The Arts of Logic and Rhetoric, Part 4
The reſolution and interpretation of the Lordes prayer, out of Mat. 6. 9. and Luke 11. 2.
OVr Sauiour Chriſt being both deſired of his Diſciples to be taught how to praye, and hauing reproued the abuſe of vnneceſſarie and vayne repetitions of one and the ſame thing: giueth his Diſciples commandement to pray as he taught thē in this prayer: Saying praye thus, and when you praye ſaye, Our Father. &c. that is, let the things which you require and giuegive thanks for, the difference which you make of the thinges, and the affections wherewith you praye, be no other then are conteyned here. This forme or paterne, or rule of prayer hath two partes.
The firſte is, An entrance or preparation to the ſame.
The ſecond is, The prayer it ſelfe.
The entrance doeth conteyne ſuch a deſcription of God, as is meete for vsus, whenſoeuer we adreſſe our ſelues to prayer, to hauehave feeling of in our hartes. It is diſpoſed in an Axiome or ſentence copulatiue or coupling. The firſt reaſon is from the adioint of relation Our Father, which is adorned with that manner of exclamation which vttereth a familiar affection, as My Father, my ſonne! Gen. 22. 7. So that we muſt in the aſſured feeling of faith according to the ſpirit of adoption and ſanctification crie vntounto God as our merciful father, through Ieſus Chriſt, Rom. 8. 13. 14. 15. Gal. 4. 6. more readie then any father to graunt that wee aske according to his will, and therefore muſt be wayted on in requeſt & ſute, till we obteyne. Lu. 11. 5. to the 14. ver. The ſeconde reaſon is, from the ſubiect Which art in heauen, that is, full of all maieſtie and power, Heauen the throne, or ſeate, or place of Gods Maieſtie, and power, where this is moſt cleare and manifeſt, Pſal. 113. 4. 5. And 115, 3. 16. Eſa. 66. being put for the power and Maieſtie it ſelfe, by a Metonomie, or change of name, where the place or ſubiect is put for the thing placed or adioint: ſo that, our reuerence muſt bringe foorth ſuch cogitations, deſires, and wordes in ſuch manner as may become his Maieſtie, becauſe he is in heauen, and we in earth, Eccle. 5. 1. In the firſte is ſhut out infidelitie, doubting whether we be hearde, in patiēcie, in wayting Gods leaſure. In the ſeconde, raſhnes or multiplying wordes, thoughtes, doubting of Gods power, wandring thoughtes, and all earthlie imaginations.
The prayer it ſelfe hath two partes,
The forme of requeſt.
The cōfirmation of it, cōtayning a thankſgiuing.
Becauſe our requeſtes muſt be made manifest with thankeſgiuing, Phil. 4. 6. And thankeſgiuing for a benefit receyued doeth greatly confirme our faith in requeſtes, as Iacobs example doeth ſhewe, Gen. 32. 10. 11. &c. The forme of requeſtes is ſet downe in a copulatiue axiome, which numbreth vp ſixe ſeuerall petitions, where the bonde or couple of the axiome is left out, as the manner is where one doeth earneſtlie, and becauſe of the earneſtnes ſpeedilie require of will a thing, as Gen. 18. 6. 7. Dan. 9. 19 And this declareth and vttereth the proper affection or feruencie of petition, which is as beggers, which feeling of our wantes by the worke of the holy Ghoſt to craue with vnſpeakeable ſighes and groninges. Rom. 8. 26. 27. Iam. 5. 16. This ſhutteth out, none or verie little feeling of our wante, coldnes, and dulnes in prayer it ſelfe.
The petitions are of two ſortes.
The firſte which beggeth concerning God onlie in the firſt place, as the place and ende of eueryevery requeſt ſheweth.
The ſecōd which require cōcerning our ſelues
This teacheth that firſt and chieflie we muſt deſire theſe thinges to Gods glorie aboue our owne ſaluation, and that the other muſt be asked to that end as depending on it, and no further then as it may ſerue to his glorie, whiche is vndoubtedly true of our ſaluation, becauſe of God his decree, Ioh. 12. 27. 28. Mat 26. 42. 2. Theſ. 1. 10. Rom. 9. 1. 2.
