HEAVENS TREASVRY OPENED, In a fruitfull exposition of the Lords Prayer.

IN the prayer are three things ob­servable.

• 1. The preface, Our Father.
• 2. The prayer it selfe, divided into six petitions.
• 3. The conclusion of Faith in the word Amen, the soule goes up to hea­ven and followes the pe­tition, [Page 2] Hallowed bee thy Name, let it bee Lord as thou maist have glory; looke as a man that darts an arrow, hee puts the utmost of his strength to it, so the word Amen speeds all the rest, and brings a good issue to the soule by all.

First, For the preface, and there wee must exa­mine in generall 2. things.

• 1. The sence and mean­ing of the words.
• 2. What ground of en­couragement it affords us to seeke God.

1. And first observe the partie sought to, he is our Father.

2. The excellency of him, which art in Heaven.

3. The interest we have in him: he is our Father.

Q. Why, or in what sence, is God called a Fa­ther?

A. 1. Hee is the Fa­ther of Christ by eternall generation.

2. Hee is the father of men two wayes.

• 1. By creation. So the Scripture runnes Iob. 1.6. the Angels are called the Sons of God, because they were created by God, hee is a Father thus to the Just and the unjust, Psal. 139. 14. I am wonderfully made, saith the text.
• 2. By adoption & grace, in that, hee doth freely take us to bee his sons in Christ, hee puts us into [Page 4]the right of his children, as a man puts a stranger into the right of his son: and thus God is a Father to his chosen onely that looke what Christ hath, they have, Rom. 8.17. If Sons, then Heires, and Gods chosen children: both these wayes God is our Father.

Q. Doe we onely pray to the Father in that wee say our Father?

A. No: we pray not to the Father onely, but wee pray to the whole Trini­ty, wee make mention of the Father onely: yet we must direct our prayers to one God in three Persons in that Godhead; howe­ver wee mention not all, [Page 5]yet wee direct to all, all our petitions; the reason is this.

Rea. Because otherwise wee should have made an Idoll of God, I say con­ceiving but of one person we make an I doll of God, and call not on him as hee is.

Q. How may wee ap­prehend of God aright in prayer?

A. Thus: as God hath revealed himselfe in his word, so wee apprehend him, not putting any I­mage at all upon him: as Instance thus two wayes.

• 1. Hee that creates all, governes all, knowes all, sees all, by whom I live, moove and have my be­ing, [Page 6]to that God I pray. The Scripture hath revea­led God thus, that he fills heaven and earth, &c. to that God then that is thus infinite, to him I call now, not to a blinde Image, but to an all-seeing God I come.
• 2. Instance thus. Looke abroad into the creatures, and in all you shall see a power and a goodnesse: now from whence came this power? The power of beasts, came not from the power of trees, and the like: but ther was a first po­wer, which gave al power to the creatures; the Crea­tour is infinitely more po­werfull the the creatures. There is goodnesse also [Page 7]in the creatures: but all that came from the first goodnesse that let out it selfe. Now that which let forth it selfe to the creature is in the Creator infinitely above the crea­ture, that is the Lord: thus you must quit your selves of an Image; he that gives all is above all; God gives all, therefore is above all, and to that God I put up my petition.

Q. Why doe wee not mention the Son and the holy Ghost, as well as the Father?

A. Because the Father is the first person in the Trinity, and the foun­taine from whence all good flowes; The Fa­ther [Page 8]works of himselfe, the Sonne of him, the Ho­ly Ghost from them both; therefore we mention him onely, though wee may mention the other.

Q. How doth this word Father help a man to call on God by prayer?

A. When we conceive of God as a Father, it puts us in mind of his mercy, that hee will pity us; as a Father will easily bee re­conciled to his sonne and will spare him, though he be a prodigall, yet his fa­ther will passe by all. So I pray to a father: did I pray to a Iudge, that would condemne me, or an ene­my that would not be re­conciled unto mee, little [Page 9]hope had I to speed, be­cause I wronged him, Luke 15. yet I will arise and goe to him, for, Psal. 103. As a father pittieth his sonne, so God pittieth them that feare him. Hee is my child saith God, though stubborne, and I must looke to him. When a mans rebellions witnes against him, and Sathan vexeth him, and saith, what? thou think to have mercy, and art so vilde? True, saith the soule, I am naught, but I goe to a Father: if a child doe but aime at a thing, the father accepts; if hee speake but halfe a sentence, the father interprets it: so this is the great encouragement of the faithful, to go to God, [Page 10]that notwithstanding so many failings, and though he be so dead and so bar­ren, yet a father beares al; The Lord interprets all, though but broken spee­ches, yet God accepts and regards all, wee have a father to goe to, that is willing to passe by many failings.

2. As we have a ground of pitty; if it be but a sigh, hee receives it, so this may perswade us of the willingnesse of God, to help us. If a man were to goe to him that is hard hearted, little hope had hee to speed: wee say hee is a cruell man, we had as good pull water out of a flint, &c. a child will not [Page 11]beg of a stranger, but goe to his father. So we pray to our Father that is more willing to heare and grant then we are to aske. I will goe to my Father, saith the prodigall, as who should say, I am unworthy, yet I goe to a father; nay the Lord heares before wee call, he prepares the heart to call, and answeres what it craves when they aske. The father puts into the childes mouth what it shall say, and then hee will give what it craves; so God would have us seeke for abundance of mercie; open thy mouth: God would faine give, but none will crave; it is God that must give a heart to crave, and [Page 12]this is got by prayer. As water put into a pump will bring forth much water, so pray that you may pray, if your father know what to give you, how much more can your hea­venly Father give you an heart? Nothing shall bee wanting to them that goe to God as a Father, God bowes his eare to the prayer of his people, hee condescends to our weak­nesse.

3. We are here to take notice of Gods Fatherly providence, to provide what may bee sutable to our occasions; God hath all in store; all the beasts of the field are mine, hee is the God of all comfort; [Page 13]hee provideth for the ra­vens, and causeth the Lil­lies of the field to grow: if God care for these, how much more for you? Matth. 6. hath the Lord a care for oxen? hee that feedeth ravens & clotheth lilies, will much more provide for his Saints. Who then would not have such a guardi­an? as the father pro­vides for the son, so God layes up for all his: let us walke then in his wayes, and commit our selves to his care, for all things.

4. This must teach us an awfulnesse to come be­fore him, whatawe should bee in our hearts, that come before an heavenly Father?

Our Father.

That is the terme of re­lation, and consists in two things.

• 1. The sence of the words.
• 2. The motives.

For the sence of the words, three things are implied.

• 1. A proprietie and in­terest wee have in speciall, not as one friend to ano­ther, or one neighbour to another, or the like, but he is our Father, as we say, it our land, &c. So when we say our Father, we imply aspeciall claime to God; all that compassion and mercy in God is mine, as Nabal said, it is my meate, the word my, implies a [Page 15]possession, like the gods of the heathens; and as Iob saith: My Redeemer liveth. Deut. 32.31. their rocke, is not as our rocke.
• 2. This laying claime to God implies a Cōmu­nity to all the houshold of God; as the Sunne is eve­ry mans, so God is every mans that is faithfull.
• 3. It notes a bond of society between the faith­full children of the same father: this is the meaning of the word, our, as the members agree with the head, so they are help­full; so is God helpfull to all his faithfull ones.
  Motives 3.

Now the motives wher­by the soule may bee fur­nished to call on God, are three.

1. A chearefull readi­nesse to repaire, unto the Lord, and why? we have an interest in him, hee is our father; the interest a childe hath in his father stirs him to come readily to his father, hee craves not of a strāger as 2. Kings 4.19. When the child cryed, they bad carry him to his mother; if any thing befalls the child, he saith, I will tell my father, and complaine to my father; and the like. So aske the child, who will provide for him? he saith, my fa­ther, so it is here with our God. There is a fresh & living way that is mar­vellous easy and open, Whosoever seekes shall find, [Page 17]whosoever knocks it shall be opened unto him: there­fore what ever our injury bee, wee should not com­plaine to the world, but poure forth your prayers to our Father, who will bee sure to heare us.

2. As there should be a cheary readines, to come to the Lord, so there should bee a spirituall boldnesse, to challenge what may be needfull at his hands. Among strangers wee are strange, but among friends wee are bold, wee have a right and title to these things, and wee may bee bold with our owne. Thus David challengeth God, as thou art faithfull, deliver mee, I am thy ser­vant. [Page 18]If a servant want food or rayment, he goes to his master, so saith Da­vid, I am thy servant, ther­fore give mee understand­ing that I may live: when they bragged of Paul and Apollos, saith hee, all is yours. This should com­fort our hearts; let us claime our portion, hee is our father, and will give it us.

Therefore be humbled in regard of your weake­nesse and unworthinesse, but confident in regard of his mercy, walke cheere­fully in regard of the Lord, in every condition. If I should see the child doubt of my readinesse, I should much wōder. Care [Page 19]not, saith Christ. Matth. 6. It is your owne; hee is our Father, and all that is in him is ours.

3. This stirres up our hearts to have a fellow­feeling of our brethrens misery, in our prayers: therefore God cuts off all encroaching of our selves, Our: as if hee should say. Is there never a Ioseph in prison? Never a Daniel in the Lyons den? re­member & pray for them: if one suffer, all suffers: wee are reall members of one body: wee should mourne with them that mourne, and weep with them that weep: it is said Isay 58. Put up a prayer for the remnant. Oh that wee [Page 20]had a fellowfeeling of o­thers troubles! Paul begs the Ephesians to pray for me also, and hee entreates the Romans to wrestle for him by prayer to God. Rom. 15.30.

Which art in heaven, &c.

Here 1. Wee are to o­pen the sense of the word heaven.

2. The motives to move the heart thereto.

Q. Whether is God more in heaven then in a­ny other place?

A. No: God in regard of his essence is in all pla­ces alike, hee is wholly every where. The God­head is altogether indivi­sible, Things of quantity fill a roome, but God is euery way indivisible; as [Page 21]hee is unchangeable, so is hee a simple being. Psal. 139.8. If I goe to hell, thou art there: saith David. God is in the same māner every where. If God bee immensible, then all of him is every where; but it is so, there­fore hee is altogether in every place: all creatures have their being from God, hee is in them and beyond them, hee is ex­cluded out of no place, included in no place.

Q If all of God bee in every place, why then is hee said to bee in heaven onely?

A. 1. Because God would manifest the glory of his power more in hea­ven then in earth, not be­cause [Page 22]we see him not here. Acts 17. We grope after him indeed: but you know the royalty of a King ap­peares most in Parlia­ment; so the excellency of God appeares most in heaven.

2. There are three hea­vens; The heavens where the birds are, the heaven where the stars are, and the highest heaven.

Now the third heaven is meant here, for God hath reserved this place as the chaire of state for himselfe: the heavens saith David, are the Lords: no uncleane thing can come there. The Angells sin­ned upon the earth, and all the visible heavens are [Page 23]defiled: by man, the Sunne is abused, the aire polluted; all these crea­tures that serve man, are by man defiled, but the highest heaven was never defiled, because it is the chamber of God, who leaseth out these to man. This is the speciall reason why God is said to bee in heaven.

Q. What motives have wee to prepare our hearts to prayer, which is the scope of the preface?

A. They are specially three.

It teacheth us to take notice of the purity of God, Motives. 1. to prepare the heart to prayer. what ought to bee the frame of our spirits, when wee appeare before [Page 24]him; hee cannot abide sluggish prayers from an impure heart; heavenly dispositiōs best suite with Gods holinesse, the san­ctity of our affections ought to answer Gods purity, Kings (we know) as they will be entertai­ned, so their entertaine­ment must be that which suites to their greatnesse: God is in heaven beyond all corruption, therefore if wee approach neere God, we should answer to his purity with hearts pur­ged; that our spirits may be in heaven, because he is there, to whom we pray. Mal. 1.14. Cursed bee the deceiver that hath a male in his flocke, and offers [Page 25]a corrupt thing. Our sacri­fice is our service, and prayer is one of the chiefe. The God of heaven is a pure God, then cursed be the man that hath a strāge love and the like, and ser­veth God with rubbish. Cursed be that man: the pure God of heaven will not looke on such im­pure performances: God is holy, therefore the ser­vice ought to be so. Whē men are to sit before Prin­ces, they are to fit them­selves accordingly, so it is here.

