The Generation of Seekers, Appendix
From the Preface.
1. GOd alone is to be prayed to. What becomes of Saints and Angels? Will the Papiſts ſay, They are included under the Title Father? But one is our Father which is in Heaven? Matth. 23. 9. Or will they charge our Saviour as a defective Teacher, or that out of envy he ſaid nothing of their Mediatours as intending to Monopolize the whole of that Office to himſelf? He only deſerves it. And as there is but one God to whom, ſo but one Mediatour by whom we pray, 1 Tim. 2. 5. I ſee not how that Popiſh fiction can ſtand without derogation from the perfection of this pattern.
2. God cloaths himſelf with ſuch Titles as may moſt invite and encourage us to call upon him. For what Title can adminiſter more boldneſs or confidence than that of a Father? How apt are we to go to God as if we went to an enemy, or ſtranger, or one we have no relation to?
3. God is the Common Father of Beleevers in Chriſt: For this is eſpecially here meant, not our general Relation as his Creatures (that't a low and poor encouragement): and that he is a common Father, the Pronoun [Our] imports.
4. Reverence and Charity muſt be joyned with our Confidence in prayer. Reverence, for we come to God as a Father to whom honour and reverence is due Mal. 1. 6. Charity; for we are taught to take in others, not appropriating that Relation to our ſelves alone.
5. Raiſed, glorious, and heavenly apprehenſions of God, become us in our addreſſes to God. Therefore are we taught to call upon him as being in heaven▪ i. e. giving out glorious manifeſtations of himſelf there.
6. God will not be called upon by viſibleAct. 7▪ 55. foreign ab foreign intenſ: & foreign tendo. repreſentations. Therefore we are taught to ſay [which art in Heaven] to take off eyes and thoughts from all ſenſible Objects, and that we may, with Stephen, look up ſtedfaſtly into heaven, and by the eye of faith behold him which is inviſible.
7. God hath not tyed, nor ſhould his people tye themſelves, to ſet their faces this way or that way, towards this or that place, under the Goſpel; but that we lift up eſpecially the eye of Faith towards himſelf. For this expreſſion [which art in Heaven▪ ] calls us from the Jewiſh rite of looking towards the Temple &c.
1. PETITION.
1. THe incomprehenſible God hath given out ſuch manifeſtations of himſelf as whereby we may know him from all pretended Deities, and according to which we may conceive and ſpeak of him. All this is imported by Gods Name here, which the Apoſtle Rom. 1. 19. calls foreign ▪ q. d. that which is knowable of God.
2. The Name of God is peculiarly holy. [Name] i. e. both God himſelf and all thoſe manifeſtations of himſelf whereby he hath made himſelf known, whether his Attributes, Word, or Works. [Holy] i. e. pure, right, ſingularly excellent. [Peculiarly] i. e. Eſſentially, ſo God himſelf, and eminently ſo all that whereby he hath manifeſted himſelf. This Obſervation is thus grounded: viz. To ſanctify his name, is not (as the word may ſeem to import) to make it holy, but to conceive, acknowledge and profeſs it to be what indeed it is, that is, peculiarly holy: So that the holyneſs of Gods name is the grouud of our ſanctifying it: becauſe it is holy, we muſt ſo acknowledg it.
3. Though God can ſanctify his name (i. e. manifeſt it to be holy and glorious) yet he will have us to teſtify our deſire by praying that He will ſanctify it. For this (as hath been explained) is one ſenſe of the Petition, viz. that God will ſanctify his own name, vindicate his honour, and let out upon the world reſplendent beams of his own glory.
4. The ſanctification of Gods name (that is, the declaring, acknowledging, and celebrating of his holineſs) ought to be the principal deſire and endeavour of every one that calls God Father. Therefore is this Petition the firſt in Order.
5. We cannot ſanctify the name of God as we ought without enablement from God. Therefore we are taught to pray this Petition, becauſe our ability for it muſt come from God.
II. PETITION.
1. GOd hath a Kingdom, durable through all ages, and diffuſive through the world. For, all Gods people in all ages and places are taught to pray, [thy Kingdom come]
2. Gods Kingdom in the world is ſuperiour to, and yet conſiſtent with the Kingdoms of men. [Superiour], Elſe in vain were it to pray that it might come if God could not bring it in, notwithſtanding mens oppoſition. [Conſiſtent] For he that taught us to pray thus, yet bids us give unto Caeſar the Matth. 22. 2…. 1 Pet. 2. 13.things which are Caeſar's, and, Be ſubject to every Ordinance of man for the Lords ſake.
