Meditations and Disquisitions Upon the Lords Prayer, Commentary (2 of 4)

Meditations and Disquisitions Upon the Lords Prayer · Commentary (2 of 4)

p. 53In the first place, are the Angels; that as at the fall of the first Adam, Angels were set at the Entrance of Paradice, to keep us out; so at the comming of the second Adam; Angels are set here, at the entrance into Heaven to let us in. As therefore this Petition, is as the Porter to let in all the other petitions; So holy Reverence must bee porter at our mouthes, to let in thispetition. For when it is said; Hallowed be thy Name; may it not justly be thought the prayer of Angels? of whom it is said: that they say, and sing continually; Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabbath; not onelyonly say it, as their prayer; but sing it, as their Psa…me, and chief Delight. David did well, in offring God, to build a Temple, to his Name; but by whom was Gods Temple built? Not by David, a man of blood; but b… Salomon, a Prince of Peace: so it is well done of us to say; Hallowed bee thy Name: but by whom doe wee say, it must bee Hallowed? Not by us: Non vox hominem sonat; for how should wee Hallow his Name, who have prophaned his Image? It is a worke for Angels: fit only for them, to Hallow his Name, who have kept …oly their owne Nature; for, without a nature of holynesse his Name can never bee truly hallowed. And if wee understand it of our selves; will it not proove a worke of supererogation? seeing wee desire to doe more then is commanded? for the Commandement is onelyonly, Not to take his Name in vaine; and heere wee desire, It may be hallowed. Unlesse it bee, that the commandements being Negative, they get something p. 54by Christs resolving them, into Affirmatives: Or is it to shew how much the Law is improoved by the Gospell? seeing it is no more in the Gospells phrase, to hallow Gods Name; then it was in the Lawes; not to take it in vaine.

But what if God have no Name at all? then indeed the Commandement will be easily kept; but the Petition will bee hardly granted. The Name is but a shadow of the Nature; as therfore a Body which were Infinite could have no shadow, the shadow not beginning, but where the Body endeth; so, a Nature which is Incomprehensible, can have no Name; the Name being not possible to be given; but where the Nature is comprehended. But though God have no Name, or no knowne Name to expresse him; yet hee is not without Name, to distinguish him: And what is then his Name, wee desire may bee Hallowed? his Name of Essence: or his Name in Relation? his Name, as it is in himselfe: or his Name, as it is to us? Not his Name of Essence: for how can we hallow that, until we know it, and how can we know it, untill the riddle be expounded? seeing we know him now, but in Aenigmate, but his Name in relation; & as it is to us: his Name of Father, that is it which seemes most fitly, to be here intended: For, when we say Our Father, doth not God, by the Prophet Malachie, seeme to interrupt Mal. 1 ….Mal 1us and say; If I bee your Father, where is my honour? for to Hallow him, as a Father, and as an Heavenly Father; Is to honour him, to feare him, p. 55to love him, to obey him, to reverence him, and to adore him.

But what should be the cause, that in the three latter petitions; we seeme to be altogether for our selves; as appeares by our saying, Give us, Forgive us, Deliver us: but in the three former there is no mention of VsUs at all, as though we were no parties to them? Is it not that we are or ought to be more jealous of Gods honour, then carefull of our owne benefits? and therefore when we say, Hallowed be thy Name; we dare not say, Of us, least we should make God a Musicke of too few voices. And when we say, Thy Kingdome come; we dare not say, to us: least we should assigne his Kingdome too small a Territory. And when we say, Thy will be done; we dare not say, by us: least we should stint God, in the number of his servants. But we say; Hallowed be thy Name, and stoppe there: that so no mouth may be stopped from hallowing it: we say, Thy Kingdome come, but Name not whither: that so it may be intended to come every whither: we say, Thy will be done in earth, but tell not by whom in earth; that so it may be done by all in earth.

By Hallowing Gods Name; we meane, not to make it holy; for it is holynesse it selfe: Nor to make it more holy, for it is infinitenesse it selfe: Nor to keepe it holy, for it is eternity it selfe; but to joyne with the heavens in declaring his glory: and with the firmament in shewing his handy-worke; as, then onelyonly hallowing p. 56his Name, when we name him onelyonly holy; and therein consisting our worke of sanctifying him, when in him we acknowledge, our workes to be sanctifyed.

To hallow the place wherein it pleased God to stand; Moses put off the …hooes from his feet: to hallow the day whereon it pleased him to rest, the Iewes put off the workes of their hands: and to hallow the Name which he vouchsafed to take, we must put off from our tongues all unreverent discourses; and from our lives all prophane conversation. And as Gods Name is Vnguentum Effusum, hath many dispersions in our understanding: so our hallowing it must have Linguas dispertitas; Cloven tongues to convay it to his hearing: his Name of Father must be hallowed by love; of Lord, by obedience; of judge, by uprightnesse; of almighty, by feare: and of everlasting, by constancy.

But is there no service we can doe, that will serve Gods Name, but onelyonly our hallowing it? we have love, and glorifying, and admiring; and will none of these serve the turne? If we should say, loved be thy Name; that would be too little: for God himselfe allowes us to love our neighbours; and indeed every creature of God, that is usefull to us, deserves our love. Or if we should say Glorified be thy N…me, that would not be enough; seeing St. Paul tels us, that one Starre excels another in glory: and indeed the heavens in shewing the glory of God, deserve themselves in some sort to be glorified. Or if p. 57we should say, Admired be thy Name, that Iudg. 13.18.Judg 13:18would not be sufficient; seeing an Angell told Manoah, that his Name was admirable. And indeed the Angels are Creatures of so transcendent eminency, that they justly deserve our admiration. But when we say, Hallowed be thy Name, this sets it apart, and sets it above all other names: and it is so properly, that it is onelyonly belonging to the Name of God; and altogether incommunicable to any creature. For, though we may say of Angels, that they be holy; yet we cannot say to any of them, Hallowed be thy Name; seeing their holinesse is onelyonly in dependance and a quality: Gods onelyonly independent, and a substance; and it was an inscription upon the Myter of Aaron, as not onelyonly due to God, but due to him in the highest place, Holinesse to the Lord. O Lord God, so sanctifie the faculties of my soule, that I may love thee for thy goodnesse; and glorifie thee, for thy love; and admire thee for thy glory: and hallow thee in them all.

But can we finde nothing in God, more worthy of hallowing, then his Name? seeing names are often changed, alwaies changeable; seldome true, never certaine? Our first parent was named Hevah; as being the mother of all living; and yet she proved to be brought a bed of death. The son of Salomon was called Rehoboam, signifying an enlarger of his people; and he enlargde them fairely, brought twelve Tribes to two. Simon was called Peter, as being a Rocke unmoveable: and yet he was shaken with the weake blast of a p. 58maydes mouth. But, O my soule, consider; the Name of God is not as the names of creatures: for their natures are mu…ble, and therefore their names deceitfull; but in God there is no mutability nor shadow of change. Creatures have a nature, and a name; but Gods Nature is his Name; his Name is himselfe; for whatsoever we can rightly name of God, is the Name of God: that we may be sure we have his Optimum, when we have his Totum; the best in him, when the whole of him: not that any thing in God is so best, as though one thing in him were better then another, who is Totus sine partibus; and Optimus sine gradibus: but that he is Totum unum, and Totum Optimum; and both Vnum and Optimum; totum, Nomen: nothing but his Name: Or to speake it in plainer termes, that the nature of his Name, is not onelyonly farre beyond the compasse of expressing, but infinitly above the reach of understanding.

And indeed what can be thought so high: as that, which brings us so low, even upon our knees? and not us onelyonly but the Angels themselves: as it is savd, At the Name of God all knees shall bow: b…th of things in heaven and things on earth: and if this be thought impossible, because Angels have no knees; you may thereby know there is more honour due to God then is possible to be given him. Yet must even Angels, finde such knees to bow downe as God finds eyes to looke on; and by this we may make up a true hallowing of Gods Name; if we can joyne the p. 59knees of our bodies as men; & the knees of our soules, as Angels, together: and bow th…m all downe to doe him reverence. These indeed, the bowing downe our knees with Daniel; the holding up our hands, with Moses: the lifting up our eyes, with Stephen: are all good expressions, but they are but onelyonly outward: It will not be a perfect hallowing, untill we come to Psal. 103. 1.Ps 103:1that of David, My soule. praise thou the Lord; and all that is wit…in me, praise his …oly Name. For, that which is within must under…roppe that which is without: or elle, the bowing our knees to the ground will fall to the ground: and these outward hallowings will soone be prophaned. And therefore David accounted the lifting up his eyes to heaven, a good expression of hallowing Gods Name; because in him the proppe of it was faith and considence in Gods mercy, which alwaies looke upward: but the Publicane accounted the casting downe his eyes (a cleane contrary motion to that of Davids) as good an expression: because in him the prop of it, was humility, and sence of his owne unworthinesse, W^ch alwaies looke downward: For even this also is a kind of hallowing Gods Name: when we acknowledge the prophanenes of our own natures.

