Exposition on the Lords Prayer, Sermon (2 of 5)
Secondly, In reſpect of the Efficacy of thoſe means, when all ready and cordial Obedience is yielded to the Laws of God, then doth this Kingdom come, and the Glory of it is advanced and increaſed.
Thirdly, In reſpect of Perfection, and ſo it comes when the Graces of the Saints are ſtrengthned and increaſed; when the Souls of the Godly departing this Life are received into Heaven; and when the whole Number of them ſhall have their perfect Conſummation and Bliſs in the Glorification both of Soul and Body, after the General Re-ſurrection. And thus we have ſeen how the Kingdom of God may come.
In the next place we muſt enquire, what it is we pray for when we ſay Thy Kingdom come.
I Anſwer, There are various Things lie couch'd under this Petition; as,
Firſt, We pray that God would be pleaſed to Plant his Church, where it is not, according to his Promiſe, giving all the Nations of the World to his Son for his Inheritance, and the utmoſt parts of the Earth for his Poſſeſſion. That the dark Places and Corners of the Earth, that are yet the Habitations of Cruelty, may be illuſtrated with the Glorious Light of the Goſpel ſhining into them. That God would reveal his Son to thoſe poor wretched People, that ſit in Darkneſs and in the Region of the Shadow of Death, and would reſcue them from their Blind Superſtitions and Idolatries, and from the Power of the Devil, who ſtrongly works in the Children of Diſobedience, and would tranſlate them into the Kingdom of his dear Son; eſpecially, that he would remove the Veil from the Heart of the Jew, upon whom a ſad Judicial Hardneſs hath long lain, that they at length may be brought into the Unity and Fulneſs of Chriſt's Body: We pray that all the World, both Jews and Gentiles, may be gathered into one Sheep-fold, under Chriſt Jeſus the great Paſtor and Shepherd of Souls; ſo that as God is one, ſo his Name and Service may be one throughout all the Earth. And thus we pray that Chriſt's Kingdom may come, in reſpect of the means of Grace and Salvation.
Secondly, This Petition, Thy Kingdom come, intimates our earneſt deſire that the Church of Chriſt, where they are planted, may be increaſed in the Members of the Faithful. That thoſe, who are as yet Enemies to the Name and Profeſſion of Chriſt, may be brought into the Viſible Church; and that thoſe in it, who are yet Strangers to a powerful Work of Grace, may by the effectual Operation of the Holy Ghoſt be brought in to be Members of the Inviſible Church. And thus we pray that God's Kingdom may come, in reſpect of the Efficacy of the means of Grace.
Thirdly, We pray that all the Church of Chriſt throughout the World may be kept from ruine, that they may not be over-run with Superſtition or Idolatry: That God would not in his Wrath remove his Candleſtick from them, as he hath in his Righteous Judgment done from other Churches, which were once Glorious and Splendid: We pray likewiſe, that God would make up all Breaches, and compoſe all Differences, and ſilence all Controverſies, and cut off all thoſe who trouble the Peace, and rend the Unity of the Church, breaking it into Factions and Schiſms, which are the moſt fatal Symptoms and Portenders of God's withdrawing himſelf, and carrying away his Goſpel, and giving of it to another People, who will better bring forth the Fruits of it, which are Peace, Meekneſs, and Love. And if in any thing Chriſtians be diverſly minded, that God would be pleaſed to reveal it unto them; and that whereunto they have attained, they may walk by the ſame Rule, and mind the ſame Things. And thus we pray that Chriſt's Kingdom may come in reſpect of its perfection and entireneſs.
Fourthly, It intimates our humble Requeſts to God, that his Ordinances may be purely and powerfully diſpenſed. Hence, as I noted before, the Word is called the Word of the Kingdom, Matth. 13.19. that is the Word whereby we are brought into the Kingdom of Chriſt here on Earth, and fitted for his Triumphant Kingdom in Heaven. It is the means of our New Birth, the Seed of our Spiritual Life. And as a Kingdom cannot be well eſtabliſhed or governed without good Laws; ſo for the Government of his Kingdom, Chriſt hath eſtabliſhed Laws, which are contained in the Records of the Holy Scriptures. And as his Word is the Law, ſo his Sacraments are the Seals of his Kingdom; for ſo every believing Partaker God doth under his Seal confirm the grant of Heaven and Eternal Salvation.
And therefore in this Petition we pray alſo, that God would give his Church able Miniſters of the New Teſtament, that may know how rightly to divide the Word of Truth, and to give every one his Portion in due ſeaſon.
And that he would be pleaſed to accompany the outward Adminiſtration of his Ordinances with the inward Operations of his Spirit, which alone can make them effectual to turn Men from Darkneſs to Light, and to bring them from the Power of Satan unto God. That the whole Number of God's Elect may in his due time be brought in by the means which he hath appointed and ſanctified for their Converſion and Salvation.
Theſe are the chief and principal things that we beg of God for the Church Militant, when we ſay, Thy Kingdom come, viz. that it may attain a perfection of Extent, and be planted where it is not to a perfection of Number; and may gain more Proſelytes and Converts, where it is planted to a perfection of Eſtabliſhment, that they may not be rooted out by the Violence of Men, nor abandoned through the Judgment of God. And to a perfection of Purity and Holineſs by the powerful Diſpenſation of Goſpel-Ordinances attended by the Efficacious Concurrence of the Holy Spirit. But,
Secondly, This Petition likewiſe reſpects the Church Triumphant in Heaven: Nor is this praying for the Dead a thing juſtly condemned of Superſtition and Folly; for we pray not for them to alter their State, which is impious and ridiculous, and a Foppiſh Conſequent upon the Figment of Purgatory: But we pray for the Church Triumphant only in general, that thoſe things which are as yet defective in it may be ſupplied; for certainly whereſoever there is any kind of imperfection we have ground to pray for the removal of it; eſpecially when God hath encouraged us to it by promiſe that he will remove it: And therefore,
Firſt, We may well pray that the whole Body Myſtical of Jeſus Chriſt, and every Member of it, may be brought to the full Fruition of Heaven and Happineſs, that daily more may be admitted into the Heavenly Fellowſhip, till their Numbers as well as their Joys be Conſummate. And,
Secondly, We may pray that the Bodies of all the Saints that have ſlept in their Beds of Earth from the beginning of the World, may be raiſed again out of the Duſt, and united to their Souls, and for ever made Glorious in the Kingdom of Heaven; for both theſe things are abſolutely promiſed, the one Rom. 8.29, 30. that thoſe whom God hath Called and Juſtified he will likewiſe Glorifie. And the other is, 1 Theſſal. 4.16. The Dead in Chriſt ſhall ariſe. And certainly whatſoever may be the Object of our Faith, Hope may be the Subject of our Prayers. And this every true Chriſtian longs and breaths after, that theſe Days of Sin and Miſery may be ſhortned, that Chriſt would come in his Glory, that his Mediatory Kingdom being fulfilled, it might be delivered up unto the Father, and that we all might be one as the Father is in him, and he in the Father. Even ſo come, Lord Jeſus, come quickly. And thus I have finiſhed the Second Petition, The Kingdom come.
The Third follows, Thy Will be done in Earth, as it is in Heaven. This now follows upon the former in a moſt rational and admirable method; for as before we pray that the Kingdom of God might come, as the beſt adapted means to Hallow his Name; ſo now we pray that his Will may be done by us, as the cleareſt Declaration that we are the Subjects of his Kingdom. Now here are conſiderable,
Firſt, The Petition it ſelf, Thy Will be done in Earth:
Secondly, The Meaſure and Proportion of it, as it is in Heaven.
I ſhall begin with the Petition, in which every Word carries great Weight and Moment; and therefore in the explication of it I ſhall ſhew you,
Firſt, What this Will of God is.
Secondly, How his Will may be ſaid to be done.
Thirdly, What force this Particle thy, thy Will, carries in it, and what it denotes.
Fourthly, What is meant by God's Will being done in Earth. And all theſe with all perſpicuity and brevity.
Firſt, What this Will of God is. Now the Will of God is commonly and very well diſtinguiſhed, into the Will of his Purpoſe, and into the Will of his Precept; his Decrees or his Commands. The former reſpects what ſhall be done by him; the latter what ought to be done by us: Both theſe, in Scripture, are frequently called the Will of God.
Firſt, God's Purpoſe is his Will; yea, it is more properly his Will than his Precepts are; for by this God doth abſolutely determine, what ſhall be, and what ſhall not be; and all things in the World take their Place and are ranged in their ſeveral Stations; and the whole ſeries of Cauſes and Effects are governed by the Ordination and Appointment of this his Sovereign Will. And therefore it is ſaid, Eph. 1.11. that God worketh all things according to the Counſel of his own Will. And Pſal. 135.6. Whatſoever the Lord pleaſed that did he in Heaven, in Earth, in the Sea, and in all deep Places. This is God's Will of Purpoſe, whereby he guides and governs all Events whatſoever; ſo that there is not the moſt inconſiderable Occurrence that happens, not the leaſt flight of a Sparrow, nor the falling off of an Hair, nor the motion of an Atome in the Air, or a duſt, or a ſand on the Earth, but as it is effected by his Power and Providence, ſo it was determined by his Will and Counſel.
