the power of the flesh the deuill and the world Some take euil in this place only for the deuil but wee may take it more largely for all spirituall enemies 1. Iohn 5. 19. The vvhole world lyeth in euill vz. Vnder the power of sinne and Satan These words as I haue said are a proofe and explanation of the former for when a man is deliuered from euill he is not led into temptation the cause being taken away the effect ceaseth 3. The vses 1. HEnce wee learne what a righteous God Iehoua is that can work an euill action yet be void of sinne 2. Whereas we say Lead vs not c. We note that the deuil in teÌ„ptations can go noe further then God permits him 3. Wee are not to pray that temptations be quite taken from vs or that we be whollie freed froÌ„ them but that they doe not ouercome vs. For it is the Lordes wil that his Church should be tempted Nay Dauid desired some kind of temptations Psal. 26. 1. Prooue me O Lord. And Iames saith account it for exceeding ioy when ye shall fal into diuers temptations Iam. 1. 2. 4. Note also that euery man by nature is the boÌ„dslaue of sin Satan For where is deliueraÌ„ce there was a bondage first This confutes the Papists who maintain fre-wil for we ar dead in him by nature as a man in a graue and we must still pray thus til we be fully deliuered 4. Wants to be bâ—wailed THE corruption which in this petition we ought to mourn for is the continuall rebellion of our wicked natures our pronenes to yeeld vp our selues in euery temptation to sin and Satan And the remnants of the old bondage vnder Satan must be grieuous and irkesome vnto vs and we must bewaile it very bitterly The Iewes in a bodily captiuitie wept vvhen they remembred Sion Psal. 127. Howe much more should we weep when we feele the lawe of our members rebelling against the lawe of our minds leading vs captiue to sin 5. Graces to be desired THE contrary blessing to bee desired is that God woulde stablish vs by his free spirit Ps. 51. 12 which is so called because it settes vs euery day more more at liber tie out of the reach of sin Satan For thine is the kingdome the power and glory for euer 1. Meaning THese words containe a reason of all the former petitions whereby we are mooued to craue thinges needfull at Gods hand Thine is Earthly kinges haue kingdome power and glorie Dan. 2. 37 Yet not from themselues but froÌ„ God whose vice-gerents they are on earth Therfore to make a difference betwene Gods kingdome power and glory those of earthly kings it is said thine is the kingdome c. that is God hath all these in himself and from himself and they from him The kingdome These wordes 1. Chron. 29. 11. at fully expounded Thine O Lord is greatnesse power and victorie and praise for al that is in heauen earth is thine thine is the kingdome thou excellest as head ouer al c. The kingdome is said to bee Gods because hee is absolute possessor and owner of al things that are and also hath soueraigne rule ouer all things at his will Nowe out of this first propertie of God we may gather a strong motiue to induce vs to pray vnto him alone For seeing all thinges are his both in heauen and earth whatsoeuer therefore wee must come to him for the graces and blessings which wee desire The power Oftentimes earthly princes haue kingdomes yet want power but God hath kingdom power also yea his power is infinite and he can do al that he wil more then hee will as for those things which come of impotencie he cannot do theÌ„ for if he câ—ld he should not be omnipotent And as he is omnipotent in himselfe so all the power which any creture hath is from him alone Question Howe can this be seeing the deuill hath power to sinne which is not from God Ansâ—er To sinne is no power but rather a want of power otherwise all the strength and power that Satan hath is of God And from this second property is taken another motiue to moue vs to pray vnto God Because all power being his wee can neuer do any of the thinges which we aske but by power receiued from him Thine is the glory This thirde propertie of God ariseth from the two former for seeing the title interest in all things and the power whereby they are disposed and gouerned is of God therefore it followes that all glory is his yea in him is fulnes of glory and the glory of the creature is all of him To sinfull men belonges nothing but shame and confusion Dan. 9. verse 7. This third propertie ministreth a thirde motiue to induce men to pray vnto God alone For seeing all glory by right is his therefore wee must invocate his holy name that in so doing we may giue him the glory due vnto him For euer The words in the originall are for ages Nowe an age signifies the space of an hundred years but here it is taken for eternitie because eternitie is nothing but the multiplication of ages And as eternitie is heere noted by ages so on the contrary we reade that eternitie is takeÌ„ for a certaine and distinct time Gen. 17. 