Obedience Disobedience Punishments and Rewards of the obedience of the blessed Angels and their Confirmation in a state of holiness and bliss of the fall of the rest and the wrath of God upon them and their irrecoverable misery Sect. 5. The second general Head and Topick iâ— that of the Son who redeems us The particulars considerable under this Heaâ— are 1. The party Redeemed 2. The Redeemer 3. The work of Redemption 1. To that of the party redeemed which is man as sinful and guilty we may reduce such places as inform us of the first Laws both Moral and Positive which God gave man upon his creation of mans obedience and comfortable condition and his hope of future happiness of the fall and first sin of man of Satans temptation and temptation and sin in general what it is what the aggravations or attenuations thereof what the consequents especially shame fear guilt punishment of the derivation of sin and death unto all mankind from Adam the root and head of all his posterity and of the sad condition of man in respect of the first sin upon which an inevitable ruine had followed if God had not prevented it 2. The Redeemer and hither refer such places as speak how God decreed and promised a Redeemer and Saviour and all the Prophesies Predictions Types Shadows of him such as inform us of his person as he is the eternal Word and Son of God of his God-head Manhood united and the eternal distinction of both of his Offices Sacerdotal Prophetical Regal of his Conception Birth Life of his Doctrine Miracles holy life and excellent vertues and the whole history of the same as delivered by the Evangelists 3. His work of Redemption which hath two parts Humiliation Exaltation In his Humiliation we have his low estate suffering To that of his low estate may be reduced the Scriptures which speak of the poverty and meanness of his Birth as he was born in stable and laid in a manger of the poverty and mean condition of his Parents his Circumcision Presentation in the Temple his Infirmities as Hunger Thirst Weariniss and the like which were without sin and his mortality To that of his suffering refer the Texts concerning his Persecutions dangers from the Contempt malice envy jealousie of Herod first then of the Pharisees Scribes Priests Rulers of the Jews of his Agony Judas treachery Peters denial and principally such as represent unto us his death upon the Cross and his continuing under the power of death for a time and in these sufferings of his Pains Cries Tears Complaints and inward sorrows of his Meekness Patience Humility Charity Hope of glory Considence in his Father of his obedience to the great command to suffer so many indigninities such shame and curse that by his death he might make propitiation for the sin of man and such as speak of this death as a sacrifice propitiatory offered unto God as supreme Judge offended by our sins and that out of dearest love unto us and a longing desire to save us of the eternal vertue and efficacy of the sacrifice so highly accepted of God and the rare effects of the same both mediate and immediate of the prodigies which fell out in the time of his passion and at his death of the Prophesies fulfilled in this humilitation even to the casting lots upon his seamless Coat the piercing of his side and the not breaking of a bone His exaltation follows in his Resurrection Ascension Session at the right hand of God Coming to judgment To this Head of Resurrection may be reduced such Texts as spake of the Prodigies falling out near unto the same the distinct time the manner the manifestation of it the persons to whom the time where the places where he was manifested his abode upon earth for forty days his converse with his Disciples his instruction given his commission granted to the Apostles who saw him The use which is to be made of this Doctrine to that of his Ascension may be reduced such places as speak of the time when of the places from which and to which he ascended the persons both Men and Angels who beheld it of the end of this part of this exaltatioâ— which was to be confirmed in his everlasting Kingdom and Priesthood and to exercise his power which he received more solemnly upon his Resurrection and to receive fulness of joy in his Fathers presence and pleasures at his right hand for evermore to make intercession for such aâ— come to God by him and to prepare eternal mansions for his Saints and so be fully blessed for ever To that of his sitting at the right hand of God refer those places which speak oâ— the super-eminency of his power above all men and Angels and all creatures of his being the head of the Church the administrator general of Gods spiritual kingdom of the exercise of this power and the wonderful effects thereof in heaven and earth and his abode in the place of glory and the continuance of his reign untill all enemies be subdued To that of his coming to Judgment refer such Scriptures as speak of the place from whence he comes the manner of his coming in the glory of the Father in flaming fire with the attendance of all the holy Angels the burning of the world the Archangel sounding his Trumpet the Resurrection whereby death the last enemy is destroyed the parties to be judged their summons appearance discovery of all their works even the secrets of their hearts the sentence of him the universal Judge the execution of the same in eternal punishments and rewards the delivering of the Kingdom up unto his Father Sect. 6. The third and last Head is concerning the holy Ghost in which we must observe 1. The Holy Ghost himself Vocation Justification Glorification 2. The effects of this Holy Ghost in respect of the Churches To the first reduce such places as inform us of his Divine Nature Properties perfections and the Worship due unto him of his relation