is not to be understood so as if he were included in Heaven or locally circumscribed within the Compass of it For the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him 1 Kin. 8. 27. In regard of his Essence he is in all Places being infinite and indivisible He is not included within the Heavens nor excluded from Earth but filleth all Places alike Ier. 23. 24. Do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord. But yet in an especial manner is God present in Heaven That appears because there is his Throne Psal. 103. 19. He hath prepared his Throne in the Heavens Earthly Kings they have their Thrones exalted higher than other Places but God's Throne is above all it is in Heaven He hath a more universal and unlimited Empire than all the Kings of the Earth so he hath a more glorious Throne Heaven is the most convenient Place to set forth his Majesty and Glory to the World because of the Sublimity Amplitude and Purity of it And so Isa. 66. 1. Thus saith the Lord The Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Footstool Heaven is his Throne because there is his Majestical Presence more of his Glory and Excellency is discovered And the Earth is his Footstool because there in the lowest part of the World he manifesteth his powerful Presence among the lower Creatures Briefly to conceive how God is in Heaven we must consider 1. The several ways of his Presence He is in Christ hypostatically essentially or as the Apostle speaks bodily Col. 2. 19. The Fulness of God dwells in him bodily In the Temple under the Law there God was present symbolically because there were the Signs and Tokens of his Presence The Jewish Temple was a Sacramental Place and Type of Christ in whose Name and by whose Merit Worship was acceptable to God But now in Christians he is present energetically and operatively by his Spirit And in Heaven he there dwells by some eminent Effects of his Wisdom Power Greatness and Goodness God hath shewed more of his Workmanship in the Structure of the Heavens than in any other part of the Creation that being the most glorious part of the World Psal. 19. 1 2 3. The Heavens declare the Glory of the Lord and the Firmament sheweth his handy Work c. Certainly it is meet God should dwell in the most glorious part of the World now Heaven is the most glorious part of the Creation Heathens in their Straits would not look to the Capitol where their Idols were but to Heaven where God hath impressed his Majesty and Greatness When ever we look upon these aspectable Heavens the vast Expansion of those glorious Luminaries the Purity of the Matter and Sublimity of its Posture it cannot but raise our Hearts to think of a glorious God that dwelleth there When we come by a poor Cottage we guess the Inhabitant is no great Person but when we see a magnificent Structure we easily imagine some Person of account dwells there So tho the Earth doth declare the Glory of God and shew much of his Wisdom and Power yet chiefly the Heavens when ever we look upon them we cannot chuse but have awful Thoughts and be struck with a Religious Horrour at the remembrance of the great God which hath stretched out these Heavens by his Wisdom and Power 2. Therefore God is said to dwell in Heaven because from thence he manifesteth his powerful Providence Wisdom Justice and Goodness God is not so shut up in Heaven as not to mind human Affairs and to take notice of what is done here below Psal. 11. 4. The Lords Throne is in Heaven His Eyes behold his Eye-lids try the Children of Men. Tho his Throne be in Heaven yet his Providence is every where his Eyes behold he seeth how we behave our selves in his Presence and his Eye-lids try the Children of Men He may seem to wink now and then and to suspend the strokes of his Vengeance but it is but for our Trial. He owneth his Children from Heaven Deut. 26. 15. Look down from thy holy Habitation from Heaven and bless thy People And from thence he punisheth the Wicked Rom. 1. 18. The Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven 3. There is God most owned by the Saints and glorified Angels therefore he is said to dwell there as a King is beloved by his Subjects but most immediately served and attended upon by those of his own Court. So that in Heaven there we have the highest Pattern of all that Duty which doth immediately concern God In this Prayer Hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come thy Will be done these three Petitions concern God more immediately now before we put them up Christ would have us think of our Father in Heaven praised by 〈◊〉 and Saints that fall down before his Throne crying Honour â—lory and Praise There he Reignâ—th his â—hrone is there and there he is perfectly obeyed and served without any oppoâ—ition 4. There God is most enjoyed and therefore he dwells there for there he doth more immediately exhibit the fulness of his Glory to the Saints and Angels In Heaven God is all in all Here we are supplied at second or third Hand Hos. 2. 18. I will hear the Heavens and the Heavens shall hear the Earth c. But there God is immediately and fully enjoyed Here there are many Wants and Vacuities to be filled up But in thy Presence there is fulness of Ioy and at thy right hand there are Pleasures for evermore Psal. 16. 11. Look as when the Flood was poured out upon the World you read that the Windows of Heaven were opened Gen. 7. 11. The drops of Rain were upon Earth but the Cataracts and Flood-Gates were in Heaven So when he raineth down drops of Sweetness upon his People the Flood-Gates are above they are reserved for that place where they are fully enjoyed Thirdly Why hath God fixed and taken up his dwelling place in the Heavens I answer 1. Because mortal Men they cannot endure his glorious presence Deut. 5. 23. When ye heard the Voice out of the midst of the Darkness for the Mountain did burn with Fire ye said Behold the Lord our God hath shewed us his Glory and his Greatness and we have heard his Voice out of the midst of the Fire now therefore why should we dye For this great Fire will consume us if we hear the Voice of the Lord our God any more then we shall dye Any manifestations of God how easily do they over-set and overcome us A little Spiritual Enjoyment it is too strong for us If God pour out but a drop of Sweetness into the Heart we are ready to cry out Hold Lord it is enough Our crazy Vessels can endure no more Therefore when Christ was transfigured the Disciples were astonished and fell back they could not endure the Emissions and Beamings out of his Divine Glory because of the Weakness and Incapacity of the present State therefore hath God a place above
14. Peace upon Earth Now God offereth Grace and now it is his Will we should come out of our Sins and accept of Christ to the ends for which he hath appointed him And here we must be sanctified else we shall be filthy for evermore Corn grows in the Field but it is laid up in the Barn Now is the time of minding this Work here upon Earth 3. That while we are upon Earth we might long for that happy Estate we shall have in Heaven wherein we might serve God Therefore Christ in his Prayer would have us think how God is glorified and obeyed there that we might send up hearty Wishes after that perfect Estate when we shall serve God without Weariness and without Distraction 4. Upon Earth to shew that we pray not for those in the other World but for those upon Earth We do not pray for the Saints departed they are out of harms way past our Prayers being in their final Estate We pray not for the Dead but for the Living Thus for the first Circumstance in this Petition the place where Secondly There remains nothing but the last and that 's the manner how this is to be done As it is in Heaven Chrysostome observes that this Clause may be referred to all the former Petitions Hallowed be thy Name upon Earth as it is in Heaven Thy Kingdom come upon Earth as it is in Heaven But certainly most proper it is to the matter in hand But what is the sense How is God obeyed in Heaven There are in Scripture three Heavens the Airy Heaven the Starry Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens In all these Heavens God's Will is done God is obeyed in the lower Heaven you shall see in Psal. 148. 8. Fire Hail Snow and Vapours stormy Winds fullfilling his Word Winds and Storms and all those things which seem to be most tempestuous and unruly to be the disorders of Nature they are at God's beck Then in the Starry Heaven vers 6. He hath made a Decree which shall not pass They are under a Law and Statute and are not exorbitant and excentrick do not alter their Path the Sun riseth setts and knows the just point of his Compass But it is chiefly meant of the Heaven of Heavens where Angels and blessed Spirits are and they obey God perfectly Psal. 103. 20 21. Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excel in Strength that do his Commandments hearkening unto the voice of his Word Bless ye the Lord all ye his Hosts ye Ministers of his that do his Pleasure The Angels do his Commandments and are hearkening to the Voice of his Word are at God's beck to be sent up and down to ascend and descend as God will have them so with respect to this doth Christ say Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven But here again why is this added As it is in Heaven 1. To sweeten our Subjection to God's Will We upon Earth are not held to a harder Law and Task than they in Heaven The Angels they are not sui juris at their own dispose They have many Priviledges above Man yet have no Exemption from Homage and Duty to God They have an Exemption and Freedom from Trouble and Sicknesses and Diseases and the necessities of Meat and Drink and all the Molestations and Infirmities of the Flesh which we lie under but are not freed from the Will of God but they obey his Commandments hearkning to the voice of his Word These Courtiers of Heaven are Servants of God and Fellows with us in the same Obedience none is too great to obey God The Angels which excel in Strength they obey his Will and so must we nay they obey his Will with a holy Awe and Fear that they may not displease him in the least for it is said of Michael the Arch-angel Iude vers 9. That he durst not bring against the Devil a railing Accusation but said The Lord rebuke thee He had not boldness to speak one uncomely Word or one unseemly Word to do any thing that was displeasing to God 2. As to sweeten our Obedience so to shew us the Reasonableness of this Obedience We would have the Happiness of the Angels and therefore certainly we should come into a Fellowship in their Duty it is but equal we should imitate their Holiness If we would have Communion with them in Glory we should have Communion also with them in Grace Mat. 22. 30. it is said we shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the Angels of God We seek after the same Glory and Happiness which they have to stand before the Lord and to behold his Face that 's their Happiness Surely if we would have the reward of Angels which we upon Earth are aspiring and looking after it is but equal we should do the Work of Angels and write after their Copy 3. Therefore doth Christ use this Comparison that we might not miscarry by a low Example How apt are we to follow the track and to take up with an easy and low rate of Obedience Luke 18. 11. that put great Confidence in that God I thank thee I am not as other Men. Now because we have few Examples in the World and those we have have their Spots and Defects and are very susceptible of Evils and apt to miscarry by them therefore Christ would carry us up to look after a Heavenly and Coelestial Patern he propoundeth the Angelical Perfection as a Patern and Example He that shoots at a Star will shoot higher than he that aims at a Shrub Surely the higher the Patern that we aim at the greater will our Obedience be Wicked Men they think that every thing is enough in Religion though it be never so little but the Godly cannot so easily satisfy themselves they are pressing and hastening on more and more 4. To teach us that we are not only to look to the Quid but to the Quomodo not only to what we do but also in what manner we yield Obedience to God therefore Christ would not teach us to pray only Thy Will be done but as it is in Heaven in such a manner God respects not only the doing of what he hath required but also the manner of it that we may not only do good but well it is the Adverb which crowns the Action We are to consider with what Heart we go about it Prov. 2. 16. The Lord weigheth the Spirits That which he putteth into the Ballance of the Sanctuary is with what Spirit with what Heart we go about the Work that 's it he weigheth and regardeth Now that we may look not only to the matter of Obedience but also to the manner how we do it therefore doth Christ give us this Patern Object But you will say Our Obedience is accompanied with many Defects and Infirmities therefore how can we serve God as the Angels do in Heaven How shall we take Comfort in our Obedience if this be our Patern I answer
where he discovereth his Glory in the utmost Latitude It is notable in Scripture sometimes God is said to dwell in Light 1 Tim. 6. 16. And sometimes to make Darkness his dwelling place Psal. 18. 11. How doth he dwell in Light and how in Darkâ—ess Because of the glorious maniâ—estations which are above therefore it is said he dwells in Light and because of the weakness and incapacity of our apprehension therefore he is said to dwell in Darkness 2. To try our Faith and our Obedience that he might see whether we would live by Faith yea or no whether a Believer would love him and obey him tho he were invisible and withdrawn within the Curtain of Heaven You know when the Israelites saw the Glory of God then they cryed All that God hath commanded us we will do Deut. 5. 27. But as soon as that Manifestation ceased they were as bad as ever If all were liable to Sense there would be no trial of this World but God hath shut up himself that by this means the Faith of the Elect might be manifested for Faith is the Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11. 1. Where there is no sight there is exercise for Faith And that our Love might be tried 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not seen ye love in whom tho now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of Glory And this is that which discovereth the Faithless and disobedient World Job 22. 12 13 14. Is not God in the height of Heaven How doth God know Can he judg through the dark Cloud Thick Clouds are a Covering to him that he seeth not and he walketh in the circuit of Heaven 3. It is fit there should be a better place into which the Saints should be translated when the course of their Obedience is ended Eph. 1. 3. He hath blessed us with Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Places The main of Christ's Purchase we have in Heavenly Places It is fit the place of Trial and place of Recompence should differ therefore the place of Trial that 's God's Foot-stool and the place of Recompence that 's God's Throne The World that 's a place of Trial it is a Common Inn for Sons and Bastards for the Elect and Reprobate a Receptacle of Man and Beast Here God will shew his Bounty unto all his Creatures But now in the place of his Residence he will show his Love to his People Therefore when we have been tried and exercised there is a place of Preferment for us Fourthly What Advantage have we in Prayer by considering God in Heaven Very much whether we consider God absolutely or with respect to a Mediator both ways we have an Advantage First If we consider the Father Son and Holy-Ghost who have their Residence in Heaven consider them without respect to a Mediator Why the looking up to God in Heaven 1. It sheweth us that Prayer is an act of the Heart and not of the Lips that it is not the sound of the Voice which can pierce the Heavens and enter into the Ears of the Lord of Hosts but Sighs and Groans of the Spirit Christians in Prayer God is near to us and yet far from us for we must look upon him as in Heaven and we upon Earth How then should we converse with God in Prayer Not by the Tongue only but by the Heart The Commerce and Communion of Spirits is not hindred by local Distance but God is with us and we with him when our Heart goeth up 2. It teacheth the great work of Prayer is to lift up the Heart to God To withdraw the Heart from all created things which we see and feel here below that we may converse with God in Heaven Psal. 123. 1. Vnto thee lift I up mine Eyes O thou that dwellest in the Heavens And Lam. 3. 41. Let us lift up our Heart with our Hands unto God in the Heavens Prayer doth not consist in a multitude and clatter of Words but in the getting up of the Heart to God that we may behave our selves as if we were alone with God in the midst of glorious Saints and Angels There 's a double Advantage which we have by this getting the Soul into Heaven in Prayer It 's a means to free us from Distractions and Doubts To free us from Distractions and other inter-current Thoughts Until we get our Hearts out of the World as if we were dead and shut up to all present things how easily is the Heart carried away with the Thoughts of earthly Concernments Until we can separate and purge our Spirits how do we interline our Prayers with many ridiculous Thoughts It is too usual for us to deal with God as an unskilful Person that will gather a Posy for his Friend and puts in as many or more stinking Weeds than he doth choice Flowers The Flesh interposeth and our carnal Hearts interline and interlace our Prayers with vain Thoughts and earthly Distractions When with our Censor we come to offer Incense to God we mingle Sulphur with our Incense Therefore we should labour all that we can to get the Heart above the World into the Presence of God and company of the Blessed that we may deal with him ad if we were by him in Heaven and were wholly swallowed up of his Glory Tho our Bodies are on Earth yet our Spirits should be with our Father in Heaven For want of practising this in Prayer these Distractions encrease upon us So for Doubts when we look to things below even the very manifestations of God to us upon Earth we have many Discouragements Dangers without and Difficulties within till we get above the Mists of the lower World we can see nothing of Clearness and Comfort but when we can get God and our Hearts together then we can see there is much in the Fountain tho nothing in the Stream and tho little on Earth yet we have a God in Heaven 3. This impresseth an Awe and Reverence if we look upon the Glory of God manifested in Heaven that Briâ—ht and Luminous Place This is urged by the Holy-Ghost Eccles. 5. 2. Thou art upon Earth and God is in Heaven therefore let thy Words be few Gen. 8. 27. Who am I that I should take upon me to speak unto the Lord who am but Dust and Ashes We are poor crawling Worms and therefore when we think of the Majesty of God it should impress an holy awe upon us Mean Persons will behave themselves with all Honour and Reverence when they supplicate to Men of Quâ—lity So should we to God who is so High and so much above us he is in Heaven It is a Diminution of his Greatness Mal. 1. 14. when we put off God with any thing and come slightly and carelesly into his Presence 4. It teacheth us that all our Prayers should carry a Correspondence with our great Aim What 's our great Aim To be with God in Heaven as remembring that 's the Center