But why should the hallowing of Gods Name bee accounted so great a vertue; when the sinne of not hallowing his Name can be but nominall? and nominall is much inferiour to that which is reall: and seeing it is made so great a matter, may we not justly aske, Cui bono? what p. 60good get we by it? Indeed a most ungratefull question for the tongue to make, seeing this is the chiefe thing for which our tongues were made. Could Philosophers finde cause enough in vertue, to love it for it selfe, though to themselves there came no benefit: and cannot we finde cause enough in Gods name to hallow it for it selfe, though to our selves there should come no profit? Could they finde brightnesse in a beame of the Sunne: and cannot we finde brightnesse in the Sunne it selfe? For, what is vertue but as it were a beame of that eternall and uncreated light, which is the very essence of God? and by what can we more expresse the essence of God, then by his name? For, when we say, Hallowed be thy Name, we say as much as hallowed be thy Majesty, thy Eternity, thy Glory, thy substance, thy selfe, thy all in all. And yet perhaps it may be sayd, we hallow Gods name, not so much for our selves to get, as that God may not lose: for what greater losse, then disparagment of name? which, if we that be wormes and no men, make so great account of, what may we thinke of God: for the sunne of whose glory, all the starres of heaven cannot make one beame? Our names are but accidentall things, and there was a time when they were not ours: but Gods name is essentiall to him, and it was his before time it selfe was. And if we should say, that not onelyonly his name was, but that it was hallowed before there was eyther Man or Angell to hallow it; though this p. 61be more then wee can conceive, yet it is no more then whereof we finde a parallell: for why is it more strange, that his name should be hallowed, when there was none to hallow it: then that his voyce was obeyed when there was nothing to obey it? as when he said, Let there be light, and there was light. But lastly, if men be so set upon their profit that they will doe nothing without a fee: Is not this fee enough for them, that by it they are admitted into the Quier of Angells? but much more, that by it they attaine to their perfection? for if every thing be then perfected when it attain…s its end; then certainely are our tongues, and indeed our soules perfected when they hallow Gods name, for this is their end. Wherefore, O my soule, let not offences, belonging onelyonly to the name of God, be slighted as onelyonly nominall: but let them be accounted, as indeed they are, of all other the most reall: and as it is the first petition in thy prayer, so let it be the first care in thy heart; that thou speake nothing by which his name may be prophaned: that thou doe nothing by which it may be blasphemed: For, though God require a strict observance of all his Commandements: yet he professeth not so punctually; to hold the breakers guilty in any as in this: and therefore, when in two notorious crimes, adultery and murther, he spared David; yet in this, that through them his name was blasphemed; he would not hold him guiltlesse; but made him pay for it with the death of his deere Sonne.

p. 62And indeed if we marke this petition well, we shall find a peculiar Majesty; an extraordinary Preheminence in it above all the other: For, it is not onelyonly the Primum Mobile, from which all the other have their motions: but it is the centre also to which all the other bend their motions. For, when we say, Thy Kingdome come: It is but to come, that we may hallow Gods name: & when we say, Thy will be done: it is but for this, that we may hallow Gods Name: & when we pray for daily bread, it is but to strengthen us, that we may hallow Gods name: & when we say Forgive us our trespasses, it is but to clense us, that we may hallow Gods name: & when we say, Lead us not into temptation: it is but to remove impediments, that we Psalm. 8.Ps 8may hallow Gods name: O Lord our God, how excellent is thy Name in all the world! And where we have a triviall yet true saying amongst us, A good beginning makes a good ending: it can in nothing more lively be exemplified, then in the marshalling of these petitions: for he that makes his beginning, at the hallowing of Gods name, may be sure to make his ending in the deliverance from evill: and though it be a blasphemous fable of the Iewes that Christ learned in the Temple the name of God; by the vertue wherof he wrought all his Miracles, yet from this blasphemy, we may draw this verity; that it is indeed the name of God, by the transcendent power whereof all miracles are wrought. O Lord our God how excellent Psal 118. 12.Ps 118:12is thy Name in all the world! It was this name in which, when Davids enemies came about p. 63him like Bees: yet i… this name they were exstinct. It was this name in which when divels possessed both soules and bodies of men, yet in this name they were ejected. It was this name for whose sake the lsr…lites were preserved in the wildernesse: the three children in the fiery Furnace: Daniel in the Lions Denne: and Ionas in the Whales belly. O Lord our God, how excellent is thy Name in all the world! It is this name at the sound whereof, the Mountaines smoke the foundations of the earth are shaken; the divels in hell tremble. It is this name by vertue whereof, the bodies of the dead are raised; the soules of the Saints are glorified; the happinesse of the Angels is eternised: O Lord our God, how excellent is thy Name in all the world! that if wee were as Iames and …ohn: and had voices like Thunder; yet we could never hallow this name loude enough: If we were as Methusalem; and had breathes like eternity; yet we could never hallow this name long enough: If we were as Salomon, and had the tongues of Angels; yet we could never hallow this name worthily enough. O Lord our God how excell…nt is thy Name in all the world! Wherefore, O my soule, doe thou by this name of God, as David (in the 119 Psalme) doth by the Law of God; whereof he seemes so jealous and so loath to leave it, that the word is no sooner out of his mouth, but he fn…heth it in againe; and there is …ot so short a sentence in all this long Psalme, but the Law of God is a word in it. And so doe thou by the name of God, let it p. 64evermore be in thy mouth, but ever; more be in thy heart; that thou make it not a common name, but keepe it holy: for if thou take it not in vaine to Gods dishonour; thou shalt be sure not to take it in vaine to thy owne benefit; for God will plentifully blesse it, and the next newes thou shalt heare of, will be the comming of his Kingdome.

And that wee may know Gods Name to bee a substance rather than a Word; or a Word of substance; wee shall finde it to bee hallowed or prophaned, by Actions rather then by words; or by words that make Actions: as Abraham hallowed Gods Name, when hee offred his sonne Isaac: because hee beleeved, that hee was faithfull, that had promised: but Moses hallowed it not at Meriba; when he said to the people: Now yee Rebels, Num. 20.10.Num 20:10shall we bring you water out of this Rocke? Not that Moses himselfe doubted, but that hee spake unadvisedly Psal. 106.33.Ps 106:33with his lips; and made the people doubt; hee doubted: and so whilst God honoured him, by manifesting his new Name of Iehovah; he forgot to honour God, by magnifying his old Name of Saddai. And if Moses, for want of perfitnesse in this Petition; were hindred from entring into the Num. 20.12.Num 20:12Terrestriall Canaan; was it not to be a Type for us, that wee for want of perfitnesse in it, may bee hindred from entring into the Heavenly Canaan? O then, my Tongue, make thee perfit in repeating it; and O my heart, make thee perfit in recording it; and O my life, bee thou perfit in acting it: that when yee have done with saying, p. 65Hallowed be thy name, in Earth amongst men: yee may be admitted to say: Holy, Holy, Holy, in heaven amongst Angells.

If Gods Name were to be hallowed with multiplicity of words; there are men of Incessant Tongues; like the Priests of Baal; that stood bawling to their Idoll, from morning till night: that were likely to doe it: Or if it were, to bee hallowed with eloquence of words: there are men of curious language, that would bee as fit to doe it; as the old Oratours were, to make their Panegyricks to Princes: Or if it were to be done with great and mighty words: there are roaring men in the world, might bee as able to hallow it, as Goliah the Philistine, was to blaspheme it: but none of these have coales from the Altar: and the hallowing of Gods Name, is a sacrifice: and must be done with fire; a fire of feare and reverence, b…rning in the heart: and sending forth flames, of holy and devout thoughts in the minde: of godly and sanctified communications in the tongue; of lowly and chast aspects in the Eyes, of Innocency and deeds of charity in the hands: and when every part both of body and soule, hath thus contributed its heate: there will then be made as perfect a sacrifice to hallow Gods Name, 1 Kin. 8. 65.1 Kgs 8:65as the sacrifice of peace offring, which Salomon offred at the … of the Temple.

