forwardnesse of God toward vs. And when we adde which art in heauē I We adde to the good will of God diuine power that he is able to doe and to giue those things we aske hauing al things in his power II. Diuine prouidence that seeth and knoweth our wants that he is present to our requests and heareth the same that he hath a care of vs that he ordereth disposeth administreth and gouerneth all things and more especially in his Church III. Diuine wisdome that he knowes the way to send helpe and deliuerance IV. Diuine rule and dominion to wit that it belongeth to his kingdome office who dwelleth in heauen to heare our prayers to regard our affaires to help to deliuer c. In a word the Lords praier saith that our father whome we call vpon is or doth dwell in heauen I. Lest we should conceiue in our minde any base or earthly thing of God after the manner fashion of this world but all things heauenly and diuine II. To shewe a comparison and a difference betweene our earthly and our heauenly father as Christ expresly opposeth them one to the other Math. 23. v. 9. Call no man your father vpon earth for there is one your father which is in heauē III. That by this title we may be admonished to aske of God heauenly things especially and to referre those earthly things which we aske vnto the heauenly For we are called and borne a new to an inheritance which is laid vp in heauen as it is written 1. Pet. 1. v. 3. IV. That by this title we may be taught to acknowledge our life in this world to be a pilgrimage from God and that our desire to this true heauenly countrey may be stirred vp in vs withall that we may declare that whatsoeuer we aske is for this ende to bring vs to the countrey where our father is in heauen As for that Allegorie of Austine and others that God is in heauen that is by grace he dwelleth in the Saints and those which pray ought to wish for themselues that God may dwell in them as it is not indeede impious so in this place it is forraine and vnfit for it belongeth to the second petition that Gods kingdome may come vnto vs. Hallowed be thy name II. part Nowe followe certaine petitions in this prayer For it is not a true praier when we doe only heap vp the glorious titles of God but praier ought to aske some thing of God or else giue him thankes for benefites receiued Philip. 4.6 and 1. Timoth. 2.1 And vsually here are numbred seauen petitions which are as it were generall seales and markes whereto we may and ought to referre and wherein we must include all those things that we aske For it is writtē 1. Ioh. 5.14 This is that assurance we haue with God that if we aske any thing according to his vvill he heareth vs. and Iam. 4. v. 3. Ye aske and receiue not because ye aske amisse that ye may spende it on your pleasures And therefore out of the petitions of this Lords praier which is the rule of praying we may gather what things we are to aske in praier in what order and for what end we must aske them For they are thus deuided that the former regard the glory of God especially so farre forth as our saluation is ioyned therewith The rest containe our wants our profit saluation whereof some belong to the body others to the soule some to this worldly life some to our spirituall life in this world and others to our heauenly life to come Againe some petitions require the giuing and bestowing of blessings either temporall or bodily or spirituall or heauenly which are to come others doe craue the remoueall of euils eitemporall or spirituall that those which are past may be forgiuen not imputed those which are present may be taken away or lessoned and those which are to come may be kept backe Againe in the Lords prayer we both craue the ende to witte the glorie of God and our owne saluation and those things which tend thereunto The Lords praier also sheweth the order of those things we are to aske For first those things are to be asked which concerne the glorie of God our owne saluation then such things as belong to the necessitie benefite and commoditie of our bodie and of this life may well be asked and ought so to be So likewise in the turning backe of euills such as hinder the glorie of God or our saluation must haue the first place And then we may pray that the aduersities tribulations difficulties and troubles of bodie and of this life may either be taken away or lessened But temporall or bodely benefits must be asked with that condition or moderation If it be the will of God If they will further the glorie of God and our saluation but if God shall know and iudge those things to be hurtfull vnto vs which we thinke to be good and profitable vnto vs when we aske them that he would keepe them backe and hinder them as euill Also temporall blessings must be asked for that end that they may be ordered directed and vsed to Gods glorie and to spirituall heauenly and eternall blessings And thus from the petitions of the Lords praier may wel be gathered what things we may and ought to aske and in what manner according to the will of God Likewise S. Paul in certaine distinct words doth shew and declare the kindes of things that are to be asked in praier Philip. 4.6 and 1. Timoth. 2.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he deuideth praier into petition and thanksgiuing Petitions he deuideth into requests whereby we craue blessings to be bestowed into supplications wherby we craue euills to be turned backe into intercessions whereby we either make request and pray to God for others or else direct the weapons of our praiers against our enemies And he addeth that things to be praied for are such as concerne the knowledge of God and our saluation Also such as pertaine vnto godlines or to the peace and honestie of this life Now that we may the sooner dispatch the exposition of the seuerall petitions I will here declare vnto what general heads of meditations the meaning of euery petition is to be referred as we pray according as I was wont to vse them publikely in expounding the Catechisme and in priuate exercises of religion To wit that first of all we doe consider by godly and deuout meditation what blessings we pray for in euery petition either to be giuen vs or if they be giuen to be preserued and increased Secondly what euills in euery petition we desire to be stopped that they may not happen if they be to come or beeing present to be turned backe that we may be freed and deliuered from them and if the remooueall be begunne that the same may still goe forwarde more and
