by beleeving a man doth set to his seale that God is true 4 By fearing him So saith the Prophet 1. Pet. 3 1â— Sanctifie the Lord of hasts himselfe let him be your feare and let him be your dread Isaiah 8.13 5 Also by loving him trusting in him and zeale for him for there is the same reason that all the affections of the heart should be for him as well as any one Iob 1.21 6 By confessing with the mouth that he is just in all his judgements so doth Daniel saying Dan. 9.14 The Lord our God is righteous in all the workes that he doth for we obeyed not his voyce Iosh 7.19 Thus Achan is bid to give glory unto the Lord. 7 Also by acknowledging his mercie goodnesse power Rom. 15.6 Rev. 19.7 c. in praises and thanksgiving He that offereth praise glorifieth me saith God Psal 50.23 8 By contending for God and his truth Isa 59.4 9 By ordering the conversation aright both in doing and suffering Herein Ioh. 1â— 8 saith our Saviour is my Father glorified that ye beare much fruit Therefore he exhorteth his disciples unto good works that as lights they may shine before men and glorifie their Father which is in heaven Mat. 5 16. Philip. 1. And Paul was assured Christ should bee magnified in his bodie whether by life or by death And Peter was foretold by what death he should glorifie God Ioh. 20.19 10 Lastly by regarding his holinesse in his titles word and holy ordinances in his holy day the Sabbath and in his children whom he hath made to be an holy people In all these our estimation and speech of them our carriage towards them and use of them must be with speciall respect to God whose holinesse they carrie upon them alwayes putting difference betweene these things and all other which have not the like respect of holinesse Though we cannot in all these hallow Gods name as wee would yet wee must endeavour it that we may be able with the Church to say The desire of our soule is to thy name Now we know the particulars let us give God glory every way and let us make it the end of our life Motivâ—s to hallow Gods Name to know and acknowledge him to be holy It is Gods right as you have heard we were created and redeemed to that end and wee have examples of the best David saith he would speake the praises of the Lord and saith Let all flesh blesse his holy Name for ever and ever Psal 145.21 Christ Iesus hath gone before us in seeking his Fathers honour and not his owne It was Ioabs praise so to order the battell 2 Sam. 12.28 that his Lord and king might have the glorie of the day and not himselfe Ought not all Gods subjects to respect their God more than he did or could respect his king Excellently spake Ioseph that the honour of interpreting dreames might not be given to him It is not in me Gen. 41.16 God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace In like manner Daniel would not assume to himself the power of revealing secrets but saith Dan 2.26.28 There is a God which yeâ—â—alleth secrets The Apostle Iohn when he was in the Spirit heard everie creature which is in heaven and on the earth and such as are in the sea saying Blessing honour glory Rev. 5.13 and power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lambe for ever and ever These examples are for our learning so that we must alwayes say with the Psalmist Psal 115.1 Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give glorie If God be glorified by us Ioh 13.32 he also will glorifie us Them that honour me I will honour 1. Sam. 2.30 saith God Thus it may be learned what are the desires and endeavours to which the first petition doth leade us Before I passe to the second one thing must be observed from Christs choice of the word hallowed rather than any other Hallowed When Christ would signifie that God was to be esteemed acknowledged with the absolutest honour that could be he saith hallowed that is let thy Name be known and acknowledged to bee holy Whence we may inferre that Doct. 2 Holinesse is the highest title of honour and glory that can belong to any person yea to the most high God As any person or thing is more holy so is it more honourable When the Seraphins would give God the greatest honour and glory they crie Holy holy Isa 6.3 holy is the Lord of hosts The foure living creatures say Holy holy holy Rev. 4.8 Lord God almighty It was the honour of Ierusalem to be an holy Citie It is the glorie of the third heaven to be the high and holy place Isa 57.15 As men were more holy Psal 16.3 so did David count them more excellent For such whom hee calleth Saints he also calleth excellent And when Christ Iesus will present his Church unto himself a glorious Church he will sanctifie it Eph 5.26.27 Reason and present it holy and without blemish Because holinesse in God is the rectitude and perfection of his power mercie justice and all other his attributes which if they were not all holy could not be good much lesse goodnesse neither could he be God if he were not holy yea holinesse it selfe And as for other things the more they partake of holinesse the more like they are to God and are therfore the more glorious Man at the first was therefore most glorious of all creatures here below because hee was made according to Gods image most holy Vse 1 If holinesse be the highest most honourable title that can bee given then most blasphemous are the Pope and Papists the one for taking to himselfe the other for giving to him a prophane beast and impure Antichrist the title of holinesse in the abstract For the title of holinesse cannot simply be given to any but to God without blasphemie Vse 2 Hereby wee may learne whom to esteeme most honourable most excellent and most worthy our love and goodnes not the most witty most wealthie most beautifull or most noble by birth but as any man is more holy so is he to be held and regarded as most truly honourable Which being so the proud sinfull world erreth foulely in counting themselves the onely men of worth and esteeming the holy ones of God to be base and of no reckoning If to be holy be so honourable and glorious this must perswade Vse 3 men to follow after holinesse Heb. 12.14 Honour is the sharpest spurre to pricke men forward unto any action let it force us upon this of seeking to bee renewed after God in righteousnesse and true holines Be holy Lev. 19.2 saith God for I the Lord your God am holy No honour like this of being an holy man a chosen generation an holy nation
to speake something of this Treatise of this godly and painefull Minister of Christ which is written by him without affectation as desirous to cloath spirituall things with a spirituall manner of writing the diligent and godly Reader shall observe a sound cleare substantiall handling of the greatest points that naturally fall within the discourse and a more large and usefull unfolding of many things than in former Treatises It appeareth he sought the good of all so that besides the labours of other holy men there will be just cause of blessing God for his assistance in this worke To whose blessing I commend both it and the whole Israel of God Grayes Inne R. SIBBS A KEY OF HEAVEN The Lords Prayer opened and applyed MATH 6. 9 After this manner therefore pray ye Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy Name 10 Thy kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven 11 Give us this day our daily bread 12 And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debters 13 And leade us not into temptation but deliver us from evill for thine is the kingdome and the power and the glory for ever Amen THese words are part of our Saviours Sermon in the Mount they concerne Prayer and doe consist of a Precept or exhortation to pray in a right manner Patterne to exemplifie the said manner The precept is After this manner pray ye The patterne is Our Father c. This Exhortation is inferred upon consideration of divers abuses of prayer whereof our Saviour had warned his Disciples to wit Hypocrisie and vaine babling of the Pharisies and Heathen Hee reasoneth from the dissimilitude that ought to be betweene hypocrites and heathen between true Christians and faithfull beleevers saying verse 8. Be not ye therefore like unto them but pray ye in an holy manner And for that cause doth propose unto them a perfect forme of prayer intimating that if they would pray according as he did therein prescribe they should neither play the Hypocrites as did the Pharisies nor babble as the heathen nor offend any other way in this holy exercise of calling upon the name of the Lord. The words of the exhortation containe these particulars 1 The person exhorting Christ Iesus implied in his imperative speech Pray 2 The persons exhorted Ye 3 The inference whereupon it is grounded Therefore 4 The subject of the exhortation Pray in this manner Pray 1 Sam. 1 1â—.15 Pâ—â—2 8 Isâ—â—â— to pray doth import an holy speech and pouring out of the soule unto God being a joynt act of the minde will whereby the minde by voyce or thought doth make knowne to God the desires of the heart What it is to pray shewing both what a man wold have God to doe for him or to accept from him A bare desire is not to pray for many wish and desire those things for which they never speake or pray unto God Orare est appetere petere Phil. 4 6. Psal 38.9 Neither are words without desires any prayer but when the minde maketh knowne to God what the will desireth this is to pray By what way soever of expression a man doth signifie his desire directing it to God whether it be by thought onely or also by sigh a Psal 38.9 Rom. 8.26 groane or b Psal 39.12 tears or by lifting up * Ps 28.2 a hand or c Psal 123.1 eyes towards God in the heavens or by d Psal 141.1.2 voyce perfect or e Isai 38.14 unperfect if it be but by f Lam. 3.56 breathing it out as it were so be hee intend and understand what he desireth this is to pray Desires are naturall or spirituall