AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORDS PRAIER IN the way of Catechisme By William Perkins EDINBVRGH PRINTED BY ROBERT Walde-graue Printer to the Kings 〈◊〉 1593. TO THE RIGHT honourable Edward Lord Russell Earl of Bedford grace and peace be multiplied RIGHT honourable if you consider what is one of the cheife ornaments of this noble state vnto which God hath aduanced you It will appeare that there is none more excellent then the spirit of grace and praier For what doth your heart affect would you speake the languages Behold by praier you may speake the most heauenly toung that euer was euen the language of Canaan Would you haue the valor of knighthood By praier you may stand in the place where Gods hand hath made a breach and do as much as all the Chariots horsmen in a kingdome Would you enjoy Gods blessings which you want By praier you may as it were put your hād into the cofers of Gods treasures and inriche your selfe Do you desire the fauour of Monarks and Princes By praier you may come in presence and haue speeche with Iehoua the King of heauen and earth Lastly would you knowe whether now liuing you be dead that being dead you may liue for euer By praier a man may knowe whether he be dead to sinne dead to the world liue to God liue to Christ and liue eternally Praier then being so excellent a point of Religion I am imboldened to commend this small treatise your honour not so much for itselfe as because it doth set out the matter and true maner of inuocation of Gods holy name And I hope for your fauour in accepting of it the rather because I doubt not but your desire is to be answerable to your most honourable and for Religion most worthie ancestors in the care of maintaining and countenancing any good thing that may any whit serue for the furthering of the gospell of Christ. Now Iesus Christ our Lorde and God euen the Father which hath loued vs and giuen vs euerlasting consolation and good hope through grace stablish your Honor in euerie good word and worke to the end Your H. to command William Perkins AN EXPOSITION of the Lords prayer in the way of Catechisme By M. Perkins Matth. 6. ver 9. After this maner therefore pray yee Our Father c. THe occasion and so also the coherence of these wordes with the former is this The Evangelist Matthew setting downe the Sermons and sayings of our Sauiour Christ keeps not this course to propounde euery thing as it was done or spoken but sometime he settes down that first which was done last and that last which was done before according as the spirit of God directed him Which thing is verified in these wordes where the praier is mentioned yet the occasion wherfore our Sauiour Christ taught his disciples to pray is not here specified But in Saint Luke 11. verse 1. the occasion of these wordes is euident For there it is said that the disciples of our Sauior knowing that Iohn taught his disciples to pray made request to their master that he would do the same to them likewise These few words set before the praier are a commandement and it prescribes vnto vs two duties the first to praie the second to pray after the manner following Touching the first point considering verie fewe among the people know how to pray aright we must learne what it is to pray To make praier is to put vp request to god acording to his word from a contrite hart in the name of Christ with assurance to bee hard For the better opening of these words we are to consider six questions The first is to whome wee are to pray The answer is to God alone Rom. 10. 14. Howe shal they cal on him in whome they haue not beleeued c. Marke how inuocation and faith are linked together And Paules reson may be framed thus In whome we put our affiance or beleif to him alone must we pray but we beleue only in God therefore wee must onely praie to him As for Saints or Angels they are in no wise to be called vpon because not the least title of Gods worde prescribes vs so to doe because they cannot heare our praiers and discerne what are the thoughts and desires of our harts and because invocation is a parte of diuine worship and therefore peculiar to God alone The second question is what kinde of action prayer is Answer it is no lip-labour it is the putting vp of a sute vnto God and this action is peculiar to the verie hart of a man Rom. 8. 26. The spirite makes request for vs But how with grones in the hart Exod. 14. 15. The Lord said to Moses Why criest thou Yet there is no mentiō made that Moses spake any word at all the Lorde no doubt accepted the inward mourning and desire of his hart for a crie The third question is what is the forme or rule according vnto which we are to pray Answer It is the reueiled wil and word of God A man in humbling his soule before God is not to pray as his affections carrie him and for what he list but all is to be done according to the expresse worde So as those things which God hath cōmanded vs to ask wee are to aske and those thinges which hee hath not commanded vs to ask we are in no wise to pray for 1. Iohn 5. 