A briefe EXPOSITION OF THE Lords Prayer Wherein the meaning of the words is laid open to the understanding of weake Christians and what the carriage of their hearts ought to be in preferring each Petition By Mr. THO. HOOKER Preacher of Gods Word LONDON Printed by Moses Bell for Benjamine Allen and are to be sold at his shop in Popes head Alley at the signe of the Crown 1645. A briefe EXPOSITION OF THE LORDS PRAYER IN the Prayer are three things observable 1. The Preface Our Father 2. The Prayer it selfe divided into six petitions 3. The conclusion of faith in the word Amen The soule goes up to heaven and follows the petition hallowed be thy name let it be Lord as thou mayst have glory Looke as a man that darts an Arrow hee puts the utmost of his strength unto it So the word Amen speeds all the rest speeds all and brings a good issue to the soule by all First for the Preface and there we must examin in generall two things the sense and meaning of the words Secondly what ground of incouragement it affords us to seek God And First observe the party sought Father Secondly the excellencie of him which art in heaven Thirdly the interest we have in him he is Our Father Why Quest or in what sense is God called a Father First Resp He is the Father of Christ by eternall generation Secondly he is the Father of men two wayes 1. By creation so the Scripture runnes Job 1.9 the Angels are called the sonnes of God Job 1.9 because they were created by God so God is our Father by creation and thus hee is a Father to the just and unjust Psal 139. Psal 139. I am wonderfully made saith the Text. 2. By adoption and grace in that he doth freely take us to be his sonnes in Christ he puts us into the right of his children as a man puts a stranger into the right of his sonne And thus God is a Father to his chosen onely that looke what Christ hath Rom. 8.17 they have Rom. 8.17 If sonnes then heires we are heires Gods chosen children both these wayes God is our Father Doe we onely pray to the Father Quest in that wee say Our Father No Resp we pray not to the Father only but we pray to the holy Trinity we make mention of the Father only yet we must direct our prayers to one God in three persons in that Godhead however we mention not all yet we direct to all all our petitions the reason is this because otherwise we should have made an Idoll of God I say concerning but of one person we make an idoll of God and call not upon him as he is How may we apprehend of God aright in prayer Quest Thus Resp as God hath revealed himselfe in his Word so we apprehend him not putting any image at all upon him as Instance thus two wayes First he that creates all governs all knowes all sees all by whom I live move and have my being to that God I pray The Scripture hath revealed God thus and he fills heaven and earth c. To that God then that is thus infinite to him I call I goe now no further to the seeing of an image but to an all-seeing God I come Secondly instance thus looke abroad into the creatures and in all you shall see a power and a goodnesse Now from whence came this power The power of Beasts came not from the power of trees and the like but there was a first power which gave all power to the creatures The Creator is infinitely more powerfull then the creature There is goodnesse also in the creatures all that came from the first goodnesse that let out it selfe now that which lets forth it selfe to the creature is in the Creator infinitely above the creature that is the Lord. Thus you must quit your selves of an image he that gives all is above all God gives all therefore he is above all and to that God I put up my petition Why doe we not mention the Sonne and the Holy Ghost as well as the Father Quest Because the Father is the first person in the Trinity Resp and the Fountaine from whence all flowes the Father workes of himselfe the Sonne of him the Holy Ghost from them both therefore we mention him onely though we may mention the other yet we pray onely to the Father How doth this word Father help a man to call on God by Prayer Quest When we conceive of God as a Father Resp it puts us in minde of his mercy that he will pitty us as a Father A man will be reconciled unto his sonne easily and will spare his sonne though he be a prodigall yet a father will passe by and cover all So I pray to a Father did I pray to a Judge that will condemn me or an enemy that would not be reconciled to me little hope I had to speed because I have wronged him yet I will arise and goe to my Father and say Father I have sinned Psal 103.13 As a father pitties his sonne Psal 103. 13. so God pittieth them that fear him He is my child saith God though stubborne and I must look to him When a mans rebellions witnesse against him and Satan vexeth him and saith What dost thou think to have mercy and art so vile True saith the soule I am naught but I goe to a father If a child doe but ayme at a thing the father accepts him if he speak but halfe a sentence the Father interprets it So this is the great incouragement of the faithfull to goe to God that notwithstanding so many failings and though so dead and so barren yet a father beares all The Lord interprets all though but broken speeches he accepts all and regards all We have a Father to to goe to that is willing to passe by many failings Secondly we have a ground of pitty if it be but a sigh he receives it So this may perswade us of the willingnesse of God to help us If a man were to goe to him that is hard-hearted little hope hee had to speed we say he is a cruell man we had as good pull water out of a flint c. A child will not beg of a stranger but will goe to his father so we pray to our Father that is more willing to heare and grant then we are to aske Luke 15. I will goe to my Father saith the Prodigall as who should say I am unworthy yet I goe to a Father Nay the Lord heares before we call he prepares the heart to call and answers what it craves when they aske The father puts into the childs mouth what it shall say and then hee will give it what it craves so God would have us seek for abundance of mercy open thy mouth c. God would faine give but none will crave it is God that must give
and inke to the paper that the soul might take the impression of every rule that God would set up in our souls thus the soul should be disposed to wish that the Lord would put this frame into us this is a heart worth gold thou hast said seek me oh saith the soul that I could seek thy face and eccho behold Lord thy face I seek to submit wholly without any contending not that the Lord should force us but that we should take up our yoke put our necks to the yoke let the Word of the Lord bear the balance When Mary wanted wine and our Saviour checked her and Martha cumbred with too much businesse was reproved thou art troubled with many things c. they submitted presently not a word more so what the Lord commands let us do without any quarrelling let the least inkling of the Word beare the balance When our Saviour sent his Disciples for the Asses Colt they might have said but haply the man will not let him go how then I tell them saith our Saviour the Master hath need of him and then they will not deny him that is enough do but speak and it is done this the soul should labour to attain unto Secondly the soul carries it self with an inward opposition to whatever is opposite to the government of the Lord Jesus Christ to the utmost of our power it is in vain to say it were wel if it were so I would it were so and yet to stand still and not to set to our hands but we must join sides with the Lord as he spake of Merosh Cursed art thou because thou wilt not help the Lord against the mighty So truly the Lord Jesus is comming to our Towns to our families therefore we should step out and help the Lord against those mighty mountaines of pride and stubbornesse of heart when a proud heart stirs do you joine sides with it or cry out and say good Lord help down with that proud heart and stubborn spirit and the like the Lord saith it and doth your heart yeeld But if you say come pride and you and I will joine sides together and if the Word can remove us let it but we will joine sides Is this calling for the Kingdome of Christ to come No no you are traytors and conspirators and no subjects therefore stop your mouths this is not submitting but conspiring when Jezabel looked out of the window with her painted face saith Jehu Who is on my side fling her out