deuotion is kindled and beeing once kindled is conunued and increased Also the diligent marking of those things we are to aske whereof we are put in minde by the words of our praier doth excite and kindle in our benummed and frozen heart a good affection vnto praier For those wordes because they are the words of Christ be the toole or instrument of the Spirit whereby the Spirit of praier will be powerfull and effectuall in vs. And therefore that which Christ here deliuereth When we pray SAY doth binde vs so farreforth as the rehearsall of words in praying is hereunto auaileable to excite and kindle to continue and increase our deuotion least it should waxe colde and benummed and be quenched altogether And hereunto sometime longer praiers serue best otherwise those which are shorter To this purpose Austin in his 121. epistle to Proba writeth many things substantially some whereof pertaining to this place I will here set downe He which forbiddeth much babbling in praier because he knoweth what is needefull for vs doth likewise command that we should alwaies pray and not faint not because he would haue our will made knowne to him whereof he cannot be ignorant but to exercise our desire whereby we may receiue that which we are about to giue For that which he would giue is very great but we are little and strait and can not receiue the same And therefore it is saide vnto vs open thy mouth for so much the more fully shall we receiue that which is exceeding great by how much we doe more faithfully beleeue it more firmely hope for it and more earnestly desire it Therfore we doe alwaies praie in faith hope and charitie with a continued desire but yet at certaine times we doe with words intreat the Lord that so we may admonish our selues how much we haue profited in this desire and likewise excite our selues to doe the same more chearefully That therefore which the Apostle saith pray continually is nothing els but this continually desire a blessed life And therefore at certaine houres we doe withdraw our minde from other cares and busines whereby this desire is cooled in some sort vnto this exercise of praier and by the words of the praier doe admonish our selues to giue heede to that which we desire least that which hath begunne to be warme doe waxe cold altogether and at length be wholly put out vnles it be more often kindled And therefore to continue in praier some long time is not as some thinke to vse much babbling for much speach is one thing and long continued affection is another thing It is saide of the Lord himselfe that he continued whole nights in praier and vsed to pray very lōg The brethren in Egypt are saide to pray very often but yet very briefly and in a manner to dispatch them quickly least that earnestnes which was carefully begū should by longer delay waxe dull and vanish away And by this also they doe sufficiently declare that this earnestnes as it is not to be forced when it will not continue so it is not speedily to be broken off if it will longer endure For in praier we must not vse many wordes and yet we must not want much desire if so be our zeale will perseuere To pray much is to knocke vnto him whome we pray vnto with a continuall and a godly lifting vp of the heart and for the most part this businesse is better performed in sighes and grones then with wordes and by weeping then by speaking For our groning is not hid from him who by his word made all things and desireth not the wordes of man But therefore must we vse words in praier that we may be put in minde to haue regard to that we aske not that we may thinke thereby to teach or mooue the Lord. These things doth Austin teach And for this ende doth S. Paul appoint the publike rehearsall of praier and psalmes in the Church Coloss 3.6 Teach and ad monish your own selues in psalmes hymnes and spirituall songs singing with grace in your hearts vnto the Lord that the words of Christ may dwell in you plenteously 1. Corinth 14.26 When ye come together hath any one a psalme let him pray vvith the Spirit and with the vnderstanding that all things may be done to edification And because it is sometime needefull that we should vse words in praier The excellency of the Lords praier there can be no praier more profitable then that which the Lord himselfe deliuered and appointed For first of all it doth briefly comprehende all those things which can be well and fittely asked of the Lord shewing of whome we must aske them in what manner and order and for what ende and purpose And Saint Austin saith If you shall peruse the wordes of the praiers of all the Saints of God which are extant in the whole scripture and cheifly in the Psalmes you shall finde nothing which is not briefly contained and concluded in this Lords praier Secondly as the Creede containes the rule of faith so this Lords prayer is the rule of all prayers For he that desires any thing in prayer saith Austine or speaketh any thing which cannot pertaine to this Evangelicall prayer his prayer is not spirituall but carnall and vnlawefull Thirdly for authority for the sonne of god himselfe who is our advocate that bringeth our praiers vnto the father who obteyneth for vs the spirit of praier who together with the father heareth vs he prescribed vnto vs this forme of prayer It is a friendly and familier praier saith Cyprian to intreat the father by the words of the sonne The father will acknowledge the wordes of the sonne when we make our prayer and then we haue Christ our advocate with the father for our sinnes Let vs propound the wordes of our aduocate when we miserable sinners intreat for our sinnes These thinges saith Cyprian How the Lords praier must be vsed And it were not onely rashnes but impietie to disdaine either the shortnesse or simplicity of the Lords prayer as though thou thy selfe couldst finde out and compose a better forme of praying And yet the rehearsing of the Lords prayer must be no vaine mumbling ouer as though the wordes vttered without vnderstanding had some magicall force but we must consider what the wordes do signifie and put vs in minde of how farre they reach and how many things they conteyne vnder them that we may pray with the spirit and with the vnderstanding 1. Cor. 14. v. 15. and may include our wants in those petitions For by this meanes as it hath bin said those words will stirre vp our deuotion Let vs therefore briefly consider euery point compare the description of S. Mathew with that which is set downe by Luke cap. 11. v. 2. c. For although according to S. Luke Christ repeated that form of prayer at another time and vpon other occasion then Matthew recordeth yet because the forme therof is