and Place of our Rest to which we are all tending Col. 3. 1. If ye then be risen with Christ seek those Things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right-hand of God We come to our Father which is in Heaven He will have his Residence there that our Hearts might be there Therefore the main things we should seek of God from Heaven are Saving-Graces for these come down from above from the Father of Lights Jam. â— 17. We have liberty to ask Supplies for the outward Life but chiefly we should ask spiritual and heavenly Things Mat. 6. 22 â—3 Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these Things What then First seek the Kingdom of God c. If we have to do with a heavenly Father our first and main Care should be to ask Things suitable to his Being and his Excellency If Children should ask of their Parents such a thing as is pleasing to their Palate possibly they might give it them but when they ask Instruction and desire to be taught that 's far more acceptable to them When we ask Supplies of the outward Life Food Raiment God may give it us but it is more pleasing to him when we ask for Grace In every Prayer we should seek to be made more heavenly by conversing with our heavenly Father 5. It giveth us ground of Confidence in God's Power and absolute Dominion over all Things for God is in Heaven above all created Beings Psal. 115. 3. Our God is in the Heavens and doth whatsoever he pleaseth So 2 Chron. 20. 6. Art not thou God in Heaven And rulest not thou over all the Kingdoms of the Heathen And in thine hand is there not Power and Might so that none is able to withstand thee O what an Advantage is this in Prayer when we think of our All-sufficient God who made Heaven and Earth and hath fixed his Throne there What can be too hard for him 6. Here is Encouragement against carnal Fear Whatever the World doth against us we have a Father in Heaven and this should bear us up against all their Threatnings and Oppositions When there were Tumults and Confusions in the World it is said Psal. 2. 4. But God which sits in Heaven shall laugh them to Scorn An earthly Parent may have a large Heart but a short Hand tho they may wish us well yet they cannot defend us and bear us out in all Extremities But our Father in Heaven will laugh at the Attempts against his Empire and Greatness Thus considering God absolutely it is an Advantage to reflect upon him as a Father in Heaven But I suppose this Expression hath respect to a Mediator Therefore Secondly Let us look upon God with respect to a Mediator for so I think we are chiefly bound to consider our Father in Heaven because of Christ which sits there at his right-hand Heb. 8. 1. It is said there He sate down on the right-hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens a Minister of the Sanctuary O this is comfortable to think of In Heaven we have a Saviour Jesus Christ representing our Persons and presenting our Prayers to God by which means God is reconciled and well pleased with us So that our Duty in Prayer is to look up to Heaven and to see Christ at God's right-hand as or High-Priest mediating for us that we may be accepted with God A notable Resemblance we have between God's Presence in the Tabernacle or Temple and God's Presence in Heaven In the Temple you know there were three Partitions There was to outward Court and the Sanctuary as the Apostle calls it where the Table of Shew-bread was set and there was the holy Place the Holy of Holies Just so in Heaven there are three Partitions there is the Airy Heaven and the Starry Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens The lower Heaven which answers to the outward Court the Starry Heaven which answers to the Sanctuary and the Heaven of Heavens which answers to the Holy of Holies by a fit Analogy and Proportion Well In the Holy of Holies saith the Apostle there was the Golden Censer and the Mercy-Seat Heb. 9 4. There you find God conspicuously manifesteth his Presence and give Answers to his People At the Mercy-Seat there will I answer thee saith the Lord So here in this Heaven of Heavens there 's a Mercy-Seat there 's a Throne of Grace and there God will answer We may come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in time of Need. Heb. 4. 16. Into this Holy of Holies none but the High-Priest did enter and that once a Year after the Sacrifice of Atonement for the whole Congregation then the High-Priest was to come into the Holy of Holies he as to pass through the Vail with Blood and with sweet Incense in his hand Just thus is Jesus entred into the Heaven of Heavens for us he is gone there to present his Blood and Sufferings to appear before God for us to present himself as a sweet-smelling Sacrifice Heb. 9. 24. Eph. 5. 2. Now the High-Priest when he went with this Blood into the Mercy-Seat he went in with the Names of the twelve Tribes upon his Breast and Shoulder and Jesus also doth appear before God for us representing our Persons continually before his Father Now about the Mercy-Seat there were Cherubims and Figures of Angels just about the Ark there they stooped down to shew the Angels do attened about the Throne to dispatch Messages abroad into the World and convey Blessings to the Saints There is a Throne of Grace a Mercy-Seat a Mediator there Angels at God's Beck ready to send up and down to and fro for the good of the Saints And mark not only hath Jesus this Liberty to enter into this Heaven of Heavens but all the Saints have a Liberty to enter and that not only at Death but in their Life time for saith the Apostle Heb. 10. 19. Having therefore boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Iesus All of us not only when we die and personally go to God do we enter into the Holy of Holies but now we have Boldness It relateth to Prayer for the Word signifieth Liberty of Speech This Holy of Holies which was closed and shut up against us before is opened by the Blood of Jesus the Vail is rent and now all Saints have a Privilege to come freely to converse with God It is good to observe the Difference between the Holy of Holies and the Heaven of Heavens The Jews their Sanctum Sanctorum was earthly but our Holy of Holies is heavenly Into theirs which was as it were God's Bed-chamber the common People were not admitted none but the High-Priest could enter into the Holy of Holies But now into ours all Believers may enter and converse with God There the High-Priest could enter but once a Year Now we may come to the Throne of Grace as often
Grace which maketh us to do so It is his own Gift It is he must enable and incline us quicken and direct us So that in all Things he is Alpha and Omega we begin in him when ever we end in him And when we do most 〈◊〉 God we have all from him Vse 2. For Direction in the Matter of glorifying God in four Propositions 1. This Life is not to be valued but as it yieldeth us Opportunities for this End and Purpose to glorify God We were not sent into the World to live for our selves but for God If we could make our selves then we could live to our selves If we could be our own Cause then we might be our own End But God made us for himself and sent us into the World for himself Christ saith Iohn 17. 4. Father I have glorified thee on Earth c. It is not our Duty only to glorify God in Heaven to join in Consort with the Angels in their Hallelujahs above where we may glorify him without Distraction Weariness and Weakness but here on Earth in the midst of Difficulties and Temptations There are none sent into the World to be idle or to bring forth Fruit to themselves Hos. 10. 1. to improve their Pains and Strength to promote meerly their own Interest but God's Glory must be our chief Work and Aim while we are here upon Earth this must be the Purpose and Intent of our Lives 2. Every Man besides his general Calling hath his own Work and Course of Service whereby to glorify and honour God Iohn 17. 4. I have finished the Work which thou gavest me to do As in a great House one hath one Employment one another So God hath designed to every Man his Work he hath to do and the Calling he must be in some in one Calling and some in another but they all have their Service and Work given them to do for God's glory 3. In discharge of this Work as they must do all for God so they can do nothing without God Every morning we should revive the Sense of it upon our selves as the Care of our Work and Aim so the Sense of our Impotency This day I am to live with God but how unable am I and how easily shall I dishonour him The way of Man is not in himself Jer. 10. 23. When a Christian goeth abroad in the Morning he must remember he is at Christ's dispose he is not to do as he pleaseth but to be guided by Rule and act for God's glory and fetch in Strength from Christ. Col. 3. 17. Whatsoever ye do in Word or Deed do all in the Name of the Lord Iesus Not only in our Duties or immediate Converses with God but in our Sports Business Recreation What is it to do things in the Name of Christ That is to do it according to Christ's Will and Command He hath allowed us Time for Recreation for conversing with God and calling in Christ's Help and aiming at his Glory If we have any thing to do for God we must do it in his own strength in every Word and Deed. 4. You are directed again when the Glory of God and sanctifying of his Name either sticks with us or sticks abroad God must be specially consulted with in the Case When our Hearts are backward then Lord open thou my Lips Lord affect me with a sense of thy Kindness and Mercy When it sticks abroad when such Events fall out as for a while God's Name is obscured and seems to be clouded Lord what wilt thou do for thy great Name III. Having opened the Order of the Words and the Reasons of putting up such a Request to God I now come to the Sence of the Petition Hallowed be thy Name Four Things will come under Consideration 1. What is meant by the Name of God 2. What it is to hallow and sanctify it 3. I shall take notice of the Form of the Proposal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hallowed 4. The Note of Distinction Thy Name First What is meant by God's Name 1. God himself 2. Any Thing whereby he is made known 1. God himself Name by an Hebraism is put for the Person it self Thus Rev. 3. 4. Thou hast a few Names even in Sardis which have not defiled their Garments that is many Persons So Acts 1. 15. it is said there The Number of the Names together were aboâ—t one hundred and twenty that is of Persons So it is used in the present Case God's Name is put for God himself Psal. 20. 1. The Name of the God of Jacob defend thee That is God himself So Psal. 44. 5. Through thy Name will we tread them under that rise up against us that is by Thee And to believe in the Name of Christ is to believe in Christ himself Name is put for Person for the immediate Object of Faith is the Person of Christ. Iohn 1. 12. To as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name 2. Any thing whereby he is made known to us Nomen quasi not â—men As a Man is known by his Name so God's Titles and Attributes his Ordinances his Works his Word are his Name chiefly the two latter For his Works they are a part of the Name of God Psal. 8. 1. the Burthen of that Psalm is twice repeated O Lord our Lord how great is thy Name in all the Earth By the Name there is meant God made known in his Works of Creation and Providence for he speaks there of Sun Moon and Stars which proclaim an Eternal Power to all the World and he speaks of such a Name as is in all the Earth And Psal. 117. 19 20. He hath not dealt so with any Nation and given them his Word Statutes and Ordinances every one hath not that Privilege But How great is thy Name in all the Earth That is how manifestly art thou made known by thy Works But above all by Name is meant his Word Psal. 138. 2. Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name There is more of God to be seen in his Word than in all the Creatures of the World and in all his other Works besides We understand more of God than can be taken up by the Creation It helps us to interpret the Book of Nature and Providence there we have his Titles Attributes Ordinances there we have his greatest Work in which he hath discovered so much of his Name the Mystery of Redemption which is not elsewhere to be known Thus by the Name of God is meant God himself as he hath made known himself in the Word We desire that he may be sanctified that he may with honour and reverence be received every where Secondly The second Thing to be explained What is meant by Hallowed In Scripture God is said sometimes to be magnified sometimes to be justified sometimes to be glorified and sometimes to be sanctified Now it is not here said
implicitely Amen Lord that it were so and surely Lord it shall be so we believe it and we desire it with all our Hearts 2. Explicitely Even so Lord Iesus Come quickly From this latter Clause I might observe many things 1. The sweet and blessed Harmony that â—is between Christ and the Church Christ's Voice and the Churches Voice are Unisons Christ saith I come and the Church like a quick Eccho takes the Word out of Christ's Mouth Even so come There is the same Spirit in Christ and in the Church for it is his Spirit that resides with us Christ he speaks in a way proper to him by way of Promise I come and the Church in a way proper to her by way of Prayer Even so come 2. I might observe That in the Close of the World we should most earnestly desire Christ's Coming We have the Advantage of former Times to us Christ saith I come quickly Now the set time almost is come therefore our Pulses should beat more strongly in putting up this Request to Christ. Tertullian shews that the Primitive Christians did pray prâ— mora finis that the End might not come too soon Christ having â—s yet but a small Interest in the World they expecting Enlargement upon Earth but we have more cause to look for the Accomplishment of his Kingdom in Heaven Thâ—ey expected the Revelation of Antichrist and we expect the Destruction of Antichrist They that God might be known in the World we that he might be no longer dishonoured in the World When great Promises are near their Accomplishment there is a more lively Spirit stirring in the Hearts of the Saints Dan. 9. 2 3. I understood by Books the Number of the Years whereof the Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the Prophet that he would accomcomplish seventy Years in the Desolations of Jerusalem And I set my Face to the Lord God to seek by Prayer and Supplication But quitting these Notes I shall mainly insist upon this Point Viz. Doct. That the Church and all the faithful Members of it do really and heartily desire Christ's second Coming They look for it they long for it they wait for it They look for it Phil. 3. 20. Our Conversation is in Heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ. They reckon upon it as Rebekah espied Isaac afar off He is gone within the Vail he is appearing before God but he will come out again When they see the Clouds upon these one day will our Saviour come Then they long for it It is their Description 2 Tim. 4. 8. They love his Appearing Wicked Men and guilty Sinners hate and abhor it he being to come to them as a terrible Judg. Malefactors do not long for the Assizes But now the Saints who are absolv'd and washed in the Blood of Christ it doth them good to the Heart to think of it that one day Christ will appear in all his Glory And then they wait for it 1 Thess. 1. 10. They wait for his Son from Heaven even Iesus who hath delivered us from Wrath to come It is Wrath to come something behind the Coming of Christ which makes it so terrible Hell makes the Day of Judgment terrible The Devil could not endure to hear of Christ's coming Mat. 8. 29. Art thou come to torment us c. So wicked Men have the Spirit of the Devil it is a Torment and Bondage to them to think of the Judges Coming But those which have their Discharge they wait for it it supports and bears up their Hearts in the midst of their present Afflictions and they go on chearfully in their Work notwithstanding Lets and Troubles To give some Reasons why the faithful Members of Christ so really and heartily desire Christ's second Coming They are of three Sorts 1. Some in respect of the Person who is to come 2. Some in respect of the Persons which desire his Coming 3. Some in respect of the Coming it self I. In respect of him who is to come 1. His Person that we may see him The Children of God have delighted to look upon him through a Vail and have had a king of Heaven upon Earth from beholding his Face in the Glass of an Ordinance Looking upon him in the Vail of Ordinances hath been a mighty Comfort and Refreshing to them now they would desire to see his Person face to face They know by Hear-say this great Redeemer and Saviour of theirs he wooeth them by Proxy As Eleazar Abraham's Servant was to go abroad and seek for a Match for his Master's Son So the great Business of the Ministers of God is to set forth our Master's Son Now the Saints would fain see him Nay they have not only heard of him but believed in him and received him into their Hearts nay not only believed in him but they have loved him greatly 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not seen ye love in whom tho now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoice with Ioy unspeakable and full of Glory It hath been a ravishing thought to them to think of Christ. And they have tasted 1 Pet. 2. 3. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious And they have felt him in the drawings of the Spirit they live by his Life they have found a Virtue going out from him Now all that they desire is that they may see this great Person who hath been their Redeemer and Saviour 2. Consider him as in his Person so in his Relations to them Here are two Titles Even so Lord Iesus He is Lord and he is Iesus He is Lord as a Master and Husband as Sarah called Abraham Lord. As a Master Good Servants will look for their Master 's coming Mat. 24. 46. And surely such a Master should be longed for and looked for for when he comes he will not come empty-handed Behold I come quickly and my Reward is with me Rev. 22. 12. Here Christ's Servants have their Vales but not their Wages Here they have present Maintenance that is all they have now but then they shall have their Reward and Wages here they have their Earnest but then they shall have the full Sum. Under the Law Masters were charged severely not to defraud their Servants of their Hire why He hath lift up his Soul to him that is in the middle of his hard Labours this was his Comfort when the Work of the Day was over he should have his Wages and his Hire at Night So you have lift up your Souls to him the great Pay-Day will come and this hath born you up in all your Labours and Travel of your Soul Therefore as he is our Lord so we should look for him And then as our Husband this is a sweeter Relation The Bride saith Come Rev. 22. 17. We are here contracted and betrothed to Christ I will betroth thee to me Hos. 2. 19. But the Day of solemn Espousals is hereafter Here we are betrothed to Christ in
