Exposition of the Lords Prayer, Treatise
A BREIFE AND HEAVENLY EXPOSITION ON the LORDS PRAYER.
MATH. VI. IX. &c.
After this manner therefore pray yee: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed bee thy Name;
Thy Kingdome come; Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven;
GiueGive us this day our daily bread;
And forgiue us our debts, as we forgiue our debtors;
And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evill; For, thine is the Kingdome, the Power, and the Glory, for ever. Amen.
OUr blessed Saviour in that most excellent Sermon of his upon the Mount, having taught and delivered many excellent things unto those Multitudes which then followed him: at length knowing how usefull a thing fervent and frequent prayer is for our safe and comfortable passage through this world to our heavenly home: commeth to informe them of divers things touching this so spirituall and heavenly Dutie. Having therefore in the beginning of this Chapter given divers instructions touching Almes: in the next place, he comes to Prayer.
1. Giving generall directions touching it.
2. Teaching the forme and ground thereof.
In generall he sheweth them, 1. what they should shunne and avoid, [Hypocrisie] in divers instances: Praying, standing in the streetes and Synagogues, to be seene of men: and then, to shunne vaine repetitions. 2. Like unto a good Physician or Surgeon, he not onelyonly sheweth the disease what it is; with the danger thereof: Verely I say unto you they have their reward: But also he prescribeth them the remedie; quite contrary to the disease: 1. To enter into their Closet: 2. To shut the doore, in secret. 3. To flie all likenesse unto these Hypocrites: (which indeed is a sure remedie to shunne the first occasions of evill) whereunto he addes a strong moving reason: For your Father knoweth what things yee have need of before you aske him.
Now when our Saviour had thus made way, in preparing them for this so heavenly, spirituall and necessary a dutie: he in the next place teacheth them the right forme and ground of true Prayer; answering unto all our necessities for soule and for body, and that in a substantiall briefe manner. ver. 9. &c.
After this manner therefore pray yee: Our Father which art in heaven: Hallowed be thy Name, &c. wherein we hauehave set downe;
1. A preface to the Prayer: After this manner therefore pray yee: Our Father, &c.
2. The forme of Prayer it selfe, in 6. petitions.
3. The conclusion of the Prayer, shewing strong reasons for granting of these: For thine is the Kingdome, the Power, and the Glorie, &c.
First, In the Preface; we hauehave 1. A discoverie of our Saviours intention: viz. to set downe the ground and foundation of Prayer, After this manner therefore pray yee. 2. A direction how to begin aright. 1. Not to goe unto Saints or Angels, but unto our heavenly Father: 2. Not to be full of selfe-louelove as to goe alone, but to take in others with our selues.
Secondly, In the forme of Prayer it selfe, we are prescribed to aske. 1. In the three first petitions, such things as concerne the glory of God: 2. In the three last, such things as concerne our good.
Thirdly, In the Conclusion: we hauehave the reasons enforced for speeding of these Petitions, very strong ones: because, all Dominion, Power, and Glorie is his for ever. All which is knit up with the assurance of Faiths certaintie of speeding well (having thus prayed) in the word, Amen.
But more particularly in the Preface we hauehave set Summe. downe, a most absolute preparation unto faithfull Prayer and Thankesgiving, wherein our blessed Saviour sheweth, (if we would aright call upon the name of the Lord, so as we and our petitions may be accepted of him, and blessed by him) first, how we must stand affected towards men, in this word [Our] which giveth us to understand that when we put up our supplications unto the Lord our God; we must not onelyonly intreat him, to bestow good things upon us, but also speake a good word for the rest of his elect, that he would vouchsafe to be gracious unto them, even as unto our selues.
Secondly, how we must be perswaded of God, viz: first, that hee is our Father, that is, such a God as pittieth us, and hath a tender regard of us, who is readie and willing to helpe us in our distresses, relieue us in all our miseries, and every way els, able to shew forth the bowels of a Father towards us: whereof, untill wee be in some measure assured; wee may well utter the words of prayer, but we can never bring a true faithfull prayer indeed before the Lord.