Naturall when a man Difference between naturall and spirituall desires in prayer out of a sense of that which hee needeth and which may be for his naturall well being here and for his happinesse hereafter from a meere well-wishing to himselfe doth pray unto God to obtaine it Thus a naturall man a very Balaam may pray Num. 23.10 A spirituall desire be it of naturall or spirituall good things is from the spirit and regenerate part of man Rom 8.26 27. put up to God with holy affections in a spirituall manner to a spirituall end Onely the regenerate can thus pray Ye first the Disciples and under them hee meaneth all Christians Act. 11.26 For although Christ gave his Disciples some precepts that onely did belong to them as Apostles yet hee gave very many precepts to them as they were Christians as that in Marke 13.37 What I say to one I say to all Watch so here what he saith to them he saith to all Pray Therefore hath a double reference both to the sinfull manner dehorted fom and to this holy manner exhorted to He reasoneth thus the manner of hypocritical and heathenish praying is sinfull this manner here propounded is most holy therefore pray in this manner and not as they doe After this manner or thus the word rendred thus or in this manner is a note of likenesse pointing unto the patterne following As if he had said Say Our Father as it is Luk. 11.2 or if you use other words let them be according unto this patterne here prescribed to wit to the same person the same matter in the same kindes of prayer whether it bee in Petition for our selves for that which is good or in deprecation against that which is evill or in Intercessions for others or in Thanksgiving both for our selves and for others and with the same good disposition of heart as is taught in this forme of prayer following The words thus opened the particulars therein offer divers profitable lessons Christs diligence in teaching his servants and familie this necessarie religious duty of praier both at this time of his owne accord and at another time at the request of one of his Disciples is first to be observed Luk 11.1 All the actions of Christ Jesus are observable and of excellent use but onely some of them binde Christians to imitation That I may therefore cleere the foundation of the doctrine to be concluded from Christs practise let it be considered that the actions of Christ were of different natures He did some acts as he was God and as Mediator betweene God and man as his miracles and offering up of himselfe a sacrifice for sinne c. These actions should work in all men an holy admiration of him and faith in him but must not nay cannot be imitated How far Christs example doth bind to imitation He did other actions as hee was man some whereof were indifferent being neither commanded nor forbidden others were necessarie being commanded Those actions which he did which were indifferent doe teach us Christian libertie shewing what we may do but doe not lay a bond upon the conscience to tye us to doe the same Christ did sometimes stand when he prayed this was an indifferent action
more Is it not a shame to parents when the childe neither knoweth what nor how to speake unto God either for them or for himselfe Doth common reason teach thee to traine them up in some honest trade of life that they may live like men in their age Let grace then teach thee that there is an age wherein if in this life they bee not taught to live godly they shall never shine like men and Angels yea like Christ as all godly men shall in the glorious heavens but when they dye and this age come upon them they must live basely and miserably even as the divels in hell fire for evermore Ob. It belongeth to Ministers to teach and catechise Sol. It doth but not to Ministers onely For though women may not be Ministers Tit. 2.4 yet the aged are commanded to teach the younger to be sober c. And Ministers for the most part lose their labour in publick when governours of families do not before prepare their people and afterwards whet upon thē that in private which they have beene taught in publicke when Ministers and masters have done what they can all is little enough God hath made every governour a steward over his houshold to minister unto them in his place all things needfull know therefore thy office else if thou bee found negligent thy lot is to be cut in sunder and to have thy portion with hipocrites Matth 24.51 where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Vse 2 This is also to reprove those who although they can except nothing against this doctrine yet do altogether or for the most part neglect it Their excuses are either they know not how to teach or have no leisure or they teach them to say their prayers the Pater-noster Creed and ten Commandements what would we have more To the first I answer art thou of yeares to be married and to be a father or a master and doest not know the chiefe points of religion for shame make not this excuse Luk. 12.47 That servant which knew his Lords will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shal be beaten with many stripes To the second thou wilt spare them time to eate and drinke and sleepe and play thou sayest they cannot live else nor hold out in thy worke and thou shouldest bee accounted hard and cruell It is true But if they be not taught the Principles of religion they cannot live the life of grace nor be able to do Gods worke and of the two he is the cruellest master and father which doth starve the soules of his familie and suffer them to dye for lack of knowledge And whereas they say they teach them their prayers I say as good never a whit as never the better when they teach them onely to say them by rote but do not teach them what they meane Besides they teach thē the Creed and ten Commandements for prayers whereas the Creed is a rule of faith and the Commandements a rule of obedience and of those three onely the Lords Prayer is a prayer and the rule of all other prayer It shall be therefore their safest course to acknowledge their negligence and reforme it for excuses will not availe them at the day of reckoning Vse 3 This doctrine doth argue a third sort of governors of most notorious wickednesse who are so farre from teaching their people how to be religious that if they be taught to their hand they unteach them by disgracing of prayer hearing of the word and all other exercises of religion and by deriding of all such as frequent them and if wife and children or servants would learne by repairing unto such meanes as may informe them they do either expresly forbid and threaten them or by subtill allurements withdraw them The Apostle calleth such persons children of the devill enemies of all righteousnesse because they cease not to pervert the right wayes of the Lord. For as Elimas sought to keepe Sergius Paulus Act. 13.10 so do these their people from the faith Our Saviour denounceth wo against them because they shut up the kingdome of heaven against men Mat 23.13 they neither go in themselves nor suffer them that are entring to go in This concerneth all such Ministers Vse 4 which are also masters of families for if the aforementioned faults be found in us as they are too frequent in too many by how much our double calling requireth it more at our hand by so much our sinne is more aggravated and our case more wofull Vse 5 All that are or may be governours are hereby exhorted unto three things First they must charge this duty of teaching their family upon their conscience Secondly they must acquaint themselves with the chiefe Principles of religion else they cannot teach others And it will be a shame unto them when for time and calling men should bee teachers they have need that one teach them againe which be the first Principles of the Oracles of God Heb. 5.12 Thirdly let them in the feare of God take all occasions to teach such as belong unto them setting some time apart to call the familie together for that purpose and if need be use the help of some short familiar Catechisme and at all times as opportunitie serveth be dropping in of knowledge and whetting of some good thing or other upon them Deut. 6.7 as you sit in the house or when you walke by the way when you lie downe and when you rise up In thus doing you shall discharge your dutie to God Motives why governours should teach thei◠people to be religious you shall shew true love to your familie love to goodnesse and hatred of sin you shall make proofe of your owne conversion you shall be freed certainly from the infection of their sinne if you bee not from the vexation you shal much increase your knowledge by teaching though you teach but the unlearned For this instructing the familie is a meane to come to the knowledge of those secrets of God of which yet you never heard God will reveale his will to such he cannot hide it as he saith of Abraham Gen. 18.17 19. Shal I hide from Abraham c. why not from Abraham For I know him saith God that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keepe the way of the Lord c. Lastly the teaching of our familie is an excellent meanes to further our owne practise in godlinesse for hee that is privie to himselfe that he knoweth his dutie yea that he hath taught others the same his conscience hereupon will urge him to teach himselfe be it to pray or to heare the word c. Thus the conscience hath a sharper spurre to pricke forward to goodnesse and hath a stronger bit or checke to curbe and restraine from evill then otherwise it could have One halfe of these motives nay any one of them might perswade any that is not
