A Guide to Go to God, Petition 6 · Section 237 – Section 239
§. 237. Of the neceſſary vſe of this clauſe, Thine is the Kingdome, and the power and the glory for euer.
Q. WHat doth the acknowledgement of Gods properties ſingly conſidered import?
A. A forme of praiſe.1 Chro. 29. 10. 11▪ For where mention is made of Dauids bleſſing God, it is ſet downe in this forme, Thine, O Lord, is the greatneſſe, and the power, and the glory, &c. Thus is this clauſe (Thine is the Kingdome and the power, and the glory for euer) the ſecond part of the Lords Prayer: whereby the perfection of that Prayer is ſet out.Phil. 4. 6. For prayer coſiſteth of theſe two parts Petition & Praiſe. 1. Theſ. 5. 17, 18.They therefore who wholy omit this clauſe, and caſt it out of this patterne of Prayer make it an imperfect patterne: as Papiſts who thoroughout their whole Liturgy hauehave omitted it. Yea the vulgar Latin trāſlatiō hath left it out of the text, in that place where it is expreſſed by S. Mathew: and the Rhemiſts engliſh tranſlation doth ſo alſo.B…llarm▪ de Bo…. Oper. lib. 1. cap. 6. Certum eſt …a verba non eſſe de Textu euangeli…, ſed inſerta fuiſſe à graecis. And the great Champion of Papiſts, where purpoſely hee vndertaketh to expound the Lords Prayer, cleane omitteth this clauſe▪ and auoucheth that It is certaine that thoſe words are not of the euangelicall Text, but were inſerted by the Greekes. But as diligent ſearchers into all ſorts of greeke copies, as he, hauehave found it, not onelyonly in the expoſitions and commentaries of greeke Fathers, but alſo in moſt of the greeke copies of the New Teſtament. And the ancient Syriack tranſlator, who was none of the greeke expoſitors, hath it. Yea many of the Latine Fathers alſo make mention thereof, as of a part of the Lords Prayer, though ſome of them ſometimes in their expoſitions hauehave omitted it.
Obiect. Saint Luke hath left out this clauſe. Luke 11. 1. &c.
Anſw. The Hiſtory which Saint Luke recordeth as an occaſion of ſetting downe the Lords Prayer, is not the ſame which Saint Mathew recordeth, but another.
The occaſion mentioned by Saint Mathew was this. The hypocriticall Phariſees got to themſelues the name of deuout perſons by their frequent, and much praying. But Chriſt obſeruing their Deuotion to be but plaine ſuperſtition, diſcouereth ſundry of their aberrations both in the manner and alſo in the matter of their prayers, and to giuegive his Diſciples and others a patterne, whereunto if they held cloſe, they might ſufficiently be directed in the matter aud manner of prayer, he preſcribeth that forme which is thereupon called the Lords Prayer. It was therefore neceſſary that this patterne of Prayer ſhould be perfect, without deficiency, or ſuperfluity.
The occaſion mentioned by Saint Luke was this. Iohn the Baptiſt had declared to his Diſciples what things eſpecially they ſhould by prayer aske of God. Thereupon Chriſts Diſciples entreate their Maſter to doe the like for them. On this occaſion therefore it was ſufficient for Chriſt to note out ſuch principall points as were moſt behoofull to be asked of God, though hee did not preſcribe ſo perfect a forme as that which is recorded in his Sermon on the Mount. Let it now bee well conſidered, whether they that vſe the Lords Prayer as a perfect patterne, hauehave ſufficient cauſe from Lukes not mentioning of this forme of praiſe, cleane to omit it.
Surely as Saint Mathew hath recoded this prayer, Chriſt vttered it, and ſo is it to be vſed of vsus, when it is vſed as a forme or patterne of Prayer.
§. 238. Of adding Praiſe to Petition.