so the Lord saith will you have pride or me if you be on my side fling down that proud heart which hinders the Lord Jesus Christ from taking place in your souls you paint your selves in a sturdy humour but if you be on Gods side fling down those painted strumpets you must not only oppose great sins but every sin we must not fodder and side with any secret sin although it be but with the appearance of evill you must abstaine from it you know what Moses said of losing not a hoof another said he would not start a hairs breadth from Gods Commandements in any particular so let us subdue all not leave an inch not a stamp not so much as two nails of the Dagon of our cursed lusts to rule in us thus it should be with the soul Thirdly though the soul cannot be as it should yet it doth desire the Lord that neither sin nor self-will may rule in us lay all flat down under the government of Christ When the heart finds a great deale of outwardnesse and power of sin then it saith Lord thy Kingdome should prevaile but the Sons of Zeruiah are too strong in me therefore take power to thy self and pluck away whatever doth oppose thee It was a good speech of a good Christian that he desired the Lord to rule whether he would or no. Thus the soul should be disposed to intreat the Lord that he would break open the doore when the Lord comes and we will not open we desire the Lord would come in by violence The white horse in conquering conquered so the soul desires the Lord to conquer to break in and make way into the soul and to take possession wholly in the soul now when the soul is loath this should be it is a wretched spirit that when the Lord will take sin whether we will or no we are loath it should be Do we then pray Christs Kingdome should come when we are not able to bear a commandement No no the soul will labour to oppose sin and pray the Lord for power against corruption Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven THis is the third Petition and in it are three things observable First the order it is in the third place Secondly the sense and meaning of the words Thirdly the frame of the heart in putting up this Petition First for the order the reason of it is because the two former make way for this third he that glorifies God in all things and hath his power set up in him he only doth what he commands for naturally there is no ability in man to do the will of God but when the Spirit works within then we are able to frame our hearts to Gods will David was a man after Gods own heart and then he did his will this is the reason of the order of the Petition From the ground observe two grounds of directions First he that thinks out of his own power to do Gods will it is impossible he should do it no he will never do it Secondly we must first submit to the Kingdome of Christ before we can do his will be under the government of Gods grace and then go on cheerfully We faile before we have submitted we would be doing but first Christ must do terrible things to the heart before it yeeld obedience Now for the words What is the will of God Quest It is the purpose of the Almighty touching the accomplishment of any thing Answ there is nothing done but the LORD doth it Whatsoever is brought to passe that GOD wills in generall Ephes 1. How many kinds of will are there Quest or how manifold is the will of God It is two-fold not in regard of it selfe Answ but in regard of us First the revealed will of God Secondly the secret will of God What is the secret will of God Quest It is that secret purpose he hath in himselfe before all worlds Answ and hath not discovered it to the creature Ephes 1.9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his own good pleasure which he hath purposed to himselfe The Gospel was hid in the bosome of the Almighty not observable by man or any creature under heaven but now it is revealed this is the secret will of God which was hid in himselfe before all words 1. Cor. 2.16 Who hath known the mind of God The deep things of God
none knowes but the Spirit of God and as it is not made known so we have nothing to doe with it in this place What is the revealed will of God Quest It is the purpose of God that hee hath made known to us by his Word Answ and revealed to us in his workes whatever is done in heaven or earth is the will of God I did not know God would destroy Bohemia and the Palatinate before I saw it this is the will here meant I did not know of such a friends death before he dyed and then we must say Thy will be done What ever God hath made known either by workes or words that we pray to have done What is this doing of the will of God Quest It consists in Answ and implyes two things First that whatever God makes known to be his will to bring upon us we should willingly submit and yeeld unto it If God would have me poore when it is done we should approve of the accomplishment of Gods will It is the breach of many commandements that when God thwarts our desire we are unwilling it should be done The wife is unwilling her husband should dye and the husband that the wife should dye never lost a man such a wife as I this is professedly against this petition We must imitate that of the good Prophet David Psal 39. I held my tongue and said nothing Will the Lord have it not a word more then his spirit yeelds presently takes the stroke doth not thwart the good will of the Lord this is the practice of David Eli Hezekiah It is the Lord let him doe what he will Nay our blessed Saviour himselfe saith Not my will but thy will be done But this is the folly of our hearts we take up Armes against Gods will God would have us to be poore and we will be rich This is not to doe the will of God Though God force us to doe it yet that is no thankes to us Thus we sinne desperately Secondly the heart is not only content with what God will have us suffer whether losse of life friends liberty and the like but there is another will must be done by us what God reveales to be a duty must be discharged by us If there be a truth to be made known to us we must acquaint our selves with the will of the Lord and then with all diligence practice it Make my heart one with thine that I may ever feare thy Name Let thy will be mine Oh saith the soule that I might ever feare thy Name this is to do the will of God We doe not say let it be spoken of and considered of by me but let it be done let it be accomplished by me Wee must not lift at it and give God good words and talke and leave it undone but labour to doe it It is not enough for the childe to say I know what my father commands but I must doe what I list Such hearts cannot pray to expect any thing at the hand of the Lord now and then to look at a duty c. and to say I would it were so will not serve the turne Away with that sluggishnesse to wish the will of God were done and yet you will have your own wills To this precept belongs that we should set on others to doe Gods pleasure In vaine doe we wish it to be done and yet doe not provoke on others to doe it Paul when Agrippa and he was grapling together saith Agrippa thou hast perswaded me almost to be a Christian not almost saith Paul but I would have thee altogether as I am except these bonds I would not have thee fettered as I am but inlarged in heart to doe Gods will So that of Joshua I and my house will serve the Lord he that not onely neglects Gods will himselfe but hinders others that man doth not pray this petition aright he that saith Thy will be done and in the mean time withdrawes others by his secret allurements and saith what should I be such a foole to be at other mens bow and beck to sit howling in a corner as thou dost No no well be it known to thee thou that wilt not do Gods will here the Lord will have his will done on thee one day to thy cost He that will not doe Gods will here God will send him packing to Hell and there he will execute his will upon him whether he will or no How must we doe the will of God we doe now and then stumble at a duty and now and then take up a service Quest and we are neither whores nor theeves but yet we are now and then peevish and wayward c. is not this enough No Answ no you must doe it in earth as it is in Heaven not now to be something and then to be nothing now a Saint and then a Devill but you must doe the will of God as it is in Heaven But can a man doe the will of God on earth as the blessed Angels doe it in Heaven Quest A man cannot doe it in that measure the Angels