Secondly, The Precepts and Commands are likewiſe the Will of God; but they are improperly ſo called; becauſe theſe concern not, neither do they determine the Event of things, but only our Duty; not what ſhall be, but what ought to be; and it is called, Rom. 12.2. The good and acceptable and perfect Will of God. This is all contained in the Holy Scriptures, which are a perfect Syſteme of Precepts given us for the Government of our Lives here, and for the attaining of Eternal Life hereafter; and therefore it is likewiſe called his Revealed Will; whereas the other, namely the Will of Purpoſe, is God's Secret Will, until it be manifeſted unto us by the Events and Effects of it.
Now concerning this diſtinction of God's Will of Purpoſe and Precept, we may note that though there be a great deal of difference, yet there is no contrariety or oppoſition between them.
Firſt, They differ the one from the other, not in reſpect of God, (for his Will is one infinitely pure and uncompounded Act,) but only in reſpect of the Object; for there are many things which God wills by his Will of Purpoſe, which he hath not willed by his Will of Precept. His Precepts are all holy, and command nothing but what is holy and acceptable: This is the Will of God, ſaith the Apoſtle, even your Sanctification, 1 Theſſal. 4.3. It is the higheſt degree of Blaſphemy to impute unto God, that he hath commanded us any thing but what is Holy, Juſt, and Good: This were to make him the Author of Sin, who hath declared himſelf the Puniſher of it. But his Will of Purpoſe is not reſtrained within bounds and Limits; but extendeth it ſelf to all Events whatſoever, whether Good or Evil.
And as Evils are of two ſorts, either the Evil of Puniſhment, or the Evil of Sin; ſo is God's Will of Purpoſe two-fold, effective of the one, and permiſſive of the other; but in both moſt certain and infallible.
1. God's Will of Purpoſe doth effect and bring to paſs the Evil of Puniſhment: Amos 3.6. Shall there be any Evil in the City and the Lord hath not done it? For he doth both in Heaven and in Earth whatſoever pleaſeth him. Were it not the Will of God, the World had never groaned under ſo many Miſeries and Calamities as have in all Ages befallen it. Now God never enjoyns us this as our Duty, although he lays them upon us as our Burden.
2. God's Will of Purpoſe permits the Evil of Sin for Wiſe and Gracious Ends, that he may bring good out of Evil; even thoſe very Sins and Wickedneſs which his Will of Precept forbids, his Will of Purpoſe permits; for if God did not will to permit them, there would be no ſuch thing as Sin in the World.
Secondly, Hence ariſeth another very remarkable difference, that we may effectually reſiſt God's Will of Precept, ſo as to hinder the accompliſhment of it; but whatſoever we do ſo it is our Sin, and will without repentance be our condemnation. So Stephen accuſeth the Jews, Act. 7.51. You do always reſiſt the Holy Ghoſt: that is, by your Practices you do always go contrary to the Commands of God, revealed by his Spirit in his Word. And were it not for this reſiſting of the Will of God, we ſhould be perfectly holy and blameleſs.
But we cannot reſiſt the Will of God's Purpoſe, ſo as to hinder the Execution of it; although ſometimes to endeavour it, may be ſo far from Sin, as to be our neceſſary and indiſpenſible Duty: For though it may be the Will of God to bring us into Poverty or into Priſon, or to lay ſore Diſeaſes upon us; yet it is not only lawful for us, but we are obliged as far as lies in us, to hinder theſe Evils of Puniſhment from befalling us, and to preſerve our Eſtates, our Liberty, our Health, and all our outward Comforts, by all lawful and allowed ways and means: Much more, if God ſhould will to permit a Sin in others, or in our ſelves, are we bound to hinder the Commiſſion of it; for, for us to be willing to permit, becauſe God is, though it be a conformity of our Wills to God's Will of Purpoſe, yet this is not our Rule to walk by: And it is a wretched Rebellion againſt his Will of Precept, which alone we are to reſpect in all our Actions, and endeavour to conform our ſelves unto. Doubtleſs it was God's Will of Purpoſe, that Chriſt the Lord of Life and Glory ſhould be Crucified; but yet the Jews conforming themſelves according to this Will, were guilty of the moſt horrid Wickedneſs that ever was committed in the World; for both theſe we have confirmed to us, Acts 2.23. Him being delivered by the determinate Counſel and Fore-knowledge of God, ye have taken, and by Wicked Hands have crucified and ſlain. Although it was by the determinate Counſel and Will of God, that Chriſt ſhould be taken and ſlain; yet nevertheleſs they were wicked Hands that were imbrued in that precious and ineſtimable Blood. And thus I have ſhown how the Will of God's Purpoſe and Precept do differ. But yet,
Secondly, Although there be this great difference, yet is there no contrariety or repugnancy, but a perfect Harmony and Uniformity between them. Some have thought that if God wills ſuch a thing ſhould be done; as for inſtance, the Crucifying of our Lord and Saviour by his Will of Purpoſe, and yet Wills that it ſhould not be done by his Will of Precept, that theſe two Wills muſt needs contradict one another; and this Argument ſome do make no ſmall uſe of to explode the diſtinction of the Will of God.
But the Solution is moſt eaſie; for when Wills are contrary to each other, there muſt be a Willing and a Nilling of the ſame thing; but it is not ſo here; for the Object of God's Will of Purpoſe is Event; but of his Will of Precept, Duty. Now it is far enough from having any ſhadow of a contradiction for God to will or permit that to be which he hath willed or commanded us not to do. Indeed to will ſuch an Event to be and not to be, that ſuch a thing ſhall be my Duty and ſhall not be my Duty, are contradictions, and not to be imputed unto God. But to will that ſuch a thing ſhall eventually be, and yet to will that it ſhall be my Duty to endeavour to hinder it, is ſo far from being a contradiction, that it is moſt apparent and evident, and falls out moſt frequently in our ordinary converſe in the World. So in the forementioned famous inſtance of the Death of Chriſt. God willed by his Will of Purpoſe that it ſhould ſo come to paſs in all the circumſtances of it as it was perpetrated: but then he willed by his Will of Precept, that it ſhould be their Duty not to do it. Now certainly there is no contradiction or abſurdity that Duty and Event may be quite contrary one to the other: unleſs we could take away all Sin, and Authorize all the greateſt Villainies that ever were committed under the Sun. And thus much for the firſt Head.
And having thus ſeen what the Will of God is. The next General is to enquire, what Will it is we pray may be done, when we ſay, Thy Will be done. And here,
Firſt, It is clear that we eſpecially and abſolutely pray that the Will of God's Precept may be done, and that not only by us, but by all Men: For this Will of God is the Rule of our Obedience, and according to it we ought to conform all our Actions. And becauſe we are not ſufficient of our ſelves ſo much as to think any thing of our ſelves, much leſs to perform all thoſe various and weighty Duties of Holineſs, which God hath enjoyn'd us in his Word, therefore our Saviour hath taught us to beg of God Grace and Aſſiſtanee to enable us to fullfil his Will, giving us not only Commands of Obedience, but Promiſes for our Relief and Encouragment inſtructing us in the Word, to crave ſupplies of Grace from him who hath required Duty from us. And indeed there is a great deal of Reaſon we ſhould pray that his Will of Precept ſhould be done on Earth, if we conſider,
Firſt, The great Reluctancy and Oppoſition of Corrupt Nature againſt it. The Law is Spiritual, but we are Carnal and ſold under ſin, Rom. 7.4. and in the beſt of Men there is a Law in their Members, warring againſt the Law of their Minds, that when they would do good, evil is preſent with them; and therefore we have need to pray, That God would encline our hearts to his Commandments, and then ſtrengthen us to obey them: That as our Will to good is the effect of his Grace, ſo the effect of our Wills may be the performance of his Will.
Secondly, God's Glory is deeply concern'd in the doing of his Will. For it is the Glory of a King to have his Laws obey'd. And ſo is it God's. When we profeſs our ſelves to be his Subjects, and pray that his Kingdom may come, it is but fit and rational, that we ſhould pray likewiſe, Thy Will be done, without which this his Kingdom of Grace would be but meerly Titular: For his Word is the Scepter and Law of his Kingdom, and if we yield not Obedience to it, we do tacitly condemn it and the Law-maker alſo of Injuſtice, and thereby reflect a moſt intolerable diſparagement upon God preferring the will of Satan, and of our own Luſts, before his moſt Holy and Righteous Will. But when we endeavour to yield Obedience to his Commands, and pray that we may be able to do it with more diligence and conſtancy: this as it pleaſeth, ſo it glorifieth God, for by ſo doing, we acknowledge both his Sovereignty and his Equity; his Sovereignty, in that he may require of us what he pleaſeth; and his Equity, in that he requireth of us nothing but what is moſt juſt and fit: And therefore our Saviour tells us, John 15.8. Herein is my Father Glorified, that you bring forth much Fruit.
