiuing to God Thus let a man remember all the graces which he hath receiued from God let him then refer them to the petitions and giue thankes to God after the order of them turning euery petition into a thanksgiuing Of the circumstances of prayer Quest. 1. Whether a man is to vse a voice in prayer Ans. In publik praier it is requisite that there bee a voice for the Minister is the month of the people and to the prayer which hee conceiues they giue assent For priuate prayer vsing of a voice is conuenient yet so as it may be done in silence 1. the Lord gaue vs the voyce as well as the heart to blesse him withall Iam. 3. 9. 2 God created the tong as wel as the heart and so will bee praised by both 3 The voice often stir vp the heart and againe the vehemēcie of affection doth often draw out a voice the voice then in priuate prayer is requisite yet in some cases may bee omitted for it is not absolutely necessarie Moses and Anna prayed in silence Quest. 2. What gesture is to bee vsed in prayer An. The word doth not affoord any certain direction Our Sauiour his Disciples praied in diuers gestures kneling standing groueling looking to heauen looking downe to the earth sitting lying c. Luk. 11. 41. Act. 7 God respectes not the gesture but the affection of the heart yet two thinges must be alwaies in the gesture 1. that it be comelie 2. that it do fitlie expresse the affection of the hart as when we ask mercie to look to heauen when wee bewaile our sins to look downward c. Question 3. What place must we pray in An. The place is set down 1. Tim. 2. 8. we may pray in all places of which ther is no difference Some will say that in the time of the Law the Tabernacle and Temple were places for diuine prayer Ans. The Temple and Tabernacle wer types of Christ his Church and the vnitie of it but now wee hauing the thing it selfe signified thereby may pray in al places Our Sauior prayed in the wildernes on the Mount Peter on the house top Paule by the sea shore yet so that publik praier must be vsed in publike places as Churches chappels c. not because in them is more holinesse but for orders sake Quest. 4. What is the time appointed for praier Ans. Praie continuallie 1. The 5. 7. that is vpon al occasions or whē a man begins any busines whether it be in word or deed Col. 3. 17. or as Daniel who praied thrise euerie daie Dan. 6. 11. or as Dauid who praied at euening morning and noontide Ps. 55. 18 and seuen times a daie vz. many Psa. 119. 140. Thus we shal pray continuallie Euery day affoords three especial occasions 1. The entrance to our callings in the morning 2. The receiuing of Gods creatures at noonetide 3. the going to rest at night Of Gods hearing our praiers HItherto we haue spoken of the making of prayer to God a word or two of God his hearing our prayers Question How many waies doth God hear mens praiers Ans. Two waies The first in his mercie when he graunts the requests of such as call vpon him in the feare of his name Secondly hee heares mens praiers in his wrath Thus he gaue the Israelites quailes according to their desire Psalme 78. 29. 30. 31. Thus often men curse themselues and wish that they were dead and accordinglie they haue their wish Quest. 2. Why doth God defer to hear the praiers of his seruants Ans. 1. to prooue them by delay 2. To exercise their saith 3. To make them acknowledge that the things which they receiue ar gods gifts and not from themselues 4. That graces quickly giuen might not be lightlie estemed 5. That an hungring after grace might bee sharpened and increased Quest. After what maner doth God hear his seruants prayers An. Two waies First by granting the thing which was asked according to his will Secondly by denying the thing desired and by giuing somthing proportional to it Thus God denies temporary blessings and in the roome thereof giues eternall in heauen Thus he refuseth to remoue the crosse from his servantes and giues in stead thereof strength and patience Christ praied that the cup might bee remooved It was not remooued but hee in his manhood was enabled to beare the wrath of God When ded in loue maie be able to comprehend vvith all Saintes vvhat is the breadth and length and depth and height 19 And know the loue of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye maie bee filled vvith all fulnesse of God 20 Vnto him therefore that is able to doe exceeding aboundant lie aboue all that vve aske or thinke according to the power that vvorketh in vs 21 Be praise in the Churche by Christ Iesus throughout all generations for euer Amen The Exposition THese wordes containe two partes a praier and a thanksgiuing In the praier these pointes are to be marked First the gesture I bowe my knees whereby Paul signifieth his humble submission vnto God in praier Secondly To whom he praies To the father who is described by two titles the first the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and that by nature as he is God and as hee is man by personall vnion The other title Of vvhome the whole familie which is in heauen and earth is named In which words is set down a description of the Church first it is a Familie because it is the company of Gods elect children vnder the gouernment of one Father 1. Timoth. 3. 15. It is called the house of God Ephes. 2. 19. They that beleeue are saide to be of the household of God Secondly the partes of the Catholicke Church are noted namely the Saintes in heauen departed and saintes liuing on earth Thirdly it is said to be named of the Father of Christ because as the Father of Christ is the Father of this familie so also this familie is called by him Genes 6. 2. Dan. 9. 18. Thirdly the matter of the praier standes of foure moste worthie points The first is strength to bear the crosse and to resist spiritual temptations vers 16. where this strenth is sette out by diuers arguments First that it is the meere gifte of God that he wold grant you Secondly the cause of strength by his spirit Thirdly the subiect or place wher this strength must bee in the inner man that is in the whole man so farre foorth as hee is renewed by grace Ephes. 9. 24. The second is the dwelling of Christ by faith in their hearts Faith is when a man beeing seriously humbled for his sinnes is further in consciēce perswaded and resolued of the pardon of