to the Father and the Son of his working with them and from them of his apparitions of his resting upon Christ of the several Names and Titles given him As for the effects and works of this Spirit we must know that he with the Father and the Son is the universal cause of all things for the Father and the Son doth all things by his Spirit yet the Creed takes notice in this place only of those works and operations which tend to the eternal salvation of man The first whereof is Vocation To this Head refer all Scriptures which speak of the condition of man to be called as being blind ignorant senseless perverse guilty not thinking of any danger not desiring not seeking any remedy yet redeemed and by Redemption made saveable For Redemption found man in no capacity of salvation vocation finds the foundation of his salvation laid To this Topick also bring such places as speak of preventing grace and the
the Earth did quake the Rocks did rend the Graves were opened the Veil of the Temple was rent in the midst from the top to the bottom to signifie that the great High-Priest having offered himself by the eternal Spirit without spot was entring with his own Blood into the Holy Place of Heaven to obtain eternal Redemption and the expiation of mans sin for ever The very frame of Heaven and Earth seem'd to be shaken in the time of this great suffering men were astonished women wept many beat their breasts the Centurion who had the charge of this execution was convinced that the party executed was the Son of God Our blessed Saviour suffered this death with unparallell'd patience meekness he laid down his life willingly in obedience to his heavenly Father and out of love and a longing desire of sinful mans salvation No man could take it from him till the hour was come and he was willing to part with it because he as a Priest and general head and representative of mankind offered his life unto his heavenly Father as supreme Judge as a ransom for sinful man therefore his death was the greatest Sacrifice and the highest piece of service and obedience that ever was performed and was so highly accepted of God that it made him propitious satisfied his Justice merited his favour to sinful man made his sin pardonable and his salvation possible upon fairest terms whil'st he was by his own blood entring the sacrary of heaven his side is pierced and out of the same issue water and blood His body is taken from the Cross decently interred in a new Sepulchre where never any man was laid before his soul abides for a time separate and under the power of death and his humiliation did continue till the Resurrection and by his burial he hallows the grave to all believers By this Humiliation thus finished the foundation of our eternal salvation is laid and a way prepared and opened for a passage into heavens Kingdom I believe that Jesus Christ who was thus humbled who suffered cruel pains and was delivered to death for our transgressions was raised for our justification and so to communicate the mercies merited by his death converts us and procures the actuall remission of all the sins of such as repent and believe in him and by his life saves such as he had reconciled by his death He that did rise was the very same who died upon the Cross and the same body and soul which were separated by Death were united again by Resurrection as man he was raised as God he raised himself he rose never to die again but to live for evermore The time was the third day according to the predictions and prefigurations of old and the decree of God's eternal wisdom God did not suffer his Holy One to see corruption The manner of this Resurrection was glorious God then shook the Earth sent from Heaven an Angel appearing in great glory who terrified the Guard rouls away the stone which closed up the Sepulchre and made way for Christs Disciples to come freely and see that he was not there The Graves were opened divers of the Saints raised and appear'd in the holy City Death was conquered and divers of his Captives rescued out of his hands This his Resurrection was made manifest by testimony of Angels and of divers others who saw him spake with him and were assured of it he appears unto many and that many times and especially to the eleven Apostles who saw him heard him did eat and drink with him touched him with their hands To these he unfolds the Mysteries of his Kingdom gives them commission to go into all Nations and commands them to stay at Jerusalem till they received the Holy Ghost according to the promise of his Father God by thus raising him did manifest that he had accepted his Sufferings and Death as a full propitiation of the sins of men and by saying Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee made him universal King and Priest fully consecrated for ever He rose as head and representative of mankind especially of his Church and became not only the pattern but the first fruits and cause of our Resurrection so that as in Adam dying all died so in Him rising we shall all be made alive first to newness of life then to eternal glory The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead shall raise us from the death of sin unto newness of life and raise our bodies to immortality forty days he stays on Earth to comfort his Disciples strengthen their Faith make evident his Resurrection and give orders for the administration of his future Kingdom then he ascends from Mount Olivet in a Cloud up into the Heaven of Heavens Men and Angels being witnesses according to a former Vision that one like the Son of man came with the Clouds of Heaven and came unto the ancient of days and that the Angels brought him peace before him He ascended that he might fulfill all things send down the Holy Ghost enjoy full joy in his Fathers presence