It is a … …couragement to men, for doing of anything wh…ther can see apparent reasons wh… they …oe it: …us what reasons doe wee see he…re, for hallowing of Gods Name? O my soule, p. 66art thou so blinde of sight, so dull of understanding? Hast thou said, Our Father which art in Heaven; and dost thou consider his love, as being our Father: his Majesty, as being in Heaven: and dost thou complaine for want of reasons to hallow his Name? as a Father, he hath created, and begotten us: hee hath Elected and Adopted us: he hath preserved and redeemed us: and have we not reason then, to hallow his Name, as creatures as living creatures, as reasonable creatures, as servants, as children, as heires, as bondmen freed, as leapers cleansed, as dead men revived & borne anew: & if we should set our selves to reckon them up all: It is not the stars of heaven that would be counters enow to summe them. And if his love afford us so many reasons: doth not his Majesty afford us, as many more? he is in heaven, not with in heaven; within it, but not contained; contained, but not defined. He is in heaven, and that makes the Sun so bright: which without his being there should have no brightnes: He is in heaven and that makes the heavens so glorious, which without his being there should have no glory. Doe we see how bright the Sunne is, and doe we not cōsider how great his brightnes is, that made the Sunne? Doe we see how glorious the heavens are, and doe we not consider how great his glory is that made the heavens? He is in heaven, that he may looke downe in mercy upon us on earth: & he is in heaven, that we may looke up in faith to him in heaven: he is in heaven, to let us downe the Angels ladder from heaven: & he is in heaven to draw us up to be as Angels in heaven: & if p. 67we should stand to finde out all the reasons, which may be drawne from the consideration of his Majesty, for the hallowing of his Name: It would not be be a worke for time, but for eternity: for, as wee know not where to begin, in that which is incomprehensible; so we should never know how to end in that w^ch is infinite. O my Lord God, so enlighten my understanding, that I may see the reasons of hallowing thy Name: so sanctifie my nature, that I may above reason be able to hallow it.

We say here, Hallowed be thy Name: but might we not say better with David: Laudate Dominumomnes Angeliejus: Praise the Lord all yee Angels? For so, we should commit Gods honour to the care of Angels, who we may be sure, would alwaies be carefull of it; whereas now leaving it indefinite; while it is committed to none, it may be omitted by all. But is it not that David could goe no higher then Angels, for hallowing of Gods Name; In concreto: but Christ teacheth us here, to goe higher, in Abstracto: for creatures, how eminent soever, are yet but limited: and limited as well in action, as in essence: where the hallowing of Gods Name, is in it selfe, unlimmitted: & therefore we justly abstract it from all matter of the instrument, which necessarily inferreth a restraint: and leave it indefinite, which is capable of being infinite.

But is this petition, seated onelyonly on mount Gerizim, to warrant David to say, If any man seeke the Lord, and P Sal. 40.16.love his salvation: let him rejoyce alwaies, and be glad; and say continually, The Lord be magnified? and doth it not as well reach to mount Eball: and warrant the Church p. 68to proclaime: If any man with Goliah, defie the armies of Israel, and vilifie Gods power; let him be Anathema: For Hallowed he thy Name. If any man, with Rabsakeh, seeke to withdraw the peoples hearts, from trusting in the living God; let him be Anathema: for Hallowed be thy Name. If any man with Iulian shall say in d…rision of Christ, Vicisti Galilaee: let him be Anathema; for Hallowed be thy Name. And let Anathemaes be still proclaimed, against all the blasphemers of Gods Name, till there be no more left: that two Mountaines, at last may meet Eball with Gerizim; and Hell it selfe be forced with griefe to houle, what with joy it cannot sing; Hallowed be thy Name.

We have thought this petition most proper to be sayd of Angels, but may we not appropriate it to our selves; & exclude the Angels from saying it at all? Indeed as it is here placed, perhaps we may. For having called God Our Father, and this petition comming so immediatly upon it; we seem to pray, that his Name of Father, may be hallowed by us: & if we understand it so, what have the Angels to do to say it? They may say; Holy, holy holy, Lord God of Sabbath: and so hallow him in his Name of Lord, as Servants; but to hallow him in his Name of Father, as Sons, they cannot. Not, but that the Angels are the Children of God by creation, and grace of holinesse; but that they are not the Sons of God by regeneration and grace of …option: this dignity is only proper to men, as being members ….of Christ; who tooke our nature upon him, and not that of Angels. But seeing David hath brought into Psal. 148.Ps 148this Quier, not onelyonly the Angels in Heaven, but the Heavens themselves; not only the Trees and Cedars p. 69of the Mountaines, but the Mountaines themselves; not only beasts and creeping things of the earth, but the earth it selfe: Let not us so streighten the Name of God, as that we leave out Angels; (who are our sweetest Quiristers) nor yet other Creatures, (who are our loudest voyces;) seeing loudnesse also hath a place in this Musicke, as David saith, Sing yee loud unto Psal. 118.Ps 118the Lord, all the earth least seeking to …ncrease our own dignity by propriety of the song; we detract from Gods glory, by restraint of the fingers. And enter not O my soule into the shame to thinke, that where all other creatures doe directly sing it, we onelyonly doe but make suit to sing it, and it is thought in us a good degree of doing it; if we can but onelyonly pray to doe it.

And indeed we have need to pray to doe it, seeing praying to doe it, is all in effect we can doe of it, to any purpose. For our hallowing can be, but as our understanding is: and our understanding can be but as it gets ground from our senses to stand upon. And what ground can our understanding have for this, from any sense of ours? we cannot heare him so much as to call to us by our names, as Samuel did: we cannot see him so much as flaming in a bush and not consuming it, as Moses did: we cannot touch so much as the wounds of Christs side, as Thomas did: and from whence then should our understanding take its rising? It is true, we see the heavens, and they declare the glory of God, but we slight them through too much familiarity: we heare his words in the Law and the Gospel, and in them is eternall life; but we regard not them, as having them but at the second hand; and they but touch us, as it were, at the bound: but if we could p. 70heare God speaking himselfe, as the Israelites did in Sina: Or if we could see but the backparts of God, as Moses did in the rocke: but most of all, if we could see Exod. 33.21.Exod 33:21the face of God, which all his Saints and Angels behold in heaven; then indeed we should not need this prayer any longer: for the very sight would worke in us the effect of the prayer: and as Peter, at the onelyonly transfiguration of Christs humanity was so astonished, that he spake he knew not what; yet thus much was even extorted frō him by the glory of the sight to say, Bonum est esse hic: so when we shall come to enjoy the vision of God, and to see one sitting upon the Thron, like a Iasper stone: though we shall be never so much Revel. 4.3.Rev 4:3astonished at the glory of the fight; yet this will even be extorted from us, to say with the 24 Elders, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour, and power: Revel. 4.10.Rev 4:10and wee shall fall of our selves into the song of the Angels; Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty, and not only say it, but never cease to say it: for seeing our beholding will be cause of our admiring; & our admiring cause of our saying: we shall never cease to say it, because never cease to admire it; and never leave admiring it, because never leave be holding it. And indeed till we shall come to see his face; we shall never perfectly hallow his Nam; and therefore what we want in ability, we must supply with prayer: that seeing our words doe but halt after our understanding, and our understanding after his glory; with our hearts we may adore him, but adore him as incomprehensible; & with our hearts we may hallow him, but hallow him as uns…eakable. When we pray for the hallowing of Gods Name, we pray implicitely for all things necessary p. 71and conducing to it: we pray for the agent, and for the instrument; we pray for the time and for the place; we pray for the speaker and for the hearer; and in one word, we pray for the propagation of the Gospell, that doores may be opened to all men of faith, that so the building may goe up of the new Ierusalem: That labourers may be sent into Gods harvest, that so theweeds may be pluckt vp, and the good Corne brought into the Barne: that there may be Ioy in Sion, and peace within her walls: that, not the Trumpet of War, but the Trumpet of praise & thankesgiving may be heard amongst us: that all eares may be circumcised, & all tongues touched with Coales from the Altar; that so nothing be spoken, nor any thing be heard; but tending all to the honour and glory of Gods Name.

This petition stands neerest unto God of them all; and makes us stand neerest to the Angels, and gives us seisin as it were of what wee shall be hereafter; when we shall be sensible of the sweetnesse of it: though now, Flesh and blood finde little rellish in it; having tongues to say it, but not to taste it; untill they shall put on incorruption. For, as little account as men make of it here, this very hallowing of Gods Name is the highest step of the Angels ladder to happinesse: and under an Angell none can climbe it. And it may be called the petition of sanctity; for, by it we are reduced Ad similitudinem Dei; Be ye holy as I am holy. And it is proper to this petition, that this onelyonly is eternall; and as it is our first petition here on earth, so it shall be our last … p. 72ther petitions shall have an end. For though Hosannaes shall cease with the ceasing of fayth and hope: yet Halleluiahs shall continue with the continuance of charity, and not onelyonly continue, but be continuall.

