to whom Fatherhood and the beginning of all things is ascribed without excluding but necessarily including the other two namely to God the Father the first person in Trinitie the naturall and eternall Father of Christ Iesus who by adopting us in Christ and by begetting us againe by regeneration through the Spirit * Ioh. 20.17 is our Father Thus the Apostle Paul conceived of God when he prayed first he conceived of God as Father of Christ saying Eph. 3.14.15 I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ then he sheweth how hee conceived God as the father of the elect when he saith Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth are named So did the Apostle Peter conceive of God 1 Pet 1.3 when he gave him thanks saying Blessed be God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Which art in heaven Heaven signifieth the heaven of heavens the third heaven where Christ sitteth at the right hand of his Father By the excellencie of this place above others is set forth the majestie and excellencie of him that sitteth therein God doth not so inhabite the high and holy place but that he dwelleth also with him that is of a contrite spirit Isa 57.15 1 Kin. 8.27 Mat. 5.34.35 Psal 11.4 And the Heaven of heavens cannot containe him But because heaven is Gods Pallace and throne in comparison of earth which is but his footstoole and because from thence he doth manifest his glory more remarkeably then from any other place revealing his will power Iam. 1.17 and Godhead in his workes of mercy as David saith Psal 57.3 Psal 102.19.10 Rom. 1.18 He shall send from heaven and save me and in workes of justice as the Apostle saith The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse therefore hee will that his being in heaven should as by a signe set forth his glorious Majestie Also his being in heaven doth distinguish him from earthly fathers Luk. 31 13. and putteth difference between him and false * Psal 136.26 Ion. 1.9 gods This description of God by his place is all one with that which the Apostle setteth downe at large calleth him 1. Tim 6.15.16 Onely Potentate King of kings Lord of Lords who onely hath immortalitie dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto c. If this short description be well weighed it will appeare that there could not possibly bee a a more briefe and more apt description of God meet to be represented to the minde of him that is to pray then this which in more words may be thus expressed O Lord God which art Father of Christ Iesus and through him Father of me and of all beleevers we coming to thee in the name of Christ and being moved hereunto by thy spirit of Adoption whereby we call Abba Father we are well assured that thou wilt accept of our praiers praying for our selves and for our brethren and sith thou onely art God which dwellest in the high and holy place from whence cometh every good gift and art Almightie as thou art God to answer thy willingnesse as thou art Father wherefore we call upon thee and do thou vouchsafe to heare us Our Note here that a man must have faith and be in state to call God his Father else he is not sufficiently qualified for prayer Learne therefore Whosoever would make an acceptable Doct. 1 prayer must be Gods childe he must have a right to call God Father and must come to God as a childe to his father Therefore David when hee prayeth approveth himselfe to be Gods childe saying If I regard iniquitie in my heart the Lord will not heare me Psal 66.18 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abhomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight saith Solomon Prov. 15.8 It was a true speech of him which said We know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God and doth his will him he heareth Ioh. 9.31 Reason 1 For the person of a man must be accepted else his sacrifice cannot be good and acceptable for while the tree is naught Mat. 7 18. the fruit cannot be good Thornes cannot send forth grapes Mat. 7 16 neither can thistles beare figges Reason 2 All acceptable prayers are put up in Christs name and are accepted through his mediation Now he is Advocate for none but those for whom he is a propitiation scil beleevers according to his prayer I pray not for the world c. Ioh. 17.9 Reason 3 No man can pray untill he have the spirit of prayer Zac. 12.10 to cause him to mourne kindly for his sinne and to call Abba Father which spirit God sendeth to none but to his sonnes Gal. 4.6 Everie one that cometh to Reason 4 God must beleeve that God is and that hee is a rewarder of them that diligently seeke him Heb. 11.6 They must have faith How shall they call on him on whom they have not beleeved Rom. 10.14 The promise of acceptance Reason 5 and of a gracious hearing is made to the godly Psal 32 6. Psal 34.15.17.18 Iam. 5.16 and to the righteous whose prayers are said to be prevailing If a man have not good assurance Reason 6 that hee is the childe of God he can never answer those strong objections which the devill will urge to keepe him from prayer but if he can shew that God is his Father and that God hath commanded him to pray no objection of Satan can discourage him Vse 1 Hereby all that do not righteousnesse and that love not their brethren for by this they are discerned not to be children of God Ioh. 3.10 but of the devill must understand that if they continue in this their wicked condition and yet pray they deale presumptuously and to them God saith Psa â—0 16.17 What have ye to do to take my covenant in your mouth seeing ye hate instruction Secondly they may learne what to judge of their praiers God accepteth them not for they be no better then either howlings or cries wrung from them by pinching necessitie Hos 7.14 or meere hypocritical mocking of God abhominable sacrifices of which the Lord saith Your incense is an abhomination Isa 113.15 and when ye make many prayers I will not heare It is all one with him as if * Isa 66.3 ye did blesse an Idoll so long as ye chuse your owne waies such as ignorance superstition contempt of religion prophanenesse pride drunkennesse whoredome deceit lying unbeliefe impenitencie and such like God abhorreth all service done to him so long as their soules delight in their abhominations Consider this O ye that forget God saith the Lord lest I teare you in pieces and there be none to deliver Psal 50.22 Thirdly let all impenitent and ungodly persons take notice in how miserable a straight they are and into what a labyrinth and maze their sinne hath brought
knowledge and care of them above the knowledge and care that Abraham could have of them saying Isa 63.15.16 Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham bee ignorant of us c. Thou ô Lord art our Father our Redeemer thy Name is frō everlasting The Apostle calleth him King eternal 1. Tim. 1.17 immortall invisible only wise God And he doth call Christ who is one with the Father Blessed and onely Potentate the King of kings Lord of lords 1. Tim 6.15.16 who onely hath immortality dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto that is in heaven to whom be glory and power everlasting These places shew plainly that Gods being in heaven doth set out his purenesse of being his soveraigntie his infinite power goodnesse omniscience truth mercie justice and all other his infinite excellencies His dwelling in heaven Reason and declaration of his power from thence both by his word and works of creation preservation and redemption of man do prove that he is God and in these works his majesty power and all other excellencies of God are written in such great letters that any one may runne and reade them How can any thinke of this Vse 1 God and not be ravisht in his soule with a most high admiration of his glorious and most excellent heavenly majestie Likewise it should cause al men to reverence feare love and obey this Almighty this infinitely good and glorious God whose throne is in heaven who is our heavenly Father Also it should cause us to the utmost of our power whensoever we draw neare to him in any of his ordinances to come in sort beseeming his holy and heavenly majestie putting off all earthly mindednesse and putting on of heavenlinesse lifting up our hearts to God in the highest heavens How doth this discover the Vse 2 sinfulnesse of those that call Gods omniscience providence and power or any other his attributes into question as they in the Psalme saying Psal 94.7 The Lord shall not see c. And as those that said Psal 78.19 Can God furnish a table in the wildernesse c. Can he give bread Can he provide flesh for his people The Psalmist calleth these brutish men and foolish and the Lord did shew that he could send them bread and flesh Psa 105.15 Num. 11.33 and withall leannesse into their soules so that they were not better but worse by it And he could furnish a table and also while the meat was in their mouthes he could in his wrath smite the fattest of them Psal 78.31 Make no question therefore what