An Exposition of the Lords Prayer, Inferences
Let now ſome brief Inferential Reflections conclude the whole.
Infer. 1 How profound, and hidden is the Judgment of God upon the Antichriſtian World, which ſo contrary to the Literal and Expreſs Intendment of our Lord in this Prayer, againſt Heatheniſh Repetitions in Prayer, ſhould even Burleſque it; not only by vain Repetitions, but by offering to God, as in Sacrifice, theſe Repetitions, by Tale, and by Number of Beads? And All this in a ſtrange Language, as if they hop'd to be heard for their much ſpeaking, and their meer ſpeaking. Well ſaid the Divine Spirit by our Lord; As the Heathen do: For they proclaim aloud, They are the Gentiles, that Tread the Outward Court of the Chriſtian Prafeſſion under Foot, and have done ſo for near theſe 1260. Years. now within Five at an End, Revel. 11.
Infer. 2 Too near Them do the Ignorant and Carnal Proteſtants approach; Proteſtants they call Themſelves; who yet knowing nothing of the Scriptures, of the Power of God, or of his Wiſdom, in Relation to this Prayer, hope yet to be accepted by Formal Repetitions of it: Theſe, however they Name themſelves, are but in the Outward Court, where thoſe very Gentiles are, laſt ſpoken of; and which is Trodden under Foot by thoſe Gentiles. And though theſe Proteſtants; as they are in a General Courſe of Charity, Call'd; do not Tread under Foot that Court, in the Groſs Heatheniſh manner, the Other do; yet they are in no better a State, than to be in the Outward Court or the Profeſſion of Chriſtianity, ſo Trodden under Foot by Gentiles; which is a very dangerous State.
Infer. 3 Seeing this Prayer is ſuch an Admirable Foundation of Prayer, both as to Matter and Form, which the Supreme Maſter-Builder hath Laid; Let every one take heed, how he builds upon it in Prayer; For if he lay upon it Gold, Silver, Precious Stones; that is, truly Spiritual, Scriptural Prayer and Praiſes; his Building ſhall endure. But if Hay, Stubble, Wood, either as to Matter, or Form, or Repetition of this Prayer it ſelf; He himſelf, if he hold the Foundation of Prayer, as it is laid in this Prayer, He himſelf ſhall be ſaved, but ſo as by Fire; For His Work will be Loſt; The Day will burn it up, 1 Cor. 3. 11.
Infer. 4 It is very Admirable, how Chriſt hath put a VVord, a Prayer, even into the Mouth of Balaam, and thoſe that Hold his Doctrine; even big with their own Doom, and with that Kingdom, which will ſhatter their Foundation, and ſmite their Corners. This is the Prayer of the Church, the Chaſte Bride, which ſays, Come; but the Falſe Adulterous Church, the Whore, and her Children, ſhall find it, as the Jealouſie-Water, to the proſtituted VVife; which being conveyed, as in a Sacrifice, ſhall make the Belly to ſwell, and the Thigh to Rot; That is, All ſuch ſhall be utterly conſum'd, and become a Curſe in the Earth, by this very Prayer, Numb. 5. 21.
Infer. 5 This Great Duty of Prayer muſt be ſo underſtood, conſider'd, and ſpiritually managed by ſuch ſaving Knowledge, ſincere Faith and Repentance; that all our Prayers may fall within this Great Prayer; and ſo within the Interceſſion of the Great Mediator, whoſe Prayer it is; within the Interceſſion of the Spirit within us, and ſo within the Acceptance of God, as a Father Giving the Beſt Things, his Spirit, his Kingdom, to them that Ask him; who, when They Pray, do truly ſay, Abba Father, or Our Father. Elſe this Prayer will be as Dangerous as the Gospel, when it is a Dead Savour, and ſo unto Death; and as the Lord's Supper, Eaten and Drunk unworthily, which is an Eating and Drinking unto Judgment. So this Prayer will turn unto Sin unto us, and be a Sacrifice of Abomination, having not its due Acceptance with God, nor ſanctifying Effect upon our Hearts.