3. The bringing of Gods Kingdom into any place or upon any ſoul, muſt be Gods work. Therefore we are taught to pray to him for it, becauſe without him our endeavours are vain.
4, Though Gods general Kingdom be in all places, and at all times; yet it is not alwayes alike manifeſted: In this ſenſe we are taught to pray that his Kingdom may come. viz. that he will make it manifeſt, that to him belongs Dominion and power and glory &c.
5. God hath, beſides his univerſal, a more ſpecial Kingdom, which comes not to all places, but whither and when himſelf pleaſeth. The coming of this Kingdom is moſt properly meant here, becauſe this Kingdom may come to a people Matth. 12. 28. and be taken from them. Matth. 21. 43.
6. The coming of Gods Kingdom is both a ſingular means to glorify God, and of ſpecial advantage to thoſe amongſt whom it comes. The former, flowes from the connexion of this with the former Petition. The later hence, that Jeſus Chriſt teacheth us to ask nothing but what's for our good.
7. Where the Kingdom of God is come yet we are to pray that it may come. This is not a Petition for Heathens only, but for Chriſtians, Diſciples, Beleevers of all ranks. And it is neceſſary, both. 1. To beg the continuance of it. 2. The enlargement and fuller manifeſtation of it. 3. The conſummation of it in glory; Till then, this Petition will not be out of date.
III. PETITION.
1. GOd's Will is the Law whereby his Kingdom is governed: and then is his Kingdom ſuid to come, when his Will is done. This is fairly imported in the connexion of theſe two Petitions.
2. Gods Will alone is abſolutely good, and juſt, and righteous. For upon this foundation ſtands the Petition; not only upon the meer Soveraignty of God whereby he can do what he pleaſeth, but upon the Rectitude of his Will, whereby he Can or Will do nothing but what is juſt.
3. Man ought to lay aſide and utterly deny his own will as to any competition with Gods Will; yea, to bring his will to a ready compliance with Gods when he underſtands it, as Act. 21. 14. Elſe we cannot pray this Petition, without notorious Hypocriſy.
4. In prayer, all our Petitions are to have this (at leaſt implicite) reſervation, If the Lord Will, or, According to thy good pleaſure; or, Not as I will, but as thou wilt. For this Petition confines all the reſt of our Petitions within the bounds of Gods good pleaſure. In ſaying [thy Will be done] we in effect ſay, Lord, in all I ask, I ſubmit to thy Will, whether to give or with-hold it.
5. Without the Grace of God enabling we can neither obey his Preceptive Will, nor ſubmit to his decretive Will as we ought, for therefore are we taught to pray thus, that God may enable us to do the one, and cheerfully ſubmit to the other.
6. Every one that calls God Father ſhould not only be contented that Gods Will be done, but deſire and pray that it may be done by and upon himſelf and others. This is the ſcope of the Petition. Yet we muſt diſtinguiſh: It is Gods Will his Children ſhould be afflicted, yet we are not to pray for afflictions, but that, if his Will be to afflict us, we may patiently ſubmit &c.
7. In Heaven the Will of God is done with much accurateneſs and readineſs, i. e. by Chriſt, Angels, and glorified Saints. Therefore we are taught to pray that it may ſo be done on earth. How ſhould this conſideration make us ſigh out our deſire to be diſſolved?
8. Perfection in obedience ſhould be our deſire, aim and endeavour, though in this life it cannot be our attainment: We are taught to pray, that our obedience may be like the Angels; though ſome will have it underſtood as to the quality of it, not equality; yet I ſee no abſurdity to ſay, that we may deſire and wiſh and pray that we might arrive (if poſſible) at their perfection, for I conceive much of Evangelical perfection lies in hearty enlarged deſires and prayers after perfection. [Deus non vult nobis in hâc vitâ praeſtare liberationem à peccatis perfectam; & tamen vult nos eam optare, noſque ſingulis momentis petere ut omninò liberemur à peccatis] U…ſin: in hanc Petitionem.
9. While our commoration is on earth, we never arrive at that perfection but that we ſtill need to pray for ability to do and ſubmit to God's Will. For this Pattern is for the higheſt Schollars in Chriſt's School.
IV. PETITION.
1. IN Prayer we have liberty, next to the concernments of Gods name and glory, to commend our own both outward and ſpiritual concernments to God. Next. i. e. not ſo much in the order of our Petitions (for we may begin with our own) as in the ardour of our affections. This from the matter of the three laſt Petitions which reſpect our ſelves.
