Our Father.

FIrst, observe that it is the tearme of relation, and it is in two things:

• 1. Consider the sense of the words.
• 2. The Motives.

For the sense of the words, three things are im­plyed.

First, a proprietie: an interest we have to chal­lenge 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 is our Land, so when we say Our Eather, we imply a speciall claime to God; all that compassion and mercy in God is mine, as Nabal said It is my meat. Deut. 32. The word my implyes a possession, Deut. 32. Our God is not like the gods of the Heathens: and as Job saith, My Redeemer liveth.

Secondly, this laying claime to God, implyes a communitie to all the houshold of God; as the Sun is every mans, so God is every mans that is faithfull.

Thirdly, 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 agtee with the head, so they are helpfull; so God is help­full to all his faithfull ones.

Now the Motives whereby the soule may be furnished to call on God are three:

First, a cheerfull readines to repair unto the Lord; 1. Motive. & why, we have an interest in him, he is our Father. The interest a childe hath in his father stirs him to come readily to his Father, he craves not of a stran­ger, as when the childe cryed they did carry him to his mother; If any thing befalls the childe, he saith, I will tell my father, and complaine to my mother, and the like: So aske the childe, who will provide for him? he saith, My father: So it is here with our God. There is a fresh and living way that is mar­vellous easie and open, Whosoever seeks shall finde, whosoever knocks it shall be opened unto him; there­fore whatever our injuries be we should not com­plain to the world: No, poure forth your prayers to your Father, and he will be sure to hear you.

Secondly, as there should be a chearie readinesse to come to the Lord, 2. Motive. so there should be a spirituall boldnes to challenge what may be needfull. Among strangers we are strange, but amongst friends we are bold; we have a right and title to these things, and we may be bold with our own. Thus David [Page 8]challengeth God, As thou art faithful deliver me, I am thy servant, &c. If a servant wants food or raiment he goes to his master: So saith David, I am thy ser­vant, therefore give me understanding that I may live. When they bragged of Paul and Apollo, saith he, All is yours. This should comfort our hearts; let us claime our portions, God is our Father, and he will give it: therefore be humbled in regard of your weaknesse and unworthinesse, and confident in regard of his mercy, and walk comfortably in regard of the Lord. If I should see the childe doubt in regard of my readinesse, I should wonder: Care not, saith he, it is your owne, and he is our Father, Marth. 6. 32. 3, Motive. and all that is in him is ours, Matth. 6.32.

Thirdly, this stirs up our hearts to have a fellow-feeling of our brethrens misery in our prayers, therefore God cuts off all in-seekings of our own. Our, as if he should say, Is there never a Joseph in prison, never a Daniel in the Lions den, remember and pray for them. If one suffer all suffers, we are all members of one body; we should mourne with those that mourne, and weep with them that weep, Isa. Isai. 58. 58. Pus up a Prayer for the remnant: Oh that our hearts would have a fellow-feeling of their trouble. Ephes. 6. Paul begs for prayers as for a peny, Eph. 6. for me also; nay, he intreats the Romans to wrastle for him in prayer.

Which art in Heaven, &c.

FIrst, we are to open the sence of the word Hea­ven; secondly, the motives to move the heart thereto.

Whether is God more in Heaven then in any other place? Quest.

No: Resp. God, in regard of his essence, is in all pla­ces alike, he is wholly every where. The Godhead is altogether indivisible; things of quantity fill a roome, but God is indivisible; as he is unchange­able, so he is a simple being; therefore all of God is in the whole compasse of Heaven and Earth. Psal. 139. If I goe to hell thou art there, &c. God is in the same manner every where; Psal. 139. you must con­ceive no parts in God, if God be immense, then all of him is every where and altogether in every place. All creatures have their being from God, he is in them and beyond them, he is excluded out of no place, included in no place.

If all of God be in every place, Quest. why then is he said to be in Heaven onely?

First, Resp. because God would manifest the glory of his power more in Heaven then in Earth, because we see him not here, Acts 17. we grope after him; Acts 17. but we know the royalty of a King appears more in Court or Parliament; so the excellency of God appears most in Heaven.

Secondly, there are three Heavens; the Heaven where the birds are, the Heaven where the starres are, and the highest Heaven: now the third Hea­ven is meant here, for God hath reserved this place as his chair of state, the Heavens (saith David) are the Lords, no uncleane thing can come there. The Angels sinned, and all the visible Heavens are defiled by man; the sunne is abased, the aire pol­luted, all these creatures that serve man are by man [Page 10]defiled; but the highest Heaven was never defiled, because it is the chamber of God; God leaseth out these things to man, but he reserves this Heaven for his own habitation. This is the speciall reason why God is said to be in Heaven.

What motives have we to prepare our hearts to pray­er, Quest. which is the scope of the Preface?

They are specially three.

First, Resp. it teacheth us to take notice of the purity of God, what ought to be the frame of our spirits when we appeare before him; he cannot abide sluggish prayers from an impure heart, heavenly dispositions best suits with Gods holinesse; the san­ctity of our affections ought to answer Gods puri­ty. Kings (we know) as they will be entertained, so their entertainment must be that which suits to their greatnesse. God is in Heaven beyond all cor­ruption, therefore if we approach neere to God we should answer to his purity with hearts purged, that our hearts may be in Heaven, because he is in Heaven to whom we pray, Mal. 1. 14. Cursed be the deceiven that hath a male in his flock, and offers a female, &c. 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 strong love, desires and other affections, and offers the wealtest to God, and serveth God with rubbish, cursed be that man; the pure God of Heaven will not looke on such service and impure prayers; God is pure, therefore the service ought to be so. When men are to sit before Princes, they are to fit themselves according­ly, so it is here: Let us then think it an indignity [Page 11]to God to appeare with rubbish dispositions before him. He that will performe a solemne duty to a Prince will lay aside all other occasions: so as hee said in another case well, lay by all; world, let me now have heavenly joy, for I come before a hea­venly Father.

Secondly, it is a ground of comfort that our spi­rits may be cheared; since God is in Heaven he is able to effect whatever our hearts desire. To be in Heaven it argueth Majestie; now we doe nor prays to an earthly parent, who is liable to corruption, but to an heavenly Father we pray, who can doe what we will. He that is in a high place hath the advan­tage; so our heavenly Father hath the advantage of all other things, therefore what we crave is done alreadie, he can doe it; and our God is in Heaven, he will doe what he will. A vilenesse ever accom­panies earthly things, but our Father is in Heaven; therefore Nehemiah made his prayer to the God of Heaven. There are dunghill duties in the world, but our Father is in Heaven. The King could not help the woman, but our Father is not an earthly father, but we pray to the God of Heaven. We have but earthly opposition here, but our Fa­ther is in Heaven, who can over-power all wrongs done to his children and rewards them.

Thirdly, this shews we should with trembling approach his presence: The God of Heaven is pow­erfull; we are creeping worms, and dare we come carelesly to such a Father? A father implies a rea­dinesse, and Heaven an awfulnesse; when the mountains move, and the devills shake at the pre­sence [Page 10] [...] [Page 11] [...] [Page 12]of God, and the blessed Angels tremble be­fore him, how dare we approach his presence un­seemly, lest we have no answer; or to turn the eye one way and the head another? We are not able to beare it in a childe. Doe not suffer your mindes to wander; dare we presse in headily into the presence of God, when as the Angels cover themselves be­fore him? Let the feare of the Almighty fall on us: since God is in Heaven, let our hearts be reverently affected, Acts 17. 28. for in him we live, move, and have our being. Thus much for the Preface.

Hallowed be thy Name.

NOw we come to the Petitions, which are six; the Lord condescended to our weaknesse and feeblenesse, and therefore contrives them into a narrow scantling, three concerning Gods Name, Kingdom, and Will; three concerning our selves, things of this life, things of grace, and they in respect both of justification and sanctification: In all ob­serve;

First, the meaning of the Petition.

Secondly, the carriage of the heart in pressing of it, Hallowed be thy Name. In it observe two things:

First, what is here meant by Name.

Secondly, what it is to hallow this Name.

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

I answer; by Name is meant whatever God is made known to us by, Resp. this is his Name; as a man [Page 13]is known by his name, so the Lord reveales him­selfe to us by his Name. Now this consists in two things:

First, all the glorious Atributes of God, as Holy, Pure, Wise, Infinite, &c. these are the Names of God.

Secondly, all the Ordinances of God, and the graces of Gods Saints, and the providence of God in the creature; and it is not the thing it selfe, but there is a declaration of God in these that is his Name. The creature is not the Name of God, but God working there; grace is not so much as the appearance of God in that grace.

What doe you meane by Hallowed? Quest. can you make God holier then he is, or adde any thing to God?

No: Resp. we cannot adde any thing unto him that gave all to us.

How then doe we hallow Gods Name? Quest.

When we make Gods Name to be discovered as a holy thing; Resp. the expressure of this is that we would hallow.

How shall we doe that? Quest.

There was a consultation in Heaven how that the God-head might be manifested, Resp. might be ob­served, else were here none to apprehend it from eternity: Nay, if there had beene any, they could not apprehend it. I will, saith God; have my At­tributes expressed; therefore God would have a Word, wherein his goodnesse should be discovered, Exod. 33.23. Exod. 32. 23. Thou shalt not see my face but my back­parts thou shalt see. As it is with a torch, carry it from one place to another, and it will leave a [Page 14]glimpse behinde it: So it is in the surpassing beau­ty of God, he leaves some beams behinde him, that we may say, Justice and Mercy, &c. have beene heere. Now we are said then to hallow his Names when as we make this appear, when we deale with Gods Name as with a holy thing, and that appears in three particulars:

First, when we acknowledge the excellency of him, we ought to take notice of the beauty and glory of God: Men of place thinke themselves abused, if we passe by them 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 observe it.

Secondly, as we should acknowledge the worth of it, so we should labour to preserve it. Upon things of great weight and worth, what a price doe we set upon them? and how tenderly doe we look to them that no blemish bee cast upon them? So should wee doe with the Name of God. Goe to the Isle of Shittim, &c. they cast the Commandments of God behinde their backs; the Heathen (saith God) would not doe so, they kissed the threshold where Dagon was. So deale with Gods Name, let no blemish betide it, but deale with it as with a ho­ly thing. The least staine of sinfull distemper doth not become the Name of God; you respect a holy thing, so doe the Name of God.

Thirdly, as we should acknowledge this worth, so labour to set it out that others may see it, as oc­casion shall be offered, when any honour may come to it thereby; expresse the beauty of the vertues [Page 15]of God, that they may be observed; holy things are not to be kept secret when opportunity serves; Let your light so shine (saith the Text) that men may see the good in you: So whatever we see in the Name of God, as we should keep it from blemish, so we should set it out in the glory of it. A man should hold out the light of the Gospell, not hide it under a bushell: shew as much of God as we can, that men may say, God hath been here indeed; that a mans word should be like Gods Word that indites them.

How doth the heart behave it selfe in the putting up of this Petition? Quest.

First, this behaviour of the soule doth mainly appeare in two things: Answ.

First, it heartily desires in all things that it shall doe that it may lift up the glory of God; now this we doe when in all things we have or doe there is a disposition for the furtherance of Gods praise. All our life should be like a lanthorne to convey light to others; so the heart should desire that in all things Gods glory should be furthered, that we may doe nothing but we might further Gods glory by it. Silver and gold are fit to stamp the Kings image upon; so, a mans practice should be good mettle to instamp Gods glory upon: not as painted windows to hinder the light, but to rebound the light. The Text saith, Herod did not give God the glory, the voice of God and not of man; he tooke the glory of God to himself, and did not give it to God. There be som kinde of glasses will reflect a mans image, so there should be a conveying of glory from our selves to [Page 16]God. Look as it is with a ball, the falling of it makes it rebound: so it should be with our hearts, they should rebound Gods glory when it falls upon us: This is a great skill. The Soule should have no­thing but whereby God might be honoured. Any sinfull course blemisheth Gods glory; any priding of a mans selfe furthers not Gods glory, but the soule should desire that in all, God might be ac­knowledged and glorified.

When doth the soule doe this? Quest.

When the soule labours, Answ. that in all things some­thing more then humane excellencie may appeare: For, if any thing of a mans own be discerned, wee fall short of Gods name in every action. Such should be our dispositions, that something more may bee seen then a base meane shadow. This is a skill in preaching and praying, there should be more in all then humane discovered, as parts, gifts, and the like. If nothing appeare but selfe, the Name of God is deprived of what it should have: As Paul said, Doe I speake as a man? But he demonstrated the Spirit in him, it should be discovered what I doe, that God works it, that he might have all the honour of it. God the Author of all should have the glory of all; we talk of this and that, and say, let him be glorified, but we doe it not in our conversations.

