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see whether we would live by Faith yea or no whether a Believer would love him and obey him tho he were invisible and withdrawn within the Curtain of Heaven You know when the Israelites saw the Glory of God then they cryed All that God hath commanded us we will do Deut. 5. 27.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
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
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.
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
the Covenant of Grace Christ hath taken a Token from us and left a Token with us He hath taken humane Flesh carried our Nature to Heaven that he might be mindful of us and hath left the Spirit with us Now there will be a longing looking and waiting for this Day of Solemn Espousals And as he is Lord so he is Jesus a Saviour With what melting Wishes doth the Captive long for a Saviour and Redeemer Now we look for a Saviour from Heaven Christ is a Saviour now but not a perfect Saviour to the uttermost never till then Therefore the Day of Judgment is called the Day of Redemption Eph. 4. 30. There is something left that every Coming of Christ might bring some Benefit something of Misery left upon us to the last Day Here we have Enemies within and without Within mighty Lusts and therefore his Coming is like a Refiner's Fire Mal. 3. 2. and Fullers Sope. His first and second Coming we find oft in the Old Testament put together His Coming is to present us holy without spot and blemish Eph. 5. 27. Our present State is but a Convalescency a Recovery out of Sickness by degrees there is some Fruit of Sin left upon the Body until the Day of the general Resurrection that we may have new Matter of glorifying God just as we are entring into Heaven Therefore that every Coming of Christ might bring us a new Benefit the Body is to die the old Adam is not quite abolished until God be All in All. And so for Enemies without us Here we dwell among wicked Men whose Sins are a Grievance to us and whose Injuries are a very great Molestation and Trouble We live here like Lot in Sodom His righteous Soul was vexed with their ungodly Deeds their filthy Conversation But then there will be a perfect Separation between the Sheep and the Goats Here we are exposed to many Persecutions here Antichrist is but consuming there he shall totally and utterly be abolished II. If we respect the Persons desiring this Coming there is something in them to move them to it There is 1. The Spirit of Christ. 2. Certain Graces which do necessarily issue themselves into this Work 3. Certain Experiences they have which put thâ—m upon this longing 1. There 's the Spirit of Christ The Spirit and the Bride saith Come Rev. 22. 17. The Holy-Ghost breedeth this Desire in the Church Nature saith It is good to be here but this is a Disposition above Nature the Spirit in the Bride The Flesh and corrupt Nature saith Depart but the Spirit saith Come The great Work of the Spirit is to bring us and Christ together he comes from the Father and the Son to bring us to the Father by the Son All he doth is to bring Christ and the Spouse together therefore he enkindleth in the Hearts of God's People a strong and earnest desire of his Coming 2. There are Graces planted in us Faith Hope Love Zeal Faith that is the ground of this Desire Christ saith he comes quickly and this provokes and draws up the Desire to believe Christ will be as good as his Word Iohn 14. 2 3. I go to my Father and will come again to receive you to my self Christ hath ever been plain-hearted with us he saith I come and the Church saith Amen in a way of Faith Even so come If Christ had gone away in discontent and with a Threatning in his Mouth that we should never have seen his Face more then we could have had but cold Hopes and faint Desires but he parted in Love and left a Promise with us The Church and the believing Soul saith I have his Word for it He hath ever been punctual hitherto and kept his Word to a tittle and hath said I will come again This upholdeth the Hearts of Believers during his Absence For they reason thus What need had Christ to flatter or deceive us or promise more than he will perform Would we flatter a Worm that we can easily crush He can strike us dead if we do not please him He hath been true in all things and we have ever found him plain-hearted Then there is Hope planted in the Saints Hope is Faith's Handmaid it looks for that which we believe Faith determines the Certainty of the Thing then Hope looks for it This Grace was made on purpose that we might reach out to Heaven and see if our Beloved be coming that we might expect our full and future Happiness God not only provides a glorious Estate for us but Grace to expect it he works this Hope in us that we might look after it 1 Pet. 1. 3. He hath begotten us again unto a lively Hope Then there is Love in the Saints to Christ. This is an Affection of Union it desires to be with the Party beloved he desireth to be with us and we with him Love awakeneth earnest Longings O come come why is his Chariot so long a coming As a loving Wife stands upon the Shore as ready to welcome her expected Husband So doth Love in the Saints they desire to be with Christ therefore they long for the Kingdom of God coming to themselves out of Love Phil. 1. 23. I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ. And upon the same ground they desire the general Resurrection of the Church Especially is this inflamed with the thoughts of Christ's Love to us He hath removed his bodily Presence from us yet he cannot be satisfied until he and we meet again John 14. 3. I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am there ye may be also And John 17. 24. And that you may be there with me to behold my Glory Christ is not satisfied in his glorious Estate until we be with him till he hath our Company and we be beatified with the sight of him Before his coming in the Flesh he delighted to be with the Saints before the World was Prov. 8. 31. And when the World was made before his Incarnation he took pleasure to come and appear in the fashion of a Man and converse with his People in humane Shape In the Days of his Flesh he delighted to spend his Time and busy himself among them that are faithful And when he was to go from us he did assure us of returning and cannot be quiet until we be with him So reciprocally and according to our measure doth Love work in us we cannot be without Christ therefore we long to be with him Then Zeal is planted in the Saints and a Tenderness for his Glory It is not their Interest only which makes them desire his Coming but that the King may sit upon the Throne that Christ may reign in the most perfect manner that the Day of Manifestation may come that all Mists and Clouds which are upon his Person may vanish The Saints that love the Glory of God as well as their own Salvation nay above their own Salvation are longing
Thomas Manton DD. A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION OF THE Lord's-Prayer BY The late Reverend and Learned Divine THOMAS MANTON D.D. LONDON Printed by I. D. and are to be sold by Ionathan Robinson at the Golden-Lion in St. Paul's Church-yard 1684. The Preface SUch is the Divine Matter and admirable Order of the Lord's Prayer as became the Eternal Wisdom of God that composed and dictated it to his Disciples In it are opened the Fountains of all our regular Petitions and the Arguments contained to encourage our Hopes for obtaining them In our Addresses to Men our study is to conciliate their favourable Audience but God is most graciously inclin'd and ready to grant our Requests therefore we are directed to call upon him by the Title of Our Father in Heaven to assure us of his Love and Power and thereby to excite our reverent Attention to raise our Affections to confirm our Confidence in Prayer The supream end of our desires is the Glory of God in Conjunction with our own Happiness This is exprest in the two first Petitions That His Name may be Hallowed and His Kingdom come that we may partake of its Felicity In order to this our Desires are directed for the Means that are proper and effectual to accomplish it And those are of two kinds the good things that conduct us and the removal of those Evils that obstruct our Happiness The good things are either the Spiritual and Principal Means to prepare us for Glory an intire cordial and constant Obedience to the divine Commands exprest in the third Petition Thy Will be done on Earth as 't is in Heaven Or natural and subservient the Supports and Comforts of this Life which are contained in the fourth Petition Give us this Day our daily Bread The removal of Evils is disposed according to the order of the good Things we are to seek We pray that our Sins may be forgiven the guilt of which directly excludes from his glorious Kingdom that we may be preserved from Temptations that withdraw us from observing the Divine Commands and to be delivered from all afflicting Evils that hinder our arrival at our blessed End The Conclusion is to strengthen our Faith by ascribing to our Heavenly Father the Kingdom Power and Glory and to express our ardent desires of his Blessing by saying Amen This divine comprehensive Prayer is the Subject of the following Sermons wherein the Characters of Dr. Manton's Spirit are so conspicuous as sufficiently discover them to be his and the Reader is assured they have been diligently compared with his own Copy WILLIAM BATES ADVERTISEMENT DR Manton's second Volumn of Sermons in Folio on the 25th Chapter of St. Matthew the 17th of St. Iohn the sixth and eighth Chapters to the Romans and the fifth of the second Epistle to the Corinthians being perused by Dr. Bates Dr. Collins and Mr. How is now in the Press and will be finished with all Expedition there being three Presses already at work and two more will be shortly imployed for the dispatch thereof Therefore all Persons who expect the benefit of the Proposals are desired to send in their Money forthwith The Proposals are to be had at Ionathan Robinson's at the Golden Lion in St. Pauls Church-yard AN INTRODUCTION TO THE EXPOSITION OF THE Lord's-Prayer MATTH 6. 