Godly Meditations Upon the Lords Prayer, Part 5
A meditation concerninge praier, with a breife paraphraſe vponupon the petitions of the lords prayer.
THe mind of man hath ſo large roumthe to receyue good things, that nothinge in dede can fully fyll it but onelyonly god, whō then thy mynde fully poſſeſſeth, when it fully knowethe him, it fully loueth him, and in all things is framed after his wil. They therfore (dere lord god) that are thy children and hauehave taſted ſomewhat of thy goodnes, do perpetually ſighe, yt is do pray vntil they come thereto: and in yt they louelove thee alſo aboue all thynges, it wonderfully woūdeth them that other men do not ſo, that is louelove thee & ſeke for thee with them. Wherof it commeth to paſſe that they are inflamed with continnall praiers and deſires that thy kingedome mighte come eueryevery where, and thy goodnes might be both knowē, and in life expreſſed of eueryevery man.
And becauſe there are innumerable many things, whiche as well in them ſelues as in others be againſt thy glory, they are kindled with continuall praier and deſire, ſighing vn ſpeakably in thy ſight for ye encreaſe of thy ſpirit: & ſome times whē they ſee thy glory more put back then it was wonte to be either in themſelues or in anye other, then are they much more diſquieted & vexed. But becauſe they know that yu doeſt rule all thinges after thy good will, and yt none other can helpe them in their neede, they often times do go aſideall buſineſſes laid a part, and geue them ſelues to godlye cogitations and talke with thee, complaininge to thee as to theyr father, of thoſe thynges that greue them, beggyng thereto and that moſt earneſtly thy helpe, not onelyonly for themſelues, but alſo for others, eſpeciallye for thoſe whom ſingularlye they embrace in thee, and often do repete and remē ber thy gracious benifites both to others and to themſelues alſo, wherthrough they are prouoked to rē …er to thee harty thankes, therby being enflamed, aſwell aſſuredlye to hope well of thy good will towards them and paciently to beare al euills, as alſo to ſtudy and labour to mortifye the affections of the fleſhe, and to order all their whole life to the ſeruice of their brethren and to the ſettinge forth of thy glory.
This they know is that praier thy ſonne Ieſus Chriſt oure lorde commaunded to be made to thee in the chamber, ye dore being ſhut. In this kind of praier he himſelfe did watch often, euen al the whole night: herin was Paule frequent, as all thy ſaintes be. This kind of prayer is ye true liffting vp of ye mind vntounto thee, this ſtandeth in thaffections in the hart, not in wordes & in the mouth. As thy children be endued with thy ſpirit, ſo frequent they this talke wt thee, the more thy ſpirit is in them, the more are they ī talke with thee. Oh geue me plentifully thy ſpyrite which thou haſt promiſed to powre out vponupon all fleſhe, that thus I may with thy ſaintes talke wt thee night and day, for thy only beloued ſōnes ſake Ieſus Chriſt our lord Amen.
Moreouer thy ſaintes, to prouoke them to this kinde of praier, doe vſe firſt their neceſſitie, which they conſider in thre ſortes, inwardly concerning their ſoules, outwardly concerning their bodies, and finally concerning their names and fame, wherto they adde the neceſſitie of thoſe that be committed to them, the neceſſitie of thy church, and of the common weale.
Secondly they vſe thy commaundements, which require them vnderunder paine of ſinne to praye to thee in all their nede.
Thirdly they vſe the conſideration of thy goodnes, which art naturally merciful to yonge rauens calling vponupon thee, much more then to them for whom rauens & all thinges ellswere made, for whom thou haſt not ſpared thy dere ſon, but geuē him &c.
Fourthly they vſe thy moſt ſwete and free promiſes made to heare and helpe all them that call vponupon thee in Chriſtes name.
Fiftly they vſe examples, how that yu which art the god of al and rich vntounto all them yt cal vponupon thee in chriſts name, haſt heard & holpen others calling vponupon thee.
Sixtly they vſe the benefites geuē them before they aſked, thereby not only prouoking them to aſke more, but alſo certifieng their faith, that if thou waſte ſo good to graunt them many thinges vnaſked, nowe thou wilt not denye them any thing they aſke to thy glory and their weale.
Laſt of al they vſe the reading and wayinge of pſalmes and other good praiers, becauſe they know thereby peculiarly beſides ye other ſcripture, there is no ſmal helpe: as may apere by paul Epheſ 5. Col 3. where be wil …eth the congregaciō to vſe pſalmes hymmes and ſpiritual ſonges, but ſo that in ye hart we ſhuld ſinge and ſay them: not that thy children do not vſe their tonges & words in praying to thee, for they do vſe their tonges, ſpeche, & words to ſtyrre vp their in ward deſire & feruency of the mino, full wel knowing that els it were a plaine mocking of thee to pray with lipps & tounges only. Oh yt I might fele now thy ſpirite ſo to affecte me, that both with harte and mouthe I might hartely and in faith praye vn to thee.
