others our friends and our enemies 1 For our selues yea though we know we are the children of God and haue already obtained pardon at Gods hands for our sinnes for Christ teacheth his disciples to make this prayer who no doubt had their sinnes pardoned before but it may be obiected that it is needles to aske that which a man hath alreadie and will it not be accounted mockerie to deale thus with God This knot is dissolued two waies first some answere that Christ teacheth vs to aske forgiuenes not as it commeth from God which is graunted already to Gods children but as it commeth to vs and as we apprehend and applie the merit of Christ for forgiuenes as if this should be the meaning Lord giue me grace more effectually to apply to my soule by faith the righteousnesse of Christ for the pardon of my sinne others and that more fully answer secondly thus that it is in the worke of iustification or remission of sinne as in the worke of creation for as when God had created Adam he was continually present with him by his prouidence to support his being Act. 17.28 and to stay and preserue his substance and nature which prouidence is nothing else but as it were a continuall creation euen so when God hath iustified a sinner and forgiuen him his sinnes he continually is assistant to the partie iustified vpholding his iustification this cannot be termed properlie a second iustification but a continuall supporting of iustification no more than preseruation can be termed a second creation Now further this continuall supporting of iustification is performed by the application of the salue to the sore Esay 53.5 of Christs righteousnes to the wounded soule of the sinner which application is the worke of Gods holy spirit principally and not of faith onely instrumentally For further declaration of this poynt we are to know that when God iustifieth a sinner he giueth him whole Christ and all his merits for euer so that the partie iustified cannot possiblie leese Christ yet the Lord doth onely applie Christ and his merits as it were the salue to those sinnes and sores that are alreadie in his soule burst out for the which he seeketh the salue and for which he asketh pardon and is humbled afterward as new sinnes and sores grow and hee espieth them feeleth them and asketh the salue for them the Lord applieth Christ the salue vnto them Wherefore directly and fully to answere the obiection Gods children aske at Gods hands that which they haue not for although in the counsell of God in the redemption of Christ in the donation of Christ to the partie iustified by the Father at the very first moment of iustification it may truly bee said that all his sinnes are forgiuen past present and to come yet in regard of the particular application of Christs stripes to the sores of sinne in the soule it cannot be said that the godly mans sinnes are pardoned or forgiuen or cured or couered till they be committed till they be espied till the pardon thereof be asked Gods children therefore doe not aske a primarie iustification but a secondarie application they doe not desire to be made righteous of persons wholly vnrighteous but to bee made righteous from some particular vnrighteousnesse As a man that is desireth God still to preserue his being by daily bread so a man that is iustified desireth God still to support his iustification by a continuall application of the salue to the sore Wherefore to conclude Gods actions in iustification are two first the donation and gift of Christ secondly the application of Christ giuen As a Chirurgion giueth a boxe of salue to a wounded person and after applieth plaisters of the salue to the wounds as they breake out in the bodie And sometime the Lord doth deferre and suspend the application of the plaister of Christs blood to the sores of sin in the soule that he may prouoke vs the more earnestly to consider of the hainousnes of sinne more seriously to bewaile sinne more carefully to auoide future sinnes seeing the smart of former sinnes is so sharpe more feruently and with greater perseuerance to pray vnto God for pardon thereof and with greater ioy and thankfulnes to receiue the pardon of sinne from our gratious God The vse of this doctrine then in briefe is thus much to teach vs daily to obserue our sinnes and particular lapses and accordingly to descend to a particular confession and penitencie for them Psal 51. and particularly to desire forgiuenes with the application of Christs righteousnes according as we doe euery day desire bread for our nourishment Pardon for others 2 Thus we pray forgiuenes for our selues we pray also pardon and forgiuenes for others yea euen for our enemies according to the example of Christ Stephen c. but this point hath alreadie been handled in the preface of the Prayer to which place the reader is to bee referred onely thus much wee are here to learne pitie and compassion to them that pitie not themselues that seeing it is vnknowne vnto vs how the Lord will deale with men that liue in impenitencie and grosse