God gives us the Possession of them for he is the absolute Lord of all Things both in Heaven and in Earth and whatsoever is possessed by any Creature it is by his Indulgence for the primitive and original Right was in him Psal. 24. 1. The Earth is the Lord's and the Fulness thereof the World and they that dwell therein It is all God's we hold it in Fee from him for he is the great Landlord who hath leased out all these Blessings to the Sons of Men. The Earth is first the Lord's and then by a Grant he hath given it to Men to enjoy Psal. 115. 16. The Heaven even the Heavens are the Lord's but the Earth hath he given to the Children of Men. He hath given it to Men partly by a general Grant and Leave given to enjoy and occupy it as the Place of our Service But that is not all he doth not only give the Earth in general to Men but he makes a particular Allotment the particular Designation of every Man's Portion of what he shall enjoy in tho World it is of God And so it is said Actâ— 17. 26. He hath determined the Bounds of their Habitation God hath not only appointed in general the Earth to be the Place of our Service for a while but he hath determined how much every one shall possess what shall fall to his Share These Things come not by Chance or by the Gift of others or by our own Industry but by the peculiar Designation of God's Providence However they come to us God must be owned in the Possession whether they come to us by Donation Purchase Labour or by Inheritance yet they are originally by God who by these means bestoweth them upon us If they come by Donation or the Gift of others the Hearts of Men are in God's hands and he it was that disposed them to be bountiful to us that appoiâ—ted them to be Instruments of his Providence to nourish us He that sends a Present he is the Giver not the Servant which brings it So though others be imployed as Instruments it is the Lord which made them able and willing to do us good If they come to us by Inheritance it is the Providence of God that a Man is born of rich Friends and not of Beggars Prov. 22. 2. The rich and poor meet together the Lord is the Maker of them all He that hath cast the World first into Hills and Valleys it was he that disposed of Men some into a high and some into a low Condition If they come to us by our own Labour and Purchase still God gave it to us Deut. 8. 14 18. Take heed that thine Heart be not lifted up and thou forget the Lord thy God for it is he that giveth thee Power to get Wealth He doth not leave second Causes to their own Power and Force as if he were only an idle Spectator in the World No he gives the Skill and Industry to manage Affairs and success upon lawful Undertakings the Faculty and the use it is all from God Tho a Man hath never so many outward Advantages yet unless the Lord concur with his Blessing all would be to no purpose 2. As God gives us the Possession so he gives us a Right and Title to them There is a two-fold Right to these common Blessings a Providâ—ntial and a Covenant-Right Dominium Politicum fundatur in Providentia our Civil Right to things is sounded upon God's Providence But Dominium Evangelicum fundatur in Gratia our Gospel-Right to things is founded upon God's Grace 1. He gives the Providential Right and thus all wicked Men possess outward things and the Plenty they enjoy is as the Fruits and Gifts of God's common Bounty it is their Portion he hath given it to them Psal. 17. 14. Which have their Portion in this Life whatever falleth to their share in a fair way and in the course of God's Providence they are not Usurpers meerly for possessing but for abusing what they have They have not only a Civil Right by the Laws of Men to prevent the Incroachment of others but a Providential Right before God and are not simply responsible for Possession but for their ill Use and Administration 2. There 's a Covenant-Right to these Blessings so only Believers have a Right to Creature-Comforts by God's special Love and so That a little that a righteous Man hath is better than the Treasures of many wicked Psal. 37. 16. as the mean Fare of a poor Subject is better then the large Allowance of a condemned Traitor Every wicked Man is a Traitor to God and hath only an Allowance until he be destroyed But that little which a Man hath seasoned with God's Love is better than all the mighty Increase of wicked Men. Now this Covenant Right we have by Christ who is Heir of all things Heb. 1. 2. Christ hath the Original-Right to them and we by him come to have a Covenant-Right So it is said 1 Cor. 3. 23. Things present and things to come all are yours As things to come the Day of Judgment is theirs so things present is theirs by a new Title from him So it is said 1 Tim. 4. 5. Marriage Meats and Drinks and all Creatures are made for them that believe They that believe have only a Gospel-Right to them To draw it to the present thing we do not only beg a Possession of these things but a Right not only a Providential but a Covenant-Right that we may enjoy them as the Gifts of God's fatherly Love and Compassion to us that we may take our Bread out of Christ's Hands that we may look upon it as swimming to us in his Blood and all our Mercies as wrapt up in his Bowels and then they will be sweet and relish much better with a gracious Soul because he cannot only taste the Creature but the Love of God in the Creature 3. He gives the Continuance of our Blessings that we may keep what we have for unless the Lord do daily support us we cannot keep our Comforts for one day How soon can God blast them It 's at his pleasure to do what he will with you He gave Satan Power over Iob â—s Estate Chap. 1. 12. Behold all that he hath is in thy Power Our Life it is continued to us by the Indulgence of God and by his providential Influence and Supportation For as the Beams of the Sun are no longer continued in the Air than the Sun shineth or as the Waâ—er retains the Impress and Stamp no longer than the Seal is kept on it so when God takes off his providential Influence all vanisheth into nothing Thus he is said Heb. 1. 3. To uphold all things by the Word of his Power As a weighty thing is upheld in the Hand of a Man when he looseneth his Hand all falls to the Ground So it is said Iob 12. 10. In whose Hand is the Soul of every living Thing and the Breath of all
as belonging to God Kingdom Power and Glory 1. By Kingdom is meant God's Right and Authority over all things by which he can dispose of them according to his own pleasure 2. By Power is meant his Sufficiency to execute this Right and to do what he pleaseth both in Heaven and Earth 3. The final cause of all is his Glory Thine is the Glory or the Honour of all things in the World belongs to thee Glory is Excellency discovered with praise We desire that he may be more honoured and brought into request and esteem Secondly We have the Obsignation and sealing of our Requests in the word Amen which is Signaculum Fidei an Expression of our Faith and Hope And actus desiderii the strength of our Desire There is the Amen of Faith and the Amen of hearty Desire as by and by Now let us look upon this Conclusion first as a Doxology or expression of praise to God And the Note is Doct. That in every Address to God lauding or praising of God is necessary For in this perfect Form of Prayer Christ teaches us not only to ask things needful for our selves but to ascribe to God things proper to him There are two words used in this Case in Scripture Praise and Blessing Praise relateth to God's Excellency and Blessing to his Benefits Psalm 145. 10. All thy Works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall bless thee All the Works of God declare his Excellency but the Saints will ever be ascribing to God the Benefits they have received from him So they are spoken of as Things though somewhat alike yet as distinct Nehem. 9. 5. Blessed be thy glorious Name which is exalted above all Blessing and Praise Our Praise cannot reach the Excellency of his Nature nor our Blessing express the Worth of his Benefits Both may be here intended For thine is Kingdom and Power relateth to his Excellency and thine is the Glory to his Benefits for God's Glory is the Reflex of all his Works and so expresseth the Benefits shewed to the Sons of Men especially to his People Well then when-ever you would pray to God to bless you you must bless God again and praise his Name Ephes. 1. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Places in Christ. 'T is the Eccho and Reflex of his Grace and Mercy to the Creatures God blesseth us and we bless God as the Eccho returneth the Word or the Wall beateth back the Beams of the Sun Only consider We bless God far otherwise than he blesseth us God's Blessing is operative ours declarative His words are accompanied with Power Benedicere is Benefacere He doth good we speak good when we remember the blessed Effects of his Grace and tell what he hath done for our Souls The Reasons why we are to mingle Praises and Thanksgiving with our Requests are these 1. Because this complieth more with the great end of Worship which is not so much the Relief of Man as the Honour of God therefore we should not only intend the supply of our Necessities for that 's but a brutish Cry howling for Corn Wine and Oil Hosea 7. 14. But we should intend also the Honour of God Psal. 50. 23. Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me A Man may offer Requests to God yet not honour him but seek himself but he that offereth Praise glorifieth me He that doth affectionately and from his Heart give God the honour of his Attributes and Titles in Scripture he glorifieth him and therefore Worship being for the Glory 〈◊〉 God that should not be left out 2. This is the most effectual spiritual Oratory or way of praying Psal. 67. 5. Let the People praise thee O God Let all the People praise thee What then Then shall the Earth yield her increase and God even our own God shall bless us We have Comforts increased the more we praise God for what we have already received The more Vapours go up the more Showrs come down as the Rivers receive so they pour out and all run into the Sea again There is a constant circular Course and Recourse from the Sea unto the Sea So there is between God and us the more we praise him the more our Blessings come down and the more his Blessings come down the more we praise him again so that we do not so much bless God as bless our selves When the Springs lie low we pour a little Water into the Pump not to inrich the Fountain but to bring up more for our selves 3. It 's the noblest part of Worship and most excellent and acceptable Service It is a great honour to Creatures to bestow blessing upon God In other Duties God is bestowing something on us but in praise according to our manner and as Creatures can we bestow something upon God In Prayer we come as Beggars expecting an Alms In Hearing we come as Scholars and Disciples expecting Instruction from God Here according to our Measure and Ability we give something to him not because he needs it being infinitely perfect but because he deserves it being infinitely gracious This is the Work of Angels and glorified Saints Other Duties more agree with our imperfect State as Hearing and Prayer that our Wants may be supplied but this Duty agrees with our State when we are most perfect Love is the Grace of Heaven and Praise the Duty of Heaven we are for Vials they Harps Prayer is our main Work and Praise theirs Vse To reprove us that we are altogether for the supply of our Necessities but little think of giving God the honour due to his Name Either we meddle not with it at all or do it in a very slighty fashion In this perfect form the Glory of God is the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending of this short Prayer the first Petition it is for God's Glory and the final Conclusion also And therefore it is verily a Fault that God is no more praised In our Addresses to him Psal. 22. 3. it 's said O thou that inhabitest the Praises of Israel the meaning is dwellest in Israel where he is praised of them because it is the great Work they are about Surely our Assemblies should more resound with the Praises of God In Church-Worship there should be a mixture of Harps which are Instruments of Praise as well as Vials full of Odors which are the Prayers of the Saints Rev. 5. 8. But usually we thrust Gratulation Thanksgiving and Praise into a narrow Room and are scanty therein but can be large and copious in expressing our Wants and begging a Supply This Duty is made too great a Stranger in your dealings with God What are the Reasons of this Defect 1. Self-Love We are eager to have Blessings but we forget to return to give God the Glory Prayer is a Work of Neeessity but Praise a Work of Duty and Homage Self-Love puts us upon Prayer but
5. 2. Be not rash with thy Mouth and let not thine Heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in Heaven and thou upon Earth therefore let thy Words be few Remember you have to do with a great God and do not babble things over impertinently in his Ears It is a Truth evident by the Light of Nature Paucis verbis rem divinam facito Platinus If you be to worship God a needless Prolixity doth not become Addresses to him But because this Text may be abused I shall endeavour to clear it a little further There are two Extremes the slight and careless Spirit and Babling 1. There is the slight and careless Spirit who doth the Work of an Age in a Breath and is all for Starts and sudden Pangs which pass away like a Flash of Lightning in a dark Room whose good Thoughts are gone as soon as they rush into the Heart A poor barren and slight Spirit which is not under the Influence and Power of that Celestial Love which keeps the Soul in converse with God cannot endure to be any while with God Alas we need Stroke upon Stroke to fasten any thing upon the Heart We are like green Wood that will not presently take Fire until it lie long there and be throughly and well warmed so until we have gone far in the Duty we can hardly get any warmth of Heart They which are short in Prayer had need of much habitual preparation of Heart The Babler is another Extreme who thinks the Commendation of a Duty is to be long in it and affects to say much rather than well whereas serious and short Speech makes the best Prayer Prov. 10. 19. In the multitude of Words there wanteth not Sin Either to God or Men 't is true but especially when affected So they do but beat the Air rather than pray to God These then are the two Extremes Shortness out of Barrenness or Slightness or Length out of Affectation â—â—d we must carefully avoid these Christ would 〈◊〉 justify that Shortness which comes from Slightness and Barrenness of Heart nor on the other side indulge the Affectation of Length in Prayer Therefore let us a little see I. What is the Sin II. Give you the Force of our Lord's Reasons here urged or how conclusive our Saviour's Arguments are against this Practice What is the Sin That 's necessary to be known for all Repetitions are not vain nor is all Length in Prayer to be accounted Babling First For Repetitions 1. When they express Fervency and Zeal they may be used And so we read Christ prayed over the same Prayer thrice Mat 26. 44. O my Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me And another Evangelist sheweth that he did this out of special Fervency of Spirit Luk. 22. 44. Being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly And so we read of the Prophet Daniel chap. 9. 17 18 19. O our God hear the Prayer of thy Servant O my God incline thine Ear and hear O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord hearken and do defer not for thine own sake O my God All this was out of vehemency he goes over again and again the same Request When we use many Words of the same kind and signification and it be out of vehemency and fervency of Spirit it is not forbidden 2. This Repetition is not to be disproved when there is a special Emphasis and spiritual Elegancy in it as Psal. 136. you have it twenty six times repeated For his Mercy endureth for ever because there was a speciâ—â—â—eason in it his purpose there being to sheâ—â—â— Unweariedness and the unexhausted Riches of God's free Grace that notwithstanding all the former Experiences they had had God is where he was at first We waste by giving our Drop is soon spent but God is not wasted by bestowing but hath the same Mercy to do good to his Creatures as before Tho he had done all those Wonders for them yet his Mercy was as ready to do good to them still All along God saved and blessed his People For his Mercy endureth for ever But as there are Repetitions which have their Use so there are useless Tautologies and vain Repetitions And such they are when they neither come from the Heart nor go to the Heart when they come not from the abundance of the Heart but rather the emptiness of the Heart because we know not how to inlarge our selves to God therefore fall upon idle and useless Repetitions of the same Words and Requests As a Man that hath small Skill in Musick doth only play over the same Note so when Men have not a full spiritual Abundance they waste themselves in Prayer in these idle Repetitions And then they go not to the Heart they do not conduce to warm the Affections A vain clamorous ingeminating the same thing without Faith and without Wisdom meerly to fill up the Tale of Words or to wear out a little time in a religious Exercise that 's it which is here condemned under the notion of vain Repetitions Secondly For the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or much speaking Every long Prayer is not forbidden for our Lord Jesus himself centinued all Night in Prayer Luke 6. 12. And in extraordinary Duties of fasting Length seems to be very necessary Esther 4. 16. They fasted and prayed together for three days and nights without eating any Bread And Solomon pray'd long at the Dedication of the Temple But that which is forbidden is when Men speak Words without need and without Affection a needless lengthening out of Prayer and that upon a Conceit that it is more acceptable to God 1. In the General Prayer should be short as all Examples of Scripture teach us and the Lord's Prayer you see how concise and short it is for presently upon this our Lord teacheth his Disciples to pray For Prayer is a spending rather then a feeding Duty Those which affect long speaking many times run into this they make it a feeding Duty for they mingle Exhortations with Prayer which is a great Abuse A Man can bear up under the hearing of the Word for an Hour or two better than half an Hour in Prayer with that necessary Vigor of Spirit which God hath required Therefore the general Rule is Let your Words be concise but full of Affection Look as in vast and great Bodies the Spirits are more diffused and scattered and therefore they are more unactive than those which are of a smaller Compass so in a long Prayer there may be more of Words but less of Life 2. The Affectation of Prolixity is naught usually it comes from some evil Ground either from Pride and Ostentation of Gifts Thus we read the Pharisees were taxed for making long Prayers Mat. 23. 14. that under the colour of them they might devour Widow's Houses that is be credited and trusted with the Management of their Estates Or else it may come from Superstition such
audiamus What Lungs and Sides must we have if we be heard to speak to Heaven by the Noise and Sound In some there is a natural vehemency and fierceness of Speech which is rather stirr'd up by the heat and agitation of the bodily Spirits than any vehemency of Affection There is a Contention of Speech which is very natural to some and differeth much from that holy Fervor the Life and Power of Prayer which is accompanied with Reverence and Child-like Dependance upon God It is not the loud Noise of Words which is best heard in Heaven but the fervent affectionate Cries of the Saints are those of the Heart rather than of the Tongue Exod. 14. 17. it is said Moses cried to the Lord We do not read of the Words he uttered his Cry was with the Heart There is a crying with the Soul and with the Heart to God Psal. 10. 17. Lord thou hast heard the Desire of the Humble It is the Desires God hears Psal. 39. 9. Lord all my Desire is before thee and my Groaning iâ— not hid from thee The Lord needs not the Tongue to be an Interpreter between him and the Hearts of his Children He that hears without Ears can interpret Prayers tho not uttered by the Tongue Our Desires are Cries in the Ears of the Lord of Hosts the vehemency of the Affections may sometimes cause the extention of the Voice but Alas without this it is but a tinkling Cymbal 5. Popish Repetition and loose shreds of Prayer often repeated as they have in their Liturgy over and over again their Gloria Patri so often repeated their Lord have Mercy and in their Prayer made to Jesus Sweet Iesus Blessed Iesus and going over the Ave Maria and this to be tumbled over upon their Beads and continuing Prayer by tale and by number Surely these are but vain Repetitions and this is that much-speaking which our Lord aims at Thus I have dispatched the abuses of Prayer Vse 2. To give you direction in Prayer how to carry your selves in this holy Duty towards God in a comely manner I shall give you Directions 1. About our Words In Prayer 2. About our Thoughts 3. About our Affections First about our Words there is a use of them in Prayer to excite and convey and give vent to Affection Hos. 14. 2. Take with you Words and turn to the Lord and say Take away all Iniquity and receive us graciously Surely the Prophet doth not only prescribe that they should take Affections but take with them Words Words have an Interest in Prayer Now these may be considered either when we are alone or in Company 1. When we are alone Here take the advice of the Holy-Ghost Eccl. 5. 2. God is in Heaven and thou art upon Earth therefore let thy Words be few How few Few in Weight Conscience Reverence Few in Weight affecting rather to speak Matter than Words concisely and feelingly rather than with curiousness to express what you have to say to God Few in Conscience Superstition is a Bastard-Religion and is tyrannous and puts Men upon tedious Services and sometimes beyond their Strength therefore pray neither too short nor too long do it not meerly to lengthen out the Prayer or as counting it the better for being long the shortness and the length must be measured by the fervency of our Hearts our many necessities and as it tendeth to the inflaming our Zeal as it can get up the Heart let it still be subservient to that Few with Reverence and managed with that Gravity Awfulness and Seriousness as would become an Address to God As Abraham Gen. 18. 31. had been reasoning with God before therefore he saith Let not God be angry if I speak to him this once when he renewed the Suit Thus alone 2. In Company there our Words must be apt and orderly moving as much as may be not to God but to the Hearers managed with such Reverence and Seriousness as may suit with the Gravity of the Duty and not encrease but cure the Dulness of those with whom we join And what if we did in publick Duties choose out Words to reason with God as Iob saith Chap. 9. 14. Choose out my Words to reason with him If we did use Preparation and think a little before hand that we may go about the Duty with serious Advice and not with indigested Thoughts But this hath the smallest Interest in Prayer Secondly Our Thoughts That we may conceive aright of God in Prayer which is one of the greatest difficulties in the Duty 1. Of his Nature and Being 2. Of his Relation to us 3. Of his Attributes First Of the Nature and Being of God Every one that would come to God must fix this in his Mind That God is and that God is a Spirit And accordingly he must be worshipped as will suit with these two Notions Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh to God must believe that God is and then that God is a Spirit for it is said Ioh. 4. 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth O then when ever you come to pray to God fix these two Thoughts let them be strong in your Heart God is I do not speak to an Idol but to the living God And God is a Spirit and therefore not so much pleased with plausibleness of Speech or tuneable cadency of Words as with a right Temper of Heart Alas when we come to pray we little think God is or what God is much of our Religion is performed to an unknown God and like the Samaritans We worship we know not what It is not Speculations about the Divine Nature or high strain'd Conceptions which doth fit us for Prayer the discoursing of these things with some Singularity or Terms removed from common Understanding this is not that which I press you to but such a sight of God as prompteth us to a reverent and serious worshipping of him Then we have right Notions of God in Prayer when we are affected as Moses was when God shew'd him his Back-parts and proclaimed his Name Exod. 34. He made haste bowed his Head and worshipped when our Worship suiteth with the Nature of God 't is Spiritual and Holy not Pompous and Theatrical Well then these two things must be deeply imprinted in our Minds that God is and that He is a Spirit And then is our Worship right For Instance 1. For the first Notion God's Being Then is our Worship right when it doth proclaim to all that shall observe us or we that observe our selves there is a great an infinite eternal Power which sits at the upper end of Causes and governeth all according to his own Pleasure Alas the Worship of many is flat Atheism they say in their Hearts either there is no God or believe there is no God Therefore do you worship him as becomes such a glorious Being Is his Mercy seen in your Faith and Confidence His Majesty in your
