the Saints pray Come LORD Iesus come quickly Romanes 22.20 Therefore the godly are said to loue the comming of Christ 2 Tim. 4.8 True Petitioners First they that mourne and lament to sée the dominion and power of the Diuell to be to great as it is Secondly they that deale earnestly with God euery day that it may be diminished Thirdly they that pray earnestly day and night that God would multiply the number of his Children Fourthly they that long for the day of Christ wherein hée shall put downe all rule and all authoritie and power c. Counterfait Petitioners Such as scorne at the Ministerie of the Church Such as hinder the frée course of the Gospell Such as oppose themselues against godly Preachers and good men Such as take part with the wicked and defend bad causes Such as labour to quench and smoother all good matters in their harts Such as put farre from them the day of euill and waite not nor prepare themselues for his comming Thy will be done c. Sense GRaunt that wée and all men renouncing our owne will may readily and without murmuring obay thy will and so may chearfully execute whatsoeuer the Angels doe in heauen Coherence In the former petition wée prayed that hée onely might be our King and raigne ouer vs now wée desire that being his Subiects wée may obay him and doe his will Mal. 1.6 If I be a Father where is my honor If I be a Master where is my feare Will. HEere it signifieth Gods word for in his word his will is reuealed Of the whole will of God there be thrée speciall points which are in this place meant 1 Faith in the promises 2 Sanctification 3 Patient bearing of the Crosse Proofe of the first This is then his commaundement that we belieue in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ 1 Iohn 3.23 This is the will of him that sent mee that euery one which seeth the Sonne and belieueth on him should haue euerlasting life Iohn 6.40 Proofe of the second This is the will of GOD euen your Sanctification 1 Thes 4.3 Proofe of the third Whosoeuer will be my Disciple must forsake himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me Mat. 16.24 The Apostle prayeth Phillip 3.10 that hée might know him and the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions and be made conformable to his death Thy will not mine for since the fall of Adam mans will is wicked and corrupt yea it is flat enmitie to GOD Rom. 8.7 But Gods will is most holy right and pure and therefore all our loue ought to be vpon it Done that is obeyed and accomplished of men Then the effect of the praier is this O Lord séeing thou art our King giue vs grace to shew our selues good Subiects in obaying thy will For obedience is better then sacrifice and to hearken is better then the fat of Rams 1 Sam. 15.22 Not euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heauen Mat. 7.22 Whosoeuer doth the will of GOD is my Brother my Sister and my Mother Mark 3.35 Hee that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for euer 1 Ioh. 2.17 In Earth as it is in Heauen THis clause sheweth the manner of dooing Gods will By heauen here is meant the soules of faithfull men departed and the elect Angels Praise the Lord yee his Angels that excell in strength that doe his commaundements in obaying the voyce of his word Psal 103.20 By earth is vnderstoode nothing but men on earth because all other creatures in their kindes obay God onely man is rebellious and disobedient The word as doth imply a similitude not an equalitie Sense Let thy will be done by vs men on earth as the Angels and Saints departed doe thy will in heauen that is 1 Willingly 2 Spéedely 3 Faithfully and continually Therefore they are said in the Scriptures to be winged Things prayed for Deniall of our selues our owne wils and affections Knowledge of Gods will for otherwise how should we doe it A feruent desire of obedience to doe his will in all our particular actions Patience and a willing submitting of our selues to the will of God in all things So did Elie the Priest It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good 1 Sam. 3.18 So did Dauid 2 Sam. 15.26 But if hee thus say behold I haue no delight in thee behold here I am let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eyes So Christ himselfe Father take this cup from me yet not as I will but as thou wilt Mark 14.36 So the Disciples and holy Christians Acts 12.14 The will of the Lord be done Therefore Saint Iames calleth Patience by the name of Wisedome because mans chiefe wisedome standeth therein that in his aduersities and troubles he patiently submits himselfe to the will of God But on the contrary it is extreame foolishnesse and madnesse if any dare resist set himselfe against it For what good doth hée by it Can hée change the will of God