a master where is my feare It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good saith good Eli 1 Sam. 3.18 Reason 2 Gods will take it of things to be done or suffered besides that it is soveraigne and absolute Rom. 7.12 it is holy equall and good And good is the word which thou hast spoken saith Hezekiah Isa 39.8 Whereas on the contrarie the will of Satan and of the flesh is starke naught Great cause therefore why Gods will should be done and be preferred before all other wills Reason 3 The end why God doth make knowne his will unto the sonnes of men Deut 6.1 is that that they should do it and submit unto it Christ did therfore redeeme Reason 4 man that as Peter saith they should no longer live the rest of their time in the flesh according to the lusts or wil of men but according to the will of God 1. Pet. 4 2. The chiefe heads to which the will of God may bee reduced are these First that men should perfectly know his will Secondly that they should perfectly obey it thus much the Law of pure nature taught before the fall Thirdly sith all have sinned and even after conversion do in many things sinne it is the will of God that men should be convinced of their sinne Act. 2.38 be penitent for it confesse it and aske him forgivenesse through Christ Iesus Fourthly when men have done this his will is 1. Ioh. 3.23 that they should beleeve what Christ hath done and suffered for them beleeving in him and relying upon him for pardon for obtaining of grace and for everlasting salvation Fiftly his will is that all that beleeve in him and that endeavour to live holily and righteously should hope stedfastly and be assured that they through Christ shall be for ever glorified Sixthly that in the meane time they bee thankfull for Gods goodnesse towards them in everie condition and that they patiently fruitfully and comfortably beare whatsoever afflictions they shall meete with in the way waiting when God shall accomplish all his promises to them in Christ unto their everlasting glory Vse 1 The greater number of Christians in name come here to be reproved because they are willingly ignorant of Gods will and wilfully disobedient nay as if that were not bad enough they cannot abide any that strive to walke according unto the strict rule of Gods holy commandments but are all for following the course of this world the wil of Satan Eph. 2.2.3 and lusts of the flesh in all manner of disobedience of Law and Gospell These may see how contrarie they are to their profession which in word can say Disswasives from disobedience to Gods will Thy wil be done but indeed do the contrarie God cannot brooke this abhominable dissembling howsoever they thinke of themselves these remaine yet children of wrath Ephe. 2.3 Ephe. 5. â— because they remaine children of disobedience They are yet in the power of sinne Rom. 6.16 for his servants they are whom they obey These men cannot scape without punishment He that knoweth not his masters will is worthy of stripes saith our Saviour But he that knoweth his masters will Luk. 12.47.48 and yet prepareth not neither doth according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes Disobedience is a dishonour to God so saith the Apostle to the hypocriticall boasters of the Law Rom 2.23.24 Through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God For the Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you And it doth exasperate God exceedingly he could not else have beene so much provoked by Adams and Eve's transgressing his will by eating the forbidden fruit a thing for matter small as to curse the whole world in such sort that it groaneth under the burthen of it unto this day and also to damne all men in eternall flames had not the very Sonne of God by taking the curse upon himselfe saved a chosen number of them How did Sauls disobedience provoke the Lord against him who because he rejected the word of the Lord 1. Sam. 15.23 the Lord rejected him Yet his fact was such as carnall reason could and did say much in excuse of it but it was disobedience Yet who more readie to presume that the wrath of God shall be farre from them in the evill day than such as will not do the will of God but take pleasure in iniquitie and are workers thereof They will crie Lord Lord Luk. 13.26.27 hast thou not taught in our streets and Lord Lord open unto us The Lord abhorreth this scraping of acquaintance with him saying Mat. 25.11.12 Depart from me I know yea not ye workers of iniquitie there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherfore let no willing transgressour of Gods will deceive himselfe nor suffer any man to deceive him for Ephe. 5.6 for such things sake commeth the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience For this is most certaine that Christ commeth in flaming fire to render vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Thess 1.8 Vse 2 Let all that professe the Name of God study to know and endeavour to submit their will to Gods will in al things let them bewaile the ignorance and rebelliousnesse of their owne and other mens evill hearts that with David they may say Psal 119.136 Rivers of waters runne down their eyes because they keepe not Gods Law Motives unto obedience to Gods will 1 Nothing pleaseth God more than to see his children to order their conversation aright and to finish the works he giveth them to do he hath not so much delight in burnt-offerings as in obeying the voyce of the Lord Behold saith Samuel 1. Sam. 15.22 to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken is better than the fat of rammes Secondly the Lord is much glorified when his servants and children submit themselves to his will both in doing and suffering Ioh. 17.4 I have glorified thee on earth saith Christ to his Father this he maketh to appeare thus I have finished the worke which thou hast given me to doe The Apostle having resolved to keepe a good conscience saith be knoweth Christ shall bee magnified in his body Phil. 1.20 whether by life or death Thirdly this is the way to gaine the reputation and honour of wise men Eph. 4 17. Be not unwise saith the Apostle but understand what the will of the Lord is Deut. 4.6 And this is your wisedome and understanding in the sight of the nations Fourthly by doing Gods will wee shall come to more knowledge of his will Ioh. 7.17 If any man will doe his will hee shall know of the doctrine saith Christ whether it be of God or no. Act. 13.22 To fulfill Gods will is to be a man according to Gods owne heart Fiftly it is to approve a mans selfe to bee
words doth expresse the desires of a naturall life but spendeth more words about the spirituall life in the two last petitions Againe Gods indulgence and yeeldance unto mans weakenesse might cause this order giving him leave to aske things more sensible thereby raising him to aske spirituall As our Saviour by curing mens bodies did leade them on to know that he could and would cure their soules letting it appeare to them he could as easily say Thy sinnes are forgiven thee as to say Rise and walke In like manner men may by the experiment they have of Gods power and goodnesse to preserve the body be led to seeke unto him with assurance that he both can and will save their soules That this petition may the better bee understood consideration must bee had of the matter-subject of the desire namely having of bread circumstances which cōcerne the having of this bread The thing expresly desired is bread which doth not signifie supersubstantiall and spirituall bread viz. the Sacrament for the administration thereof was prayed for in the second petition and the bread here spoken of is to be desired every day but the Sacrament not so By bread therfore is first meant that which properly wee call bread Also according to a borrowed forme of speech ordinary in Scripture it signifieth all manner of food Hee giveth to the beast as it is word for word his bread that is his food Psal 147.9 Goates milke is called bread well translated food Pro. 27.27 I could multiply Scriptures in this kinde In like sort by another borrowed forme of speech by this one kinde of sustenance he meaneth all kindes whatsoever whether meate or drinke whatsoever also is needfull for preservation of life as cloathes houses c. Also by bread are meant the causes and good effects of bread as fruitfull seasons good temperature of ayre health and chearefulnesse as the Apostle saith He filled our hearts with food and gladnesse Acts 14.17 In a word all things which may preserve life or restore health as Physicke skilfull and faithfull Physitians peace and good order and all good meanes to maintaine it as a wise and couragious magistracie a strong populous loyall and loving commonalty And whatsoever is contrary hereunto is prayed against as famine pestilence wars sickenesse paine c. The circumstances which concerne the having this bread and meanes of life are divers in number sixe They doe respect 1 The person of whom bread must be asked scil God implyed in Give thou 2 The meanes of obtaining it scil by gift expressed in Give 3 The persons for whom meanes of life is desired scil themselves Vs. others Vs. 4 The time when they would have bread This day 5 The propietie whose bread scil their owne Our 6 The portion both how much and of what sort daily The person of whom all temporall good things are sought is God implyed in the word give and the words of invocation scil Our Father to bee understood in every petition The meanes of maintenance is from God not by restoring any thing hee doth owe unto man but by gift give which hath this full sense give possession give right give continuance give leave to use give a blessing to the use of daily bread The persons for whom bread is asked are us every one upon earth who now are or may be Gods children The time when this bread should be given is restrained to the present time this day The propriety not such bread whereto they have neither spirituall nor civill right or onely civill or onely spirituall but our bread that which wee have true right to in Christ and amongst men The portion how much