Godly and Learned Treatises, Treatise 2
THE RESOLVTION AND INTERpretation of the Lordes praier, out of Math. 6.9. and Luke 11.2.
OVR Saviour Chriſt, being both deſired of his Diſciples to be taught how to pray, & having reprooved the abuſe of vnneceſſarie & vain repetitions of one and the ſame thing: giveth his diſciples commandement to pray, as he taught them in this prayer; Saying, Pray thus, and when you pray, ſay, Our Father, &c. that is, let the things which you require, & giuegive thanks for; the differēce which you make of the things and the affections wherwith you pray, be no other than are contained here. This form, or patern, or rule of praier hath two parts. The firſt is, an entrance or preparation to the ſame. The ſecond is, the praier it ſelfe.
The entrance doth containe ſuch a deſcription of God, as is meet for vsus, whenſoever wee adreſſe our ſelues to praier, to hauehave feeling of in our harts. 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 maner of exclamatiō 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 Spirite of adoption and ſanctification, crie vntounto God as our merciful father, throgh Ieſus Chriſt. Rom. 8.13.14.15. Gal. 4.6. More readie than anie father, to grant that we aske according to his will, and therefore muſt be waited on, in requeſt & ſuit, til we obteine. Luk. 11.5. to the 14. verſe. The ſecond reaſone is, from the Subject, Which art in heauen, that is, ful of all majeſtie and power, Heaven the throne, or ſeat, or place of Gods majeſtie and power, where this is moſt clear & manifeſt. Pſal. 113.4.5. And 115.3.16. Eſai. 66 being put for the power and majeſty it ſelfe, by a Metonomie, or change of name, wher the place or ſubject is put for the thing placed or adjoint ſo that, our reverence muſt bring forth ſuch cogitations, deſires, and words, in ſuch maner as may become his majeſtie, becauſe he is in heaven, and we in earth. Eccle. 5.1. In the firſt, is ſhut out infidelity, doubting whether we be hard, in patience, in waiting Gods leaſure. In the ſecond, raſhnes, or multiplying words, thoughts, doubting of Gods power, wandring thoughtes, and all earthly imaginations. The praier it ſelf hath two parts,
The forme of requeſt.
The confirmation of it, containing a thankſgiving.
Becauſe our requeſtes muſt be made manifeſt with thanksgiuing. Phil. 4.6. And thanſgiving for a benefit received, doth greatly confirme our faith in requeſts, as Iacobs example doth ſhew. Gen. 32.10.11. &c. The form of requeſts, is ſet down in a copulatiue axiome, which numbreth vp ſixe ſeverall petitions, where the bond or couple of the axiome is left out, as the manner is, where one doth earneſtly, and becauſe of the earneſtneſſe, ſpeedilie require, or wil a thing, as Gen. 18.6.7. Dan. 9.16. And this declareth and vttereth, the proper affection or fervency of petition, which is as beggers, who feeling of our wants, by the work of the holy Ghoſt, to craue with vnſpekeable ſighes and gronings. Rom. 8.26.27. Iam. 5.16. This ſhutteth out none, or verie litle feeling of our want, coldnes, and dulnes in prayer it ſelfe. The petitions are of 2. ſorts;
The firſt, which beggeth cōcerning God, only in the firſt place, as the place and ende of everie requeſte ſheweth.
The ſecond, which require concerning our ſelues.
This teacheth, that firſt & chiefly, we muſt deſire al things to Gods glory, aboue our own ſalvation, & that the other muſt be asked to that end, as depending on it, & no further, thā as it may ſerue to his glory, which is vndoubtedly true of our ſalvation, becauſe of Gods decree. Ioh, 12.27.28. Mat 16.42. 2. Theſ. 1.10. Ro. 9.1 The firſt ſort alſo is double
Firſt, for the right vſe of gods name.