14. This is the assurance vvhich vvee haue of him that if wee aske any thing according to his will hee heareth vs. This then is a speciall clause to be marked that men must praye in knowledge not in ignorance Here weigh the case of poore ignorant people they talke muche of praying for themselues others they imagine that they pray verie deuoutlie to God but alas they doe nothing les because they knowe not what to ask acording to Gods will They therefore must learne Gods worde and pray according to the same else it will prooue in the end that all their praying was nothing but as mocking and flat dishonoring of God The fourth question is with what affection a man must pray Answer Prayer must proceed from a broken and contrite hart This is the sacrifice which God accepteth Psalm 51. verse 17. When Ahab abased himselfe though he did it in hypocrisie yet God had some respect vnto it 1. King 21. verse 29. Saith the Lorde to Eliah seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me This contrition of heart stands in two thinges The first of them is a liuely feeling of our own sinne miserie and wretched estate howe that we are compassed about with inumerable enemies euen with the Deuill and all his Angels within a bound even with huge seas of wants and rebellious corruptiōs whereby we most grieuouslie displease God are vile in our own eies Being therefore thus beset on euerie side wee are to be touched with the sense of this our gret miserie And he that wil pray aright
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
directly against God the other against men This sin because it is against the first Table and therfore more hard to bee discerned it is lightly esteemed and it lesse troubles the consciences of ignorant men yet as it is indeede so it is to be esteemed as a disgrace plaine mockerie of Gods majestie Wherfore seeing God is in heuen away with al drowsie and dead praying let vs come with reuerence in our hearts before the Lord. 4. Againe wee are here to consider that our harts in praier must mount vp into heauen and there be present with the Lord. Psal. 25. 1. Vnto thee O Lord lift I vp my soule The litle childe is neuer well but when it is in the fathers lap or vnder the fathers wing and the children of God are neuer in better case then when in affection spirit they can come into the presēce of their heauenly father and by prayer as it were to creep into his bosome 5. Lastly this preface sheweth that God is all sufficient as in al other things so in granting our requests God is willing to hear our praiers in that hee is our father able to performe them because he is in heuen therefore almightie Hallowed be thy name 1. The coherence THus much of the preface now follow the petitions They be six in number the three first concerne God and his glorie the other three concern our selues The three former petitions are againe deuided into two partes the firste concernes Gods glorie it selfe the other two the meanes whereby Gods glory is manifested and inlarged among men For God his name is glorified among men whē his kingdome doth come and his will is done Question Why is this petition Hallowed be thy name set in the first place Answere Because Gods glory must bee preferred before all thinges because it is the end of all creatures and of all the counsels of God Prou. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all thinges for his owne sake yea euen the vvicked for the day of euill And from the order of the petitions heere ariseth a worthy instruction namely that euery one in all thinges they take in hande are to propound to themselues and to intend the glory of God The reason is this The end which God hath appointed to all our doings we are to propound to our selues but God hath appointed that the highest end of all our doings shuld be his glorie therfore our hearts must be set to seeke it first of all That God will haue his name glorified by vs appeareth in this that he punisheth those which of obstinacie set themselues to dishonour him or by negligence did not sanctifie him when they should haue done so Herod sitting in his royaltie made such an oration that the people cried the voice of a God and not of a man and immediatly the Angel of the lord smote him because he gaue not the glory to God Act. 12. 23. And Moses because he did not sanctifie the Lord in the presence of the children of Israel therefore he came not into the land of promise yet he did but faile in doing of it Thus wee may see by these punishments and also by the order of the petitions that it is our duties to prefer the glory of God before all things else Quest. Whether are we to prefer the glory of God before the saluation of our soules Answer If the case stand thus that Gods name must be dishonoured or our soules condemned we must account the glory of God more pretious than the saluation of our soules This is manifest in the order of the petitions The petition that concernes Gods glory is first and the petitions that concerne directly our saluation are the fift and sixt Where by we are taught that before God should want any part of his glory we are to let soule and all go and let God haue all his glory This affection had Moses Exod. 32. 32. When he said Either forgiue them or if thou vvilt not blot my name out of thy booke In this petition as also in the rest we must obserue three things the first is the mening of the words the second the wants which men must learn to bewail the third the graces of god that ar to be desired 2. The meaning VErie fewe among the people can giue the right meaning of the wordes of this praier They pretend that seeing God knowes their good meaning it is sufficient for them to say the wordes and to meane well But faith being one of the groundes of praier there being no faith without knowledg neither can there bee praier without knowledge and therefore ignorant men are to learne the right meaning of the words Name Name in this place signifieth 1. God himselfe 1. Kings 5. 