a common disease in the most as it is noted Psal. 4. 6. Who vvill shew vs any good This then is a common sin that we ar taught to mourne for 2. The second want is our diffidence and distrustfulnes for the thinges of this life Men also will shift this off and say they wold be sorie to distrust God But if wee looke to our corrupt nature man is wonderfull prone to this sinne for being in prosperitie we ar not troubled but if once wee be pressed with aduersitie then we houle and weep and as Paul saith 1. Tim. 6. 10. Men pearce themselues throgh vvith many sorrowes If any shall lose a parte of his goodes what then doth hee straight hee goes out to the wise man is this to beleeue in God No it is to distrust God and beleeue the deuill 4. Graces to be desired THe grace to be desired is a redinesse in all estates to rest on Gods prouidence whatsoeuer fall out Psal. 37. 5. Commit thy vvay to the Lord and trust in him and hee shall bring it to passe Prou. 16. 3. Commit or role thy workes vpon the Lord and thie thoughts shal be directed Whereby we ar admonished to take pains in our callings to gette meate and drink c. If the Lorde blesse not our labour wee must be content if he do we must giue him thanks Now for this cause wee are further to pray to God that hee would open our eies by his spirit teach vs in all his good creatures to see his prouidence and when meanes faile and are contrary then also to beleeue the same 5. Errors confuted 1. PApistes teache that men by workes of grace may merit life eternall and increase of justification in this life But howe can this be for here we see that euery bit of bread which we eate is the free gift of God without any merite of ours Now if we cannot merite a peece of bred what madnes is it to think that wee can merite life euerlasting 2. They also are deceiued who thinke that any thing comes by meere chance or fortune without Gods prouidence Indeede in respect of men who knowe not the causes of thinges many chances there are but so as they are ordered come to passe by Gods prouidence Luk. 10. 31. By chance there came downe a certaine priest that way Forgiue vs our debts 1. Coherence THis is the fift petition the second of those which concerne our selues in the former we craued temporall blessings in this and the next which followeth we craue spirituall blessings Where we may note that seeing there be two petitions which concerne spirituall thinges but one for temporall that the care for our soules must be double to the care for our bodies In the world men care for their bodies their hearts are sette for wealth and promotion they can be content to heare the worde on the Sabboth yet neither then nor in the weeke day do they lay it vp in their heartes and practise it which argues that they haue litle or no care for their soules Question What is the cause that first we craue things for the body in the second place those which concerne the soule Ans. The order of the holy Ghost in these petitions is wonderfull for the Lorde considers the dulnes and backewardnes of mens natures therefore he trains them vp and draws them on by litle euen as a schoolmaister doth his young schollers propounding vnto them some elements and principles and so carrying them to higher pointes 〈◊〉 the former petition is a steppe or degree to these two following He that will rest on Gods 〈◊〉 so the pardon of his 〈…〉 of al rest on Gods providence 〈◊〉 this life and hee that cannot put his affiance in God for the prouision of meat and drink how shall he trust in Gods mercie for the saluation of his soule Here wee may see the faith of worldings they say that God is mercifull and that they beleeue in Christ which how can it be true Seeing in lesâ—er matters as meate and drinke they distrust God as appears by their couetousnes 2. The meaning DEbts By debts sins ar meant so it is in Luke 11. 4. and they are so called because of the resemblance betwene them For euen as a debt doth bind a man either to make satisfaction or else to goe to prison so our sinnes bind vs either to satisfie Gods iustice or els to suffer eternall damnation Forgiue To forgiue sinne is to couer it or not to impute it Psal. 32. 1. And this is done when God is content of his mercie to accept the death and passion of Christ as a sufficient paiment and ransome for mans sinnes and so to esteeme them as no sinnes And here vnder this one benefit all the rest of the same kind are vnderstood as iustification sanctification redemption glorification c. 3. The vses of the vvords 1. HEre we may learn many lessons the first is that seeing we must pray thus Lord forgiue c. We must hold that there is no satisfaction to Gods iustice for sinne by our workes no not in temporary punishments but that the doing away of our sinnes is of Gods meere fauour for to forgiue and to satisfie be contrary wherefore the doctrine of humain satisfactions taught in the Church of Rome is vile and diuelish 2. Secondly we are taught thus to pray continually from day to day where we note the great patience and long suffering of God in that we offending daily yet he suffers and forbears still and doeth not powre out his confusion vpon vs. This teacheth vs like patience towards our brethren we cannot put vp the least iniury and forbear but one day yet we desire that god wold forgiue vs all our liues long 3. Againe we may obserue that there is no perfect sanctification in this life seeing we must euery day to the end craue the pardoÌ„ of our sinnes Therefore wicked is the opinion of the Catharists or puritans which hold that men may be without sinne in this life 4. And when we say forgiue not me but vs we are put in minde to pray not onely for the pardone of our owne sinnes but likewise for our brethren and enemies Iam. 5. 