and of what kind of maintenance is contained in the word daily Daily doth not set out the time when they would have bread For that was signified in this day in which words the time when was precisely determined and our Saviour in so short a forme of prayer would not make needlesse additions But daily bread signifieth such kinde of meanes and so much maintenance as their daily and next necessities doe require all such supply for our naturall well being as we have next need of or such as one day after another successively our estate and condition needeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proximè sequens So the word in ordinary acception will beare it But that I may give a sound and cleare exposition of daily bread I referre the Reader unto other phrases of Scripture vvhich carry the same sence with daily bread as first to Iob 23.12 and Pro. 30.8 which is the best Commentary of this petition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it is the very same petition with this We reade there an attribute given to bread vvhich signifieth a necessary food diet or ordinary or appointed food or food of a mans allowance or convenient food This very thing is expressed in the Greeke by divers vvords and phrases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dimensum Luke 12.42 It signifieth a mans stint or part where he alludeth unto the care of governours of families of stewards vvho doe appoint to all sorts in the house their severall portions and allowances In Iames 2.15 the vvords translated daily food 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same in sence vvith daily bread and are expounded by Iames in the sixteenth verse to be things needfull for the body All these places conferred together shevv evidently that by daily bread is meant convenient provision of food apparell and all other things vvhich the necessity of the person or estate of any man doth require The petition thus interpreted hath this sense O heavenly Father in whom we live and have our being who onely canst fill the hearts of men with food and gladnesse sith we cannot glorifie thee on earth in doing thy will except thou doe sustaine us upon earth vouchsafe therefore unto mee and all the rest of thy children that for this present day wee may have possession right and blessing upon that allowance and convenient supply of food and maintenance which our present condition doth stand in need of Yea afford all such meanes as may make our lives comfortable unto us Be pleased likewise good Father to prevent and remove whatsoever may hinder the welfare of our naturall life so farre as may stand with thy good will and pleasure that while we live wee may both in body and soule lo rifie thee Give us this day our daily bread After Christ had taught his Disciples first to aske the things that did concerne Gods glory in the three first petitions then he willeth them to aske such things as did concern their owne good in the three last petitions Whence it followeth that When any man hath unfainedly desired and sought the things which pertaine to Gods honour and glory Doct. 1 he may then with good warrant pray for and expect all good things for himselfe both for body and soule When the Israelites
God calleth to fasting prayer whether they be led thereto through superstition and a deluded conscience or through worldly discontentments or through any other cause they must know that they stand guiltie of most ungratefull refusing the gracious leave which God hath given them to make use of the good things of this life But if a man set so little by his life that he offer violence to himself by poysoning or otherwise by any meanes this man passeth all bounds of grace and nature 1. Tim. 5.8 he is not onely worse than an Infidel but worse than the bruit beasts For what beast doth not in his kind desire meat of God and when God giveth meat Psal 104.28 they gather it And what beast is it that doth either starve poyson or any way kill it selfe willingly Vse 2 Let every Christian assure himselfe that he may lawfully desire the things of this life He must therefore pray and use all good and lawfull meanes how to live in this world onely the manner how must bee considered scil that it be after we have sought Gods glory as hath beene taught Also it must be considered of whom by what meanes for whom for what time in what right and in what measure or wherewith we would have our wants supplied all which particulars are taught in this Petition Remembring alwayes that all desires in this Petition are conditionall scil if they may stand with Gods good will and pleasure It will be said Ob. If we seek the kingdome of God Matt. 6.33 all these things for this life shall be ministred unto us And that our Saviour saith Labour not for the meat which perisheth Ioh. 6.27 I answer that in Matth. 6. it is not said Sol. Seeke onely the kingdome of God but first that is seeke it chiefly And the promise of having all things for this life doth not exclude the lawful meanes to get them but rather assureth us that because God hath care of meaner creatures which can use no means to help them therefore if his own children shal til the ground sow shall spin and labour he would much more blesse their labours that they should not want Also Christs exhortation in Ioh. 6. is not absolute but comparative namely that of the two he would have them rather seeke for that which is spirituall and everlasting than for that which is corporall and perishing Notwithstanding these places or any thing else that can bee objected Iam 4 2. Iames said the cause why men had not was because they did not aske And the Apostle Paul commandeth to labour with the hands the thing that is good Eph. 4.28 that we may have to give to them that need Wherefore let everie man know what is Gods wil in this behalfe and let him pray unfainedly and labour diligently that he may live in this world as well as that which is to come They are to know that they may also pray against all temporall and bodily crosses as famine sicknesse warres and may use all good means to prevent and remove them But what meanes soever bee used prayer must be one 1. Chron. 16.12 It was Asa his fault not that he did seeke to the Physitians for health but because he sought onely to the Physitians and not to the Lord. It may be objected Ob. It is good to be afflicted Psal 119.71 And Ieremie saith Correct us Lord. Ier. 10.24 Afflictions in themselves are evil they are fruits of sinne Sol. they also occasion men to sinne Therefore Agur prayeth that he might not be poore that is so needie as to be destitute of daily food and clothing lest saith he I steale Pro. 30.8.9 and take the Name of my God in vaine Yet is it most true which David saith But afflictions are good by accident through Gods gracious working of humiliation and repentance by them of themselves they are not good It is no good argument to say Afflictions do worke for our good therefore wee may pray for them or we must not pray against them For the very sinnes of Gods children through the infinite wisedome and power of God may and oft do worke much for their good yet in no case may be prayed for but alwayes prayed against The Prophet Ieremie doth not pray absolutely that hee might be corrected but as the case then stood betwixt God and his Church sith God was forced to correct them he desireth that the correctiō might be in judgement and moderation as a fruit of his fatherly love and not in extremitie as proceeding from his wrath and heavie displeasure The verie words do shew this sense for he saith Correct me but in judgement not in thine anger He doth in this case onely deprecate the greater evill of punishment and willingly submitteth himselfe unto the lesse Wherefore notwithstanding any thing that can bee said against it If any man be afflicted let him pray for we have a precept for it Iam. 5.13 We have also a promise God himselfe saith Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Psa 50.15 Give This word sheweth that the person of whom things needfull for this life are to bee had is our Father which is in heaven the means by which we have possession and use of them is by his gift not our deserts It doth therefore follow The having holding and comfortable Doct. 3 enjoying of all things needfull for this life is of the free gift of God Elihu saith He giveth meat in abundance Iob 36.32 That thou givest they gather saith David Psal 104.28 And Thou givest them their meat in due season Psalm 145.15 All things come of thee 1. Chron. 29.14 Therefore it was the manner of our Saviour alwayes before he did eate Mar. 6.41 14.22 Luk. 24.30 to blesse it asking his Fathers leave to use it with a blessing upon it So did the Apostle He tooke bread and gave thanks to God in presence of them all Act. 27.35 The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof 1. Cor. 10.26 And though he made it for mans use and as the Psalmist saith Psal 119.16 hath given it to the children of men yet hath he reserved the right in himselfe to dispose of it to this or that person both what he pleaseth and as much or as little as seemeth good to him And when hee hath disposed of any parcell of his goods to any men they hold them but as stewards to be accountable to him their master and are but tenants at the meere will and pleasure of him their Lord. Therefore he must give both to have and to hold the things even of this life or they cannot rightfully be held by any man When men have all things Reas 2 needfull in their possession yet another gift of Gods blessing must be added else all they have will not availe them Luk. 12. All the rich fooles plenty could not continue