the Lord who made Heaven and Earth As if the Psalmist had said As long as I see these glorious Monuments of his Power these Things framed out of nothing shall I distrust God whatever Exigence or Strait I may be reduced to Secondly More especially there is a particular Sort of Men to whom God is a Father in Christ and that is to Believers Iohn 1. 12. To as many as received him to them gave he Power to be called the Sons of God Those which in their natural State and Condition were Children of Wrath and Slaves to Sin and Satan when they come and are willing to welcom and receive Christ into their Hearts in a sense of their Misery are willing to make out after God and Christ they have an Allowance to call God Father and may have Child-like Communion with him and run to him in all Straits and lay open their Necessities to him 2 Kings 4. 19. When the Child cried unto his Father he said Carry him to his Mother So when we are ill at ease and in any Straits this is the Privilege of our Adoption that we have a God to go to we may go to our Father and plead with him as the Church Isa. 63. 16. Doubtless thou art our Father tho Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledge us not Thou O Lord art our Father our Redeemer It is good to know God under this special Relation of a Father in Christ and this is that which is the Grace of Adoption Adoption is an Act of Free-Grace by which we that were Aliens and Strangers Servants to Sin and Satan are in and by Christ made Sons and Daughters of God and accordingly are so reckoned and treated with to all Intents and Purposes It is a great and special Privilege given to God's own Children by virtue of their Interest in Christ and therefore it is said 1 Iohn 3. 1. Behold what Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God! That is Behold it as a certain Truth and admire it as a great Privilege This second Relation is a very great Privilege and it will appear to be so if we consider 1. The Persons that receive it We that were Aliens and Enemies and Bond-slaves that were of another Line and Stock That might say to Corruption Thou art my Father to the Worm Thou art my Mother and my Sister Job 17. 14. We that were Cousin-Germans to Worms a handful of enlivened Dust that we should be taken into such a Relation to God! We that might say indeed to the Devil Thou art our Father and the Lusts of our Father we will do Iohn 8. 44. Satan is the Sinners Father and God disclaims them The Lord disclaims the People which were brought out of the Land of Egypt when they rebelled against him Exod. 32. 7. The Lord said unto Moses Go get thâ— down for thy People which thou broughtest out of 〈◊〉 Land of Egypt have corrupted themselves 〈◊〉 People which thou hast brought in Scorn and Dâ—â—â—dain as if God did disavow them from being hiâ— And so it was with us all When Adam had â—â—belled against God God executed the Law of the rebellious Child against him which was this that he should be turn'd out of Doors So was Adam turn'd out of Paradise and lost his Title and Heritage and we were reckoned to the Devil Now behold what manner of Love was this that we should be called the Sons of God! 2. You will wonder at it you will behold it as an excellent Privilege if you consider the Nature of the Privilege it self To be Sons and Daughters of God to be able to call God Father This was Christ's own Title and Honour When God had a mind to honour Christ he proclaims it from Heaven Mat. 3. 17. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased Surely if our Hearts were as apprehensive of heavenly Privileges as they are of earthly we would admire it more Earthly Alliance how is it prized If a great Man should match into our Blood and Line what an Honour and Glory do we reckon it to us 1 Sam. 18. 23. Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a King's Son in Law Do we account this a small Matter to be related to Kings and Princes and Potentates No no we have high thoughts of it And is not this an excellent thing to be Sons and Daughters of God In all other Cases if Men have Children of their own they do not adopt God had a Son of his own in whom his Soul found full Delight and Complacency yet he would adopt and take us wretched Creatures he would invest us with the Title of Sons And shall it be said of this and that Believer Here 's the Son of God O behold what manner of Love c. 3. Then do but consider the Consequents of it both in this Life and the Life to come In this Life what Immunities and Privileges have we Free Access to God we may come and treat with him when we please as Children to a Father when we stand in need of any thing We have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. If we ail any thing we may go to our Father and acquaint him with our Case and Grief And we shall have a Child's Allowance here in the World The Heirs of Glory are well provided for in their Non-age they have a Right to a large Portion all the good Things of the World Meat Drink Marriage such Things they have by a Son 's Right They have a Right to the Creature in and by him who is Heir of all Things so they are established in their Right which Adam lost 1 Tim. 4. 3 4. And they are under the Ministry of Angels the Angels are sent forth to be their Guardians and to supply and provide for them And then in the Life to come for we are not only Sons but Heirs we have a Right to the glorious Inheritance Rom. 8. 17. If Children then Heirs Heirs of God Here all the Children are Heirs Male and Female every Son and Daughter an Heir and Joint-heirs with Christ. We do as it were divide Heaven between us we have a great blessed and glorious Inheritance poor despicable Creatures chosen Heirs of a Kingdom James 2. 5. 4. You will see it was a very great Privilege if you consider how we come to be entitled to it Ephes. 1. 5. Having predestinated us unto the Adoption of Children by Iesus Christ to himself We come to it in and by Jesus Christ. Christ was fain to come down and to take a Mother upon Earth that we might have a Father in Heaven He comes down and was made a Man he became our Brother and so layeth the Foundation for the Kindred Heb. 2. 11. Nay not only incarnate but he died to purchase this Title for us When the Business was debated in the Council of the Trinity how
as we have a Cause to present to God There the High-Priest he entred with the Blood of Beasts but we enter by the Blood of the Son of God O what a great Privilege is this that we have a Father in Heaven In this respect the Holy Place is now open to us Tho we have not a personal Access till Death yet by the Blood of Jesus we may come with Boldness presenting our selves before the Lord with all our Wants and Desires The great Distance between Heaven and Earth shall not hinder our Communion with God if we have a Friend above Therefore it is very comfortable now to say Our Father which art in Heaven that is our gracious and reconciled Father in and by Christ. APPLICATION If we have a Father in Heaven let us look up to Heaven often 1. If we have a Father in Heaven and a Saviour at his right-hand to do all things that are needful for us let us look upon the aspectable Heavens with an Eye of Sense with our bodily Eyes It is good to contemplate the Glory of the heavenly Bodies or the Outside of that Court which God hath provided for the Saints It is not an idle Speculation I press you to The Saints of God have thought it to be worthy of their Morning and Evening-Thought It is notable David doth in two Psalms especially contmeplate Heaven 〈◊〉 seems to be a Nightly the other a 〈◊〉 Meditation The Night-Meditation you have Psal. 8. 3. When I consider thy Heavens the Work of thy Fingers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained David was got abroad in a Moon-shining Night looks up and had his Heart affected But now the 19th Psalm that seems to be a Morning-Mediation he speakds of the Sun coming out like a Bridegroom from his Chamber in the East and displaying his Beams and Heat and Influences to the World and then saith he v. 1. The Heavens declare the Glory of God Morning and Evening or when ever you go abroad to see the Beauty of the outward Heavens say I have a Father there a Christ there this is the Pavement of that Palace which God hath provided for the Saints Christians it is a sweet Meditation when you can say He that made all Things is there It will be a delightful profitable thing sometimes with an Eye of Sense to take a view of our Father's Palace as much as we can see of it here below 2. Let me especially press you to this with an Eye of Faith to look within the Vail and when ever you come to pray to see God in Heaven and Christ at his Right-hand The great Work of Faith is to see him that is invisible and the great Duty of Prayer is to get a Sight of God in Heaven and Christ at his right-hand What Stephen did miraculously or in an Extasy we must do graciously in Prayer Now it is said of Stephen Acts 7. 56. Behold I see the Heavens opened and the Son of Man standing on the right-hand of God There is a great deal of Difference about Stephen's Sight How the Heavens could be opened for they are solid Bodies and cannot be divided fluent Air and so come together again How he could see the Glory of God with his corporal Senses which is invisible How he could see Christ at such a Distance the Eye not being able to reach so far Some think it to be a meer intellectual Vision or a Vision of Faith that is he did so firmly believe and had the Comfort of it in his Heart as if he had seen it with his Eyes So they think Stephen saw the Glory of God and Christ at his right-hand as Abraham saw Christ's Day and rejoiced that is he saw it by Faith Some think it to be a Prophetical Vision by seeing those things objected to his Fancy by imaginary Species as Isaiah saw God in a Vision Isa. 6. and as Paul's Rapture Some think it a Symbolical Vision that he saw these thing represented by some corporeal Images as Iohn saw the Holy-Ghost descending in the form of a Dove Some think his bodily Eyes did pierce the Clouds and got a sight of the Glory of Christ. Whatever it be there must be such a Sight in Prayer something answerable to this in a spiritual way this must ever be done Psal. 5. 3. I will pray saith the Psalmist and look up There is a looking up required in all Prayer a seeing the invisible God by Faith If you would have God look down upon you from his holy Habitâ—tion you must look up with an Eye of Faith and converse with God in Heaven Psal. 63. 4. I will lift up my Hands in thy Name If you would have God look upon you with an Eye of Compassion you must look up and see Christ at his right-hand by an Eye of Faith 3. Let us love our Father love God in Christ and love the Place for his sake where his Residence is 1. Love God in Christ. Psal. 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee When God hath been so gracious to you Christians if I had no other Argument to press you to love god but that he which is in Heaven offereth to be your Father in Christ Jesus it might suffice because it is a great Condescension that the God of Heaven will look upon poor boken-hearted Creatures that he whose Throne is in Heaven would look upon him that is of a trembling Spirit Isa. 66 2. That the high and lofty One that dwelleth in the high and holy Place will look to him that is of a contrite Heart Isa. 57. 15. That he that is the Lord of Heaven and Earth will be our Father and own us and bless us A great Condescension on God's part and a great Dignity also is put upon us and how should our Hearts be affected with it Therefore though there be a great Distance between Heaven and Earth it should not lessen our Affections to God He is mindful of us visits us at every turn we are dear and tender to him therefore let the Lord be dear to you The Butler when he was exalted forgot Ioseph but Christ is not grown stately with his Advancement He doth not forget us O let not us forget God Let us manifest our Love by being often with him at the Throne of Grace with our Father which is in Heaven A Child is never well but when in the Mother's Lap or under the Father's Wing So should it be with us with an humble Affection coming into the presence of God and getting into the Bosom of our heavenly Father Never delight in any thing so much as conversing with him and serious Addresses to him in Prayer Again 2. Love the Place for his sake God is there and Christ is there We have cause to love the Place for our own sakes and in a short time if you continue patient in well-doing you will be with God It is not only God's Throne but it is your
House 2 Cor. 5. 1. We look for an House in Heaven no made with hands It is a Place appointed for our everlasting Abode therefore all our Hopes Desires and Delights should run that way But chiefly I would press you to love it for his sake the Place where you heavenly Father dwells God hath not taken his Denomination from Earth which is the Place of Corruption but from Heaven which is the Place of Glory and Happiness O let us not forget our heavenly Father's House We are to apt to say it is good to be here Christians let us draw home apace let us grow more heavenly-minded every day seek the things which are above prize it rather upon this occasion because if we were more heavenly in the frame of our Hearts we would be more heavenly in our solemn Approaches to God What 's the reason a Man is haunted with the World and things which are of a worldly Interest and Concern when he comes to Prayer 'T is because his Heart is taken with these Things Hallowed be thy Name WE are now come to the first petition of the Lord's Prayer there three Things will fall under Discussion I. The Order of this Petition II. The Necessity of putting up such a Request to God III. The Sence and Mâ—aning of the Petition it self I. Of the Order it is the first of all the six The Petitions of the Lord's-Prayer may thus be ranked The four first concern the obtaining of Good and the two last the removal of Evil either the removal of Evil past and already committed or the removal of Evil future and such as may be admitted by the Temptation of the Devil Among the former those Things that do more immediately concern the Glory of God they have the first place In this Petition the Glory of God is both desired and promised on our part for every Prayer is both an Expression of a Desire and also an implicit Vow or a solemn Obligation that we take upon our selves to prosecute what we ask Prayer it is a preaching to our selves in God's hearing We speak to God to warm our selves not for his Information but for our Edification From the Order observe Doct. That those Things are to be desired in the first place and with the greatest Affection which do concern the Glory of God The first Petition is Hallowed be thy Name Here to shew 1. Why this Petition if put first 2. Present some Reasons of the Point First This Petition is put first for a double Reason 1. Partly to shew that this must be the End of all our Requests All that we desire and pray for in behalf of our selves and others must be subordiante to this End All these things must be asked that by the accomplishment of them God may be brought more in request in the World See all the other Petitions in this Prayer how they are suited to this End in Scripture When we say Thy Kingdom come what do we beg that for but ultimately the Glory of God Phil. 2â— 10 11. God hath given him a Name which is above every Name that every Tongue should confess that Iesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father When we say Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven it is still to the Glory of God Mat. 5. 16. That our good Works may so shine forth before Men here upon Earth that they may glorify our Father which is in Heaven When we ask our daily Bread and Provisions for the present Life it is still that he may be glorified in our comfortable Use of the Creature 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the Glory of God When we ask for the Remission of Sins it is that God may be glorified in Christ Rom. 3. 25 26 Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his Righteousness for the Remission of Sins that are past that he may be just c. When we beg Freedom from Temptation it is that we may not dishonour God Prov. 30. 8 9. Lest I be full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord Or lest I be poor and steal and take the Name of my God in vain Still that God may be glorified in every Condition When we ask Deliverance from Evil Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the Day of Trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me So that the Glory of God in all Requests that we make to him like Oil still swims on the Top and must be the End of all the rest for other things are but Means in subordination to it 2. It notes that our chiefest Care and Affection should be carried out to the Glory of God when we pray We should rather forget our selves than forget God God must be remembred in the first place There is nothing more precious than God himself therefore nothing should be more dear to us than his Glory This is the great Difference between the Upright and the Hypocrite The Hypocrite never seeks God but when his Necessities do require it not in and for himself But when the Upright come to seek God it is for God in the first place their main Care is about God's Concernments rather than their own Tho they seek their own Happiness in him and they are allowed so to do yet it is mainly God's Glory which they seek not their own Interests and Concernments See that Psal. 115. 1. Not unto us not unto us O Lord but unto thy Name give Glory for thy Mercy and for thy Truth 's sake It is not a Doxology or Form of Thanksgiving but a Prayer not for our Safety and Welfare so much as thy Glory Not to reek and satisfy our Revenge upon our Adversaries not for the Establishment of our Interest but for the Glory of thy Grace and Truth that God may be known to be a God keeping Covenant for Mercy and Truth are the two Pillars of the Covenant It is a great dishonouring of God when any thing is sought from him more than himself or not for himself Saith Austin it is but a carnal Affection in Prayer when Men seek Self more than God Self and God are the two things that come in competition Now there are several sorts of Self there is carnal Self natural Self spiritual Self and glorified Self above all these God must have the Preheminence 1. Carnal Self By a foolish Mistake we take our Lusts to be our selves Col. 3. 5. Mortify your Members here upon Earth And these Members he makes to be Fornication Uncleanness and the like Our Sins are as dear to us as any essential or integral part of the Body they are our Members Now these should have no room in our Prayers at all tho usually they have the first place Jam. 4. 3. Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amiss that ye may consume it upon your Lusts. Our