God can do for he can do any thing but this one to deny himselfe and ceasse to be infinite this he cannot do Vse 3 How terrible should the apprehension of Gods heavenly majestie be to all that live in any knowne sinne willingly For they live in the hatred and displeasure of him who shall send his Sonne in the glory of his majestie Mat. 16.27 who shall come in flaming fire to execute vengeance upon all those that know not God 2. Thes 1.8 and obey not the Gospell Mat. 10.28 who is able to destroy both body and soule in hell fire Vse 4 The consideration of the heavenly majestie omnipotencie and all the other most excellent attributes of God as also the consideration of heaven the place of his speciall habitation doth teach us many lessons concerning prayer First that we should not be rash with our mouthes or our hearts hastie to utter any thing before God Eccles 5.2 For God is in heaven we upon earth saith Solomon A man therefore must be considerate and well prepared before he speake unto him according as I have shewed at large page 30. Secondly this invisibility and incomprehensiblenesse of God our heavenly Father doth teach us that he is not imaginable so as to be likened to any visible thing Wherefore he that prayeth must not represent God not so much as in his thought and phantasie much lesse to his eye in the likenesse of a man or of any other creature The Orthodoxe Christians in all times have beene opposite to the making of any image of God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost either severally or of the Trinitie joyntly but especially to the setting up of any image of God in any place where God was to be worshipped knowing that the beholding of the image doth readily and unavoidably beget a false and carnall conceit of God misleading the imagination turning God into an idoll Rom. 1.23 changing the glory of the incomprehensible and incorruptible God into the image of a finite and corruptible man For indeed by reason of mans pronenesse to idolatry and of Satans deceiveable cunning suggestions and instigations as also for that an image cannot possibly set forth the incomprehensible Being and glory of God but yet leaveth a strong impression that God is present in the image and that he is like unto it therefore it is impossible for any man to represent God to himselfe by an image though it be but to put him in remembrance of God but that he shall quickly become an idolater According to the doctrine of our Church namely Idolatry is to images Hom. Tom. 2. pag. 4◠especially in Churches an inseparable accident God saith that the children of Israel saw no manner of similitude on the day that he spake to them in Horeb Deut. 4.15 16. c. out of the midst of the fire Isa 40.18 And to whom will you liken God or what likenesse will you compare unto him saith the Spirit by the Prophet Isaiah Wherefore when we pray we must not conceive of him in the likenesse of any thing but as an incomprehensible Spirit Father Sonne and holy Ghost from whom by whō through whom and to whom are all things God blessed for ever one alwayes to be admired and adored but not possible to bee delineated or comprehended by any imagination of man What though God did sometimes manifest his presence by things visible as to Moses in the burning bush Exod. 3.2 Exod. 24.15.16.17 and to the children of Israel in the cloud and in the likenesse of devouring fire Gen. 3.8 1. Sam. 3.4 1 Kin. 19.12 as also he did to Adam to Samuel and to Eliah by the sound of a voice And what though in a mentall vision God appeare as a majesticke * 1. King 22.19 judge sitting upon a throne in such appearances as might set forth to Micaiah Dan. 7.9 to Daniel and to Iohn Rev. 4.2 3 the soveraigntie eternity puritie severitie and all-sufficiencie of God And what though the holy Ghost descended upon Christ like a * Mat. 3.16 Act. 2.3 dove and upon the disciples in cloven tongues like fire These were onely acts of particular dispensation usefull for the present occasiōs but not to be patterns to set forth God thereby for our imitation For notwithstanding that God appeared in divers
can heare the one as well as the other How farre forth then is a man to use a voyce in prayer Quest Voyce is not of the essence of prayer Answ The case of using a voyce or no voyce in prayer therefore it is not alwayes needfull to be used as in short ejaculations and when a man is speechlesse or when he cannot bee so private that he may conveniently do it or when a man findeth that hee can keepe his minde alike earnestly attentive and rightly affected in prayer without voyce But a voyce is needfull both in publicke and private when a man is the mouth of others that joyne with him in prayer And when a man prayeth alone it is also fit and usefull For God hath made the tongue an apt instrument to expresse the meaning of the heart and with it also we ought to serve and glorifie God And voyce is a good helpe in prayer For a mans owne voyce is heard of himselfe and is reciprocall upon a mans selfe and serveth both to keepe the heart and thoughts from scattering keeping the heart more close to the present businesse and causing him the sooner to take himselfe in the manner and to checke himselfe when his thoughts do stragle As also the voyce serveth to stirre up to continue and to inflame the spirit and affections of him that prayeth But use speech in private prayer with these cautions Cautions touching using of voice in private prayer First you must not thinke that God heareth prayers the sooner or the rather because of speech Secondly that you do it not to be heard of men that it might bee knowne that you pray in private as well as in publicke Thirdly you are not to speak aloud in private prayer to the offence of those who are so neare that they cannot but heare you yet cannot joyne with you in your prayer This Doctrine yeeldeth also Vse 5 unto beleevers plenty of al heavenly comforts Our Father is in heaven therefore hee can heare in every place we need not tyre our selves in going on pilgrimage to any place to seek him for if we can but enter into our hearts lift them up to heaven we shall finde him He also knoweth all things which we need Mat. 6.32 1. Sam. 14. It is not hard for him to helpe with little or no earthly power He is wisedome and knoweth perfectly what is best and when it is best to helpe his children Many parents would do their children good but either want wisedome know not how or want power and are not able But God is both able and knoweth how and he will do his children good for his love to them is more than naturall it is an heavenly therefore an infinite and everlasting love He hath promised never to leave us now his truth is an heavenly perfect truth it cannot be falsified It is not hardnesse of our hearts nor multitude or greatnesse of our sinnes can hinder our happinesse if we will not wilfully reject his grace through our unbeleefe if we will repaire to him and repose our trust in him For as the Apostle saith Rom. 11.23 He is able to graft in againe the hard hearted Iews he can pardon ten thousand talents as wel as one peny and can as easily say Mat. 9.2.5 All sinnes are forgiven as to say Rise and walke Mic. 7.18.19 We can say Our Father is an heavenly Father and who is a God like our God that pardoneth iniquity transgression and sinne that subdueth all our iniquities and will cast all our sinnes into the depth of the sea It is not with God as with man man cannot helpe all his children at once God can be they never so many and never so farre distant Earthly parents may be drawn drie when they have given portions and inheritances to many they have none for the rest as Isaac when he had blessed Iacob Gen. 27.36.38 he had no such blessing for Esau so that hee cryed Hast thou but one blessing O my father God hath mansions and a kingdome for every one of his Ioh. 14.2 his custome is not that one sonne or that sonnes onely should inherit his kingdome but both sonnes and daughters do all of them inherit for our Father is an heavenly Father Also this consideration of the heavenly majestie and power of God added to the consideration of his fatherhood doth give us assurance of hope that we shall have all the petitions which we aske according to his will For as he is almightie hee can do whatsoever he is willing to do as he is a Father Lastly is our Father an heavenly Father then wee can assure our selves that hereafter we shall in our measure partake of his heaven and of his holines and of his glory For after death when we awake we shall bee received into heaven where we shall ever be with the Lord and be filled with his likenesse Psal 17.15 and hee who now by his heavenly wisedome doth guide us with his counsell shall receive us into glorie where we shall see him as he is and ever remaine in his presence where are pleasures for evermore For as we have borne the image of the earthy 1. Cor. 15.49 wee shall also beare the image of the heavenly Of this we need