sufficient to ask these things of God but we must also be carefull to ask them aright and according to the will of God which that we may do there are duties to be performed both peculiar to prayer for temporall things and generall and common to all prayer The peculiar duties are these 1. That in asking temporall blessings we submit our selves to the will and good pleasure of God saying with our Saviour Not my will c. And therefore when we ask temporall things our Saviour teacheth us to deny our own wills and to desire that not our will but his will may be fulfilled 2. That we ask them not absolutely but so farre forth as they are blessings and good things with this condition that if they may stand with Gods glory and our own good For God hath promised to give good things to them that ask them But these are not simply good but as they have reference to Gods glory and our spirituall and everlasting good We must remember that in temporall matters God heareth men either in mercy as a father or in wrath as a judge but we come unto him as a father and desire him as a father to heare us c. 3. That we ask them to good ends not to spend them on our lusts but to imploy them to Gods glory in the supply of our own wants and theirs that belong unto us and also in the relief of other mens necessities either private or publick Ephes. 4. 28. Therefore we are to ask and to ask aright and this is that which James faith chap. 4. 2 3. Ye get nothing because ye ask not ye ask and receive not because ye ask amisse that ye may consume it on your lusts The generall duties to be performed in prayer for temporall blessings are that we ask them in fervency and in faith That we may ask them in fervency we must have 1. a true fense of our wants 2. a true desire that our wants may be supplied by the contrary gifts and graces We will for brevities sake joyn them together Every request presupposeth want Jam. 1. 5. Whereas therefore Christ biddeth us ask it proveth 1. our nullity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and poverty in our selves who neither have any thing but what it pleaseth God to give us neither can we by our means procure any thing that is good except it please God to blesse our means neither can we use and enjoy that which we have unlesse it please God to grant us the use thereof neither will the use thereof avail us except it please God to blesse the use of them giving them vertue to nourish and to cherish us and make them effectual to our good Wants to be bewailed In true sense therefore of this our want we are to pray that it may be supplied by the contrary gifts namely that God would be pleased to give unto us that portion of temporall benefits which he knoweth to be most fit and convenient for us and to that end that he would blesse our means for the obteining of that which we have not and also grant unto us the use of that which we have and lastly that he would blesse the use thereof unto us making them effectuall to our good 2. Whereas Christ teacheth us every day to say Give us this day c. it argueth our mortality and frailty who cannot continue our lives except it please God to make a daily supply of his temporall benefits whereby we may be susteined In sense of which our frailty we are day by day to poure forth our souls before the Lord saying Give us this day our daily bread that is that bread which we have need of every day as the Syriack readeth Luke 11. 3. As we are to acknowledge 1. our own nullity who have nothing of our selves and 2. our frailty and mortality who cannot continue except we have a daily supply so in the third place whereas our Saviour doth teach us to ask these things not as our own desert but as the free gift of God we must confesse our own unworthinesse who cannot truly challenge unto our selves the least temporall benefit that may be as our own desert but must as our Saviour hath taught us beg it of God as his undeserved gift Therefore we are to come unto God not in our own worthinesse but in his manifold mercies acknowledging with Jacob that we are lesse then the least of his mercies that we are not worthy to breathe in the air not to dwell upon the earth or to enjoy any of his blessings which therefore we humbly beg of him that he would give them unto us for his mercies fake in Christ Jesus 4. Whereas our Saviour teacheth us to ask our bread which we have gotten by good means to be given us of God this argueth 1. our coveting of other mens goods 2. our diffidence and distrust in Gods providence which maketh us ready in time of our need to use unlawfull and indirect means In sense of which want we are to pray that we may depend upon his providence and cast our care upon him expecting with all the creatures our daily food from him and in all our need may be carefull to use good means and with quietnesse to work that is good that we may eat our bread given us of God For that is onely ours which we have by good means and that onely is given of God which is well gotten 5. Whereas we are taught to desire God to give us these things notwithstanding our means and the abundance of goods which we possesse this argueth our confidence in the means for obteining our desire and our trusting in the goods once gotten In respect whereof we are to pray that both in the means and in the use of the things we may learn to depend upon Gods blessings without which all means are uneffectuall and unprofitable and therefore we must desire notwithstanding all our means and abundance of goods that God would give us our daily bread 6. Whereas he biddeth us ask bread teaching us to bridle our desires and to be content with a little this sheweth our covetousnesse and discontentednesse many times with our present estate In sense whereof we are to desire that as we do ask our daily bread of God so having that which we have asked we may not onely rest contented but give thanks to God that heard the voice of our prayer 7. When he directeth us to ask 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 daily bread it bewrayeth our either superstitious and phantasticall contempt of Gods gifts with them that affect voluntary poverty or else our worldly and immoderate desire of more then is sufficient that in sense thereof we may with Agur pray Give me not poverty nor riches but feed me with food convenient for me 8. Where he biddeth us say Give us this pointeth at our self-love whereby every man desireth good things for himself although many times it