thē and of reconciliation to god Now where this perswasion is indeede there followes necessarilie Christs dwelling in the heart which stands in two thinges the first is the ordering and ruling of the thoghts affections and desires of the heart according to his will as a maister rules in his house the second is the continuance of his rule For hee cannot be saide to dwell in a place who rules in it but for a day The third is the knowledg and the acknowledgement of the infinite greatnes of God his loue in Christ an effect of the former vers 18. 19. the wordes are thus explaned Rooted and grounded Here the loue of God wherewith hee loues the elect is as a roote and foundation of all Gods benefits election vocation iustification and glorification Men ar rooted and grounded in loue when Gods spirite assures their hearts of Gods loue doth giue them some inward sense and feeling of it For then they are as it were sensiblie put into the roote and laid on the foundation With al Saintes Paule desires this benefite not onely to the Ephesians but also for all the faithfull with them What is the length the bredth Here is a speech borrowed from Geomitricians and it signifieth the absolute greatnes or infinitenes of Gods loue and that it is like a worlde which for length bredth height depth is endles Heere note the order of receuing grace First Christ dwelles in the hart by faith Secondly thē comes a sense and feeling of Gods loue as it were by certain drops thereof Thirdly after this ariseth a plētifull knowledge and apprehension of Gods loue and as it wer the powring out of a sea into a mans heart that for greatnes hath neither bottome nor bank And knowe the loue of Christ these wordes as I take it are an exposition of the former for to comprehende the loue of God is nothing else but to knowe the loue of Christ considering that all whome the father loueth hee loueth them in Christ Which passeth knowledge That is which for the greatnes of it noe man can fullie know The fourth thing is the fulnesse of Gods graces verse 19. Here the fulnesse of God doth not signifie the fulnes of the Godhead or deuine nature but the perfection of the inner man which shall not be till after this life Nowe followes the thāksgiuing or the praise of God ver 20. 21. containing these points 1. The matter of praise his power and bountifulnes whereby he canne worke exceeding aboundantly aboue all we ask or think and both these are not only to be conceiued in mind but also may be felt in the heart according to the power that worketh in vs. 2. the forme of praise glorie vnto God by Christ as all benefits are receiued from the father by Christ. The proper place of true praise of God the Church 4. The continuance of his praise through all generations for euer Philip. 1. 9. AND this I praie that your loue maie abound yet more and more in knowledg and al sense 10. That yee may discerne things that differ to the end yee may be pure and without offence to the daie of Christ. 11. Filled with fruites of righteousnes vvhich are by Iesus Christ vnto the praise and glorie of God The Exposition THis praier containes three parts In the first Paul praieth for increase of loue in the Philip. whether it be to God or to men verse 9. and he shewes the meanes of increase which ar two knowledg and sense or feeling For to goe backeward the more a godly man feeles Gods loue and hath experience of Gods word in himselfe the more he knowes Gods word and perceiues his loue vnto him the more hee is assured of Gods loue the more he loues god again and his neighbour for his sake The second thing praied for is the gift of discerning whereby mē know what is true what fals what is to be done what to be left vndone the ends of this gift ar two The first that by meanes of it they may bee pure or sincere that is keepe a good conscience before God and men in their liues and callings The second is to be without offence that is innocent giuing no occasions of euill to any and not taking thē offered by others and the continuance of these is noted to the daie of Christ which is the time in which he commeth to vs either by our death or by the last judgement Thirdly he praieth that they might abounde in good workes which ar described by a similitud fruits of righteousnes Christians being fruitfull trees Exech 4. 7. 12. Esay 61. 3. 2. By the cause efficient which ar by Christ. 3. By the end vnto the glorie and praise of God Colos. 1. 9 I cease not to praie for you and to desire that ye might be filled with knowledg of his will in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding 10. That ye might vvalk vvorthie of the lord please him in al things fructifying in all good workes and increasing in the acknowledgment of God 11 Strengthened vvith all might thorough his glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering vvith ioyfulnes 12 Giuing thanks to the father which hath made vs fit to be partakers of the inheritāce of the saints in light 13 Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his owne sonne The Exposition THese wordes containe a praier and a thankesgiuing In the praier three things are asked The first is the increase of the knowledge of Gods reueiled vvill in his worde and he deuides it into two partes Wisdom which is not only to know Gods word but also to apply it to euery action for the right and holy performing thereof and spiritual vnderstanding which is when men by the assistance of Gods spirit do conceiue the will of God in general without applying Secondly Paule praies for the fruites of this knowledge which are foure 1. To walke woorthy of God as good seruants do who in their apparell gesture and all their doings