not doubt for our Father is heavenly therefore the children must needs be heavenly Thus much of the Invocation and calling upon him to whom onely prayer may bee made The petitions follow The petitions do contain the matter of all lawfull requests They may be divided differently according unto such different respects as may be conceived of them First if wee respect the number there are sixe distinct petitions and no more I confesse Divines of good antiquity have reckoned seven making two of the last others of no lesse authority have not regarded the number at all Some of the ancient and most of the orthodox later Writers have reckoned but six and as I thinke upon good ground All agree in the five first all the question is about the sixth whether it bee one or two Now because the subject of both sentences in that petition is all one scil sanctification and the conjunction but knitteth Lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evill together into one sentence it is more than probable that is but one petition But whether there be six or seven it is no matter of our faith and doth not deserve any heat of disputation to decide the controversie Secondly if we respect the different persons whom the matter of the petitions concern they are thus divided the three first concerne God only for we say Thy Name thy kingdome thy will c. The three last concern man for wee say Our bread our sinnes lead us not deliver us Thirdly if wee respect that which ought to bee the chiefe end of every mans desire and the meanes to compasse the said end they have this order and are
by that first promise made to Adam that the seede of the woman should breake the head of the Serpent Gen 3.15 from that time it hath beene by Christ administred For though he were not actually incarnate and made man much lesse did he dye and rise againe Gal. 4 4. untill the fulnesse of time in the latter end of the world in the severall times appointed thereunto yet in Gods purpose and appointment as also in Gods promises and to the faith of Adam Abel Enock Noah Abraham and of the rest of the Patriarkes and beleevers the incarnation death resurrection and dominion of Christ had a being and was as effectuall to them that then beleeved in the Messias to be incarnate c. as they now are to any that beleeve in him now after that he is indeed incarnate c. For as the holy Ghost saith Rev 13.8 Christ was a Lambe slaine from the foundation of the world so he may be said to have taken flesh and to have risen againe c. from the foundation of the world Therefore hee saith Ioh. 8.58 Ioh. 8.56 Before Abraham was I am and Abraham was glad to see my day and hee saw it that is he saw him in the promise by the eye of his faith made man Heb. 11.13 dead and risen againe and sitting upon his throne as King governing all things So did David when he said Psal 110.1 The Lord that is God the Father said unto my Lord that is to God the Sonne who was to bee made man Sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstoole Heb. 13 8. For Christ Iesus is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Thus our Saviour Christ was then Act. 10.36 and is now King Lord of all raigning by his power and working effectually by his spirit in the first times in the ministery of the Patriarches Prophets and Priests as he now in the latter times hath done doth in the ministery of the Apostles and ordinary Ministers both for the gathering and saving of his Church as also for the restraint and destruction of his enemies That the manhood of Christ should in the fulnesse of time Psal 2.6.7 Isa 9 6.7 Psal 110.1 be taken into the partnership of this government designed to the second Person as Mediatour the Prophets before Christ came in the flesh did clearely foretell our Saviour himselfe before his death told the Iewes that the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Sonne Ioh. 5.22 and hath given him authority to execute judgement because hee is the sonne of man that is by an excellency that sonne of man Ioh 5.27 who was ordained to be Immanuell God with us This sonne of man our Saviour who is God blessed for ever had his more solemne investitute and inauguration into this his absolute governement given him of God preseÌ„tly after that he had for the glory of his Father in the redemption of mankinde humbled himselfe unto the cursed death of the Crosse bearing his Fathers indignation to the full satisfying of his justice for the sinnes of all in whose stead he stood who should beleeve in him which was after that by his death he rising from the dead had destroyed him that had the power of death Hâ—b 2.14.15 that is the divell Of this more evident manifestation of Christs Kingship it is that hee himselfe spake to his Disciples when he said All power is given me in heaven and in earth Mat. 28.18 And of this exaltation it is of which the Apostle speaketh saying Phil. 2.9.10.11 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name that in the name of Iesus that is that to the power and soveraignty of Iesus Christ Isa 45.23 now manifested to be Lord all should bee subject for to him every knee should bow Rom 14.11 of things in heaven in earth and under the earth and every tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father He is therefore said to have on his vesture and on his thigh a name written Rev. 19.16 KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS By vertue of this exaltation and dominion it is that triumphing over his enemies he ascended up on high Col 2.15 Eph. 4.8.11 12 13. and led captivity captive and gave gifts to men that is to those his officers which under him should erect and perfect his kingdome of grace here upon earth namely He gave some Apostles and some Evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministrie for the edifying of the bodie of Christ till we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Christ Iesus being thus advanced it belongeth unto him to reigne as king untill he have perfected the salvation of all the elect and untill he have put all his enemies under his feet and have delivered up this kingdome to God even the Father This kingdome of Christ differs from all other kingdomes for though it be in the world and above all the kingdomes of the world yet it is not of the world Ioh. 18.36 it is a spirituall and heavenly kingdome bearing rule in and over the soules and consciences of men It is directly opposite to the kingdome of darknesse and of the devill the prince of this world for by his agents through his ordinances by the power of his Spirit 2. Cor 10.4.5.6 he pulleth downe strong holds casting downe imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivitie everie thought to the obedience of Christ having in a readinesse to avenge all disobedience when the obedience of his own subjects shall be fulfilled This kingdome of Christ is an everlasting kingdome Isa 9.7 Dan. 7.27 never to have end whether wee respect the subjects or king for at the last day all that were subject unto him in this world in the kingdome of grace shall in an holy and glorious subjection unto God reigne with him in the world to come in the kingdome of glory for evermore But this present administration and government of this kingdome by Christ as Mediatour is not everlasting for in the end of the world 1. Cor. 25.24 25. Christ shall deliver up the kingdome to God even the Father then the Sonne himselfe shall be subject to him that put all things under him 1. Cor. 15.28 that God may be all in all This giving up the kingdome is not a cessation of it but a delivering of it up to God to his immediate governing of it in a state more glorious than ever It causeth onely a cessation of that forme of government by Christ which was to
