The Power of Godliness, Book 6 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Shewing, what the Word Our imports; That a Christian may in Prayer, say My God, and Pray specially for himself or certain others, yet so as that he must be mindful of all that belong to the election of Grace. How God is said to be in Heaven, and what is thereby signified.
Question. WHat doth this word [Our] import?
A. Our is not onelyonly a note of the joyning together of many in prayer, when one man is the mouth of the rest: but it importeth that common interest and fatherhood in God, which the rest of the faithful have in him, from which there groweth a communion of one Christian with another, so that they become brethren.
Quest. Is it not lawful for us in prayer to say, My God or my Father?
A. In special manner God is the God and Father of Christ,Mat. 26.39. Eph. 1.3. Jo. 29.17. Phil. 4.20. Phil. 1.3. & 4.19. Jo. 20.28. Psal. 22.1. & 5.2. & 59.1. Mat. 6.6. Zanch. in Phil. 4.20. See Maldon. in Math. 6.9. Job. 34.36. Lavat. in Job. ibid. Tremel. ib. Ar. Montan. Schindler. pentegl. rad. foreign est oration ad Deum, quem honoris causa ita appellat. Tara. foreign volo ego. Jer. 3.4. Vers. 19. Psal. 89.26 2. Sam. 7.14. Rev. 12 7. the God and Father of all the faithful in common, nevertheless it is lawful for a Christian in private prayer to say, My God, or my Father, Paul saith, I thank my God; Thomas, My Lord and my God; David, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me. Pray to thy Father in secret (saith Christ) and thy Father who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Some Divines observe that it is not lawful for any meer man to say, My Father, but onelyonly for Jesus Christ, who by this phrase of speech, doth distinguish himself from the sons of God by Adoption. But this observation will not hold, for in Scripture we finde the servants of God to use this manner of speech, My Father, and that with approbation, My Father let Job be tried unto the end, because of his answers for wicked men. Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My Father thou art the guide of my youth? Thou shalt call me, My Father, and shall not turn away from me. The Lord saith of every one that overcometh, he shall be my Son.
Quest. What may be observed hence?
A. 1. All true Christians have the Lord of Heaven and earth to their Father, I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, 2 Cor. 6.18. Jo. 20.17.saith the Lord God Almighty. I ascend to my Father and your Father, saith Christ: There is no distinction of Jew or Gentile, bond or free, rich or poor, male or female, weak or strong: but all that believe with Abraham, they are the children of God,Gal 3.28. 1 Jo. 3.1. as was Abraham, Behold, what love the Father hath shewed us, that we should be called the sons of God. There is none so weak or unworthy in his own eyes, who is not allowed to call God Father. He is no respecter of persons, no more the Father of the rich than of the poor, of the noble the nof the base. The strong Christian must not despise the feeble, for they have one Father; nor the weak despaire of audience, for he is a child. In adversity we must not fear, for our Father will provide for us: nor in prosperity be proud, for what we enjoy is our Fathers gift.
2. In outward state, office, and measure of grace one Christian may excell another, but in the common priviledges of Christianity they are all equal. For they have all one God, one Father, one Mediator, one Spirit, Eph. 2.18. Eph. 4.3, 4, 5.live under one Covenant of, and have like free access to the throne of Grace. What success any of the Saints did ever finde, that may all the faithful look for.
3. All the faithful are of one spiritual society, and have sweet communion in Spirit with each other. They are children of one Father, members of one body, knit together by one Spirit. And all that would pray acceptably, must hold communion and good agreement with their brethren, as the children of such a Father, by the same right of mercy and free liberality. For if we have all one Father,Mal. 2.10. Heb. 13.3. Gal. 6.1, 2. from whom comes every good gift which we enjoy; we should be ready to communicate to others, as use requires, whatsoever is under our hands. We must in prayer to God come with love to the brethren; if thou art about to offer thy sacrifice at the altar,Mat. 5.23, 24. and remembrest thou hast any thing against thy brethren, go, reconcile thy self first, then do thy duty after, otherwise the Lord will turn away from thy prayers. If one should give the King a petition, and carry in his hand or about him, some stinking savour which the sense of any abhorred, could he think but the King would turn from him? So he that cometh petitioning to God with wrath and malice, which stinketh odiously in Gods nostrils, must look that God will turn his countenance from him. Lift up pure hands without wrath. 1 Tim. 2.8.Wherefore Peter exhorts man and wife to exercise all mutual love towards one another, that their prayers be not hindred. Let us therefore labor to be of brotherly affection one towards another.1 Pet. 3.7. Should our parents know that we are faln forth with our brethren, durst we come in their sight? would we look for other then to be checked from them? Even so the Lord will turn his back to our prayers, while our affections are turned against our brethren. How should he call God his Father with affiance, who will not take the child of God to be his brother in affection? He that intirely affecteth the Father of the Family, loveth the whole house and family: in like manner the affection we bear towards our heavenly Father, must be shewed towards his whole family, house, and inheritance which he hath chosen.