Let us then thinke it an indignity to God to ap­peare with a slovenly dis­position before him: hee that is to performe a so­lemne [Page 26]duty to a Prince, will lay aside all other oc­casions, so as he said in an other case well, lie by all, ly by world, let me now have heavenly joy, for I am come before an hea­venly father.

2. It is a ground of comfort that our spirits may bee cheared: since God is in heaven, hee is able to effect what ever our hearts desire; To be in heaven argueth Majestie; now wee doe not pray to an earthly parent who is liable to corruption, but to an heavenly Father, who can doe what hee will; he that is in an high place hath the vantage, so our heavenly Father [Page 27]hath the vantage of all o­ther creatures, therefore what we crave is done al­ready, our God is in hea­ven, and can doe what he will.

Vilenesse ever accom­panieth earthly things, but our Father is in hea­ven; Therefore Nehemiah made his prayer to the God of heaven. The King could not help the woman, but our father is not as an earthly father, wee have but earthly opposition here; but our father is in heaven, who can over power all wrongs done to his children and turne them to their good.

3. This shewes wee should with trembling ap­proach [Page 28]to his presence: the God of heaven is po­werfull, wee are creeping wormes; & dare we come carelesly to such a Father? our Father implies a rea­dinesse; in heaven implies an awfulnesse; the moun­taines moove, and the di­vells shake at the presence of God. Yea the bles­sed Angells quake before him: how dare wee then approach his presence un­seemely, lest wee have no answer? to turne the eye one way and the head another, wee dislike it in a child: suffer not then your minds to wander: how dare you presse hea­dily into the presence of God, whereas the An­gels [Page 29]cover their faces be­fore him? Let the feare of the Almighty fall upon us, God is in heaven, let our hearts bee reverently affected in all our ap­proaches neere him.

Thus much for the preface; now wee come to the petitions which are six, the Lord condescends to our weakenesse and fee­blenesse, & therefore con­trives them into a narrow scantling: three petitions there are cōcerning Gods Name, Kingdome and Wil, and three concerning our selves, things of this life, and things of grace, which are Iustification, and Sanctification. In all observe, [Page 30]

• 1. The meaning of the petition.
• 2. The carriage of the heart in the pressing of it.

Hallowed bee thy name, in this observe 2. things.

• 1. What is here ment by Name?
• 2. What it is to hallow this name.

Q. What is here meant by Name, or what is the Name of God?

I answer by Name is ment, what ever God is made knowne to us by; this is his Name: as a man is knowne by his name, so the Lord reveales him­selfe by his Name, to his children: now this con­sists in two things.

• 1. All the glorious attri­butes [Page 31]of God, as Powerful, Pure, Wise, Infinite, these are the Names of God.
• 2. All the ordinances of God, the graces of his Saints, and the providence of God, in the creature, (are not the thing it selfe, but) there is a declaration of God in these, the crea­ture is not the name of God, but God working by the creature; grace is not so much, as the appea­rance of God in that grace.

Q. What do you meane by hallowed? can you make God holier then hee is, or adde any thing to God?

A. No: we cannot adde anything to him that gave us all things.

Q. How then doe wee hallow Gods name?

A. When wee make Gods Name to bee disco­vered as a holy thing, the expressing of this is that we would.

Q. How shall wee doe that?

A. There was a con­sultation in heaven, how that the Godhead might bee manifest, might bee observed, else were there none to apprehend it: I wil saith God, have my at­tributes expressed, Ther­fore God would have a world wherein his good­nesse should bee disco­vered. Exod. 33. Thou shalt not see my face, but my back parts shalt thou see; [Page 33]as it is with a torch, carry it from one place to ano­ther, and it will leave a glimpse behind, so it is in the surpassing beauty of God, hee leaves some beames behind him, that wee may say, Iustice and mercy and holinesse it selfe have beene here; we are said then to hallow his name when as wee make this appeare, when wee deale with Gods name as with a holy thing, and that appeares in three particu­lars.

1. When we acknow­ledge the excellency of him, wee ought daily to take notice of the beauty and glory of God: men of place think themselves [Page 34]abused if we passe by, and doe not reverence them: so when we come to deale with Gods ordinances, doe you know what you doe? Gods Name is there, therefore ponder your paths.

3. As wee should ac­knowledge the worth of it, so we should labour to preserve it: upon things of great waight and worth what a price doe wee set, and how tenderly doe we looke to them, that there bee no blemish cast upon them? So should we doe with the name of God, Ier. 2.10. Goe to the Iles of Chittim, &c. they cast the commandements of God behind their backs, the [Page 35]heathen saith God, would not doe so, They kissed the threshold where Da­gon was; so let us deale with Gods Name, let no blemish betide it, but deale with it, as with a holy thing: the least staine of sinfull distemper, doth not become the name of God: you respect holy things, so doe this.

3. As wee should ac­knowledge its worth, so labour to set it out that o­thers may see it as occa­sion shall be offered. Whē any honour may come to him thereby, expresse the beauty of the vertues of God that they may bee observed; holy things are not to be kept secret when [Page 36]opportunity serves; Let your light shine saith the text, that men may see the good in you. What ever we see in the name of God, as wee should keep it from blemish, so we should set it out in the glory of it; A man must hold out the light of the gospell, not hide it under a bushell. The coyne that is currant men shew openly: doe not shew your selves (for that is not herein intended) but as much of God as wee can demonstrate, that men may say, the Lord hath been here indeed.

Q. How doth the heart behave it selfe in the put­ting up of this petition?

A. This behaviour of [Page 37]the soule doth mainly ap­peare in two things.

1. It heartily desires in all things it shall doe, that it may lift up the glory of God; now this wee doe when in all acti­ons there is a disposition for the furtherance of Gods praise; All our life should be like a lanterne to convey light to others; the heart should desire that in all things Gods glory may be furthered, that we may doe nothing but we may advance Gods glory by it: silver & gold is fit to stamp the Kings I­mage upon, so a mans pra­ctise should be good met­tal to imprint Gods glory upon, not as painted win­dowes [Page 38]to hinder, Acts. but to rebound the light, Herod did not give God glory, hee tooke it to himselfe, and we see what ensued.

There bee some kind of glasses will reflect a mans Image: So there should bee a conveighing of glory from our selves to God; looke as it is with a ball, the falling of it makes it rebound, so it should be with our hearts, they should reboūd Gods glory where it falls upon us: This is a great skill; the soule should have no­thing but whereby God might bee honoured; any sinfull course blemisheth Gods glory, any priding of a mans self no whit fur­thers [Page 39]Gods glory; a good soule desires God might be acknowledged & glori­fied in all it hath or doth.

Q. When doth the soule doe this?

A. When it labours that in all things some­thing more then humane excellency may appeare; for if any thing of a mans owne bee discerned, wee fall short of Gods Name. In every actiō such should be our disposition, that somewhat more may bee seene, then a base meane shadow: there is a skill in preaching and praying, which should bee more valued then all parts, and gifts whatsoever. If no­thing appeare but selfe, [Page 40]the Name of God is depri­ved of what it should have; as S. Paul said, Doe I speake like a man? he de­monstrated the spirit in him, so should wee disco­ver what we do, that God works it in us, that hee might have all the ho­nor. God who is the Au­thor of all, should have the glory of all our acti­ons. Wee talke of this & that, and say, let God be glo­rified, but wee doe it not in our life and conversa­tion.

Q. What bee the seve­rall works of the heart in doing this, that it may ap­peare that God is the Au­thor of all, & we give him the honour is due unto his Name?

A. The acts of the heart are two, whereby it sets forth the glory of God. 1. In all services: a man should not bee quiet in his affections & endea­vours till he come to the highest pitch, that is Gods glory: All Actions are in the way one towards another, as a paire of staires, one goes from an­other and above the o­ther, a man should goe higher and higher til God his glory mounts and sur­mounts them all: as a Mi­nister first studies to teach the people that they may be enformed, but why en­formed? that they may appeare to bee Christs, that Gods grace may ap­peare [Page 42]in their conversa­tion, the soule never rests till it be here. This should bee our desire, that in all our actions God may bee discovered to bee the Au­thour and to have the ho­nour of all.

2. The soule must bee sure not to goe beyond Gods glory, as thus; a Minister preacheth, that the people may bee con­verted and bee honoured as well as God: this is to bee above God; a man prayes to honour God, and that it may be known he is a glorious professor, thus a man is above God, as a bird steps from one bough to another, till it comes to the highest, and [Page 43]then it flies away, so wee step to Gods glory and oft times goe beyond it.

Wee would have God glorified to glorifie us it may bee; but this is hy­pocrisie, to have God ho­noured that wee may bee secretly base; this is the deepest dishonor to God, and hee will bee revenged of them one day, & pluck his praise out of their bowells: the three Wise­men would not stay till the starre stood, and then they went no further; so where the starre of Gods glory goes let us goe, and not stay till we come thi­ther, and when wee are there goe no further; this [Page 44]is the cariage of the heart, that in life and death God may bee honoured and exalted: looke as it is with a workeman that makes a peece of curious worke, wee doe not give the honour to the toole but to the workeman, so God should receive the honour of all and from all.

2. As a good soule makes God discovered in himselfe, so hee desires that God might bee ac­knowledged by others: and that appeares in two things.

• 1. That they might em­brace the excellency of God, Let your light shine before men, why so? that [Page 45]they may see your good works that is God in your good works. Doe not thinke that I would have men see their owne good parts, gifts and the like, but onely that they may see God in them; the fi­sher desires that the fish may see the baite, not him; so hee that angles for the soules of others, doth not desire that others might see him, but the grace of God: An apprentice doth not stand in the shop to call men to looke on his propernesse and the like, but to sell his masters wares. If we desire that God may bee exalted, labour not that men may see your good works so [Page 46]much, as God in them; wee should all so walke, that others may admire Gods grace in us, wee are GODS workeman­ship.
• 2. And therfore should have hearts enlarged to blesse God that hee hath been pleased to reveale himselfe so sweetly to us: thus much for the first pe­tition.

Thy Kingdome come. 2. Petition.

Q. Why is this added immediatly to the for­mer?

A. Because it is a spe­ciall meanes whereby the glory of God is advanced. The first was to hallow Gods Name, and to that end the Kingdome of [Page 47]Christ must bee set up: no naturall man can glorifie God, for so long as sinne and corruption prevailes, wee can never yeeld to him: therefore the rule of Christs Spirit must ef­fect it, and by this wee must bee swayed to the same.

Q. What is the scope of this petition?

A. The maine scope of it, is thus much, that the government of God by Christ, might be set up, and prevaile every where: as before Gods Name was highest, so here the po­wer and governement of Christ, is to bee univer­sall; that is in generall. Now wee come to the [Page 48]particulars, and here

• 1. Consider the sence of the words.
• 2. The cariage of the heart, in putting up this petition.

• 1. What is meant by Kingdome.
• 2. What is the coming of this Kingdome.

Q. What is meant by Kingdome?

A. By Kingdome is meant, that rule that Christ hath set up in the hearts of his (for the pro­vidence of God, I take it, is not so much aymed at, in this place, or that ordi­nary providence of God over the creatures: this is set forth in the fourth pe­tition, give us, &c.) but it [Page 49]is the rule of Christ that is set up in his Church.

Q. How manifold is it?

A. It is that whereby Christ by his Spirit and grace in the ministery of the word takes place in the hearts of his, and this he doth two wayes.

• 1. By overpowering and casting downe all other things, which are oppo­site thereunto: whatsoever power of sinne and Sathan are opposite unto him.
• 2. He sets up that frame of spirit whereby it is sub­ject to grace, and this takes place two wayes.
  • 1. By cutting downe & killing of every sinne.
  • 2. The soule takes the [Page 50]stamp of every command of God, and is ruled ther­by.

Q. What is the King­dome of glory.

A. Gods immediate ruling in the hearts of glo­rified Saints.

Q. How doth the King­dome of grace and glory differ?

A. Here in the King­dome of grace, God rules,

• 1. By his spirit,
• 2. By the ministery of his word and ordinances, but in heaven he rules immediatly, then no more word & means, but Christ fils the soule fully, and then he rules gloriously when the un­derstanding will and af­fections are full of Christ [Page 51]and are fully and wholly subject to him, Here in the valley of teares, wee meet with many rubs and oppositions, but then Christ shall shine imme­diately forth, in all his ordinances: wee seeke a Christ now, but then wee shall fully possesse him: so that wee that have the spi­rit have a glimpse of hea­ven, already, therefore a­shamed should wee bee to bee weary of God: let us bee weary of sinfulnes & of this wretched world.