sinnes wee are therefore to hope the best in charitie and seeing they are of our owne flesh to haue commiseration of them it may bee that the Lord will at the instance of a godly mans prayer Iam. 5.16 which auaileth much haue mercie vpon them as it is supposed hee had mercie vpon Saul at Stephens prayer and the Centurion at Christs The fourth point followeth which is For whose sins vve aske pardon ours whose debts and sinnes they are whereof wee aske pardon They are called ours in a double respect first for that they are ours properly wee hauing committed them against the Maiestie of God and for that we cannot lay our sinnes vpon God the diuell or other men for God hee doth not compell vs to commit sinne neither doth hee inspire wickednes into vs Iam. 1.13 seeing he tempteth no man to sinne and howsoeuer the diuell or wicked men may tempt vs yet wee willingly and freely yeeld to the temptation and take a delight and pleasure in the committing of sinne and though a wicked man be a seruant and slaue to sinne and Satan yet hee is so willingly and he selleth himselfe for a slaue as it is said of Ahab 2 Sinne is called ours emphatically Ezech. 18. Gal. 6.4.5 to signifie thus much that seeing the soule that sinneth shall die and that euery one shall beare his owne burthen therefore we especially seeke for the pardon of our owne sinnes howsoeuer wee are not to neglect our dutifull and charitable prayers for other men The last point is For whose sake we aske pardon Christs through whose merits we aske forgiuenes which is implied in the word pardon or forgiuenes for which purpose we must know that God is a iust God and therefore he will be satisfied wherein his iustice is violated
some Magistrates and Ministers yet they are generall sinnes that indifferently possesse the hearts of all men of all estates and callings 1. Infidelitie hindereth Gods Kingdome Infidelitie is one leafe of the yron gate that barreth the Lord Iesus Christ out of the soule who being kept out it is impossible that his Kingdome and scepter should there be erected So long as the diuell who is the strong man keepeth possession all things are safe but when saith entereth into the soule Psal 24. then one leafe or head of the euerlasting gate is lifted vp and the Kâ—ng of glory commeth in Matth. 12. then that man Iesus Christ which is stronger than the diuell spoileth him of his castle and furniture and taketh possession of the spirituall fort and aduanceth his scepter and Kingdome proclaiming himselfe the King and Lord of that subiect 2 Impenitencie hindereth Gods Kingdome Luk. 3. Impenitencie is another leafe of that yron gate which excludeth Christ Iesus and causeth the owner to rebell against his soueraigne Lord and King which must be opened and lifted vp before Christ will enter Repentance may be termed the Haruenger of the King as Iohn the Baptist was of Christ who taught the baptisme of repentance for the remission of sinnes whereby the Lords way was prepared and his paths made straight This is the doctrine which Christ himselfe taught Repent for the Kingdome of God is at hand for Gods Kingdome being at hand is admitted into the soule by repentance and excluded by impenitencie 3 Raigning sins hinder Gods Kingdome Raigning sinnes also may be termed the locke vpon the gate or the barre or the port-culles whereby the yron gate is further fortified and strengthned against an entery For so long as any one sinne raigneth in the soule the Lord Iesus cannot nor will not raigne there who will haue all the place of the soule or none for Christ can indure no consort or copartner in his Kingdome especially his enemie and no man can serue two contrary masters or be a good subiect to two Kings 4 False doctrine and superstition hinder Gods Kingdome inioyning contrary lawes Secondly we pray against al the Kingdome of darkenes as against Gentilisme Mahometisme Iudaisme Papisme and against the proceeding of all those or any other false doctrines and superstitions for by all these false meanes the Kingdome of Antichrist and of Mahomet the two eldest sonnes of the diuell is aduanced and the Kingdome of Iesus Christ is deiected and cast downe Lastly we pray against wicked men and Angels that God would hasten their iust destruction and damnation and in the meane space represse and bridle their malice and rage that they doe not preuaile against the truth of God and professors thereof Rom. 11 9. Psal 69.22 and if wee doe discerne any man to be a reprobate as namely one that committeth the sinne against the holy Ghost directly and particularly to pray for his speedy damnation and all the meanes effecting the same Finally Rom. 16.20 that God would shortly tread downe Sathan vnder our foote This is the deprecation The thanksgiuing followeth 5 Thankesgiuing of the second petition which how it is to be made may be gathered by the particulars of the supplication and deprecation This is the first of these two petitions which concerne the meanes of Gods glory from whence this may be obserued that one