the same in both places the comparing of them together in this exposition will not be vnprofitable And here we must obserue that some latin books omitting some things do repeat this form of praier more briefly in S. Luke then it is described by Mathew For in the beginning it is only said Father and this which followeth in S. Matthew which art in heauen is omitted The third petition also is omitted thy wil be dōe in earth as it is in heauen This also is omitted But deliuer vs from euill And Austine saith expressely in his Enchiridion cap. 115. 116. that the lords praier in Mathew containeth seauen petitions but in S. Luke it hath not seauen but fiue petitions onely And he sheweth that that petition thy wil be done is contained in the two former this but deliuer vs in that which went before it Lead vs not into temptation Whence I gather that the Latin bookes euen in Austins time had the Lords praier according to Luke as it is now read But the Greeke bookes doe set downe that whole prayer euen so with Luke as it is in Mathew saue onely that with Luke doth wāt that conclusiō for thine is the kingdome Now it might seeme that such things as were wanting with Luke in this place haue beene added from the Greeke bookes out of Mathew But Austine in his booke of the words of the Lord vpon Luke cap. 28. And Ambrose in his fift booke of the Sacraments cap. 4. doe so rehearse that whole praier out of Luke as it is extant in Mathew Whence I gather that the latin bookes differed at that time and some of them read it so in Luke in this place as it is in the greeke others read it so as it is now in the vulgar latin translation As for the differēce which is in some words that we wil note in the exposition And that very diuersity of some wordes doth shew that we are not bound to a superstitious rehearsall of wordes in prayer This praier containes three parts the entrance or preface petitions and the conclusion of each whereof I will speake in order Our father which art in heauen The Preface Austine saith whereas in euery earnest sute we ought to procure his good will to whome we make our request and that is most conueniently done by the praise and commendation of his benefites to whome we praie therefore seeing we neither can nor ought to boast of our owne merits before God Christ in the beginning of this praier hath commanded vs to say nothing else but Our father Hugo saith that Christ like a good oratour before the petitions prefixeth a short preface wherin fauour is sought for from the person asked when we say Father from the person asking when we say Our And surly these aduertisments haue their vse But because it hath beene declared before that we are to vse words in praier not so much to mooue the minde of God by rhetoricall insinuations as by rehearsing and meditating on the wordes to stirre vp in our selues attention deuotion confidence and care to frame our praiers aright that we may shew our selues to be such suiters as the Lord would haue therefore those words are principally to be imploied for this ende and purpose We will briefly note out in seuerall points those things which are principally to be thought vpon by occasion of these words As first these words Our father doe giue vs to vnderstand that praier ought not to be such a bare desire in a wishing manner as men are woont to say would God this good might happen vnto me oh that this danger or this euill might be remooued God blesse it and prosper it God forbid and such like but we must expressely name him of whome we desire to haue our request graunted vnto vs. And not in generall tearmes onely as when we say God graunt God forbid but we must by name speake vnto and call vpon him that our praier may be directed vnto him our father as it were in communication And whereas the psalmes doe speake in the third person God be mercifull vnto vs God blesse vs we must vnderstand that praier to be directed either to the mediatour that for his sake God would be mercifull vnto vs and blesse vs or else the deuotion of the mind is to be referred to the second person For it is the Scripture phrase to speake vnto a person present in the third person as Gen. 33.14 Let my lord goe before his seruant 1. King 16.16 Let my lord the King command and chap. 25.25 Let not my lord the King I pray thee set his heart against Nabal And in that vsuall phrase of Scripture let the king liue is vnderstoode I pray God the King may liue And therefore in what words soeuer the prayer be framed the minde must alwaies thinke vpon God and behold him that our desires and requests may be directed vnto him For this is the forme and rule of our prayer to say our Father Secondly these wordes doe admonish vs that prayer or invocation is not to bee directed to any creature but onely to the heauenly father so as we may not direct our prayer to them of whome we are sure their spirits doe liue with God For the name Father is also opposed vnto thē Isay 63. v. 16. Doubtles thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of vs Israell know vs nos thou Lord art our Father and our redeemer Thirdly those wordes doe teach vs that we must so conceiue of God and speake to god in prayer as he hath revealed his essence vnto vs in his word For the heathen when they goe to pray they thinke of a God that is eternall the Creatour almighty but who that God is they knowe not But we are taught by these wordes to make a difference betweene our calling vpon God and the praiers of the heathen and to thinke that we call vpon that God who hath thus made knowne his beeing vnto vs in his word that he is the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost to witte the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who sendeth the spirit of his sonne into the hearts of the faithfull whereby we crie Abba father For so the word Father is to be vnderstood essentiallie in this place for God or for the Diuine Maiesty or for the whole Trinity which is the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost as it is written Deut. 32. v. 6. Is not he thy father that hath bought thee which hath made thee and proportioned thee Isaie 63. v. 16. Thou Lord art our father and our redeemer or he that dischargeth vs from bondage The Sonne also is called by this generall title Father of Eternity Isay 9.6 And the holy ghost is called the Father of the poore This title therefore doth admonish vs when we are about to pray to settle our minde against all levity inconsideration pride in such deuotion reuerence and humility as those which
they shall be heard For seeing thine is the kingdome which is therefore ordained because in it he will bestow such benefits he hath commanded vs to aske them in his kingdome and hath promised to here vs therfore in these wordes faith shewes it selfe certen of gods good will towards vs and with all professeth that in praier it relieth not on any merits or worthinesse of it owne but on the fauour of God alone for Christs sake for it is the kingdome of Christ and of grace Then to the will of God he addeth power for he saith Thine is the power So that being assured that god is both willing able to performe those things which we aske faith therefore neither can nor ought to doubt of Gods hearing of vs. And because we say Thine is the glorie therefore faith makes account that god who is faithfull in performing the glory of his trueth of his grace and of his power will surely accomplish those things which we aske lest the heathen say where is novv their god Thirdly this clause sheweth vs how we are to vse those benefites which we desire in prayer for what ende we are to aske them and whither we