Meditations and Disquisitions Upon the Lords Prayer, Commentary (1 of 4)
HE ARE O HEAVENS; HEARKEN Esa. 1.1.O EARTH; Our Saviour vouchsafes to be our Schoolemaster, and meaning to finish our Redemption in his Death, by delivering us Heb. 2.9.from death, the effect of our sinne: He beginneth our redemption in his life, by deliveriug us from Ignorance, the cause of our Sinne. Wee were created in light by the Creator of light: but the Prince of Darkenesse came informing us, that our Lig…t was darkenesse: whose mistie perswasions making us, first, doubt of a truth; and then resolve of a falsehood: brought us in the end to that passe: that our Eyes indeed were opened; but our sight was blemished: wee saw more afterward, then we had done before; but wee saw worse afterward then wee did before. For, taking the Seducer for our leader; and not seeing our way, till seeing our selves out of our way; The Light which shined in us, as refused of us departed from us: so that, creeping now being our Esa. 59.10.best pace; and using, as it were our Hands for Eyes: wee could rather keepe our selves from falling in the wrong way; then give our selves direction, to returne unto the right. Clowded thus with Ignorance; the Light came to visit us; and being thus strayed out of our way; the Way it selfe, descended Mal. 2.8.to direct us; that, if we be not, as disobedient auditours to Doctrine of obedience; as we were Obedient hearkners to Counsell of Disobedience: Hee will teach us to make advantage of our losse; and to climbe the higher by the Fall we have taken. Great was the losse, which in our selves wee sustained; and of all losse; the greatest, that we had lost the feeling Eph. 4.19.of our losses; and therefore very Divine was it requisite should be our repairer who, before he could restore to us the power of our sences, must qui…ken in us the sence of our weakenesse. Great was the dar…nesse, we had brought upon our selves; being become, not onelyonly ignorant but dull: and therefore very heavenly was it needfull should be our instructor; who before he should give us a lesson to learne, must give us an aptnesse whereby to learne. This being a worke of as high a valew as our Creation; could not be performed at a lower rate, then our redemption: and therefore, Hee which was above the Angels, and equall with God; brought himselfe beneath the Angels, and equall with man; that as to Gods infinite Iustice, there might be an infinite satisfaction; so for our Fleshes infinite Offence, there might be in our Flesh an infinite desert. Thus sweet Iesu hast thou purchased to us, a Power of Accesse to the Throne of Grace: and thou hast purchased to thy Fph. 3.12. Heb 4.16. Heb. 8.9. …oh.16.14.selfe, a Throne of Grace, to h…ue power to say: Hitherto yee have asked nothing in my Name; Aske, and …eeshallreceive: and now, having given us a ri…ht to aske; thou heere instructest us, how to aske aright; least otherwise wee have the Event foretold us by Saint Iames; Yee aske and receive not, because yee aske amisse. ….And indeede, None could so perfectly have informed us, how God must be prayed to; None could so well have taught us, how man must be prayed for, as Hee; who being God, as being th… Sonne of God; and Man, as being the Sonne of Woman; had both Colos. 2.3.the fulnesse of Wisedome dwelling in him; and the Temptations of the Flesh making assaults upon him. Certainly, O Lord, Thou wert not onelyonly fittest: but onelyonly fit to discharge this Office; being nothing agreeable for any to open his mouth against sinne; but for thee against whom sinnes mouth is stopped: and only agreeable for thee to teach us, what words to say to thy Everlasting Father; who art thy Fathers Everlasting Word. Often he gave eare, and Ier. 8.6. Deut. 1.45. Zach. 7.13. Ier. 11.11. Esa. 1.15.so foolish were wee, that we spake not: Often wee spake; and so offended was hee, that hee gave no eare: but so divinely hast thou performed thy office of Mediation; making him, first Gracious to Heare; and now, us wise to speake: that being offended with all but Thee; He is Reconciled to all, in Colos. 1.20.Thee: and having through our transgressions (though never unmercifully just) as it were no use of his Mercy: he hath now, thorough thy satisfaction, (though never unjustly merciful) as it were no work for his Iustice.
O Immeasurable Bounty! there is not any thing so great but thou biddest us, to aske it: and not any Mat. 21.22. Esa. 51.16.thing we aske; but thou promisest us to grant it; and now, least wee should feare to aske; as not knowing how to aske: thou puttest words in our mouths; and framest an Oration for our Tongues: that wee can no longer doubt of the speeches accepting; since the Prince that must heare it, is the Oratour that did pen it: and seeing thou canst be no lesse gracious to the words of thy mouth when thou hearest them; then theu wert to the workes of thy hands when thou beheldest them; wee may bee assured, thou canst not chuse but say, It is exceeding good. Heare then, O Thou which hearest where no sound is, the sound of our soules sighing: and receive O mercifull Father, in thy Fatherly Mercy, the words which our tongues deliver, but our Hearts send: that seeing there comes nothing to thee from us; but what came from thee to us; thou maiest vouchsafe to heare, what thou art pleased wee should say; and contented to grant, what thou art willing we should aske.
If inquisitive thoughts; O my soule, shall curiously call in question: since spoken to God, why so much? Since spoken from man, why no more? say thus unto them: something to bee said is needfull, because from man, who is full of neede: much were superfluous; because to God, who knowes all, and yet, as (though never so short) his wisedome is such; it could not be obscure: so, (though never so long) his graciousnesse is such, it should not bee tedious. With the length, or Elegancy of our Prayers; as hee is not wearied; so hee is not delighted: but Devotion is the length: and Faith is the Eloquence which while with perswasions they importune him; with importunity, they perswade him.
There is no set time appointed us, for the saying Luk. 18.1it; as well, be cause no time is to God more gratefull as because, all times are for us, most needfull: It never comes out of season to him, with whom all seasons are present at once: It never goes out of time from us; who never want so much, that wee have need, to say more, nor ever want so little, that wee have cause to say lesse: like to the Israelites Omer of Manna; which, how much soever they gathered, Exod 16. 8.there was nothing over, and how little so ever, there was no want, But why thould we talke of set times, for the saying of that, which it seemes by St. Paul is to be sayd at all times? For Christ saith, When yee pray, 1 Thes. 15.17.say thus, and St. Paul saith, Pray continually. But what? shall our tongues never lie still? and must wee doe nothing else, but pray? Such indeed, were the Euchitae, who laboured to maintaine this opinion; but have the opinion of Hereticks for their labour. For, we may observe; St. Paul sayth not, Pray continually with the Tongue; as though, that should never lie still: but Pray continually; meaning, with that part, which doth indeed, never lie still, unlesse we be still borne; and that is the heart: for, as the heart, is in a perpetuall spirituall motion; and if that once cease, we have no longer any life in our bodies: So it must be, in a perpetuall spirituall motion; for if that once cease, we have no longer any life in our soules. And think not this an impossible matter for, as the perpetuall corporall motion of the heart, is the ordinary worke of our Generation; so the perpetuall spir tuall motion of the heart, is as ordinary a worke of our Regeneration. And this, was well figured in the old law; where, though they did not continually offer sacrifices; yet Fyre, was continually burning upon the Altar, and never went out: So, though we Levit 6. 12.doe not continually offer to God the calfes of our lips; yet the Fire of devotion, and spirituall fervency must continually be burning in our hearts, and never goe out.