and the selfe same vertue and vice may be referred to diuers petitions in diuers respects which is agreeable to the rules of reason which teacheth that the respect being chaunged the argument is also chaunged To this petition the fourth commaundement is to be referred Now followeth the second of these petitions which respecteth the meanes of Gods glory which is the obedience of his will Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heauen This petition followeth consequently vpon the former 1 Order of the third petition for when men are subiects of Christs Kingdome then they begin to obey his will whereas before they were rebels and traytors and the slaues of sinne and Sathan whence this instruction ariseth That obedience to Gods will are the fruites of Gods Kingdome Or that good workes are the effects and signes of grace and the Kingdome of God in vs or that good workes iustifie â—hat is declare that we are iustified and that they argue faith and grace in the heart The tree is knowne by the fruite saith Christ and Iohn Baptist willeth those that came to bee baptised Mat. 12.33 Mat. 3.8 to bring forth fruites worthie amendement of life or worthie conuersion as if it had been said by Christ and Iohn Baptist Euill fruite argueth an euill tree and good fruite commendeth a good tree so euill workes shew an euill heart and good workes shew a gratious heart Repentance or conuersion appeareth in godlines and righteousnes and not in prophanenes and wickednes And therefore if you will approue that you haue repentance which is the inward baptisme whereof the outward baptisme of water is a signe bring forth such fruites of a holy and righteous life which may euidently declare the same for the inward disposition of the heart is outwardly ingrauen in the life Iam. 2.18 Shew me thy faith by thy workes and I will shew thee my faith by my workes for we cannot otherwise iudge one of another but by the outward practise for God onely is the searcher of the heart This doctrine will minister vnto vs a touchstone whereby we may try a sound and substantiall Christian from a foggie and bumbasted hypocrite the life of the one is religious and righteous full of good workes Psal 45.2 Ephes 4.29 his lips are full of grace and rotten communication proceedeth not out of his mouth whereas the life of the other is either grosely vitious or meerely ciuill who though perhaps he doe no harme yet he doth no good especially he will be dissolute in religious exercises and worldlines tainteth his life and though happily himselfe will not talke corruptly yet he can either with patience or delight 1. Cor. 4.5 heare others Againe although wee may not clime vp into Gods iudgement seate to giue the definitiue sentence of his election or reprobation vpon other men for that were to rob God of his honor yet without breach of charitie we may censure the present estate of other men leauing the issue to the Lord neither ought men thereat to be offended considering that Christ hath left vs a most certaine rule of direction ye shall know them by their fruites Mat. 7.16 and howsoeuer a godly man may sometime be censured for a wicked man he being in some grosse sinne a long time as Dauid in adultery without repentance yet though the censure bee false it is charitable because it is according to the rule By their fruites yee shall know them And contrariwise though sometime a wicked man may play the hypocrite so kindly as that he may
Lords prayer so many times as they doe is nothing else but as it were to tosse it like a tennise ball and to abuse it shamefully Now our Sauiour Christ doth not condemne al repetitions nor the Preacher simply forbid many words but such repetitions and multitude of words as are vnreuerently and without affection vttered rather to perfect the number and hold out the time than expresse the affection Dan. 9.19 for repetitions and many words sometimes proceede from an ardent and vehement desire of obtaining something which men desiring to haue God doth for reasons best knowne to himselfe defer to graunt and sometimes to stirre vp our feruencie and try our patience and perseuerance Luk. 18.1 3 Againe such repetitions are needles in regard of God Act. 15.8 for he knoweth our wants and requests at our conceiuing of them in our hearts seeing he knoweth the heart or before wee thinke of them because he knoweth our thoughts a farre off Psal 139.2 much more then when we haue once vttered them which God requireth not for that he needeth our speech to tell him what we want but for that we must worship him with the whole man body as well as soule and tongue as well as any other part of the body yea the tongue is the principall part in Gods worship therefore called the glory of the Prophet Psal 57.8 as the chiefe instrument of glorifying God and as it is needles in regard of God to repeate so often so in publike prayer it serueth not for edification seeing it wearieth the auditory and in priuate prayer it wearieth him that vseth it Once therefore in feeling faith and