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A20185
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A learned and fruitful exposition vpon the Lords prayer. By Arthur Dent, sometime minister of the Word of God at South-Suberry, in Essex
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Dent, Arthur, d. 1607.
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1613
(1613)
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STC 6618; ESTC S113579
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21,778
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82
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A LEARNED AND FRVITFVL EXPOSITION vpon the Lords PRAYER By Arthur Dent sometime Minister of the Word of God at South-Suberry in Essex LVKE 11.2 When you pray say Our Father which art in heauen c. LONDON Printed for Nicholas Bourne and are to be sould at the entring into the Royall Exchange 1613. THE PRINTER TO the READER COurteous Reader forasmuch as deuoute Christians when they haue found comfort in the labours of any learned man it causeth in them a further desire not onely to reuiew what they haue read but also to haue a longing as it were after their further paines vpon any other subiect I doubt not but am verily perswaded that this Exposition of that Prayer which our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus taught his disciples penned by one that hath so well deserued of the Church of God by publishing so many good profitable Treatises shal finde some place among thy heauenly meditations although it be not as I thinke so perfect as the Author intended it if hee had not beene preuented by death For what wilt thou doe either for all the benefits that thou hast receiued or for those things that are required for thy vse or to preuent any dangers that may be feared I say what wilt thou doe if thou wilt not imitate the holy Prophet and call vpon the name of the Lord and how canst thou better call vpon it then as the Lord hath appointed and what profit shalt thou haue by calling vpon him after that manner except thou knowest the meaning of the spirit in those words which thou pourest out before him Wherefore seeing as an auncient Father saith when thou prayest for thy selfe necessity enforceth thee and Charity bindeth thee to pray for others and seeing the holy one of God hath giuen thee in charge after this manner pray ye this seruant of God shall so instruct thee that according to the practise of the holy Apostle thou shalt pray with the spirit with vnderstanding also and this one thing is necessary For all the commandements of the Lord are so full of counsell that euerie word hath his weight yea euery sillable containes a secret so that we may all say with the Eunuch Act. 8. How can I vnderstand except some man should guide me And albeit I am perswaded that thou art full of goodnes filled with knowledge able also to admonish others yet thou maiest be content with skilfull Apollos so eloquent in speach mightie in the scriptures and feruent in spirit Acts 18. to haue the way of God expounded vnto thee by another man more perfectly And this is that which I offer to thy Christian deuotion Vse it then as becommeth thee with holinesse Peruse it often I hope I am truely informed of the Author I am but the Minister to publish it for thy good Giue thankes to GOD that hath brought it to light And the GOD of all power when thou prayest graunt thee thy harts desire and fulfill all thy minde Amen S. T. AN EXPOSITION vpon the Lords Prayer OF PRAYER and what it is PRayer is an earnest lifting vp of the minde and calling vpon God according to his will with faith by the helpe and worke of his spirit Psal 25.1 Rom. 10.13.14 Math. 21.22 Rom. 8.26.27 Prayer is a familiar conference betwixt God and vs. Prayer is as a Letter written vnto God wherein we deliuer our minde vnto him Onely God is to be called vpon in whom onely we beléeue Rom. 10. 