But seeing God understandeth the heart, as well as the tongue; and heareth our thoughts, as well as our words: what use is there of our tongues at all? or what need we to say, any vocall Prayers? Yet there is great need, to use words also; and many Reasons, if not all of absolute necessity; yet all, of necessary congruity, to induce us to it. For, shall not words bee acceptable to him, who is himselfe the Word? God used words himselfe, in making the world for us; and will he not expect words from us, in making our Petitions to him? But this Reason, may be thought transcendent: we may therefore descend, and flie St. Pauls pitch, that, as he saith, The woman ought to cover her head, in the Church, because of the Angels, so we ought 1 Cor. 11. 10.to discover our thoughts by words, because of the Angels: for, Angels know not our thoughts; but they heare our words; and when they heare our tongues, they hope of our hearts; and in that hope, they rejoyce: & we shall do well, as much as we can, to give them cause of rejoycing: seeing they rejoyce at no cause so much, as at our well-doing. And if this reason still, be thought too high: we may take another, as much too low; that we shall doe well, to use vocall pravers: if it be out onelyonly, to fright the devill. For, he sees not our hearts, but hee heares our tongues: and when he heares our words, because hee knowes not our hearts; he feares they come from our hearts, and in that feare he trembles: and we shall doe well, as much as we can; to keepe him under our Feare: seeing he endeavours, as much as he can, to bring us under his Power. But if these seeme rather, Collaterall benefits, then direct reasons, for using of vocall prayers: yet this reason is without exception, that we must therefore use them, because God himselfe requires them: as he saith by Ezechiel Ezekiel 36 37.to the Israelites, That he will be sought, and required of them, to performe his mercies to them: and how should they require it of him, but by their prayers? and the Prophet Hosea, to leave no place at all for doubt: delivers it in plaine termes: Takeunto you words, and Hosea 14. 3.returne unto the Lord, and say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so shall we render the calfes of our lips. For, our words are our calfes; and if we shall refuse to offer to God, our words in praying; it is as much, as if in the old Law, they should have refused, to offer their calfes in sacrificing. And there seemes great reason for it. For, whereof is it fitter to make the sacrifice; then of that, for which we make the sacrifice? and therfore because our living bodies commit the sinne: Saint Paul would have us to offer up our Bodies, a living sacrifice: and seeing by words wee commit offences: It is fit that b… words we should seeke forgivenesse: and as the hands are not washed but by the hands: so the tongue is not cleansed but by the tongue. David praised God upon an Instrument of tenne strings: and hee would never have told how many strings there were: but that, no doubt, hee made use of them all: God hath giuen vsus Bodies, as it were Instruments of many strings: and can wee thinke it Musick good enough for God to strike but one string? It is said, where two or three are gathered together in thy Name, thou wilt grant their requests: and we cannot make three, unlesse to our thoughts and actions we joyn our words: & therfore Dauid saith: As well the Singers, as the Players on Psal. 87.7.Instruments shall praise thee: that is, bo…h our tongus and our hands; meaning, both our words and deeds for, onelyonly these two appeare to men, the other which is the Heart, appeares onelyonly to God: and this not unfitly may be called Gods Consort: when the still sound of the Heart, by holy thoughts, and the shrill sound of the tongue, by godly words: and the lowd sound of the Hands by pious workes, doe all Psal. 10….1.joyne, and are gathered together to make a Musick. Wherefore, O my soule, since thou hast so often said: O Lord open our lips, and our mouths shall shew forth thy Praise: Let others thinke it sufficient to thinke their Prayers: but doe thou keepe company with David, and say, my lips shall speake thy Praise, and my mouth shall entreate of thy word: and therefore Psal. 87.7.to be sure he would not be mistaken, he distinguisheth them and saith; O God, my Heart is prepared, so is also my Tongue: I will sing and give praise. But above all, the Example of Christ, is peremptorie for it, who so commonly used words in praying: that his very words are often recorded: and that, not praying in publike (where some misconceive, that words are onelyonly necessary) but even in private and praying by himselfe alone.
And now O Lord, since thou hast framed us a Prayer: of which we are assured, that thou art pleased with the hearing it: gran… unto us, that we may be delighted with the saying it: & that our Zeale towards it, like true love, which groweth by the enjoying, may encrease by the practising; that the oftner we say it, the more we may love it: and the more we love it, the oftner we may say it; that whilst more meditation breeds more knowledg; and more knowledge, more love; more love may bring forth more delight; and more delight, more meditation. And whether our hearts b…e endyting a good matter, or whether our tongues be the Penne of a ready writer: whether our spirits cry to thee in silence: or whether our mouthes deliver a vocall message: Vouchsafe O Lord, to send unto us, as a token of thy gracious acceptance, the sweet blessing of a stedfast faith, least fayling in hope, we faile of our hope: and least doubtfully praying, we be certainely denied: Iam. 1.6.for as much, as what our fayth presents not, thy mercy entertaines not, and as thou art infinitely trusty, being absolutely trusted: so dost thou certainly faile being once suspected: and as …elying on thy goodnesse, thou art better then ou… …ope; so mistrusting thy kindnesse, thou art worse then our feare.
In delivering to us this patterne of praying: Thou teachest us, first of all, To whom to pray; Considering, that as the marke is the shooters levell so the hearer, is the speakers marke: and that Prayers offred to a wrong power, are the great…st wrong that can bee offred to the right Power; so farre, from procuring blessings, that they are the next way, to draw downe curses. If there were any power in Heaven or in Earth, that could challenge a share with thee: thy Iustice, I know, is of too just a measure to take all to thy selfe: and if there were any, that could stand us instead, besides thy selfe alone: thy wisedome, I am sure, is too infinite to have it hidden from thee, and thy kindnesse, too gracious, to keepe it hidden from us: and therefore, seeing thou tellest us, but of one, I assure my selfe, there is no more: and seeing, thou takest it all, to thy selfe alone; to thee alone, will I give it all. In thee only, is my confidence reposed; from thee onelyonly is my happinesse expected: and therfore, to thee onelyonly shall my vowes be payd, and my prayers be directed. When David saith, Whom have I in Heaven but thee? and I require non…in in Earth, besides thee: Doe we thinke he speakes it as though hee meant to be singular by himselfe, and that none else should say it but he: or doth he not speake it rather in the person of all the faithfull? and though there be in it a private zeale of himselfe: yet is there in it also, a publike Rule for us all: and lest he should bee thought to obtrude it to us, upon his bare word: he remembers himselfe, and in another place, gives this reason: For, thou h…arest prayer, therefore to thee shall all flesh come. Psal. 65.2.Thou hearest prayer, as able to heare it: and thou hearest prayer as willing to heare it: Not onelyonly of us, not onelyonly heere, not onelyonly now, but of all persons, in all places, at all times, and all at once: which no power can doe, but onelyonly his power who is Omnipotent, God, which is all power: which, no love will doe, but onelyonly his love, whose love is his will: God, who is all love.
Thou hast poasted me over to no Deputy, for the hearing it, neither requirest that I should bring a spokesman, for the presenting it, but hast commanded me, to come my selfe: and to come to thee thy selfe. I cannot therefore rec…on the doing it presumption, but duty: the not doing it, humility, but injurie: and account the Publicanes behaviour, to be recorded, as well for our example, as for our learning: who, though he thought himselfe unworthy to lift up his eies to heaven; yet hee thought himselfe worthy Luk. 18.13.enough, to lift up his voice to God, and though the Pharisee were blamed for presenting his workes, yet the Publicane was not blamed for presenting his prayers himselfe to God.
It is the glory of Princes, to have titles to expresse their greatnesse: but it is thy glory, O God, to have a title to expresse thy love, and therefore thou hast given thy selfe a name, respecting more the subject, then the Prince: and least it should bee too bigge for us; thou hast made it, too little for thy selfe. Thou wouldst not Psal. …4.10.say, King of glory, least as beggers we should be out of countenance at thy Majesty: nor Lord of Psal. 84.1.Hosts, least as enemies we should tremble at thy power; nor Iudge of the world, least as guilty we Psal. 94.2.should feare thy sentence: but thou callest thy selfe, our Father: the lowest name, that humility could descend unto, and yet the highest, that love could aspire unto; to give us as being thy children, as well courage to aske as assurance to speed: …nd to read us a lesson, as well of boldnesse to approach to thee, as in approaching to thee of reverence.
The deere bargaines, wherewith thou hast purchased this name, are evident tokens of the deere account, wherein thou holdest it: and it is an easie labour to finde, how much thou dost make of man; if we doe but looke how much thou didst labour to make man: for there went more, to Faciamus hominem, then to the making of all the world besides. And as thou didst shew more love by more labour, in thy creating us; so thou hast shewed more love by more cost, in thy redeeming us: for, thou gavest thy begotten sonne, to make us thine adopted sonnes, and wert contented he should call us Brother, to the end, we might call thee Father, and sentest him, of a message into hell, to provide us of a passage into heaven.
As thy mercy was infinite, of enemies to make us children; so thy bounty is immeasurable, of children to make u… heires: and though not all, heires in an equality; yet all, with so unpartiall a partition, that none shall have so much, to leave lesse for the rest; nor none shall have so little, to desire more from the other: None shall be so exalted, to envy others as meane: nor none shall be so meane, to envy others as exalted; but every one to bee owner of so goodly an Inheritance, that to survay the greatnesse, we must have cleerer eyes: and to conceave the excellency, diviner hearts. Thou hast vouchsa…ed us the honour, to be thy children; Vouchsafe us the Grace also, to be thine obedient children; that as thou gloriest, in expressing thy love to us, so we may glory in performing our du…ies to thee; and that, though our fore…athers gave thee cause, to repent thee of creating man; yet we their posterity, may give thee no cause to repent thee of adopting man.
