such a Right as sollicited Vengeance But the Right Christ purchased was a gracious Right that God might protect and preserve us Well then if Christ purchased Body and Soul he hath obtained not only that God should be gracious to our Souls but gracious to our Bodies then the Argument runs clearly for confirming the Faith of the Saints in expectation of temporal Benefits 2. God hath given us greater things therefore he will not stand upon the less when a Man hath been at great Cost he will not lose it The Lord hath given us his Christ Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own his Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all Things Can any Man be so illogical so ill-skilled in Consequences as not to conclude from thence if God give us Christ with him he will give us all things So Mat. 6. 33. Seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all other Things shall be added to you 3. These things are dispensed to inferior yea to the worst of his Creatures Psal. 147. 9. He giveth to the Beast his Food and to the young Ravens which cry Will God maintain the Beasts of the Field and will he not maintain his Children It is monstrous and unnatural to think thus that God will not support you and bear you out in your Work This is Christ's own Argument Mat. 6. 34. Take therefore no thought for the Morrow for the Morrow shall take thought for the Things of it self Sufficient unto the Day is the Evil thereof Daily Bread is in your Father's Power and he gives it graciously to all his Creatures and therefore certainly he will give it to you Thus you may see with what Confidence you may expect daily Supplies Secondly It informs us that we may ask temporal Things if we ask them lawfully It is true Prayers to God for spiritual Things are more acceptable As your Child pleaseth you better when it comes to you to be taught its Book rather than when it comes for an Apple So it is more pleasing to God when you come for the Mediator's Blessing and spiritual Things Acts 3. 26. God hath sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his Iniquities But yet we may ask other Things why For they are good and useful to us in the Course of our Service and without them we are exposed to many Temptations And Prayer easeth you of a deal of carking about them Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for nothing but in every Thing by Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving let your Requests be made known unto God We may ask them but it must be lawfully and that for Order not in the first place That is howling when we come to God meerly for Corn Wine and Oil when we prefer these Things before his Favour and the Graces of his Spirit Then it must be lawful too as to the Manner a moderate Proportion not to set God a Task to maintain you at such a rate but to ask a moderate Allowance Christ teacheth us here to pray for Bread which is a necessary Allowance Prov. 30. 8. Feed me with Food convenient for me And 1 Tim. 6. 8. If we have Food and Raiment let us therewith be content And then ask them with Humility and Submission to the Will of God We ought to say as in Iam. 4. 15. If the Lord will we will go to such a Place and get Gain And then lawfully too as to the End not for an unlawful End for Ostentation and Riot that we may live at large and at ease Jam. 4. 3. Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amiss that ye may consume it upon your Lusts. But we must ask it for a good End Psal. 115. 1. Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give Glory for thy Mercy and for thy Truths sake Lord not for our Ease or our Plenty but that thy Name may be glorified that we may be supported in Service And then again lawfully as to the Plea We must not come and challenge it as if it were our Due we must not use the Plea of Merit but of Mercy Our Saviour doth not say Let this Bread come to us any how as he saith Let thy Will be done our Subjection to God is due but Give us this day our daily Bread acknowledging the Lord's Mercy Vse 2. Let us not place our Confidence in second Causes but in God by whose Goodness and Providence over us all temporal Things do come unto us for without him all our Carking and Labour is nothing and if we have our Wishes without Labour yet we shall not have our Comfort and Blessing without God Mat. 6. 27. Which of you by taking thought can add one Cubit unto his Stature By taking thought he meaneth anxious Care about Success We cannot change the Colour of a Hair by all our anxious Thoughts We cannot make our selves stronger or taller Many a Man is pierced through with worldly Cares and still the World frowns upon him so all his Care comes to nothing Prov. 10. 4. it is said The Hand of the Diligent maketh rich compare it with vers 22. and it is said The Blessing of the Lord it maketh rich and he addeth no Sorrow with it Most commonly they that are diligent they thrive with their Diligence yea but if that be all if they have not the Lord's Blessing they have not that Sweetness and Peace when they have gotten Abundance O therefore let us place our Confidence not in second Causes but in God Vse 3. Let us be thankful to God for these vvorldly Things that vve enjoy I urge this First Because of the Danger of Ingratitude Usually we never forget God more than when he remembreth us most When Men have what they would have then God is neglected they grow careless in Prayer or flat and cold in the performance of it There is a great deal of difference between Men poor and rich When poor they will seem to put a natural Fervency into their Prayers but when rich they grow cold and careless Mark what the Lord saith Hosea 13. 6. They were â—illed and their Heart was exalted therefore have they forgotten me O how frequent is this that many having been kept under a great Sense of God in a low Condition but when they have been well at ease then they bear it up as if they could live without God the Bucket comes to the River with an empty Mouth gaping to receive its Fulness as it were but when it is full the Bottom is turned towards it So it is very usual with Men to turn their Backs upon the Mercy-Seat and when the Lord hath given them great Increase in worldly Things and leased out a great Estate to them he hath very little Rent from them Now because this is usual therefore those whom God hath blessed with the Supplies of the present Life how