4. We must not, because we pray alone, be careless of joyning with others in prayer.Mat. 18.20. Dum singuli orant pro omnibus, sequitur, ut orent pro singulis. Christ teacheth his Disciples jointly to pray, Our Father, &c. And hath promised his presence to two or three that meet together in his name. Look as if a single prisoner should ask us ought, it hath his force; but when all in the house lift up their voices at once, it is much more piercing; so in this matter, which letteth us see how wide such are, who will make light of praying with others, they hope they may pray for themselves, and like the old saying, Every man for himself, and God for us all.
5. In our prayers we must be mindful of others as well as of our selves. For as he teacheth them to pray, and to say, Our Father, because they were more then one jointly before him; so in this regard that he might make them mindful of all their brethren, called or uncalled, that belong to the election of God, Watch unto prayer for all Saints; not that we may not make a prayer wherein we must not mention others,Eph. 6.18. but because we must not fail at convenient times in the exercise of prayer, to mention others, as well as our selves, seeking their peace with God. We are members of one body; and therefore must help one another; and such as have learned love and mercy, cannot but seek at God the prosperity of their brethren, whose conflicting state they know by good experience in themselves; wherefore we must stir up our selves to the faithful performance of this duty. He were a graceless child that would never pray for his mother, and we would think he would do little for us, that would not lend us a good word here or there: so when we remember not the Church, and will not open our mouthes one for another to God, What love is there? Let us therefore frequent this duty, not in word or shew, but in deed and truth. From the practice of this duty it cometh to pass, that a Christian man is like a rich Merchant, who hath his Factors in divers Countries: so a Christian man hath in all places of the world some that deal for him with God (that never saw his face) who are petitioners for him unto God.
6. Hereby all true believers are distinguished from infidels and unbelievers: for they cannot call God Father: he hath created and doth preserve them, but they are not children by adoption in Jesus Christ.
Quest. Is it not lawful to pray specially for our selves or certain others?
A. It is: yet so as the mind may not depart from the beholding of this community, but refer all things thither. For though they are singularly conceived, yet because they be referred to that scope, they cease not to be common. The commandment of God touching the relief of the poor, is general, yet they obey this commandment, who to this end succor them that they know to be in need and want, though they pass by others that are oppressed with as great necessity, either because they cannot know all men, or be not able to supply their needs: In like manner, they that in special words commend to God the necessities of themselves or others well known unto them, minding with all the publike society of the Church, do not resist the will or break the commandment of God?
Q. How is God said to be in Heaven?
A. By manifesting the effect of glory;1 Reg. 8.27. Jer. 23.23. Math. 18.10. …sal. 11.4. Es. 57.15. Is. 66.1. Act. 7.49. Jo. 14.2. Mat. 5 34, 35. Psal. 57.3. Rom. 1.18. Psal. 2.4. Psal. 145.18. Deut. 4.29. Mat. 18.20. Jer. 23.24. E…. 66.1. Psal. 139.7. otherwise the heaven of heavens is not able to contain him, he filleth Heaven and earth, yea all the creature is with him as a moat within the light of the Sun: But look as a King, who by his authority and power ruleth over all his Kingdom, is at the Court more especially displaying there the glory of his Majesty; so God whose essence and presence of power is every where, in the heavens as in the Court of his Majesty, doth mamanifest his glory more excellently. As heaven is called the Palace, Seat, Habitation, or Throne of God, in comparison of the earth, which is h…s footstool, from which he doth manifest his glory more oft and excellently then from any other place, and in which he mainfesteth himself most gloriously to the blessed Saints and Angels; so he is said to be in Heaven, not that he is far from us when we call upon him, as the heaven is distant from the earth, but that he is of divine, infinite Glory and Majesty, ruling and over-ruling all things, which he manifesteth from and in the heavens.
Quest. What things are signified thereby?
A. 1. It noteth the incomprehensible glory, majesty, immortality, and power of God, whereby he is able to do whatsoever he will in heaven or earth. The Lord is in heaven, and doth whatsoever he will. Psal. 115.3. Psal. 121.1.To this effect is that description of God, which the Apostle setteth down at large, calling him, OnelyOnly potentate, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, who onelyonly hath immortality, 1 Tim. 6.15, 16dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto. 2. The Divine providence of God is noted by it, whereby sitting in his high watch-Tower, he doth at once behold all things here below, take notice of the necessities of his servants, attend unto their prayers, help and succor them in their distresses, confound their enemies in their designs, and order, dispose and govern all things to the setting forth of his glory. Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, Psal. 113.5, 6. Psal. 102.19. Psal. 11.4. Psal. 20.6. 1 Reg. 8.29. Is. 63.15.who humbleth himself to behold things in heaven and earth. The Lord hath looked down from the height of his Sanctuary, from the heaven did the Lord behold the earth. The Lords throne is in heaven, his eyes behold, his eye-liddes try the children of men. The Lord will hear from his holy heaven, with the saving strength of his right hand. Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive and do. Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness, and of thy glory. 3. It signifieth the supream dominion and sovereginty of the Lord, ruling in all places, over all things in great wisdom disposing the actions of all creatures, and affecting his own works in their fittest seasons. Art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the Kingdomes of the heathen? 2 Chro. 20.6.and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? The Lord hath prepared his Throne in the Heavens: Psal. 103.19. Col. 4.1. Eph. 6.9.and his Kingdom ruleth over all. Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equall, knowing that ye also have a Master in Heaven.