The firſt ſorte alſo is double,
Firſt for the right vſe of Gods name.
The ſecond for Chriſtes kingdome, and the fruite of it, as the Apoſtle willeth to pray that the word hauehave paſſage, and be glorified, 2. Theſ. 3. 1.
The firſt is ſet downe in a ſimple axiome of the adioint hallowed, and the ſubiect thy name, coupled by the forme of praying or deſiring, vttered by vsus in the worde bee: where ſanctified is a metaphore or fines of ſpeache noting a cō pariſon taken from things dedicated to God or the Temple, and ſignifieth that Gods name, (one kinde being put for the whole by a Sinechdothe, the titles, which is, his name & memoriall wherby he is knowen for his works, worde, Sacramentes, and myſteries, &c.) be put a part from all prophane abuſes, vntounto the right vſe preſcribed in the thirde commandement. For all which ſee the quotations on that commandement. This is chieflie to be prayed when we ſee our ſelues or others giuen to anie abuſe of Gods name.
Thy kingdome come, the ſecond ſorte hath 2. petitions: the firſt is diſpoſed in a ſimple axiome of the ſubiect & adioint, that the kingdome of God whiche he exerciſeth by his ſonne, may daily come, that is, be ſet vp in glorie, fit for it: this hauing 2. partes, his adminiſtration here, by all meanes of his honor, & the laſt iudgemēt, vntounto both theſe muſt be referred the heads of our requeſtes, ae praying for that which is cōmanded in the 2. com. So that when ſoeuer we wante any office of Paſtor, Teacher, Elder, Deacons, or the right calling or execution of it, in exhortation, doctrine, watching, eccleſiaſticall cenſure, or the order of them, or the giftes fit for them, & the power of them, we muſt begge them according to the firſt head, Mat. 6. 33. 1. Co. 12. 6. & 5. 4 & 12. 28. Rom. 2. 6. Ephe. 4. 11. Tit. 1. 2. Cor. 10. 5. 6. Mat 9. 36. &c. In the ſecond head we aske that all things being performed, and all enimies ouercome, Chriſt, the reſurrection, and his iudgement may come quicklie, Mat. 24. 32. and 25. 1. Cor. 15. Apo. 22. 20. The next is alſo diſpoſed in an axiome ſimple of the adioint and ſubiect, that the will, that is the reuealed will of God in his worde, may be fulfilled, Deut. 29. Which hath a declaration drawen from the compariſon of the like: For as doeth not note equalitie here, but likenes, notwithſtanding it bee here with great imperfections, as 1. Pet. 1. 16. 1. Ioh. 3. 3. The propoundinge propoſition is, as Angells do in heauen, with peace, ioye, willingly & readilie: for by heauen is meant the Angels in heauen, as by earth the men in earth, the place being put for thoſe in it by a chaunge of the name of the ſubiect for the adioint This muſt be prayed when we feele any repugnancie to Gods will in the deede or maner of doing. For here we requeſt by one all the fruites of the kingdome, righteouſnes, ioye, peace, &c. Rom. 14.
The other ſortes of requeſt hauehave this generall, that we pray in cōmon for the whole church as members of one body, hauing one life & happines in Chriſt, Eph. 4. 2. 3. &c. Therfore in eueryevery one we ſay, GiueGive vsus, forgiue vsus, Lead vsus not. &c
They are of two ſortes,
The firſt concerning the things of this life, firſte diſperſed after the manner of the Scripture, as the ſhorteſt, wherein as children we clime vntounto higher things.
The other two of things of this life to come.