1 First because hée hath so commaunded Psal 50.15 2 Secondly because hée hath so taught 6.9 3 Thirdly because he hath so practised by example 26.39 4 Fourthly because he hath promised to heare our prayers 5 Fiftly because the holy Ghost teacheth vs to cry Abba father Rom. 8.15 6 Lastly because none can heare our prayers and grant our requests but God onely Mat. 6.12 Wée must pray at all times 1 Thes 5.17 It must be the Alpha and Omega of all our actions if wée looke for any good successe We must pray in all places 1 Tim. 2.8 There be nine things to be obserued in prayer Before prayer Reading Meditation and féeling of our Misery In prayer Faith Zeale and Loue. After prayer Watchfulnesse Thankesgiuing and Practise Prayer is as a Bunch of Keyes wherewith Gods children doe open all the dores of heauen and enter into euery closet The effects of praier are wonderfull as appeareth by the prayers of Asa Iehosaphat Moises Ezechias Dauid Elias Paul and Silas the Disciples Acts 4.31 and 12.5.7 The Lords prayer is the perfect patterne of all prâ—yers for matter but not alwaies for words The Lords prayer consisteth of three Parts A Preface Sixe Petitions A Conclusion The Preface teacheth vs preparation that wée doe not rashly without consideration rush into the presence of God being so dreadfull and holy as it is Eccles 5.1 Psal 26.6 Thrée of the petitions doe concerne Gods glory and thrée our selues We must pray with greater feruencie of the Spirit for the things which concerne Gods glory then for those which concerne our owne good as appeareth by the Methode and for the things which concerne our owne goods wée must pray with more zeale for heauenly then earthly things sith this hath but one petition the other two Wée must pray for the things that concerne Gods glory simply aboue any respect at all of our owne good as the Particle thy in euery one doth shew Our THis word our doth teach that true charitie and brotherly loue toward our neighbours is required in prayer and that in common wée must pray one for another as wée are euery where taught in the Scriptures In matters of Faith we say I but in matters of Prayer our for wée must loue our neighbour as our selfe and therefore pray for our neighbour as our selfe Our Father our bread our trespasses Lead vs not Deliuer vs c. doe teach a fellow féeling one of anothers good and hurt This word our bringeth singular comfort to the poore because Christ sheweth vnto them that God hath no respect of persons as though he were more father of the rich then of the poore of the noble then of the base but doth account of all alike for hée is no respecter of persons Question Héere a question may be moued whether in our priuate Prayers wée should pray in generall or else in speciall tearmes as vs or me our father or my father Answere A Christian may in priuate prayer say my father Mat. 26.29 Mat. 27.46 as Thomas said My Lord and my God Iohn 20.28 and Paul I giue thanks to my God Rom. 1.8 and Gods promise is Ier. 3.19 Thou shalt call mee thy father For wée are not bound vnto the words of the Lords Prayer but if we pray for our brethren or for our selues we fulfill the meaning of Christ By the word Father is meant the first person in Trinitie and so it is alwayes taken in the Scriptures when one person is considered with another as
GOD is said to be in heauen because his Maiestie that is his Power Wisedome Iustice and Mercy is made manifest from thence vnto vs. By the name of heauen is vnderstood the dwelling place of God of Angels and glorified men where God is more glorious then in this world Psalme 115.3 Our God is in Heauen and doth whatsoeuer he will Psalme 2.4 He that dwelleth in Heauen shall laugh them to scorne Esay 66.2 thus saith the Lord Heauen is my throne and the earth is my footestoole 1 Reg. 8.27 The heauen of heauens cannot containe him for hee is alwayes euery where Which is all one as if it had béene said of infinite greatnesse or height of incomprehensible power of euerlasting immortallitie First therefore wée are héere admonished to vse the action of praier with as great reuerence as possibly may be and not to thinke of GOD in any earthly manner Eccles 5.1 Be not rash with thy mouth to speake a word before God for hee is in Heauen and thou art in earth therefore let thy words be few Therefore séeing God is in heauen away with all drowsie and dead praying let vs come with reuerence in our hearts before the Lord. God is said to be our Father in heauen to distinguish him from our earthly Fathers and that wée might vnderstand how much better hée is then they and more able to helpe vs as appeareth Math. 7.11 The Fathers of the bodies haue oftentimes a will to helpe their Children but are not able either because they are let by pouertie or distance of place or some other meanes but God who is our Father is rich towards all that cal vpon him he is present euery where c. Againe we doe here learne that our hearts in prayer must mount vp into heauen and be lifted vp aboue all earthly and fraile things how beautifull or goodly soeuer and be wholy fixed vpon the Lord. Vnto thee O Lord lift I vp my soule Psalme 25.1 Héere are condemned all colde coursarie prayers when mens mindes are occupied about other matters which is but a plaine dallying