Thirdly, Our own Intereſt is deeply concerned in it: For through Obedience and doing the Will of God, it is, that we come to Inherit the Promiſes, Revel. 22.14. Bleſſed are they that do his Commandments that they may have a Right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in through the Gates into the City. And therefore to pray, that God's Will may be done by us, is but to pray, that we our ſelves may be fitted and prepared for Eternal Life and Glory, unto which we can no otherwiſe attain, but by Holineſs and Obedience. O think but to what an Excellency doth Grace advance the Soul even in this Life; and makes Chriſtians as much above other Men, as other Men are above Beaſts. That when they are employed about the foul and naſty Offices of ſin; hurried by their vile Paſſions unto vile and baſe Actions, raking in the Mire and Filth of all manner of uncleanneſs, and defiling their Soul with thoſe Sins which will hereafter Damn them: Thy work ſhould be all Spiritual, conſiſting of the ſame pure Employments that the Holy Angels and Glorified Saints in Heaven ſpend their Eternity in. Conſider what an high Honour and Priviledge it is that you ſhould be admitted to attend immediately upon the Service of the King of kings. You are called to wait about his Throne, his Throne of Grace, to which you have always free acceſs to converſe and commune with God, by maintaining Fellowſhip with him in the performance of Holy Duties; which is a Dignity ſo high, that Humane Nature is capable but of one preferment more, and that is of being removed from one Throne to the other; from attending on the Throne of Grace to attend on the Throne of Glory. And then think, O Soul, if it be poſſible to think, what neither Eye hath ſeen, nor Ear hath heard, neither hath it, nor can it enter into the heart of Man to conceive. Think how tranſcendently Bleſſed thy Eſtate ſhall be, when the Will of thy God which was here thy Duty, ſhall there be thy Nature: When thy Obligation to do it ſhall be turned into a happy neceſſity of doing it. When all thy Thoughts and Affections ſhall be center'd in God for ever, and not the leaſt motion of thy Soul ſhall ſo much as twinkle or waver from the Eternal Contemplation and Fruition of the Infinite Deity. And therefore this our Eternal Happineſs being wrapt up in doing the Will of God, it highly concerns us to pray, That it may be done, and to endeavour to do it on Earth, ſo as that at length we may attain to the perfection of doing it in Heaven. And this is the Firſt thing that in this Petition we eſpecially and abſolutely pray for, viz. That God's Will of Precept may be done by us on Earth.
Secondly, It is more doubtful, whether we are ſimply to pray that God's Will of Purpoſe ſhould be done. And that,
First, Becauſe the Will of God's Purpoſe is ſecret and unknown, and therefore cannot ſo immediately concern us in point of Duty, For ſecret things belong to God, but revealed things belong to us and to our Children, Deut. 29.29.
Secondly, Becauſe this Will of God ſhall within the periods ſet by his Eternal Decrees, have its moſt perfect and full accompliſhment. For though his Revealed Will may be reſiſted and hindered, yet neither Men nor Devils can hinder his ſecret Will and the Purpoſes of his Counſels, theſe ſhall take place mauger all their ſpite and oppoſitions; and therefore it ſeems not altogether ſo proper matter for our Prayers.
Again, Thirdly, Many things come to paſs by the Will of God's Purpoſe, which we ought not to pray for; yea, which we ought to pray againſt: As not to inſtance in God's Will of permitting the ſins and wickedneſſes of Men, which beyond all exceptions, we ought to deprecate. Let us but conſider, common Charity obligeth us not to pray for any evil of Suffering to befal either our ſelves or others: and yet we know that it is often-times the Will of God's Purpoſe to bring great and ſore Judgments upon Kingdoms, and upon Families and Perſons: And if we may indefinitely pray that this Will ſhould be done, this would be nothing elſe but to pray for the Death and Ruine of many thouſands, whom yet the Revealed Will of God commands us to pray for, and to deſire all Good and Proſperity to them. But yet notwithſtanding all this, we may doubtleſs pray, that the Will of God's Purpoſe may be done ſo far as it brings to paſs thoſe things, which we are obliged to pray for by the Will of his Precept. We may pray that God's Will may be fullfilled in giving Peace and Proſperity and good things both Temporal and Spiritual unto others and to our ſelves, but ſimply and abſolutely to pray, That this Will ſhould be done in whatſoever it reſpects, would be as often a Curſe as a Prayer: Since (as I told you before) there is no evil comes to paſs, whether of ſin or puniſhment, but it is by God's Will permitting the one, and effecting the other.
But you will ſay, do we not find frequent Examples in Scripture, of Holy Men who have Prayed that God's Will might be done even in the bringing to paſs that which was evil. Thus Ely when Samuel had denounced fearful Judgments both againſt himſelf and againſt his Houſe, It is the Lord, ſays he, let him do what ſeems good unto him. 1 Sam 3.18. And ſo David, when Perſecuted by the unnatural Rebellion of his Son Abſalom. If he ſay thus, Behold I have no delight in him, let him do as ſeems good unto him, 2 Sam. 15.26. And thus the Diſciples, when upon Agabus's Prophecy what Afflictions ſhould happen unto St. Paul at Jeruſalem, they would have perſwaded him from going thither, but could not prevail, conclude all with this, The Will of the Lord be done, Acts 21.14. And thus likewiſe our great Example, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, when he had prayed that the bitter Cup of his Paſſion might paſs away from him, he ſeems to correct himſelf and make another Prayer, Not my Will, but thine be done, Luke 22.42. Although he knew this Will of God could not be done without his own moſt extreme Sufferings, nor without the horrid ſin and wickedneſs of his Murderers.
But to all theſe inſtances I Anſwer, That they are not ſo much Prayers as Declarations of a ready Submiſſion and Obedience to the Will of God. For by this expreſſion, The Will of the Lord be done, we do not deſire that thoſe things ſhould come to paſs which will be grievous and afflicting to us; but only teſtifie our ready ſubjection to the Sovereign Will of God, and a patient reſignation of our ſelves and of all our concerns unto his diſpoſal. When we pray, we ought to beg of God that he would be pleaſed to avert from us thoſe Plagues and Judgments which our ſins juſtly expoſe us unto. But if it ſhall ſeem good to him to inflict any of them upon us, The Will of the Lord be done: That is, we deſire with Patience to ſubmit unto his Providence and contentedly to bear thoſe burthens which he ſhall impoſe upon us.
The ſum therefore of all is this, When we pray Thy Will be done; if it be the Will of God's Precept, we pray abſolutely that it may be done by us, as being obliged thereunto by his expreſs Word and Command. And if it be the Will of God's Purpoſe, intending any Temporal or Spiritual good unto us, we pray, that his Will may be done upon us. But if it be the Will of his Purpoſe to inflict any evil, then our ſaying, Thy Will be done, is not ſo much a Prayer as a Teſtimony of our ſubmiſſion to his Will without murmuring or repining at his Providence. Thus have we ſeen what this Will of God is that we pray may be done in this Petition, Thy Will be done.
Thirdly, The next thing to be taken notice of, is the Particle, Thy, Thy Will be done, and this carries in it both an Emphaſis and an Excluſion.
Firſt, Thy Will, emphatically to ſignifie unto us, That God's Will ought to be preferred above and before all others. Not to regard the fancies and humours of Men when the Will of God is clear before us: nor to be careful to pleaſe them, but our Lord Chriſt; and if they will quarrel with us upon any ſuch account, we know whither to Appeal for our Juſtification, and for our Safety: For our Juſtification to their Conſciences: Whether we ought to obey Men rather than God, Judge ye, Acts 4.19. And for our Protection and Safety to God's Power and Providence, with thoſe three Heroick Perſons, Dan. 3.16, 17. We are not careful, O King to anſwer thee in this matter. If it be ſo, our God whom we ſerve, is able to deliver us from the burning Fiery Furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand. And there is great Reaſon for this preference of God's Will before all others.
Firſt, Becauſe God's Will is moſt Sovereign. He is the Supream Lord of the whole World: the greateſt of Men are but his Subjects and Vaſſals. Now it is infinitely more Reaſon that we ſhould conform our ſelves to the Will of him who is both our Lord and theirs, than to the Will of our fellow-ſervants: And that we ſhould ſeek to pleaſe him who is able to deſtroy both our Souls and theirs, than that we ſhould pleaſe them, who when their rage reacheth higheſt, can destroy only this Body and vile Carcaſe.
Secondly, Becauſe God's Will is the moſt Holy and Perfect, and there is nothing that he hath Commanded us to do, but it hath a native Goodneſs and Excellency in it, and therefore it is called, The Good, the Acceptable, and Perfect Will of God, Rom. 12.2. To be governed by our own or other Mens Wills, is uſually to be led by Paſſion, and blind, head-long affections, but to give up our ſelves wholly to the Will of God, is to be governed by the higheſt Reaſon in the World: For his Will cannot but be good, ſince it is the meaſure and rule of goodneſs it ſelf; for therefore things are ſaid to be good becauſe God wills them. And whatſoever he requires of us, is pure and equitable, and moſt agreeable to the dictates of right and illuminated Reaſon: So that we act moſt like Men when we act moſt like Chriſtians, and ſhew our ſelves moſt Rational, when we ſhew our ſelves moſt Religious. And therefore we have a great deal of Reaſon to ſay, Thy Will be done.
Secondly, As this Particle, Thy, may be taken emphatically, Thy Will before all others; ſo likewiſe it may be taken excluſively, Thy Will and not our own be done. To teach us that hard Leſſon of Self-denial. Indeed, when we conſider the Rebellions of our corrupt Appetites and Deſires, and all thoſe tumults and uproars they raiſe in our Souls againſt the Holy and Perfect Will of God; the perverſe Diſputings of our Reaſon againſt his Authority, and thoſe ſtrong propenſions that are in us towards that which is diſpleaſing to him, and deſtructive to our ſelves, we ſhall find abundant need with our greateſt fervency to pray, Thy Will and not our own be done. And thus I have finiſhed the three Firſt Enquiries, what this Will of God is, how it may be ſaid to be done, and what is imported in this Particle, Thy. The
Fourth and laſt thing to be enquired into, is, What is meant by God's Will being done on Earth.