A KEY OF HEAVEN THE LORDS PRAYER opened and so applied that a Christian may learne how to pray and to procure all things which may make for the glorie of God and the good of himselfe and of his neighbour Containing likewise such Doctrines of faith and godlines as may be very usefull to all that desire to live godly in Christ Iesus The second Edition enlarged by the Author MATTH 7.7 Aske and it shall be given yeu seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened unto you Oratio justi clavis coeli LONDON Printed by Thomas Harper for Benâ—â—â— in Fisher and are to be sold at the signe oâ— the Talbot in Aldersgate-street 1633. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIP-FVLL Sir THOMAS CREVV and to all his hopefull children all grace and peace in this life all joy and glory in that which is to come be multiplied RIGHT Worshipfull custome doth claim by prescription that such bookes as come under the Presse to bee made publick should be ushered forth with an Epistle Dedicatory which if it want it calleth into suspition that either the Author hath no friends of worth or that the worke is not worthy patronage Wherefore having suffered this Tract on the Lords Prayer to come forth I tread the common path The profit of him to whom dedication is made or testification of respect and thankfulnesse of him that dedicateth or credit and countenance to the booke dedicated is the marke that is aymed at in dedications All these respects have moved mee to make choyce of your selfe For though you be already furnished and fully established in the truths therein delivered yet it shall bee profitable unto you that with some variety you bee put in remembrance of the same things your children likewise who may reape some good hereby will bee induced to read and make use of this booke the rather because it commeth through the hands and under the patronage of their so loving and beloved father These are likewise to acknowledge that dept of thankes due to you for the many kindnesses you have shewed mee for which I do and shall for ever stand beholding unto you also to signifie my well wishing to your children and that for the well deservings of those which are come to age and for the sake of their mother your deerely beloved wife now with the Lod to whom my selfe and mine stood much indebted whom I could not but admire and affect while she lived whose remembrance I shall alwayes honour and whose name I desire to keepe alive for to quicken others now she is dead For to speake within compasse without hyperbole amongst the many gracious women that I have knowne a more compleate Christian to whom the Lord had bestowed such a sweet concurrence of gifts of grace and nature have I 〈◊〉 knowne Nam gau deant bene nati modò renati Gratier est ouâ—châ—o veniens è corpore virâ—us And though birth beautie wit a large heart and good elocution all which were eminent in her without grace are vanitie yet when these are accompanied with love out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfained all which abounded in her each doth make other admirable I would say more were it not that I shold renew your griefe in remembrance of your losse but I am assured you have learned to bee thankfull for the enjoyment of so rare an helper so long rather then to over-grieve or bee impatient that you could enioy her no longer If you shall please to suffer these my first fruits in this kinde to passe into the world through your hand they will be the better accepted of the good and defended from those that are bad and I shall remaine much bound to you All that I can say why I publish this booke is I desire by all meanes according to my abilitie to do good in the Church of God I acknowledge many have written worthily upon this subiect whose helps I have used yet none that I know in this manner and I finde that variety in this kinde doth much good Now the God of heaven whose glory I intend in this worke give it favour in the sight of his Church to the edifying thereof to whom be praise and glory for ever Amen Thus commending you and yours to the protection and blessing of the Almightie I humbly take my leave this 26. of May. Yours to be commanded in all Christian duties HENRY SCUDDER To the Reader TO bee much in perswading those that be favorites of some great person to use that interest for their best advantage were an indeavour somewhat needlesse considering naturall selfe-love inclineth men in such cases to be sensible enough of their owne good Yet so dull is our apprehension of matters that are of an higher nature that though wee have the eare of God alwayes open unto us and free accesse to the throne of grace through Christ who appeareth in heaven for us carrying our names in his breast yet wee need stirring up to improve this blessed liberty though the whole world be not worth this one prerogative that wee can boldly call God Father This disproportion of our carriage ariseth in part from Satans malice who laboureth to keepe us in darknesse that we beleeve not or minde not our best priviledges which if wee did how glorious would our lives appeare how comfortably and fruitfully should we walke what honour should God have by us what sweet sacrifice from us how should wee overlooke all opposite power But now by reason wee are prone to beleeve Satan and the lyes of our owne heart and ready to call truth it selfe into question as if these things were too good to be true no marvell if we passe our dayes so deadly For what use of an hidden and lockt up treasure if we use not this key of prayer to fetch from thence for al our need What benefit of all the precious promises made in Christ unto us unlesse wee alledge them unto God and with a reverent boldnesse binde him with his owne word which he can no more denie then ceasse to be God If we tooke these things to heart God should heare oftener from us we would be more in heaven than we are seeing wee should bring as much grace and comfort from God as we could bring faith to graspe and carry away Besides this fore-mentioned mindlesnesse of our priviledges since the fall the soule naturally loveth to spend and scatter it selfe about these present sensible things and cannot without some strife gather it selfe together and fixe upon heavenly things Now this talking with God requireth an actuall bent of the minde and carryeth up the whole soule into heaven and exerciseth as all the parts so all the graces of the soule faith especially prayer being nothing else but the flame of faith And Satan knowing that when we send up our desires to God it is to fetch supply against him troubleth the soule weake of it selfe with a world of
distractions Where he cannot corrupt the doctrine of prayer as in Popery with heresies and superstitious follies there he laboureth to hinder the exercise of it Wherein we should be so farre from being discouraged that we should reason rather that that must needs be an excellent dutie which is so irkesome to the flesh and which the devill so eagerly sets against This should incourage us to this exercise wherein lyeth all our strength that if in spite of Satans annoyance and our owne indisposition we will set upon this duty we shall finde our selves by little and little more raised up to heaven and our hearts more and more enlarged God rewarding the use of that little grace wee finde at the first with increase of strength and comfort To him that hath in the exercise of that he hath shall be given more We should labour not to be ignorant of Satans enterprises who besides his diverting our mindes from prayer and disturbing us in it laboureth by all meanes to draw us to some sin the conscience whereof will stop our mouthes and stifle our prayers and shake our confidence and eclipse our comfort which he oft aymeth more at then the sinne it selfe unto which hee tempteth us We should labour therefore to preserve our selves in such a state of soule wherein we might have boldnesse with God and wherein this gainfull trading with him might not bee hindred To passe over many other causes of the neglect of this entercourse and dealing with God by prayer we may well iudge as one of the chiefe a selfe-sufficiencie whereby men dwell too much in themselves He that hath nothing at home will seeke abroad The poore man saith Solomon speaketh supplications If wee were poore in spirit and saw our owne emptinesse it would force us out of our selves Alas what temptation can we resist much lesse overcome without fresh succour What crosse can we endure without impatiencie if we have not new support What successe can we looke for yea in common affaires without his blessing What good can we do nay thinke of without new strength When we do any good by his power do we not need pardon for the blemishes of our best performances What good blessing can we enjoy so as we defile not our selves in it without a further blessing giving us with the thing the holy use of it Yet we see most men content to receive blessings as they come from Gods generall providence without regarding any sanctified use by prayer whereas holy men knowing that God will be sought unto even for those things of which hee hath given a promise Ezek 36.37 in obedience to this his divine order desire to receive all from him as a fruit of their prayers And Gods manner is to keep many blessings from his children untill they have begged them as delighting to heare his children speake The consideration whereof moveth those that have neerest communion with God to acknowledge him in all their waies depending on him for direction strength successe whereupon he delighteth in shewing himselfe more familiarly unto them in the sweetest experiences of his love guiding them by his counsell whilest they abide here and after bringing them to glory Psal 37 24 As other graces grow in those that are in the state of grace so this spirit of prayer receiveth continuall increase upon more inward acquaintance with God and their owne estates Whence they can never be miserable having God to poure forth their spirits and ease their hearts unto who cannot but regard the voyce of his owne Spirit in them But of our selves such is our case that God