But why say we, Our Father? as though this prayer, were made onelyonly to be say'd in company? for if we say it, by our selves alone, what reason is there, to use the word of number? as though we meant to make God believe, that many of us come sutours to him at once; when it is none, but our selves alone. Or may we thinke, that Christ taught this prayer to his Di…iples, as they were together, and they being many, he was necessarily to use a word of number: but if he had taught it to one alone, he would have taught him to say, My father, and not Our Father? But is it not that prayer, and specially this prayer, is not a common, or rather is not a private speech; but must be said, as well in charity as in faith: and charity can abide no singular numbers; it is against her nature, to be without company; and company she will finde to joyne with her in pra…ing, th…ugh she say her prayers by her selfe alone. Indaed prayer without company, is like Samy… Without his haire; it is not strong enough to breake the cords of sinne, with which we lie bound. And what is this company but the Communion of Saints? of whom, we have not alwaies the corporall presence, but alwaies the spirituall: and though they be often disioyned from us in place, yet are they alwaies joyned with us in love and charity: and to expresse this Communion, & to communicate this charity; we are justly commanded to say, Our Father: as, then our prayers being most effectuall for our selves, when in them, we shew our selves most affectionate towards others. And as in our charity we desire, that God will heare our prayers in behalfe of others: So in our hope, we may expect, that God will heare the prayers of others, in behalfe of us: and then, doe but consider the benefit of this word, how infinitely by it, our charity returnes multiplyed unto us: for when we say, Our Father, including our brethren: Our brethren, that is, the whole Church saies, Our father, and includes us. Let no man therefore presume to come to God, with saying, My father, as though he meant to engrosse God to himselfe, and to enioy him alone: but let us in communion of Saints, say Our Father; that praying as we are taught, we may be heard as we are promised.
And as we have this reason, out of the bond of love to draw us: so we have a stronger reason, out of the bond of necessity, to compell us to say, Our Father: for as charity will not be without her fellowes: so faith cannot be without her Master, and this Master is Christ, whom we must take along with us in our prayer: or else all praying will be in vaine. For we are not naturally the children of God: God knowes we are farre from it: we are all by nature, the children of wrath: Christ onelyonly is his naturall sonne: and it is a naturall sonne onelyonly, that hath right, originally to say Father: Adopted sonnes have their right, but derived from him: We therefore, that are onelyonly adopted in Christ, have no right to call God Father, but onelyonly in Christ: and as in him we have received the honour of our adoption: so from him, we learne the use of our adoption; for as he hath made us to become children, so he teacheth us, what becomes us to doe as children; that if we will obtaine any thing at Gods hands, we must aske it in his Name, in whom we are adopted and made children: and where, in all this prayer (in which we aske all things) doe we aske any thing in Christs name, but onelyonly in these words, by saying, Our Father? for if we come with saying, My Father; we leave Christ cleane out, and come not at all in his Name, and so, have neither warrant to call God Father, nor promise to receive his blessing: but when we say Our Father; as we challenge the adoption, so we acknowledge the Authour, and in these two onelyonly words, we expresse the three great vertues, Faith Hope, and Charity: In the word Father, our Hope: In the word Our; our Charity: and in the words Our Father, our Faith in Christ, in whom he is our Father. Let no man therefore presume upon saying, My Father, as though he came to God in his owne right: and stood upon his owne greatnesse with him: bu… let us come in the Name of Christ, by saying Our Father; that, praying in his Name as he hath taught us, we may obtaine for his sake, as he hath promised us.
But is God then, Our Father in generall: and as it were in Grosse, and is he not the Father of every one of us in particular? I beleeve, that I am a childe of God; and must I not believe that God is my Father? No doubt you must; and you must not doubt it: but it is not all one, to believe that God is my Father, and to pray to God, by saying My Father: for my believing is onelyonly in Faith, but my praying mast be also in Charity: neither yet can I pray in faith, by saying, My Father: seeing my faith, that God is my Father, is onelyonly in Christ, and Christ is betweene God and me: so I cannot come to God, and say My Father, unlesse I put Christ by: for, if I take Christ with me, I must needs say Our Father: and therefore, when Christ taught this prayer to his Dis…iples, though in the sentence before, he said Mat. 6. ….as speaking to one alone, Pray unto thy Father: yet when he delivers the prayer, he alters the number, and bids them say, Our Father: so, I may truely say, I pray unto my Father; but I doe not duly pray, if I say not Our Father.
Wee have not done with saying Our Father, untill we have said, Which art in Heaven, that so, his humility may bring us to his Majesty, his love may lead us to his bounty: for, as before he abased himselfe in Name, to exalt us; so here he streightens himselfe in Place to enlarge us: and to make us desirous of Heaven, as of the only home, for his children; he restraineth himselfe to Heaven, as to the onelyonly mansion of his being. But is not this word Heaven, as strangely placed here amongst these words; as Heaven it selfe is placed above in the height of the Firmament? For, what words of greater neerenesse, then Father and Children? yet what words of greater separation, then Heaven and Earth? who neerer to us, then Our Father? what further from us, then to be in Heaven? but, least these words Our Father, should breed too great a familiarity in us; these words Which art in Heaven; are justly inferred, to make us keepe a distance. And yet in truth, it is such a distance as doth not so much divide us, as (that which is strange) the very familiarity doth estrange us. For as considering God in heaven, we have just cause to be astonished with admiration, at the greatnesse of his Maiesty: So, considering him our Father; we have iuster cause to admire him with astonishment, for the greatnesse of his love: and so, while familiarity, where it findeth effects of defect, breeds cause of contempt: Here, where it finds cause of admiration, it breeds effects of Respect.
And may we not finde, some other treasure wrapt up, in these words: Which art in Heaven? For when we say, Our Father; It carries the mind in an ambiguity: and if we apply it to God; This is yet a transcendent, and gives no period to our understanding: but when we adde, Which art in Heaven; This both determines the ambiguity, and limits the transcendency, and so the mind hath something now in certaine, whereupon to fixe it selfe: which though it afford not a visible symbole, to represent Gods person to our sight; (which the Israelites sought so grossely, in their golden Calfe: and many since doe seeke as vainely, in their painted and carued Images:) yet it affords the visible place of Gods presence; and this serves sufficiently, both to elevate the mind; and also to fixe the understanding: for, we no sooner have a thought of God, but the mind hath presently recourse to Heaven, as fixing it selfe upon the place, where he is visible: seeing upon the visibility of himselfe, it cannot.
And is it not another cause, why we say, Which art in Heaven; to make us know, that God is no where to be spoken withall but in Heaven? For, if our thoughts when we pray stay groveling about the earth, and our words rather fall from our mouthes, then rise from our hearts: hough God (no doubt) may heare such prayer, by the extent of his Power: yet he heares it not graciously, by extending his grace: for Earth is not the place, where he gives Audience; but he hath placed his Throne in Heaven, where hee sits both in Maiesty and in merc…: and though his mercy continually descend to us, yet his Maiesty requires, we should come thither to him: For, as to pray to any but God, is Coram non Iudice: so to pray any where but in Heaven, is Coram non Tribunali. Although therfore, our feet be fastned to the earth, and cannot ascend; yet our hearts, are at liberty, and may: and must indeed I am. 3. 41.ascend, if we will truely pray: for this ascending of the soule in praying is the soule of praying; wch puts a life into our words & thoughts, and carries them thither, where it is it selfe: and as the brethren of Ioseph; could finde no favour, without bringing their brother Beniamin with them: so, our hearts are the Benia…in, wee must bring to God; without which, neither our words are gracious, in his hearing; nor our selves, acceptable in his sight. Wherefore, O my soule, when thou goest to pray; put away from thee all carnall cogi…ations, and raise thy selfe up by ascending into heaven; Fixing thy selfe stedfastly upon the Throne of God: and never once offer to open thy mouth, untill thy heart be first fixed there: that thou mayst present thy suit unto him, pure & freed (as in earthen Vessels it can) from Earthly mixture: and then, as thy heart hath ascended up to Heaven, so the blessings of Heaven shall descend upon thee, and either bring with them, the things thou prayest for, or greater: for, never any Heart did knocke at Heaven gate, which had it not opened, nor sought any thing in Heaven, which it did not finde: For, though his Maiesty make his mercy, to keepe state, yet his mercy makes his Maiesty to becom gracious: and he never denyed the suite of any, that came so farre as Heaven to aske it.