doe it Answ but we may doe it as they doe and performe equall obedience with them though not in quantity yet in quality A childe followes the father though it cannot run so fast as the father A Scholler may imitate the copie and write after it though not write so fast and well So the servants of the Lord cannot doe the will of God here so in that measure that the Angels doe it in Heaven but in quality like them Let their obedience be our pattern not in the measure but in the manner of it In what things must it be done Quest and how can wee expresse any action like theirs This resemblance is in foure particulars Answ First they doe it readily they are prest and ready at hand to doe the good will of the Lord upon all occasions they doe not withdraw themselves but presently upon every occasion doe what the Lord requires We read Job 1. that the sonnes of God appeared before him they are ever in his sight to give attendance upon him as the handmaid is ever at the hand of her Mistris So that of Isaiah the Text saith they cover their faces before the Mercy Seat they cover their faces in token of awfulnesse and reverence and cry Holy Holy They are ever before him as a dutifull servant is ever at his Masters beck They are at hand in this readines of theirs to doe the will of the Lord we should imitate them to be ever prepared and at hand to doe the will of God not to have our affections stragling but with Ananias we must say Here Lord with Abraham Behold thy servant is at hand Thus it should be with the soule the Lord saith you must not have this sinne and that corruption we must reply Thy will be done LORD we must not say as Moses when
any thing unlesse thou dost worke in us what thou requirest of us For thine is the Kingdome It is not in our power to doe what wee should or what thou requirest of us but the Kingdome is thine all comes from thee O Lord and let all the glory of all be returned to thee again Doe we hallow thy name and pray for thy Kingdome to come and thy will be done why it is thou Lord that must give the power we beg all from thee and this is included in the word power For as that we should say we have no power to do any thing do thou all Lord and take thou the glory of all so that is the ground why we beg all of him and returne all to him What is here meant by Kingdome Quest First the word Kingdom doth discover the right and authority of God to give all things we want Answ thou Lord hast the disposing of all things we have no authority nor no property that is in us thine is the Kingdome thou hast all power to do what thou wilt The Master doth what he will in his family and the King rules in his Realme so doth the Lord rule in the heart of his Secondly the Lord hath not only authority to do what he will but full and abundant sufficiency to dispose of all according to his will and pleasure Kings may want power to do what they would and the sons of Zeruiah may be too strong for David but as the Lord hath title to all so his arme is long enough his ability sufficient enough to do all there is much infirmity in us but none at all in thee And the glory THe glory of a thing we know appeares in two things First the excellency of it Secondly in the beauty and splendor of its excellency this sets forth the glory of a thing as who should say if any beauty excellency or glory be in the creature it is thine oh Lord for thine is the Kingdome power and the glory Thine What doth this word thine imply Quest It implies three particulars Answ First that all authority sufficiency and excellency is firstly in God all is his by possession and propriety Any thing that we have or enjoy it is but what we have of him it is but a glimpse and reflexion of that glory in God and it is all firstly in God and he leases it out it is my God and my portion God is the roote of all we are or have all power and sufficiency is in him firstly Secondly so all comes from him whatever is in the creature comes from him all are but tenants and leasures of that they have from the Lord who is the great possessour of Heaven and Earth Thirdly it implies that we should acknowledge all belonging to him give every man his due whose is this honour and power the Lords let him have it then and this is to put off all ability and sufficiencie from our selves and to acknowledge all to come from him As thongh the soule should say Is there any thing in me Lord it is because thou givest it Thou givest unto us all our abilities and hearts to pray and it is thou that hearest us when we pray It is all free mercie all abilities are from thee therefore Lord take all for all is thine Thus the soule disclaimes all selfe For ever and ever c. THat is everlasting power is in thee which differs from all other power all mans power is from GOD but the Kingdom of GOD his power and his glory it is for ever and ever We cannot pray alwayes our abilities faile and our hearts faint but thy power endures for ever the good things of this life meat drink cloth c. some times are gone but yet thy power endures for ever to succour us When our abilities faile yet power is for ever and ever in thee to renew them Amen THe word Amen implyes three things First the terme of asseveration and it discovers the truth of a thing Secondly a wish Oh saith the soule that it might be Thirdly the voyce of a confident faith It is so it is done Lord all these three are implyed but this last mainly here intended These things wee have prayed for that according to thy will they are verily done As also there is a secret looking after the Petition when it is put up the soule followes the Petition Now saith the soule they speed the LDRD grants these petitions as a man that shoots an Arrow he looks after it So the soule saith Oh that the Lord would speed it So when the Petitions are sent to heaven the heart followes the blow and looks after them it sends his Amen oh that it might be so and then faith saith it is done undoubtedly As true as the Lord is faithfull so these must needs be done The word Amen strikes the match thorow The soule wisheth Oh that it might bee done saith saith it is done already Prayer is as the key when a man wants provision hee goes to the Treasurie and fetcheth it So prayer fetcheth comfort peace and assurance c. and Amen turns the key it is mine saith the Soule Prayer is as a Golden Key FINIS
in the shop to call over others to look on himselfe his person properties and the like but to sell his Masters wares And so we desire that God may lift us up but that is not the rule that men may see our good workes but God in them A child or a servant should so walke that others may admire Gods grace in him we are Gods workmanship Secondly wee should have hearts enlarged to blesse God that hee hath been pleased to reveale himselfe to us Thus much for the first Petition Thy Kingdome come VVHy is this added immediately to the former Quest Because it is a speciall meanes whereby the heart is fitted and the glory of God advanced Answ the first was to hallow Gods Name and to that end the Kingdome of Christ must be set up for no naturall man can glorifie God because so long as sinne and corruption prevailes it will never be therefore the power of Christs Spirit must doe it and by it we must be swayed unto it What is the scope of this petition Quest The main scope of it is thus much Answ that the government of God by Christ might be set up and prevaile every where as before Gods name was highest so here the power and government of Christ is to be universall that is the generall now we come to the particulars and here consider the sense of the words First What is this Kingdome Secondly the carriage of the heart in putting up this petition Thirdly what is the comming of this Kingdom By Kingdome is meant that rule that Christ hath set up in the hearts of his For the generall providence of God I take it is not so much aimed at in this place or that ordinary providence of God over the creatures this is set forth in the fourth petition Give us this day our daily bread but it is the rule of Christ that is set up in his Church How many fold is it Quest It is two fold Answ which are these Of Grace Glory both aymed at here What is the Kingdome of grace Quest It is that whereby Christ by his Spirit and grace Answ by the ministery of the Word takes place in the hearts of his and this he doth two waies First by over-powering casting down all other things which are opposite thereunto all the power of sin