wish himself to love Christ less or to be less beloved of him for these things we cannot part with them without Sin but in our enjoyment of Christ there is a happy part some personal Happiness which resulteth to us now all this he could lay at God's Feet How so What for others A regular Love begins at home and every Man is bound to look to his own Salvation first and then the Salvation of others But that was not the case it was not their Salvation and Paul's Salvation which was in Competition but the Glory of God and the common Salvation of the Iews and Paul's particular Salvation It was a mighty prejudice to the Gospel that the People from whom Christ's Messengers proceeded for the Law went out of Sion the Gospel came out from among the Iews that so many of them were prejudiced and a mighty Eclipse to the Glory of God Now he could lay down all his personal Happiness at God's Feet he speaks in Supposition if such a Case falls out But however this is a clear Rule the Glory of God must be preferred before our own Salvation In some Cases there will be need of this Rule For Instance there 's many a Man that possibly is convinced of a false Religion and the first Question Men make is if they can be saved in such a Religion but many Men are hardned in Popery When therefore a Man is contented to continue in a false Religion and dishonour God with his complyance there provided he may be saved he prefers his own Salvation before the Glory of God And in case of the delay of Repentance when Men dally with God and put off the work of returning to the Lord until another time or hereafter it is time enough to repent these Men prize their Salvation before the Glory of God If it were true upon that Supposition that if ever they shall be saved they are contented God shall be dishonoured a great deal longer and that if they be saved at length this will satisfy them Quest. But how may we discern that we make the Glory of God the first and chief thing we aim at in Prayer 1. Partly by the work of your own Thoughts The End is first in Intention tho last in Execution When you are praying for a publick Mercy against an Enemy what runs in your Thoughts Revenge Safety and your own personal Happiness or God's Glory What wilt thou do O Lord unto thy great Name Josh. 7. 9. Are you pleasing your selves with Suppositions of your Escape and Deliverance and reeking your Wrath upon your Adversaries So in Prayer for Strength and Quickning what is it that runs in your Mind Are you entertaining your Spirit with Dreams of Applause and feeding your Minds with the sweetness of popular Acclamation 2. By the manner of praying absolutely for God's Glory but for all other things with a sweet Submission to God's Will Joh. 12. 27. Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I unto this hour Father glorify thy Name Then came there a Voice from Heaven saying I have both glorified it and will glorify it again Christ is absolute in the Request and he receives an Answer Is this enough Do you mainly press God with this that he might provide for his own glorious Name that his Name might not lye under Reproach But now carnal Aims do make Affection impetuous and impatient of check and denial Rachel must have Children or dye When the Heart is set upon earthly Success Pleasure or Comfort then they cannot brook a denial without Murmuring The Children of God only accept of God's Glory and in all other things they leave themselves to God's disposal and therefore this is the main thing 3. Partly too by the Disposition of your Hearts when your Prayers are accomplished and God hath given any Blessing you pray for we do not ask it for God's Glory if we do not use it for God's Glory The time of having Mercies is the time of Trial and therefore when we consume our Mercies upon our Lusts when they do not conduce to check our Sins it is a sign God's Glory is not the thing intended as it should be Thus for the Order of this Petition II. The Necessity of putting up such a Request to God 'T is his charge to us in the Third Commandment That we should sanctify his Name Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain The positive part of that Commandment is Thou shalt sanctify it Now here we make it matter of Prayer to God Hallowed be thy Name From whence let me observe Doct. Those that would have God's Name Hallowed and Glorified must seriously deal with God about it There are several Reasons why we must put up such Requests to God I might argue from the Utility and the Necessity of it First the Utility We put up these Requests to God 1. That we may more solemnly warn our selves of our own Duty In Prayer there is an implicit Vow or solemn Obligation that we take upon our selves to prosecute what we ask It is a Preaching to our selves in God's hearing So that every Word we speak to God is a Lesson to us and our Requests are as so many Exhortations to glorify his Holy Name With what Face can we ask that which we are wholly wretchless and neglectful of Then we shall certainly come under that Character Mat. 15. 7 8. This People draweth nigh unto me with their Mouth and honoureth me with their Lips but their Heart is far from me It is the greatest Mockage of God to ask unless we have a Mind to pursue and diligently to attend to this Work and Business that the Name of God may be glorified in us and upon us 2. That we may have a due Sense and Grief for God's Honour God's Children they are troubled to see God dishonoured Lot's righteous Soul was vexed not with Sodom's Injuries but with Sodom's Sins 2 Pet. 2. 8. And David saith Rivers of Tears run down mine Eyes because Men keep not thy Law Psal. 119. 136. Many will scarce weep for their own Sins where they have advantage of remorse of Conscience but when they are zealously affected with God's Glory they will weep for others Sins When his Name is torn and rent in pieces it is a grief of Heart to them Now God will have us ask this that this Holy Sense of Spiritual Grief may be kept up for when it is become the matter of our Requests then we are interested in the Glory of God We are loth to see things miscarry where we have petitioned and begged for others so when we have begged the Glory of his Name it will further this Spiritual Sense and Grief of Heart when his Name is dishonoured 3. That we may count it as great a Blessing when God is glorified as when we are saved Continue in Prayer saith the Apostle and watch thereunto with Thanksgiving When we have been instant
Grace which maketh us to do so It is his own Gift It is he must enable and incline us quicken and direct us So that in all Things he is Alpha and Omega we begin in him when ever we end in him And when we do most 〈◊〉 God we have all from him Vse 2. For Direction in the Matter of glorifying God in four Propositions 1. This Life is not to be valued but as it yieldeth us Opportunities for this End and Purpose to glorify God We were not sent into the World to live for our selves but for God If we could make our selves then we could live to our selves If we could be our own Cause then we might be our own End But God made us for himself and sent us into the World for himself Christ saith Iohn 17. 4. Father I have glorified thee on Earth c. It is not our Duty only to glorify God in Heaven to join in Consort with the Angels in their Hallelujahs above where we may glorify him without Distraction Weariness and Weakness but here on Earth in the midst of Difficulties and Temptations There are none sent into the World to be idle or to bring forth Fruit to themselves Hos. 10. 1. to improve their Pains and Strength to promote meerly their own Interest but God's Glory must be our chief Work and Aim while we are here upon Earth this must be the Purpose and Intent of our Lives 2. Every Man besides his general Calling hath his own Work and Course of Service whereby to glorify and honour God Iohn 17. 