who knoweth us better than wee know our selves saith wee know not what or how to pray Rom. 8.26 This language of Canaan is strange unto us Which our blessed Saviour in mercy considering stirred up a desire in his Disciples to bee taught of him the Sonne how to speake to the Father Where thereupon hee teacheth them a forme which for heavenly fulnesse of matter and exactnesse of order sheweth that it could come from no other Author This holy pattern comprizing so much in so little all things to bee desired in six short petitions it is needfull for the guides of Gods people to lay open the riches of it to the view of those that are lesse exercised An endevour which his excellent Majesty thought not unbeseeming the greatnesse of a King For the use of a set forme of prayer and this in speciall I will make no question yet in the use of this prayer we may dwell more in the meditation and enforcing such petitions as shall concern our present occasions For instance if ever there were time of praying Let thy kingdome come let Christ arise and his enemies bee scattered then certainly now is the time for us to ascend up into heaven by our prayers and awake Christ that hee would rebuke the winds and waves and cause a calme that hee would bee strong for his Church in maintaining his owne cause It is Gods manner before any great worke for his Church to stirre up the spirits of his beloved ones to give him no rest How earnest was Daniel with the Lord immediatly before the delivery out of Babylon Dan. 9. And undoubtedly if we joyne the forces of our prayes together and set upon God with an holy violence hee would set his power his wisdome his goodnesse on worke for the exalting of his Church and ruine of the enemies of it Now is the time for Moses his hands to bee upheld whilest Amalech goeth down As in the lives of David Asa Ezekia Iehosaphat c. The prevayling power of praier with God in times of danger appeareth not only in the sacred history of the Bible but hath been recorded in all ages of the Church Euseb l. 5. Tertul. in Apologet. In the primitive Church An. Dom. 175. the army of Christians was called the thundering legion because upon their prayers God scattered their enemies with thunder and refreshed themselves with showers in a great drought After in the good Emperour Theodosius his time An. Dom. 394. upon an earnest prayer to Christ the winds fought from heaven for him against his enemies as they did for us in 1588. And continually since God never left the force of faithfull prayer without witnesse If we would observe how God answereth prayers wee should see a blessed issue of all the holy desires he kindles in our hearts for hee cannot but make good that title whereby he is stiled a God hearing prayer Psal 65.2 which should move us to sow more prayers into his bosome the fruit whereof wee should reap in our greatest need Jt would bee a strong evidence in these troublesome times of the future good successe of the Church if wee were earnest in soliciting Christ with these words which himselfe hath taught us Let thy kingdom come For put him to it and hee will never faile those that seeke him Psal 9.10 He loveth importunity But
but trouble and death Psal 104.29.30 and returning to dust wherefore his kingdome of power is to be desired Whereas it is most generally conceived Ob. that this kingdome of God's providence is fâ—â— to be prayed for because it cannot be resisted and because it shall come certainly I answer Sol. that unto me it seemeth most evident that the divell the prince that ruleth in the aire doth so farre as God doth permit usurpe upon this kingdome of power as well though not so much as upon the kingdome of grace by causing disorder in the course of nature by infecting the aire by ruising tempests by causing of fires whereby hee doth much mischiefe as in Iob's case Iob 1. Hee prevaileth much also in holding many parts of the world in barbarisme And when he cannot hinder the ordinary works of God then hee blindeth the eyes of men that they cannot see God in his workes but maketh them beleeve that all things come from nature fortune or humane policie deposing God as much as he mâ—â— of his regencie in the worâ—e And what though this kingdome shall come certainly the kingdome of grace shall come as certainely if wee consider Gods decree and power to execute it Onely I confesse the divell more especially would play rex against the kingdome of grace for which cause it is most especially to bee prayed for Moreover this kingdome of power is yet in comming untill this world shall be dissolved And though this kingdome of power be come in respect of Gods act yet there is but a part of his wayes Iob 26.14 yea but a little part that is heard of him that is come to our knowledge and understanding therefore in this respect prayer must bee made that wee may know his kingdome of power for which we may sanctifie his Name The kingdome of grace must bee desired for these causes Reason First the holinesse of Gods Name in all his attributes doe shew themselves most manifestly in the comming thereof The comming of his word to any man and the worke of conversion by the word doe shew the infinitenesse of his wisedome power mercy justice patience and goodnesse in gathering and saving the elect also his wisedome power hatred of sinne and justice in over mastering sinne Sathan and revenging himselfe upon the disobedient are thereby most manifest Secondly the publishing of the word whereby this kingdome is erected is the meanes of revealing the will of God and of making men able to doe his will Therefore the comming of this kingdome is to be desired Reason The kingdome of glory is to be desired because untill it be come the kingdome of grace is not perfect for while there is need of Ministers and ministery there is still a perfecting of the Saints Eph. 4.12 and the measure of the fulnesse of the stature of the body of Christ is not yet attained unto Besides wee which are now called cannot without those who yet are to be called Heb. 11.40 be made perfect But when the kingdome of glory shall be come we shall all be glorious And then it is 1 Cor. 15.28 when God shall be all in all and bee perfectly glorified Thus it is evident that the kingdome of power grace and glory is to bee desired Before wee can make use of this point it shall be needfull to consider the particulars compreheÌ„ded in it to be praied for Concerning the kingdome of power request is first made unto God that he would continue the worke of creation renewing the face of the earth upholding all things by his power ordering all things by his wise providence that all men may see his infinite greatnesse goodnesse and all other his holy excellencies We must likewise deprecate that confusion disorder vanitie and defects of the creatures to which the sin of man hath made them subject Then more particularly prayer must be made for mankinde first that that blessing Be fruitfull and multiply and replenish the earth may bee continued else how can the number of the elect bee made perfect Then prayer must be made that men may be endued with such good gifts of nature as may make them civill and apt for societie and may be able in some measure to hold that dominion over the creatures which once man had that he may subdue them and know the use of them Wherefore also Arts and Sciences are to be desired and for that cause that Schooles and all Nurseries of good learning and profitable knowledge may be erected maintained frequented and be blessed and the rather because these make much as for the good of civil societie so for the building up of the Church and do serve to helpe man more clearly to see God in all things The contrarie to these as depopulation and Barbarisme are to be deprecated The requests to bee made concerning the kingdome of grace do respect first the King then the meanes of setting up and governing this kingdome externall both the ordinances and officers of this kingdome and internall the comming of the holy Ghost Next they respect the subjects Then they respect the enemies Lastly they respect the franchises liberties and priviledges of this kingdome The King of this kingdome of grace as at large is before shewed is Christ Iesus God and man for he saith All power is given to me in heaven and in earth Matth. 28.18 And it is He that must reigne till he hath put al his enemies under his feet 1. Cor. 15.25 Now Christ then reigneth when grace Rom. 5.23 and the gift by grace reigneth unto eternall life wherefore prayer must be made that Christ may reigne that grace may be communicated to the elect and may reigne in them by him and that Satan the Prince of darknesse may not reigne RoÌ„ 16.20 but be troden under foot daily The externall meanes of establishing this kingdome are first the ordinances thereof viz. Isa 11.4 2. Thes 2.8 Mat. 1.14 the Word Sacraments and Discipline The Word is the rod and breath of Gods mouth it is the Scepter and Gospell of this kingdome The Sacraments are the seals of the covenant that is passed betweene King and subjects Discipline serveth to reforme or cut off evill members of the Church The kingdome of God is come when his ordinances are set up in any place Luk. 17 21 In which respect he said it was among the Iews Prayer therefore must be made 2. Thes 3.1 that The word of the Lord may have free passage and bee glorified every where among Iews and Gentiles And that meere inventions Doctrines and Traditions of men may be abolished and that all superstition will-worship and false worship Mat. 15.13 everie plant which God hath not planted may bee rooted out Likewise that the two onely Sacraments of the new Testament Baptisme and the Lords Supper 1. Cor. 11 23. may be purely and duely administred according to their first institution And that all corruption of the