17. Confesse one to another and pray one for another for the praier of the righteous auaileth much if it be feruent And as soâ—ne think the praier of Steuen was a meanes of the conuersion of Saule 5. Also we note that before praier for pardon of sinne must go a confession of sinne for whereas we say forgiue our debts we confes before God that we ar stat banckrouts and not able to discharge the least of our sinnes this appears 1. Ioh. 1. 9. If vve confesse our sinnes he is faithful to forgiue vs And it was practised by Dauid Psalm 51. and 32. 5. The maner of making confession is this knowen sinnes and those which troble the conscience are to be confessed particularlie but vnknown
AN EXPOSITION OF THE LORDS PRAIER IN the way of Catechisme By William Perkins EDINBVRGH PRINTED BY ROBERT Walde-graue Printer to the Kings 〈◊〉 1593. TO THE RIGHT honourable Edward Lord Russell Earl of Bedford grace and peace be multiplied RIGHT honourable if you consider what is one of the cheife ornaments of this noble state vnto which God hath aduanced you It will appeare that there is none more excellent then the spirit of grace and praier For what doth your heart affect would you speake the languages Behold by praier you may speake the most heauenly toung that euer was euen the language of Canaan Would you haue the valor of knighthood By praier you may stand in the place where Gods hand hath made a breach and do as much as all the Chariots horsmen in a kingdome Would you enjoy Gods blessings which you want By praier you may as it were put your hād into the cofers of Gods treasures and inriche your selfe Do you desire the fauour of Monarks and Princes By praier you may come in presence and haue speeche with Iehoua the King of heauen and earth Lastly would you knowe whether now liuing you be dead that being dead you may liue for euer By praier a man may knowe whether he be dead to sinne dead to the world liue to God liue to Christ and liue eternally Praier then being so excellent a point of Religion I am imboldened to commend this small treatise your honour not so much for itselfe as because it doth set out the matter and true maner of inuocation of Gods holy name And I hope for your fauour in accepting of it the rather because I doubt not but your desire is to be answerable to your most honourable and for Religion most worthie ancestors in the care of maintaining and countenancing any good thing that may any whit serue for the furthering of the gospell of Christ. Now Iesus Christ our Lorde and God euen the Father which hath loued vs and giuen vs euerlasting consolation and good hope through grace stablish your Honor in euerie good word and worke to the end Your H. to command William Perkins AN EXPOSITION of the Lords prayer in the way of Catechisme By M. Perkins Matth. 6. ver 9. After this maner therefore pray yee Our Father c. THe occasion and so also the coherence of these wordes with the former is this The Evangelist Matthew setting downe the Sermons and sayings of our Sauiour Christ keeps not this course to propounde euery thing as it was done or spoken but sometime he settes down that first which was done last and that last which was done before according as the spirit of God directed him Which thing is verified in these wordes where the praier is mentioned yet the occasion wherfore our Sauiour Christ taught his disciples to pray is not here specified But in Saint Luke 11. verse 1. the occasion of these wordes is euident For there it is said that the disciples of our Sauior knowing that Iohn taught his disciples to pray made request to their master that he would do the same to them likewise These few words set before the praier are a commandement and it prescribes vnto vs two duties the first to praie the second to pray after the manner following Touching the first point considering verie fewe among the people know how to pray aright we must learne what it is to pray To make praier is to put vp request to god acording to his word from a contrite hart in the name of Christ with assurance to bee hard For the better opening of these words we are to consider six questions The first is to whome wee are to pray The answer is to God alone Rom. 10. 14. Howe shal they cal on him in whome they haue not beleeued c. Marke how inuocation and faith are linked together And Paules reson may be framed thus In whome we put our affiance or beleif to him alone must we pray but we beleue only in God therefore wee must onely praie to him As for Saints or Angels they are in no wise to be called vpon because not the least title of Gods worde prescribes vs so to doe because they cannot heare our praiers and discerne what are the thoughts and desires of our harts and because invocation is a parte of diuine worship and therefore peculiar to God alone The second question is what kinde of action prayer is Answer it is no lip-labour it is the putting vp of a sute vnto God and this action is peculiar to the verie hart of a man Rom. 8. 