are to referre them and withall here we do promise to what end we will referre them and howe we will vse them or what thankefulnesse we doe promise to God To wit as it is saide Psal 145.10 They shall shewe the glorie of thy kingdome and speake of thy power to cause thy power to be knowne to the sonnes of men and the glorious renowne of thy kingdome Now what is that glorie of Gods kingdoÌ„e how it is to be renowned that whole psalme teacheth from the beginning to the ende Aman in hiphil signifies to trust or to beleeue Whence comes Amen and Emunah faith and truth And thus doth this clause or conclusion of the Lords prayer teach vs very many things Amen This is an hebrew word deriued of a verb which signifieth to beleeue and to trust whence also doe come the names of faith and trueth in the hebrewe tongue It is very significant and therefore is vsed in other tongues And because in this particle ameÌ„ the nature of iustifying saith in applying the promise and in prayer is notably set out we are therefore diligently to marke the signification thereof which that I may the better expound I will propound example of it distinctly This particle amen is especially thus vsed In cursings Deutron 27.15.16 c. Cursed is he c. and the people shall say AmeÌ„ Numb 5.22 If thou hast not defiled the bed c. But if thou hast defiled it c. god make thee accursed c. and the woman shal answer amen amen And Rabbi Dauid saith this was spoken by way of prayer or by way of assuming whereby they tooke vnto themselues and vpon themselues those curses if they had offended II. It is vsed for the most part in praier or inuocation in blessing and thanksgiuing 1. Cor. 14.16 when prayers thanksgiuings are rehearsed the Church answereth Amen Psal 41.14 Amen amen Nehem 8.6 Ezra blessed the Lord and all the people lifted vp their hands and answered Amen amen Tobi. 9.12 they all say Amen to the blessing vpon the marriage Apoc. 7.12 they worshipped God saying AmeÌ„ praise and glory and wisdome and thanks and honour and power and might be vnto our God for euermore Amen And so it is a note of wishing and desiring to witte that faith in a true desire of heart wisheth by true hope expecteth that those thinges which we aske in prayer may be done performed Thus in the story of Samosatenus with Eusebius and with Ambrose in the 4. booke of the sacraments when as in the administration of the Lords supper the bread of the Lord is giueÌ„ to euery one with these wordes Take eate this is the body of Christ giuen for thee for the remission of sinnes Then euery communicant answered Amen And 3. Kings 1.36 there is a notable explication of this particle Amen For when Dauid had commaunded that Salomon should be anointed king to succeed him and had further commaunded them to say God saue king Salomon Benias answered and said Amen Let the Lord God of my Lord the king say so Munster saith it is the imparatiue passiue of the first coniugation for Heamen that the meaning of it should be this let this be true let this be ratified and confirmed of the Lord. The Chaldie dictionarie saith it is the future tense hauing the first letter cut off Ieamen d This is warranted 2. Chr. 1.9 Ieamen deuereâ—a c. Let thy word be verified c. let this be confirmed or stablished The Greekes regarding the roote haue most notably translated that place 3. King 1.36 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So be it the Lord God ratifie and doe the word of my lord the King III. This particle Amen is also vsed when faith receiueth a promise propounded So 1. Chron. 16.36 after the rehearsall of the promises of God this is added And let all the people say Amen Ier. 11. v. 5. The Lord repeateth this promise I will be your God and you shall be my people that I may confirme mine oath c. and I answered saith Ieremie Amen O Lord and Ierem. 28.6 when Hananie prophecied of prosperitie Ieremie saith Amen and addeth a large exposition of that word Amen The Lord so doe the Lord confirme thy words that it may be so as thou hast prophecied Luke 1. Marie hath notably expressed the signification of this particle Amen Be it vnto me according to thy word And these significations come all to one almost which yet for plainer explications sake I thought good thus to distinguish that the properties of faith in applying the promise and in prayer might the better be considered by the vse of this particle Amen IV. Amen is vsed for a note of affirmation and asseveration as 2. Cor. 1.20 The promises of God are not yea and nay to witte as though in them one thing might be said in word and an other thing thought in the heart or els might be promised in words and in deed be not performed but in Christ they are yea Amen where the Hebrew worde Amen is expounded by the Greek particle ναὶ which is a note of affirming and asseuering Isa 65.16 He that shall blesse himselfe in the earth shall blesse himselfe in God Amen and he that sweareth shall sweare in God Amen Whereas the greeke word ναὶ so the word Amen also is a note of swearing when any thing is affirmed and auouched as though an oath were added thereto this last signification agreeth to those places in the gospels where Christ saith AmeÌ„ I say vnto you And because the root AmaÌ„ with those wordes that are deriued thereof hath the signification of truth certenty stability constancy c. therfore if it be referred to the person speaking it beareth this sense I speake not at randum rashly or lightly but truely certenly earnestly and constantly and that is I say I affirme and avouch as though I added an oath or if it be referred to that which is spoken it hath this sense that which I say is no wauering thought or doubtfull opinioÌ„ but it is true certen sure and stable which I say which is neither chaunged nor altered but is vndoubtedly so decreed in the will of God and shall indeed be so accomplished And the doubling of the word Amen Amen doth enforce the asseueration and may wel be expressed in our suparlatiue degree which the hebrewes want It is most sure and firme that I say Furthermore this particle amen in the greeke translation of the olde testament is sometime expressed by the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fiat be it so Deutron 27.15 and 26. Psal 41.14.3 Kings 1.36 Numb 5.22 Sometime it is translated by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truely Ier. 28.6 sometime the hebrew worde is vsed still 1. Chron. 16.36 let the people say ameÌ„ so Ier 11.5 Nehem. 