and mocking with God Such manner of praying is a very grieuous sinne greater then mocking Father and Mother for it is directly against God the other against men It is a greater sinne to mocke God then to mocke men This sinne because it is against the first Table and therefore more hard to be discerned for the light of the second Table shineth naturally more cléerely then the light of the first is lightly estéemed and doth lesse trouble the consciences of ignorant men God is in Heauen therefore hée is able to graunt all our requests Hée is our Father therefore he is willing and ready This ouerthroweth Popish Idolatrie as worshipping of Crosses Crucifixes Roodes running a pilgrimage to worship Idols for the GOD to whom we must pray is in heauen and wée must lift vp our mindes thither How can wée doe this so long as our eyes and mindes are poaring vpon an Image made by the art of man Halowed be thy name THis petition is set in the forefront because Gods glory must be preferred before all things 1 For that is the end of our Creation Psal 103.22 and 147.5 2 The end of all creatures Prouer. 10.4 3 The end of all the Counsailes of God Ephes 1.6 4 The onely end whereunto all our thoughts words and déeds must be directed 1 Cor. 10.31 Gods glory is a most precious thing and wée must be more chary of it then any thing as wée are more chary of a golden Cuppe then of an earthen Pitcher But alas wée care not for Gods glory We are all for our selues our owne glory credit name commodities c. Herode tooke the glory of God to himselfe and therefore the Angel of the Lord smote him Acts 12. The name of God in this place is put for God himselfe as 1 Kings 5.5 Hee shall build a house to my Name Also for the attributes of God as his Iustice Mercy Word Workes Prouidence Power For GOD is knowne to vs by all these as men are knowne by their names and as all mans praise glory lyeth in his name so all the glory of God is in these To Hallow is to serue or set apart any thing from common vse to some proper or peculiar end As the Temple was hallowed that is set apart to an holy vse The Priests were sanctified that is set apart to the seruice of God All that beléeue in Christ are sanctified that is set apart from sinne to serue God In like manner Gods name is hallowed when it is put apart from obliuion contempt prophanation pollution blasphemie and all abuses to an holy reuerent and honourable vse whether we thinke or speake of it Obiection How can a sinnefull man Hallow Gods name which is pure and holy in it selfe Answere Not as he doth sanctifie vs by communicating vnto vs an inherent qualitie of holinesse for wée cannot make him holy or adde any thing to his holinesse that is most holy in himselfe and the perfection of all holinesse but wée sanctifie him when wée acknowledge and celebrate and worship him so in heart word and déed that wée cause his glory to be spread among men and make manifest to the World by the right vsage of it that it is holy pure and honourable the like phrase is vsed Luke 7.29 Wisedome is iustified of her Children that is declared to be iust The summe of this petition is that wée may so carry our selues in all our actions and the whole course of our life that his holy name be not reproched by our occasion but rather be honored and magnified Examples The children of Israell sung a song of victory vpon Pharaoes ouerthrow I will sing vnto the LORD for he hath triumphed gloriously the Horse and him that rode vpon him hath hee ouerthrowne in the Sea Exod. 15.1 Dauid extolleth the maiestie of God by his works in the heauens Psal 19.1 And especially in man both in his creation and redemption by Christ Psalme 135. and 136. O Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth which settest thy glory aboue the heauens Psalme 8. The very Angels of heauen at the birth of Christ doe sound out the prayses of God Glory be to God in the highest heauens and in earth peace good-will towards men Luke 2.13.14 The Saints of God haue magnified his great and holy name not onely in respect of his great workes of Election Creation Redemption Iustification Sanctification c. but euen for his iudgements and chastisements also as Iob The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh away blessed be the name of the Lord Iob 1.21 And Dauid Psalme 119. It is good that thou hast humbled me And the Apostles went forth of the Councell reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer reproach for the name of Iesus Christ Acts 4. According therefore to the example of these ancient worthies euery one of vs must zealously striue to