26. The spirite makes request for vs But how with grones in the hart Exod. 14. 15. The Lord said to Moses Why criest thou Yet there is no mentiō made that Moses spake any word at all the Lorde no doubt accepted the inward mourning and desire of his hart for a crie The third question is what is the forme or rule according vnto which we are to pray Answer It is the reueiled wil and word of God A man in humbling his soule before God is not to pray as his affections carrie him and for what he list but all is to be done according to the expresse worde So as those things which God hath cōmanded vs to ask wee are to aske and those thinges which hee hath not commanded vs to ask we are in no wise to pray for 1. Iohn 5. 14. This is the assurance vvhich vvee haue of him that if wee aske any thing according to his will hee heareth vs. This then is a speciall clause to be marked that men must praye in knowledge not in ignorance Here weigh the case of poore ignorant people they talke muche of praying for themselues others they imagine that they pray verie deuoutlie to God but alas they doe nothing les because they knowe not what to ask acording to Gods will They therefore must learne Gods worde and pray according to the same else it will prooue in the end that all their praying was nothing but as mocking and flat dishonoring of God The fourth question is with what affection a man must pray Answer Prayer must proceed from a broken and contrite hart This is the sacrifice which God accepteth Psalm 51. verse 17. When Ahab abased himselfe though he did it in hypocrisie yet God had some respect vnto it 1. King 21. verse 29. Saith the Lorde to Eliah seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me This contrition of heart stands in two thinges The first of them is a liuely feeling of our own sinne miserie and wretched estate howe that we are compassed about with inumerable enemies euen with the Deuill and all his Angels within a bound even with huge seas of wants and rebellious corruptiōs whereby we most grieuouslie displease God are vile in our own eies Being therefore thus beset on euerie side wee are to be touched with the sense of this our gret miserie And he that wil pray aright
as litle gods though to the world we shew it not This hidden pride when other sinnes die it begins to get strength and to shewe it selfe and it appeares in vaine thoughts continuallie on euery occasion ascending in the minde As maye appeare in the Pharisie whose thoughts were these wheÌ„ he praied thus within himselfe O God I thank thee that I am not as other men extortioners vniust adulterers or euen as this Publican c. And as this was in him so it is in vs till God giue grace for so that men may haue praise glory in the world they care not for God his glorie though it be defaced Wee must therfore learn to discerne this hidden corruption and to mourn for it for it doeth poison hinder al good desires of glorifying God so long as it may preuaile in the hart 2 Secondly we are taught here to bewaile the hardnesse of our hearts whereby we are hindred from knowing God aright and from discerning the glorie of God in his creatures Mark 6. 52. The Disciples through the hardnesse of their hartes could not see Gods power in the miracle of feeding many thousands with a few loues though themselues were instrumentes of it and the food did increase in their hands Our redeÌ„ption what a wonderfull work is it but how few consider of it or regarde it If wee see a man haue more wit wealth or honour than we haue wee straight woonder at him but beholding Gods creatures we see nothing in them because we do not goe higher to acknowledge the loue power wisedome and iustice of the Creator And this is the cause why Gods name is so slenderly honoured among men 3 The third corruption is our great ingratitude for the Lorde hath made heauen and earth and all other creatures to serue mâ—n yet he is the most vnthankful of al creatures Bestow manie iewels or a kinges ransome on a dead man he wil neuer returne anie kindnes so men being dead in sinne deale with God Commonlie men are like the swine that run with their groines and eat vp the mast but neuer looke vp to the tree from whence it falleth But the godlie are with Dauid to feele this want in themselues and to beseech God to open and as it were to vnlocke their lippes that they may indeuour to be thankfull to God Psal. 51. 15. 4 The fourth is the vngodlines and the innumerable wantes that be in our liues and the sinnes committed in the world Psal. 119. 136 Mine eies saith Dauid gush out with riuers of waters because men keepe not thy lawes The reason is because he which liues in sin reproches Gods name euen as an euill child dishonors his father Now some wil say that this cannot be because our sinnes cannot hurt God Aâ— Yet they are a cause of slandring Gods name among men for as we honour him by our good workes so we dishonour him by our offences Mat. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen 4 Graces to be desired 1 The graces to be desired and to be prayed for at Gods hand are three The first is the knowledge of God that is that we might know him as he hath reueiled himself in his word works and creatures For how shal anie glorifie God before he know him Our knowledge in this life is imperfect Exo. 23. Moses may not see Gods face but his hinder partes 1. Cor. 13. 12. Wee may see God as men doe through spectacles in his word sacraments and creatures And therefore as Paule prayed for the Colossians Col. 1. 10. that they might increase in the knowledge of God so are wee taught to pray for our selues in this petion 2. A zeale for Gods glorie Psal. 69. 9. The zeale of thine house hath eaten me vp Psal. 45. 1. My heart shall vtter or cast vp a good matter I vvill speake in my workes of the king Here the Spirit of God borrowes a comparison froÌ„ men thus As he which hath somewhat lying heauie in his stomâ—cke is neuer at quiet till hee haue cast it vp euen so the care desire to glorifie Gods name must lie vpon a mans heart as an heauie burthen and he is not to bee at ease and quiet with himself till he be disburdened in sounding forth Gods praise Luther saith wel that this is sancta crapula that is an holy surfet and it is no hurt continuallie to haue our harts ouercharged thus 3 A desire to lead a godlie and syncere life as before Gods Majestie We see men that are in some great calling vnder honourable personages wil so order and behaue theÌ„selues as they may please and honour their maisters euen so must our liues bee well ordered and we are to labour to walk worthie of the Lord as Paul speaketh that we may honour our heauenly father Thy kingdome come 1 The Coherence THis petition dependes on the former most excellentlie For in it is laid downe the meanes to procure the first Gods name must be hallowed among men but how is it done by the erecting of Gods kingdome in the heartes of men We cannot glorifie God vntill he rule in our hearts by his word and Spirite 2 The meaning Thy This word doth put vs in mind that there is two kingdoms one Gods that is the kingdome of heauen the other the deuils called the kingdom of darknesse Col. 1. 13. For when all had sinned in Adam God laid this punishmeÌ„t on all that seeing they could not be content to obey their Creator they should be in bondage vnder Sathan So that by nature we are all the children of wrath and the deuill holds vp the scepter of his kingdome in the heartes of men This kingdome is spirituall and the pillers of it are ignorance errour impietie and all disobedience to God in which the deuill whollie delights which also are as it were the lawes of his kingdome Blind ignorant people can not abide this doctrine that the deuill should rule in their hearts they spit at the naming of him say that they defie him with all their heartes but whereas they liue in sinne and practise it as occasion is offered though they can not discerne of themselues yet they make plain proofe that they line in the kingdome of sinne and darknes and are stat vessels of Sathan shal so continew till Christ the strong man come and binde him and cast him out And this is the estate of all the children of Adam in themselues Wherfore our sauiour in this petition teacheth vs to consider our naturall estate and to pray that he would giue vs his Spirit to set vs at libertie in the kingdome of his owne Sonne Kingdome Gods kingdome in scriptures is taken two waies First generallie and so it signifieth that administration by which the Lord gouerneth all thinges yea euen the deuilles themselues of which kingdome mention is made in the end of
first lesson that our Sauiour doeth giue his Disciples that they must denie themselues and follow him 2 The second thing is the knowledge of Gods will for otherwise how shal we do it How shall that seruant please his maister which cannot tell what hee would haue done of him Most men will haue bookes of statutes in their houses and if they be to deal in any great matter they will do nothing vntil they haue looked on the Statute In like maner men must haue the Bible that is the booke of Gods statutes in their houses the lawes of God must bee the men of our counsel Before euerie action wee are to searche what is the will of God and then to doe it Here thē wee are taught to vse the meanes and to pray for knowledge 3 Againe we are here taught to haue a desire in our hearts and an indeuour in our liues in all things to do obedience to Gods word 4 Lastlie we desire patience and strength when it shall please God at anie time to exercise vs with the crosse as Paul prayes for the Colossians that God would strengthē them by the power of his might vnto all patience and long suffering with ioy fulnesse 5. Errour confuted THe Church of Rome teacheth that men by nature haue free-will to good and that men being stirred vp by the holy ghost can of themselues will that which is good But if this were so why might we not pray Let my will bee done So far foorth as the will of man shall agree with Gods will but this cannot be as we see in the tenour of this petition In earth as it is in heauen 1 The meaning HAuing shewed the meaning of this petition thy vvill be done Now we are to speake of the condition which