6 7 8. But thou when thou prayest enter into thy Closet and when thou hast shut the Door pray to thy Father c. I Intend to go over the Lord's Prayer and to make way for it I shall speak a little of these foregoing Verses wherein our Lord treats of the Duty of Prayer and the Necessity of being much therein In the beginning of this Chapter our Lord taxeth the Hypocrisy of the Pharisees which was plainly to be seen in all their Duties their Alms their Prayers and their Fasting I. For their Alms. Christ deals with that in the four first Verses It seems it was their Fashion when they gave Alms to sound a Trumpet and their Pretence was to call all the Poor within hearing Or to give notice that such a Rabby giveth Alms to Day Now our Lord sheweth that tho this were the fair pretence to call the Poor yet their Heart was meerly upon their own Glory their own Esteem with Men and therefore he perswades his Disciples to greater Secresy in this Work and to content themselves with God's Approbation which will be open and manifest and honourable enough in due time when the Arch-Angel shall blow the Trumpet to call all the World together 1 Thes. 4. 16. And Christ shall publish their good Works in the hearing of Men and Angels Matth. 25. 34 35 36. Thus he deals with them upon the point of Alms. II. For their Prayers Christ taxeth their Affectation of Applause because they sought out places of the greatest Resort the Synagogues and Corners of the Streets and there did put themselves into a praying Posture that they might be seen of Men and appear to be Persons of great Devotion and so might the better accomplish their own Ends their Publick Designs upon the Stage for the Pharisees were great Sticklers at that time and also their private Designs upon Widows Houses that they might be trusted with the management of Widows and Orphans Estates as being devout Men and of great Sanctity and Holiness In which Practice there was a double Failing 1. As to the Circumstance of Place performing a personal and solitary Prayer in a publick Place which was a great Indecorum and argued the Action to be Scenical or brought upon the Stage meerly for publick Applause And certainly that private Praying which is used by Men in Churches doth justly come under our Lord's Reproof 2. Their next Failing was as to their End Verily they do it to be seen of Men. Object But what Fault was there in this Doth not Christ himself direct us in his Sermon Mat. 5. 16. Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven And yet the Pharisees are here taxed for praying fasting and giving Alms that they might be seen of Men How can these Places stand together By way of Answer 1. We must distinguish of the different Scope and Intention of Christ in these two places There Christ's Scope is to commend and enjoin good Works to be seen of Men ad edificationem for their Edification Here his Scope is to forbid us to do good Works to be seen of Men ad ostentationem for our own Ostentation There Christian Charity to the Souls of Men is commended and here Vain-Glory is forbidden 2. Again Good Works are to be distinguished Some are so truly and indeed others only in outward shew and appearance Good Works that are truly so and indeed Christ enjoins there Hypocritical and feigned Acts that are only so in outward shew and semblance are forbidden here To pray is a good Work take inward and outward Acts of it together and so 't
when we unfeignedly chuse him for our Portion and set apart our selves to act for his Glory 1. When we chuse and cleave to him as our all-sufficient Portion The Lord is my Portion saith my Soul Lam. 3. 24. Sometimes the Lord speaks to us I am thy Reward I am thy Salvation Psal. 35. 3. So the Soul speaks to God Thou art my Portion When we cleave to God He is my Portion for ever Psal. 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee c. When our Souls are satisfied in God having enough in him this is to give up our selves to him 2. When we set apart our selves to his Use to live and act for his Glory this is also entring into Covenant with God As in that formal Matrimonial Covenant that was used between the Prophet and his Wife Hos. 3. 3. Thou shalt not be for another Man so will I also be for thee So in the Covenant we resolve to renounce all others and to live and act for God The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself Psal. 4. 3. When we are thus set apart for God to serve him and glorify him by this special Dedication of our selves to his Use this is the Act of Grace on our part We were God's by Election but he comes and takes possession for himself by the Spirit and then the Soul sets himself apart for God Secondly That all the Saints have a common Interest in the same God therefore Christ taught us to say Our Father They have one Father as well as one Spirit one Christ one Hope and one Heaven Eph. 4. 6. Questionless it is lawful to say My Father Some have disputed it because they suppose this Expression is used to signify Christ's singular Filiation Christ could only say My Father But it is lawful provided we do not say it exclusively and appropriating it to our selves But here Christ when he giveth us this perfect Form teacheth us to say Our Father As the Sun in the Firmament is every Man's and all the World's so God is every single Believer's God the God of all the Elect. But why would Christ put this in this perfect Patern and Form of Prayer 1. To quicken our Love to the Saints in Prayer When we come to pray there must be a brotherly Love expressed now that 's a distinct thing from common Love Add to brotherly Kindness Charity 2 Pet. 1. 7. When we are dealing with God in Prayer we must express somewhat of this brotherly Love How must we express it In praying for others as well as for our selves Necessity will put Men upon praying for themselves but brotherly Love will put them upon praying for others Wherein must Brotherly Kindness be expressed in Prayer In two Things 1. In a Fellow-feeling of their Miseries in being touched with their Necessities as we would be with our own To be sensless it is a spiritual Excommunication a casting our selves out of the Body Members must take care for one another We must be grieved with their Pains Who is offended saith the Apostle and I burn not If there be any Power in such a Confession or Title of a Father we must be wrestling with God how well soever it be with us remembring we speak to him in whom others have a joint Interest with our selves 2. It must be expressed in wishing the same good to others as to our selves Many that pray in their own Case with what Earnestness and Importunity are they carried out but how flat and cold in the Case of others Now a good Christian must be as earnest with God for others as for himself Look what Earnestness and Heedfulness of Soul he sheweth when he puts up Prayers for himself the same must he do for all Saints Ephes. 6. 18. Self-love and Self-respect must not breath only in our Prayers they must be carried out with as much Earnestness as if we would go to God in our own Case 2. Again As it sheweth us what brotherly Love we should express in Prayer so it checketh many carnal Dispositions which we are guilty of and Christ would mind us of them It checks Strife and Contention we are Brethren have one common Father Every where Meekness and Love it is a Qualification for Prayer Let the Husband live with his Wife according to Knowledg that their Prayers be not hindred 1 Pet. 3. 