and Sathan which are opposite to him Secondly he sets up that frame of Spirit whereby it is subject to grace and it takes place two wayes First by cutting down and killing of every sin Secondly the soul takes the stamp of every condition and is ruled by it What is the Kingdome of glory Quest Gods immediate ruling in the hearts of the glorified Saints Answ How doth the Kingdome of grace and glory differ Quest Here in the Kingdome of grace God rules Answ First by his Spirit Secondly by the Word and Ordinances Thirdly by the ministery of the Word But in Heaven he rules immediatly no more words and means but Christ fills the soul fully and then he rules gloriously when the understanding will and affections are full of Christ and are fully and wholly subject to him here in the vale of tears we meet with many rubs and oppositions but then Christ shall shine fully and immediately In all his Ordinances we seek a Christ but then we shall have all of him so that we that have the Spirit have a glimpse of heaven therefore ashamed should we be to be wearie of God let us be wearie of sin I tell you it is a heaven to live here with God upon earth and if it be a glorious thing to have a glimpse of God here how much more to be filled with God hereafter in his Kingdome How is this Kingdome said to come Quest The comming of these Kingdomes implies three things Answ First that the Word may be revealed in these places where it hath not been Luk. 1. That the day-spring from on high may visit them that sit in darknesse that the Sun of righteousnesse might visit them that want it that the banquet of the Gospell might be set up Mat. 24. If any man say he is in the wildernesse go not out for where the Carkasse is thither will the Eagles resort This is the first thing A Kingdome is said to come when a King rules in a place where he did not before so it is here Let all the people praise thee saith David he desires not that some tongues only but that all tongues and languages should do this Secondly where ever the Gospell doth shine we desire that it should discover it self more fully and spread it self where ever it comes we desire the Kings government should enlarge the territories more and more so we desire not only that Christ should be revealed but that more and more should be gathered that God may be taken in every where and that every knee may bow to Christ and lick the dust that so there may be an addition made to the Church that every man in every kinde may come to Christ and that God would cast his skirt over him that more may be caught in his net that the Jew and Gentile may be gathered into one sheep-fold and have one Shepheard Thirdly that the power of it may be more and more setled as the house of David grew stronger and stronger 2 Sam. 3.1 but the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker so when Christ sets up his candlestick that the seed that is sowen there may take deep root When a King hath erected Castles then he hath his Kingdome so we desire God may intrench himselfe and reare Castles of defence against his enemies which would remove him that he would set himselfe up strongly that every Traytor may be crusht and every base lust that God would slay them and none but his Lawes take place in a word the issue returnes to thus much we beseech Christ that his Gospel may spread and be strong and these dayes of sinne may be wasted and that he may come in the clouds Revel 22. and then come Lord Jesus come quickly that he would accomplish the number of his Elect and gather those that belong to his glory and that they may bee everlastingly with him What is the carriage of the soul in putting up this petition Quest It appears in three things First the soul desires and so labours to be subject to the good pleasure of the Lord the heart saith oh that I might be so disposed that I might be subject to the pleasure of the Lord we desire that all those things that are set up in our hearts that are contrary to the good pleasure and will of the Lord might be subdued Psal 119.4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy commandements but oh Lord that my soul were so thou hast enjoyned me to do so oh that I could do so the Spirit should be as wax to the seale
Son Isaac the Son of the promise and he must be the Sacrifice So for us not to be drunk and to commit outragious sins that all the Crowes cry out of that 's nothing but thy secret lusts thy beloved Isaac's they must be sacrificed and abandoned else thou dost no more then the Devill Thus thou must do the will of God not as thou wilt to sanctifie half a Sabbath but on Gods terms or else it is nothing Fourthly the Angels do the will of God constantly where they were they are Mat. 18. They are daily before the face of God they hold out and persevere to do Gods will This should be our practise though we cannot do it in that manner and so much as they yet endeavour for it Continue to the death saith the Text and what then I will give you the Crowne of life Our reward shall be for ever let our labour be so hold it out with constancie A Saint should be foure-square the same for ever the fruits of righteousnesse are according to the parts of the yeare spring and harvest autumne and winter and the first fruits is fatnesse not to fall back to be good in good company with professors professe and with swearers curse and with drunkards be drunkards and with Divels be Divels the blessed Angels do not thus the Lord commends the good steward Happie shall that servant be that when his Master shall come shall finde so doing When the Lord shall come and finde a Saint persevere to the end he shall be blessed indeed the Angels will out-bid us in the measure of performances of Gods will but yet we should be speedy and readie and faithfull and constant as they our hearts are holy in uprightnesse although not in that measure of exactnesse as theirs are What is the frame of the heart in putting up this Petition Quest It appears in two things Answ First it is willing to do it it self Secondly it is willing and desires to help and stir up others to the utmost of its power to do the will of God First the soul ought to be forward to know the will of God and to labour to do it it self and this appears in foure particulars First the heart is willing to do the will of God in laying down its own will so far as it may be a hinderance from doing Gods will for oftentimes our will and the will of God are contrary there is naturally a sturdy toughnesse that lifts up it self above the LORD this must be removed Not my will saith our Saviour but thy will be done If our will and Gods will cannot stand we must lay down ours but sometimes we say desperatly as they did We will walk in our own waies c. and we will have a King as other Nations we will have our base lusts to sway and rule us But so long as this is in us we cannot do the will of the LORD we cannot serve two masters I came not saith our Saviour to do my own will but my fathers that sent me It is often times with our will and the will of GOD as with two buckets the letting down of one is the lifting up of the other and the lifting up of the other is the letting down of that so when we let down our own wills we lift up Gods but the lifting up of our own wills is the letting down of the good will of the Lord. Now the cause why we stick in service and cannot come off is because we would have our pleasures we would be this and that so that the will of God is justled against the wall and shut out of doores but let this distemper be crush't and then the will of God will take place When we have done this then we must repaire to the Lord to know what his pleasure is take his Warrant before we set upon the work conscionable attendance of Gods will should be the root and spring of all our actions not to go without it but to have our spirits carried by it This is as a Master-comptroler that swayes the ballance and beares all before him Tell me not I cannot do it for my liberties sake c. But I have no Warrant of Gods will unlesse the good will of the Lord go before me I dare do nothing Eph. 5.10.11 Proving what is acceptable to the Lord. As a Gold-smith laies the gold to the touch-stone so prove yourselves and find out what is acceptable to the Lord. In the time of the old Law they put on the linnen Ephod and went to inquire of the LORD whether the men of Kedar would come up so should we come to the LORD that is the touchstone and see what the