8. God promiseth Abraham to giue him the lande of Canaan for an euerlasting possession that is for a long season For els Abrahams seede shuld inherite the lande vntill this time which it doth not Wherfore as often the whol is put for the part vz. eternitie for a certaine time so here the part is put for the whole an age for eternitie This also maketh a difference betweene earthly Princes and the mightie Iehouah They haue kingdome power and glory for a short time but hee absolutely and for euer 2. The vses 1. HEre wee learne in praier to abase our selues before God and vtterly to deny all that is in vs. Kingdome power glory is all his not ours wee are no better then rebels and traitors to him if we haue any good thing it is froÌ„ him euen the grace whereby we pray And hee that in praier will not confesse this shal no more be heard then the insolent begger that wil not acknowledg his want 2. Secondly againe in praier we learne that we must be perswaded of two things and build vpon them Gods power and will his power in that he is able his wil in that he is careful to performe our requests as it was noted in the preface the first of these is set out in his kingdome and power The second is noted in that glory is his 2. Cor. 1. 20. For al the promises of God in him ar yea Amen vnto the glory of God 3. And hence wee gather that praier and thanks-giuing must go together for as in the six petitions wee made request to GOD so in these wordes
this prayer and in Psal. 97. vers 1. The Lorde raigneth let the earth reioice Againe it is taken more speciallie and then it signifieth the administration of Christ the head of the Church in which hee frameth men by his worde and Spirit to the subjection of the same worde And so it is taken in this petition In a kingdome there are foure things to be noted 1. There must bee a king 2 There must be subiectes 3 There are lawes 4 Authoritie In this kingdome Christ is the king it is he to whome the father hath giuen all authoritie in heauen and earth In this kingdom al are not subjects but such as ar willing to giue free and frank obedience to Gods word or at the least though their hearts be not sound make an outward profession of it The lawes of this kingdome is the word of God in the books of the old and new Testament Therfore it is called the kingdome of heauen Mat. 13. The Gospell of the kingdom Mar. 1. 13. The rod of his mouth Isai. 11. 4 The arme of God Isai. 53. 1. As a King by his lawes bringes his people in order keeps them in subiectiō so Christ by his word and the preaching of it as it were by a mightie arme drawes the elect into his kingdome and fashions them to all holie obedience The power and authoritie is that whereby Christ conuerts effectually those which are to be conuerted and glorifies himselfe in the confusion of the rest The kingdom being taken thus specially is also twofold The first is the kingdome of grace of which mention is made Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdome of God stands not in meat drink but in righteousnes that is the assurance of our justification before God in the righteousnes of Christ Peace of conscience which proceeds from this assurance and ioy in the holie Ghost which comes from them both In this kingdom all men liue not but onelie those that ar subject to Christ obedient to the lawes of his kingdome and ruled by his authoritie are continually taught in his word by his spirit But those that refuse to liue according vnto the lawes of this king and choose to liue at their owne libertie are in the kingdom of darknesse sinne and Sathan The second is the kingdome of glory in heauen which is the blessed estate of al Gods people there when God shal be al in al in them And the former kingdom of grace is an entrance and preparation to the kingdome of glorie Come Gods kingdome comes when it is established and confirmed in mens hearts and made manifest to all people the impediments being remoued Question This comming implies a stopping but howe should Gods kingdome be hindered Answer Kingdom in this place is not takē for the power of God whereby hee rules all things for that cānot be hindred but for the kingdome of grace which in the vsing of the outward meanes as ministers word and sacraments may be hindered by the deuill the world and mans corruption 3 The vvantes which are to be bewailed THe wantes which wee in this petition are taught to mourn for are of two sorts some concern our own selues some others That which concernes our owne persons is a bondage and slauerie vnder sinne and Satan This bondage indeede is weakened in Gods seruants but none is whollie freed from it in this life Paule complaineth that he is sould vnder sinne and cries pitifullie O miserable man that I am who shal