An Exposition of the Lords Prayer, Dedication
The DEDICATION To the Archbiſhop of CANTERBURY.
THE following Expoſition is moſt humbly Preſented, with all Regards of Reverence and Honour, which the Laws and Ʋſages of this Nation have Affix'd to ſo Great a Character and Station; and to the Perſonage in it, with ſincereſt Veneration of the Exemplary Piety, Holineſs of Converſation, Largeneſs of Mind and Underſtanding, Sagaciouſneſs of Reaſon, and Truly Chriſtian Equanimity, Condeſcention, and Evangelical Catholickneſs of Spirit, ſo Illuſtrious in Him before all the Churches of Christ at this Time; and according to the full Perſwaſion of the Offerer; who therefore Beſeeches the Acceptance of Himſelf, and of what is Preſented.
And ſeeing ſuch a Station is a large Province of doing Good; and that a Servant of God ought to improve it as ſo; There is nothing can be more Earneſtly or Humbly Deſired, then that this Expoſition of ſo Grand a Portion or part of Scripture, may, if it ſhould be convinced of Falſhood, or Contrariety to the Glory, Wiſdom, Truth and Holineſs of the Giver, be Redargued in the ſame manner, It is endeavour'd to be Argued; not with Reſpect to circumſtantial Miſtakes, or Overſights, from which nothing in the preſent ſtate is Free, and without any perſonal References to the Expoſitor (who before hand lays himſelf Proſtrate) which can neither add nor take away from ſubstantial Truths: For ſo is the Apoſtolick Precept to an Evangelick Perſon ſeated in Authority to do it; to Reprove by Elenchizing or Argumentation; when the merit of the caſe requires it; But if on the other ſide what is written be upright, and words of Truth; ſuch a Perſon will, I doubt not, take care that He that hath ſo Laboured in the word and Doctrine may receive the double Honour alloted by Chriſt; Theſe are obligations on Him, that is entruſted with a Goſpel Oeconomy.
Now the Concernment is very great, viz. The Expoſition of the Prayer ſo univerſally Styled The Lord's Prayer; Both becauſe the Prayer is an ineſtimable Treaſure, and even Treaſury to all Chriſtians; and that in its very Repetition, it is made ſo eſſential to the Form of Publick Worſhip in this (as it owns it ſelf) National Church, and by Law Eſtabliſhed.
The Expoſition is alſo Levelled to the Higheſt Point of Chriſtianity; If it be; as it is declared; ſo ſupreme a Truth of the Goſpel, as the Kingdom of Chriſt, peculiar to Him as the Meſſiah, as the great Son of Man is; who hath it written on his Vestim, and on his Thigh, King of Kings, Lord of Lords; Not only as He hath unchangeably a Kingdom, as the eternal Word, or as He now hath All Power in Heaven, and Earth. But in a viſible glorious Kingdom, the Kingdom of the Thouſand Years; that great Feſtival of Tabernacles, Nehem. 8. 15.that ſhall be celebrated with everlaſting Joy, with Lawrels, Olives and Palms, with all the Glory, Verdure and Flouriſh of Paradiſe, when the Pallace of the higheſt Heaven ſhall be, as it were, left for that Time; the Glory and Throne of God and of the Lamb ſhall come down with the New Jeruſalem into the New Heaven above, and into the New Earth beneath, as in Heaven and on Earth, according to this Prayer. This Tabernacle-ſtate Rev. 2. 13.of God with, and comming down to be with men, Not They with him; gives ſtyle to this Feaſt of Tabernacles, ſo renowned by the Prophet Zechary, c. 14. Becauſe it is not the everlaſting Pallace, but the Tabernacle of a thouſand Years; at the end of which, as a Kingdom Deliver'd up, It is drawn up again to God All in All, and All Tabernacle-State ceaſes; And ſeeing now, as is moſt constantly Affirmed, This Kingdom, according to an exact Calculation of Scripture-time, ſhall be in its Succeſſion, and to prepare for its Glory within five Summers; and that as in the Sermon upon the Witneſſes Riſing, herewith Printed; There ſhall be the Avant-Courriers of that Succeſſion, all along theſe very Five Years: This ſolemn Appeal, according to the Greatneſs and Dignity of the Subjects Treated of, is Preſented to ſuch an Angel, in the Church of Ghriſt as is Tuly Hoped, in whom the National Epiſcopacy and Pastoral Office draws to a Point, and Unit, and ſo is Preſented to All in Him, By
Their most Humble Servant in the Prophecy of Jeſus Christ, T. BEVERLEY.
