Gods Holy Mind Touching Matters Moral, Tract 1 · Part 27 – Part 28
Now to the close and shutting vp of our requests in the word Amen.
Quest. What doth the word Amen signifie?
Answ. The signification of it is according to the placing of it either in the beginning of a speech or sentence, or at the end of a speech or sentence.
Quest. What doth the word Amen signifie, when it is placed at the beginning of a speech or sentence?
Answ. An earnest asseueration, or a vehement affirmation; and it is as much as verily, truly, or indeed, and in very truth, and the like thus vsed Math. 5.18. Mar. 3.28. Iohn 14.12. & 16.20.
Quest. What doth the word Amen signifie when it is placed at the end of a speech or sentence?
Answ. Two things,Iere. 11.5. Rom. 1.25. either a wish of the heart to obtaine what hath been vttered and spoken; or else a perswasion of the heart that the thing shall be obtained.
Quest. VVhat then doth the word Amen here signifie, Thine is kingdome, power and glory for euer. Amen.
Answ. It being heere a shutting vp of prayer,Nehem. 8.6. Psal. 106.48. 2 Cor. 13.13. and of the Petitions before mentioned, it signifieth and testifieth both our earnest desire, and heartie wish, that so it may be as wee hauehave prayed, and also our full assurance that so it shall bee as wee hauehave prayed, and our assured expectation to obtaine things asked at the hands of God, according to his promise.
Quest. What may be gathered from the word Amen, being thus vnderstood, and as it is a shutting vp of Prayer?
Answ. Foure things especially.
Quest. What is the first of those?
Answ. This; that Prayer and thanksgiuing to God ought to bee made with vnderstanding, when wee pray or giuegive thankes to God alone by our selues, wee are to vnderstand what it is that wee vtter before God, and when wee pray or giuegive thanks to God with others, and are the mouth of others in prayer to God, either in publike or in priuate, we are to expresse our desires in such words, as those with whom wee pray or giuegive thanks may vnderstand in such a known tongue,Psal. 47.7. 1 Cor. 14.15.16 Obiection. that Amen may be said to our petitions and thankesgiuings.
The word Amen is an Hebrew word, and so a word of a tongue vnknowne to the common sort of people; and if one word in prayer of speciall vse may bee in an vnknowne tongue, why may not many words of an vnknowne tongue bee vsed in prayer, and so a whole prayer bee made in an vnknowne tongue?
Quest. How is this to bee answered?
Answ. Thus; though the word Amen be an Hebrew word, and so a word of a tongue vnknowne to most men, yet by the vse of it, it is become as familiar and as well knowne as any other English word: as many Latin words, as Nisi prius, Habeas corpus, and such like other termes of law by common vse are become familiar, and well knowne in our English tongue.
Quest. What is the s…cond thing that may bee gathered from the word Amen, being rightly vnderstood, and as it is a shutting vp of prayer?
Answ. This; that Prayer and thankesgiuing to God ought to be made in truth of heart: when we pray or giuegive thanks to God,…sal. 17.1. …ere. 20.23. …ose. 7.14. either by ou… selues alone, or with others in publike or in priuate, or doe ioyne with others when they pray or giuegive thankes to God, our hearts must be lift vp to God, and must ioyne with the vttering of eueryevery request and thankesgiuing that is vttered by the tongue: and wee must pray and giuegive thanks to God heartily and vnfainedly, so as we may say Amen to our owne and to other mens petitions and thankesgiuings, with whom we pray or giuegive thanks.
Quest. What is the third thing that may be gathered from the word Amen, being rightly vnderstood, and as it is a shutting vp of Prayer?
Answ. This; that Prayer and thankesgiuing to God ought to be made with an holy feruency, earnestnes, and importunitie,…ai. 37.17. …an 9.19. …at. 7.7. when we pray or giuegive thanks to God either by our selues alone, or with others in publike or in priuate, we are to doe it with an holy feruency of spirit, doubling and redoubling our requests and thanksgiuings; for the adding of the word Amen doth import a repeating and redoubling our petitions and thankesgiuings.
Quest. VVhat is the fourth thing that may bee gathered from the word Amen, being rightly vnderstood, and as it is a shutting vp of Prayer?
Answ. This; that Prayer and thanksgiuing to God ought to be made with faith grounded on the promise of God: when we pray or giuegive thanks to God,Tim 2.8. …am. 1.6.7. Ioh. 6.14. either by our selues, or with others, in publike or in priuate, we are to do it with faith, resting on Gods promise: for Amen is a word of faith, expressing full assurance that it shall be as we hauehave prayed.
Thus, through the mercy of God I hauehave passed through the Lords Prayer, and handled the Preface, sixe Petitions, and the Conclusion of it. Now a question or two in generall touching the vse of it.
Quest. Are we onelyonly to vse the words of the Lords Prayer, and not any other forme of prayer?
Ans. We are not to refuse this forme of prayer, nor the vsing of the very words of the Lords prayer,Luk. 11.2. compared with Hoze. 14.3. for that were a proud contempt of Christ his Ordinance; yet wee are not to confine our selues only to the words of the Lords prayer, and to vse no other words: Christ neuer intended to binde vsus to the forme of words, but of the matter; and it were extreame idlenesse & superstition to vse the words of the Lords prayer alone, and none other. In the dutie of Prayer, varietie of words is required, for the powring forth of our soules before the Lord.
Quest. What is then the vse of the Lords Prayer?
Answ. It serues as a paterne and direction to bee imitated and followed, or at the least, aymed at in the framing of our prayers to God at all times, and on all occasions: for vnlesse our prayers bee framed according to the Lords Prayer, they cannot be pleasing to God.
Quest. Must wee of necessitie follow all the petitions of the Lords Prayer, in framing a prayer.
Answ. No, but only those petitions which doe principally concerne the present time, place, and occasion;Act. 4.24. to. 31 Coloss. 1.9.10. for oftentimes according to the occasion, some one petition is more then the rest to be imitated and followed.
Iude Epist. vers. 25.
foreign.
HOMO DEO, LVTVM FIGVLO. Eltonus.
GODS HOLY MIND TOVCHING MATTERS MOrall, which himselfe vttered in Tenne Words, or Tenne COMMANDEMENTS. ALSO CHRISTS holy Mind touching Prayer, deliuered in that most holy Prayer, which himselfe taught vntounto his Disciples: Discouered by the light of his owne holy Writ, and deliuered by Questions and Answeres. By the late Reuerend and faithfull Preacher of Gods word, Mr. EDWARD ELTON, Bachelour in Diuinitie, and Pastor of Saint Mary Magdalens Barmondsey, neere London.
I hauehave seene an end of all perfection, but thy Commandement is exceeding large. Psal. 119.96.
For the Law was giuen by Moses, but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ. Iohn 1.17.
LONDON, Printed by A.M. and I.N. for Robert Mylbourne, and are to bee sold at his Shop at the great South doore of Pauls. 1625.