and with assurance of what they hope to have Phil. 4.6 and need be carefull in nothing For God according to the graciousnesse of his nature and truth of his promise doth care for them Doth not this open a gap to idlenesse improvidence Quest and unthriftinesse which are condemned in the Scripture the contraries whereof are commanded expresly and commended in the examples of good men and women yea of the very Ant or Pismire Pro 6.6.8 which provideth her meat in Summer and gathereth her food in harvest to which silly creature the Lord sendeth the sluggard to learne thrift and providence Doth not this likewise disallow all laying up of money or money-worth against old age or for posterity Answ To seeke to God for provision for the present day onely and then to leave the care of what wee shall have hereafter to God is not contrary to diligence in a calling providence to gather and thrift to save and lay up what God by his blessing hath bestowed upon any man It should be in Gods great familie as it is in some well ordered families among men the master of the familie beareth the burthen of care and providing meate and drinke and other necessaries the servants and children need care for nothing but to doe their worke If the master provide them their dinner and supper and lodging c. this is all they care for yet these servants if they be faithfull will bee painefull and provident for their master that there may be plenty brought in out of which they might have their daily allowance Therefore in harvest these servants reap and carry into the barn more in one day than need bee spent in many daies Yet their care is but for the present though their providence be for time to come So it is between the great Lord of all the earth and his servants he appointeth every man his worke in a lawfull calling a great part of his worke is to earne and gather in such things as may maintain him and his that there may be meate in Gods familie for a mans selfe and for his fellow servants as God shall please to distribute Here is labour providence and laying up by the servant but all is for the Lord his master When much is thus gathered into Gods barnes and storehouses say they be mens owne houses yet this servant should onely expect his dinner and supper and other maintenance from his master for the present day leaving the care of provision upon God it is not meet he should be his own carver This doctrine opposeth onely care of distrust and carking about what shall bee had hereafter doubting of Gods providence and successe of their labours but not the care of a wise providence to gather by lawfull meanes things meete for this life nor yet the care for laying up for them and theirs for God alloweth that when a man hath payed his debts Rom. 13.8 Eccles 3.12 and that he and his have comfortably injoyed a part according to the condition of their place and occasions and after that pious and charitable uses have taken up another part then the overplus may nay must be saved and reserved for afterwards Our Saviour would have the remainder of the loaves and fishes gathered up Ioh. 6.12 that nothing be lost And it doth belong to Parents to lay up for their children 2 Cor. 12.14 It is comfortable to Gods Vse 3 children to consider that God will have them be at his finding every day they may bee sure therefore if they will trust to this they shall be well provided for And seeing it is his will they shall aske their maintenance every day of him they have good leave and good occasion to increase an holy acquaintance with God by comming oft into his presence and speaking oft unto him Besides if the thiefe or vermine or any casualtie deprive us of what we thought should have maintained us we may go to him boldly for more for if wee depend on him according as hee hath commanded us it concerneth him to provide for us He hath store and great plenty he will provide for his children that which shal be sweet and good and enough It will not stand with his honour that his children should want No man under the Sunne can live more merrily more securely than Gods children may do for they need care for nothing but to please God Though there are many things for which they must labour in their calling yet there is nothing for which they need to care The children of Israel might lye downe and sleepe securely in the wildernesse when they had not one morsell of bread against to morrow for the morrow-day brought with it Manna provision for to morrow this was because God sustained them Psal 3 5. Psal 4.8 This holy security wee should alwaies have for it is the Lord which sustaineth us also This day Therefore bread must be asked every day If this petition for bread then the other petitions also whence we are taught Prayers must be made to God Doct. 6 every day It was Davids use At evening morning and at noone to pray and cry aloud unto God Psal 55.17 Daniel prayed three times a day and gave thankes before his God as he did aforetime it was his custome Dan. 6.10 The daily morning and evening sacrifice appointed in the Law doth teach as much Prayer and thanks are testifications Reas 1 of dependance upon God every day which worship and homage is therefore due unto him every day Gods glory kingdome and Reas 2 will are opposed every day And man hath need of bread forgivenesse of sinnes and new supply of grace every day Reas 3 Omission of prayer but one day giveth Satan great advantage Besides disuse of prayer doth so estrange the heart from God that there followeth unwillingnesse and difficultie to set about the worke of prayer againe any day Vse 1 It is therefore a fault to bee seldome in prayer If a man let a day passe and doe not make a solemne prayer to his God hee must charge himselfe with a great fault Into this fault many do fall daily for they let not dayes but weeks and moneths passe and never make an hearty prayer unto God in faith It may bee in their extremities they will howle and cry and sometime when their leisure serves God shall be beholding to them for a few words of prayer But know that not to pray daily is the very guise of hypocrites Iob. 27.10 Will he alwaies call upon God saith Iob He that will pray but seldome but now and then may justly expect that God will heare him never for of such he saith Pro. 1.28 They shall call upon me and I will not answer What shall I say then to those that doe not onely utterly neglect this duty themselves but despise all other that doe make it their practise daily to call upon God The Prophet doth set this as a brand
act in respect of the Father Son holy Ghost in the first act of Faith and conversion of a sinner whereby the person of a man stands justified before God and shall without intercision of justification and losse of this favour of God stand before the barre of Gods tribunall and is and alwaies shall be absolutely justified and acquitted from all sinnes past present to come because all obligations hand-writings against him are in that act cancelled and blotted out he forgiving all trespasses Colos 2.13.14 Yet it must be knowne that of this act there is as it were a double sentence First in Court of heaven at which time the elect in Christ have their names inrolled in the booke of Gods effectuall calling and are numbred among the just which sentence can never be revoked or blotted out this is that which was passed with God that I may so speake after the manner of men in the first act of conversion Secondly this sentence of forgivenesse is passed in the court of the conscience of him that had the former sentence pronounced for him in heaven This sentence is the second act of the holy Ghost wrought in this manner First after that a sinner is cōvinced of his guiltines of sin and of his damnable condition because of his sinne then forgivenesse is offered and pronounced to the eare in that gracious promise of salvation to all that beleeve in Christ Iesus which promise is proclaimed in the ministerie of the Gospell in which light of the Gospell he sheweth unto a man possibility of salvation setting before him I speake of men of yeeres and understanding Christ the meanes of salvation and by this meanes the holy Ghost worketh faith in Christ then confession and griefe for sinne then prayer to aske forgivenesse and grace to live godly and then doth witnesse to his spirit that he is accepted of God Thus sentence is pronounced in the conscience from whence ariseth sense of Gods love which is called the shedding abroad of the love of God in our hearts by the holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 also sense of the loving countenance of God Psal 4.6 7. which is the signe of his loving kindnesse and is that speech of God by which he doth say to our soules he is our salvation and then ariseth in our hearts peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost This sentence of forgivenesse unto the conscience hath different degrees it is sometimes more cleare in the apprehension of the soule somtimes more dimme yea sometimes quite blotted out in the counterpane of our release or copie of our acquittance as it was with David Psal 51. so that a person perfectly just before God hath sometime little or no sense or apprehension of it in his owne conscience but doubteth whether he be in state of grace or no. Which happeneth because of the staine and guilt of new sinnes which guilt abideth in the conscience untill a man do confesse his sinnes repent and aske forgivenesse and by a renewed faith apply forgivenes by which meanes the evidence of his pardon is againe by the holy Ghost exemplified and sentence by this new application is againe pronounced in his conscience whence ariseth new assurance of salvation and renewed joy in the holy Ghost This is that justification which for distinction sake Divines call justification by parts or continued or repeated justification or new application of one and the same justification which justification though in respect of the sentence pronounced in heaven is one individuall act whereby a