deliuer me from this bodie of death Question What difference then betweene the godlie and the wicked Answer The euil and vngodlie man in the verie middest of his bondage hath a mery hart sinne is no trouble to him nay it is meat and drinke to him But the godly man is otherwise minded For considering the power of the deuill and his craft in manifold fearfull temptations and seeing the prooffes of his rebellious nature euer and anon to start away from God he is grieued and confounded in himself his heart bleedes within him that hee doth offend so mercifull a Father Manie men liue in this world that manie yeares and yet neuer feele this bondage vnder Satan sinne Such vndoubtedlie cannot tel what the Lords prayer meanes But he that would haue the right vse of this petition must bee acquainted with it and bee touched in his conscience for that the flesh and the deuill beare such sway in him As the poore captiue is alwaies creeping to the prison dore alwaies labouring to get off his bolts fetters to escape out of prison so must we alwaies crie to the Lord for his Spirite to free vs out of this bondage and prison of sinne and corruption and everie day come neerer the prison doore looking when our blessed Sauiour will vnbind vs of all the fetters of sinne and Sathan and fullie erect his kingdome in vs. 2. The wantes which concerne others are twofold The former is the wāt of the good means which serue for the furthering of the kingdome of Christ as preaching sacraments and discipline When we shal see a people without knowledge and without good guides and teachers and when we see one stand vp in the congregation not able to teach here is matter for mourning This petition puts vs in mind to bewaile these wantes Our Sauiour when hee sawe the Iewes as sheepe without a shepherd he had compassion on them and hee wept ouer Ierusalem because they knewe not the thinges which belonged to their peace Luk. 9. 11. Therefore when preachers want to hold vp the scepter of God before the people and to hold out the word which is as it were the arme of God to pul men from the bondage of the deuill to the kingdome of Christ Then it is time to say Lorde let thy kingdome come 3. The third want which we are to bewail is that there be so many impediments and hinderances of the kingdome of grace as the deuill and al his Angels their instruments the Pope the Turke and all the rest of the professed wicked of the world which by subtile intisements and tyrannie keep back repell the means whereby Christ ruled as a king in his Churche When the deuill sees one that was sometime of his kingdome but to cast a looke toward the heauenly Ierusalem he straightway regeth against him and labours quite to ouerthrow him Wherfore in regard of al these impediments wee must pray thy kingdom come 4. Graces to be desired 1. IN this petition we are taught first that we are to haue a feruent desire and to hunger that God of his mercie would giue vs his Spirite to raigne and rule in our hearts and to bow them to all obedience and subjection of his will further whereas our hearts haue bene as it were filthie sties and stables of the deuill that hee would renew them and make of them sit temples to entertaine his owne spirite Psal. 51. 10. Create in me a cleane hearte
we giue him thanks and praise him Phil. 4. 6. But in al thinges let your requests be shevved to God in praier and supplication vvith thanksgiuing There is none but in want he will be ready to pray but when we haue receiued we ar slack in giuing of thanks but hee which wil pray aright must join theÌ„ both together And the sum of all Gods praise stands in these three points 1. That he is an absolute King 2. Secondly that hee hath absolute power to rule al thinges 3. That hauing power and a kingdome he hath glory also which appears in the holding of his kingdome and the â—hewing of his power in gouerning of it 4. Whatsoeuer we ask we must refer it to Gods glorie this is the first thing which wee were taught to craue and the 〈◊〉 we ar to performe because it is noted both in the beginning end of the praier Thus muche of the vse of these words altogether Now let vs mak vse of theÌ„ particularly First where as we say Thine is the kingdome Magistrates and rulers must knowe that all the authoritie and rule which they haue is from the Lord therefore they must remember to order themselues as gods Vicegerents vsing their power to bring men in subjection to Gods lawes and referring all their callings to his glorie 2 Where we say Thine is the power Wee are admonished when we are to performe anie worke as to doe seruice to God to walk in our callings that we haue no power of our selues and for this cause wee must ask power at Gods handes that we may be enabled to walke vprightly before him and doe our duties 3 In saying Thine is the glory we learn that if we wold haue a good report and praise among men wee must aboue all things seeke Gods glorie not regarding so much our own If he giue thee praise among men giue him thankes if not be content because al glorie is his Amen 1. The meaning VVE haue heard the preface and the petitions what they are Now followeth the third part which is the assent or testification of faith required in prayer in this word Amen And it containes more than men at the first woulde imagine It signifies Certainlie so be it or it shal be so 2. Cor. 1. 