preface it selfe Our Father vvhich art in heuen It contains a descriptiō of the true Iehoua to whom we pray and that by two arguments the first is drawen from a relation Our Father the second is taken frō the subiect or place Which art in heuen Father 1. The meaning IN the opening of this word or title of God two questions are to be opened 1. Quest. Whether by this title Father is signified the whol Trinitie or some one person thereof Ans. Otherwhiles this name is attributed to all the persons in Trinitie or any of them Malac. 2. 10. Haue we not all one Father c. Luk. 3. 38. Which was the sonne of Adam which was the sonne of God And in Isai. 9. 6 christ is called the father of eternitie because al that ar truly knit to him and born a new by him they are eternally made the sons of God Again oftentimes it is giuen to the first persō in trinitie as in those places where one person is conferred with another And so in this place principally for some speciall respects this title agrees to the first person For first he is the father of Christ as he is the eternall worde of the father and that by nature because hee is of the same essence with him Secondly he is father to Christ in respect of his manhood not by nature or adoption but by personall vnion because the humane nature doeth subsist in the person of the word Thirdly hee is a father to all the faithfull by adoption in Christ. 2. Question Whether we are to pray to the Sonne and holy Ghost as to the Father Ans. Inuocation belonges to all the three persons in Trinitie and not only to the father Act. 7. 59. Steuen praieth Lord Iesus receiue my spirit 1. Thes. 3. 2. Now God our father and our Lord Iesus Christ guide our iourney vnto you 2. Cor. 13. 13. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God the communion of the holy Ghost be vvith you Some say this praier is a perfect platforme of all praiers and in it wee are taught to direct our praiers to the Father not to the Son or holy spirit I answer the Father Sonne and holy Ghost are three distinct persons yet they are not to be seuered or diuided because they al subsist in one and the same Godhead or diuine nature And further in all outward actions as in the creation and preseruation of the world and the saluation of the elect they are not seuered or deuided for they al work together onely they are distinguished in the maner of working Now if they be not deuided in nature or operation then they are not to be seuered in worship And in this place we direct our praiers to the father because he is the first in order yet so as then we imploy the Son and holy Ghost For we pray to the father in the name of the Sonne by the assistance of the holy Ghost And to what persone soeuer the praier is directed we must alwaies remember in minde and heart to include the rest 2. The Vse THe vses of this point are manifolde 1. First whereas we are taught to com to God as to a father and therefore in the name of his Son our Sauiour Christ wee learne to lay the first ground of all our praiers in the holding maintaining of the vnion and distinction of the three persons in Trinitie This being the lowest and the first foundation of praier it is requisite that al which woulde pray aright should haue this knowledge rightly to beleeue of the Trinitie to know how the three persons agree and how they are distinguished the order of them how the Father is the first the Sonne the second the holy Ghost the third and therefore how the father is to be called vpon in the name of the Sonne by the holy Ghost Hence it is manifest that ignorant and sillie people which do not so much as dreame of the vnion distinction and order of the persons in Trinitie mak but cold and slender kind of praying 2. Secondly we may learn hereby that we are not in any wise to inuocate Saintes and Angels but onely the true Iehoua The reason stands thus This praier is either a perfect platform for all praiers or not to say it were not were an injurie to our Sauiour Christ to say it is so is also to grant that it doth fully set downe to whome al praiers are to be made Papistes that are the great patrons of invocation of Saints in their reformed breuiaries and missales deal very fōdly for first they pray to Mary that she would pray to Christ for them and when they haue so done like Iuglers they come to Christ and pray vnto him that hee would accept Maries praier for them 3. Thirdly we learne that there can be no intercessour betweene God and vs but onely Christ. For here we ar taught to come to God not as to a Iudge but as to a kind and louing Father Now he is a father to vs onely by Christ as for Angels and Saints al creatures they are not able to procure by any meanes that God shoulde become a father no not so much as to one man 4. Againe if the God to whom we pray be a father we must learn to acquaint our selues with the promises which hee hath made in his word to quicken our hearts in praier vnto him For this word Father implies redines and willingnes in God to heare and be mercifull to our praiers And a father cannot but must needs mak some promises of fauour to those that be his children and therefore it cannot be that he should call God truly his father which hath not in his heart this assurance that God will fulfill his promises vnto him Promises made to praier these and such like are to bee marked as follow 2. Chron. 