And here briefly, to reſolve this, That the Will of God ſhould be done on Earth, ſignifies, That it be done by Men living on the Earth, the place here being put for the perſons in it. And although there be ſeveral other Creatures beſides Man, who do all of them ſerve him and fullfill his Will according to the Rank and Station which they all hold. And therefore we have it expreſs'd, Pſal. 148.8. Fire and Hail, Snow and Vapour, ſtormy Wind fullfilling his Word. Yet this his Will and Word is only the Ordinance of their Creation. And the Will of his Purpoſe to the effecting of which they are often employed as Inſtruments. It is not the Will of God's Precept obliging them to Duty; for this can be fullfilled by none but by rational and intelligent Creatures. This Petition therefore, eſpecially, if not only, reſpects us Men whom God hath made Lords of this Earth, putting all other Creatures in ſubjection under us. Now here we pray,
Firſt, That all Men in the World renouncing the will of Satan and their own corrupt wills, may readily ſubject themſelves unto the Will of God. For this Expreſſion, on Earth ſuffers us not to limit our prayers to this or that particular Place or Region, but whereſoever God hath ſpread abroad all Nations upon the face of the Earth, we are to deſire of God for them Grace to enable them to do his Will, Pſal. 67.2. Let thy ways be known upon Earth, and thy ſaving Health unto all Nations.
Secondly, We pray that we may employ and improve the few and ſhort days of this Mortal Life to the beſt advantage. For this is that day wherein we may work the Works of God, and if we neglect to do the Will of God while we are here on Earth, it will be too late for ever, for there is no Work, nor Operation, nor Device in the Grave whither we are going.
And certainly if ever we would do the Will of God in Heaven, we muſt accuſtom our ſelves to do it here on Earth. Here we are as Apprentices that muſt learn the Trade of Holineſs, that when our time is out, we may be fit to be made free Denizons of the New Jeruſalem. Here we are to tune our Voices to the Praiſes of God, before we come to joyn with the Heavenly Choire. Here we are to learn what we muſt there for ever practiſe. And thus I have done with the Petition it ſelf. Thy Will be done in Earth.
The next thing obſervable, is the proportion of it, As it is in Heaven.
But you will ſay, Is it not utterly impoſſible while we are here on Earth, and clogg'd with Earthly Bodies, and encompaſſed about with manifold Infirmities? Is it not impoſſible ever to attain unto a Celeſtial and Heavenly Perfection in our Obedience?
I Anſwer, True it is ſo, but yet this Prayer is not in vain, for it teacheth and engageth us to aim at and endeavour after the perfect Holineſs of Angels and the Spirits of Juſt Men made Perfect. We are commanded to be Holy as God is Holy, and to be Perfect as our Heavenly Father is Perfect, whoſe Perfection is impoſſible for us to equalize: Yet theſe exceſſive commands have their uſe, to raiſe up our endeavours to a higher ſtrain and pitch, than if we were commanded ſomewhat within our own power. As he that aims at a Star is likely to ſhoot much higher than he that aims at a Turf.
Thus though it be a thing altogether impoſſible for us in this Life to attain to an Angelical perfection in our Obedience; yet the command that obligeth us to it, and our Prayers for it are not in vain; becauſe by our utmoſt endeavours after further meaſures and degrees of Holineſs, we may very much aſſimilate our Obedience to that Obedience that is yielded to God's Will in Heaven it ſelf, and therefore this Particle, As, is rather a note of ſimilitude than of equality. But though our Obedience on Earth cannot be equal to the Obedience that is yielded to God in Heaven, yet we pray that it may bear as much ſimilitude, proportion and conformity unto it as is poſſible for us to attain unto while we are here in the Body.
And therefore that we may the more fully underſtand what it is we pray for when we preſent this Petition to God. Thy Will be done in Earth, as it is in Heaven, we ſhall briefly enquire, how the Holy Angels and Bleſſed Spirits do the Will of God in Heaven. And,
Firſt, Their Obedience is abſolutely perfect, and that both with a perfection of Parts and Degrees. They do all that God enjoyns them, not failing in the leaſt Tittle of Obſervance; and therefore they are ſaid, To follow the Lamb whereſoever he goes, Revel. 14.14. Hence it is aſcribed to them as their proper and peculiar Character, Pſal. 103.20. Bleſs the Lord, ye his Angels that excel in ſtrength, that do his Commandments, hearkning to the voice of his Word. And again, they do the whole Will of God with all their Might, with all their Mind, with the greateſt Intention that is poſſible, even to an Angelical Nature: never are they remiſs in their Service, or ſlack in their Attendance, but are continually Bleſſing and Praiſing of God, ſtanding ready to receive and execute his Commands and Commiſſions.
Now when we pray that we may do the Will of God on Earth, as it is done in Heaven; we pray for this Heavenly temper, that we may bear an Univerſal reſpect unto all God's Commandments: no more ſticking or pauſing at any thing that God requires of us, than an Angel or a Glorified Saint would do: But infolding all our Intereſt and Concerns in God's Glory, might reſpect nor value nothing but what tends to the promotion of that. This is to do God's Will as the Angels do it in Heaven.
Secondly, Their Obedience is cheerful, not extorted from them by violent conſtraints of Fear, or of Suffering; but it is their Eternal Delight, and their Service is their Felicity. And thus ſhould we pray, and endeavour to do the Will of God with Alacrity and Cheerfulneſs; not being haled to it as our Task, but eſteeming the Commands of God to be as the Angels do, our Glory and our great Reward. But alas, how infinitely ſhort do we fall of our Pattern? we think the Sabbath long, and Ordinances long and tedious, and are ſecretly glad when they are over: And what ſhould ſuch as we are do in Heaven, where there is a Sabbath as long as Eternity, and nothing but Holineſs there? And therefore we had need pray earneſtly, that God would now ſit and prepare us for the Work of Heaven, while we are here on Earth; for elſe Heaven will not be Heaven, or a place of Happineſs unto us.
Thirdly, The Will of God is done in Heaven with zeal and ardency; and therefore it is ſaid, Pſal. 104.4. That God maketh his Angels and Meſſengers a Flame of Fire. And have not we abundance of need to pray for Conformity with them in this reſpect alſo? We do the Will of God ſo coldly and indifferently, that we our ſelves ſcarce take notice of what we are doing. We often bring Sacrifices to God, and either bring no Fire with us, but are frozen and dull; or elſe offer them up with ſtrange Wild-fire, and uſually are heated more with Paſſion and irregular Affections, than with Holy and pious Zeal. And,
Fourthly, The Will of God is done in Heaven with celerity and ready diſpatch; they are quick in executing the Commands of the great God and their Lord; and therefore are ſaid to have Wings and to fly, Eſai. 6.2. And this expreſſion of Wings, and the flying of Cherubims and Angels is frequently mentioned in Scripture, only to intimate to us, the expedition they uſe in the Service of God. But alas, how dull and ſlow are we? how long do we conſult with Fleſh and Blood, and are diſputing the Will of our Sovereign Lord, when we ſhould be obeying it? When we are clearly convinced that ſuch a Duty is neceſſary to be done, how many delays, and excuſes, and procraſtinations do we make, being willing to ſtay the leiſure of every vile Luſt, and vain Impertinency, thinking it then time enough to ſerve God when we have nothing elſe to do. Certainly, this is not to do the Will of God on Earth, as it is done in Heaven, where, upon the firſt intimations of God's Will, they take Wings and execute it ſpeedily.
Fifthly, The Will of God is done in Heaven with all poſſible Proſtration, Reverence, and Humility: And therefore it is ſaid, Rev. 4.10. that the four and twenty Elders fell down before him that ſat upon the Throne, and Worſhip him that liveth for ever and ever, and caſt their Crowns before the Throne. Crowns are themſelves Enſigns of Majeſty; but here they caſt their very Crowns, all their Dignity and Glory at the Feet of God; and make their chiefeſt excellency it ſelf do Homage to him that is King of kings, and Lord of lords. And ſo ſhould we in all our ſerving of God, do it with reverence and godly fear, preſerving upon our Hearts an awful ſenſe and regard of the dreadful Majeſty before whom we appear.
Sixthly, The Will of God is done in Heaven with conſtancy and perſeverance. They ſerve God Day and Night, Rev. 7.15. and are never weary of his work, no more than they are of their own Happineſs; for his Service is their Happineſs, and their Obedience their Glory. And thus ſhould we pray and endeavour that we might do the Will of God conſtantly and perſeveringly; for it is perſeverance that crowns all other Graces; and God hath promiſed to Crown our perſeverance with Glory and Eternal Life. And thus we ſee briefly in theſe Six Particulars, how the Will of God is done in Heaven.