AN EXPOSITION Of the PRAYER we Generally Stile, The Lord's Prayer. According to the Evangeliſts, Matthew, and Luke, Mat. 6. 9. Luke 11. 1. SHEWING, That according to its True Elevation, It is the Prayer of the Kingdom, viz. of the Thouſand Years Kingdom of Christ, in the New Heaven, or Jeruſalem above; and in the New Earth, or Jeruſalem below.
I Have treated much of the Kingdom of Chriſt, and endeavour'd t… demonſtrate it from a great Concert of Scriptures. Now This Prayer is a moſt deſervedly Celebrated Portion of Scripture, and even Summary of Scripture; eſpecially with relation to Prayer, it being a Prayer taught by Chriſt to his Diſciples, when he was here upon Earth; and in them to all Succeſſions of Chriſtians, until his Kingdom comes. Therefore It muſt be preſum'd to draw within it ſelf whatever is matter of Deſire, and ſo of Prayer, throughout the Scripture. Seeing then this Kingdom muſt needs be the moſt Earneſt and Paſſionate Deſire, and Prayer of the Servants of Chriſt; It would be a deep Prejudice againſt the Doctrine of the Kingdom, if it could not be found within this Prayer. But on the other ſide, If it ſhall be found, that all the Lines of the Prayer meet in it, as in a Center; ſo that it muſt be, according to its Trne Elevation, the Prayer of the Kingdom; It will certainly much incline to the Belief of ſuch a Kingdom, Thoſe, who have not hitherto receiv'd it into their Faith, Hope, and Expectation.
It is therefore moſt expedient, I ſhould by the Aſſiſtance of the Spirit, undertake an Expoſition of this Prayer; ſince I (on ſo great Reaſon) eſteem it to be the Prayer of the Kingdom, and therein manifeſt, It is ſuch; and that, as ſuch, it ought to be Prayed by all the Servants of Chriſt, according to ſuch meaſures of Praying it, as ſhall be given, until that very Kingdom come; and more eſpecially by us, who live ſo near the Approaches of it, as we may by the Holy Books understand we do; and therefore ſhould more earneſtly pray for it, (as Daniel, of old, for Jeruſalem) by this very Prayer.
Let it be no Prejudice then, I beſeech you, to Any, who ſhall read this Expoſition; that I add another Interpretation of this Prayer, as the Prayer of the Kingdom, to all thoſe Interpretations that you may have heretofore receiv'd, and may be now in your Families: For I acknowledge thoſe Interpretations, or Expoſitions, to be of very great, not only Excellency, and Uſe, but alſo Neceſſity: I am ſo far from drawing you off from them, that I receive them with greateſt Veneration and Reverence, and declare of them ſo to others
But think it not ſtrange, that he who ſpake, as never Man ſpake; and therefore moſt Juſtly it ought to be believ'd of him, that when he Taught to pray, he ſo Taught, as never Man, beſides himſelf Taught to pray: Think it not ſtrange, I ſay, that he Compriz'd in this Prayer Things beyond the ordinary Apprehenſion, beyond the Surface of Things: For he hath ſo fram'd this Prayer, that it begins at the Foundation of the Kingdom, the Spirituality of it in the Works of Grace here; and it riſes to the Top of the Kingdom, in the Glory of an Illuſtrious Appearance; and ſo guides the Prayers of his Servants by it, in relation to their State in Grace here, and even to their whole State in this World, in Subordination to it, as to riſe in their Deſires to that higher State of Bodies of the Reſurrection in Glory; wherein they ſhall Appear before the Throne of God, and of the Lamb, in the New Jeruſalem above; and alſo to have regard in their P…ayers, according to this Prayer, to the New Creation of God, in a New Earth, a State of Reſtitution to all the Creatures, as in a New Jeruſalem below: And even through all This, our Lord hath in this Prayer peirc'd and ſoar'd beyond, even into the Kingdom of Eternity, when God ſhall be All in All.
Now as to the Firſt, the State of the Kingdom of Grace, which is now; and alſo with relation to the Kingdom of Eternity, which ſhall be at the utmoſt, hereafter, of the Kingdom Deliver'd up; I preſume to add nothing to the General Expoſitions, already ſo full, but ſhall only endeavour to draw the Lines of the Diſcourſe in parallel to the Epiphania, or Luſtre of the Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt, in his Glorious Appearance.