No verely Nay rather he maketh his owne case worse as well with inward griefe that tormenteth him as also because hée pulleth the wrath of God vpon himselfe for by our stubbernesse hée is compelled to lay more grieuous punishments vpon vs. On the other side by our patience hée is moued vnto pittie euen as good Parents are wont when they perceiue that their Children are brought into good order by their correction Who prayeth this Petition aright They which bewayle the sinnes of the world as Ignorance Error Schismes Pride Couetuousnes Contempt of the word Oppression Swearing Lying c. They which are gréeued for their Impatience and disquietnesse of minde For their coldnesse in Gods seruice For their vnperfect obedience and wants euen in their best actions Giue vs this day our daily bread THe thrée former Petitions doe immediatly concerne God these thrée last our selues which teacheth that we must prefer God and his glory before all things Coherence In the first we were taught to pray that GODS name may be hallowed which is done when God reigneth in our hearts and his will is done Now further his will is obeyed in thrée things First by depending on his prouidence for the things of this life Secondly for depending on his mercy for the pardon of sinnes Thirdly by depending on his power and might in resisting temptations and thus is the will of God obeyed Bread BRead signifieth all things whereby this life is preserued as Meate Drinke Clothing Health Peace Libertie yea Goates milke Pro. 27.27 and the fruit of Trées Ierem. 11.19 Genes 1.29 And all things that passe too and fro in trafficke Pro. 31.14 In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread Gen. 3.19 Man liueth not by bread onely c. Math. 4. Iesus entred into the house of a certaine Pharisie to eate bread Luk. 14. Christ vseth this word Bread
is more excellent then remission of sinnes and strength against temptations but because men must haue a being and a sustentation by bread in this life before they can desire forgiuenesse of Sinnes and strength against temptations And because by earthly things wée may lift vp our mindes and climbe vp as it were to the consideration of heauenly Forgiue vs our trespasses IN this the next Petition we craue spirituall blessings where wée note that séeing there are two petitions which concerne spirituall things and but one for Temporall that the care for our soules must be double more then the care for our bodyes Coherence Gods will is done when wée trust in his prouidence for things of this life and in his mercy for the pardon of our sinnes Reason of the order that first vvee craue things for the body and aftervvards for the soule as though the body were more excellent then the soule The reason hereof is that hée will traine vs by degrées and draw vs on by little and little to beléeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes which is a great matter and a very high poynt he considereth our dulnesse and backwardnesse and therefore dealeth with vs as a schoolemaster with his dull schollers which first teacheth them easie things and after carryeth them to higher points For the former petition is a step or degrée to these two following for he that will rest on Gods mercy for the pardon of his sinnes must first of al rest on Gods prouidence for this life for hée that cannot put his affiance in God for the prouision of meat drinke how shall hée trust in Gods mercy for the saluation of his soule The ruler by the healing of the body of his child was brought to beléeue in Christ Iohn 4.53 By debts sinnes are meant as Luk. 11.4 where it is sayd Forgiue vs our sinnes and in Matthew 6.12 where it is sayd Forgiue vs our debts They are so called because of the resemblance betwéene them for euen as a debt doth binde a man eyther to make satisfaction or els to goe to prison so our sinnes bindes vs eyther to satisfie Gods iustice or else to suffer eternall damnation Vnder the name of debts is contayned both actuall and originall sinnes They are called our debts because they are of our selues and not of God as Genes 6.5 Forgiue TO forgiue sinne is to couer it or not to impute it Psal 32. When our sinnes are imputed to Christ and his righteousnesse to vs then are wée fully cleared and discharged Through whom is forgiuenesse Forgiuenes is onely through Christ Rom. 3.24 Ephes 1.7 Col. 1.14 Hebr. 9. Zech. 13.1 Vnder this one benefit of remission of sinnes all the rest of the same kinde are vnderstood as namely Iustification Sanctification Redemption Regeneration Glorification This word forgiue teacheth that all men are sinners and haue néed of forgiuenesse as 1 Kings 8.46 There is no man that sinneth not Surely there is no man iust in the earth that doeth good and sinneth not