It is a heaven to live here with God upon earth, and if it be so glorious a thing, to have but a glimpse of God here, how much more to bee filled with [Page 52]God hereafter in his king­dome?

Q. How is this King­dome said to come?

A. The coming of these two Kingdomes implyes three things.

• 1. That the word may bee revealed in those pla­ces where it hath not been. That the day spring from on high, may visite them, that sit in darknes; That the Sunne of righte­ousnes, might visite them that want it; That the ban­quet of the Gospell may be set up. Matth. 24. If any man say, hee is in the wildernesse, goe not out, for where the Carkasse is, thither will the Eagles re­sort. This is the first thing, [Page 53]a Kingdome is said to-come when a King rules in a place where hee did not before, so it is here, Let all the people praise thee saith David, hee desires not, that some tongues onely, but that all tongues and languages should doe this.
• 2. Where ever the Go­spell doth shine, wee de­sire that it should discover it selfe more fully, and spread it selfe where ever it comes; wee desire the Kings governmet should enlarge the Territories more and more. So we de­sire that not onely Christ should bee revealed, but that more and more may bee gathered, that God [Page 54]may take in every where, and that every knee may bow to Christ, and licke the dust, that so there may be an addition made to the Church, that every man in every kind, God would cast his skirt over him, that more may bee caught in his net, that the Jew and Gentile may be gathered into one sheep-fold and have one shep­heard.
• 3. That the power of it may be more settled: as the house of David grew strong­er & stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker; so when Christ sets up his candlesticke that the seed that is sowne there may take deep root. [Page 55]When a King hath ere­cted Castles then he hath his Kingdome. So we de­sire God may entrench himselfe and reare castles of defence against his e­nemies which would re­move him in us; that hee would set up himselfe strongly, that every trai­tour might bee crusht and every base lust subdued, that God would slay thē, and none but his lawes might take place in our soule. In a word the issue returnes to thus much; wee beseech Christ, that his Gospell may spread and be strong, and these dayes of sinne may bee wasted, and that he may come in the clouds. Rev. [Page 56]22. and then come Lord Jesus, come quickly, that he would accomplish the number of his Elect, and gather those that belong to his glory, that they may be everlastingly with him.

Q. What is the carriage of the soule in putting up this petition?

A. It appeares in three things.

1. The soule desires and labours to bee subject to the good pleasure of the Lord. The heart faith, oh that I might once bee so disposed that I might submit to the pleasure of the Almighty. We desire that all those things that are set up in our hearts, [Page 57]which are contrary to the good will of the Lord might bee subdued, Psal. 119.4. Thou hast comman­ded us to keep thy Precepts: o Lord, that my soule were so affected! thou hast enjoy­ned mee to keepe thy Law: oh, that I could doe so. The spirit should bee as waxe to the seale, and inke to the paper, that the soule might take the im­pression of every rule that God would set up in our hearts: thus the soule should bee disposed, and wish that the Lord would put this frame into us: thou hast said, seeke my face: oh, saith the soule, that I could seeke thy face, and echo to it, behold [Page 58]Lord, thy face doe I seeke: to submit wholy without any contending: not that the Lord should force us, but take up your yoake, put our necke to the yoak: let the word of the Lord beare the sway: when Ma­ry wanted wine and our Saviour checked her, shee submitted presently, not a word more; so what the Lord commands us, let us doe without any quar­relling, let the least inck­ling of the word beare the sway. When our Sa­viour sent his disciples for the Asses colt, they said, but happily, the men will not let him goe, how then? Tell them saith our Sa­viour, the Master hath [Page 59]need of him, and then they will not deny him: It is en­ough, let the Lord but speake and it is done, this the soule should labour to attaine unto.

2. The soule carries it selfe with an inward op­position to what ever is opposite to the govern­ment of the Lord Jesus Christ to the uttermost of our power. It is in vaine to say, it were well if it were so; and I would it were so, and yet stand still and not to set to our hand; but we must joine with the Lord, and as hee spake of Me­rosh, Cursed be thou, because thou wentest not out to help the Lord, so truly the Lord Jesus is coming to our [Page 60]townes, to our families, therefore we should step out and help the Lord against those high moun­taines of pride and stub­bornenesse of heart; when a proud heart stirres, would wee but cry out, good Lord help downe with that stubborne spirit of mine, how soone would it yeeld! but if you say, come pride, and you and I will joyne together, is this calling for the King­dome of Christ to come? no, no, you are traitours and conspirators, and no subjects; therefore stop your mouthes; this is no submitting, but conspi­ring.

When Iesabel looked [Page 61]out of the window with her painted face, saith Iehu, who is on my side? fling her out: so saith the Lord, will you have pride or mee? If you bee on my side, fling downe that proud, untoward heart, which hinders the Lord Jesus, for taking place in your soules: you paint your selves in a proud hu­mour; but if you bee on Gods side, downe with those painted strumpets. Wee must not onely op­pose great sinnes, but e­very sinne, wee must not sod [...]r with any secret cor­ruption although it be but the appearance of evill, it we must absteine f [...]ō: Mases said leave not a hoofe, nei­ther [Page 62]would hee start an haires bredth from Gods commandement, in any particular, but subdue all.

3. Though the soule cannot bee as it should, yet it doth desire the Lord (whether sinne will or no) to rule us, and lay all flat downe under the go­veremnt of Christ: when the heart findes a great deale of untowardnesse & power of sinne, then it saith, Lord thy Kingdome should prevaile, but the sonnes of Zerviah are too strong for mee; therefore take power to thy selfe and plucke away what e­ver doth oppose thee. It was a good speech of a good Christian, that hee [Page 63]desired the Lord to rule whether he would or no. Thus the soule should be disposed to entreat the Lord that he would break open the doore: when the Lord comes, and we will not open, wee desire the Lord would come in by a kind of violence, the soule intreates the Lord to conquer, to breake in, and make way into the heart, and to take posses­sion wholly in the soule. Now when the soule is loath this should bee, it is a wretched spirit; when the Lord will subdue sin, and we are loath it should bee so, doe wee then pray Christs Kingdome should come? When wee are not [Page 64]able to beare a command of his? no, no, the soule will then labour to op­presse sinne, and pray to the Lord for power a­gainst it.

Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.

This is the third Peti­tion, 3. Petition. and in it are three things observable.

• 1. The order of the same.
• 2. The sence and mean­ing of the words.
• 3. The frame of the heart in the putting up of this petition.

1. For the order, the rea­son is, because the two former petitions, make way for this third, he that glorifies God by all and [Page 65]hath his power set up in his soule, hee onely doth Gods commands; for na­turally there is no ability in man to doe the will of God, but when the spirit works within, then we are able to frame our hearts to Gods will. David be­ing a man after Gods own heart, was alwayes ready to doe his will: this is the reason of the order, of the petition: from the ground thereof observe two in­structions.

• 1. That he that thinkes out of his owne power to doe Gods wil, it is impos­sible hee should doe it: no, hee shall never doe it.
• 2. Wee must first sub­mit to the Kingdome of [Page 66]Christ before we can doe his will; Bee under the government of grace, and then thou mayest goe on cheerefully, wee faile, if before wee have submit­ted wee would bee doing; first, Christ must doe ter­rible things to the heart before it will yeeld to o­bedience; now for the meaning of the words.

Q. What is the will of God?

A. It is the purpose of the Almighty, touching the accomplishment of a­ny thing; there is nothing done but the Lord doth it: whatsoever is brought to passe, that is Gods will in generall. Ephes. 1.

Q. How many kinds of [Page 67] wills is there, or how ma­nifold is the will of God?

A. It is twofold, not in regard of it selfe, but in re­gard of us.

• 1. The revealed will of God.
• 2. The secret will of God.

2. What is the secret will of God?

A. It is that secret pur­pose hee hath in himselfe, before al worlds, and hath not discovered it to the creature. Ephes. 1.9. ha­ving made knowne unto us the mistery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himselfe: the Gospell was hid in the bo­some of the Almighty, not observeable by man or any creature under hea­ven, [Page 68]but now it is re­vealed. 1. Cor. 2. Who knowes the mind of God? the deep things of God? none knowes but the Spi­rit of God; and as it is not made knowne, so wee have nothing to doe with it in this place.

Q. What is the revea­led will of God?

A. It is the purpose of God, which he hath made known to us by his word, and revealed to us in his works.

Q. What is this doing of the will of God?

A. It consists in, and im­plies two things.

1. That what ever God makes knowne to bee his will to lay upon us wee [Page 69]should willingly submit & yeeld unto: if God would have me poore, when it is done wee should ap­proove of the accomplish­ment of Gods will. It is the breach of many com­mands, that when God thwarts our desire, we are unwilling it should bee done. The wife is dis­content that the husband should die, & the husband that the wife should die: never lost man such a wife as I, this is profestly a­gainst this petition.

I held my tongue and said nothing, said the Prophet, will the Lord have it? then not a word more, his spi­rit yeelds presently, takes the stroake, doth not [Page 70]thwart the good will of God; which likewise was the practise of David, E­ly, Hezechia: It is the Lord, let him doe what hee will. Nay, our blessed Sa­viour himselfe saith, not my will, but thy will bee done. This is the folly of our hearts, we take armes against Gods will, God would have us to be poore and wee will be rich. This is not to doe the will of God; though God force us to it, yet that is no thanks to us, we sinne des­peratly in our aversenesse.

2. The heart is not on­ly content with what God doth, whether losse of life, friends, liberty and the like, but there is another [Page 71]will must be done besides: what God reveales to bee a duty must be discharged by us. If there be a truth to bee made knowne un­to us, wee must acquaint our selves with the will of the Lord, and with all diligence practise it. Make my heart one with thine, that I may ever feare thy Name, let thy will bee mine; oh, saith the soule, that I might ever feare thy name! this is to doe the will of God.

Wee doe not say, let it be spoken of, and confer­red of by mee, but let it bee done, let it bee accomplished fully in me; wee must not lift at it, and give GOD good [Page 72]words and talke and leave it undone, but labour to doe it throughly; It is not enough for the child to say, I know what my Fa­ther commands mee, but I will doe what I list: such hearts cannot pray to ex­pect any thing at the hands of God, now and then to looke at a duty saying, I would it were so; away with that sluggish­nesse, to wish the will of God were done, and yet you will have your owne wils, and runne according to your owne fancies.

To this precept it be­longs, that wee should set on others to doe Gods pleasure. In vaine doe we wish it to bee done, and [Page 73]doe not provoke others to doe it; when Agrippa and Paul were grapling together, saith Agrippa, thou hast almost perswaded mee to bee a Christian, not almost, saith Paul, but I would have thee altogether as I am, except these bonds; I would not have thee fet­tered as I am, but enlar­larged in heart to doe Gods will.

Therefore saith Ioshua, I and my house will serve the Lord; he that not only neglects Gods will him­selfe, but hinders others, that man doth not pray this petition aright, he that saith, thy will bee done, and in the meane time withdrawes others by his [Page 74]secret allurements & saith, what, should I bee such a foole? to bee at other mens bow and becke, to sit howling in a corner as thou dost? no, no; well, bee it knowne unto thee, thou that wilt not doe Gods will here, the Lord will have his wil done on thee one day to thy cost; hee that will not doe Gods will here, God will send him packing to hell hereafter, and there hee will execute his will upon him whether he will or no.

Q. How must wee doe the will of God? we doe now and then stumble on a duty; and now and then take up a service, but yet wee are now & then pee­vish [Page 75]and wayward, Is not this enough?

A. No, no, you must doe it in earth, as it is done in heaven, not now to bee some thing, and then to be nothing, now a Saint and then a Divell, but you must cōstantly obey God.

Q Can a man doe the will of God on earth as the blessed Angells doe it in heaven?

A. A man cannot doe it in that measure the An­gells doe it, but wee may doe it as they doe, and performe the same obe­dience with them, though not in quantity, yet in quality; a child followes the father though it can­not runne so fast as the fa­ther; [Page 76]a scholler may imi­tate the copy and write after it, though not write so fast and well. So the servants of the LORD cannot doe the will of God here in that quan­tity that the Angells doe it in heaven, but in quali­ty like them: let their o­bedience be our patterne, not in the measure, but in the manner of it.