To conclude this: Is there no other nor lower Pattern ſet us, than the perfect Obedience of Angels and Glorified Spirits? Let us not then content our ſelves with a comparative Obedience, and by meaſuring our ſelves with thoſe that are worſe, think highly of our own Perfections: Let us not applaud our ſelves with the boaſting Phariſee, with a Lord, I thank thee, I am not as other Men are, Extortioners, Ʋnjuſt, Adulterers. What is this to the Pattern that God hath ſet us for our imitation? Perhaps thou doſt but all this while compare thy ſelf with thoſe that are in Hell, and doſt God's Will not much better than ſuch have done, if this be all that thou canſt plead for thy ſelf: Whereas God hath ſet thee Examples for thy imitation in Heaven. Doſt thou endeavour to do his Will as Seraphims and Cherubims, and the whole Hoſt of Bleſſed Spirits? Thou liveſt it may be not ſo like a Devil as others do; but doſt thou live like an Angel? Doſt thou ſerve God with the ſame proportionable Zeal, Ardency, Delight, and Conſtancy, as thoſe Holy Spirits do, who always ſtand in the preſence of God, ready preſs'd to do his Will; if not, neither endeavoureſt after ſo high a degree of Obedience and Purity, know that thy imitation of any lower Example than that of Heaven, can never ſuffice to bring thee to Heaven. And thus I have finiſhed the Three firſt Petitions of this excellent Prayer; namely, thoſe that relate unto God; for the Petitions contained herein, as I ſaid in the beginning, were ſuch as immediately concerned God's Glory, or ſuch as immediately concerned our good. The Firſt I have already conſidered.
I now come to treat of thoſe Petitions which immediately concern our own Good; and that is either our Temporal or our Spiritual Good: Our Temporal Good, in praying for our daily Bread: Our Spiritual Good in the two laſt Petitions, wherein we pray for the Forgiveneſs of our Sins paſt, and for Deliverance from Sin for time to come.
I begin with the Firſt of theſe our Requeſts, or Petitions, for Temporal Bleſſings, contained in the Fourth Petition, Give us this Day our daily Bread; and here I ſhall conſider,
Firſt, The Order, and then the Petition it ſelf.
Firſt, The Order; and that is remarkable upon two Accounts.
Firſt, Whereas this Petition is placed in the midſt, and encompaſſed about with others that relate unto Spiritual Bleſſings; ſo that after we have prayed for the Glory of God, our Saviour teacheth us to make mention of our Temporal Wants, and ſo to paſs on again to beg Spiritual Mercies for our Souls. This may inſtruct us in the Government of our Lives, to uſe worldy Comforts as here we pray for them. Spiritual and Heavenly things are our greateſt Concernments, and ſhould be our greateſt care; with theſe we ſhould begin, and with theſe we ſhould end; only God allows us the World as an Inn; we may call in at it, and refreſh our ſelves with the Comforts and Accommodations that we find, but we muſt not dwell nor ſet up our reſt there. We are all Strangers and Pilgrims upon Earth; Heaven is our Country, and thither we are travelling, only in our Journey we may call and bait at the World, and take what we find provided for us with Sobriety and Thankfulneſs: And therefore this Bread that we here pray for, is elſewhere called the Staff of Bread, Pſal. 105.16. He brake the Staff of Bread. Ezek. 5.6. I will break your Staff of Bread. And all this is to put us in Mind that we are to ask for, and to uſe theſe Earthly Enjoyments only as Travellers, that make uſe of a Staff for their help and ſupport, whilſt they are in their paſſage home. And we are hereby alſo taught to crave no more than will ſuffice for our convenient Supplies, otherwiſe we make our Staff our Burden, and our Support it ſelf a Load and Preſſure.
Secondly, It is obſervable, that though we are commanded, to ſeek firſt the Kingdom of God and its Righteouſneſs; with a Promiſe that all other Earthly things ſhall be added to us; yet here our Saviour places the Petition for Temporal Bleſſings, before the Two Petitions we preſent to God for Spiritual Bleſſings; and this Order hath ſeemed ſo ſtrange and incongruous to ſome, that hereupon alone they have been moved to affirm that this Bread which we here ask is not any Temporal good thing, but the Bread of Life, even Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, as ſhall be ſhown more by and by.
Now this Order doth not intimate to us, that Earthly Bleſſings are better and more conſiderable than Heavenly, or that they ſhould have the preference in our eſteem or deſires, (I hope there are none of us ſo brutiſh, nor ſo far degenerated into Beaſts, as to account the poor Enjoyments of this Life, more valuable than the Pardon of Sin, and thoſe Spiritual Mercies that are in a tendency to Eternal Life and Happineſs.) But,
Firſt, Our Saviour uſeth this method in his Prayer, in conformity to the method of Divine Providence towards us, which firſt gives us Life, and the neceſſities of it, and then Orders us Spiritual and Heavenly Bleſſings, as an acceſſion, and happy addition to thoſe Natural good things he beſtows upon us.
Secondly, Becauſe we are uſually more ſenſible of our Temporal than of our Spiritual wants; our Saviour therefore doth by degrees raiſe up our Deſires by the one to the other; for ſeeing we are commanded to pray for the ſupply even of our Temporal neceſſities, which are but trivial in regard of the neceſſities of our Souls; we cannot but be convinced that we ought to be much more earneſt and importunate with God for Spiritual Mercies than for Temporal; by how much our Spiritual wants are more important and of vaſter conſequence than our Temporal. When therefore thou comeſt to this Petition, think with thy ſelf, O Christian, if I muſt pray fervently and affectionately for my daily Bread, which can only nouriſh my vile Carcaſe for a few ſhort years; a Carcaſe that muſt notwithſtanding all theſe recruits ſhortly moulder into Duſt, and it ſelf become meat for Worms: How much more importunate ought I to be, for the Pardon of my Sins, and thoſe Spiritual Mercies and Bleſſings, without which my precious and immortal Soul muſt eternally periſh? Since Chriſt hath commanded us not to labour, and by conſequence not to pray for that Meat which periſheth, with any comparative induſtry and earneſtneſs, to our labouring and praying for that which endureth to Eternal Life. And thus much concerning the Order of this Petition.
In the Petition it ſelf we have,
Firſt, The matter of it, or that which we pray for, Give us Bread.
Secondly, The Kind, or Quality of it, called here, daily Bread.
Thirdly, Our Right and Property in it, Our Daily Bread.
Fourthly, The limitation of it in reſpect of time, Give it us this Day. Of all theſe briefly.
Firſt, The matter of this Petition, or that which we pray for, and that is Bread. Give us our Bread. By Bread here is meant all Temporal and Earthly Bleſſings, that contribute either to our being or to our well-being in this Life. And becauſe we have need of very many things for our preſent ſubſiſtence, as Food, Raiment, Habitation, and each of theſe comprehend many other neceſſaries in them; all which would have been too long particularly to enumerate in this compendious Prayer; therefore our Saviour hath ſumm'd them up in the word Bread; figuratively denoting all kinds of Proviſions neceſſary for this Natural Life, whereof Bread is the moſt uſual and the moſt uſeful. And therefore as when God ſpeaks of a Famine, he calls it a Famine of Bread, Amos 8.11. Not as if a ſcarcity of Bread were the only Dearth intended by it, but that there ſhould be likewiſe a want of all things requiſite to the ſuſtentation of Life. So here when Chriſt teacheth us to pray, for our Daily Bread, this Phraſe extendeth to all things conducible to maintain Health, or to recover it; to preſerve Life, or to prolong it.
Some indeed think this too mean and ſordid a requeſt to be preferred to God, and would not have any of the low Conveniences of this preſent Life to have any place in a Prayer, all whoſe other parts are ſo Spiritual and Heavenly, and the whole ſo ſhort and compendious; where the Petitions are ſo few, they will not believe any of them ſhould be ſpent ſo trivially, as to beg that which, though they might not attain, yet they might be eternally Bleſſed and Happy; and therefore they interpret this Word, Bread, in a Spiritual ſence, and take it for the Food of the Soul, whereby it is nouriſhed unto Eternal Life; and eſpecially for our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who is called the Bread of Life, John 6.35. and Living Bread which came down from Heaven, verſe 51. But here ſeemeth no place for any ſuch Myſtical Interpretation, the Word Bread being put without any addition or like circumſtance that might refer it to Chriſt, or to Spiritual things; and therefore ought to be underſtood according to the Words literally and in their ordinary ſignification; although indeed it be here uſed by way of Synechdoche, one part of Temporal good things being put for the whole acceſſion of them. Now from this we are taught theſe three things.
Firſt, That Temporal Mercies and Bleſſings may lawfully be prayed for. And although we ought not to be moſt earneſt and importunate, nor to enlarge and expatiate moſt upon theſe requeſts, but more earneſtly to covet the beſt Gifts; yet neither is unworthy of a Chriſtian whoſe Affections and Converſation is in Heaven, to beg at God's Hands thoſe Mercies that he knows needful for the ſupport and comfort of this preſent Life; yea, we read of nothing more frequent than the Saints praying either for the removal of ſome Temporal Evil or Puniſhment, or the receiving of ſome Temporal Bleſſing or Favour. If I ſhould quote the Scriptures, I might tranſcribe a great part of the Bible; nay, ſo far were they from looking upon it as below them, that we find Jacob putting it into his Indentures when he bound himſelf to God, and made it as it were the Condition of his Obligation to God's Service, Geneſ. 28.20. Then Jacob vowed a Vow, ſaying, if God will be with me and keep me in this way that I go, and will give me Bread to eat, and Raiment to put on, ſo that I come again to my Father's Houſe in Peace; then ſhall the Lord be my God. And indeed there is a great deal of Reaſon and Ground to pray for theſe things; for they are both needful for us, and God hath promiſed to give them to us.
