Heavens Treasury Opened, Principle 5
The fift Principle: Faith commeth by hearing, and is ſtrengthned by the Word and Prayer.
Meanes to get and increaſe Faith.
Queſt. How may we get faith?
Anſw. By the hearing of the Word preached.
Q. Why is Faith wrought by the Word?
A. Becauſe God hath promiſed a ſpeciall bleſſing thereunto, and the holy Spirit accompanies the ſame for this purpoſe.
Q. Why by the Word preached?
A. Becauſe the Word preached doth evidently reveale truths to the ſoule, and works more effectually upon a mans heart.
Q. How is Faith encreaſed?
A. By the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer. The Word addeth fuell unto Faith, provoking a man to come to Chriſt, by ſhewing
1. the need we have of him, by reaſon of our daily wants and infirmities:
2. The all-ſufficiency of Chriſt to ſupply us:
3. And his willingneſſe to receive all commers.
Q. When is Faith ſtrong?
Anſ.
1. When it graſps as it were a whole handfull of Chriſt; a little child can graſp but a little of any thing.
2. When it holdeth firmly that it catcheth hold upon.
Q. How doe the Sacraments ſtrengthen ſaith?
A.
1. They preſent Chriſt neerly and viſibly to the ſoule.
2. They ſhew Chriſts merits & obedience, inflaming our hearts with love to him.
Q. What is Prayer?
A. It is a going out of our ſelves to God, craving things anſwerable to his will.
Q. How a going to God?
A. Not a bodily going, but the mind, affection, and underſtanding, ſtirting up themſelves to preſent their ſuit to him.
Q. Can a wicked man pray?
A. No,
1. Becauſe true Prayer is from the Spirit, and a ſanctified heart.
2. Theſe men oppoſe what they beg for.
Q. How many parts be there in Prayer?
A. Two: Petition, which is a craving of that we want; and Thankſgiving, which is a giving God thanks for that we have.
Q. What is the pattern of Prayer?
A. The Lords Prayer, which Chriſt gave to his Diſciples.
Q. Into how many parts is it divided?
A. Into three:
1. A Preface,
2. Six Petitions,
3. A Thanksgiving.
Q. What doe you meane by Father?
A. The firſt Perſon in the Trinity, who is the fountain from whence all we have floweth.
Q. How is God ſaid to be a Father?
Anſ.
1. In regard of Chriſt,
2. In regard of us.
Q. How is God the Father of Chriſt?
Anſ.
1. By naturall generation:
2. By perſonall union.
Q. How is God a Father in regard of us?
Anſ.
1. In regard of Creation, ſo the Angels are ſons of God:
2. In regard of Adoption, which is the taking one in ſtead of a child.
Q. How may this word Father be a preparative to Prayer?
Anſ.
1. If God be a Father, then he is bountifull, and we may receive what ever we aske.
2. If God be a Father, he is mercifull, ready to pardon all our ſins.
3. He will take in good part any ſervice done in truth of heart, though never ſo ſmall.
Q. Why doe we ſay Our Father?
A. Our betokeneth a kind of propriety and intereſt; As we ſay, This is our houſe, we have a ſpeciall intereſt therein: So here it ſheweth a ſpeciall intereſt that Gods people have in him.
2. Community of God to all his ſervants, as the light is common to all; none can ſay it is My Sun.
3. The fellow-feelingneſſe that the godly have of one anothers miſery.
Q. What preparations are there in this Word to Prayer?
A. It cauſeth Reverence; A child commeth reverently to his Father, ſo muſt we.
2. It teacheth us confidence in God, becauſe he is our Father.
And 3. cheerfulneſſe in comming to him, as a child unto his Father.
Q. Is God onelyonly in heaven?
A. No, he filleth every place.
Q. Why is God ſaid to be in heaven?
Anſw.
1. That we may take notice of his power; things above have advantage of things below.
2. He is an holy God, for he is in heaven, where no uncleane thing is.
Q. What is the ſcope of the firſt Petition?
A. That Gods name might be honoured of all his creatures.
Q. What is meant by name?
A. That whereby God is made knowne.
Q. How is God made knowne to us?
Anſ.