man standeth alwayes just before God yet in respect of the pronouncing of that sentence to the heart it is not actually applyed neither can a particular sinne be said to be everie way actually forgiven untill after it have beene committed is confessed and repented of nor untill forgivenesse be asked and until the holy Ghost hath made new application thereof unto the conscience through renewing of faith by which a man doth againe and againe as new sinnes are committed apply the merits of the bloud of Christ unto his soule Also it must be knowne that the sentence of pardon which is passed in heaven with God is not fully executed untill the last degree of it when sentence of absolution shall be pronounced by Christ Iesus Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Matt. 25.34 It must moreover be conceived and held that notwithstanding this distinction of justification betweene an absolute justification in respect of God and a justification by parts in respect of application to mans conscience there are not two kindes of justification a first and a second as the Papists hold but one and the same justification considered in different respects In respect of Gods actuall acceptation of a mans person justification is absolute but in respect of the actuall application and manifestation of Gods acceptation unto a mans conscience justification is by parts and degrees When a man alreadie justified asketh forgivenesse he doth not ask a new justificatiō but a second or new application of pardon unto the conscience of those particular sinnes which are daily committed together with continuance of Gods favour and more cleare evidence that he is sealed up unto the day of redemption The third thing to be spoken of for the better understanding the word forgive concerneth the effects following the apprehension thereof these are Peace of conscience Rom 5.1 Ro. 14.17 and joy in the holy Ghost These things touching justification and remission of sinnes being opened we may understand what is prayed for when we say Forgive sinnes Wee pray first that those which belong unto Gods election but are not yet converted may be accepted of God through Christ Iesus God not imputing their sinnes to them but unto Christ whereby they are freed from the curse We pray likewise that Christs righteousnes may be imputed to them that they beleeving in Christ might bee saved and for that cause pray that they may beleeve Secondly wee pray that our selves and others being justified and accepted into favour it would please the Lord to continue this his favour and that he would signifie and make the same knowne to our hearts and consciences daily by a new testification of the holy Ghost accompanied with a new application of pardon for new sinnes daily committed and that wee may have more and more assurance of our perfect redemptiō at the day of judgement and that we may have peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost in the meane time The particular circumstances in this Petition come next to bee laid open which are three First the connexion of this Petition by this copulative and that is As well forgive sinnes as give daily bread The second is the person who is to forgive that is God the Father through the satisfaction and mediation of the Sonne by the application of the holy Ghost Thus much is implyed in forgive in which
deed and it may bee said that God worketh in man according to mans good pleasure and not according to his owne good pleasure And thus man shall have matter of glorying and boasting in himselfe because he hath differenced and discerned himselfe by his willing to beleeve to repent and to convert and to resist a temptation when another who had alike sufficiencie of grace and had God alike readie to joyne with him to helpe him yet would not beleeve repent convert or resist a temptation The truâ—â— to be maintained touching this point is that the beginning proceeding and consummation of a mans regeneration and sanctification is of the free grace of God in man without any cause in man moving him thereunto And the cause why he giveth unto some men faith repentance power Rom. 9.11 16.18 Eph. 2.4 5 1 Pet. 2.10 Act. 19.9 against temptations and not to others this is not because he findeth in some good dispositions and such good workes which he findeth not in others but of his meere will and pleasure For God hath mercy on whom he will that is he softeneth hearts and giveth grace to beleeve c. to whom hee will and he hardeneth that is leaveth into impenitencie and unbeleefe whom he will This Doctrine of Gods free and full grace in the worke of sanctification doth also overthrow the merit of workes done by men in state of grace For even then every good worke is done by the continuance and new supplie of Gods grace Now if the doing of good works which are fruits of sanctification be of grace how can they merit This also discovereth the ignorance Vse 2 and folly of such as presume that they can presist temptations at their pleasure and therfore presumptuously runne into manifold occasions of sin and that they can repent when they will and this they thinke they will do hereafter intending to convert and to be godly before they dye thus the devill and a deluded and deceitfull heart doth misleade them For if God give them not grace to resist a temptation and if God convert them not and give them repentance 2. Tim. â— 26 Satan will hold them captive at his will and they will by reason of the hardnesse and impenitency of theâ—â— hearts Rom 2.5 treasure up to themselveâ— wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God Moreover how doth any man know that God will give him grace hereafter who hath refused and daily doth refuse and resist Gods grace tendred in the Ministery of his Word for the present If he do it is more then ordinary for his ordinary dealing with such sinners is that because they refuse and continue long to refuse when he calleth therefore he giveth them up unto their owne hearts lusts Psal 81.12 that they walk in their owne counsels and either he never giveth them a will to seeke unto him or if he giveth them ever any will to seek him it shall be to seeke him with a meere selfe-serving and so that when they call he will not bee found of them Prov. 1.24.28 For they will not seeke him with their whole heart We heard before in the prosecution of the doctrine how much holinesse deserved to bee desired now would we obtaine it then according as wee are taught by this doctrine we must seek it of God let us say to him Turne thou us Ier. 31.9 and we shall bee turned And with David let us wish Psal 11â— 18 36. O that my wayes were directed to keepe thy statutes Open thou mine eyes that J may behold wondrous things out of thy Law And Incline mine heart to thy testimonies and not to covetousnesse And Set a watch O Lord before my mouth keepe the dore of my lips Incline not my heart to any evil thing Psal 141.3.4 And Ps 139.24 Leade me in the way everlasting Let us use all those meanes which he hath ordained to preserve us from sinne let us betake our selves to the Christian armour Ephes 6.13 and resist whatsoever opposeth it selfe to the will of God But this resistance must not be in the power of our owne might but in the power of GODS might through whom it is that the weapons of our warfare doe beat downe the strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4.5 and doe bring into captivitie every thought to the obedience of Christ If we doe thus we shall stand fast in the evill day even in the day of the fiercest temptations Vse 4 Lastly hath any man obtained mercy of God to have power to resist temptations or to recover himselfe out of his sin and is he made able to doe any thing that is good let him take notice that this was of Gods free grace and that it was wholy of his grace He must to the praise of God acknowledge that all is of God nothing of himselfe Hee must acknowledge that God is not onely the Author or beginner Heb. 12.2 Phil. 1.6 but also the perfecter of our faith and that he is not onely the beginner of the good worke of conversion in him but that he hath beene and will be the performer and perfecter of it unto the day of Christ And as wee praise him for that he made us Psa 100.3 and not wee our selves so we must praise him for that he hath regenerated and new made us Iam. 1 1â— and not wee our selves being moved hereunto not by any thing in us But as he of his owne will begat us with the word of truth so of his owne will by the same word of his grace Acts 20.32 he doth build us up further till hee give us an inheritance amongst all those that are sanctified If wee will doe this seriously it will keepe us from three of the greatest sins which a Christian is incident to into which he will certainly fall if this present consideration and the like doe not restraine him These are spirituall pride contempt of our weake brethren and unthankefulnesse to God For let our graces bee never so many and never so excellent how can a man thinke highly of his owne worth or meanely of his brother when hee considereth that all he hath is nothing but what he received 1 Cor. 4.6.7 And the more graces wee see in us the more thankefull we will bee to God which gave them to us Let us therefore see God in every good grace we have and in every good worke wee doe then shall wee remaine low in our owne eyes mercifull to our brethren and thanekfull to our God But let us in our thanksgiving give the whole praise of every good worke to God not part to God and part to our selves which is to rob God of all For sith God deserveth all if we give not all unto him hee taketh it as if we gave him none at all Leade thou us not c. but deliver thou us Here note that Gods owne leading of men into