Q. In what things must it bee done? how can we expresse any action like theirs?

A. This resemblance is in foure particulars.

1 They doe it readily, they are ready prest at hand to doe the good wil of the Lord, upon all oc­casions. [Page 77]They are not withdrawing themselves, but ready upon every oc­casion to doe what the Lord requires Iob. Job. 1. It is said, that The Sonnes of God appeared before him; they are ever in his sight to give attendance to him, as a handmaid is at the hand of her mistres. So that of Isaiah, They cover their faces before the mercy seat, they cover their faces, in token of awfulnesse and reverence, and cry holy, holy, holy. They are ever before him as a dutifull servant at his masters beck and call.

The Angells ever be­hold the face of God, hee cannot becken but [Page 78]they are at hand: In this readinesse of theirs to doe the will of the Lord, wee should imitate them, to be ever prepared to serve him, not to have our af­fections stragling, but with Abraham, behold thy ser­vant is at hand: thus it should bee with the soule: The Lord saith, you must not have this sinne and that corruption; we must reply, Thy will bee done Lord, not as Moses when the Lord commāded him to goe to Pharoah, saith hee, who am I Lord, send another? no, it should not bee thus with us, wee should be ready at hand: here Lord, speake, for thy servant heareth.

Goe to Paul, Act. 9. saith the Lord to Ananias, and hee went, for all he had been a persecutor. Ionah will goe to Tarshish rather then to Niniveh. Wee should not doe thus, but as Corne­lius, when hee sent for Peter saith, we are all here before God, Act. 10. to take notice of whatsoever it shall please him to reveale to us. Let your lamps bee light and prepared, that whether the bridegroome come at midnight, or at any other time, all may be in a rea­dinesse at a push, when hee calls: when the Lord saith, here is a sinne to be sorrowed for, I submit Lord, saith the soule.

Wee must not let God [Page 80]stay for us to bee haled to any duty, no, but we must attend his will, neither must wee stand it out, I will bee wicked, and I will walke in mine own way stil, so you may perish, and for ever bee damned and goe to hell when you have done: this is not to doe the will of God as it is done in heaven.

The Angels came before God, and the text saith the Divell came also by force, full ill against his will; so wicked men dare not, but they must leave some sins, but that is perforce: they are either constrained to it by the Lawes of men or by the horrour of con­science and the like, not [Page 81]with ready and chearefull spirits.

2. The Angells doe the will of God speedily, they delay not, but are willing and presse in the perfor­mance of Gods will, if the Lord doe but becke they are gone. Isay 6. The An­gells are said to have di­vers wings, some to cover their faces, in token of humiliation, some to co­ver their feet, to shew their speed and hast to performe what God at any time shal enjoyne and commaund.

This we should as they doe, shake off all lingrings of spirit, when wee see a thing should bee done, and God requires it: na­turally [Page 82]wee are marvel­lous lazie in our Christian course, and come like a Beare to the stake, is this to doe the will of our hea­venly Father as the An­gells doe? No certainly: David praysed the Lord with his best abilitie, and ran the wayes of Gods cōmandements, so should wee make hast and delay not.

When the Prophet E­lisha sent his servant to the womans sonne, hee bad him salute no man, make no stay by the way: this marvellous care should be in us: Pray for our lives, and runne on in a Christi­an course for our lives, not to trifle, but to goe with [Page 83]all speed till wee come to our journeyes end, not sluggishly as if a man ca­red not, whether hee did it or no, If profit or plea­sure would be tampering with us, salute them not, wee should take up our re­solutions; if honour and profit would bee hanging about us, fling them off, let us not regard them, but ride post hast.

When our Saviour sent his disciples out to preach, hee bad them cary neither scrip nor staffe to hinder them in their course; when Paul was converted, the text saith, he never con­sulted with flesh and blood, hee adviseth not with car­nall reasonings, but what [Page 84]God commands hee did; so when God calls for du­ty, wee should not rea­son with profit, pleasure and honours, aske them leave, to take up this duty and that performance, If the holy Apostle had done this, it would have hind­red him, but hee con­sulted not with flesh and blood: so we should doe ever what God cōmands: it matters not what men would have of us, but let us have an eye to Gods command.

3. The Angells in hea­ven doe the will of God faithfully; that is, they performe the whole will of God, they faile not to doe it to an haires bredth: [Page 85]hee is a faithfull servant that doth his masters cō ­mand fully, so should a Saint doe: now faithful­nes appeares in 2. things.

• 1. Wee must doe it all as they doe.
• 2. Wee must doe it in the right manner, which God requires.

This is faithfulnesse; the Angells doe not ac­complish what message they will, but God sets it downe, and his good plea­sure takes place. Psal. 103.21. They fulfill the good pleasure of the Lord, they start not at any service, no crosse: they stand not at duty, they doe it, because he commands, so it ought to bee with the hearts of [Page 86]the people of the Lord, wee must not picke and chuse, do it in an aguish fit when wee list; It is said of David, he did all the will of God.

It is sufficient God com­mands, though it be tedi­ous: the Angells care not though all the Divells in hell rage: so the Saints of God should doe: be it te­dious, that skills not, so we may finish our course with comfort; hee doth not picke and chuse, but feares every finne, and takes up every duty.

The text saith, Caleb and Ioshua followed God fully in the dayes of Macaba and Meribah, in the times of trouble: here is an An­gelike [Page 87]spirit, to goe through with the worke. Though father and mo­ther were against thē, yet they would goe on. The contrary was the finne of Sardis, and which God reprooves sharply, I have not found thy works full: it is nothing to do some of Gods will, but wee must doe it all, or else the Lord regards it not. The most wicked will do wel some­times for their own ends, if they bee pleased. That is nothing; thou must doe Gods will pleased or not pleased, or else thou hast a Satanicall spirit; not to say the dayes are trouble­some, but goe through, as the Angells doe.

Secondly, the manner; as we must doe the whole wil of God, so we must doe it after the right manner; not as you will, but as hee re­quires. Thus Abraham when hee was comman­ded to goe offer his Son Isaac, went early in the morning: if hee had been to offer an oxe it had been nothing: but Abraham must give his onely Sonne Isaac, the Sonne of the promise, to be a sacrifice.

So for us not to bee drunke, and commit out ragious finnes, such as all the world crie out of, thats nothing; but thy se­cret lusts, thy beloved I­saaks, they must bee a­bandoned.

4. The Angells doe the will of God constantly: Matth. 18. where they are daily be­fore the face of God, they hold out and persevere to doe Gods will: this should bee our practise: though wee cannot doe it in that manner and so much as they, yet endeavour for it, continue to the death, saith the text, and what then, I will give thee the crowne of life: our reward shall bee for ever, let our labour bee so; a Saint should bee 4. square, the same for ever, not to fall backe to be good in good company, with professors professe, and with swea­rers curse, with drunkards bee drunkards, and with [Page 90]divells bee divells. The blessed Angells doe not thus. The Lord com­mends the good steward, Happy shall that servant bee, whom his Master when be comes shall find so doing, when the Lord shall come and find a Saint persevere unto the end, hee shall be blessed indeed. The An­gells will outbid us in the measure of performance of Gods will: but yet we should bee speedy, ready, faithfull, constant, as they are, in uprightnes, though not in that measure of ex­actnes that they doe.

Q. What is the frame of the heart, in the putting up of this petition?

A. It appeares in two things.

• 1. It is willing to doe it, it selfe.
• 2. It is willing and desi­rous to help and stirre up others to the utmost of its power to doe the will of God.

1. The soule ought to bee forward to know the will of God, and doe it, it selfe: and this appeares in foure particulars.

1. The heart is willing to doe the will of God, in laying downe its owne wil, so farre as it may bee an hinderance in doing Gods will; for oftentimes our will and the will of God are contrary. There is na­turally a refractorie stiffe­nesse, that lifts up it selfe above the Lord; this must [Page 92]bee remooved, not my will saith our Saviour, but thy will bee done. If our wills and Gods, cannot stand together, we must lay down ours. But some­times we say desperately (as they did) wee will walke in our owne wayes, &c. wee will have a King as other nations, wee will have our base lusts, to sway and rule us; but so long as this is in us, we cannot doe the will of the Lord, wee cannot serve two masters, I came not to doe mine owne will, but my Fathers that sent mee, saith our Sauiour. It is often­times with our will and the will of God, as with two buckets, the letting [Page 93]downe of the one is the lifting up of the other, and the lifting up of the other is the letting downe of that; so where wee let downe our owne wills we lift up Gods, but where wee lift up our owne wills wee let downe the good will of the Lord. Now the cause why wee sticke in service & cannot come off is, wee would have our pleasures, we would bee this and that, so that the will of God is justled a­gainst the wall and shut out of dores: but let this distemper bee crusht, and then the will of God will take place.

2. When we have done this, then wee must re­paire [Page 94]to the Lord to know what his pleasure is, take his warrant before we set upon the worke; a con­scionable attendance on Gods will, should be the root & spring of all our a­ctions, not to goe with­out it, but to have our spirits carried by it. This is a master controler that swayes and beares all be­fore him: tell mee not, I cannot doe it for my li­berties sake, &c. But I have no warrant out of GODS will, unlesse the good will of the Lord goe before me, I dare doe nothing. Eph. 5.10.11. proving what is acceptable to the Lord. As the Gold-smith layeth [Page 95]the gold to the touch­ston, so prove your selves, see what is acceptable to the Lord. In the time of the old Law they put on the linnen Ephod and went to enquire of the Lord. Thus Saul enquired of the Lord, whether the men of Kedar would come up: so should wee doe, come to the Lord (that is the touchstone) and see what the Lord would have us to doe, and not goe to a company of carnall coun­sellours to consult with honour, ease, wife, family, &c. Whether shall I suf­fer (saith the soule): sayes honour, if you doe thus, I am laid in the dust; sayes ease and profit, for my [Page 96]part, if you take this course I am utterly undone and lost: then saith the souls, if it bee thus I will not doe it, let all sinke & swimme: thus they doe not Gods will but their owne. But they that doe the will of God, let them enquire what his will is; let honor, ease, profit, world, and all say what it will, they will doe what the Lord will have: wee must not master conscience, (It was the speech of a wicked wretch, one of his com­panions being in horrour of conscience, hee bad him master it as hee did, for before that hee could never live quietly; but now hee was not at all [Page 97]troubled with it, mastering of conscience in English, is searing of conscience) but that must master you and lead you to the per­formance of duty.

3. When this will of God is revealed, we must yeeld unto it without any quarrelling against it, or questioning of it; let the soule bee delivered up to the will of God. As Da vid said, Let my will be one with thine: when the Lord calls, seeke my face, wee should echo, thy Face Lord I seeke: 2. Tim. 2.19. wee should bee prepared for the Lord, so to have our affections strike as the Lord sets them; then wee should doe his will a right, then [Page 98]would it bee in our hearts to doe the will of God, as David saith Psal. 40.

4. Wee should have a couragious constant reso­lution to goe on with that worke and in that way God hath revealed to us and hath laid open before us, so that the soule should say, not my will, but give mee an heart to doe thy will: thus we should have a constant resolution to goe on, not to doe it by fits and starts, but as the Apostle saith, fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold on eternall life; and except a man have this, he prayeth not this petition aright, but out of hypocrisie; it is his owne [Page 99]will, hee seekes not the will of the Lord:now wee come to the second thing: as wee should doe the will of God our selves, so wee should further others, w ^ch appeares in 2. particulars.

• 1. We should further o­thers in discharge of duty.
• 2. We should joine sides with others in the perfor­ming of duty.

1. For the 1. To further others, that is a pregnant place Heb. 10. provoke one another to love, and good works, not only stand by & looke on others, but pro­voke & egge on, & stir up others to doe the will of the Lord. The Lord there commends the Corinthi­ans, 2. Cor. 9.3. because they gave [Page 100]good examples to their brethrē; It is good to have a stirring heart. Sathan sets on others to sinne; a little leaven, leavens the whole lump; a man useth not to be drunke alone, but to draw on others with him; If Sathan and his instruments bee so in evill, how much more ought we to doe the con­trary good?