What be the severall works of the heart in doing this, Quest. that it may appeare God is the Author of all, and the honour is due to him?

The acts of the heart are two, Answ. whereby it sets forth the glory of God.

First, in all services a man should not be quiet in [Page 17]his affections and endeavours till he comes to the highest pitch, that is, Gods glory. All actions are in the way one towards another; as a payre of stayres, one goes from another and above the other. A man should goe higher and higher till Gods glory mounts and surmounts them all. As a Minister first studies to teach the people, that they may bee informed, but why informed? that they may ap­peare to be Christs, and that Gods grace may ap­peare in their conversations: the soule never rests till it be here. A man goes to prayer in his Family, and why so? that he may shew God in his courses. The servant sends for his wages, and so is gone, and where is God all this while? This should be our desire, that in all our actions God may be discove­red to bee the Author, and to have the honour of all.

Secondly, the soule must be sure not to goe be­yond Gods glory; as thus, a Minister preacheth that the people may be instructed, and he be hono­red as well as God, this is to be above God: A man prayes to honour God, and that it may be knowne he is a glorious professour, thus; A man is above God as a Bird steps from one bough to another, till it come to the highest, and then it flyes away: So we step up to Gods glory and goe beyond it, wee would have God glorified to glorifie us; but this is hypocrisie, to have God honoured that we may be secretly base: This is the deepest dishonour to God, and he will be revenged of them one day, and pluck his praise out of their bowels. The three Wise men would not stay till the star stood and went no fur­ther: [Page 18]So where the statre of Gods glory goes, let us goe, and not stay till we come thither, and when we are there, goe no further: This is the carriage of the heart, Phil. 1.20. that in life and death God may be honoured and exalted. Looke as it is with a workman that makes a peece of curious worke, we doe not give the honour to the toole, but to the Work-man; so God should receive the honour of all, and from all.

Secondly, as the soule should make God disco­vered by himself; so hee should desire that God might bee acknowledged by others as wee our selves expresse it; and that appeares in two par­ticulars:

First, that they might imbrace the excellencie of God; Matth. 5.16. Let your light so shine before men; why so? not that they may see you, but that they may see your good workes; that is, God in your good workes, and glorifie him. Doe not thinke I would have others see my good parts, gifts, and the like, but only that they may see God in them. The Fisher desires that the fish would see the bait, not him: So hee that angles for the soules of others, doth not desire that others may see him, but the grace of God. An Apprentice doth not stand in the shop to call over others to look on himselfe, his person, properties, and the like, but to sell his Masters wares: And so we desire that God may lift us up, but that is not the rule that men may see our good workes, but God in them: A child or a servant should so walke that others may admire Gods grace in him; we are Gods workmanship.

Secondly, wee should have hearts enlarged to blesse God, that hee hath been pleased to reveale himselfe to us. Thus much for the first Petition.

Thy Kingdome come.

VVHy is this added immediately to the for­mer? Quest.

Because it is a speciall meanes whereby the heart is fitted and the glory of God advanced; Answ. the first was to hallow Gods Name, and to that end the Kingdome of Christ must be set up; for no natu­rall man can glorifie God, because so long as sinne and corruption prevailes it will never be; there­fore the power of Christs Spirit must doe it, and by it we must be swayed unto it.

What is the scope of this petition? Quest.

The main scope of it is thus much, Answ. that the go­vernment of God by Christ might be set up and prevaile every where; as before Gods name was highest, so here the power and government of Christ is to be universall; that is, the generall: now we come to the particulars, and here consider the sense of the words.

First, What is this Kingdome?

Secondly, the carriage of the heart in putting up this petition.

Thirdly, what is the comming of this Kingdom?

By Kingdome is meant that rule that Christ hath set up in the hearts of his. For the generall provi­dence of God, I take it, is not so much aimed at in [Page 20]this place, or that ordinary providence of God over the creatures; this is set forth in the fourth petition, (Give us this day our daily bread,) but it is the rule of Christ that is set up in his Church.

How many fold is it? Quest.

It is two fold: Answ. which are these,

Of

• Grace.
• Glory.

both aymed at here.

What is the Kingdome of grace? Quest.

It is that whereby Christ by his Spirit and grace, Answ. by the ministery of the Word, takes place in the hearts of his, and this he doth two waies.

First, by over-powering & casting down all other things which are opposite thereunto, all the power of sin and Sathan, which are opposite to him.

Secondly, he sets up that frame of Spirit, where­by it is subject to grace, and it takes place two wayes,

First, by cutting down and killing of every sin.

Secondly, the soul takes the stamp of every con­dition, and is ruled by it.

What is the Kingdome of glory? Quest.

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

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

Here in the Kingdome of grace God rules. Answ.

First, by his Spirit.

Secondly, by the Word and Ordinances.

Thirdly, by the ministery of the Word: But in Heaven he rules immediatly: no more words and means, but Christ fills the soul fully, and then he [Page 21]rules gloriously, when the understanding, will, and affections are full of Christ, and are fully and wholly subject to him; here in the vale of tears we meet with many rubs and oppositions, but then Christ shall shine fully and immediately. In all his Ordinan­ces we seek a Christ, but then we shall have all of him; so that we that have the Spirit have a glimpse of heaven; therefore ashamed should we be to be wearie of God, let us be wearie of sin: I tell you, it is a heaven to live here with God upon earth, and if it be a glorious thing to have a glimpse of God here, how much more to be filled with God hereaf­ter in his Kingdome?

How is this Kingdome said to come? Quest.

The comming of these Kingdomes implies three things. Answ.

First, that the Word may be revealed in these pla­ces, where it hath not been, Luk. 1. That the day-spring from on high, may visit them that sit in darknesse, that the Sun of righteousnesse might visit them that want it, that the banquet of the Gospell might be set up, Mat. 24. If any man say he is in the wildernesse, go not out, for where the Carkasse is, thither will the Eagles resort. This is the first thing. A Kingdome is said to come when a King rules in a place where he did not before, so it is here; Let all the people praise thee, saith David: he desires not, that some tongues only, but that all tongues and languages should do this.

Secondly, where ever the Gospell doth shine, we desire that it should discover it self more fully, and spread it self where ever it comes; we desire the Kings government should enlarge the territories [Page 22]more and more; so we desire not only that Christ should be revealed, but that more and more should be gathered, that God may be taken in every where, and that every knee may bow to Christ, and lick the dust, that so there may be an addition made to the Church, that every man in every kinde may come to Christ, and that God would cast his skirt over him that more may be caught in his net, that the Jew and Gentile may be gathered into one sheep-fold, and have one Shepheard.

Thirdly, that the power of it may be more and more setled, as the house of David grew stronger and stronger, 2 Sam. 3.1. but the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker, so, when Christ sets up his candlestick, that the seed that is sowen there may take deep root. When a King hath erected Castles, then he hath his King­dome; so we desire God may intrench himselfe, and reare Castles of defence against his enemies which would remove him; that he would set himselfe up strongly, that every Traytor may be crusht, and every base lust; that God would slay them, and none but his Lawes take place; in a word, the issue returnes to thus much, we beseech Christ that his Gospel may spread and be strong, and these dayes of sinne may be wasted, and that he may come in the clouds, Revel. 22. and then, come Lord Jesus, come quickly; that he would accomplish the num­ber of his Elect, and gather those that belong to his glory, and that they may bee everlastingly with him.

What is the carriage of the soul in putting up this petition? Quest.

It appears in three things.

First, the soul desires and so labours to be subject to the good pleasure of the Lord: the heart saith, oh that I might be so disposed, that I might be sub­ject to the pleasure of the Lord: we desire that all those things that are set up in our hearts, that are contrary to the good pleasure and will of the Lord might be subdued, Psal. 119.4. Thou hast command­ed us to keep thy commandements, but, oh Lord, that my soul were so, thou hast enjoyned me to do so, oh that I could do so, the Spirit should be as wax to the seale, and inke to the paper, that the soul might take the impression of every rule that God would set up in our souls; thus the soul should be dispo­sed, to wish that the Lord would put this frame into us; this is a heart worth gold: thou hast said, seek me; oh, saith the soul, that I could seek thy face, and eccho, behold Lord, thy face I seek, to submit wholly without any contending, not that the Lord should force us, but that we should take up our yoke, put our necks to the yoke, let the Word of the Lord bear the balance. When Mary wanted wine, and our Saviour checked her, and Martha cumbred with too much businesse was reproved; thou art troubled with many things, &c. they submit­ted presently, not a word more: so what the Lord commands let us do without any quarrelling, let the least inkling of the Word beare the balance. When our Saviour sent his Disciples for the Asses Colt, they might have said, but haply the man will not let him go, how then? I tell them, saith our Saviour, the Master hath need of him, and then [Page 24]they will not deny him; that is enough, do but speak and it is done, this the soul should labour to attain unto.

Secondly, the soul carries it self with an inward op­position to whatever is opposite to the government of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the utmost of our power, it is in vain to say, it were wel if it were so, & I would it were so, and yet to stand still and not to set to our hands; but we must join sides with the Lord, & as he spake of Merosh, Cursed art thou, because thou wilt not help the Lord against the mighty. So truly the Lord Jesus is comming to our Towns, to our fami­lies, therefore we should step out and help the Lord against those mighty mountaines of pride and stub­bornesse of heart: when a proud heart stirs, do you joine sides with it? or cry out and say, good Lord help down with that proud heart, and stubborn spi­rit, and the like? the Lord saith it, and doth your heart yeeld? But if you say, come pride, and you and I will joine sides together, and if the Word can remove us, let it, but we will joine sides. Is this cal­ling for the Kingdome of Christ to come? No, no, you are traytors and conspirators, and no subjects; therefore stop your mouths, this is not submitting but conspiring; when Jezabel looked out of the window with her painted face, saith Jehu, Who is on my side, fling her out: so the Lord saith, will you have pride, or me? if you be on my side, fling down that proud heart which hinders the Lord Jesus Christ from taking place in your souls; you paint your selves in a sturdy humour, but if you be on Gods side, fling down those painted strumpets; you must [Page 25]not only oppose great sins, but every sin; we must not fodder and side with any secret sin, although it be but with the appearance of evill; you must ab­staine from it; you know what Moses said, of losing not a hoof; another said, he would not start a hairs breadth from Gods Commandements in any parti­cular; so let us subdue all, not leave an inch, not a stamp, not so much as two nails of the Dagon of our cursed lusts, to rule in us; thus it should be with the soul.

Thirdly, though the soul cannot be as it should, yet it doth desire the Lord that neither sin nor self-will may rule in us, lay all flat down under the go­vernment of Christ. When the heart finds a great deale of outwardnesse and power of sin, then it saith, Lord, thy Kingdome should prevaile, but the Sons of Zeruiah are too strong in me; therefore take power to thy self, and pluck away whatever doth oppose thee. It was a good speech of a good Chri­stian, that he desired the Lord to rule whether he would or no. Thus the soul should be disposed to intreat the Lord, that he would break open the doore; when the Lord comes and we will not open, we desire the Lord would come in by violence. The white horse in conquering conquered; so the soul desires the Lord to conquer, to break in and make way into the soul, and to take possession wholly in the soul; now when the soul is loath this should be, it is a wretched spirit, that when the Lord will take sin whether we will or no, we are loath it should be. Do we then pray Christs Kingdome should come, when we are not able to bear a commandement? [Page 26]No, no, the soul will labour to oppose sin, and pray the Lord for power against corruption.

Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven.

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

First, the order, it is in the third place.

Secondly, the sense and meaning of the words.

Thirdly, the frame of the heart in putting up this Petition.

First, for the order, the reason of it is, because the two former make way for this third; he that glorifies God in all things, and hath his power set up in him, he only doth what he commands; for natu­rally there is no ability in man to do the will of God; but when the Spirit works within, then we are able to frame our hearts to Gods will: David was a man after Gods own heart, and then he did his will; this is the reason of the order of the Petition. From the ground observe two grounds of directions.

First, he that thinks out of his own power to do Gods will, it is impossible he should do it, no, he will never do it.

Secondly, we must first submit to the King­dome of Christ, before we can do his will; be under the government of Gods grace, and then go on cheerfully. We faile before we have submitted; we would be doing, but first Christ must do ter­rible things to the heart, before it yeeld obedience. Now for the words.

What is the will of God? Quest.

It is the purpose of the Almighty touching the accomplishment of any thing; Answ. there is nothing done, but the LORD doth it: Whatsoever is brought to passe, that GOD wills in generall, Ephes. 1.

How many kinds of will are there? Quest. or how mani­fold is the will of God?

It is two-fold; not in regard of it selfe, Answ. but in regard of us.

First, the revealed will of God.

Secondly, the secret will of God.