4. I have finished the Work which thou gavest me to do As in a great House one hath one Employment one another So God hath designed to every Man his Work he hath to do and the Calling he must be in some in one Calling and some in another but they all have their Service and Work given them to do for God's glory 3. In discharge of this Work as they must do all for God so they can do nothing without God Every morning we should revive the Sense of it upon our selves as the Care of our Work and Aim so the Sense of our Impotency This day I am to live with God but how unable am I and how easily shall I dishonour him The way of Man is not in himself Jer. 10. 23. When a Christian goeth abroad in the Morning he must remember he is at Christ's dispose he is not to do as he pleaseth but to be guided by Rule and act for God's glory and fetch in Strength from Christ. Col. 3. 17. Whatsoever ye do in Word or Deed do all in the Name of the Lord Iesus Not only in our Duties or immediate Converses with God but in our Sports Business Recreation What is it to do things in the Name of Christ That is to do it according to Christ's Will and Command He hath allowed us Time for Recreation for conversing with God and calling in Christ's Help and aiming at his Glory If we have any thing to do for God we must do it in his own strength in every Word and Deed. 4. You are directed again when the Glory of God and sanctifying of his Name either sticks with us or sticks abroad God must be specially consulted with in the Case When our Hearts are backward then Lord open thou my Lips Lord affect me with a sense of thy Kindness and Mercy When it sticks abroad when such Events fall out as for a while God's Name is obscured and seems to be clouded Lord what wilt thou do for thy great Name III. Having opened the Order of the Words and the Reasons of putting up such a Request to God I now come to the Sence of the Petition Hallowed be thy Name Four Things will come under Consideration 1. What is meant by the Name of God 2. What it is to hallow and sanctify it 3. I shall take notice of the Form of the Proposal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hallowed 4. The Note of Distinction Thy Name First What is meant by God's Name 1. God himself 2. Any Thing whereby he is made known 1. God himself Name by an Hebraism is put for the Person it self Thus Rev. 3. 4. Thou hast a few Names even in Sardis which have not defiled their Garments that is many Persons So Acts 1. 15. it is said there The Number of the Names together were aboâ—t one hundred and twenty that is of Persons So it is used in the present Case God's Name is put for God himself Psal. 20. 1. The Name of the God of Jacob defend thee That is God himself So Psal. 44. 5. Through thy Name will we tread them under that rise up against us that is by Thee And to believe in the Name of Christ is to believe in Christ himself Name is put for Person for the immediate Object of Faith is the Person of Christ. Iohn 1. 12. To as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name 2. Any thing whereby he is made known to us Nomen quasi not â—men As a Man is known by his Name so God's Titles and Attributes his Ordinances his Works his Word are his Name chiefly the two latter For his Works they are a part of the Name of God Psal. 8. 1. the Burthen of that Psalm is twice repeated O Lord our Lord how great is thy Name in all the Earth By the Name there is meant God made known in his Works of Creation and Providence for he speaks there of Sun Moon and Stars which proclaim an Eternal Power to all the World and he speaks of such a Name as is in all the Earth And Psal. 117. 19 20. He hath not dealt so with any Nation and given them his Word Statutes and Ordinances every one hath not that Privilege But How great is thy Name in all the Earth That is how manifestly art thou made known by thy Works But above all by Name is meant his Word Psal. 138. 2. Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name There is more of God to be seen in his Word than in all the Creatures of the World and in all his other Works besides We understand more of God than can be taken up by the Creation It helps us to interpret the Book of Nature and Providence there we have his Titles Attributes Ordinances there we have his greatest Work in which he hath discovered so much of his Name the Mystery of Redemption which is not elsewhere to be known Thus by the Name of God is meant God himself as he hath made known himself in the Word We desire that he may be sanctified that he may with honour and reverence be received every where Secondly The second Thing to be explained What is meant by Hallowed In Scripture God is said sometimes to be magnified sometimes to be justified sometimes to be glorified and sometimes to be sanctified Now it is not here said
fruitful Seasons filling their Hearts with Food and Gladness that is gave them a comfortable use a Blessing upon the use of outward things And Levit. 26. you will find a Distinction between Bread and the Staff of Bread we may have Bread yet not the Staff of Bread Many have worldly Comforts but not with a natural Blessing Eccles. 3. 13. That every Man should eat and drink and enjoy the Good of all his Labour it is the Gift of God not only that he should have Increase by his Labour but enjoy Good to have the comfortable use of that Increase 8. Contentation is one of God's Blessings that we ask in this Prayer Give us this day our daily Bread That is such Provisions as are necessary for us Contentment and quiet of Mind in the Enjoyment Ioel 2. 19. Behold I will send you Corn and Wine and Oil and ye shall be satisfied therewith It is not only a Blessing we should look after but Contentment that our Minds may be suited to our Condition for then the Creature is more sweet and comfortable to us The Happiness of Man doth not lie in his Abundance but in the Suitableness of his Mind to his Estate Luk. 12. 15. A Man's Life consisteth not in the abundance of things which he possesseth There 's a twofold War within a Man both which must be taken up before a Man can have Comfort there 's a War between a Man and his Conscience and this breeds trouble of Mind and there 's a War between his Affections and his Condition and this breeds murmuring and envious repining Say Yea Lord and let us be contented with thy Gift This for the first thing how God is concerned in these outward Comforts Secondly That the Lord doth freely and graciously give these good things to us that is meerly out of his Bounty and Goodness It is not from his strict remunerative Iustice but out of his Grace The very Air we breath in the Bread we eat our common Blessings be they never so mean we have them all from Grace and all from the tender Mercy of the Lord. Psal. 136. 