8.6 Tob. 9.12 the particle amen is vsed in the greeke tongue so it is kept still in the new testameÌ„t where sometime the exposition of it is set down For that which is said of the widow Mar. 12.43 Amen I say c. in Luk. 21.3 is thus expounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 surely I say vnto you Nowe whereas this praier is concluded with this particle Amen it teacheth vs that when we come to the ende of our praier we must consider with what deuotion we haue prayed that it be no colde mumbling ouer of words Therefore after we haue laid open our necessities and our requests at the ende our minde is excited and stirred vp to conceiue an earnest request from the very heart whereby the heat of our desire is kindled and inflamed which with inward sighes doth humbly and deuoutly wish and desire that our praier may be ratified and confirmed with God that our heauenly father for Christ our Mediatours sake would bow downe his eare would heare and receiue our praier and performe those things which we desire Amen Amen let that be done let that be done O Lord which I haue asked II. By this particle faith doth shew it selfe not to doubt or to be caried about with the waues of mistrust whether God will heare vs and will performe those things which we aske but to make sure account that as God hath commaunded vs to aske and hath promised that he will heare so he will faithfully performe and accomplish our requests Againe by this particle faith doth stirre vp it selfe it doth vphold defend and confirme it selfe against doubtings For it taketh the worde Amen from that promise Amen amen I say vnto you what soeuer ye shall aske the father in thy name he will giue it you and hereto he ioynes his owne Amen as it were a seale because he makes full account that God is faithfull and true Ioh. 3. And hence Ierome very finely calleth this particle Amen the seale of prayer FINIS
HONI SOIT QVI MAâ—â— PENâ—â— Newly translated out of Latine into English Printed by Iohn Legate Printer to the Vniversitie of Cambridge 1598 The Printer to the Reader CHristian Reader although the very name of the author of this exposition vvere a sufficient argument to commend the same vnto thee yet because I haue vndertaken the publishing hereof after so many labours of our ovvne learned and godly countrimen faithfully performed in this kinde I thought it not amisse in a word or two to giue some reason of my fact And first of all the excellencie of this exposition vvhich I commend not so much of mine owne knowledge as vpon the iudgement of very godly and learned men mooued me in this sort to communicate it to the whole countrie The praise vvhich seemeth peculiar vnto it issueth from a double fountaine first from the learned interpretation of the words in their natiue sense secondly from the ample and euideiâ—â— declaration of the true and full meaning of the Spirit of God in euery petition which he hath indeauoured to set downe from the proprietie of the wordes in the Greeke and Hebrew tongue shewing in such sort what blessings we are to aske and what sinnes we must bewaile that not onely the simple by the blessing of God vpon their endeauour may in short time hereby learne to pray in faith and in obedience but the godly also and the learned that haue atteined to further measure of knowledge and of grace may increase their knowledge and further edifie themselues in their most holy faith Thus wishing vnto thee the Spirit of prayer which may teach thee to vse the meanes whereby thou maist pray with the Spirit and with vnderstanding also I take my leaue and here ende AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORDS PRAIER Our father which art c. THere be not onely cauills of profane men but also conceits in the hearts of the godly themselues which trouble them much against the necessitie and benefit of vsing praier For first if God know what we want before we aske what neede is there or what auaileth it to shew and solicite our suits to him which knoweth them alreadie for such rehearsalls are woont to be troublesome and grieuous S. Hierome answereth very finely That in prayer we are no shewers but suiters and it is one thing to make knowne to him that is ignorant and another thing to intreat and aske of him that knoweth Yet this answer remooueth not all difficultie For our heauenly father doth not onely know what thing we want but also vnasked of his fatherly care and fauour is readie and forward of his owne accord to helpe vs before we aske And therefore it seemeth there is either no benefit or no neede of praying I answer we doe not pray with that intent and for that ende as though we would by our praiers stirre vp God and put him in minde of his dutie beeing negligent and careles of our affaires or otherwise as beeing hard and merciles allure him by our praiers and bring him into an other minde We know indeede that God is readie of his owne accord to giue good things but yet to those which doe repent and humble themselues vnder the mightie hand of God who by faith do seeke knocke and aske And therefore we doe poure out our praiers before God not for that we doubt of his good will but that we may indeede shew our selues to bring true repentance because he hath promised sorgiuenesse of sinnes to them which repent Ezek. 8.23 that he will asswage his iudgements and bestow his blessings Ier. 18.8 and giue grace vnto the humble 1. Pet. 5.5 And that it may appeare that when we call vpon God and thinke vpon his promises we bring with vs and likewise doe exercise true faith because the Lord hath promised all good things to him that doth knocke and aske Math. 7.7 and that we doe come boldly to the throne of grace that we may receiue mercie and find grace to helpe in time of need Hebr. 4.16 Againe spirituall blessings can not otherwise be receiued then by faith indeede bodely or outward benefits are oft bestowed vpon the wicked also and yet that those may be profitable vnto vs it is the will of God that we should wait for them by hope and receiue them by faith from his fatherly hand And therefore we pray in faith that we may shew forth our desire to receiue from God not onely corporall blessings but those especially which are spirituall heauenly and eternall And that we would so receiue from God the blessings of this life that by his blessing they may be profitable vnto vs. And because God would haue this glorie giuen to himselfe to be the fountaine the author and giuer of euery good thing Iam. 1.17 that we should wholly relie vpon him we therfore in praier doe testifie that we neither ascribe them to any other nor seek them elswhere but doe wholly hope for expect and require the same from God alone for God hath promised that he will be readie and willing to helpe such Also in our praiers we doe thus lay open our wants and miseries before God not as though we knewe them not but that by pouring out our cares in the Lords boâ—some we may disburden ease our owne soule And the promise is most sweete and comfortable Psal 37.5 and 55.22 1. Pet. 5.7 Roule cast thy waies vpon the Lord and he will haue care and bring it to passe Chrysostome addeth also this reason why we should pray That by often calling vpon God we may become familiar with him Again that we may more highly esteem and more reuerently vse that which God bestoweth vpon vs when we aske and knocke These things are carefully to be thought vpon