I only premiſe in the General, That I reſt upon the Guard of Providence over this Elect Portion of Scripture; And that it hath ſo watch'd over it, as to ſurprize and prevent any Change of it; So that we have whatever the Divine Spirit Dictated to the Evangeliſts concerning it, and juſt as it Dictated to each Evangeliſt: I therefore matter no Difference of Copies; but as this Prayer is giv…n by Two Evangeliſts, and at Two ſeveral Times, and on Two ſeveral Occaſions, or Accounts; ſo God hath preſerv'd the Prayer in each Evangeliſt, as we find it; and ſo I proceed to Diſcourſe upon it.
I begin with this Prayer, therefore, as we find it in the Evangeliſt Matthew, where it is plac'd in the midſt of the Sermon on the Mount; in which our Lord, gathering together the great Heads of the Spirituality of the Doctrine of Chriſtianity, relating to Practice and Action, neceſſarily falls upon that high Point of Prayer: Firſt, He Regulates the End and Intention of Prayer, as having to do with God only in ſecret, and baniſhes from it all Phariſaic Oſtentation, and Deſire to be ſeen of Men; and from thence he ſlides into the manner, or modelling of Prayer, and bars the Heathen way of Praying, from making an Invaſion into the Chriſtian Church, as it ſeems it had done on the Jews; upon whom the Gentiles Times of Servitude under the Romans now ſate heavy; and their Principles had too much Leav'ned many of the Jews: Our Lord therefore Cautions his Diſciples againſt the Leaven of Herod, implying the Gentiles; and againſt the Leaven of the Phariſees, implying the Corrupted Judaiſm, Mark 8. 15.
And undoubtedly in this very Prayer, our Lord Remonſtrated to All After-Ages of Chriſtians againſt that Falſe Judaiſm, and the Gentiliſm of the Antichriſtian Apoſtacy, in this very matter of Prayer; which yet in his Divine Spirit, He Fore-ſaw would come upon it, under the working of the Myſtery of Iniquity, and the Revelation of the Man of Sin: And the Apocalyptick Prophecy foretells it under thoſe very Names, Jews; who Lyed, in ſaying, They were Jews, and were not; and Gentiles, who Crouded into the Outer Court, and Took away this Daily Sacrifice of Spiritual Evangelical Prayer, and brought in Idolatry and Superſtition in rhe room of it.
When therefore our Great High Prieſt and Prophet Commanded to Pray after this manner, giving only the Summary of Prayer, that muſt needs intend Enlargement, according to every Head; and in this Plain and Unaffected Method, and intire Compoſure of Prayer, without interruptions, or breakings off; without Repetitions, without intermixed Reſponſals, or Suffrages; He hath for ever Damned All thoſe preſcribed, impoſed Liturgies, and Litanies, that conſiſt of theſe; and particularly the ſo often Repetitions of this Prayer, which is exceedingly injur'd, and affrouted thereby, the very avowed intention of it being againſt all Affected Repetitions, and ſo of it ſelf eſpecially. Accordingly, the Firſt, and pureſt Times of Chriſtianity pray'd after this Plain, Unaffected Manner of Prayer.
Ye… it is not to be thought, It was any part of our Lord's meaning to abridge the pouring out Prayer unto God, when the Soul is full of Affection, and flows out into Expreſſion, as abundant; even as Himſelf continued a whole Night in Prayer, and hath left to his Church upon Record, that much larger Prayer, as it were, ſome Sample of his Great Interceſſion, John 17. Nor does he lay his Prohibition upon the Repetition of the very ſame Words, when the Spirit within, inſiſting earneſtly upon the ſame Thing, Naturally chuſes again, and again, the very ſame Words; Fot he himſelf Thrice uſed the ſame Words concerning the Removal of the Cup from him.
Now with this Prayer, as given in this Sermon on the Mount, hath our Lord interwoven many great Principles of Chriſtianity, as he makes plain, by enlarging upon them; as that of Forgiveneſs of Treſpaſſes, according to that; That we ſhould forgive, even as we deſire to be Forgiven; of ſeeking the Kingdom of God, and the Righteouſneſs of i… in the Firſt place; according to that, Thy Kingdom come; of truſting Providence with the Things of To Morrow; according to that, Give us this Day; and of not truſting to the ſaying, Lord, Lord, without doing the Will of our Father, according to that, Thy Will be done; Of All which the Exppſitors of this Prayer in general have excellently treated.