7. If there be such Brauls in the Family how can the Husband and Wife call upon God with such an united Heart as is requisite So 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will that Men pray every where lifting up holy Hands without wrath and doubting Not only lift up pure Hands to God and that without doubting there must be Confidence in our Prayers But that 's not all but without wrath there must be nothing of Revenge and Passion mingled with your Supplication And then it checketh Pride and Disdain Christ teacheth all in all Conditions whether Masters or Servants Fathers or Children Kings or Beggars all to say Our Father for we have all one Father Thou hast not a better Christ nor a better Father in Heaven than they have The Rich and the Poor were to give one Ransom under the Law Exod. 30 to shew they have all the same Redeemer The Weak should not despise nor disdain the Strong nor the Rich be ashamed to own the Poor as Brethren We should never be ashamed to own him as a Brother whom God will own as a Son Which art in Heaven WE have considered the Title given to God with respect to his Goodness and Mercy He is a Father Our Father Now let us consider the Titles given to him with respect to his Greatness and Majesty Which art in Heaven From thence note Doct. It is an Advantage in Prayer to look upon God as a Father in Heaven By way of Explication to shew First What is meant by Heaven There are three Heavens in the Computation of the Scripture There is first the lowest Heaven that where the Fowls of the Air are whence the Rain descendeth therefore the Fowls are called the Fowls of Heaven Job 35. 11. And Iam. 5. 18. Elijah prayed and the Heaven gave Rain Secondly the Luminary Heaven where the Sun Moon and Stars are Therefore it is said Mat. 10. 25. The Stars of Heaven shall fall Thirdly there is the highest Heaven or the Heaven of the Blessed spoken of Mat. 7. 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven that is into the third Heaven the glorious Heaven the blessed Presence of God Mat. 18. 10. In Heaven their Angels do always behold the Face of my Father which is in Heaven In Heaven that is the third Heaven so it is called by Paul 2 Cor. 12. 2. Which was the highest Part because he saw and heard Things which it is not lawful for a Man to utter In this Heaven God is Secondly How is God there since he is every where 1. Negatively It
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
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
my Body be taken to Heaven in glory or whether it be exercised or worn out with Ministerial Labour We need to deal with God that we may have the End and leave the Means to his own chusing that God may be glorified in our Condition whatever it be If he will have us rich and full that he might be glorified in our Bounty if he will have us poor and low that he may be glorified in our Patience if â—e will have us healthy that he may be glorified in our Labour if he will have us sick that he may be glorified in our Pain if he will have us live that he may be glorified in our Lives if he will have us die that he may be glorified in our Deaths And therefore Whether we live or die we are the Lord 's Rom. 14. 9. A Christian is to be like a Dye in the hand of Providence content whether he be cast high or low and not to grudg at it whether he will continue us longer or take us out of the World As a Servant employed beyond the Seas if his Master will have him tarry there he tarries if he would have him come home home he comes So that we had need to deal seriously with God about this submissive Spirit 5. Humility that we may not put the Crown upon our own Heads but may cast it at the Lamb's feet that we may not take the Glory of our Graces to our selves God's great Aim in the Covenant is That no Flesh should glory in it self but whosoever glories may glory in the Lord. 1 Cor. 1. 27 -31. He would have us still come and own him in all that we are and in all that we do As the good Servant gave account of his Diligence Luke 19. 16. he doth not say My Industry but Thy Pound hath gained ten Pounds And Paul was a zealous Instrument that went up and down doing good he laboured more abundantly than they all Yet not I but the Grace of God which was with me 1 Cor. 15. 10. In this Case if we would honour and glorify God we must do as Ioab did when he was likely to take Rabbah He sent for David to gather up more Forces and encamp against the City and take it Lest I take the City and it be called after my Name 2 Sam. 12. 28. How careful was he that his Sovereign might have the Honour So careful should we be that the Crown be set upon Christ's Head and that he may have the glory of our Graces and Services that they may not be called after our own Name that God may be more owned in them than we Now what more natural than for Creatures to intercept the Revenues of the Crown of Heaven and to convert them to their own Use It is a vile Sacriledg to rob God of the Glory of that Grace he hath bestowed upon us and yet what more common The Flesh is apt to interpose upon all occasions and therefore we need to put up this Request Hallowed be thy Name 6. There is Holiness required that we may not be a Disgrace to God and a Dishonour to him The Lord saith Ezek. 20. 9. That his Name should not be polluted before the Heathen among whom they his People were The Sin of God's People doth stain the Honour of God and profane his Name When Men profess much to be a People near God and live carnally and loosly they dishonour God exceedingly by their Conversation Men judg by what is visible and sensible and so they think of God by his Servants and Worshippers as the Heathens did of Christ in Salvian's time If he was a holy Christ certainly Christians would live more temperately justly and soberly They are apt to think of God by his Worshippers and by the People that profess themselves so near and dear to him therefore it concerns us to walk so that our Lives may honour him Mat. 5. 16. Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven As the Loins of the Poor saith Iob blessed him Job 31. 20. namely as they were fed and cloathed by his Bounty So our Lives may glorify God David saith Psal. 119. 7. Then shall I praise thee with Vprightness of Heart when I have learned thy righteous Iudgment There is no way to praise God entirely and sincerely until we have learned both to know and do his Will Real Praise is the Praise God looks after Otherwise we do but serve Christ as the Devil served him who would carry him upon the Top of the Mountain but it was with an intent to bid him throw himself down again So we seem to exalt God much in our Talk and Profession yea but we throw him down when we pollute him and deny him in our Conversation Our Lives are the Scandal of Religion and a Pollution and Blot to the Name of God So that with respect to our selves you see what need we have to go to God that he will give us Grace that we may please him and glorify his Name Secondly In regard of Others A Christian cannot be content to glorify God himself but he would have all about him to glorify God As Fire turns all Things round about it into Fire and Leaven it spreads still until it hath subdued the whole Lump So is Grace a diffusive a spreading thing As far as we can reach and diffuse our Influence we would have God brought into request with all round about us Being converted saith Christ to Peter strengthen thy Brethren So it will be where there is true Grace Mules and Creatures which are of a Mongril and Bastard-Race they beget not after their kind So Bastard-Christians are not for the calling in of others and the gaining of those about them But a true Christian will be earnest and much in this Matter Now their Hearts are not in our Power but in God's therefore we need to be much in Prayer and make this our main Request Lord hallowed be thy Name For hereby 1. We acknowledg God's Dominion over the Spirits of Men which is a great Honour to God and a quieting to us It is a Title often given to God in Scripture that he is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh. If they had a Magistrate to chuse they go to God Numb 27. 16. Let the Lord the God of the Spirits of all Flesh set a Man over the Congregation If a Judgment to be averted Numb 16. 22. O God the God of the Spirits of all Flesh shall one Man sin and wilt thou be wroth with all the Congregation This is a great Honour to God when we acknowledg the Power and Dominion that he hath over the Hearts and Spirits of Men. To roll a Stone is not so much as to rule the Creatures and to keep the Sun in his Course is not so much as to rule the Spirits of Men and to work them to the glorifying of his
