An exposition of the Lords praier in the way of catechisme By William Perkins

AN EXPOSITION of the Lords prayer, in the way of Catechisme. By M. Perkins. Matth. 6. ver. 9. After this maner therefore pray yee, Our Father, &c.

THe occasion, and so also the coherence of these wordes with the former is this. The Evangelist Matthew, setting downe the Sermons and sayings of our Sauiour Christ, keeps not this course, to propounde euery thing as it was done or spoken: but sometime he settes down that first, which was done last, and that last which was done before: according as the spirit of God directed him. Which thing is verified in these wordes; where the praier is mentioned, yet the occasion wherfore our Sauiour Christ taught his disciples to pray, is not here specified. But in Saint Luke. 11. verse 1. the occasion of these wordes is euident. For there it is said, that the disciples of our Sauior, knowing that Iohn taught his disciples to pray, made request to their master that he would do the same to them likewise.

These few words, set before the praier are a commandement; and it prescribes vnto vs two duties; the first, to praie, the second, to pray after the manner following: Touching the first point, considering verie fewe among the people know how to pray aright, we must learne what it is to pray.

To make praier, is to put vp request to god, acording to his word from a contrite hart in the name of Christ, with assurance to bee hard.

For the better opening of these words, we are to consider six questions. The first is, to whome wee are to pray. The answer is to God alone: Rom. 10. 14. Howe shal they cal on him in whome they haue not beleeued, &c. Marke how inuocation and faith are linked together; And Paules reson may be framed thus. In whome we put our affiance or beleif, to him alone must we pray; but we beleue only in God: therefore wee must onely praie to him. As for Saints or Angels, they are in no wise to be called vpon: because not the least title of Gods worde prescribes vs so to doe: because they cannot heare our praiers, and discerne what are the thoughts and desires of our harts: and because invocation is a parte of diuine worship, and therefore peculiar to God alone.

The second question is, what kinde of action prayer is? Answer: it is no lip-labour, it is the putting vp of a sute vnto God, and this action is peculiar to the verie hart of a man. Rom. 8. 26. The spirite makes request for vs: But how? with grones in the hart. Exod. 14. 15. The Lord said to Moses, Why criest thou? Yet there is no mentiō made that Moses spake any word at all: the Lorde no doubt, accepted the inward mourning and desire of his hart for a crie.

The third question is, what is the forme or rule, according vnto which we are to pray. Answer. It is the reueiled wil and word of God. A man in humbling his soule before God, is not to pray as his affections carrie him, and for what he list▪ but all is to be done according to the expresse worde. So as those things which God hath cō manded vs to ask, wee are to aske, and those thinges which hee hath not commanded vs to ask, we are in no wise to pray for. 1. Iohn. 5. 14. This is the assurance vvhich vvee haue of him, that if wee aske any thing according to his will hee heareth vs. This then is a speciall clause to be marked, that men must praye in knowledge, not in ignorance. Here weigh the case of poore ignorant people: they talke muche of praying for themselues & others, they imagine that they pray verie deuoutlie to God, but alas, they doe nothing les: because they knowe not what to ask acording to Gods will. They therefore must learne Gods worde, and pray according to the same; else it will prooue in the end, that all their praying was nothing but as mocking and flat dishonoring of God.

The fourth question is, with what affection a man must pray. Answer. Prayer must proceed from a broken and contrite hart. This is the sacrifice which God accepteth. Psalm. 51. verse. 17. When Ahab abased himselfe, though he did it in hypocrisie, yet God had some respect vnto it. 1. King. 21. verse 29. Saith the Lorde to Eliah, seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me? This contrition of heart stands in two thinges. The first of them is a liuely feeling of our own sinne, miserie and wretched estate; howe that we are compassed about with inumerable enemies, euen with the Deuill and all his Angels, & within a bound, even with huge seas of wants and rebellious corruptiōs, whereby we most grieuouslie displease God, & are vile in our own eies. Being therefore thus beset on euerie side, wee are to be touched with the sense of this our gret miserie. And he that wil pray aright, must putte on the person, and the verie affection of a poore wretched begger: and certainely not being grieued with the rufull condition in which we are in our selues, it is not possible for vs to pray effectually. Psalm. 130. verse 1. Out of the deepes I called vpon thee, O Lord: that is, when I was in my greatest miserie, and as it were, not far frō the gulfes of hell, then I cried to God. Isai. 26. 16. Lord, in trouble haue they visited thee: they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them. 1. Sam. 1. 15 I am a woman (saith Anna) of an hard spirite: that is, a troubled soule, and haue powred out my soul before the lord Hence it appeareth, that the ordinary praiers of most mē greuously displease God, seing they ar made for fashion only, without any sense and feeling of their miseries: commonly men come with the Pharisie, in ostentation of their integritie, and they take greate paines with their lips, but their harts wā der from the Lorde. The second thing required in a contrite hart, is a longing desire and hungring after Gods graces and benefites, whereof we stand in need. It is not sufficient for a man to buckle as it were, and to go crooked vnder his sinnes and miseries; but also, hee must haue a desire to be eased of them, & to be enriched with graces needefull. Thus Hezekias the king, and the Prophet Isaiah the Sonne of Amos praied against Senacharib, and cried vnto heauen, 2. Chron. 32. 20. Where wee may see what a maruelous desire they had to obtaine their request. So also Rom. 8. 26. The spirite maketh request with grones▪ so greate, that they cannot be vttered, as they are felte. Dauid, Psalm. 143. 6. saith, that hee desireth after the Lorde, as the thirstie land. Now we know that the groūd partched with heat, opens it selfe in rifts and cranies, and gapes towards heauen, as though it would deuoure the cloudes for want of moisture, and thus must the hart bee disposed to Gods grace till it obtaine it. The people of Israel being in grieuous affliction▪ How do they pray? They powre out their souls like vvater before the face of the Lord. Lam. 2. vers. 19.

The fift question is, in whose name praier must be made. Answer It must not be made in the name of any creature, but onely in the name and mediatiō of Christ. Ioh. 14. ver. 14. If yee ask any thing in my name, I will do it. A man is not to present his prayers to God, in any worthines of his own merites. For what is hee? to make the best of himself, what can he make of himselfe? by nature he is no better thē the verie firebrand of hell, and of all Gods creatures the most outragious rebell to God, and therefore cannot be heard for his own sake. As for Saints, they can be no mediators, seing euen they themselues in heauen, are accepted of God not for themselues, but only for the blessed merites of Christ. If any man sinne (saith S. Iohn. 1. Epistle. chap. 2. verse 1.) Wee haue an Aduocate with the Father, Iesus Christ: But how proues he this? It followes then, And hee is the reconciliation for our sinnes. His reason stands thus: he which must bee an aduocate, must firste of all be a reconciliation for vs: no Saintes can be a reconciliation for vs: therefore no Saints can be Aduocates. Therfore, in this place is manifest an other faulte of ignoraunt people. They cry often, Lord help me, Lorde haue mercy vpon me. But in whose name pray they? poore soules like blinde bayardes, they rush vpon the Lord; they know no mediatour, in whose name they should present their praiers vnto him. Little do they consider with themselues, that God is as well a most terrible Iudge, as a mercifull Father.

The sixt question is, whether saith be requisit to prayer or not. Answere. Praier is to be made with faith, whereby a man may haue a certaine assurance to be heard. For he that praieth, must stedfastly beleeue that God in Christ will grāt his petition. This affiance being wanting, it maketh praier to bee no praier. For how can be pray for any thing effectually, who doubteth whether he shall obtaine it or noe. Wherefore, it is an especiall pointe of prayer, to be perswaded, that God to whome praier is made, not onely can, but also will graunt his request. Marke 11. 24. Whatsoeuer yee desire vvhen yee praye, beleeue that yee shall haue it, and it shall bee doone vnto you. Here we see two thinges required in praier; the first, a desire of the good thinges which we want, the second is faith, wherby we beleue that God will grant the thinges desired. The ground of this faith, is reconciliation with God, & the assurance thereof. For vnlesse a man be in conscience, in some mesure perswaded, that al his sinnes are pardoned, and that hee stands reconciled to God in Christ, hee cannot beleeue any other promises reuealed in the word, nor that any of his praiers shall be heard.

Thus much of the definition of praier; now let vs see what vse may be made of this commandement, Pray yee thus. Seeing our Sauiour commandeth his Disciples, and so euen vs also to praie to God; it is our dutie, not only to present our praiers to God, but also to doe it cheerefully and earnestlie. Rom. 15. 30. Also, brethren I besech you that yee woulde striue with me by praiers to God for me. What is the cause, why the Lord doeth oft defer his blessings after our praiers? No cause, but that hee might stirre vs vp to be more feruent, & more earnestly to crye vnto the Lord. Exod. 32. 10. When Moses praieth to God in the behalfe of the Israelites, the lord answers, Let me alone, as though his praiers did bind the Lord, and hinder him frō executing his iudgments. Wherefore this is good aduise, for all Christian men to continue and to be zealous in praier. If thou be an ignorant man, for shame learne to praie; seeing it is Gods commandement, make conscience of it. We see that there is no man vnlesse he be desperatly wicked, but wil mak some conscience of killing & stealing: and why is this? because it is Gods commandment; Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steale. Well then; this also is Gods commandement to pray. Let this consideration breed in thee a conscience of this dutie: and although thy corrupt nature shall drawe thee away from it, yet striue to the contrary, and know it certainely, that the breach of this command, maketh thee as well guiltie of damnation before God as any other. Furthermore, this must be a motiue to prick thee forward to this dutie, that as God commandes vs to pray, so also he giues the spirite of praier, whereby the commaundement is made easie vnto vs. If the Lord had commanded a thing impossible, then there had bene some cause of discouragemēt, but commanding a thing through the grace of his spirite, verie easie and profitable: howe much more are we bound to the obedience of the same? Againe, praier is the key whereby wee open the treasures of God, and pull downe his mercies vpon vs. For as the preaching of the word, serues to declare and to conuey vnto vs Gods graces: so in praier we come to haue a liue lie feeling of the same in our harts. And further, this must moue vs to praier, seeing in praier we haue familiaritie with Gods Maiestie. It is an high fauour for a man to bee familiar with a Prince; howe much more then, to be familiar with the King of Kings, the mightie Iehouah? This then can bee no burthen or trouble vnto vs, being one of the many prerogatiues that God bestowes on his Church. For in the preaching of the worde, it pleaseth God to talke to vs; and in praier, God doth vouchsafe vs this honour, to speake, and as it were, familiarly to talk with him, not as to a fearful Iudge, but as to a louing and mercifull God. Consider also, that praier is a worthie means of defence, not onely to vs, but also to the Church, and them that are absent. By it Moses stood in the breache, which Gods wrath had made into the pepill of Israell, and staied the same, Psalm. 106. ver. 23 by this Christian men fight, as valiant champions, against their own corruptions and all other spirituall enemies. Ephes. 6. vers. 18. Infinite were it to shewe, howe many blessings the Lord hath bestowed on his seruaunts by prayer. In a worde, Luther, whome it pleased God to vse as a worthie instrumēt for the restoring of the Gospell, testifieth of himselfe, that hauing this grace giuen him; to call vpon the name of the lord, he had more reuealed vnto him of Gods trueth by praier, then by reding & study.

The second point of the cōmandement, is to pray after the maner following in the Lordes prayer. Where it is to bee noted, that the Lords prayer is a direction, and as it were, a sampler to teach vs, how and in what maner wee ought to praie. None is to imagine that we are bound to vse these words only and none other. For the meaning of Christ is not to binde vs to the words, but to the matter and maner, and to the like affections in praying. If this were not so, the praiers of Gods seruants set down in the bookes of the old and newe Testament, should be al faultie, because they ar not according to the wordes of the Lords praier. Also, by reason of this, diuers in our church, ignorantly perswade them selues that it is vnlawfull to vse the wordes as they are set downe for a praier. First (say they) it is Scripture, and therefore not to be vsed as a prayer. I answer, that the same thing may be the scripture of god, and also the praier of man; else the praiers of Moses, Dauid and Paul, being set downe in the scriptures, cease to be praiers. Againe (they say) that in praier we are to expres our wantes in particular, and the graces which wee desire: nowe in these wordes all things to be praied for, are onely in generall propounded. I answer, that the maine wants that are in any man, and the principall graces of God to be destred, are set downe in the petitions of this praier, in particular. Thirdly, they pleade that the pattern to make al praiers by, should not be vsed as a praier. I answere, that therefore the rather it may be vsed a • a praier; and sure it is, th •• ancient and worthie diuines haue reuerēced it as a praier; chosing rather to vse these words then any other, as Cyprianus sermone de orat. Dominic. And Tertullian lib. de fuga in persequutione. And Augustine sermone 126. de tēpore. Wherfore, the opinion is ful of ignorāce & error.

Well, whereas our Sauiour first giues a commaundement to pray, and then after giueth a direction for the keeping of it, this he doeth to stiree vp our dulnes, and to allure vs by all meanes to this heauenly exercise of praier: Wherfore still I say, imploy your selues in praier feruently, and continually; and if you cannot do it, learne to praye. Thus much of the commandement of our Sauior Christ: nowe followe the wordes of the praier.

Our Father which art &c.

THese wordes containe three parts, 1. a preface, 2. the praier it self, containing six petitions. 3. the testification of faith in the last worde: Amen. Which although it be short, yet it doth not containe the smallest point in the praier: It is (I say) a testification of our faith, whereas the petitions that go before, are only testifications of our desires. Nowe of these three parts in order.