25. you have there the Story of the notable Effects of God's Mercy and he concludes it thus Who giveth Food to all Flesh for his Mercy endureth for ever Mark the Psalmist doth not only ascribe those mighty Victories those glorious Instances of his Love and Power to his unchangeable Mercy but our daily Bread In eminent Deliverances of the Church we will acknowledg Mercy Yea but we should do it in every bit of Meat we eat for the same Reason is rendred all along What 's the reason his People smote Sihon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan and rescued his People so often out of danger For his Mercy endureth for ever And what 's the reason he giveth Food to all Flesh For his Mercy endureth for ever It 's not only Mercy which gives us Christ and Salvation by Christ and all those glorious Deliverances and Triumphs over the Enemies of the Church but it 's Mercy which furnisheth our Tables it is Mercy that we taste with our Mouths and wear at our Backs It is notable our Lord Jesus when there were but five Barley Loaves and two Fishes Iohn 6. 11. He lift up his Eyes and gave Thanks Though our Provision be never so homely and slender yet God's Grace and Mercy must be acknowledged But to evidence this by some Considerations that certainly it is of the Mercy of the Lord that he giveth Bread to the Creature God giveth these Mercies 1. To those that cannot return any Service to him 2. To those that will not return any Service to him 3. When we are at our best we cannot deserve them 4. We deserve the quite contrary 1. He giveth these Mercies to those that cannot return any Service to him The Beasts and Fowls of the Air the young Ravens Psal. 145. 16. Thou openest thy Hand and satisfiest the Desire of every living thing What can the Beasts or Fishes or Fowls of the Air deserve at God's Hand what Honour and Service can they bring to him only they have a bountiful Creator from whom they receive their Allowance So as to Infants alas what can they deserve at his Hand when God rocks their Cradles and nourisheth them from the Dug what Service can they do to God Isa. 46. 3 4. By me saith the Lord You are born from the Belly and carried from the Womb and even to your old Age I am he and even to hoare Hairs will I carry you Mark not only in Old Age when we have done God Service doth he maintain us but from the Womb the Belly before we could do any thing for him we were tenderly handled by him He alludeth to Parents and Nurses which carry their Younglings in their Arms. In Infancy we are not in a Capacity to know the God of our Mercies and look after him yet he looked after us then when we could not perform one act of Love and Kindness to him The Psalmist takes notice of this Psal. 22. 9. 10. Thou art he that took me out of the Womb thou didst make me hope when I was upon my Mother's Breast I was cast upon thee from the Womb thou art my God from my Mother's Belly Christians before ever you could do any thing for him or your selves before you could improve his Mercy when you could not know who was your Benefactor who it was that nourished and cherished you yet then God rocked your Cradles kept you from many Dangers nursed you and brought you up and carried you in the tender Arms of his Providence 2. God gives these Mercies to those that will not serve him when they can Isa. 1. 2. I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me There are many in the World whom God protects supplies and provides them of all Necessaries yet they return nothing but Disobedience Contempt Rebellion and Unthankfulness The Sun doth not shine by chance but at God's disposal Mat. 5. 45. He makes his Sun to rise on the Evil and on the Good and sendeth Rain on the Iust and on the Vnjust Most of those which are fed at God's Table and maintained at his Expence and Care they are his Enemies and many times the more Men receive from him the worse they are Look as Beasts towards Man when they are in good plight they grow fierce and are ready to destroy those which nourish them so when 〈◊〉 are plentifully supplied we kick with the Heel wax wanton and forgetful of God Or as a froward Child scratcheth the Breast which suckles it so we rebel against God that nourished us and brought us up and dishonour our heavenly Father that provides these Blessings for us Parisiensis hath a saying They which hold the greatest Farms many times pay the least Rent so the great ones of the World they which have most of God's Bounty give him the least Acknowledgment
the Mâ—n that feareth the Lord. It is the Lord's praise tâ—at his Servants are the only and blessed People in the World And this is a wonderful ground of Confidence Think surely God's Glory he will be chary and tender of he will provide for the Glory of his great Name There is nothing God stands upon more than upon the Glory of his Name nothing prevaileth with God more than that If God were a loser by your Comforts if he could not â—ave or bless thee without wrong done to himself we might be discouraged But when you can come and plead with him as Abigail It will be no grief of Heart unto my Lord to forgive thy Servant So it will be no loss to God if he shew Mercy and Pity to such poor Creatures as we are you then may pray more freely and boldly If thy Comforts were inconsistent with his Glory or were not so greatly exalted by it then it were another matter but all makes for the Glory of his Name If our Good and Happiness were only concerned in it there might be some Suspicion but the Glory of God is concerned which is more worth than all the World We are unworthy to be heard and accepted but God is worthy to be honoured It is for the Honour of God to choose base mean and contemptible Things and to shew forth the Riches Goodness Power and Treasure of his Glory Much of our Trouble and Distrust comes only from reflecting upon our own Good in the Mercies that we ask as if God were not concerned in them whereas the Lord is concerned as well as you As the Ivy wrapt about the Tree cannot be hurt except you do hurt to the Tree So the Lord hath twisted our Concernment about his own Honour and Glory Thus the Saints plead God's Glory as an Argument Jer. 14. 7. O Lord tho our Iniquitieâ— testify against us do thou it for thy Names sake They do not tell him what he shall do but do thou that which shall be for thy Glory So Ezek. 36. 22. Thus saith the Lord God I do not this for your sakes O House of Israel but for mine holy Names sake So Isa. 48. 9. For my Names sake will I defer mine anger and for my Praise will I refrain for thee that I 〈…〉 4. The Duration For ever all Excellencies which are in God they are eternally in God God is an infinite simple independent Being the Cause of all things but caused by none therefore he was from Everlasting and will be to Everlasting Psal. 90. 2. Before the Mountains were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the Earth and the World even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God If there were a time when God was not then there was a time when nothing was and then there would never have been any thing unless nothing could make all things therefore God is eternally glorious for whatever is in God is originally in himself and absolutely without dependance on any other to everlasting How loosely do Honours sit upon Men Every Disease shakes them out of their Kingdom Power and Glory and within a little while the State Show and all the Command of Earthly Kings will fade away and come to nothing Governours and Government may dye Principalities grow old and infirm and sicken and dye as well as Princes Kingdoms expire like Kings and they like us Psal. 82. 