Milk for Babes, Questions · Question 37 – Question 39
37. Q. Where canſt thou more fully learn the matter of prayer?
A. In that which is commonly called the Lords prayer.The Lords prayer is the matter of prayer.
Thy bleſſed Saviour made many prayers, which may bee called the Lords prayers: but there is one which he hath ſet down as a doctrinall matter of prayer, Matth. 6.9.when he ſaith, after this manner pray ye; and as a formall prayer, when he ſaith, Luk. 11.2.when ye pray, ſay, Our Father; which is more peculiarly called the Lords prayer. This is a brief comprehenſion of all confeſſions, ſuits, for or againſt, of all interceſſions, and praiſes. This hath the beſt authoritie in the world; the wiſedome of God, the Son of God, the onelyonly beloved of God, who is in the boſome of the Father, and ſo, of Gods neareſt Court, and neareſt counſell. This muſt give the graines of weight to all thy Petitions without which they will be found too light.
Vſe. Therefore (my dear childe) learn to pray from this thy bleſſed maſter. Joh. 3.31.Chriſt, that is from heaven, is above all: earthly maſters will learn thee earthly prayers, but he that is from heaven will learn thee heavenly. Joh. 1.He is full of grace, and truth, for the perfections of thy underſtanding, and of thy will. He is the way, wherein all thy prayers muſt walk to God. Joh. 16.23.To aske in his name is to ask ſalvation; and this is to ask himſelf, which he cannot deny. To ask in his name is to uſe his mediation; and this is the right way to the throne of grace. God the Father bears ſingular love to him: Matth. 3.17and and the efficacie of his merits are ſuch, as if they be preſented in prayer, they are powerfull and prevailing, Revel. 8.2.as the golden Altar before the throne, on which are offred the prayers of all the Saints. Wouldſt thou have any grace? learn of Chriſt to pray. Wouldſt thou forſake any ſinne? learn of Chriſt to pray. Prayer is a moſt important dutie. Dan. 6.Daniel choſe it rather then to avoid Lions: and David gave himſelf unto prayer. Other duties are for certain ſeaſons, but this muſt muſt be continually in habit, or act. Luk. 18.1.Thou ſhalt finde thy ſelf hardly drawn to prayer. Eaſie buſineſſes we are eaſily drawn unto, becauſe they are of quick diſpatch, but weightie buſineſſes ſtick, as the flaying of an Oxe at the head. Thou muſt have many motives to draw thee to pray; Chriſts command, Chriſts promiſe, Chriſts example, and Chriſts doctrine. This ſhews the weight of this dutie, and how neceſſary it is to learn the matter of it from thy beſt Maſter. Ob. Thou muſt think that every good Chriſtian hath abilitie to pray, and that therefore thou needeſt not learn; Zach. 12.10eſpecially conſidering the promiſe, I will powr out upon them the ſpirit of grace and ſupplication. Sol. But underſtand that there is a double power and abilitie: an inward power, by which the heart moves, and goes out of it ſelf after God for all good. This all good Chriſtians have from the Spirit, which they vent, Rom. 8.26.by groanes, and ſighes, which cannot bee expreſſed: an outward power, by which they are able diſtinctly to expreſſe the motions of their hearts about fit matter. This they have not all: neither haſt thou. Therefore muſt thou be willing to learn it from this bleſſed ſumme of Chriſt, even all things to be hoped for. I tell thee that it is much abuſed by three ſorts of perſons: Ignorant perſons who underſtand it not: Impenitent perſons, who practiſe it not: and careleſſe and ſuperſtitious perſons, who minde it not in ſence and power, but reſt in the emptie repetition of the words. Be thou none of theſe: know the words and ſenſe of it: uſe it as a penitent beleever: and poſſeſſe the matter and contents of it ſo fully, that thou maiſt with reverence, attention, feeling and deſire, go out to God for neceſſarie materials to furniſh thee in all briefer, or larger ſupplications. Which that thou maiſt do, go along with me, and tell me,
38. Q. What is the enterance into this prayer?
A. Our Father which art in heaven.
Here thou doeſt beſpeak God with an humble ſalutation. As when thou haſt any ſuit to a great man, thou doeſt humbly ſalute him with his fit titles: ſo here, when thou haſt many ſuits to thy God, Chriſt learns thee to ſalute him with a title fit for prayer. For God is here deſcribed, by his goodneſſe, and by his greatneſſe. He that is good, and great too, will be as well willing as able to help thee. The title of his goodneſſe is, Our Father. Thou canſt not ſpare either of theſe words. Father is a title of immutability, and of excellent love. A father offended is a father ſtill: a prodigall ſon is a ſon ſtill. A man may be a friend to day and an enemy to morrow: but a Father to day is a father ſo long as he is. What will not a father do for his childe by indulgence, compaſſion, and bounty. This then is a word of faith, to hold up thy hands in prayer. Our, is a word of love to keep thee in Chriſtian charity. It includes thy ſelfe; charity begins at home. It includes, alſo, all that are, or may be, in communion and fellowſhip for life; charity looks abroad to the ſalvation of all Chriſts body. The title of his Greatneſſe is, which art in Heaven. He is here, and there, and every where, yet muſt thou look upon him in prayer as being in heaven. This will keep thee from ſawcineſſe. He is Our Father, becauſe thou ſhouldeſt not faint: He is in heaven, becauſe thou ſhouldeſt not preſume. This will raiſe up thy affections in prayer above all the world. Earthly fathers are mutable in affection, may fail, and want power to their hearts: but no father like this father which is in heaven. This will keep thy heart in tune to pitch upon chief things in prayer, Eph. 1.3.ſpirituall bleſsings in heavenly things: other moveables are for the ſonnes of Keturah, but theſe for Gods Iſaacs. This alſo will prepare thee to pray with all devotion. Which art in Heaven, are words of devotion: for it tels thee that prayer is the work of Eagles that look againſt the Sun, and not the work of Moles that dig in the earth: and therefore thou muſt clarifie thy ſight to converſe with thy father in heaven when thou prayeſt: and then as it was with Chriſt, when he prayed, Luk. 9.29.the faſhion of his countenance was altered, and his rayment was white, and gliſtering: ſo he will transforme thee from Glory, to Glory, till thou come unto his full image as thou art capable.