infirmities for we know not what we should pray as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercossion for us with gronings which cannot be â—…ttered And he that searcheth the heart knoweth the mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to God Rom. 8. 26 27. Quodnon sic est intelligendum saith Augustine ut existimemus sanctum Spiritum Dei qui in Trinitate incommunicabilis Deus est cum Patre Filio unus Deus tanquam aliquem qui non sit quod Deus est interpellare pro sanctis Dictum quippe est INTERPELLAT PRO SANCTIS quia interpellare sanctos facit Sicut dictum est TENTAT VOS DEUS VESTER UT SCIAT SI DILIGATIS EUM hoc est ut scire vos faciat Which is not so to be understood that we should think the holy Spirit of God which in the Trinitie is God incommunicable and with the Father and Sonne one God should pray for the Saints unto one who is not that which God is But it is said He prayeth for the Saints because he inableth the Saints to pray as it is said Your God tempteth you that he may know whether ye love him that is that he may cause you to know it It is well said of Chrysostome Supra vires hominis est sacere cum Deo colloquium nisi adsit vis actus Spiritûs sancti It is above the strength of man to conferre with God unlesse the vertue operation of the Spirit be present And therefore when we pray we are to crave the assistance of Gods spirit which is the spirit of grace and prayer Zech. 12. 10. which God hath promised to give to them that ask him Luke 11. 13. and in and by his holy spirit we are to call upon God Jude v. 20. For whereas many graces and duties are required in prayer all which are above our own strength the spirit of God which is the spirit of grace and supplication effecteth them all in the children of God It is he that prepareth our hearts to prayer Psal. 10. 17. that openeth our lips that our mouth may shew sorth his praise Psal. 51. 15. It is he that anointeth our blind eyes that we may see and toucheth our senselesse hearts that we may feel our misery and want that in true humility of soul we may poure forth our hearts before God It is the spirit of the fear of God that maketh us to come with due reverence of his Majestie It is the spirit of suppllcations that maketh our frozen and benummed hearts to pray fervently with sighs that cannot be expressed It is the spirit of adoption who testifieth unto our spirits that we are the children of God by which we do cry in our hearts Abba Father Finally it is the spirit of grace which helpeth our infirmities and furnisheth us with those graces which be requisite in prayer and teacheth us to pray according to God And this is that which Paul teacheth us that we have accesse to the Father through the Sonne and by the holy Ghost Ephes. 2. 18. that is in the name and mediation of Christ by the help and assistance of the holy Ghost For being both unworthy in our selves and of our selves unable to call upon God as we ought if we come in the name of Christ craving the assistance of the holy Spirit in Christ we shall be accepted and by the holy Ghost enabled to pray according to God But here we are to take heed that we abuse not this doctrine concerning the help and assistance of the holy Ghost in prayer by neglecting our own indeavour and presuming of the extraordinary inspiration of the holy Ghost for that is to tempt God But in doing the uttermost of our own indeavour we are to crave the assistance of Gods Spirit who will not be wanting to those who are not wanting to themselves Now if it be demanded how these things may stand together that no man can pray without the spirit of God and without faith and yet both the spirit and faith is to be obteined by prayer I answer God by his preventing grace worketh in us a true desire of grace and of faith which desire of grace is the beginning of the grace desired And therefore the grace of the spirit and faith in order of nature go before prayer which is the effect of that desire and yet prayer goeth before the knowledge or feeling of either of both CHAP. XXVI Of the circumstances of prayer ANd thus much of the substantiall points of Invocation Now follow the accidentall which are the circumstances of Person Time and Place Prayer in regard of persons is either publick or private Publick invocation is the prayer of a congregation as of a parish or colledge Of publick prayer we are to make speciall account For if the prayer of some one man can avail so much as heretofore I have shewed what shall we think of publick where the prayers of so many ascend together unto the Lord As the flame of one faggot-stick to the â—…lame of the whole faggot or bundle so is the prayer of one man to the prayer of the whole congregation for Vis unita est fortior force united is so much the stronger and a threefold cable is hardly broken Our Saviour Christ hath bountifully promised that where two or three be gathered together in his name there is he in the middest of them Matth. 