A Godly and Learned Treatise of Prayer, Introduction
MATTH. 6. 9. foreign. LUKE 11. 2. foreign.
TO call upon the name of God by hearty and effectuall prayer, is a duty in it self most excellent, to God most glorious, to our selves most profitable and necessary: But such is the blindnesse and ignorance of our minds, the dulnesse and hardnesse of our hearts, that we know not either how to pray or what to ask: Like to Zebedee's children, Matth. 22. 20. We ask we know not what: and as Paul speaketh, Rom. 8. 26. We know not what to pray as we ought. Wherefore our Saviour Christ in abundant mercy towards us, that he might relieve our wants in this behalf, hath set down a prescript form of prayer whereby we are to frame ours, commanding us when we do pray to pray thus.
In which words as he forbiddeth us not to useforeign. this prayer, so he doth not alwayes bind us to use the same words. For here two extremities are to be avoided: the first of the Brownists, who think it unlawfull to use the prescript form of these words; the second of the Papists, who superstitiously …nsist in the very words and syllables themselves.
As touching the first; Our Saviour commandeth2. The Lords prayer is to be used as a prayer. us thus to pray; and more plainly, Luke 11. 2. When ye pray, say, Our Father, &c. Therefore unlesse it be unlawfull to obey the expresse commandment of our Saviour Christ, it is lawfull to use these words. Secondly, the book of Psalmes doth prove that we may have set forms of prayers. Psal. 86. is a form of prayer to be used in affliction. The 92 is Psalmus in diem Sabbati, A Psalme for the Sabbath. The 102 Oratio pro paupere, A Psalme for a poore man. The 136 A solemn form of thanksgiving. 2. Chron. 7. 6. and 20. 21.
For the second, when Christ commandeth to That we ought not to be tyed onelyonly to this form.pray thus, he doth not tie us to the words but to the things. We must pray for such things as herein summarily are conteined, with such affections as are herein prescribed. For we must understand that our Saviour Christ propoundeth this prayer as a brief summe of all those things which we are to ask. For as the Creed is summa credendorum, the summe of things to be believed; the Decalogue, summa agendorum, the summe of things to be done: so the Lords Prayer is summa petendorum, the summe of things to be desired. But as all things particularly to be believed are not particularly expressed in the Creed; nor all things to be done, in the Decalogue: so neither are all things particularized in the Lords prayer for which we are to ask: And therefore it is lawfull, nay expedient and necessary, often to descend into the particulars themselves. For the proving whereof we have so many arguments as there are prayers of the godly recorded in the word: For though all of them may be referred to this prayer or some part thereof, yet none of them are conceived in the same words. And moreover, Matthew and Luke in setting down this prayer are not curious in observing the same words: And therefore superstitious is the opinion and practice of the Church of Rome, who think that the bare repetition of these words in an unknown tongue, without understanding or faith, is ex opere operato meritorious: as though our Saviour Christ had prescribed these words to be used as a charm, &c.
First, whereas our Saviour Christ propoundethforeign That this form is a perfect pattern. this form, we may be assured that it is a perfect pattern of prayer; that nothing ought to be asked which is not in it conteined. For in him are all the treasures of the wisdome and knowledge of God, Col. 2. 3. He knoweth what is acceptable unto God, what is needfull for us: therefore in this prayer is conteined whatsoever is either fit for God to grant or for us to ask. By this then as a pattern we are to form our prayers, and as by a rule we are to examine them. May the things which we desire be referred to these petitions? then may we boldly ask them. Can they not be referred? then do we not pray according to Gods will; and therefore can have no assurance that we shall be heard.