What is the secret will of God? Quest.

It is that secret purpose he hath in himselfe be­fore all worlds, Answ. and hath not discovered it to the creature, Ephes. 1.9. Having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his own good pleasure which he hath purposed to himselfe. The Gospel was hid in the bosome of the Almighty, not observable by man or any creature under heaven, but now it is revealed; this is the secret will of God which was hid in himselfe before all words, 1. Cor. 2.16. Who hath known the mind of God? The deep things of God none knowes but the Spirit of God; and as it is not made known, so we have nothing to doe with it in this place.

What is the revealed will of God? Quest.

It is the purpose of God that hee hath made known to us by his Word, Answ. and revealed to us in his workes, whatever is done in heaven or earth is the will of God. I did not know God would destroy Bohemia and the Palatinate before I saw it; this is [Page 20]the will here meant. I did not know of such a friends death before he dyed, and then we must say, Thy will be done. What ever God hath made known either by workes or words, that we pray to have done.

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

It consists in, Answ. and implyes two things:

First, that whatever God makes known to be his will to bring upon us, we should willingly submit and yeeld unto it. If God would have me poore, when it is done, we should approve of the accom­plishment of Gods will. It is the breach of many commandements, that when God thwarts our de­sire, we are unwilling it should be done: The wife is unwilling her husband should dye, and the hus­band that the wife should dye, never lost a man such a wife as I; this is professedly against this peti­tion: We must imitate that of the good Prophet David, Psal. 39. I held my tongue and said nothing: Will the Lord have it not a word more? then his spirit yeelds presently, takes the stroke, doth not thwart the good will of the Lord, this is the pra­ctice of David, Eli, Hezekiah, It is the Lord, let him doe what he will: Nay, our blessed Saviour him­selfe saith, Not my will, but thy will be done. But this is the folly of our hearts; we take up Armes against Gods will; God would have us to be poore and we will be rich: This is not to doe the will of God: Though God force us to doe it, yet that is no thankes to us; Thus we sinne desperately.

Secondly, the heart is not only content with what God will have us suffer, whether losse of life, [Page 21]friends, liberty, and the like, but there is another will must be done by us; what God reveales to be a duty, must be discharged by us. If there be a truth to be made known to us, we must acquaint our selves with the will of the Lord, and then with all diligence practice it: Make my heart one with thine, that I may ever feare thy Name: Let thy will be mine: Oh saith the soule, that I might ever feare thy Name; this is to do the will of God. We doe not say, let it be spoken of and considered of by me, but let it be done, let it be accomplished by me: Wee must not lift at it, and give God good words, and talke, and leave it undone, but labour to doe it. It is not enough for the childe to say, I know what my father commands, but I must doe what I list. Such hearts cannot pray to expect any thing at the hand of the Lord; now and then to look at a duty, &c. and to say, I would it were so, will not serve the turne. Away with that sluggish­nesse, to wish the will of God were done, and yet you will have your own wills.

To this precept belongs, that we should set on others to doe Gods pleasure. In vaine doe we wish it to be done, and yet doe not provoke on others to doe it. Paul, when Agrippa and he was grapling together, saith Agrippa, thou hast perswaded me al­most to be a Christian; not almost, saith Paul, but I would have thee altogether as I am, except these bonds: I would not have thee fettered as I am, but inlarged in heart to doe Gods will. So that of Jo­shua, I and my house will serve the Lord; he that not onely neglects Gods will himselfe, but hinders [Page 30]others, that man doth not pray this petition aright; he that saith, Thy will be done, and in the mean time withdrawes others by his secret allurements, and saith, what? should I be such a foole to be at other mens bow and beck to sit howling in a corner as thou dost? No, no, well be it known to thee, thou that wilt not do Gods will here, the Lord will have his will done on thee one day to thy cost: He that will not doe Gods will here, God will send him packing to Hell, and there he will execute his will upon him whether he will or no?

How must we doe the will of God, we doe now and then stumble at a duty, and now and then take up a service, Quest. and we are neither whores nor theeves, but yet we are now and then peevish and wayward, &c. is not this enough?

No, Answ. no, you must doe it in earth as it is in Hea­ven; not now to be something, and then to be no­thing; now a Saint, and then a Devill; but you must doe the will of God as it is in Heaven.

But can a man doe the will of God on earth, as the blessed Angels doe it in Heaven? Quest.

A man cannot doe it in that measure the Angels doe it: Answ. but we may doe it as they doe, and per­forme equall obedience with them, though not in quantity, yet in quality: A childe followes the fa­ther, though it cannot run so fast as the father: A Scholler may imitate the copie, and write after it, though not write so fast and well: So the servants of the Lord cannot doe the will of God here so, in that measure that the Angels doe it in Heaven, but in quality like them: Let their obedience be [Page 31]our pattern, not in the measure, but in the manner of it.

In what things must it be done, Quest. and how can wee expresse any action like theirs?

This resemblance is in foure particulars. Answ.

First, they doe it readily, they are prest, and rea­dy at hand to doe the good will of the Lord upon all occasions; they doe not withdraw themselves, but presently upon every occasion doe what the Lord requires. We read, Job 1. that the sonnes of God appeared before him, they are ever in his sight to give attendance upon him, as the handmaid is ever at the hand of her Mistris: So that of Isaiah, the Text saith, they cover their faces before the Mercy Seat; they cover their faces in token of aw­fulnesse and reverence, and cry Holy, Holy. They are ever before him as a dutifull servant is ever at his Masters beck. They are at hand in this readines of theirs to doe the will of the Lord; we should imitate them, to be ever prepared and at hand to doe the will of God; not to have our affections stragling, but with Ananias we must say, Here Lord; with Abraham, Behold thy servant is at hand. Thus it should be with the soule; the Lord saith, you must not have this sinne, and that corruption; we must reply, Thy will be done, LORD; we must not say as Moses when the Lord commanded him to goe to Pharaoh, saith he, Who am I, Lord? send another: 1 Sam. 3. No, it should not be thus with us, wee should be ready at hand, Here Lord, speake Lord, for thy ser­vant heareth, Acts 9. Goe to Paul, saith the Lord to [Page 32] Ananias, and he went though he had been a persecutor. Contrariwise, Jonah will goe to Tarshish rather then to Nineve: We should not doe thus, but as the An­gels, and as Cornelius, when he sent for Peter, Acts 10. saith he, we are all here before thee to take notice of whatsoever it shall please God to reveale to us by thee. Let our Lamps be light and prepared, that whether the Bridegroome come at midnight, or at any other time, all may be in readinesse at a push, that we may goe when the Lord calls; when the Lord saith, here is a sinne to be sorrowed for; here Lord, saith the soule. We must not let God stay for us, nor bee haled as a Beare to the stake in any duty: No, but we must attend the will of God; nei­ther must we stout it out, I will be wicked, and I will walk in my owne way, &c. so you may, and perish; and so you may and be damned, and go to Hell too when you have done. It is nothing what a man hales out whether he will or no, that is nothing. This is not to doe the will of God as it is in Heaven, but wee must alwayes be fitted and ready to doe what God requires. The Angels came before God, and the Text saith, the Devill by force full sore against his will came also: So wicked men dare not but leave some sinnes, but it is perforce, they are either constrain'd to it by the Lawes of men, or by the horrour of conscience, and the like, not with ready cheerfulnesse and willingnesse. But we should have our Lamps light.

Secondly, the Angels doe the will of the LORD speedily, they are not delaying, but are willing and [Page 33]prest in the performances of Gods will. If the Lord doe but beck, they are gone. Isa. 6. The Angels are said to have divers wings, some to cover their face, in token of humility; some to cover their feet, to shew their prestnesse and readinesse to doe the will of God, and with all speed and haste to doe what God at any time shall enjoyn and command. Thus we should do it as they doe, wee must shake off all lingring and stiffenesse of spirit when we see Gods will should be done, and that God requires it: But naturally we are marvelously lazie in our christian course. When a man comes as a Beare to the stake, is that to doe the will of our heavenly Father as the Angels doe? doe they thus? No, nor wee should not, if we doe it aright: We must imitate that of David, he will praise the Lord with his best abili­ties, and run the wayes of Gods Commandments; thus should we doe, make haste and delay not. Psal. 119. 32. As when the Prophet Elisha sent his servant post-haste to the womans sonne, he bade him, salute no man, make no stay by the way. This marvellous care should be in us; we should pray for our lives, and run on in a Christian course for our lives; not trifle, but go with all speed till we come to our journeys end; not sluggishly, as if a man cared not whether he did it or no, but a man should pray for his life. If pro­fit or pleasure would be tampering with us, salute them not, we should take up our resolutions to re­ject them. If honour or profit would be hanging about us, fling them off; let us not regard them, but ride post-haste. When our Saviour sent his Dis­ciples [Page 34]to preach, he bade them carry neither scrip nor staffe to hinder them in their course. When Paul was converted, the Text saith, he never con­sulted with flesh and bloud; he advised not with carnall reasonings, but what God commands, hee did: So when God calls for duty, we should not reason with profit, pleasures and honours, to pull off our caps, and aske them leave to take up this duty and these performances. If the holy Apostle had done this, it would have hindered him; but he consulted not with flesh and bloud: So we should do what ever God commands: It matters not what men would have of us, but let us have an eye to Gods command.

Thirdly, the Angels in Heaven doe the will of God faithfully, and their faithfulnesse is in this, that they performe the whole will of God: They faile not, but doe it to a haires breadth. He is a faithfull servant that doth his Masters will and command fully; so should a Saint doe: Now faithfulnesse appeares in two things:

First, we must doe it all as they doe.

Secondly, we must do it in the right manner, not only the thing, but in the right manner God re­quires it.

This is faithfulnesse: The Angels doe not ac­complish what message they will, but God sets it down, and his good pleasure takes place, Psal. 104. They fulfill the good pleasure of the LORD, they start not at any service, no crossenesse they stand at; God commands, they doe it, and because [Page 35]he commands it. So it ought to be with the hearts of the people of the LORD; we must not pick and chuse, and do it in an aguish fit, when we list. It is said of David, he did all the will of God, a man af­ter GODS own heart. It was the charge Mary gave, whatever he bids, do it. It is sufficient GOD com­mands, though it be tedious; the Angels care not though all the Divels in hell rage: so the Saints of GOD should do; be it tedious, that skils not, our care must be, that we may finish our course with comfort. A Saint doth not pick & chuse, but fears eve­ry sin, & takes up every duty; if all the Divels in hell oppose, yet the people of GOD will do his will. The Text saith, that Caleb and Joshua followed God fully in the day of Maceba and Miriba in times of trouble; there is an Angel-like Spirit, to go thorow-stitch with the work; though father and mother were against them, yet they would go on. The con­trary was the sin of Sardis, which GOD reproves sharply; I have not found thy worke fall. Tis not enough to do some of GODS will, but we must do it all, or else the LORD regards not. The Divell will do well somtimes for his own ends, if he be pleased; but that is nothing, thou must do GODS will, pleased or not pleased, or else thou hast a satanicall spirit; we must not say, the daies are troublesome, &c. but go thorow-stitch with it as the Angels do.

Thirdly, as we must do the will of God, so we must do it after the right manner, as God requires; thus Abraham did, when he was commanded to go [Page 36]offer his Son Isaac, he went early in the morning, as God required. If he had been to offer an Oxe, it had been nothing, but Abraham must offer his only Son Isaac, the Son of the promise, and he must be the Sacrifice. So, for us not to be drunk, and to com­mit outragious sins, that all the Crowes cry out of; thats nothing; but thy secret lusts, thy beloved Isa­ac's, they must be sacrificed and abandoned, else thou dost no more then the Devill. Thus thou must do the will of God, not as thou wilt, to san­ctifie half a Sabbath, but on Gods terms, or else it is nothing.

Fourthly, the Angels do the will of God constant­ly; where they were they are, Mat. 18. They are daily before the face of God, they hold out and persevere to do Gods will. This should be our practise, though we cannot do it in that manner, and so much as they, yet endeavour for it: Continue to the death, (saith the Text,) and what then? I will give you the Crowne of life. Our reward shall be for ever, let our labour be so, hold it out with constancie: A Saint should be foure-square, the same for ever; the fruits of righteousnesse are according to the parts of the yeare, spring and harvest, autumne and winter; and the first fruits is fatnesse, not to fall back, to be good in good company; with professors, professe; and with swearers, curse; and with drunkards, be drun­kards; and with Divels, be Divels; the blessed An­gels do not thus: the Lord commends the good steward, Happie shall that servant be, that when his Master shall come, shall finde so doing. When the Lord [Page 37]shall come and finde a Saint persevere to the end, he shall be blessed indeed: the Angels will out-bid us in the measure of performances of Gods will, but yet we should be speedy, and readie, and faithfull, and constant as they: our hearts are holy in upright­nesse, although not in that measure of exactnesse, as theirs are.