But thou art not, O Lord, in Heaven onelyonly; who art in all places, wholly: and though no Psal. 139. 7.where as contained, yet every where as present; and though thou takest up no roome, with thy being and power; yet thou fillest all roomes, … 23 24.with thy power and being. But when we say, Which art in Heaven, we must not stay, at the Heavens, where we see with our eyes, the two great Eyes of Heaven, the Sunne and the Moone: nor yet at the starry Heaven; though, that be the uttermost object of our sight: but there are other Heavens, which Salomon cals the Heavens of Ch…o. 2. 6.Heavens: whose height is so great, that it may rather be admired, then can be conceaved: yet are they not high enough to hold God: but David is faine to goe higher, and saith, He is exalted Psal. 57.5. Eph. 4.10.above the Heavens: and though the highest Heavens have their bounds; yet this exaltation hath none, but how high soever we conceave, it is still higher, then that we conceave. And why then doe we say, Which art in Heaven? Not that he is no where else, but that he is no where else in so great glory. And is he not in as great glory on Earth? seeing it is said, as well of Earth, as of Heaven: Heaven and Earth are full of the maiesty of thy glory. Nay, is he not in hell also in great glory? seeing David saith; If I go… dow… into Hell, thou art there also: and God is no where without his glory; but is glorified, in the punishment of the damned, as he is in the happinesse of the Angels. We may therefore understand it, that God is therefore said to bee in Heaven, because hee is there visibly present, and amongst his most glorious Creatures. And this is a reason, why not onelyonly properly; but properly, onelyonly, God is said to be in heaven: seeing in this manner, he never was on earth, nor can be: for, No man can see God and live, much lesse can he be in this manner, in Hell: for, how can the vision of God, (which is the cause of all happinesse) bee had there, where nothing is had but anguish and torment? but in Heaven it is had: for, not onelyonly the Angels but the Saints of God, behold his Face: and this is that, which makes the heavens, to be a heaven of heavens: (for, the heavens which his hands made, shall be dissolved: but the heavens which his Face makes, shall bee for ever) and were able to make even hell also, to bee a heaven; if that were capable to receive it.
But how doe we know, that God is any more in heaven, then any where else? or that he is in heaven, or any where else at all? O my soule, take heed of comming so neere, to be the foole that David speakes of though thou say not in thy heart, There is no God yet to let thy tongue, but make it a question. For doth not David tell us Psal. 19.1.that the heavens tell …s: The Heaven… declare the glory of God, and the Firmament sheweth his handyworke… as much as to say, The heavens declare, that there is a glorious God, and the Firmament is a worke that sheweth him to be the workman The heavens indeed declare it so plainely, by Rom. 1.20.the heavenly bodies, that in them, as in plaine letters, and characters, we may even reade not onelyonly that God is, but that he is there. But if the heavens declare it never so plainely, and we will not take notice, or believe their declaration; what are we the better? For, wilt thou believe that the Starres, which thou seest as small as sparkes; are bigger, yea much bigger, then the whole earth? and then, what a world of worlds must there be in the starry heaven, which yet are all as nothing, compar'd to the magnitude of the greater heavens? Wilt thou believe, that the motion of the Sunne, which yet seemes to stand still; is swifter, yea manifold swifter, then a …let from a Canon? and yet is slownesse, compar'd to the swiftnesse of the Primum Mobile? Wilt thou believe that the earth as great as it is, is yet but a point or centre to the starry heaven? and that the starry heaven is so high above us; that though the sight of our eyes, can reach unto it, in an instant; yet the swiftnes of a hundred miles a day, cannot reach unto it, in a thousand yeeres? & yet is hard by, compar'd to the distance of the highest heavens? All which and many the like, though they exceed our capacity, yet they exceed not our knowledge; and though they be so strange, that theymake both art suspected, & nature, astonished; yet are they so certain, that they are demonstrable. And this is a great ascent from earth to heaven, & yet an easie one: for, we know these wonders of the heavenly bodies, as perfectly, b…ing on earth, as if we were in heaven to see them. But it is a farre greater ascent, from heaven to God, and yet a farre easier: For, who can chuse but know, the first cause to be omnipotent; which hath made second causes, so excessively potent? Who can chuse but acknowledge the Creatour to bee infinite, who hath made Creatures, that to our capacity, are themselves infinite? And therefore, the authour of the Booke of Wisedome, speaking in proofe of the Wisd. 13.50.deity, waiveth all other reasons, and insists upon this, That by the greatnesse of the creatures, and of their beauty, the Creatour being compared with them, may bee considered. God indeed, hath reserved the sight of himselfe, untill our eyes shall put on Immortality; but the sight of his dwelling, hee hath afforded to our mortall eyes: that, though in it we cannot see his person; yet by it, we may be assured of his being; and of his being there. For, as when wee see a building, of invaluable valew, we presently conceive it, to be the Pallace of a Prince: so, when we see the Frame of heaven, so full of wonders; (where S…arres are but as dust, and Angels are bu… Nah. 3.1.servants; where every word is unspeakeable, and ever… motion is a miracle) we may plainely know it, to …e the dwelling of him whose name is Wonderfull. For, who is fit to inhabit such a house, but hee onelyonly who inhabiteth eternity? and who fit to be Master of such servants; but he who was a Master, before he had servants; that is, he onelyonly, who onelyonly is?
But why doth God write himselfe of heaven; which how glorious soever it be, is but of a late building? For, no doubt, God had a dwelling, and a place to bee in, before hee made heaven; and he should rather write himselfe of his ancient mansion place, then of his new seate. But, O my soule, be sober: For, where thou thinkest, that God had a place to be in, before he made heaven; thou art even in that deceived: for, how could he have a place to be in, when place it selfe had yet no being? For, as heaven and earth were twinnes, created both at once; so time and place were twinnes, made both together; and all of them for the use of the creatures; none of them, for any use to God: for, God being eternall, hath no use of time: and being infinite, can have no place: but out of eternity, by his omnipotent Power, he produced Time: and out of infinitenesse he produced place; for, no use to himselfe, but in relation to his creatures. If therefore thou wouldst comprehend where God was, before he made heaven; thou must comprehend infinitenesse, which were not infinite, if it could be comprehended. And yet as no place is great enough to hold God, so none is small enough to exclude him: for he is place to himselfe; he is place himselfe; as David Psal. 32.7.saith, Thou art my place to kide me in: and it is one of the names which the Iewes attribute to God; that he is called, Maquom; that is to say, Place. Yet it is happy for us that God writes himselfe to be in heaven, because we know now where to finde him; least otherwise we might wander infinitely, in the search of him, and be never the neere: not, that heaven limits Gods ubiquity; but that it regulates our capacity: for, as one sayd well, in another sence, Qui ubi que est, nusquam est: so certainely, if we knew nothing of Gods being any where; but that he is every where; we might easily fall into the errour, to thinke hee were no where. Iustly therefore doth God write himselfe of heaven; now that he stiles himselfe Our Father: seeing he therefore made heaven, because he intended to be our Father, that there might bee one House to hold both Him and his Children; and that where he is, wee might bee Ioh. 14.3.also: for to be with God, where God was, before he made the world, or where he now is; above, or without the world, is utterly impossible, for men or Angels to attaine to.