5. He shal build an house to my name 2. His attributes as his iustice mercy c. 3. His works creatures and iudgments 4. His word For God is knowne to vs by al these as men are knowne by their names and as all a mans praise glorie lies in his name so all the glorie of God is in these Hallowed To hallowe is to feuer a thing from the common vse to som proper and peculiar end as the temple was hallowed that is set apart to an holy vse and the priests were sanctified that is set apart to the seruice of God And all that beleeue in Christ are sanctified that is set apart from sin to serue God In like manner Gods name is hallowed when it is put apart from al abuses to an holy reuerent and honorable vse whether we think speake or vse it any maner of way Question How can a sinful man hallow Gods name which is pure and holy in it selfe Answer We do not here pray that we might make Gods name holy but that wee might bee meanes to declare and make manifest to the world by the right vsage of it that it is holy and pure and honourable The like phrase is vsed Luk. 7. 39. Wisedome is iustified of her children that is acknowledged declared to be just The scope therefore of the first petition is an earnest desire that we might set foorth Gods glorie whatsoeuer become of vs and it may be expressed thus O Lord open our eies that wee may aright knowe thee and acknowledge the gretnes of thy power wisdom justice and mercie which appeares in thy titles worde creatures and judgements and grant that when we vse any of these we may therein glorifie thee and vse them reuerently to thy glory 3 The vvantes which are to be bevvailed 1 THe wants which we in this place are taught to bewail are especiallie foure The first is an inward and spirituall pride of our hearts a sin that none or very few can see in themselues vnlesse the Lord open their eies When our first parentes were tempted in Paradise the deuil told them they should be as Gods which lesson not onely they but we haue learned and we conceiue of our selues
sins generally Psa. 19 6. Lastly hence it is manifest that there is noe iustification by workes Our sinnes are debtes so also are all workes of the lawe Now how can any man discharge one debt by another 4. Wants to be bewailed THe wantes to be bewailed are the burden of our sinnes and the corruptions of our natures the wickednes of our liues and the sinnes of our youth and of our old age Psal. 40. 12. My sinnes haue taken such hold vpon me that I am not able to looke vp they are more in number then the haires of my head therefore mine heart hath failed me Thus with Dauid we are to trauell and grone vnder this burden but this griefe for sin is a rare thing in the world Men can mourne bitterly for the thinges of this life but their sinnes neuer trouble them And further this sorrowe must be for sinne because it is sinne though there were neither hell nor deuill nor conscience to accuse nor Iudg to reuēge 5. The grace to be desired THe grace which wee must desire is the spirit of grace and deprecations Zacha. 12. 10. It is that worke of the spirit whereby wee are inabled to call to God for the pardone of our sinnes A man hauing offēded the laws of a Prince and being in danger of death will neuer rest or be at quiet till hee haue gotten a pardon euē so they which feele and see their sinnes hauing this spirite are so mooued that they can neuer be at rest till in praier they be eased of their sins A man may I graunt babble and speake many wordes but hee shall neuer pray effectually before hee haue this spirit of praier to make him crie Abba Father For worldly cōmodities all can pray but learn to pray for the want of Christ. As vve forgiue our debts 1. Coherence THese wordes be a part of the fift petition for it is put down with a condition Forgiue vs as we forgiue others and these wordes depend on the former as the reason thereof and it is taken from the comparison of the lesse to the greater thus if wee who haue but a sparke of mercie doe forgiue others then doe thou who art the fountaine of mercie forgiue vs but we forgiue others therefore do thou forgiue vs. Thus Luk. 11. 4 hath it Forgiue vs our sinnes for euen we forgiue The Papists gather a contrarie doctrine they say Forgiue vs as we forgiue making our forgiuing a cause for which God is mooued to forgiue vs. But we are to know that our forgiuing is no cause but a sign that God wil forgiue vs. 2 The meaning QVestion Whether is a man bounde to forgiue all debts Answer The word debt in this place is not vnderstoode of debt that is ciuill and comes by lawfull bargaining but of hurtes and dammages which ar done vnto vs in our bodies goods or good name as for the former ciuil debts a man may exact them so he doe it with shewing of mercie 2 Question How may anie man forgiue trespasses seeing God onlie forgiues sin Answer In euerie trespasse which anie do to their neighbours ther be two offences one to God another to man In the first respect it is called a sin which God onlie forgiues In the other respect it is called an injurie or dammage so man may forgiue it When a man is robbed the law is broken by stealing and the injurie that is done is against a man that hath his goods stolne This injurie as it is an injurie a man may forgiue but as it is a sinne he can not but God onlie 3 Quest. Whether may a man aright pray this petition and yet sue him at the law who hath injured him An. Yea for a man may in an holie maner sew another for an injury and as a souldier in lawful warre may kill his enemie and yet loue him so may a man forgiue an injurie and yet seeke in a Christian maner the remedie but in doing of this wee must obserue fiue thinges 1. We are to tak heed of all priuate revenge and inward hatred which if we conceiue wee doe not forgiue 2. We must take heed of offence and haue care that our doinges bee not scandelous to the Church 3. Our sutes must be taken in hand to maintaine godly peace for if all injuries were put vp there would bee no ciuill state or gouernment 4. It must be that the partie offending may bee chastised and bee brought to repentance for his fault for if many mē were not repressed they woulde growe worse 5. Law must bee the last remedie as Physitions vse desperate remedies when weaker wil not serue euen so must we vse law as the last meanes when all other faile The dealing of the worlde in this case is no example for vs to follow For through rage and stomacke they will abide no priuate agreement and therefore they vse the law in the first place so did the Corinthians but what saith Paule 1. Cor. 6. 