holy Name God can turn the Hearts of Men this way and that way according as he pleaseth Prov. 21. 1. The King's Heart is in the hand of the Lord as the Rivers of Water he turneth it whithersoever he will As a Man can dispose of a Water-Course turn it hither and thither as the Necessities of his Field or Garden require So can God draw out the Hearts and Respects of Men. Surely there would not be so many Disorders in the World if we did often reflect upon 〈◊〉 Attribute or did deal with God about his Power over the Spirits of Men. We are wrathful and think nothing but the Confusion of Men would serve the Turn and there is no Riddance of our Burthen but by the Destruction of those who stand in our way Whereas the Conversion of Men a Change of their Spirits and Hearts would be a better Cure and bring more Honour to God and Safety with it The truth is we look more to Men than to God and that is the Reason why we pitch rather upon the Destruction than the Conversion of others Destruction that may be executed by the Creature but Conversion that is a Power to order and regulate the Spirits of Men which God hath reserved in his own hands One Angel could destroy above an Hundred and Eighty Thousand in Sennacherib's Camp in one Night but all the Angels with their united Strength cannot draw in one Heart to God But now the God of the Spirits of all Flesh who is too hard for him O did we often reflect upon this we would be dealing with God about this Matter that he would work upon the Spirits of Men. If there be a wicked Ruler or an obstinate Child or Servant c. that he would sanctify himself upon them and change their Hearts 2. You discover much Love to God when as you would not dishonour him your selves so you are careful others may not dishonour him Praise him all ye Ends of the Earth Psal. 98. 4. 100. 1. You would have all the World own him Private Spirits that would impale and enclose Religion that they may shine alone they do not love God but themselves their own Credit and their own Profit Would to God all the Lord's People were Prophets Numb 11. 29. That was a free and noble Speech God is resembled to the Sun because it is He that must shine alone but the Church is compared to the Moon and Stars where all may shine but every Star in its own glory True Christians would have all to be as they are unless it be with respect to their Bonds and Incumbrances 3. You discover Love to others you would have them glorify God The Angels they rejoice when a Sinner is converted they have a great Love to Souls Luke 15. 7. And so do Christians the more spiritual they are the more they come near to the blessed Spirits above and the more affected they are with the good done to others and with their Conversion Saith Paul Rom. 9. 3. I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ for my Brethren my Kinsmen according to the Flesh Such a Zeal and entire Affection he had to the Souls of others that he could lay all his personal Happiness at Christ's feet And thus you see what need we have to deal seriously with God in this Business if indeed we make this our Aim Especially those which are in publick Relations as Paul was which had an Office put upon him to procure the Salvation of others how will their Hearts run out upon it Secondly It is needful we should deal with God about the sanctifying of his Name as in regard of Persons so of Things and Events God hath the disposal of all Events in his own hands There are many Things which concern the Glory of God that are out of our Reach and are wholly in God's hands and therefore it discovers our Love to his Glory and our Submission to his wise and powerful Government of all Affairs when we deal with God about it and refer the Matter to his disposal and say Lord hallowed be thy Name take the Work into thy own hands We discover our Love to his Glory because we make it a part of our Request that all these Events may conduce to the glory of his Majesty As Ioshua when Israel fell before their Enemies Iosh. 7. 9. Lord what wilt thou do for thy great Name There was his Trouble And Moses Numb 14. 15 16. What will the Nations say round about Because the Lord was not able to bring this People into the Land which he sware unto them therefore he hath slain them in the Wilderness It goeth near to the Heart of God's Children when they see any thing that will tend to God's Reproach But that is not all it is not enough we discover that but also our Submission to his wise and powerful Government when we refer the Matter to his disposal and can see that he can work out his own Ends out of all the Confusions which happen there out of Sins Errors Wars Blood Psal. 76. 10. The Wrath of Man shall praise thee the Remainder of Wrath shalt thou restrain In the Septuagint it is the Wrath of Man shall keep Holy-Day to thee shall increase a Festival for thee God many times gets up in the World upon Satan's Shoulders When Matters are ravell'd and disordered he can find out the right End of the Thread and how to disentangle us again and when we have spoil'd a Business he can dispose it for good and make an Advantage of those things which seem to obscure the Glory of his Name By the way both these must go together our Love to his Glory and our Submission to his Providence Our Love to his Glory for we should not be altogether wretchless and careless how Things go and yet not carking because of the Wisdom and Power of his Providence The truth is we should be more sollicitous about Duties than Events The Glory of Events belongeth to God himself and we are not to take his Work out of his hand but mind him in it Look as some would lern their School-fellows Lesson better than their own so we would have Things carried thus and thus And so by murmuring we tax Providence rather than adore it and we eclipse the Glory of God Yet we must be sensible of the Reproaches cast upon God and must pray the Lord to vindicate and right his Name to take the Way and Means into his own hands Thus you have seen the Necessity of putting up such a Request to God Hallowed be thy Name Vse 1. Is for Information It informs us That whatever we bestow upon God we have it from God at first 1 Chron. 29. 11. Of thine own have we given thee The King of all the Earth we cannot pay him any Tribute but out of his own Exchequer When we are best affected to God's Interest and pray for God's Concernments we must beg the
foolish that had so late Experience of the Flood and when the Ark rested upon the top of the highest Mountains found themselves to be at so great and vast a distance from Heaven Some think it was as Iosephus to secure themselves from another Flood But that was sufficiently done by God's Promise who had engaged to them he would no more destroy the Earth by Water and if that were their intention why should they build in the Plain between the two Rivers of Tygris and Euphrates Moses gives the main reason there that they might have an immortal Name among Posterity But now see how ill they reckon that do reckon without God Those that are so busy about their own Name how soon will God blast them When in any Action we do not seek Glory to God but our selves it 's the ready way to be destroyed This was the Means to bury them in perpetual Oblivion Nebuchadnezzar when he re-edified the City Dan. 4. 30. Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the House of the Kingdom by the might of my Power and for the honour of my Majesty How doth God disappoint him and turn him out among the Beasts Thus are we sure to be disappointed and blasted when our Hearts run altogether upon our own Name But now Christ saith Thy Name when we are careful of that this is the way to prosper From the Words thus illustrated I shall only observe Doct. That God will be so glorified in the World as that his Name may be hallowed or sanctified Here I shall shew 1. How many ways God's Name is sanctified 2. Why God will be so glorified as that he may be sanctified First How many Ways is God's Name sanctified I answer either upon us or by us 1. Vpon us by the righteous Executions and Judgments of his Providence And so God is sanctified when he doth by a high hand of Power recover and extort the Glory of his Holiness from the dead and stupid World As by that notable stroke of the Bethshemites when Fifty thousand were slain for peeping into the Ark 1 Sam. 6. 20. This was the result of all Who is able to stand before this Holy Lord God There he discovered himself to be a Holy God to be one that hath a high displeasure against the Creatures Disobedience Now when he doth by a high hand extort this from the Wicked or from his Children then he sanctifieth himself upon us 2. By us And so he is sanctified in our Thoughts Words and Actions in our Heart Tongue or Life 1. In our Hearts 1 Pet. 3. 15. Sanctify the Lord God in your Heart How is God sanctified in our Hearts 1. When we have awful Thoughts of his Majesty Psal. 111. 9. Holy and Reverend is his Name Not only when we speak of the Name of God but when we think of it we should be seriously affected But 2. More especially God is sanctified when in Straits Difficulties and Dangers we can bear our selves upon the power and sufficiency of God and go on resolutely and chearfully with our Duty notwithstanding Discouragements This is to sanctify the Lord God in our Hearts I shall prove it by two places where the Phrase is used one is 1 Pet. 3. 15. Be ready always to give an answer to every Man that asketh you a reason of the Hope that is in you with Meekness and Fear Mark the Christians that did profess the Name of God which spake of God as their Hope or Object of their Religion were in great danger Now what direction doth he give them that they might not be afraid but bear up For he speaks before Be not afraid of their Terror or be troubled But sanctify the Lord God in your Hearts See the same Phrase used for the same purpose Isa. 8. 13. Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your Fear and let him be your Dread He opposeth it plainly there to Carnal Fear vers 12. Say ye not a Confederacy to all them to whom this People shall say a Confederacy neither fear ye their Fear nor be afraid But sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your Fear How comes this direction to be used in the present Case Thus to sanctify is to set apart and to sanctify God is to set God apart as the alone Object of Fear and Trust that he alone is to be feared and trusted so that we can see no match for God among the Creatures Therefore we are to embolden our selves in the Lord and go on chearfully when we can counter-ballance all Fears and Dangers with his surpassing Excellency To Glorify God is to do that which simply and absolutely tendeth to the Manifestation of his Excellency without any Relation to the Creature But to Sanctify God is to set God above the Creature to do that which tends to exalt his Greatness and Excellency from and above all Terrors and all the Discouragements that we can have from the Creature It is to ascribe that Greatness that Power and Glory to God alone which cannot be ascribed to any thing else and so to go on chearfully with our Duty whatever Difficulties we meet with Thus Moses was chidden that was amazed with present Difficulty Numb 20. 12. And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron Because ye believed me not to sanctify me in the Eyes of the Children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring this Congregation into the Land which I have given them Because they were discouraged and thought they should never carry on their Business therefore God saith Ye believe not to sanctify me You sanctify not God or set him aloft as the alone and Supream Object of Fear and Trust. It is a practical acknowledgment of God's matchless Excellency Thus we sanctify God in our Hearts 2. God is sanctified with our Tongues when we use God's Name Titles Ordinances and Word as Holy Things When we speak of the Lord with Reverence and with great seriousness of Heart not takâ—ng his Name in vain especially when we are deeply affected with his Praise It is no slight thing to praise God God's People when they have gone about it see a need of the greatest Help Psal. 51. 15. O Lord open thou my Lips and my Mouth shall shew forth thy Praise And Psal. 45. 1. My Heart is inditing a good matter my Heart frys or boyls a good Matter When we will not give God Dough-bak'd Praise nor speak of his Name slightly but so as becomes his Greatness and surpassing Excellency 3. In our Actions Our Actions may be parted into two things Worship and ordinary Conversation 1. In our Worship there God especially will be sanctified Lev. 10. 3. I will be sanctified in all that draw near unto me God is very tender of his Worship Sancta Sanctis Holy Things must be managed by Holy Men in a Holy Manner Therefore what is it to sanctify God when we draw nigh to him To have a more excellent
he was in Paradise and there was the good Thief with him The Scriptures do not establish any such drousy conceit as the Sleep of Souls or such an Estate wherein they do not enjoy God We read of the Spirits of just Men made perfect which make up the Congregation which is above of which Christ is Head Heb. 12. 23. As the Spirits of the Wicked are in Prison 1 Pet. 3. 19. that is in Hell This is the Kingdom of Glory begun 2. There 's a Kingdom of Glory consummate when Sin and Death is utterly abolished and the Elect perfectly separated from the Reprobate and conducted into Heaven and there remain with the Lord for ever This is a Kingdom Mat. 25. 34. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you The full and final Estate we enjoy after the general Judgment and Resurrection that 's called a Kingdom Well now you see what 's meant by the Kingdom we pray for Secondly Here 's a note of Distinction Thy Kingdom by which the Kingdom here spoken of is limited by particular reference to God not only to difference it from the Kingdoms of Men which are subordinate to it but those adverse Kingdoms which are set up against God as the Kingdom of Sin Satan Anti-christ the destruction of which we intend when we pray for the advancement of God's Kingdom As I shall shew you Thirdly Here 's the Supplication or the Request which we make to God about this Kingdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let it Come What do we mean by that This Word must be applied to the several acceptations of Christ's Kingdom 1. If you apply it to the External Kingdom of Grace then when we say Thy Kingdom come the meaning is Let the Gospel be published let Churches be set up every where let them be continued and maintained against all the malignity of the World and Opposition of the Devil And in the publication of the Gospel where the sound of it hath not been heard that God would come there in the Power of his Spirit and draw People into Communion with himself Mat. 12. 28. If I cast out Devils by the Spirit of God then the Kingdom of God is come unto you meaning in the publick tenders thereof Saith he if this Miracle doth clearly as it doth in your Consciences evidence my Mission then you may know the Kingdom of God is come that is that there is a Publication of the Gospel of Grace Then we pray for the continuance of this Privilege notwithstanding opposition that Christ may stand his Ground This is that we seek of God that he may maintain his Interest among the Nations of the World that the Gates of Hell may not prevail against his Kingdom 2. If you refer it to the Internal Part of this Kingdom then we beg the Beginning the Progress and the final Consummation of it First the Beginning or the Erection of a Throne for Christ in our own Hearts and the Hearts of others that he may fully exercise Regal Power Secondly The Increase of this Kingdom by Holiness and Obedience and sincere Subjection to him for the Kingdom of Grace is so come already that it will still be coming yet more and more So long as we need to pray so long shall we have cause to say Thy Kingdom come Thirdly The Consummation of it when the Fulness of Glory in the second Coming of Christ shall be revealed when our Head shall be glorious and his Day shall come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the present it is Man's Day so the Scripture seems to call it but then it is the Day of the Lord when all the Devils shall stoop and Enemies receive their final Doom and the Saints shall have the Crown of Glory put upon their Heads in the Sight of all the World Well the Sum of all is this That tho this Petition do mainly concern the special Kingdom which God administreth by Christ yet God's universal Kingdom the Kingdom of his Power and Providence is a mighty Support and Prop to our Faith in making this Request to God When we consider what an unlimited Power God hath over all Creatures even Devils themselves to dispose of them for his own Glory and his Churches Good we need not to be discouraged though Christ's Kingdom be opposed in the World but should with the more confidence deal with God about it That which I shall handle upon this Petition will fall under these two Points 1. That God hath a Kingdom which he will administer and manage for his own glory 2. All those which are well affected to God's glory should desire the coming of this Kingdom and seriously deal with God about it For the first namely Doct. 1. That God hath a Kingdom which he will administer and manage for his own Glory I speak not of the Kingdom of his Power and Providence but of the Dispensation of Grace by Christ. The Evangelical Gospel-State is compared to a Kingdom as Mat. 3. 2. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand So to the Disciples Mat. 10. 7. And as ye go preach saying The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand And so Christ himself It may be called so with very good reason For in this Kingdom there is a Monarch Jesus Christ to whom all Power and Authority is given God the Father calls him my King Psal. 2. 6. I have set my King upon my holy Hill And this King hath his Throne in the Consciences of Men where Thoughts are brought into Captivity to him 2 Cor. 10. 5. And he hath his Royal Scepter Psal. 110. 3. which is called the Rod of his Strength And he hath his Subjects and they are the Saints Rev. 15. 3. King of Saints And he hath his Laws and Constitutions we read of the Law of Faith and the Law of Liberty And in this Kingdom there are Privileges and Royal Immunities there 's Freedom from the Curse of the Law and from the Power of Sin and from the destructive Influence of Satan and the World And here are Punishments and Rewards both for Body and Soul there is Hell and Heaven Now because all these things do so fitly suit therefore is the Gospel called a Kingdom It will not be amiss to insist upon some of these 1. The State of the Gospel or Evangelical State 't is God's Kingdom in regard of the Monarch whom God hath set up that is Jesus Christ the great Lord of all Things There is no King like him God hath made him higher than the Kings of the Earth Psal. 89. 27. How doth he exceed all other Monarchs and Potentates in the World Partly for Largeness of Command and Territory All Kings and Monarchs have certain Bounds and Limits by which their Empire is terminated but Christ is the true Catholick King his Government runs throughout the whole Circuit of Nature and Providence he hath Power over all Flesh Iohn 17. 2. yea Devils themselves are to stoop to him Phil. 2.