concerning the necessitie and benefite of praier least that beeing otherwaies too cold and backward vnto praier by these conceits that God is forward to help vs of his owne accord we doe suffer our selues to be withdrawne from the exercise of praier Neither let vs abuse that most sweete sentence of the readie good-will of God toward vs which ought rather to be an incitation and a motiue to excite and confirme our diligence confidence in praier There be some which reason thus or at least doe trouble themselues with those conceits seeing God vnasked and before we pray doth know yea beforehand hath set down appointed what he will doe and what he will giue we doe therefore either aske in vain that which otherwaies should come to passe or els doe wickedly in praying as though we hoped by our praier to turne God from his firme decree and purpose and so make him changeable and vnconstant To this obiection some answer thus If that which we aske be ordained before-hand to be done then we pray vpon good and sure confidence If it be not yet we goe not about to hinder or stoppe the course of Gods predestination because we pray that Gods
will may be done But Luthers exposition is more plaine safe to wit that we are not commaunded to busie our selues about the hidden foreknowledge of God or to search into his secret counsels but we must dispose our selues according to his will reuealed vnto vs in his word where he teacheth that by repentance and praier gods wrath is appeased many dangers and euills are avoided and many benefits obtained Ier. 18. v. 8. Ezek. 33. v. 11.1 King 8. v. 56. And therefore he hath straitly charged vs to pray yea he is angry when no man sets himselfe by praier betweene the Lord and the land lest it be destroied Ezek. 22. v. 30. Both these therefore do warne vs to pray first that god of his owne accord is readie to helpe and knoweth what we want what himselfe will doe Secondly that it is his will and commaundement we should pray Neither must we from the secret foreknowledge of god frame or admitte exceptions against those things which are plainely revealed and commaunded in the word If thou canst not reconcile them leaue vnto god the hidden reasons of his secret foreknowledge and doe thou those things which are commaunded and appointed to thee in the reuealed word to witte that thou maist pray and that continually These things I haue noted by occasion of that saying Your heauenly father knoweth whereof yee haue need euen before ye aske Math. 6. v. 8. Our Sauiour Christ before this prayer giues this commaundement After this manner pray ye whereby he would not bind those whome he teacheth to pray vnto this set number of wordes as vnto a worke done for that were to babble indeede And the Apostles themselues as we may read in their acts and epistles often prayed in other wordes after the deliuerie and receiuing of this forme of prayer from our Sauiour Christ And that which is the strongest proofe Mathew and Luke setting downe this Lords prayer doe not cuâ—iously obserue the selfe same wordes altogether But our Sauiour Christ in a short example would shew vnto his disciples the manner howe to pray according as his custome was to teach a generall doctrine by propounding some particular example where vnder the speciall we are to vnderstand the generall And therefore in this platforme of prayer his purpose is to shewe howe few and small a number of wordes we must vse in prayer contrary to the vaine babbling of the Pharises of the Heathen VVho is to be called vpon or to whome we must direct our praier with what confidence we must pray howe and for what causes what thinges we are to aske in what order by what meane and for what end And thus are all the principall points which are required in true prayer contained in this platforme So that it was both truely and finely saide of Austine in an Epistle to Proba we haue libertie in praying to vse other wordes so that we say the same things which this prayer containeth but we haue not libertie to say other diuers or contrarie things And this it is which Mathew saith cap. 6. v. 9. thus or after this manner pray ye And that saying of Christ recorded by S. Luke 11. v. 2. when ye pray say is all one with this But here Austine mooues this obiection if we must not vse many wordes in prayer for that our heauenly father knows our want by the same reason and for the same cause we should not vse fewe wordes no not those which are here appointed by our Sauiour Christ The answere is that in regard of God and for his cause we neede neither many nor few nor any wordes at all in prayer neither doth the forme of prayer consist in the repetition of wordes For to pray is to lift vp the minde vnto god What it is to pray to poure out the heart before God to aske something of him but no man doth truely aske any thing which desireth not the same and desire is an affection of the minde And therefore though he vtter with his mouth the best wordes that can be vnles there be also a lifting vp of the minde with attention and deuotion so as the heart may truely desire that which he asketh that man prayeth not indeed But he that lifteth vp his mind and with a deuoute inward affection of heart doth intirely aske any thing of God that man doth truly pray although he expresse not in wordes his desire One man cannot intreat another vnles he vse words or gesture but the inward and most secret corners of the mind and heart are plainely seene of God and therfore Dauid saith my growning is not hid from thee Psal 38. v. 10. Psal 10. v. 17. The Lord heareth the desire of the poore thine eare harkeneth to the preparation of their heart And Psal 38.10 My whole desire is before thee Rom. â— v. 26. When we knowe not what to aske the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed And it were a foolish thing therefore to vtter our praier in wordes as though god could not vnderstand the desire of our heart And yet the Saints of god in the old testament and the Apostles in the new are said to haue vsed wordes in praying Neither doth Christ without cause say thus in Luke when ye pray say but it was for our sakes and for our prayers Which is carefully to be considered that we may learne to vse vocal prayer wel and profitably for our minde doth not throughly coÌ„sider and regard those things which we want or are to aske especially if they be spirituall and pertaine to the glory of god And therefore the words which we vse in praying doe by a kind of advertisement lead vs to that consideration that so the desire of our heart may be rightly informed Now the heart in praier ought to be penitent and humble But because we doe for the most part rush vpon this exercise of praier without due coÌ„sideration of our sinnes and vnworthines therefore the rehearsing of words is profitable whereunto if the minde giue heede that we may pray with the Spirit and with the vnderstanding also 1. Cor. 1.15 then will the meditation thereof prepare the heart to serious repentance and to true humilitie The desires of our heart are commonly out of order so as oftentimes men neither think vpon the order nor on the ende of those things they are to require but the words which we vse in praier doe aduertise vs of those things we are to thinke vpon when we pray And doubtles the rehearsing and meditation of Gods promises doth stirre vp kindle and increase our faith We are often slow to praier and in praying cold and drowsie neither doe we come vnto God with the deuotion of minde we ought to doe But when as in praying we repeat the words by diligent meditation thereon and by due consideration of the promise and commandement our minde is mooued to lift vp it selfe vnto God our