7. 14. If my people among vvhome my name is called vpon do humble themselues and pray seek my presence and turne from their wicked waies then I will heave in heuen be mercifull to their sinnes 2. Chron. 15. 2. The Lord is with you while you be with him and if ye seeke him he will be found of you Isai. 65. 24. Before they call I wil answere and whiles they speak I vvill heare Mat. 7. 7. Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke and ye shal find knock and it shall be opened Luk. 11. 13 If ye vvhich are euil can giue good gifts vnto your children how much more shal your heauenly father giue the holy ghost to them that desire him Rom. 10. 12. Hee that is Lord ouer all is rich vnto all that call on him Iam. 4. 8. Drawe neere vnto God and he will draw neere vnto you 5. If God be a father who is called vpon then praier is the note of Gods Child S. Luke and S. Paul set out the faithfull seruants of God by this note Act. 9 14. He hath
must putte on the person and the verie affection of a poore wretched begger and certainely not being grieued with the rufull condition in which we are in our selues it is not possible for vs to pray effectually Psalm 130. verse 1. Out of the deepes I called vpon thee O Lord that is when I was in my greatest miserie and as it were not far frō the gulfes of hell then I cried to God Isai. 26. 16. Lord in trouble haue they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them 1. Sam. 1. 15 I am a woman saith Anna of an hard spirite that is a troubled soule and haue powred out my soul before the lord Hence it appeareth that the ordinary praiers of most mē greuously displease God seing they ar made for fashion only without any sense and feeling of their miseries commonly men come with the Pharisie in ostentation of their integritie and they take greate paines with their lips but their harts wāder from the Lorde The second thing required in a contrite hart is a longing desire and hungring after Gods graces and benefites whereof we stand in need It is not sufficient for a man to buckle as it were and to go crooked vnder his sinnes and miseries but also hee must haue a desire to be eased of them to be enriched with graces needefull Thus Hezekias the king and the Prophet Isaiah the Sonne of Amos praied against Senacharib and cried vnto heauen 2. Chron. 32. 20. Where wee may see what a maruelous desire they had to obtaine their request So also Rom. 8. 26. The spirite maketh request with grones so greate that they cannot be vttered as they are felte Dauid Psalm 143. 6. saith that hee desireth after the Lorde as the thirstie land Now we know that the groūd partched with heat opens it selfe in rifts and cranies and gapes towards heauen as though it would deuoure the cloudes for want of moisture and thus must the hart bee disposed to Gods grace till it obtaine it The people of Israel being in grieuous affliction How do they pray They powre out their souls like vvater before the face of the Lord. Lam. 2. vers 19. The fift question is in whose name praier must be made Answer It must not be made in the name of any creature but onely in the name and mediatiō of Christ. Ioh. 14. ver 14. If yee ask any thing in my name I will do it A man is not to present his prayers to God in any worthines of his own merites For what is hee to make the best of himself what can he make of himselfe by nature he is no better thē the verie firebrand of hell and of all Gods creatures the most outragious rebell to God and therefore cannot be heard for his own sake As for Saints they can be no mediators seing euen they themselues in heauen are accepted of God not for themselues but only for the blessed merites of Christ. If any man sinne saith S. Iohn 1. Epistle chap. 2. verse 1. Wee haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ But how proues he this It followes then And hee is the reconciliation for our sinnes His reason stands thus he which must bee an aduocate must firste of all be a reconciliation for vs no Saintes can be a reconciliation for vs therefore no Saints can be Aduocates Therfore in this place is manifest an other faulte of ignoraunt people They cry often Lord help me Lorde haue mercy vpon me But in whose name pray they poore soules like blinde bayardes they rush vpon the Lord they know no mediatour in whose name they should present their praiers vnto him Little do they consider with themselues that God is as well a most terrible Iudge as a mercifull Father The sixt question is whether saith be requisit to prayer or not Answere Praier is to be made with faith whereby a man may haue a certaine assurance to be heard For he that praieth must stedfastly beleeue that God in Christ will grāt his petition This affiance being wanting it maketh praier to bee no praier For how can be pray for any thing effectually who doubteth whether he shall obtaine it or noe Wherefore it is an especiall pointe of prayer to be perswaded that God to whome praier is made not onely can but also will graunt his request Marke 11. 