so well conceited of his Poperie as he looketh to winne heaven by it Ioh 16.2 The persecutour thinketh he doth God good service in molesting such as feare him The swearer thinketh his speech doth not sound well and is without all grace if it be not filled up with oathes The covetous the voluptuous the vaine-glorious all of them applaude themselves in their wayes as if they were good though as Solomon saith the issue there of is the way of death Pro. 14.12 It standeth sin upon that the devill and wicked men should transforme themselves and transforme sin and put some goodly painting upon it to make it seeme good else no reasonable man could be brought to commit it for the will of man doth by vertue of its meere nature so perfectly abhorre evill it being the proper object of detestation that it would alwayes shunne it therefore there is put an appearance of good upon it wherby it may deceive But woe be unto them that call evill good and good evill that put darknesse for light and light for darknesse Isa 5 2â— Vse 2 Doth Christ call sinne evill then let us beleeve him and not our owne lying hearts nor yet the father of lyes who would beare us in hand that sinne is not evil But let us alwayes conceive of every sinfull act as 〈◊〉 evil naughtie hurtfull act and let it be our greatest care to avoid sinne Oh if we could represent the acts of sinne under the name of an evill act unto our apprehensions our will would at the first motion loathe and detest it more then it doth a toad and a serpent and would either kill it or runne from it Whensoever therefore wee are tempted unto sinne let us see it as it is a most evill thing let us account of it as it is a most evill thing And whatsoever colours be set upon it or whatsoever good meanes it is called by if the thing so called be a transgression of Gods law let us call it a most evill and most abhominable thing Yea we must conceive of every sinfull action and must account it a greater evill then the eternall torments of hell For the least evill of sinne is greater then the greatest evill of punishment for the greatest punishment is an effect of Gods righteous hand but the least sin is contrary to God it is very enmitie unto his holinesse If sinne might appeare to everie reasonable soule to be as it is such an evill as hath beene said it would worke griefe and repentance of sinnes past and hatred and departing from sinne for ever afterward Vse 3 Lastly how thankfull should all Gods children be to him because he doth preserve and deliver us out of sinne out of the great evill every day and wee have his word that he will continue this grace untill we shall be presented to himselfe without any spot of this evill in the day of the Lord He doth not only pardon us and free us from the guilt and punishment of our sinnes but which is no lesse mercy he doth deliver us from the power of sin he delivereth us from evil We must therefore magnifie the Lord and say Who is a God like thee Mica 7.19 who doest not onely pardon but wilt subdue our iniquitie And with David let us call upon our soules to praise God because as he forgiveth all our iniquities so also he healeth all our diseases that is Psal 103.3 he doth sanctifie us delivering us from all evill For thine is the kingdome and the power and the glorie for ever These words containe the reason of all the petitions it is delivered in an exact forme of thanksgiving so that it doth excellently serve both to confirme the faith of him that prayeth and to give glory unto him that is prayed unto The Evangelist Saint Luke doth not mention this clause It is probable that when our Saviour did teach his disciples in private at the request of one of his disciples he did onely teach them how to make petitions but when hee taught them in publicke he did adde this clause to teach them as well how to praise him and give him thanks as to pray unto him and make requests It is sufficient for our learning that any one Evangelist hath recorded it In this clause wee have the note that sheweth that these words are a reason of the former requests in the word for Then wee have the arguments or grounds of the reason which are taken from certaine respeâ—â— in God which do minister matter of faith assuring them that they had cause to aske and expect of God all the former petitions and do also minister matter of praise shewing what cause there is why all glorie should be given unto him These respects of God are three Soveraigntie Power Glory which are set forth by the appropriating particle thine whereby these three Kingdome Power and Glory are ascribed as proper to God Thine is kingdome c. and also with the copulative and conjoyning the two latter respects or priviledges in God with the former and the power and the glory All which three are illustrated by their continuance for ever Kingdome signifieth Gods absolute soveraigntie over all things to whom onely it appertaineth of right to forgive and to give at his pleasure therefore they make their suite unto him Power signifieth that all-sufficiencie in God whereby he is able to do all things according to the good pleasure of his will Many have kingdome so that it pertaineth to them to help their subjects but want power as it was with the King of Israel who said in the famine 2 Kin. 2.27 If the Lord do not helpe whence shall I helpe But as it belongeth unto God to heare the petitions of his subjects so he hath power to grant whatsoever they shall have need of hence the petitioner gathereth assurance that he shall have his petitions granted Glory is that high estimation honour and praise which is due to any person for their worth and goodnesse this is originally in God as well as soveraigntie and power and in that respect is appropriated to him Wherefore when it is said Thine is the glory thus much is implied that as all glorie and praise is due to him so they do now give it to him And if he shall grant their requests it will be for his glory therefore they are bold to make these petitions and hope to speed in their suites whereas though it appertaineth unto God and he were able yet if the things asked were not for his honour and glory he would never grant them For ever is to be applied unto kingdome power and glorie namely it doth now and shall alwayes belong to his prerogative royall because kingdome is his to heare the petitions of his people He is now and shall for ever be able to helpe them he now hath and shall for evermore have glorie and praise ascribed unto him for granting their requests
adversaries that presume upon their owne strength shall faint but they that waite upon the Lord shall renew their strength Asa did confirme himselfe against an hoast of more than a thousand thousand enemies by this point in hand saying to the Lord 2. Chron. 14.11 It is nothing with thee to helpe whether with many or with them that have no power And whereas Gods children are many of them little and weak and their adversaries mightie and strong yet if they lay hold on the power of Gods might they shall stand in the evill day and bee sure to overcome Thus John encourageth all Gods children saying Ye are of God 1. Ioh. 4.4 little children and have overcome them because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world Paul comforteth himselfe in this when persecutours went about to take away his life 2. Tim. 2.12 saying I know whom I have beleeved and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I have committed unto him And hereby we know that our vile body shall be made like Christs glorious body Philip. 3.21 because of that mighty working whereby Christ is able to subdue all things to himselfe And we are assured of that inheritance incorruptible in the heavens because both it is reserved for us and we are kept for it by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1. Pet. 1.4.5 And thine is glory In that glory is appropriated unto God we learne All glory and praise primarily Doct. 5 and properly belongeth unto God Therefore the foure and twenty Elders ascribe glory and honour unto him Revel 4.11 Likewise all creatures in heaven and in earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them are brought in giving glorie and honour to him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lambe for ever and ever Revel 5.13 This is Reason because God onely is of himselfe excellent and glorious If any other persons or things have any excellencie or goodnesse they have it of God for of him Rom. 11.36 through him and to him are all things saith the Apostle to whom bee glory for ever Amen Who so would be further confirmed and would see what use he should make of this Doctrine let him look back into the first Doctrine of the first Petition For ever Here it must be observed that Doct. 5 All divine prerogatives and properties that are in God are everlasting His soveraigntie power and glorie and all his attributes had no beginning and shall have no ending Moses in the Psalme saith From everlasting to everlasting thou art God Psalm 90.2 The Apostle saith To the King eternall immortall c. be honour and glory for ever 1. Tim. 1.17 who also speaking of God in another place saith Who onely hath immortality c. to whom bee honour and power everlasting 1. Tim. 6.16 The nature of God is perfect and absolute without mixture Reason or composition of things contrary or divers so that there cannot be in him any internall cause of corruption and ending Also God is independant and above all other things that there can be no externall cause and therefore no cause that can cause any alteration in him or can put an end to his being therefore God must needs be the same yesterday to day and for ever Is God everlasting in everie Vse 1 one of his properties then let the wicked feare and tremble for the truth of all Gods threatnings in his word is everlasting heaven and earth shall passe but no jot of the truth of his Word shall be unfulfilled Hereby they