6 7. I have said ye are Gods and all of you are Children of the most High But ye shall dye like Men. But thy Throne O God is for ever and ever Psal. 45. 6. His Kingdom and Power and Glory they are without beginning and without end Now this is also a ground of Confidence and Dependance upon God Earthly Kings when they perish their Favourites are counted Offenders 1 Kings 1. 21. When my Lord the King shall sleep with his Fathers that I and my Son Solomon shall be counted Offenders When other Governours are set up they and their Children will be found Offenders But our King lives for ever therefore this should encourage us to be oftner in attendance upon God performing it with all Diligence and Seriousness rather than court the Humours and Lusts of earthly Potentates who die like one of the People and leave us exposed to the rage and wrath of others that do succeed them But God is the same that ever he was to all those that ever called upon his Name God is where he was at first I AM is his Name there is no wrinkle upon the Brow of Eternity His Arm is not short that it cannot save or his Ear heavy that it cannot hear Isa. 59. 1. Whatever he hâ—th been to his People that have called upon him in former Ages he is the same still So Isa. 51. 9. Awake awake put on strength O Arm of the Lord awake as in the ancient days in the Generations of old Art thou not it that hath cut 〈◊〉 and woundâ—d the Dragon God hath done great things for his People he smote Rahab and kill'd the Dragon meaning Phaâ—aoh and God is the same God still his Kingdom Power and Glory are for ever and God will be your God too for evermore Look as this doth encrease the terror of the damned in Hell that they fall into the Hands of the living God Heb. 10. 31. God lives for ever to see Vengeance executed upon his Enemies so it is a Comfort to have an interest in the living God that can and will keep you and bring you to Heaven where you shall be with him for evermore that will ever live to see his Friends rewarded Secondly It directeth and regulateth our Prayers 1. It directs us as to the Object of Prayer to whom should we pray but to him that is absolute and above controul To God and God alone not to Angels and Saints To whom should we go in our necessities but to him that hath Dominion over all things and Power to dispose of them for his own Glory Will you think it a boldness to go immediately to God It were so indeed if we had not a Mediator for a fallen Creature can never have the Impudence and wicked Men that have not got an Interest in Christ cannot expect Relief from God but it is no Impudence to come with a Mediator Heb. 4. 16. Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in time of need 2. It directs us how to conceive of God in Prayer Right Thoughts of God in Prayer are very necessary and very difficult no one thing troubleth the Saints so much as this how to fix their thoughts in the apprehensions of God when they pray to him Now hereâ—s a direction how we should look upon God Look upon him as the eternal Being and first Cause to whom belong Kingdom Power and Glory We cannot see God's Essence and therefore we must conceive of him according to his Praises in the Word Now take
Prayers should be the Breathings of the Spirit and usually they are but the Belches and Eructations of the Flesh. And for these it is we are so instant and earnest with God We would have God bless us in some revengeful and carnal Enterprize We deal with God as the Thief that lighted his Candle at the Lamps of the Altar So many would make God a Party in their carnal Designs Prov. 21. 27. The Sacrifice of the Wicked is an Abomination how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked Mind It is an Abomination when it is at the best but when he hath an ill Aim then it is an Abomination with a witness Foolish Creatures vainly imagine to entice Heaven to their Lure Balaam buildeth Altars and sacrificed out of hope that God would curse his own People and engage in Moab's Quarrel like the Man in the Gospel that would make no other use of Christ than to compose his civil Difference Luke 12. 13. he comes to him as a Man of Authority Master speak to my Brother that he divide the Inheritance with me We all look upon God tanquam aliquem magnum as Austin said he did in his Infancy as some great Power that would serve all our carnal Turns In this Sence we make God to serve our Sins Isa. 43. 24. when we would have God to contribute to our Lusts to our Pride Wantonness Revenge This is such a foolish Request as if a Wife should beg of her Husband to give her leave to go on with her Adulteries Survey all the Petitions which are in this present Platform of Prayer there is not one that is calculated for such an evil purpose as our Revenge Pomp Pride Pleasure Carnal Self surely must give way to God 2. There 's a natural Self when we seek our own Temporal Felicity Christ hath allowed these natural Desires a Room in our Prayers but they must keep their Order and their Place first God's Glory and then our Safety The obtaining of natural Good is put in the last place And therefore when our Thoughts only run upon Temporal Felicity and outward Supplies it is not Prayer but a brutish Cry Hos. 7. 14. They howl upon their Beds for Corn Wine and Oil. Beasts are sensible of their Pain and are carried by natural Instinct to seek their own Welfare as well as Men. And therefore when this is our first and only Request it is a Perversion of that Order which Christ hath set down in this perfect Form of Prayer 3. There is Spiritual Self Which is valuable either in point of Justification or Acceptance with God or in point of Sanctification and Conformity to him Now as these Blessings cannot be severed from God's Glory where they are really enjoyed so they must not be severed in our Prayers nor preferred before it To ask Pardon as a separate Benefit as it concerns our Ease and Quiet not as it concerns God's Glory is a Perversion and a Diversion of our Prayers The main thing which God intends should be the main thing in our Requests is the Praise of his glorious Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved Eph. 1. 6. And therefore this is the main thing which the Soul intends Psal. 79. 9. Help us O God of our Salvation for the Glory of thy Name and deliver us and purge away our Sins for thy Names sake The Argument is not taken from themselves meerly or from their own Misery but from God's Glory If God could not be more glorified in our Pardon and Acceptance with him than in our Death and Damnation it were an evil thing to desire Pardon But now when God hath abundantly cleared up this to us he is no Loser by Acts of Mercy that this conduceth more to the exalting of his great Name to accept poor Sinners to Mercy the Soul goeth with the more confidence to beg it of God that he would purge us from our Filthiness for his Names sake But now Mens Thoughts are wholly taken up with their own Peace and Safety and take no care for God's Honour this is but a Selfish Request or an Offer of Nature after Ease For the other part to ask for Grace and Conformity to God's Will meerly as it is a Perfection of our Nature abstractly from God's Glory it is not a right Request It is contrary to the very Nature of Grace whose Tendency is to God in the first place that his Name may be glorified that we should be to the praise of his glorious Grace Grace wrought in us is but a Creature and not to be preferred before the Creator See how the Apostle prays 2 Thess. 