7. It is vtterlie a fault among But if the Lawe bee vsed aright a Christian may sue at Law and loue the partie sued for there is difference betweene dealing against a man before a Magistrate and the dealing of one priuat man with another For priuate dealing is commonlie reuenge and therefore vnlawfull 3. The Vse THE vse of this clause is verie profitable for it shewes vs a liuelie signe whereby our consciences may bee assured of the pardon of our sinnes Indeed manie vse these wordes long and often yet finde no assurance of pardon and the cause is because they haue no desire of Gods mercie nor willingnes to forgiue men which if they had then the forgiuenes of their sinnes should hereby be sealed vnto them Wherefore if any wold be perswaded of Gods mercie in this point let them discend into their owne soules and search them narrowlie if they can finde their heartes as readie to forgiue as they are readie to desire forgiuenes at Gods hand then they may assure themselues of Gods mercie in Christ as we are taught by our Sauiour Christ Mat. 5. 7. Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtaine mercie Consider these comparisons A man walking vnder a wal in a cold sunnie day is heated of the wall which first receiued heat from the Sunne So he that sheweth mercie to others hath first receiued mercie from God Also take a peece of waxe and put to a seale it leaueth an impression or marke like it selfe in the waxe which when a man lookes on he doth certainlie know that ther hath bin a seale the print whereof is left behind Euen so it is in euery one that hath readinesse to forgiue others by it a Christian may easilie know that God hath sealed to him the forgiuenesse of his sinnes euen in his heart Therefore let men looke into their hearts whether they haue any affection to forgiue others for that is as it were the print in their harts of Gods mercy toward
to the obedience of the same Againe praier is the key whereby wee open the treasures of God and pull downe his mercies vpon vs. For as the preaching of the word serues to declare and to conuey vnto vs Gods graces so in praier we come to haue a liue lie feeling of the same in our harts And further this must moue vs to praier seeing in praier we haue familiaritie with Gods Maiestie It is an high fauour for a man to bee familiar with a Prince howe much more then to be familiar with the King of Kings the mightie Iehouah This then can bee no burthen or trouble vnto vs being one of the many prerogatiues that God bestowes on his Church For in the preaching of the worde it pleaseth God to talke to vs and in praier God doth vouchsafe vs this honour to speake and as it were familiarly to talk with him not as to a fearful Iudge but as to a louing and mercifull God Consider also that praier is a worthie means of defence not onely to vs but also to the Church and them that are absent By it Moses stood in the breache which Gods wrath had made into the pepill of Israell and staied the same Psalm 106. ver 23 by this Christian men fight as valiant champions against their own corruptions and all other spirituall enemies Ephes. 6. vers 18. Infinite were it to shewe howe many blessings the Lord hath bestowed on his seruaunts by prayer In a worde Luther whome it pleased God to vse as a worthie instrumeÌ„t for the restoring of the Gospell testifieth of himselfe that hauing this grace giuen him to call vpon the name of the lord he had more reuealed vnto him of Gods trueth by praier then by reding study The second point of the coÌ„mandement is to pray after the maner following in the Lordes prayer Where it is to bee noted that the Lords prayer is a direction and as it were a sampler to teach vs how and in what maner wee ought to praie None is to imagine that we are bound to vse these words only and none other For the meaning of Christ is not to binde vs to the words but to the matter and maner and to the like affections in praying If this were not so the praiers of Gods seruants set down in the bookes of the old and newe Testament should be al faultie because they ar not according to the wordes of the Lords praier Also by reason of this diuers in our church ignorantly perswade them selues that it is vnlawfull to vse the wordes as they are set downe for a praier First say they it is Scripture and therefore not to be vsed as a prayer I answer that the same thing may be the scripture of god and also the praier of man else the praiers of Moses Dauid and Paul being set downe in the scriptures cease to be praiers Againe they say that in praier we are to expres our wantes in particular and the graces which wee desire nowe in these wordes all things to be praied for are onely in generall propounded I answer that the maine wants that are in any man and the principall graces of God to be destred are set downe in the petitions of this praier in particular Thirdly they pleade that the pattern to make al praiers by should not be vsed as a praier I answere that therefore the rather it may be vsed aâ— a praier and sure it is thâ—â— ancient and worthie diuines haue reuereÌ„ced it as a praier chosing rather