Reas 3 Heaven is the place into which all Christians hope to enter and where they hope to dwell for ever good reason therefore that they should accustome themselves to the manners of that place before hand Ob. These examples cannot bee knowne Sol. Answer they may because God hath revealed in his word how the Angels obey him And in what manner Christ obeyed his Father on earth in the same manner the Saints his members doe in heaven Ob. These examples are of such perfection that no man can attaine to the like Answer Sol. though men on earth cannot bee as perfect as their copie yet the better the example is the nearer they may learne to come to perfection Once man could have obeyed and againe shall obey perfectly And it appeares by the examples proposed that it is possible that creatures may doe the will of God perfectly Whereas man is most prone Vse 1 to imitation let him learne hereby to follow examples to some purpose Imitate the Angels and Saints As Christ obeyed on earth and as the Scriptures report that the Angels have done in like manner must every one of us do The particulars hereof see in the next point Let every one therefore unto the precepts and rules of well-doing present to their thoughts the actions of those that have done according to those rules By this meanes we shall better understand the rule and be heartened to put it in practise because it sheweth a possibility that it may be done In doing thus we shall every day grow better and yet not be proud for we shal daily see something before us to which we must aspire to which yet we have not attained Vs 2 Here is an Apologie for all those good Christians which shun the examples of the worst men not onely making the best men on earth their patternes but goe one straine higher they looke unto the obedience of the Angels in heaven This Scripture is their warrant which must alwaies bear them out against the scoffes of prophane and loose men that content themselves vvith a meere form and outvvard face of godlinesse vvho if they be moved to an exacter course of practice they ansvvere vvith a scoffe What would you have us Saints and Angels on earth Answer them againe with this point They must be as Angels here or they do not understand what they say when they say in earth as it is in heaven If they understand what they say they mocke God in that they meane not as they speake and deale prophanely to mocke at the performance of that by another for which they themselves did seeme solemnly to pray They may be told they must obey God like Angels and Saints upon earth or they shall never be Saints and as the Angels in heaven Learne here with what honour the Angels and Saints departed should be honoured by men on earth namely with the honour of admiration and imitation of their graces As for adoration of their persons both God forbiddeth it and they themselves do abhorre it with See thou do it not Revel 22.9 In earth as in heaven This pointeth to an heavenly manner of doing Gods wil whence we learne Doct. 4 Prayer must be made and care had that Gods will be done in an holy manner The heavenly manner as well as the lawful matter of doing Gods will must be observed Eph. 6.6 Servants are exhorted to do the will of God from the heart Not onely to do Gods will but from the heart Our Saviour instructeth his disciples in the right manner of giving almes and of fasting and prayer in this sixth of Matth. Reason 1 Gods commandments do require as well the right manner as the matter of obedience for such is the tenour of the Commandment Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy minde Matt. 22.37 The good or evill manner of Reas 2 doing a good deed proveth or discovereth the sincerity or hypocrisie of the heart which is the chiefe thing which God hath an eye unto in everie action Before use can well be made it must bee considered what is requisite in the right manner of doing Gods will wherefore observe these directions 1 First if a good thing bee well done it must be done wittingly and purposely not as bruit creatures or wicked men who may fulfill Gods wil but are not aware that they do it 2 In faith beleeving that it is lawfull for them to do it else it is sinne Whatsoever is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 3 In integritie of heart from an habite and true disposition to keep all the commandments as well as that one which actually he doth keepe for the present else if he allow himselfe in the breach of any one Iam. 2.10 God holdeth him guilty of all And it is the propertie of a good conscience to will to live honestly in all things Heb. 13.18 4 In sinceritie which is when a good thing is done unfainedly Eph. 6.6 Doing the will of God from the heart and from right grounds not for selfe respects onely or chiefly or for by ends but with ayme at pleasing of God and bringing honour to his Name For all things must be done to the glory of God 1. Cor. 10.31 5 Constantly a good conscience will endeavour to do well alwayes Act. 24.16 6 In humility reverence and holy feare of God whose work they do As the Angels observe all the former rules so do they this also For the Seraphims cover their faces with their wings Isa 6.2 and the foure and twenty Elders fall on their faces and cast their crownes before the Throne Revel 4.10 and 5.8 7 Speedily Psal 18.44 Dan. 92. making no delay This was taught by the wings of the Seraphims wherwith they did flie Isa 6.2 David said I made haste and delayed not to keepe thy commandments Psal 119.60 8 Lastly Psal 110.3 Psal 40.8 the will of God must bee done with a willing minde cheerfully and with delight David saith It was his delight to walke in the paths of Gods commandments Psal 119.35 And it was our Saviours meat and drinke to do the will of him that sent him and to finish his worke Ioh. 4.34 By these particulars it appeareth what is further to be prayed for and striven after what also is to be prayed against on the contrarie and avoyded according to the purpose of this third petition The uses follow Vse 1 All formall and hypocriticall Christians also all meere civill honest men which thinke they bee good men and that they have done God good service when they have done onely the matter and outside of some good works may see that they do palpably deceive thēselves If they preach pray heare receive the Sacrament keepe the Church pay everie man his owne and shew now and then some scraps of mercie though there was neither integrity sinceritie nor constancie at all in those actions they thinke God
upon Atheists which in their hearts say there is no God Psal 14.4.6 They call not upon the Lord saith he You shame the counsell of the poore because God is their refuge But know ye the Lord looketh from heaven and doth behold and punish such impiety and prophanenesse In concerneth all Christians Vse 2 therefore to make all the petitions in this Lords Prayer either in this same forme or in other words to the same effect every day It was Christs practise and hath beene the manner of the faithfull in all ages Then shall we hold a gracious familiaritie with God our Father Then will he heare us alwaies and we shall ever have our requests granted when it shall be best for us The case touching how oft in a day wee must pray If it be asked how often in one day prayers are to be made I answer ejaculations and short liftings up of the heart should be very often according as sudden occasions shall minister cause more set and solemne prayers should be made ordinarily at morning at meales and at evening These times doe alwaies minister due cause of solemne prayer and may ordinarily without necessary lets be performed Also at other times prayer must bee made as there shall fall out speciall cause 1 Thes 5.17 For wee must pray continually that is in every state and condition and upon every good occasion when there is opportunity then pray and also praise God No certain rules can be given for any set number how oft this is left unto a mans Christian discretion as his necessities and as his opportunities doe vary But to keepe canonicall houres and to pray by stinted numbers upon beades or