and pleasures at his right hand for ever make intercession for his Saints prepare eternal blessed mansions for them raise up their thoughts and affections to that heavenly estate he had merited and prepared for them that where he is our hearts might be also and that he might receive a place at his Fathers right hand so it was prophesied of old that when the Son of man was brought before the ancient of days there was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People and Nations and Languages should serve him his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroy'd For his Father said unto him Sit at my right hand till I make thy foes thy footstool and gave him a name above all names and set him far above all Principalities and Powers and Might and Dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but in that which is to come He was solemnly invested with a supreme universal power above all men and Angels established in his Kingdom confirmed by Oath in his everlasting Priesthood sent down the holy Ghost the Gospel the rod of his power went out of Zion he reigned in the midst of his enemies and many thousands did willingly submit unto him and his people for number were like drops of dew which fall from the womb of the morning When all things are fulfilled all enemies subdued the number of his Saints finished he will come from Heaven to determine of the final estate of men and Angels and judg both quick and dead And then he will deliver up his Kingdom to the Father that God may be all in all I believe that the Holy Ghost which is One God with the Father and the Son and is the Spirit of the Father and the Son by whom all things in Heaven and
is represented the universal and supreme and efficient cause of all things out of himself the Scriptures inform us of 3 things His Wisdom contriving All things His Will decreeing All things His Power effecting All things For God beholding himself and his Almighty power and knowing that he could do many great and glorious things out of himself and that nothing was impossible to him did before the foundation of the world exercise 1. His Wisdom in contriving all things he was pleased to effect 2â— His will in decreeing them according to his Wisdom 3. His power in effecting all things he had decreed In his Wisdom contriving we have the true Idea and model of all things in his Will decreeing the certain and unmoveable foundation of the future existence Thus all things being prepared before hand by the counsel of his will when he thought good he issues out of himself with his Almighty executive power and begins to effect what he had thus contrived and decreed And the works effected are two 1. Creation 2. Providence 1. Creation whereby he made and that by himself alone this vast stately magnificent and stupendious pile and Fabrick of Heaven and Earth and all the hosts thereof which in all Nations in all times and places proclaims his glory and his eternal power and Godhead The stuff and matter was nothing the workmanship most curious the work it self wonderful the beauty was pure and glorious and the order excellent and far above all expressions of the tongue of man The principal and most noble creatures amongst all the rest were Men and Angels immortal intellectual and free creatures created holy and righteous and capable of Eternity felicity when God finished this great work and saw that all every thing that he had made was very good he ceaseth from this work of Creation and kept his Sabbath which was a rest not from all working but only from this first for he did not leave his creatures to themselves but took care of all and every one and continued to work though in another kind and is working still For saith Christ Jo. 5. 17. My Father worketh hitherto and I work For he did exercise his power in preserving and ordering all things created Hence the works Of Preservation Of Ordination 1. He preserveth supporteth all things made and continues their being so long as he will have them to enjoy their being substance vertues For by him all things do subsist If he either withhold his hand or stretch out to destroy them they perish and cease to be what they were 2. Because all things were made in an excellent order and had their ends for which they were created therefore he doth not only preserve them but directs every thing unto its end The principal subject of this Ordination are Men and Angels and especially Men and in the Ordination of men the principal work of all was Redemption which God before the world did decree and in the beginning of the world upon the fall of man did promise and in fulness of time issued out of himself by his eternal word made flesh to redeem man performed And so we come unto the second part of our Saviours Creed infolded in the word Son For as we have the most glorious being of God his eternal acting upon himself with the great and excellent works of Creation and providence implyed in the word Father so we must understand by this word Son God the word made flesh redeeming sinful man In this part of providence the Scriptures inform us 1. Of the person Redeemed 2. Of the party Redeeming 3. Of the work of Redemption 1. The party redeemed is sinful man who being tempted by the Devil sinned and fell into a miserable condition yet God pitied him and entertained thoughts of his deliverance and did chuse one who was mighty to save 2. The party redeeming was the word made flesh anointed with the Holy Ghost so that for his person he was the eternal word and Son of God for his Natures nited in one person and eternally distinct which were his Godhead and his Manhood for his Offices they are three for he was made a Prophet a Priest a King who as man was coceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary This was the