Firſt, They are needful for us, as the means that God hath appointed for the preſervation of our Temporal Life and Being, in which we have ſo many opportunities to ſerve and glorifie him, and ſo many advantages to ſecure Heaven and Glory to our Souls: And therefore as we tender either the obtaining of Heaven, or the additional degrees of Glory and Happineſs there; ſo we ſtand obliged to pray that God would afford us thoſe neceſſaries that may conduce to the prolonging of our Natural Life; till having finiſhed our work we are made fit to receive our Wages and Reward. Your Heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all theſe things, ſays our Saviour, Matth. 6.32. And therefore, though Miracles be a kind of a Non-obſtante to the Law of Nature, and a ſuſpenſion of the ordinary courſe of Providence; yet we often find God working a Miracle to ſupply theſe wants of his People; whereas it had been alike eaſie by another Miracle, to have cauſed them not to want; for it had been no more difficult for God to have kept Elijah from hungring, than it was to make the Ravens his Purveyors, or to make a Barrel of Meal become a whole Harveſt, or to open a Spring and Fountain in the Cruiſe of Oyl; but he chooſeth rather to ſupply theſe Wants than to ceaſe them, to keep us in a continual dependance upon him, that the ſenſe of our neceſſities might engage us to have continual recourſe unto God for relief.
Secondly, As Temporal good things are needful for us, ſo God hath promiſed to give them to us: Pſal. 50.15. Call upon me in the Day of Trouble, and I will deliver thee. And, My God, ſays the Apoſtle, ſhall ſupply all your wants, Phil. 4.19. The Lord will give Grace and Glory, and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly, Pſal. 84.13. Thus we ſee Temporal good things may be pray'd for, both becauſe they are needful for us, and becauſe God hath promiſed them to us: Yet,
Secondly, They muſt be prayed for only conditionally; for they are only conditionally promiſed. And theſe conditions are two-fold. If they be conſiſtent with God's pleaſure, and if they be conducible to our good; for without the obſerving the one we ſhould not ſo much ſeem to Petition as to invade, and without obſerving the other we ſhould but beg a Curſe inſtead of a Bleſſing.
Thirdly, We may learn likewiſe that God is the Giver of every Temporal Mercy and Good thing. Whatever thou enjoyeſt, it is from his meer free Bounty. He ſpreads thy Table, fills thy Cup, makes thy Bed, puts on thy Garments; is the God of thy Health and Strength, and loadeth thee daily with his Benefits. If thou haſt riches, it is the Bleſſing of God that maketh rich, Prov. 10.22. It is God that giveth thee Power to get Wealth, Deut. 8.18. Haſt thou Credit and Reputation? It is God that hideth thee from the Scourge of Tongues, Job 5.21. Haſt thou Friends? It is God that giveth thee Favour in their ſight. Haſt thou Gifts and Parts? It is the Almighty that giveth thee Ʋnderſtanding, Job 32.8. And haſt thou Joy and Comfort in all theſe? It is God, who not only filleth thy Mouth with Food, but thy Heart with Gladneſs. Now God is ſaid to Give us our daily Bread, and all the neceſſaries of Life, eſpecially Two ways.
Firſt, By producing them and bringing them to us. He is the great Lord and Proprietor both of Heaven and Earth. The Earth is the Lord's and the fulneſs thereof; and he gives it to whom he will. He maketh it bring forth abundantly all its Stores for the uſe and ſervice of Man: For be the Chain of Second Cauſes never ſo long, yet the firſt link of them is held in his Hand: And therefore we have it expreſſed, Hoſea 2.21, 22. I will hear ſaith the Lord, I will hear the Heavens, and they ſhall hear the Earth, and the Earth ſhall hear the Corn, and the Wine, and the Oil, and they ſhall hear Jezreel.
Secondly, God gives them, by Bleſſing them to us; without which Bleſſing our daily Bread would no more nouriſh us than ſo much Chaff: For had we all the abundance that the Earth could yield, and the Bleſſing of God with-held from it, the very Air would ſtiffe us, and our very Food would famiſh us: For it is not ſo much by theſe things that we live; not ſo much by our daily Bread, as by every Word; that is, by every Word of Bleſſing upon them, which proceedeth out of the Mouth of God, Deut. 8.3. And concerning thoſe to whom he denies this his Bleſſing, he tells us, Job 20.22. In the fullneſs of their ſufficiency they ſhall be in ſtreights. And therefore when we pray that God would give us our daily Bread, we pray not only that God would give us the Poſſeſſion and Enjoyment of Earthly Comforts; but that he would put Virtue and Efficacy into them, by his Bleſſing upon them, to be ſubſervient to our relief and ſupport, without which the Staff of Bread would break under us, and the ſtay of Water roll away from us. And thus much for the firſt thing, Give us Bread.
Secondly, Let us conſider, the Specification of this Bleſſing, or the Kind and Quality of it, our daily Bread. This Word foreign, is variouſly rendred, I ſhall not trouble you with the particular Notions of it; let it ſuffice, that here by the Word, Bread, is meant our ordinary and uſual Bread, or whatſoever is neceſſary for our ſubſiſtence in the World from Day to Day. And it is the ſame with what is expreſſed in that excellent Prayer of Agur. Prov. 30.8. Give me neither Poverty nor Riches, feed me with Food convenient for me. So do we pray here, that he would beſtow upon us daily, that which is ſufficient for the day. And by this we are taught to moderate our Deſires, and to beg of God no more than is needful for us. We beg not delicacies; we beg daily Bread, not ſuperfluites, nor Goods laid up for many years.
But now becauſe the meaſures of neceſſities are divers, and that may be but daily bread to one, which to another is ſuperfluity, it will be requiſite to ſhew you by what neceſſities our Prayers are to be bounded.
I Anſwer, Firſt, We may pray for the ſupply of all our Natural neceſſities: And to this the Sovereign Principle of ſelf-preſervation ſtrongly obligeth us. And he that prays not nor endeavours for this, is a ſelf-murderer in with-holding from himſelf what is ſimply, and abſolutely neceſſary for the maintenance of his Life.
Secondly, Beſides things that are naturally neceſſary, there are things that are civilly neceſſary, which are not ſo abſolutely Imperious as the other; yet theſe alſo oblige us to pray for ſupplies and relief. I account thoſe things civilly neceſſary, which though they are not ſimply neceſſary to the preſervation of our Life, yet are neceſſary to the State and Condition in which Divine Providence hath ſet us. As for Men of High Birth, of Publick Note, or Publick Employment, more is neceſſary for them, than for others, whom God hath placed to take up a narrower room in the World. For Cedars require more Sap than Shrubs: And for ſuch as theſe to pray againſt poverty, is poſſibly to pray for much more than would make private perſons rich. We are allowed to pray for ſuch a competent meaſure of Earthly Bleſſings as is ſuitable to our Station, and commenſurate to our charge and burthens; and according to the Judgment of Chriſtian prudence, apparently needful, for thoſe whom we are bound to provide for, that they may live honeſtly and decently. All theſe are neceſſaries that we are to pray for in this Petition, give us our daily Bread.
But we muſt take heed that neither Covetouſneſs nor Ambition impoſe upon us, and make us meaſure neceſſaries by our inordinate Deſires, rather than by our real Wants. For whatſoever is more than enough for our preſent State and Comfortable Subſiſtence, is not our daily Bread, but the Bread of the Poor, out of whoſe mouths we ſnatch it. And whatſoever we lay up with great deſigns of enlarging our ſelves or our Poſterity beyond our Lawful meaſure, are but Treaſures of wickedneſs, whoſe ruſt will Witneſs againſt us at the laſt day. And thus much for the Second Obſervable.
Thirdly, in the Words of this Petition, are deſigned our Right and Propriety to this daily Bread: Give us our daily Bread.
Now right to a Temporal Enjoyment is Three-fold, either Natural, or Spiritual, or Civil. Natural by Creation. Spiritual by Regeneration. And Civil by Humane and Legal Conſtitution.
Firſt, As for the Natural Right by Creation, that was once found in Adam, who was made the viſible Lord of the Univerſe, and all things put under his feet. We may read his Patent and Charter, Gen. 1.28. And God ſaid unto him, be fruitful, and multiply, and repleniſh the Earth and ſubdue it, and have Dominion over the Fowl of the Air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the Earth. But this Right we have loſt, and can call nothing ours upon this account. Only as Princes allow Traitors and Malefactors Proviſion in their Priſon till they come to Execution. So God allows many Wicked Men many Earthly Enjoyments out of the meer bounty of Priſon-Proviſion, to keep them alive till they are brought forth to their Execution. This Natural Right therefore being loſt, there ſucceeds in the room of it,
Secondly, A Spiritual Right to Earthly Comforts. And this belongs unto all thoſe who themſelves do belong to Chriſt: for he is made the Heir of all things. And all things both in Heaven and Earth are conſigned over unto him by a Deed of Gift from God his Father, and they being united unto Chriſt, and his Spiritual Offspring, are Heirs with Chriſt, and Co-heirs of all that ample Dominion which Chriſt himſelf poſſeſſeth. And upon this ground the Apoſtle tells the Corinthians, in 1 Cor. 3.22, 23. All things are yours, the World, things preſent and things to come, all are yours; and he ſubjoyns this reaſon for it, for ye are Chriſt's. But yet this Spiritual Right is not to be extended to an Uſurpation upon the Temporal Enjoyments of others. For Grace and Holineſs being a thing wholly inward and inviſible, cannot conferr any outward Title. For this,
Thirdly, Is given by another Right, which is Civil, according to the conſtitution of Humane Laws, and the Proceſs in Courts of Humane Judicature. For Law is the only diſtributer of meum and tuum. And we can call nothing ours which is not ſo, or ought not to be ſo by the Sentence of the Law under which we live; and he that detaineth any thing which the Sentence of the Law adjudgeth to another, is guilty of Theft and Robbery.