improving our Talents Our Lord will come and reckon with his Servants Luke 19. 15. Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven WE are come to the third Petition which is fitly subjoined to the former In the Preface we own our Relation to God Our Father in the first Petition we express our Care of his Glory in the second our Desires of his Kingdom and now we beg Obedience to his Will We may judg of our Respect to his Name and Kingdom by our Obedience to his Will without which we neither sanctify his Name nor submit to his Kingdom The Kingdom of God implieth two things his Government over us or the Privileges which we enjoy thereby 1. As it is taken for his Government over us so there is a fair Connection between these two Requests Before we pray that God would rule us and now for a soft and pliable Heart that we may be ruled by him Christ is not our King when we do our own Will These two are distinct Government is one thing and Obedience to it another As Mat. 6. 33. The Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof they are distinguished The Kingdom of God we plead for in the second Petition and here for the Righteousness thereof that Christ may not be a Titular Prince and Sovereign as certainly he is when we do our own Will Every Sovereign stands upon his own Will and the more absolute still the more his Will is to be looked upon as a Law and Rule Now God being so absolute a Soveraign it is but fit his Will should be done in the perfectest Manner Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven 2. If you take the Kingdom of God for the Privileges of his Government especially if they be considered in their Consummation and final Accomplishment for that which the Scripture calls the Kingdom of God by doing God's Will we enter into his Kingdom See Mat. 7. 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven It is not the Blandishment of a spiritual Complement but a true and hearty Subjection to the Will of God that availeth in God's Kingdom and is intended by this Petitionary Clause Thy Will be done Here consider I. The Substance of the Petition II. The Circumstances thereof The Substance of the Petition Thy Will be done The Circumstances are two The Place where which indeed intimateth the Persons by whom by Men here upon Earth Then the Manner is set down in a Comparison Vpon Earth as it is in Heaven Let me first open these Passages then observe somewhat I. The Substance of the Petition Thy Will be done and there 1. The Matter about which it is conversant the Will of God 2. The Request about it Thy Will be done First The Matter of the Request Thy Will God's Name was under consideration in the first Petition his Kingdom in the second and now his Will And then here 's a Note of Appropriation Thy Will in contradistinction to all others God's Will it signifieth two things either his Decree concerning future Events or else that which God hath revealed concerning our Duty his intended or commanded Will. The first is spoken of Rom. 9. 19. Who hath resisted his Will that is his Decree and his Purpose And the second his revealed Pleasure concerning our Duty is spoken of 1 Thess. 4. 3. This is the Will of God even your Sanctification The Will not of his Purpose but it is his Law his revealed Pleasure Now it is not meant here of God's Decree or secret Will Why God's secret Will that is not known therefore how can it be done upon Earth To that all are subject Reprobates Devils But here this Petition speaks of a Will which is to be done in conformity to the good Angels Again we may without Sin will that which God wills not by his secret Will as the Life of a sick Parent which God purposeth to take away Nay a Man may fulfill this secret Will and yet perish for ever as Iudas and many which break his Commandments and yet fulfil his Decrees that do that which God had determined before to be done in his secret Purpose as it is said Acts 2â— 2â— To do that which his Hand and Counsel had determined before to be done Therefore his secret Will is not here meant but the Will of God revealed Therefore let me here distinguish again The Will of God is revealed two ways in his Word and in his Works the one to be done by us the other to be done upon us the one is Voluntas de nobis God's Will concerning us the other Voluntas in nobis God's Will in us and to be done by us the one maketh way for our Active the other for our Passive Obedience Our Active Obedience hath respect to his Laws and Commands but our Passive to his Providence we shew as much Obedience in the one as in the other in Patience as in Holiness For as in Holiness we own God as the supream Law-giver so in Patience we own him as the supreme Lord that hath a Dominion over all Events and all things which fall out in the World In the one we pray Vt nihil Dei displiceat nobis that nothing which comes from God may provoke us to unseemly Passion in the other we pray Vt nihiâ— nostrum displiceat Deo that nothing which comes from us may provoke God by unseemly and undâ—tiful Carriage We principally pray for the latter here that we may fulfil his Will revealed in the Word and yet the other cannot be excluded Take but this Reason because the Saints in Scripture express their Subjection to God's Providence in Words very agreeable to this Request to the Form of this Petition as those Believers when they saw God had determined Paul's Journey to Ierusalem when he went bound in the Spirit notwithstanding the Dangers of it and their Loss by his Departure they said The Will of the Lord be done Acts 21. 14. And Christ himself speaking of his Passion Mat. 26. 39. Not as I will but as thou wilt And not my Will but thine be done Luke 22. 42. So that we pray both for the one and the other tho with a plain difference why For our Active Obedience must be even without a conditional Desire that the Commands of God should be repealed we cannot so much as desire God should disannull his Law and repeal those Statutes he hath enacted Yet we may desire conditionally if God see â—it the removal of our Affliction and that Condition of Life to which we are determined by his Providence The Commandment is not grievous in it self 1 Iohn 5. 3. yet the Affliction in its own Nature is grievous Heb. 12. 11. We may desire more knowledg of God's Law yet we may not desire more experience of Affliction the one is more absolutely necessary than
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
inordinate Desire of Reputation and Respect with Men. Now when we are plucking out our right Eye and cutting off our right Hand Mat. 5. 29. When we are mortifying and subduing our Lusts when we can deny our selves in those things to which the Heart is most wedded that 's a Sign of Compliance with the Will of God The second Point Doct. 2. That it is the Lord which giveth to will and to do those Things which are pleasing in his sight Therefore we ask it of him Thy Will be done that is as I explain'd it we ask of him a Heart Skill and Strength to do his holy Will Here I shall tell you 1. What I mean by the Point 2. Give you the Proof of it I. What I mean by the Point 1. I mean thus That in the Work of Conversion God doth all Ezek. 11. 19. I will give them one Heart and I will put a new Spirit within you and I will take the stony Heart out of their Flesh and I will give them an Heart of Flesh. The Benefit of a tender sanctified Heart is God's Gift Ezek. 36. 26 27. A new Heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony Heart out of your Flesh and I will give you an Heart of Flesh and I will cause you to walk in my Statutes Mark a new Heart that is another Heart a Heart to understand a Heart to love a Heart to do the Will of God he gives it He doth not only remove it or prepare it make way for it but I will give you a Heart of Flesh. 2. This is that I mean That after Conversion God still concurreth He doth not only give Grace but actual Help in the Work of Obedience He worketh all our Works in us Isa. 26. 12. His actual Help is necessary to direct quicken strengthen protect and defend us To direct us Psal. 73. 24. Thou shalt guide me by thy Counsel and bring me to thy Glory In our way to Heaven we need not only a Rule and Path but a Guide The Rule is the Law of God but the Guide is the Spirit of God To quicken and excite us by effectual Motions A Drousiness and a Deadness is apt to creep upon our Hearts and we see in the same Duty it is a hard matter to keep up the same Frame of Spirit the same Vigor of Affection Life and Warmth and therefore vve had need go to God often as David Psal. 119. 37. Quicken thou me in thy Way It is God vvhich doth renew the Vigor of the Life of Grace upon all occasions when it begins to languish and droop To corroborate and strengthen vvhat vve have received Ephes. 3. 16. the Apostle prays there that he would strengthen with might by his Spirit in the inner Man and 1 Pet. 5. 