10. Every Thing under the Earth is to bow the Knee to Christ. Partly for the Excellency of his Throne This King hath a double Throne one in Heaven the other in the Heart of an humble Sinner which is his second Heaven Isa. 57. 15. And in both these respects there is no Monarch like Christ. He hath prepared his Throne in the Heavens and his Kingdom ruleth over all Psal. 103. 19. Earthly Kings that their Majesty may appear to their Subjects have their Thrones usually exalted there were six Steps to Solomon's Throne a Description of it you have in 1 Kings 10. 18 19. But what 's this to the Throne of Christ which God hath fix'd above in the Heavens The whole Globe of Sea and Earth is but as one Point and there are ten thousand times ten thousands of Angels about his Throne The Supporters of this Throne are Iustice and Mercy And in regard of his other Throne also in the Hearts of Men The Power of outward Potentates reacheth but to the Bodies of Men they can take cognizance of nothing but of external Conformity to their Laws But Christ gives Laws to the Thoughts 2 Cor. 10. 5. So for his Royal Furniture Other Princes they have their Chariots and Coaches and Horses c. but He makes the Clouds his Chariot and walketh upon the Wings of the Wind Psal. 104. 3. Riding up and down in the World dispensing Mercies and Judgments So for Troops and Armies to support his Dignity all the Hosts of Heaven are obedient to him one Angel in one Night destroyed in Sennacherib's Army an Hundred Fourscore and Five Thousand Hostility against him must needs be deadly He is above in Heaven and can rain down Fire and Brimstone upon us and cannot be resisted He is higher than the Kings of the Earth too because none hath so good a Right and Title to rule as this King hath whom God hath set upon his holy Hill of Sion God's Dominion over the Creatures is founded in Creation Other Kings find their Subjects he makes them He hath the first and chief Right there is nothing we have but he made We depend upon him every moment for his providential Assistance therefore he hath the highest Right and Title No Creature can be sui juris at his own dispose And he hath a Right by Conquest and by Purchase he hath bought us and given his Life a Ransom for many Mat. 20. 28. Christ is opposed there to worldly Potentates they must be served but he came to minister Subjects their Blood and Lives must go to preserve the Rights of the Prince but he gave his Life And he hath a Right too by Contract and Covenant All that are Subjects of his Kingdom have sworn Allegiance He hath such an absolute Right that thou canst call nothing thy own We think indeed our Lips are our own Psal. 12. 4. and our Estates our own as Nabal 1 Sam. 25. 11. Shall I take my Bread and my Water and my Flesh c. All you have it belongeth to this King by Right of Creation and Providence Therefore in all these respects he is higher than the Kings of the Earth 2. The Gospel-State is set forth as a Kingdom in regard of the Subjects and their Privileges The Gospel doth not only reveal a King but maketh all Kings He hath made us to be Kings and Priests c. Rev. 1. 5. All those that submit to him So that indeed Christ may properly be stiled Rex Regum King of Kings As the King of Assyria made his Boast Isa. 10. 8. Are not my Princes altogether Kings A vaunting Speech of his that his Princes and Favourites were for Power and Authority as good as Kings But Christ may say so Are not my Subjects altogether Kings not only Kings in regard of their spiritual Power and Command they have over themselves ruling their own Spirits in the Fear of God while others are Slaves to their base Affections but in point of their Privileges They have Kingly Privileges they are made Kings they are royally attended by Angels they are sent forth to be as Guardians to the Heirs of Promise Heb. 1. 14. They have Royal Immunities from the Curse of the Law from the damnable Influence of Sin they may as well pluck Christ from the Throne as pluck the Elect out of that State wherein they are As David said Is it a small thing to be the King's Son in Law So is it a small thing to be the Sons of God Coheirs with Christ This Honour and Glory doth God put upon his Saints And there 's the greatest Pleasure and Contentment in this State for this Kingdom which all the Saints are interested in it consisteth in Righteousness Peace and Ioy in the Holy-Ghost Rom. 14. 17. And surely these Consolations of God should not be small to us It is a State of most absolute Freedom and Sovereignty Iohn 8. 36. If the Son shall make you free then shall ye be free indeed Many a Monarch which ruleth over Men may be a Captive to his own Lusts but these are free There are the richest Revenues and Increase which belong to Christ's Subjects All Things are yours 1 Cor. 3. 21. whether Paul or Apollos c. They are ours by Covenant and when they come into our possession by the fair Allowance of God's Providence we have them with a Blessing and may use them with a great deal of Comfort 3. In regard of the Laws and Manner of Administration I shall not speak of the External Political Government of the Church which questionless is Monarchical I mean in regard of Christ the Head tho it be Aristocratical in regard of Officers and in some respect Democratical with reference to the Consent of the People in all Church-Acts but there are Laws and Sanctions by which this Body of Men and this Kingdom is governed Iames 2. 8. If ye fulfill the Royal Law It is called the Royal Law not only as it requires noble Work but in regard of the Dignity of the Author and Firmness of the Obligation All the Precepts of Faith Repentance and Gospel-walking are as so many Royal Edicts which Christ hath set forth to signify his Pleasure to his People How slightly soever we think of these Gospel-Injunctions they are the Laws and Instructions of the great King 4. In regard of Punishments and Rewards Christ who is a King by nature might rule us with a Rod of Iron yet he is pleased to govern us as a Father and Prince that he might cast the Bands of a Man upon us Christ as a King punisheth and as a King rewardeth Prov. 16. 14. The Wrath of a King is as Messengers of Death When a King is angry 't is as if a Messenger should come and tell us we must die How great is the Wrath of the King of Kings He cannot endure to be slighted in his Regal Power Luke 19. 27. But those mine Enemies which would not that I should reign
the other We are not only to obey actively but to love the Commandments of God and to have our Hearts carried out in a greater esteem and to prefer them before Liberty it self but I doubt whether we are so concerning our Afflictions to prefer them before Freedom and Exempâ—â—â—â—â—nd the Welfare of our Nature Well then you see what is meant by the Will of God which is the Matter about which this is conversant Then here 's the Note of Appropriation Thy Will in opposition to our own Will the Will of Satan the Wills of Men. 1. To our own Will which is the proudest Enemy Christ hath on this side Hell and the cause of all the Mischief which doth befall us The great Contest between us and God is whose Will shall stand God's Will or ours In every Sin we slight the Will of God and set up our own We despise the Commandment 2 Sam. 12. 9. Not grosly and formally David did not slight the Commandment and say Tush it is a foolish Law but by necessary Interpretation we slight the Law of God and set up our own Will Therefore when we pray that God's Will may be done we do in effect renounce our own Will those Wills of the Flesh and Mind Eph. 2. 3. which the Apostle speaks of so it is in the Greek The Soul is never renewed until the Will be renewed till the Will be broken And therefore Self-denial is made one of the first Principles of Christianity the denying of our own Will The Will is the leading part of the Soul Tho the New Creature begins with the Mind yet it comes not to any Perfection it is not formed until the Will be subdued to God until Grace be seated in the Heart When a Man treadeth on a dry Hide one part or other will be apt to rebound and leap up against him till he stands in the middle and Center So until Grace be seated in the Heart Corruption will recoil When a Bird's Wings are broken it can flie no longer so when the Will is subdued then the work of Grace begins The Mind is the Counsellor but the Will is the Monarch and Prince which sways and rules all in the Soul Again the Will is more corrupted than the Mind the Understanding is much blinded but the Will is more depraved The Mind hath a little Light and is apt to take God's part sometimes by suggesting good Motions but the VVill doth more abhorr and refuse Good than the Understanding is ignorant of it VVe are convinced often when not converted Therefore this is the main thing that our corrupt VVillâ— may be subdued to God Let thy VVill be done not our own 2. Thy VVill in opposition to Satan's VVill. Our Lusts are called his Lusts Iohn 8. 44. The Lusts of your Father the Devil ye will do They are of his inspiring of his cherishing the grand Incubus of Hell is the Father of these Brats and sinful Productions So 2 Tim. 2. 26. the Holy-Ghost speaks of carnal Men that they are taken captive by Satan at his will and pleasure VVicked Men are at Satan's beck and they do his will The Devil sets such a Lust at work the Man obeys presently The Devil stirs such Lusts by his Arts and Engines and observes such a Lust will be most prevalent at such a time the Man is taken by Satan's Will Now Thy Will c. we desire the Lord's Grace that we may not comply with the Devil's Motions 3. Thy Will in opposition to the Wills of Men. 1 Pet. 4. 2. That he no longer should live to the Lusts of Men but to the VVill of God not according to the Wills of Men but according to the Will of God In our natural State we are apt to be swayed by the Lusts and Humors of others according as the Posture of our interest is determined and therefore it is a good piece of Self-denial to cease from the Lusts of Men from the Humors and Customs of those whom we fear and from whom we hope And until we cease from Men in vain do we expect to serve God Thus for the Matter about which this Request is conversant Thy Will Secondly Here is the Request it self Be done what doth this imply when we say Let thy Will be done 1. We beg a Heart to do it Deut. 5. 29. O that there were such an Heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments always It is not enough to set our selves to do what God hath commanded but we must get a renewed sanctified Heart 2. We beg Skill to do it Psal. 143. 10. Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God We beg that God would teach us and lead us forth in the Obedience of his Will 3. We beg Strength to do it It is said Heb. 13. 21. The God of Peace through the Blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good Work to do his Will We beg Strength that we may do what is pleasing in his Sight In our Will there is a double Mischief it is opposite to and averse from God Rom. 8. 7. The carnal Mind is Enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God nor indeed can be And it is strongly inclined to other things and this both by Nature and by evil Custom There is an Aversation from God which is natural and which is increased by Custom therefore it is God must give us a Heart to do his Will and Skill and Strength Thus God he must draw us off from other things which is called the Circumcising of the Heart Deut. 30. 6. He must draw us off and he must draw us on too As he pares away the Foreskin the Fleshiness which cleaves to our Hearts and inclineth us to seek our own Will in hunting after Pleasures Honours Profits So doth the Lord draw us to himself Cant. 1. 4. Draw me and we will run after thee II. Let 's come to the Circumstances of the Petition In Earth as it is in Heaven First The Place wherein also the Persons are noted in Earth that is by the Men which live upon Earth Why is this mentioned on Earth 1. The Earth is a place of our Exercise and Trial and now is the time to shew our Self-denial and our Obedience to God to deny our own Will and do the Will of God Iohn 17. 4. I have glorified thee upon Earth This is a Work that must not be suspended until we come to Heaven it will not be thank-worthy then when there is no Interruption no Trouble no Molestation there but here I have glorified thee on Earth where so few mind the Work and where there are so many Distractions and Temptations to divert us 2. The Earth is the only place where this Work is begun or else it shall never be done hereafter Instance in any thing that is the Will of God Here we must believe or there we shall never enjoy Luke 2.
Kindness do maintain a Friendship between Man and Man so do these renewed Acts of Love and of God's Care and Kindness over us maintain a Friendship between God and us 2. It engageth us to a constant Dependance upon God and Communion with him It is Dependance which maintains the Commerce between Heaven and Earth Now if we did keep the Stock our selves God and we should soon grow Strangers When the Prodigal had his Portion in his own hands he goes out of his Father's House Luke 15. The Throne of Grace would lie neglected and unfrequented if we did not stand in need of daily Receivings when would the Lord hear from us And therefore to oblige us to a constant Dependance God will keep the Grace in his own hands that ever we may have something to drive us to himself some Necessities upon us for the Throne of Grace is for a Time of Need Heb. 4. 16. 3. This is that which keeps us humble and that upon several Considerations All we have 't is by Gift and then what can we be proud of Not only the Habits of Grace themselves but also those actual Incitements which are necessary to draw them forth into Act. So that of all our Excellencies we may say Alas 't is but borrowed and if we be proud of them we are but proud we are more in Debt than others when most enlarged and most assisted it is from God We would laugh if a Groom should be proud of his Master's Horse and his Master's Cloak Shall we usurp that Honour that is due to God What hast thou that thou didst not receive 1 Cor. 4. 7. And then we have it from Hand to Mouth That which we have received will not bear us out unless God come in with new Influences of Grace We should soon grow proud if God did not direct us and give out the renewed Evidences of his Love day after day And we should not acknowledg our Benefactor if God should do all at once therefore he lesseneth and weakneth our Corruptions by degrees and by the renewed Influences of his Grace And by this means we are made sensible of the Mutability of our own Nature God left Hezekiah to try him that he might know all that was in his Heart 2 Chron. 32. 31. God hath so dispensed Grace that he will be going and coming as to actual Influence therefore sometimes he will leave us that he may discover a Man to himself Tho we have Grace planted in our Hearts and are renewed yet if God leave us how weak and foolish are we We are renewed but not fully recovered of that Maim and Bruise we got by the Fall of Adam and we cannot do as we will If God withdraw his Quickning his Strength secret Corruption will break forth and our Indisposition to holy Things will soon appear 4. Then it is for the Honor of the Lord's Grace It doth abundantly provide for the Glory of Grace that from first to last we are indebted to God not only for those permanent and fixed Habits which constitute the New Creature but for those daily Supplies without which the Motions of the Spirit are at a stand And this is that which makes the Saints still to put the Crown upon Grace's Head When the Servants gave an Account of improving of their Talents saith one of them Luke 19. 16. Lord thy Pound hath gained ten Pounds He doth not say My Industry but Thy Pound So Paul Gal. 2. 20. I live yea but he interposeth presently Yet not I but Christ liveth in me They are ever ascribing all to God because they see they can do nothing without him When we come to Heaven 't is a Question which we shall admire most Grace or Glory the Glory of that Estate into which we are brought or else Grace which was the Foundation of it O when we see all that was done and suffered for God it was from God Of thine own have we given thee How will the Soul admire the Riches of his glorious Grace We have not only traded with his Money but by his Direction and when our Stock was imbezell'd he supplied us at every turn For these Ends the Lord still keeps Grace in his own hands that we can do nothing to any purpose unless he be pleased to concur by the Influences and Quicknings of his own Spirit VSE The Use shall only be in these two Branches 1. In doing any good Work let us do all things in him as well as to him Let us not only make this our Scope that we may do it to God but let us make his Grace our Principle Otherwise when we go to work for God without God it will befall us as it did Sampson that thought to go out and shake himself as in former time but his Locks were cut and his Strength gone Men that have had former Experiences think to find a like Vigor of Affection a like Raisedness of Spirit a like Savoriness of Expression but if they take not God along with them they find their Strength is gone their Affections dead that all their Spirits are dry and sapless and that they do not go forth with such Life and Power as formerly Therefore when ever you go about a good Work say as David I will go forth in the Strength of God 2. It directs us in ascribing the Honour of what we have done It is dangerous to assume Divine Honour to our selves or accept it from others but we must give the Lord the Glory whose Concurrence doth all the Work Remember we have received all from God and God must have all the Glory and Honour If others should ascribe it to us we are not to take it To conceal and receive stollen Goods brings us within the Compass of Theft as well as to steal them our selves So when others would ascribe any thing to us still let the Lord have the Glory of every Work and Business The third Point Doct. 3. We are not only to look to this that his Will be done but to the Manner how it is done It is not for the Honour of his Majesty to be put off with any thing we must serve him with all our Mind and Strength Mal. 1. 14. When ye brought that which was torn and lame and sick should I accept this of your Hands saith the Lord. I am a great King saith the Lord of Hosts and my Name is dreadful among the Heathen We are to aim at the highest manner of serving God There is an ardent Desire in the Saints to be perfect If by any means they would attain to the Resurrection of the Dead Phil. 3. 11. That is that happy and sinless State they shall enjoy hereafter The Manner is more considerable than the Work it self A Man may sin in doing good but he cannot sin in doing well therefore the Manner is that which is mainly stood upon in Scripture God doth not only look that we pray but it must be â—ervent effectual