But why say we, Our Father which art in heaven, and say not rather, Our heavenly Father? seeing by that we tell onelyonly where God is; but by this we might tell what he is: By that, we name onelyonly his place, but by this we might name his substance. But we must not be so hasty, in expounding of Gods word; much lesse, in determining of his Nature: for, where in many places of the Gospell, he is called, Our heavenly Father; It intends no more then that which is here said, Which art in Heaven: for to expresse the substance of God is absolutely impossible for man to doe, or rather is absolutely impossible to bee done, for man to conceive: for if it could have beene done: It is likely, God would have done i…to to Moses, when (being sent of his dangerous message) he asked him his name: for to aske him his name is to aske him his nature, and his substance. Yet God told him nothing but this, I am that I am: shewi…g thereby onelyonly that hee is, and hath abeing; and that he onelyonly is and hath a being: and farther then this, we cannot goe in expressing his substance. But when we say, that God is, and hath a being; we must not thinke it, to be such a being as ours is; but his being is intimated, by his Name Iehovah: which therefore the Iewes justl… conceive to bee unspeakable; because it would speake that, which is unconceivable; for this word, in three letters, foreign (Iod, He, and Vau,) expresseth the three times of being; Fuit Est, and Erit; all which in Gods being, are in being at once, and therefore Gods Est, is a participle, as St. Iohn makes it, foreign: and the Hebrews Hove: because it partaketh both of Fuit and Erit: for as it never leaves Fuit; so it never tarries for Erit: but both Fuit and Erit; (was and shall be) are still present in Gods Est; as they are all within the compasse of his Name Iehovah. But w…th us, it is nothing so; our being is exprest by Est; a plaine verbe. It partaketh neither of Fuit, nor of Erit: for, Fuit is already dead; and Erit is not yet alive, and so our being, God knowes, hangs but by a slender thread: It hath not three times at once; for it hath no time at all: it is onelyonly in Instanti, and Instans is no more Tempus then Punctum is linea. But if our being, be so neere a not being; how is then the soule immortall? Not with that true immortality, which keepes Fuit in possession still; and hath Erit alwaies to come, yet alwaies present: but our immortality, is onelyonly by the motion and succession of our Est, moved forward continually, by the immortall Psal. 66.9.hand of God: for if God should not continually and every moment move forward our Est: both our immortality, and even our being, would instantly be at an end, as it is justly said; In him we move and have our being: or rather, as the word indeed is, In him (foreign) we are moved, and continue being. That it is no marvaile, St. Paul saith of God, that he onelyonly is immortall; seeing his immortality is, from and in himselfe: our immortality, from and in him: yet as his immortality cannot cease because it is his Essence; so our immortality shall not cease, because it is his pleasure. But all this while, wee are no further in the discovery of Gods substance, then where we began, that he onelyonly is, and hath a being; so that hi…herto we might be heathen Philosophers, for they could call God Ens En…ium; and for ought appeares yet, we goe no further. And indeed, if we shall seeke to goe further: shall wee n…r perhaps, not goe so farre? For, God hath given us a skantling of his Nature, when hee saith, I am that I am: and this skantling we must maintaine: unlesse therefore we can finde something, that hath as great a latitude as being; we cannot justly give it place in Gods Nature. And such something, we cannot finde: for, To bee Eternall: to be Insinit: to be almighty: have great latituds, the greatest we can conceive; & greater then we can conceive: yet none of them, nor all of them, have so great a latitude as to be: and therfore whatsoever we shall adde to his being, will but diminish the extent of his being; and there must be, no Terminus Diminuens, in expressing Gods Nature, if we doe him right. And if we go another way to worke, and call him good: do we not leave the best, for some other? and if we call him best; as the ancients called him Optimus Maximus; doth not this imply, some other must be good; which Christ saith, there is none? And if we thinke to mend the matter with abstracts; and say, He is goodnesse it selfe, and he is wisdome it selfe; shall we not in so doing, make him a substance of Qualities? Or can we fixe qualities, and make them to becom substances at our pleasures? that seeing our capacities, cannot reach so high, as God; wee will pull God downe as low as our capacities? And why is all this? but because, we will be giving him Names of our owne devising: as though we could doe with God, as Adam did with the Creatures: give them Names expressing their Natures? God hath given himselfe a Name, and spoken it peremptorily; that Exod.….15: & 15.3.it should be his Name for ever: and because it is a word made all of Consonants; we cannot pronounce it: and because it is a Noune made all of verbes, we cannot conster it; and what can wee thinke is meant by this? but that his Name is therefore accounted unspeakeable, and therefore unconstruable; that his nature may be conceived unconceivable, & acknowledgd unsearchable. So that still we are no further in discovery of Gods Nature; then where we began: that his Name is Iehovah: that is, that he onelyonly is, and hath a being; and further then this, it seemes we cannot goe. And indeed, what hope can there be, of finding out his Nature; when that, by which we looke to finde it; is it selfe the meanes, to hide it from us? for, we have a little light to see it by; and it is light onelyonly that makes it invisible to our sight: as David saith, Hee covereth himselfe Psal 104. 2.with light, as with a garment. O great God, how miraculous is thy Nature, who art hidden with light, obscured with glory, seene in invisiblenesse, and understood onelyonly, by passing all understanding.
But though we have no capacity, to finde out the substance, and Nature of God; yet God hath revealed unto us, some miraculous secrets of his Nature; that we may hereafter know him, and here admire him. And first, that incomprehensible mystery, of the Trinity in Vnity, that he is Three, and yet but One. For, that he is but One, Zach. 14.9.appeares plainely by his answere to Moses. For, when there are many of one kinde, names are necessary to distinguish them: but when there is but one, there needs no name; the very Essence is name sufficient: when Moses therefore asked God his Name, hee returned him answere by his Essence, I am that I am. And that he is more then one, may justly be gathered from his owne speech: Faciamus hominem ad Imaginem nostram: which plainely implies, not so much, a singularity of Majesty; but much rather, a plurality of Persons. And being more then One; that they are but Three, and that Three they are; is revealed also to us, by St. Iohn, where he saith, There are three beare record in Heaven; The Father, the Word, and the holy Ghost: and these three are one. And but for feare of prophanenesse, I could here borrow an Argument, from some Philosophers, who thought God a Number. For certainly, if he be a Number, He must needs be the first perfect Number, and that is Three. For, One is no number; being lesse, multiplyed by it selfe; then added to it selfe, and Two is but imperfect, being but equall; whether multiplied by it selfe, or added: but Three is more, multiplyed then added, which is the true Perfection of a Number.
One other Miraculous secret in Gods Nature, seemes revealed to us by St. Iohn, where he saith, that God is love: for certainely, if he be love, he is all love: seeing God is not any thing in part; and is not this miraculous? wee may conceive that God is just and that he is mercifull; and we may perhaps conceive, that hee is justice it selfe; and that hee is mercy it selfe; but to conceive, that he is all justice, and yet all mercy; that hee is all wisedome, and yet all power; that hee is totally so many things, and yet distinctly but one thing; this is that, we cannot conceive, yet this wee must conceive before wee can conceive what the Substance of God is. What have we then to say here, but as Christ said: With man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible; with man, whose understanding is onelyonly perpendicular, and measures all things by streight lines; It is impossible: but with God, with whom circles Esa. 42. 16.are streight lines, and streight lines are Angles; both this and all things else are possible. And what remaines then for us to doe; but seeing we know God now, but in Aenigmate; and shall know him hereafter, Facie ad Faciem; that wee beate not our braines to expound this Riddle before the time, but that contenting our selves to sit in the cloude, till he remove it up and shine upon us: we acknowledge him to be infinite; and not to be measured, to be eternall, and not to be comprehended: to be all wisedome, and not to be understood, to be all mercy, and not to be conceived; to be all power, and never to be enough magnified; to be all glory and never to be enough adored.
But may wee not make some further use of these words, Which art in Heaven? that knowing now where God is: we may seeke & strive to goe thither, if we desire to be with him. It is enough for God, that he hath descended into Heaven, as David saith, It is a descent to him, to see the things Psal. 113 6.in Heaven: we must not looke that he will come any lower: It is our turne now, to ascend up to him. It is true, he sent once his onelyonly sonne to us on earth; but his entertainement was so ill, that he had not one pleasing day in his whole life, but was Vir Dolorum a man of sorrowes, all Esa. 53.3.the time he was amongst us: but it shall not bee so with us in going to heaven; for if once wee come there, we shall desire to continue there still and never to come from thence any more. For this is the true Hic whereof Peter spake, when he spake in Extasie, Bonum est esse Hic; It is good being here; let us make three Tabernacles, one for Christ, another for Moses, and another for Elias. Not Hic: here on Earth; the being here, God knowes, is not so good, to be worth making Tabernacles: Nor Hic: here on the Mount, as it were betweene ler. 51.53. lob 20.6.earth and heaven: for, though we mount never so high; It is but as an apparition; there is no stability in it: but Hic; here in heaven; where Christ hath a Tabernacle, not made with Heb. 9. 11.hands; sufficient to hold, both Moses and Elias, and us all. And it may be mervailed how Moses and Elias were ever gotten to come from thence; to meete Christ on the Mount; but that we may consider, they did not wholy leave heaven, when they came to visit the Lord of heaven; in whose presence are the joyes of heaven. And yet perhaps a further matter in it; that seeing the Law, and the Prophets reach to Christs suffering, It was fit that Moses and Elias, representing the law and the Prophets, should come to Christ, before his suffering: or rather, seeing Christ was to be Authour of a new Testament, and was shortly to have it sealed: It was fit that Moses and Elias representing the Old Testament, should come in person, and make their surrender. Enough hath beene said, to make us long to be there: but how shall we doe to get thither? For there seemes as great a space to bee passed; as the Gulph betweene Dives and Abrahams bosome. This must be the worke of the Petitions following: for if we can follow them well; we shall quickly overtake Moses, whatsoever we doe Elias; and come to heaven (in body) as soone as he; though he be gone so many hundred yeeres before us.