10. Make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you There are many Words heaped up there to shew how God is interested in maintaining and keeping afoot that which he hath planted in the Soul In protecting and defending them against the Incursions and Assaults of the Devil who always lieth in wait to surprize the Soul to withdraw us from God The Regenerate are not only escaped out of his Clutches but are advanced and appointed to be Satan's Judges which an envious and proud Spirit cannot endure therefore he maligns assaults and besiegeth them with Temptations daily Now it is God that defends Iohn 17. 11. Keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me By thy Name that is by thy Power 3. God must not only help us in the general and upon weighty occasions but in every Act from the beginning of the Spiritual Life to the end It is not enough to say that the first Principles and Motions are of God but the flowing forth of all Motions and Actions according to those Principles Phil. 2. 13. It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure God not only gives the Desire and Purpose but he gives Grace to do the Good which we will and purpose to do These two are distinct and we may have Assistance in one kind and not in another Willing and Doing I mean are different Paul saith Rom. 7. 18. To will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not To will is more than to think and to exert and put forth our Will into Action it is more than both and in all we need God's help We cannot think a good Thought nor conceive a holy Purpose much less perform a good Action without God so that every moment we need renewed Strength As long as the Work of Grace is powerful and renewed in us so long we are kept in a warm and healthful Frame but we grow vain loose earthly carnal again and off from God when this Heat and Warmth of Grace is withdrawn And therefore God still concurreth in the whole Business of our Obedience to him II. Having shewed what I mean and how far God is interested in this Work what need we have to desire we may do his Will let us prove it And because it is a weighty Point I shall prove it by parts 1. As to the first Grace that it is God alone which frames our Hearts to the Obedience of his Will 2. That vvhen vve are thus framed by Grace after Conversion it is God still concurs and must help us to do his Will First As to the first-Grace I shall prove that it is God alone by the Power of his own Spirit vvhich frames our Hearts to the Obedience of his Will This vvill appear by considering 1. What Man is by Nature 2. The Words by which our Cure is expressed and the Way God takes to put us into a Course of Obedience 3. What the Scripture speaks as to the utter Impotency of Man to the framing of his â—eart to the Obedience of God's Will First This will appear by those Motions or emphatical Terms by which the Scripture doth set forth Man's Condition before God works upon him He is one that is born in Sin Psal. 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did my Mother conceive me and things natural are not easily altered And as he is born in Sin so he is greedy of Sin Iob 15. 16. He drinketh in Iniquity like Water it noteth a vehement Propension as greedy to Sin as a thirsty Man to Drink Thirst is the most implacable Appetite Hunger is far better born It is the constant frame of his Heart Gen. 6. 5. Every Imagination of the thoughts of his Heart is only evil continually O how many aggravating and increasing Circumstances are there named c. There is a Mint that is always at work the Mind is coining evil Thoughts and the Heart evil Desires and carnal Motions and the Memory is the Closet and Store-house where they are lodged and kept This is the case of Man
born in Sin greedy and thirsty of Sin and one whose Thoughts are evil continually But may not a Man be reclaimed Oh no for he hath a Heart of Stone Ezek. 36. 26. I will take away the Heart of Stone Every Man that comes to be converted hath a Heart of Stone and what 's that insensible inflexible Insensible he hath no feeling of his Condition Inflexible he will not be moved and wrought upon by the Word and the Spirit and Providence How many means are wasted upon him and to no purpose And Ier. 17. 9. The Heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it It invents all kinds of Shifts and Excuses to elude God or rather to cheat it self When God comes to work upon Man it slides away from under his hand as if Salvation it self should not save them Yea but is not the New-Testament more favourable to Man than the Old Or is not Man grown better now there is so much of God's Grace discovered I answer there 's a perfect Harmony between the Testaments there he is stiled a Child of Wrath by Nature Eph. 2. 3. the Elect as well as others were so There you will find him to be a Servant of Sin Rom. 6. 17. Never such an imperious Master as Sin is never such a willing Servant as Man is Sin never leaves commanding and we love to work and therefore are at its beck There you will find him to be represented to a Man that hath a blind Vnderstanding and a hard Heart and one that is averse from the Life of God Eph. 4. 18. There you will find one that is an Enemy to the Law of God Enmity it self Rom. 8. 7. one that neither will nor can please God One that is blind and knows not what to do 2 Pet. 1. 9. He that lacketh these things is blind and with such a Blindness as is far worse than bodily A Man that is blind in his bodily Eyes would think it to be a great Happiness to have a fit Guide as in Acts 13. 11. when Elymas was smitten blind he sought about for some body to lead him by the hand But he that is spiritually blind cannot endure to have a Guide or if one would lead him and direct him in the right way he is angry And as the Scripture represents him as blind so without Strength Rom. 5. 9. Dead in Trespasses and Sins Eph. 2. 5. yea worse then dead a dead Man doth no more hurt his Evil dyeth with him but there 's a Life of Resistance and Rebellion against God that goeth along I have spoken but little yet put all together and then it shews what a miserable wretched Creature Man is The Scripture doth not speak this by chance it is not an Hyperbole used once or twice but every where where it speaks of this matter it sets out Man to be blind hard dead obstinate and averse from God Certainly Man contributes little to his own Conversion if the Word of God sets him out every where to be such a one he cannot hunger and thirst after Christ that drinks in Iniquity like Water nothing in his Nature to carry him to Grace who is altogether sinful If the Scripture had only said that Man had accustomed himself to Sin and were not born in Sin If it had said that Man is very prone and not greedy and thirsty in Iniquity If it had only said that Man did often think Evil but not continually If the Scripture had said that Man were somewhat obstinate but not a Stone an Adamant and like the nether Milstone That he had been indifferent to God and the World God and the Flesh and not a professed Enemy That he had been a Captive of Sin and not a Servant of Sin That Man had been weak and not dead only a Neuter and not a Rebel Then there might have been something in Man and the work of Conversion and reducing to God had not been so great But the Scripture saith the quite contrary that Man is all this and much more therefore this clears it up that his Conversion is not in himself but it is God must work this good Work upon him or else he can never be renewed Secondly Let us consider the Terms how the Cure is wrought Certainly to remedy so great an Evil requireth an Omnipotent an Almighty Power Therefore see how Conversion is described in Scripture sometimes by enlightning the Mind Ephes. 1. 18. The Eyes of your Vnderstanding being enlightned that ye may know what is the hope of his Calling c. Man the best Creature on this side Heaven is stark blind in the things of God If he should go to see with the Light of Nature how would he grope at Noon-day If he should put on the Spectacles of Art he will be but little better Nay let him take further the Glass of the Word yet how blind in a spiritual sence Something there must be done upon the Faculty the Object must not only be revealed but the Eye must be enlightned There are thick Scales upon his Eye as Paul had in his Blindness that must be taken off before he can see into the things of God But is this all enlightning the Eye No the Scripture describeth this Work of God by opening of the Heart Acts 16. 14. God opened the Heart of Lydia that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul God doth not only knock at the Heart that he doth by his Word and by the external means but he openeth the Heart he must open the Door before he can come in enter and take Possession As to the means God trieth Key after Key one Providence after another As when a Man would open a Door he knows not what Key will fit the Lock he trieth Key after Key So God trieth one Cross one Affliction after another one Sermon one Message after another but until he puts his Fingers upon the hole of the Lock we shall not open But these Words are not emphatical enough therefore it is expressed by a Regeneration John 3. 3. Except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Mark they must not only be reformed but must be regenerated and born again Now because this is an ordinary Work which falleth out in the course of Causes therefore there 's a more solemn Notion used it is exprest by a Resurrection Eph. 2. 5. He hath raised you up together with Christ. Yea but that which hath been may be again therefore it is exprest not only by a Resurrection but by a Creation Ephes. 2. 10. We are his Workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good Works 2 Cor. 4. 6. He that commandeth the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts And we are called New-Creatures And higher than this it is expressed not only by a Creation but by a Victory and overcoming It is resembled by beating and binding of the strong Man and rescuing and