otherwise as Papists doe is ridiculous and too too superstitious It will rejoyce a Christian Vse 3 heart to consider that hee hath leave to come to God to preferre his suits unto him every day We are loth to put up petitions unto men too oft lest they should grow weary of us but it should not be so between Christians and the Lord for he is best pleased with those that come oftenest to him In Courts of Requests amongst men there are certaine dayes in which one mans suit is heard at which time other mens suits must be put off to other dayes of hearing Every man cannot have his suit sped every day no not every Terme But all Gods people may come to him by Christ Iesus and have their requests heard and granted in the Court of heaven every day yea seven times and if need be seventie times seuen times in one day Our that is such bread wherto we have true right and proprietie Hence we are taught Doct. 7 The maintenance wherupon a Christian may desire to live must be his owne He must have right both before GOD and man Drinke waters out of thine own cisterne Pro. 5.15 The Apostle commandeth that men should eate their owne bread 2 Thes 3.12 If they have not a spirituall Reas 1 right to their maintenance by their marriage with Christ it will be impure unto them for to the unbeleeving and defiled is nothing pure Tit. 1.15 To desire to live upon that Reas 2 which is another mans were to go about to draw the just God into copartnership of their injustice towards man With what face then can Vse 1 idle persons which have no calling or will not with quietnesse worke that they might have bread of their owne to eate say Give us our bread 2. Thes 3.10.12 the Apostle saith such should not eat untill they have laboured and gotten wherewithall by honest meanes But more especially how dare those that get their living and raise their estates by indirect and unlawful courses such as lying stealing defrauding gaming oppression usurie and such like meanes how dare I say these pray to God that hee would give and blesse to them their own bread when what they have to eate is the meat of wickednesse and what they have to drinke is as the wine of violence But wee unto him that increaseth that which is not his Pro. 4.17 Hab. 2.6 Vse 2 Would any man make this prayer in sinceritie so that he may expect a blessing from God let him be sure that hee have a good title unto that which he would have God to blesse unto him so that he can truly call it his owne There is a twofold right to the things of this life one common to all the other speciall and peculiar to the children of God The common right is founded in Gods goodnesse and bounty to man as he is his creature and is conveighed to man by such acts of Gods providence as do give unto a man a true proprietie amongst men in the things which they possesse this is called a civill right The speciall right is founded in Gods speciall love to his children in and through Christ which is added to their common right namely a right of inheritance which giveth not onely a right to the things themselves but to the blessing and comfortable use of the same this is a spirituall right derived to a beleever through Christ The want of this right is the cause why to the wicked even the things which they lawfully possesse are in their use impure Tit. 1.15 Hence it is that wicked men have not so good and so full a right to the good creatures of God as true beleevers have nor yet can have so comfortable and so sanctified a use of them as the godly may have they never partake of the good creatures of God but hee hath to except against them though not alwayes for the having yet for the abusing and for the unsanctified use of them For God giveth meat and so I may say of other things to them that beleeve 1. Tim. 4.3 and know the truth to be received with thanksgiving Though men may have a common right to the creatures of God without Christ yet they cannot have the speciall right or blessing in the use of them but by Christ For this cause it concerneth us to do two things First make we sure to bee ingrafted into Christ the heire of all things that through him it may bee said 1. Cor. 3 22. All things are ours Secondly we must live in an honest calling Eph. 4.28 and therein labour with our hand or head the thing that is good we must worke that wee may eate our owne bread having a civill right to what we possesse as well as a spirituall We must not thinke to be maintained being in a fruitfull land with Manna and Quailes from heaven for God will not allow his servants to eat either the bread of idlenesse or wickednesse Our bread Here God giveth his children leave to call bread their bread whence observe Everie childe of God hath a Doct. 8 true right to those temporall goods which hee doth lawfully possesse The meeke have right of inheritance unto the earth Matth. 5.5 They have right in the right
to his justice he knowing that no person in the Godhead was capable as God onely to performe any act of satisfaction to God knowing likewise that no meere creature could be of all-sufficient power and worthinesse to satisfie his justice or to stand as a Mediator betweene God and man they being at enmitie by reason of sinne He therefore in his infinite wisedome and of his rich and free grace did ordaine his onely begotten Sonne the second person in Trinity now Iesus Christ our Lord by whom he made man and all things else and in whom all things consist that he should become man by assuming into the person of his dietie the very nature of man consisting of bodie and soule to subsist in the dietie by a personall union being to be verie God and very man in one person who being thus qualified to be a Mediatour Rom. 5.17 18 19. 1. Cor. 15.45 he ordained him to be a second Adam as a common root and to stand as a suerty in the stead of all those whom he co-ordained should be ingrafted into him and which should be made members of him and be saved by him Wherefore he together ordained that with mans nature he should assume the guilt of sinne Isa 53.4 2. Cor. 5.21 Rom. 8.3 and to be accounted as a sinner and by God himself to be proceeded against as against a notorious sinner For which cause hee was to be accursed not only by being made subject to humane infirmities but to be arraigned condemned and withall to have the fiercenesse of the wrath of God due to sinners poured out and executed upon him And that hee should dye the accursed death that by death he might expiate sinne and through death hee might overcome death and destroy him that had the power of death Heb. 2.14 even mans greatest enemie which is the devill All this our Saviour took upon him and perfectly fulfilled Philip. 2.8 being obedient even to the death of the crosse upon which he made that one oblation by the merit and efficacie whereof Ephes 2 15 hee slew the enmity and made the attonement between God and us having obtained eternall redemption for us Heb. 9.12 and became the author of eternall salvation unto all them that obey him Heb. 5.9 perfecting for ever them that are sanctified in that by the power of his dietie he conquered and rose from the death Act. 2.24 it being unpossible that he should be holden of it Heb. 8.1 and is set downe on the right hand of the throne of majestie in the heavens Heb. 7.25 ever living to make intercession for them Thus you see the first of those requisites which go before remission of sinnes namely satisfaction of Gods justice by the merit of those things which Christ Iesus did and suffered in mans stead Hee sheading his bloud as he himselfe saith for many for the remission of sinnes Mat. 2◠28 The worth and efficacie of this satisfaction made and redemption purchase◠by the precious bloud of Christ was greater than onely to merit at Gods hands that now his justice being satisfied he might forgive sinnes and save men if he would upon any such possible condition as hee should please to appoint and accept for Christ by his death resurrection and intercession deserved and procured that God should actually forgive Iob. 17.19 1. Thes 5.9 10. and also give grace and eternall life to all those to whom Christ was ordained to bee an head and a Saviour Act 3.31 even to all those whō from before the beginning of the world Ioh. 17 2. God gave unto Christ and were ordained to beleeve in Christ and that should be united to him by his Spirit A second thing required before that a mans sinnes shall be forgiven Rom. 10. ◠10. is beleefe and faith in Christ Iesus For faith is the condition of the new Covenant published in the Gospell Ioh. 6.29 and i◠is the bond of our spirituall union with Christ on our part and is the meane and instrument whereby wee receive Christ and do relie upon him Ioh. 1.12 and whereby we do apply him with all his merits and benefits unto our selves unto our salvation Ioh. 6.35 This the Scriptures do hold so usefull and necessarie that they ascribe our justification by forgivenesse of our sinnes unto it Rom 5.1 God accounting our