Let it be then allowed, and acknowledg'd, that the Sum of the Account of our Lord's giving this Prayer▪ as in the Sermon on the Mount, is, To give a Prayer Commenſurate with the whole Doctrine of Chriſtianity, to all his Diſciples; And his commanding Them to pray after this manner, included a Command to obtain an Acquaintance with the Spiritual Senſe and Meaning of this Prayer, which they are to learn from the whole Word and Goſpel of the Kingdom. For it cannot be expected, the Great Concernmenss of Chriſtianity this Prayer refers unto, as they fall within Prayer in general, ſhould be found explicitly within this Summary of Prayer for them; That Chriſtians therefore may be able to pray after this manner, or according to the mighty Importances of this Prayer, the Variety of their own States, and all the Occaſions thereof, and according to the various Motions of their own Spirits, the whole Word and Goſpel of the Kingdom muſt dwell Richly in them; that they may all ſteer by the Compaſs of this Prayer; as Men upon the Sea ſhape various Courſes, and yet all ſail by one Compaſs, that never varies; So ſhould we in Prayer, by this Prayer, underſtood according to the whole Doctrine of Chriſt, and his Apoſtles, and no otherwiſe to be underſtood.
And as to the Manner, That there ſhould be no Preſcribing after Chriſt; For what can the Man do, that comes after him? who would yet preſcribe no otherwiſe, than thus in brief, and in this plain, ſincere way, without Artifice, without Doublings this way, and that way; and yet by ſuch an All-Comprehending Wiſdom; that no Man can pray according to the Word of God, but he muſt pray according to this Prayer; For it is as the Sea to Prayer, All the Rivulets of Prayer come out of the Word of God, gathered into this Prayer, and hither they return again; whence they come out, thither they return. None can pray according to the Word of God, but however inſenſible we are of it, as of Waters coming from the Sea, it is a Derivation from this Prayer. Nor can any pray according to this Word, but they muſt pray into this Prayer; All returns again, All ſinks into it, Falls within its Compaſs and Comprehenſion, whether the Words are us'd or not; and yet this Prayer will never be full; it will never be pray'd enough, till this Kingdom comes; Nor can it ever be exhauſted, nor the full Senſe of it drawn out, till that Kingdom come, although All Saints pray out of it, as into it. Now therefore by way of Recollection, I conclude, this Prayer, as given in the Evangeliſt Matthew, is eſpecially given with regard to the whole Doctrine of Chriſtianity; and ſo to be us'd in a Free Expatiation, according to the whole Goſpel. But then I affirm the Kingdom of Chriſt is one of the greateſt Points of the Goſpel; and that other contrary Preſcriptions of Prayer, and with Repetitions and Interruptions eſpecially, are forbidden, as, not after that manner, and great Tranſgreſſions againſt the Simplicity, that is in Chriſt.
Thus far I have remark'd upon this Prayer, as given in the Evangeliſt Matthew; I am now to conſider it, as it is given the Second Time by Chriſt. Recorded by the Evangeliſt Luke: For that it was ſo given a Second Time, will appear: And it is the more deeply to be apprehended, and weigh'd, becauſe it was given the Second Time upon the ſolemn D…ſire of the Diſciples to be Taught to pray, as John Taught his Diſciples. Now Chriſt Teaching to pray, as John, the Forerunner, Taught to pray, (who, though before Chriſt, yet was after him▪) muſt needs Teach to pray, as the Meſſiah, as the Great Prieſt, Prophet, and King, who was to come into the World. The Diſciples were therefore undoubtedly moved by a Divine Inſtinct, to deſire to be Taught to pray by Chriſt, as the Great Master, in the ſame manner that John the Fore-runner Taught his Diſciples. For the Meſſiah, ſo Teaching to pray, cannot but be ſuppos'd to comprize in his Prayer the great Intereſts his Diſciples and Servants have in his Meſſiahſhip; which is much to be obſerv'd to guide us into the higheſt Senſes of it, and above what our Lord might be ſuppos'd to aim at, as in the general Doctrine of Chriſtianity, and as in the Evangeliſt Matthew; though that alſo could not be but Tranſcendently High, as to Chriſtianity in general.
But let us firſt obſerve the more Remote and Outward Circumſtances of the giving of this Prayer in the Evangeliſt Luke.