What is the frame of the heart in putting up this Petition? Quest.

It appears in two things. Answ.

First, it is willing to do it it self.

Secondly, it is willing, and desires to help and stir up others, to the utmost of its power, to do the will of God.

First, the soul ought to be forward to know the will of God, and to labour to do it it self, and this ap­pears in foure particulars.

First, the heart is willing to do the will of God in laying down its own will, so far as it may be a hinderance from doing Gods will, for oftentimes our will and the will of God are contrary: there is naturally a sturdy toughnesse that lifts up it self above the LORD, this must be removed, Not my will, (saith our Saviour) but thy will be done. If our will and Gods will cannot stand, we must lay down ours; but sometimes we say desperatly, (as they did) We will walk in our own waies &c. and we will have a King as other Nations, we will have our base lusts to sway and rule us. But so long as this is in us we cannot do the will of the LORD, we cannot serve two masters: I came not (saith our Saviour) to do [Page 38]my own will, but my fathers that sent me. It is often times with our will, and the will of GOD, as with two buckets; the letting down of one is the lifting up of the other; and the lifting up of the other is the letting down of that; so when we let down our own wills, we lift up Gods; but the lift­ing up of our own wills, is the letting down of the good will of the Lord. Now the cause why we stick in service, and cannot come off, is because we would have our pleasures, we would be this and that; so that the will of God is justled against the wall, and shut out of doores; but let this distemper be crush't, and then the will of God will take place. When we have done this, then we must repaire to the Lord to know what his pleasure is, take his Warrant before we set upon the work; conscionable attendance of Gods will should be the root and spring of all our actions, not to go without it, but to have our spirits carried by it. This is as a Master-comptroler that swayes the ballance, and beares all before him. Tell me not, I cannot do it for my liberties sake, &c. But, I have no Warrant of Gods will; unlesse the good will of the Lord go before me, I dare do nothing, Eph. 5.10.11. Proving what is acceptable to the Lord. As a Gold-smith laies the gold to the touch-stone, so prove yourselves, and find out what is accepta­ble to the Lord. In the time of the old Law they put on the linnen Ephod, and went to inquire of the LORD whether the men of Kedar would come up; so should we come to the LORD, (that is the touch­stone) and see what the LORD will have us to do, [Page 39]and not to go to a company of carnall Counsellors, to consult with honour, ease, wife and family, &c. whether shall I suffer? saith the soul; saith honour, if you do thus, I am laid in the dust; saith ease and profit, for my part, if you take this course, I am utterly undone and lost; then saith the soul, if it be thus, I will not do it, let all sinke and swim: thus they do not GODS will, but their owne; but they that do the will of GOD, let them inquire what his will is. Let honour, and profit, and ease, and world and all say what it will, but they wil do the LORDS will, we must not master conscience (as it was the speech of a wicked wretch,) one of his companions being in horror of conscience, he bade him master it as he did, for before that he could never live quiet­ly, but now he was not at all troubled with it. Ma­stering of conscience, in English, is searing of con­science, but that must master you; and lead you to the performance of duty.

Thirdly, when this will of GOD is revealed, we must yeeld to it, without any quarrelling against it, or questioning of it; but let the soul be deliver­ed up to the will of GOD, as David saith, let my will be done with thine; when the LORD calls, seek my face, we should eccho, thy face Lord I seek, 2 Tim. 2.19. we should be prepared for the LORD, so to have our affections strike as the LORD sets them, and then we should have hearts like GOD, then we should do his will aright, then would it be in our hearts to do the will of the LORD, as David saith, Psal. 40.

Fourthly, we should have a couragious constant resolution to go on with that work, and in that way GOD hath revealed to us, and hath laid open before us; so that the soul should say, not my will, but give me a heart that may do thy will; thus we should have a constant resolution to go on, not to do it by fits and starts, but as the Apostle saith, Fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold of eternall life. And ex­cept a man have this, he prayeth not this Petition aright, but out of hypocrisie; it is his own will he seeks, not the will of the LORD.

Now we must come to the second thing: As we should do the will of GOD our selves, so we should further on others, and that appears in two par­ticulars.

First, we should further on others in the dis­charge of duty.

Secondly, we should joine sides with others in the performing of duty.

First, for the first, we must further on others. That is a pregnant place, Heb. 10. Provoke one ano­ther to love and good works, we must not only stand by and look on others, but provoke and egge on others, to stir up them to do the will of the LORD, 2 Cor. 9.3. the LORD there commends them, be­cause they gave good example to their brethren. It is good to have a stirring heart. Satan sets on others to sin, A little leaven leavens the whole lump. A man useth not to be drunk alone, but to draw on others with him. If Satan and his instruments be so, how much more ought we to do the contrary? There is [Page 41]not a duty that more promotes GODS glory then this: wicked men, as infectious persons, labour to infect others; so should we be forward to help others. These be as Stewards, they provoke their fellow-servants, go about reproving, exhorting one another. Thus a Christian should set on every man, and spurre on others to do the will of GOD, not only to take a Lecture our selves, but call on others to it.

Secondly, we should labour to joine sides with them to do GODS will. It was the practice of the Scribes and Pharisees to lay heavy loads and bur­thens upon others, but not stir them themselves; but we should joine sides, and lend a helping-hand, in the performance of duty. When a Cart is at a set, it is not enough for a man to stand by and say, I would it were out, &c. and yet never lend a help­ing hand, but he must joine with others to help it out; and if one teame will not do it out, on ano­ther to it; so when time of troubles comes, we should be at the Cannons mouth at a dead lift; when another is not able to get out, by reason of tempta­tion, then we must join sides with them, & pray and mourn with them; Zac. 8.12. Let us go to the House of the Lord, & we wil go also. So it is not enough to pro­fesse our selves GODS servants, but we must pray also for others, and suffer also, if necessity requires; as it was Davids speech, Psal. 38. Let us praise the Lord together, at a lift. So, if we would do GODS will, it is GODS will, as to pray our selves; so we should say to others, let us pray and study together, [Page 42]that the will of GOD may be done. It is not enough to wish that GODS will might be done, and we stand by with our hands in our pockets, and do not provoke on others; and lay reproaches on them, what, you pray? &c. This heart is professedly against the will of God; these are fore-men in the Devils shops, and schollers of the highest forme in Satans schoole; but, if we desire to have GODS will done, let us set to our shoulders to the burthen, and help others. Thus much for the third Petition. Thy will be done, &c.

Give us this day our daily bread.

VVE come now to the other three Petiti­ons; and they concern our selves meer­ly. The first is concerning the things of this life. And the other is concerning spirituall gifts; and it consists partly in justification, and partly in sancti­fication.

But first for the order, Quest. why do we beg for the things of this life before spirituall mercies? our bodily bread before our spirituall? Answ.

Because in nature a man must have an outward being before we have a better. This life is the time of our trading, and after this life there is no grace to be had. Therefore we must have this life before we can live everlastingly with GOD hereafter; no man can get GOD by the means that doth not live; [Page 43]therefore though the other be more necessary, yet a man, except he have this, he cannot have the o­ther, that living here bodily, we may live spiritu­ally hereafter.

Now for the sense of the words.

First, what is meant by giving?

Secondly, what is meant by bread with all the circumstances, daily bread, and our daily bread? &c.

First, for the word giving implyes 3. things:

First, that the Lord out of his goodnesse and wise bounty would provide what may be profita­ble for us, and which we stand in need of; in a word, what we want he would supply.

Secondly, that he would preserve and continue these good things that he hath bestowed upon us, that he would graciously continue that lot and por­tion unto us, Psal. 16. thou maintainest my lot: the Lord doth not onely give patrimony to his chil­dren, but preserves and continues that which is needfull for them to them.

Thirdly, that the Lord would be pleased to send in the sweet of his blessing upon all the blessings and mercies he hath been pleased to bestow on us. The blessing of the Lord is the staffe of bread. It is not enough to have these things: for, bread may choake us, the houses we inhabit may fall upon our heads, if they be not blessed to us. The cove­tous man is as if he 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, [Page 44]and yet have all the sweet tooke from him; yea, many times all that a man hath may be a torment to him; the Lord can take off all the sweet; there­fore we pray and intreat that the Lord would give us the sweet of them, that they may be comforta­ble to us, as they are in themselves; that the Lord would give all, blesse all, and preserve all, and sancti­fie all to us, that they may be all to us as they are in themselves.

What is meant by bread? Quest.

Under this word bread are included all necessary helps and comforts of this life, Answ. whatever concernes our lives, good name, estate; all things belonging to these is bread.

Because bread is the staffe of life, most especially usefull for life; Reason. other things are necessary, but wee cannot be without this bread. Therefore the Lord puts a part for the whole, and therefore we pray, that the LORD would give, and continue, and blesse all things, that are necessary for us, un­to us.

What kinde of bread must it be? Quest.

Our bread; Answ. not that wee can procure or pur­chase it, but the word, Our, implyes two things:

First, that wee may have a right and title to all these things in Christ, that we may have a tenure of them. For all these things are not the wicked mans properly, he usurps them, and he shall answer for them; he sits at a rack-rent, he shall be plagued for them. Now we pray that they may be our fee-simple, not that we must pay for them, but that [Page 45]we may have the right and tenure of them, that we may claime them in Christ, that we may not an­swer for them, but that they may be ours.

Secondly, they may be ours in way of policie between man and man, that we may not have them by violence; not to have another mans riches and honour, but that we may have a politick right: this a wicked man may have by a politick right, to have it by the sweat of our browes, now this we crave also. Now the difference between the politicke right of a naturall man and spirituall man is this, the Lord doth onely Lease out by his politick right these things to the wicked, but they sit at a rack-rent: But they are not so to the godly, they have them for their fee-simple by a politick right be­tween man and man. Both these wayes we beg that they may be ours, that they may be ours in Christ, and that we may have our owne, not others to pluck it from others, but that it may be ours by our labour, meanes, patrimony, &c.

What is meant by daily? Quest.

The word in the Originall signifies supersubstan­tiall bread, that is, Answ. we crave all these things and the right and title to them. And for the measure, not barely so much food and clothes as wil keep the life and soule together, and no more, but that we may have to our lawfull delight, and, as one spoke, so much as will keep even at the yeers end, and a knot at the end to our lawfull society.

Why this day? Quest.

It implyes three things: Answ.

First, it implyes a daily need of succour that wee have from the Lord: we doe not say, give us this mouth 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, Luk. 12.19. that he might be secure as the rich man in the Gospell, Soule take thine ease, &c. But the Lord would have us come for our break-fast, dinner, supper, and all from him.

Secondly, it shewes a man must be content with his allowance; his desire should not be catching after future things, we beg not for our monthly and quarterly bread, but daily bread, enough for the present time.

Thirdly, it implies, that wee must pray for this daily bread, every day: A man must be daily beg­ging of the Lord. This is the meaning of this day. Gather then up all, and the summe returnes to thus much; we in this Petition beseech the Lord, that all good things that concern life, good name, or food, may be supplyed to us, and that we may have a spirituall right to them in Christ, and a politicke right to them between man and man, that we may have more then barely enough, not to wring from others, to be content with the least pittance, and daily and continually to beg for these things we want and stand in need of. Quest.

What is the frame of the heart, Answ. in putting up this Petition?

It appeares in three particulars:

First, a mans carefull painfulnesse in his course and calling God calls him to and sets him in.

Secondly, an humble dependance on GOD.

Thirdly, a quiet contentednesse with what God allowes.

For the first: he must be painfull; no man can say, Give me this day my daily bread, unlesse he be painfull in his place; if we expect any thing other­wise, it is a mocking of God. We must be faith­full and painfull in our places: if wee expect any thing, honour, goods, good name, and labour not for it, we doe not pray aright: it was the command God gave, Gen. 3. In the sweat of thy browes shalt thou eate 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 we will have any thing necessary for us, we must la­bour for it; for, saith the Apostle, He that will not labour shall not eate. The diligent hand maketh rich: but God makes rich, you will say; It is true, yet it is by a diligent hand. A Scholler must labour if he will have learning, &c. Look as it is with a man that hath promised a man so much, and so much, at such a time and at such a time, & at such a place, if he will come for it; now if the man comes not for it, he loseth it. Even so it is here; the LORD promiseth successe to our labour; the Lord will give the Plough-man by his Plough, the Tradesman by his Trade, the Scholler in his study; and except we be painfull in our places, we can expect nothing. The Lord gives us our daily bread while we walke [Page 48]with him: So that a man hinders himselfe more by idlenesle then he profits himselfe by prayer without diligence.

