A Treatise of Christian Religion, Chapter 43 – Chapter 44
CHAP. 43.
Of the rule of Prayer: where, of the Lords Prayer in generall.
The ſpeciall rule of prayer, is the Lords praier which conſiſts of
A preface.
and the prayer it ſelfe which is
A forme of petition, of things concerning
Gods glory, which concern
The glory it ſelfe, Ch. 40. 44.
The meanes, Ch. 45.
Our ſelues, & our neighbours, Chap. 47.
and of thankeſ-giuing, Chapter, 50.
M…r. chap. 6. verſ. 9. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heauen, hallowed be thy name.
Q. HItherto of the ſorts of Prayer: what principall rule are wee to follow for our direction in the matter and manner of our prayers?
Q. We are herein (for helpe of our weakneſſe) to looke vntounto the prayers of the holy men of God ſet downe in Scripture, according as the eſtate wherein they were at the time of thoſe prayers, may beſt ſort with the ſpeciall caſes and conditions that wee are in when wee pray. But eſpecially and aboue any other, yea aboue all of them, we are to looke vntounto that moſt abſolute prayer, aMat. 6. 9. Luk. 11. 2.which our Sauiour Chriſt hath taught vsus in the Goſpell.
Q. Doe you call that a prayer, which of ſome is thought onelyonly a for me to direct our prayers by?
A. It is both a prayer, which we may and ought to vſe; and alſo a forme of prayer, whereunto wee are to conforme, and by which wee ought to ſquare all our prayers by; and therefore as Chriſt biddeth vsus pray Mat. 6. 9. Luk. 11. 2.after this ſort; ſo in Luke hee biddeth vsus ſay, Our Father; &c.
Q. May there not, beſides this prayer of the Lord, be now vnderunder the Goſpell a ſet forme of prayer in the Church?
A. Yes verily; and it is conuenient it ſhould bee ſo, ſo that it be left to the liberty of the Church to alter it.
Q. Wherefore is it conuenient that there be a ſet forme of prayer?
A. Firſt, for teſtifying the conſent of all true Churches, in the things that concerne the worſhip and ſeruice of God, which may appeare by ſuch bookes. Secondly, for direction of the Miniſters to keepe in their adminiſtration (for ſubſtance) like ſoundneſſe in doctrine and prayer. Thirdly, to helpe the weaker and ruder ſort of people eſpecially; and yet ſo, as the ſet forme make not men ſluggiſh in ſtirring vp the gift of prayer in themſelues, according to diuers occurrents; it being incident to the children of God to hauehave ſome gift of prayer in ſome meaſure.…. 12. 10.
Q. VVhat is the Lords prayer?
A. It is a prayer which the Lord Ieſus Chriſt taught his Diſciples, which is an abſolute prayer in it ſelfe, and a prayer giuing a perfect direction to frame all other prayers by.
Q. VVhat are we to conſider in this prayer?
A. Two things: the preface, and the parts of prayer.
Q. What gather you of this, that there is a preface ſet before the prayer?
A. That Chriſtian men are not to come raſhly vntounto Pſal. 10. 17. Eccleſ. 5. 1. 2.prayer, but with preparatiō: for the Angel of the Lord ſtandeth at the entrie, to ſtrike with hardnes and blindneſſe, &c. thoſe that come without preparation: for if wee come not without preparation before an earthly Prince, but bethinke vsus of our words and geſture; how much more ought we to doe it, when we come before the Prince and Lord of heauen and earth?
Q. How are we to prepare our ſelues?
A. Not onelyonly by putting off our euill affections, Exod. 3. 5. Pſal. 26. 6. 1. Tim. 2. 8.but euen our honeſt, and (otherwiſe in their due time) neceſſarie cogitations, as the cares and thoughts of our particular vocations, as of houſe, or family, &c.
Q. VVhat is the Preface?
A. Our Father which art in heauen.
Q. VVhat is to be conſidered in the word, Father?
A. That in prayer wee come to the Father, the firſt perſon in Trinitie, by his Sonne, through aſſiſtance of the holy Ghoſt: although it be alſo lawfull to pray vntounto Act. 7. 59. 2. Cor. 13. 13.Chriſt, or to his bleſſed ſpirit particularly, and by name, ſo that in our vnderſtanding wee doe conioyne all the three perſons, as thoſe that cannot be ſeparated in any action concerning vsus, either belonging to the life to come, or pertaining to this life.
Q. VVhat further?
A. That we are to come with confidence of obtaining our ſutes and deſires: as young children vſe to Deut. 33. 3. Heb. 11. 6. Pſal. 103. 13.come vntounto their fathers boſome; ſo we by prayer (if it be with faith) doe (as it were) creepe into the Lords boſome, he being our mercifull father, whoſe bowels are larger in pitiful affectiō to wards vsus thē any parēts; yea, thē the mother towards her tendereſt child: for if Eſay 49. 15. Mat. 7. 11.parents will giuegive good things to their children when they aske them; much more will the Lord giuegive his ſpirit to them that aske it of him without doubting.