is in what maner we shuld doe it For the question may be how we should doe Gods will the answer is his wil must be done in earth as it is in heauen Heauen By heauē here is meant the soules of faithfull men departed and the elect Angels Psal. 103 20. Praise the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength that doe his commandements in obeying the voice of his vvord Earth By earth is vnderstood nothing but men on earth becaus all other creatures in their kind obey God only man he is rebellious and disobedient Then the meaning is Let thy will be done by vs men on earth as the Angels and saintes departed doe thy will in heauen Qu. Do we here desire to do the will of God in that perfection it is done by angels must we be as perfit as they Ans. the wordes here vsed in earth as it c. do not signifie an equalitie as though our obedience should in this life be in the same degre of perfection with with Angels but a similitude or the like maner of obeying it may be said in what maner do the Angels obey God Answer They doe the wil of God willingly speedily and faithfully and this is signified in that they are saide in the scriptures to bee winged and to stand continually beholding the face of our heauenly Father And this is the manner in which we desire to performe Gods will 2. The wants to be bewailed VVE are heere admonished to bee displeased with our selues for our imperfect obedience to God for our hypocrisie priuie pride presumptiō deadnes of spirit and many other wants which breake out when we are in doing Gods will There is no seruant of God but hath wants in his best works so we must vnderstand Paul Ro. 7. 18. he saith as much as if he culd begin a good thing but not perfect it go through stitch as we say Whē the godly do good works as heare speak Gods word pray praise God c. they perform things acceptable to God but in these actions they finde matter of mourning namely the imperfectiō of the work therfore Dauid praieth Psal. 143. 2. Enter not into iudgement vvith thy seruant and here we may see how far wide the Church of Rome is that holds good works to be any way meritorious that be euery way imperfect If the mē of that church had grace they might see that the corruptiōs of the flesh wer as gynes fetters about their legs that when they would faine runne the waies of Gods commādements they are constrained to halt downe right and to trail their loynes after them 3 Grace to be desired THE grace here to be desired is synceritie of heart in doing Gods will so as wee may keepe a good conscience before God and men Act. 24. 16. And for this cause I indeuoured alwaies to haue a clear conscience towards God and towards men This must we hunger after pray for seing it is not sufficient to abstaine from euill but also to doe good and in doing good striue to come to perfection Giue vs this day our daily bread 1 The Coherence THus much of the thre first petitions which concerne God now follow the other three which concern our selues In which order we learn to pray for those things which concerne God absolutelie and for those thinges which concerne our selues not absolutely but so farre foorth as they shall make for God his glorie the building of his kingdom and the doing of his wil. But how dependes this petition on the former In the first wee are taught to pray that Gods name might bee hallowed which is done whē God raigns in our hearts his wil is done Now further his will is obeyed in three thinges first by depending on his prouidence for the thinges of this life secondly by depending on his mercy for the pardon of sin thirdly by depending on his power and might in resisting temptations And thus Gods will is obeyed 2 The meaning BRead By this one means of sustayning our bodies and temporarie liues all other meanes are vnderstood as meat drinke cloathing helth liberty peace c. Gen 3. 19. Thou shalt eat thy bread vz. get thy liuing in the sweat of thy browes Out of this we learn 2. instructions for why doth the Lord teache vs to craue onely bread and not meate and other dainties It is for 2. causes the first is that we might hereby learn frugalitie and moderation in our diet apparel houses and be content if wee haue no more but bread seeing wee desire no more We must not with the Israelites murmur because they had nothing but Manna Quest. Must wee vse Gods creatures onely for necessitie Ans. we may vse them not onely for necessitie but also for honest delight plesure Psal. 104. 15. God giues wine to make glad the heart of man and oyle to make his face shine And Iohn 12. 3. Our Sauiour Christ allowed of the fact of Mary which tooke a pounde of ointment of spikenard very costly and annointed his very feete so that all the house was filled with the smell though Iudas did esteeme it wast But yet if the Lord shall graunt but