to vse these words then any other as Cyprianus sermone de orat Dominic And Tertullian lib. de fuga in persequutione And Augustine sermone 126. de teÌ„pore Wherfore the opinion is ful of ignoraÌ„ce error Well whereas our Sauiour first giues a commaundement to pray and then after giueth a direction for the keeping of it this he doeth to stiree vp our dulnes and to allure vs by all meanes to this heauenly exercise of praier Wherfore still I say imploy your selues in praier feruently and continually and if you cannot do it learne to praye Thus much of the commandement of our Sauior Christ nowe followe the wordes of the praier Our Father which art c. THese wordes containe three parts 1. a preface 2. the praier it self containing six petitions 3. the testification of faith in the last worde Amen Which although it be short yet it doth not containe the smallest point in the praier It is I say a testification of our faith whereas the petitions that go before are only testifications of our desires Nowe of these three parts in order We must consider how our Sauiour Christ doth not set downe the petitions abruptly but he first beginnes with a solemne preface Whereby we are taught this lessoÌ„ that he which is to pray vnto God is first to prepare himselfe and not boldly without consideration as it were to rushe into the presence of God If a maÌ„ be to come before an earthly Prince hee will order himselfe in apparel gesture and words that he may do all thinges in seemelines dutiful reuerence how much more are men to order themselues when they are to appear before the liuing God Eccle. 5. 1. Be not rash with thy mouth let not thine hart be hastie to vtter a thing before the Lord. And Dauid Psal. 26. 6. Washed his hands in innocencie before he came to the Altar of the Lord to offer sacrifice The meanes whereby men may stir vp their dul and heauie heaâ—â— and so prepare themselues to praier are three The first is to read diligently the word of God concerning those matters about which they are to pray and what then this will be a meanes not onely to direct him but also to quicken the heart more feruently to deliuer his praier This is euident by a coÌ„parison The beames of the sunne descending heat not before they come to the earth or some solide body where they may reflect and then by that means the earth and aire adjoyning is made very hote euen so the Lord sends downe vnto vs his blessed Worde euen as beames and the goodly sunshine thereby he speaks to our harts now when we make our praiers of that which we haue reade Gods worde is as it were reflected and our heartes are thereby warned with the coÌ„fortable heat of Gods holy spirit to powre out our praiers to God more feruently The second meanes is to pray to God that hee would strengthen vs with his spirit that we might be able to pray as it is practised Psalme 143. 1. The third meanes is the consideration of Gods most glorious maiestie wherin we are to remember first his fatherly goodnes and kindenes whereby he is willing secondly his omnipotencie where by he is able to grant our requests One of these emboldned the Lepar to pray Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Mat. 8. 2. Therfore both together are more effectuall Nowe let vs come to the
must putte on the person and the verie affection of a poore wretched begger and certainely not being grieued with the rufull condition in which we are in our selues it is not possible for vs to pray effectually Psalm 130. verse 1. Out of the deepes I called vpon thee O Lord that is when I was in my greatest miserie and as it were not far frō the gulfes of hell then I cried to God Isai. 26. 16. Lord in trouble haue they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them 1. Sam. 1. 15 I am a woman saith Anna of an hard spirite that is a troubled soule and haue powred out my soul before the lord Hence it appeareth that the ordinary praiers of most mē greuously displease God seing they ar made for fashion only without any sense and feeling of their miseries commonly men come with the Pharisie in ostentation of their integritie and they take greate paines with their lips but their harts wāder from the Lorde The second thing required in a contrite hart is a longing desire and hungring after Gods graces and benefites whereof we stand in need It is not sufficient for a man to buckle as it were and to go crooked vnder his sinnes and miseries but also hee must haue a desire to be eased of them to be enriched with graces needefull Thus Hezekias the king and the Prophet Isaiah the Sonne of Amos praied against Senacharib and cried vnto heauen 2. Chron. 32. 20. Where wee may see what a maruelous desire they had to obtaine their request So also Rom. 8. 26. The spirite maketh request with grones so greate that they cannot be vttered as they are felte Dauid Psalm 143. 