feruencie is better than ten times in coldnes dulnes wearines and superstition Thirdly the papists abuse this prayer and that very strangely because they say it in opinion of merit and satisfaction for so the arch Iesuite teacheth that there are three ends of prayer namely first obtaining secondly merit thirdly satisfaction and that prayer doth not only obtaine but satisfie for sinne and meritoriously deserue at Gods hands 1 Now the truth is that as all our good workes are stayned with sinne so especially our prayers which are the weakest seruice we can performe to God and hath most corruption in it as may appeare by the manifold wandering thoughts that haunt our mindes in the time of prayer withdrawing our hearts from that due attention and reuerence we ought to haue wherefore the wise man for the terror of wicked men saith that the sacrifice Prou. 15.8 euen the best seruice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord but contrariewise the prayer that is the weakest seruice of the godly man is acceptable which maketh very much for the comfort of euery distressed conscience now if our prayers be stained with so many corruptions they cannot merit any thing except it be the punishment neither can they satisfie the iustice of God seeing they are not proportionable thereunto nay they neede a satisfaction to be made for them wherefore euery true humbled Christian finding the palpable experience hereof in his heart crieth out with the prophet Psal 143.2 Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for no flesh shall be righteous in thy sight and prayeth continually Lord pardon me my good deeds that is the imperfection of my good workes 2 Besides all our prayers are to bee made in Christs name Ioh. 16.23 that is in the merit mediation and intercession of Christ Iesus and therefore the prayers of the Saints must be performed with the smoke of the odours which are giuen to the Angell Apoc. 8.3.4 before they ascend vp before God for in Christ Iesus God the Father is well pleased with vs Matth. 3.17 and with all our holy actions but out of Iesus Christ he is displeased with vs Ioh. 15.5 Hâ—b 11.6 for wanting faith whereby wee are ingrafted into the true vine we cannot please God Wherefore if our prayers haue neede of Christs merit and satisfaction how haue they any merit or satisfaction in themselues 3 Lastly all the arguments that are vsed against the merits of good workes in generall serue sufficiently to ouerthrow the merit of prayers and so to end this point seeing the papists vse prayer for other ends than it is appointed they abuse it as when a man vseth a sword to murther which is appointed for iustice he abuseth the sword Thus we see how this prayer is abused by papists saying it in Latin in number in opinion of merit and satisfaction How charmers abuse prayer The fourth sort of persons that abuse this prayer and others are wise women as they are termed or good witches which are termed good not for that they doe good by witchcraft and doe no harme to their neighbours these make the Lords prayer or other good prayers charmes for by saying of prayers they can cure diseases driue away the toothach heale things forespoken c. Now that prayer is abused by them it is plaine 1 God neuer appointed prayer to be a meanes to cure diseases or such like being applied to the sore or disease or atch for although it be needefull that we pray to God for the remouing of paines and sicknes from vs and ours yet it doth not follow thereupon that God appointed prayer for a medicine which being applied to diseases shall cure them for then euery man would be a physition to himselfe whatsoeuer disease he had by his prayers Prayer doth sanctifie physicke vnto vs it is no physicke it selfe 1. Tim. 4. it obtaineth at Gods hands a blessing vpon our medicines that they may cure vs it selfe by vertue inherent in it doth not cure vs and as our meates and drinke by vertue in them doe nourish our bodies which notwithstanding are sanctified by prayer for that end so physicke cureth our diseases prayer sanctifieth physicke Wherefore seeing prayer is not Catholicum as the physitions call some of their medicines that is an vniuersall medicine for all diseases nay no medicine for any one disease it followeth that these wise women that vse it as a meanes to cure diseases abuse it 2 Againe Iam. 5. this was a miraculous gift in the time of the Apostles whereunto was added vnction with oyle also which continued in the Church but for a certaine season so long as the doctrine of the Church had neede of extraordinarie confirmation by miracle now the doctrine of the Gospell being sufficiently confirmed by witnes ordinarie and extraordinarie of God and man this gift ceaseth as all other miracles Wherefore they that shall enterprise this miraculous course of curing sicknes what doe they else but challeng this miraculous gift and what are they else but imposters and seducers of the ignorant 2. Thes 2. or of those that receiue not the loue of the truth 3 Besides this you shall obserue these wise women wizards and charmers will with writing the prayer cure the diseases and aches