1. 11 12. We pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this Calling and fulfill all the good Pleasure of his Goodness and the Work of Faith with Power That the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ may be glorified in you and ye in him according to the Grace of our God and the Lord Iesus Christ That is a regular Prayer when all our spiritual Interests are swallowed up in God and we beg that his Name may be glorified in us and upon us 4. There is glorified Self which standeth in the eternal Fruition of God Man was made for two Ends to glorify God and to enjoy him Now our Crown of Glory must be laid at God's Feet as the Elders Rev. 4. 10. Saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive Glory and Honour and Power All our Desires must give place to this that he may be glorified in our eternal Happiness and we are to beg it no farther than as it may stand with his Honour Mans chief End and so his chief Request in respect of himself is to enjoy God but with respect to God so it is the highest only of subordinate Ends for the highest chiefly and absolutely is the glorifying of God Well then therefore this is put first to shew that our chiefest Care and Affection should mainly run upon the Glory of God and that God might be advanced and lifted up on high Secondly To give you some Reasons why those things which concern the Glory of God must be sought in the first place and with the greatest Affection 1. As we are reasonable Creatures it is fit it should be so In all regular Desires the End is first intended and then the Means But now the Glory of God that is the End of all things Prov. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all Things for himself that is for his own Glory for the manifesting of his Excellency And so our Redemption Luke 2. 14. Glory be to God on high When God came to shew his Good-Will in Christ it was to make way for his Glory As it begins in Good-Will so it must end in Glory This is the end of all the Privileges we have by Nature and Grace Now God's Glory is the end of our Being and Service and therefore must be first taken care of in our Prayers first his
should they study Thankfulness Secondly Because of the Equity of it Consider what an Equity there is that we should be thankful for outward Blessings 1. They are good in themselves 2. They come from God 3. They come from the Lord's Grace and Mercy 1. They are good in themselves Food and Raiment is good and every Creature of God is good 1 Tim. 4. 4. They are good things tho not the best things They are good for our selves that we may serve God more chearfully The Lord would have the Levites and Priests have their Portion that they might be encouraged in the Law of the Lord. 2 Chron. 31. 4. Now these things are good to encourage us and support us in our Work Man consists of two parts of a Body and of a Soul Now whether we look to the one or the other you will have many Arguments to love and praise God not only for what he hath done for our Souls but likewise for our Bodies And they are good because they prevent many Snares and Temptations Prov. 30. 9. Lest I be poor and steal and take the Name of my God in vain Diseases which arise from Fulness are more common but Diseases which arise from Indigence and Emptiness they are more dangerous So Diseases of Prosperity they are more common it is a rank Soil and yields more Weeds but Diseases which arise from Poverty breed Atheism Irreligion and Rebellion against God They are good as they make us more useful for God and Man For God as having more Advantages for the honouring of God Prov. 3. 9. Honour the Lord with thy Substance and with the First-Fruits of all thine Increase And of doing good to others That we may have to distribute to them that need Eph. 4. 28. O we should all covet and affect mightily to have wherewith to relieve the Necessities of others 2. As they are Blessings so they are Blessings which do not come by Chance or by Man's Providence 1 Tim. 6. 17. The living God who giveth us richly all Things to enjoy The People of God are plentifully provided for Your Tables are well furnished Backs well cloathed it is God which gives you richly to enjoy them and he must be acknowledged as David doth 1 Chron. 29. 14. For all Things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee Then ver 16. O Lord our God all this Store that we have prepared to build thee an House for thine holy Name cometh of thine hand and is all thine own Tho you your selves have been Purchasers of your own Estate and Carvers of your own Fortune as Man is most apt to forget God there yea but tho you have prepared and brought together a great deal of Store yet Lord all comes from thee It sweetneth the Mercy When you are at the Table to be carved to by a great Person their Remembrance is counted a greater Favour than the Meal it self So it is not barely the Comfort we have by the Creature which sweetneth it but when we think of the Donor that the great God should think of us that it is God which spreads our Table for us that doth put this Meat and Drink before us It was he that gave Seed to the Sower and Bread for Food 2 Cor. 9. 10. When we take it immediately out of God's Hands it is much sweeter And not only so but also it is the more sanctified When we look to second Causes we shall surely abuse the Mercy Hos. 2. 8. For she did not know that I gave her Corn and Wine and Oil and multiplied her Silver and Gold what then Therefore she prepared it for Baal When God's Kindness is not taken notice of when we do not see God in our Mercies we shall not use them for God That Man will surely improve his Comforts ill that doth not see God in them Now that which comes from God leads the Heart to God again then the Creature is sanctified Therefore acknowledg God in these outward Things We should say of every Morsel of Bread this is God's Gift to me of every Nights Sleep this is the Lord's Goodness When God is acknowledged in these outward Things he takes it the more kindly and we are the better for it the Mercy is the sweeter and the more sanctified 3. They not only come from God but from the Lord 's free Grace and Mercy These are two distinct Notions by which God's Goodness is set out and they are both significant and expressive in the present Case Grace that doth all freely Mercy that pitieth the Miserable 1. Then we have them from Grace Grace is at liberty to give them to whom it will Well there is Grace in these outward Things for God gives them to whom he will to some not to others O when we consider the Distinction between us and others every one hath not such liberal Supplies nay many of those of whom the World is not worthy surely this is meerly the Lord's Goodness Prov. 22. 