20. It is often taken for a bare assent of the people saying Amen to the Minister but in this place it containes more for euerie point in this prayer is not onlie a direction for publike prayer but for priuate also and must be saide as well of the Minister as of the people Nowe then there being two principall thinges in prayer the first a desire of grace the secoÌ„d faith whereby wee beleeue that God will grant things desired The first is expressed in the sixe petitions The latter is set forth in this worde Amen carrying this sence in effect As we haue craued these thinges at thy handes O Lord so we doe beleeue that for Christ his sake in good time thou wilt grant them to vs. Therefore this part is more excellent than the former by howe much our faith is more excellent than our desire For in this word is contained the testification of our faith whereas the petitions are onlie testifications of our desires And as it is in the end so also it is the seale of our prayers to make them authentical and it is to be vsed as I take it not onlie for this end to answer the Minister but also to testifie our faith for the things desired 2 Grace to be desired HEreby wee are taught what grace we ar to shew in praier We must labour to giue assent to Gods promises when we pray striue against doubting and vnbeleefe Mar. 9. 11. Lord I beleeue Lord help my vnbeleefe Psal. 42. 11. Why art thou cast down my soul and why art thou 〈◊〉 within me wait on god Manie there are that wil stande vpon the strength of their faith plead for themselues that they neuer doubted but they ar far wide for true faith beeing imperfect is alwaies accompanied with doubting more or lesse Wherefore the heart which feeles no doubting is not filled with faith but with presumption As for them which are molested with doubtings complaine of them they haue lesse cause to feare for as fire and water do neuer striue til they meete no more doth doubting and vnbeleefe til faith come into a man To conclude we see what an excellent worke prayer is in which two moste excellent graces of a Christian man bee shewed foorth hungring after mercy faith this might moue men to learn to pray praier being the exercise of grace Of the vse of the Lords praier THe principal vse of the Lords prayer is to direct God his Church in making their praiers in all places at al times and vpon all occasions though their praiers should be innumerable and vnles they be framed after this they can not be right In the vsing of it for direction there be three thinges required 1 The first is the knowledge of the Lordes prayer and al the partes thereof He that would pray by it must vnderstaÌ„d the meaning therof the wants therein to be bewailed and the graces to bee desired for which end it hath bin expounded 2. Knowing this there is in the seconde place required thus much skil that he be able to referr euerie want grace to one of the sixe petitions for example feeling in himselfe pride of heart he must be able to say this is a want in the first petition and feeling a rebellion slownes in doing Gods commandment he must be able to say this is a sin to be prayed against in the 3. petition Thus euery want he must refer to his proper hed again he must refer euery grace to be desired to one of the sixe petitions is streÌ„gth in temptation to the sixt assiance in Gods prouidence to the fourth knowledge of God to the first c. and so in the rest 3. In the third place he must before he pray consider what bee his wantes and imperfections which moste trouble him as also the graces which he wold obtain then for the helping of his memorie he must goe to the petitions and he must set those thinges first in his mind which do concern the first petition and those which concern the second petition must haue the second place in his mind and so he must proceed in order as shall haue occasion Thus a man keeping in minde the order of the petitions as they stand shall be able by referring euery grace and want vnto his proper head to mak a distinct prayer and to varie it as time place and other occasions shall moue him Quest. Must we of necessity follow al the petitions in conceiuing a praier An. No but only those which doe principallie belong to the time place occasion as Paule maketh a prayer Col. 1. 9. 10. and all the points of it may be referred to the third and