vs to obey his will First God must erect his Kingdome in our hearts and we must be his subiects before we can yeeld obedience to his lawes from which order ariseth this instruction That a man can neuer obey Gods will till he haue Gods grace or a man can neuer keepe Gods lawes till he be Gods subiect and God be his Lord and King to rule and ouerrule him Heb. 11. Rom. 14. 1. Tim. 1. or which is all one in effect good workes proceede from grace or without faith which is the roote of grace it is impossible to please God or whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne or the end of the commaundement is loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith vnfained and the necessarie consequence of this doctrine is Pro. 15.8 Esa 1.13 Matth. 7.22 that whatsoeuer a man doth wanting grace is sinne whether they be actions naturall ciuill or religious for some Preachers and Prophets in the day of iudgement shall bee found workers of iniquitie Here notwithstanding wee must remember to distinguish betwixt the action and the manner of preforming the action the agent the ouerseer Fiue things in euery action 1. Actio 2. Agens 3. Modus agendi 4. Res mota 5. Patiens and the matter the action is naturall the manner of performing the action morall the agent is terminus á quo the efficient cause the obiect is terminus ad quem or the patient vpon whom the action falleth Now to all those must be added the matter or the thing moued This destinction being remembred let vs take for examples preaching and almes The vttering of the voyce in preaching is action Hovv preaching is good or bad good in it one nature the matter of preaching is good the holy word of God The obiect whereupon the action is occupied is a godly man the hearer of the word all which make the action so farre forth good but the agent and the manner of performing the action may turne it to sin for if the agent that is the Minister or Preacher be a man out of Christ wanting faith and grace being no member of Christ nor subiect of his Kingdome he cannot possibly obey his wil but the fountaine being vncleane the streame flowing from the fountaine is vncleane also Againe if the Preacher erre in the manner of doing the action though he be in Christ as if he preach Christ of contention or malice and so forth his preaching may proue sinne sinne I say not to the godly and carefull hearer nor in it selfe but onely to the Preacher How almes is good or bad In like manner the reaching faith of the hand in giuing almes is good in nature the money or matter giuen is Gods creature the person to whom the almes is offered a godly man but if either the person that giueth the almes or the manner of distributing be vitious as aforesaid as if the proud Pharisie should cause a trumpet to be blowne for ostentation and vaineglorie he being not qualified with the foundation and forme of a good worke all his almes if it were all his substance were abominable in the sight of God 1. Cor. 13. as it came from him and as good as nothing as the Apostle teacheth This distinction then being remembred will cleere this doctrine that the good deedes of wicked men are sinne from whence the conclusion also will follow that the wicked in the day of iudgement shall be condemned for their good deedes This besides that it thwarteth the doctrine of the Church of Rome which teacheth good workes before grace and their merit of congruitie it teacheth vs further to labour for two things 1. Tim. 1.5 1. Cor. 13.1.2.3 first that we haue the foundation of a good worke which is faith in Christ by and through whom our persons and actions are accepted of God Secondly that in all our good workes we haue the forme and manner of doing which in generall the Apostle calleth loue not onely to God ayming at his glory which excludeth vaine-glorie and hypocrisie but also to man intending the benefit of him to whom the good worke is extended And this is the doctrine and vse which ariseth from the order of this petition before the third The sense and meaning 2 The meaning of the second petion which is the second thing to be obserued followeth wherein these two things are to be considered as before in the first petition viz the obiect and the action that is to say First what Gods Kingdome is Secondly how Gods Kingdome is said to come Gods Kingdome which is the first point VVhat Gods Kingdome â—s is the heauenly politie or regiment which God through Christ exerciseth in the hearts of the faithfull by his spirit and word in this life and by glory and blisse in the life to come in regarde whereof the Kingdome of God is called the Kingdome of grace when it is begun in the consciences of the faithfull and continually cherished and increased by all the holy meanes of saluation and it is called the Kingdome of glory when it is consummate and perfectly accomplished the Saints yeelding absolute obedience to the will of God in heauen whence issueth