2. The Rich and the Poor meet together the Lord is the Maker of them all They had the same Maker that you had others which are destitute therefore why is it you have more than they It is meerly from Grace Why is one Vessel framed for an honourable Use and another for a baser Use So it pleased the Potter God as the great Master of the Scenes appointeth to every Man what part he shall act meerly out of his own Grace he is bound to none It was a good Speech of Tamberlain the great Conqueror of the East to Baâ—azet What did God see in thee that art blind in one Eye and me that am lame of one Leg that he should make us passing by many others the Lords of so many opulent and mighty Kingdoms A savoury Speech from an Infidel What did God see in any of us to exalt cherish and supply us and let pass many others who for moral Excellencies and vertuous Endowments do far exceed us When we consider this Distinction then Even so Father because it pleased thee There is a kind of Election and Reprobation in these common Mercies that is God will dispense them to one and not to another he will be glorified in their Poverty and glorified in thy Wealth and therefore there 's Grace in it 2. There is Mercy in it that pitieth the miserable How doth it appear these good things come from Mercy because of our Want and because of our Forfeiture 1. Our Want and our Indigence O when we think what shiftless creatures we should have been if he had not provided for us Psal. 40. 17. I am poor and needy yet the Lord thinketh upon me If we were but sensible of our own Weakness and Emptiness and manifold Necessities we would admire that God should think of us such forlorn and wretched Creatures or that our Baseness and Poverty doth not make us contemptible to God Psal. 34. 6. This poor Man cried and the Lord heard him and saved
14 15. Friend I do thee no wrong is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own The fulness of the Earth and all is his and therefore though others have better trading and finer Apparel and be more amply provided for than we are God is Soveraign and will give according to his Pleasure and you must be content 2. Nothing is deserved and therefore certainly every thing should be kindly taken If a Man be kept at free-cost and maintain'd at your Expence you take it very ill if he murmur and dislike his Diet. Certainly we are all maintain'd at free-cost and therefore we should with all humble Contentation receive what ever God will put into our Hands 3. God knows what Proportion is best for us he is a God of Iudgment and knows what is most convenient for us for he is a wise God It is the Shepherd must chuse the Pasture not the Sheep Leave it to God to give you that which is convenient and suitable to your Condition of Life A Shoe may be too big for the Foot and a Garment too great for the Body as Saul's Armour was too large for little David 1 Sam. 17. God will give you that which is convenient that which is agreeable to you A Garment when too long proves a dirty Rag we may have too much and therefore God he carves out our Allowance with a wise Hand 4. God doth not only give suitable to your Condition but suitable to your Strength such a Portion as you are able to bear God layeth Affliction upon his People and he gives them Mercies as they are able to bear if they had more they would have more Snares more Temptations You find it hard for a rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 19. 24. A Man may take a larger Draught than he is able to bear so God proportioneth every Man's Condition accâ—rding to his spiritual Strength every Man is not able to bear a very high prosperous Estate Heb. 13. 5. Let your Conversation be without Covetousness and be content with such things as ye have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor for sake thee then you will live upon the Promise But when Men set God a Task and he must maintain them at such a rate that ends in Mischief and Distrust Psal. 78. 19. Can God furnish a Table in the Wilderness c. 5. Contentation is one of God's Gifts that we ask in this Prayer Give us this day our daily Bread that is we ask to be contented with our Portion Contentment and quietness of Mind with what we do injoy it 's a great Blessing Ioel 2. 19. See what the Lord saith there by his Prophet I will send you Corn and Wine and Oil and ye shall be satisfied therewith The bare and simple Blessing doth not speak so much of God's Love as when we are satisfied when we have Contentment in it that 's the greater Blessing When our Minds are suited to our Condition then the Creature is more sweet more comfortable Your Happiness lies not in Abundance but in Contentment Luke 12. 15. This doth not make a Man happy that he hath much but this that he is contented he hath what God will give him All spiritual Miseries may be referred to these two things a War between a Man and his Conscience and a War between his Affections and his Condition 6. There may be as much Love in a lesser Portion as in a greater There 's the same Affection to a small younger Child though he hath not so large an Allowance as the elder Brother yet saith he my Father loves me as well as him not that I have a double Portion but I have as much of my Father's Love So a Child of God may say God loves me though he hath given another more and me less Be content with what falls to your share and with your Allowance by the wise Designation and Allotment of God's Providence Thus much for the first Point A Word of a second viz. Doct. 2. In asking temporal things Christ hath stinted us to a day Give us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this day our daily Bread God in an extraordinary manner fed his People in the Wilderness the Mannah stank if they had kept it another day they had it from day to day What 's the Reason Christ saith Give us this day 1. That every day we may pray to God Therefore it is not give us this Month or Year but Day because every day God will hear from us 1 Thess. 5. 17. Pray without ceasing God would not have us too long out of his Company but by a frequent Commerce he would have us acquainted and familiar with him This is required that you should not let a day pass over your Head but God must hear from you for your Patent lasts but for a day you have a Lease from God of your Comforts and Mercies but it is expired unless you renew it again by Prayer How much do they differ from the Heart of God's Children that could be contented like the High-Priest of old to come to the Mercy-seat but once a Year now the Lord would have us come every day to the Throne of Grace 2. Every day because there should be Family-Prayer for all that taketheir Meat together are to come and say to God Give us this day our daily Bread It is not said Give me but Give us Therefore you see how little of Love and Fear of God is there where Week after Week they call not upon God's Name 3. To make way for our Gratitude and Thankfulness Our Mercies they flow not from God all at once but some to day and some to morrow for we take them day by day alltogether they are too heavy for us to weild and manage Psal. 68. 19. Who daily loadeth us with Benefits Our Mercies they come in greater Number and a greater Measure then we are able to acknowledg make use of or be thankful for Therefore this is the burden of gracious Hearts that Mercies come so thick and fast they cannot be thankful enough for them but to help us God distributes them by Parcels who loadeth us daily some to day some to morrow and every day that we may not forget God but may have a new Argument to praise him 4. To shew us every day we should renew our Dependance upon God for temporal things There is no day but we stand in need of the Lord's Blessing of Sanctification of Comfort that they may not be a Snare that there is still need of new Strength new Grace and new Supplies 5. Again Give us this day that we may not burden our selves with over-much Thoughtfulness that we might not solicitously cark for to morrow Mat. 6. 34. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof Every day affords Business Trouble Care and Burden enough we need not anticipate and pre-occupy the Cares of the next day God would not have