for the creature is sanctified by the word and praier Where by word he vnderstandeth that word of God by which the vse and gouerment of the creatures which were created for our good was giuen to men in the beginning Gen. 1.8 and after it was lost by sinne was restored againe by the intercession of the sonne Gen. 9.2 And whereby the difference of meates is taken away in the newe testament Colos 2.16 That all things may be pure Titus 1.15 By prayer also he vnderstandeth that wherby as adopted children we craue that our owne bread may be giuen vnto vs from the bountifull hand of our father with his blessing that so the vse thereof may please God and we may inioy the same with ioyfull and good conscience For this also is the speciall gift of God as Salomon saith To eate of his owne bread to drinke and to reioyce Eccles 3.12 and 5.17 Thus are these things to be asked in generall for the whole body of the Church priuately for our selues and namely for others whose necessity we knowe that so we may apply this petition to the foure generall heads before set downe I. What blessings we are to aske II. What euills we are to pray against that they may be remooued taken away and we deliuered from them III. For what benefits we are to be thankefull vnto God IV. What sinnes of ours we must acknowledge and confesse vnto god in this petition for pardon and amendment Forgiue vs our debts The asking of daily bread is not therefore put before the remission of sinnes in the order of prayer as though money were to be sought for in the first place and godlinesse learned after wealth is gotten For our Sauiour Christ biddeth vs first seeke the kingdome of God Mat. 6.33 But because we are naturally carried to seeke worldly goods and it is the will of god that his benefits should take footing in vs in earthly things and thence lift vp the minde to the knowledge of god and to the desire of spirituall and heauenly blessings So Ioh. 4.53 The ruler with all his family was brought to beleeue in Christ by the outward curing of his sonne and Gen. 28.20 Iacob saith If God will keepe me in my iourney and giue me foode and raiment the Lord shall be my god Therefore after the petition for bread is straight ioyned the petition for remission of sinnes and they are knit together by this copulatiue particle καὶ and to teach vs that with what earnest desire we are naturally carried to seeke worldly goods with the like feruency of spirit we should desire care for those things which concerne the eternall saluation of our soules and the naturall desire of bodily goodes and wealth which notwithstāding Christ in this praier doth restraine and moderate may also teach vs this by the coniunction copulatiue καὶ that we must pray for food to god and referre the issue and euent to his good pleasure as hath beene saide Nowe those which Mathewe calleth debts Luke expoundeth Sinnes that we may knowe what kinde of debts are vnderstood in this place And it is a vsuall Ghaldaeisme to vse the word Chab which signifieth to be indebted or bound to for to sinne to do wickedly And Christ in his sermons oft times putteth debt for sinnes offences and wickednesse as in the parable Math. 18.24 In the story of the sinfull woman Luke 7.47 And Luk. 13. v. 2. Thinke ye that those on whome the tower of Silo fell were greater debters then the rest Here then this phrase is to be marked and we must consider what instructions we must learne from this that sinnes are called debts For seeing that men do either frame vnto themselues sinnes from priuate superstition and from the traditions men or else from some Pharisaicall conceit doe challenge vnto themselues iustice and perfection this name debt doth lead vs vnto the lawe or decaloge as it were to an obligation which is the rule of Gods iustice shewing what our nature ought to be what we ought to doe and what to omit in what manner with what perfection puritie As Christ saith Luke 17.10 vve haue done those things vvhich vve were commaunded to doe And Rom. 8.12 vve are debters to liue after the spirite And because that is the forme of our obligation vnto God it sheweth vs by the contrary how many waies we runne into exceeding great debt by doing those things which we ought not to doe by leauing vndone those things which we ought to doe and such things as we performe by doing them amisse imperfectly impurely The same phrase also signifieth a fault guiltinesse an offence and condemnation as there are many examples when as for want of paying a debt one is condemned to some punishment so the greeks vse the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to owe as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to owe a penaltie or forfeiture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that are condēned to die or condēned in a summe of money So Christ expoūdeth this Mat. 5.25 thou shalt be cast into prison and not come thence till thou hast paid the vttermost farthing Math. 18.25 When he had nothing to pay his master commaunded him to be soulde with all that he had So that this very phrase teacheth vs to aske forgiuenesse both of the fault and of the punishment contrary to the distinction of the Papists Now for what ende the Lord doth oft times lay vpon the Godly in this life after the sinne is forgiuen temporall punishmēts not of curses but of correction we haue shewed else where And because the Lord inioyneth his Apostles those who haue god for their father to make this petition for pardon of sinne euery day as we pray daily for bread it sheweth against the Pelagians that no child of God is perfect without sinne in this life who hath not neede euery day to humble himselfe and pray for the pardon of his sinnes It sheweth also against the Nonatians that they which sinne after baptisme and reconciliation may obtaine pardon if they turne againe and repent for they which are baptized and reconciled vnto god are commaunded to pray for the pardon of their sinnes looke what we aske in his name by his commaundement he hath promised with an oath to giue the same vnto vs. The one whereof that is the doctrine against the Pelagians doth put vs in mind of our owne weaknes euery day serues to bring vs to humilitie The other shewing that the mercie and pardon of the Father is offered vnto vs euery day if we turne vnto him serues to strengthen our faith that we should not despaire And this mercie and pardon we are commanded to seeke for by praier not of the angels or of Saints but of God himselfe in the vse of those meanes by which God will giue remission of sinns And because we are commanded to pray for the