But may we not thinke, that these words, Hallowed be thy Name, are not properly a petition; or any part of our prayer: but rather a complement and solemnity attending upon the Name of God? as the Iewes manner is not onelyonly wh… they name any of their famous ancestours, the… alwaies adde some words of Benediction, as speaking of Moses; they alwaies adde Zechar… liberacha: Memoria ejus in benedictione, as we al… to say, Of blessed memory; but much more s…aking of God, they alwaies adde, Hacadosh Baru… Hu: Sanctus Benedictus ille: which is in effect the … we say here, Hallowed be thy Name: and it would fall out well to understand it thus; that so, we may make Christ as good as his word; for then, Thy Kingdome come, will prove the first petition: and it will be as Christ sayd, Seeke first the Kingdome of God; and the righteousnesse thereof, and all other things shall be ministred unto you: for having sought the Kingdome of God, by this petition, and the righteousnesse thereof by the next; all other things are ministred unto us by the petitions following: For, we have a Deed of gift of all temporall things, by one; and a generall pardon of all faults, by another; and a Protection royall from all evill, by the last. But, O my thoughts, wander not in such by-paths by your p. 73selves: where being alone, you are not onelyonly in danger to goe out of the way; but you are in a way to fall into dangers: but keepe the roade, where you have company and conduct; that will alwaies keepe you right, and guard you safe: for these words, Hallowed be thy Name, shall well enough, and most justly be a petition, and a part of our prayer: and yet Christ neverthelesse be as good as his promise: for this petition, Hallowed be thy Name, refers only to the honour of God; but of those which relate to our own benefit, Thy Kingdome come, is worthily the first; and so Christs counsaile stands firme. Seeke first the Kingdome of God, and all other things shall be ministred unto you.

Next unto the Angels in heaven, are placed the Saints in heaven; for when it is said, Thy Kingdome; may it not fitly be thought the prayer of the Saints departed? of whom it is said, that lyingunder the Altar, they cry, How long O Revel. 6.10.Rev 6:10Lord, holy and true; wilt thou not avenge our blood upon them that dwell upon the earth? we all indeed pray for the inchoation of the Kingdome of Grace: but these are p…operly they, that pray for the consummation of the Kingdom of glory: when all things shalbe made subject to the Father and God shall be all in all. And it remaines onelyonly for these to pray for this Kingdome, seeing they are already lifted up above all other kingdomes; having the kingdomes of the world in contempt; & the kingdome of satan in subiection; and as for the Kingdome of Grace, they have it already in perfection.

p. 74Though we have stiled this petition, the prayer of the Saints departed; as being the most eminent persons that can say it; yet we doe not thereby exclude our selves, but we enter common with them; or rather, we pray for a King…ome more then they doe: They onelyonly for the Kingdome of glory: we, for the Kingdome both of grace, and glory; yet may we justly call it theirs, seeing they began it to us, and continue it with us, and enforce it for us.

But doe not the words of this petition crosse one another? and is there not an opposition betweene them? For, Kingdome is a word of Majesty: and comming is a word of inferiority; at most, of equality; and so we seeme to pray to Gods disparagement, we make a superiour inferiour, at most but equall. But is it not, that we mean not here a descent, but an extent of the Kingdome: and a comming, not of duty, but of grace? and so neither the Kingdome disdaineth the comming; nor the comming disparageth the Kingdome; but Kingdome and comming, are magnified both in their uniting.

This petition at first sight seemes to flatter flesh and blood, asking as they themselves would wish; but Christ hath taken them downe from any such hope: professing plainely that his Kingdome is not of this world. And though it may be thought am…ition, to aske so great a matter as a Kingdome; yet it is in truth, humility: for, untill we attaine to this Kingdome, we cannot be wholly Gods true servants: and it is reason, p. 75the suite should be the greater, because we are likely to tarry longest for it. But is it not strange to see us come as we doe here, In forma pauperis; to aske a Kingdome? yet so we must doe, and Math. 5.3.Matt 5:3so hath Christ proclaimed it; Blessed are the poore in spirit, for theirs is the kingdome of Heaven. And yet if we marke it well, as poore as we seeme to come; we shall finde, that Salomon in all his royalty, was not cloathed as we are by this petition; for by it we are cloathed here with sanctification, that we may be cloathed hereafter with immortality.

Some seditious heads may here take occasion to thinke; that to pray for this Kingdome, is to pray against all earthly kingdomes; and to disthrone Gods Lieutenants of their authority. But know, O world, that this Kingdome, though it take away our subjection to the world: yet it taketh not away our subjection in the world: though we be not of the world which St. Iames Iam. 4.4. Ioh. 17.16.Jas 4:4John 17:16taxed for Enmity with God; yet we are of the world, which Augustus taxed for tribute to Caesar: and this tribute must be paide as well from our hearts as from our purses; for, out of the duty we owe him that hath placed us in his service, we learne to be contented to serve every one in his place.

When we say this petition, we meane not, that Gods Kingdome should so come to be here, as that it should be no where else: for, this were but to remove it, whilst we seeke to enlarge it; and to make that finite, which is infinite: but p. 76we pray onelyonly for the beames of the Sunne of righteousnesse; not for the Sunne it selfe: for the power and priviledges of the Kingdome, not for the body: that as Christ saith, No man can come unto me except the Father draw him; So we most properly understand, the Kingdome to come to us, when the Father drawes us, and makes us come unto it: and so in effect our petition is this: that God by his Spirit would so rule over us, that our spirits may wholly be ruled by him; and that his Kingdome of grace may so come unto us, that we may come at last to his Kingdome of Glory.

But what need we to pray for the comming of this Kingdome? for seeing it is infinite, it must needs be every where; and being every where, it must needs be here already. But is it not, that there is a difference between the being of this Kingdome, and the comming? It is indeed every where, but it comes not every where. It is in the wicked upon earth: and it is in the damned in hell: but it comes onelyonly to the faithfull Revel. 3.20.Rev 3:20on earth, or to the Saints in heaven; for, wher it onelyonly is, it is in power or justice: but where it comes, it is in love and bounty: where it onelyonly is, it leaves us at sea, and suffers us to suffer shipwracke; but where it comes, it brings us into the Haven, and sets us safe on shoare.

This Petition hath but three words, and each word may have its emphasis; each emphasis its meditation. For if we place the emphasis upon the last word: the meditation may be this, that p. 77the ambition is not in asking a Kingdome, but that we must have it come to us: as though we thought our selves too good to goe to it: but alas poore lame soules, wee cannot goe to it though we would never so fayne: for the truth is we are in bondage to another Prince; that unlesse this Kingdome come and free us, our Fetters will not suffer us to stir a foote. But is not this directly contrary to that which Christ saith, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdome prepared for you? for here we pray, that the Kingdome may come to us: and there we are invited to come to it: Here, we are the marke, and the Kingdome is the commer: there the Kingdome is the marke; and we the commers. This indeed may well seeme wonderfull in our eyes, seeing nothing is more wonderfull in nature, then the nature of this Kingdome is. It comes to us as our Ransome: We come to it as to our Triumph: It comes to us, as it came and sat upon the Apostles in fiery tongues: we come to it, as Elias went up in a fiery charriot. It comes to us, as the Kingdome of Grace: we come to it, as to the Kingdome of glory.

And if wee place the Emphasis upon the second word: It may be seconded with this Meditation: It is true, we are in this world as in a warre; and have many enemies to assault us: but will no lesse ayde then a Kingdome serve us? Have we not Forces of our owne, which we may muster up, and make resistance? This indeed, was Pelagius his dreame, but all men that are awake, p. 78finde it otherwise. For seeing those Forces did not serve our first Parents, who were strong and at liberty; what hope is there for us, who are weake and in bondage? But might it not serve to Esa. 41.8.Isa 41:8require the helpe of Abraham? For Abraham was Gods Friend; and men will doe much for their friends; how much more will God? This also hath been, and is still the ignorant fancy of some Esa. 63. 16.Isa 63:16men: therefore ignorant: because Abraham is ignorant of us, and knowes us not: and seeing, while hee lived, hee came short by Tenne, in helping the Sodomites, whom hee knew; he is like to come much shorter now in helping of uswhom hee doth not know. But would it not be sufficient to pray for the ayde of Angells? as God promised Moses, that his Angell should goe with him: and wee may be sure, that God knew well, what Assistance would serve. Of this Errour, it se…ms Col. 2.18.Col 2:18by Saint Paul, some Colossians were in danger; but wee see Moses would not trust to that helpe neither; but flatly refused it: (It seemes he took Exo. 33.15.Exod 33:15Gods offer but as a try all) and unlesse God would goe himselfe, hee thought it no boore for him to stirre. And indeed who can thinke it reasonable for Sonnes to rely upon their Fathers Servants? Eph. 2.12.Eph 2:12For wee fight not with flesh and blood; but with principalities and Powers; and seeing we have a Kingdome to assault us; wee must likewise have a Kingdome to assist us. Neither our owne Forces; Nor Succour of Saints; Nor ayde of Angells will stand us in stead; God himselfe must goe forth with our Armies, or wee shall never be able to overcome.