We must consider how our Sauiour Christ, doth not set downe the petitions abruptly, but he first beginnes with a solemne preface. Whereby we are taught this lessō; that he which is to pray vnto God is first to prepare himselfe, and not boldly without consideration, as it were, to rushe into the presence of God. If a mā be to come before an earthly Prince, hee will order himselfe in apparel, gesture, and words, that he may do all thinges in seemelines & dutiful reuerence: how much more are men to order themselues, when they are to appear before the liuing God? Eccle. 5. 1. Be not rash with thy mouth, & let not thine hart be hastie to vtter a thing, before the Lord. And Dauid Psal. 26. 6. Washed his hands in innocencie, before he came to the Altar of the Lord to offer sacrifice.

The meanes whereby men may stir vp their dul and heauie hea •• , and so prepare themselues to praier, are three. The first is, to read diligently the word of God, concerning those matters, about which they are to pray; and what then? this will be a meanes not onely to direct him, but also to quicken the heart more feruently to deliuer his praier. This is euident by a cō parison. The beames of the sunne descending, heat not before they come to the earth, or some solide body where they may reflect; and then by that means the earth and aire adjoyning is made very hote: euen so the Lord sends downe vnto vs his blessed Worde, euen as beames and the goodly sunshine, & thereby he speaks to our harts: now, when we make our praiers of that which we haue reade, Gods worde is as it were reflected, and our heartes are thereby warned with the cōfortable heat of Gods holy spirit, to powre out our praiers to God more feruently. The second meanes is to pray to God, that hee would strengthen vs with his spirit, that we might be able to pray, as it is practised. Psalme 143. 1. The third meanes, is the consideration of Gods most glorious maiestie; wherin we are to remember, first, his fatherly goodnes and kindenes, whereby he is willing, & secondly his omnipotencie, where by he is able to grant our requests One of these emboldned the Lepar to pray. Lord▪ if thou wilt, thou canst make me cleane. Mat. 8. 2. Therfore, both together are more effectuall.

Nowe let vs come to the preface it selfe, Our Father vvhich art in heuen. It contains a descriptiō of the true Iehoua, to whom we pray; and that by two arguments, the first is drawen from a relation, Our Father: the second is taken frō the subiect or place, Which art in heuen.

Father.

1. The meaning.

IN the opening of this word, or title of God, two questions are to be opened.

1. Quest. Whether by this title Father, is signified the whol Trinitie, or some one person thereof. Ans. Otherwhiles this name is attributed to all the persons in Trinitie, or any of them. Malac. 2. 10. Haue we not all one Father, &c. Luk. 3. 38. Which was the sonne of Adam, which was the sonne of God. And in Isai. 9. 6 christ is called the father of eternitie because al that ar truly knit to him and born a new by him, they are eternally made the sons of God. Again, oftentimes it is giuen to the first persō in trinitie, as in those places, where one person is conferred with another. And so in this place principally for some speciall respects, this title agrees to the first person. For first he is the father of Christ, as he is the eternall worde of the father, and that by nature, because hee is of the same essence with him: Secondly, he is father to Christ, in respect of his manhood, not by nature or adoption, but by personall vnion, because the humane nature doeth subsist in the person of the word. Thirdly, hee is a father to all the faithfull by adoption in Christ.

2. Question. Whether we are to pray to the Sonne and holy Ghost as to the Father. Ans. Inuocation belonges to all the three persons in Trinitie, and not only to the father Act. 7. 59. Steuen praieth, Lord Iesus receiue my spirit. 1. Thes. 3. 2. Now God our father, and our Lord Iesus Christ, guide our iourney vnto you. 2. Cor. 13. 13. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, the loue of God, & the communion of the holy Ghost be vvith you. Some say, this praier is a perfect platforme of all praiers: and in it wee are taught to direct our praiers to the Father, not to the Son or holy spirit. I answer, the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost are three distinct persons, yet they are not to be seuered or diuided; because they al subsist in one and the same Godhead or diuine nature. And further, in all outward actions, as in the creation and preseruation of the world, and the saluation of the elect, they are not seuered or deuided, for they al work together onely they are distinguished in the maner of working. Now if they be not deuided in nature or operation, then they are not to be seuered in worship. And in this place we direct our praiers to the father because he is the first in order; yet so, as then we imploy the Son and holy Ghost. For we pray to the father in the name of the Sonne, by the assistance of the holy Ghost. And to what persone soeuer the praier is directed, we must alwaies remember in minde and heart to include the rest.

2. The Vse.

THe vses of this point are manifolde.

1. First, whereas we are taught to com to God, as to a father, and therefore in the name of his Son our Sauiour Christ, wee learne to lay the first ground of all our praiers, in the holding & maintaining of the vnion and distinction of the three persons in Trinitie. This being the lowest and the first foundation of praier, it is requisite that al which woulde pray aright, should haue this knowledge, rightly to beleeue of the Trinitie, & to know how the three persons agree, and how they are distinguished: & the order of them, how the Father is the first, the Sonne the second, the holy Ghost the third: and therefore, how the father is to be called vpon in the name of the Sonne, by the holy Ghost. Hence it is manifest, that ignorant and sillie people which do not so much as dreame of the vnion, distinction and order of the persons in Trinitie, mak but cold and slender kind of praying.

2. Secondly, we may learn hereby, that we are not in any wise to inuocate Saintes and Angels, but onely the true Iehoua. The reason stands thus. This praier is either a perfect platform for all praiers▪ or not: to say it were not, were an injurie to our Sauiour Christ: to say it is so, is also to grant, that it doth fully set downe, to whome al praiers are to be made. Papistes that are the great patrons of invocation of Saints, in their reformed breuiaries and missales deal very fōdly: for, first they pray to Mary, that she would pray to Christ for them; and when they haue so done, like Iuglers they come to Christ, and pray vnto him that hee would accept Maries praier for them.

3. Thirdly, we learne that there can be no intercessour betweene God and vs, but onely Christ. For here we ar taught to come to God not as to a Iudge, but as to a kind and louing Father. Now he is a father to vs onely by Christ: as for Angels and Saints, & al creatures, they are not able to procure by any meanes, that God shoulde become a father, no not so much as to one man.

4. Againe, if the God to whom we pray be a father, we must learn to acquaint our selues with the promises which hee hath made in his word, to quicken our hearts in praier vnto him. For this word Father, implies redines and willingnes in God to heare, and be mercifull to our praiers. And a father cannot but must needs mak some promises of fauour to those that be his children: and therefore it cannot be, that he should call God truly his father, which hath not in his heart this assurance, that God will fulfill his promises vnto him. Promises made to praier; these and such like are to bee marked as follow. 2. Chron. 7. 14. If my people among vvhome my name is called vpon, do humble themselues, and pray, & seek my presence, and turne from their wicked waies, then I will heave in heuen & be mercifull to their sinnes. 2. Chron. 15. 2. The Lord is with you while you be with him: and if ye seeke him, he will be found of you. Isai. 65. 24. Before they call, I wil answere, and whiles they speak I vvill heare. Mat. 7. 7. Aske, and it shall be giuen you: seeke and ye shal find: knock and it shall be opened. Luk. 11. 13 If ye vvhich are euil can giue good gifts vnto your children how much more shal your heauenly father giue the holy ghost to them that desire him? Rom. 10. 12. Hee that is Lord ouer all, is rich vnto all that call on him. Iam. 4. 8. Drawe neere vnto God, and he will draw neere vnto you.

5. If God be a father who is called vpon, then praier is the note of Gods Child. S. Luke▪ and S. Paul set out the faithfull seruants of God by this note. Act. 9 14. He hath authoritie to binde al that cal on thy name 1. Cor. 1. 2. To them that are sanctified by Iesus Christ saints by calling, with all that call on the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ. And contrariwise, Psal. 14. 4. It is made one of the properties of an Atheist, Neuer to cal on the name of God. And such persons, as neither wil, nor can, or vse not hartely to pray to God, they may say, that they are perswaded there is a God, but in their doings they bear themselues as if there wer no God.

6. He which would pray aright, must be like the prodigall childe, that is, he must not onely confesse his sin, saying, Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee, &c. but also haue a ful purpose neuer after to offend his Father. For how can a Childe call him father, whome hee cares not continually to displease through his lewd conditions? He cannot do it; neither can any Father delight in suche a child: therefore, in praier we must call to minde our lewdnes and rebellions against our heauenly Father, and with the Publican, in heuines of soule, say, Lord be mercifull to me a sinner. He which can truly do this, is a kind child. If we consider our selues as we are by nature, wee are the children of the deuill: noe childe so like his Father as wee are like him, and in this estate, we continually rebel against God; for the Deuill hath al the heart, our whol joy is to serue and please him. A man that is to pray must think on this, and be heauy for it. And happy, yea a thousand times happy ar they, who haue grace giuen them to see this their state & to bewaile it. And further, it is not sufficient to confesse our sinnes against our mercifull Father, but wee must set downe with our selues, neuer in such sort to offend him againe; and to leade a newe life. This point is very profitable for these times; For many there be, when any crosse or sicknes comes on them, they will pray and promise repentance and all obedience to Gods worde, if it shall please God to deliuer them: but this vsually is but in hypocrisie; they dissemble with God and men. For when their sicknes is past like a dogge that hath bene in the water, they shake their eares, and runne streight with all greedinesse to their former sinnes. Is this to call God father? No; hee that doth this, shall not haue God to be his father; but the man that is wounded in his soul for his offēces past, and carrieth a purpose in his heart neuer wittingly and willingly to offend God againe.

7. Lastly, here we ar to obserue, that he which would pray, must be indued with the spirit of adoptiō: the workes whereof in the matter of praier are twofold. The first to moue him to crie and call on God as a father. It is no easie thing to pray. For to a man of himselfe, it is as easie to mooue the whole earth with his hand; how then comes it that we pray? It is a blessed worke of the spirit. Rom. 8. 15. Wee haue receiued the spirit of adoption, whereby vve crie Abba, that is, Father, and Rom. 8. 26. Likewise the spirit helpeth our infirmities: for wee knowe not what to pray as we ought: but the spirit it self maketh request. And. Zach. 12. 10. the holy Ghost is called the spirit of grace and deprecations or praiers. Wel then, the man that woulde pray, must haue Gods spirite to bee his schoolmaster, to teach him to pray with grones and sighes of the hart▪ for the wordes make not the praier, but the grones & desires of the hart; and a man praies for no more then he desires with his heart, and hee which desires nothing, praies not at all, but spends liplabor. The second work of the spirit, is to assure vs in our consciences, that we are in the state of grace, reconciled to God. Rom. 8. 16. The spirit of adoption beareth witnes with our spirits, that we are the children of God. And this inward certificate of the spirit in all exercises of invocation is very necessarie: for hee which wants this assurance, if hee be secure, and benummed in his sinnes, will not, and if he be touched in conscience for them, for his life hee dare not cal God Father. Also, this confutes the opiniō of the church of Rome which teacheth, that a man must doubt whether hee be adopted or no. For howe can a man trulie cal God Father, when he doubts whether he be the child of God or no. It is a miserable kinde of praying, to call God Father, and to doubt whether he be a father. Indeede it is true, that doubts will often rise, but it is our dutie to striue against them, and not to yeeld vnto them. Yea, but (say they) to be certain of Gods mercy is presumption. I answere, if it be presumption, it is an holy presumption, because God hath bidden vs call him father.

Our Father.

The meaning.

THus much of the argument of relation; now let vs proceede. It is further said, Our Father. Quest. Whether may it bee lawfull for vs in praier to say, not our father, but my father? Ans. A Christian may in priuate praier say, My Father. This is warranted by the example of our Sauiour. Mat, 26. 39. O my Father if it be possible, let this cup passe from me. And Mat. 27. 46. My God, my God, whie hast thou forsaken mee? The meaning of Christe is not to binde vs to these wordes, but to teache vs that in our praiers wee must not haue regard to our selues onely, but also to our brethren: & therefore when we pray for them in our priuate praiers as for our selues, wee put in practise the true meaning of these wordes.

2. The Vses.

1 VVHen we pray, we must not make request onlie for our selues & our own good, but for others also, as the Church and people of GOD, perswading our selues, that we also are partakers of their praiers, and for the better clearing of this point, let vs search who they are for whome we are to pray. Of men there be two sortes; some liuing, some dead. Of these two kindes, the liuing are to be praied for, and there is no praying for the dead. A man that is dead knowes what shall be his estate eternally: if he died a wicked person, his state shall be according in eternall torments, if hee died godly, then he shall rest with God in his kingdom. Apoc. 14. 13. Blessed are they vvhich die in the Lord, for they rest from their labours, and their vvorkes follow them. Gal. 6. 10. While vve haue time let vs do good to al men. Where we may note, that there is a time, namelie after death, when we cannot.

Againe, of the liuing, some are our enemies, and some our frends▪ Our frends are they which are of the same religion, affection, disposition. Foes are either priuate or publike: publike foes, are either enemies to our country, as tyrants, traitors, &c. or enemies to our religion, as Iewes, Turks, Papists, Infidels, Atheists. Nowe towards all these, how ought a man to behaue himselfe in prayer? Ans. Hee is to pray for them all. Mat. 5. 44. Praie for them vvhich hurt you and persecute you, 1. Tim. 2. 1. I exhort that praiers, intercessions, &c. Be made for all men, for kinges &c. Yet when Paul gaue this commandement: we read not that there wer any Christiā kings, but all Infidels. And the Iewes are commanded to pray for Babylon, where they were captiue. Ieremie 29. 7. And seeke the prosperitie of the Cittie, whither I haue caused you to bee carried captiue, and praie vnto the lord for it. Quest. Howe, and in what maner are we to pray for our enemies? Ans. We are to pray against their sinnes, counsels, enterprises, but not against their persons. Thus praied Dauid against Achitophell. 2. Sa. 15. 31. Lord, I praie thee, bring the counsell of Achitophell to foolishnes. And thus did the Apostles pray against their persecuters. Act. 4. 29 O Lord, behold their threatnings, and graunt vnto thy seruants with all boldnes to sp • ake thy word.