2. Whatever we ask for our ſelves muſt be with reference, and in ſubſerviency to the ſanctifying of Gods name, promoting of his Kingdom and doing his will. For the three former Petitions being abſolute, do confine the following Petitions within their Bounds.
3. God will have us beg our dayly bread, and dayly beg it at his dore. This is the ſumme of the Petition.
4. Even thoſe that have the greateſt proportion of worldly bleſſings, ſtill have need to beg their bread at the hands of God. This Petition is for the rich as well as the poor Chriſtians, and there's Reaſon ſufficient. For. 1. They cannot enjoy what they have without his bleſſing, Eccl. 6. 2. 2. Neither will it be bread to them, Hagg. 1. 6. Deut. 8. 3. 3. Nor can they longer enjoy it than it pleaſeth God: he can ſtrip them in a moment. 4. Nor have they a lawful Title to it, till then, before God. 5. Nor the ſanctified uſe of it. 1 Tim. 4. 5.
5. Neceſſaries only are to be askt of God: for under bread all, and only neceſſaries, are comprehended.
6. We are not to deſire or beg any thing of God, but what we may lawfully call Our Bread: i. e. that which becomes ours by honeſt labour, or other lawful means, and which God hath appointed for us.
7. Even that which becomes ours by our own induſtry, or by any other lawful way of getting; We are ſtill to acknowledg the free gift of God: for we are taught to ſay, Give us, &c.
8. The care we take, or the Proviſion we lay in for the future, muſt be conſiſtent with a continual dependence upon the Providence of God. For we muſt every day ſay, Give us this Day &c. Which doth allow moderate care or Proviſion for the future, but …frbids truſting in either.
9. Prayer is a ſingular means to procure a ſupply of all neceſſaries for this life. Elſe our Saviour would not have taught us this Petition.
V. PETITION.
1. THough temporal things may be asked, yet we are not to dwell upon them, but to ariſe from them to ſpiritual things: Therefore hath our Saviour couch't the infinite neceſſities of this life in one ſingle Petition.
2. Pardon of ſin is a mercy attainable, and one of the firſt and choiceſt we ſhould ask of God.
3. Confeſſion of ſin is a requiſite condition in order to Pardon, for therefore are we taught to pray thus, that in ſo praying we may acknowledg, and paſs ſentence upon our ſelves.
4. Man by ſin becomes a debtour to God, and ſtands bound to ſatisfy his juſtice. For in Matthew, ſins are called debts, and the word [foreign] Forgive, imports releaſment, cancelling a debt, diſmiſſing a Priſoner.
5. Satisfaction for ſin is an impoſſibility, as to a mans ſelf. For, could ſatisfaction be made by any, this Petition as to ſuch would be unneceſſary, whereas it is to be put up by all: ſee Gal. 3. 21, 22.
6. Chriſt's ſatisfaction is no Contradiction to a free Pardon of ſin, but the Foundation of it: [no Contradiction] for even he that made the ſatisfaction, hath yet taught us to pray, Forgive us &c. [The foundation of it] for though it be not mentioned in the Petition it is neceſſarily implyed. 1. In that we pray for pardon in ſubordination to Gods glory, but it cannot conſiſt with the glory of his Truth (Gen. 2. 17.) to pardon without compenſation. 2. We pray for pardon in a way agreeable to Gods will, but this is by faith on Chriſt's ſatisfaction. Hebr. 10. 10. 3. The Remiſſion which is here begged includes Reconciliation, Juſtification, and Adoption (which Divines call the RelativeAmeſ: Medull. Lib. 1. C. 27. change) according to that general Rule layd down in our Entrance upon the Petitions. Now 'tis certain, all theſe are procured by the Death and ſatisfaction of Chriſt. See Rom. 5. 10. Phil. 3. 9. Gal. 4. 4, 5.
7. All Chriſtians even of the higheſt attainments have need to pray dayly for the Pardon of ſin. For this Petition (as the whole) is of general concernment. The grounds of this you may ſee in the expoſition.
8. Men, while upon earth, will have need to forgive and be forgiven mutual Treſpaſſes and offences. So much is imported in that [as we forgive &c.]
9. It is Gods good pleaſure that they that expect mercy from him, ſhould ſhew mercy to others.
10. A merciful reconcileable frame is ſingularly pleaſing to God, and may be an encouragement to beg and hope for pardon at the hands of God. Theſe two are plain from the words.