Eccles 7.22 Who can say I haue purified my heart I am cleane from my sinne Prouerbs Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for no man liuing shall be iustified in thy sight Psal 143.2 If thou O God marke our iniquities who shall be able to stand Psal 130.3 O cleanse me from my secret sinnes Psal 19.12 Séeing we pray for frée forgiuenesse wée are to hold that there is no satisfaction made by vs to Gods iustice for sinne for to forgiue and to satisfie be contrarie here falleth downe the doctrine of satisfaction taught in the Church of Rome Séeing we sinne daily and therefore pray dayly for forgiuenesse wée note the great patience and long suffering of God that suffers and forbeares still and doth not powre downe his wrath vpon vs and it doth teach vs to vse the like patience towards our brethren that offend vs. Againe wée may obserue that our sanctification in this life is neuer perfect because we craue pardon euery day for sinne it is alwayes in perfecting but neuer perfected here Where it is brought as a reason taken from the comparison of the lesse to the greater thus if we which haue but a sparke of mercy doe forgiue others then doe thou which art the fountaine of mercy forgiue vs but we forgiue others therefore doe thou forgiue vs. The Papists make our forgiuing a cause for the which God is mooued to forgiue vs but it is no cause but onely a signe or effect that God doth forgiue vs for our readinesse and willingnesse in forgiuing others is a liuely token of the pardon of our owne sinnes wée must therefore be ready to forgiue others that we may haue testimonie in our owne consciences that God forgiueth vs Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy If you forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly Father will also forgiue you but if you doe not forgiue men their trespasses neither will your heauenly Father forgiue you your trespasses Matth. 6.14 A man doth neuer fréely franckly and from his heart forgiue others till hée doe inwardly féele that God hath forgiuen him but when hée once féeleth that then doth hée easily and readily forgiue his brother that thereby he may haue more and more testimony to his owne heart of Gods loue towards him for a man is towards his neighbour as hée féeleth God to be towards himselfe he reboundeth vpon his neighbour that which he hath receiued from God therefore hée which féeleth not God to be mercifull to himselfe will neuer be mercifull to his neighbour A seale doth not set any print into the waxe before it hath it in it selfe A coale doth not warme others till it be hot it selfe so we doe not willingly forgiue till we be forgiuen But after a seale hath receiued his impression and is grauen it doth imprint the same vpon the waxe and after the coales be hot they heat others so after we féele God to be good to vs we are good to others The manner of forgiuenesse Our Sauiour sayth Matth. 18. that it must be from the heart therefore wicked are they which say I may forgiue him but I will not forget him he may come into my Pater-noster but he shall neuer come into my Créed behold the Diuels logick which maketh Malice to be Charitie Blinde people play with the Lords Prayer as the Flie doth with the Candle till she be burnt for the more they pray these words the more they call for vengeance against themselues For if we be so cruell that we cannot forgiue the offences which men commit against vs which are but as the debt of one hundred pence with what face can we require of God to be forgiuen the offences which wée haue committed against him which are as the debt of tenne thousand talents Looke how often therefore a man doth vtter this petition with a mind desirous of reuenge so often doth he call vnto the Lord to take vengeance vpon him for his sinnes
The Scriptures elsewhere vse the like phrases of God for God is sayd to harden the heart of Pharaoh Exodus 7.3 And againe GOD mooued Dauid to number the people And againe GOD sent strong delusions that men might beleeue lyes 2 Thess 2.11 Therefore as God heardened Pharaohs heart mooued Dauid to number the people deliuered the Gentiles into a reprobate minde and so in the same sense hee leadeth men into temptation Obiection God tempteth no man Iames. 