Secondly, the soule must have dependance upon God, when it hath done what it can. It must look for a breathing on them. A man should be so pain­full in the use of the meanes, as though they could doe all, and yet so depend upon God above all meanes, as though all outward meanes could not doe any good without the Lord. Wee must not catch it out of Gods hands, but look to God in the way he hath chalked out before us, and then ex­pect of him what we want. It is the Lord that gives a man substance. In vain it is to rise early in the morning, and goe to bed late, and eate the bread of carefulnesse; Psal. 127. 1, 2. except the Lord blesse all, all is in vaine. Let us look therefore to him for all we stand in need of. It is the phrase of the Wise man, The blessing of the Lord maketh rich. It is not policie and craft, and outward meanes that make rich, but the blessing of the Lord, from that expect all: though the Plow-man plow, though the Gardi­ner manure, and cut, and prune, yet nothing thrives unlesse the dew of Heaven falls: So it is here in our course, all our labour, paines, meanes and cost, though it be much and great, yet it will not thrive, unlesse the Lord blesse. The Spirit of the Lord moved on the waters: Let us therefore look to his blessings upon all. A Scholler may labour and take much paines, and yet shall never attaine his end; either he shall not have it at all; or if he doe, [Page 49]if shall be as Ʋriahs Letter, choake him at the last: So that except wee depend on God, all la­bour and paines is nothing.

Thirdly, there must be a quiet contentednes, to be content with what God bestowes and we receive; else we crosse our selves, we crave for bread, and will have what we list. We doe not pray for dain­ties and costlinesse of apparell, 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 then the Lord allowes, and we can expect to be bestowed upon us. If we have meat and cloath wee must not looke to the quantity, not for a month, or a quarter, but goe to the Lord as to a market; let him dispose it, 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 we stand in need of. That of Hagar should be our prayer; Give me not too much, lest I be proud; nor too little, lest I put forth my hand to wickednesse, Prov. 30. but give me food convenient. It is better to be at Gods allowance then our owne. A childe happily would have a coat foure or five yards too long, and to tire him, or fire to burne him; but a father will not have it too long, to tyre him, or fire to burne him. So our Father, wee would over-flow our measures: out-run our portions too beyond our need. It is with us as it is with dyets, sicke men would have hot wines, and salt meates, and eate excessively; but the Physitian orders all his dyet; for if hee [Page 50]should have his fill, it would kill him. A full body and a full stomack would increase the humour: So the Lord is a marvelous skilfull Physitian: we have proud hearts and would have dainties; and if we should have riches as we would, God should lose his honour which now he hath by us being kept under hatches; therefore the Lord dyets us. Di­vers creatures are kept in divers things; Cherries are kept in Sugar, but Beefe is kept in salt pickell, and not in sugar, for otherwise it would stinke. Nothing would serve some if the Lord should not dyet them, but they would be as proud and as saucie as ever they could; therefore the Lord is compelled to dyet them: Thus we should be con­tent with the least pittance that the Lord sees fit­ting for us; and he that is thus, the Lord will give him enough for his baites in this pilgrimage. And thus much for this Petition.

And forgive us our trespasses, &c.

THis is the fifth Petition touching the good of man.

There are three Petitions concerning God, and three concerning us, this life and a better; the first we have handled; and those that concern our spi­rituall being follow:

First, for the order.

Secondly, the sense and meaning of the words.

Thirdly, the frame of the heart in putting up this Petition.

First, for the order; why it is thus placed? justi­fication before sanctification? Reason. The reason is, be­cause sanctification flowes from justification; be­ing justified we are sanctified; first we are acquit­ted of our sins whereof we stand guilty before him, and then he sanctifies us; first this, then the other; the other are the sprigs, and this the main branch; we beg for faith, &c. but they are included in this.

Secondy, for the sense of the words.

First, here is the Petition, Forgive us our trespasses.

Secondly, the Reason, As we forgive others, or, For we forgive others that trespasse against us, so Lord forgive thou us; this is the argument whereby we win the favour of the Lord.

What is meant by debts? Quest.

By debts are meant all sinnes, Answ. all failing of all kindes, of omission or commission; now they are called debts, because we owe all obedience to God, to love him above all, and our neighbours as our selves; and these being the articles of agreement, the sleighting and neglect of this brings us into debt with God.

For first, we are bound to these.

Secondly, by breaking these we deserve the punishment due to the breach of it: now when we omit any thing, we forfeit and are cast behinde hand.

And thirdly, wee are lyable to the execution of the punishment due to us in the breach of this; [Page 52]thus sins are debts; and debts sinnes, of omission or commission.

What is it to forgive?

To forgive is this: Quest. we beg that the Lord would be pleased not to take advantage of us because of our debts; Answ. nor yet to proceed in the rigour of this Law, to do that it requires: Now, our sins require we should be condemned and executed. A malefa­ctors forfeiting his bond is cast in his cause, and then cast into the prison, and execution sued out for the satisfaction of this debt: now we beg of the Lord, that he would not condemn us in the Court of conscience, nor execute his justice on us; this is to forgive, and this proceeds from mercy.

But how can God do thus? will this stand with the justice of God, Quest. not to be satisfied for our faults, to par­don without satisfaction?

No; Answ. but though the party do not satisfie, yet if the surety do, it is sufficient; so though he doth for­give us, yet he looks for it at the sureties hand; as the creditor doth not require the debt at the deb­tors hand, but at his hand that is bound to make sa­tisfaction for the debt; so the Lord doth not require satisfaction of us as he 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; mercy to me, and justice to CHRIST; mercy on my part, and justice on CHRISTS part. Thus we see what it is to forgive us; that is, that the LORD [Page 53]would not arest us, but the surety; that he would not exact of us, but take all of CHRIST.

Whether are a mans sins forgiven at once, Quest. or at sun­dry times?

At the first time; Answ. when a man believes in the LORD JESUS CHRIST, at that time all his sins past, present, or to come, are remitted. The sins he commits after beleeving, or in beleeving, or before beleeving, are all pardoned: Justification doth not increase or decrease, but sinne it is pardoned at the first act of beleeving; Though sanctification may have degrees, one man may be more sanctified then another, but this hath none; but he is fully justified, and all his sins past, present, or to come, are pardoned to him in CHRIST; all phrases in Scripture implie thus much. Jer. 32. I will pardon their sins, and remember them no more. Ezek. 38. I will blot them out of my remembrance.

Now the Argument is this: I will conclude in di­vers Propositions.

First, Argum. our Saviour by once suffering suffered for the sins of the Elect, past, present, and to come; the infinite wrath of GOD the Father fell on him for my sins; now this wrath is all one in him: and, being all one and infinite, and our Saviour suffering this whole and infinite wrath of GOD the Father, if he had suffered for 10000. worlds he could have suffered no more: Gods wrath could not be but infi­nite, so were his sufferings; he might have applyed his suffering to many thousands more if he would, and yet have suffered no more: Adam's sinne was [Page 54]enough to infect a thousand worlds; and our Savi­ours merits are sufficient for a thousands worlds.

Secondly, those sufferings that he suffered for my sinnes past are sufficient for him to suf­fer and satisfie for my sinnes present and to come.

Thirdly, the sinner stands justified not for any thing in himselfe, but by the mercies of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. Now then gather up all, and the thing is cleare: if our Saviour suffered for all sins, and this, being infinite, is sufficient to pacifie all his wrath due to my sins past, present, or to come. And if a man is not justified of, or by any thing of his own, but from CHRIST; from this I argue, by what death is my sin remitted? by the death of CHRIST; and have not I the whole death of our our Saviour to satisfie? Yes, for that death that suffered for my sins past, suffered for my sins pre­sent or to come; the death CHRIST suffered for all sins. Now this death of CHRIST is applyed to the soul at the first act of beleeving in the LORD CHRIST, therefore my sinnes past, present, or to come, are remitted at the first act of beleeving.

That remission of sins that leaves no condemna­tion to the party offending is the remission of all sinnes; for, if there were any sin remaining, a man is still in the state of condemnation; but justifica­tion leaves no condemnation. Rom. 8.1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ. Argn. 2. Thus it is evident, there is no condemnation to those that are in CHRIST, therefore there is full remission of all sins past, present, or to come, to the soul at the first act of beleeving.

If the remission of all sinnes be not at once, Arg. 3. it is either because my faith cannot lay hold on it, or because there are some hinderances; but a man by the hand of faith can lay hold on all the merits of CHRIST; the Word can reveale all; the Sacra­ments seale and confirm the pardon of all; and then there is no inconvenience, for it makes the soul more carefull of a command. Psal. 130. If thou shouldest enter into judgement with us, who were able to abide it? but there is mercy with thee, that thou mayest be feared. Forgivenesse makes a man yeeld faithfull obedience; then it is cleare, that the for­givenesse of all sinnes, past, present, or to come, is made to the soul at once, at the first act of be­leeving.

First, because CHRIST dyed for all, and that is all applyed at once.

Secondly, justification leaves a man without condemnation.

Thirdly, there are no hinderances; for my faith is able to lay hold on all the merits of CHRIST, and the Sacraments able to confirm all; therefore all the sinnes of the Elect, whether past or pre­sent, or to come, are pardoned at once in CHRIST.

But then why do we pray for daily forgivenesse of sins? It seems needlesse thus to do; Quest. if they be pardon­ed already, what need we pray daily for the forgive­nesse of them? This is one of Bellarmines chief holds. But I answer.

First, if a man do beleeve, Answ. yet he prayeth for more faith.

Secondly, we intreat the Lord that he would be pleased to renew this repentance, write over and renew this our evidence of the remission of our sinnes, and more and more confirm it to our selves; this a man doth though he have faith.

Thirdly, that he would be pleased to continue this his evidence.

Fourthly, that he would make it increase and be more strong. This a faithfull man craves; Lord, saith the soul, that my sinnes may not only be par­doned, and the evidence of it sealed to my soul but that the evidence may be more and more increased.

Whether doth this act of beleeving leave any frame, Quest. or put any disposition into the soul.

First, Answ. our justification, which we call forgive­nesse, findes nothing in us, or any thing done by us, by which we come to be justified; when we are said to be justified by faith, or are not said to be justified for faith, (that is popery) but by faith we lay hold on Christ, by whose merits we are justified; as a man is said to live by his hands, not that he eates them; but by the labour of his hands he gets mo­ney, which buyes his meat which nourisheth him. So a mans sins are not forgiven by vertue of belee­ving, but only thus; because faith as an hand laies hold on this; as a man gets a prey by his hand, so we get this prey by the hand of faith; faith doth not make a man just before God, for God might con­demne us for the imperfection and weaknesse of our faith, but it layes hold on him who justifies.

Secondly, forgivenesse or justification leaves no gracious frame upon the soul, but it is only a legall and judicial forgiving of a man, a pronouncing of the soul believing acquitted. As a man that is arrest­ed, the surety paying all the debt, the law is fru­strate, and hath nothing against that man; and he is pronounced acquitted by the law; but this acquit­ting doth not make a man any honester. That of the Proverbs, He that justifies the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, they both are abomination to the Lord. Not to make a man honester then he was, but to account him so, and justifie him when he is not. You see then, this leaves no stamp upon the soul, this cuts the throat of many a mans comforts, here is the maine difference between justification and sanctification; justification is not for any thing in a mans self, neither leaves any stamp; but sancti­fication proceeds from some ability in the soul, and leaves him holy.

Thirdly, though the act of beleeving doth not put grace into the soul: yet wherever this is there will be another work, and bring grace into the soul.

For we forgive others.

THis is made an argument to prevaile with God, we beseech God to forgive us, because we for­give others; as if we should say, if we forgive others, forgive thou us; but we forgive others, there­fore Lord forgive us: as though first we could for­give [Page 58]others before God forgive us. Hence the que­stion drawes on; namely,

Whether is the soule able to forgive trespasses to others before the Lord forgives its trespases? Quest.

No, our forgiving others doth not goe before our owne forgivenesse; Answ. God must first forgive us before we can forgive others, because it is a work of grace to doe this as God requires, and it comes from a gracious disposition of soule which God must put into us before we can do it. But now san­ctification follows justification, as a man should say, a tree bringsforth fruit from the sap in the root.

But this is used as a cause, Quest. for we forgive others; because we forgive others, therfore forgive us, it seems then to be a cause of our justification.

No, Answ. it is a fruit and effect to make way for the conveyance of the assurance of it; it makes us not to be just, but dedares us to be just. Every reason propounded by the word because, doth not imply a cause; as I prove fire is fire thus. That which burnes is fire, but that burnes therefore it is fire; now burning is not the cause of fire, but an effect of it; not a cause, for first there must be fire before it can burne; so it is a tree because it hath Apples; now Apples are not the cause of the Tree, but the Tree of the Fruit.

