The Guide Unto True Blessedness, Section 39 – Section 42
SECT. XXXIX. Of the Lords Prayer, the perfect forme and plat-forme of Prayer: and of the preface thereof.
Q. VVHere is that will of God reuealed, according wherto we muſt direct our Prayers?
A. Throughout the whole booke of the Scriptures of God; which enforme vsus, as concerning other duties, ſo eſpecially concerning this of prayer, recording alſo for this purpoſe, many excellent prayers, as of Moſes, Dauid, Nehemiah, Paul, &c. but moſt abſolutely in that paſſage, or portion, deliuered by our Sauiour himſelfe, and propounded by his holy Euangeliſts, Mathew, and Luke; by theaMath. 6.9. one as the moſt perfect platforme, to be imitated; by thebLuk. 11.2 other, as the moſt excellent forme, to be vſed of all Chriſtians; and therefore commonly called the Lords Prayer.
Q. What are the words of the Lords Prayer?
A. Our Father which art in heauen, &c.
Q. What are the parts of this Prayer?
A. They are three Viz.
1. A preface of compellation, for entrance into Prayer, in the firſt words, Our Father which art in heauen.
2. A bodie of petitions, containing the matter of Prayer, in the words following.
3. A concluſion for confirmation and cloſe of Prayer, in the laſt words, For thine is the kingdome &c.
Q. To begin with the preface, why doth our Sauiour direct vsus, to giuegive ſuch titles vntounto God, in the entrance of our prayers?
A. That thereby wee may teſtifie, encreaſe, and ſtrengthen our faith in God, conſideringaHeb. 11.6 what he is to vsus, to whom we are about to pray.
Q. What are we to conſider from this, that we are taught to call God [Our Father?]
A. Wee are hereby directed to meditate vponupon a two-ſold relation:
The firſt between our ſelues & God, who in Chriſt is become our Father, and giueth vsus both thebIoh 1.12. priuiledge, andcGal 4.6 ſpirit of ſonnes, ſo to call him; from whence ariſeth, not onelyonly confidence in hisdPſ. 103.13 fatherly louelove and compaſsion towards vsus, as his children, but alſo neceſsitie of dutie, on our parts, that we botheMal. 1.6… honour andfMat. 5.45 imitate him, as ourgEpheſ. 5.1 1. Pet. 1.17 Father.
The ſecond betweene our ſelues, and ſo many as are, or may be, Children of the ſame Father with vsus; with whom therfore at all times; (*Mat 5 23, …. 1. T…m. 2.8. eſpecially when wee make our prayers) wee muſt maintaine, or renew, louelove and peace: and for all whom, as for our ſelues, wee are to be ſuiters vntounto our God, and Father, and they in like manner for vsus; that, eueryevery one praying for all, and all for eueryevery one; wee may iointly encreaſe, and enioy the benefite of the common ſlocke of prayers laid vp in the hands of God.
Q. Whereto doe the words following direct vsus, when wee ſay [which art in heauen?]
A. To the meditation of the glorie, powerfull prouidence, wiſedome, and holineſſe of God, in which regards hee isbPſal. 11.4. Eſay 57.…5 ſaid to dwell in the high and holy place: not that hee is excluded from, or included in any plate (whocIer 23 24 filleth all places, yead1. Kin. 8.27. whom the heauen of heauens cannot containe) but
1. Becauſe his wiſedome, power, and glorie appeareth moſt euidently in the rule of theePſ. 14.1, &c & 8.3. heauens, as of the moſt excellent bodily creatures,Pſ. 103.19. by which inferiour natures are ruled.
2. BecauſeaPſ. 123.1. Col. 3.1, 2 there, and not on earth, wee ſhould now ſeek him, where alſo wee hope, another day, to dwell with him, in the ſame happy fellowſhip, which now the holy Angels, & bleſſed ſoules doe enioy.
3. To teach vsus to praybEccleſ. 5.1 reuerently before him, who is ſo high aboue vsus, yea feruently alſo, that our prayers mayc2. Chro. 32.20. aſcend into heauen.
4. That acknowledging him to ride on the heauens for our help,dPſal. 125 3 able (as in heauen) to doe for vsus, whatſoeuer (as a Father) hee will, wee might, with full confidence in his power and louelove, askeePſal. 2.8 Luc. 11.13 eueryevery good thing of him.
SECT. XL. Of the firſt Petition.
Q. TO come to the body, and matter of prayer; How many Petitions are there in the Lords Prayer?
A. Six; wherof the three firſt are referred to things concerning GOD,aIoh. 12.27, 28. whoſe glory & ſeruice we are to preferre before our own good: the three latter, to things concerning our ſelues,bPſa. 50.15. which wee muſt refer to the former.