And where it is said in the next words, that God is in Heaven, the meaning thereof is not, that God is shut up in that one place, more then in any other: for as Ieremie witnesseth, Hee filles heaven and earth with his presence, the wholeIer. 23. 24. world cannot containe him, but he containes it. For in him we liue, and moue, and hauehave our being. Acts 17. 28.Therefore when he is called, Our Father in heaven, What, Our Father which art in heaven, implieth.it is as much in effect as if he had beene termed, Our heavenly Father, (as else where he is) Math. 6. 32. that is, such an one, as is infinite in Power, Wisedome, MercieMercy, and of All-sufficiencie in every respect to doe us good, so that both of these, viz. that he is a Father, and an heavenly Father, are very necessary to be known and beleeved: For, if we be not perswaded that he is our Father, we shall not dare with boldnesse to approach unto him: and if we beleeue not that he is an heavenly Father, we shall thinke it bootelesse to depend upon him, and to expect blessings from him.
After this manner therefore pray yee. Our Father, &c.
In that our blessed Saviour here setting down a most absolute and perfect platforme of prayer, according to which patterne, the supplications of all Gods servants are to be formed and framed, doth strictly enjoyne us to come unto our heavenly Father, and to none other but to him alone, whence we learne;Observat. 1. That God onelyonly is to be called upon.
That none is to be prayed unto but God alone.
For howsoever we be not precisely bound untoThat all prayer must hauehave warrant and ground from the Lords Prayer. the words of this prayer, yet we are tyed to obserue the substance of it: because no petition or thankesgiving can be allowable or acceptable, unlesse it hauehave ground and warrant from the Lords prayer; And therfore in as much as there is no one word contained therein, that may giuegive the least shew of allowance, to put up our petitions unto any beside the Lord himselfe. it hence evidently appeareth, that this service is to be consecrated and offered unto him alone, being that high honor which alone hee himselfe challengeth, saying, Call upon mee in the day of Psal. 50. 13.trouble, and I will heare thee, and thou shalt glorifie Isay 44.me. He sends us to no other: for it is his honor (which hee will not depute unto any Creature) to be the immediate hearer of all suites. And therefore the Prophet Isaiah givethIsay 55. 6. this exhortation, Seeke the Lord, while hee may be found, call upon him while he is neere, &c. (not to heape together many proofes in a point so cleare.) The Sonne of God himselfe, who is best acquainted with his Fathers will saith, (applying it against the Devill,) Thou shalt worship Math. 4. 10.the Lord thy God, and him onelyonly shalt thou serue.
If then Prayer be a part of Gods worshippe, (which none will deny) it must necessarily follow, that it is to be appropriated unto him alone.
First, because (as Salomon testifieth in hisReason 1. Because God onelyonly knoweth the heart. prayer)2 Chron. 6. 30. The Lord onelyonly knoweth the hearts of the children of men: whether they pray faithfully, or hypocritically, whether they come for custome, with bare words of prayer, to serue their owne turnes: or of conscience, with sighes and groanes to magnifie Gods name, in asking that which may tend to his glory. If wee were to make requests unto men or Angels, that cannot search into our thoughts and affections, a false hypocrite might speed as well as a true hearted Christian: Iudas might finde as good successe as Peter, nay many times farre better: for divers of them present their suites with a more glorious flourish of words, and those uttered in a more vehement and earnest manner in outward appearance, than sundry or almost any of Gods deare children can attaine unto. Which stands with good reason: for the Hypocrite lookes onelyonly to the outside, even to the forme and order of his words and sentences, that therby he may please others, or himselfe: whereas a Christian hath a principall respect unto the inside, and lookes chiefly upon his soule and conscience; that he may draw his heart into Gods presence, and keep it there when it is there, from the beginning to the end of that holy service: striving withall for faith, reverence, and willingnesse to submit himselfe to Gods pleasure concerning the things hee asketh, and for the time of obtaining them, and the like: which inward strife being that which God doth principally looke after, maketh a faithfull man to be in a sort regardlesse of that which carnall men doe most respect. Whence it would come to passe, that if any but the Lord had the hearing of their prayers, false hearted dissemblers should carrie away the reward from sound hearted Christians: But seeing that is his office, who respects not the words of the lips, but the affection of the heart, they shall speede best that are best. For He giveth unto every one, as hee knoweth 2 Chron. 6. 30.his heart. This then is the first reason, why God onelyonly is to be invocated of us.Reas. 2. In that prayer must be made to one of absolute sufficiencie.