Question. Dauid vseth imprecations against his enemies, in which he praieth for their vtter confusion, as Psal. 59. & 109. &c. the like is done by Paul. Gal. 5. 12. 2. Tim. 4. 14. And Peter Act. 8. 20. though afterwards hee mitigates his exexcration. But how could they do it? Ans. 1. They were indued with an extraordinarie measure of Gods spirit; and hereby they were enabled to discerne of the estate of their enemies▪ & certainly to judge that their wickednes and malice was incurable, and that they shuld neuer repent. And the like praiers did the primatiue Church cōceiue against Iuliā the Apostata, because they perceiued him to be a malicious and desperate enemie. 2. Secondly, they were indued with a pure zeal against their enemies intending nothing else but the glory of God. Now, for vs it is good that we should suspect our zeal, because sinister affections, as hatred, enuie, emulation, desire of reuenge, wil mingle themselues with our zeal.

Question. How far forth may we vse those Psalmes in which Dauid vseth imprecations against his enemies? Ans. They are to be read and song with these caueats. 1. Wee are to vse those imprecations indefinitely against the enemies of God and his Church: for wee may perswade our selues, that alwaies there be some such obstinate enemies: but we must not apply them particularly. 2. Secondly, wee must vse them (as Augustine saith) as certaine prophetical sentences of the holy Ghost, pronouncing the last sentence of destruction, of final & impenitent sinners, which oppose themselues against Gods kingdom Thirdly; they may be vsed against our spiritual enemies the flesh, the deuil and his Angels, & the world

2. Furthermore, whereas we ar taught to say, Our father; this serues to put vs in minde, that in praying to God, we must bring loue to mē with vs. We must all be as the children of one father, louingly disposed one to another. For how shuld he call God his father, who wil not take the child of God for his brother? Mat. 5. 23. When thou art to offer thie gifte vnto God, if thou haue ought against thie brother, first be reconciled, and then come and offer thy gift. So also Esay 1. 15. the Lorde saith, that when they pray vnto him hee will not heare. Why? because their hands were ful of blud. In these times many men can be contēt formally to praie; but yet they will not leaue bribing, oppression, deceit, vsurie, &c. The common song of the worlde is, euerie man for himselfe, and God for vs all: this is the common loue and care that men haue eche to other. The praiers of such are abhominable, euen as the sacrifice of a dog, as Esay saith, For howe can they call God their Father, that haue no loue to their brethren?

3. Thirdly, hence we may learn that God is no accepter of persōs. For this praier is giuen to all men of what state or degree soeuer. All then, aswell poore as rich, vnlearned as learned, subjectes as rulers, may say, Our father. It is not with the Lord as it is with the worlde, but all are his Children that doe beleeue. The poore man hath as good interest in Gods kingdome, and may call God Father as well as the King.

Which art in heauen.

1. The meaning.

QVestion. Howe may God bee said to be in heuen, seeing he is infinite, and therefore must needes be euery where? 1. King. 8. 27. The heauens of heauens are not able to containe him. Answer. 1. God is saide to be in heauen, because his majestie, that is, his power, wisedome, justice, mercy, is made manifest from thence vnto vs. Psalme 115. 3. Our God is in heauen and doth vvhatsoeuer he will. Psal. 2. 4. He that dwelleth in heauen shall laugh them to scorne, and the Lord shall haue them in derision. Esay saith, 66. 2. Thus saith the Lord: Heauen is my throne, and the earth is my footstoole. 2. After this life, hee wil manifest the fulnes of his glorie there, to his Angels and Saints.

2. The Vse

1. HEereby first we learn that Romish pilgrimages, wherby men went from place to place to worship God, are vain and foolish. The God to whome wee must pray is in heauen: Nowe let men trauell to what place or countrey they will, they shall not come the neerer to heauen or neerer to God by traueling; seeing the earth is in euerie part alike distāt from heuen

2. Secondly, this ouerthrowes popish Idolatrie, as woorshipping of Crosses, Crucifixes, Roods, &c. to put vs in mind of God & Christ. Wee are taught to lift vp our eies to heuen; seeing God is there: and how can we do this, as long as our mindes and eies are poring vpon an image made by mans arte?

5. Againe, wee are here admonished to vse the action of praier with as great reuerence as possible may be. Wel reasons Salomon: Eccle. 5. 1. Be not rash with thy mouth to speak a vvord before God. Why? he is in heaven, thou art in earth: therfore let thy vvords be few. This reuerence must appeare in holines of minde and affection and in al comlines of gesture. And for this cause, al wandering bythoughts and all vaine babling is to be auoided. But how goes the case with vs, that on the times appointed come to the assē blies to pray? Many, by reason of their blindenes, pray without vnderstanding. Many, when they are present at praier, yet haue their hearts occupied about other matters, about their goods and worldly busines: such men haue no joye or gladnes in praying; it is a burdē to them. Many come to the assemblie for custom only, or for fear of punishment; if they might be left free, they could find in their harts not to pray at all. But let all suche mē know, that this maner of praiing is a very greenous sinne; nay, greater then mocking of father or mother, killing or stealing; for it is directly against God, the other against men. This sin, because it is against the first Table, and therfore, more hard to bee discerned, it is lightly esteemed, and it lesse troubles the consciences of ignorant men: yet as it is indeede, so it is to be esteemed as a disgrace & plaine mockerie of Gods majestie. Wherfore, seeing God is in heuen, away with al drowsie and dead praying, let vs come with reuerence in our hearts before the Lord.

4. Againe wee are here to consider, that our harts in praier must mount vp into heauen, and there be present with the Lord. Psal. 25. 1. Vnto thee O Lord lift I vp my soule. The litle childe is neuer well, but when it is in the fathers lap, or vnder the fathers wing: and the children of God are neuer in better case, then when in affection & spirit, they can come into the presēce of their heauenly father, and by prayer, as it were, to creep into his bosome.

5. Lastly, this preface sheweth, that God is all sufficient, as in al other things, so in granting our requests: God is willing to hear our praiers, in that hee is our father, & able to performe them, because he is in heuen & therefore almightie.

Hallowed be thy name.

1. The coherence.

THus much of the preface: now follow the petitions. They be six in number: the three first, concerne God, and his glorie: the other three concern our selues. The three former petitions, are againe deuided into two partes: the firste concernes Gods glorie it selfe, the other two, the meanes, whereby Gods glory is manifested, and inlarged among men. For God his name is glorified among men, whē his kingdome doth come, and his will is done.

Question. Why is this petition, Hallowed be thy name, set in the first place? Answere. Because Gods glory must bee preferred before all thinges: because it is the end of all creatures, and of all the counsels of God. Prou. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all thinges for his owne sake; yea, euen the vvicked for the day of euill. And from the order of the petitions heere ariseth a worthy instruction; namely, that euery one in all thinges they take in hande, are to propound to themselues, and to intend the glory of God. The reason is this. The end which God hath appointed to all our doings, we are to propound to our selues: but God hath appointed that the highest end of all our doings shuld be his glorie: therfore, our hearts must be set to seeke it first of all. That God will haue his name glorified by vs, appeareth in this; that he punisheth those which of obstinacie, set themselues to dishonour him, or by negligence did not sanctifie him, when they should haue done so. Herod sitting in his royaltie, made such an oration that the people cried, the voice of a God and not of a man: and immediatly the Angel of the lord smote him, because he gaue not the glory to God. Act. 12. 23. And Moses because he did not sanctifie the Lord in the presence of the children of Israel, therefore, he came not into the land of promise; yet he did but faile in doing of it. Thus wee may see by these punishments, and also by the order of the petitions, that it is our duties to prefer the glory of God before all things else.

Quest. Whether are we to prefer the glory of God before the saluation of our soules? Answer. If the case stand thus, that Gods name must be dishonoured, or our soules condemned: we must account the glory of God more pretious than the saluation of our soules. This is manifest in the order of the petitions. The petition that concernes Gods glory is first, and the petitions that concerne directly our saluation are the fift and sixt. Where by we are taught, that before God should want any part of his glory, we are to let soule and all go, and let God haue all his glory. This affection had Moses. Exod. 32. 32. When he said, Either forgiue them, or if thou vvilt not, blot my name out of thy booke.

In this petition, as also in the rest, we must obserue three things; the first is; the mening of the words the second, the wants which men must learn to bewail, the third, the graces of god, that ar to be desired

2. The meaning.

VErie fewe among the people can giue the right meaning of the wordes of this praier. They pretend, that seeing God knowes their good meaning, it is sufficient for them to say the wordes and to meane well. But faith being one of the groundes of praier, & there being no faith without knowledg, neither can there bee praier without knowledge, and therefore, ignorant men are to learne the right meaning of the words.

Name.

Name in this place signifieth:

1. God himselfe. 1. Kings. 5. 5. He shal build an house to my name. 2. His attributes, as his iustice, mercy, &c. 3. His works creatures and iudgments. 4. His word.

For God is knowne to vs by al these, as men are knowne by their names; and as all a mans praise & glorie lies in his name, so all the glorie of God is in these.

Hallowed.

To hallowe is to feuer a thing from the common vse to som proper and peculiar end: as the temple was hallowed, that is, set apart to an holy vse; and the priests were sanctified, that is, set apart to the seruice of God. And all that beleeue in Christ are sanctified, that is, set apart from sin to serue God. In like manner, Gods name is hallowed, when it is put apart from al abuses to an holy, reuerent and honorable vse, whether we think, speake, or vse it any maner of way.

Question. How can a sinful man hallow Gods name, which is pure and holy in it selfe? Answer. We do not here pray that we might make Gods name holy; but that wee might bee meanes to declare and make manifest to the world by the right vsage of it, that it is holy, and pure, and honourable. The like phrase is vsed. Luk. 7. 39. Wisedome is iustified of her children; that is, acknowledged & declared to be just.

The scope therefore of the first petition is an earnest desire that we might set foorth Gods glorie, whatsoeuer become of vs; and it may be expressed thus. O Lord, open our eies, that wee may aright knowe thee, and acknowledge the gretnes of thy power, wisdom, justice, and mercie, which appeares in thy titles, worde, creatures, and judgements: and grant that when we vse any of these, we may therein glorifie thee, and vse them reuerently to thy glory.

3 The vvantes which are to be bevvailed.

1 THe wants, which we in this place are taught to bewail, are especiallie foure. The first is, an inward and spirituall pride of our hearts: a sin that none, or very few can see in themselues, vnlesse the Lord open their eies. When our first parentes were tempted in Paradise, the deuil told them, they should be as Gods: which lesson not onely they, but we haue learned: and we conceiue of our selues as litle gods, though to the world we shew it not. This hidden pride, when other sinnes die, it begins to get strength and to shewe it selfe: and it appeares in vaine thoughts, continuallie on euery occasion ascending in the minde. As maye appeare in the Pharisie, whose thoughts were these, whē he praied thus within himselfe: O God, I thank thee that I am not as other men, extortioners, vniust, adulterers, or euen as this Publican, &c. And as this was in him, so it is in vs till God giue grace: for so that men may haue praise & glory in the world, they care not for God his glorie, though it be defaced. Wee must therfore learn to discerne this hidden corruption, and to mourn for it: for it doeth poison & hinder al good desires of glorifying God, so long as it may preuaile in the hart.

2 Secondly, we are taught here to bewaile the hardnesse of our hearts: whereby we are hindred from knowing God aright, and from discerning the glorie of God in his creatures. Mark. 6. 52. The Disciples through the hardnesse of their hartes could not see Gods power, in the miracle of feeding many thousands with a few loues, though themselues were instrumentes of it, and the food did increase in their hands. Our redēption, what a wonderfull work is it, but how few consider of it, or regarde it? If wee see a man haue more wit, wealth, or honour than we haue, wee straight woonder at him: but beholding Gods creatures, we see nothing in them, because we do not goe higher to acknowledge the loue, power, wisedome, and iustice of the Creator. And this is the cause why Gods name is so slenderly honoured among men.

3 The third corruption, is our great ingratitude: for the Lorde hath made heauen and earth, and all other creatures to serue m • n: yet he is the most vnthankful of al creatures. Bestow manie iewels, or a kinges ransome on a dead man, he wil neuer returne anie kindnes; so men being dead in sinne deale with God. Commonlie, men are like the swine, that run with their groines and eat vp the mast, but neuer looke vp to the tree from whence it falleth. But the godlie are with Dauid, to feele this want in themselues, and to beseech God to open, and as it were, to vnlocke their lippes, that they may indeuour to be thankfull to God. Psal. 51. 15.

4 The fourth, is the vngodlines and the innumerable wantes that be in our liues, and the sinnes committed in the world. Psal. 119. 136 Mine eies (saith Dauid) gush out with riuers of waters, because men keepe not thy lawes. The reason is, because he which liues in sin reproches Gods name: euen as an euill child dishonors his father. Now some wil say, that this cannot be, because our sinnes cannot hurt God. A • . Yet they are a cause of slandring Gods name among men: for as we honour him by our good workes, so we dishonour him by our offences. Mat. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good workes, and glorifie your father which is in heauen.