the glorious happines of the creature For better vnderstanding of this point what the Kingdome of God is consider shortly these twelue points which followe Who is the King Christ Iesus as he is God and man where we must know that the Father and the holy Ghost are not excluded but all the creatures of what excellencie soeuer Heb. 2.5 Who are the subiects They are of two sorts true subiects who are the whole companie of beleeuers wheresoeuer and counterfeit subiects who though they be in the Church yet are not of the Church which distinction is grounded 1. Iohn 2. What are the lawes They are the law of nature which is the decalogue and the lawe of grace the summe whereof is contained in the Gospell namely faith and repentance and obedience which is the summe of the decalogue Who are the enemies They are these ten following First Sathan secondly sinne thirdly death fourthly hell or the graue fifthly damnation sixtly the world seauenthly the flesh eightly the Pope and all Papists and heretikes ninthly the Turke and all Pagans tenthly the hypocrits Atheists and all prophane and professed wicked men What rewards to the subiects They are in this life all good things that may profit them and freedome from all euill which may hurt and in the life to come euerlasting happines in heauen What punishments or chastisements The punishments are all taken away in Christ who hath vndergone them for vs yet there remaine corrections of diuers sorts to nurture and discipline vs and to keepe vs in awe and so forth What weapons to resist our enemies The weapons are spirituall Ephes 6. namely faith hope loue righteousnes the word prayer What is the time of this kingdome It lasteth so long
else it is not made in due and right manner as it ought to bee wherefore this conclusion must bee vnderstood in euery petition as must also the preface Feruency is the summe of the conclusion Iam. 5.16 The manner of making and ending our prayers expressed in this conclusion may bee vttered in one word Feruencie as S. Iames saith The feruent prayer of the righteous auaileth the word which the Apostle vseth signifieth such a prayer as is effectuall Energoumene operatiue working for the inner man must not be idle in time of prayer Feruencie therefore is the inward operation of the soule in the time of prayer VVhat feruencie is euen as a pot boyleth and seetheth by reason of the fire put vnder so the soule of a man moued through the spirit of God as it were a hot fire within his bowels must conceiue inwardly such sighes and groanes which cannot be expressed Rom. 8.26 which maketh a feruent and effectual prayer This feruencie then is when all the faculties of the minde and reasonable soule are occupied about the matter of the prayer the vnderstanding conceiueth matter and inditeth the memorie remembreth things needfull the will hartilie wisheth things necessary the affections stirring themselues according to the seuerall matters conceiued in the prayer sometime reioycing sometime mourning sometime fearing sometime hoping sometime hating sometime louing and so foorth as the matter varieth this in generall is feruencie Parts of feruencie faith desire which hath two parts here expressed The first is faith and assurance and confidence Fiducia The second is earnest and vehement and ardent desire Votum The first is the principall worke of the vnderstanding the second is the principall worke of the will the other two parts of the soule being the handmaides of these for the memorie ministreth to the vnderstanding and the affections are seruiceable to the will the conscience is compounded of them all Faith the first part of feruencie Of faith in prayer is expressed in the conclusion by certaine arguments which shall be handled afterward something first in generall of faith Faith is necessarily required to make a feruent prayer Faith is necessarie in prayeâ— Iam 1.6.7 the Apostle therefore calleth it the prayer of faith and further auoucheth that the man that doubteth shall obtaine nothing at Gods hands not as though any man could pray without some doubting and vnbeleefe but the Apostles meaning is of such doubting which raigneth in the heart as may appeare by the text also our Sauiour Christ requireth faith plainly if wee will obtaine Mark 11.24 and wee shall obtaine if wee haue faith Now wee must alwaies remember that faith is grounded vpon Gods word Faith is grounded vpon Gods will and Gods word is his will and so our faith must be grounded vpon his will wherefore if wee aske any thing in faith according to his reuealed will we shall obtaine 1. Ioh. 5.14 Now Gods will is in generall this to grant vs euery thing that is good if it bee euill it is not his will nor promise to giue it Psalm 34.10 and many things are good for vs which seeme euill vnto vs and many things are euill for vs which seeme good vnto vs wherefore we must not define good and euill after our owne fancies but as the truth is A diâ—tinction of good euil God knoweth best what is good for vs and what is euill for vs