There is not a duty that more promotes Gods glo­ry then this: wicked men as leaprous persons labor to infect others, so should wee bee forwards to help others; they provoke their fellow servants, and goe about reproving, exhort­ing one another:So should [Page 101]a Christian set on every man, and spurre on others to doe the will of God.

2. Labour likewise to joine sides with them that doe Gods will; It was the practise of the Scribes and Pharisees to lay hea­vy loads and burdens up­on others, but not stirre themselves; but we should lend our helping hand in the performance of duty; when a Cart is at a set, it is not enough to stand by and say; I would it were out, and yet never lend a helping hand, but joyne with others to help it out: and if one teame will not doe, put another to it.

So when another is not able to get out by reason [Page 102]of temptation, then wee must joyne with him and pray & mourne with him. Zach. 8.21. Let us goe to the house of the Lord, and wee will goe also: it is not enough to professe our selves Gods servants, but wee must pray and suffer also if need requires. It was Davids speech, Psal. 34. Let us prayse the Lord together, so if wee would doe Gods will, it is not sufficiēt to pray our selves, but wee must quicken o­thers to pray and study to­gether. It is not enough to wish that Gods will might bee done, and wee stand by, with our hands in our pockets, and doe not provoke on others, but [Page 103]lay reproaches on them; what you pray? I tell you such a heart is professedly against the will of God: These are schollers of the highest forme in Sathans schoole: if ever we desire to effect Gods will, let us set our shoulders to the burden, and help others, all wee can: thus much for the third petition, Thy will bee done.

Give us this day our daily Bread. 4. Petition.

Wee come now to the other three petitions, and they concerne our selves; the first is, concerning the things of this life, and the other two concerning spirituall gifts; and it consists partly in Iustification, part­ly [Page 104]in Sanctification.

Q. But first, for the or­der, why doe wee beg for the things of this life be­fore spirituall mercies, our bodily bread before our spirituall Bread?

A. Because in nature a man must have an out­ward being here before wee have a better: this life is the time of our tra­ding; and after this life there is no grace to bee had; therefore wee must have this life before wee can live everlastingly with God hereafter; no man can get good by the meanes that doth not live; therefore though the o­ther bee more necessary, yet a man except he have [Page 105]this, cannot have the o­ther, that living here bo­dily, we may live spiri­tually hereafter: Now for the sense of the words.

• 1. What is meant by giving.
• 2. What is meant by Bread, with al the circum­stances, dayly bread, and our daily bread.

For the first, the word giving implies 3. things.

• 1. That the Lord out of his goodnesse and wise bounty, would provide what may bee profitable for us, and which we stand in need of; in a word, that hee would supply what­soever we want.
• 2. That hee would pre­serve those good things [Page 106]hee hath bestowed upon us, that hee would graci­ously continue our lot and portion unto us, Psal. 16. Thou maintainest my lot. The Lord doth not onely give a patrimony to his children, but preserves and continues that which is needfull to them.
• 3. That the Lord would bee pleased to send in the sweet of his blessings and mercies hee hath beene pleased to bestow on us; the blessing of the Lord is the staffe of bread. It is not enough to have these blessings, for bread may choake us; the houses wee inhabite may fall upon our heads, if they be not blessed to us. The cove­tous [Page 107]is as if hee had no­thing, if the Lord let in but a secret curse and veine of vengeance into his soule: a man may have many outward blessings, and yet have all the sweetnesse tooke off from them, that many times all that a man hath, may bee a torment unto him: the Lord can take off all the sweet, ther­fore we pray and entreate that the Lord would give us the sweet of them, that they may be comfortable to us, as they are in them­selves.

Q What is meant by bread?

A. Under this word bread, are included all ne­cessary helps and com­forts [Page 108]of this life, what e­ver concernes our lives, good name or estate, all things belonging to these, is bread.

Because bread is the staffe of life, most espe­cially usefull for life: o­ther things are necessary, but a man cannot be with­out this bread, therefore the Lord puts a part for the whole, it including, all blessings necessary for us.

Q What kind of bread must it be?

A. Our bread, not that wee can procure or pur­chase; but the word our, implies, that these things may bee ours in way of right, betweene man and man, that wee may not [Page 109]have them by violence, not to have another mans riches and honours, but that wee have a right to the same by the sweat of our owne browes; not to pluck it from them, but that it may bee ours by our labour, meanes, patri­mony, &c.

Q. What is meant by daily?

A. The word in the ori­ginall signifies substantiall bread, and not barely so much food and cloathes as will keepe the life and soule together, and no more; but that wee may have to our lawfull de­light, as one spake, so much as will keep even at the years end.

Q Why this day?

A. It implies 3. things.

• 1. A daily need of suc­cour that wee have from the Lord; we doe not say give us this month or this quarter, but give us this day, as who should say, wee stand in need of a daily succour from the Lord: the Lord would not have a Christian have too much, least he might be secure, as the rich man in the Gospell, soule take thine ease; thou hast en­ough now: but the Lord would have us come for our breakfast, dinner and supper, and all from him.
• 2. It shewes that a man must bee content with his allowance, his desires [Page 111]should not bee catching after future things; wee beg not for our monthly and quarterly bread, but dayly bread, enough for the present time.
• 3. It implies that wee must pray for this dayly bread, every day a man must be begging and cra­ving of the Lord, this is the meaning of this day: gather then up all and, the summe returnes to thus much; wee in this petition beseech the Lord that all good things that cōcerne life, good name or food, may bee supplied to us, that wee may have more then barely enough, not to wring from others, to bee content with the least [Page 112]pittance, and dayly and continually to begge for those things we want and stand in need of.

Q What is the frame of the heart in the putting up of this petition?

A. It appeares in three things.

• 1. A painefulnesse with care in that course and calling which God calls him to, and sets him in.
• 2. An humble depen­dance on God.
• 3. A quiet contented­nesse with that God al­lowes.

1. For the first, he must bee painefull; no man can say, give mee this day my daily bread, unlesse hee be painefull in his place; if [Page 113]wee expect any thing any otherwise, its a mocking of God; wee must bee faithfull in our places, if wee expect any honour, goods, or good name. It was the Command God gave Gen. 3. In the sweat of thy browes shalt thou eat thy bread all the dayes of thy life; there is no allowance for idlenesse and careles­nesse, the Lord sets Adam to till the ground; so that if wee expect any thing ne­cessary for us, we must take paines: for saith the Apostle, hee that will not labour let him not eat; the diligent hand makes rich.

Obj. But God makes rich you will say.

Arg. It is true, by a dili­gent [Page 114]hand, a scholler must labour if hee will have learning: looke as it is with a man that hath promised another so much, and so much at such a time, and such a place, if hee will come for it; now if the man comes not for it, hee looseth it; Even so it is here, the Lord promiseth successe to our labour, the Lord blesseth the plow­man by his plow, the trades-man by his trade, the scholler in his study; but except wee bee paine­full in our places, wee can expect nothing: the Lord gives us our daily bread, while we walke with him: so that a man hinders him­selfe more by idlenesse [Page 115]than hee profits himselfe by prayer, without dili­gence.

2. The soule must have a dependance on God, when it hath done what it can: a man should be so painefull in the use of the meanes, as though they could doe all, and yet so depend upon God above the meanes, as though all outward meanes, could not doe any good without the Lord; wee must not catch it out of Gods hands but looke to God in the way hee hath chalked out before us, and then expect of him what wee want; It is the Lord, that gives a man substance; In vaine it is, to rise earely in the [Page 116]morning and to goe to bed late, and eat the bread of carefulnesse, except the Lord blesse all, all is in vaine.

Let us looke therefore unto him for all we stand in need of; It is the phrase of the wise man. The bles­sing of the Lord makes rich, it is not policie, craft and outward means that make rich, but the blessing of the Lord: from that ex­pect all: though the plow­man plow, though the gardner manure, cut and prune, yet nothing thrives unlesse the dew of heaven falls: so it is here in our courses, all our labours, paines, meanes and cost, though it bee much and [Page 117]great, yet it wil not thrive unlesse the Lord blesse; The Spirit of the Lord mo ved on the waters, Genes. 2. Let us therefore looke to his blessing upon all: a scholler may labour and take much paines, and yet shal never attaine his ends; either hee shall not have it at all, or if he have, it shalas Vriahs letter choak him at last; except we de­pend on God, all labour and paines is nothing.

3. There must bee a quiet contentednes, with what God bestowes, and we receive, else we crosse our selves: wee pray for bread, would wee then have what wee list? Wee doe not pray for dainties [Page 118]and costlinesse of apparel, but for bread that pittance the Lord shall be pleased to bestow upon us: now if nothing but dainties and curiosities will serve us, it is more than the word al­lowes, & then we can ex­pect to bee bestowed up­on us. If wee have meate and cloth, wee must not looke to the quantity so much, a month or a quar­ter, but goe to the Lord, and let him dispose of all, or else wee beg one thing and desire another.

The Lord will be con­tent to give us bread, not pearles; not to cocker us, but to give us what wee stand in need of. That of Agar, give mee not too much [Page 119]least I bee proud; nor too little, least I put forth my hand to wickednes; but give me food convenient; showes it is better to bee at Gods allowance then our owne: A child happily would have a coate foure or five yards long to tire him, and fire to burne him, but a father will not have it, for feare of harming him.

So wee would flow o­ver, but our Father mea­sures out our portions ac­cording to our need. It is with us as with dieted sick men, they would have hot wines, and salt meats, and eat excessively, but the Physitian orders all their dyets; for if they should have their fill, it [Page 120]would kill them, a full sto­mack would encrease the humour; so the Lord is a marvellous skilfull Physi­tian; wee have proud, hauty hearts, and would have dainties, and if wee should have riches as wee would, God should loose his honour which now he hath by us beeing kept un­der hatches, therefore the Lord diets us: nothing would serve some, if the Lord should not stint thē, but they would bee as proud and saucy as ever they could; therefore the Lord is compelled to diet them: thus wee should be content with the least pit­tance that the Lord sees fit for us: and hee that is [Page 121]thus the Lord will give him enough for his baite in this his pilgrimage; and so much for this peti­tion.

And forgive us our trespasses, &c.

This is the fift petiti­on, touching the good of man, three concerning God, and three concer­ning us, this life and a better: the first wee have handled, and they that concerne our spirituall be­ing follow. Wherein ob­serve,

• 1. The Order.
• 2. The Sense and mean­ing of the words.
• 3. The frame of the heart in putting up this petition.

1. The order, why it is thus placed, namely Iu­stification before Sanctifi­cation: the reason is, be­cause Sanctification flowes from Iustification; Being justified, we are sanctified: first, wee are acquitted of our sinnes, whereof wee stand guilty before God, and then hee sanctifies us: first this, then the other; the other are the springs, & this the maine branch: wee beg for faith and o­ther graces, but all are in­cluded in this.

2. As for the sence of the words, take notice.

• 1. Here is the petition, Forgive us our trespasses.
• 2. The reason, as wee forgive others, or, for even [Page 123]as we forgive others, that trespasse against us, so Lord forgive thou our debts: this is the argu­ment whereby we winne the favour of the Lord.

Q. What is meant by debts.

A. By debts are meant all sinnes, all failings, whether of omission or commission: Now they are called debts, because wee owe all kind of obedience to God, to love him a­bove all, and our neigh­bour as our selves. Now these being the articles of agreement, the slighting & neglect of this same brings us into debt with God.

For first, we are bound to these: Secondly, by [Page 124]breaking these wee de­serve the punishment due to the breach of it: now when wee omit any thing we forfeit and are cast be­hind hand. Thirdly, wee are liable to the execution of the punishment due for the breach of this. Thus all sins are debts.

Q. What is it to for­give?

A. To forgive is this; wee beg that the Lord would bee pleased not to take advantage of us be­cause of our debts; nor yet to proceed in the ri­gour of the Law to doe that it requires. Now our sinnes require wee should bee condemned and exe­cuted: a malefactor for­feiting [Page 125]his bond is cast in his cause, throwne into prison, and execution su­ed out, for the satisfa­ction of his debt: Now wee beg of the Lord, that hee would not condemne us in the Court of con­science, nor execute his Justice on us: this is to forgive, and this proceeds from mercy.

Q. But how can God doe this? will this stand with the Justice of God, not to bee satisfied for our facts; to pardon them without satisfaction for them?