way whereby the word was made flesh 3. The work of Redemption which was begun in his humiliation and accomplished by his exaltation For the Scriptures tell us that it was the will of God according to the contrivance of his wisdom that his eternal Son made flesh should so humble himself in this flesh assumed as to become a servant and in that low estate be obedient unto death the death of the Cross which he suffered with greatest patience in obedience to his heavenly Fathers command for to expiate the sin of man This he did as a Priest sacrificing himself unto God the supreme Judge and by this offering he so pleased God and was so much accepted as that by his own blood he entred the holy place of heaven and obtained eternal Redemption purged the conscience from dead works and confirmed the new covenant for ever By this Bloody sacrifice of his Consecration he satisfied divine justice and merited all mercies necessary for the eternal salvation of man That this Redemption might be complete he that was humbled so low was advanced as high and the degrees of this advancement and exaltation were 1. His Resurrection 2. His Ascension into Heaven to sit at the right hand of God to exercise all power in heaven and earth till all enemies be subdued and then he shall come to the universal judgment of the quick and the dead When Christ was set at the right hand of God and confirmed in his everlasting Priesthood the Scriptures inform us that to make his sacrifice and death effectual and communicate the blessings which he thereby had merited he first sends down from heaven the holy Ghost God from the beginning and the first promise of a Redeemer issued out of Eternity to sanctifie sinful man but when the great high Priest had offered his great sacrifice and rose again and was established in his Throne at his right hand this spirit was poured out in great abundance upon all flesh reveals the Gospel makes it effectual upon the hearts of men converts them by faith ingrafts them into Christ upon his intercession regenerates them sanctifies adopts them raiseth them up at the last day makes them fully holy and fills them with eternal joy before the face and Throne of God for ever All this is to be understood in the last word of this Creed the Holy Ghost who is thus represented to us in the Scriptures of God Sect. 3. Yet here it s to be observed 1. That though Creation and Providence be attributed and as it were appropriated unto the Father yet the Father doth neither create nor preserve nor govern the world but by the Son by the Holy Ghost 2. That
irrecoverably lost and are delivered into chains of darkness reserved for the judgment of the great day Man received Laws both moral and positive by which he was bound to perform perfect and perpetual obedience or else to suffer death yet man being tempted by the Devil fell and by one man sin entered into the world and by sin death and death passed over all men in that all men have sinned This was the just judgment of God who cursed the Serpent and the Devil punished man and woman yet promised them a Saviour the seed of the woman who should break the Serpents head and take away his kingdom and power over mankind This was the judgment of the supream Lord whereby many of the Angels continuing obedientin the day of their great trial were confirmed in an estate of holiness and bliss the apostate wretches were condemned to eternal death and so fell as never to rise again yet man had hope of recovery because God by his infinite mercy was willing to prevent his eternal ruine I believe that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life This Son who is our Redeemer is that word whereby all things in Heaven and Earth even the Principalities Powers Thrones and Dominions of Heaven were created who is the brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Image of his Person This word issued out of Eternity and in fulness of time was made flesh dwelt amongst men who saw his glory as the glory of the onely begotten Son of God full of Grace Truth So that he is truly God and truly Man in whom conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary we have One Person Two Natures eternally distinct and inseparably united He was conceived at Nazareth bornat Bethlehem saved in Egypt from bloody Herod and brought up in the place of his conception and his very birth was matter of joy and melody to the Angels of Heaven This Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ promised of old the seed of the Woman of Abraham of David according to the flesh and was anointed with the Holy Ghost above his fellows and was made King Priest and Prophet above all other Kings Priests and Prophets that he might govern us by his Power direct and teach us by his Wisdom and sanctifie us for ever by his own Sacrifice first offered for sinful men and then pleaded in Heaven 〈…〉 s all penitent Believers I believe that Jesus Christ the Word made flesh did humble himself very low took upon him the form of a servant and became obedient unto death the death of the Cross and both in life and death did manifest his Divine excellency and glorifie his heavenly Father In the day of his humiliation he did hunger thirst fast pray weep and took upon him the infirmities of man yet without sin and was mortal His conversation was holy and spotless and was so ordered that both in life and death he was a Mirrour of all heavenly Virtues His Doctrine whereby he revealed the Mysteries of Heavens Kingdom was pure and full of profoundest Wisdom and of sovereign power to save mens souls and his words such as never man spake and were confirm'd by signs and wonders and glorious miracles by which he declared himself to be the Son of the living God He by himself his Apostles and other assistants whom he had