herein therefore we must submit our wils to Gods will alwaies being faithfully perswaded that God will graunt at our prayers euery thing good for vs. And although the new supporters of Poperie the Iesuites I meane auouch that such a faith is not needfull yet the word of God 1. Tim. 2.8 which is the ground of euery sound doctrine teacheth vs thus much and therefore wee ought to build our house thereupon Mat. 7. as on a sure and stedfast rocke rather than vpon the sandie conceits of popish teachers For whereas it is alleaged by them that Dauid when hee prayed for the life of his childe â— Sam. 12.22 doubted whether God would giue him life yea or nay it may bee answered two waies Vers 14. First Dauid did not well to pray for the life of the childe seeing it was expressely signified to him before of Nathan that the childe should die for so doing his prayer was against Gods will reuealed Secondly it being a temporall blessing Dauid ought to aske it conditionally if it were good and so his assurance might be certaine to obtaine it but Dauid seeing it not good for him presently after the death of the childe is comforted as hauing obtained all that he askt It appeareth therefore that faith is requisite in prayer namely such a faith as doth assure a man certainly to obtaine euery good thing hee asketh Faith to â—btaine our prayers ariseth from iustifying faith Rom. 8.32 This faith ariseth from iustifying faith and is a necessarie consequent thereof for a man beleeuing in Christ Iesus for the pardon of his sinne is also assured that God will giue him all other good things so the Apostle reasoneth If God giue vs Christ how shall he not giue vs with Christ all other things that shall be good for vs so Christ promiseth that the kingdome of God and his righteousnes shal bring all other things with it as appurtenances This may suffice for the generall view of faith Gods kingdome Now more specially faith is supported by one argument principally thine is kingdome which may be framed after this forme Euery good king will prouide not onely for the aduauncement of his kingdome for the obedience of his lawes and for his honour and glorie but also for the good and welfare of his subiects in soule and body But thou Lord art a good King for the kingdome is thine Thou therefore wilt prouide c. This argument doth either directly or indirectly confirme our faith for the obtaining of all the sixe petitions as may easily be perceiued directly it confirmeth our faith in the second but indirectly and by consequent in all the rest This kingdome of God which is the ground of the argument is amplified by three arguments 1 It is a powerfull kingdome thine is power 2 It is a glorious kingdome thine is glorie 3 It is an euerlasting kingdome for euer And so there are three other arguments whereby our faith is supported for obtaining the petitions The second argument therefore which is taken from the power of God is added necessarily as an answere to an obiection which might be opposed thus Power of Gods kingdome though God be a king yet except he haue power to subdue his enemies the aduauncement of his kingdome shall be hindered the answere whereof is that as God is a king so he is omnipotent able to conquer all his enemies that shall rebell against him and so this argument taken from Gods power may thus be
concluded A king that is of abilitie will aduance his kingdome cause himselfe to be honoured cause his subiects to obey his will and prouide for the outward prosperitie and inward felicitie of his subiects God he is of abilitie being a powerfull king Therefore he will prouide for his honour c. The third argument is taken from the glory of Gods kingdome Glory of Gods kingdome Where first consider the meaning of the words Thine is glorie that is 1. Thou hast made al things for thy glory 2. The things we aske are meanes of thy glory 3. The things we aske shall by vs be referred to thy glory and so the conclusion followeth Ergo graunt vs these things which we aske in these petitions Secondly let vs also consider the argument framed thus directly confirming our faith for the first petition That which is most deere to thy selfe thou wilt procure But thy glory is most deere to thy selfe Therefore glorifie thy selfe by vs or in vs or giue vs grace to glorifie thy name Indirectly it confirmeth our faith in all the other petitions after this manner Thou Lord wilt further all the meanes of thy glorie But the enlarging of thy kingdome the obedience of thy will our daily bread remission of sinne and perseuerance in grace are meanes of thy glory Therefore Lord we are perswaded thou wilt cause c. The eternitie of Gods kingdome The fourth argument wherby our faith is strengthened is taken from the eternitie or euerlasting continuance of this kingdome and of the two other properties thereof mentioned in the second and third arguments for the kingdome power and glory of God is euerlasting or Gods powerfull and glorious kingdome is eternall and that in a double respect 1 In themselues for