1. By his titles and Attributes, as when God is ſaid to be holy, gracious, &c.
2. By his Word: and
3. by his works, eſpecially in the works of grace on the hearts of his children;
there is Gods name written as it were in great letters, as the Apoſtle Peter ſaith, They expreſſe the graces of him that hath called them; ſo that when a man looketh upon a child of God, he may ſay, Surely God is an holy God, becauſe his children are ſo.
Q. When doe we honour Gods name?
A. When Gods name is to us as an holy thing; when we ſee the worth of it, and manifeſt it to others.
Q. What is the ſcope of the ſecond Petition?
A. That God may rule over all, eſpecially over his Church.
Q. Why is it added to the former?
A. Becauſe when God beareth rule, then his name is honoured.
Q. What doth this word Kingdome ſignifie?
A. That rule which he exerciſeth over his ſervants.
Q. How manifold is this Kingdome?
A. Twofold; the Kingdome of grace, and the Kingdome of glorie.
Q. How doth God rule in the Kingdome of grace?
A. By his Spirit in the Word he ruleth the hearts of his ſervants, and aweth the hearts of hypocrites.
Q. How doth God rule in the Kingdome of glory?
A. Immediately by himſelf, ſhining into their hearts, and filling them with his grace.
Q. What doe we meane by Thy Kingdome come?
Anſ.
1. We deſire that God would ſend his Goſpel to ſuch places, Nations, & Countryes, as have not had it:
2. That God would ſpread & inlarge his Goſpel where it is:
3. That God would confirm and ſtabliſh his Goſpel, and cauſe it to have better entertainment where it is ſpread.
Q. What is the ſcope of the third Petition?
A. That all humble ſubjection may be yeelded unto God.
Q. Why is this added unto the former?
A. Becauſe then Gods Kingdome doth moſt of all come, when his will is done.
Q. What is Gods will?
A. Gods good pleaſure touching the performance or bringing to paſſe of any thing.
Q. What is Gods ſecret will?
A. That which God reſerveth to himſelfe in his own counſaile.
Q. What is Gods revealed will?
A. That which he hath made known unto us in his Word.
Q. How muſt we be like the Angels in obedience?
Anſ.
1. In readineſſe; they are they are ſaid to have wings.
2. In faithfulneſſe; they obey God in every thing: ſo muſt we.
3. Their obedience is conſtant, ſo ſhould ours. Nothing ſhould hinder our ſpeedy and cheerfull obedience.
Q. What is the ſcope of the fourth Petition?
A. We deſire a comfortable ſupply of all things concerning this life.
Q. Why is this put firſt?
A. A man muſt have a being, before a well-being; nature before grace.
Q. Why is bread put for all?
Anſ.
1. Becauſe this is moſt neceſſary for ſubſiſtence; All our endeavours ay me at this.
2. We deſire God would give us ability to uſe the means to attain it.
3. That we may have a comfortable uſe thereof, with a bleſſing attending it
Q. What doe you meane by give?
A. Firſt, that God would give us what we want.
Secondly, to continue and preſerve ſtill what we have.
Thirdly, that God would give us an heart to make a right uſe thereof.
Q. Why doe you ſay us?
Anſ. Becauſe we muſt have a fellow-feeling of the neceſſities of others, we deſire God to give us, that we may help them.
Q. Why doe you ſay our daily bread?
A. Wee deſire here a right and title to theſe outward things: This title is two-fold;
1. Divine, in regard of God:
2. Politicke, in regard of men.
Q. Why do you ſay this day?
A. Firſt, it ſheweth that wee muſt take care for the time preſent. Secondly, wee deſire a moderation of theſe outward things. Thirdly, we muſt daily pray and depend upon God for our bread.
Q. What rules may wee here learne for the ordering of our lives in the deſire of outward things?
Anſ.