chosen and qualified for this work began to gather Disciples and lay the foundation of his everlasting Kingdom yet notwithstanding these so many Divine excellencies he suffers many indignities from his unworthy and ungrateful Brethren whom he loved above all other People in the world though he was a Son yet he learned obedience by the things he suffered For many did not believe in him many were offended with him The ambitious covetous corrupt hypocritical High-Priests Rulers Scribes Pharisees Sadduces being discovered unto the people and by him reproved for their sins and deserted by many of the people did envy him hate him persecute him revile him blaspheme him and designed his death which they often and many ways attempted and in the end prevailed In the last night of his mortal life on earth after the eating of the Passover the institution of the Sacrament of his blessed body and blood his consolatory speech unto his Disciples his heavenly prayer he enters into the fatal place and garden where his greatest sufferings began Then upon his serious consideration and lively apprehension of the bitter Cup he was to drink and the fearful passion and tempattion now at hand he falls into a grievous and extreme Agony wherein with earnest prayers tears and loud cries he desires his heavenly Father to spare him and to let the Cup pass from him yet so that he wholly resigns himself unto his will He desires his Disciples especially three of them to watch with him and to pray for an hour yet they fail him he falls upon the ground deprecates the Cup three several times sweats drops as it were of bloud and at length an Angel was sent from heaven to comfort the Lords of Angels so deeply was he humbled so greatly was he afflicted so much was he difcomforted while he prepares himself to encounter the powers of Hell and expiate the sin of man This woful fit was no sooner passed over but he is betrayed into the hands of sinners apprehended bound brought before the Council accused condemned as a plasphemer worthy of death and so the judg of Men and Angels was judged he is hoodwink't buffeted blasphemed spit upon and most fearfully aboused and being formerly betrayed by s and now with cursing swearing and forswearing denyed by S. Peter and forsaken of all his Disciples As for this he is brought before Pilate falsly charged with heinous crimes yet justified as having done nothing worthy of death The Judge is afraid to condem him willing to release him scourgeth him and at the importuniy of his bloudy enemies he at length condems him to the cruel cursed ignominious death of the Cross and delivers him to the Souldiers who deride him abuse him torment him and lead him to the place of execution There he is stripped crucified endures open shame cruel pains revilings bitter taunts from the High-Priests the People the Malefactors crucified with him and the Souldiers yet he reviles not again nor threatens but in respect of wrong received he is silent and dumb as the sheep before the shearer prays for his enemies provides for his disconsolate Mother comforts such as do bewail him and foretells their future misery In the height of his passion he cries out such was the extremity My God my God why hast thou forsaken me commends his Spirit into his Fathers hands and so dies This suffering and death was such as never any before it never any after it like unto it So much was signified at that time when the Heavens were darkned
Earth are effected was always in the Church to sanctifie the same and prepare it for eternal Glory and when Christ was set at the right hand of God came down upon the Apostles in the likeness of fiery cloven Tongues gave them power to speak in all Languages enlightned them gave them full and perfect knowledge of the Gospel endued them with all gifts and power requisite for the laying of the foundation of the Christian Religion the plantation of the Church in all Nations and did direct them in the dispensation of the Gospel that both by word and writing they might publish and declare it infallibly By this doctrine accompanied with the power of this Spirit and convey'd to the hearts of men both Jews and Gentiles were called converted sanctified and made up the body of the universal Church which is the number of all believers in all Nations a community of Saints Militant first on Earth and then Triumphant in Heaven These are the best society in the world have the greatest priviledges are the Children of God the Members of Christ the Temples of the Holy Ghost the Candidates of Heaven the Heroes of Eternal Glory baptized by one Spirit into one body and by Baptism admitted Subjects of an everlasting Kingdom Those tho' dispersed through several parts of the world and mixed with counterfeit Christians and profane persons are justified regenerated reconciled the adopted Sons of God have a title unto eternal Life the earnest of the Spirit and the first fruits of glory are guarded by Angels beloved of God enemies to Sin Satan and the World tempted often sometimes wounded and foiled yet sin reigns not in them and in the end they attain a full and final victory They suffer Persecution and bear the Cross with patience deny themselves are constant in the Covenant nothing can separate them from the love of God all things work together for their good they increase in heavenly Virtues abound in good works rejoyce in the hope of Glory watch and pray and with sighs and groans wait for the adoption which is the redemption of the body When they depart this world they commend their spirits into their Fathers hands who sends his Angels to receive them they are with Christ and secure of the resurrection unto eternal bliss rest from their labours and their works follow them when the number of these is finished Christ will