Propositions and Principles of Divinity Disputed, Section 65
PRINCIPLES TOVCHING THE PETITIONS OF THE LORDS PRAYER IN GENERALL; AND PARTICVLARLIE OF THE FIRST OF THEM. LXV.
HAVING HANDLED THE PRAEFACE which was the firſt part of the Lords Prayer, the ſecond is now to bee opened, which containeth the petitions, or the ſubſtance of the Prayer it ſelfe.
1 CHRIST framed theſe petitions, according vntounto the preſent nature and ſtate of man, (vz. in reſpect that we are in the want of all thinges, and ſinners in this worlde, which whollie lieth in wickedneſſe, (as it is ſaid IOHN 15.19.) and not vntounto the firſt condition, wherin ADAM was created pure and vpright before his fall.
2 For there had bene no need of theſe petitions, if the firſt man had continued in that originall puritie, and excellent integritie, wherein God had created him: neyther had this world beene ſubject vntounto vanitie for the ſinne of man, whereby it nowe commeth to paſſe, that the glorie of God is hidden as it were, vnderunder manie clouds.
3 Neither ſhall we neede, when wee are fullie reſtored in heauen, to ſay, [Hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdome come, Thy will be done, &c.] For then God ſhal bee al in all, 1. COR. 15.28. but there ſhall bee Thankeſgiuing and Confeſsion, ſuch as is ſet down, REVEL. 4. ver. 8. Holy holie Lord God omnipotent, &c. It remaineth then as wee hauehave ſaid euen now, that theſe petitions doe appertain vntounto the preſent time and ſtate of men.
4 And ſeeing they may bee conſidered in a diuerſe reſpect: namelie, in that the three former of them, do directlie regarde the glorie of God, and the three latter do properlie concerne vsus, they may bee fitlie comprehended in a diuiſion of two members.
5 Although then, there is nothing appertaining vntounto Gods glorie, whence ſome profit dooth not redound vntounto the godly: & thogh alſo, we cā rightly craue none of thoſe things which belong vntounto our ſaluation, but we muſt deſire them for the glorie of God: yet it behoueth vsus in theſe things, to be affected in a diuers ſort: namelie, that in the one, we hauehave a reſpect onelie to the glorie of God, not regarding our owne behoofe: and that in the other, wee ſo reſpect our owne eſtate, that we be alſo eſpeciallie mindefull of Gods glorie, which we are bound to promote.
6 Theſe petitions moreouer, which belong vntounto Gods glorie, are juſtlie placed in the firſt rancke. For Chriſt ſaithMat. 6.33. Seeke firſt the kingdome of God and the righteouſneſſe thereof, and all theſe things ſhall be giuen vntounto you. And this order is obſerued alſo in the commandementes: for the firſt place is yeelded vntounto thoſe which properlie appertaine vntounto the worſhip of God, whereas thoſe which concerne the maintenance of louelove betweene man and man, do follow in the ſecond rancke.
7 Among the former petitions, it is not without cauſe that HALLOVVED BE THY NAME is the firſt. For although the end of them bee, that Gods glorie may ſhine euerie where, as it ought: yet the order of teaching doth require that that ſhould be accounted the firſt petition, which declareth the firſt degree of his glorie: whereunto the ſecond is adjoined, which ſheweth the meanes to augment the ſame, and the third next vntounto that, which declareth the way to the accompliſhing and finiſhing thereof.
8 Touching the firſt, we place not the name of Ieſus in the verie notes of the letters, or in the vocall pronouncing of the word. For the former were Iewiſh, as the latter is Popiſh, where the name of Ieſus is not vttered, without the yeelding of ſome ſuperſtitious reuerence thervnto, and the kiſsing of the letters themſelues.
9 But by the name of GOD, wee vnderſtand God himſelfe, or the Majeſtie, juſtice, merciemercy, goodnes, truth, power, and holines of God, and the reſt of the attributes whereby he hath made himſelfe knowen in the world.
10 In this Petition therefore, we intreat, that the glory of God, may according to the majeſtie therof, be acknowledged and celebrated amongeſt men heere vppon earth. Brieflie, that the honor and worſhip due vntounto God, may be yeelded vntounto him in this world: on the other-ſide we wiſh, that all thoſe things may be remooued, ouerthrowen, and cleane taken away, which doe profane, diminiſh, or obſcure the ſaid glory of God, either in himſelfe, in his workes, or in his word & doctrine: So that this Petition is anſwerable vntounto the commandement: [Thou ſhalt not take the name of God in vaine.] For heere is commanded that which is there forbidden.
11 This Petition is ſo ſtrictly enjoyned vntounto vsus, that we cannot omitte the ſame without hainous wickednes. For what is more vnworthie, then that either our ingratitude and blindnes ſhould obſcure, or boldnes and furious preſumption, as farre as lieth in it, blot out the ſame?
12 But although all the wicked, with their ſacrilegious luſt ſhoulde flie a ſunder for ſpite; yet ſhall the holines of Gods name ſhine & gliſter. For thus the prophet crieth out; [As thy name ô God, ſo doth thy praiſe extend vntounto al the ends of the earth;] for wherſoeuer the Lord maketh himſelf knowen, it cannot be, but his vertue, power, goodnes, wiſdome, juſtice, mercy, and truth ſhould manifeſt themſelues, whereby wee might be drawen vntounto the admiration of his majeſtie, and ſtirred vp to ſet forth his praiſes.
13 But, in aſmuch as GOD is ſo vnworthily robbed of his holines vponupon earth, we ar bidden, if we hauehave not power to maintaine the ſame; yet at the leaſt, to vnderunder-take the care thereof in our praiers, as it is meet we ſhould, althogh of it ſelfe, it can neither increaſe nor be diminiſhed.
14 Whoſoeuer therefore doe obſcure the holines of God, or ſuffer the ſame to bee obſcured, as farre as in them lieth, they ſinne againſt this petition, and are moſt heauily guiltie of Gods judgement.
Defended by LAZARVS ROBERTVS of Roan.