Infer. 6 This Prayer of Jeſus Chriſt is ſo wonderfully made, that it ought to be underſtood, to be prayed by the whole VVord of God enlightning it; which is the beſt Comment, or Expoſition upon it; And the Spirit of the VVord of God is the Spirit of this Prayer. According to which Word of God, if we do pray, our Prayers ſlide into it, as the Rivers into the Sea, and find ſecret and inſenſible Paths into it. Although we do not uſe the Form, yet when we pray according to the Word of God, we ſhall ſay, Our Father, &c. And if we uſe the Form never ſo often, if we have not the Spirit of this Prayer, the Word of God mixed with Faith in the Heart; It becomes as an Empty Inefficacious Form firſt, and then a Condemnation out of our own Mouths.
Infer. 7 This teaches us the True Way and Method of magnifying this Prayer; not by multiplied Repetitions, ſo contrary to the very Deſign of it; not by a Great Appearance of Devotion in the ſaying of it, as the moſt Abſolute and Comprehenſive Form of Words, as Men Love to ſpeak. An Intellectual Derivation from it, and Relating the whole Word of God to it is the Trueſt Honour of it. And if we have ſo Deriv'd from it, and Related to it in our Prayers; the Concluſion of our Prayers, by a bare Repetition, cannot equal that Foregoing uſe of it; but is even unneceſſary, if not ſuperfluous and ſuperſtitious; except enlarged Underſtanding, Zeal, and inflamed Affection inſpire that Repetition.
For I would Appeal to Any Man of Reaſon, and Wiſdom; When he hath offered to Men the Exercitation of that Wiſdom, and Reaſon, God hath Given to him, by Diſcourſe, or Writing; Which, he thinks, does the Greateſt Honour to it? He who underſtandingly Digeſts, and Diſcourſes out of that, which he hath offer'd, and makes ſubſtantial References thereunto, and draws the Senſe of it into his own proper Diſcourſes or Writings, though with little or no Repetition? or he that makes, what he hath ſaid, a Form, without Rational enlargement upon it? It is eaſie to know, which he would prefer; Even ſo it is eaſie to judge, who is moſt Acceptable to our Great, Wiſe, Holy, and Spiritual Maſter, in this Prayer; He that Complements his Prayer by many Interlineations of bare Repetition of the Form; or he, who in an Abundance of Spiritual VViſdom and Ʋnderſtanding, prays according to his whole Goſpel, compriz'd in that Prayer?
Infer. 8 Hereby we come to underſtand, what Place Prayer may yet have, although Our Lord tells us, Our Heavenly Father knows what Things we have need of, before we ask him; For it might ſeem in ſtrictneſs, that All Prayer, yea, even the ſingle uſe of this Prayer, were taken away, and cut off by this undoubted Principle; that our Father knows before-hand; yea▪ and hath alſo determined beforehand, what to give us; as he hath alſo taught us in this Prayer, what to Ask. What a Formality then may All Prayer, or even this Prayer, ſeem to be, when it is offered to him, who can neither be inform'd nor chang'd? Not inform'd; For he knows both our State and Deſires, our Wants, and Natural Cravings, before we have dreſs'd them up in the Formality of Prayers; And he cannot be chang'd, becauſe he hath alſo Reſolv'd, what is moſt convenient to our State, with Relation to that Supreme End, his own Glory, before we Ask Him.
But when we conſider the VVord of God, as the Great Treaſury of his Counſels, concerning every particular Perſon, and their Caſe; and concerning his Church and Kingdom in General; and that Chriſt's Drawing theſe into Prayer muſt needs be the Great Rule of Prayer. We may then underſtand the Reaſon of this Prayer of our Lord; Becauſe we know not how, with certainty, to draw out, and with a Juſt Ballance, to weigh out the Grand Principles and Meaſures of Prayers and Deſires; Our Lord hath given us this Beam in this Prayer: And becauſe He knew, Thoſe very Principles of Prayer can Receive their True, and Full Anſwer only in his Kingdom; He hath therefore made his Kingdom the Load-Star of it. Thus All Things are made conformable to the VVill of God in this Our Lord's Prayer, as the Prayer of the Kingdom.