Mankind God by his Almighty Grasp holdeth all things in his own Hands and if he should but let loose his Hand all would fall to nothing and disappear Iob. 6. 9. For it is from the intimate Support and Influence of his Providence that we have our Lives So our Comforts they are continued to us by God alas in themselves they are poor fugacious things Haman was to day high in Honour and to morrow high upon the Gallows Riches make themselves Wings and flie away as an Eagle towards Heaven Prov. 23. 5. The Holy-Ghost seems there to compare Riches to a Flock of Birds which pitcheth in a Man's Field to Night but to Morrow they are gone Who is the richer for a Flock of wild Fowls because they pitch in his Field now So all these outward things are so flying that they are soon gone by many Accidents unless he preserves them and continues our Possession of them For God he can give a Charge and Commission to the Fire to the Fury of Men one way or other to deprive us of these things Behold all he hath is in thy Hands Job 1. 12. When a Man hath gotten abundance of worldly Comforts about him and seemeth to be intrenched and provided against all Hazards the Man is taken away and cannot enjoy what he had heaped together with a great deal of Care and Sollicitude 4. We beg leave to use them It is good Manners in Religion to ask God's leave in all things It is Robbery to make use of a Man's Goods and to waste and consume them without his leave We must ask God leave upon this account because tho God gives these good things to Men yet he still reserves the Property in himself for by distributing Blessings to the Creature he never intended to devest himself of the Right As a Husbandman by scattering his Corn in the Field did not dispossess himself but still keeps a Right and means to have the Increase So when the Lord scattereth his Blessings we only receive them as Stewards not as Owners and Proprietors God still is the Supream Lord and only hath the Property and Dominion In Life it is clear Man is not Dominus Vits but Custos not Lord of his Life but only the Steward and Guardian of it he cannot live or die at his own Pleasure if a Man kills himself he runs the danger of God's Law What is said of Life is true also of his Estate he is not an Owner so much as a Steward that 's the Notion of our Possession we are Stewards and must render an account to God Hosea 2. 9. I will return and take away my Corn in the time thereof and my Wine in the season thereof and will recover my Wooll and my Flax. Though God hath communicated these things to the Children of Men yet he hath reserved the Dominion in his own Hands So Hag. 2. 8. The Silver is mine and the Gold is mine saith the Lord of Hosts He never disposed any thing so into the Creatures Hands but still he hath reserved a Right and Interest in it and therefore it is Gen. 14. 19. that the Lord is not only called the Creator of Heaven and Earth but Possessor of Heaven and Earth He is not only the Possessor of Heaven where he dwells which he hath reserved to his own use but he is Possessor of Earth which he hath committed to the use of Men. And God will have his Right acknowledged from day to day 5. It is he that giveth us Ability to use them We beg that we may not only have the Comforts but Life and Strength to use them for God can blast us in the very midst of our Enjoyments It is the case of many when they have hunted after a worldly Portion and begin to think now I will sit down and enjoy it when the Gain is come into his Hands and he thinks to waste that which he hath got in hunting Death takes him away and he hath not power to use them Thus it was with the rich Fool when he began to sing Lullabies to his Soul and enjoy what he had got he is taken away by Death Luke 12. 20. Thou Fool this Night thy Soul shall be required of thee then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided And it is said Numb 11. 33. when those People had gotten Quails That while the Flesh was yet between their Teeth ere it was chewed the Wrath of the Lord was kindled against the People and the Lord smote them with a very great Plague And that Noble Man which saw Plenty in Samaria but could not taste of it 2 Kings 7. 19. So Iob 21. 23. One dieth in his full Strength being wholly at ease and quiet When he has gotten abundance of worldly Comforts about him Death seizes on him of a sudden 6. God yet is further interested in these Mercies so as to give us a sanctified use of them that we may take our Bread out of God's Hands with Prayer and Thanksgiving and due Acknowledgments of God In 1 Tim. 4. 5. Every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with Thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer Then are the Creatures sanctified to us when we enjoy God in them when our Hearts are raised to think of the Donor and can love him the more for every Gift Carnal Men like Swine raven upon the Acorns but look not up to the Oak from whence they drop In the Canticles the Spouses Eyes are compared to Doves Eyes They which make the Allusion say this is the meaning look as a Dove pecks and looks upward so upon every grain of Mercy we should look up to the God of Mercies It is not enough to taste the sweet of the Creatures but also to own God his Love and Bounty in them so to have them sanctified to us This is the Priviledg we have as Men that we can know the first Cause and who is the Benefactor All Creatures subsist upon the first Cause but are not capable of knowing it And this is our Priviledg as Christians to have this Capacity reduced into Act. It is of the Lord's Grace to give us a sanctified use of these things 7. We beg of God the natural Blessing upon the holy Use of outward Comforts so as they may continue us in Health and Vigor for the Service of God for nothing will prosper with us but by his Blessing Psal. 106. 15. He gave them their Request but sent Leanness into their Souls that is they had no natural Comfort by that which they had obtained God may give a Man Meat yet not an Appetite he may not give him the comfortable use of it a Blessing with it And therefore the Apostle makes it to be an Argument of God's Bounty to the Heathen that as he gave them Food so he gave them Gladness of Heart Acts 14. 17. He gave them Rain from Heaven and
us over-born with Sollicitude but look no further than this day 6. Christ would teach us that worldly things should be sought in a moderate Proportion if we have sufficient for a day for the present Want we should not grasp at too much Ships lightly loaden will pass through the Sea but when we take too great a burden the Ship will easily sink with every Storm We have sore Troubles to pass through in the World now when we are over-burdened with present things we have more Snares and Temptations 7. Christ would train us up with thoughts of our Lives Vncertainty Iames 4. 13. say not This and this I will do to day or to morrow What is your Life it is but a Vapor One being invited to Dinner the next day said for these many Years I have not had a to-morrow meaning he was providing every day for his last day We do not know whether we have another day but are apt to sing Lullabies to our Souls and say Soul take thine Ease thou hast Goods laid up for many Years Luke 12. 19. We are sottishly secure and dream of many Years whereas God tells us only of to day 8. To awaken us after heavenly things When we seek Bread for the present Life then give us this day but now come to me saith Christ and I will give you Bread that shall nourish you to eternal Life Bread that endureth for ever Iohn 6. 27. Labour not for the Meat which perisheth but for that Meat which endureth unto everlasting Life There is Meat that will endure for ever but for the present we beg only for this day 1 Pet. 1. 4. To an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you That 's an eternal State this is but of a short and of a small continuance You see what need you have to go to God that he will most plentifully provide for you And forgive us our Debts as we forgive our Debtoâ—s WE have now done with the Supplication of this Prayer and are come to the Deprecations The Supplications are those Petitions which we make to God for obtaining of that which is good The Deprecations are those Petitions we make to God for removing of that which is evil Now of this latter sort there are two 1. We pray for the Remission of Evil that is already committed 2. We pray for the prevention of the Evil which may be inflicted The first of these is the Petition we have now in hand Here 1. The Petition is proposed Forgive us our Debts 2. 'T is confirmed by an Argument As we forgive our Debtors In the first take notice 1. Of the Object or Matter of this Petition and that is Debts 2. The Subject or Persons praying Vs. 3. The Person to whom we pray our Heavenly Father who alone can forgive our Sins 4. The Act of God about this Object Forgive Then the Petition is confirmed by an Argument which is taken from our forgiving of others In which there 's an Argument 1. A Simili from a like Disposition in us Thus what is good in us was first in God for he is the Patern of all Perfection If we have such a Disposition planted in our Hearts and if it be a Vertue in us surely the same Disposition is in God for the first being wanteth no Perfection 2. The Argument may be taken à dispari or à minori ad majus from the less to the greater If we that have but a drop of Mercy can forgive the Offences done to us surely the infinite God that is Mercy it self he hath more Bowels and more Pity For his ways are above our ways as high as the Heaven is above the Earth Isa. 55. 9. So it seems the Argument is propounded Luke 11. 4. Forgive us our Sins for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us 3. The Argument may be taken from the Condition or the Qualification of those that are to expect Pardon They are such that out of a sense of God's Mercy to them and the Love of God shed abroad in their Hearts are inclined and disposed to shew Mercy to others So Christ explains it vers 14. making it a Condition or Qualification on our part If ye forgive Men their Trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you But this will be more abundantly clear when I come to examine that Clause Before we come to the Petition it self the Connection is to be considered for the Particle And links it to the former Petition After Hallowed be thy Name he doth not say And thy Kingdom come they are propounded as distinct Sentences but Give us this day our daily Bread And forgive us our Debts for three Reasons 1. Without Pardon all the good Things of this Life will do us no good They are but as a full Diet or as a rich Suit to a condemned Person they will not comfort him and allay his present Fears Until we are pardoned we are under a Sentence ready for Execution and therefore we cannot have that Comfort in outward Things until we have some Interest in God's fatherly Mercy A Man that is condemned hath the King's Allowance until Execution So it is the Indulgence of God to a wicked Man to give him many outward Things tho he is condemned already We should not satisfy our selves with daily Bread without a sense of some Interest in pardoning Mercy 2. To shew us our Unworthiness Our Sins are so many and grievous that we are not worthy of one Morsel of Bread to put in our Mouths When we say Give us this day c. we need presently to say Forgive us our Sins There is a Forfeiture even of these common Blessings Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all the Mercies and of all the Truth which thou hast shewed unto thy Servant All that we have we have from Mercy and it is Mercy undeserved As we are Creatures there can be no common Right between God and us to engage him to give temporal Blessings for we owe our selves wholly to him as being created out of nothing Children cannot oblige their Parents But much more as we are guilty Creatures it is meerly of the Mercy of the Lord. 3. These are join'd together because Sin is the great Obstacle and Hindrance of all the Blessings which we expect from God Ier. 5. 25. Your Sins have with-held good Things from you When Mercy comes to us Sin stands in the way and turns it back again so that it cannot have so clear a Passage to us Therefore God must forgive before he can give that is bestow these outward Things as a Blessing on us Having spoken of this Connexion let me observe something from the Petition it self The first Thing I shall observe is the Notion by which Sin is set out Forgive us our Debts The Point is Doct. I. That Sins come under the Notion of Debts In Luke 11. 4. it is Forgive us our
and our pardoning of others whether we respect the Persons that are interrested in this Action or the Sâ—bject Matter or Manner and way of doing or the Fruit and Issue of the Action First In the Persons pardoning what Proportion can there be between God and Men the Creator and the Creature God he is most free and bound to none of infinite Dignity and Perfection which can neither be increased or lessened by any Act of ours for him or against him but we live in perfect Dependance upon God's Pleasure are subject to his Command and bound to do his Will and therefore what is our forgiving our fellow Creatures made out of the same Dust animated by the same Soul and every way equal with us by Nature when they wrong us in our petty Interests what Proportion is there between this forgiving and God 's forgiving he that is of so infinite a Majesty his forgiving the Violations of his holy Law And 2ly To the subject Matter that which is forgiven there is no Proportion When we compare the Multitude or Magnitude the Greatness and the Number of Offences forgiven of the one side and the other we see there 's a mighty Disproportion we forgive Pence and God Talents we an hundred Pence he ten thousand Talents Mat. 18. So 3dly the manner of forgiving on God's part by discharging us freely and exacting a full Satisfaction from Christ therefore our forgiving can hold no Comparison with it which is an Act of Duty and Conformity to God's Law And 4thly As to the Fruit and Issue of the Action our Good and Evil doth not reach to God Though our forgiving of others be an Action of Profit to our selves yet no Fruit redounds to God And therefore there being no Proportion between finite and infinite there can be no such proportion between our forgiving and God 's forgiving as that this Act may be meritorious before God Thus it is not brought here as Merit as that which doth oblige and bind God meritoriously to forgive us 2. It is not a Patern or Rule We do not mean our forgiving should be a Patern of forgiving to God So as is taken indeed ver 10 Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven there it implies a Conformity to the Patern But when we say Forgive us as we forgive it doth not mean here a Patern or Rule We imitate God but God doth not imitate us in forgiving Offences And it would be ill with us if God should forgive us no better than we forgive one another God is matchless in all his Perfections there is no Work like his Psal. 86. 8. As God is matchless in other Things so in pardoning Mercy As the Heavens are above the Earth so are his Ways above our Ways and his Thoughts above our Thoughts Isa. 55. 9. And upon this very occasion the Lord will multiply to pardon As far as the Heavens c. This is the greatest Distance we can conceive The Heavens they are at such a vast distance from the Earth that the Stars tho they be great and glorious Luminaries yet they seem to be but like so many Spangles and Sparks This is the distance and disproportion which is made between God's Mercy and ours Hos. 11. 9. I will not return to destroy Ephraim for I am God and not Man If God should forgive but only as Man doth it would be ill for Ephraim if he had to do with revengeful Man God acteth according to the Infiniteness of his own Nature far above the Law and manner of all created Beings Therefore it is not put here as a Patern and Rule 3. It doth not import Priority of Order as if our Act had the precedency of God's or as if we did or could heartily forgive others before God hath shewed any Mercy to us No in all Acts of Love God is first his Mercy to us is the Cause of our Mercy to others As the Wall reflects and casts back the Heat upon the Stander-by when first warmed with the Beams of the Sun So when our Hearts are melted with a sense of God's Mercy his Love to us is the Cause of our Love and Kindness to others 1 Iohn 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us that is we love him and others for his sake For Love to God implies that why because he hath been first with us And then it is the Motive and Patern of it In that Parable Mat. 18. 32 33. God's forgiving is the Motive to our forgiving I forgave thee all thy Debt and shouldest not thou have compassion on thy Fellow-Servant In those that have true Pardon it causeth them to forgive others out of a sense of God's Mercy that is they are disposed and inclined to shew Mercy to others But in others that think themselves pardoned and have only a temporary Pardon and Reprieve such as is there spoken of it is a Motive which should prevail with them tho it doth not Nay it is the Patern of our Love to others Eph. 4. 32. Forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you in that manner and according to that Example 4. It doth not import an exact Equality but some kind of Resemblance As it is a Note of Similitude not Equality either of Measure or Manner it only implieth that there is some correspondent Action something like done on our part So Luke 6. 36. Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful As notes the certainty of the Truth tho not the exact proportion there will be something answerable to God 2. But positively to shew what respect it hath 1. It is a Condition or moral Qualification which is found in Persons pardoned Mat. 6. 14. For if ye forgive Men their Trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you But ver 15. If ye forgive not Men their Trespasses neither will your Father forgive your Trespasses These two are inseparably conjoin'd God's pardoning of us and our pardoning of others The Grant of a Pardon that 's given out at the same time when this Disposition is wrought in us but the Sense of a Pardon that 's a thing subsequent to this Disposition And when we find this Disposition in us we come to understand how we are pardoned of God 2. It is an Evidence a Sign or Note of a pardoned Sinner when a Man's Heart is entender'd by the Lord's Grace and inclined to shew Mercy here 's his Evidence Mat. 5. 7. Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain Mercy The Stamp or Impression shews that the Seal hath been there so this is an Evidence to us whereby we may make out our Title to the Lord's Mercy that we have received Mercy from the Lord. 3. It is a necessary Effect of God's pardoning Mercy shed abroad in our Hearts for Mercy begets Mercy as Heat doth Heat Titus 3. 2 3. Shew meekness to all Men for we our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient c. There 's none
upon this Account He is known among his People not so much by acts of Power as acts of Grace and the greatness of his Mercy in pardoning Sins for Christ's sake 3. He is willing to dispence a Pardon Miâ— 7. 18. He delighteth in Mercy God delighteth in himself and all his Attributes and the Manifestation of them in the World but above all in his Mercy Justice is his strange act Isa. 28. 21. There is not any thing more pleasing to him 'T is the Mercy of God that he hath drawn up a Petition for us he would never have taught us to have asked Mercy by Prayer if he had not been willing to shew us Mercy 4. God will do it for his own sake and not for any forreign Reasons Isa. 43. 25. I even I am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions for mine own sake and out of a respect to his own Honour See how God casts up his Accounts It is Mercy Jer. 3. 12. I am merciful saith the Lord and I will not keep Anger for ever So his Truth Psal. 106. 45. He remembred for them his Covenant and repented according to the Multitude of his Mercies Not from any desert of theirs who do so neglect him and wrong him God will do it upon his own Reasons 5. He will do it in such a way as Man doth not in a way of infinite Mercy Hos. 11. 9. I will not execute the fierceness of mine Anger for I am God and not Man 'T is the great Advantage of us Sinners that we have to do with God and not Man in our Miscarriages For Man's Pity and Mercy may be exhausted be it never so great What seven times a Day But God is Infinite Man may think it dishonourable to agree with an Inferior when he stoops not to him but God is so far above the Creature that we are below his Indignation Man is soon wearied but not God Isa. 55. 8 9. For my Thoughts are not your Thoughts neither are your Ways my Ways saith the Lord. For as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are my Ways higher than your Ways and my Thoughts than your Thoughts I now come to the fourth and last Consideration IV. That Forgiveness of Sins is one great Benefit that we must ask of God in Prayer Here it will be needful to shew First The Necessity of treating with God about Forgiveness Secondly The Nature of this Benefit Thirdly The Terms how God dispenseth it First The Necessity will appear in these Propositions 1. Man hath a Conscience Rom. 2. 15. Thoughts accusing or excusing c. A Beast cannot reflect 2. A Conscience inferreth a Law 3. A Law inferreth a Sanction 4. A Sanction inferreth a Judgment 5. A Judgment a Condemnation to the fall'n Creature 6. There is no avoiding this Condemnation unless God set up a Chancery or another Court of Grace 7. If God set up another Court our Plea must be Grace Of this see more at large 20. Serm. 1 Serm. on Psal. 32. 1 2. Secondly The Nature of this Benefit or manner how God forgiveth 1. Freely 2. Fully 1. Freely and meerly upon the Impulsions of his own Grace Isa. 43. 25. I even I am he that forgiveth your Iniquities for my Name sake Nothing else could move him to it but his own Mercy and he could have chosen whether he would have done so yea or no For he spared not the Angels but offereth Pardon to Man and all Men are not actually pardoned And therefore the only reason why he sheweth us Mercy and not others is meerly his own Grace The Intervention of Christ's Merit doth not hinder the Freedom of it Tho dearly purchased by Christ yet freely bestowed on us For 't is said Rom. 3. 24. Iustified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ. Why partly because it was Mercy that he would not prosecute his Right against us Partly because he found out the way how to recompense the wrong done by Sin unto his Majesty and out of his Love sent his Son to make this Recompence for us Ioh. 3. 16. 'T was Love set all a-work And lastly not excited hereunto by any worth on our parts but the external moving cause was only our Misery and the internal moving cause his own Grace Nor is the Freedom of this Act infringed by requiring Faith and Repentance on our part because that only sheweth the way and order wherein this Grace is dispensed not the cause why 'T is not for the worth of our Repentance or as if there were any Merit in it A Malefactor that beggeth his Pardon on his Knees doth not deserve a Pardon only the Majesty of the Prince requireth that it should be submissively asked These are not Conditions of Merit but Order not the Cause but the way of Grace's working And these Conditions are wrought in us by Grace Acts 5. 31. not required only but given In all other Covenants the Party contracting is bound to perform what he promiseth by his own strength But in the Covenant of Grace God doth not only require that we should Believe and Repent but causeth it in us Conditions of the Covenant are Conditions in the Covenant God requireth Faith and Repentance and giveth Faith and Repentance compare Isa. 59. 20. with Rom. 11. 26. 'T is Christ's Gift as well as his Precept So that when we come about pardon of Sin we have only to do with Grace We beg Pardon and a Heart to receive it 'T is a Free Pardon 2. 'T is a Full Pardon 'T is Full in several respects 1. Because where the Party is forgiven he is accepted with God as if he had never sinned Psal. 103. 12. As far as the East is from the VVest so far hath he removed our Transgressions from us And Mich. 7. 19. Thou wilt cast all their Sins into the depth of the Sea Isa. 38. 17. Thou hast cast all my Sins behind thy Back It shall not be remembred nor laid to their charge any more 'T is true for a while after they may trouble the Conscience as when the Storm ceaseth the Waves rowl for a while afterwards So may Sin in the Consciences of God's Children work trouble after the fiducial Application of the Blood of Christ But the Storm ceaseth by degrees And 't is possible that the commitment of new Sins may revive old Guilt as a new Strain may make us sensible of an old Bruise Yet we must distinguish between the full Grant of a Pardon From the full sense of it when we are not Thankful Humble Fruitful former Sins may come into remembrance and God may permit it as matter of Humiliation to us and to quicken us to seek after new Confirmation of our Right and Interest Yet God's Pardon is never reversed nor will the Sin be charged again or put in suit against him to the final condemnation of the Person so pardoned Once more though the Sins of the Justified should be remembred at the Day