18. 20. Yea such is the presence of the Lord in publick assemblies that those which have been excluded thence have thought themselves banished from the presâ—…nce of God and to be put away from his face It was the punishment of Cain and so he esteemed it Gen. 4. For when the Lord had banished him from that earth which hâ—…d received his brothers bloud from his hand v. 11. which was the place of the visible Church v. 14. he saith that by reason of this punishment he should be hid from Gods face We see the same in the practice of David Who when he was in banishment desired nothing more then to have libertie to come into the assemblies of the saints when he had liberty he rejoyceed in nothing more For the first reade Psal. 27. and 42. and 84. In Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I require even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to visit his temple Psal. 42. 1 2. As the hart brayeth for the rivers of waters so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thir steth for God even for the living God when shall I come and appear before the presence of God c. And v. 4. he saith that his soul languished when he considered that had it not been for the tyrannie of his oppressours he might have gone with the rest of the assembly into the house of God
Doth the Lord bid thee seek his face answer with that heavenly echo of the Psalmist Psal. 27. 8. Thy face Lord will I seek It is the will of God that thou shouldst turn unto him break off without delay the course of thy sinne and turn unto the Lord. Knock at the doore of thy heart Open thine immortall gate that the King of glory may come in Doth he call thee to repentance to day If yee will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Deferre not repentance but to day before to morrow repent Seek the Lord whilest he may be found and call upon him whilest he is near Isai. 55. 6. Doth he call us to triall and affliction let us take up our crosse and follow him submitting our selves willingly to his will 1. Sam. 3. 18. Acts 21 14. 2. Sam. 15. 26. 5. The Angels do the will of God fully accomplishing whatsoever the Lord commandeth so ought we to do it fully and not by halves otherwise he will say to us as to them of Sardis Revel 3. 2. I have not found thy works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 complete before God Remember the example of Herod Mark 6. 20. who albeit hearing John Baptist he did many things and heard him gladly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet because hâ—… continued in that sinne of incest his partiall obedience did nothing avail him He that keepeth all the law and faileth in some one commandment is guilty of all Jam. 2. 10. And he that truly repenteth of any one sinne repenteth of all Where there is upright obedience there is intire obedience but where there is halving there is halting between God and Mammon between Christ and Antichrist The covetous man thinketh well of himself because he is not a whoremaster or a drunkard the riotous person thinketh well of himself that he is not covetous no extortioner c. the Pharisee because he is no Publicane Luke 18 c. Many separate justice and holinesse c. But herein we are as much as we are able to follow the example of Christ who did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulfill all righteousnesse Matth. 3. 15. For if we will be men according to Gods own heart we must desire and endevoúr to do all his will Acts 13. 22. 6. The Angels of the Lord do his will constantly never giving over untill they have accomplished the will of the Lord so must we be constant persevering in obedience being not weary of weldoing knowing that we are redeemed of the Lord to worship him c. all the dayes of our lives Luke 1. 74. Our obedience must not be like the morning mist. Remember that religion is a way to the end whereto we cannot come untill the end of our lives and therefore if we set down our staff before we come to the end and will go no further what will all our former pains avail us If we run in this race and faint before we come to the goal how shall we hope to obtein the garland Be faithfull unto death saith our Saviour and I will give thee the crown of life Revel 2. 10. and Matth. 24. 13. He that continueth to the end he shall be saved 7. Lastly the holy Angels do the will of God faithfully and in all their doings seek the glory of God that sendeth them not assuming unto themselves any part of the praise So must we 1. Cor. 10. 31. For if therein we shall seek our own praise or other sinister respects we have our reward Thus must we truly in our lives desire and endevour to do the will of God on earth as the Angels do it in heaven otherwise when we make this prayer we do ask with our mouthes that which we desire not with our hearts Here therefore is discovered the hypocrisie of many men who pray that they may do the will of God which they will not do God would have thee to turn unto him thou prayest that thou mayest do the will of God and yet wilt not turn to him c. What is this then but to mock God when thou askest that of him which thou hast neither desire nor purpose to do But here especially appeareth the hypocrisie of obstinate and stiff-necked sinners who will seem so forward as to desire that they may do the will of God even as the Angels do it in heaven and yet in very truth obey the will of God no otherwise on earth then the devils in hell who although they oppose themselves against the revealed will of God yet willingly though unwittingly perform his secret will which no creature is able to disannull If therefore we would be thought to pray in truth let us desire and endeavour to do