A. No, but though the party doe not satisfy, yet if the surety doe, it is sufficient; so though hee [Page 126]forgive us, yet hee lookes for it at the sureties hand. As the Creditor doth not require the debt at the debtors hands, yet hee doth at his hands that is bound to make satisfacti­on for the same; so the Lord doth not require sa­tisfaction of us, as hee might, to exact the utmost farthing; because thou sin­nest thou shalt die: the Lord will not exact this of us, but he requires this satisfaction of the Lord Jesus. So that God the Father is satisfied though not by us, therein shew­ing mercy on my part, and Justice on Christs part: thus wee see what it is to forgive, that the Lord [Page 127]would not arrest me, but the surety; that he would not exact of me, but take all of Christ.

For we forgive others.

This is made an argu­mēt to prevaile with God: wee beseech God to for­give us: because wee for­give others: as who should say, If we forgive others, forgive thou us; as though first we could not forgive others before God for­give us, hence the questi­on drawes on, namely,

Q. Whether is the soule able to forgive trespasses to others, before the Lord forgive its trespasses?

A. No, our forgiving others doth not goe be­fore our owne forgive­nesse: [Page 128]God must first for­give us before wee can forgive others, because it is a worke of grace to doe this as God requires, and it comes from a gracious disposition of soule which God must put in us be­fore wee can doe it, for sanctification followes Ju­stification. Now to for­give trespasses is a worke of obedience, flowing frō sanctification, which san­ctification followes Justi­fication; as a man should say, a tree brings forth fruit from the sappe in the roote.

Q. But this is used as a cause: we forgive others, therefore forgive thou us, it seemes.

A. No, it is a fruit and effect to make way for this conveiance and assurance: it makes us not to bee just, but declares us to be just: every reason propounded by the word, because it doth not imply a cause; as I proove fire to bee fire thus: that which burnes is fire, but that burnes, ther­fore it is fire: now burning is not the cause of fire, but an effect of it, for first there must bee fire before it can burne: so it is a tree because it beares apples: now apples are not the cause of the tree, but the tree of the fruit.

Q. What is it to forgive the trespasses of our fel­low brethren, and how [Page 130]farre may wee doe it?

A. In the trespasse of a brother three things are considerable.

• 1. The sinne it selfe.
• 2. The guilt of that sin.
• 3. The punishment due to that sinne.

1. Concerning the sin and guilt, wee must know two things, wherein is the answer.

• 1. We must know, that to forgive properly wee cannot, it cannot be done by us, for who can forgive sinnes but God onely? it is one of Gods preroga­tives to forgive sinnes, and no creature can doe the same.
• 2. As the guilt hath a respect to God, so it hath [Page 131]a respect to us; for as he is injured, so are we; when a man steales, it is not onely a wrong to the Law of God, but also a wrong to mee: so farre as the sinne doth respect God, he par­doneth it, and as it con­cernes mee, I forgive him; and this is done when the heart is as willingly con­tent to doe all good to a brother, as though hee had never sinned against him: wee say wee forgive him, but wee will not for­get him: this is not to for­give, but when betweene him and mee there is no­thing to stop the doing of good, this is true forgi­ving.

Q. Whether is a man [Page 132]bound to forgive punish­ment to another, as when one hath stollen any thing from us, should wee not follow the law on him? how farre must a man goe in this case in taking pu­nishment on such an one offending?

A. A man may, nay it may bee so, that a man is bound not to forgive it, but to punish it; and a man should sinne deeply in the neglect of it. If a man hath murthered another, a man is bound to follow the law on him, and to give him the punishment due to the fact.

Q. How farre may a man goe in this case?

A. It appeares in these particulars.

[Page 133]1. When all things con­sidered a man sees it may doe good, then hee is bound to give punishment: when there is nothing but a bridewell will doe a ser­vant good, give it him; when a child is stubborne, give him correction and spare him not; It is as good as his meate: If a wretch belch out his ma­lice, if a man can reforme him by punishment, give it him, who knowes but it may be the best Physicke that hee ever had? and to let him goe unpunished in such a case makes a man guilty of his sinne, because he might have reformed him by this meanes.

2. If this bee a way and [Page 134]meanes to bind a mans hand, and to hinder him from the practise of some sinne; if a man have a suite of law against him, hee is bound to cast him into prison, for that keeps him from sinning deepely. It is a worke of mercy to take a knife from a mad man; so GOD put an opportunity into a mans hands, hee is bound to take the Law, and it is mercy to him thus to doe.

3. When a man cannot otherwise maintaine his owne honour, life or some other particular good, for the taking off his owne wrong, a man is bound in Justice so to doe; as thus, if one should raise a false [Page 135]report upon a man, it is not a worke of Tyranny, but a worke of mercy; hee ought to right his owne wrong by punish­ment, when it cannot be otherwise maintained: we are bound to take this course, for why? mine owne honour, life, and e­state is to bee preferred before others.

4. When this course be­ing Just, will maintaine the goodnesse of a mans profession and Gods glo­ry, this should bee done; when a mans profession lyes at the stake, a man is bound to be meale mouth­ed, but to mak those black-mouthed wretchesknown to others, that they may [Page 136]not dare to bring a scan­dall upon the glorious go­spell of Christ, nor on the professours thereof: thus a man must doe, and yet forgive a man for all this, if his good or mine, or the profession of the Gospell may be furthered thereby: and thus farre a man may goe in these cases and the like.

Q. Now wee come to the force of the argument: how is this an argument to prevaile with God to forgive us, because we for­give others, where lies the force of the argument, what vertue is there in this?

A. It lies in three par­ticulars, this being a spe­ciall [Page 137]meanes to obteine mercy; Lord I forgive o­thers, therfore forgive thou mee.

1. All the mercy I have is not first in my selfe, it is but a river and spring co­ming from the sea; but mercy is first in thy selfe, O Lord, the fountaine and sea of mercy is in thee; Now Lord if I have but some bowells of mercy and some drops of that Ocean of thy mercy, and yet can forgive others, much more then thou the fountaine of mercy canst forgive me.

The servants you know, fel out, and the one pulled the other by the throat, say­ing, pay me that thou owest [Page 138]me; now when the master heard of it, he said, a thou wretch, dost thou deale thus with him, when I dealt so favourably with thee? if a sinner must forgive his brother 77. times, how much more the God of mercy? if hee that had but some mercy received from the fountaine, how much more the Lord the fountaine?

2. As wee have it not from our selves, but from God; so also that we have is mixt with a great deale of spleene; though some compassion, yet mingled with a great deale of en­vy; though some mercy, yet mingled with a great deale of cruelty: there is [Page 139]a great deale of darkenes with this little star-light: but the Lord hath all love without any hatred, all mercy without any cruel­ty, there is no hinderance in the Lord to hinder him: Now the soule saith, Lord, if I that have a great deale of malice can forgive my brethren, then how much more thou that hast all mercy and no spleene wilt forgive, if men humble their foules before thee?

3. That mercy that is in us, is but little; but it is in­finit in the Lord: what we can doe is but the first fruit, a drop, a graine, a mustard seed, but abun­dant in the Lord: the soule [Page 140]saith, Lord thou art boundlesse and bottom­lesse in mercy, how much more wilt thou forgive? true, Lord, the talents & debts whereby wee are engaged unto thee are ma­ny, & great; but yet if wee poore creatures that have but from the fountaine, & that wee have is mingled with a great deale of ma­lice, and that but a drop, and yet can forgive, how much more thou that hast all first from thy selfe, and purely without all mix­ture of envy, and in an in­finite abundance, how much more canst thou forgive whom thou wilt? therfore Lord forgive us, for we forgive others.

Q. How ought the soule to bee framed in the put­ting up of this petition?

A. It appeares in foure particulars.

1. The soule must see and acknowledge it selfe guilty of those sinnes that appeare in his life: wee must see our selves stand in need of forgivenesse; now wee cannot doe this till we see our selves faul­ty; he that owes nothing, what need hee crave for­givenesse? so forgivenesse of sinnes implies, that we are guilty thereof, and li­able to the punishment due to sinne.

They that confesse sin and forsake it, shall find mercy. Prov. 28.14. first [Page 142]find thy sinnes, then find Gods mercy. 1. Cor. 11. If we would judge our selves, we should not bee judged: hee that would have God forgive him, must not forgive himselfe; as a malefactor that stickes to his owne innocency, and will not acknowledge any guilt, in vaine hee desires to bee forgiven, so a sinner is a malefactor before Gods tribunall: now if hee will not confesse, he shal never find mercy at the hand of the Lord.

2. Wee must labour to have the heart see its own inability to satisfy for sin, or to beare Gods Indict­ment hee shall passe upon the soule that is guilty: the [Page 143]soule acknowledgeth it selfe unable to answer one of a thousand. Behold (saith the Psalmist) Lord if thou shouldst enter into Iudge­ment, who were able to abide it? but there is mercy with thee, that thou maist be fear­ed. We are banquerouts, wee cannot answer the debt, nor beare the suite: if the debtor bee able to answer the debt, or pay the money, hee cares for no kindnesse.

The sinner is the deb­tor, and if I can satisfie Gods Justice, what need I care? if I can abide it, what need I crave favor? but when it comes to this, who can abide it? then it is the LORD must pardon [Page 144]what ever is amisse; where ever the sinner goes, hee cannot avoid the suite, he needs no pursevant to fol­low him: conscience is arresting, and the Divell accusing, therefore hee fals downe and cries mer­cy, mercy to pardon the suite; the soule is not able to beare the suite, the Church complaines of it, behold our righteousnesse is as a menstruous cloth, and they Ezeoh. 36.31. judge themselves worthy to bee condemned: now in that I say forgive, I say I cannot satisfy for my sinne.

3. Wee should seeke to God and his grace, for what we need; we should [Page 145]knowledge it his free mer­cy; when the soule sees there is mercy in God for him, then it is fitted to pray for this petition. For should I conceave God were severe, though I re­nounced my sinne, yet I could not seeke him: God is not extreame and rigo­rous, but hee hath mercy in store for them that seek him in truth and sincerity, therefore wee should ap­prehend two things.

1. That God desires not to deale rigorously, wee should perswade our harts that God is desirous to welcome our prayers. The Lord is said to bee abun­dant in goodnes and mercy; Ex. 34. the Lord is ready to suc­cour [Page 146]our infirmities. If we abound in misery, the Lord will abound in mer­cy: the phrase is, multi­plying mercy, therefore the Apostle calls him, the Father of mercy and the God of all consolati­on: wee have new vexati­ons, he hath new compas­sions, nay, God hath more good then we can desire, hee performes more then promiseth, hee is abun­dant in truth above all that hee hath revealed himselfe to bee in his word, Isay 55.7. Our God is mercifull and a­bundant in forgivenesse, hee multiplies pardons, hee hath pardons in store, mercie to pardon any [Page 147]poore soule, But saith the soule, what? my sinnes committed and continued in? Marke what he adds, his thoughts of mercy are larger in giving then ours in craving. Eph. 2. hee is able to doe above what wee can aske orthinke.

It was but cold com­fort Isaac gave to Esau, he had but one blessing: so if GODS mercies should come to an end, it were but poore comfort: when the soule should say Lord give mee, and the Lord should say all is drawne dry; but there is enough in God to doe us good: what availes it though a father have a tender and a good heart [Page 148]to his child, if hee hath not to give it what it askes or stands in need of? but our heavenly father a­bounds in goodnesse.

2. God as hee hath a­bundance of good, so hee is free and ready to be­stow it. Isay 55.1. Ho, e­very one that thirsteth, let him buy milke and hony without money or price: wee would bee content to have wine, but wee have no money to buy it, there­fore God adds, though you bee not able to pay for it, yet take it. Mich. 7.18. Who is a God like our God, who pardons sins, because mercy plea­seth him? the pardoning of our sinnes is like the o­verthrowing [Page 149]of Pharaoh in the sea: God doth it not so much, because wee please him, but because his mercy pleaseth him, he doth it freely.

4. Wee must bee con­tent to waite for this mer­cy wee stand in need of: wee must waite for it and be confidently perswaded of it, else wee crosse the tenure of forgivenes, Held. 11. God gives mercy to none but those that waite for it: in that we aske par­don, wee are resolved to waite for it, (for so much is implied) a pardon in law is not authenticall un­till it bee sealed. So God saith he, will pardon us: but this is not [...]uthenticall [Page 150]untill wee have set to our seale; hee saith, hee will give freely, wee say, wee wil waite constantly. Psal. 37.5. Commit thy waies to God, and hee will care for thee: hee that thus begs forgivenesse shall un­doubtedly obtaine it at the hand of the Lord.

