Gods Holy Mind Touching Matters Moral, Tract 1 · Part 6
Now to the meaning of the wordes of this Petition.
Quest. How are we to conceiue of Gods will?
Answ. Thus; Gods will in it selfe is onelyonly one simple and vndiuided, as God himselfe is: but vntounto vsus it is diuersly propounded;Deut 29.29. and so it may bee distinguished into his hidden and secret will, or his will signified and reuealed.
Quest. VVhat is Gods hidden and secret will?
Ans. The will of God, which either in respect of the time is not yet manifested by the euents which afterwards come to passe,Prou. 27.1. Iohn 21 21.22 Acts 1.67. Psal. 36.6. Rom. 11.33. or which in respect of our vnderstanding we are not able to conceiue the incomprehensible depth of, in some particular euents, either good or euill.
Quest. VVhat is Gods signified and reuealed will?
Answ. The will of God, which is made knowne to vsus either in his written Word,Iob. 1.21. or by some euent; for the will of God is signified and reuealed to vsus, not onelyonly in the Scripture, but also by particular euents, either good or euill. Hence Iob sayd, the Lord had taken away his oxen, and Camells, because it was manifested to him by the euent, that God willed the taking of them away.
Quest. What then are we to vnderstand by the will of God in this Petition, Thy will be done, &c.
Answ. The whole will of God reuealed,Mat. 7.21. Mark. 3.35. Act. 21.14. whether it bee by his written Word, or by some euent; and in part Gods secret will, touching some particular things which in time may come to passe.
Quest. What is meant by doing Gods will?
Answ. It hauing relation to men (as here it hath) implied in those words (in Earth) it signifieth both a yeelding of obed…ence to God in all things that he in his written Word requires to be done of vsus, and by vsus,Deut. 6.1.2.3. Psal. 143.10. 1 Pet. 4.2. 1 Sam. 3.18. 2 Sam. 15.26. Mat. 26.42. Iob 1.21. and also a submitting of our selues vntounto him willingly, in all things he layes on vsus to be suffered of vsus, and by vsus; resoluing before such things be laid on vsus, to suffer them patiently when they come, whatsoeuer they shall be: and when they are on vsus, quieting our selues, and resting contented in the good will and pleasure of God therein reuealed.
Quest. What are we to vnderstand by these words in this Petition, in Earth, or on Earth?
Ans. The word (Earth) in this Petition is put by a Metonymia of the subiect: for man liuing in the world, or dwelling on the face of the Earth: let men on Earth doe the will of God, as Christ saide: Iohn. 17.4. I hauehave gloryfied thee on Earth.
Quest. What are we to vnderstand by the word (Heauen) in this Petition?Psal. 103.20.
Answ. The word Heauen in this Petition, is likewise put by a Metonymia of the subiect, for the blessed Angels and soules of the Saints departed, and now glorified in Heauen. And so wee pray: Let men on Earth doe the will of God, as the blessed Angels and soules of the Saints departed, and now glorified, doe it in Heauen.
Quest. Can wee that liue on the Earth, doe the will of God as the blessed Angels and Saints doe it in Heauen?
Answ. In the measure and degree of obedience wee cannot, but in the likenesse and similitude, we may and ought to doe the will of God as the blessed Angels and Saints doe it in Heauen: for the word (as) being a note of comparison in this petition, it imparts a likenesse and resemblance, and not an equalitie or like quantitie of degree; so that here we pray to performe obedience, not equall in measure and degree to the obedience of the Angels and Saints in Heauen, wee yet liuing in the Earth or on the Earth, though wee must endeauour after it: but such obedience as is like to theirs, and that wee may bee like to them in the manner of our obedience.
Quest. Wherein stands the likenesse of our obedience to Gods will, to the obedience of the blessed Angels & Saints departed?
Answ. In three things especially.
Quest. What is the first of those?
Answ. This; in willingnesse: wee are to doe the will of God willingly and without constraint, for so the Angels and Saints do it in Heauen. Hence the Angels are said to come & stand before God, ready to doe his will. Iob. 1.6. And hence they are saide to hauehave wings. Isa. 6.2.
Quest. What is the second thing, wherein stands the likenesse of our obedience to the will of God, to the obedience of the blessed Angels and Saints departed?
Psal. 103.20. Mat. 18.10. Psal. 119.60.Answ. This; in readinesse: wee are to doe the will of God readily and speedily, for so the Angels and Saints departed doe it in Heauen.
Quest. What is the third thing, wherein stands the likenesse of our obedience to the will of God, to the obedience of the blessed Angels and Saints departed?
Psal. 119.6. Luk. 1.6. 2 King. 23.25. Psal. 119.112.Answ. This; in faithfullnesse, wee are to doe the will of God faithfully in all the parts of it, not by halfes or peecemeale; doing some things and leauing others vndone: and sincerely, and without hypocrisie, and constantly: for so doe the blessed Angels wherein soeuer God imployeth them, and the Lord sending them to execute some iudgement, they neuer giuegive ouer till the Lord say it is sufficient, stay thine hand: as 2 Sam. 24.16.
Quest. What is then the summe of this petition. Thy will bee done in Earth, as it is in heauen?
Answ. This: that whatsoeuer God reuealeth to vsus in his written Word, which he would hauehave vsus to doe, may be obeyed: and whatsoeuer also God makes knowne to vsus by the euent, which he would hauehave vsus to suffer, may be willingly submitted vntounto, with a resolution before such things doe come, to suffer them patiently when they come, whatsoeuer they shall bee; and when they are come, to beare them with quietnesse and contentednesse in the good will and pleasure of God therein reuealed: and that the will of God may bee thus obeyed and suffered, both of vsus and of other men, liuing in this world, euen as willingly, as readily,Psal. 119.101.128. Coloss. 1.9.10.11. Coloss. 4.12. and as faithfully (namely) in all the parts of it: and sincerely, and constantly, as the will of God is obeyed by the blessed Angels, and by the soules of the Saints departed, and now glorified in Heauen.