Here offers it selfe a note, which though it may seeme of small note; yet because nothing is small in the Word of God; whereof one jot shall not passe: It may not be passed over without observing: that, where it is said: Which art in Heaven; and where it is said, In Earth as it is in Heaven: in both places we have in our translation, but onelyonly the singular number: whereas in the originall, and in most other languages, the first is put in the plurall number: which expression, may not perhaps bee without some mystery; seeing one heaven holds all Angels, but all heavens cannot hold one God: or rather, seeing the Angels are in heaven, as defined by place; but God is in the heavens; as being in all places, but defined by none: which our language might expresse also, if it pleased: but that it followes the mother tongue, which cannot expresse it, if it would: the word for heaven in the Dutch tongue, having no plurall number: as in the Hebrew Tongue it hath no singular number.
It is a great honour, to bee the sonne of a Prince; and the greater the Prince is, the greater the honour, to be his sonne: O…hen, my soule what honour is it to thee, t… bee the sonne of him, who is the Prince of Princes; whose Kingdome is everlasting, and po…er i…init? Canst thou thinke this, and not with Paul be …apt …p into the third heaven, in an extasie? Canst th…u …ay this, and not with Zachary bee stru…n dumbe with amazement? God, the Almighty and Incompreh…n ible God, the God of all Glory and Majesty, … our Father? The Angels were created in great glory, yet are but ministring Spirits: We, Iob 4. 19.Dust and Ashes, and dwell in houses of clay: and for us, to bee the children of him, whose dwelling is in heaven! O most admirable promotion to us, if it be not more admirable unworthinesse in us, that we admire it not which is so admirable. But it may be no question why we admire it not: because without question, we apprehend it not: for, if we did truely apprehend what it is, to be the sonnes of a Father, which is in heaven: wee could not chuse but skorne all humane things, as meane; all earthly things as base: and thinke it a shame for them, who shall one d…y come to fit with him in his Throne, to lie alwaies grovling about his Footstoole. Re…. 3. 21.But the Angels apprehended it, and therfore admired it; and as holy as they were, some of them could not chuse but envy it: and from our rising, tooke their fall. Which fell out well for ou… experience: for, by the consideration of their falling, we come to conceive a certainety: to see plainly a probability of our own rising. For, why is it more s…range, that heavy things should ascend, then that light things should descend? that men who are of Earthy mould, should bee lift…d up into the high…st Heavens; then that Angels who are of Heavenly substance, were cast downe into the nethermost earth? unl…sie we thinke, that Gods love towards children, is not so powerfull, as his anger against servants? or that his arme is not so strong, in lifting up, as in casting downe? Wherefore, O my soule; if thou wonder, how it will be possible, for …his heavy body of thine to be raysed out of the dust; and to rise to so high a place as heaven; thou mayst leave thy wondring, if thou doe but consider how it was possible that the light substances of the Angels were cast downe into so l…w a place as hell? For as God brought a grossenesse upon the lightnesse of their su…stances which made them descend; so he will bring a lightnesse upon the grossenesse of our bodies which will make us ascend.
But it was after the fall of Angels, that God said to man: Earth thou art and to earth thou shalt returne: but not a word spoken of his comming to heaven. It is true: for, those words were spoken by God, as a Iudge: Our comming to Heaven, is not spoken by him, but as a Father; and those words, are reserved for his Son, the Word it selfe, to deliver to us: and indeed the word delivered them to us in Deed, when the word was made flesh: for, when the Sonne of God, …ook upon him our flesh, then our flesh tooke notice of being made the sonnes of God, and then the Kingdome of heaven was preached to all believers: and this dignity of our Nature, is a maine object of the divels envy: for, why else should the devill, beare more malice to men then to all other creatures, as we see apparantly he doth? for he will never goe into swine; if he can possibly' get into men: and when he doth goe, it is but to hurt men, that when hee cannot hurt them in their persons; he will yet like lame malice doe them what hurt he can in their goods. Thus the greatnesse of this dignity, which wee cannot see in the light; we may discerne in the darke: for, how can we chuse but know it, to be exceeding great which nourisheth malice even in divels? For certainely if the divels knew nothing, of any such dignity ordained for men in the world to come: they would never doe as they doe; never trouble themselves so much, to trouble men so much in this present life, thereby to hinder them from the glory to come. And are not some men beholding to the divell, in this? who seeking to hinder us from the glory to come in the life hereafter, makes it manifest, that there is a glory to come in a life hereafter, from which we may be hindred. Which if some men otherwise will not easily believe; yet this way at least they can hardly deny. And even this were enough to breed this faith in an Infidell; that there shall be certainely a life after this, seeing wee may bee sure the divell would never take such paines for nothing; he is not so idle, to be so busie for trifles: and he would never be so violent in seeking to draw men into sinne: if there were not some great matter to be gotten by their sinning. And what can the divell get, by the sinnes of men, but onelyonly the satisfying of his owne malice? and how is his malice satisfied, but in their miseries? and what miseries have wicked men in this life, who are rather the favourites of the world, and as David saith, They are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued like Psal. 73. 5. lob 21. 7, 8.other men. There must therefore undoubtedly be another world, where wicked men shall bee miserable, and where the divels malice shall take effect. For, though the hurt of the divell, be all taken in this life; yet it is not fully felt till another life, which if there were none, It should bee skarce felt at all. For, as a man that is wounded in his heate, feeles not the wound till he come to be cold: so we skarce feele the wounds of the divell as long as the heat of life is in us, but when we come to bee cold, and are laid in the cold earth, then begins the smart of his wounds: and then we feele it when we seeme to bee past all feeling: and if this were not so, there should be none in the world more happy then the wicked, there should bee none more miserable then the godly; there should be none a verier foole then the divell: we may therefore be as affured, that there is a life to come after this; as we are assured that the divell is no f…ole, that godly men are not miserable; that wicked men are not, nor can be happy. And though it bee no thanke to the divell that we learne this from him; yet it will be worth thankes if we can learne it: for, who that is truely perswaded of a life after this, where the godly shall be happy, and the wicked miserable; will not endeavour, and with all earnestnesse endeavour to leade his life so, that he may die the death of the righteous; and not suffer the transitory things of this world, which are but as a messe of Iacobs Potage; to withdraw his minde from the respect of his Birth-right; which is to sit with Christ at his Fathers Table.
But for all this, are we indeed satisfied in our consciences, that God is our Father, and that we are his Children? may we not be mistaken as the Iewes were, who thought themselves sure enough that Abraham was their father; yet Christ Ioh.8.39.proves plainly they were deceived: For if (saith he) yee were the children of Abraham, yee would doe the workes of Abraham: which because they did not doe, they could be none of his children, for all their boasting. And doth not God say the same to us? If I be your father, where is my love? ….and to love God, in Gods owne exposition, is to keepe his Commandements. If therefore we doe as God commands us, we may be bold to call him Father: but if wee keepe not his Commandements, we may looke us out another father; wee shall bee but Terrae filii at the best, and never bee admitted into the number of Gods Children. And were not this a miserable negligence to loose the honour of so divine a Parentage as to be Gods Children; and to loose the hope of so glo…ious an Inheritance, as to be heires with Christ, onelyonly for want of loving him? Consider then, O my soule the great cause St Paul had to bee so resolute; and doe thou joyne with him in resolution; that neither life, nor death, nor Angels, nor Principalities; nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor de…th, nor any other cre…ture, shall bee able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ.
But O my soule, if thou wilt indeed be resolute to doe it; canst thou doe it? Canst thou love God when thou listest, & at thy own pleasure? It is a plaine Argument indeed of Gods love to us; that he is our Father: but it is no argument of our love to God, that we be his Children: seeing experience hath made it a Proverb; That love doth descend but not ascend. Gods love comes easily to us because it descends; but how should our love come to God, which against its nature must ascend? St. Iohn indeed, in saying, We love Ioh. 4 19.God, because God loved us first; seemes to shew a reason for it; but Christ gives the reason of it, where he sayth, No man can come unto me, except Ioh. 6. 44.the Father draw him. St. Iohn shewes the motion of a motive, but Christ gives the force of a cause; and lesse would not serve: for our love to God is very Iron; and were never able to ascend if Gods love to us were not a most perfect Adamant.