Vſe. Now (my dear childe) make the right uſe of this preface. Let it raiſe up thy faith, becauſe thou prayeſt to thy Father: kindle thy charity, becauſe thou goeſt out after the good of others: and blow up thy devotion, becauſe thou forgetteſt the earth, and converſeſt with thy father which is in heaven. Uſe it as a means to prepare thee to prayer by anſwering of it, by the ſpirit of adoption to cry Abba, father; by the ſpirit of charity, to make thee lift up pure hands to God without wrath to men; and by the ſpirit of devotion to ſeek heavenly things, and earthly in an heavenly way.
Laſtly, be ſure to uſe it aright, by excluding no perſon in Trinitie when thou prayeſt; by excluding all creatures when thou prayeſt; by conceiving God aright in prayer, as a Father in Chriſt, who being in heaven can ſhowre down upon his inheritance all fruitfull bleſſings; and by learning never to pray to God without due preparation.
39. Q. What is the firſt petition?
A. Hallowed be thy Name.
Here thou prayeſt for the chiefe end of thy creation, What is prayed for in the firſt Petition.and all bleſſings upon thy ſelfe, and others. By the Name of God, thou muſt underſtand God himſelfe any wayes made known unto thee. Name is taken for perſon, as Eſay hath it; Eſa. 26.8.The deſire of our ſouls is unto thy name: and when God is made known by his nature, word, worſhip, or works of creation, or providence, this is his name. By hallowing of Gods name, thou muſt underſtand, the manifeſting of God to be, as he is in himſelfe, high, and excellent. Thou canſt not doe it by ſeparation, and application, of Gods name to holy uſes, as thou doeſt the Lords day, and the Sacraments: but thou mayſt doe it by declaration of what God is in his worke in thee, and in thy worſhip, and ſervice of him to life. Now, Gods name cannot ſuffer from God himſelf, Angels, and Saints in heaven (though they will, and muſt glorifie him): but from thee, and us poor ſinfull men, women and children. And we hallow his name, when we challenge it from Ignorance, by knowledge, and acknowledgement: from oblivion, by the remembrance of thee, from contempt by confeſſion, praiſe, and ſwearing by his name in truth, holineſſe, and righteouſneſſe: And from prophanation by blaſphemy in tongue or life, or any other prophanation of his Juſtice, mercy, goodneſſe, truth, or the like.
Uſe. Therefore (my good child) take diligent care of this petition. Thou knoweſt that Gods name is holy and Reverend: that none can hallow it but the holy; for praiſe is not comely in the mouth of a foole. Thou knoweſt that God is thy Father; and it is a debt of charitie to honour thy father. Thou knoweſt that all the ſervants of God, when they ſee Gods name advanced will know him and truſt in him. Seeing therefore thou haſt ſo many tyes, ſtrive with God in prayer that thou mayſt do this work. Pro. 18.10.Gods name is a ſtrong towre: and our help ſtands in the name of the Lord our God. Thou ſeeſt how little Gods name is ſanctified: God paſſeth by, and we know him not. Thou ſeeſt how the wicked prophane it; and knoweſt that God will honour them that honour him. Therefore be thou ſure to ayme at the hallowing of Gods name. If the Devill ſhould ſtand up in Judgement againſt thee, and plead; Great God, thou haſt done wonderfull works for this thy creature, and yet he doth diſhonour thee in thought, word, and deed. I have done nothing but ſought his ruine, and burning in the pit of hell; and yet he ſerveth me deedily: what wouldſt thou anſwer for thy ſelf? wouldſt not thou be ſpeechleſſe? Take heed. If any work be wrought, if it be wrought baſely, and bunglingly, he that wrought it hath no credit by it. If it be wrought curiouſly, every man that paſſeth by takes notice of it, and praiſeth the workman. This is thy caſe. Thou art the workmanſhip of God. If thou ſhew thy ſelfe forth like Gods workmanſhip, and live to his honour, thou doeſt hallow Gods name, but if thou live wickedly, as if the devill made thee, thou doeſt not hallow Gods name. Therefore pray that thou maiſt know, and acknowledge him, that thou maiſt remember him in his wayes; that thou maiſt honour, confeſſe, and praiſe him; that thou maiſt not prophane his Name either in tongue by vain ſwearing, curſing, and blaſphemy; or in life, by wicked life: and thou ſhalt hallow Gods name. Now tell me,