A Treatise of Christian Religion, Chapter 46
CHAP. 46.
Of the third Petition.
The ſecond meanes of hallowing Gods name, is the third Petition, wherein we pray,
Firſt,
To know Gods will.
To doe the ſame.
Secondly, to doe it willingly, and readily.
MAT. 6. 10. —Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen.
Q. THus much of the ſecond Petition, which concernes the firſt meanes whereby the name of God is hallowed: the third Petition concerning a ſecond meanes followeth: What is that?
Q. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen.
Q. What is here meant by the will of God?
A. The will of God is diuerſly vnderſtood: firſt, it is taken for his aPſal. 33. 11. Epheſ. 1. 11. Matth. 10. 26.moſt wiſe counſell and abſolute determination of all things. This will is alwaies bEſay 46. 10.done, and all creatures, euen the diuels themſelues doe fulfill and accompliſh the ſame, and cRom. 9. 19.it cannot bee reſiſted; and from this will a man may dAct. 16. 7. Luk. 19. 41.ſometime diſſent and yet not ſinne, eAct. 4. 28. 29.and fulfill the ſame and yet ſinne: and therefore we need not pray for the fulfilling thereof, any further then that (whatſoeuer it is) wee may with patience ſubmit our ſelues thereunto, and in all euents acknowledge his good pleaſure and will, and the holineſſe Coloſſ. 1. 12.thereof, and that nothing may diſpleaſe vsus that ſhall pleaſe him. Secondly, the will of God is taken for that which he propoundeth to vsus, and requireth of vsus, to imbrace and entertaine in our wils and affections; that is, that law and rule by which our willes are to bee framed, if we looke that he ſhould bleſſe vsus. And this will is Iohn 4. 34. & 7. 17. 1. Theſſ. 4. 3. Rom. 12. 2.reuealed vntounto vsus in the Law & Goſpell, and is cōtained in al the precepts, bDeut. 29 19.threatnings, exhortations, & cIohn 6. 29. Act. 22. 19.promiſes therof. This will may be, and daily is reſiſted and oppoſed. And this is that will which either onelyonly or principally is meant in this precept.
Q. What doe we then more ſpecially pray for in this Petition?
A. Firſt, aEpheſ. 5. 17. Col. 1. 9. 10. Rom. 12. 2. Pſal. 67. 2.that we may know and vnderſtand his wil, without the which we cannot doe it.
Secondly, bEpheſ. 4. 1. 2. Theſſ. 1. 11.that as good ſubiects, we may be obedient vntounto the reuealed will of God, cMat. 6. 33.which is alſo called the righteouſneſſe of Gods kingdome; ſo that there is a mutuall relation betweene this petition and the former: for there we pray that God may rule and gouerne; here, that his rule and gouernment may bee obeyed.
Thirdly, that our owne willes may bee ſuppreſſed, Pſal. 51. 10. Gen. 6. 5. & 8. 21. Epheſ. 2. 1. Mat. 26. 24. Iohn. 1. 13.ſubdued and renounced, which are by nature oppoſite to the reuealed will of God, and are as apt and prone to all ſinne, as is a match to take fire: which is implied in the word Thy.
Fourthly, that wee may not onelyonly intend and endeauour, but aPhil. 2. 13. Act. 20. 24.accompliſh his will, although with griefe and ſmart, and againſt our owne willes, and ſeeing wee cannot doe it by our owne naturall ſtrength, that God would aſſiſt and helpe vsus to doe it by power of his grace.
Fifthly, that we aPſal. 40. 8. 110. 3. & 119. 60. Cant. 1. 3.ſhould performe our obedience to his will moſt willingly, readily, patiently, cheerfully, and perfectly, not by the halues, doing one duty, and leauing another vndone; but ſo to doe it, bPſal. 103. 20. Mat. 18. 10. Eſay 6. 2.as the Angels, and Saints in heauen do it throughly: ſo that here we pray againſt all vnwilling, forced, and idle obedience, and cEzech. 1. 7.all murmuring and dPhil. 2. 14.repining againſt the will of God.
Sixthly, aPſal. 40. 8. & 110. 3. & 119. 60. Cant. 1. 3.that wee ſhould performe our obedience and ſeruice vntounto God moſt willingly, readily, cheerfully, patiently, and wholly, not doing one duty, and leaue another vndone; bPſal. 103. 20. Mat. 18. 10.but ſo to doe it, as the Angels and Saints in heauen doe the will of God; who therefore are cEſay 6. 2.ſet forth winged, to ſhew their ſpeedineſſe. And ſo all vnwilling obedience, or enforced by law, is dEzech. 1. 7.here condemned, and prayed againſt; as alſo all murmuring and diſputing againſt his will. Philip. 2. 14.
Q. But ſeeing we are ſinfull, and the Angels holy, how can we imitate them?
A. Wee ſhould endeauour to the like holineſſe, and ſo grow therein daily more and more, till wee bee like vntounto them: not that wee can performe it to the ful, as they do. God himſelfe ſaith, Be ye holy as I am Leuit. 11. 44. 1. Pet. 1. 16. Mat. 5. 48.holy; yet we are not to thinke that any man can attaine vntounto the holineſſe of God, though he be commaunded to follow it. This petition alſo agreeth well with our deſire of haſtening the Lords comming, in the former petition.