Nowe concernynge the thynges that are to be praied for, thy children know that the prayer taught by thy ſonne, moſte lyuelye and playnelye dothe contayne the ſame. And therefore they often vſe it, fyrſte aſkynge of thee their heauenlye father throughe Chryſte, that thy name myghte euerye where be had in holyneſſe and prayſe: then that thy kingdome by regeneration & the miniſtery of the goſpel might come.
And ſo thirdly that willingly perfectly & perpetually they might ſtudy to do, yea do in dede thy wil, with thy holy & heauēly angels & ſpirits. Theſe thinges they ſeke & pray for, namely thy kingedome & thy rightuouſnes before any worldly benefite. After which petitiōs, becauſe al things, yea euen ye benifits of this preſent life do come from thee, they doe godlye deſire the ſame vnderunder the name of daily bread being inſtructed of thy wiſedome, that after ſmal benefites to aſke corporall is not vnſemely to thy children, which know both ſpirituall and corporal to come from thy mercy. In the other peticions they pray for thinges to be takē from them, beginnig wt forgeuenes of ſinnes, which were impudentlye praied for, if ye their hartes were not ſo brokē that they could forgeue all things to al mē for their part. They adde their profeſſion, y• is charitie, wherby they profeſſe that they hauehave forgeuen all offences done to them. Howbeit becauſe it is not ynough to hauehave pardon of y• whiche is paſt, except thei be preſerued frō new offīces, they pray thee not to lead thē in … tēptations by permitting them to the peruerſe ſuggeſtiō of Sathā, but rather to deliuer them from hys importunitie and power, by euel vnderſtādinge Sathan the authour of all euell. Oh (deare god) that y• woldeſt endue me wt thy ſpirite of grace and praier with thy children accordingly to make this praier alwayes whenſoeuer I doe pray.
As for outward euills ſo longe as they doe not (as it were) inforce thy people to ſinne, in that chriſten profeſſiō doth accompte them amongſt thy benefites: thy ſonne hathe not taught thy church to pray for the taking away of thē in this praier, for here he hath cōtained but thoſe thinges, for ye which al Chriſtians generally and particularly may of faith pray at all times. It often commeth to paſſe that exteriour euilles, becauſe they be not euells in dede, that is they are not againſt goddes grace in vsus, therefore they cannot of faith be praied for to be taken away, for thy childrē y• hauehave faith, do alwaies preferre thy Iudgement before their owne, the which Iudgement w…en thei know by that which hapneth to them, they ſubmite themſelues ther to wholly, although the ſpirit make his vnſpeakable gronings to helpe their infirmities by prayer, not to hauehave them taken awaye, but y• they might hauehave ſtrenght and pacience to beare the burthē accordingly, which burden if it be to heauy in the better ſenſe and feling therof, they in their praiers doe complaine ſome thyng, rather then pray to hauehave it taken away, as oure ſauiour did in the garden whē he added to his complainte not my will but thy wil be done. So do thi people in al their complaints adde, not as we wil but as yu wilte, for they are taught by thy ſpirite no otherwiſe to praye for the takynge away of corporall euelles either frō them ſelues or from others, onleſſe they by the ſame ſpirite doe certainly ſe the ſame to make to thy glory: as dyd thine Apoſtles and ſeruantes, when abſolutly & without condition they dyd aſke health or miracle for any, whē they healed or raiſed the deade by prayer: for they know nothinge can be better than when it is according to thy wil. Oh that I might alwaies know thy wil in al things, and for euer applye me ſelf therto. Hereof it commeth that thy ſaynts and deare children which louelove their neighbours as thēſelues, do yet notwithſtāding in their praiers aſke vengeaunce of ſome, as we may reade in the pſalmes of Dauid, becauſe in prayinge & talking with thee they ſe by thy holy ſpirit (for wt out it is no true praier) ſometimes thy Iudgements vponupon ſome whiche they perceiue to ſinne to death, and therfore ought not to be praied for, but rather to be praied againſt, becauſe thy glory cānot be ſet forth as it ſhuld be without their deſtructiō: thy will is alwayes beſt & the thing wherto they frame all their deſires.
Therefore when they perceiue it decreed with thee ſuche and ſuche by theyr deſtructyon to ſet fourthe more myghtelye thy glorye, howe ſhould they but deſire and praye for the ſame, & write it as Dauid hathe done, that the godly in readinge and waying ſuch praiers, might receiue comfort, and the vngodly be afraied: ells when that they perceiue not ſo manifeſtlye the determened Iudgement of god, they in their praiers do moſt hartely praye for them as Samuell did for Saule, Moyſes for the Iſraelites, Abraham for the Sodomites. Oh good faher for thy mercyes ſake geue me the trews louelove of mankinde, but yet ſo yt I maye louelove mā for thee and in thee, and alwaies preferre thy glory aboue al thinges through Chriſt our lord.