But what say the children of Belial? God saith Deut 13.13. Mal. 1.6.to us, If I be your Father, where is my honour? that is, where is our honouring of him? and may not we say to God, If we be his children, where is our louelove? that is, where is his love to us? For, when men are constrained to eate their bread in the sweat of their browes, where is the loving kindnesse of a Father? Nay, when men are faine to begge from doore to doore, where appeare their childrens portions? Nay, when men lie in prisons, ready to sterve with cold and hunger; what likelihood is there of their being heires? These things are often so indeed: yet are such men never the further off from being the true Children of God: For, St. Paul laboured with his hands to get his living; yet no man doubts but he was undoubtedly a deere childe of God: And Lazarus lay begging at Dives gate among the Dogs: yet he was approved to be a child of God; by being received into Abrahams bosome. What shall we say then? Is the love of God a …ree that beares no better fruite? Or, are these the Inheritances he provides for his Children? But, O my soule, thou must remember what thou hast said Our Father which art in Heaven. For we shall wrong both God and our selves, if we expect our inheritance in a wrong place; for, where our Father is, there must our inheritance be expected: and seeing our Father is in heauen; we must looke for an inheritance in heaven, and not on earth. And certainely, when men are so hasty to receive their portions, in this life: It is a very presaging signe, they have none to receive in the life that is to come. For, what did Abraham tell Dives was the cause he could not be recei…ed into his bosome? but because he had received, Bona sua, his portion in his life time. But was Abraham a fit man to tell him so? who had received more goods, then ever he had done; yet he could come, not onelyonly to be in heaven himselfe, but to be himselfe a heaven for others to be in. We must therefore know that Abraham though he received more riches, or more honours; yet he received them not, as Bona sua: they were things he looked not much after, nor set his heart upon them; the goods he looked and longed after was Videre Diem Domini; to see the day of Christ, and he saw it: and in that was all his joy. And indeed, seeing we are bu…children children adopted in Christ, and to be heires with him; there is no reason we should looke for an Inheritance here where he himselfe had none; for the sonne of man had not where to lay his head: for, that Inheritance Esau kept still, though he sold his birthright.
Yet this makes some men be of opinion, that he is then carelesse of his children in this life, and lookes not after them; but very injuriously. For, may we not thinke that as in the earth there are Hils and Dales, high Mountaines and low Valeys; which seeme to us to make a great inequality in the even roundnesse of the earth; yet compared to the heavens to which it is but as a Centre, they make all, but evennesse: so these fortunes of men, Riches and Poverty, Honour and Basenesse, Health and Sicknesse; they seeme to us to make a great inequality in mens estates, yet to God who being Eternall reduceth all things to Eternity, they appeare indifferent, and we our selves also when we attaine to our Eternity in heaven shall thinke so too, and shall wonder at our selves that ever we could be so simple to thinke otherwise. In the meane time we can place our thoughts, whereand how we list, and why can we not make our thoughts, to place us: where & how they list? This indeed is an Angelicall cunning, and if we could (as by faith we may) aspire unto it; It would easily make an equality of all fortunes, and turne a Dungeon into a Pallace; a pallet of Netles, into a bed of Roses. And let not this be thought impossible for a Christian to doe in fayth, when the Heathen could conceive it possible in the onelyonly contemplation of vertue to say upon the Racke, Quam suave est hoc? And never slight it by saying, that this at most were but imaginary: (for, faith will take it in great skorne to bee matcht with imagination; though even imagination, if we give fayth to Philosophy can doe no small wonders:) but seeing the world is all, as I may say, for the pleasures of that part of the Noune, which may be Seene, Felt, or Heard; give us leave at least to be for the pleasures of the other part, which may bee understood: that if you say of our pleasures they are without sence, we may say of theirs, They are without understanding.
But what say we then to Moses his blessings? Blessed shalt thou be in the City, and blessed in the Field: Blessed shall bee the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy Cattell. These are all Earthly and sensible blessings; and were not these promised to the children of God? No doubt they were, but as Moses himselfe, had a veile over his face; so Moses his words, had a veile over their meaning; and by this meanes, Blindnesse came upon Israel. For, they tooke that for their Iourneys end which Moses intended, but for a bayting place: He allowed them liberall baytes at first, to make them the more cheerefully goe on their Iourney: but they, like foolish Travellors that make a dwelling of their Inne: tooke such pleasure in their baytes, that they never once thought of going any further: Ezek, 20.25.As therefore God sayd, of the ceremonies hee appoynted to the Iewes: that hee had given them Statutes, that were not good: (not good indeed to them, that understood them not; nor could observe them:) so we may perhaps say of these baytes: that God had given them blessings, that were not good: (not good indeed to them that understand them not; nor can tell how to use them.) But now the veile is layd aside, the baytes cleane taken away; and those blessings of Moses removed a fourme lower: for, they were to them the very face of the promise; but are to us onelyonly the backeparts; they were to them as the first fruits, but are to us as onelyonly gleanings after the Vintage; and therfore though David in the old Testament never saw the Psal 37.25.righteous forsaken, nor their seed begging their bread: yet Christ in the new Testament, could tell us of one Lazarus, who for all his being righteous was faine to lie begging his bread at Dives gate. God in his goodnesse is willing to try alwaies, to see if any way he can bring us to goodnesse: He allowed liberall baytes at first, to make them the more cheerefully goe on their journey: That succeeded not: he hath taken away those baytings now, to ma…e us the more intentive to our journeys end. Those blessings were promised by the mouth of Moses, a servant: Our blessings are promised by the mouth of Christ, a sonne: They trusted to the blessings promised to the person of Abraham; we trust to the blessings promised to the seed of Abraham: as it is said, And in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed. This is that seed, by vertue whereof, we stand here as Gods Children; and have the honour to call him Father: and by which we are borne againe to a new hope of recovering our old inheritance, though that be long since removed up to heaven; as appeares by the words of Christ, to the Thiefe on the Crosse; This day thou shalt bee with me in Paradise: that wee can never hope to have a Paradise here on earth any more.
And now, O my soule, seeing thou dwellest in a house, whose windowes are made to looke upward: make use of those lights, and afford not the Earth so much as a looke, but stand gazing to see Christ, Ascending into Heaven; whither he is gone not onelyonly to take possession himselfe, but to Ioh. 14.3.provide a place for thee in that Inheritance: and give not over gazing untill an Angell assure thee; that this Iesus which is taken up from you, shall so come as ye have seene him goe into heaven: and till then possesse thy selfe in patience; and let these meditations be thine ankers: that if thou dyest in thy youth; thou dost but goe the sooner to God, that thou mayest bee the longer with him: If thou die for hunger, thou dost but goe fasting to God, that thou mayst have the better stomacke to the heavenly Banquet: if thou sterve for want of clothes, thou dost but goe naked to God, that thou mayest bee the readyer for putting on the Wedding Garment: If thou die with torment; thou dost but follow Christ to God; that having followed him here, the Sheepe before the Shearer, Isa. 13.7.thou mayst follow the Lambe wheresoever he goeth. And seeing thou desirest to be a Lazarus in Abrahams bosome, thou must first be contented to be a Lazarus at Dives gate: and as thou tremblest to thinke of being a Dives in hell, to want a cup of water, to coole thy tongue; so thou mayst tremble as much to be a Dives on earth, to fare deliciously every day. And as for the fawning pleasures of the world: consider the fearefull judgements that are passed upon them, Woe unto you rich men: for, ye shall howle and mourne. Luke 6.24. Wis. 6.6.Woe unto you great men, for the mighty shall be mightily tormented: Woe unto you that live in pleasures; Revel. 18.7.for how much yee receive in pleasures here, so much shall be added to your torments hereafter. Wherefore, O my soule, close up all with this Corollary; that the forbearing thy portion in this world with Christ; gives thee right in Christ, to have a portion in heaven, and that the enduring of miseries, which cannot long endure; is a way to passe to that felicity, which shall never passe away.
