The Holy Arbor, Chapter 3 · Section 4
§. 4. Which art in Heaven.
HEaven here ſignifieth the habitation of God, of the holy Angels, and of bleſſed men; and God is ſaid to dwell there, not that he is there onelyonly (for he is every where) but becauſe his Majeſty, power and glory is more apparent in heaven then in earth, and doth alſo there immediately ſhew and manifeſt himſelf: whence we learn with reverence to pray unto him, being our Father moſt glorious and moſt powerful; for to be in heaven, what is it but to be above all things, and to have them in ſubjection? Pſal. 115.3. So that we ſay (Which art in heaven) becauſe there he ſheweth himſelf chiefly to the Saints, Eccleſ. 21.24. and from thence he manifeſtth himſelf to man, Pſal. 57.3.
There is mention made of three Heavens in Scripture:
1. The Air, in which we breath, Gen. 1.26.
2. The Sky, in which are the Stars, Deut. 1.10.
3. The Heaven of Heavens, in which Chriſt, the Angels, and Saints departed are, 1 Kings 8.27. called by Chriſt, His Fathers houſe, Joh. 14 2. by Paul, Paradice, 2 Cor. 12.4. by Matthew, The Throne of God, and The City of the great King, Mat. 5.34. This is the heaven here ſpecially underſtood, being as it were Gods Manſion-houſe.
God by an excellency is ſaid to be in heaven, and that in three eſpecial reſpects:
1. To ſhew that there is no proportion betwixt him and Earthly Potentates, for he is infinitely more excellent then any under heaven, Pſal. 113.5.
2. To ſhew that he hath his eyes continually on all his ſervants; he ſeeth every thing that they do, as one placed above and over them, Pſal. 102.19. & 33.19. Prov. 15.3.
3. To ſhew that he is Almighty, able both to recompence his faithful ſervants, Pſal. 123.1. and alſo to execute vengeance on thoſe that are unfaithful to God, and cruel to his ſervants, Eccleſ. 5.8.
The Lord commandeth us to ſay (Our Father Which art in heaven) for theſe Reaſons:
1. Thereby to ſhew the oppoſition and contrariety of earthly fathers and this Father.
2. To raiſe up in us a confidence that God heareth us.
3. To raiſe a reverence of him in us.
4. That we call on him in fervency of Spirit.
5. That the minde of him that worſhippeth be lifted up to heavenly things.
6. That heavenly things be deſired.
7. That the error of Ethnicks might be met withal, who think that they may worſhip God in Creatures; as alſo of the blinde Papiſts, who ſuppoſe they may worſhip the God of heaven in an Image of Earth.
8. To admoniſh us, that we are not to direct our prayers to a certain place, as in the Old Teſtament.
God is ſaid to be in heaven,
1. For his glory, which doth moſt ſhine in the third heaven, it being there moſt manifeſted to the holy Angels and bleſſed Saints by an immediate viſion and fruition.
2. There there is not onelyonly a natural, but alſo a ſupernatural and extraordinary demonſtration of his glorious Attributes, of Juſtice, Mercy, Power, Wiſdom, &c.
3. From his purity and holineſs, even as heaven is pure, and not obnoxious to corruption, in ſuch maner as the inferior bodies are.
4. For his excellent, majeſtical and inacceſſible brightneſs, even as the moſt ſhining heavenly Creatures, the Sun and Stars, which are but dim Creatures in reſpect of his glorious brightneſs; and all this ſerveth to breed in us humility and reverence in coming before the Lord.
This Prayer begins not with a Preface of Gods Soveraignty, Omnipotency, Juſtice, &c. but with this of Paternity, and that in Heaven, for theſe Reaſons; viz.
1. His Soveraignty would terrifie us, becauſe we have rebelled.
2. His Omnipotency would amaze us, being duſt and aſhes.
3. His Juſtice would affright us, being guilty of our ſins.
4. His Paternity doth allure us, as prodigal ſons, coming to a liberal and merciful Father, Luke 1.15, 18. yet ſo as he is in heaven, whereby we are held back from unreverently preſuming on this paternal ſtile; he is ſo graciouſly pleaſed to vouchſafe us that filial honor to entitle him by.