faith as he did Abrahams Ro 4.3 5. unto righteousnesse But how is our faith accounted for righteousnesse not as it is a gracious qualitie inherent in us and a part of our sanctification but as it hath relation to Christ who is our righteousnesse and is the sole object of our faith unto justification for which cause we hold against the Papists that we are justified by faith onely Of this it is that all both Prophets Christ himselfe Ioh. 3 16. Act. 10.43 and all the Apostles have witnessed namely that through Christs name whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive forgivenesse of sinnes By faith in Christ I meane such a faith as is a sound a lively and an effectuall faith such a faith as hath faith in the Law unto conviction of sinne and unto penitence for sinne going before it and a faith in the precepts both of the Gospell and of the Law unto repentance of sinne and holinesse of life concurring with and following after it This condition of beleeving which doth qualifie a man for and which doth interest a man into the benefit of Christs redemption is not left as Adams standing or falling was in the hands of a mans free will for so there might have beene a possibilitie that all Christs sufferings might have been in vaine and none might have beene saved namely if none would beleeve But Christ dyed and rose againe not onely to satisfie Gods justice in the behalfe of all which were to be saved but also to give them faith that they might indeed be saved For it is apparant by the Scripture that the end why Christ dyed and gave himselfe a ransome for many was not Mat. 10.28 that onely hee might satisfie Gods justice in which satisfaction mans redemption doth virtually consist but that also God by him might give faith unto all which were ordained to eternall life Act. 13.47.48 by which their redemption and salvation purchased with Christs bloud might actually in the time appointed by God exist and take effect in them For faith is one of those blessings wherewith God blesseth Eph. 1.3.4.15 in and through Christ all whom he chose in him before the foundation of the world It was not enough for mans redemption and salvation Heb. 10.14.15.16.17 that Christ by his once offering of himselfe should onely beginne to save man but by the same he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Wherefore the promise of the new covenant is as the holy Ghost witnesseth that hee will put his lawes in their hearts and
Scripture is that we should abhorre that which is evill and cleave to that which is good Rom. 12.9 Reas 1 For Iustification and Sanctification are so inseparably conjoined that no man hath his sins forgiven who hath not withall the fruit of it unto repentance and holinesse of life here in this life This I shall make evident by these arguments following 1 It is one part of the new Covenant of grace that men should be holy and for that cause God hath not onely required holiness to be shewne on their part but hath promised as well to write his Law in the hearts of his people Heb. 8.10.12 as to be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse and not to remember their sinne 2. It is one end to which God hath chosen men in Christ to be holy Eph. 1.4.5 and without blame before him in love as well as to be adopted children by Christ to obtaine everlasting life 3. It is the end of the office and comming of our Saviour Iesus Christ and of the merit and efficacy of his death resurrection and intercession not onely that beleevers should obtaine forgivenesse of sinne and everlasting life but that so many as the Father gave unto him might beleeve repent and live holily and righteously in this present world Tit. 2.14 hee purging them to himselfe to be a peculiar people zealous of good workes 4. It is the end of the Scriptures not onely to lay the foundation of faith for the remission of sinnes that through consolation thereof Ioh. 15 4. Ioh. 17.7 Eph. 5.26 beleevers might have hope but also to sanctifie and cleanse them from the filthinesse of their sinnes that they might be holy and without blemish 5. It is the end of everie Christian mans profession and calling 1. Thess 4.7 not only to beleeve and hope to be saved by Christ but also to be holy and to become the servant of Christ 6. It is the end why God sendeth his Spirit into their hearts and causeth it to dwell in his children Rom 8.16 not onely to be a spirit of adoption to witnesse to their spirits that they are Gods children but also to be a spirit of sanctification to worke out the stony heart Ezâ—k 36.26 27. and to frame in them a new heart causing them to walke in his statutes and to do them 7. It is the end of the Sacraments the seales of the new Covenant not onely to signifie and seale remission of sinnes by Iesus Christ but also that by him all that beleeve in him being ingrafted into the similitude of his death and resurrection Rom. 6.4 5 6. should dye unto sinne and walke in newnesse of life These things considered it is most apparant that justification and sanctification are never severed in one and the same partie wherefore he that prayeth for and expecteth to be justified must also pray and indeavour to approve himselfe to be sanctified A second generall reason why all Christians should pray for and labour after holinesse is because if a man be not holy and righteous in this life he is not capeable of true glory and happinesse in heaven in the life to come and that whether we respect God or a mans selfe remaining in his sinne God will not admit him let him make what claime hee can unto the kingdome of heaven his put off shall be Luk 13.27 Depart from me I know you not ye workers of iniquity For without holinesse no man shall see God Heb. 12.14 But suppose it were possible that a sinfull man might be admitted into heaven heaven would be no heaven to him The place persons and exercises there would be tedious and a vexation unto him For all things there are things of God holy and spirituall most contrarie to the disposition of a natural and carnall man 1. Cor 2.14 God saith The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God they are foolishnesse unto him To whom Gods ordinances and presence in them as in hearing praying and praising God and to whom holy company and holy conference is tedious in this life the same heart and affections remaining even these and the like things would be an hell to them even in heaven For to make a man happy even in heaven it is needfull that the faculties and powers of his soule be so fully rectified and perfected that hee may comprehend and enjoy the object that thing wherein mans happinesse doth consist Now though Gods presence in his glory and in his goodnesse which is the object of mans happinesse is alwayes in heaven yet if the understanding the will and the affections of a man be not sanctified and thereby made capeable of and suteable to the object what content and joy can he take therein It is with the reasonable soule in the apprehension of intellectual and spiritual things as it is with the senses in bodily objects Colours though never so orient and various yet they can give no delight to a blinde or ill-affected eye Sounds though never so melodious cannot delight a deafe or ill-affected eare Meat and drink though never so well relished and delicious cannot delight him whose pallat is out of taste nay the best do savour and taste ill with such a one Even so the most spirituall things in heaven would be so farre from delighting a carnall and unholy man that they would seeme to his fancy very foolishnes and they would be to him a very vexation Vse 1 It is therefore an intolerable fault for a man to professe the name of Christ and yet to live ungodly Num. 23.10 this is the fault of too many who desire to have their sinnes forgiven but desire not to have them mortified they desire to go to heaven like cursed Balaam when they dye but endeavour not to be holy while they live But as if this were not enough to be sinfull themselves many do make a jest at all conscionable living in others and a scorne of all that endeavour to keep a good conscience in all things and yet will expect that Christ shall save them How hath the devill deceived these men yet thousands are justly given over to this strong delusion If any of you shall happen to cast your eyes on these lines consider the Doctrine in hand and learne that for certaine he that is not holy in this life shall not bee happy in the life to come For whomsoever God justifieth Rom. 6. those he sanctifieth and whosoever have faith to partake of Christs merits do by the same faith partake of the vertue of Christs death to the killing of sinne and of the vertue of his life and resurrection to the quickening of the inward man And at the day of judgement all that professe Christ and yet obey not the Gospell of Christ 2 Thes 1.8 shall be burnt in flames of Gods vengeance as well as those which know not the Gospell and professe it not at all For