that in our lives which in prayer we ask and desire So having imitated the obedience of the Angels on earth we shall be made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the Angels and fellow-citizens with the Saints and Angels in heaven c. The fourth Petition HItherto we have spoken of those petitions which immediately concern the glory of God Now we are to come unto those which more nearly appertein unto our good Howbeit mediately also they are referred to Gods glory which must be the main end of all our desires for whatsoever we are to ask for our selves we are to desire no otherwise but as it is subordinate to Gods glory Spirituall graces and salvation we are to desire for the manifestation of the glory of his mercy in our salvation And because a Christian man is bound to believe that the Lord harh ordained him to salvation therefore salvation and those spirituall graces which are necessary thereunto may be asked absolutely as being subordinate to Gods glory with which he joyneth the salvation of the chosen Temporall benefits are to be asked conditionally so farre forth as they serve for Gods glory and our spirituall good Gods glory is to be sought for even in our eating and drinking and whatsoever we do 1. Cor. 10. 31. Nay our life it self is no otherwise to be desired then it is referred to Gods glory Psal. 80. 19. Preserve O Lord our life and we will call upon thy name Psal. 119. 175. Let my soul live and it shall praise thee Isai. 38. 18 19. Psal. 6. 5. and 30. 9. and 50. 15. Sufficientia vitae saith Augustine rectè appetitur non propter seipsam quidem sed ut eam habentes commodiùs Deo serviamus Sufficiencie for life is rightly desired not for it self but that we may more commodiously serve God Now these petitions are of two sorts For in them we ask either temporall benefits concerning the body for the maintenance of this life present or spirituall blessings in heavenly things concerning the soul for the obteining of a better life Of both which we have a promise 1. Tim. 4. 8. and therefore are to pray for both The prayer for temporall blessings is conteined in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give us this
day our daily bread But first let us consider the order of the petition in respect both of those which go before and also which follow In respect of the antecedents our Saviour speaketh Matth. 6. 33. First seek the kingdome of God which is that which we desire in the second petition and his righteousnesse which we desire in the third and then all these things which we begge in the fourth shall be cast unto us Therefore preposterous is their care and study who first labour for temporall benefits and post off the seeking of Gods kingdome and his righteousnesse untill the end of their dayes c. And whereas this petition is set after the third we are taught before we ask temporall benefits to submit our will to the will of the Lord saying with our Saviour Not my will O Father but thine be done As touching those that follow it may be demanded why we are taught to ask for temporall benefits before spirituall blessings Is it because we are more earnestly to desire them Nothing lesse In the spirituall blessings which afterward we ask namely justification and sanctification the happinesse of a Christian man in this life doth consist and therefore they are in judgement to be esteemed and in affection desired above all worldly things which without the spirituall graces are nothing worth For what will it profit a man to gain the world and lose his soul Mark 8. 36. Therefore the Psalmist Psal. 4. 6. saith Many say Who will shew â—…s any good that is worldly profit But Lord life thou up the light of thy countenance for so shalt thou give me more joy and gladnesse then when their wheat and wine did abound So John 6. 27. But the reason why we are first taught to ask temporall things is this 1. Because it is an easier matter to depend upon the providence of God for the maintenance of this life then to rely on his mercy for the salvation of our souls and therefore the Lord would have faith trained up by the easier that we may learn to repose our trust in him for the greater Therfore those which make profession of their faith in God concerning their salvation and have not learned to rely upon his providence for temporall matters but seek the same by unlawfull means are greatly to fear lest they deceive themselves with an opinion of faith for if they trust him not for the lesse how will they believe him for the greater 2. Because the things of this life are amongst those things which we ask of the least value therefore in medium quasi â—…gmen conjiciuntur Homericâ scilicet dispositione In medio infirma they are cast as it were into the middle raâ—…k according to Homers method placing infirm things in the middle And the rather because in all speeches the heat of affection sheweth it self most in the beginning and in the end And therefore elsewhere this order is inverted Prov. 30. 7 8. The meaning of the words Bread by a Synecdoche signifieth not onely food in which sense it is often used in the Scripture Gen. 31. 54. Exod. 18. 12. but also all other commodities of this life serving either for necessity or Christian delight which the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as John speaketh 1. Epist. 3. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 15. 12. the Latines victum So Gen. 3. 19. Prov. 30. 8. Ale me pane demensi mei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Feed me with bread of my allowance or portion The reason why the holy Ghost comprehendeth all the commodities of this life under the name of bread is 1. Because of all commodities food is most necessary and among food bread 2. Because he would teach us to moderate our desires Rom. 13. 