thē and of reconciliation to god Now where this perswasion is indeede there followes necessarilie Christs dwelling in the heart which stands in two thinges the first is the ordering and ruling of the thoghts affections and desires of the heart according to his will as a maister rules in his house the second is the continuance of his rule For hee cannot be saide to dwell in a place who rules in it but for a day The third is the knowledg and the acknowledgement of the infinite greatnes of God his loue in Christ an effect of the former vers 18. 19. the wordes are thus explaned Rooted and grounded Here the loue of God wherewith hee loues the elect is as a roote and foundation of all Gods benefits election vocation iustification and glorification Men ar rooted and grounded in loue when Gods spirite assures their hearts of Gods loue doth giue them some inward sense and feeling of it For then they are as it were sensiblie put into the roote and laid on the foundation With al Saintes Paule desires this benefite not onely to the Ephesians but also for all the faithfull with them What is the length the bredth Here is a speech borrowed from Geomitricians and it signifieth the absolute greatnes or infinitenes of Gods loue and that it is like a worlde which for length bredth height depth is endles Heere note the order of receuing grace First Christ dwelles in the hart by faith Secondly thē comes a sense and feeling of Gods loue as it were by certain drops thereof Thirdly after this ariseth a plētifull knowledge and apprehension of Gods loue and as it wer the powring out of a sea into a mans heart that for greatnes hath neither bottome nor bank And knowe the loue of Christ these wordes as I take it are an exposition of the former for to comprehende the loue of God is nothing else but to knowe the loue of Christ considering that all whome the father loueth hee loueth them in Christ Which passeth knowledge That is which for the greatnes of it noe man can fullie know The fourth thing is the fulnesse of Gods graces verse 19. Here the fulnesse of God doth not signifie the fulnes of the Godhead or deuine nature but the perfection of the inner man which shall not be till after this life Nowe followes the thāksgiuing or the praise of God ver 20. 21. containing these points 1. The matter of praise his power and bountifulnes whereby he canne worke exceeding aboundantly aboue all we ask or think and both these are not only to be conceiued in mind but also may be felt in the heart according to the power that worketh in vs. 2. the forme of praise glorie vnto God by Christ as all benefits are receiued from the father by Christ. The proper place of true praise of God the Church 4. The continuance of his praise through all generations for euer Philip. 1. 9. AND this I praie that your loue maie abound yet more and more in knowledg and al sense 10. That yee may discerne things that differ to the end yee may be pure and without offence to the daie of Christ. 11. Filled with fruites of righteousnes vvhich are by Iesus Christ vnto the praise and glorie of God The Exposition THis praier containes three parts In the first Paul praieth for increase of loue in the Philip. whether it be to God or to men verse 9. and he shewes the meanes of increase which ar two knowledg and sense or feeling For to goe backeward the more a godly man feeles Gods loue and hath experience of Gods word in himselfe the more he knowes Gods word and perceiues his loue vnto him the more hee is assured of Gods loue the more he loues god again and his neighbour for his sake The second thing praied for is the gift of discerning whereby mē know what is true what fals what is to be done what to be left vndone the ends of this gift ar two The first that by meanes of it they may bee pure or sincere that is keepe a good conscience before God and men in their liues and callings The second is to be without offence that is innocent giuing no occasions of euill to any and not taking thē offered by others and the continuance of these is noted to the daie of Christ which is the time in which he commeth to vs either by our death or by the last judgement Thirdly he praieth that they might abounde in good workes which ar described by a similitud fruits of righteousnes Christians being fruitfull trees Exech 4. 7. 12. Esay 61. 3. 2. By the cause efficient which ar by Christ. 3. By the end vnto the glorie and praise of God Colos. 1. 9 I cease not to praie for you and to desire that ye might be filled with knowledg of his will in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding 10. That ye might vvalk vvorthie of the lord please him in al things fructifying in all good workes and increasing in the acknowledgment of God 11 Strengthened vvith all might thorough his glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering vvith ioyfulnes 12 Giuing thanks to the father which hath made vs fit to be partakers of the inheritāce of the saints in light 13 Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his owne sonne The Exposition THese wordes containe a praier and a thankesgiuing In the praier three things are asked The first is the increase of the knowledge of Gods reueiled vvill in his worde and he deuides it into two partes Wisdom which is not only to know Gods word but also to apply it to euery action for the right and holy performing thereof and spiritual vnderstanding which is when men by the assistance of Gods spirit do conceiue the will of God in general without applying Secondly Paule praies for the fruites of this knowledge which are foure 1. To walke woorthy of God as good seruants do who in their apparell gesture and all their doings