but they are hidden among others Therefore Reprobates are called obiter by the by as others are called according to purpose and therefore they have the Benefit of the common Call and the common Offer The World stands for the Elects sake yet others have the Benefit of the World and worldly Things So the Word is preached for the Elects sake yet others have the Benefit of an external Call The Sun shines tho blind Men see it not The Rain falls upon Rocks and Mountains as well as fruitful Valleys So God may suffer these Exhortations to light upon wicked Men. And again as to them it is for their Conviction it is to bridle their Corruptions it is at least a means to civilize them and keep them from growing worse Therefore such kind of Doctrines and Persuasions restrain their Wickedness Therefore it stands well enough with the Wisdom of the Law-giver to call upon Men and invite them with Promises and Threatnings to Repentance Therefore now let me shew How doth God reduce and frame our Hearts to the Obedience of his Will The Ways God useth are of two sorts Moral and Real 1. God works morally so as to preserve Man's Nature and the Principles thereof therefore he works by sweet Inclination not with Violence So he comes with Blandishments and comfortable Words Hos. 2. 14. I will allure her and bring her into the Wilderness and speak comfortably unto her So Gen. 9. 27. The Lord shall persuade Japhet and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem. By fair and kindly Words he draweth on Men to the liking of the Gospel He offereth no violence to our natural Principles but to our Corruptions God doth not make the Will to be no Will but to be a good Will He restoreth the Faculties to their right Use and Exercise He layeth forth the Beauty and Excellency of his Grace and a glorious Estate he sets before our Eyes and â—o out-bids Temptation and draweth our Hearts to himself And God not only doth work suitably to our general Nature as we are reasonable Creatures but suitably to the particular Frame of the Heart Some are of a stout and stubborn Temper and will not be subdued by milder Means and Motives therefore God breaks them with Fears and Terrors and with a Spirit of Conviction And others he draws them on by Love and by a gentle Application That God hath respect to Mens particular Tempers was figured in those extraordinary Ways of Appearance and Manifestation they are fitted according to the State of Men. To Moses that was a Shepherd and was acquainted with Bushes God appears in a Bush of Fire And to the Wise Men that were skill'd in the Motions of the heavenly Bodies he appears in a Star And to Peter that was a Fisherman he appears to him and shews his Power first in the Draught of Fishes So still these are Pledges of this kind of Dispensation that God will work suitably not only to our general Nature as Men but to our particular State and Temper Yea yet further to set on this moral Way of working there is a fit Subordination of the Circumstances of Providence God takes the wild Asses in their Month and he hath his Season wherein to surprize the Heâ—rts of Sinners Prov. 25. 11. A Word fitly spoken is like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver God comes in in a fit Season as when a Soul is humbled by some sudden Accident As one was converted by seeing a Man fall down dead suddenly by him God ordereth some Providences to work and awaken the Hearts of Men. Or else by some great Affliction Hos. 2. 14. I will bring her into the Wilderness and speak comfortably unto her God finds many a Sinner in the Briars as Abraham found the Lamb. Stubborn Humors are then most broken Metal in the Furnace is capable of any Form God may suit and dispose us so that he may come in in a fit season to the Soul Or in Terrors of Conscience when the Heart is scourged with remorse for great Sins All this is God's moral Work 2. There is a real Work which goes along with this Persuasion there is an Almighty Power For bare Persuasion cannot make the Blind to see the Dead to live or open the Heart of Man that is so desperately and obstinately wicked until he puts his Fingers upon the Holes of the Lock until he begins to open the Heart Concerning this real Work observe it is secret yet thorow and prevailing so as the Effect doth follow when God will convert The exact Manner of God's drawing is unknown Austin calls it an inward hidden and unspeakable Power which God putteth forth together with the Word it is marvellous in our Eyes but he that knew how to creat Souls knows how to work upon them This Power it is like the Influences of the Heavens which so insinuate themselves with the Operation of second Causes that they cannot be seen so there is such a mighty Power working in us tho we cannot tell how to express it We cannot say there is no such Power because we do not know what it is And as this Power is secret so when this Power is put forth it is prevailing he works prevailingly so as the Effect must necessarily follow The Grace God gives to Men to convert them it is not a Power to be converted repent and believe if they will no but he gives Repentance he gives Faith and works so as the Effect shall succeed He works efficaciously and determinately so as to oppose all the Resistance of the Will and accomplish his Work That 's the first Branch Secondly When we are thus framed by Grace after Conversion God still concurreth and must help us to do his Will He doth not only give us the Habit of Grace but actual Help in the Work of Obedience Isa. 26. 12. Thou hast wrought all our Works in us But why is it that still the Lord worketh in us both to will and to do unto the last and not only begins with us but still keeps Grace in his own hands so as we shall have our Supplies from Heaven from day to day There are several Reasons 1. Because it endeareth God to a gracious Soul The more Visits we have from God and the more he is mindful of us at every turn the more is God endeared to us In such a Duty there we met with Comfort and Enlargement because God was there that is noted and regarded so that the Lord is rendred the more precious The Experiment we have of God in every Duty doth the more make us prize his Grace As David Psal. 119. 93. I will never forget thy Precepts for with them thou hast quickned me I shall never forget such a Sermon and such a Prayer because there I met with God So in Affliction Rom. 5. 3. Patience worketh Experience or in such a Conflict we had such a Support this endeareth God to the Soul As mutual Acts of
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
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
the contrary when Men cater for the Flesh provide for it indulge carnal Distempers and feed them with that Diet which they affect These tempt themselves and seem willing to lie under their Bondage and to be glad of it 3. When a Man is a Sinner to his loss and hath Reasons of Nature to disswade him as well as Reasons of Grace not only Religion but his civil Interests would counsel him to do otherwise as he that brings a Blot upon his Name or Ruin upon his Estate by evil Courses when Men draw on Iniquity with a Cart-rope as the Expression is Isa. 5. 18. that is when it is not Pleasure but a very Toil and Burden and temporal Inconvenience to them to be sinful that industriously make it their business those that are holden with the Cords of their own Sins Prov. 5. 22. He speaks of such as did bring temporal Inconveniencies upon themselves as did consume their Flesh and their own Bodies these certainly are those that have cause to complain of their own Hearts not to put it on Satan but themselves II. Having opened the Nature of Temptations I come now to give the Reasons why this is so usual an Evil we encounter with in the World Temptation 1. God permits it for his own Glory to discover the Power the Freeness and Riches of his Grace that Men may be driven the more earnestly to sue out their Peace in the Name of Jesus Christ. Luther propounds this Reason Tho Man be prone to sin of himself of his own accord yet God suffers the Tempter to be in the World because Man is backward to seek Mercy and Grace by Christ and therefore God urgeth him with sore Temptations Certainly this Reason was given by him not amiss You know when Paul felt those Paroxisms and sad Counter-buffs in his own Spirit this makes him bless God for Jesus Christ. Rom. 7. 