p. 79And if we place the emphasis upon the first word: It may then raise our minds to this meditation: There are many competitors for this Esa. 26.13.Isa 26:13Kingdome to rule over us: but above all, though …udg. 9.14.the basest of all; the bramble satan catcheth hold of us to get it: God is the trne Olive tree; Zach. 4.11.Zech 4:11but he cannot take it upon him unlesse he should leave his fatnesse: Hee is the true Figge-tree, but he cannot be King over us, unlesse he should leave his sweetnesse: and that fatnesse and that sweetnesse he left: (the Father when he gave his Sonne: the Sonne when he gave his life) and now let all the Trees of the wood rejoyce: for, Thou O Lord art w…rthy to receive all glory, and honour, 1 Chro. 16.33. Psal. 96.12.1 Chr 16:33Ps 96:12and power; and the Lord shall raigne for ever. And what then shall we render for this inestimable favour, in taking us to be his subjects? O let us offer him, not onelyonly the tenths of our labours; but the first fruits of our affections: let Psal. 24.9.Ps 24:9us open not onelyonly the doores of our lips, but the gates of our hearts; that this King of glory may come in. And when thou vouchsafest, O my Lord, to come with thy high Majesty under my low roofe; and to worke a miracle, by having that greatnesse which the world containeth not, contained in the little corner of my breast; Vouchsafe also to send thy Grace for the Harbinger of thy Glory; seeing there can no roome be dressed up against thy comming, but onelyonly by thy comming: and no place can be reckoned fit for thee, untill it be made fit by thee. Possesse me wholly, O my soveraigne; raigne in my p. 80body, by obedience to thy Lawes: and in my soule, by confidence in thy promises: Frame my tongue to praise thee, my knees to reverence thee, my strength to serve thee, my desires to cover thee, and my heart to embrace thee: that as thou hast formed me to thine Image: so thou mayst frame mee to thy will; and as thou hast made mee a vessell, by the stamp of thy Creation, to serve thee on earth, so thou may est make me, a vessell of honour, by the priviledge of thy grace, to serve thee in thy Kingdome.

In some, the world Governes; and he who is Prince of this world, the divell: and this government is a very …yranny: the people here, are not Subjects but slaves: they have fetters on all their faculties; and if they …oe not feele them, it is because they are past feeling. The avre of this place is onelyonly Fogges and Mists, which both blind their eyes, and infect their spirits; and makes it their Paradise, to be wallowing in puddle. He is no true P…nce but an usurper, and therfore rules all by force and falsehood: He takes upon him to be their Pilot; launcheth them out into the maine, and then leaves them to stormes and tem…ests: and their Haven is to split against the Rockes. So here is no being for thee, O my soule, thou hadst need to make haste hence, and to seeke thee out some better harbour. In some the flesh governes; and they which be Ladies of Esa. 47.7.Isa 47:7the flesh, Pride and Lust: and this government p. 81is a very Anarchy: Every base fancy hath an even sway, with noble reason; Wisdome here is not justified of her children; they may speake the language of Canaan, but they are all natives of Sodome; their eyes are seeled up, yet their flight is onelyonly downe hill: for they are travelling to the bottomles Pit. So this, O my soule, is no place for thee neyther; No resting for thee here; seeing here is no rest, but all in motion; and all motion here is commotion. In some the spirit governes: and he, who is the Father of spirits, God himselfe: and this government is a perfect Kingdome: He hath Majesty for his Crowne: Mercy for his seate: and Iustice for his Scepter. He hath wisedome for his Counsailour; Almightinesse for his guard; and Eternity for his date. He hath heaven for his Pallace; the earth for his Footstoole: and hell for his prison. He hath lawes to which nature assents, and reason subscribes; that doe not fetter us but free us: for by them nature gets the wings of grace, and transcends the earth: Reason gets the eyes of fayth, and ascends up to heaven. He hath a yoke Esa. 40.10.Isa 40:10indeed, but it is easie: a burthen, but it is light: his reward is with him, and his worke before him. He is established in this soveraignty, not by his subjects election of him; but by his election of his subjects: not as rayfing himselfe to a higher title, but as humbling himselfe to a lower calling: and as not receiving it, from a Predecessor who is before all: so never leaving it to a successour, who is after all. This is the p. 82place where my soule shall dwell, here will I pitch my Tabernacle: OnelyOnly O Lord, let me be taken into the number of thy subiects; and endue mee with the priviledges of thy Kingdome: and I will freely and faithfully serve thee for ever. Other Lords besides thee, have heretofore Esa. 16.13.Isa 16:13ruled us; but now we will remember thee onelyonly, and onelyonly thy Name.

When we make this petition to God, that his Kingdome may come; we should doe well to remember a petition which God makes to us, My sonne, give me thy h…art: For, unlesse we Prov. 13.26.Prov 13:26give God our hearts; whither can wee thinke this Kingdome should come? For, if it come to the eares, as oftentimes it makes offer at the hearing of Gods Word; it findes that, onelyonly a Thorough-fare which lies open on every side; and no fit place to make a residence in: and therefore commonly goes away as it came: and makes no stay there. And if it come to the eyes, as sometime, it offers at the sight of Gods workes: It findes them not able to stay long open, but must have their windowes shut in, & so are apt to keepe it out; or if they stand open they are apt to let in vanity, which this Kingdome likes not; and therefore cannot abide to abide there neyther, but vanisheth away. And indeed, these are but Out-places; this Kingdome loves to be within us, as Christ saith, The kingdome of God is within you: and we have no Luk. 17. 21.Luke 17:21place within us, fit to make the Seate of a Kingdome, but onelyonly our heart; and this indeed hath p. 83no back doore to let it out, as the eare hath; nor no percullis to keepe it out, as the eye hath; but it hath a large entrance, and a boundlesse circuit; and therefore most fit to give this Kingdome entertainement. And yet, as fit as it is, God will not have it, unlesse we give it him; and he will not have it so neither, unlesse we give it him all: for it is against his Nature to have a Partner; and he cannot abide to heare of moyities: either he must have all, or he hath nothing at all: to be a piece for God, and a piece for the world; is to be all for the world: to conclude God at all, is to exclude him from all. Wherefore, O my soule, mangle not thy heart in giving it to God, but give it him all: and thinke thy selfe happy that he will take it all: for the more he possesseth it, the freer he makes it; the more hee dwelleth in it, the fayrer hee builds it; the more raigneth in it, the richer he adornes it. O my Lord God, that thou wouldst come and dwell in my hea…ras the owner of it, and reigne in my heart as the King of it: I should not then envy the Pallaces of Princes, nor the kingdomes of the earth: seeing I should have within my selfe a Pallace and a Kingdome, not onelyonly to equall, but farre to exceede them.

But what kinde of Kings will this Kingdome make us? Is it, as one saith: Rex est qui metuit nihil? and indeed there is not such a King to be found amongst all the Princes of the earth: for, how is it possible they should be without feare; p. 84who have a sword hanging over their heads continually, but by a thred? yet such Kings shall we be made by the comming of this Kingdome. For, whereof should we be afraide? Of enemies? Revel. 7.16.Rev 7:16but they shall be all subdued under our feete. Of poverty? But we shall hunger and thirst no more. Of nakednesse? But the Sunne shall not burne us by Psal. 125.6.…Ps 125:6day, nor the Moone by night. Of sorrow? But all teares shall he wiped away from our eyes. Of death? Revel. 7.17.Rev 7:17but Mors ultra non dominabitur. Yet all this will m…ke us but negative Kings, and meere negation makes not happy: for, happinesse is a positive thing, and puts us in a reall possession of all good things. And such happinesse too shall we have by the comming of this Kingdome: for, wherein, can wee thinke, doth happinesse consist? If in dainty fare? we shall eate and drinke with Christ, at his Fathers Table. If in fine clothes? we shall all be cloathed in long white robes. If Revel. 6.11.Rev 6:11in curious Musicke? we shall heare the Quier of Angels continually singing. If in light? Fulgebimus sicut sol. If in knowledge? we shall know, as we are knowne. If in dominion? we shall judge the Angels. If in joy? our joy shall be full, and none shall be able to take it from us. If in … Cor. 6.3. Iohn 15.11. Iohn 16.22.John 16:22glorious sights? we shall see the blessed face of G…d, w^ch is the glory of all sights, the sight of all glory. O happy Kingd…me: O happy comming: O happy we to whom it shall come; that we can never be intentive enough in praying; never earnest enough in longing, that this Kingdome may come.

p. 85But doth not this petition seeme to cast an eye upon the Iewes: seeing it is not the Kings, but the Kingdomes comming that is here prayed for? for, their King it was well enough knowne, was come: knowne by the Wisemens question: Where is the King of the Iewes that is M…r. 2.2.borne? Knowne by the peoples acclamation: Hosanna, Blessed is the King of Israel, that commeth Iohn 12.13.John 12:13in the Name of the Lord. Knowne by Pilates superscription: Iesus Nazaronus Rex Iudaeorum: Thus their King they saw, but his Kingdome they saw not: for, how could they see that which was spirituall with carnall eyes? neyther indeed, can they ever come to see this Kingdome, unlesse this Kingdome come and visit them first. And is not this then a fit petition for them also? And if we give way to this fancie of exposition; it will not goe much a stray from the former: seeing the comming of this Kingdome to the Iewes, is the immediate Fore-runner of the comming of this King, to us that are Christians.