Q. To begin therefore with thoſe that concerne God; What are the words of the firſt Petition?
A. cMat. 6.9. Luk. 11.2.Hallowed be thy Name.
Q. What is the meaning of theſe words?
A
1. By the Name of God wee are to vnderſtand GoddEſay 26.8 himſelfe, as he maketh knowne to vsus the fame, & glorie of his nature, otherwiſeeGen. 32.29 vnconceiueable, whether by his
fExod. 3 14▪ & 6.3.Titles, as Iehouah, Elohim, &c. orgExo. 33.28, 19. &c. & 34.5, 6. &c. Attributes, as of louelove, wiſedome, power, iuſtice, &c. which being eſſentiall in him, are for our capacitie, expreſſed vnderunder the names of ſuch qualities in vsus: or
Memorials, as his workes ofaPſal. 104. creation, and prouidence, but eſpeciallybPſal. 19.14 redemption: or hiscPſa. 138.2. & 19.7. &c word (and worſhip) which is the booke of grace, and the box of ointment, out of which the ſweetdCant. 1.2 ſauour of his name, is moſt effectually powred.
2. By [hallowing] wee muſt vnderſtand, the ſeparating of the name of God, from all profane and vnholy abuſe: not by adding any holineſſe thereto, but byePſal. 96.8. acknowledging and honouring it for ſuch; whereby wee doe, as it were, ſet the crowne of holineſse & honour vponupon the head of God.
Contrariwiſe, failing ſo to do, we are guilty of the profanation of Gods holy name: not that he can receiue any pollution from vsus, but onelyonly as the man, that lusteth after a chaſt woman, is ſaid, by ourfMat 5.28. Sauiour, to bee guiltie of adultery with her, though ſhee remaine, in her ſelfe, ſpotleſſe, and vndefiled.
Q. What doe wee then aske of God in this Petition?
A. Two things, Viz.
1. That he wold vouchſafe to plant, & encreaſe in vsus, & others, ſuch graces wherby his name may be glorified, asaPſal. 100.3 & 67.…. knowledge of God,bPſa. 115.1. humilitie, thankfulnes, patience: cPſ. 51.15 & 45.1.lips opened, and tongues tuned to ſpeak of him with reuerence: Finally adMat. 5.16 1. Pet. 2.… Tit. 2.10 life ſo ordered, that men may ſay, hee is an holy God, who, by his grace, maketh vsus an holy people.
2. That he would remoue, & root out of our hearts, tongues, & liues, all ſuch vices, by and for which his name is diſhonoured, asePro 8.13 pride, profanenes, fHoſ. 8.12ignorance, infidelity, gRom. 1.21vnthankfulnes, impatience &c. thoſe tongue-wormes ofhExod. 20.7 ſwearing, blaſphemie, & vnreuerent ſpeaking of him: FinallyiRo 2.23, 24 euill and ſcandalous life, for which the name of God, and his religion, is euill ſpoken of in the world.
SECT. XLI. Of the ſecond Petition.
Q. VVHat are the words of the ſecond Petition?
A. aMath. 6.10 Luc. 11.2.Thy Kingdome come.
Q. What is the meaning of theſe words?
A. Firſt by the Kingdome of God we muſt vnderſtand, not thatbEſ…. 6.5. Pſa. 95.3. &c. vniuerſall ſoueraignety which, as Creator, he exerciſeth ouer all creatures, diſpoſing them all vntounto their proper ends for his glorie: but thecPſal. 110.2 1. Cor. 15.25 ſpirituall regiment of the Church (and of all things for the good of the Church) wherein God hath appointeddPſal. 2.6. Hoſ. 3.5. Chriſt to be the King, theeR…uel. 15.3. ſaints his ſubiects, thefJob 22.22. word his law, thegHeb. 1.6. Angels, and all creatures his ſeruants, theh2. Cor. 5.20 Miniſters his Heralds, and Embaſſadors: finally theiMat. 12.26. diuels kingdome, that is, wicked Angels, and men (kLuc. 19 27. enemies to the Kingdome of Chriſt) hislPſal. 110.1. footſtoole.
Secondly this Kingdome is ſaid to come,
1 In regard of meanes, where theaMath 12.28, & 13 19. Mat. 1.15. word of the Kingdome is publiſhed.
2 In regard of efficacy, wherebRom. 6.17. from the heart obedience is yeelded.
3 In regard of perfection it hath theſe degrees: Viz.
cMath. 13.8.Encreaſe of grace in the time of this life:
ThedLuc. 23.42 43. tranſlation of bleſſed ſoules into heauen, in the moment of death:
Finally theeMat. 25.34 full redemption, and glorification of the Saints, in ſoule and body, in the life to come.
Q. What things doe wee then craue of God, in this petition?
A. Six things, viz.
1 That SatansfAct. 26.18. Kingdome may be aboliſhed, theg2. Tim. 2.26. Coloſſ. 1.13. bonds of ſpirituall captiuity looſed, thehGal. 5.24. power of corruption, that maketh vsus like well of our bondage, abated, thei2. Theſſ. 2.8 inſtruments of Satans tyranny (as the Turke, and Pope, and all ſuch outlawes from Chriſt) defeated.