4 Graces to be desired.

1 The graces to be desired, and to be prayed for at Gods hand, are three. The first is, the knowledge of God: that is, that we might know him, as he hath reueiled himself in his word, works and creatures. For how shal anie glorifie God before he know him? Our knowledge in this life is imperfect. Exo. 23. Moses may not see Gods face, but his hinder partes. 1. Cor. 13. 12. Wee may see God as men doe, through spectacles, in his word, sacraments and creatures. And therefore, as Paule prayed for the Colossians, Col. 1. 10. that they might increase in the knowledge of God, so are wee taught to pray for our selues in this petion.

2. A zeale for Gods glorie. Psal. 69. 9. The zeale of thine house hath eaten me vp. Psal. 45. 1. My heart shall vtter, or cast vp a good matter. I vvill speake in my workes of the king. Here the Spirit of God borrowes a comparison frō men thus. As he which hath somewhat lying heauie in his stom • cke, is neuer at quiet till hee haue cast it vp: euen so the care & desire to glorifie Gods name, must lie vpon a mans heart as an heauie burthen: and he is not to bee at ease and quiet with himself, till he be disburdened, in sounding forth Gods praise. Luther saith wel, that this is sancta crapula: that is, an holy surfet: and it is no hurt, continuallie to haue our harts ouercharged thus.

3 A desire to lead a godlie and syncere life, as before Gods Majestie. We see men that are in some great calling vnder honourable personages, wil so order and behaue thēselues, as they may please and honour their maisters: euen so must our liues bee well ordered, and we are to labour to walk worthie of the Lord (as Paul speaketh) that we may honour our heauenly father:

Thy kingdome come.

1 The Coherence.

THis petition dependes on the former most excellentlie. For in it is laid downe the meanes to procure the first. Gods name must be hallowed among men: but how is it done? by the erecting of Gods kingdome in the heartes of men. We cannot glorifie God vntill he rule in our hearts by his word and Spirite.

2 The meaning.

[Thy] This word doth put vs in mind that there is two kingdoms: one Gods, & that is the kingdome of heauen: the other the deuils, called the kingdom of darknesse. Col. 1. 13. For when all had sinned in Adam, God laid this punishmēt on all, that seeing they could not be content to obey their Creator, they should be in bondage vnder Sathan: So that by nature we are all the children of wrath, and the deuill holds vp the scepter of his kingdome in the heartes of men. This kingdome is spirituall, and the pillers of it are ignorance, errour, impietie, and all disobedience to God, in which the deuill whollie delights; which also are, as it were, the lawes of his kingdome. Blind ignorant people can not abide this doctrine, that the deuill should rule in their hearts: they spit at the naming of him, & say that they defie him with all their heartes: but whereas they liue in sinne, and practise it as occasion is offered, though they can not discerne of themselues, yet they make plain proofe, that they line in the kingdome of sinne and darknes, and are stat vessels of Sathan, & shal so continew, till Christ the strong man come and binde him, and cast him out. And this is the estate of all the children of Adam in themselues. Wherfore, our sauiour in this petition, teacheth vs to consider our naturall estate, and to pray that he would giue vs his Spirit, to set vs at libertie in the kingdome of his owne Sonne.

[Kingdome] Gods kingdome in scriptures, is taken two waies. First generallie, and so it signifieth that administration, by which the Lord gouerneth all thinges, yea, euen the deuilles themselues, of which kingdome mention is made in the end of this prayer, and in Psal. 97. vers. 1. The Lorde raigneth, let the earth reioice. Againe, it is taken more speciallie, and then it signifieth the administration of Christ, the head of the Church, in which hee frameth men by his worde and Spirit, to the subjection of the same worde. And so it is taken in this petition.

In a kingdome there are foure things to be noted. 1. There must bee a king. 2 There must be subiectes. 3 There are lawes. 4 Authoritie.

In this kingdome, Christ is the king, it is he to whome the father hath giuen all authoritie in heauen and earth.

In this kingdom, al are not subjects, but such as ar willing to giue free and frank obedience to Gods word; or at the least, though their hearts be not sound, make an outward profession of it.

The lawes of this kingdome, is the word of God, in the books of the old and new Testament. Therfore it is called the kingdome of heauen. Mat. 13. The Gospell of the kingdom. Mar. 1. 13. The rod of his mouth. Isai. 11. 4 The arme of God. Isai. 53. 1. As a King by his lawes bringes his people in order, & keeps them in subiectiō: so Christ by his word, and the preaching of it, as it were by a mightie arme, drawes the elect into his kingdome, and fashions them to all holie obedience.

The power and authoritie is, that whereby Christ conuerts effectually those which are to be conuerted, and glorifies himselfe in the confusion of the rest.

The kingdom being taken thus specially is also twofold. The first, is the kingdome of grace, of which mention is made, Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdome of God stands not in meat & drink but in righteousnes, that is, the assurance of our justification before God, in the righteousnes of Christ: Peace of conscience, which proceeds from this assurance; and ioy in the holie Ghost, which comes from them both. In this kingdom all men liue not, but onelie those that ar subject to Christ, obedient to the lawes of his kingdome, and ruled by his authoritie, & are continually taught in his word by his spirit. But those that refuse to liue according vnto the lawes of this king, and choose to liue at their owne libertie, are in the kingdom of darknesse, sinne and Sathan.

The second is the kingdome of glory in heauen, which is the blessed estate of al Gods people there, when God shal be al in al in them. And the former kingdom of grace is an entrance and preparation to the kingdome of glorie.

[Come] Gods kingdome comes, when it is established and confirmed in mens hearts, and made manifest to all people, the impediments being remoued. Question. This comming implies a stopping but howe should Gods kingdome, be hindered? Answer. Kingdom in this place is not takē for the power of God, whereby hee rules all things, for that cānot be hindred: but for the kingdome of grace, which in the vsing of the outward meanes, as ministers, word, and sacraments may be hindered by the deuill, the world, and mans corruption.

3 The vvantes which are to be bewailed.

THe wantes which wee in this petition are taught to mourn for, are of two sorts: some concern our own selues: some, others. That which concernes our owne persons, is a bondage and slauerie vnder sinne and Satan. This bondage indeede is weakened in Gods seruants, but none is whollie freed from it in this life. Paule complaineth, that he is sould vnder sinne, and cries pitifullie. O miserable man that I am, who shal deliuer me from this bodie of death? Question. What difference then betweene the godlie and the wicked? Answer The euil and vngodlie man, in the verie middest of his bondage hath a mery hart, sinne is no trouble to him, nay, it is meat and drinke to him. But the godly man is otherwise minded. For, considering the power of the deuill, and his craft in manifold fearfull temptations, and seeing the prooffes of his rebellious nature, euer and anon to start away from God, he is grieued and confounded in himself, & his heart bleedes within him, that hee doth offend so mercifull a Father.

Manie men liue in this world & that manie yeares, and yet neuer feele this bondage vnder Satan & sinne. Such vndoubtedlie cannot tel what the Lords prayer meanes; But he that would haue the right vse of this petition must bee acquainted with it, and bee touched in his conscience, for that the flesh and the deuill beare such sway in him: As the poore captiue is alwaies creeping to the prison dore, alwaies labouring to get off his bolts & fetters, & to escape out of prison, so must we alwaies crie to the Lord for his Spirite, to free vs out of this bondage and prison of sinne and corruption, and everie day come neerer the prison doore, looking when our blessed Sauiour will vnbind vs of all the fetters of sinne and Sathan, and fullie erect his kingdome in vs.

2. The wantes which concerne others, are twofold. The former is the wāt of the good means, which serue for the furthering of the kingdome of Christ, as preaching, sacraments and discipline. When we shal see a people without knowledge, and without good guides, and teachers, and when we see one stand vp in the congregation not able to teach, here is matter for mourning: This petition puts vs in mind to bewaile these wantes. Our Sauiour, when hee sawe the Iewes, as sheepe without a shepherd, he had compassion on them, and hee wept ouer Ierusalem, because they knewe not the thinges which belonged to their peace. Luk. 9. 11. Therefore, when preachers want, to hold vp the scepter of God before the people, and to hold out the word, which is, as it were, the arme of God, to pul men from the bondage of the deuill to the kingdome of Christ: Then it is time to say, Lorde, let thy kingdome come.

3. The third want which we are to bewail, is, that there be so many impediments, and hinderances of the kingdome of grace, as the deuill and al his Angels, their instruments, the Pope, the Turke, and all the rest of the professed wicked of the world, which by subtile intisements and tyrannie, keep back & repell the means, whereby Christ ruled as a king in his Churche. When the deuill sees one that was sometime of his kingdome, but to cast a looke toward the heauenly Ierusalem, he straightway regeth against him, and labours quite to ouerthrow him. Wherfore, in regard of al these impediments, wee must pray, thy kingdom come.

4. Graces to be desired.

1. IN this petition we are taught first, that we are to haue a feruent desire, and to hunger, that God of his mercie would giue vs his Spirite to raigne and rule in our hearts, and to bow them to all obedience and subjection of his will, & further, whereas our hearts haue bene, as it were, filthie sties and stables of the deuill, that hee would renew them, and make of them sit temples, to entertaine his owne spirite. Psal. 51. 10. Create in me a cleane hearte, O God, and renew a right Spirit in me, &c. Stablish mee with thy free Spirit. If we shall consider the conuersation of the wicked and the Godly and their corrupt hearts together, wee shall see litle difference, but in this, that the wicked is delighted and glad to sinne, but the godlie do wrastle, as for life and death, with their temptations, and do resist the deuil, and doe desire, and crie to heauen, to be freed from his bondage, howsoeuer their hearts are alwaies rebelling against God.

2 Forasmuch as the kingdome of grace is erected in Gods church here vpon earth: here in this petition wee are commanded to pray for the church of God & the parts therof. Psal. 122. 6. Pray for the peace of Ierusalem, they shal prosper that loue thee. Esa. 62. 7. Ye which are the Lord his remembrancers, giue him no rest, vntill he set vp Hierusalem the praise of the world.

And that Gods Church may flourish & be in good estate, we are to pray for Christian Kinges and princes, that God wold blesse thē, and increase the number of them. For they are as nursing fathers, and nursing mothers to the Church. And wee especiallie are bound to pray for the Queenes moste excellent Maiestie, as also for the Frenche King, that they may bee blessed, and Gods kingdome by them aduanced.

And againe, because Ministers are the Lordes watchmen, in the Church, wee are also here put in mind to seeke their good, and to pray that their hearts may be set for the building of Gods kingdome, for the beating down of the kingdome of sin and Satan, & for the sauing of the soules of his people. And the rather, because the deuill laboureth night and day, to ouerthrow them in this glorious work, and to resist them in their ministerie: as appeareth in Zach. 3 1. When Ioshua the high Prieste stood before the Angel of the lord Satan stood at his right hand, namely, to resist him. Therefore, also we ar to pray for them, that the Lorde would keepe them, and furnish thē with giftes, and withal, make them faithfull, for, Where vision faileth, the people are left naked, saith Salomon. 2. Thes. 3. 1. Brethren pray for vs, that the vvord of the Lord may haue a free passage, and be glorified.

Thirdlie, wee must pray for all Christian Schooles of learning. Howsoeuer some think but basely of them, yet they are the ordinarie means to maintaine the ministery, and so the Church of God. A man that hath diuers Orchards, wil also haue a feminarie full of young plantes to maintaine it. Schooles they are as feminaries to God his Church, without which the church falles to decay: because they serue to make supplie of Ministers.

3 Thirdly, we are to desire, that the Lord would hasten the second comming of Christ, as the Saintes in heauen pray, Come Lord Iesus, come quicklie: and therefore, the godlie are said to loue the comming of Christ. 2. Tim. 4. 8. A penitent sinner so abhors his owne corruptions, and the yrkesome temptations of Sathan, that in this respect he desires that Christ wold hasten his particular comming to him by death, for no other cause, but that he might make an end of sinning and displeasing God.

Thy vvill be done.

1 Coherence.

IN the seconde petition, we desired that God wold let his kingdom come, vz. that he would rule in our harts. If he then must raign we must be his subjects: and therfore, here we craue, that being his subjects, we may obey him, and do his will. Mal. 1. 6. If I be a Father, where is mine honour? If I be a maister, where is my feare?

2. The meaning.

VVIL] Will here signifies Gods worde, written in the old and new Testament. For in his worde his wil is reuealed. Of the whol wil of God, ther be three speciall pointes, which are in this place meant. 1. To beleeue in Christ. Iohn. 6. 40. This is the wil of him that sent me, that euerie one that seeth the Sonne, and beleeueth in him, should haue life euerlasting. 2. Sanctification of bodie and soule. 1. Thes 4. 3. This is the will of God, euen your sanctification, &c. 3. The bearing of affliction in this life. Rom. 8. 29 Those which he knew before, he did predestinat, to be made like to the image of his owne son. Phil. 3. 10. That I might know him & the vertue of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his afflictions, and be made conformable to his death.

[Thy will] not mine: For mans owne will is wicked and corrupt; yea, it is flat enmitie to God Rom. 8. 5.

[Done] That is, obeyed and accomplished of men. Then, the effect of the prayer is this; As wee wold haue thee our king: so Lord, teach vs to obey thy holie will.