VI. PETITION.
1. WE have need to pray as well for preſervation from ſin, as the pardon of it. Therefore is this Petition added to and conjoyned with the foregoing.
2. Temptations are the great means whereby ſin is propagated in the world: i. e. whereby men are drawn into ſin and their corruptions are drawn out. Therefore when we ſhould pray to be kept from ſin, we are taught to ſay [Lead us not into Temptation.]
3s Man cannot be brought into a Temptation without Gods permiſſion and Ordination. For by Leading is imported both the permiſſive and ordering Providence of God. See the Expoſition.
4. The beſt of men cannot keep themſelves out of Temptation without Gods keeping: for [Lead us not into Temptation] is as much as, Keep us that we be not drawn into it, or run upon it.
5. However we may not abſolutely pray to be kept out of Temptation, yet we ſhould be earneſt with God to keep us from the evil of it: for thus the later clauſe ſeems to reſpect the former; q. d. Lord, if thy will be, keep us out of Temptation, but however keep us from the evil or hurt of it.
6. To be preſerved from the evil of a Temptation, it is ſometimes neceſſary that we be pul'd out by violence. 'Tis foreign, Pull us out. See the Expoſition.
7. To be kept from Temptation, or from the evil of it, well deſerves the name of a Deliverance. So we tranſlate it, Deliver us.—
8. Prayer is a ſingular means to keep us from Temptations, or from the evil of it. Matth. 26. 41.
9. God is the great and only Saviour and deliverer of his people from all kind of ſinful or ſorrowful evils: for though evils of ſin be eſpecially meant here; yet I doubt not but all other evils are alſo to be referred to this Place.
10. The ſumme of what we can deſire in order to eternal happineſs, is, to be delivered from the Guilt and Power of ſin, to be juſtified: for in theſe two laſt Petitions are comprized all the ſpirituall good things which are neceſſary to fit us for glory: and all theſe (though they are comprehenſive of many Particulars) are coucht' in theſe two things viz. Forgiveneſs of ſin, and Deliverance from Temptation.
THE CONCLUSION.
1. PRayer and Praiſe are fitly conjoyned, Pſal. 116. 13. I will take the Cup of Salvation, and call on the Name of the Lord.
2. To praiſe God aright is to acknowledg what belongs to him. For thine is the Kingdom.
3. Gods Kingdom is peculiar, ſupreme, and abſolutely independent.. For ſo we are taught to acknowledg it [Thine] q. d. wherein there is no Corrival [The Kingdom] foreign q. d. Such a Kingdom, ſo abſolute, as none like it.
4. Power indeed and in the proper notion of it belongs only to the Lord, Pſal. 62. 11.
5. Glory is peculiarly, eminently, and ultimately due to God alone.
6. The Kingdom, power and glory belonging to God are eternal.—For ever.
7. 'Tis but reaſonable to pray and deſire that the Name of God may be ſanctified,'Tis [foreign] for or becauſe. his Kingdom may come, his Will may be done. This Doxology being joyned to the Body of the Prayer with the Particle [for] which is Illative and Aetiological, gives ſufficient Reaſon for all thoſe Petitions.
8. Becauſe Kingdom, Power, and Glory is the Lord's, therefore 'tis fit and reaſonable and neceſſary that we ſhould go to him by prayer for whatever good thing we need, whether for ſoul or body. This ſtands upon the ſame foundation with the former.
9. Though in a proper ſenſe God is notVid. Urſin▪ in Clauſulam Precationis Dominicae. moved with arguments (i. e. perſwaded to do that which otherwiſe he would not) yet he both allowes and requires us to uſe argument in Prayer.
Thus the Doxology is brought in as an Argument, why God ſhould grant the Petitions.
10. Our ſtrongeſt arguments in Prayer are drawn from God himſelf, and from his attributes. Here's nothing but, Thine is the Kingdom &c.
11. Our Prayers ſhould be the breathings of our fouls, and not only the expreſſions of our Lips. So much [Amen] imports, being as it were a hearty wiſh in the cloſe q. d. Be it ſo, Lord grant what we have here deſired.
12. Faith ſhould follow our prayers, and wait for a gracious anſwer of them. So Amen alſo imports q. d. So it is, or ſhall be, I beleeve that it ſhall be even as I have asked.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Oldfield, The Generation of Seekers (1671)