14. and not to covet after superfluities as the Israelites did after quails and were buried in the graves of lust Num. 11. Sit oratio quae pro temporalibus est circa solas necessitates restricta Let prayer which is for temporall blessings be restrained to our necessities alone And so the Syriack readeth Da nobis panem necessitatis nostrae Give us the bread of our necessity 3. To teach us contentation that if we have but necessaries as food and raiment yea but bread we should be therewith content 1. Tim. 6. 8. Heb. 13. 5. Phil. 4. 11. If God give more we are to be thankfull if but bread we are to be content John 6. 11. for the five barley-loaves and two little fishes Christ gave thanks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Our bread is that portion of temporall blessings which God hath assigned to every of us to be atteined by good and lawfull means Prov. 30. 8. Whereas our Saviour directeth us to ask for our bread he teacheth us 1. To be content with that lot and portion which God assigneth unto us and not to coyet other mens goods 2. That we get our goods by lawfull means Ephes. 4. 28. For that onely is ours which we have got by lawfull means as by inheritance or by the works of our calling c. that we may eat the labours of our own hands Psal. 128. 2. And if we must eat our own bread we must walk diligently in our callings for he that will not labour let him not eat 2. Thess. 3. 10. And verse 12. he exhorteth them that lived idly and therefore inordinately that they would work with quietnesse and eat their own bread 3. That God would give unto us a profitable use of those things which we have Many men want even that which they have and therefore had need to pray that God would give them even that which is theirs already Eccles 6. 2. A man is not said to have that which he doth not use Matth. 25. But we are to pray not onely that we may use and enjoy his gifts but also that he would blesse the use and fruition of them unto us For when a man doth with comfort enjoy that which he hath it is the gift of God Eccles 3. 12. and 5. 17 18. and therefore to be begged of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our daily bread This word is diversly expounded Some expound it supersubstantiall or above substance that is that bread which is above all substance and better then all wealth and riches meaning thereby our Saviour Christ which is that bread of God which came down from heaven John 6. 33. But this exposition seemeth to be farre fetched agreeing neither with the words of the Petition nor yet with the whole body of the prayer For first the word it self if you derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth rather agreeing to our substance or added to our substance as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that sense hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insum or adsum not supersum then exceeding above substance as the Grâ—…k authours teach Neither do I see how we may aptly desire Christ to be given unto us whom
hoard up for many years The fifth petition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And forgive us our trespasses even as we forgive them that trespasse against us IN the former petition we were taught to ask temporall blessings for the maintenance of this present life Now in this petition and in the last our Saviour teacheth us to ask spirituall blessings for the obteining of a better life Of spirituall blessings in this life there be two chief heads whereunto all the rest may be referred viz. our justification and sanctification For in these two the covenant of grace and the benefits which in this life we receive by Christ do consist Heb. 10. 16 17. This is the covenant that I will make with them after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my laws in their hearts and in their minds I will write them and their sinnes and iniquities I will remember no more And the covenant that the Lord made with Abraham concerning the promised seed was this That he would give us that we being delivered out of the 〈◊〉 â—…f 〈◊〉 enemies that is Ephes. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. having by Christ remission of our sinnes and justification we should worship him without fear in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life Luke 1. 73 74 75. And these are the benefits which should be preached in Christs name repentance and forgivenesse of sinnes Luke 24. 47. Seeing therefore the summe of all the benefits which in this life we receive by our blessed Saviour consisteth in these two we may be resolved that in these two the happinesse of a Christian in this life doth consist For whereas the Lord sware to Abraham that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed Gen. 22. 18. Zâ—…chary being filled with the holy Ghost expoundeth that blessednesse to confist in these two Luke 1. 73. And indeed whereas there are two degrees of our happinesse the one begun in this life the other complete in the life to come that is to be esteemed our happinesse in this life whereby the perfect happinesse of the life to come is obteined Now whom God hath chosen and called to salvation them he justifieth and whom he justifieth c. Rom. 8. 30. And this appeareth to be true also in the particulars Psal 32. 1. Revel 20. 6. Seeing therefore the benefits which we have by Christ in this life and consequently our happinesse consisteth in those spirituall graces which our Saviour here teacheth us to crave of God it followeth necessarily that both in our affections we should desire and in our judgements esteem these spirituall graces farre above all earthly and temporall things esteeming all other things as 〈◊〉 and duâ—…g yea as losse in comparison thereof Phil. 3. 