From this place of God the Father (in heaven) we may draw theſe neceſſary Obſervations:
1. That the eye of Faith is needful to behold him withal, for heaven is too high for any bodily eye to pierce into; but by faith Moſes ſaw him who was inviſible.
2. Though Potentates have none on earth above them, yet in heaven there is one higher then the higheſt of them.
3. That they who cannot be heard on earth, have yet one to Appeal unto.
4. That the command under which earthly Princes are, is far greater then that which themſelves have: Their Commander is in heaven.
5. That the pooreſt and meaneſt that be, may have as free acceſs to God, as the wealthieſt and greateſt, and their ſuit ſhall be as ſoon received, Job 34.19.
6. That the great ones on earth have as great cauſe to fear the revenging hand of God for any ſin, as mean ones.
Theſe words (Which art in heaven) inſtruct, us,
1. Towards what place we are to addreſs our ſelves in prayer.
2. When we pray, to come before God with reverence, godly fear, and filial trembling; Remember therefore to uſe all reverence in prayer.
3. To ask of God in prayer heavenly things eſpecially, Luke 11.13. other things as helps onelyonly to them.
4. To make it our principal care how we may come to heaven, for there our Father is; and though our bodies be on earth, yet in affection and deſire our ſouls ſhould mount to heaven.
5. That God is therefore able to grant our requeſts, 1 Kings 8.30.
6. That we may pray with confidence unto him, Pſal. 123.1.
7. That in prayer our heart muſt be in heaven, 1 Kings 8.48. Pſal. 25.1. This is the true worſhip, Joh. 4.23.
8. That we are here as Pilgrims, and that our converſation muſt be in heaven, Phil. 3.21. Heb. 13.14.
9. That we muſt look for all graces and helps from heaven, Jer. 1.17.
10. That by Pilgrimages we need not ſeek to God, Pſal. 145.18.
11. That he differs far from earthly parents, who would help, but cannot oftentimes.
12. That no creature can hurt us, Pſal. 2.4, 5. & 118.6. Rom. 8.30.
13. That we muſt prefer him before earthly parents, Mat. 8.22.
14. That we alſo ſhall be with him in heaven.
God is ſaid to be in heaven, not as though he were included in the Circle of the Heavens; for the Heavens, and the Heaven of Heavens is not able to contain him, 1 Kings 8.27. and indeed he is neither included nor excluded, being Infinite, and ſo every where: but becauſe his Majeſty and glory is moſt eminent in the higheſt Heavens to his Saints and Angels; and thence doth he manifeſt himſelf unto us in his Power, Wiſdom, Juſtice and Mercy, while we are on earth, for Heaven is his throne and Earth is his footſtool, Iſa. 66.1. Thus the words [Which art in Heaven] are not ſpoken circumſcriptively, as though God were contained in the Heaven, or as though, if the Heavens were not, God could not be, as the Inhabitants of the Earth cannot be when the Earth ceaſeth, for God was before all Heavens, and Earth and Creatures; but becauſe his glorious Preſence and Attributes are moſt eminently viſible in Heaven, and alſo to ſet forth his moſt mighty power, Pſal. 115.3. he is by an excellency ſaid to be in Heaven.
Heav'n is thy Throne, Great God, how then dare we,
Who but the Creatures of thy Footſtool be,
Look Heaven-wards, and caſt an eye aloft,
Or lift hands to, 'gainſt which we have ſo oft?
This Charter thou haſt ſeal'd us by thy Son,
The Priviledge of our Adoption.
Heav'n thy Throne! Vaniſh diſtruſt, carnal fear,
Thou canſt our Prayers grant as ſoon as hear:
But teach us by thy Spirit this holy skill,
To ask in Faith what anſwers to thy will.