24. Whatsoeuer yee desire vvhen yee praye beleeue that yee shall haue it and it shall bee doone vnto you Here we see two thinges required in praier the first a desire of the good thinges which we want the second is faith wherby we beleue that God will grant the thinges desired The ground of this faith is reconciliation with God the assurance thereof For vnlesse a man be in conscience in some mesure perswaded that al his sinnes are pardoned and that hee stands reconciled to God in Christ hee cannot beleeue any other promises reuealed in the word nor that any of his praiers shall be heard Thus much of the definition of praier now let vs see what vse may be made of this commandement Pray yee thus Seeing our Sauiour commandeth his Disciples and so euen vs also to praie to God it is our dutie not only to present our praiers to God but also to doe it cheerefully and earnestlie Rom. 15. 30. Also brethren I besech you that yee woulde striue with me by praiers to God for me What is the cause why the Lord doeth oft defer his blessings after our praiers No cause but that hee might stirre vs vp to be more feruent more earnestly to crye vnto the Lord. Exod. 32. 10. When Moses praieth to God in the behalfe of the Israelites the lord answers Let me alone as though his praiers did bind the Lord and hinder him frō executing his iudgments Wherefore this is good aduise for all Christian men to continue and to be zealous in praier If thou be an ignorant man for shame learne to praie seeing it is Gods commandement make conscience of it We see that there is no man vnlesse he be desperatly wicked but wil mak some conscience of killing stealing and why is this because it is Gods commandment Thou shalt not kill thou shalt not steale Well then this also is Gods commandement to pray Let this consideration breed in thee a conscience of this dutie and although thy corrupt nature shall drawe thee away from it yet striue to the contrary and know it certainely that the breach of this command maketh thee as well guiltie of damnation before God as any other Furthermore this must be a motiue to prick thee forward to this dutie that as God commandes vs to pray so also he giues the spirite of praier whereby the commaundement is made easie vnto vs. If the Lord had commanded a thing impossible then there had bene some cause of discouragemēt but commanding a thing through the grace of his spirite verie easie and profitable howe much more are we bound
as litle gods though to the world we shew it not This hidden pride when other sinnes die it begins to get strength and to shewe it selfe and it appeares in vaine thoughts continuallie on euery occasion ascending in the minde As maye appeare in the Pharisie whose thoughts were these wheÌ„ he praied thus within himselfe O God I thank thee that I am not as other men extortioners vniust adulterers or euen as this Publican c. And as this was in him so it is in vs till God giue grace for so that men may haue praise glory in the world they care not for God his glorie though it be defaced Wee must therfore learn to discerne this hidden corruption and to mourn for it for it doeth poison hinder al good desires of glorifying God so long as it may preuaile in the hart 2 Secondly we are taught here to bewaile the hardnesse of our hearts whereby we are hindred from knowing God aright and from discerning the glorie of God in his creatures Mark 6. 52. The Disciples through the hardnesse of their hartes could not see Gods power in the miracle of feeding many thousands with a few loues though themselues were instrumentes of it and the food did increase in their hands Our redeÌ„ption what a wonderfull work is it but how few consider of it or regarde it If wee see a man haue more wit wealth or honour than we haue wee straight woonder at him but beholding Gods creatures we see nothing in them because we do not goe higher to acknowledge the loue power wisedome and iustice of the Creator And this is the cause why Gods name is so slenderly honoured among men 3 The third corruption is our great ingratitude for the Lorde hath made heauen and earth and all other creatures to serue mâ—n yet he is the most vnthankful of al creatures Bestow manie iewels or a kinges ransome on a dead man he wil neuer returne anie kindnes so men being dead in sinne deale with God Commonlie men are like the swine that run with their groines and eat vp the mast but neuer looke vp to the tree from whence it falleth But the godlie are with Dauid to feele this want in themselues and to beseech God to open and as it were to vnlocke their lippes that they may indeuour to be thankfull to God Psal. 51. 