3 The vvantes to be praied against.

1 HEre first, we are to bewayle this, that our hearts are so prone to vngodlines, and disobedience to Gods commandements. Put a match to an heape of gunpowder, on a sudden it will be all on a flame, and as long as we adde matter to the fire, it burnes: So by nature, we are most ready to sin so soone as the least occasion is giuen. Dauid had experience of this, when he prayed, Knit my heart to thee, O Lord, &c. Psal. 86. 11. and incline mine heart to thy cōmandements. Psal. 119. 37. Those which find not this want in themselues, and the like affection to bewaile it, are in a miserable and dangerous case: euen as a man that hath a great disease vpon him, & knowes not of it.

2 Againe, we must here bewaile the sinnes of the world, as ignorance, heresies, schismes, hypocrisie, pride, ambition, contempt of Gods worde, couetousnes, oppression, want of loue of God and his word, &c. 2. Pet. 2. 7. Lot was vexed, and his righteous heart vvas grieued, vvith the vncleane conuersation of the Sodomits from day to day: so ought our soules to bee vexed and grieued continuallie, at the wickednes of our time: and further, in this griefe we are to send vp our prayers to God for them, that they may be brought to the obedience of Gods will, Ezech. 9. 4. In a common judgement vpon Ierusalem, they are marked in the forehead▪ that mourne and crie for all the abhominations that be done in the middest of it.

3 Here also wee must humble our selues for our vnquietnesse of mind, & greate impatience, when God layes anie crosse vpon vs. It is Gods will, that we should suffer affliction. Our Sauiour prayed, that the cup might be taken away, but with submission to his fathers wil, Luke. 22. 42. And this Dauid had learned, when he said, But if he thus say, Beholde, I haue no delight in thee, behold, here I am, let him doe to me, as seemeth good in his eies. 2. Sam. 15. 26

4 Graces to be desired.

1 THe first thing which we are here to desire, is, that wee may haue grace to denie our selues, wils, and affections: because herein wee are vnlike to God, and like the Deuill. This is the first lesson that our Sauiour doeth giue his Disciples, that they must denie themselues, and follow him.

2 The second thing, is the knowledge of Gods will: for otherwise, how shal we do it? How shall that seruant please his maister, which cannot tell what hee would haue done of him? Most men will haue bookes of statutes in their houses, and if they be to deal in any great matter, they will do nothing vntil they haue looked on the Statute. In like maner, men must haue the Bible, that is, the booke of Gods statutes in their houses; the lawes of God must bee the men of our counsel: Before euerie action, wee are to searche what is the will of God, and then to doe it. Here thē wee are taught to vse the meanes, and to pray for knowledge.

3 Againe, we are here taught to haue a desire in our hearts, and an indeuour in our liues in all things to do obedience to Gods word.

4 Lastlie, we desire patience and strength, when it shall please God at anie time to exercise vs with the crosse, as Paul prayes for the Colossians, that God would strengthē them by the power of his might, vnto all patience and long suffering with ioy fulnesse.

5. Errour confuted.

THe Church of Rome teacheth, that men by nature haue free-will to good: and that men, being stirred vp by the holy ghost, can of themselues will that which is good. But if this were so, why might we not pray, Let my will bee done? So far foorth as the will of man shall agree with Gods will: but this cannot be, as we see in the tenour of this petition.

In earth as it is in heauen.

1 The meaning.

HAuing shewed the meaning of this petition, thy vvill be done, Now we are to speake of the condition, which is, in what maner we shuld doe it. For the question may be, how we should doe Gods will: the answer is, his wil must be done in earth as it is in heauen.

Heauen] By heauē here is meant the soules of faithfull men departed, and the elect Angels. Psal. 103 20. Praise the Lord ye his Angels, that excel in strength, that doe his commandements, in obeying the voice of his vvord.

Earth] By earth is vnderstood nothing but men on earth, becaus all other creatures in their kind obey God: only man, he is rebellious and disobedient. Then the meaning is, Let thy will be done by vs men on earth, as the Angels and saintes departed, doe thy will in heauen.

Qu. Do we here desire to do the will of God in that perfection it is done by angels? must we be as perfit as they? Ans. the wordes here vsed (in earth as it, &c.) do not signifie an equalitie, as though our obedience should in this life be in the same degre of perfection with with Angels; but a similitude or the like maner of obeying; it may be said, in what maner do the Angels obey God? Answer. They doe the wil of God willingly, speedily, and faithfully; and this is signified, in that they are saide in the scriptures to bee winged, and to stand continually beholding the face of our heauenly Father. And this is the manner in which we desire to performe Gods will.

2. The wants to be bewailed.

VVE are heere admonished to bee displeased with our selues, for our imperfect obedience to God, & for our hypocrisie, priuie pride, presumptiō, deadnes of spirit▪ and many other wants which breake out, when we are in doing Gods will. There is no seruant of God, but hath wants in his best works, so we must vnderstand, Paul. Ro. 7. 18. he saith as much, as if he culd begin a good thing, but not perfect it, & go through stitch, as we say. Whē the godly do good works, as heare, speak Gods word, pray, praise God, &c. they perform things acceptable to God: but in these actions, they finde matter of mourning; namely; the imperfectiō of the work, therfore, Dauid praieth. Psal. 143. 2. Enter not into iudgement vvith thy seruant, and here we may see, how far wide the Church of Rome is, that holds good works to be any way meritorious, that be euery way imperfect. If the mē of that church had grace, they might see that the corruptiōs of the flesh wer as gynes & fetters about their legs, that when they would faine runne the waies of Gods commā dements, they are constrained to halt downe right, and to trail their loynes after them.

3 Grace to be desired.

THE grace here to be desired, is synceritie of heart in doing Gods will, so as wee may keepe a good conscience before God and men. Act. 24. 16. And for this cause I indeuoured alwaies to haue a clear conscience towards God, and towards men. This must we hunger after, & pray for: seing it is not sufficient to abstaine from euill, but also to doe good, and in doing good, striue to come to perfection.

Giue vs this day our daily bread.

1 The Coherence.

THus much of the thre first petitions, which concerne God: now follow the other three, which concern our selues; In which order we learn to pray for those things, which concerne God absolutelie, and for those thinges, which concerne our selues, not absolutely; but so farre foorth as they shall make for God his glorie, the building of his kingdom, and the doing of his wil. But how dependes this petition on the former? In the first wee are taught to pray, that Gods name might bee hallowed: which is done, whē God raigns in our hearts, & his wil is done. Now further, his will is obeyed in three thinges: first, by depending on his prouidence for the thinges of this life: secondly, by depending on his mercy, for the pardon of sin: thirdly, by depending on his power and might, in resisting temptations. And thus Gods will is obeyed.

2 The meaning.

BRead] By this one means of sustayning our bodies, and temporarie liues, all other meanes are vnderstood: as meat, drinke, cloathing, helth, liberty, peace, &c. Gen 3. 19. Thou shalt eat thy bread, vz. get thy liuing, in the sweat of thy browes.

Out of this we learn 2. instructions; for why doth the Lord teache vs to craue onely bread, and not meate and other dainties? It is for 2. causes: the first is, that we might hereby learn frugalitie and moderation in our diet, apparel, houses, and be content if wee haue no more but bread, seeing wee desire no more. We must not with the Israelites murmur because they had nothing but Manna.

Quest. Must wee vse Gods creatures onely for necessitie? Ans. we may vse them not onely for necessitie, but also for honest delight & plesure. Psal. 104. 15. God giues wine to make glad the heart of man: and oyle to make his face shine. And Iohn 12. 3. Our Sauiour Christ allowed of the fact of Mary, which tooke a pounde of ointment of spikenard very costly, and annointed his very feete, so that all the house was filled with the smell; though Iudas did esteeme it wast. But yet if the Lord shall graunt but breade, that is, so much as shal but holde bodie and soule togither, wee must bee content therewith. 1. Tim. 6. ver. 8. Therefore, vvhen vvee hauue foode and raiment, let vs be therewith content. This contentation was in Iacob. Gene. 28. 20.

A second cause is, to teache vs that there is a particular prouidence. All men confesse that there is a generall prouidence of God ouer all thinges, but here wee must acknowledg an other more speciall, euen in the least thinges that be: because euery morsell of bread which we eate, wold no more nourish vs, then a peece of earth, or a stone, vnlesse God gaue his blessing vnto it.

[Daily] The worde in the originall is thus much in effect, Bread vnto our essence or substances: then the meaning is; Giue vs such bread from day to day, as may nourishe our substances. Thus praieth Agur Prou. 30. 8. Feede me with food conuenient for me. Some there ar which put an Angelical perfection in fasting: But we are taught in Scriptures, that as aboue all thinges, we are to seeke for life eternall, so wee must in this life, sustaine and maintaine our naturall bodies, so long as we liue in this world. Fasting in it selfe, as it is abstinence, is no part of Gods worship; but in it own nature a thing indifferent: and therefore, it is to bee vsed so farre forth, as it shal further vs in prayer, and no further. For seeing we ar taught to pray for such food as shall preserue nature, and maintaine the vitall blood, we must not vse fasting to the hindrance or destruction of nature.

[Our bread.] 1. Question. How is bread ours? 1. Corinth. 3. 22. Ye are Christes, and all things ar yours. So then, by meanes of Christe, bread is called ours. For God hauing giuen Christ to vs, doeth in him and by him, giue all thinges els to vs. 2. Question. Howe may I knowe that the thinges I enjoy, are mine by Christ, and that I doe not vsurpe them? Answere. 1. Tim. 4. 4. Paule saieth, that the creatures of God are good, and that the vse of them is sanctified to vs, by the word and prayer. Then, if we haue the word of God, to tel vs that we may enjoy and vse them: and also, if we pray to God for the right and pure vse of them, wee are no vsurpers, but indeed right owners of them. 3. Question. If the creatures must be made ours by Christ, howe comes it to passe, that the vngodlie haue such abundance of them? Answer. We lost the title and interest of the creatures in Adam: yet God of his mercie bestowes temporarie blessings vpon the vniust aswell as vpon the iust: but for all that, vnlesse they be in Christ, and hold the title of them by him, they shal in the end, turn to their great condēnatiō

And whereas we cal it, our bread, wee learne, that euery man must liue of his owne calling, and his owne goods. Here also is condemned all oppression, stealing, lying, cogging, and other such deceitfull meanes to get wealth and goods. Many think it no sinne to prouide for their familie in such order, but in saying this petition▪ they pray against themselues. 2. Thes. 3. 10. Hee vvhich laboureth not, let him not eate. Ephes. 4. 28. He vvhich stole let him steale no more, but rather labour vvith his hands the thing that good is.

[This day] We say not heere this weeke, this month, this age, but this day, what meanes this? may yee not prouide for the time to come? Answere. It is lawfull, yea, a man is bound in good maner to prouide for time to come. Act. 11. 28. The Apostles prouide for the Church in Iudaea, against the time of dearth, spoken of by Agabus. And Ioseph in Aegypt, in the years of plentie, stored vp against the yeares of famine. Wherefore, in these words, our Sauiour his meaning, is only to cōdemn al distrust full care, and to teach vs to rest on his fatherlie goodnes from day to day, in euerie season: this is noted vnto vs, Numb. 11. where the Israelits wer commanded to gather no more Manna, than would serue for one day, & if they did, it putrified. Wherby God taught them, to rest on his prouidence euery particular day, and not on the means.

[Giue vs] Not me. This serues to teache vs, that a man must not onelie regarde himselfe, but also be mindfull of others. For a man that hath welth, is made a steward, to distribute his goods to the poore, and the good of Gods Church. True loue seekes not her owne things: the branches of the vine are loaded with clusters of grapes, not for themselues, but for others: the candle spends it self to giue others light.

[Giue] If bread be ours, wherefore are we to ask it? It may seeme needles. Answer. Not so, for hereby we are taught very worthie lessons. 1. First, those that are in pouertie, are taught to wait on God, who is the fountaine and giuer of al blessings▪ Men vsuallie driuen to this estate, vse euill meanes, as robbing, deceiuing, consulting with wisards, &c. 2. Againe, here we learne, that thogh a man had al the wealth in the world, all is nothing without Gods blessing.

Quest. The rich need not say, Giue • s, &c. for they haue aboundance already, and what neede they aske that which they haue? Answer. Let a man be neuer so rich, and want nothing that can be desired, yet if hee want Gods blessing, in effect he wants al. Wherfore, euen kings, and the greatest personages that be, are as much bounde to vse this petition, as the poorest. Gods blessing is riches, saith Salomon. Pro. 10 22. Thou maiest eat, and not haue inough, be clothed and not warm, earne wages, and put it in a brokē bagge. Hag. 1. 6. If God do not blesse thee. This blessing of God, is called the staffe of bread. Esay. 3. 1 In bread there be two thinges, the substance, and the vertue frō Gods blessing: this second, that is, the power of nourishing, is the staff of bread. For take away from an aged man his staffe, and he falls: & so take away Gods blessing from bread, it becomes vnprofitable, & ceaseth to nourish. Lastly, here wee see, that all labour and toyle taken in any kind of calling, is nothing, and auailes not, vnlesse God still giue his blessing. Psal. 127. 1.

3. The wants to be bewailed.

OVr corruptions against this petition, are two especially. I Couetousnesse, a vice which is naturally ingraffed in euery mans heart; it is, when a man is not content with his present estate. This desire is vnsatiable, for men wold be euer hauing of more. Wherfore hee which shall vse this petition, must be grieued for this sinne, and pray with Dauid. Psalm. 119. 36. Incline my hearte to thy commaundements, and not to couetousnesse. And hee must sorrowe, not so much for the act of this sinne, as for the corruption of nature in this behalfe. Couetous people will plead, that they are free from this vice, but mark mens liues, and wee shall see that this is a common disease, in the most, as it is noted. Psal. 4. 6. Who vvill shew vs any good? This then is a common sin that we ar taught to mourne for.