A second is; That Prayer must be made to such a one, as is of absolute power, and sufficiency to heare and helpe all men, in all places, at all times, and in all needes: (for otherwise with what confidence or comfort can we become petitioners unto him,) now it is sure that no Saint, Angell, or any other Creature in heaven or earth is able to doe, (for they are all of a circumscribed nature, and of a finite power) onelyonly the Almightie and All-sufficient Lord of heaven and earth can performe this, whose essence fillethIer. 23. all the whole world, whose power is sufficientPsal. 115. to doe whatsoever he will, whose hand none can resist, and whose goodnesse never failethDan. 4. Psal. 9. those that seeke unto him. Whence it may firmely be concluded, that in our prayers wee must hauehave recourse unto him, and none other.
Thirdly, because there is not in the wholeReas. 3. Because the Scriptures giuegive no such precepts. Scripture any Commandement or example of any one godly man or woman, that may giuegive us warrant to use the invocation of any, but of God alone: neither is there any promise of good successe if we should use it. And therefore such prayers of ours could not be faithfull prayers, as wanting a ground from the word, but sinfullRom 1. vlt. and consequently abhominable before the Lord. Nay, we are so farre from having any example, or promise, or Commandement for it, that we in this place hauehave a direct Commandement to the contrary. When yee pray (sayth our Saviour) pray thus, Our Father &c. For thereby is implyed, that we must keepe our selues within the bounds of this prayer, which tyeth us to make our requests knowne unto God alone, so that hee that goes beyond the limits that Christ doth prescribe here, goes beyond a prayer of faith, and so makes a prayer of sinne, which the Lord cannot choose but hate and abhorre. Which serues.
First, for the confutation and overthrow of that Ʋse 1 sacrilegious doctrine of Poperie, that teacheth men to pray unto the Angels, and Saints departed, which prayers can yeelde them no more comfort, then this prescript forme here set downe by our Saviour Christ, will yeeld them warrant for that which they doe.
But they object, that they acknowledge their Object. prayers must be presented to God alone, but they may use the Saints and Angels as Mediators betwixt God and them.
All this is but meere dissembling and cloaking Answ. 1 of their sinne, for (to say nothing of that point) that there is but one Mediator betweene God and man, even the man Christ Iesus, who by1 Tim. 5. the incense of righteousnesse perfumeth the prayers of the Saints, that they may be pleasingRevel. 8. in the nostrels of the Lord of hoasts, though in themselues they savor strongly of the flesh: they doe giuegive them that divine worship, which is due unto God alone: which that we may the more cleerely discerne, let us hearken what the Apostle saith. How shall they call on him, in whom they Rom. 10. 14.hauehave not beleeved, &c. If then they professe that they invocate Saints and Angels, they must likewise graunt they beleeue in them, which, what is it, but to giuegive unto them divine worship?
Againe, when they pray unto them, they in effect acknowledge thus much, that they are able to heare them, and to relieue them alwayes, every where, and in every one of their needes: And what is this, but to giuegive unto them divine worship?
Lastly, doe they not attribute that unto Mary, and Peter, and to the rest of the Saints and Angels, which is the peculiar prerogatiue of God himselfe, namely, to be able to enter into mens hearts, and to discerne of their affections when they are praying unto them? What is this but to ascribe unto them divine honour, and to set them as it were in Gods Chaire of estate? Therefore be they never so full of damnable hipocrisie and cunning, to colour over this their fowle sin, with goodly and glorious pretences; It is sufficiently knowne unto God, and unto all godly men, that they commit grosse Idolatrie in that worship which they performe, for which they are esteemed Idolaters, and Sacrilegious persons, that robbe the Lord of his due honor, and shall receiue at the hands of God justice, a proportionable measure of punishment according to their sinne.