1. Wee muſt goe to God for every mercy, and acknowledge we receive all from him.
2. Wee muſt onelyonly look to the time preſent, not caring for the morrow.
Q. What is the ſcope of the fifth Petition?
A. Iuſtification, or the forgiveneſſe of ſinne.
Q. What is meant by debts?
A. Sinnes.
Q. Why is ſinne called a debt?
A. Becauſe it maketh us lyable to Gods judgements.
Q. Can God forgive our ſinnes without ſatisfaction?
A. No, becauſe its againſt his juſtice.
Q. How then is this a mercy that God doth forgive us our ſinnes?
A. Gods mercy appeares in that he followes the Law againſt our ſurety, ſo that hee is made guilty and lyable to puniſhment, and we cleared. Is it not a great mercy, that our ſinnes may bee removed from us, and Chriſts righteouſneſſe imputed unto us?
Q. How farre muſt a man forgive another?
A. In the offence we muſt conſider three things:
1. The breach of the Law.
2. The wrong done to us.
3. The inflicting vengeance for it.
Q. How farre may a man forgive the ſinne as a breach of the Law?
A. OnelyOnly thus farre he muſt deſire that God would not lay it to their charge; ſo Chriſt prayed, Father forgive them, for they know not what they doe.
Q. Muſt a man alwaies forgive his enemie the wrongs and puniſhment done?
A. No, when Gods glory and Religion is diſgraced thereby, and it may be for our brothers good.
Q. Doth God forgive us, becauſe we forgive others?
A. No, He forgives us before wee can forgive others on a right ground.
1. Becauſe all the mercy we have, wee receive from him.
2. All wee have is but a drop in compariſon of that Ocean which is in God.
3. Our mercy is mixed with cruelty and many oppoſitions, but God is all compaſſion.
Q. What is the ſcope of the ſixth Petition?
A. Sanctification.
Q. What doth temptation properly ſignifie?
A. A proving of grace, ſo God tempted Abraham, and proved his love: Here by temptation is meant a ſolicitation to commit evill.
Q. Why not tentation of triall?
A. Becauſe we ought rather to pray againſt this then againſt that.
Q. What doe you meane by deliver?
Anſ.
1. That God would give us a fore-ſight of ſinne.
2. That God would give us power, that we be not thereby overtaken.
3 That God would recover us, being falne, and fortifie us againſt ſinne for time to come.
Q. What doe you meane by lead?
Anſ. 1. That God would let us have no occaſion of evill.
Secondly, if occaſions be offered, that he would ſo aſſiſt, and ſtrengthen, that they prevaile not againſt us.
Q. How hath God a hand in the ſinnes of men?
A. Whatſoever may be ſaid in the Law and Word of God, may be ſaid of God; now the Law may be ſaid to have an hand in the ſins of men: As when counſell and admonition comes, the heart ſwells immediately; as when a thing is put into a channell, or any other place, the water increaſeth hugely, not becauſe there is any water put into it, but by oppoſition.
Q. What doe you mean by evill?
A. There is no kinde of evill worſe then the evill of ſinne and puniſhment: here is ſpecially meant the evill of ſinne, and alſo puniſhment, ſo farre as it may hinder us in the wayes of godlineſſe.
Q. Why do you ſay deliver us?
A. Here wee deſire that God would provide meanes for others good, and make us inſtruments to deliver them.
1 In watching over their converſation.
2 In telling them of that which is amiſſe.
3 To follow it, and never leave till wee have convinced them of it.
Q. What is meant by Kingdome?
A. The right ruling over his ſervants. By power is meant, an ability and ſufficiency to governe.
And by Glorie, is meant,
1 The worſhip of God:
2 The ſhining of Gods glory.
Q. Why doe you ſay Thy?
A. All this is in God: Secondly, all that men have in the world is from God, therefore they muſt render all to his glory.
Q. What is Amen?
A. The voyce and word of faith.
Q. What is here implyed?
A. Two things:
1 An earneſt deſire of what wee beg; as a man when his friend goeth beyond ſea, faith, The Lord be with you.
2 A repoſe of our ſelves upon God, that he would grant our requeſts, who hath promiſed, whatever we aske in Chriſts Name, wee ſhall have it.