6. saith that hee desireth after the Lorde as the thirstie land Now we know that the groūd partched with heat opens it selfe in rifts and cranies and gapes towards heauen as though it would deuoure the cloudes for want of moisture and thus must the hart bee disposed to Gods grace till it obtaine it The people of Israel being in grieuous affliction How do they pray They powre out their souls like vvater before the face of the Lord. Lam. 2. vers 19. The fift question is in whose name praier must be made Answer It must not be made in the name of any creature but onely in the name and mediatiō of Christ. Ioh. 14. ver 14. If yee ask any thing in my name I will do it A man is not to present his prayers to God in any worthines of his own merites For what is hee to make the best of himself what can he make of himselfe by nature he is no better thē the verie firebrand of hell and of all Gods creatures the most outragious rebell to God and therefore cannot be heard for his own sake As for Saints they can be no mediators seing euen they themselues in heauen are accepted of God not for themselues but only for the blessed merites of Christ. If any man sinne saith S. Iohn 1. Epistle chap. 2. verse 1. Wee haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ But how proues he this It followes then And hee is the reconciliation for our sinnes His reason stands thus he which must bee an aduocate must firste of all be a reconciliation for vs no Saintes can be a reconciliation for vs therefore no Saints can be Aduocates Therfore in this place is manifest an other faulte of ignoraunt people They cry often Lord help me Lorde haue mercy vpon me But in whose name pray they poore soules like blinde bayardes they rush vpon the Lord they know no mediatour in whose name they should present their praiers vnto him Little do they consider with themselues that God is as well a most terrible Iudge as a mercifull Father The sixt question is whether saith be requisit to prayer or not Answere Praier is to be made with faith whereby a man may haue a certaine assurance to be heard For he that praieth must stedfastly beleeue that God in Christ will grāt his petition This affiance being wanting it maketh praier to bee no praier For how can be pray for any thing effectually who doubteth whether he shall obtaine it or noe Wherefore it is an especiall pointe of prayer to be perswaded that God to whome praier is made not onely can but also will graunt his request Marke 11. 24. Whatsoeuer yee desire vvhen yee praye beleeue that yee shall haue it and it shall bee doone vnto you Here we see two thinges required in praier the first a desire of the good thinges which we want the second is faith wherby we beleue that God will grant the thinges desired The ground of this faith is reconciliation with God the assurance thereof For vnlesse a man be in conscience in some mesure perswaded that al his sinnes are pardoned and that hee stands reconciled to God in Christ hee cannot beleeue any other promises reuealed in the word nor that any of his praiers shall be heard Thus much of the definition of praier now let vs see what vse may be made of this commandement Pray yee thus Seeing our Sauiour commandeth his Disciples and so euen vs also to praie to God it is our dutie not only to present our praiers to God but also to doe it cheerefully and earnestlie Rom. 15. 30. Also brethren I besech you that yee woulde striue with me by praiers to God for me What is the cause why the Lord doeth oft defer his blessings after our praiers No cause but that hee might stirre vs vp to be more feruent more earnestly to crye vnto the Lord. Exod. 32. 10. When Moses praieth to God in the behalfe of the Israelites the lord answers Let me alone as though his praiers did bind the Lord and hinder him frō executing his iudgments Wherefore this is good aduise for all Christian men to continue and to be zealous in praier If thou be an ignorant man for shame learne to praie seeing it is Gods commandement make conscience of it We see that there is no man vnlesse he be desperatly wicked but wil mak some conscience of killing stealing and why is this because it is Gods commandment Thou shalt not kill thou shalt not steale Well then this also is Gods commandement to pray Let this consideration breed in thee a conscience of this dutie and although thy corrupt nature shall drawe thee away from it yet striue to the contrary and know it certainely that the breach of this command maketh thee as well guiltie of damnation before God as any other Furthermore this must be a motiue to prick thee forward to this dutie that as God commandes vs to pray so also he giues the spirite of praier whereby the commaundement is made easie vnto vs. If the Lord had commanded a thing impossible then there had bene some cause of discouragemēt but commanding a thing through the grace of his spirite verie easie and profitable howe much more are we bound
to our religion as Iewes Turks Papists Infidels Atheists Nowe towards all these how ought a man to behaue himselfe in prayer Ans. Hee is to pray for them all Mat. 5. 44. Praie for them vvhich hurt you and persecute you 1. Tim. 2. 1. I exhort that praiers intercessions c. Be made for all men for kinges c. Yet when Paul gaue this commandement we read not that there wer any ChristiaÌ„ kings but all Infidels And the Iewes are commanded to pray for Babylon where they were captiue Ieremie 29. 7. And seeke the prosperitie of the Cittie whither I haue caused you to bee carried captiue and praie vnto the lord for it Quest. Howe and in what maner are we to pray for our enemies Ans. We are to pray against their sinnes counsels enterprises but not against their persons Thus praied Dauid against Achitophell 2. Sa. 15. 31. Lord I praie thee bring the counsell of Achitophell to foolishnes And thus did the Apostles pray against their persecuters Act. 4. 29 O Lord behold their threatnings and graunt vnto thy seruants with all boldnes to spâ—ake thy word Question Dauid vseth imprecations against his enemies in which he praieth for their vtter confusion as Psal. 59. 109. c. the like is done by Paul Gal. 5. 12. 2. Tim. 4. 14. And Peter Act. 8. 