A little hath beene sayd of infinite much that may be sayd concerning the Preface. It followes now, to speake of the Prayer it selfe, which is digested into a structure and composition, so absolute, and yet so rare, that whilst it stretcheth it selfe to all; it is comprehended but of a few; whilst the simplest in it may see their defects; the wisest by it may amend their defects; and if understanding be necessary to learn other lessons Psal. 19. 7.99. & 130.this Lesson is necessary to learne understanding.
If a man shall thinke of mending the Penning of this prayer; he may as well thinke of mending the framing of the world: which, if he should goe about to make proofe of in particular; he would in general make himselfe ridiculous. For, if he should adde any thing, hee would make it superfluous; if diminish, defective; if alter, deformed: Ec…lef 18. 6.and such a one would he prove, that should presume upon mending these Petitions; seeing there is nothing that concernes eyther the life present, or the life to come: nothing that concernes eyther Grace or Glory: nothing that concernes eyther Antidote, or Physicke for eyther soule or body, but it is all here; and all so fully and perfectly here, that whatsoever the wit of man shall devise further to these ends, will be but as branches out of these roots, or as deductions out of these principles; and may adde in bulke, but not in weight. And he should not erre, that would affirme that Christ shewed himselfe as perfectly to be God, by making this Prayer, as by doing his miracles. For (to let passe the many causes of admiration in it, that it is so compendious, and yet so copious; that it is so plaine, and yet so intricate; that it is so familiar, and yet so sublime, that it is of so few parts, and yet so compleate: all which are characters of Divinity) who could have given warrant to the sonnes of men, to call the God of heaven, their Father; but he only who is the Son of God, and God himselfe? we call God, Almighty, by his owne warrant to Abraham; and we call him Iehovah, Psal 83. 18,by the same warrant to Moses; but we cannot call him Father, but onelyonly by this warrant from Christ: who purchased the name for us, and bestowed it upon us. It is true, God offred himselfe to the Iewes, that he would be their Father, and they should be his sonnes; but it was with relation and presupposition of receiving Christ; whom because they rejected, they never went further then their Father Abraham: Neither indeed (to our understanding) had God power in himselfe to communicate his Name of Father to us, but onelyonly in Christ; seeing Christ had in him the whole interest of his Father, as being his onelyonly Sonne.
And now in making Essayes upon the Petitions following: if I shall seeme unto any, and thereupon be blamed, that I am not constant in any one certaine, eyther explication or application of them: he may know, that these petitions have something like in our understanding as the Planets have amongst themselves; which alter their forces and even their natures, according to the diversity of their Aspects. And if he complaine for want of order; he may also know, that though Art useth method; yet meditation useth none; but receiving her Company as they come; makes use of them in Troope, and not in Files.
God finished the world in sixe daies: and Christ finished this Prayer in sixe Petitions: that so the workes which God formed for man, and the words which Christ framed for man, may may have a correspondence. But is not here a fault at first? Is it not presumption to come to God, with so many suits at once, and thinke to speed in them all? were it not modesty, to doe as David did, for hee made but one Petition; Vnum Petii a Domino: One thing have I asked of the Psal. 27. 4.Lord: and Christ himselfe in another place, told Martha as much Vnumest necessarium: One thing Luk. 10.42.is needfull; so that, eyther there he comes short in his account: or here he makes more a doe then needs: for if but one thing be necessary; One Petition might well enough have served: & most of all, it may seeme strange in Christ who ever used rather substraction then multiplication; as of ten Commandements hee made but two: and now, that of one Petition he should make sixe? But O my soule, Be it farre from thee to have such thoughts, to raise such scandall: For, the Commandements are duties, and duties are burthens; and in abridging them hee performes his promise, Come unto me and I will ease you: and well hee might abridge them to us, who hath indeed perform'd them for us: but the Petitions are graces; and the more Graces, the more grace: the more Graces we receive from God, the more grace we are in with God: and Christ will not onelyonly substract burthens, but as well also multiply graces: although in truth these sixe Petitions are all in effect but one Petition: that having called God Our Father, we here desire to be his Children: but we must observe a difference in being Gods Children, and being children of men; for here we are children first, and afterwards we doe our Math. 5.45.duties; but there we doe at least some duties first, and afterwards we are children: as it is said: Iohn 1. 12. Rom. 8.14.As many as received him, to them he gave power to be the sonnes of God. And indeed, though Christ dilate it to us here in sixe Petitions for our understanding, yet presently after the delivery of them, he seemes to reduce them againe, to One petition, where he sayth; How much more shall Luke 11.13.your heavenly Father, give the Holy Ghost to them that desire him? for to desire the Holy Ghost is all in effect that wee desire in these sixe Petitions; which therefore some would have to be seaven: that so they may answere to the seven spirits, which St. Iohn speakes of, to represent the Holy Revel. 11.4. Isa. 11. 2.Ghost. Indeed the three last are properly & bare ly petitions, but the three first are as Christ said of Iohn Baptist, that he was a Prophet, and more then a Prophet: so these are petitions, & more then petitions; for they are, both Hallelujahs and Hosannaes: For we glorifie God by the first, that he is our Father; By the second, that he is our King: by the third, thathe is our Master: and they are petitions also: the first, that we may be his obedient Children: the second that wee may be his loy all subjects: the third, that we may be his dutifull servants: And from these three first, grows a confidence unto us, of obtaining the three last, which therfore seeme subordinate to them, that asa Father, he will give to us his children bread and sustenance; and as a King he will grant to us his subjects, a pardon of our trespasses; & as a master, he will not lay upon us his servants, greater burdens then we can beare.
But may not this Paraphrase be opposde? hath not this Prayer, a correspondence rather, with the fall of Angels? and doth it not make a resemblance of our condition to theirs? but that they were cast downe all at once: and we here fall downe by degrees, for at every petition wee take a fall. At the first we seeme to set out in a high hand, and as though we needed nothing in our owne behalfe we aske all for God. In the second, we fall to asking for our selves: but yet; no lesse then a Kingdome. In the third, we are glad of the condition to be servants: In the fourth we fall to the state of plaine beggars: In the fift we fall yet lower, and come to be in debt: In the last we fall to the lowest, to be in prison, and that under satan. And now we are fallen as low as the Angels that fell: or rather so much lower as we are under them. This indeed is the progresse of our condition in our selves; but Christ our Redcemer, who having put out the hand writing that was against us, and fastned Colos. 2.14.it to his crosse, descended into hell, to set open the prison dores, to let us out; He hath put Revel 1. 18. Psal 142. 7. Esa. 42. 7.another nature into these petitions; and made them to resemble rather the sixe daies of creation: as David said, Create in me, O God, a cleane heart: which is but this very prayer in a lesser volume. Psal. 51.10.For, as every day in the Creation, had particular workes; so every petition in this Prayer hath particular graces: and as it is said, that Eccles. 18.1.God made all things at once; yet the making of each creature, is ascribed to some peculiar day; so this prayer is the supplication of the whole body of the Church and of every Member therof: yet each petition seemes to have some speciall relatiou to some peculiar Member. For, the first petition may not unfitly bee thought, the prayer of Angels: the second, the prayer of the Saints departed: the third, the Prayer of the Faithfull, living: the fourth, the prayer of all creatures: the fifth, the praier of penitent sinners: the sixth, the prayer of Infants.
And now having thought these petitions to be for such most proper: let us conforme our selves accordingly to them: when we say, Hallowed be thy Name; let us lift up the voyces of our hearts, as if we were now jovning with the Angels, in singing their Halleluiah: When we say, Thy Kingdome come; let us raise our thoughts, as now offering to set our hands to the petition of the Saints in heaven. When we say, Thy will bee done: Let us fixe our minds wholly as in the solemnity of dedicating our selves to God, with all the faithfull upon earth. When we say, Give us this day our daily bread; let us humble our selves as being in state of other creatures, and are glad to joyne with them in their common suite. When we say, Forgive us our trespasses; let us thinke our selves enrolled in the company of penitents: and as the greatest sinners, chosen spokes-men to present their supplication. And when we say, Lead us not into temptation: let us acknowledge our selves in the number and weakenesse of little children, and are glad to joyne with them, in crying for helpe: that the Angell of infants, which alwaies beholds the face of God; may be imployed by him to worke our deliverance. And thus we shall not only goe on the right way, in making our petitions, but we shall have company also to bee affistants in preferring our petitions. And doth not such orderly ranking of the petitions, shew Christ to have beene a most skilfull Herauld in spirituall matters? seeing they all take their places, according to the worth and dignity of the speakers.