But it is time now to leave being Iewes: and to pray for the comming not onelyonly of the Kingdome, but of the King himselfe; that seeing in attire of humanity they knew him not; and in estate of submission, they honoured him not: he would now come at length in the brightnes…e of his Deity; and in the greatnesse of his Soverainety: that the eyes which scorned his humility, may bee dazeled at his glory: and that they which refused the haven of his mercy, p. 86may suffer shipwracke on the rocke of his justice. And to this end we doe all of us set our hands and hearts to that supplication of thy Saints; who groaning under the burden of their long deferred hope, doe continually with sighes present thee this petition: Come Lord …esus, come Rev. 6.11.Rev 6:11quickly. And if, O God, thou hast Corne behind to reape, which is not yet sowne: and stubble behind to burne, which is not yet sprung: though with patience we will waite the season of thy pleasure, yet with prayers we will importune the hastening of thy Harvest: and though we be not worthy to open the Seales: Rev. 5.4.Rev 5:4yet we cannot chuse but be tempering with the waxe, that we long for no others comming but thine owne; and reckon nothing long a comming but thy Kingdome.

It is proper to this petition; that where all the other have their present dispatches, and are put in possession of their suites, this onelyonly lives in expectation; and is put off with a dilatory answer, for God knowes how long: yet is as well pleased with this expectation, as the others are with their present possessions: and therefore may justly be called, the petition of hope; but Rom. 5.5.Rom 5:5hope that makes not ashamed: seeing it consists not in the uncertainnesse of the matter, but onelyonly of the time.

Next to the Saints in heaven, are placed the Saints on earth: for, when it is sayd, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven: is it not plainely p. 87the prayer of the faithfull, living? seeing Christ himselfe, while hee lived on Earth; made use of this Petition, for our example: Father, if it be possible; let this Cup passe from mee, yet not as I will; but as thou wilt.

But may not this petition bee thought superfluous; to pray for that which is, and will bee done, whether wee pray for it or no? For, God Psal. 135.6. Esa. 14.24. & 46.10.Ps 135:6Isa 14:24Isa 46:10doth what soever he will both in Heaven and in earth: and who hath resisted his Will? But wee must consider, that we pray not for God, but to God for our selves; that having undone our selves by doing our owne will; wee may bee repaired, by doing of his Will: and not of his Will, absolute: but of his Will in relation: Not, when hee commands, as when hee said; Let there be Light; but when hee gives Commandements; as when hee said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart: Wee therefore pray that this Will of his may bee done of us; by our obedient and cheerfull Acting it; and done in us, by our patient and thankfull suffering it; that concerning the first: we may doe, as the Captaines said to Ieremie: Ier. 42.6.Jer 42:6whether it be good or ev…ll, wee will obey the voice of the Lord; and concerning the latter, wee may say as Ely said: It is the Lord, let him doe to me, as seemeth good in his Eyes.

But if wee understand it so: Doe we not then free the Petition, from being superfluous; and charge it, with being impossible? For, if we understand it, of doing his Will actively: how is it possible for Earth to doe it, so well as Heaven? p. 88and if of doing it passively: how is that done in Heaven at all? and if wee can find an answer for this; shall wee not perhaps free it from being impossible; by making it, to bee either slight, or improvident? for if wee understand it; of doing his will, actively; what great matter is it, for Earth to compare with Heaven; seeing all impiety began first in Heaven? and if, of doing his Will passively: what doe we then by this Petition; but call for Iustice to be done in Earth upon our selves: as it was done in Heaven, upon the Angels? But O my soule, consider; wee say not, Thy Will be done in Earth as it was, but as it is in Heaven: for, it is true, there was once an Apostasie in Heaven; but it was but once: They which exalted themselves, were cast downe never to rise; and the rest have continued in their uprightnesse, never to fall: for Christ hath merited, as for us, to bee purged from our sinnes; so for them, to be established in their holinesse: and what he is to us, in restoring; hee is to them in confirming.

But shall wee make God so peremptory a Prince, as that his Will must stand for a Law? Doe wee well to attribute that stile to God; which wee would scarce attribute to a just Prince? Sic volo, Sic Iubeo; stat pro ratione voluntas? Indeed where the Will may bee separated from reason: this objection may be reasonable, but not with God: of whose Will, it cannot bee so truly said, that it is ruled by Reason; as that it is the very rule of Reason: nothing being otherwise p. 89reasonable, but as it is conformable to his Will: and therefore he gave reason to man, that hee might bee capable to doe his Will: which because hee hath not given to Beasts, they are not: all other things they can doe as well, if not better then men: They can make them Nests and houses: and are better Builders: They can hoord up, and provide before hand: and are better husbands: They can prevent and circumvent and are better politicians: They can extract the spirits of vegetables: and are better Alchymists: OnelyOnly doe the will of God, they cannot: and therefore, how much a man applyes himselfe to doe the Will of God; so much may hee bee said a reasonable Creature: but if once hee leave to doe that; hee is presently compared, to the beasts Psal. 49. 20. & 73. 22.Ps 49:20Ps 73:22that perish: and yet hee is favoured in the comparison too: for, all things considered, man is certainely farre the more unreasonable: as appeares by Gods owne complaint: The Oxe knoweth Esa. 1. 3,Isa 1:3his Owner, and the Asse his Masters …ryb; but Israel hath not knowne; my People hath no understanding. And, though of the Will of God; wee doe not alwayes know the reason; yet wee alwaies know, there is a reason in it: unlesse perhaps we shall speake more properly, that, not reason is the Rule of Gods Will; but either his Will is Rule to it selfe; as hee saith; I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy: or at least, some superiour Faculty, farre above the capacity of our reason: of which it is said; Who hath knowne the minde of God; or who hath been his Counsellour? We p. 90are not therfore to stand upon termes with God; and to examine or censure his Will, by any rule of our reason: (which if Abraham had done: he had never beene the Father of the faithfull) but to make an absolute submission: and humbly to say: Thy Will be done in Earth, as it is in Heaven.

But how can wee be sure at any time of doing the Will of God: seeing God seemes oftentimes variable in his Will: and continues not alwaies in one minde? For was it not Gods Will, that the …sraelites should offer him sacrifices? yet he tels them a while after: they are an abomination to him. Esa. 1.13.Isa 1:13Was it not Gods Will, that Balaam should goe to Bal…k? yet when Balaam sadled his Asse, & went, God sent his Angell to stop his Asse in the way: and hindred his going. Was it not Gods Will, that Moses should number the People? yet when David numbred the People: God smote him for it, with a heavie punishment. And how then is it possible, to doe his Will, that is so variable: and so often changeth? O my soule, take heede: for in none of these, nor ever in any, is there any Mal. 3.6.Mal 3:6changeablenesse in God at all: all the change is in our selves. For God indeed appointed sacrifices to the Iewes that were but ceremonies, but hee intended also the substance with them: when they therefore offered not the sacrifices, that were substantiall; had not God just cause to refuse their sacrifices, that were onelyonly ceremoniall? God indeed commanded Balaam to goe to Balak: but when Balaam went with intent to curse Israel, whom God intend…d, hee should p. 91blesse, had not God just cause to hinder his journey? God indeed commanded Moses to number the people: that notice might be taken of their great deliverance; but when David numbred them to ground a confidence upon them; had not God just cause though not to punish his right numbering, yet to punish his wrong confidence? For, to doe the will of God, consists not so much in the act, as in the end of doing it: otherwise we should be like Iehu; who did the will of God indeed, in destroying all the house of Ahab: but he had his owne ends in it, to establish the Kingdome to himselfe. We must not therefore thinke of doing Gods will, as Polititians; mingling our owne ends, with Gods Will; but we must doe it as Angels, simply and purely: we must doe it, onelyonly that we may doe it; so doe his will, that we may doe the intent of his will: and thus, if we doe the will of God, we shall finde him alwaies one and the same; and no variablenesse in him at all, nor shadow of change.