Q. What further is to be conſidered in theſe words?
A. That we are to pray to God onelyonly in the name of Chriſt, in whom alone hee is our father; and therefore to come in any other name is vnlawfull; which truth as it was aExod. 19. 24. & 24. 2. Leuit. 16. 17.figured vnderunder the Law; ſo is it more cleerely taught by the b1. Tim. 2. 5.Apoſtle; and therefore it is abominable to come vntounto God in prayer, by, or in the name of Saints or Angels, as in Poperie they doe.
Q. What is to be conſidered by theſe words, Our Father?
A. Firſt, that in prayer wee are to apply vntounto our Ioh. 20. 28. Iam. 1. 6. Mat. 27. 46.ſelues by faith, the louelove and fauour of God in Chriſt, hauing this confidence that he is our father, and therfore that we are deare in his eyes.
Secondly, that albeit our Sauiour alone is the naturall ſonne of God, yet that wee are his ſonnes alſo by grace and adoption.
Thirdly, that in our prayers we are not onelyonly to be Pſal. 51. 1. 18. 1. Tim. 2. 8. Mat. 5. 23. Eſay 1. 15.mindfull of our ſelues, but of our brethren, and to pray for them as for our ſelues, and together with our ſelues, comming alſo with ſuch louelove and affection as one brother beareth towards another; and therefore we are to reconcile our ſelues, if there be any breaches betweene vsus.
Q. May not then one in prayer ſay, my Father?
A. Yes, and that with warrant of our Sauiours Mat. 26. 39.owne example.
Q. What are we to learne by theſe words, which art in heauen?
A. Firſt, that in prayer we are to come with reuerence Eccleſ. 4. 16. & 5. 1. Nehem. 1. 5.of his Maieſty, hee being in the higheſt heauen, and we but wormes creeping vponupon the earth; therefore we are to vſe reuerent behauiour in this ſeruice, and not to hauehave our minds carried away with wandring thoughts.
Secondly, that wee are to hauehave our hearts and affections in the time of our prayer, lifted vp from the earth to heauen, and heauenly things; and that heauenly gifts are ſpecially to bee deſired, and earthly, ſo farre as they may be a meanes of heauenly.
Thirdly, that God, as he is willing to help vsus, ſo being Pſal. 115. 3. 2. Chron. 20. 6. Pſal. 103. 19.in heauen is able to doe it.
Q. Why is he ſaid to be in heauen, who is in all places, and whom all the world is not able to containe?
A. For two cauſes: one is, for that there hee doth make himſelfe, and his goodneſſe knowne to the Angels, and bleſſed ſpirits of men immediately. The other, becauſe hee communicateth himſelfe and his goodneſſe more plentifully with them then with vsus; and ſo in the like reſpects God is ſaid to be preſent aPſal. 11. 4.in the Temple, b2. Cor. 6. 16.and in the elect.
Q. What are we to learne out of theſe words ioyntly?
A. A ſpeciall argument that God onelyonly is to bee prayed vntounto: for although there bee other fathers beſides Rom. 10 4. Pſal. 73. 25.God, and other in heauen beſides him; yet there is none which is our father in heauen, but God alone; and therefore he alone is to be prayed vntounto, this being a perfect patterne of all prayers, and therefore all our prayers (as in other points, ſo in this) muſt be framed according to it.
Q. VVhat are the parts of this prayer?
A. Petition, and thankſ-giuing.
Q. VVhat is taught hereby?
A. aPhil. 4. 6. Col. 4. 2. Epheſ. 5. 20.That whenſoeuer we come vntounto God in petition, we are alſo to giuegive him thanks, as a duty not to be ſeuered from prayer, & a bGen. 32. 9-11.meane to make way for further graces and benefits to be obtained; and cLuk. 17. 17. 18therfore that it is our great fault that when we are diſtreſſed, we are ready to go to God in petition, but are ſlacke to returne thankſ-giuing for the benefits receiued.
Q. How many ſorts of petitions are there?
A. Two: one ſort is of thoſe things that belong to Gods glory: the other ſort doth concerne our owne and our neighbours good.
Q. VVhat is generall to bee conſidered in thoſe petitions that concerne Gods glory?
A. That wee are to ſeeke the ſeruice and glory of God before our owne affaires; as alſo the Commandements Mat. 2…. 37. 38. Rom. 9. 3.teach vsus, which being diuided into two tables; the firſt concerneth the worſhip of God; the ſecond our ſelues.