20. though afterwards hee mitigates his exexcration But how could they do it Ans. 1. They were indued with an extraordinarie measure of Gods spirit and hereby they were enabled to discerne of the estate of their enemies certainly to judge that their wickednes and malice was incurable and that they shuld neuer repent And the like praiers did the primatiue Church coÌ„ceiue against IuliaÌ„ the Apostata because they perceiued him to be a malicious and desperate enemie 2. Secondly they were indued with a pure zeal against their enemies intending nothing else but the glory of God Now for vs it is good that we should suspect our zeal because sinister affections as hatred enuie emulation desire of reuenge wil mingle themselues with our zeal Question How far forth may we vse those Psalmes in which Dauid vseth imprecations against his enemies Ans. They are to be read and song with these caueats 1. Wee are to vse those imprecations indefinitely against the enemies of God and his Church for wee may perswade our selues that alwaies there be some such obstinate enemies but we must not apply them particularly 2. Secondly wee must vse them as Augustine saith as certaine prophetical sentences of the holy Ghost pronouncing the last sentence of destruction of final impenitent sinners which oppose themselues against Gods kingdom Thirdly they may be vsed against our spiritual enemies the flesh the deuil and his Angels the world 2. Furthermore whereas we ar taught to say Our father this serues to put vs in minde that in praying to God we must bring loue to meÌ„ with vs. We must all be as the children of one father louingly disposed one to another For how shuld he call God his father who wil not take the child of God for his brother Mat. 5. 23. When thou art to offer thie gifte vnto God if thou haue ought against thie brother first be reconciled and then come and offer thy gift So also Esay 1. 15. the Lorde saith that when they pray vnto him hee will not heare Why because their hands were ful of blud In these times many men can be conteÌ„t formally to praie but yet they will not leaue bribing oppression deceit vsurie c. The common song of the worlde is euerie man for himselfe and God for vs all this is the common loue and care that men haue eche to other The praiers of such are abhominable euen as the sacrifice of a dog as Esay saith For howe can they call God their Father that haue no loue to their brethren 3. Thirdly hence we may learn that God is no accepter of persoÌ„s For this praier is giuen to all men of what state or degree soeuer All then aswell poore as rich vnlearned as learned subjectes as rulers may say Our father It is not with the Lord as it is with the worlde but all are his Children that doe beleeue The poore man hath as good interest in Gods kingdome and may call God Father as well as the King Which art in heauen 1. The meaning QVestion Howe may God bee said to be in heuen seeing he is infinite and therefore must needes be euery where 1. King 8. 27. The heauens of heauens are not able to containe him Answer 1. God is saide to be in heauen because his majestie that is his power wisedome justice mercy is made manifest from thence vnto vs. Psalme 115. 3. Our God is in heauen and doth vvhatsoeuer he will Psal. 2. 4. He that dwelleth in heauen shall laugh them to scorne and the Lord shall haue them in derision Esay saith 66. 2. Thus saith the Lord Heauen is my throne and the earth is my footstoole 2. After this life hee wil manifest the fulnes of his glorie there to his Angels and Saints 2. The Vse 1. HEereby first we learn that Romish pilgrimages wherby men went from place to place to worship God are vain and foolish The God to whome wee must pray is in heauen Nowe let men trauell to what place or countrey they will they shall not come the neerer to heauen or neerer to God by traueling seeing the earth is in euerie part alike distaÌ„t from heuen 2. Secondly this ouerthrowes popish Idolatrie as woorshipping of Crosses Crucifixes Roods c. to put vs in mind of God Christ. Wee are taught to lift vp our eies to heuen seeing God is there and how can we do this as long as our mindes and eies are poring vpon an image made by mans arte 5. Againe wee are here admonished to vse the action of praier with as great reuerence as possible may be Wel reasons Salomon Eccle. 5. 1. Be not rash with thy mouth to speak a vvord before God Why he is in heaven thou art in earth therfore let thy vvords be few This reuerence must appeare in holines of minde and affection and in al comlines of gesture And for this cause al wandering bythoughts and all vaine babling is to be auoided But how goes the case with vs that on the times appointed come to the asseÌ„blies to pray Many by reason of their blindenes pray without vnderstanding Many when they are present at praier yet haue their hearts occupied about other matters about their goods and worldly busines such men haue no joye or gladnes in praying it is a burdeÌ„ to them Many come to the assemblie for custom only or for fear of punishment if they might be left free they could find in their harts not to pray at all But let all suche meÌ„ know that this maner of praiing is a very greenous sinne nay greater then mocking of father or mother killing or stealing for it is