Now when we pray for our daily bread, we pray,
Firſt, That God would give us the good things of this Life to be obtained by us in a Lawful Regular manner.
Secondly, That he would bleſs and increaſe thoſe good things that are rightfully our own.
Thirdly, That he would beſtow upon us a Spiritual right in whatſoever we enjoy through Jeſus Chriſt, who is the Heir and Poſſeſſor of all things. And,
Fourthly, We pray that we may not deſire nor covet that which is anothers: for we are taught to pray only for that which we may juſtly call ours, to which we have as well a Civil as a Spiritual Right and Title. And thus much for the third particular.
Fourthly, We have in the words the limitation of the Petition in reſpect of time. Give us this day our daily bread. And indeed there is great reaſon why we ſhould pray for it this day, for we every day ſtand in need of relief and ſupplies from God. Our wants and our Troubles grow up thick about us, and unleſs God make daily proviſions for us, we ſhall be over-run by them. Food nouriſhes but a day, and that which we receive this day, will not ſuffice us to morrow. There is a continual Spring and Fountain of neceſſities within us, and therefore we muſt have continual recourſe unto God by prayer, that he would daily ſatisfie and ſupply our Wants, as they daily riſe up about us.
Again, by teaching us to pray for our Temporal Comforts this day, our Saviour tacitly intimates to us, that we ſhould be content with our daily allowance. It is enough, if we have our Dimenſum, our appointed Food for the day. To morrow is in God's hand, and the care of it is his and not ours, and therefore he bids us, take no thought for to morrow; that is with no tormenting, carking and deſponding thoughts, Matth. 6.34. And indeed if we are provided for this day, we may well reſt content and ſatisfied in the Providence of God, ſince he hath engaged his Word of Promiſe, That he will never leave us nor forſake us.
Now in this part of the Petition, there are ſundry things we pray for. As,
Firſt, We pray for Life it ſelf, that it may be prolonged, whilſt God hath any Service for us to do in the World.
To this very end we pray for daily Bread, that Life may be maintained and preſerved by it.
Secondly, Health and Strength of Body, which is indeed the greateſt of Temporal Bleſſings, and the ſalt to all the reſt, without which they are unſavory and taſteleſs.
Thirdly, All the means that God's Providence hath appointed to preſerve Life and Health, and to recover Health when it is decay'd and impair'd.
Fourthly, Succeſs in our Lawful Calling and Endeavours for the procuring any Conveniencies and Comforts of Life. For in this Prayer we beg a Bleſſing upon our Callings and Induſtry, that God would proſper us in them, and by them encreaſe our Temporal Enjoyments, ſo far forth as is needful to his own Glory and our Good.
Fifthly, we beg a Bleſſing from Heaven upon whatſoever we enjoy that it may indeed prove good and comfortable to us; without which all that we poſſeſs may prove a great heap of things, but none of them will be Comforts or Enjoyments.
And thus I have finiſhed the Firſt of thoſe Petitions that immediately concern our ſelves, wherein we beg of God the ſupply of all our Temporal Wants. The Two which remain reſpect Spiritual Bleſſings, of which the former (which is the Fifth Petition in Order of this moſt Excellent Prayer) is for the Pardon of Sin, Forgive us our Debts, as we forgive our Debtors. Of which I now come to treat.
And here before we come to the Petition it ſelf, let us briefly take notice of the connexion and dependance that it hath upon what went before.
Having prayed for our daily Bread, we are next taught to pray for Pardon. And this method is indeed moſt Wiſe, and moſt Rational. For,
Firſt, The guilt of Sin many times with-holds from us thoſe Earthly Comforts we ſtand in need of. We have forfeited all into the hands of God's Juſtice, and he is pleaſed to make us know our obnoxiouſneſs to his Power and Wrath, by denying or taking from us thoſe Temporal good things as a due, though the leaſt puniſhment of our deſerts, Eſai. 59.2. Your Iniquities have ſeparated between you and your God, and your Sins have hid his Face from you, that he will not hear you. And therefore when we have prayed for our daily Bread, we are to pray likewiſe for the Pardon of our Sins. That the Partition between God and us may be removed, and his Bleſſing being no longer obſtructed by our guilt, may deſcend down freely and plentifully upon us.
Secondly, Without Pardon of Sin, all our Temporal Enjoyments are but Snares and Curſes unto us. Though God doth ſometimes beſtow abundance of this World's good things upon impenitent and unpardoned Sinners, yet they have not ſo many Enjoyments as Curſes: Their Bread is kneaded up with a Curſe, and their Wine tempered and mingled with a Curſe; there is Poyſon in their Meat, and Death in their Phyſick, their Table is their Snare, their Eſtate their Fetters; and whatſoever ſhould have been for their wellfare, proves only a Gin and a Trap unto them; for the Wrath of God is one direful Ingredient among all that they poſſeſs. And therefore, if we would have our daily Bread given us, or Comfort and Bleſſing with it, we ought earneſtly to beg the Pardon of our Sins, which are like the Worm in Jonah's Goard, which will wither and devour all our Enjoyments. And thus much for the Method and Order.
In the Words themſelves we have,
Firſt, The Petition, Forgive us our Debts.
Secondly, The Condition or Proportion, or Plea and Argument, (call it which you will) for the obtaining of this forgiveneſs, as we forgive our Debtors.
In the Petition we may obſerve, that the ſame which our Evangeliſt calls Debts, is by St. Luke 11.4. called Sins, Forgive us our Sins. We ſtand indebted to God both as we are his Creatures, and as we are Offenders: By the one we owe him the Debt of Obedience; and by the other, the Debt of Puniſhment.
Firſt, As we are Creatures, we owe the Debt of Obedience: And to the payment of this Debt we ſtand bound both to the abſolute Sovereignty of God, who is the Supreme Lord of all his Creatures, and therefore may oblige them to what he pleaſeth; and likewiſe by his manifold Favours and Mercies conferred upon us. From him we have received our Beings and all our Comforts; he maintains us at his own Coſt and Charge, he enlargeth us when we are in Streights, relieves us when we are in Wants, Counſels us when we are in Doubts, Comforts us when we are in Sorrows, Delivers us in our Dangers; and beſides the manifold Temporal Mercies we daily receive from him, gives us the Means, the Hopes and Promiſes of obtaining far better things at his Hands, even Eternal Life and Glory: And therefore certainly upon theſe Accounts we owe him all poſſible Service and Obedience. And indeed it is but Reaſon we ſhould employ all for him; from whom we receive all; and give up our ſelves to his Service, who are what we are by his Bounty, and hope to be infinitely better, than now we are, through his Mercy.
Now this Debt of Obedience is irremiſſible, and we are eternally and indiſpenſably bound unto it: For it is altogether inconſiſtent with the Notion and Being of a Creature, to be diſcharged from its Obligation to the Laws and Commands of its Creator; for this would exempt it from the Dominion of God, and make it Abſolute and Independent; that is, it would make the Creature to be no longer a Creature but a Deity. We do not therefore pray, that God would forgive us this Debt; no, he cannot ſo far deny himſelf, and it is our Happineſs and Glory to pay it: To this his Sovereignty obligeth our Subject Condition, and his Mercy and Goodneſs our Ingenuity.
Secondly, As we are Tranſgreſſors, ſo we owe God a Debt of Puniſhment, to be ſuffered by us to make God ſome reparation to his Honour, and ſatisfaction to his Juſtice, for our tranſgreſſing his Law, which ſentenceth all Offenders to Eternal Death and Damnation.
This Debt now is that which we pray God would forgive us; a Debt, which if we pay, we are eternally ruined and undone; and there is no way poſſible to eſcape the payment of it, but by the free Grace and Mercy of God remitting of it unto us: And thus Sin is called a Debt, not indeed properly, as if we owed it, but by a Metonymy, as it is the meritorious Cauſe of this puniſhment, the ſuffering of which we owe to Divine Juſtice.