Secondly, whereas Christ teacheth his disciplesMinisters must teach their people to pray. to pray, herein he giveth an example to be imitated of Ministers; sc. that as they teach other things, so also to pray. John Baptist, Luke 11. 1. taught his disciples to pray; whereupon Christs disciples desire him in like manner to teach them. Wherein also they are to be an example to be imitated of all learners: As the Father in the family, or the Pastour in the Church, ought to teach; so the child in the house, the hearer in the Church, ought to be desirous to learn how to pray▪
Thirdly, it sheweth that of our selves we know not how to pray. For if we should be left to our own affections and desires, we should ask many times those things which would tend to Gods dishonour and our own hurt: As appeareth by Socrates, who wanting this direction of our Saviour Christ, knew not what to ask, but groping in darknesse desired in generall terms, that those things which are good he would give them whether they asked them or no, and would deliver them from evil things although they should ask them: Plato in Alcib. 2.
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O Jupiter King, give unto us good things whether we ask or ask them not; but put away from us evil things though we pray for them. And therefore our Saviour Christ thought it necessary to teach us how to pray.
Again, hence ariseth great comfort to Gods children:foreign. For whereas the word of God assureth us whatsoever we shall ask according to his will it shall be given us, 1. John 5. 14. we may assure our selves that we so pray when we follow Christs direction. Neither need we doubt but the Lord acknowledging the voice of his own Sonne (as Cyprian saith) our prayersAgnoscit Pater filii sui verba cùm preces fundimus. foreign shall be acceptable unto him.
Lastly, seeing our Saviour Christ hath commanded us to pray and taught us how, we are unexcusable if we neglect this duty.
One thing further is to be considered in the words as they are set down by Luke, When ye pray, say: Whether speech in prayer be alwayes necessary.Quest.
There is foreign, either inward or outward Answ.speech: and prayer is either vocall or mentall: And the Lord heareth the cry of the heart, and our secret grones are not hid from him, Psal. 38. 10. Howbeit the voyce is to be used so oft as it may conveniently, both for the attention of the mind and intension of the affections, &c.
NOw let us come to the Lords Prayer it self. InOf the Lords prayer. which is lively, though summarily, set down unto us the practice of that doctrine which heretofore we have learned concerning prayer. For as we have been taught that Prayer and Thanksgiving are to be joyned together: so here with the Petitions is joyned a Thanksgiving, wherein we are taught to ascribe unto the Lord eternall kingdome, power and glory; which words almost David useth in his solemn thanksgiving, 1. Chron. 29. 11.
Again, whereas we have been taught that unto prayer are required duties before we pray and also in prayer it self, both here are prescribed. Before we are to use preparation, wherein we are to meditate of such things as are fit to stirre up those graces in us which in prayer are to be expressed. In prayer two things are to be expressed; an hungring and thirsting desire of grace, and the speciall assent of faith: For the stirring up of both which it is fit to meditate upon the fatherly love and almighty power of God, which our Saviour hath taught us to prefix before the prayer it self. In prayer two things especially are to be expressed: 1. An hungring and thirsting desire of the grace and blessing of God; 2. A speciall assent of faith that our request shall be granted. Therefore the prayer it self is divided into Petitions and Conclusion: the desire being especially expressed in the Petitions; the Conclusion conteining, 1. a confirmation, 2. a testification of our faith, in the word Amen. Of the Lords prayerThe parts. therefore there be two parts: the Preface; and the Prayer it self, consisting of Petitions and the Conclusion, conteining a Confirmation of our faith joyned with the praysing of God, and also a Testification both of our faith and the truth of our desire, in the word Amen.
In expounding the Lords Prayer we will observeThe order. this order: First, we will expound the words, and shew the true meaning of thē ▪ & then we will inferre the uses of Doctrine, Confutation, Instruction in the duties of prayer and of our lives; and lastly, of Reproof, whereby shall be detected the hypocrisie of worldly men, who using these words do not pray in truth.
Whereas our Saviour doth not abruptly propound the Petitions, but prefixeth a solemn Preface, we are taught before we call upon God to use some preparation.
The preface conteineth a description of God toThe prefac…. whō we pray, taken 1. from his relation to us, that he is Our Father; 2. from the place wherein his majesty doth especially appear, that he is in heaven: the former signifying especially his love; the other, his power. Of which two if in our preparation we do duly meditate, our desire will be kindled and our faith confirmed, considering that he to whom we pray is both able and willing to grant our requests.