What is it to forgive the trespasses of our fellow-bre­thren, and how farre may it be done?

In the trespasses of a brother three things are considerable.

First, the sinne it selfe.

Secondly, the guilt of that sinne.

Thirdly, the punishment due to that sinne.

First, concerning the sinne: In guilt wee must know two things, wherein is the Answer.

First, we must know, that to forgive properly we 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 that no creature can doe.

Secondly, as the guilt hath a respect to God, so it hath 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 me: So farre as the sinne doth respect God, he pardoneth it; and as it concernes me, I forgive him. And this is done when the heart is as willingly content to doe all the good to a brother, as though he had never sinned against him. We say we forgive him, but not for­get him, this is not to forgive; but between whom and me there is nothing to stop me, that is to for­give him; onely remember this that a man doth sinne in some kinde; so that the Lord doth not re­quire that a man should forgive him: As if a man that flatters me to my face and back bites me, I am not bound to trust him againe: He that beares fire in one hand, and water in another, if he sinne against me once, God forgive him: but if he sinne against me the second time, and I forgive him, God for­give him and me. When a man cheates me I will never trust him againe till I see good; and yet I for­give him when I am as willing to doe him good, as [Page 60]though he had never offended me; and withall in­treat the Lord to pardon him, if he hath a lot in Christ seek for the pardon of those sinnes whereby he hath done us wrong. This our Saviour did, Fa­ther forgive them, they know not what they doe: So also Stephen, Acts 7.12. thus we should doe so farre as it concernes us.

Whether is a man bound to forgive punishment to another? Quest. as when one hath stolne any thing from us, should we not follow the Law on him? how farre must a man goe in this case in taking punishment on such an one offending?

A man may, Answ. nay it may be 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 one hath mur­thered another, a man is bound to follow the Law on him, and to give him the punishment due to the fact.

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

It appeares in these particulars:

First, Answ. when, all things considered, in all a man sees it may doe good, then a man is bound to give punishment. When there is nothing but a Bride­well will doe a servant good, give it him. When a childe is stubborn, give him correction and spare him not, it is as good as his meat: If a wretch belch out his malice; if a man can reforme him by punish­ment, give it him: for who knowes but it may be the best physick that ever he had? and to let him go unpunished in such a case a man is guilty of his sinne, because hee might have reformed him by this meanes.

Secondly, if this be a way and meanes to binde a mans hands, and to hinder him from the practice of some sinne: As if a persecutor intends to persecute another, if a man have a suit of Law against him, he is bound to cast him into prison, for it keeps him from persecuting the Saints of the LORD, and so from sinning deeply. It is a work of mercy to take a knife from a mad man: so to bind such a mans hands that doth so. If God put forth an opportu­nity into a mans hand, he is bound to take the Law, and it is mercy to him thus to doe.

Thirdly, when a man cannot otherwise main­taine his owne honour, or life, or some other parti­cular good, for the taking off of his own wrong a man is bound in justice to take punishment on such a one, as thus; If he shall raise a false report on a man, it is not a work of tyranny but a work of mercy, he ought to right his own wrong that is done unto him by punishment; when it cannot otherwise be maintained we are bound to take this course; for why? mine own honor, life and estate is to be pre­ferred before others.

Fourthly, when this course being just will main­taine the goodnesse of a mans profession and Gods glory, this should be done: when a mans profession lyes at the stake, a man is not bound to be mealie­mouthed, but to make those black-mouthed wret­ches known to others, that they may not dare to bring a scandall upon the glorious Gospel of Christ, nor on the professours thereof. Thus a man must doe, and yet forgive a man for all this, if his good [Page 62]or mine, or the profession of the Gospel may be furthered hereby, this should be. And thus a man may goe to law in these cases, and the like.

Now we come to the force of the Argument.

How is this an Argument to prevaile with GOD to forgive us, Quest. because wee forgive others? where lyes the force of the Argument? what vertue is there in this?

It lyes in 3. particulars; and it is a speciall meanes to obtain mercy, Answ. Lord I forgive others, therefore forgive thou me.

First, all the mercie I have, it is not firstly in my selfe, it is but a river and spring comming from the Sea, but mercie is firstly in thy selfe, the fountaine and Sea of mercy is in thee: Now Lord if I have but some bowels of mercy, and some drops of that Ocean of mercy, and yet can forgive others; much more then thou the fountaine of mercy canst for­give me. When the two servants fell out, the one pulled the other by the throat, and said, Pay mee that thou owest me; now when the Master of that servant heard of it, he said, Oh thou wretch dost thou deale thus with him, when I deale so favourably with thee; and if a sinner must forgive his fellow brother seventy seven times, how much more the Lord the God of mercy? if he that hath but some mercie received from the fountaine, much more the Lord the fountaine it selfe.

Secondly, as we have not from our selves, but from God; so also that we have is mixt with a great deale of spleene. Though some compassion yet [Page 63]mingled with a great deale of envie; though some mercy, yet mingled with a great deale of cruelty; and a great deale of darknesse with this little starre-light: but the Lord hath all love without any hatred; all mercy without any cruelty; there is no hinde­rance in the Lord to hinder him. Now the soule saith, Lord, if I that have a great deale of malice can forgive my brethren, then how much more thou that hast all mercy and no spleen (if men humble their soules before thee) wilt forgive?

Thirdly, that mercy that is in us it is but little, but it is infinite in the Lord; what we can doe is but the first fruit, a drop, a graine, a mustard-seed, but abundant in the Lord. Then the soule saith, Lord, thou art boundlesse and bottomlesse in mer­cie, how much more wilt thou forgive? True, LORD, the talents and debt whereby we are in­gaged unto thee are many and great; but if wee poore creatures that have but from the Fountain, and that we have is mingled with a great deale of malice, and that but a drop, and yet can forgive; how much more thou that hast all first from thy selfe, and purely without all mixture of envie, and in an infinite abundance? how much more canst thou forgive whom thou wilt? therefore LORD forgive us, for we forgive others.

How ought the soule to be framed in putting up this Petition? Quest.

It appeares in foure particulars: Answ.

First, the soule must see and acknowledge it selfe guilty of those sinnes that appeare in this life: wee [Page 64]must see our selvs stand in need of forgivenes: now we cannot doe this till we see our selves faulty. He that owes nothing, what need he crave forgive­nesse? So forgivenesse of sinnes implyes that wee are guilty of sinne and lyable to the punishment due to sinne, They that confesse sinne and forsake it shall finde mercy, pro. 28.14. first finde out thy sins, then find Gods mercy, 1 Cor. 11. If we would judge our selves, we should not be judged. He that would have GOD forgive him, must not forgive himselfe; if we judge our selves, GOD will not judge us. As a Malefactor that sticks to his owne innocencie, and will not acknowledge any guilt, in vaine hee de­sires to bee forgiven: So a sinner or Malefactor before GODS Tribunall, if hee will not con­fesse his sinne, hee shall never finde mercie at the hand of the LORD. Therefore I cannot see how a Papist can beg this, when as hee thinkes he can satisfie GODS Justice himselfe.

Secondly, we must labour to have the heart see its owne inabilitie to satisfie for sinne, or to beare Gods indictment he shall passe upon the soule that is guilty. The soule acknowledgeth it selfe unable to answer one of a thousand; Behold (saith the Psalmist) Lord, if thou shouldest enter into judge­ment, who were able to abide it? but there is mercy with thee that thou mayst be feared. Wee are Ban­kerupts, wee cannot answer the debt, nor beare the suit; if the debtor be able to answer the debt or pay the money, hee cares for no kindnesse; the sinner is the debtor, and, if hee can satisfie Gods [Page 65]Justice, what need he care? If I can abide it, what need I crave favour? but when it is come to this, who can abide it; then the LORD will pardon whatsoever is amisse. Where-ever the sinner goes he cannot avoid the suit; hee needs no pursevant to follow him, conscience is arresting, the Devill accusing, therefore he falls down and cryes mercy, mercy to pardon the suit, the soule is not able to beare the suit. This the Church complaines of, Behold, our righteousnesse is as menstruous cloath; and they, Ezek. 36.31. judge themselves wor­thy to be condemned. Now in that I say for­give, I imply that I cannot satisfie for sin my selfe.

Thirdly, we should seeke to the free mercie of GOD and of his Grace for what wee need; wee should acknowledge his free mercie. When the soule sees there is mercie in GOD for him, then it is fitted to pray this petition; for should I conceive GOD were severe, holy, just, &c. though I renounce my sinne, yet I could not seek him; God is not extreame and rigorous, but hee hath mercy in store for those that seeke him in truth and sincerity: therefore we should apprehend two things:

First, that God desires not to deale rigorous­ly; we should perswade our hearts, that God is de­sirous to welcome our prayers, Exod. 34. The Lord is ready to succour our infirmities. If we be in misery, the Lord will abound in mercy, the phrase is, mul­tiplying mercy; therefore the Apostle calls him the father of mercies, and the God of all compassions; [Page 66]we have new vexations, he hath new compassions; nay, God hath more good then we can desire, he performes more then he promiseth; he is abundant in truth, above all that he hath revealed himself to be in his Word, Isa. 55.7. Our God is mercifull and abundant in forgivenesse. He multiplies pardons, he hath pardons in store, mercy to pardon any poore soul. But, (saith the soul) what my sinnes commit­ted and continued in? marke what he adds, though you cannot comprehend it, yet he can conceive it: his thoughts of mercy are larger in giving, then ours in craving, Eph. 2. He is able to do above what we can think or aske. It was but a cold comfort Isaac gave to Esau, he had but one blessing; so if Gods mercies come to an end, it were but a poor comfort when the soul saith, Lord give me, and the Lord should say, all is drawne dry. But there is enough in God to do us good. What availes it, if a father have a good heart to his child, if he hath not to give it what it askes, or stands in need of? but our heavenly Father abounds in goodnesse.

Secondly, God, as he hath abundance of good, so he is free and ready to bestow it, Esa. 55.1. Ho, Every one that thirsteth, let him buy milke, and milke without money or price. We would be content to have wine, but we have no money to buy it, there­fore God adds, though you be not able to pay for it, yet take it. Mich. 7.18. Who is a God like our God? who pardons sin, because mercy pleaseth him. The pardoning of our sins is like the overthrowing of Pharaoh in the sea. God doth it not because we [Page 67]please him, but because his mercy pleaseth him, he doth it freely.

Fourthly, we must be content to waite for his mercy that we stand in need of; we must both waite for it, and be confidently perswaded of it, else we crosse the tenure of forgivenesse, Heb. 11. God gives mercy to none but those that waite for it. In that we aske pardon, we are resolved to waite for it, for so much is implyed. A pardon in law is not authenti­call, untill it be sealed; so God saith, he will par­don us, but this is not authenticall, untill we have set to our seale; he saith, he will give freely; we say, we will waite constantly; Psal. 37.5. Commit thy waies to God, and he will care for thee. He that thus begs forgivenesse, shall undoubtedly obtaine it at the hand of the Lord,

And leade us not into temptation.

THis is of sanctification both begun here and ended in heaven; sanctification frees from the power of sin, glorification frees from the presence of sinne; sanctification kills sinne, glorification bu­ries sin.

First, for the order; sanctification flowes from justification. When sin is pardoned, we have the Spi­rit of Christ, which conveys all to us; first justified, then sanctified.

Secondly, for the sense of the words, and here are two things.

First, what God should not doe, Leade us not in­to temptation.

Secondly, what he should doe, deliver us from evill.

What is meant by temptation? Quest.

A tryall, Answ. or an assault, whereby a mans strength is tried: now they are double.

First, the deliverance from evill.

Secondly, to prove the soundnesse of grace.

The first is especially intended, and by it are under­stood all the assaults of the soul, by sin, Satan, or the world, whereby 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 sense, may have place in this Petition: God tries us in this manner, and we pray him, that he would trie us no more then we are able to beare.

What is it to be led into temptation? Quest.

It appeares in three things. Answ.

First, when temptations pursue us.

Secondly, when they doe foile us in assaulting of us.

Thirdly, when temptation doth totally van­quish us.

Now we pray in this Petition, that temptations may not pursue us; pursuing us, that they may not foile us; and though we be foiled, yet that we may recover our selves. We desire that God would not let them besiege us; if they doe, yet not foile us; and if they do, yet that we may recover our selves after our foile.

Can God lead into temptation? Quest.

The Apostle explaines it, Answ. Jam. 13. God cannot tempt to evill. He that is goodnesse it selfe cannot provoke a man to sin. The Lord doth not put ma­lice into any mans heart, God cannot properly be the cause of drawing a man into sinne; there are tryals of proofe: The Lord may try his, as he did Abraham, Gen. 22.1. A man doth not hurt his ar­mour if it be good when as he proves it: So God intends no evill to a man when he thus deals with him. Some adde this word, suffer us not to be led; but that is silly, since God tempts no man to sinne.