must assure themselves that the intolerable torments of hell that are appointed for them are everlasting If there might be an end of Gods justice power and glorie there might be an end of torment but so long as God whose breath as a streame of brimstone Isa 30.33 doth kindle hell-fire is everlasting Mark 9. the gnawing worme and scorching fire made to torment every sinner must needs be everlasting Ah how can they endure this everlasting burning Isa 33.14 The thoughts of the eternitie Vse 2 of Gods properties are exceeding joyous and comfortable unto all that have made their peace with God through faith in Christ for his truth his grace and love and his power to save them 1. Thes 4.17 Psal 16.11 is everlasting By this we may assure our selves that after the day of judgement we shall both in body and soule ever be with the Lord in whose presence is fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore because he that hath promised and purchased and which hath prepared and reserved an eternall inheritance in the heavens for us 1. Pet. 1.4 ever liveth to fulfill and continue it to us Sith all Gods excellencies are Vse 3 everlasting we must daily and constantly for ever ascribe unto him glory everlasting Amen This is the second part of the Lords Prayer whereby is expressed the right disposition of the minde and heart of a man when he prayeth which is indeed the very life of prayer This Hebrew word Amen remaineth for the most part untranslated in Greeke Latin English and in all other languages It is used either in the beginning or ending of a speech In the beginning of a speech it importeth an earnest asseveration whereunto our saying verily or indeed or in very truth doth answer in this sense it is often used by Christ in the Gospell When it is in the latter end of a speech as here and in divers other places it signifieth two things either a wish of the heart to obtaine what is proposed or else a perswasion of the heart that it shall obtaine that which was proposed Oft times it signifieth both That Amen is a wish and desire of what was before spoken of it appeareth by Benaiah's answer to David when he had appointed Solomon to be ruler over Israel and over Iudah saying Amen which he doth explane by these words The Lord God of my Lord the king say so too 1. King 1.36 That Amen sheweth a perswasion of faith touching the thing before spoken of see Rom. 9.5 where when Paul had said of Christ that he was over all God blessed for ever he addeth Amen that is he was assuredly perswaded that it was so Amen in this place signifieth both the assent and wish of the heart as also assurance of faith and expectation of the petitions before mentioned These different acts of the soule scil a heartie wish and expectation of what is wished are not so different but that they may in one instant be acted at once in the heart and therefore may fitly be expressed in one word so long as the word Amen doth signifie both those acts of the soule As it expresseth the assent and desire of the heart it implieth knowledge truth of heart and fervor in asking As it expresseth faith of the heart it implieth an assured expectation to obtaine
the things asked This sense of Amen may be thus rendred O heavenly Father now that I have asked all these petitions according to thy will in the name of Christ I do heartily wish and desire againe and againe that thou wouldest grant them and I am perswaded and do expect that in the best time they shall be granted Amen As it signifieth assent of heart unto what was asked doth necessarily presuppose the understanding of what was asked Whence we may collect Doct. 1 Prayer must be made with understanding Whosoever praieth must know what it is that he prayeth for Sing ye praises with understanding saith the Psalmist Psal 47.7 I will pray with my understanding saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 14.15 meaning he would pray so that both he might understand himselfe and that others might understand him also Reason Every man must say Amen to his owne petitions as well as to the petitions that others do make for him for this Lords prayer is to be said in the closet as well as in the Church Now the Apostle saith he that occupieth the roome of the unlearned cannot say Amen at the giving of thanks if he understand not what is said by another There is the same reason why a man cannot say Amen to his owne prayers if he do not understand what he hath said This confuteth the Popish Vse 1 divinity which requireth no more in prayer then a generall good intention of the heart which is sufficient though it be not understood what is asked and though a particular attention of the minde be not added and I would it were onely the Papists errour This confuteth the Papists Latin service wherto the unlearned people cannot say Amen Whereas they say God understandeth Latin and doth like of devotion I answer he must understand what the heart saith as well as what the tongue vttereth and as for blind devotion such as that is which is without understanding hee doth abhorre it Yet this is a common fault not only among Papists but of the common sort of ignorant professors of the true religion for even many of them if they have said over their prayers doe thinke they have served God well and and are blest for that day when poore soules they do not vnderstand one halfe of what they speak Let all before spoken of understand that all uttering of words of prayer without understanding are but bare repetitions of words they are no prayers but mere babling which God detesteth Vse 2 Whensoever any man doth pray unto God let him bee sure that if he pray alone he do understand what it is that he uttereth before God and if hee bee the mouth of others that he expresse his desires in such words that those that heare him may understand him that both himselfe and others may indeed say Amen unto his prayer Amen This implieth intention and assent of heart unto all the petitions before mentioned Whence note The minde and heart must alwaies Doct. 2 bee conjoyned with the tongue or thought in prayer There must be truth and intention of heart in all prayers David saith his prayer did not go out of fained lips Psal 17.1 The Apostle saith Hee would pray and sing with the spirit as well as with the understanding 1 Cor. 14.15 The Lord did dislike the prayers of Israel because when they prayed they cryed unto him not with their heart Hoseah 7.14 He did likewise abhorre the praiers of the Pharisees because they onely drew neere unto God with their mouth and seemed to honour him with their lips but their heart was farre from him Mat. 15.8 Reas 1 Truth of heart and true intention of the minde unto the requests or thanks which a man doth offer is the very life of prayer without which words or thoughts in prayer are but an outside and carkasse of prayer and are mere hypocrisie Reas 2 The promise of hearing and granting requests is made only unto hearty and unfained prayers Yee shall seek me and finde me when ye shall search for me with all your heart saith the Lord Ierem. 29.13 And Christ saith whatsoever ye desire when ye pray beleeve that ye receive them and yee shall have them Mark 11.24 Vse 1 This is to discover and reprove much faultinesse in the prayers of many men of whom albeit it cannot alwayes bee said they pray not in understanding for they know what they say yet they may be charged with this fault that they do not pray in the spirit for they do not alwayes mind what themselves or others do utter in prayer or if they minde it do not heartily desire it or not desire all that is asked they will say Amen to the petition for dayly bread but say not Amen to thy will bee done or lead us not into temptation These offenders are of two sorts One sort never take notice of this their slightnesse and hypocrisie and are so farre from being humbled for their faylings that even for their hypocriticall service they expect God should respect them Thus did those Iewes Isaiah 58.3 who said Why have we fasted thou seest us not all such are in the power of hypocrisie who except they repent must expect to have their portion with hypocrites There are another sort of offenders in this kinde that through drowsinesse of body wandering of their thoughts and through an evill custome of slight and heedlesse praying alone or with others do not minde the things which they seeme to pray for but either have their thoughts suspended that they thinke on nothing or else have their thoughts on some other things than what are uttered in prayer but these either take themselves in the manner in the time of prayer whereat they grieve and presently call in their thoughts and fix their heart upon the present worke or at least when they have made an end of praying they will call their faylings to minde and humble themselves before God for them Albeit this latter sort are Gods children for the best are subject to slightnesse hollownesse and many wandring thoughts in prayer yet they must judge this manner of praying to be sinfull and must sufâ—er themselves to be reproved and must reprove themselves and take paines to avoid this evill of heedlesnesse and hypocrisie in prayer else how can they say Amen to their owne or other mens prayers when they did not give heed or attend unto prayer their prayers must needs be without spirit and life and therefore displeasing unto God This calleth upon every one Vse 2 which would make an acceptable prayer unto God to have a care that not onely the matter of his prayer be good and lawfull and that he also do understand what he uttereth but that his heart and spirit likewise do joyne in the uttering of every request and thanks that he offereth unto God The heart must be lift up unto God and be kept steady upon him and upon every confession petition and thanksgiving from the beginning of prayer