8 9 10. For what will all temporall benefits avail us if God do not forgive our sinnes and stablish us by his free Spirit Surely no more then the good pasture profiteth the beast that is fatted for the slaughter And therefore as these blessings are absolutely necessary to our salvation and of farre greater value then all temporall benefits so are they absolutely to be craved of God and with greater fervencie and affection But let us consider the order and the coupling of this petition with that which went before and also that which followeth Our Saviour teacheth us in the former place to crave temporall benefits as the lesse that our faith having been exercised in the lesse might be confirmed in the greater that is that we having learned to depend upon Gods providence for our maintenance in this life might the more firmly relie upon him for our justification and salvation for if we have not learned to trust in him for the lesse it is not likely that we should believe in him for the greater The order in respect of that which followeth standeth thus We are taught to desire freedome from the guilt of our sinnes before deliverance from the corruption because our reconciliation with God in Christ and justification by faith in order of nature goeth before our sanctification howsoever in time the beginning of our sanctification concurreth with justification From whence ariseth both an instruction for carnall men and a consolation for the godly For if justification goeth before sanctification then it is certain that we cannot be sanctified unlesse first we be justified and reconciled unto God in Christ. And this order the holy Ghost teacheth us Luke 1. 74. That being redeemed c. For untill our reconciliation as we our selves are enemies so all our actions are hatefull unto God And therefore men had not need to please themselves in their naturall estate and by their security suffer as much as in them lieth the bloud of Christ to fall upon the ground but rather to be most forward carefull and desirous to be reconciled unto God in Christ and that his merits and righteousnesse may be imputed unto them considering that whatsoever they do before they be reconciled unto God and justified is no better but sin whereby they hoard up wrath against the day of wrath c. The consolation which ariseth from hence is most singular For if men cannot die unto sinne unlesse first they be justified then those that labour to forsake their sinnes and truly purpose amendment of life and endevour to please God in dying to sinne and living to righteousnesse may be assured that they are justified by faith and reconciled to God in Jesus Christ c. And so much of the order Let us now consider of the coupling of this petition both with that which went before and also that which followeth with the former Give us this day our daily bread And forgive c. Which teacheth us that we should not so wholly be addicted to the commodities of this life but that we should withall and most principally labour for spirituall graces perteining to a better life There be many saith the Psalmist which say Who will shew us any good that is any worldly profit c. but as touching the forgivenesse of their sinnes and their reconciliation with God in Christ as touching the application of Christs death and resurrection not onely to their justification but also their sanctification of these things they have no care nor desire c. But howsoever the world saith Who will shew us any good yet we must say But Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Shew thou thy self favourable and mercifull in forgiving our sinnes for that will bring peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost far exceeding all worldly comforts We must therefore not onely labour for the meat which perisheth but much more for the meat which endureth to everlasting life John 6. 27. For what would it profit us if we could gain the whole world if our sinnes being not forgiven us we should be amerced with the losse of our souls Mark 8. 36. With the latter Forgive
meant honour and praise 1. Tim. 1. 17. For to him belongeth the glory honour and prayse of bestowing all good things He is the fountain and authour of every good gift Jam. 1. 17. His is the glory of hearing and granting our prayers Psal. 65. 2. And to his glory whatsoever we ask according to his will doth especially tend Therefore as by his kingdome aâ—…d power he is able so for his glory he is ready and willing to grant our requests which we make according to this direction of our Saviour For what Christ hath taught us to ask in his name that the Lord hath promised to give for his sake in whom all the promises of God are Yea and Amen to his glory 2. Cor. 1. 20. This therefore serveth to confirm our faith For doubtlesse such things as tend to his glory he will grant especially considering it is his glory to heare the prayers of his servants and seeing to him belongeth the glory of giving every good gift but these things which we ask according to our Saviours direction do tend to the glory of God and to that end we ask them therefore we may be assured that he will grant our requests so far forth as they stand with his glory Now whereas our Saviour directed us to make this our first suit That Gods name may be glorified and now teacheth us to make his glory the reason of our prayers this sheweth That the glory of God should be the main end of all our desires for which wâ—… should affect them and unto which when we have obteined them we should referre them 1. Chron. 16. 35. Psal. 50. 