And lead us not into temptation. 6. Petition.

This consists of sancti­fication both begun here and ended in glorification, sanctification frees from the power of sinne, glori­fication frees from the presence of sinne.

1. For the order, sancti­fication flowes from Justi­fication; when sinne is pardoned we have the spi­rit [Page 151]of Christ which con­veyes all to us: we are first justified, then sanctified.

2. For the sence of the words, here are 2. things:

• 1. What wee desire God should not doe, lead us not into temptation.
• 2. What he should doe, deliver us from evill.

Q. What is meant by temptation?

A. A triall or assault whereby a mans strength is tried; now they are double.

1. Deliverance into e­vill.

2. A proofe of the soundnesse of grace: the first is especially intend­ed, all the assaults of the soule by sinne, Sathan or [Page 152]the world wherby either our faith may be shaken or we withdrawn from God to evill: sometimes there are good temptations of proving or expressing our grace; these in some sence may have place in this pe­tition: God tries us on this manner, and wee pray him that hee would not try us more then wee are able to beare.

Q. What is it to bee led into temptation?

A.

• 1. When temptati­ons pursue us.
• 2. When they doe foile us assaulting of us.
• 3. When temptation doth totally vanquish us.

Now wee pray in this petition, that temptations [Page 153]may not pursue us, or pur­suing us, that they may not foile us, and though wee bee foiled by them, yet that wee may recover our selves; we desire that corruptions would not be­siege us, or if they doe, yet not conquer, but that we may recover our selves after we are overcome.

Q. Can God lead into temptation?

A. The Apostle ex­plaines it I am. 1.13. God cannot tempt to evill, hee that is goodnesse it selfe cannot provoke a man to sinne: the Lord doth not put malice into any mans heart, God cannot bee properly the cause of drawing any man to wic­kednesse. [Page 154]There are tryals of proofe indeed: the Lord may try his, as hee did Abraham. Gen. 22.1. A man doth not hurt his armour if it be good when as hee prooves it: so God intends no evill to a man when as hee thus deales with him.

Q. In what manner doth God lead us into tempta­tion.

A. Hee doth it three wayes.

1. When the Lord withdrawes not those nets that are laid for us: when GOD removes not our stumbling blocks: nay, God may put an object of temptatiō before us. Thus a master may lay a baite [Page 155]for his servant by putting money in a corner; now it is lawfull thus, for a man to leave his money to discerne whether his ser­vant be faithfull or no; he desires not that he should steale, but that he may try his fidelity. So God justly permitteth occasions.

There must be heresies for the triall of Gods ser­vants. They that pitch their net first, let it fall, and then take it up, this is to raine snares. The fa­vour of God accidental­ly is but a baite to a wic­ked man, his prosperity is his ruine; it is just with God to deale so, because wicked men desire it: So Iudas would faine have [Page 156]gotten something by the ointment; it is just with God to suffer the Phari­sees to give him 30. pence and ruine too. Now his mind is pleased, hee hath 30 ^d. and damnation too.

2. As God suffers occa­sions, so hee lets sinne and Sathan loose; a mans hart would faine bee hanker­ing, and God gives him up to his hearts lusts say­ing: take him sinne and Sa­than, let him have field roome. 1 King. 22.22. A­hab would faine goe to warre, it was a thing not allowed, but hee desired it; therefore God sends the Divell: God askes who will prevaile over Ahab? the Divell saith, I [Page 157]will goe: then God saith, goe and doe it.

Abimelech and the men of Sichem did very ill; Jud. 9.23. then God sent an evill spi­rit, that is, hee let loose the spirit of contenti­on, and they destroy­ed him, and hee la­boured to destroy them, so God. Rom. 1. is said to give them up, when they departed from the go­vernment of the truth: no, saith God, will you not be ruled by holines? then take uncleanenesse: many a man that hath a wrathfull disposition, take him envy saith God, let him bring blood on o­thers, and so ruine to him­selfe: thus God tooke a­way [Page 158]his spirit from Saul, and gave him up to sinfull distempers; of all plagues there is none that is like this.

3. God leaves a man to himselfe, and lendes him not the assistance of his grace, but suffers him and Sathan to grapple toge­ther.

Thus he dealt with He-Zechiah; 2 Chron. 32.31. who because he had a lease of his life, begā to bee proud: now God left him to himselfe, to see what was in him; hee thought himselfe a brave man, therfore God leaves him; as a father lets a child goe when hee will not be held, so saith God, see what thou canst doe, [Page 159]try thine owne strength.

But deliver us from evill.

Hence observe, that though God would doe nothing against us, yet we are not able to deliver our selves from our corrupt heart.

Q. What is meant by evill?

A. Not so much trou­ble or punishment, as sin; in it are three things.

• 1. The breach of the Law.
• 2. The guilt that a man gets by this breach, and so is liable to this punish­ment.
• 3. The vigour of sinne, which rules over the soule; the two former, [Page 160]wee pray against, in the fifth petition; because we stand guilty of the breach of the Law. Therefore wee pray that hee would not enter into judgement with us: wee pray now a­gainst the power of sin, and that is in three particu­lars.

1. Sinne would be a co­mander over the soule; it is the King, Sathan is the Jaylour; it hath a Kingly soveraigne authority and would rule over him: sin is often compared to a King, his servants are his obeyers; sinne is a master, (at least it would bee) it is so in every naturall foule, and it would bee so in the godly: the law of life, saith [Page 161]the Apostle, hath freed mee from the law of death. Rom. 8.2. sinne gives par­liament lawes and edicts to the soule; and as the Centurion bad one servant goe and hee went, and an­other come and hee came, so doth sinne say, pride it is my pleasure you should bee proud, therefore I would have you imperiall and snappish: sayes anger, I would have you splene­ticke and rage; sayes the soule, then I will, it shall be done: thus sinne sets up it selfe as supreame in the soule: hence a proud heart saith, I will doe that I list, say God what hee will; tell not mee of lawes, it is my mind. Thus your [Page 162]proud heart sets you lawes and you yeeld to them. Now wee pray here that how soever sin bee in the soule, yet that God would snib it, that it may bee an underling, and daily bee subdued in us.

2. As sinne desires to set up a master like rule, and a supreame, soveraigne Lord-like dominion, so sinne carries the soule and sometimes separates it frō God; whereas the com­mand of God should be a guide to us and take place in our hearts, this autho­rity takes up armes, re­sists, and stands in defi­ance against the rule of the spirit; hence came these phrases, they forsooke [Page 163]God, and turned their backs to his Commands.

What saith pride, shall I be a slave, that the world should awe mee, and snub me? I will never yeeld it while I live, I will dye first: this is a Divell that drawes you from God and will carry you to hell, Rom. 7.23. That is the meaning of this place, sin carries a man captive; when the soule sees it selfe so ruled by him, a gratious hart would teare it selfe off if it could; but a naturall man is a slave to sinne, and dares not affect any good in another nor labour for it himselfe.

3. Sinne leaves a kind of blemish and staine upon [Page 164]the soule; after the Com­mission of it there is a kind of jarring to the heart and of running wrong in the soule. Peter after his deni­all of Christ was averted from Christ; so a man af­ter sinne shall find him­selfe so dull to any good and prone to any evil; this is the staine of sin: when a mans arme is put out of joint, besides the fall there is a bruise, so after a man hath broken the com­mandements of the Lord, the law unjoints him, hee is more awke to any good then ever, Gal. 6. If any man be unjointed by sin, so that of the Romans, wound their owne soules, this sin doth. Now these [Page 165]wee pray against, partly against the power of sin, partly against the authori­ty of sinne, partly against the staine of sinne.

But deliver us from evill.

To deliver from evill implies three things.

1. Wee pray that the Lord would prevēt those occasions and stragglings of sinne that trouble us; wee pray that hee would take off these distempers, whereby sinne would lay siege against the soule, that hee would remove those things that would remoove us from him. This wisdome promiseth. Prov. 6.21. That shee will walke with them, that walke with her; shee will keep [Page 166]them from the way of the wicked woman: sinne is like an harlot, therefore the Lord is pleased to ex­presse it after that man­ner.

Now it is the mercy of God that hee will turne our eyes from beholding of vanity, that there may not bee violence of sinne assaulting us, now wee pray therefore that wee may not come into the battaile, if it be possible: and that sin may not come in against us.

2. That the Lord would assist us in the temptation that the temptation may not prevaile. It is a mercy not to bee tempted; but if wee must needs bee, it [Page 167]is a great mercy not to be overcome by temptation; if he will not wholly pre­vent us by his grace, yet to assist us gratiously in it: It is mercy not to bee as­saulted, and though as­saulted yet assisted.

Now this assistance of God is twofold; either extraordinary, or medi­ate, by the meanes: wee speake not so much of the first, though that be true, but wee crave both at the hand of the Lord.

1. Sometimes we crave for the extraordinary help and assistance of the Lord, to assist us even above meanes & in the meanes: wee know the Lord in the time of Queene Mary did [Page 168]help wonderfully; their temptations were grie­vous, and afflictions great, yet the Lord did help them extraordinarily, hee did let in abundance of sweetnesse: but wee passe this, and come to the o­ther.

2. Wee pray especially for such meanes as may help us, and that appeares in foure particulars.

1. That the Lord would discover the enemy be­fore hee come, that hee would make knowne un­to us the engins, wiles and depths of Sathan, and the subtilty of our owne cor­rupt hearts, which are rea­dy on every hand to sur­prize us. For to be surpri­zed [Page 169]before wee are aware is great danger. Therfore wee pray that the Lord would give us the spirit of Revelation, that wee may take notice of the engines of Sathan, and that hee may be discover­ed to us. The discovery (wee know) of an evill is a meanes to prevent it, & not foreseeing misery, we cannot prevent it; he that sees not an evill before it comes wil be overthrown by it when it comes: Ma­ny a man perisheth by pride & knowes not what hurts him; this corrupti­on blowes up the soule. This the Lord promised, Isay 30.21. Thou shalt heare a word behind thee [Page 170]saying this is the way; that GOD may keep a man from sinne hee sends the Spirit of Christ to say, this is the way, walke in it. The text saith, 2 Cor. 2. there speaking of the ince­stuous man, wee are not ignorant of the methods of Sathan: so we pray the Lord that hee would dis­cover the methods of Sa­than to us. Matt. 26. When the great skirmish was to come, our Saviour forewarned Peter & said, I wil smite the shepheard, &c. And saith, watch and pray; for the houre is come: hee gives him the warning peece: wee pray thē that God would make knowne to us the engines [Page 171]of sinne and Sathan be­fore they come. Wee know it is a great help in warre to know the quar­ters & orders of enemies, that so a man may order his according thereunto. So wee must know where the Divell and our cor­ruptions lye quartered, & know what be the haunts of our wretched harts, & so order the helps God hath put into our hands for the resisting of them.

2. That the Lord as it were, would entrench a­bout us, if wee bee not foretold of the enemies; that if wee should not see sinne to prevent it, yet that God would lay some hea­vy impediment upon us, [Page 172]and build some trench a­bout us, that wee may not commit those evills wee are tempted unto; that though hee doth not re­veale the policy of Sa­than, yet that hee would lay some snares that wee may not commit that sin w ^ch otherwise wee would doe: and this is a marvel­lous mercy, Gen. 20.7. Abimelech tooke Sarah and thought she had been Abrahams sister, as hee himselfe told him; and no question hee had a pur­pose to take her to be his wife, but the Lord laid an impediment, the LORD kept Abimelech from Sa­rah; hee tooke off the edge of his desire and laid [Page 173]a barre betweene them.

Hos. 2.6.7. The Church was running after her a­bominations: now how did the Lord prevent her? The text saith, I will hedge thy wayes with thornes, and build a wall about thee: the lovers were corruptions, and the following of them was the eager pursuite of thē. Now God hedges the wayes with thornes, that is, hee layes afflictions on her, that she had no liber­ty to sinne, so that shee hath enough to doe, to mind her owne miseries: sometimes a man is addi­cted to base company, and then the Lord layes sick­nesse upon him to prison him and keep him from [Page 174]that sinne, this is Mercy.