Q. VVhat learne you from this?
A. Our great and vſuall hypocriſie: for were it not for our ſelues, and for our owne wants, we would not come at all in prayer vntounto God. Whereas this word Thy, in all theſe petitions, doth ſhut forth the conſideration of our ſelues, to the end that we might hauehave our minds altogether faſtened vponupon the ſeruice and glory of God.
Q. How are the petitions that concerne Gods glory diuided?
A. Into two: the firſt concerneth Gods glory it ſelfe; the other two the meanes whereby God is glorified.
CHAP. 44.
Of the firſt Petition.
The glory of God it ſelfe in the firſt petition; of which
1. The meaning of the words.
2. The ſpeciall graces we pray for.
MATTH. 6. 9. —Hallowed be thy name.
Q. WHat is the firſt petition concerning Gods glory it ſelfe?
A. Hallowed be thy name.
Q. VVhy is this Petition ſet in the firſt place?
A. Becauſe that which is required therein, is that Prou. 16. 4. 1. Cor. 10. 31. Ioh. 12. 27.which ought to be deareſt vntounto vsus, & that vntounto which all things elſe ought to be referred.
Q. VVhat is to be vnderſtood by the word NAME?
A. Whatſoeuer he getteth vntounto himſelfe glory by; as firſt, a1. King. 5. 5. Act. 1. 15.his Godhead or Eſſence, ſubſiſting in three perſons, the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt.
Secondly, the properties and attributes of God, as his Iuſtice, Mercy, Wiſdome, &c. which in the bEſay 26. 8. Prou. 18. 10. Micah 4. 5. Exod. 3. 14. & 6. 3.Scripture alſo are called the Name of God. Alſo his Names and titles, as Iehouah, &c.
Thirdly, the actions cPſal. 8. 1.and workes of God, as the Creation and gouernment of the world, his ſpeciall mercies and iudgements, &c.
Fourthly, all the holy dAct. 9. 15. Pſal. 22. 22. Iohn 17. 6. 1. Tim. 6. 1. Leuit. 22. 2.ordinances of God, as his Word, Sacraments, diſcipline, &c.
Q. VVhat is meant by [hallowing]?
A. The ſetting of any thing apart, from either a Exod. 20. 11. & 29. 33. 34. & 30. 31. 22.prophane and vnholy, or common and ciuill vſe, to a holy and religious vſe.
Q. Can we adde holineſſe vntounto the name of God?
A. No: but then wee are ſaid to hallow the name of God, when we aPſal. 96. 8.acknowledge and repute his name to bee holy, and are ſo affected therewith in our owne ſoules, that we breake out in all praiſes thereof, both to God and men.
Q. VVhat ſpeciall matters doe wee aske in this Petition, for our ſelues and others?
A. Firſt, the aPſal. 67. 2. 3.knowledge of God, and of the means whereby wee ſhould glorifie him, as, his word and workes.
Secondly, bIoh. 3. 33.faith to beleeue his word, & to behold that glory of God, which cannot bee beheld with the eye of fleſh; wherefore cNumb. 20. 12.Moſes and Aaron are ſaid not to hauehave ſanctified the name of God, becauſe they beleeued not: contrariwiſe dRom. 4. 20.Abraham glorified God in beleeuing.
Thirdly, Grace to acknowledge both to God and man, his infinite Wiſedome, Iuſtice, Holineſſe, mercy, and whatſoeuer elſe tendeth to the glory of God.
Fourthly, to louelove and feare the Lord alone, and not Eſay 8. 12. 13. 1. Pet. 3. 14.man, any further then it ſhall ſtand with the louelove and feare of God, and be ruled thereby.
Fifthly, that God may get glory by aMat. 5. 16.our godly conuerſation; bPſal. 103. 1. 2. 20 21. 22.alſo, that we may praiſe him for his benefits; c2. Sam. 7. 18. Pſal. 8. 4. & 144. 3. Luk. 1. 48.more particularly, that he grant the grace of humility to our ſelues and others, without which wee cannot glorifie God as it is meet: from whence d1. Sam. 3. 18. Eſay …9. 8.ariſeth patience, whereby wee doe willingly ſubmit our ſelues vntounto the correcting hand of God, as did Ely and Ezekias. eEſay 2▪ 11. 12. 1…. 14. 15. 16. 17We pray alſo here againſt all loftie and high things, that hinder, that God onelyonly be exalted, eſpecially the pride of our hearts, which wee are to confeſſe and lament. fPſal. 104. 1. &c. & 10…. 1. &c. & 106. 1. &c. & 107. 1. &c.Laſtly, (which is a ſingular hallowing of Gods name) that we may ſpeake of and praiſe him for his wonderfull workes in the Creation and gouernment of the world, and of the Church eſpecially.