The Sum of Christian Religion 2, Part 3 · Subpart 1
OF PRAIER.
116 Wherefore is praier neceſſarie for Chriſtians?
Becauſe it is the cheife part of thataPſal. 50.14.15. thankfulneſſe, which God requireth of vsus. And alſo becauſe God giueth them onelyonly his grace and holy ſpirit, who with vnfained groninges begge them continually of him, andbMat. 7.7.8. Luc. 11.9.13. Mat. 13.12. Pſal. 50.15. yeelde him thankes for them.
117 What is required vntounto that praier, which ſhal pleaſe God & be hearde of him?
That we aske of the onelyonly true God, who hathcJoh. 4.22. &c. manifeſted himſelfe in his woorde, all thinges, which he hath commaunded to bedRom. 8.26. 1. Ioh. 5.14. aſked of him with a true affection and deſire of our heart, and through an inwardeeIoh. 4.23.24. Pſal. 145.18. feeling of our neede and miſerief2. Par. 20.12. caſt our ſelues downe proſtrate in the preſence of his diuine maieſtie: andgPſal. 2.11. & 34.19. Iſ. 66.2. builde our ſelues on this ſure foundation, that wee, though vnworthily, yet for Chriſtes ſake, are certainelyhRom. 10.14. & 8.15.16. Iac. 1.6. &c. heard of god, euen as hee hathiIo. 14.13. & 15.16. & 16.23. Dan. 9.17.18. Mat. 7.8. Pſal. 143.1. promiſed vsus in his worde.
118 What are thoſe thinges, which hee commaundeth vsus to aske of him?
All thingskIac. 1.17. Mat. 6.33. neceſſary both for ſoule and body: which our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt hath compriſed in that prayer, which himſelfe hath taught vsus.
119 What praier is that?
OVrlMat. 6.9.10. &c. Luc. 11.2. &c. Mat. 7.9.10.11. Luc. 11.12.13. Father, which art in heauen, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdome come; thy will bee done; in earth as it is in heauen. GiueGive vsus this day our daily bread; And forgiue vsus our treſpaſſes; as wee forgiue them, that treſpaſſe againſt vsus: And leade vsus not into temptation; but deliuer vsus from euil: For thine is the kingdome, the power, and glorie, for euer, and euer,
AMEN.
120 Why doth Chriſt teach vsus, to cal God, our father?
That preſently in the verie entraunce and beginning of the praier, he might ſtir vp in vsus ſuch a reuerence and confidence in god, as is meete for the ſonnes of god; which muſt bee the ground & foundatiō of our praier: to wit, that god through Chriſt is made our father, and will much leſſe denie vntounto vsus thoſe thinges, which wee aske of him with a true faith, than our earthly ParentsaMat. 7.9.10.11. Luc. 11.11. denie vntounto vsus earthly things.
121 Why is that ad…ed: which art in heauen?
That webIer. 23.24. Act. 17.24.25.27. conceiue not baſely or te…enely of gods heauenly maieſtie: And alſo that wecRom. 10.12. looke for and expect from his omnipotencie, whatſoeuer things are neceſſarie for our ſoule and bodie.
122 What is the firſt petition?
Hallowed bee thy name: that is, graunt vsus firſt todIoa. 17.3. Jer. 9.23.24. & 31.33.34. Mat. 16.17. Iac. 1.5. Pſal. 119.105.know thee aright, & to worſhip, praiſe, &ePſal. 119.137.138. Luc. 1.46. &c. 68. &c. Pſal. 145.8.9.17. Exod. 34.6.7. Pſal. 143.1.2.5.10.11.12. Ier. 31.3. & 32.18.19.40.41. & 33.11. & 20. Mat. 19.17. Rom. 3.3.4. & 11.22.23. 2. Tim. 2.19. magnifie thy almightines, goodneſſe, iuſtice, merciemercy, and truth ſhining in al thy works. And further alſo, to direct our whole life, thoughts, words, and workes to this end, that thy moſt holy name bee not reproched for vsus, but rather beefPſal. 115.1. & 71.8. renowmed with honour and praiſes.
123 What is the ſecond petition?
Let thy kingdome come: that is, rule vsus ſo by thy word, and ſpirit, that wee maygMat. 6 33. Pſal. 119.5. & 143.10. humble and ſubmit our ſelues more & more vntounto thee: preſerue and encreaſe thyhPſal. 51.20. & 122.6.7. church, deſtroy the workes of the Diuill, and all power that lifteth vp it ſelfe againſt thy Maieſty: make al thoſe counſailes fruſtrate and voide, which arei1. Ioh. 3.8. Rom. 16.20. taken againſt thy word, vntil at length thoukApoc. 22.17.20. Rom. 8.22.23. raigne fully and perfectly, when thou ſhalt be al inl1. Cor. 15.28. al.