come down from Heaven in the Glory of the Father with all the holy Angels and shall descend with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and the Trump of God Then all the dead shall rise the living shall be changed and made immortal all shall be summoned appear be judged the righteous shall be justified for ever receive the glorious reward of an everlasting Kingdom be admitted into God's presence behold his glory be filled with eternal joy and made fully and for ever happy such as know not God or obeyed not the Gospel being unbelievers and unrighteous shall be sentenced to everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels shall be cast out of God's presence imprisoned in Hell where the worm never dieth and the fire is never quenched and shall there be tormented in soul and body continually and of their extreme misery there shall be no end These things I believe to be most certainly true and as reveal'd from Heaven confirm'd by many signs and wonders and the rare effects of this Doctrine in the conversion and consolation of many souls This Faith of my heart I profess with my mouth and according to this belief and profession I rely for everlasting life upon God the Father who loved me and the Son who gave himself for me and the Holy Ghost who sanctifies and comforts me Sect. 8. After this enlargement I return again unto the Proposition That Christ commanded the Apostles to teach or disciple all Nations and thence infer some practical conclusions in a few words and so conclude this Chapter 1. If Apostles and so all Ministers of the Gospel who take the charge of souls upon them be subject to Christ's power and bound by this command then it is their duty to teach to teach this Doctrine to teach all this Doctrine they must teach this and none other because it is the only converting saving comforting truth if they teach other it will be either unprofitable or which is worse pernicious though they teach this and yet conceal some part thereof and declare not the whole counsel of God though it may be good so far as they make use of it yet it will be insufficient and never reach the end for which it was revealed from Heaven for it 's the Gospel the whole Gospel that is the power of God unto Salvation yet it must not be taught confusedly but as it was delivered by our Saviour in a certain and exact method so it must in the same manner be dispensed by the Man of God who must not only be perspicuous that his Doctrine may be understood but also methodical that it may be remembred therefore if we will manifest our love to Christ be faithful to our trust pity poor Souls redeemeâ— by the precious blood of Christ make â— good account at the last receive a Crowâ— of Glory when the great Shepherd shalâ— appear and escape that fearful Woe anâ— Judgment which shall fall upon such as a 〈…〉 guilty of the blood of other men let â—â— teach teach this Doctrine and teach 〈…〉 thus and in this manner as Christ's Command requires and directs 2. If this be our duty then the people whom we teach are bound to receive this all this Doctrine and thus as it is taught and if ever they will be converted unto God comforted by the Spirit attain unto eternal life and not be adjudged to eternal Fire for Ignorance or Disobedience to the Gospel let them hear this Doctrine attentively learn the whole counsel of God lay it up in their hearts remember it obey it and make it the joy and delight of their hearts and the subject of their constant Meditations let them reject all other Doctrine which shall not be agreeable to this our Saviour's Creed 3. It 's a matter of perpetual Thanksgiving and it 's our Duty to acknowledge God's wonderful mercy in this respect and give all Glory and Praise unto his Name in that he hath so well provided for our Salvation For he hath not only sent his onely Son from Heaven to redeem us by his precious Blood raised him from the dead and given him all Power in Heaven and Earth but Christ having received this Power gives Commission and Command to the Apostles and their Sucâ—â—â—â—ors to teach all saving Truth hath contracted it in so few words reduced it unto so clear a method endued them with the knowledge of it bound them to teach it to all Nations in their own Language fit it for the meanest capacities raise up a continual supply of faithful Ministers to instruct
very little our imperfections many yet we must desire and endeavour to be perfectly obedient to the end 4. We pray Give us this day our daily Bread In the former part of this form of prayer we sought of God spiritual blessings and such as tended more immediately to Gods glory and our salvation And in this we sue for temporal mercies and the necessary comforts of this life whilst we are seeking a better and the order here observed by our Saviour doth teach us that we must prefer spiritual graces before temporal blessings and seek Gods Kingdom and his righteousness first which if we do we may more certainly expect our daily Bread according to his promise In the words we have 1. Bread 2. Our daily Bread 3. This day 4. Our petition for this to be given us 1. By bread is meant all necessary comforts of this life which are given us that we may more chearfully and freely without distraction serve our God seek his Kingdom and do his will Bread which is the staff of Life and hath great affinity with Mans Body is only namely to signifie that we must not seek unnecessary dainties rarities variety superfluity and abundance to expend them in maintaining our Pride pomp and pleasure These necessaries signified by bread are private or publick temporal Commodities Goods Blessings as health food raiment house lands cattle and other things whereby Man 's life is preserved and also good government peace seasonable and plentiful times safety