authoritie to binde al that cal on thy name 1. Cor. 1. 2. To them that are sanctified by Iesus Christ saints by calling with all that call on the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And contrariwise Psal. 14. 4. It is made one of the properties of an Atheist Neuer to cal on the name of God And such persons as neither wil nor can or vse not hartely to pray to God they may say that they are perswaded there is a God but in their doings they bear themselues as if there wer no God 6. He which would pray aright must be like the prodigall childe that is he must not onely confesse his sin saying Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee c. but also haue a ful purpose neuer after to offend his Father For how can a Childe call him father whome hee cares not continually to displease through his lewd conditions He cannot do it neither can any Father delight in suche a child therefore in praier we must call to minde our lewdnes and rebellions against our heauenly Father and with the Publican in heuines of soule say Lord be mercifull to me a sinner He which can truly do this is a kind child If we consider our selues as we are by nature wee are the children of the deuill noe childe so like his Father as wee are like him and in this estate we continually rebel against God for the Deuill hath al the heart our whol joy is to serue and please him A man that is to pray must think on this and be heauy for it And happy yea a thousand times happy ar they who haue grace giuen them to see this their state to bewaile it And further it is not sufficient to confesse our sinnes against our mercifull Father but wee must set downe with our selues neuer in such sort to offend him againe and to leade a newe life This point is very profitable for these times For many there be when any crosse or sicknes comes on them they will pray and promise repentance and all obedience to Gods worde if it shall please God to deliuer them but this vsually is but in hypocrisie they dissemble with God and men For when their sicknes is past like a dogge that hath bene in the water they shake their eares and runne streight with all greedinesse to their former sinnes Is this to call God father No hee that doth this shall not haue God to be his father but the man that is wounded in his soul for his offēces past and carrieth a purpose in his heart neuer wittingly and willingly to offend God againe 7. Lastly here we ar to obserue that he which would pray must be indued with the spirit of adoptiō the workes whereof in the matter of praier are twofold The first to moue him to crie and call on God as a father It is no easie thing to pray For to a man of himselfe it is as easie to mooue the whole earth with his hand how then comes it that we pray It is a blessed worke of the spirit Rom. 8. 15. Wee haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby vve crie Abba that is Father and Rom. 8. 26. Likewise the spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee knowe not what to pray as we ought but the spirit it self maketh request And. Zach. 12. 10. the holy Ghost is called the spirit of grace and deprecations or praiers Wel then the man that woulde pray must haue Gods spirite to bee his schoolmaster to teach him to pray with grones and sighes of the hart for the wordes make not the praier but the grones desires of the hart and a man praies for no more then he desires with his heart and hee which desires nothing praies not at all but spends liplabor The second work of the spirit is to assure vs in our consciences that we are in the state of grace reconciled to God Rom. 8. 16. The spirit of adoption beareth witnes with our spirits that we are the children of God And this inward certificate of the spirit in all exercises of invocation is very necessarie for hee which wants this assurance if hee be secure and benummed in his sinnes will not and if he be touched in conscience for them for his life hee dare not cal God Father Also this confutes the opiniō of the church of Rome which teacheth that a man must doubt whether hee be adopted or no. For howe can a man trulie cal God Father when he doubts whether he be the child of God or no. It is a miserable kinde of praying to call God Father and to doubt whether he be a father Indeede it is true that doubts will often rise but it is our dutie to striue against them and not to yeeld vnto them Yea but say they to be certain of Gods mercy is presumption I answere if it be presumption it is an holy presumption because God hath bidden vs call him father Our Father The meaning THus much of the argument of relation now let vs proceede It is further said Our Father Quest. Whether may it bee lawfull for vs in praier to say not our father but my father Ans. A Christian may in priuate praier say My Father This is warranted by the example of our Sauiour Mat 26. 