The firſt is diſpoſed in an axiome ſimple of the ſubiect, & the adioint, God his giuing occupied in prouiding bread, ſaying thus: GiueGive vsus that which is not in our power & wherof we are vnworthie, Deut. 8. 18. euen breade, that is by a Sinecdoche, all the cōmodities of this life both for neceſsitie and chriſtian delight, Eſa. 3. 1. Pſal. 104. where the conſequent is declared by two arguments. Firſt the ſubiect ours, that is ſuch as we in Chriſt be heires of, to vſe, being ſanctified by word and prayer, 1. Tim. 4. 1. Cor. 3. 22 The ſecond by the adioint, ſuch as is both apte & able by his bleſsing to nouriſhe vsus, ſeeing wee may hauehave money and put it in a bottomleſſe purſſe, and eate & not be ſatisfied, & drinke and yet not be refreſhed, Hag. 2. For the worde ſignified breade to our ſubſtance, daylie, ſuch as may giuegive daylie nouriſhment. The antecedent is declared by the adioint of the time this daye, that is one kinde of time being putt generallie for that time wherein we are, according to God his promiſe to aske it, as Salomon ſaith, The thing of the day in the day: that is, eueryevery thinge in his time, as S. Luke expoundeth according to the day, that is, as the time requireth. For in ioye the time requireth one bleſsing, in affliction another, that we might hang on God eueryevery moment, 1. Tim. 6. 6. &c. Mat. 6. 31. &c. To the other two this is generall, that there is a Sinechdoche where one kinde is put for all of that ſorte, and the meanes of them, as faith and all other good graces, and the inſtrumentes begetting, nouriſhing, relieuing them, as preaching, exhortation, Sacramentes, corrections, &c. as they tende vntounto this.
The firſt of theſe is diſpoſed in an axiome ſimple of the ſubiect and adioint, Father remit vsus our debtes. Where is an allegorie of a Metaphor, the ſimilitude being borowed of debtes, which is drawen frō the obligation of workes, wherin we were bounde to continue to doo all the lawe, vnleſſe we would bee accurſed, Col. 2. 14. Gal. 3. 10. Nowe by remiſsion of ſinnes is meant, iuſtification, peace of conſcience, ioye in the holy Ghoſt, deliuerance from the wrath to come, and all ſuch of that kinde, Rom. 5. And this petition is when wee are troubled, terrified in conſcience, and through dulnes hauehave not feelinge of theſe. This is confirmed by a reaſon drawen from compariſon of the leſſe, and is concluded in a Sillogiſme connexiue or knittinge, in the firſte kinde both partes being conteyned in one, the aſſumption in the propoſition. Seeing euen we forgiue our debters, which hauehave not a droppe of thy infinite merciemercy in vsus, Doo thou much more forgiue vsus: for ſo S. Luke ſheweth it ſhould be interpreted in expreſſe wordes, and I ſee not why it ſhould not ſo be tranſlated, for the greeke phraſe doth well beare it. So this is for our comfort, if wee feele this readines in vsus, otherwiſe we can hauehave no aſſurance. Luke 11.
The ſeconde is diſpoſed in the like ſimple axiome, adorned with a metaphor taken from warre, where men are leadde captiue: Leade vsus not, that is, though we daily deſerue it, yet ſeeing we hauehave begged the forgiuenes of ſinns, giuegive vsus not ſo ouer vntounto the temptation of the Deuill, the worlde, or our own corruption, as that with the tēptation thou giuegive not an iſſue, 1. Cor 10. 13. 2. Cor. 12. 7. 8. 9. This is declared by the contrarie, but looſe vsus, that is by a Metaphor taken from the water pente vppe, ſet vsus free more and more, from all that wherevnto concerning the fleſhe, we are captiue, Rom. 7. 13.
The reaſon of the requeſtes is drawen from the efficient cauſe whiche may moue God to yeelde to our petitions, becauſe we giuegive it wholy to him. The reaſon may be concluded in a connexiue of the firſte kinde: Seeing wee giuegive it all vntounto thee, graunt our request. But the firſte we doo therefore. &c. the propoſition is wanting, the aſſumption is conteyned in an axiome copulatiue, whiche numbreth vp the partes, where agayne as aboue the couple is left out to note out the ioyfull and feruent feeling and melodie of the harte in heapinge vp prayſe vntounto God, Ephe. 5. 18. 19. Coloſ. 3. 16. The partes are, firſte, that the kingdome, that is the ordering of all things in heauen and earth appertayneth to him. Secondlie, the whole power whereby they are done: Thirdlie, the whole prayſe and glorie, as in the Chronicles, from whence our Sauiour tooke it, 1. Chron 29. 11. and in Iud where it is ſo interpreted, Iud. 25. And thus much for the partes, the propertie of the whole is noted out by AMEN, which is the force and certaintie of our faith, in the whole worke, as in a thing vnmoueable. 2. Cor. 1. 20.