quiet enjoyment of that we have and Gods blessing upon our labours 2. Our daily bread that is the bread of our indigency which we daily want so the Syriack our Bread for to morrow so the Arabick our Food of every day so the Ethiopick our Bread which is necessary for the day The meaning of all is that by daily bread is meant a competent portion of necessaries fit for the preservation of our lives so that we need not perish or be distracted with fear of want 3. This day that is the present time of our life and doth imply that our life is not long neither must we expect to live many daies and though we have not provision beforehand but from hand to mouth as the Proverb is yet we should be content and trust in God we must not perplex or distract our selves with thoughts of future times nor promise to our selves long life and torment our souls with needless and ineffectual cares as tho we had no faith no Father in heaven no Interest in him or think that he that feeds the Ravens who make no provision for time to come nor have any thing laid up in store will be so careless of us as to see his Children want bread 4. We in these words petition our heavenly Father to give us this bread This implies 1. That we have nothing not one morsel of bread but from our God 2. That he gives us this and all things necessary freely we do not deserve or buy it but beg it at his hands therefore 1. we seek it of him by prayer for our selves and others 2. That he would continue to provide for us still 3. That he would bless that which he gives and we possess unto us for if he give it not we have nothing if he continue it not it s easily took from us and tho we be as rich as Job yet we may be as poor as he was in a day have much this hour and have nothing the next and that our best and most wholsom food without his blessing can do us no good 4. We pray that God would deliver us from Diseases sickness famine nakedness sword oppression drought inundation unseasonable times and all such things as deprive us of our daily bread and because we never knew what want of bread is nor ever considered how much we depend for these things upon our God therefore we so little prize these earthly comforts and are unthankful for these mercies 5. We must with our prayers labour and use lawful means for the attaining of these things be provident frugal liberal charitable and expend as much as we can spare in pious uses and then that Father who will give us Eternal will surely give us Temporal blessings he that will give us an heavenly kingdom will give us earthly necessaries and he that hath given us Christ will with him give us all things 5. We pray for forgiveness of our sins in these words Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us Here begins the deprecatory part of this prayer whereby we seek deliverance from evil and that which is contrary to our happiness This kind of prayer is sometimes joyned with weeping fasting complaints lamentations and confession of sins The first evil is that of sin past which remains in the guilt for to understand this petition we must consider 1. Trespasses 2. Our trespasses 3. The forgiveness of trespasses 4. The party forgiving 5. The party capable of forgiveness 1. By trespasses we must understand sin and disobedience to Gods Laws the word which in St. Matthew signifies debts is expounded in Luke by a word which signifies sins and all sins are debts or rather contract debts for first we owe unto God obedience and by the Law are bound to perform it but if we pay not this but prove disobedient we run into another debt and owe a punishment to God and by the same law are bound to suffer it for we are bound unto obedience by the precept and to punishment by the commination of the law When sin is once past the guilt thereof which is an obligation unto punishment remains The punishments which man deserves and God doth threaten are not only bodily and temporal but spiritual and eternal The reason and cause why sin doth render the sinner liable to the displeasure of God and to so many and fearful penalties not only of the loss of all those mercies God hath promised but of suffering of all those evils God doth threaten is because it is so base and vile and so unworthy and unbeseeming so noble a creature as man is by Gods creation that it must needs offend God pollute man and debaâ—e him very much its contrary to Gods justice and holiness and includes in it a contempt of Gods power and of his law which is a mirrour of wisdom and righteousness The sins of men are many and of different sorts there is sin original sin actual sin of omission sin of commission sin against the law of nature sin against the law of grace and a great inequality between these actual transgressions some less some more hainous and such as may be several wayes fearfully agravated and the more of will there is in any sin the more grievous it is 2. These sins and trespasses are said to be Ours so that we are chargeable with them and punishable for them For though the Devil may tempt us yet he cannot force us cannot necessitate us Though