2. The second want, is our diffidence and distrustfulnes, for the thinges of this life. Men also will shift this off, and say, they wold be sorie to distrust God. But if wee looke to our corrupt nature, man is wonderfull prone to this sinne, for being in prosperitie, we ar not troubled: but if once wee be pressed with aduersitie, then we houle and weep, and as Paul saith, 1. Tim. 6. 10. Men pearce themselues throgh vvith many sorrowes. If any shall lose a parte of his goodes, what then doth hee? straight hee goes out to the wise man: is this to beleeue in God? No, it is to distrust God, and beleeue the deuill.

4. Graces to be desired.

THe grace to be desired, is a redinesse in all estates, to rest on Gods prouidence, whatsoeuer fall out. Psal. 37. 5. Commit thy vvay to the Lord, and trust in him, and hee shall bring it to passe. Prou. 16. 3. Commit or role thy workes vpon the Lord, and thie thoughts shal be directed: Whereby we ar admonished to take pains in our callings to gette meate and drink, &c. If the Lorde blesse not our labour, wee must be content: if he do, we must giue him thanks. Now for this cause, wee are further to pray to God, that hee would open our eies, & by his spirit, teach vs in all his good creatures to see his prouidence, and when meanes faile and are contrary, then also to beleeue the same.

5. Errors confuted

1. PApistes teache, that men by workes of grace, may merit life eternall, and increase of justification in this life. But howe can this be? for here we see, that euery bit of bread which we eate, is the free gift of God, without any merite of ours. Now, if we cannot merite a peece of bred, what madnes is it to think, that wee can merite life euerlasting?

2. They also are deceiued, who thinke, that any thing comes by meere chance or fortune, without Gods prouidence. Indeede, in respect of men, who knowe not the causes of thinges, many chances there are: but so, as they are ordered & come to passe by Gods prouidence. Luk. 10. 31. By chance there came downe a certaine priest that way.

Forgiue vs our debts.

1. Coherence.

THis is the fift petition, & the second of those which concerne our selues: in the former we craued temporall blessings, in this and the next which followeth, we craue spirituall blessings. Where we may note, that seeing there be two petitions, which concerne spirituall thinges, & but one for temporall; that the care for our soules must be double, to the care for our bodies. In the world men care for their bodies, their hearts are sette for wealth and promotion: they can be content to heare the worde on the Sabboth, yet neither then, nor in the weeke day do they lay it vp in their heartes, and practise it, which argues, that they haue litle or no care for their soules.

Question. What is the cause, that first we craue things for the body, & in the second place, those which concerne the soule? Ans. The order of the holy Ghost in these petitions is wonderfull: for the Lorde considers the dulnes and backewardnes of mens natures: therefore, he trains them vp, and draws them on by litle, euen as a schoolmaister doth his young schollers: propounding vnto them some elements and principles, and so carrying them to higher pointes. 〈◊〉 the former petition is a steppe or degree to these two following. He that will rest on Gods 〈◊〉 so the pardon of his 〈…〉 of al, rest on Gods providence 〈◊〉 this life, and hee that cannot put his affiance in God for the prouision of meat and drink, how shall he trust in Gods mercie for the saluation of his soule? Here wee may see the faith of worldings: they say that God is mercifull, and that they beleeue in Christ: which how can it be true? Seeing in les • er matters, as meate and drinke, they distrust God, as appears by their couetousnes.

2. The meaning.

DEbts) By debts sins ar meant, so it is in Luke 11. 4. and they are so called, because of the resemblance betwene them. For euen as a debt doth bind a man, either to make satisfaction, or else to goe to prison: so our sinnes bind vs, either to satisfie Gods iustice, or els to suffer eternall damnation.

[Forgiue.] To forgiue sinne, is to couer it, or not to impute it. Psal. 32. 1. And this is done, when God is content of his mercie to accept the death and passion of Christ, as a sufficient paiment and ransome for mans sinnes; and so to esteeme them as no sinnes. And here vnder this one benefit, all the rest of the same kind are vnderstood, as iustification, sanctification, redemption, glorification, &c.

3. The vses of the vvords.

1. HEre we may learn many lessons; the first is, that seeing we must pray thus, Lord forgiue, &c. We must hold, that there is no satisfaction to Gods iustice for sinne by our workes; no not in temporary punishments: but that the doing away of our sinnes, is of Gods meere fauour: for, to forgiue and to satisfie be contrary: wherefore the doctrine of humain satisfactions, taught in the Church of Rome, is vile and diuelish.

2. Secondly, we are taught thus to pray continually, from day to day: where we note the great patience and long suffering of God: in that we offending daily, yet he suffers and forbears still, and doeth not powre out his confusion vpon vs. This teacheth vs, like patience towards our brethren: we cannot put vp the least iniury, and forbear but one day, yet we desire that god wold forgiue vs all our liues long.

3. Againe, we may obserue, that there is no perfect sanctification in this life, seeing we must euery day, to the end, craue the pardō of our sinnes. Therefore, wicked is the opinion of the Catharists or puritans, which hold that men may be without sinne in this life.

4. And when we say, forgiue, not me, but vs: we are put in minde to pray, not onely for the pardone of our owne sinnes, but likewise for our brethren and enemies. Iam. 5. 17. Confesse one to another, and pray one for another for the praier of the righteous auaileth much, if it be feruent And as so • ne think, the praier of Steuen was a meanes of the conuersion of Saule.

5. Also we note, that before praier for pardon of sinne, must go a confession of sinne: for whereas we say, forgiue our debts, we confes before God, that we ar stat banckrouts, and not able to discharge the least of our sinnes; this appears 1. Ioh. 1. 9. If vve confesse our sinnes, he is faithful to forgiue vs: And it was practised by Dauid, Psalm. 51. and 32. 5. The maner of making confession is this; knowen sinnes, and those which troble the conscience, are to be confessed particularlie: but vnknown sins generally. Psa. 19

6. Lastly, hence it is manifest, that there is noe iustification by workes. Our sinnes are debtes: & so also are all workes of the lawe. Now, how can any man discharge one debt by another?

4. Wants to be bewailed.

THe wantes to be bewailed are the burden of our sinnes, and the corruptions of our natures, & the wickednes of our liues, and the sinnes of our youth, and of our old age. Psal. 40. 12. My sinnes haue taken such hold vpon me, that I am not able to looke vp: they are more in number then the haires of my head: therefore mine heart hath failed me. Thus with Dauid, we are to trauell and grone vnder this burden: but this griefe for sin, is a rare thing in the world. Men can mourne bitterly for the thinges of this life, but their sinnes neuer trouble them. And further, this sorrowe must be for sinne, because it is sinne, though there were neither hell nor deuill, nor conscience to accuse, nor Iudg to reuēge.

5. The grace to be desired

THe grace which wee must desire, is the spirit of grace and deprecations. Zacha. 12. 10. It is that worke of the spirit, whereby wee are inabled to call to God for the pardone of our sinnes. A man hauing offēded the laws of a Prince, and being in danger of death, will neuer rest, or be at quiet, till hee haue gotten a pardon: euē so, they which feele and see their sinnes, hauing this spirite are so mooued, that they can neuer be at rest, till in praier they be eased of their sins A man may, I graunt, babble and speake many wordes, but hee shall neuer pray effectually, before hee haue this spirit of praier, to make him crie, Abba Father. For worldly cōmodities all can pray: but learn to pray for the want of Christ.

As vve forgiue our debts.

1. Coherence.

THese wordes be a part of the fift petition, for it is put down with a condition. Forgiue vs, as we forgiue others: and these wordes depend on the former, as the reason thereof, and it is taken from the comparison of the lesse to the greater: thus, if wee, who haue but a sparke of mercie, doe forgiue others: then doe thou, who art the fountaine of mercie, forgiue vs: but we forgiue others, therefore, do thou forgiue vs. Thus Luk. 11. 4 hath it, Forgiue vs our sinnes: for euen we forgiue. The Papists gather a contrarie doctrine: they say, Forgiue vs as we forgiue, making our forgiuing a cause, for which God is mooued to forgiue vs. But we are to know, that our forgiuing is no cause, but a sign that God wil forgiue vs.

2 The meaning.

QVestion. Whether is a man bounde to forgiue all debts. Answer. The word debt, in this place, is not vnderstoode of debt that is ciuill, and comes by lawfull bargaining, but of hurtes and dammages; which ar done vnto vs in our bodies, goods, or good name; as for the former ciuil debts a man may exact them, so he doe it with shewing of mercie.

2 Question. How may anie man forgiue trespasses, seeing God onlie forgiues sin? Answer. In euerie trespasse which anie do to their neighbours, ther be two offences▪ one to God, another to man. In the first respect it is called a sin, which God onlie forgiues: In the other respect, it is called an injurie or dammage: & so man may forgiue it. When a man is robbed, the law is broken by stealing, and the injurie that is done, is against a man that hath his goods stolne. This injurie, as it is an injurie, a man may forgiue: but as it is a sinne, he can not, but God onlie.

3 Quest. Whether may a man aright pray this petition, and yet sue him at the law, who hath injured him. An. Yea, for a man may in an holie maner sew another for an injury: and as a souldier in lawful warre may kill his enemie, and yet loue him: so may a man forgiue an injurie, and yet seeke in a Christian maner the remedie: but in doing of this, wee must obserue fiue thinges. 1. We are to tak heed of all priuate revenge and inward hatred, which if we conceiue, wee doe not forgiue. 2. We must take heed of offence, and haue care that our doinges bee not scandelous to the Church. 3. Our sutes must be taken in hand to maintaine godly peace: for, if all injuries were put vp, there would bee no ciuill state or gouernment. 4. It must be, that the partie offending may bee chastised, and bee brought to repentance for his fault: for, if many mē were not repressed, they woulde growe worse. 5. Law must bee the last remedie: as Physitions vse desperate remedies, when weaker wil not serue: euen so must we vse law, as the last meanes, when all other faile. The dealing of the worlde in this case, is no example for vs to follow. For through rage and stomacke they will abide no priuate agreement: and therefore, they vse the law in the first place, so did the Corinthians, but what saith Paule 1. Cor. 6. 7. It is vtterlie a fault among. But if the Lawe bee vsed aright, a Christian may sue at Law, and loue the partie sued; for there is difference betweene dealing against a man before a Magistrate, and the dealing of one priuat man with another. For priuate dealing is commonlie reuenge, and therefore vnlawfull.

3. The Vse.

THE vse of this clause is verie profitable, for it shewes vs a liuelie signe, whereby our consciences may bee assured of the pardon of our sinnes. Indeed, manie vse these wordes long and often, yet finde no assurance of pardon, and the cause is, because they haue no desire of Gods mercie, nor willingnes to forgiue men, which if they had, then the forgiuenes of their sinnes should hereby be sealed vnto them. Wherefore, if any wold be perswaded of Gods mercie in this point, let them discend into their owne soules, and search them narrowlie, if they can finde their heartes as readie to forgiue, as they are readie to desire forgiuenes at Gods hand, then they may assure themselues of Gods mercie in Christ, as we are taught by our Sauiour Christ, Mat. 5. 7. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtaine mercie. Consider these comparisons. A man walking vnder a wal in a cold sunnie day, is heated of the wall, which first receiued heat from the Sunne. So he that sheweth mercie to others, hath first receiued mercie from God. Also; take a peece of waxe, and put to a seale, it leaueth an impression or marke like it selfe in the waxe: which, when a man lookes on, he doth certainlie know that ther hath bin a seale, the print whereof is left behind. Euen so it is in euery one, that hath readinesse to forgiue others: by it a Christian may easilie know, that God hath sealed to him the forgiuenesse of his sinnes, euen in his heart: Therefore, let men looke into their hearts, whether they haue any affection to forgiue others, for that is; as it were, the print in their harts, of Gods mercy toward thē.

Manie there are, which pray for pardon at Gods hande, but they cannot brooke it, that they should forgiue their neighbours. Herevpon come these sayinges, I may forgiue him, but I will not forget him: He may come in my Paternoster, but hee shall not come in my Creed. Behold, the deuils logicke, which makes malice to bee charitie. Blinde people play with the Lords prayer, as the flie doeth with the candle till she bee burnt: for the more they pray these words, the more they call for vengeance against thēselues. Iam. 2. 13

Lead vs not into temptation, but deliuer vs from euil.

1 The Coherence.

IT might seem to some, that this petition is superfluous: for what need he care for temptations, that hath the pardon of his sinnes? But our sauiour did not teach vs thus to pray without speciall reason. 1. Because forgiuenesse of sinnes, and wonderfull temptations, bee inseperable companions in this life: which thing wee finde to be true, both in Gods word, and in Christian experience: there is no man in this world so beaten and buffeted with temptations, as the penitent sinner, that cries most bitterlie for the pardon of his sins. This is the estate, that fewe men in the worlde are acquainted with, for they ar neuer troubled with temptation, but liue in all peace & quietnes, both in bodie and soule. Luke. 11. 21. When the strong man armed keepes his hold, the thinges that he possesseth are in peace. Euen so, the wicked of the world, being possessed of Satan, are not a whit molested by him with any temptatiōs; Neither need he, seeing hee hath them at commandement, to doe what he wil. But when a man once begins to make conscience of sin, and to sue vnto the Lord for pardon of his offences, and still continues in dislike of sinne and Sathan: then the enemie bestirs him, and vseth all means to bring that man to famine: he offereth all maner of temptations to molest him, and neuer affoord this poore sinner anie rest. Hereupon, hee for feare of being ouercome, continuallie must pray vnto the Lord, that he may not be led into temptatiō.