But ſtill It may be ſaid, why any Prayer at All? God knows All theſe Things before, and hath Reſolved them, They being All His own Counſels: So He needs neither to be Informed, nor Moov'd; or if for any Reaſon, Things ought to be humbly Repreſented to God, what need any other Prayer but this Prayer only, Taught by our Lord Jeſus Christ? who thus certainly knew the Mind of God, and hath put that Mind into ſuch Words, as will be moſt Acceptable.
The Anſwer is; Prayer in the great Wiſdom, and Goodneſs of God is Ordaind a Tye of Communion, and Gracious Indearments betwixt our God and us; That we by His Word Inſtructed, in the Counſells of Grace, of Mercy, of Holineſs, and Wiſdom, for the Eternal Glory of his Church, and Saints in General; and of our ſelves in Particular; and in all outward Things ſo far, as are Neceſſary hereunto; and Influenced by His Spirit, and Excited by our particular Neceſſities, might with Earneſtneſs Remonſtrate His own Counſels; our Hearts and Affections being every way prepared, and diſpoſed thereunto: And God Graciouſly giving, and bringing things to paſs, as at our Defires and Petitions, Oh, how great is the Indearment? As David ſays, I will Love the Lord, becauſe he hath Heard my Supplication, He Inclined to me, and heard my Cry, and upon this Account, I will call upon Him, as long, as I Live. And becauſe Prayer is according to His own Counſels, and thus prepared to the indearing our Hearts to God; Therefore he Stiles Himſelf a God hearing Prayers, that to him all Fleſh may come; And He is nigh to them, that call upon him, that call upon Him in Truth. He will fullfill the Deſire of them that Fear Him, He alſo will hear their City, and ſave them: And they that thus Hope in His Mercy, more then in all Created Leggs, He takes Pleaſure in, as thoſe that will be moſt Moov'd to Fear and Love Him.
But it may be ſtill Urged. Either the giving of this Prayer may Excuſe our Looking into the VVord, and we may be moſt ſecure in praying this Prayer only, as moſt certainly according to the VVord; or this Prayer can do us no Service; For ſtill our buſineſs is to Look into all the VVord of God, and then how are we helped by this Prayer?
To this, the Anſwer Lies in Two Things, giving account of the Reaſon of this Prayer Taught by Chriſt; notwithſtanding it is our Duty, to Look into the Whole VVord, and to Pray this Prayer according to it; with the moſt Enlarged Underſtandings, Affections, and Expreſſions.
1. This Prayer and the Several Petitions of it are as Sea-Marks and Land-Marks, in the vaſt Compaſs and Ocean of the VVord of God, Guiding us to the Great Fundamentals of Prayer, and ſetting Juſt and Due Bounds to us therein.
2. It does Eſpecially Winde up our Hearts, Thoughts, and Affection in all Spirituall VViſdome and Prudence, and Intellectual Sence to the Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt; when it is Fully underſtood; (as I have now made out,) and which is the higheſt Flight of Prayer.
And ſeeing, it is only thus, as I have ſhewn, to be uſed; even when it is Repeated; and not by way of meer Form, and Languid Repetition; It ſhews the Neceſſity of the word of God, dwelling Richly in us in all VViſdom; that we may without ſuch Forbidden Repetition; or Thinking to be heard for our much Speaking; Continue in Prayer, and Abound therein with Thankſgiving: And if we make the Repetition of this Prayer only to Sum up our Prayers; To do it; when we find our hearts Enflamed, and Running out of Choiſe into theſe Words, with moſt Elarged Underſtandings, and Affections.