15. And forasmuch as the glory is the Lords which he will not have communicated to any other Isai. 42. 8. therefore we are to call upon him alone as being the onely fountain of every good gift the onely hearer of our prayers Of which glory we rob the Lord if we direct our prayers to any other And as we are not to give his glory to any other so we are not to take it to our selves For seeing the glory is the Lords therefore vainglorious persons seek to rob God of that glory which is proper to him and to assume it to themselves But we must say with David Psal. 115. 1. Not unto us O Lord c. and with Daniel chap. 9. 7. Righteousnesse O Lord belongeth unto thee and to us shame c. But we ascribe unto the Lord not onely kingdome power and glory but also an everlasting kingdome an eternall power and immortall glory For as Moses saith Psal. 90. 2. He is God from everlasting to everlasting he is King for ever Therefore he hath right not onely in this life to crown us with his blessings but after this life he hath an everlasting kingdome to bestow upon us Luke 12. 32. unto which he is able and willing to bring us by his power everlasting to the immortall glory of his mercy Now these reasons as they must be propounded in faith so also with chearfulnesse as a consequent thereof And when they are chearfully uttered they are not onely reasons of our requests but also a notable form of praysing God which our Saviour hath taught us to joyn with our prayer And so the holy Ghost hath directed us elsewhere as Col. 4. 2. Phil. 4. 6. And that this is a form of prayse and thanksgiving appeareth by other places of Scripture where the men of God setting themselves of purpose to prayse God have used the very like form As David 1. Chron. 29. 10 11 12. and Psal. 145. 10. and 11. 12 13. Revel 7. 12. Jude v. 25. Revel 4. 11. Vses Duties concerning prayer 1. That we pray to God and him alone Whereof a reason is conteined in these words For his is the kingdome c. 2. That we pray in faith seeing our heavenly Father whose is the kingdome power and glory is both able and willing to grant our requests 3. That with our prayer we joyn prayse and thanksgiving which in this short form is not omitted Duties in our lives 1. To arrogate nothing to our selves but to ascribe all kingdome power and glory to the Lord Psal. 29. 1 2. and 115. 1. and of all good things received to ascribe the praise to God 2. If God be our King then must we behave our selves as dutifull and obedient subjects If his be the power then are we both to fear him and to trust in him If his be the glorie then of him must we beg all good things and to his glory must all be referred If his power kingdome and glorie be everlasting then are we taught whom to fear whom to serve whom to trust in namely him that is able not onely in this life to blesse us but also after to crown us with immortall glorie in his eternall kingdome If we serve the flesh the devil the world we shall have the momentanie fruition of sin and after this life is ended eternall torments God liveth for ever as to crown eternally the godly so to punish the wicked eternally He then will exclude them out of his kingdome and will be of power to destroy both body and soul in hell and he will glorifie his justice in their endlesse confusion Hypocrisie discovered But here the hypocrisie of men is to be discovered who ascribe kingdome to God and yet obey him not power and fear him not glory and glorifie him not and they adde all these reasons to their petitions as if they should say Thou Lord wilt grant our requests for thine is the kingdome power and glory for ever and yet do not believe that the Lord will grant their requests Amen And so much of the confirmation of our faith Now followeth the testification both of our faith and of the truth of our desire in the word Amen For it importeth the assent of the heart to the words of our mouth and it signifieth truly or even so or as the Grecians sometimes translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So be it The meaning of it is thus much as if we should say As I have made these requests unto thee O Lord so do I both unfeignedly desire the performance of them Let them O Lord be granted 1. Kings 1. 36. and also truly believe that thou in thy goodtime wilt grant my desires so farre forth as they stand with thy glory and my good and in this perswasion I rest attending thy good pleasure And as I have ascribed unto thee kingdome power and glorie so I do both unfeignedly acknowledge that thine alone is the kingdome c. and also heartily desire that I and all others may truly and effectually ascribe unto thee everlasting kingdome power and glorie For being annexed unto prayer it signifieth both the truth and earnestnesse of our desire and also the assent of faith laying hold on the promises of God made in Christ to our prayers And being added to thanksgiving it signifieth both the â—…ath