39. O my Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me And Mat. 27. 46. My God my God whie hast thou forsaken mee The meaning of Christe is not to binde vs to these wordes but to teache vs that in our praiers wee must not haue regard to our selues onely but also to our brethren therefore when we pray for them in our priuate praiers as for our selues wee put in practise the true meaning of these wordes 2. The Vses 1 VVHen we pray we must not make request onlie for our selues our own good but for others also as the Church and people of GOD perswading our selues that we also are partakers of their praiers and for the better clearing of this point let vs search who they are for whome we are to pray Of men there be two sortes some liuing some dead Of these two kindes the liuing are to be praied for and there is no praying for the dead A man that is dead knowes what shall be his estate eternally if he died a wicked person his state shall be according in eternall torments if hee died godly then he shall rest with God in his kingdom Apoc. 14. 13. Blessed are they vvhich die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their vvorkes follow them Gal. 6. 10. While vve haue time let vs do good to al men Where we may note that there is a time namelie after death when we cannot Againe of the liuing some are our enemies and some our frends Our frends are they which are of the same religion affection disposition Foes are either priuate or publike publike foes are either enemies to our country as tyrants traitors c. or enemies
directly against God the other against men This sin because it is against the first Table and therfore more hard to bee discerned it is lightly esteemed and it lesse troubles the consciences of ignorant men yet as it is indeede so it is to be esteemed as a disgrace plaine mockerie of Gods majestie Wherfore seeing God is in heuen away with al drowsie and dead praying let vs come with reuerence in our hearts before the Lord. 4. Againe wee are here to consider that our harts in praier must mount vp into heauen and there be present with the Lord. Psal. 25. 1. Vnto thee O Lord lift I vp my soule The litle childe is neuer well but when it is in the fathers lap or vnder the fathers wing and the children of God are neuer in better case then when in affection spirit they can come into the presēce of their heauenly father and by prayer as it were to creep into his bosome 5. Lastly this preface sheweth that God is all sufficient as in al other things so in granting our requests God is willing to hear our praiers in that hee is our father able to performe them because he is in heuen therefore almightie Hallowed be thy name 1. The coherence THus much of the preface now follow the petitions They be six in number the three first concerne God and his glorie the other three concern our selues The three former petitions are againe deuided into two partes the firste concernes Gods glorie it selfe the other two the meanes whereby Gods glory is manifested and inlarged among men For God his name is glorified among men whē his kingdome doth come and his will is done Question Why is this petition Hallowed be thy name set in the first place Answere Because Gods glory must bee preferred before all thinges because it is the end of all creatures and of all the counsels of God Prou. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all thinges for his owne sake yea euen the vvicked for the day of euill And from the order of the petitions heere ariseth a worthy instruction namely that euery one in all thinges they take in hande are to propound to themselues and to intend the glory of God The reason is this The end which God hath appointed to all our doings we are to propound to our selues but God hath appointed that the highest end of all our doings shuld be his glorie therfore our hearts must be set to seeke it first of all That God will haue his name glorified by vs appeareth in this that he punisheth those which of obstinacie set themselues to dishonour him or by negligence did not sanctifie him when they should haue done so Herod sitting in his royaltie made such an oration that the people cried the voice of a God and not of a man and immediatly the Angel of the lord smote him because he gaue not the glory to God Act. 12. 23. And Moses because he did not sanctifie the Lord in the presence of the children of Israel therefore he came not into the land of promise yet he did but faile in doing of it Thus wee may see by these punishments and also by the order of the petitions that it is our duties to prefer the glory of God before all things else Quest. Whether are we to prefer the glory of God before the saluation of our soules Answer If the case stand thus that Gods name must be dishonoured or our soules condemned we must account the glory of God more pretious than the saluation of our soules This is manifest in the order of the petitions The petition that concernes Gods glory is first and the petitions that concerne directly our saluation are the fift and sixt Where by we are taught that before God should want any part of his glory we are to let soule and all go and let God haue all his glory This affection had Moses Exod. 32. 