3. The Lord puts ar­mour and weapons on them, to fight against their enemies that are op­posite to his grace and children. Ephe. 6. from the 10. to the 18. bee yee strengthned in all might putting on all spirituall a­bilities, to bee strength­ned in every good worke: God saith, hee covers the head of his. 1. Pet. 15. God keepes them by the power of his grace: God gives his the whole ar­mour, the sword of faith, the brest plate of righte­ousnes to quench the firy darts of Sathan, and to re­sist him.

4. God gives a domi­nion [Page 175]over and a conquest of all our enemies, and o­ver all our victorious cor­ruptions: hee gives a hap­py issue and successe with the fight, hee gives issues with the victory, Rev. 1.6. hee hath made us Kings, that is, hee hath given us a Kingly authority over all our corruptions. So Rom. 6. sinne shall not have do­minion over you: and Psal. 119.133. Let no iniquity have dominion over mee: thus the Lord assists his in trouble.

3. As wee pray that the Lord would prevent the occasions of evill, and if they come to assist us in them: So lastly, if we bee foyled and brought under [Page 176]by the temptations of Sa­than and our owne cor­ruption, that the Lord would rescue us from thē, that have had too much power over us, and too too much prevailed a­gainst us. This wee know was the request and desire of the Prophet David. Psal. 39. O spare me, that I may recover strength, be­fore I goe away hence and bee no more seene: as who should say, my base lusts are too strong for mee; These hands were stout, but now feeble, therefore good Lord give mee that former strength: his sins were as sickenesse, there­fore hee saith, I knew the time when I had a broken [Page 177]heart for my transgressi­on, but now a hardned; therefore O Lord, spare mee a little while before I goe hence and be no more seene, that I may reco­ver my former zeale and strength againe. Rom. 8.2. The law of the spirit of life in Christ, hath made mee free from the Law of sin and death, saith Paul. Sinne makes Lawes, but we entreate the Lord that hee would prevent corruption, that he would assist us in temptations or­dinarily and extraordina­rily, that hee would disco­ver the enemy before hee come, that hee would en­trench about us, vouchsafe us armour and weapons to resist, & give us dominion [Page 178]over our enemies, and if we bee overcome, that he would rescue and recover us out of them all: this is the summe of this petitiō.

Now wee come to the frame of heart that wee should bring before God, that so wee may bee fit to receive the good wee sue for, from his hands.

Q. First, wherein doth this appeare?

A. The frame of heart and disposition of soule that best beseemes us in the putting up of this peti­tion appeares principally in foure things.

1. When wee truly de­sire that the Lord would not let us bee drawne a­s [...] or lead into temp­tation, [Page 179]we must labour to auoid all such occasions as may be too strong for us, or prevaile over us. In vaine wee desire to be de­livered from evill, when wee rush into evill; as if a man should take pitch into his hands and desire not to bee defiled, or put fire into his bosome and pray not to be burnt; this is a slighting of Gods mercy and provoking of him to wrath, rather then a begging of favour.

Wee would count it a madnes for a man to cast himselfe into the sea, and then desire to bee saved, to make our selves sicke, that God may make us whole againe; it is nothing [Page 180]else but (as wee may say so) to make God worke: thus to run into evill and then to pray the Lord, hee would deliver us from evill, it is a provoking & mocking of the Lord: the wise mans rule is here me­morable, Prov. 23.2. & 3. If a man bee given to his appetite, Let him put a knife to his throate; if thou lovest the wine, looke not upon it: if a man be given to his appetite, it is in vaine to pray against it; & yet cate, but put thy knife to thy throate, absteine therefrom: please not thy appetite.

The promise and the providence of God goe together, Psal. 90. hee will suc­cour [Page 181]and relieve us, but it must bee in the way of his providence: hee that goes out of the way, and craves Gods assistance, shall ne­ver have it, but hales on evill to himselfe. Matth. 18. Our Saviour speak­ing of offences, saith, If thy hand cause thee to offēd, cut it off, and if thy eye cause thee to offend plucke it out, that is, were thy sinnes as deare to thee as thy right hand in regard of profit, or thy right eye in regard of pleasure, cut them off, pluck them out, fling them away rather then bee foiled by them. In vaine wee crave the as­sistance of the Lord, and in the meane time lay [Page 182]blocks before us, It is meere presumption.

No marvell then if ma­ny times the Lord leaves a man, because hee strives not after that hee prayes for. It is enough to cause the Lord to curse us, when wee doe not avoid the oc­casions of evill; hee that will not fall into the pit, let him not come neere the brinke of it; hee that will not be snared by evil, let him shunne, and avoid all the occasions of evill.

2. If wee bee weake of our selves and cannot pre­vern the occasions of evil, yet bee carefull to seeke all such meanes as may be succourable and holpefull to us; if wee cannot help [Page 183]out, these wil surprize us. Let us seeke the meanes to succour us in our need: the sicke man that craves succour of the Lord must use the meanes the Lord hath appointed; happily thou findest temptations pressing on in thy calling, thou canst not avoid it: the more the occasions are, the more seeke for meanes that may fortifie thee; hee that will bee healed let him seeke the Physician; hee that is out of the way and would bee set in the right way, let him enquire it out, and not sit still and say, Lord have mercy upon mee, but seeke.

It was that which Ioshua [Page 184]did; Jos. 7. he called, yet the Lord did not help him, but said, Why dost thou so? Israel hath sinned, looke out the execrable thing. Israel hath sinned, looke to that; It is in vaine to pray that the enemy may not prevaile, if wee labour not to roote him out of the Camp; doe that throughly, and then the overthrow of thine enemies will be ea­sy to thee.

3. When we have found the meanes, labour to bee content to bee ordered by all the meanes and helps that God hath been plea­sed to ordaine for our good. It is a madnesse to crave as Balaam, Oh that I might dye, &c. and yet [Page 185]see the way, and will not walke in it. Ier. 42. They said to the Prophet, en­quire at the word of the Lord, and what ever hee commandeth we wil do; but when they heard and knew it, they would not o­bey the same.

In vaine it is to crave the pardon of sinne, when we looke not to the promise; to desire sinne to bee sub­dued, & yet cannot abide the meanes that should doe it. When a man saith, I will not be counselled, but will have my proud heart and will walke in mine owne wayes, how can such a one say, deliver me from this proud heart, when he wil not let coun­sell [Page 186]take place? when a man is in horror of heart, when conscience flyes in his face, it is in vaine to whine then, and yet wilt not thou bee ruled by the word of God, but doe as vaine as ever, as loose as ever, as idle as ever: thou beggest one thing & dost practise another thing, & so long let us never put up this petition.

4. We must rely on the Lord for a blessing on all, a successe in all, so use the meanes as if there were no promise to help and yet so depend upon God for all, as if the meanes could doe nothing, ob­serve all thy occasions, & say counsell and advice is [Page 187]good, but the Lord must set them on; man lives not by bread onely, but by the blessing of God in the meanes; goe to the spirit of the Lord, and see there a greater power then in all meanes; 2 Kings 2. If thou canst see mee taken up, then shalt thou have my spirit doubled upon thee. If thou seest the God that takes mee up, then hee wil give thee his Spirit; looke to God a­bove all meanes, and hee that is thus disposed, that man prayes aright to bee delivered.

For thine is the Kingdome.

We have done with the six petitions, three con­cerning God his name, Kingdome, will, three [Page 188]concerning our selves, cō ­cerning things of this life, of a better, Justification, Sanctification: wee come now to the conclusion, and in it consider two things.

• 1. The thanksgiving.
• 2. The conclusion of faith in the word Amen.

In the thanksgiving is in­cluded both a reason of the petition, as also a forme of thanksgiving, as who should say, wee doe not presume wee can doe any thing, but that thou wouldest work in us what thou requirest of us, for thine is the Kingdome. It is not in our power to doe what wee should or what thou requirest, but the Kingdome is thine, all [Page 189]comes from thee O Lord, and let all the glory of all bee returned to thee a­gaine: doe wee hallow thy name and pray for thy Kingdome to come and thy will to be done? why it is thou Lord that must give the power; we beg all from him, and it is in­cluded in the word, for we have no power to doe any thing: so that this is the ground whereby wee beg all from him, and re­turne all to him.

Q. What is here ment by Kingdome?

A. 1. The word King­dome discovers all the right & authority of God to give all things we want: thou Lord hast the dispo­sing [Page 190]of all things we have, no authoritie or proprie­ty that is in us, thine is the Kingdome, thou hast all power to doe what thou wilt. The master doth what hee will in his fa­mily, and the King rules in his realme, so doth the Lord rule in the heart of his.

2. The Lord hath not onely authority to doe what he will, but full and aboundant sufficiency to dispose of all according to his will and pleasure, Kings may want power to doe what they would, and the sonnes of Zerviah may bee too strong for David; but as the Lord hath title to al, so his arme [Page 191]is large enough, his ability sufficient enough to doe all; so that the soule saith, to doe all, thou hast right to al, and sufficiency to doe all. There is much infirmity in us, but none at all in thee.

And the Glory.

The glory of a thing we know appeares in two things.

• 1. In the excellency of it.
• 2. In the beauty and splendour of its excellen­cy: this sets forth the glo­ry of things, as who should say, if any beauty, excellency or glory bee in the creature, it is thine O Lord, for thine is the [Page 192]Kingdome, the power, and the glory.

Thine.

Q. What doth this word (thine) imply?

A. It implies three par­ticulars.

• 1. That all authority, sufficiency and excellency is first in God, all is his possession and propriety; any thing we have or en­joy, is but what wee have of him, it is but a glimpse and reflexion of the glo­ry of God, it is all first in God, and he leases it out: God is the roote of all our being and wel-being.
• 2. As all power and suf­ficiēcie is in him original­ly, so all comes from him; whatsoever is in the crea­ture [Page 193]comes from God, all [...]re but tenants and Les­ [...]ees of that they have from the Lord, who is the great possessor of heaven and earth.
• 3. It implyes that wee should acknowledge all belonging to him, give every man his due, whose is this honour and power; the Lords, let him have it then, and this is to put off all ability, and sufficiency from our selves, and to ac­knowledge all to come from him: As though the soule should say; Is there any thing in me Lord, it is because thou givest it. Thou givest us hearts to pray, and it is thou that hearest us when we pray. [Page 194]It is all free mercy, all a­bilities are from thee; therefore, Lord take all the glory, for all is thine; Thus the soule disclaimes it selfe.

For ever and ever, &c.

That is, ever lasting pow­er is in thee, which differs from all other power, all mans power is from God, but the kingdome of God, his power, and glory, is for ever and ever; We can­not pray alwayes, our abi­lities fayl, and our hearts faint, but thy power en­dures for ever: the good things of this life, meate, drinke, cloth, &c. some­times are gone, but yet thy power endures, for e­ver to succour us. When [Page 195]our abilities fayle, yet there is eternall power in thee to renew them.

Amen.

The word Amen, implyes three things.

• 1. The terme of asseve­ration, and it discovers the truth of a thing.
• 2. A wish, Oh (saith the soule) that it might be!
• 3. The voyce of a con­fident faith. It is so, it is done Lord. All these three are implyed, but this last here mainely intended. These things wee have prayed for, beleeving ac­cording to thy will that they are verily done. As also there is a secret look­ing after the Petition whē it is put up, the soule pur­sues [Page 196]his prayers; now saith the soule, they speed; now the Lord grants my Peti­tions. As a man that shoots an arrow, he lookes after it; So the soule saith, Oh that the Lord would speed it. So when the pe­titions are sent to Heaven the heart followes the blow, and lookes after them; it sends his Amen, Oh that it might be so! and then faith saith, It is done undoubtedly, as true as the Lord is faithfull, it must needs be done. The word [Amen] strikes the match thorow. The soule wisheth, Oh that it might be done! saith Faith, it is done already. Prayer is as the key; when a man [Page 51] [...] [Page 52] [...] [Page 53] [...] [Page 54] [...] [Page 197]wants provision, he goes to the treasury and fetch­eth it; So Prayer fetcheth comfort, peace and assu­rance; &c. and Amen turnes the key. It is mine saith the soule, Prayer is as a golden Key.

AN EXPOSITION OF THE Principles of Religion.