1.15 therefore he leadeth no man into temptation Answere True it is that in S. Iames sense God tempteth no man that is mooueth no man to sinne but as hée sayth euery man when hée is tempted is led away and snared of his owne concupiscence Gods tempting of men is after two sorts respecting the praise of his iustice and the prayse of his mercy Touching the first he doth somtimes for former euils throw vs to the Diuell yet hée is not the author of euill when after this sort hée leadeth vs into temtation for he doth it iustly for some notable euill which he séeth in vs. Touching the second he tempteth vs for the prayse of his mercy when he tryeth and prooueth vs by corrections and chastisements as pouertie reproches contempt afflictions c. In which respect Dauid saith Proue me O Lord and trie me and S. Iames saith Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for after he is tried he shall receiue the crowne of life which God hath promised to them that loue him Iames 1. In this sence Abraham and Iob were tempted that is tryed Then we sée how God tempteth after one sort Sathan after another God for our good by humbling and trying of vs. The Diuell for our hurt and vtter destruction Therefore though God lead men into temptation yet is he not the author of euill There be foure respects in which God may be a worker in temptations and yet frée from sinne First he tempteth by offering occasions and obiects to trie whether a man will sinne or not as a master that layeth a purse of money in his seruants way which he suspecteth This triall is no sinne in the Maister though the seruant sinne in stealing Thou shalt not hearken vnto the words of the Prophet or dreamer of dreames for the LORD thy GOD prooueth thee whether thou loue the LORD thy GOD with all thy heart Deut. 13. Secondly God leadeth into temptation by withdrawing of his grace neither can this be a sinne in God because he is bound to no man to giue him grace and here is a difference betwéen◠the tempting of God and of Sathan God holds backe grace when he tempteth the Diuell suggests euill motions Thirdly euery action so farre forth as it is an action is good and of GOD for in him we liue mooue and haue our being Therefore God is a worker in temptations so farre foorth as they are actions One man kils another the very moouing of the body in the doing of this villany is of God but the wickednesse of the action is from man and the Diuell a man rideth vpon a lame horse and stirs him the rider is the cause o◠the motion but the horse himselfe o◠the halting in the motion so God is th◠author of the action but not of the euil◠in the action The fourth way is in regard o◠the end for God tempts his seruants to correct and humble them for their sinnes to trie their patience faith and loue c. Deliuer vs from euill that is frée vs from the power of the World the Flesh and the Diuell so euill in this place is onely from the Diuell but we may take it more largely for all spirituall enemies as S. Iohn sayth the whole world liueth in euill vnder the power of Sathan and sinne our Lord Iesus likewise sayth I pray not that thou wouldst take them out of the world but that thou wouldst keepe them from euill Iohn 17. These wordes therefore as hath béene sayd are an 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 The summe of all is this that for as much as we are by nature so féeble and weake that we are not able of our selues to stand one minute of an houre against our spirituall enemies that therefore God would vphold vs and strengthen vs by the power of his spirit that wée faint not in this spirituall combat therefore our Sauiour sayth Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation for the Spirit is willing but the Flesh is weake That there is nothing more weake then man so soone as he is left of the hand of God we haue many testimonies and examples in the Scriptures for thus sayth the Prophet The Lord knoweth whereof we are made he considereth that we are but dust Christ also sayth Without mee you can doe nothing Dauid Peter and all the Apostles were examples of many infirmities Dauid when hauing a little rest from continually warre he by and by fell into adulterie 2 Sam. 11.3 Peter when being afrayd of a Damsell he denied Christ The Apostles when they forsooke their master If this befell them which were indued with so notable graces what ought euery one of vs to thinke For thine is the Kingdome THis conclusiue reason containeth the cause for the which wée craue all the former things namely for that they concerne his Kingdome Power and Glory for by the first thrée his Kingdome is made manifest and by the last thrée his Power is exercised whereupon followeth the increase of his Glory Furthermore this conclusion is added to encourage vs with boldnesse and assurance to come vnto GOD in Prayer for first wée know that hée is able to graunt all these Petitions because hée is a God of Kingdomes and Power Secondly we know that he will graunt them because they concerne his owne Glory and so is our faith and assurance confirmed FINIS Iam. 5.14 Psa 115.1 Ioh. 5.44 Psa 115.1 Rom. 2.24 1 Pet. 3.15 16. Act. 19.9 1 Tim. 1.13 Exo. 20.7 Math. 9.38 Ezek. 1. Rom. 8.32 2 Sam. 24.2 1 Pet. 5.8 Luke 22.32 2 Sam. 24.1 Psal 26.2 Iohn 15.1