Here some christian conscience may reason thus. No man is so troubled with sin and Satan, as I, Therefore, I am not in Gods fauour, but am a plaine cast-away. Ans. If pardon of sinne, and temptations goe together, al is contrarie. If thou hadst no griefe for sin, no buffeting of thine enemies, the flesh, the world, and the deuil, thou couldst not be in Gods fauor, but vnder the power of Satā: now this great mesure of the spiritual temptations, is a signe rather of Gods loue: For whō God loues, the deuil hates: and where God workes in loue, the deuill workes in malice.

2. Meaning.

THese wordes be but all one petitiō: which hath two parts, the latter being a declaration of the former, Lead vs not into temptation, how is that done? by deliuering vs from euill.

[Temptation.] Temptation is nothing els, but the entisement of the soul or heart, either by the corruption of mans nature, or the allurements of the world, or the deuill to any sinne. Iam. 1. 13. God temptes no man. That is, God moues no man to sinne.

[Lead vs not] Or carrie vs not into temptation, to be led, is to be ouercome of the temptation, whē it preuailes and gets the victorie. Then the meaning is this. When wee are mooued or entised to sin, Lord keepe vs, that wee be not ouercome: and giue thou an issue with the temptation.

Question. God is iust, and cannot sinne: but if he lead men into temtation, shall he not be the authour of sinne? Answer. Indeed many fearing to charge God with sin, read the wordes thus, suffer vs not to be led, but the text is very piaine, leade or carrie vs not. And the scriptures elsewhere, vse the like phrases of God. Exod. 7. 3. God is said to harden Pharaos heart. 2. Sam. 24. 1. The Lorde mooued Dauid to number the people. 2. Thes. 2. 11. God sent strong delusions, that men might beleeue lies. These and such like places haue a woorthie meaning, thus to be gathered. There is no action of man or of the deuil, absolutely euil: but although in some respects it be euill, yet in some other it is good: for we are not thus to think, that as there is a maine good, so also there is a maine euill. Thus then, temptation being an action, it is not in euery respect euill: but in some good, in some euill. And so farre forth as it is good, the Lord workes it: but as it is euill, he doth not worke it, but willingly permits it to be done by him & Satan.

1. And there be foure respects in which God may be a worker in temptations, and yet be free from sinne. 1. First, he tempteth by offering occasions and objects, to trie whether a man will sinne or not. A maister suspecting his seruāt, that in worde professeth fidelitie, layes a purse of money in his way, to try if he will steale it: which if he steal, he hath found by watching him, a secreete theefe; and so hath laide him open, for deceiuing any more. Nowe, this trying o • him is no sin, though he sinne in stealing. In the same manner tempteth God his owne seruants to prooue and trye them. Deut. 13. 3. Tho • shalt not harken unto the 〈◊〉 of the Prophet or dre • amer of dreames: in the Lord your God pro •• 〈…〉 whether yee loue the •• rd your God with al your hart

2. Secondly, God leades into temptation, by withdrawing his grace. Neither can this be a sinne in God: because he is bound to no man to giue him grace. And heere is a difference betweene the tempting of God & Sathan. God holds backe grace, when hee tempteth, the Deuill suggesteth euill morions.

3. Euery action so far foorth as it is an action, is good, & of God. Act. 17. 28. In him we liue, mooue, and haue our being. Therfore, God is a worker in temptations, so far forth as they ar actions. One man killes another: the very mouing of the body, in the doing of this villanie is of God: but the wickednes of the action, is from man and the deuill. Againe, a man rides vpon a lame horse, and stirres him: the rider is the cause of the motion, but the horse himselfe of the halting motion. So God is the author of euery action, but not of the euill of the action.

4. The fourth way, is in regarde of the end. God tempts his seruāts only to correct and humble them for their sinnes, and to trye howe they will abide the crosse, and to moue them the more to loue him. Deut. 8. 2. God afflictes the children of Israell, to trie them whether they would keepe his commandements. 2. Chron. 32. 31. He trieth Hezekiah, to see what was in his hart. The deuils end in tempting, is onely to bring the partie vnto destruction. Thus we neede not for to say, that God in some respectes doth leade his seruants into temptations.

[Deliuer vs from euill] that is, free vs from the power of the flesh, the deuill and the world. Some take euil in this place, only for the deuil, but wee may take it more largely, for all spirituall enemies. 1. Iohn. 5. 19. The vvhole world lyeth in euill. vz. Vnder the power of sinne and Satan. These words (as I haue said) are a proofe and explanation of the former; for when a man is deliuered from euill, he is not led into temptation: the cause being taken away, the effect ceaseth.

3. The vses.

1. HEnce wee learne, what a righteous God, Iehoua is, that can work an euill action, & yet be void of sinne.

2. Whereas we say, Lead vs not, &c. We note, that the deuil in tēptations can go noe further, then God permits him.

3. Wee are not to pray, that temptations be quite taken from vs, or that we be whollie freed frō them: but that they doe not ouercome vs. For it is the Lordes wil, that his Church should be tempted. Nay, Dauid desired some kind of temptations. Psal. 26. 1. Prooue me O Lord. And Iames saith, account it for exceeding ioy, when ye shall fal into diuers temptations. Iam. 1. 2.

4. Note also, that euery man by nature is the bōdslaue of sin & Satan. For where is deliuerāce, there was a bondage first, This confutes the Papists, who maintain fre-wil: for we ar dead in him by nature, as a man in a graue; and we must still pray thus, til we be fully deliuered.

4. Wants to be b • wailed.

THE corruption, which in this petition we ought to mourn for, is, the continuall rebellion of our wicked natures; & our pronenes to yeeld vp our selues in euery temptation to sin, and Satan. And the remnants of the old bondage vnder Satan, must be grieuous and irkesome vnto vs, and we must bewaile it very bitterly. The Iewes in a bodily captiuitie, wept vvhen they remembred Sion. Psal. 127. Howe much more should we weep, when we feele the lawe of our members rebelling against the lawe of our minds, & leading vs captiue to sin.

5. Graces to be desired.

THE contrary blessing to bee desired, is, that God woulde stablish vs by his free spirit. Ps. 51. 12 which is so called, because it settes vs euery day more & more at liber tie out of the reach of sin & Satan.

For thine is the kingdome, the power, and glory for euer.

1. Meaning.

THese words containe a reason of all the former petitions: whereby we are mooued to craue thinges needfull at Gods hand.

[Thine is] Earthly kinges haue kingdome power, and glorie, Dan. 2. 37 Yet not from themselues, but frō God, whose vice-gerents they are on earth. Therfore, to make a difference betwene Gods kingdome, power, and glory; & those of earthly kings, it is said, thine is the kingdome, &c. that is, God hath all these in himself, and from himself, and they from him.

[The kingdome] These wordes. 1. Chron. 29. 11. at fully expounded. Thine, O Lord, is greatnesse, power, and victorie, and praise: for al that is in heauen & earth is thine: thine is the kingdome, & thou excellest as head ouer al, &c. The kingdome is said to bee Gods, because hee is absolute possessor, and owner of al things that are; and also hath soueraigne rule ouer all things at his will. Nowe out of this first propertie of God, we may gather a strong motiue, to induce vs to pray vnto him alone. For seeing all thinges are his, both in heauen and earth whatsoeuer; therefore, wee must come to him for the graces and blessings which wee desire.

[The power] Oftentimes, earthly princes haue kingdomes, yet want power: but God hath kingdom, & power also: yea, his power is infinite, and he can do al that he wil, & more then hee will: as for those things which come of impotencie; he cannot do thē, for if he c • ld, he should not be omnipotent. And as he is omnipotent in himselfe, so all the power which any creture hath, is from him alone. Question. Howe can this be, seeing the deuill hath power to sinne; which is not from God? Ans • er. To sinne is no power, but rather a want of power: otherwise, all the strength and power that Satan hath, is of God.

And from this second property, is taken another motiue, to moue vs to pray vnto God. Because all power being his, wee can neuer do any of the thinges which we aske, but by power receiued from him.

[Thine is the glory.] This thirde propertie of God ariseth from the two former, for seeing the title & interest in all things, and the power whereby they are disposed and gouerned, is of God: therefore it followes, that all glory is his: yea, in him is fulnes of glory, and the glory of the creature is all of him. To sinfull men belonges nothing, but shame and confusion. Dan. 9. verse 7.

This third propertie ministreth a thirde motiue to induce men to pray vnto God alone. For seeing all glory by right is his: therefore wee must invocate his holy name; that in so doing, we may giue him the glory due vnto him.

[For euer,] The words in the originall are, for ages. Nowe an age signifies the space of an hundred years: but here it is taken for eternitie; because eternitie is nothing but the multiplication of ages. And as eternitie is heere noted by ages: so on the contrary we reade, that eternitie is takē for a certaine and distinct time. Gen. 17. 8. God promiseth Abraham, to giue him the lande of Canaan, for an euerlasting possession: that is, for a long season. For els Abrahams seede shuld inherite the lande vntill this time, which it doth not. Wherfore, as often the whol is put for the part, vz. eternitie for a certaine time: so here the part is put for the whole, an age for eternitie. This also maketh a difference betweene earthly Princes, and the mightie Iehouah, They haue kingdome, power, and glory for a short time, but hee absolutely and for euer.

2. The vses.

1. HEre wee learne in praier, to abase our selues before God, and vtterly to deny all that is in vs. Kingdome, power, & glory, is all his, not ours: wee are no better then rebels and traitors to him: if we haue any good thing, it is frō him, euen the grace whereby we pray. And hee that in praier will not confesse this, shal no more be heard, then the insolent begger that wil not acknowledg his want.

2. Secondly, againe in praier we learne, that we must be perswaded of two things, and build vpon them, Gods power and will: his power, in that he is able, his wil, in that he is careful to performe our requests, as it was noted in the preface: the first of these, is set out in his kingdome, and power. The second is noted, in that glory is his, 2. Cor. 1. 20. For al the promises of God in him ar yea, & Amen, vnto the glory of God.

3. And hence wee gather, that praier and thanks-giuing must go together; for as in the six petitions wee made request to GOD; so in these wordes, we giue him thanks and praise him. Phil. 4. 6. But in al thinges, let your requests be shevved to God in praier and supplication, vvith thanksgiuing. There is none, but in want he will be ready to pray: but when we haue receiued, we ar slack in giuing of thanks: but hee which wil pray aright, must join thē both together. And the sum of all Gods praise stands in these three points. 1. That he is an absolute King. 2. Secondly, that hee hath absolute power to rule al thinges. 3. That hauing power and a kingdome, he hath glory also, which appears in the holding of his kingdome, and the • hewing of his power in gouerning of it.

4. Whatsoeuer we ask, we must refer it to Gods glorie: this is the first thing, which wee were taught to craue, and the 〈◊〉 we ar to performe, because it is noted both in the beginning & end of the praier

Thus muche of the vse of these words altogether. Now let vs mak vse of thē particularly. First, where as we say, Thine is the kingdome. Magistrates and rulers must knowe, that all the authoritie and rule which they haue is from the Lord; & therefore they must remember to order themselues as gods Vicegerents, vsing their power to bring men in subjection to Gods lawes: and referring all their callings to his glorie.

2 Where we say▪ Thine is the power. Wee are admonished, when we are to performe anie worke, as to doe seruice to God, to walk in our callings, that we haue no power of our selues: and for this cause wee must ask power at Gods handes, that we may be enabled to walke vprightly before him, and doe our duties.

3 In saying, Thine is the glory, we learn, that if we wold haue a good report and praise among men: wee must aboue all things, seeke Gods glorie, not regarding so much our own. If he giue thee praise among men, giue him thankes: if not, be content, because al glorie is his.

Amen.

1. The meaning.

VVE haue heard the preface, and the petitions what they are: Now followeth the third part, which is the assent or testification of faith, required in prayer, in this word Amen. And it containes more than men at the first woulde imagine: It signifies Certainlie▪ so be it, or, it shal be so. 2. Cor. 1. 20. It is often taken for a bare assent of the people, saying Amen to the Minister: but in this place it containes more: for euerie point in this prayer, is not onlie a direction for publike prayer, but for priuate also, and must be saide as well of the Minister, as of the people. Nowe then, there being two principall thinges in prayer: the first a desire of grace: the secōd faith, whereby wee beleeue that God will grant things desired. The first is expressed in the sixe petitions: The latter is set forth in this worde Amen, carrying this sence in effect. As we haue craued these thinges at thy handes, O Lord, so we doe beleeue, that for Christ his sake, in good time thou wilt grant them to vs. Therefore, this part is more excellent than the former, by howe much our faith is more excellent than our desire. For in this word is contained the testification of our faith, whereas the petitions are onlie testifications of our desires. And as it is in the end, so also it is the seale of our prayers, to make them authentical, and it is to be vsed (as I take it) not onlie for this end, to answer the Minister, but also to testifie our faith, for the things desired.

2 Grace to be desired.

HEreby wee are taught, what grace we ar to shew in praier. We must labour to giue assent to Gods promises, when we pray, & striue against doubting and vnbeleefe. Mar. 9. 11. Lord, I beleeue, Lord help my vnbeleefe. Psal. 42. 11. Why art thou cast down my soul? and why art thou 〈◊〉 within me: wait on god.