Now though thy children do know that thy wil cannot but be done, and nothinge can be done but that thou of thyne owne will haſt determined to do, although no man ſhuld deſire the ſame, yet are they earneſt and frequent in praier: fyrſt to render obedience to thee, whiche requyreſte praier as a ſpirituall ſeruice to thee: ſecondly becauſe thou haſt ordained praier to be as an inſtrumente and meane, by the which thou workeſte thinges with thee already decreed & determined. Thy children doe vſe prayer to offer thee their ſeruice, if it ſhall pleaſe the to vſe the ſame. As they doe eate and drincke, whiche is a meane ordayned of thee for the cō ſeruation of their life, not lookynge hereby to lengthē their daies aboue their boūds which already thou haſt appotnted, but as becometh them, to vſe thy meanes which thou haſt ordained to ſerue thy prouidence: So do they (herein as men not curiouſe to knowe thy prouidence further then thou reuai…eſt it) vſe praier as a meane by y• which thou art accuſtomed to worke many of thy chidrens …e…re, that according to thy good wil thou maieſt vſe the ſame: they doe not thinke a mutabilitie in thee (for y• art god & arte not chaūged, wyth thee there is no variableneſſe) and therfore they pray, not as mē which would hauehave thy determinations and ordenaunces, which are in moſt wiſdome and mercy, to be altered, but rather that they might ſubmitte their willes to ſhine, & make them more able to beare thy will and pleaſure. They knowe thou haſte promyſed to helpe them callinge vponupon thee, wherfore thei doubt not but thou ſo wilt doe and therefore praie accordingly. They louelove thee hartely, and therfore thei cannot but deſire much …s talke with thee, that is to praye, euen as a wel manered and lauinge wife will not take vponupon her to aſke anye thinge of her huſbande at all but that, ſhe hopeth he wolde take in good parte and doe of his owne fres wyll, althoughe ſhe had ſpoken nothing therof. When ſhe knoweth what her houſbands will is in thinges, ſhe gladely talketh with hym thereof, and accordingly as ſhe ſeeth he is purpoſed to doe, ſhe will often deſire him to doe it: euen ſo thy children (I ſay) which hartely louelove thet, in that they know thy wiſdome and wil is beſt, hawe can they but often talke with thes and deſyre thee to … that which they know is beſt, which they knowe alſo thou woldeſt doe … none ſhuld aſke or praye for y• ſame? Thy children vſe praier as a meane by which they ſe plainly thy power, thy preſence, thy prouidēce, mercy … goodnes towardes them in granntinge their petitions, and by praier they are confirmed of them all. Yea thy children vſe praier to admoniſhe them how that all things are in thy hands. In praier they are as it were of thee put in mind of thoſe thinges they hauehave done agaynſt thee theyr good lord. By reaſon wherof repentaunce enſueth, and they conceyue a purpoſe to liue more purely euer afterwards, and more hartelye to applye themſelues to all innocencye & goodnes. Who now conſideryng ſo manye greate commodities to come by reaſon of prayer, would maruell why thy chyldren are much in praier and in labouring to prouoke others there vntounto?
For as none that is a ſuter to any other wit vſe any thing which might offend or hinder his ſute, ſo no man that vſeth praier will flatter himſelf in any thinge that ſhoulde deſpleaſe thee, to whom by praier he moueth ſute whenſoeuer he prayeth: ſo that nothing is a more prouocacion to al kind of godlynes then praier is.
And therefore not wythout cauſe we may ſee thyne Apoſtles and ſeruauntes to laboure ſo dilygentlye, and deſyre that others myghte vſe, prayers for themſelues and others.
As concerning outward thynges which thy childrē pray for, although they know thy wil & decree is not variable & thy purpoſe muſt neds come to paſſe, yet doe they receiue by their praier no ſmall commoditie. For either they obtaine their requeſtes or no. If they do obtain thē, then proue they by experience that thou doeſte the will of them that feare thee, & ſo they are more kindled to louelove & ſerue thee. And in deed for this purpoſe … art wont, when thou wilt doe good to any, to ſtyrre vp their mindes to deſire y• ſame good of thee to thende that both thou and thy gifts may be ſo muche more magniſted and ſet by of them, by how much they hauehave ben erneſt ſuters and peticioners for the ſame. For howe can it but en… a … them with louelove towards thee, to per ceiue and fele thee ſo to care for thē, heare them and louelove them. If they doe not obtaine that they praye for, yet vndoubtedly they receiue greate comforte to ſee that the euyls which preſſe them and whereof they complaine ſtil, doe not oppreſſe and ouer come them, & therfore they receyue ſtrength to beare y• ſame the better. O good father help me that I might hartely louelove thee, complaine to thee in all my nedes and alwaies by prayer to power oute my heart before thee. Amen