15. 4 The fourth is the vngodlines and the innumerable wantes that be in our liues and the sinnes committed in the world Psal. 119. 136 Mine eies saith Dauid gush out with riuers of waters because men keepe not thy lawes The reason is because he which liues in sin reproches Gods name euen as an euill child dishonors his father Now some wil say that this cannot be because our sinnes cannot hurt God Aâ— Yet they are a cause of slandring Gods name among men for as we honour him by our good workes so we dishonour him by our offences Mat. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen 4 Graces to be desired 1 The graces to be desired and to be prayed for at Gods hand are three The first is the knowledge of God that is that we might know him as he hath reueiled himself in his word works and creatures For how shal anie glorifie God before he know him Our knowledge in this life is imperfect Exo. 23. Moses may not see Gods face but his hinder partes 1. Cor. 13. 12. Wee may see God as men doe through spectacles in his word sacraments and creatures And therefore as Paule prayed for the Colossians Col. 1. 10. that they might increase in the knowledge of God so are wee taught to pray for our selues in this petion 2. A zeale for Gods glorie Psal. 69. 9. The zeale of thine house hath eaten me vp Psal. 45. 1. My heart shall vtter or cast vp a good matter I vvill speake in my workes of the king Here the Spirit of God borrowes a comparison froÌ„ men thus As he which hath somewhat lying heauie in his stomâ—cke is neuer at quiet till hee haue cast it vp euen so the care desire to glorifie Gods name must lie vpon a mans heart as an heauie burthen and he is not to bee at ease and quiet with himself till he be disburdened in sounding forth Gods praise Luther saith wel that this is sancta crapula that is an holy surfet and it is no hurt continuallie to haue our harts ouercharged thus 3 A desire to lead a godlie and syncere life as before Gods Majestie We see men that are in some great calling vnder honourable personages wil so order and behaue theÌ„selues as they may please and honour their maisters euen so must our liues bee well ordered and we are to labour to walk worthie of the Lord as Paul speaketh that we may honour our heauenly father Thy kingdome come 1 The Coherence THis petition dependes on the former most excellentlie For in it is laid downe the meanes to procure the first Gods name must be hallowed among men but how is it done by the erecting of Gods kingdome in the heartes of men We cannot glorifie God vntill he rule in our hearts by his word and Spirite 2 The meaning Thy This word doth put vs in mind that there is two kingdoms one Gods that is the kingdome of heauen the other the deuils called the kingdom of darknesse Col. 1. 13. For when all had sinned in Adam God laid this punishmeÌ„t on all that seeing they could not be content to obey their Creator they should be in bondage vnder Sathan So that by nature we are all the children of wrath and the deuill holds vp the scepter of his kingdome in the heartes of men This kingdome is spirituall and the pillers of it are ignorance errour impietie and all disobedience to God in which the deuill whollie delights which also are as it were the lawes of his kingdome Blind ignorant people can not abide this doctrine that the deuill should rule in their hearts they spit at the naming of him say that they defie him with all their heartes but whereas they liue in sinne and practise it as occasion is offered though they can not discerne of themselues yet they make plain proofe that they line in the kingdome of sinne and darknes and are stat vessels of Sathan shal so continew till Christ the strong man come and binde him and cast him out And this is the estate of all the children of Adam in themselues Wherfore our sauiour in this petition teacheth vs to consider our naturall estate and to pray that he would giue vs his Spirit to set vs at libertie in the kingdome of his owne Sonne Kingdome Gods kingdome in scriptures is taken two waies First generallie and so it signifieth that administration by which the Lord gouerneth all thinges yea euen the deuilles themselues of which kingdome mention is made in the end of
