Propositions and Principles of Divinity Disputed, Section 67
PRINCIPLES TOVCHING THE THIRD PETITION OF THE LORDS PRAIER. LXVII.
HAVING OPENED TWO OF THE PETItions of the Lordes Praier, which doe immediatlie reſpect the glorie of God: wee doe now come vntounto the expoſition of the third.
1 THis Petition [THY VVIL BE DONE IN EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN] is the third in order of thoſe whereof we hauehave ſpoken, becauſe that no man doth obey the will of God, being made known and commanded, ſaue onelyonly thoſe, who acknowledge God for their king.
2 The ſumme or ſcope of this Petition is, that the will of God may be performed vponupon earth by men, who know the ſame, and louelove it from their hearts, as it is done by the bleſſed Angels in heauen.
3 The aequitie of it, is vnderſtoode by the praeface: For God is ſaid to bee in Heauen, which ſignifieth power and authoritie, and to be our Father, both in regard of the firſt creation of al men, and alſo, of the redemption of the regenerate; whence it followeth, that we being his ſeruants and ſonnes, are bound to know & willingly to practiſe the will of our Lord and Father.
4 This Petition is neceſſarie, becauſe our fleſhe beeing bond-ſlaue vntounto ſinne and Sathan, is contrary heerevnto: Now the more impediments that do hinder vsus to perform the will of God, the more earneſt ought wee to be in ſeeking ſtrength to practiſe the ſame. It is alſo neceſſary, to the end, that wee periſh not; but may be made Citizens of the kingdome of God; which cannot be, vnleſſe wee obey his will; not that the obedience of the ſame doth make vsus free-men of his kingdome, but in aſmuch as it declareth, that we hauehave bene made the Citizens thereof.
5 The parts of this Petition, as being a perfect ſimilitude or two; that which is opened, and that which doth open. The former containeth our prayer for the execution of Gods will: the latter ſetteth downe a ſimilitude, which ſheweth, how wee deſire the ſame to be performed here vppon earth.
6 Let vsus therefore, diligently examine euerie worde of the Petition: Firſt the word foreign offereth it ſelfe, which according vntounto the accuſtomed maner of ſpeaking amongeſt Chriſtians, is expreſſed by the worde WILL, though that will bee of a more large ſignification then foreign is.
7 Now the word WILL, doth not ſignifie the facultie or action of willing, which in God differeth nothing from his eſſence, but it pointeth out thoſe thinges which GOD willeth, by a Metynomie of the adjunct put for the ſubject.
8 The things which God willeth, are of two ſortes: For ſome of them, are of that nature, that they are good of themſelues, by the goodnes which God hath put into thē: others of them are good by accident, or for the end that God hath appointed, who can bring foorth good out of euill, and light out of darknes.
9 Again, ſome of thoſe things that God willeth, hath he made known vntounto vsus; others hath he reſerued to himſelfe: whence ſome of the ancients, and alſo of the School-men made the wil of God to be in part, voluntatem beneplaciti, that is his free, vnbounded or ſecret will, and in part to bee voluntatem ſigni: that is, his ſignified, written, or reuealed will. The Grecians call the former of theſe, foreign and foreign: the latter, foreign and foreign,For knowledge, for apointment, will, good pleaſure. which containe the charges, commandements, & doctrine reuealed vntounto men concerning the will of God, either generall touching all, or particularly aplied vntounto the calling of eueryevery one, which are briefly comprehended vnderunder the name of the Law and the Goſpell.
10 Now wee are to deale in this place, with that which is called the ſignified will, becauſe that only is perfect obedience, which is yeelded by thoſe that hauehave knowledge, and are willing to obey, and which is concerning thoſe things which are good of themſelues, and in the regard of thoſe that doe performe them.
11 Wheras THY VVIL (& not anothers or eueryevery mans) is added, it taketh away mens traditions, and whatſoeuer is contrary or beſides the will of God.
12 The word [BE DONE] that is, be fulfilled, doth teach vsus, that we are to obey Gods will, with the whole affection of our ſoule, with all our mind and thoughts.
13 Whereas it is ſet down paſsiuelie [BE DONE] it ſeemeth, that it may bee gathered thereby, that man before the firſt grace, is onelie conſidered paſsiuelie, as beeing to bee wrought vppon, but not working; ſo that, euen to will what is right, is giuen of God: Next wee gather, that after the firſt grace, the continuaunce of willing that which is good, and the perfection therof, is in the hand of GOD onelie; euen thence that we are commanded to craue, that Gods will may be done; whereas wee doe not craue thoſe things that are in our owne power.
14 BE DONE IN EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN] the word HEAVEN and EARTH, are to bee vnderſtood Metonymically, that which doth containe beeing put for that which is contained.
15 The will of God vponupon earth, is in deede performed onelie by men: vnleſſe a man will referre the word OBEYING, Metaphorically vntounto other creatures: yet not by all men, but by them onelyonly who are regenerated: Although, as AVGVSTINE ſaith, the will of God is doone concerning (but not by) the reſt.
16 Now, becauſe humaine frailty, (which by Gods decree, doth alwaies cleaue vntounto man in this life) can beare no more; it commeth to paſſe, that the will of God, is but begun to be performed by the regenerate here vponupon earth; and that onelyonly in affection and in faith: (this alſo being the will of God, that beſides the louelove which wee are commanded to yeeld vntounto God and our neighbour, we ſhould alſo beleeue in Chriſt.) But when God ſhal be al in all, we ſhall then perfectlie and fully obey his will.
17 Neither is there any more then this, meant by the note of the ſimilitude [AS] which doth not point out an aequall qualitie, but a likenes, and an agreement therein: not that the regenerate ſhould vppon earth performe the will of GOD in as great meaſure, but in the like affection & operation, that the Angels do execute the ſame in heauen.
18 Now [IN HEAVEN,] al thoſe that remaine therin, as the ſoules that are in bliſſe, and the Angels doe obey the will of God.
19 Yea, and the Sonne alſo, in reſpect that the Mediatour Chriſt, doeth as yet the will of his Father in Heauen, when as he doth make interceſsion for vsus, and bringeth to paſſe, whatſoeuer doeth belong vntounto the edification of the Church.
20 The ſoules alſo that are in bliſſe, doe in heauen celebrate the praiſes of God, and do deſire after their manner, both the deliuerance of their brethren, that are heere militant vppon earth, and alſo the puniſhment of the enemies.
21 Now thoſe bleſſed miniſtering Spirits, do performe the will of God diuers waies; as by ſinging that ſong, Holie, holie, &c. by procuring the ſaluation of the elect, and puniſhing the wicked, as it pleaſeth GOD to vſe their ſeruice.
22 Now all theſe Spirites doe execute Gods will.
I Moſt willingly, bicauſe they obey him without murmuring.
II Moſt readily and ſurelie, becauſe they make no delaies, but preſently betake themſelues vntounto that which they are commanded to doe.
III Moſt faithfully, becauſe they both heare, and alſo performe in deede their whole charge, and not a part onelyonly; and being once ſent, they neuer ceaſe, vntill they be called backe againe.
23 We deſire therefore of God, that hee would giuegive vsus both the will and the power to obey, and that wee may be ſeruice-able and obedient vntounto his majeſtie, according vntounto the ſame Spirit, manner, affection, readines, and cherfulnes of the will, that the Angels in heauen do obey him: And we doe alſo craue the taking away of all thoſe things which either directly ſet themſelues againſt his will, or do anie wiſe withſtand the ſame.
Defended by IOSIAS [ſonne vntounto IOSIAS] SIMLERVS of Tigurine