deluded our first mother Eve perswaded her that in transgressing Gods law there was no fear of death but certain hope of high advancement as he is subtle so he is malicious restless raging knows our weakness takes all advantages and seeks our everlasting ruine Besides the Devil there are the wicked men of the world who are his agents who by their evil example customs laws promises threats preferments persecutions and many other ways seek to draw us unto sin therefore if any person either fear men more then God and temporal miseries more then eternal punishments or love himself more then God and the world more then heavenly glory and eternal life then a little temptation will easily draw such an one into transgression We are also said to be tempted in this respect by our own lust or concupiscence for when any occasion is offered we are easily moved and overcome Such is our ignorance and blindness that our understanding is easily deluded Such is the corruption of our wills that we are easily perverted This makes us like tinder and we take fire at every spark of temptation nay we are so vile by nature that our own corruption inclines us unto sin and sometimes when there is no temptation from without carries us violently into iniquity 2. To be led into temptation is not meerly to be tempted but something more for one may be tempted and yet be in no great danger because the party tempted may be so armed and prepared that the temptation may be overcome and that sometimes with ease so that in such a case there is no great danger but one may be said to be led into temptation when the party tempted is weak or surprized or deserted or over-powred or brought into such straits that there is great fear of a foil and little hope of escape because of the advantage gained by the tempter and disadvantage befallen the person tempted In this case the danger is great and the temptation difficult if not impossible to be overcom This is to be brought into the midst of potent enemies plunged into the depth of great waters and cast into the mouth of the Lion and so sin is unavoidable 3. In these words we pray 1. That God would so order all occurrences and events that we may not be brought into straights for this petition implies that nothing can come to pass without the providence of God doing or permitting what he pleaseth and ordering all events Without his permission neither man nor devil can tempt us without it Satan could not touch Job nor be a lying Spirit in the mouth of Ahab's Prophets nor enter so much as into the Herd of Swine And the event of all temptations depends upon his will 2. That when we are too weak he would restrain the malice and power of Satan 3. That he would not suffer us to be secure and so easily surprized 4. That he would continually arm and strengthen us that we may not only resist but overcome 5 That he would not suffer us to presume upon our own strength or despair of his assistance 6. That he would not desert us in the day of trial and great danger 7. That he would so inflame us with the zeal of his glory possess us with the fear of sin and his wrath and the desire of heavens glory that no earthly prosperity may much affect us or any earthly affliction much daunt us yet he requires that we acknowledg all our strength to be from him that the issue of all temptations depends upon him that renouncing our own strength we trust in him that we continually watch and pray and use all means to provide for our safety and when we see and consider the fall of David Peter and other eminent Saints how great cause have we to fear and be careful This must be our daily prayer and our earnest petition 4. To deliver us from evil may be understood to be a distinct petition from the former or part of the same In the former sense evil is not the evil of sin from temptation but the evil of affliction And in this sense we desire God so to perfect and bless us as either to prevent the miseries troubles afflictions and adversities of the world or if we fall into them that he would sanctifie them unto us for our spiritual good give us strength to bear them with patience and in the end deliver us out of them and hasten that day and time when there shall be no sorrow pain crying but eternal peace and joy when all sorrow shall flee away and all tears be wiped from all faces yet though God by these doth chastise and try us yet the devil by them takes advantage to tempt us unto many sins and discourage us in the ways of godliness So great is the frailty of man that both in prosperity and adversity he is in danger and in both hath need to pray to be delivered from evil therefore the wisdom of God mixeth our joys with sorrow and our prosperity with adversity For thine is the Kingdom c. Some make this no part of the body but the conclusion of the Prayer We find not these words in Luke nor in many Greek Copies nor in the Arabick and therefore it may be a question whether our Saviour added them to this form of Prayer or no but suppose them to be the words of our Saviour it 's doubted whether that be a form of Doxology or contain certain reasons for to move God to hear our petitions or both The words are found in Scripture 1 Chron. 29. 11. and there used in form of a Doxology and praising of God which is a part of divine Worship and sometimes joyned with petition and oftentimes concludes the same and in this sense it may be a part of prayer and fit to be used when we depart out of his presence and take our leave with our heavenly Father Amen is made the conclusion and by it we signifie our desire that God would hear us and put his hand and seal to our petitions and also our joynt consent in our desires with him who is the mouth of the people praying together which implies that we understand the Prayers made have attended to them and approve them and by this word make them Our Prayers It 's oftentimes a word of confirmation and then it signifies so it is sometimes a word of petition and then it signifies so be it Sect. 5. The matter of all these petitions may be reduced into the form of a Prayer in this manner 1. O Almighty Lord and in Christ Jesus our most gracious Father we thine unworthy Servants do here present our selves before the throne of Grace and desire in the first place and above all things that thy name be hallowed and thine eternal excellency and supreme dominion being manifested more and more both by thy blessed word and glorious works we and all others may know thee to be God alone who dost