25. But thanks be to God through Iesus Christ our Lord It makes him reflect upon the Grace of God in Christ. We keep off from the Throne of Grace till Temptations drive us thither As when the Sheep wander the Shepherd le ts loose his Dog upon them not to worry them but to bring them back to the Fold again so God lets loose Satan to drive us to himself 2. For the trial of that Grace which he hath wrought in us Grace doth better appear in Temptation than out of it The greatness of the Woman of Canaan's Faith would never have been discovered had it not been for Christ's Answer and Denial Mat. 15. 25 28. Then O Woman great is thy Faith The Glory of that Grace which God hath wrought in his People would not be discovered so much were it not for the great Trials he puts them upon Heb. 11. 17. By Faith Abraham when he was tried offered up Isaac Before we go to Heaven we shall have our Trials and shall be tried in our dearest Comforts and choicest worldly Contentments and all to see what Faith we have and what Loyalty to God in the midst of these Trials A great Tempest discovereth the goodness of a Ship and skill of the Pilot and so these great Trials they discover the soundness of our Hearts and the fruit of that Grace which God hath wrought in us Gold is most tried in the Fire and discovered to be pure and perfect Stars that lie hid in the Day shine in the Night We have but dry Notions of the Comforts of Christianityâ— and make them matter of talk until we are put upon great Trials then is our belief and sense of them proved A gilded Potsherd may shine until it comes to scouring but then the Varnish and Paint is worn off The Valour and Worth of a Souldier is not known in times of Peace and when he is out of Action When we are put to some difficulty and straits then is Faith seen Now this is a very pleasing Spectacle to God to see them approve their Faith and Loyalty to his Majesty 3. Temptations as they serve to prove so also to humble us that we may never be proud of what we have or conceited of what we have not As Paul that he might not be exalted above measure he was buffeted with a Messenger of Satan 2 Cor. 12. 7. Poor Bladders we are soon blown up and swoln into Vanity and vain Conceits of our selves therefore had need be pricked that we may let out those swelling Winds A Ship that is loaden with precious Ware needs to be ballasted with Wood Stones or contemptible Stuff But why will God humble us by Temptations and such kind of Temptations as are solicitatious to Evil Answer Spiritual Evils need a Spiritual Cure Outward Afflictions they humble but not so much as Temptations do they are not so conducible to humble a gracious Heart as Temptations to Sin Why For then the Breach is made upon our Souls and the Assault is given to that which a gracious Man counts to be dear and therefore these are suffered to come upon us If any thing will humble a Child of God this will do it It may be he may bear up under losses tollerably but when his Peace comes to be assaulted and his Grace this will humble him to purpose Worldly Men they value their Estate by their outward Interest But a Child of God by his Peace of Conscience and his thriving in Grace O this wounds him to the Heart when in either of these he suffers loss This sets him a praying and groaning to God as Paul groans bitterly when he felt those gripes of Sin and those reluctances in his Heart O wretched Man c. Afflictions they conduce to humble and prove us Deut. 8. 16. And besides too the Lord loves to make the Cause of our Mischief to be the Means of our Cure This giveth us the sight of some Corruption we saw not before 4. God permits this Exercise to his People to conform us to Christ. We must pledg him in his own Cup it must go round He himself was tempted Heb. 2. 7. Christ hath felt the weight burden and trouble of Temptations and knows the danger of them Now the Disciple is not above his Lord nor the Scholar above his Master The Devil that did set upon Christ will not be afraid of us 5. By Temptations to Sin God mortiâ—â—eth Sin not only that Sin to which we are tempted but others that we may not be so heedless When we have smarted under Temptation we are not so indulgent to Corruption as before we do not let our Senses nor Affections run loose as David speaks that he got this by his Fall Psal. 51. 6. In the hidden part thou shalt make me to know Wisdom O I shall be wiser and more circumspect for this all my Life When Men have smarted they grow more cautious and so by the over-ruling and good Hand of God our Sins do us service in our passage to Heaven as well as our Graces And God's Children may
than the Fire doth to a Stone if we were not combustible Matter The Corruption that is in the World through Lust 2 Pet. 1. 4. The danger of living in the World doth not stand in this because here are so many Inticements and Baits for every Sense but it 's the Corruption through Lust as the Venom is not in the Flower but Spider The Philistines could not prevail against Sampson if Dalilah on whom he doted had not lull'd him asleep Or as Balaam first corrupted Israel before he could curse them or bring them any harm So Corruption in the Heart makes us liable to Satan's Malice There is a treacherous Party within to open the Door to Satan without which all outward Force could not annoy us Well then we had need go to God Lord Deliver us from Evil. Where we beg 1. That God would weaken the strength of inbred Corruption that we may not be foiled by it Paul groans sadly Rom. 7. 24. O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death It is a Question but it implyeth a Wish for the Hebrews propose their Wishes by way of Question that is O that I were delivered It is a great Mercy to be kept from falling into Sin Kept from every Evil Work 2 Tim. 4. 18. 2. If we be foiled by our Corruption we beg that we may not lie in it nor grow weary of our Resistance nor cast away our Weapons and suffer Sin to have a quiet Reign Psal. 119. 133. Let not any Iniquity have dominion over me We cannot hope for a total exemption from Sin but O Lord let it not reign over us How shall we know when Sin reigns When there is no course of Mortification set up against it to break the Power Force and Tyranny of it Take this Distinction There are remaining and reserved Corruptions Sin remains where it doth not reign but reserved Corruption that 's reigning I will explain it thus Sin remains when notwithstanding all our Endeavours yet it still haunts and pesters us tho praying watching striving waiting and depending upon God for Strength but it is reserved when you let it alone and are loth to touch it but rather cherish dandle and foster it in the Heart and make provision for it Therefore then are we delivered from Evil when we recover by Repentance and tho we suffer by the Tyranny of Sin we will not let it alone to have a quiet reign in our Hearts Do not live under the Power of Corruptions Sin let alone will do us farther Mischief Secondly As we have reason to pray to God with earnestness because of our Danger so with Confidence because of God's Undertaking 2 Thes. 3. 3. The Lord is faithful who shall stablish you and keep you from Evil. God hath undertaken to keep those who with humble and broken Hearts do come to him to be kept from Evil that are watchful serious and careful to get Evils redressed as soon as discerned therefore we may come with an assured Confidence to be delivered from all Evil. How far hath God undertaken to keep his People from Evils and Dangers in this Life I answer 1. So far as may be hurtful to their Souls 1 Cor. 10. 13. God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but will with the Temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it It is part of God's Faithfulness to keep you from Evil to proportion and temper Temptation to your Strength God suits the Burden to every Back he drives on as the little Ones are able to bear therefore certainly he will mitigate Temptation or give in supply of Strength 2. God will keep you from the Evil of Sin so far as it is deadly that is that it be not a Sin unto Death 1 Iohn 5. 16. and that it may not reign in our mortal Bodies for you are dead to it Rom. 6. 14. For Sin shall not have Dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace 3. God undertakes for our Final Deliverance from all Evil upon our translation to Heaven This is included in this Prayer that we may at length come to that State where is no Sorrow no Sin no Assault and Temptation from Satan that we may be kept from all Wickedness Psal. 34. 