first lesson that our Sauiour doeth giue his Disciples that they must denie themselues and follow him 2 The second thing is the knowledge of Gods will for otherwise how shal we do it How shall that seruant please his maister which cannot tell what hee would haue done of him Most men will haue bookes of statutes in their houses and if they be to deal in any great matter they will do nothing vntil they haue looked on the Statute In like maner men must haue the Bible that is the booke of Gods statutes in their houses the lawes of God must bee the men of our counsel Before euerie action wee are to searche what is the will of God and then to doe it Here thē wee are taught to vse the meanes and to pray for knowledge 3 Againe we are here taught to haue a desire in our hearts and an indeuour in our liues in all things to do obedience to Gods word 4 Lastlie we desire patience and strength when it shall please God at anie time to exercise vs with the crosse as Paul prayes for the Colossians that God would strengthē them by the power of his might vnto all patience and long suffering with ioy fulnesse 5. Errour confuted THe Church of Rome teacheth that men by nature haue free-will to good and that men being stirred vp by the holy ghost can of themselues will that which is good But if this were so why might we not pray Let my will bee done So far foorth as the will of man shall agree with Gods will but this cannot be as we see in the tenour of this petition In earth as it is in heauen 1 The meaning HAuing shewed the meaning of this petition thy vvill be done Now we are to speake of the condition which is in what maner we shuld doe it For the question may be how we should doe Gods will the answer is his wil must be done in earth as it is in heauen Heauen By heauē here is meant the soules of faithfull men departed and the elect Angels Psal. 103 20. Praise the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength that doe his commandements in obeying the voice of his vvord Earth By earth is vnderstood nothing but men on earth becaus all other creatures in their kind obey God only man he is rebellious and disobedient Then the meaning is Let thy will be done by vs men on earth as the Angels and saintes departed doe thy will in heauen Qu. Do we here desire to do the will of God in that perfection it is done by angels must we be as perfit as they Ans. the wordes here vsed in earth as it c. do not signifie an equalitie as though our obedience should in this life be in the same degre of perfection with with Angels but a similitude or the like maner of obeying it may be said in what maner do the Angels obey God Answer They doe the wil of God willingly speedily and faithfully and this is signified in that they are saide in the scriptures to bee winged and to stand continually beholding the face of our heauenly Father And this is the manner in which we desire to performe Gods will 2. The wants to be bewailed VVE are heere admonished to bee displeased with our selues for our imperfect obedience to God for our hypocrisie priuie pride presumptiō deadnes of spirit and many other wants which breake out when we are in doing Gods will There is no seruant of God but hath wants in his best works so we must vnderstand Paul Ro. 7. 18. he saith as much as if he culd begin a good thing but not perfect it go through stitch as we say Whē the godly do good works as heare speak Gods word pray praise God c. they perform things acceptable to God but in these actions they finde matter of mourning namely the imperfectiō of the work therfore Dauid praieth Psal. 143. 2. Enter not into iudgement vvith thy seruant and here we may see how far wide the Church of Rome is that holds good works to be any way meritorious that be euery way imperfect If the mē of that church had grace they might see that the corruptiōs of the flesh wer as gynes fetters about their legs that when they would faine runne the waies of Gods commādements they are constrained to halt downe right and to trail their loynes after them 3 Grace to be desired THE grace here to be desired is synceritie of heart in doing Gods will so as wee may keepe a good conscience before God and men Act. 24. 16. And for this cause I indeuoured alwaies to haue a clear conscience towards God and towards men This must we hunger after pray for seing it is not sufficient to abstaine from euill but also to doe good and in doing good striue to come to perfection Giue vs this day our daily bread 1 The Coherence THus much of the thre first petitions which concerne God now follow the other three which concern our selues In which order we learn to pray for those things which concerne God absolutelie and for those thinges which concerne our selues not absolutely but so farre foorth as they shall make for God his glorie the building of his kingdom and the doing of his wil. But how dependes this petition on the former In the first wee are taught to pray that Gods name might bee hallowed which is done whē God raigns in our hearts his wil is done Now further his will is obeyed in three thinges first by depending on his prouidence for the thinges of this life secondly by depending on his mercy for the pardon of sin thirdly by depending on his power and might in resisting temptations And thus Gods will is obeyed 2 The meaning BRead By this one means of sustayning our bodies and temporarie liues all other meanes are vnderstood as meat drinke cloathing helth liberty peace c. Gen 3. 19. Thou shalt eat thy bread vz. get thy liuing in the sweat of thy browes Out of this we learn 2. instructions for why doth the Lord teache vs to craue onely bread and not meate and other dainties It is for 2. causes the first is that we might hereby learn frugalitie and moderation in our diet apparel houses and be content if wee haue no more but bread seeing wee desire no more We must not with the Israelites murmur because they had nothing but Manna Quest. Must wee vse Gods creatures onely for necessitie Ans. we may vse them not onely for necessitie but also for honest delight plesure Psal. 104. 15. God giues wine to make glad the heart of man and oyle to make his face shine And Iohn 12. 3. Our Sauiour Christ allowed of the fact of Mary which tooke a pounde of ointment of spikenard very costly and annointed his very feete so that all the house was filled with the smell though Iudas did esteeme it wast But yet if the Lord shall graunt but