than the Fire doth to a Stone if we were not combustible Matter The Corruption that is in the World through Lust 2 Pet. 1. 4. The danger of living in the World doth not stand in this because here are so many Inticements and Baits for every Sense but it 's the Corruption through Lust as the Venom is not in the Flower but Spider The Philistines could not prevail against Sampson if Dalilah on whom he doted had not lull'd him asleep Or as Balaam first corrupted Israel before he could curse them or bring them any harm So Corruption in the Heart makes us liable to Satan's Malice There is a treacherous Party within to open the Door to Satan without which all outward Force could not annoy us Well then we had need go to God Lord Deliver us from Evil. Where we beg 1. That God would weaken the strength of inbred Corruption that we may not be foiled by it Paul groans sadly Rom. 7. 24. O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death It is a Question but it implyeth a Wish for the Hebrews propose their Wishes by way of Question that is O that I were delivered It is a great Mercy to be kept from falling into Sin Kept from every Evil Work 2 Tim. 4. 18. 2. If we be foiled by our Corruption we beg that we may not lie in it nor grow weary of our Resistance nor cast away our Weapons and suffer Sin to have a quiet Reign Psal. 119. 133. Let not any Iniquity have dominion over me We cannot hope for a total exemption from Sin but O Lord let it not reign over us How shall we know when Sin reigns When there is no course of Mortification set up against it to break the Power Force and Tyranny of it Take this Distinction There are remaining and reserved Corruptions Sin remains where it doth not reign but reserved Corruption that 's reigning I will explain it thus Sin remains when notwithstanding all our Endeavours yet it still haunts and pesters us tho praying watching striving waiting and depending upon God for Strength but it is reserved when you let it alone and are loth to touch it but rather cherish dandle and foster it in the Heart and make provision for it Therefore then are we delivered from Evil when we recover by Repentance and tho we suffer by the Tyranny of Sin we will not let it alone to have a quiet reign in our Hearts Do not live under the Power of Corruptions Sin let alone will do us farther Mischief Secondly As we have reason to pray to God with earnestness because of our Danger so with Confidence because of God's Undertaking 2 Thes. 3. 3. The Lord is faithful who shall stablish you and keep you from Evil. God hath undertaken to keep those who with humble and broken Hearts do come to him to be kept from Evil that are watchful serious and careful to get Evils redressed as soon as discerned therefore we may come with an assured Confidence to be delivered from all Evil. How far hath God undertaken to keep his People from Evils and Dangers in this Life I answer 1. So far as may be hurtful to their Souls 1 Cor. 10. 13. God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but will with the Temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it It is part of God's Faithfulness to keep you from Evil to proportion and temper Temptation to your Strength God suits the Burden to every Back he drives on as the little Ones are able to bear therefore certainly he will mitigate Temptation or give in supply of Strength 2. God will keep you from the Evil of Sin so far as it is deadly that is that it be not a Sin unto Death 1 Iohn 5. 16. and that it may not reign in our mortal Bodies for you are dead to it Rom. 6. 14. For Sin shall not have Dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace 3. God undertakes for our Final Deliverance from all Evil upon our translation to Heaven This is included in this Prayer that we may at length come to that State where is no Sorrow no Sin no Assault and Temptation from Satan that we may be kept from all Wickedness Psal. 34. 19. Many are the Afflictions of the Righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all There is a time when God delivereth us from all at once and that is by Death and our Translation into Heaven Well then Let us fly to God for Deliverance waiting for his Help Doct. That to be kept from the Evil of Temptation is a greater Mercy than to be kept from the Trouble of Temptation Lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from Evil That is If we be led into Temptation let us be kept from the Evil of it First It 's a more wonderful Providence to be kept from Evil than from Temptation Esse bonum facile est ubi quod vetat esse remoâ—um est It is no great matter to be Chast or Honest when there 's no Temptation to the contrary Ay but to keep our Integrity in the midst of Assaults and Temptations there 's the wonder If a Garrison be never assaulted 't is no wonder that it standeth exempt from the Calamity of War This is like the Bush that was burned yet not consumed exercised with Temptation from Day to Day and yet kept from Evil. And in this Sence God's Power is more glorified than in keeping the Angels for the Angels are out of Gun-shot and Harms-way and not liable to Temptations But to preserve a poor weak Creature in the midst of Temptation O! how is the Power of God made perfect in Weakness 2 Cor. 12. 9. Perfected that is gloriously discovered Secondly The Evil of Sin is greater than the Evil of Affliction or Trouble 1. The Evil of Sin is the greater Evil because it separateth from God Isa. 59. 2. 'T is an Aversion from the Chiefest Good Affliction doth not separate from God 't is a means to make us draw nigh to him Poverty Sickness Blindness Loss of Goods let a Man be never so low and loathsom yet if in a state of Grace the Lord taketh pleasure in him and he is near and dear to God God kisseth him with the Kisses of his Mouth nothing is loathsom to God but Sin 2. Sin is Evil in it self whether we feel it or no Affliction is not Evil in it self but in our Sense and Feeling Heb. 12. 11. Sin is Evil whether we feel it or no 'T is worse when we do not feel it Past Feeling Eph. 4. 19. when our Conscience is benummed 3. Affliction or Malum Poenae is an Act of Divine Justice but Malum Culpae is an Act of Man's Corruptness For the first Affliction Amos 6. 3. Is there any Evil and the Lord hath not done it But Sin is