Q. VVHat doth the adding of this laſt part of the Lords Prayer to the former import?
A. Praiſe muſt be added to Petition. IfaPſal. 50. 15. Phil. 4▪ 6. expreſſe precepts, approued bDan. 6. 10. Col. 1▪ 3.practiſes, pretiousc1 Sam. 2. 30. Pſal. 50. 23. promiſes, graciousdLuk. 17. 19. approbations, plentifulle2. Chr. 20. 22. remunerations, be motiues to ſtirre vsus vp to performe a dutie, motiues are not wanting to prouoke vsus to praiſe God: eſpecially to prouoke ſuch as hauehave the Spirit of ſupplication beſtowed vponupon them: and hauehave a ready minde, and forward will to preſent Petitions vntounto God according to their needs. For
1. Praiſe is the end of Petitions. Wee call vponupon God for ſuch and ſuch bleſſings that we may praiſe and bleſſe God for the ſame.1. Chro. 16. 35. Thus are we taught to pray, Saue vsus O God of our ſaluation, that we may giuegive thankes to thy holy Name, and glory in thy praiſe.
2. Praiſe maketh Petition powerfull. For God is moſt willing and ready to grant their Petitions, whoſe heart hee knoweth to be ready and willing to praiſe him. To giuegive praiſe for former benefits is an effectuall meanes to obtaine further benefits. The tradeſe-man that dealeth with a chap-man that is carefull to pay for wares formerly receiued, will bee ready to truſt him with more, according to his neede. On this direction, Offer vntounto God thanksgiuing, Pſal. 50. 14, 15.this inuitation is made, Call vponupon mee in ihe day of trouble, and I will deliuer thee.
3. Praiſe is a due debt which Petitioners are bound to pay. He that inuiteth thee to call on him, and promiſeth to deliuer thee, requireth and expecteth this recompence, thou ſhalt glorifie me.Pſal. 50. 15.
4. Praiſe is all that we can returne vntounto God for all his benefits to vsus.Pſal. 116. 12, 13, 17. Where this queſtion was made, What ſhall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me, this anſwer was giuen, I will take the cup of ſaluation: that is, I will offer a ſolemne Sacrifice, wherein and whereby I will ſhew the deliuerances, and preſeruations which God hath afforded to me. For by way of expoſition hee addeth a little after, I will offer the Sacrifice of Thanksgiuing.
5. Praiſe is an euidence of that good reſpect wee beare to God. By Petition we ſhew the reſpect which wee beare to our ſelues.Luk 17. 13. &c. The ten Lepers which came to Ieſus, and cried, HaueHave mercy on vsus, ſhewed a care of their owne welfare: onelyonly one, who returned to giuegive glory to God, ſhewed his care of Gods honour.
6. Praiſe moueth God to ſhew good reſpect to man. For he that thus ſaid,1 Sam. 2. 30. Th…m that honour mee will I honour, will performe what he hath ſaid.
7. Praiſe is the greateſt honour that wee can giuegive to God. For thus ſaith the Lord himſelfe,Pſal. 50 23. Who ſo offereth praiſe glorifieth me.
8. To praiſe God is the moſt heauenly exerciſe that in this world can be performed. The celeſtiall ſpirits ſpend their time therein, Reu. 5. 13. And 7. 11, 12. &. 19. 1. &c.
9. A ſetting forth of Gods praiſe, is an eſpeciall meanes to quicken the ſpirit, and to make the heart the more ready to prayer, and the more cheerefull therein. When the Pſalmiſts heart was ſet to Praiſe the Lord, Pſal. 57. 8, 9.then he ſaith to his tongue, and inſtruments, Awake vp my glory, awake Pſaltery and Harpe, I my ſelfe will awake early. When the Spirit of a man is dull and heauy, ſo as he cannot pray, let him meditate on Gods mercies and other excellencies, and ſet himſelfe to praiſe God, and hee ſhall finde a ſpirituall vigour thereby put into him.