thē and of reconciliation to god Now where this perswasion is indeede there followes necessarilie Christs dwelling in the heart which stands in two thinges the first is the ordering and ruling of the thoghts affections and desires of the heart according to his will as a maister rules in his house the second is the continuance of his rule For hee cannot be saide to dwell in a place who rules in it but for a day The third is the knowledg and the acknowledgement of the infinite greatnes of God his loue in Christ an effect of the former vers 18. 19. the wordes are thus explaned Rooted and grounded Here the loue of God wherewith hee loues the elect is as a roote and foundation of all Gods benefits election vocation iustification and glorification Men ar rooted and grounded in loue when Gods spirite assures their hearts of Gods loue doth giue them some inward sense and feeling of it For then they are as it were sensiblie put into the roote and laid on the foundation With al Saintes Paule desires this benefite not onely to the Ephesians but also for all the faithfull with them What is the length the bredth Here is a speech borrowed from Geomitricians and it signifieth the absolute greatnes or infinitenes of Gods loue and that it is like a worlde which for length bredth height depth is endles Heere note the order of receuing grace First Christ dwelles in the hart by faith Secondly thē comes a sense and feeling of Gods loue as it were by certain drops thereof Thirdly after this ariseth a plētifull knowledge and apprehension of Gods loue and as it wer the powring out of a sea into a mans heart that for greatnes hath neither bottome nor bank And knowe the loue of Christ these wordes as I take it are an exposition of the former for to comprehende the loue of God is nothing else but to knowe the loue of Christ considering that all whome the father loueth hee loueth them in Christ Which passeth knowledge That is which for the greatnes of it noe man can fullie know The fourth thing is the fulnesse of Gods graces verse 19. Here the fulnesse of God doth not signifie the fulnes of the Godhead or deuine nature but the perfection of the inner man which shall not be till after this life Nowe followes the thāksgiuing or the praise of God ver 20. 21. containing these points 1. The matter of praise his power and bountifulnes whereby he canne worke exceeding aboundantly aboue all we ask or think and both these are not only to be conceiued in mind but also may be felt in the heart according to the power that worketh in vs. 2. the forme of praise glorie vnto God by Christ as all benefits are receiued from the father by Christ. The proper place of true praise of God the Church 4. The continuance of his praise through all generations for euer Philip. 1. 9. AND this I praie that your loue maie abound yet more and more in knowledg and al sense 10. That yee may discerne things that differ to the end yee may be pure and without offence to the daie of Christ. 11. Filled with fruites of righteousnes vvhich are by Iesus Christ vnto the praise and glorie of God The Exposition THis praier containes three parts In the first Paul praieth for increase of loue in the Philip. whether it be to God or to men verse 9. and he shewes the meanes of increase which ar two knowledg and sense or feeling For to goe backeward the more a godly man feeles Gods loue and hath experience of Gods word in himselfe the more he knowes Gods word and perceiues his loue vnto him the more hee is assured of Gods loue the more he loues god again and his neighbour for his sake The second thing praied for is the gift of discerning whereby mē know what is true what fals what is to be done what to be left vndone the ends of this gift ar two The first that by meanes of it they may bee pure or sincere that is keepe a good conscience before God and men in their liues and callings The second is to be without offence that is innocent giuing no occasions of euill to any and not taking thē offered by others and the continuance of these is noted to the daie of Christ which is the time in which he commeth to vs either by our death or by the last judgement Thirdly he praieth that they might abounde in good workes which ar described by a similitud fruits of righteousnes Christians being fruitfull trees Exech 4. 7. 12. Esay 61. 3. 2. By the cause efficient which ar by Christ. 3. By the end vnto the glorie and praise of God Colos. 1. 9 I cease not to praie for you and to desire that ye might be filled with knowledg of his will in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding 10. That ye might vvalk vvorthie of the lord please him in al things fructifying in all good workes and increasing in the acknowledgment of God 11 Strengthened vvith all might thorough his glorious power vnto all patience and long suffering vvith ioyfulnes 12 Giuing thanks to the father which hath made vs fit to be partakers of the inheritāce of the saints in light 13 Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his owne sonne The Exposition THese wordes containe a praier and a thankesgiuing In the praier three things are asked The first is the increase of the knowledge of Gods reueiled vvill in his worde and he deuides it into two partes Wisdom which is not only to know Gods word but also to apply it to euery action for the right and holy performing thereof and spiritual vnderstanding which is when men by the assistance of Gods spirit do conceiue the will of God in general without applying Secondly Paule praies for the fruites of this knowledge which are foure 1. To walke woorthy of God as good seruants do who in their apparell gesture and all their doings