LORD will have us to do and not to go to a company of carnall Counsellors to consult with honour ease wife and family c. whether shall I suffer saith the soul saith honour if you do thus I am laid in the dust saith ease and profit for my part if you take this course I am utterly undone and lost then saith the soul if it be thus I will not do it let all sinke and swim thus they do not GODS will but their owne but they that do the will of GOD let them inquire what his will is Let honour and profit and ease and world and all say what it will but they wil do the LORDS will we must not master conscience as it was the speech of a wicked wretch one of his companions being in horror of conscience he bade him master it as he did for before that he could never live quietly but now he was not at all troubled with it Mastering of conscience in English is searing of conscience but that must master you and lead you to the performance of duty Thirdly when this will of GOD is revealed we must yeeld to it without any quarrelling against it or questioning of it but let the soul be delivered up to the will of GOD as David saith let my will be done with thine when the LORD calls seek my face we should eccho thy face Lord I seek 2 Tim. 2.19 we should be prepared for the LORD so to have our affections strike as the LORD sets them and then we should have hearts like GOD then we should do his will aright then would it be in our hearts to do the will of the LORD as David saith Psal 40. Fourthly we should have a couragious constant resolution to go on with that work and in that way GOD hath revealed to us and hath laid open before us so that the soul should say not my will but give me a heart that may do thy will thus we should have a constant resolution to go on not to do it by fits and starts but as the Apostle saith Fight the good fight of faith and lay hold of eternall life And except a man have this he prayeth not this Petition aright but out of hypocrisie it is his own will he
deale of envie though some mercy yet mingled with a great deale of cruelty and a great deale of darknesse with this little starre-light but the Lord hath all love without any hatred all mercy without any cruelty there is no hinderance in the Lord to hinder him Now the soule saith Lord if I that have a great deale of malice can forgive my brethren then how much more thou that hast all mercy and no spleen if men humble their soules before thee wilt forgive Thirdly that mercy that is in us it is but little but it is infinite in the Lord what we can doe is but the first fruit a drop a graine a mustard-seed but abundant in the Lord. Then the soule saith Lord thou art boundlesse and bottomlesse in mercie how much more wilt thou forgive True LORD the talents and debt whereby we are ingaged unto thee are many and great but if wee poore creatures that have but from the Fountain and that we have is mingled with a great deale of malice and that but a drop and yet can forgive how much more thou that hast all first from thy selfe and purely without all mixture of envie and in an infinite abundance how much more canst thou forgive whom thou wilt therefore LORD forgive us for we forgive others How ought the soule to be framed in putting up this Petition Quest It appeares in foure particulars Answ First the soule must see and acknowledge it selfe guilty of those sinnes that appeare in this life wee must see our selvs stand in need of forgivenes now we cannot doe this till we see our selves faulty He that owes nothing what need he crave forgivenesse So forgivenesse of sinnes implyes that wee are guilty of sinne and lyable to the punishment due to sinne They that confesse sinne and forsake it shall finde mercy pro. 28.14 first finde out thy sins then find Gods mercy 1 Cor. 11. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged He that would have GOD forgive him must not forgive himselfe if we judge our selves GOD will not judge us As a Malefactor that sticks to his owne innocencie and will not acknowledge any guilt in vaine hee desires to bee forgiven So a sinner or Malefactor before GODS Tribunall if hee will not confesse his sinne hee shall never finde mercie at the hand of the LORD Therefore I cannot see how a Papist can beg this when as hee thinkes he can satisfie GODS Justice himselfe Secondly we must labour to have the heart see its owne inabilitie to satisfie for sinne or to beare Gods indictment he shall passe upon the soule that is guilty The soule acknowledgeth it selfe unable to answer one of a thousand Behold saith the Psalmist Lord if thou shouldest enter into judgement who were able to abide it but there is mercy with thee that thou mayst be feared Wee are Bankerupts wee cannot answer the debt nor beare the suit if the debtor be able to answer the debt or pay the money hee cares for no kindnesse the sinner is the debtor and if hee can satisfie Gods Justice what need he care If I can abide it what need I crave favour but when it is come to this who can abide it then the LORD will pardon whatsoever is amisse Where-ever the sinner goes he cannot avoid the suit hee needs no pursevant to follow him conscience is arresting the Devill accusing therefore he falls down and cryes mercy mercy to pardon the suit the soule is not able to beare the suit This the Church complaines of Behold our righteousnesse is as menstruous cloath and they Ezek. 36.31 judge themselves worthy to be condemned Now in that I say forgive I imply that I cannot satisfie for sin my selfe Thirdly we should seeke to the free mercie of GOD and of his Grace for what wee need wee should acknowledge his free mercie When the soule sees there is mercie in GOD for him then it is fitted to pray this petition for should I conceive GOD were severe holy just c. though I renounce my sinne yet I could not seek him God is not extreame and rigorous but hee hath mercy in store for those that seeke him in truth and sincerity therefore we should apprehend two things First that God desires not to deale rigorously we should perswade our hearts that God is desirous to welcome our prayers Exod. 34. The Lord is ready to succour our infirmities If we be in misery the Lord will abound in mercy the phrase is multiplying mercy therefore the Apostle calls him the father of mercies and the God of all compassions we have new vexations he hath new compassions nay God hath more good then we can desire he performes more then he promiseth he is abundant in truth above all that he hath revealed himself to be in his Word Isa 55.7 Our God is mercifull and abundant in forgivenesse He multiplies pardons he hath pardons in store mercy to pardon any poore soul But saith the soul what my sinnes committed and continued in marke what he adds though you cannot comprehend it yet he can conceive it his thoughts of mercy are larger in giving then ours in craving Eph. 2. He is able to do above what we can think or aske It was but a cold comfort Isaac gave to Esau he had but one blessing so if Gods mercies come to an end it were but a poor comfort when the soul saith Lord give me and the Lord should say all is drawne dry But there is enough in God to do us good What availes it if a father have a good heart to his child if he hath not to give it what it askes or stands in need of but our heavenly Father abounds in goodnesse Secondly God as he hath abundance of good so he is free and ready to bestow it Esa 55.1 Ho Every one that thirsteth let him buy milke and milke without money or price We would be content to have wine but we have no money to buy it therefore God adds though you be not able to pay for it yet take it Mich. 7.18 Who is a God like our God who pardons sin because mercy pleaseth him The pardoning of our sins is like the overthrowing of Pharaoh in the sea God doth it not because we please him but because his mercy pleaseth him he doth it freely Fourthly we must be content to waite for his mercy that we stand in need of we must both waite for it and be confidently perswaded of it else we crosse the tenure of forgivenesse Heb. 11. God gives mercy to none but those that waite for it In that we aske pardon we are resolved to waite for it for so much is implyed A pardon in law is not authenticall untill it be sealed so God saith he will pardon us but this is not authenticall untill we have set to our seale he saith he will give freely we say we will waite constantly Psal 37.5 Commit thy waies to God and he will care for