10. Ingratitude is one of the moſt odious vices that can be: deteſtable to God and man.2 Tim. 3. 2. The Apoſtle reckoneth it vp among thoſe notorious vices that ſhould be in the world in the laſt and worſt times thereof.Iſa. 1. 2, 3. The Prophet herein maketh ſuch as did beare the name of Gods people to bee more bruitiſh then the bruteſt of beaſts, the Oxe and the Aſſe. Nothing more prouoketh God to take away his bleſſing, as he threatned Iſrael. Hoſea 2. 8, 9.The things which God vſeth to beſtow vponupon gratefull perſons, hee vſeth to take away from the vngratefull. The moſt memorable iudgements that are recorded in the Scriptures were cauſed by vngratefulneſſe.Gen. 6. 2. &c. When God had culled a Church out of the world, who in that reſpect were called ſonnes of God, they vnmindfull of Gods gracious calling, mixed themſelues with daughters of men: which made God repent that he had made man, and thereupon he brought vponupon the world that generall deluge, wherewith he ſwept away all but eight perſons.Compare Gen. 14. 16. &c. with Gen. 18. 20, 21. & Gen. 19. 24. After that God by his ſeruant Abraham had reſcued Sodome and the neighbouring Cities from the hand of their enemies, they were not carefull to render praiſe to God, but continued in their beaſtly abominations. They were therefore all burnt with fire and brimſtone from heauen.2. Chr. 36▪ 16, 17. Iſraels vngratefulneſſe was the cauſe of her captiuitie. This was it that prouoked God to giuegive ouer the Gentiles to a reprobate ſence:Rom. 1. 21. &c. and to giuegive Chriſtians ouer to Antichriſtianiſme.2. Theſ. 2. 9, 10, 11. This cauſed that Nebuchadnezzar was made as a beaſt; and that Herod was eaten with wormes.Dan. 4. 30, 31. This I hope may be ſufficient to worke ſome care and conſcience to performe this duty of praiſe.Acts 12. 23.
§. 239. Of praiſing God. How it is done.
Q. VVHat is it to praiſe God?
A. 1. To acknowledge God to be what he is. Thus doth Moſes in his Pſalme of thankſgiuing praiſe God, ſaying, The Lord is a man of warre: Iehouah is his name.Exod. 15. 3.
2. To attribute to God that which is his: as Chriſt doth in this forme;1. Chr. 29▪ 10, 11. and Dauid, ſaying, Thine ô Lord, is the greatneſſe, and the power, and the glory, &c.
3. To aſcribe to God that which is done by him. Thus doth cExod. 15. 4.Moſes praiſe God, by aſcribing to him the ouerthrow of Pharaoh and his hoaſt. So dothdPſal. 107. 2, 3. &c. the Pſalmiſt in moſt of his Pſalmes of praiſe.—135. 1. &c.
4. To profeſſe that which God giueth to be giuen of him:—136. 1. &c. as Dauid in his forme of praiſe thus doth,e1. Chro. 29. 14▪ &c. All things come of thee, and of thine owne hauehave we giuen thee.
5. To declare to others all the forenamed points concerning God. 1. Chro. 16. 8, 9.To this purpoſe ſaith Dauid, GiueGive thankes vntounto the Lord, make knowne his deeds among the people. Sing vntounto him: ſing Pſalmes vntounto him: talke ye of all his wondrous workes. And againe, I will declare thy name vntounto my brethren: in the middeſt of the congregation will I praiſe thee.
6. To worſhip God in teſtimonie of all the ſaid points: as is euident by this exhortation,1. Chro. 16. 29. GiueGive vntounto the Lord the glorie due to his Name: bring an offering, and come before him: worſhip the Lord, &c.
By all theſe particular branches of praiſing God gathered out of the Scriptures, it is moſt cleare, that by praiſing and glorifying God, we giuegive nothing at all to God: but onelyonly what he is, what is …is, what is done, or giuen by him, is acknowledged and declared, and God with due reſpect reuerenced and adored. Which as it directeth vsus how to praiſe God, ſo it ſetteth out Gods goodneſſe in accepting that which is his owne, as giuen to him by vsus: and alſo it diſcouereth the peruerſe diſpoſition of vngratefull perſons, who do as much as in them lieth to with-hold from God that which is his owne, and moſt due vntounto him.