32. When he said Either forgiue them or if thou vvilt not blot my name out of thy booke In this petition as also in the rest we must obserue three things the first is the mening of the words the second the wants which men must learn to bewail the third the graces of god that ar to be desired 2. The meaning VErie fewe among the people can giue the right meaning of the wordes of this praier They pretend that seeing God knowes their good meaning it is sufficient for them to say the wordes and to meane well But faith being one of the groundes of praier there being no faith without knowledg neither can there bee praier without knowledge and therefore ignorant men are to learne the right meaning of the words Name Name in this place signifieth 1. God himselfe 1. Kings 5. 5. He shal build an house to my name 2. His attributes as his iustice mercy c. 3. His works creatures and iudgments 4. His word For God is knowne to vs by al these as men are knowne by their names and as all a mans praise glorie lies in his name so all the glorie of God is in these Hallowed To hallowe is to feuer a thing from the common vse to som proper and peculiar end as the temple was hallowed that is set apart to an holy vse and the priests were sanctified that is set apart to the seruice of God And all that beleeue in Christ are sanctified that is set apart from sin to serue God In like manner Gods name is hallowed when it is put apart from al abuses to an holy reuerent and honorable vse whether we think speake or vse it any maner of way Question How can a sinful man hallow Gods name which is pure and holy in it selfe Answer We do not here pray that we might make Gods name holy but that wee might bee meanes to declare and make manifest to the world by the right vsage of it that it is holy and pure and honourable The like phrase is vsed Luk. 7. 39. Wisedome is iustified of her children that is acknowledged declared to be just The scope therefore of the first petition is an earnest desire that we might set foorth Gods glorie whatsoeuer become of vs and it may be expressed thus O Lord open our eies that wee may aright knowe thee and acknowledge the gretnes of thy power wisdom justice and mercie which appeares in thy titles worde creatures and judgements and grant that when we vse any of these we may therein glorifie thee and vse them reuerently to thy glory 3 The vvantes which are to be bevvailed 1 THe wants which we in this place are taught to bewail are especiallie foure The first is an inward and spirituall pride of our hearts a sin that none or very few can see in themselues vnlesse the Lord open their eies When our first parentes were tempted in Paradise the deuil told them they should be as Gods which lesson not onely they but we haue learned and we conceiue of our selues
first lesson that our Sauiour doeth giue his Disciples that they must denie themselues and follow him 2 The second thing is the knowledge of Gods will for otherwise how shal we do it How shall that seruant please his maister which cannot tell what hee would haue done of him Most men will haue bookes of statutes in their houses and if they be to deal in any great matter they will do nothing vntil they haue looked on the Statute In like maner men must haue the Bible that is the booke of Gods statutes in their houses the lawes of God must bee the men of our counsel Before euerie action wee are to searche what is the will of God and then to doe it Here thē wee are taught to vse the meanes and to pray for knowledge 3 Againe we are here taught to haue a desire in our hearts and an indeuour in our liues in all things to do obedience to Gods word 4 Lastlie we desire patience and strength when it shall please God at anie time to exercise vs with the crosse as Paul prayes for the Colossians that God would strengthē them by the power of his might vnto all patience and long suffering with ioy fulnesse 5. Errour confuted THe Church of Rome teacheth that men by nature haue free-will to good and that men being stirred vp by the holy ghost can of themselues will that which is good But if this were so why might we not pray Let my will bee done So far foorth as the will of man shall agree with Gods will but this cannot be as we see in the tenour of this petition In earth as it is in heauen 1 The meaning HAuing shewed the meaning of this petition thy vvill be done Now we are to speake