19. Many are the Afflictions of the Righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all There is a time when God delivereth us from all at once and that is by Death and our Translation into Heaven Well then Let us fly to God for Deliverance waiting for his Help Doct. That to be kept from the Evil of Temptation is a greater Mercy than to be kept from the Trouble of Temptation Lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from Evil That is If we be led into Temptation let us be kept from the Evil of it First It 's a more wonderful Providence to be kept from Evil than from Temptation Esse bonum facile est ubi quod vetat esse remoâ—um est It is no great matter to be Chast or Honest when there 's no Temptation to the contrary Ay but to keep our Integrity in the midst of Assaults and Temptations there 's the wonder If a Garrison be never assaulted 't is no wonder that it standeth exempt from the Calamity of War This is like the Bush that was burned yet not consumed exercised with Temptation from Day to Day and yet kept from Evil. And in this Sence God's Power is more glorified than in keeping the Angels for the Angels are out of Gun-shot and Harms-way and not liable to Temptations But to preserve a poor weak Creature in the midst of Temptation O! how is the Power of God made perfect in Weakness 2 Cor. 12. 9. Perfected that is gloriously discovered Secondly The Evil of Sin is greater than the Evil of Affliction or Trouble 1. The Evil of Sin is the greater Evil because it separateth from God Isa. 59. 2. 'T is an Aversion from the Chiefest Good Affliction doth not separate from God 't is a means to make us draw nigh to him Poverty Sickness Blindness Loss of Goods let a Man be never so low and loathsom yet if in a state of Grace the Lord taketh pleasure in him and he is near and dear to God God kisseth him with the Kisses of his Mouth nothing is loathsom to God but Sin 2. Sin is Evil in it self whether we feel it or no Affliction is not Evil in it self but in our Sense and Feeling Heb. 12. 11. Sin is Evil whether we feel it or no 'T is worse when we do not feel it Past Feeling Eph. 4. 19. when our Conscience is benummed 3. Affliction or Malum Poenae is an Act of Divine Justice but Malum Culpae is an Act of Man's Corruptness For the first Affliction Amos 6. 3. Is there any Evil and the Lord hath not done it But Sin 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
with God in Prayer that he might be glorified then we shall count it as great a Blessing when he is glorified as when we are saved Prayer makes way for the increase of our Esteem and engages us to observe the return When we have asked it of God we will be affected with it then When we see all his Works praise him what a Comfort will this be to the Soul Bless the Lord O my Soul Psal. 103. ult But Secondly Let me shew the Necessity of dealing with God about it The Necessity will appear both in respect of Persons and Things when we beg that God's Name may be Hallowed we beg Dispositions of Heart and Occasions First The Necessity will appear in respect of Persons both as to our Selves and Others First In respect of our Selves There is a great Necessity that we should deal with God about the Hallowing of his Name because we need Direction Quickning Sincerity Submission to God Humility and Holiness To instance in these six Things 1. We need Direction The Habits of Grace are God's Gifts and the Exercise of Grace is another thing to actuate quicken guide and direct it 2 Thess. 3. 5. The Lord direct your Hearts to the love of God And so in Prayer and in honouring of God In Prayer We know not how or what to pray for as we ought Tho we have Grace yet we need Direction A Ship that is well rigg'd yet needs a skilful Pilot. Rom. 8. 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our Infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought How much are we to seek to give God his due Honour Of our selves we cannot so much as think a good Thought 2 Cor. 3. 5. There is an utter insufficiency in us to meditate of God and conceive aright of his Excellency and give him the Honour which is due to him None of us but needs daily to go to God that we may be taught how to hallow and sanctify his Name 2. We need Quickning being so backward to this Duty All the Lepers could beg Help and but one returned to give God the Glory There is much dulness and deadness of Heart as to the praising of God and glorifying of God Self-Love will put us upon other Things but it is Grace must quicken us to glorify him and praise him When we go to God for our selves our Necessities will sharpen our Affections and put a shrill Accent upon our Prayers But now when we beg of God for God then there is a greater Restraint upon us And therefore David saith Psal. 51. 15. Open thou my Lips and my Mouth shall shew forth thy Praise We need God to open our Mouths that is enlarge our Hearts and quicken our Affections How apt are we to turn the back upon the Mercy-Seat Ezek. 46. 9. If a Man came in at the North Gate he was to go out at the South Gate but never at the same Door why That he might not turn his Back upon the Mercy-Seat When we have prayed we are apt to forget that God which hath blessed as and therefore that our Hearts might be inlarged and quickned we need to go to God 3. We need Vprightness and Sincerity that we may mind the Glory of God This is not a Work of Nature but Grace Phil. 2. 21. All Men seek their own not the Things which are Iesus Christ's There is the Fruit and Effect of Nature it puts Men upon seeking their own Things worldly Ease Profit and Pleasure every Creature naturally seeks its own Welfare But to make the Glory of God our great Aim and Pursuit it is â—raâ—e puts upon that Water ascends no higher than it descends so Nature cannot rise beyond it self The Stream cannot rise above the Founâ—ain and above the Principle A Man that hath nothing but Nature he cannot unfeignedly seek the Things which are of God The Old-Man with the deceitful Lusts that 's the natural Man The upright Heart that unfeignedly seeks God needs Grace from above Without Influence from God our Actions cannot have a tendency to God We shall prefer our Interest before God's Glory if we have no higher Principle than what our Hearts could furnish us with 4. We must go to God for Submission Now there is a double Submission required which if we have not we shall find it marvellously difficult to glorify God One as to the choice of Instruments another as to the Way and Means by which God will bring about his own Glory 1. As to the Choice of Instruments There is in us an Envy and wicked Emulation O how hard a matter is it to rejoice in the Gifts and Graces and Services of others and be content with the Dispensation when God will cast us by as unworthy and use others for the glorifying of his Name Therefore that we may refer the Choice of Instruments to God we need go to him and say Lord hallowed be thy Name do it which way and by whom thou pleasest We are troubled if others glorify God and not we or more than we if they be more holy more useful or more serious Self will not yield to this Now by putting up this Prayer to God we refer it to him to chuse the Instrument whom he will employ It was a commendable Modesty and Self-denial in Iohn Baptist which is described John 3. 13. He must increase I must decrease When we are contented to be abased and obscured provided Christ may be honoured and exalted and be content with such a Dispensation tho with our Loss and Decrease Many are of a private Station and straitned in Gifts and can have no publick Instrumentality for God now these need to pray Hallowed be thy Name that they may rejoyce when God useth others whom he hath furnished with greater Abilities 2. A Submission for the Way that we may submit to those unpleasing Means and Circumstances of his Providence that God will take up and make use of for the glorifying of his holy Name Many times we must be content not only to be active Instruments but passive Objects of God's Glory And therefore iâ— God will glorify himself by our Poverty or our Disgrace our Pain and Sickness we must be content Therefore we need to deal with God seriously about this Matter that we may submit to the Lord's Will as Jesus Christ did Iohn 12. 27 28. Save me from this Hour but for this cause came I unto this Hour Father glorify thy Name And there was a Voice from Heaven that said I have glorified it and will glorify it again Put me to Shame Suffering to endure the Cross the Curse so thou mayest be gloriâ—ied This was the humble Submission of Christ Jesus and such a Submission should be in us The Martyrs were â—â—ntented to bâ— bound to the Stake if that way God will use them to his glory Phil. 1. 20. saith Paul So Christ shall be magnified in my Body whether it be by Life or by Death If