124 What is the third petition?
Thy wil be done in earth as it is heauen: that is, Grant that we and al men, renouncing &mMat. 16.24. Tit. 2.12. forſaking our owne wil, maie readily & without any grudgingnLuc. 22.42. obey thy wil, which is only holy: and that ſo euerie of vsus may faithfully and cheerfullya1. Cor. 7.24. performe that duty and charge which thou haſt committed vntounto vsus, euen as the bleſſed Angels doe inbPſal. 103.20.21. heauen.
125 What is the fourth petition?
GiueGive vsus this daie our daily bread: that is, giuegive vntounto vsus al thinges, which arecPſal. 145.15.16. & 104 27.28. Mat. 6.25. &c. needeful for this life, that by them wee maie acknowledge & confeſſe thee to be the onelyonly fountaine, from whence all good thingsdAct. 17 27.28. & 14.17. flow, and al our care and induſtry, and euen thine owne gifts to be vnfortunate ande1. Cor. 15.58. Deut. 8 3. Pſal. 27.16.17.noiſome vntounto vsus, except thou bleſſe them. Wherefore graunt, that turning our truſt awaie from all creatures, wefPſal. 62 11. & 55.23. place & repoſe it in thee alone.
126 What is the fift petition?
Forgiue vsus our treſpaſſes, as we forgiue them that treſpaſſe againſt vsus: that is, Euen for the bloude of Chriſt doe notgPſal. 51 1. &c. & 143.2. 1. Iohn. 2.1.2. impute vntounto vsus moſt miſerable & wretched ſinners, al our offences, neither that corruption, which ſtill cleaueth vntounto vsus: euen as wee alſo feele this teſtimonie of thy grace in our hearts, that wee ſteadfaſtly purpoſe vnfeignedly from our hart tohMat. 6.14.15. pardon and forgiue al thoſe, who hauehave offended vsus.
127 What is the ſixt petition?
Lead vsus not into temptation: but deliuer vsus from euil: that is, becauſe wee our ſelues are ſo feeble & weak by nature, that weeiIoa. 15.5. Pſal. 103.14. cannot ſtand ſo much as one moment or inſtant; and our moſt deadlie enemies,k1. Pet. 5.8. Eph 6.12. ſatan thelJ…h. 15 19. world, and our ownmRom 7.23. Gal 5.17. fleſh, doe inceſſantlie oppugne and aſſault vsus: vpholde thou vsus, and eſtabliſh and ſtrengthen vsus by the might of they ſpirit, that we maie not in this ſpiritual combatenMat. 26.41. Marc. 13.…3. yeeld as vanquiſhed, but may ſo long ſtoutly withſtand them, vntil at length weeo1. Theſ. 3.13. & 5.23. get the ful and perfect victorie.
128 How concludeſt thou this praier?
For thine is the kingdome, the power, and the glorie, for euer: that is, we aske and craue al theſe things of thee, becauſe, ſeeing both thou art our King, and art almightie, thou art both willing and able topRom. 10.11.12. …. Pet. 2.9. giuegive them al vntounto vsus. And theſe thinges wee therefore aske, that out of them, not vntounto vsus, but vntounto thy holy name al glory mayq10.14.13. Pſal. 115.1. Ier. 33.8.9.redound.
129 What meaneth this particle, Amen?
That the thing is ſure and out of doubt. For my praier is much more certainly heard of God, than I feele in my hart, that I vnfaignedlyr2. Cor. 1.20. …. Tim. 2.13. deſire the ſame.
OVT of the diuerſe and manifolde doctrine of the two former partes we hauehave learned, that wee are not thorough anie merit of ours, but of Gods meere grace, by and for Chriſt, redeemed from ſinne and death, and euen from all the euill both of crime and paine: whereof it followeth that we ſhould be thankful for this exceeding benefite beſtowed by Chriſt vponupon vsus. But we cannot ſhew & approue our ſelues thankful to God, except we be truly conuerted. Firſt therefore thoſe things which are ſpoken Of conuerſion, are in few words to be expounded. Then enſueth the common place Of good works: for by them we declare our thankfulnes towardes God; and true conuerſion cannot ſtand without good works. Afterwardes is adioined the doctrine which entreateth Of the Law, whereby wee learne to know good works. For thoſe are truely ſaide to be good works, by which we worſhip God aright, & ſhew ourſelues to be thākful; which are done by faith according to the rule and preſcript only of Gods Law. But becauſe God wil chiefly bee worſhipped of vsus, and magnified by inuocation, and for this cauſe wee ſhew our thankfulnes moſt of al by our praiers, and thankeſ-giuing▪ at length the common place Of praier ſhal bee laſtly annexed. Theſe things wee purpoſ… to declare briefly and in order here following.