Secondly, It is for Instruction, sith God will Ʋse 2 hauehave the hearing of all suites, immediately in his owne person, and sets none as substitutes under him in that office, this should teach us to be in league with him, and to cast off all manner of corruptions, that will bring us out of favour with him, for he is a God of pure eyes that cannot endure iniquitie, intertained and maintained, for if we regard wickednesse in our hearts, he will notPsal. 66. 18. heare us. Whence it comes to passe, that unbeleeving Papists, and other sinfull persons, hauehave so little heart and courage to goe unto the Lord in his owne person, because their owne consciences testifie against them, that they hauehave beene and are, and still purpose to bee notable Rebels against his Majestie.
Let Christians therefore before they pray,A helpe to prayer. throughly consider with themselues, that they are to enter into his presence that is a God of perfect holinesse, and absolute puritie, and withall, that unlesse they can hauehave free and comfortable accesse unto the throne of Grace, they neither hauehave title unto, nor can possibly hauehave the comfortable use of any blessing spirituall or corporall. And this they shall finde to be an excellent meanes to awe and terrifie them from offending him, on whom all their happinesse and prosperitie doth depend.
If all the Subjects in the Land, were bound Simile. in all matters of weight, to preferre their severall suites unto the Kings Majestie himselfe, that so he might giuegive sentence in his owne royall person, either for them, or against them, according to their demerites; would it not make them circumspect in their carriage and course of life, that it might be altogether such as should expresse their loyaltie and due subjection unto their Soveraigne? So stands the case with all Christians, the great King of heaven, who is their Lord and Governour, will hauehave the hearing of all our causes himselfe, and will trust no deputie under him, that might be bribed, flattered, or feared, or in any sort corrupted, and his eye is fixed not onelyonly upon their outward behaviour, (which is as much as earthly Kings can looke into) but also upon their inward man, he being the searcher and tryer of the heart and of the raines: which should cause us with all due care and circumspection to looke unto our hearts, and to our wayes, that he may espie nothing therein, which will provoke the eyes of his glory, and breake off our peace and communion with him. If they of Tyrus and Sidon Acts 12.thought it a point of good policie (as indeed it was) to come with one accord, and to perswade Blastus, Herods Chamberlaine, by this Simile. meanes to desire peace, when Herod intended to make warre against them, because their Countrey was nourished by the Kings Land. How much more should we account it Christian wisdome to prevent warres that might arise betwixt the God of heaven and us? Especially, considering, that not onelyonly the maintenance of our Countrey and estate, but the welfare of our bodies and soules, and all the happinesse and comforts that we enjoy here, yea our salvation it selfe, and that felicitie which we expect hereafter, doth depend upon, and proceed from his meere bountie and free liberalitie.
Thirdly, this serveth for the comfort of all Gods Vse 3 servants, that they are to put up their suites and requests unto the Lord onelyonly and immediately, without the intercession of any Creature, and need not become Petitioners unto any other, either Saints or Angels, of whose continuall presence and readinesse, and abilitie to helpe and succour them all, wheresoever, and in what extremitie soever they shall be, they must needs be utterly uncertaine, and so hauehave their afflicted soules much turmoiled and perplexed within them: This (I say) is a marvellous great comfort unto them, that they may hauehave free accesse (without any further adoe) unto the throne of his mercy, who is neere unto all them that call upon Psal. 145.him in truth, though in much weakenesse, andPsal. 46. 1. is an helpe in trouble readie to be found. Who can Psal. 115.doe whatsoever he will, in heaven, and in earth, Psal. 50.and commandeth us to call upon him in time of distresse, with a certaine and undoubted promise, that he will deliver us, that so we may glorifie him, and will not impart this honor unto any other, but reserue it to himselfe as a speciall prerogatiue royall (as it were) to be sued unto alone, of all such as professe themselues to bee servants and subjects unto his Majestie.
Certainely, in as much as wee hauehave such a worthy priviledge as this is, that we may come unto the Kings own person and presence, whensoever we hauehave occasion, our sinne must needes be very great and grievous if we choose rather to hauehave recourse unto his Iustices, Constables, or under-officers whomsoever, (who neither will nor can undertake to heare us,) than unto his owne Majestie, leaving the fountaine of living waters, and making to our selues brokenIeremie. cisternes that will hold no water.