Apostle Looke as an ague that is pretty well over-past it lies in the bones and if he that hath it drinke cold water it growes extream and hot by force of opposition So that man that lay lurking before the Word comes and it layes a man flat and it slayes him utterly vers 13. Sinne by the command became out of measure sinfull Looke as it is with a damme the damme stops and the streame swels by force of opposition so the Law stops the streame of sinne and corruption and now it growes exceeding violent Therefore they that have been under good meanes and breake are out of measure shamelesse in their sinfull proceedings this damme that stops makes this sin greater thus the Law of GOD is a Law to a proud heart The Law is not to blame but the heart Secondly the LORD will not suffer the soul to have the power and assistance of the Spirit which formerly he hath had but le ts sin and it grapple till he breake sinne all to peeces Many a time the LORD leaves the soule and will not let it have that power that formerlie it had What can a soul fall Quest No. GOD takes not away his hand Answ but yet he shall not feele it as a man if he stirre not the wheele it will not goe his hand is on it all the while but doth not stirre it therefore it goes not So GOD leaves a man to himselfe though for the while he doth not give him that force whereby he may gaine-say a temptation This befell David LORD Psal 57. take not thy holy Spirit from me that is when God would not helpe David but let him make his part good with the temptations I doubted not but David had grace enough if GOD would have quickened it in him Hezekiah had wisdome enough but GOD left him Thus the LORD is said justly to leade a man into temptation Now wee pray that he would take away all snares that he would not suffer the Word to provoke us but to direct us that we may not be left to our owne strength and that wee may overcome all our spirituall enemies But deliver us from evill HEre observe that though GOD would doe nothing against us yet we are not able to deliver our selves from our owne corrupt hearts What is meant by evill Quest Not so much trouble Answ or punishment but sinne Now in sin are three things First the breach of the Law Secondly the guilt a man gets by this breach and so is liable to this punishment Thirdly the vigour of sinne whereby it rules over the soule Now the former we pray against in the fifth Petition because we stand guilty of the breach of the Law therefore wee pray that God would not enter into Judgement with us And thirdly wee pray here against the power of sinne and that is in three particulars not only in regard of the guilt of it but that the Lord would keep us from the power of it First sinne would be a commander over the soule It is the King Satan is the Gaoler it hath a Kingly Soveraigne Authority and would rule over us sinne is often compared to a King his servants are they to whom they obey Sinne is a Master at least it would be and is so in every naturall soule and it would bee so in the godly The law of life saith the Apostle hath freed mee from the law of death Rom. 8.2 Sinne gives Parliament-Lawes to the Soule and Edicts and as the Centurion bade one servant goe and hee went and another come and he comes so doth sinne say Pride saith it is my pleasure you should be proud therefore I will have you proud and snappish c. Sayes anger I will have you spleniticke and rage Sayes the soule then I will and it shall be done Thus sinne sets up it selfe as a supreame Soveraigne in the soule Hence a proud heart saith I will that I will let GOD say what hee will tell not mee of Lawes it is my minde It is your proud heart sets you Lawes and you yeeld to them Now we pray that GOD however sinne bee in the Soule yet that he would snub and curb it that it may bee an underling in the Soule and daily subdued Secondly as sinne doth and desires to set up a master-like rule and a supreame Soveraign Lord like dominion So sinne carries the soule and sometimes separates the soule from GOD whereas the command of GOD should be a guide to us and take place in our hearts this Rebell it takes up Armes resists stands in defiance against the rule of the Spirit Hence come all these phrases they forsook God resisted GOD and turned their backes to his commands What saith pride shall I bee a slave that the Word should awe mee and snub mee I will never yeeld it while I live I will dye first This is a Devill that drawes you from GOD and will carry you to Hell Rom. 7.23 that is the meaning of this place Sinne carries a man captive that when the soule sees it selfe so ruled by him a gracious heart would teare it selfe off if it could but a naturall man is a slave to sinne sinne gets head and so the soule dares not affect any good in another nor labour for it in it selfe Thirdly sinne leaves a kinde of blemish and staine upon the soule after the commission of it There is a kinde of jeering to the heart and a cunning wrong of the soule hence the Scripture calls it the excrement of naughtinesse c. though the act of sinne be gone yet there is a blemish on the Soule Peter after his denyall of CHRIST was averted from CHRIST So a man after sinne shall finde himselfe dull to any good and prone to any evill This is the staine of sinne when a mans arme is put out of joynt besides the fall there is a bruise So after a man hath broken the Commandements of the LORD the LORD unjoynts him hee is more awake to any good then ever Galath 6. If any man bee unjoynted by sinne So that of the Romanes they wound their owne soules This sinne doth now these wee pray against partly against the power of sinne partly against the authority of sinne partly against the staine of sinne But deliver us from evill To deliver from evil implyes three things First wee pray that the LORD would prevent all those occasions and struglings and distempers of sinne that trouble us these wee pray against to wit that hee would take off these distempers whereby sinne would lay siege against the Soule that hee would remove those things that would remove us from him This is that wisdome promiseth Prov. 6.21 Shee will keepe and walke with them that walke with her and shee will keepe him from the way of the wicked woman Sinne is like a Harlot therefore the LORD is pleased to expresse it after that manner Now it is the mercie of the LORD that he will
turne our eyes from beholding of vanity That there may not bee in us the violence of sinne assaulting us Wee pray also that wee may not come into the Battaile if it bee possible and that sinne or pollution may not come in against us Secondly that the LORD would assist us in the temptation that the temptation may not prevaile It is a mercie not to bee tempted but if we must bee it is a great mercie not to bee overcome by temptation If hee will not wholly prevent us by his Grace yet that hee will assist us graciously in it It is a mercie not to be assaulted and though assaulted yet that we may be assisted Now this assistance of GOD is two-fold either extraordinary or mediate by the meanes wee speake not so much of the first though that be true but we crave both at the hand of the Lord. First sometimes wee crave for the extraordinary help and assistance of the LORD to assist us either above meanes or in the meanes Wee know the Lord in the time of the Martyrs sufferings did helpe wonderfully their temptations were grievous and afflictions great and yet the Lord did helpe them extraordiarily God did let in abundance of sweetnesse But we passe this and come to the other Secondly we pray especially for such meanes as may helpe us and that appeares in foure particulars First that the Lord would discover the enemie before hee comes that hee would make knowne unto us the engines and wiles and depth of Satan and the subtilty of our owne corrupt hearts which are ready on every hand to surprize us for to be surprized before wee are aware is great danger therefore we pray that the Lord would give us the Spirit of Revelation that wee may take notice of the engines of Satan that hee may be discovered to us the discovery wee know of an evill is to prevent an evill and not foreseeing we cannot prevent He that sees not an evill before it comes will bee overthrowne by it when it comes Many a man perisheth by pride and knowes not what hurts him Thus corruption blowes up the soule This the Lord promiseth Isay 30.21 Thou shalt heare a word behinde thee saying This is the way That GOD may keep a man