And this is indeed an Admirable Communion with God in Prayer; and frees it from the Ignorance of a Blind Devotion, and from all the Fopperies of Superſtition, or the poſſible Unreaſonableneſs of Thinking to Inform, or Change God; And it ſhews us, Prayer is not for God, as if He any way wanted it; But it is for us, to Conform us to God, and to the higheſt Conſpiring with His Will, with His Glory; and to draw up the Faith, Love, Obedience, Reverence, and higheſt Honour of our Spirits upon Him. And ſo we Obſerve the True Ends of our Lords giving this Prayer in our either Praying according to it, out of the whole Word of God, or making a Recital of it; as we find our hearts carried on ſo to Recite it at Some Time, more than Another, and not in a Ritual maner.
Infer. 9 Seeing the Kingdom of God, and the Righteouſneſs of it the Peace and Glory of Chriſt is the higheſt Counſel of God, for the Glory of God, and of his Saints; and even for the Glory and Happineſs of His Creation; Therefore This muſt needs be the higheſt Point of Prayer, and therefore this Prayer, the Standard and Examplar of Prayer; In this then we according to the Nature, and Duty of Prayer ſhould Conſpire with the Counſel of God, and Cry, Day, and Night to Him for it; But alaſs, as Chriſt ſaid, when the Son of Man Comes, ſhall He find Faith on the Earth? Even thoſe, who Continually Roll over this Prayer by Affected Repetition, leaſt penetrate, and Enter into the Sence of it; in their Eyes and hearts upon the Kingdom of Chriſt, as it is Intended, and deſigned in it; And even thoſe, who have underſtood, and deſire'd it more, yet have underſtood it only in the General notions of the Coming of Chriſt to Judgment, and of the Reſurrection.
This hath been the Slumber of the Apoſtacy upon the Chriſtian World; even upon the VViſe Virgins; ſo that the Comming of Chriſt will be a Surprize upon them; That is; His Comming in another ſort of a Kingdom, then they expected in their Slumber, and in the Time of the Bridegrooms Delay; Yet notwithſtanding, All that are indeed VViſe, who have Oyl in their Veſſels, and not in their Lamps only; that is, Grace in their Hearts, not in Profeſſion only, ſhall go with Chriſt in to the Wedding; Although in this true Explained Notion of His Kingdom, He will not, when He Cometh, Find Faith on Earth:
But it is very Obſervable, that tho this Prayer hath not been Awakenedly Underſtood, as is ought to be; Yet by the Secret Guidance of Providence, and Government of the Church; Either the Form of this Prayer hath ſo Prevaled in the Church of Chriſt; Or the Sence of the Kingdom of Chriſt in the General, and Vertual; or in the Particular and more Expreſs Notions of it according to the Goſpel of the Kingdom have ſo derived from, and Fallen into this Prayer; that there hath been always a Generation of the Sincere Servants of God, and of Chriſt, that have Cryed to Him Day and Night, for His Kingdom, and according to this Praayer.
Infer. 10 However; The Foundation of God Remaineth Sure: In this Kingdom, The Promiſes of God are Yea, and Amen; And in this Prayer, To, the Kingdom of Chriſt, is the Great and True Amen, and Yea of it ſet: On which Account, as I have ſaid, The Amen of this Prayer is of an Elevated Note, and in Harmony with All the Promiſes, that are Yea, and Amen in Him; Therefore, after the declaring His Coming in the Clouds, Rev. 1. 17. It is Added, Yea, Amen; and after His own ſaying, When He had Teſtified His Coming in His Kingdom, in the Four Chapters before, Behold I come quickly; It is Rejoyned by His Servants in their Prayers, Comprehended in this Prayer; Amen, Yea, Come Lord Jeſus; And therefore it is Certain, He will come to His Servants, in and according to this Prayer, Crying to Him Day and Night, foreign and foreign; the Conſtant Notice of His Kingdom; Speedily, Quickly; Yea, and Amen. Amen, and Yea; Even So, Even So, Be It: Let him who is the Amen, the Fatihful Witneſs, the Amen of all the Promiſes in His Kingdom Come according to the Amen of this Prayer, Comprehending the Prayers of All Saints; Amen, Yea. Revel. 22. 12. 20.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Beverley, An Exposition of the Lords Prayer (1692)