We make a peti…ion here, that Gods will may be done; but should we not have made a petition Psal. 6.27. Col. 5.9.Ps 6:27first, that it might bee knowne? as David prayed, That thy way may bee knowne upon earth: for untill we know it, how can we doe it? & how doe we now know it, seeing it seemes to many to be yet sub Iudice: and so great controversie and division about it; as if the descending of the Holy Ghost in fiery and cloven tongues, had beene of purpose to foreshew the fiery division, p. 92that should after follow in the tongues of the Church. But should wee not consider that all Gods Law is fu'filled in our love, and while in doubtfull controversies wee contend what his will is; of this wee bee sure, that his will is not we should contend. And doe we not finde it true, that Nimium Altercando veritas amittitur; the very heate of disputation, makes our judgements, as it were, to warpe: that though Dav…d Psal. 69.9.Ps 69:9sayd well; The zeale of Gods House had eaten him up: yet wee cannot say well, the zeale of Gods cause hath eaten up our understanding.

But let it bee granted, that we are satisfied, concerning the knowledge of his will; seeing we have an Oracle for it, Gods word is a Lanthorne Psal. 119.105.Ps 119:105to our feet, and a light to our path: yet what reason have we to pray, that it may be done in earth, as it is in heaven? For, what doe we know how it is done in heaven? and so we pray, we know not for what. But doe we not know, that there are none in heaven, but Saints and Angels; who are all ministring spirits: and being spirits, must needs serve God in spirit: and Christ fetcheth this argument higher, that Iohn 4. 24.John 4:24God himselfe is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth. If then wee worship God in spirit and truth, wee doe his will in earth as it is in heaven.

It is not enough to believe Gods will; as David Psal 119.66.Ps 119:66sayd, I have believed thy Commandements, For the divels believe and tremble. Nor to remember p. 93his will: as he also sayd, I will never forget thy precepts: for such was hee, of whom God complaines; What hast thou to doe to declare mine Psal. 50. 16.Ps 50:16Ordinances; seeing thou hatest to be reformed? Nor to approve his Will, as David also sayd, All thy Exod. 19.8.Exod 19:8Commandements are true; and I know O God that thy Iudgements are right: for, this the Israelites did to Moses, when they received the law: All that the Lord hath commanded we will doe, but yet did it not. Nor to love his will; as he also sayd: O how I doe love thy Law: for, Peter was not without love to Christ, even then when he denied him. All these are good steppes, but they goe not farre enough: they are but as to looke our face in a Glasse, and so be gon… There is no good to bee done with God, without doing good: and therefore David after these, useth alwaies to adde: It is my meditation continually; and I have refrained my seete from every evill way, that I might keepe thy Word: and if the nature of our earthen vessels be such that it will not keepe this water of life untainted and in the native purenesse; yet it shall be accepted of God, if we goe forward; and can truely say with David, Psal. 119.112.Ps 119:112I have applied my heart to fulfill thy Statutes alwaies, even unto the end: and I desire to doe thy will, O God. For if unfainedly and seriously we apply our hearts to fulfill his lawes, and desire to doe his will, and doe it to our power; this very applying shall bee counted a fulfilling; this desire shall be reckoned for a deed; and then, we shall doe his will in earth as it is in heaven.

p. 94But whether doe wee make this petition, in behalfe of the Will of God, to have that enlarged; or in behalfe of the earth to have that exalted? for it seemes applyable to both sences. But alasse, what enlargement would it be to the Will of God, which is now already done in heaven; to have it also to bee done in earth? For what is it, to adde earth to heaven; but to adde, as it were, a droppe to the Sea? but it is a great exaltation to the earth; to have the Will of God, done in it, as it is in heaven: seeing to have power to doe the Will of God is the largest franchise that can bee granted of God; and if it might bee fully enjoyed, would make the earth an equall match with heaven. But though it be now prayed for: yet it cannot be expected, till the time come of which St. Peter 2 P…. 3. 13.speakes: We expect a new heaven, and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteo…nesse: for then heaven and earth shall bee even matches: and it will bee a new world; and newes indeed; to have righteousnesse dwell here, where dwelleth nothing now but cruelty and oppression. For alas Psal. 14. 3,4. Esa. 1.23. Mic. … 7.2.Ps 14:3Ps 14:4Isa 1:23Mic 7:2poore earth, Thou art condemned for man, to thornes and thistles: and in revenge thereof, thou bringest forth men, full of thistles and thornes; that as thou skratchest and tearest them, so they skratch and teare one another: and there will be no help for this till the time come, Rom. 8.21.Rom 8:21that the Creature also shall bee delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God: and then will p. 95be the full accomplishment of this petition.

By this petition wee know that Gods will is done in heaven: and here wee pray, it may bee done in earth: but seeing the petition is chiefely referred to the honour of God; why doe wee not pray, it may bee done in hell also? seeing hell is a large and spacious place: as it is sayd, Tophet is made deepe and large: for by leaving this Esd. 30.33.out, we leave out a spacious circuit, where his Will may be done; and so abridge him in the extent of his command. But is it not that wee therefore pray not, his will may be done in hell; because indeed there are no doers there, but all sufferers; they are all there in bonds, and bound from action: and if we should understand it of doing his will passively; by suffering patiently: that cannot be done there neyther: seeing impatience is eyther one of their Torments: or one of their tormentors. We justly therefore name not that place in our prayer: because there are no persons in it that are capable of our prayer. And yet God hath a Will that is done even there, enough for his honour: Voluntas Beneplaciti: Not that he is pleased with the damned: but that he is pleased with their damnation. but wee meddle not with this will: and therefore meddle not with this place, where there is no other will done.

Wee learne by this Petition, what it is wee must doe, when wee come to Heaven; and doth not this make men carelesse, whether ever they come there, or no? for, seeing the Will of p. 96God is so unpleasing a thing to doe heere; how can they thinke, it will be any better: or be ere a whit mended, to doe it there? and therefore, if there bee nothing gotten, by going to Heaven; but doing of Gods will: they thinke themselves better as they are: and would bee glad to tarry heere still: where they may doe their owne wills. But O my soule: is not this to bee starke dead in sinne? For, it there were any sence of life; or any life of sence remaining in us; we could not choose but see the beauty, and tast the sweetnesse, and smell the Odour, of doing Gods Will. Sweeter, saith David, then the hony, or the hony combe. More beautifull, saith Salomon, then Cant. 1.10.Song 1:10the rowes of Iewells: or then chaines of Gold. More fragr…t, saith hee also; then an Orchard Cant. 4.13.Song 4:13of Pomegranats: or then Myrrhe and Aloes with all the spices. O thou eternall light, and life of all things: so enlighten the eyes, and qui…ken the senses of my soule and body: that I may both see the Beauty; and Tast the sweetnesse of doing thy will: I shall not then neede any greater motives of longing to be in heaven: then that I may be as able, as willing: (who now am scarce willing but altogether unable) to doe thy Will.

But why doe wee pray that Gods Will may be done in Earth; which is done in Earth already: and that by Creatures, which one would thinke, were never able to doe it? Hee hath set bounds to the Sea, which it must not passe… and the Sea, as raging as it is, and provoked by all the Rivers of the Earth, that come running into p. 97it, as it were for the nonce; to make it passe his bounds; yet keepes it selfe precisely within the limits. He hath appointed the earth to stand still, and not to move; and the earth though but hanging in the Ayre, and nothing at all to hang upon; yet offers not so much as once to stirre. He hath chargedthe Trees, to bring forth fruit: and the Trees, though even killed with cold of winter, and threatned with tempests of the spring; yet take heart to come forth; and seeme to rejoyce, they can doe as they are bidden. The very beasts, though never so wilde and savage, yet observe the properties of their kind; and none of them encroach upon the qualities of another. And why all this, but onelyonly to doe the Will of God? And that, which may seeme more strange; the Flowers come out of the durty earth; and yet how neate, and cleane? Out of the unsavoury earth; and yet how fresh and fragrant? Out of the sowre earth; and yet how mellifluous and sweet? Out of the duskish earth: and yet how Orient and Vermillian? Out of the unshapen earth; and yet in what dainty shapes? in what curious formes? in what enammelings and Dyapers of beauty? as if the earth would shew, that for all her being cursed; she had something yet of Paradise left: and why all this, but onelyonly to doe the Will of God? And why then should there be complaining, as though the Will p. 98of God, were not done in earth? O wretched man: It is onelyonly thy selfe that is out of tune in this harmony: Man that should be best, is of all the worst: that should bee cleanest, is of all the foulest: that should be most beautifull, is of all the most deformed: most full of graces, yet most voyde of grace: of most understanding to direct his will, yet of least will to follow the direction of understanding: Man, endued with celestiall qualities: yet leaves them all, to encroach upon the qualities of every beast: upon the obscenity of swine in drunkennesse: upon the greedinesse of Cormorants, in covetousnesse: upon the craftinesse of Foxes in fraud: upon the cruelty of Tygers, in malice: as if he would strive to exceede his first parents in transgressing: and try whether God had any greater punishment left, then casting out of Paradise, that if Christ would have served us in our kinde, and as we deserve: he needed not have gone for patterns to Heaven, he might have found patterns good enough for us, amongst the meanest creatures of the earth; and as he told the Pharisees; the Queene of the South, should rise up against them in Iudgement; so he might have told us; the Flowers, the Trees, the Beasts, shall all rise up in Iudgement against Man: that Ier. 9.1.Jer 9:1we had more need to say: O that my head were waters; and mine eyes a fountaine of p. 99teares, that I might weepe day and night: then, after Trees and Beasts have done Gods Will; to come after them all, with but onelyonly saying; Thy Will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