Hence, by the way, we may obſerve that every Sin makes us liable to Eternal Death; for Death and Damnation is the Debt which we muſt pay to the Juſtice of God, and Sin is that which expoſeth us unto it, by the Sentence of the Law which we have tranſgreſſed. For as againſt other Debtors is brought forth ſome Bond or Obligation to exact payment from them: So againſt us is produced the Hand-writing of the Law, and we not having performed the Condition of the Bond, ſtand liable to the Forfeiture and Penalty, which is no leſs than Curſes, and Woes, and Torments, and Everlaſting Death. Curſed is every one that continues not in all things written in the Book of the Law to do them, Gal. 3.10. And, the Wages of Sin is Death, Rom. 6.23. And, the Soul that ſinneth it ſhall Die, Ezek. 18.4. Now here to excite thee to a fervency in praying for the forgiveneſs of thy Debts, conſider,
Firſt, The infinite multitudes of thy Debts. God's Book is full of them, and there they ſtand on account againſt us under every one of our Names. We were born Debtors to God; our Original Sin and Guilt obligeth us to puniſhment; and although we did not perſonally contract the Debt, yet as being the wretched Heirs and Executors of fallen Adam, the Debt is legally devolved upon us and become ours. And ever ſince we came into the World we have run upon the ſcore with God, our Debts are more than our Moments have been; for whatſoever we have thought or done hath been Sin, either in the matter, or at leaſt in the circumſtances of it. God ſets all our Sins down in order in his Debt-book; ſome as Talents, and ſome as Pence. Our flagitious Crimes and hainous Impieties, our preſumptuous Sins, committed againſt Light, Knowledge, Conſcience, Convictions, Mercies, and Judgments; each of theſe God ſets down as a Talent: And how many thouſands of theſe may we have been guilty of? Our Sins of Ignorance, Surreption, and daily Infirmity are much more innumerable, and though they may be but as Pence in compariſon with the other, yet the unaccountable numbers of them will make the Debt deſperate, and the payment impoſſible. And yet notwithſtanding our Debts are ſo many, and very many of them ſuch great Sums too; yet we daily run ourſelves farther in Arrears, not conſidering that a Day of Accounts will come, when both our Talents and our Pence ſhall be punctually reckoned up againſt us, not omitting the leaſt Item; when every vain Thought, and fooliſh Paſſion, that hath fluſhed up in us, with every idle and ſuperfluous Word that we have unadviſedly ſpoken, as well as the more groſs and ſcandalous Paſſages of our ſinful Lives, ſhall be then audited; all which will make the Total Sum infinite, and us deſperate.
Secondly, That God, who is thy Creditor, is ſtrict and impartial; his Patience hath truſted and forborn thee long; but his Juſtice will at laſt demand the Debt ſeverely, and every particular ſhall be charged upon thee even to the utmoſt Farthing; for he hath booked down all in his remembrance, and will bring all to thine: And therefore we have it expreſſed concerning the laſt Judgment, that the Books were opened, and the Dead were Judged, out of thoſe things which were written in the Books, according to their Works, Rev. 20.12. What now are theſe Books, but the two great Volumes of God's remembrance, and our own Conſciences? Theſe are two Tallies evenly ſtruck, that ſhall juſtly repreſent the ſame Sum and Debt, and God's ſtrict Juſtice will not then abate thee any thing of its utmoſt due; for he will by no means acquit the Guilty. Indeed we are apt to think that becauſe God ſo long forbears us, he will never calls us to make up and adjuſt Accounts with him. Our preſent impunity tempts us to queſtion his Omniſcience, and to ſuſpect his Threatnings; and becauſe he winks at us, we are ready to conclude that he is Blind; we are of that wretched temper deſcribed, Pſal. 50.21. Becauſe God keeps ſilence, we think he is altogether ſuch a one as our ſelves: As careleſs in requiring his Debts, as we are in contracting them; but he will reprove us, and ſet them in order before our Faces, to our everlaſting ſhame and confuſion.
Thirdly, That the leaſt of all theſe thy Debts make thee liable to be caſt into the Priſon of Hell, and to be adjudged to Eternal Death and Puniſhments. Not only thy impudent and ſcandalous Sins which make thee deteſted of Men as well as hated of God; but the leaſt ſhadow of a thought that gives but an umbrage of vanity to thy Mind, the leaſt motion and heaving of thy Heart towards a ſinful Object, the exhaling but of one ſinful Deſire, the wavering of thy Fancy, a glance of thine Eye, is a Debt contracted with the infinite Juſtice of God; and a Debt that without forgiveneſs muſt be paid in the Infernal Priſon of Hell: So ſays our Saviour, Matth. 5.26. Verily thou ſhalt not come out thence till thou hast paid the utmost Farthing.
Beware therefore then that you do not entertain any ſlight thoughts of Sin; nor think, with the Papiſts, that there are ſome ſorts of Sins that do not deſerve Death, which they call Venial Sins, in oppoſition to other more groſs and hainous Sins, which they allow to be Mortal. Believe it, the leaſt prick at the Heart is deadly; and ſo is the leaſt Sin to the Soul. And indeed it is a Contradiction to call any Sin Venial, in their ſence, who hold it is not worthy of Damnation; for if it be a Sin, it is worthy of Damnation, for the Wages of Sin is Death; if it be not, How is it Venial? There is but one Mortal Sin, ſimply and abſolutely ſuch, as God hath revealed in his Word, that it ſhall never be pardoned, neither in this World, nor in that which is to come; and that is the Sin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, which St. John therefore calls a Sin unto Death, 1 Joh: 5.16. And ſo far are they who are guilty of it excluded from God's Mercy, that they are excluded from the Charity of our Prayers; for we are not ſo much as to pray for ſuch, as it is there expreſſed.
Again, all the Sins of finally impenitent and unbelieving Wretches are eventually Mortal, and ſhall certainly be puniſhed at laſt with Eternal Death and Damnation; For the Wrath of God abideth on him that believeth not, Joh. 3.16. And God will render Indignation and Wrath, Tribulation and Anguiſh, upon every Soul of Man that doth evil, Rom. 2.9. All Sins whatſoever are Mortal meritoriouſly, both in the Penitent and in the Impenitent; the Law hath condemned all alike, though all Sins are not alike hainous, nor ſhall be equally puniſhed; but with ſome it ſhall be far more intolerable than with others; yet all are alike Mortal and deſerve Death and the ſame Hell, though not the ſame Place, nor the ſame Degree of Torments in Hell; for thoſe Sins which are accounted moſt Trivial and Venial, are in themſelves Violations of the Holy Law of God, and the Penalty that his Laws threaten is no leſs than Death. The Law is accurate and reacheth to the leaſt things; yea, to the leaſt circumſtances of thoſe things; and every Tranſgreſſion againſt it ſhall receive its due recompence of reward: Nay, had we no other guilt left upon our Souls, from the firſt moment of our lives to this preſent day, but only the guilt of the leaſt Sin that the Holy Law condemns; be it only the wrenching aſide of a Thought or Deſire, only a bye and ſiniſter end in the performance of Holy Duties; nay, let it be but the firſt rudiment and imperfect draught of a Thought not yet finiſhed, without a full ſatisfaction and expiation, this ſmall Debt would caſt us into Priſon, this little Sin would ſink us irrecoverably into Hell, and lay us under the Revenges of the Almighty God for ever.
Oh then with what horrour and amazement may Sinners reflect upon their paſt Sins! With what dread and trembling may they expect their future State, ſince as many thouſand Sins as they have committed of all ſizes and aggravations, ſo many Deaths and Hells heaped up one upon another have they deſerved, and without intervention of a full payment and ſatisfaction muſt they be adjudged to undergo? For though the leaſt degree of Divine Wrath be a tormenting Hell; yet God will inflame his Wrath to as many degrees of acrimony and ſharpneſs as they have committed Sins, till their Puniſhment be equal to their Offences, and become infinitely intolerable.
Fourthly, Conſider, thou canſt never pay God, nor diſcharge the leaſt of thy Debts for ever. For,
Firſt, Thou canſt not poſſibly do it by any Duties or Services in this Life: For whatſoever thou doſt is either required, or not required; if it be not required, it will be ſo far from being a ſatisfaction for thy Sins, that it will be an addition to them, and a piece of Will-worſhip, which will meet with that ſad Greeting at the laſt Day, who hath required theſe things at your Hands? If it be required, it is no more than thou oweſt to God before, and if thou hadſt never ſinned wert obliged to pay it. To think to ſatisfie for thy Sins by thy Duties, is but to rob one Attribute of God to pay another; for whatſoever Obedience thou canſt perform, thou oweſt it to the Sovereignty and Holineſs of God, and his Juſtice will never accept of that which belongs to his Authority. Beſides it is abſurd to think to pay one Duty by another, to diſcharge the Debt of Sin by paying the Debt of Duty.
Secondly, Thou canſt not pay off thy Debts by any Sufferings hereafter. It is true Sinners ſhall lie eternally in Priſon, and be eternally ſatisfying the offended Juſtice of God; but in all that Eternity there ſhall never be that moment wherein they may ſay, as Chriſt did in his making ſatisfaction, it is finiſhed, the Debt is paid, and Juſtice hath received as much as was due from me. No that ſatisfaction muſt be eternally making; and therefore the puniſhment muſt be eternally laſting: For every Sin, even the leaſt Sin, is committed againſt an infinite God; and therefore the puniſhment of it muſt be infinite: For Offences take their meaſures, as well from the Dignity of the Perſon againſt whom they are committed, as from the hainouſneſs of the Fact in it ſelf conſidered. As a reviling Word againſt the King is Treaſonable, againſt our Equals but actionable; and therefore by the ſame proportion, the ſame Offence againſt the infinite Majeſty of the great God, muſt needs carry infinite guilt in it; that is, expoſeth to infinite puniſhment.
Now then, O Sinner, think with thy ſelf, what ſatisfaction thou canſt make to God that can bear a proportion to thy infinite Offences. Thou canſt not at once undergo an infinite meaſure of puniſhment, for thy Nature is but finite. Couldſt thou do this, then indeed there were hope; yea, certainty of relief for thee; for Divine Juſtice will not exact more than its due. But becauſe this is impoſſible, thy Woes and Torments in Hell muſt be Eternal, that they may be ſome way infinite as the Juſtice is which thou haſt offended; infinite, if not in Degrees, yet in duration and continuance.