What needs this Prayer? Quest.

God may doe it: Answ. sin and all other temptations have a double respect.

First, evils are totally and professedly opposite to the Law of God.

Secondly, sinnes go under the name of punish­ments, sometimes God punisheth one sinne with another: now, as sin hath reference to the Law of God, he is not the cause of it; but so far as sin is a punishment, God may be the author of it: We pray then, that God by a sinfull distemper would not plague us.

In what manner doth God leade us into temp­tation? Quest.

He doth it three waies. Answ.

First, when the Lord withdraws not those nets that are laid for us; when God removes not those stumbling-blocks that are cast before us: Nay, God [Page 70]may put a temptation before us: Thus a master may lay a baite for his servant, by laying money in a corner to trie his truth: Now it is lawfull for a man thus to leave his money, to discerne whether his servant be faithfull or no, he desires not that he should steale, but that he may trie his fidelity; so God justly suggests occasions; there must be he­resies for the triall of Gods servants; God sends occasions of provocations, for their tryall God raines snares, Psal. 11.6. They that pitch their nets first let it fall, and then set it up. This is to raine snares; the favour of God is but a baite to a wick­ed man; his posperitie is but his ruine. It is not with God to deale so, because wicked men desire it; so Judas would faine have gotten somwhat by the ointment; now it is just with God to send the Pha­risees to give him thirty pence, and ruine too; now his minde is pleased, he hath thirty pence, and dam­nation too.

Secondly, as God layes occasions, so he lets sin and Satan loose; a mans heart would be hanker­ing, now God gives him up; take him sin and Sa­tan, let him have field-roome, 1 King. 22.22. Ahab would faine go to warre, it was a thing not allow­ed, but he desired it; therefore God sends the De­vill; God askes, who will prevaile over Ahab? the Devill saith, I will go: Then God saith, go and do it. Judg. 9.23. Abimelech and the men of Sechen did very ill, then God sent an evill spirit, that is, he he let loose the spirit of contention, and they de­stroyed him, and he laboured to destroy them: So [Page 71]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 holinesse? then take them uncleannesse. Many a man hath a wrath­full disposition; take him envie, saith God; let him bring blood on others, and so ruine to himself. Thus God tooke away his Spirit from Saul, and gave him up to sinfull distempers; of all plagues there is none like this.

Thirdly, GOD leaves a man to himselfe; and lends him not the assistance of his grace; suf­fers him and Satan to grapple together. 2 Corin­thians, 32.31. Thus GOD dealt with Hezekiah; because he had a lease of his life, he began to be proud, Therefore God left him to himselfe, to trie what was in him. He though himselfe a brave man, therefore GOD leaves him; as a father lets a child go when he will not be held, so saith GOD, see what thou canst doe, trie thy own strength. Now this leaving is in two passages.

First, GOD lets in the truth of his Word, not so much as may serve for direction, but for provocation. That of the Romans is observable to this purpose, There is no transgression where there is no Law; not that the Law brings sinne, but provokes a mans heart, Rom. 7.5. the phra­ses are strange in the fifth verse, The motions of sinne which were by the Law: The Law moves a man to sinne by opposing of it; saith the stub­borne heart, I will doe it because you say so; many a man that hath lived civilly, and as a good [Page 72]neighbour, &c. and after the Law stirs him up to more exactnesse he is more violent against good men. The Law meeting with a proud heart, he opposeth it, and would pluck the Law in peeces. All the while men joine sides they are loved; but if GOD pleaseth to humble them, then they flie out: There is nothing there that comes in anew saving GODS grace; but that malice that was there before, is now stirred; now there is no fault in a good man, that he is good: but sinne taking occasion by the command slew me, saith the Apostle. Looke as an ague that is pretty well over-past, it lies in the bones, and if he that hath it drinke cold water, it growes extream and hot by force of opposition: So that man that lay lurking before, the Word comes and it layes a man flat, and it slayes him utter­ly. vers. 13. Sinne by the command became out of measure sinfull. Looke, as it is with a damme, the damme stops, and the streame swels by force of opposition; so the Law stops the streame of sinne and corruption, and now it growes ex­ceeding violent. Therefore they that have been under good meanes, and breake, are out of mea­sure shamelesse in their sinfull proceedings; this damme that stops makes this sin greater; thus the Law of GOD is a Law to a proud heart. The Law is not to blame, but the heart.

Secondly, the LORD will not suffer the soul to have the power and assistance of the Spirit which formerly he hath had; but lets sin and it [Page 73]grapple till he breake sinne all to peeces. Many a time the LORD leaves the soule, and will not let it have that power that formerlie it had.

What, can a soul fall? Quest.

No. GOD takes not away his hand, Answ. but yet he shall not feele it; as a man, if he stirre not the wheele it will not goe; his hand is on it all the while, but doth not stirre it, therefore it goes not: So GOD leaves a man to himselfe, though for the while he doth not give him that force, whereby he may gaine-say a tempta­tion. This befell David, LORD, Psal. 57. take not thy holy Spirit from me; that is, when God would not helpe David, but let him make his part good with the temptations. I doubted not, but Da­vid had grace enough, if GOD would have quickened it in him. Hezekiah had wisdome e­nough, but GOD left him. Thus the LORD is said justly to leade a man into temptation. Now wee pray, that he would take away all snares, that he would not suffer the Word to provoke us, but to direct us, that we may not be left to our owne strength, and that wee may overcome all our spirituall enemies.

But deliver us from evill.

HEre observe, that though GOD would doe nothing against us, yet we are not a­ble to deliver our selves from our owne corrupt hearts.

What is meant by evill? Quest.

Not so much trouble, Answ. or punishment, but sinne. Now in sin are three things.

First, the breach of the Law.

Secondly, the guilt a man gets by this breach, and so is liable to this punishment.

Thirdly, the vigour of sinne, whereby it rules over the soule: Now the former we pray against in the fifth Petition: because we stand guilty of the breach of the Law, therefore wee pray, that God would not enter into Judgement with us. And thirdly wee pray here against the power of sinne, and that is in three particulars; not only in regard of the guilt of it, but that the Lord would keep us from the power of it.

First, sinne would be a commander over the soule: It is the King, Satan is the Gaoler, it hath a Kingly Soveraigne Authority, and would rule over us; sinne is often compared to a King, his servants are they to whom they obey. Sinne is a Master, at least it would be; and is so in every naturall soule, and it would bee so in the god­ly. [Page 75] The law of life (saith the Apostle) hath freed mee from the law of death, Rom. 8.2. Sinne gives Parliament-Lawes to the Soule and Edicts, and as the Centurion bade one servant goe and hee went; and another come, and he comes; so doth sinne say; Pride saith, it is my pleasure you should be proud; therefore I will have you proud and snappish, &c. Sayes anger, I will have you sple­niticke and rage: Sayes the soule, then I will, and it shall be done. Thus sinne sets up it selfe as a supreame Soveraigne in the soule. Hence a proud heart saith, I will that I will, let GOD say what hee will; tell not mee of Lawes, it is my minde. It is your proud heart sets you Lawes, and you yeeld to them. Now we pray that GOD, however sinne bee in the Soule, yet that he would snub and curb it, that it may bee an underling in the Soule, and daily sub­dued.

Secondly, as sinne doth, and desires to set up a master-like rule and a supreame Soveraign Lord like dominion: So sinne carries the soule, and sometimes separates the soule from GOD; whereas the command of GOD should be a guide to us, and take place in our hearts; this Re­bell, it takes up Armes, resists, stands in defiance against the rule of the Spirit. Hence come all these phrases, they forsook God; resisted GOD, and turned their backes to his commands. What? saith pride, shall I bee a slave, that the Word should awe mee, and snub mee? I will never yeeld it while I [Page 76]live, I will dye first. This is a Devill that drawes you from GOD, and will carry you to Hell, Rom. 7.23. that is the meaning of this place; Sinne carries a man captive, that when the soule sees it selfe so ruled by him, a gracious heart would teare it selfe off if it could; but a natu­rall man is a slave to sinne, sinne gets head, and so the soule dares not affect any good in another, nor labour for it in it selfe.

Thirdly, sinne leaves a kinde of blemish and staine upon the soule, after the commission of it. There is a kinde of jeering to the heart, and a cunning wrong of the soule; hence the Scripture calls it the excrement of naughtinesse, &c. though the act of sinne be gone, yet there is a blemish on the Soule. Peter, after his denyall of CHRIST was averted from CHRIST: So a man after sinne shall finde himselfe dull to any good, and prone to any evill. This is the staine of sinne; when a mans arme is put out of joynt, besides the fall there is a bruise: So after a man hath broken the Commandements of the LORD, the LORD unjoynts him; hee is more awake to any good then ever, Galath. 6. If any man bee unjoynted by sinne: So that of the Romanes, they wound their owne soules: This sinne doth; now these wee pray against, partly against the power of sinne, partly against the authority of sinne, partly against the staine of sinne.

But deliver us from evill.

To deliver from evil implyes three things:

First, wee pray that the LORD would pre­vent all those occasions, and struglings, and di­stempers of sinne that trouble us; these wee pray against, to wit, that hee would take off these distempers, whereby sinne would lay siege against the Soule; that hee would remove those things that would remove us from him. This is that wisdome promiseth, Prov. 6.21. Shee will keepe and walke with them that walke with her, and shee will keepe him from the way of the wicked woman. Sinne is like a Harlot, therefore the LORD is pleased to expresse it after that manner. Now it is the mercie of the LORD that he will turne our eyes from beholding of vanity; That there may not bee in us the violence of sinne assaulting us: Wee pray also that wee may not come into the Battaile, if it bee possible; and that sinne, or pollution, may not come in against us.

Secondly, that the LORD would assist us in the temptation, that the temptation may not prevaile.

It is a mercie not to bee tempted; but if we must bee, it is a great mercie not to bee over­come by temptation. If hee will not wholly prevent us by his Grace, yet that hee will assist us graciously in it. It is a mercie not to be as­saulted, [Page 78]and though assaulted, yet that we may be assisted.

Now this assistance of GOD is two-fold, ei­ther extraordinary, or mediate by the meanes: wee speake not so much of the first, though that be true, but we crave both at the hand of the Lord.

First, sometimes wee crave for the extraor­dinary help and assistance of the LORD, to assist us either above meanes or in the meanes. Wee know the Lord in the time of the Martyrs suf­ferings did helpe wonderfully, their temptati­ons were grievous, and afflictions great, and yet the Lord did helpe them extraordiarily; God did let in abundance of sweetnesse. But we passe this, and come to the other.

Secondly, we pray especially for such meanes as may helpe us; and that appeares in foure par­ticulars:

First, that the Lord would discover the ene­mie before hee comes; that hee would make knowne unto us the engines, and wiles, and depth of Satan, and the subtilty of our owne corrupt hearts, which are ready on every hand to surprize us; for to be surprized before wee are aware is great danger; therefore we pray that the Lord would give us the Spirit of Re­velation, that wee may take notice of the en­gines of Satan, that hee may be discovered to us; the discovery, wee know, of an evill is to prevent an evill: and, not foreseeing, we cannot [Page 79]prevent. He that sees not an evill before it comes will bee overthrowne by it when it comes. Ma­ny a man perisheth by pride, and knowes not what hurts him. Thus corruption blowes up the soule. This the Lord promiseth, Isay 30.21. Thou shalt heare a word behinde thee, saying, This is the way. That GOD may keep a man from sinne, hee sends the Spirit of CHRIST to say, this is the way, walke in it. The Text saith, 2 Cor. 2. there, speaking of the incestuous man, Wee are not ignorant of the methods of Satan to us, Mat. 20. When the great skirmish was to come, our Saviour forewarned Peter, and saith, I will smite the Shepherd, &c. and saith, Watch and pray for the houre is come, &c. Hee gives him this war­ning-peece. We pray then that God would make knowne to us the engines of sinne and Satan before they come. Wee know it is a great helpe in warre to know the quarters and orders of e­nemies, that so a man may order his actions ac­cording thereunto. So wee must know where the Devill and our corruptions lye quartered, and what be the haunts of our wretched hearts, and so to order the help God hath put into our hands for the resisting of them.