we have unto others considering that what I have received I am to esteem it as given not to me alone but to us Neither mayest thou think that thy prayer is upright if having obteined that which thou hadst asked for us thou shalt keep it to thy self Thou beggest not onely in thine own name but also in the behalf of others Therefore when God heareth thy prayer he giveth not onely to thee but by thee he giveth to others making thee not lord of that which he giveth but his steward and almoner and therefore howsoever thy goods be thine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iâ—… possession yet art thou to make them common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in use by doing good to all but especially to those of the housâ—…old of faith And as we are to pray that we may be able to help others so being able we must râ—…member to distributâ—… and to do good for with such sacrifices God is pleased What is meant by this day This day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Matthew or as Luke speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in diâ—…m for a day h. e. quantum huic diei sufficit so much as sufficeth for this day or as others expound according to the day that is Give untâ—… us that which is fâ—…t and 〈◊〉 for uâ—… in this our present estate For we need not the same things at all times the time of adversity requiring other blessings then the times of prosperity But the sense in Matthew and Luke is the same Give us that bread which is convenient for us this day or Give us that which is convenient and necessary for this day Now whereas our Saviour doth teach us thus to pray First he putteth us in mind of our frailty and mortality who have need day by day to be fed and susteined of the Lord. And secondly he putteth us in mind of our duty that as children we should come every day to our heavenly Father to â—…ave those things that be needfull for us And thirdly he teacheth us not to be distrustfully carefull for the time to come but every day to depend upon Gods fatherly providence being assured that when he hath nourished us to day he will not be wanting to us to morrow And 〈◊〉 as in maâ—…y things else the Israelites were a type unto us whom the Lord would have every day to gather manna for the day Exod. 16. 16. And fourthly he teacheth us to moderate our unsatiable appetite that we may learn to be content if we have provision for the day Whereas we pray for others to whom God giveth by us we are bound even to day without delay to supply their want and not bid them come to morrow or another time Prov. 3. 28. But here it may be demanded if it be not lawfull to provide for the time to come As we are to be content if we have provision for the day so if it please God to give more we are not to cast away his good gifts but reserve them nor suffer them to be lost John 6. 12. but to preserve them or else imploy them to good uses Yea if it please God to give means men are bound to provide for the time to come rather then by neglecting the means to tempt God 1. Tim. 5. 8. 2. Cor. 12. 14. the fathers are to lay up for their children And it is evident that in summer we are to provide against winter to which purpose the sluggard is put to school to the ant Prov. 6. 6. and in the time of plenty against the time of dearth Example Acts 11. 29. Gen. 41. 48. Lawfull therefore it is to provide for the time to come so that these conditions may be observed 1. That our desire and care in providing be not inordinate in labouring for the meat which perisheth more or as much as for that which endureth to everlasting life After which sort they offend who to gain the world do loose their soul as those do that stick not to sinne to obtein their worldly desire 2. That it be not immoderate or joyned with covetousnesse which is an insatiable desire of having more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. That it be not joyned either with distrust in Gods providence or trust in our store Luke 12. 20. 4. That we set not our hearts thereupon Psal. 62. 10. 5. That it be done neither with injury to our neighbour nor neglect of our poore brethren 6. That we lay up our goods to good ends that we may have not onely to supply our own wants and to provide for our family but also to relieve the necessities of others But Christ forbiddeth to care for to morrow Matth. 6. 34. He forbiddeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is carking and distrustfull care Christ biddeth us not to lay up treasures on the earth Matth. 6. 19. and forbiddeth us to labour for the meat which perisheth John 6. 27. I answer Those speeches are to be understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in comparison of spirituall food and heavenly treasures c. And secondly that we should not affect or esteem any worldly thing as our treasure but rather the righteousnesse and merits of Christ in heaven and those spirituall and heavenly graces whereby everlasting life is obteined For where the treasure is there the heart will be also And thus have we the meaning of the words The duties to be performed in prayer 1. To ask temporall blessings of God 2. To ask them aright For the first Men are not to have this conceit that temporall blessings are not to be asked of God as being unworthy for him to grant or unnecessary for us to receive For the Lords providence stoopeth to the smallest things to the lighting of a sparrow upon the ground to the feeding of all brute beasts Matth. 6. 26. Psal. 104. 27. and 145. 15. and 147. 9. Luke 12. 24. And he affirmeth that all both prosperity and adversity proceed from him Hos. 2. 8. that in adversity we should pray unto him and in prosperity praise him and in both acknowledge his mercifull providence And as for us certain it is that neither any of us in particular nor the whole Church in generall can continue our life in this world to the praise of God unlesse it please him to grant unto us a continuall supply of temporall blessings Therefore seeing God is the giver of them and we stand in need of them it behoveth us by prayer to acknowledge him the giver of them and to exercise our faith in asking them at his hands And that we are so to do it further appeareth by these reasons 1. Because Christ in this place commandeth us to ask them 2. Because we have a promise that we shall receive them 1. Tim. 4. 8. 3. The examples of the godly Jacob Gen. 28. 20. Solomon 1. Kings 8. 33 35 37. Agur Prov. 30. 8 c. who have prayed for them Secondly it is not