The ſecond, for Chriſtes kingdome, & the fruit of it, as the Apoſtle willeth to pray, that the worde hauehave paſſage, & be glorified. 2. Theſ. 3.1.
The firſt is ſet downe in a ſimple axiome of the adjoint hallowed, & the ſubject thy name, coupled by the form of praying or deſiring, vttred by vsus in the word be: where ſanctified is a metaphore, or fineneſſe of ſpeach, noting a compariſon from things dedicated to God, or the Temple, and ſignifieth that Gods name, (one kinde being put for the whole by a Synechdoche, the titles, which is, his name & memorial, wherby he is knowne for his works, worde, Sacraments, & myſteries, &c.) be put apart from all prophane abuſes, vntounto the right vſe, preſcribed in the third commandment: For al which, ſee the quotations on that commandement. This is chieflie to be prayed, when wee ſee our ſelues or others given to any abuſe of Gods name.
Thy kingdome come: The ſecond ſort hath two petitions: the firſt is diſpoſed in a ſimple axiom of the ſubject and adjoint, that the kingdome of God, which he excerciſeth by his ſonne, may daily com; that is, be ſet vp in glorie, fit for it: this having two parts, his adminiſtration here, by all meanes of his honour, and the laſt judgement; vntounto both theſe muſt bee referred the heds of our requeſts; as praying for that, which is commaunded in the ſeconde Command. So that whenſoever we want any office of Paſtor, Teacher, Elder, Deacons, or the right calling or execution of it, in exhortation, doctrin, watching, Eccleſiaſticall cenſure, or the order of them, or the gifts fit for them, and the power of them, wee muſt beg them according to the firſt head. Mat. 6.33. 1. Cor. 12.6. & 5.4. & 12.28. Rom. 2.6. Ephe. 4.11. Tit. 1.2. 2. Cor. 10.5.6. Mat. 9.36. &c. In the ſecond head we ask, that all thinges being perfourmed, and all enemies overcome, Chriſt, the reſurrection, & his judgment may come quickly. Math. 24.32. and 25. 1. Cor. 15. Apo. 22.20. The next is alſo diſpoſed in an Axiome ſimple of the adjoint & ſubject, that the will; that is, the revealed will of God in his word, may be fulfilled. Deut. 29. Which hath a declaration drawen from the cō pariſon of the like: For as doth not note equallie here, but likenes, notwithſtanding it be here with great imperfections, as 1. Pet. 1.16. 1. Ioh. 3.3. The propounding propoſition is, as Angels doe in heaven, with peace, joy, willingly and readilie: for by heaven is meant the Angels in heaven, as by earth, the men in earth, the place being put for thoſe in it, by a change of the name of the ſubject for the adjoint. This muſt be praied, when we feele any repugnancy to Gods will, in the deed or manner of doing. For here we requeſt by one, all the fruits of the kingdom; righteouſnes, joy, peace, &c. Rom. 14.
The other ſorts of requeſt hauehave this general, that we pray in commō for the whole Church, as members of one body, having one life and happines in Chriſt. Ephe. 4.2.3. &c. Therefore in every one we ſay, GiueGive vsus, forgiue vsus, lead vsus. &c They are of two ſorts,
The firſt, concerning the things of this life, firſt diſperſed after the maner of the ſcripture; as the ſhorteſt; wherin as childrē, we clime vntounto higher things.
The other two, of things of the life to come.