Secondly, that the Lord, as it were, would intrench about us: If hee will not foretell us of the enemy, that, seeing sinne, wee may pre­vent it, yet that hee would lay some heavie im­pediment upon us, &c. and build some trench about us, that wee may not commit those evils [Page 80]wee are tempted unto: That though hee doe not reveale the policie of Satan, yet that hee would lay some snares, that wee may not com­mit that sinne which otherwise wee would doe. And this is a marvellous mercie, Gen. 20.7. Abi­melech tooke Sarah, as though shee had beene Abrahams sister, as hee himselfe told him; and, no question, hee had a purpose to take her to be his wife; but the Lord laid an impediment, the Lord kept Abimelech from Sarah, hee took off the edge of his desire, and laid a barre be­tweene them: Hos. 2.6, 7. The Church was run­ning after her abominations; now how did the Lord prevent her? the Text saith, I will hedge thy wayes with thornes, and build a wall about thee. The Lovers were corruptions, and the follow­ing of them is the eager pursuit of them. Now hee hedges the wayes with Thornes; that is, hee layes desperate afflictions on them, that shee had no liberty to sinne, so that shee hath enough to doe to minde her owne miseries. Sometimes a man is addicted to base company, and then the Lord layes sicknesse to imprison him, and to keep him from sinne: This is mercy.

Thirdly, the Lord puts armour and weapons on them to fight against their enemies that are opposite to his grace and children, Ephes. 6. from the 10. to the 19. Be yee strengthened in all might, putting on all spirituall abilities, 1 Cor. 2. to bee strengthned in every good worke. God saith, hee covers the heads of his, 1 Pet. 1.5. God keepes [Page 81]them by the power of his grace; God gives his the whole armour, the shield of faith, the breast­plate of righteousnesse, &c. to quench the fiery darts of Satan, and to resist him.

Fourthly, God gives a dominion over and conquest against all our enemies, and over all our victorious corruptions hee gives a happy issue and successe: With the fight hee gives the issue with the victory, Revel. 1.6. Hee hath made us Kings, that is, hee hath given us a Kingly au­thority over all our corruptions; Rom. 6: 14. Sinne shall not have dominion over you; Psal. 119.133. so David prayeth, Let no iniquity have dominion over mee. Thus the Lord assists his in trouble.

Thirdly, as wee pray that the Lord would prevent the occasions of evill, and, if they come, to assist us in them; so lastly, if wee be foiled and brought under by the temptations of Satan and our own corruptions, that the LORD would rescue us from them that have had too much power over us, and too too much prevailed a­gainst us. This wee know was the request and desire of the Prophet David, Psal. 39. Restore mee to my former health before I goe away from hence and be no more seene: As who should say, my base lusts are too strong for mee; these hands were stout, but now feeble; therefore LORD give me that former strength. His sinnes were as sicknesse; Davids case was as when a man hath been sicke, and after comes to get up his crummes; as though hee had said, I knew the [Page 82]time when I had a broken heart for my sinne, but now hardened; therefore, O God, spare mee a little while before I goe hence, and bee no more seene, that I may recover my former courage, zeale, and strength before I goe hence; Rom. 8.2. The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ hath made mee free from the Law of sinne and death, Sinne makes Lawes: Wee then intreat the Lord, that hee would prevent corruption, that hee would assist us in temptation ordinarily and extraordinarily, that hee would discover the enemy before hee come; that hee would in­trench about us, and give us Armour and wea­pons to resist. it; and give us dominion over our enemies; and that, if wee be overcome, hee would rescue and recover us out of them: This is the sum of this Petition.

Now wee come to the frame of the heart that we should bring before God, Quest. that so wee may be fit to re­ceive the good we sue for at the hand of God. Now wherein doth it appeare?

The frame of heart and disposition of Soule, Answ. that best be-seemes us in the putting up of this Petition, appeares principally in four things.

First, when wee desire that the Lord would not let us bee drawne aside, nor led into temp­tation, wee must labour to avoid all occasions as may bee too strong for us or like to prevaile over us. In vaine wee desire to bee delivered from evill, when wee rush into evill and into temp­tations. Hee that should take pitch into his hand, [Page 83]and pray not to defiled; put fire into his bosome, and pray not to be burnt; it is a sleighting of Gods mercy, and a provoking of God to wrath, rather then a begging of mercy. We would count it a madnesse for a man to cast himselfe into the Sea, and desire to be saved; to make our selves sick that God may make us whole againe. It is no­thing else, but as we may say, to make God worke; so to runne into evill, and to pray to the Lord to deliver us from evill; it is provo­king and mocking of the Lord: the wise mans rule is here memorable, Prov. 23.23. If a man be given to his appetite, let him put his knife to his throat. If thou lovest the wine, looke not upon it; a man that is given to his apetite, it is in vaine to pray against it, and yet nourish it: but thou must put thy knife to thy throat, abstaine from that which may provoke it; for if we please our appetite, it will be a temptation to us. Psal. 30. The promises and the providence of the Lord go to­gether. He will succour us and relieve us, but it must be in the way of providence; we must be in the way: He that goes out of the way, and craves Gods assistance, shall never have it, but hales on evill on himselfe, Matthew 10.18. our Saviour speaking of offences, saith, If thy hand cause thee to offend, cut it off: and if thine eye cause thee to offend, pluck it out: That is, were thy sinnes as neere to thee as thy right hand in re­gard of profit, or thy right eye, in regard of pleasure, cut them off, pluck them out, fling [Page 84]them away, rather then be foiled by them. In vaine wee crave the assistance of the Lord, and in the meane time lay blocks before us; it is pre­sumption, therefore no marvell if many times the Lord leaves a man in the lurch, because he doth not that he praies for. It is enough to cause the Lord to curse us, when we do not avoid oc­casions of evill: he that will not fall into the pit, let him not come neer the brinke of it; he that will not be snared by evill, let him not come neer the occasions of evill.

Secondly, if we be weake of our selves, and cannot prevent the occasions of evill; yet bee carefull to seeke all such meanes as may be suc­courable and helpfull to us; if we cannot helpe it, but that these will surprize us, let us seeke the meanes that may succour us in our need. The sicke man that craves succour of the Lord must use the meanes the Lord hath appointed; hap­pily thou findest temptations pressing on in thy calling, thou canst not avoid it; the more the occasions are, the more seek for the meanes that may fortifie thee. Hee that will be healed, let him seeke the Physician; he that is out of the way, and would be set in the right way, let him inquire it out, and not sit still, and say, Lord have mercy upon me, &c. but seeke unto God in the use of the meanes. It was that which Joshuah did, chapter the seventh, he called upon God, but yet the Lord did not help him, but said, Why doest thou so? Israel hath sinned, looke to that; in [Page 85]vaine it is to pray, that the enemie may not pre­vaile, and labour not to get sinne out of the camp; but doe that, and then the overthrow of the Enemies will bee farre enough from thee.

Thirdly, when wee have found the meanes, labour to bee content to bee ordered by all the meanes and helps that God hath been pleased to ordaine for our good. It is a madnesse to crave, as Balaam, Oh that I might die the death of the righteous, and not live their life; to see the way, and not to walke in it. Jer. 42. they said to the Pro­phet, Inquire at the mouth of the Lord, and what­soever he commandeth, that wee will doe, but when they heard and knew it, they would not. In vaine it is to crave the pardon of sinne, when we looke not to the promise; to desire sinne to be subdued, and yet not to abide the meanes that should doe it: but if a man faith, he will not be counselled, but will have his proud heart, and will walke in all his owne waies, how can he say, deliver me from this proud heart, when he will not have counsell take place? When a man is in horrour of heart, when conscience flies in his face, it is in vaine to whine then, and yet not to be ruled by the Word of God, but be as vaine as ever, as loose as ever, and as iddle as ever. Thou beggest one thing, and desirest another, and so long never put up this Petition.

Fourthly, wee must relye upon the Lord for a blessing and successe in all wee pray for, or do. [Page 86]We must so use the meanes, as if there were no promise to helpe us; and yet so depend on God for all, as though the meanes could doe nothing. Observe all thy occasions, and say, counsell and advise is good, but the Lord must set them on; man lives not by bread only, but by the blessing of God in the meanes; goe to the Spirit of the Lord, and see there a greater power then in all meanes. 2 King. 2. If thou canst see me taken up, then shalt thou have my Spirit double upon thee. The meaning is, if thou seest the God that takes me up, then he will give thee his Spirit; looke to God above all meanes, and he that is thus disposed praies aright to be delivered.

For thine is the Kingdome.

VVE have done with the sixe Petitions: three concerning God, his Name, King­dome, Will: three concerning our selves, concer­ning things of this life, and of a better; to wit, justification, sanctification; we come now to the conclusion, and considerin it two things.

First, the thanksgiving.

Secondly, the conclusion of faith in the word Amen.

In the thanksgiving is included both a reason of the Petition; as also, a forme of thanksgiving, as who should say, wee doe not presume wee can do any thing, unlesse thou dost worke in us [Page 87]what thou requirest of us; For thine is the King­dome. It is not in our power to doe what wee should, or what thou requirest of us; but the Kingdome is thine, all comes from thee, O Lord, and let all the glory of all be returned to thee again. Doe we hallow thy name, and pray for thy King­dome to come, and thy will be done? why? it is thou Lord, that must give the power; we beg all from thee, and this is included in the word power. For, as that we should say, we have no power to do any thing, do thou all Lord, and take thou the glo­ry of all; so that is the ground why we beg all of him, and returne all to him.

What is here meant by Kingdome? Quest.

First, the word Kingdom doth discover the right and authority of God, to give all things we want; Answ. thou, Lord, hast the disposing of all things; we have no authority, nor no property that is in us, thine is the Kingdome, thou hast all power to do what thou wilt. The Master doth what he will in his family, and the King rules in his Realme; so doth the Lord rule in the heart of his.

Secondly, the Lord hath not only authority to do what he will, but full and abundant sufficiency to dispose of all according to his will and pleasure. Kings may want power to do what they would, and the sons of Zeruiah may be too strong for David; but as the Lord hath title to all, so his arme is long enough, his ability sufficient enough to do all; there is much infirmity in us, but none at all in thee.

And the glory.

THe glory of a thing, we know appeares in two things.

First the excellency of it.

Secondly, in the beauty and splendor of its ex­cellency: this sets forth the glory of a thing, as who should say, if any beauty, excellency or glory be in the creature, it is thine, oh Lord; for thine is the Kingdome, power, and the glory.

Thine.

What doth this word thine imply? Quest.

It implies three particulars. Answ.

First, that all authority, sufficiency, and excel­lency is firstly in God, all is his by possession and propriety. Any thing that we have or enjoy, it is but what we have of him, it is but a glimpse and reflexion of that glory in God, and it is all firstly in God, and he leases it out; it is my God and my por­tion, God is the roote of all we are or have, all po­wer and sufficiency is in him firstly.

Secondly, so all comes from him; whatever is in the creature, comes from him; all are but te­nants and leasures of that they have from the Lord, who is the great possessour of Heaven and Earth.

Thirdly, it implies, that we should acknowledge [Page 89]all belonging to him, give every man his due: whose is this honour and power? the Lords: let him have it then; and this is to put off all ability and suffici­encie from our selves, and to acknowledge all to come from him: As thongh the soule should say, Is there any thing in me, Lord? it is because thou givest it: Thou givest unto us all our abilities and hearts to pray, and it is thou that hearest us when we pray. It is all free mercie, all abilities are from thee; therefore, Lord, take all; for all is thine. Thus the soule disclaimes all selfe.

For ever and ever, &c.

THat is, everlasting power is in thee, which differs from all other power; all mans power is from GOD; but the Kingdom of GOD, his pow­er and his glory, it is for ever and ever. We can­not pray alwayes, our abilities faile and our hearts faint, but thy power endures for ever; the good things of this life, meat, drink, cloth, &c. some times are gone, but yet thy power endures for ever to succour us. When our abilities faile, yet power is for ever and ever in thee to renew them.

Amen.

THe word Amen implyes three things:

First, the terme of asseveration, and it dis­covers the truth of a thing.

Secondly, a wish, Oh, saith the soule, that it might be.

Thirdly, the voyce of a confident faith; It is so, it is done Lord: all these three are implyed: but this last mainly here intended. These things wee have prayed for, that according to thy will they are veri­ly done: As also, there is a secret looking after the Petition when it is put up, the soule followes the Petition: Now, saith the soule, they speed, the LDRD grants these petitions: as a man that shoots an Arrow, he looks after it: So the soule saith, Oh, that the Lord would speed it. So when the Petiti­ons are sent to heaven, the heart followes the blow and looks after them, it sends his Amen; oh, that it might be so, and then faith saith, it is done undoubt­edly: As true as the Lord is faithfull, so these must needs be done. The word Amen strikes the match thorow. The soule wisheth, Oh that it might bee done, saith saith, it is done already. Prayer is as the key; when a man wants provision, hee goes to the Treasurie and fetcheth it: So prayer fetcheth comfort, peace, and assurance, &c. and Amen turns the key; it is mine, saith the Soule. Prayer is as a Golden Key.