Manie there are, that wil stande vpon the strength of their faith, & plead for themselues, that they neuer doubted, but they ar far wide: for true faith, beeing imperfect, is alwaies accompanied with doubting▪ more or lesse: Wherefore, the heart which feeles no doubting, is not filled with faith, but with presumption. As for them, which are molested with doubtings, & complaine of them, they haue lesse cause to feare, for as fire and water do neuer striue til they meete, no more doth doubting and vnbeleefe, til faith come into a man.

To conclude, we see what an excellent worke prayer is, in which, two moste excellent graces of a Christian man bee shewed foorth: hungring after mercy & faith: this might moue men to learn to pray, praier being the exercise of grace.

Of the vse of the Lords praier.

THe principal vse of the Lords prayer is, to direct God his Church, in making their praiers in all places, at al times, and vpon all occasions, though their praiers should be innumerable: and vnles they be framed after this, they can not be right.

In the vsing of it for direction, there be three thinges required. 1 The first is, the knowledge of the Lordes prayer, and al the partes thereof. He that would pray by it, must vnderstād the meaning therof, the wants therein to be bewailed, and the graces to bee desired, for which end it hath bin expounded. 2. Knowing this, there is in the seconde place required thus much skil, that he be able to referr euerie want & grace to one of the sixe petitions: for example: feeling in himselfe pride of heart, he must be able to say, this is a want in the first petition: and feeling a rebellion & slownes in doing Gods commandment, he must be able to say, this is a sin to be prayed against in the 3. petition. Thus, euery want he must refer to his proper hed; again, he must refer euery grace to be desired, to one of the sixe petitions: is strēgth in temptation to the sixt; assiance in Gods prouidence to the fourth; knowledge of God to the first, &c. and so in the rest. 3. In the third place, he must before he pray, consider what bee his wantes and imperfections, which moste trouble him, as also the graces which he wold obtain: then, for the helping of his memorie, he must goe to the petitions, and he must set those thinges first in his mind, which do concern the first petition; and those which concern the second petition, must haue the second place in his mind and so he must proceed in order as shall haue occasion. Thus a man keeping in minde the order of the petitions as they stand, shall be able by referring euery grace and want vnto his proper head, to mak a distinct prayer, and to varie it as time, place, and other occasions shall moue him.

Quest. Must we of necessity follow al the petitions in conceiuing a praier? An. No, but only those which doe principallie belong to the time, place & occasion; as Paule maketh a prayer, Col. 1. 9. 10. and all the points of it may be referred to the third and last petitions.

Againe, a Christian man may mak an excellent confession of his sins by this praier, if he shal, keping the order of the petitions, confesse and bewaile the sins which euerie petition requires vs to pray against: & it serues to mak a thanksgiuing to God: Thus, let a man remember all the graces which he hath receiued from God: let him then refer them to the petitions, and giue thankes to God after the order of them, turning euery petition into a thanksgiuing.

Of the circumstances of prayer.

Quest. 1. Whether a man is to vse a voice in prayer? Ans. In publik praier it is requisite that there bee a voice, for the Minister is the month of the people, and to the prayer which hee conceiues, they giue assent. For priuate prayer, vsing of a voice is conuenient: yet so, as it may be done in silence. 1. the Lord gaue vs the voyce, as well as the heart to blesse him withall. Iam. 3. 9. 2 God created the tong as wel as the heart, and so will bee praised by both. 3 The voice often stir▪ vp the heart; and againe, the vehemēcie of affection doth often draw out a voice: the voice then in priuate prayer is requisite, yet in some cases may bee omitted, for it is not absolutely necessarie. Moses and Anna prayed in silence.

Quest. 2. What gesture is to bee vsed in prayer? An. The word doth not affoord any certain direction. Our Sauiour & his Disciples praied in diuers gestures, kneling, standing, groueling, looking to heauen, looking downe to the earth, sitting, lying, &c. Luk. 11. 41. Act. 7 God respectes not the gesture, but the affection of the heart; yet two thinges must be alwaies in the gesture: 1. that it be comelie. 2. that it do fitlie expresse the affection of the hart; as when we ask mercie, to look to heauen, when wee bewaile our sins, to look downward, &c.

Question. 3. What place must we pray in? An. The place is set down, 1. Tim. 2. 8. we may pray in all places, of which ther is no difference: Some will say, that in the time of the Law, the Tabernacle and Temple were places for diuine prayer. Ans. The Temple and Tabernacle wer types of Christ, & his Church, and the vnitie of it: but now, wee hauing the thing it selfe, signified thereby, may pray in al places. Our Sauior prayed in the wildernes, on the Mount; Peter on the house top Paule by the sea shore: yet so, that publik praier must be vsed in publike places, as Churches, chappels, &c. not because in them is more holinesse, but for orders sake.

Quest. 4. What is the time appointed for praier? Ans. Praie continuallie. 1. The 5. 7. that is, vpon al occasions, or whē a man begins any busines, whether it be in word, or deed, Col. 3. 17. or as Daniel, who praied thrise euerie daie. Dan. 6. 11. or as Dauid, who praied at euening morning, and noontide, Ps. 55. 18 and seuen times a daie. vz. many. Psa. 119. 140. Thus we shal pray continuallie. Euery day affoords three especial occasions. 1. The entrance to our callings in the morning. 2. The receiuing of Gods creatures at noonetide. 3. the going to rest at night.

Of Gods hearing our praiers.

HItherto we haue spoken of the making of prayer to God: a word or two of God his hearing our prayers.

Question. How many waies doth God hear mens praiers? Ans. Two waies. The first in his mercie, when he graunts the requests of such as call vpon him in the feare of his name. Secondly, hee heares mens praiers in his wrath. Thus he gaue the Israelites, quailes according to their desire. Psalme 78. 29. 30. 31. Thus often men curse themselues, and wish that they were dead: and accordinglie they haue their wish.

Quest. 2. Why doth God defer to hear the praiers of his seruants?

Ans. 1. to prooue them by delay. 2. To exercise their saith. 3. To make them acknowledge, that the things which they receiue, ar gods gifts, and not from themselues▪ 4. That graces quickly giuen might not be lightlie estemed 5. That an hungring after grace, might bee sharpened and increased.

Quest. After what maner doth God hear his seruants prayers. An. Two waies. First, by granting the thing which was asked according to his will. Secondly, by denying the thing desired, and by giuing somthing proportional to it. Thus God denies temporary blessings, and in the roome thereof, giues eternall in heauen. Thus he refuseth to remoue the crosse from his servantes, and giues in stead thereof strength and patience. Christ praied that the cup might bee remooved. It was not remooued, but hee in his manhood was enabled to beare the wrath of God. When

ded in loue, maie be able to comprehend vvith all Saintes, vvhat is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, 19 And know the loue of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye maie bee filled vvith all fulnesse of God. 20 Vnto him therefore, that is able to doe exceeding aboundant lie, aboue all that vve aske or thinke, according to the power that vvorketh in vs, 21 Be praise in the Churche by Christ Iesus, throughout all generations for euer, Amen.

The Exposition.

THese wordes containe two partes, a praier, and a thanksgiuing. In the praier these pointes are to be marked. First, the gesture; I bowe my knees, whereby Paul signifieth, his humble submission vnto God in praier. Secondly, To whom he praies. To the father; who is described by two titles: the first, the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, and that by nature, as he is God, and as hee is man, by personall vnion. The other title: Of vvhome the whole familie which is in heauen and earth, is named: In which words, is set down a description of the Church, first it is a Familie, because it is the company of Gods elect children, vnder the gouernment of one Father: 1. Timoth. 3. 15. It is called the house of God. Ephes. 2. 19. They that beleeue, are saide to be of the household of God: Secondly, the partes of the Catholicke Church are noted, namely, the Saintes in heauen departed, and saintes liuing on earth: Thirdly, it is said to be named of the Father of Christ, because as the Father of Christ, is the Father of this familie; so also this familie is called by him. Genes. 6. 2. Dan. 9. 18. Thirdly, the matter of the praier standes of foure moste worthie points.

The first, is strength, to bear the crosse, and to resist spiritual temptations, vers. 16. where this strenth is sette out by diuers arguments. First, that it is the meere gifte of God, that he wold grant you: Secondly, the cause of strength, by his spirit: Thirdly, the subiect or place, wher this strength must bee, in the inner man: that is, in the whole man, so farre foorth, as hee is renewed by grace. Ephes. 9. 24. The second is, the dwelling of Christ, by faith in their hearts: Faith is, when a man beeing seriously humbled for his sinnes, is further in consciēce perswaded, and resolued of the pardon of thē, and of reconciliation to god. Now where this perswasion is indeede, there followes necessarilie, Christs dwelling in the heart, which stands in two thinges; the first, is the ordering and ruling of the thoghts, affections and desires of the heart, according to his will, as a maister rules in his house: the second, is the continuance of his rule. For hee cannot be saide to dwell in a place, who rules in it but for a day.

The third, is the knowledg, and the acknowledgement of the infinite greatnes of God his loue in Christ, an effect of the former, vers. 18. 19. the wordes are thus explaned. Rooted and grounded. Here the loue of God, wherewith hee loues the elect, is as a roote and foundation of all Gods benefits; election, vocation, iustification, and glorification: Men ar rooted and grounded in loue, when Gods spirite assures their hearts of Gods loue, & doth giue them some inward sense and feeling of it. For then they are as it were sensiblie put into the roote, and laid on the foundation: With al Saintes: Paule desires this benefite, not onely to the Ephesians, but also for all the faithfull with them. What is the length, the bredth. Here is a speech borrowed from Geomitricians, and it signifieth the absolute greatnes, or infinitenes of Gods loue, and that it is like a worlde, which for length bredth, height & depth, is endles. Heere note the order of receuing grace. First, Christ dwelles in the hart by faith: Secondly, thē comes a sense and feeling of Gods loue, as it were, by certain drops thereof: Thirdly, after this, ariseth a plētifull knowledge, and apprehension of Gods loue, and as it wer the powring out of a sea into a mans heart, that for greatnes, hath neither bottome nor bank. And knowe the loue of Christ, these wordes (as I take it) are an exposition of the former, for to comprehende the loue of God, is nothing else, but to knowe the loue of Christ: considering, that all whome the father loueth, hee loueth them in Christ: Which passeth knowledge: That is, which for the greatnes of it, noe man can fullie know.

The fourth thing, is the fulnesse of Gods graces. verse 19. Here the fulnesse of God, doth not signifie the fulnes of the Godhead, or deuine nature, but the perfection of the inner man, which shall not be till after this life, Nowe followes the thāksgiuing, or the praise of God, ver. 20. 21. containing these points 1. The matter of praise, his power and bountifulnes, whereby he canne worke exceeding aboundantly, aboue all we ask or think: and both these are not only to be conceiued in mind, but also may be felt in the heart, according to the power that worketh in vs. 2. the forme of praise, glorie vnto God by Christ, as all benefits are receiued from the father by Christ. The proper place of true praise of God the Church. 4. The continuance of his praise, through all generations for euer.

Philip. 1.

9. AND this I praie, that your loue maie abound yet more and more, in knowledg and al sense.

10. That yee may discerne things that differ: to the end, yee may be pure and without offence, to the daie of Christ.

11. Filled with fruites of righteousnes, vvhich are by Iesus Christ, vnto the praise and glorie of God.

The Exposition

THis praier containes three parts. In the first, Paul praieth for increase of loue in the Philip. whether it be to God or to men, verse 9. and he shewes the meanes of increase, which ar two: knowledg and sense or feeling. For (to goe backeward) the more a godly man feeles Gods loue, and hath experience of Gods word in himselfe, the more he knowes Gods word, and perceiues his loue vnto him: the more hee is assured of Gods loue, the more he loues god again, and his neighbour for his sake.

The second thing praied for, is the gift of discerning, whereby mē know what is true, what fals, what is to be done, what to be left vndone: the ends of this gift ar two. The first, that by meanes of it, they may bee pure or sincere: that is, keepe a good conscience before God and men, in their liues and callings. The second is, to be without offence: that is, innocent, giuing no occasions of euill to any, and not taking thē offered by others: and the continuance of these is noted, to the daie of Christ, which is the time in which he commeth to vs, either by our death, or by the last judgement.

Thirdly, he praieth, that they might abounde in good workes, which ar described by a similitud; fruits of righteousnes: Christians being, fruitfull trees. Exech. 4. 7. 12. Esay. 61. 3. 2. By the cause efficient, which ar by Christ. 3. By the end, vnto the glorie and praise of God.

Colos. 1.

9 I cease not to praie for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with knowledg of his will, in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding.

10. That ye might vvalk vvorthie of the lord, & please him in al things, fructifying in all good workes, and increasing in the acknowledgment of God.

11 Strengthened vvith all might thorough his glorious power, vnto all patience, and long suffering vvith ioyfulnes.

12 Giuing thanks to the father, which hath made vs fit to be partakers of the inheritāce of the saints in light.

13 Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his owne sonne.

The Exposition.

THese wordes containe a praier and a thankesgiuing. In the praier, three things are asked. The first is the increase of the knowledge of Gods reueiled vvill in his worde, and he deuides it into two partes: Wisdom, which is not only to know Gods word, but also to apply it to euery action, for the right and holy performing thereof: and spiritual vnderstanding: which is, when men by the assistance of Gods spirit, do conceiue the will of God in general, without applying.

Secondly, Paule praies for the fruites of this knowledge, which are foure. 1. To walke woorthy of God, as good seruants do, who in their apparell, gesture, and all their doings, 〈1… pages missing〉