from sinne hee sends the Spirit of CHRIST to say this is the way walke in it The Text saith 2 Cor. 2. there speaking of the incestuous man Wee are not ignorant of the methods of Satan to us Mat. 20. When the great skirmish was to come our Saviour forewarned Peter and saith I will smite the Shepherd c. and saith Watch and pray for the houre is come c. Hee gives him this warning-peece We pray then that God would make knowne to us the engines of sinne and Satan before they come Wee know it is a great helpe in warre to know the quarters and orders of enemies that so a man may order his actions according thereunto So wee must know where the Devill and our corruptions lye quartered and what be the haunts of our wretched hearts and so to order the help God hath put into our hands for the resisting of them Secondly that the Lord as it were would intrench about us If hee will not foretell us of the enemy that seeing sinne wee may prevent it yet that hee would lay some heavie impediment upon us c. and build some trench about us that wee may not commit those evils wee are tempted unto That though hee doe not reveale the policie of Satan yet that hee would lay some snares that wee may not commit that sinne which otherwise wee would doe And this is a marvellous mercie Gen. 20.7 Abimelech tooke Sarah as though shee had beene Abrahams sister as hee himselfe told him and no question hee had a purpose to take her to be his wife but the Lord laid an impediment the Lord kept Abimelech from Sarah hee took off the edge of his desire and laid a barre betweene them Hos 2.6 7. The Church was running after her abominations now how did the Lord prevent her the Text saith I will hedge thy wayes with thornes and build a wall about thee The Lovers were corruptions and the following of them is the eager pursuit of them Now hee hedges the wayes with Thornes that is hee layes desperate afflictions on them that shee had no liberty to sinne so that shee hath enough to doe to minde her owne miseries Sometimes a man is addicted to base company and then the Lord layes sicknesse to imprison him and to keep him from sinne This is mercy Thirdly the Lord puts armour and weapons on them to fight against their enemies that are opposite to his grace and children Ephes 6. from the 10. to the 19. Be yee strengthened in all might putting on all spirituall abilities 1 Cor. 2. to bee strengthned in every good worke God saith hee covers the heads of his 1 Pet. 1.5 God keepes them by the power of his grace God gives his the whole armour the shield of faith the breast-plate of righteousnesse c. to quench the fiery darts of Satan and to resist him Fourthly God gives a dominion over and conquest against all our enemies and over all our victorious corruptions hee gives a happy issue and successe With the fight hee gives the issue with the victory Revel 1.6 Hee hath made us Kings that is hee hath given us a Kingly authority over all our corruptions Rom. 6 14. Sinne shall not have dominion over you Psal 119.133 so David prayeth Let no iniquity have dominion over mee Thus the Lord assists his in trouble Thirdly as wee pray that the Lord would prevent the occasions of evill and if they come to assist us in them so lastly if wee be foiled and brought under by the temptations of Satan and our own corruptions that the LORD would rescue us from them that have had too much power over us and too too much prevailed against us This wee know was the request and desire of the Prophet David Psal 39. Restore mee to my former health before I goe away from hence and be no more seene As who should say my base lusts are too strong for mee these hands were stout but now feeble therefore LORD give me that former strength His sinnes were as sicknesse Davids case was as when a man hath been sicke and after comes to get up his crummes as though hee had said I knew the time when I had a broken heart for my sinne but now hardened therefore O God spare mee a little while before I goe hence and bee no more seene that I may recover my former courage zeale and strength before I goe hence Rom. 8.2 The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ hath made mee free from the Law of sinne and death Sinne makes Lawes Wee then intreat the Lord that hee would prevent corruption that hee would assist us in temptation ordinarily and extraordinarily that hee would discover the enemy before hee
we look to them that no blemish bee cast upon them So should wee doe with the Name of God Goe to the Isle of Shittim c. they cast the Commandments of God behinde their backs the Heathen saith God would not doe so they kissed the threshold where Dagon was So deale with Gods Name let no blemish betide it but deale with it as with a holy thing The least staine of sinfull distemper doth not become the Name of God you respect a holy thing so doe the Name of God Thirdly as we should acknowledge this worth so labour to set it out that others may see it as occasion shall be offered when any honour may come to it thereby expresse the beauty of the vertues of God that they may be observed holy things are not to be kept secret when opportunity serves Let your light so shine saith the Text that men may see the good in you So whatever we see in the Name of God as we should keep it from blemish so we should set it out in the glory of it A man should hold out the light of the Gospell not hide it under a bushell shew as much of God as we can that men may say God hath been here indeed that a mans word should be like Gods Word that indites them How doth the heart behave it selfe in the putting up of this Petition Quest First this behaviour of the soule doth mainly appeare in two things Answ First it heartily desires in all things that it shall doe that it may lift up the glory of God now this we doe when in all things we have or doe there is a disposition for the furtherance of Gods praise All our life should be like a lanthorne to convey light to others so the heart should desire that in all things Gods glory should be furthered that we may doe nothing but we might further Gods glory by it Silver and gold are fit to stamp the Kings image upon so a mans practice should be good mettle to instamp Gods glory upon not as painted windows to hinder the light but to rebound the light The Text saith Herod did not give God the glory the voice of God and not of man he tooke the glory of God to himself and did not give it to God There be som kinde of glasses will reflect a mans image so there should be a conveying of glory from our selves to God Look as it is with a ball the falling of it makes it rebound so it should be with our hearts they should rebound Gods glory when it falls upon us This is a great skill The Soule should have nothing but whereby God might be honoured Any sinfull course blemisheth Gods glory any priding of a mans selfe furthers not Gods glory but the soule should desire that in all God might be acknowledged and glorified When doth the soule doe this Quest When the soule labours Answ that in all things something more then humane excellencie may appeare For if any thing of a mans own be discerned wee fall short of Gods name in every action Such should be our dispositions that something more may bee seen then a base meane shadow This is a skill in preaching and praying there should be more in all then humane discovered as parts gifts and the like If nothing appeare but selfe the Name of God is deprived of what it should have As Paul said Doe I speake as a man But he demonstrated the Spirit in him it should be discovered what I doe that God works it that he might have all the honour of it God the Author of all should have the glory of all we talk of this and that and say let him be glorified but we doe it not in our conversations What be the severall works of the heart in doing this Quest that it may appeare God is the Author of all and the honour is due to him The acts of the heart are two Answ whereby it sets forth the glory of God First in all services a man should not be quiet in his affections and endeavours till he comes to the highest pitch that is Gods glory All actions are in the way one towards another as a payre of stayres one goes from another and above the other A man should goe higher and higher till Gods glory mounts and surmounts them all As a Minister first studies to teach the people that they may bee informed but why informed that they may appeare to be Christs and that Gods grace may