An Exposition of the Lords Prayer, Part 11
In earth as it is in heauen.
Q. What is ment by these words, in earth?
A. By earth in this place is ment the inhabitants of the earth, which ought to obey Gods will.
Q. What doe these words teach vsus to pray for?
A. That we may do y• wil of God, euē as the Angels which are in heauē do his will.
Q. How doe the Angels in heauen obey God?
A. The Angels hauehave sixe properties in seruing of God, which ought to be in eueryevery one of vsus when we doe Gods will.
1. Willingnes without …udging▪Heb. 1. 14.
2. Swi…tnes,Psal. 103. 20. or readines▪ without delaying.
3. Faithfulnes,2. King. 19. 35. without adding or diminishing.
4. Gladnes, and ioyfulnes without enuying,Luk. 15. 10. when they see others please God.
5. Constant perseuerance, without giuing ouer, till the Lord bid them stay.
6. Whatsoeuer they do,Iudg. 13. 16. they still refer all the glorie and praise vntounto God,Reuel. 19. 10 not suffering any to be giuen vntounto themselues.
Q. What do we learne from all this?
A. We learne here that our obedience to God should not be halt, lame, or maimed, but whole, & perfect, such as is in heauen.
Q. Now shew briefly what particular graces we craue in this petition?
A. In this petition we desire:
1. That the Lord of his merciemercy would chaunge,Rom. 8. 5. 7. and frame our wils by his holie spirit, that we may will, and wish nothing that he misliketh.
2. That we may beleeue in Christ, and looke for saluation by none other but by him:Ioh 6. 4… for this is a part of Gods will.
3. That we may hauehave holines of life,1. Thes. 4. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. in a true and liuely fai…h.
4 That God would make vsus able and content to beare the labours and sorowes of this life.Mat. 16. 24, 25
Q. Some say this prayer, and yet look for saluation by their owne meanes, how doe they say this petition?
A. With their lippes, but they doe not meane as they say: for not Gods will, but their owne must be done.
Q. What say you to those that say to God, Thy will be done, &c. yet liue in all securitie, and vncleannes, hating that which is holy, delighting in all that is vnholy, bathing in wantonnes, and pleasure, and wishing therein to liue and dye?
A. They doe most impudently mocke the Lord, and most desperatly deceiue their owne soules.
Q. You spake of suffering troubles and sorrowes in this life, is that a part of Gods will?
A. Yea, this life is subiect to many troubles.
Q. But a Christian man néede not feare any troubles as a wicked man doth, may he?
A. He neede not feare them,Rom. 8. because they worke together for the best to those that louelove God.
Q. Yet hee that is a true Christian maye liue in this worlde without anie trouble, or persecution, may hée not?
A. No: for the Apostles hauehave set it downe for a certaine trueth, that through many afflictions we must enter into Gods kingdome:Act. 14. 22. And all that will liue godlie in Christ Iesus,2. Tim. 3. 12. shall suffer persecution more or lesse: they say we must, and shal, that is, we must looke for it.
Q. Why we that liue vnderunder the Gospel in England are not persecuted (God make vsus thankfull for it) as they are in other countries?
A. No, that is true: but persecution is of diuers sortes: There is persecution by the hand,Galas. 4. 29▪ and persecution by the tongue, and though many be free from the one, yet no man that feareth God is free from the other.
Q. Why will God hauehave his children thus to bee exercised with crosses and tribulations?
A. That they may not be damned with the wicked world.1. Cor. 11. 32.
Q. What are men y• better for troubles?
A. Yes much, when afflictions & troubles are sanctified of God, they are meanes to make Gods children the better: as pouer… seemeth to bridle lust,Psalm. 119. basenes to hūble them, and many incumbrances serue to driue them to God.
Q. What if the world lowre vpō vsus? what if our friends forsake vsus? our foes defie vsus, what if persecution arise & we be slandered, & vnkindly handled, must we then say, Thy will be done?
A. Yea euen then especially: for in prosperitie it is an easie matter.
Q. It is a hard thing to flesh & bl…od, but what if God giuegive such a grace?
A. Oh, if wee can then say with a contented minde and a ioyfull heart, thy will bee done: it is a grace aboue all treasure, and a true note of a child of God.
Q. But many wil say, who can beare such things? what examples therefore hauehave you to encourage vsus?
A. There be many notable examples of diuers, which in time of great trouble hauehave been content with the will of God,1. Sam. 3. 18. euen because it was his will:2. Sam. 15. 25, 26. as Heli, Iob, Dauid,Matth. 26. 39. & the Lord Iesus himself, as appeareth more largely in the places quoted.
Q. What swéete promises of God, or comfortable spéeches hauehave wee in the scripture to vphold our faith from fainting, when troubles doe come?
A. The scripture is full of them: as these and such like:
Our times are in the hands of the Lord.
Our haires are numbred.
Our teares are put into a bottell.
We must sow in teares,Psalm 126. if we will reape in ioy.
He is our present help, and in a moment can deliuer vsus.
But if he will make a triall of vsus,1. Cor. 10. 13. See Heb. 10. 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37. yet, The Lord is faithfull, and will not suffer vsus to be tempted aboue that we are able, but will euen giuegive the issue with the temptation, that ye may be able to beare it, sayth S. Paul.
Q. These are most comfortable indéede to the children of God: Gods wil therfore be done, and God giuegive vsus grace to submit our willes to his will as wée ought. Now rehearse the 4. petition.