that they neuer haue end 2 In the faithfull who doe and will euerlastingly remember and magnifie the Lord the most mighty and glorious king This fourth argument is framed after this manner If thy kingdome power and glory shall euerlastingly be remembred and magnified by vs as it is euerlasting in it selfe then grant these our praiers which are means thereof But by granting these our petitions we shall be prouoked to procure the euerlasting remembrance of thy kingdome power and glory by our selues as long as we liue by our holy seede after vs and for euermore in thy heauenly kingdome Therefore we are perswaded thou wilt graunt vs these our petitions Faith is supported God is not perswaded by arguments Thus our faith is supported and strengthened by arguments which are vsed not to perswade God who is vnchangeable and immoueable in his purposes but to perswade vs who are of little faith and scarse beleeue God himselfe and therefore haue need to find out in our selues strong arguments as it were maine pillars to support our faith as it were a crasie house ready to fall to decay continuallie Desire a part of feruency The second part of feruencie is desire which is expressed in the word Amen As faith is the principall worke of the vnderstanding so desire is the principall worke of the will in regard of that which we want and as faith may well be compared to the hand or arme laying hold vpon blessings so desire may be compared to the brawne or sinewes of the arme or hand the instruments of strength whereby wee holde fast that which we apprehend Mat. 7.7 This is expressed by Matthew in very significant and forcible metaphors Aske as a begger doth to get an almes Seeke as one with a candle looketh for a iewell lost vpon the ground Knocke with strength and force to get open the gate of Mercie The word whereby desire is expressed is an Hebrue word and it signifieth VVhat Amen doth signifie verely truely certainely so be it let it bee so O Lord I desire it might be so as I aske And this may afford an argument for the confirmation of our faith to obtaine taken from the trueth of God framed in this forme Thou Lord art a God of trueth Amen containeth an argument to support our faith thou art true in all thy promises thy promises are yea and Amen thou art Amen the faithfull and true witnesse thou keepest fidelitie for euer But thou hast promised to grant the petitions of thy seruants made in feruencie of desire and faith Therefore grant these our petitions so qualified Thus the manner of making our prayers is taught vs in the conclusion of this prayer which is feruencie in the two parts thereof faith and desire Now contrary to feruencie is coldnes in prayer Coldnes in prayer whereof something briefely must be spoken that contraries may be more perspicuous by their opposition A cold prayer is either when a man vnderstandeth not that which he bableth with his lips or hath no assurance to obtaine that hee asketh or regardeth it not in comparison or prayeth liuing in sinne vnrepented of for all these conditions are as it were colde water cast into a boyling caldron which boyling before through heate now ceaseth Iam. 1.6 The Apostle Iames compareth such prayers to waues of the sea tost to and fro with the wind and at length are consumed into froth or beaten in peeces vpon the rocke A cold prayer obtaineth nothing for although perhaps a cold prayer may swell in great and eloquent words and roare with pitifull complaints and outcries and be tumbled vp and downe in the mouth by repetitions or in the mind by imagination yet at the length the winds of wandring thoughts faint affections or grosse ignorance driueth them vpon the rockes of presumption doubting despaire and impenitencie and so suddainely they are dissolued into froth and consumed into nothing In briefe therefore to conclude this conclusion wee must striue and wrastle with the Lord in time of prayer as Iacob did with the Angell Genes 32.24 Hosea 12.4 holding him fast not letting him goe till he blesse vs till he change our names and call vs Israel men preuailing with God that so after our prayers we may find spirituall ioy and comfort and incouragement in all our waies which is the fruite of feruent prayer Here should bee the end of this treatise but that there are certaine extrauagant questions to bee discussed which could not be referred to any one proper place of the former method and yet containe matter very profitable though onely probable and consisting of vncertainties and coniectures for the most part The questions with their answeres are briefely these following VVhether Christ prayed the Lords prayer 1 Whether Christ euer prayed the Lords prayer The answere It is probable that Christ did pray the Lords prayer himselfe for himselfe and for vs for although the expositors say that the word Father is Naturae nomen non personae that is to say common to all the three persons not proper to the first person and therefore it would follow that if Christ prayed this prayer he should pray to himselfe