the Devil's work in us 1 John 3. 8. He that committeth Sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the beginning For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the Works of the Devil And Joh. 8. 34. Whosoever committeth Sin is the Servant of Sin The one cometh from a just God the other from our corrupt Hearts The one is the Act of an Holy God the other the Act of a sinful Creature 4. The Death of Christ falls more directly upon this Benefit exemption from Sin Mat. 1. 21. He shall save his People from their Sins Acts 3. 26. God having raised up his Son Iesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his Iniquities not Troubles or Sorrows but Sins 5. Affliction is a more particular temporal Evil but Sin is an infinite universal Evil Sickness depriveth us of Health Poverty of Wealth c. And every adverse Providence doth but oppose some particular temporal Good But Sin depriveth us of God who is the Fountain of our Comfort the other but of some limited Comfort 6. Afflictions are sent to remove Sin Heb. 12. 11. Now no chastning for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable Fruit of Righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby Isa. 26. 9. When thy Iudgments are in the Earth the Inhabitants of the World will learn Righteousness But Sin is not sent to remove Affliction Now the End must be greater than the Means both as to Prosecution and Aversation As to Prosecution To dig for Iron with Mattocks of Gold and Silver So in Aversation If Death were not worse than the Pain of Physick no Man would take Physick to avoid Death 7. Affliction is the Effect of God's Love Heb. 12. 6. Whom the Lord loveth he chastneth But to be left to Sin is an Effect of God's Anger God doth not always exempt from Troubles yet if he keep from Spiritual hurt thereby if he sanctify the Trouble support us with sufficient Grace 2 Cor. 12. 9. if preserved from Evil howsoever tempted and exercised 't is enough Vse 1. To reprove our Folly We complain of other Things but we do not complain of Sin which is the greatest Evil. This is contrary to the Spirit of God's Children who rejoice in Troubles but not in Sins 2 Cor. 12. 9. Most gladly therefore will I rejoice in Infirmities that the Power of Christ may rest upon me They groan bitterly under Sins Rom. 7. 23. O wretched Man c. If any Man had cause to complain of Afflictions Paul had In Perils often Whipped Persecuted Stoned But the Body of Sin and Death was the greatest Burden Lusts troubled him more than Scourges his Captivity to the Law of Sin more than Prisons When Affliction sitteth too close Sin sits loose In Affliction there is some Offence done us but in Sin the wrong is done to God And what are we to God Afflictions may be good but Sin is never good The Body suffereth by Affliction but the Soul suffereth by Sin loss of Grace and Comfort which are not to be valued by all the World's Enjoyments The Evil of Affliction is but for a moment like Rain it drieth up of its own accord But the Evil of Sin is for ever unless it be pardoned and taken away Sin is the Cause of all the Evils of Affliction therefore when we complain we should complain not so much of the Smart as of the Cause of it 2. It directeth us 1. How to pray to God against Sin rather than Trouble This is indeed to be delivered from Evil 2 Tim. 4. 18. Paul reckoned upon that He will deliver me from every evil Work When afflicted you should rather desire to have the Affliction sanctified than removed you will be most careful for that Saints do not pray for the Interests of the Old Man rather than the New Man To be freed from Trouble is a common Mercy but to have it sanctified is a special Mercy Carnal Men may be without Affliction but Carnal Men cannot have experience of Grace Bare deliverance is no sign of special Love 2. In our choice 'T was an heavy Charge they put upon Iob Job 36. 21. Thou hast chosen Iniquity rather than Affliction Sometimes we are put upon the trial To loose the Favour of God or the Favour of Men Duty and Danger Here content my self gratify my Lusts and Interests there offend God Out of the Temptation we could easily judg that all the Misery in the World is to be endured rather than commit the least Sin But how is it upon a trial when a Worldly Convenience and a Spiritual Inconvenience is proposed By chusing Sin a Man cannot altogether escape Affliction here or hereafter Wickedness though it prosper a while yet at length it proveth a Snare 3. It directeth us to submit to God's Providence and to own Mercy in it Though God doth not exempt us from Troubles yet if he keep us from Hurt thereby if he sanctify the Trouble and support us with Grace sufficient 't is his Mercy to us For Daniel to be put into the Lion's Den was not so great a Judgment as for Nebuchadnezzar to have the Heart of a Beast To be given up to our own Hearts Lusts to commit any Sin 't is a greater Cross than any Misery that can light upon us therefore let us be patient under Affliction Our great Care should be not to dishonour God in any Condition God hath promised to be with his People in their Afflictions to comfort them but hath never promised to be with his People in their Sins I will be with you in the Fire and in the Water as the Son of God was with the three Childrâ—â— in the fiery Furnace But God is departed whâ— they siâ— I will go to my own place Sin hindreth Prayer but Afflictions quicken it Isa. 26. 16. Lord in Trouble have they visited thee they poured out a Prayer when thy chastning was upon them In Affliction 't is a time to put the Promises in suit it doth not hinder our access to God and the Throne of Grace but driveth us to it But Sin increaseth our Bondage maketh us stand at a distance and grow â—hy of God The Fruit of Sin is Shame Rom. â— 21. 4. It teaches us how to wait and hope for the issue of our Prayers Pray that ye enter not into Temptation yet be not absolute in that but to be kept from Evil that what way soever we are tried we may be kept from the Evil of Sin For thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever Amen IN these words we have the Conclusion of all and that which giveth us confidence in the Requests we make to God First The Confirmation is taken from the Excellency of God to whom we pray where there is a declaration of what belongeth to God Secondly The Duration and Perpetuity for Ever Three things are mentioned
Men Angels and Devils according to his Pleasure It is more absolute than any Superiority in the World and more universal as comprizing all Persons and Things God hath right to be King because he gave being to all things which no Earthly Pâ—tentate can Therefore the Author must be owner All other Kings are liable to be called to account and reckoning by this great King for their Administration but God is Absolute and Supream Now this is a great incouragement to us that we go to a God that hath an absolute Right for which he is responsible to none We go not to a Servant or a subordinate Agent who may be controul'd by a higher Power and whose Act may be disanulled but to an absolute Lord to whom none can say What dost thou Job 9. 12. Here 's the Comfort of a Believer that he goes immediatly to the Fountain and Owner of all Things the Absolute Lord of all the World is his Father the soveraign and free disposing of all Things is in his Hand If we expect any thing from subordinate Instruments God's leave must first be asked or they can do nothing for us but he can do what he pleaseth 't is his own Mat. 20. 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own None can call him to an account 2. His Relation to the Saints It is the Duty of a King to defend his Subjects and provide for their welfare So God being King will see that it be well with those that are under his Government It concerns you much to get an Interest to be under this King then to mention it in Prayer Psal. 44. 4. Thou art my King O God command deliverances for Jacob. If you want any thing for your selves or the Church put God in mind of his Relation to you Thou are my King Let not this Interest lie neglected or unpleaded All the Benefit which Subjects can expect from a potent King you may expect from God Again the word Command is notable and expresseth the Case to the full command Deliver ances All Things are at God's Command and Beck if he do but speak the word or give out Order to second Causes it is all done in a trice So Psal. 5. 2. Hearken unto the Voice of my Cry my King and my God for unto thee will I pray to thee and to none other Why should we go to Servants when we may go to the King himself So Psal. 74 12. For God is my King of old working Salvation in the midst of the Earth God will defend his Kingdom and right his injur'd Subjects Therefore if we would have any Blessing to be accomplished for our selves or for the Publick let us go to God Thine is the Kingdom And more especially if we would have any good thing to be done by those in Authority and subordinate Power over us do not so much treat with them as with God Let us beseech God to perswade and incline their Hearts for his is the Kingdom he can move them to do what shall be for the glory of his Name and the comfort and benefit of his afflicted People Let us go to God who is the sovereign King he can give you to live a quiet and peaceable Life in all Godliness and Honesty 1 Tim. 2. 2. Or he can give you Favour dispose of their Hearts to do good to his People Nehem. 1. 11. Prosper I pray thee thy Servant this day and grant him Mercy in the sight of this Man For I was the King's Cup-bearer The soveraign disposal of all things is in the Hand of God 2. Thine is the Power This also is an Argument of Confidence that God hath not only â— Kingdom but Power to back it Titles without Power make Authority ridiculous and beget â—â—orn nâ—t Reverence and Respect But now 〈◊〉 Kingdom is accompanied with Power and 〈…〉 He hath right to command all Kings no Creature can be too hard for him Earthâ—◠〈◊〉 when they have Authority and Power 〈◊〉 it is limited 2 Kings 6. 27. When the Woâ—an came to the King of Israel Help my Lord O â—ing Aâ—d he said If the Lord do not help 〈…〉 shall I help thee â—ut God's is an â—nlimited Power An absolute Right and an â—nlimited Power they meet fitly in God thereâ—ore this is an encouragement to go to him Christians that Power of God which educed all things out of nothing which established the Heavens which fixed the Earth that Power of God it 's the ground of our Confidence Psal. 121. 2. My help cometh fâ—om the Lord which made Heaven and Earth This Power should we depend upon We can ask nothing but what God is able to give yea above our asking Eph. 3. 20. Now unto him that is able â—o do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think Our Thoughts are vast and our Desires very craving and yet beyond all that we can ask or think According to the mighty Power that â—orkâ—th in us We cannot empty the Ocean with a Nutshel nor comprehend the Infinite God and raise our Thoughts to the vast extent of his Power only we must go to some instances oâ— God's Power that Power which made the World out of nothing and that Power which wrought in you where there is such infinite Resistance We may go to God and say Mat. 8. 2. Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean You need not trouble your selves about his Will he is so Good and Gracious prone and ready to do good so inclineable he is your heavenly Father But that which is most qâ—estioned is the Sufficiency of God can you believe his Power Now determine but that Lord thou canst and that 's a great relief to the Soul Our Wants are not so many but God is able to supply them our Enemies and Corruptions not so strong but God is able to subdue them surely your heavenly Father will do what is in the Power of his Hand A Beggar when he seeth an ordinary Man coming lets him pass without much Importunity but when he seeth a Man well habited well attended and with rich Accoutrements he runs close to him and will not let him alone but follows him with his Clamor knows it is in his power to help him So this should encourage us to go to the mighty God which made Heaven and Earth and all things out of nothing The third Argument which Christ propounds Thine is the Glory The Honour and Glory of all will redound to God as the Comfort accrueth to us it is for God's Honour to shew forth his Pâ—wer in our Relief and to be as good as his Word Now this is a ground of Conâ—idence That he hath joyned his Glory and our Good togâ—ther And that God's Praise waiteth while our dâ—liverance waiteth Psal. 65. 1. Praise waiteth for thee O God in Zion You think your Comfort stays and all this while God's Honour waits So Psal. 112. 1. Praise ye the Lord Blessed is
the Mâ—n that feareth the Lord. It is the Lord's praise tâ—at his Servants are the only and blessed People in the World And this is a wonderful ground of Confidence Think surely God's Glory he will be chary and tender of he will provide for the Glory of his great Name There is nothing God stands upon more than upon the Glory of his Name nothing prevaileth with God more than that If God were a loser by your Comforts if he could not â—ave or bless thee without wrong done to himself we might be discouraged But when you can come and plead with him as Abigail It will be no grief of Heart unto my Lord to forgive thy Servant So it will be no loss to God if he shew Mercy and Pity to such poor Creatures as we are you then may pray more freely and boldly If thy Comforts were inconsistent with his Glory or were not so greatly exalted by it then it were another matter but all makes for the Glory of his Name If our Good and Happiness were only concerned in it there might be some Suspicion but the Glory of God is concerned which is more worth than all the World We are unworthy to be heard and accepted but God is worthy to be honoured It is for the Honour of God to choose base mean and contemptible Things and to shew forth the Riches Goodness Power and Treasure of his Glory Much of our Trouble and Distrust comes only from reflecting upon our own Good in the Mercies that we ask as if God were not concerned in them whereas the Lord is concerned as well as you As the Ivy wrapt about the Tree cannot be hurt except you do hurt to the Tree So the Lord hath twisted our Concernment about his own Honour and Glory Thus the Saints plead God's Glory as an Argument Jer. 14. 7. O Lord tho our Iniquitieâ— testify against us do thou it for thy Names sake They do not tell him what he shall do but do thou that which shall be for thy Glory So Ezek. 36. 22. Thus saith the Lord God I do not this for your sakes O House of Israel but for mine holy Names sake So Isa. 48. 9. For my Names sake will I defer mine anger and for my Praise will I refrain for thee that I 〈…〉 4. The Duration For ever all Excellencies which are in God they are eternally in God God is an infinite simple independent Being the Cause of all things but caused by none therefore he was from Everlasting and will be to Everlasting Psal. 90. 2. Before the Mountains were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the Earth and the World even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God If there were a time when God was not then there was a time when nothing was and then there would never have been any thing unless nothing could make all things therefore God is eternally glorious for whatever is in God is originally in himself and absolutely without dependance on any other to everlasting How loosely do Honours sit upon Men Every Disease shakes them out of their Kingdom Power and Glory and within a little while the State Show and all the Command of Earthly Kings will fade away and come to nothing Governours and Government may dye Principalities grow old and infirm and sicken and dye as well as Princes Kingdoms expire like Kings and they like us Psal. 82. 6 7. I have said ye are Gods and all of you are Children of the most High But ye shall dye like Men. But thy Throne O God is for ever and ever Psal. 45. 6. His Kingdom and Power and Glory they are without beginning and without end Now this is also a ground of Confidence and Dependance upon God Earthly Kings when they perish their Favourites are counted Offenders 1 Kings 1. 21. When my Lord the King shall sleep with his Fathers that I and my Son Solomon shall be counted Offenders When other Governours are set up they and their Children will be found Offenders But our King lives for ever therefore this should encourage us to be oftner in attendance upon God performing it with all Diligence and Seriousness rather than court the Humours and Lusts of earthly Potentates who die like one of the People and leave us exposed to the rage and wrath of others that do succeed them But God is the same that ever he was to all those that ever called upon his Name God is where he was at first I AM is his Name there is no wrinkle upon the Brow of Eternity His Arm is not short that it cannot save or his Ear heavy that it cannot hear Isa. 59. 1. Whatever he hâ—th been to his People that have called upon him in former Ages he is the same still So Isa. 51. 9. Awake awake put on strength O Arm of the Lord awake as in the ancient days in the Generations of old Art thou not it that hath cut 〈◊〉 and woundâ—d the Dragon God hath done great things for his People he smote Rahab and kill'd the Dragon meaning Phaâ—aoh and God is the same God still his Kingdom Power and Glory are for ever and God will be your God too for evermore Look as this doth encrease the terror of the damned in Hell that they fall into the Hands of the living God Heb. 10. 31. God lives for ever to see Vengeance executed upon his Enemies so it is a Comfort to have an interest in the living God that can and will keep you and bring you to Heaven where you shall be with him for evermore that will ever live to see his Friends rewarded Secondly It directeth and regulateth our Prayers 1. It directs us as to the Object of Prayer to whom should we pray but to him that is absolute and above controul To God and God alone not to Angels and Saints To whom should we go in our necessities but to him that hath Dominion over all things and Power to dispose of them for his own Glory Will you think it a boldness to go immediately to God It were so indeed if we had not a Mediator for a fallen Creature can never have the Impudence and wicked Men that have not got an Interest in Christ cannot expect Relief from God but it is no Impudence to come with a Mediator Heb. 4. 16. Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in time of need 2. It directs us how to conceive of God in Prayer Right Thoughts of God in Prayer are very necessary and very difficult no one thing troubleth the Saints so much as this how to fix their thoughts in the apprehensions of God when they pray to him Now hereâ—s a direction how we should look upon God Look upon him as the eternal Being and first Cause to whom belong Kingdom Power and Glory We cannot see God's Essence and therefore we must conceive of him according to his Praises in the Word Now take