But how doe these Petitions hang together? or how is not this, directly contrary to that which went before? For, there we desire a Kingdome, that we may doe what we list: and here we desire subjection, and to be at anothers command. Yet here is no contrariety: for there, we desire to raigne over our owne wills: and here we desire to be subject to his will: and this subjection, is our true reigning; this service, our perfect freedome. Or is it not rather a straighter Obligation? For by the comming of his Kingdome, we may be thought, onelyonly subjects at large; but by submitting our selves to his will, we are servants by vow: that seemes to referre to Gods promise to the Israelites: Yee shall be to mee a Kingdome of Priests, and an Exod. 19.6.Exod 19:6holy Nation: this seemes to referre to the peoples answere to God; All that the Lord hath spoken, we will doe. And so there is no contrariety betweene the petitions: but the latter is a consectary to the former.

But is it not rather, that wee overshoote our selves; and make it here a suite to bee made bond-slaves? for what is it but slavery when wee can never have our wills, but must live alwaies subject to the will of another? p. 100especially, where there is so great an antipathy, as betweene Gods Will and ours? But, O my soule, consider how wretched a thing thine owne will is! how blessed a thing the Will of God is! and be not here a Dogmatist; but an Empyricke rather: hearken not to thy reason, which oftentimes is but a Parasite to thy sence; but looke upon experience, which rightly discerned; will make thee alwaies to discerne the right. Hath not misery alwaies followed the doing of our owne will? happines alwaies the doing of Gods Will? Our first parents left Gods Will, to doe their owne will, in eating the forbidden fruit; and what fruite followed, but the utter undoing of themselves, and all their followers? Cain left Gods Will, to doe his owne will; in killing his brother: and what became of him? but that hee became a vagabond: lived like a beast: and came at last, to be killed for a beast? Saul left Gods Will to doe his owne will, in sparing Agag, and the fatte of the sheepe: and what was th… issue: but the utter destruction of himselfe, and all his issue? But looke now upon those who have gone the other way; and see how they have proved: Abraham left his owne will to doe Gods Will, in offring to sacrifice his onelyonly sonne: and was it not his making: and made him the father of all the faithfull? …oseph left his owne will to doe Gods will; in not embracing the embraces of his Mistris: and p. 101was it not his making; and made all Aegypt embrace him for their Master? Daniel left his owne will to doe Gods Will; in bowing his knee to God, against the decree of the King of Persia: and was it not his making, and made all Persia bow their knees to him? O wretch that I am; I now see how unhappy I am, that I have a will; yet cannot but thinke my selfe happy, for having a will! For, if I had not a will, I could not love God; and having a will, I cannot love him as I should: for my will is divided, and cannot love him intirely: my will is corrupt, and cannot love him sincerely: my will is w… vering, and cannot love him constantly: for I am not master of my will, nor ever shall be, nor ever can be; unlesse thy Will, O God, come, and helpe me to master it: That it is not the making the P…tition, that makes us to be bondsl…ves; but it is our being bondslaves that makes us to make the petition; as having no other way to recover our freedome, but onelyonly the vertue of this Petition, Thy Will be done in …, as it is in heaven.

To doe the Will of God, as it is done in Heaven; is not onelyonly to doe it fully for the matter; but with delight for the manner: and therefore David describing a godly man, is not contented to say onelyonly; That he walked not in the counsaile of the …: but he addeth And his delight is in the Law of the Lord. For without this delight there is no doing it like p. 102the Angels; who are therefore perhaps sayd continually to bee singing. And to quicken us the more to this Angelicall perfection; we may consider, that the delight that is taken in God, & in the doing of his Will, doth infinitly exceede the delight of all other objects. Godlinesse is the perfecting of the soule; and seeing every thing delights most in its owne perfection; it must needs be, that the chiefe delight of the soule, is godlinesse. And therefore, where the minde is not sensible of this delight, it shewes plainely, that the soule is degenerated into a grosse corruption, and stupidity. For if we did but see a glimpse of this in the native purenesse: it would plainely make appeare, all worldly lustres to be but staines; all earthly pleasures to be very paines. O Lord God, let it be the pleasure of thy Will; that I may take pleasure in doing thy Will; for unlesse it be thy pleasure, it can never bee my Ier. 10.23. & 24.7.Jer 10:23Jer 24:7will: for, though we may be good followers, yet we are no good beginners: and therefore though it please thee to say, Turne unto me, and I will turne unto you; as though we should begin first: yet we are faine to returne it backe, and Ier. 3.7.Jer 3:7say; Turne us, O Lord, and we shall be turned: for, Ier. 3.20. Lam. 5…21.Jer 3:20Lam 5:21we, God knows are too unweldy to turne us of our selves: It must be done by strong hand, and none hath strength enough to doe it; but thou, O God, Esa. 40.10.Isa 40:10who art the God of strength. And if wee would strive as much with the Angels for holinesse; as we doe with men, for place, and dignity: p. 103we should finde God as ready to take our parts as he was to take our nature; and by such a helpe of such a helper, we should be able to make good our saying, Thy Will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

We may know, what it is to doe Gods Will in earth, as it is in heaven: by that which St. Iohn tels of the foure and twenty Elders; That Esa. 4.10.Isa 4:10they cast downe their Crownes before the Throne of God, saying; Thou art worthy, O God, to receive glory, and honour, and power: for so must we doe by our wills, which are indeed our Crownes: cast them downe, and resigne them up to God: but cast them down, not cast them away: resigne them, but yet retaine them: for without wills of our owne, we can never doe Gods Will: unwilling service is never acceptable: as St. Paul sayth, If I doe it willingly, I have a reward: 1 Cor. 9.17.1 Cor 9:17and thus, if wee can have wills of our owne, and yet not doe our owne wills, if wee can willingly renounce our owne wills, & take Gods Will in their roome, and make it our owne will: we shall then doe with our wills, as the Elders did with their Crownes: and then we shall doe Gods Will, as it is done in heaven.

It is a hard matter oftentimes for flesh and blood, to say this petition: For, could our first parents well say it, when they were cast out of Paradise? Nay, did the Apostles (who were something more then flesh and blood) well say it, when Christ told them p. 104of his departure from them? yet see the weakenesse of our judgements: the darkenesse of our understandings: This casting out of Paradise, was thorough Gods grace, an occasion of attaining to a farre better Paradise: for if they had tarried there still, the Son of God had never come into the world: this departing of Christ from them was a meanes Iohn 16.17.John 16:17of his comming neerer to them: for if he had not departed, the holy Ghost had not come. And thus, the two greatest seeming crosses that possibly could be, proved the two greatest reall blessings that could be possible. And what account then can be made of these petty crosses, or of these petty blessings, which happen daily to us in this world? Surly in prosperities, wee may well moderate our selves with this feare; that they doe but prepare a way for us to greater crosses: and in adversities, we may well comfort our selves with this hope; that they doe but prepare a way for us, to greater blessings. Let us therefore endeavour alwaies, and doe our best, that the best may happen; but let us alwaies thinke that best whatsoever happens: so we shall neyther clip the wings of hope, for the future; and wee shall give patience a firme ground to stand upon for the present; and let us remember, that as it hath beene sayd of old: Periissemus nisi Periissemus: so it hath beene observed of old; Tolluntur in altum, ut lapsu graviore ruant: that if we give experience leave to speake the truth: Shee p. 105will tell us, There is not a weaker threatner, nor a stronger flatterer then fortune is: and therefore, we can never have any just cause to hinder us from laying: Thy Will be done in earth as it is in heaven.