appeare in their conversations the soule never rests till it be here A man goes to prayer in his Family and why so that he may shew God in his courses The servant sends for his wages and so is gone and where is God all this while This should be our desire that in all our actions God may be discovered to bee the Author and to have the honour of all Secondly the soule must be sure not to goe beyond Gods glory as thus a Minister preacheth that the people may be instructed and he be honored as well as God this is to be above God A man prayes to honour God and that it may be knowne he is a glorious professour thus A man is above God as a Bird steps from one bough to another till it come to the highest and then it flyes away So we step up to Gods glory and goe beyond it wee would have God glorified to glorifie us but this is hypocrisie to have God honoured that we may be secretly base This is the deepest dishonour to God and he will be revenged of them one day and pluck his praise out of their bowels The three Wise men would not stay till the star stood and went no further So where the statre of Gods glory goes let us goe and not stay till we come thither and when we are there goe no further This is the carriage of the heart Phil. 1.20 that in life and death God may be honoured and exalted Looke as it is with a workman that makes a peece of curious worke we doe not give the honour to the toole but to the Work-man so God should receive the honour of all and from all Secondly as the soule should make God discovered by himself so hee should desire that God might bee acknowledged by others as wee our selves expresse it and that appeares in two particulars First that they might imbrace the excellencie of God Matth. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men why so not that they may see you but that they may see your good workes that is God in your good workes and glorifie him Doe not thinke I would have others see my good parts gifts and the like but only that they may see God in them The Fisher desires that the fish would see the bait not him So hee that angles for the soules of others doth not desire that others may see him but the grace of God An Apprentice doth not stand
come that hee would intrench about us and give us Armour and weapons to resist it and give us dominion over our enemies and that if wee be overcome hee would rescue and recover us out of them This is the sum of this Petition Now wee come to the frame of the heart that we should bring before God Quest that so wee may be fit to receive the good we sue for at the hand of God Now wherein doth it appeare The frame of heart and disposition of Soule Answ that best be-seemes us in the putting up of this Petition appeares principally in four things First when wee desire that the Lord would not let us bee drawne aside nor led into temptation wee must labour to avoid all occasions as may bee too strong for us or like to prevaile over us In vaine wee desire to bee delivered from evill when wee rush into evill and into temptations Hee that should take pitch into his hand and pray not to defiled put fire into his bosome and pray not to be burnt it is a sleighting of Gods mercy and a provoking of God to wrath rather then a begging of mercy We would count it a madnesse for a man to cast himselfe into the Sea and desire to be saved to make our selves sick that God may make us whole againe It is nothing else but as we may say to make God worke so to runne into evill and to pray to the Lord to deliver us from evill it is provoking and mocking of the Lord the wise mans rule is here memorable Prov. 23.23 If a man be given to his appetite let him put his knife to his throat If thou lovest the wine looke not upon it a man that is given to his apetite it is in vaine to pray against it and yet nourish it but thou must put thy knife to thy throat abstaine from that which may provoke it for if we please our appetite it will be a temptation to us Psal 30. The promises and the providence of the Lord go together He will succour us and relieve us but it must be in the way of providence we must be in the way He that goes out of the way and craves Gods assistance shall never have it but hales on evill on himselfe Matthew 10.18 our Saviour speaking of offences saith If thy hand cause thee to offend cut it off and if thine eye cause thee to offend pluck it out That is were thy sinnes as neere to thee as thy right hand in regard of profit or thy right eye in regard of pleasure cut them off pluck them out fling them away rather then be foiled by them In vaine wee crave the assistance of the Lord and in the meane time lay blocks before us it is presumption therefore no marvell if many times the Lord leaves a man in the lurch because he doth not that he praies for It is enough to cause the Lord to curse us when we do not avoid occasions of evill he that will not fall into the pit let him not come neer the brinke of it he that will not be snared by evill let him not come neer the occasions of evill Secondly if we be weake of our selves and cannot prevent the occasions of evill yet bee carefull to seeke all such meanes as may be succourable and helpfull to us if we cannot helpe it but that these will surprize us let us seeke the meanes that may succour us in our need The sicke man that craves succour of the Lord must use the meanes the Lord hath appointed happily thou findest temptations pressing on in thy calling thou canst not avoid it the more the occasions are the more seek for the meanes that may fortifie thee Hee that will be healed let him seeke the Physician he that is out of the way and would be set in the right way let him inquire it out and not sit still and say Lord have mercy upon me c. but seeke unto God in the use of the meanes It was that which Joshuah did chapter the seventh he called upon God but yet the Lord did not help him but said Why doest thou so Israel hath sinned looke to that in vaine it is to pray that the enemie may not prevaile and labour not to get sinne out of the camp but doe that and then the overthrow of the Enemies will bee farre enough from thee Thirdly when wee have found the meanes labour to bee content to bee ordered by all the meanes and helps that God hath been pleased to ordaine for our good It is a madnesse to crave as Balaam Oh that I might die the death of the righteous and not live their life to see the way and not to walke in it Jer. 42. they said to the Prophet Inquire at the mouth of the Lord and whatsoever he commandeth that wee will doe but when they heard and knew it they would not In vaine it is to crave the pardon of sinne when we looke not to the promise to desire sinne to be subdued and yet not to abide the meanes that should doe it but if a man faith he will not be counselled but will have his proud heart and will walke in all his owne waies how can he say deliver me from this proud heart when he will not have counsell take place When a man is in horrour of heart when conscience flies in his face it is in vaine to whine then and yet not to be ruled by the Word of God but be as vaine as ever as loose as ever and as iddle as ever Thou beggest one thing and desirest another and so long never put up this Petition Fourthly wee must relye upon the Lord for a blessing and successe in all wee pray for or do We must so use the meanes as if there were no promise to helpe us and yet so depend on God for all as though the meanes could doe nothing Observe all thy occasions and say counsell and advise is good but the Lord must set them on man lives not by bread only but by the blessing of God in the meanes goe to the Spirit of the Lord and see there a greater power then in all meanes 2 King 2. If thou canst see me taken up then shalt thou have my Spirit double upon thee The meaning is if thou seest the God that takes me up then he will give thee his Spirit looke to God above all meanes and he that is thus disposed praies aright to be delivered For thine is the Kingdome VVE have done with the sixe Petitions three concerning God his Name Kingdome Will three concerning our selves concerning things of this life and of a better to wit justification sanctification we come now to the conclusion and considerin it two things First the thanksgiving Secondly the conclusion of faith in the word Amen In the thanksgiving is included both a reason of the Petition as also a forme of thanksgiving as who should say wee doe not presume wee can do