2. That the word of the Kingdome, the rod anda…. 110.2. … …2. Theſ…. 3.1 ſtandard of Chriſts power, may hauehave*2. Theſſ. 3.1 free paſſage eueryevery where, and bee gloriouſly lifted vp & aduanced.
3. That the eies of all men, eſpecially Princes, may be opened to ſee the*Reu. l. 17.… 1…. filthines of the whore of Babilon, and the true*…. …0.5 beauty of the pure religion, & ſpouſe of Chriſt.
4. That all*Eſa. 56.10.… loiterers, and tonguetied Miniſters remoued,*M th 9.38. faithfull and able watchmen may be ſet ouer the flocke of Chriſt, with ſufficient encouragement of maintenance, countenance, protection &c.
5. That the Lord, by his word and ſpirit, wouldgCol. 3.15, 1…. rule in the hearts and liues of his Saints; making them alſo Kings, in part, by ouercomming the corruption, which is in the world through luſt.
6. That he would finiſh the kingdome of grace, aGen. 9.27.calling his elect vncalled,b2. Theſſ. 2.17. confirming ſuch as ſtand,cIam. 5.15, 16. raiſing the fallen,dEſa. 61.3. comforting the afflicted &c. and haſten the kingdome of glory, both byePhil. 1.23. taking vsus in due time out of this conflicting life, into peace with Chriſt, and finally ſending his Sonne thefReuel. 22.20. ſecond time for the full ſaluation of vsus, and all his choſen, that hee hauing reigned in vsus by grace, we may euerlaſtinglyg2. Tim. 2.12. reigne with him in glory.
SECT. XLII. Of the third Petition.
Q. VVHat are the words of the third petition?
A. hMat. 6.10. Luc. 11.2.Thy will be done on earth as it is in heauen.
Q. What is the meaning of theſe words?
A. Firſt, by this word [thy] wee exclude all wils oppoſed to, or diuers from, the will of God: whether the will ofa2. Tim. 2.26. Satan, or ourb1. Pet 4.2. owne, naturally corrupt, and enthralled to Satan; yea whatſoeuerc2. Sam 7.2, &c. Iam. 4 15. lawfull intentions or deſires, repugnant to the will of God.
Secondly, by the [wil] of God we here vnderſtand, not ſo muchdDeut. 29.29 that part, which he keepeth ſecret from vsus, as his eternal counſell, theePro. 27.1. euents of outward things,fAct. 1.7. times and ſeaſons &c. which it is vnlawfull to enquire into, impoſsible to know, or to withſtand, andgAct. 4 28. no thanke for vsus to accompliſh, vntounto which we muſt onelyonly with patience and contentmenthAct. 21.14. ſubmit our ſelues: as that part thereof, which isiDeut. 29.29 reueiled, and made knowne vntounto vsus in the word, both in the promiſes, which we are to beleeue, and in the precepts, which (as conditions of obedience, in way of thankſgiuing, annexed vntounto the promiſes) we are to performe.
Thirdly, by [doing] wee vnderſtand, not a good intent only in the heart, or aaMat. 21.30 profeſsion of obedience in word and pretence: but an actuall and throughbJam. 1.25. performance of what is required of vsus.
Fourthly, where we ſay, [in earth as in heauen] we propound to our ſelues the patternes of thecPſal. 103.20, & 22 Angels and bleſſed ſoules, who being freed from all mixture of corruption, doe, in their kind, perfectly obey God; whom therfore we deſire to imitate in the maner, though wee know we cannot equall them in meaſure, and degree of obedience.
Q. What doe wee then aske of God in this Petition?
A. Three things. viz.
1. That all wils of wickeddZech. 3.2. Angels andePſal. 140.8. men, as contrary to the will of God, may bee diſappointed.
2. That in vsus,fPſal. 119.18 ignorance of the reueiled will of God,g1. Sam. 15.22, 23. rebellion, diſobedience, murmuring, &c. being remooued, all pretences and diſpenſations, or powers, preſuming to diſpence with the wil of God, diſclaimed, and our hearts by graceaPſal. 119.32. ſet at large, ſtrengthened, andbVerſ. 36. directed, wee may both know, and obey the will of our heauenly Father and Lord.
3 That, for the manner of performance, we may, (after the heauenly patterne aforementioned)cPſal 110.3. willingly without conſtraint, or repugnancy,dPſal. 119 60. ſpeedilte without delay,eDeut 5.28, 29. ſincerelie without hypocriſie,fPſal. 119.6. fully without reſeruation, &gVerſ. 112. conſtantly without intermiſsion, beleeue the promiſes of merciemercy, and obey the precepts of holineſſe.