Paul saith I thanke my God and so doth euery ones faith by this applicatioÌ„ well conclude say God is my father as Ier. 3.4 Therefore from henceforth at least crie vnto me thou art my father and after v. 19. I did take thee for my children and saide Thou shalt call me my father and Math. 6.6 Pray vnto thy father which is in secret and thy father will reward thee So very many profitable instructions are propounded vnto vs in these fewe words of this preface to the Lords praier which may thus also be considered that by the remembrance of those benefits which God hath heretofore bestowed vpon vs God may as it were be mooued to giue and our confidence stirred vp and confirmed to craue other moe necessaries that seeing of meere fauour he hath bestowed vpon vs the chiefest benefite of adoption because he will be our father and also be so called therefore he will giue vs other things needefull Which art in heauen There be some that by occasion of this verbe substantiue es art doe discourse at large about the immutable essence and those names of God I am that I am which is which was which is to come But the Greek words doe neither require nor admit that disputation in this place for the wordes are plaine Our father á½ á¼Î½ τοῖς οá½Ïανοῖς which art in heauen to shew that we doe not call vpon any earthly father but on him who is or who doth dwell in heauen that is an heauenly father For so Christ himselfe expoundeth these wordes Math. 6.26 when he nameth an (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heauenly father And whereas Heauen in Scripture is called the throne the seate mansion or dwelling place of God and in this place we call vpon our father which is in heauen the meaning is not that the infinite essence of God is circumscribed or concluded either in these visible heauens or in the heauen called Empyreum that is the highest heauens so as he is not present else where for it is written 1. King 8. v. 27. and 2. Chro. 2. v. 6. that heauen and the heauen of heauens can not containe him For he filleth heauen and earth Ierem. 23. v. 23. yea he is present in heauen in earth in the sea and in hell Psal 139. v. 7. he is higher then heauen deeper then hell longer then the earth broader then the sea That is he is wholly present euery where within all things and without all things as Gregory saith Neither doe we thinke when we call vpon our father which is in heauen in the preface of this prayer that he is seperated and disioyned from vs which pray from our wants and from our prayers being further absent theÌ„ heauen is distant from the earth Like as the thoughts and the sayings of the wicked are described Iob. 22. v. 13. what should God see he walketh in the circle of the heven and considereth not our affaires For in the 145. Psalme v. 18. it is written The Lord is readie at hand to them that pray euen to them that call vpon him in trueth Deut. 4. v. 29. The Lord our God is neere to all our requests and Mathew 18.20 Where two or three are gathered togither in my name and shall aske any thing there am I in the middle among them Nowe whereas our father of whome we make no doubt but that he is present to our requests is said to be in heauen this the schoole men expound after this sort either that the workes of God doe more gloriously and highly appeare in the beutie magnificence harmony and workemanship of the visible or materiall heauens then in earth or els because in those spirituall heauens as they call them he doth by a full communication of himselfe declare exhibite and shew forth all his glorie power goodnesse magnificence not as here on earth by certain meanes and couerings invisible and by sundry lettes but in full shewe and fruition of sight face to face to be seene and enioyed of the blessed Angels and of elect soules so as the very thing is the happines the ioy saluation the eternall life of the saints But I see not what comfort this meaning can affoard vnto vs which pray here on earth vnder the crosse and in much weakenesse A more plaine exposition is this Because the scriptures doe define of heauen wherein God hath his abode not by any locall scituation but by heauenly diuine glory maiestie power and fidelitie Againe that therefore God is said to be in heauen and to dwell in the heauens in the place of his abode to heare in the dwelling place of his abode 3. King v. 30. because all things are vnder his gouernment he hath all things in his hand and in his power he ruleth all things in all places he is able to doe and he doth whatsoeuer he will by his wisdome he foreseeth knoweth beholdeth and heareth all things and knoweth the way how to helpe them all by his prouidence he careth for all and by his power doth order dispose administer and gouerne all things c. Psal 115. v. 3. Our God is in heauen he doth whatsoeuer be will Psal 103. v. 20. God hath prepared his seate in heauen and his kingdome ruleth ouer all in all places of his dominion 3. King 8. v. 39. thou shalt heare in heaueÌ„ thou shalt be fauour able and shalt forgiue sinnes For thou onely seest and knowest the hearts of all the children of men Psal 113. v. 5. which hath his dwelling on high that he may behold things below in heauen and in earth Psal 102. v. 20. The Lord hath looked down from his high sanctuarie out of heauen did he behold the earth that he might heare the mournings of the prisoner and loose the children of death Psal 11.4 The lords seat is in heauen his eyes looke vnto the poore and his eye lids trie the children of meÌ„ Psal 20. v. 6. he will he are froÌ„ heauen by the mightie helpe of his right hand Isa 63.15 Give heede from heauen and behold where is nowe thy zeale thy strength and the multitude of thy mercies And when the Lord sheweth his diuine glory power and mercy by any famous hearing helpe and deliuerance the scripture saith then God hath exalted or aduanced himselfe aboue the heauens and magnified his mercy vp to the heauens Psal 57. v. 6. and 18. v. 5. and 113. v. 4. his glorie is aboue the heauens Psal 68. v. 19. He hath ascended aboue the heauen of heauens These testimonies of scripture doe plainely expound that phrase where God is said to be or to dwell in heauen The consideration hereof will also further vs to expound the doctrine of Christs ascention or exaltation into heauen of his sitting at the right hand of God in heaueÌ„ly places And thus the meaning of this preface of the Lords prayer is euident for when we say Our father we doe by saith conceiue the readie willing minde and the