The firſte is diſpoſed in an axiome ſimple of the ſubject, and the adjoint, Gods giving, occupied in providing bread, ſaying thus: GiueGive vsus that which is not in our power, and wherof we are vnworthy. Deut. 8.18. even breade, that is, by a Synechdoche, all the commodities of this life, both for neceſsitie and Chriſtian delight. Eſa. 3. 1. Pſal. 104. Where the conſequent is declared by two arguments. Firſt, the ſubject ours; that is, ſuch as we in Chriſt be heires of, to vſe, being ſanctified by word and prayer. 1. Timoth. 4. 1. Cor. 3.22. The ſecond by the adjoint, ſuch as is both apt, and able by his bleſsing to nouriſh vsus; ſeeing wee may hauehave money, and put it in a bottomleſſe purſe; and eat, and not be ſatiſfied, and drinke, & yet not be refreſhed. Hag. 2. For the word ſignified bread to our ſubſtance, dayly, ſuch as may giuegive dailie nouriſhment. The Antecedent is declared by the adjoint of the time, this day; that is, one kinde of time being put generally for that time wherein we are, according to Gods promiſe to aske it, as Salomō ſaith, The thing of the day in the day: that is, everie thing in his time, as S. Luke expoundeth, according to the day, that is, as time requireth. For in joy, the time requireth one bleſsing, in afflictiō another, that wee might hang on God every moment. 1. Tim. 6.6. &c. Mat. 6.31. &c. To the other two, this is general, that ther is a Synechdoche, where one kind is put for al of that ſort, and the meanes of them; as faith, and all other good graces, and the inſtrumentes begetting, nouriſhing, relieving them, as preaching, exhortation, Sacraments, corrections, &c. as they tend vntounto this.
The firſt of theſe, is diſpoſed in an axiome ſimple of the ſubject & adjoint, Father, remit vsus our debts. Where is an allegorie of a Metaphor, the ſimilitude being borowed of debtes, which is drawne from the obligation of works, wherin we were boūd to continue, to do all the law, vnleſſe we would be accurſed. Col. 2.14. Gal. 3.10. Now, by remiſſion of ſinnes is meant, juſtification, peace of conſcience, joy in the holy Ghoſt deliverance from the wrath to come, & all ſuch of that kind. Rom. 5. And this petition is, when wee are troubled, terrified in conſcience, and through dulnes hauehave not feeling of theſe. This is confirmed by a reaſon drawen from compariſon of the leaſte, and is concluded in a Syllogiſme connexiue or knitting, in the firſt kind, both parts being contained in one, the aſſumption in the propoſition. Seeing euen wee forgiue our debters, which hauehave not a drop of thy infinit merciemercy in vsus, Doe 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 Greek phraſe doth well beare it. So this is for our comfort, if wee feele this readines in vsus, otherwiſe we can hauehave no aſſurance. Luk. 11.
The ſecond is diſpoſed in the like ſimple axiome, adorned with a Metaphor taken from warre, where men are led captiue: Lead vsus not? that is, though wee daylie deſerue it, yet ſeeing we hauehave begged the forgiuenes of ſinnes, giuegive vsus not ſo over vntounto the temptation of the Devill, the world, or our owne corruption, as that with the temptation 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 pent vp, ſet vsus free more and more from all that whereunto concerning the fleſh, we are captiue. Rom. 7.13.
The reaſon of the requeſts, is drawen from the efficient cauſe, which may mooue God to yeeld to our petitions, becauſe we giuegive it wholly to him. The reaſon may bee concluded in a connexiue of the firſt kind. Seeing wee giuegive it all vntounto thee, grant our requeſt. But the firſt we doe, Therefore, &c. The propoſition is wanting, the aſſumption is contained in an axiome copulatiue, which numbreth vp the parts; wher again as aboue, the couple is left out, to note our joifull and fervent feeling & melodie of the heart, in heaping vp praiſe vntounto God. Ephe. 5.18.19. Col. 3.16. The parts are; firſt, that the kingdom; that is, the ordering of all things in heaven and earth appertaineth to him. Secondly, the whole power whereby they are done. Thirdly, the praiſe and glorie, as in the Chronicles, from whence our Saviour Chriſt tooke it, 1. Chron. 29.11. and in Iudg. where it is ſo interpreted. Iud. 25. And thus much for the partes, the propertie of the whol is noted out by Amen, which is the force and certaintie of our faith, in the whole work, as in a thing vnmoueable. 2. Cor. 1.20.