of the condition which is in what maner we shuld doe it For the question may be how we should doe Gods will the answer is his wil must be done in earth as it is in heauen Heauen By heauē here is meant the soules of faithfull men departed and the elect Angels Psal. 103 20. Praise the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength that doe his commandements in obeying the voice of his vvord Earth By earth is vnderstood nothing but men on earth becaus all other creatures in their kind obey God only man he is rebellious and disobedient Then the meaning is Let thy will be done by vs men on earth as the Angels and saintes departed doe thy will in heauen Qu. Do we here desire to do the will of God in that perfection it is done by angels must we be as perfit as they Ans. the wordes here vsed in earth as it c. do not signifie an equalitie as though our obedience should in this life be in the same degre of perfection with with Angels but a similitude or the like maner of obeying it may be said in what maner do the Angels obey God Answer They doe the wil of God willingly speedily and faithfully and this is signified in that they are saide in the scriptures to bee winged and to stand continually beholding the face of our heauenly Father And this is the manner in which we desire to performe Gods will 2. The wants to be bewailed VVE are heere admonished to bee displeased with our selues for our imperfect obedience to God for our hypocrisie priuie pride presumptiō deadnes of spirit and many other wants which breake out when we are in doing Gods will There is no seruant of God but hath wants in his best works so we must vnderstand Paul Ro. 7. 18. he saith as much as if he culd begin a good thing but not perfect it go through stitch as we say Whē the godly do good works as heare speak Gods word pray praise God c. they perform things acceptable to God but in these actions they finde matter of mourning namely the imperfectiō of the work therfore Dauid praieth Psal. 143. 2. Enter not into iudgement vvith thy seruant and here we may see how far wide the Church of Rome is that holds good works to be any way meritorious that be euery way imperfect If the mē of that church had grace they might see that the corruptiōs of the flesh wer as gynes fetters about their legs that when they would faine runne the waies of Gods commādements they are constrained to halt downe right and to trail their loynes after them 3 Grace to be desired THE grace here to be desired is synceritie of heart in doing Gods will so as wee may keepe a good conscience before God and men Act. 24. 16. And for this cause I indeuoured alwaies to haue a clear conscience towards God and towards men This must we hunger after pray for seing it is not sufficient to abstaine from euill but also to doe good and in doing good striue to come to perfection Giue vs this day our daily bread 1 The Coherence THus much of the thre first petitions which concerne God now follow the other three which concern our selues In which order we learn to pray for those things which concerne God absolutelie and for those thinges which concerne our selues not absolutely but so farre foorth as they shall make for God his glorie the building of his kingdom and the doing of his wil. But how dependes this petition on the former In the first wee are taught to pray that Gods name might bee hallowed which is done whē God raigns in our hearts his wil is done Now further his will is obeyed in three thinges first by depending on his prouidence for the thinges of this life secondly by depending on his mercy for the pardon of sin thirdly by depending on his power and might in resisting temptations And thus Gods will is obeyed 2 The meaning BRead By this one means of sustayning our bodies and temporarie liues all other meanes are vnderstood as meat drinke cloathing helth liberty peace c. Gen 3. 19. Thou shalt eat thy bread vz. get thy liuing in the sweat of thy browes Out of this we learn 2. instructions for why doth the Lord teache vs to craue onely bread and not meate and other dainties It is for 2. causes the first is that we might hereby learn frugalitie and moderation in our diet apparel houses and be content if wee haue no more but bread seeing wee desire no more We must not with the Israelites murmur because they had nothing but Manna Quest. Must wee vse Gods creatures onely for necessitie Ans. we may vse them not onely for necessitie but also for honest delight plesure Psal. 104. 15. God giues wine to make glad the heart of man and oyle to make his face shine And Iohn 12. 3. Our Sauiour Christ allowed of the fact of Mary which tooke a pounde of ointment of spikenard very costly and annointed his very feete so that all the house was filled with the smell though Iudas did esteeme it wast But yet if the Lord shall graunt but