Q. What may be observed from this part of the Description?
A. 1. God to whom Prayer is made, who is the Father of all true Believers is an heavenly Majesty, perfect and infinite in power, goodness and glory.Isa. 57.15. Thus saith the high and lofty one, that inhabiteth Eternity, whose Name is Holy, I dwell in the holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit. The Apostle calleth him, King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible, 1 Tim. 1.17.and only Wise God. And he doth call Christ, who is one with the Father,1 Tim. 6.15, 16. Blessed and only Potentate, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, who only hath immortality; dwelling in the Light which no man can approach unto. 2. In coming to God we must set before us his heavenly Majesty, power, goodness, omniscience and sovereignty clothed with his love, for this encourageth to pray, stirreth up reverence, and strengtheneth faith. Majesty without love may terrifie; love without Majesty may breed contempt: but when they are coupled together, the one allures, the other strike… with awe. The glister of the pompe of earthly Princes doth move the subject to all humble regard of them, to all seemly submissness in their behaviours towards them: and doubtless, the not being striken with any consideration this way, doth make us so loose and heedless when we approach to God. Again, it confirmeth us in our faith, that God seeth our wants, is of strength and power to effect our desires, is of unsearchable wisdom to know perfectly what is best, and when it is best to help his Children. Parents earthly, who have large hearts, have short hands, though they wish us well,Psal. 27.10. yet they have no power to effect what they would, or small wisdom to know, when help is fit. Were it thus with our Father, faith were shaken: but when he wanteth not will as a Father, nor wisdom and power as a heavenly Governour, our faith is firmly underpropped. Gods glory is infinite, his love everlasting, his truth heavenly and perfect, his power incomprehensible: Why then should we fear when we seek unto him?Rom. 11.23. He is both able and willing to graft in again the hard-hearted Jews: He is of power and willing to confirm and establish the rude and weak in faith. How then are we to accuse our selves, who know not how sufficiently to admire and adore an earthly majesty, a mortall man, and yet are so respectless of the High excellency of God? How slow of heart are we, that we are not raised up higher then these earthly things, when we are to deal with our God glorious in the Heavens? Why do we dread and trust in the power of man, not awing nor having confidence in his power, when the power of every creature higher then the earth, is unresistable by it? As what power of flesh can rsiest the least Cloud from dropping his rain, the least Starre from sending forth his light and influence? What a power is this of the Creatour of all these things, who dwelleth in glory above them?Psal. 61.2. Apoc. 5.6. Let us therefore considering this heavenly glory our Father hath, grow up to more reverence, devotion, and affiance towards him. 3. God can hear in every place, therefore we need not tire our selves with going on pilgrimage to any speciall place to seek him: for if we can but go to our hearts, and lift them up towards Heaven, we shall find him. God is as nigh to his people in one place as in another: We may find him in the desert, in the dungeon, upon the bed of sickness,2 Chro 32.20. In publicis precibus necessaria est vox. In privatis autem precibus, non tam voce opus est, quam cogitatione, non tam manuum extensione, quam mentis intensione. Naenias Deus ibi exaudit, ubi habitat: Habitat autem in animo, & spiritus, non vox ducit orationem ad Deum. Alst sist. theol. lib. 2. cap. 9. if we seek him with all our hearts. 4. Prayer is an act of the heart, nor of the lips. It is not the sound of the voice that can peirce the Clouds, and enter into the ears of the Lord of Hosts, but the sighes and groan…s of the spirit. The bruised heart makes the loud cry. 5. This doth admonish us to be heavenly-minded, if we will have any conjunction with God: for as he that would speak to the King at Court, must bodily move himself thither where the King bideth: so we that would speak with God, who dwelleth in heavenly glory (above all this visible frame of the creature) we must in spirit by faith move our hearts thither, where he is. Besides, where our Father is, there our Countrey is: and therefore as pilgrimes, and strangers do long after their native soiles, so must we after that glorious Inheritance, which our Father in the Heavens reserveth for us. Yea, For as much as we have chosen God to be our heavenly Father, we are therefore to renounce all earthly things in comparison of him, and to cleave unfeignedly unto his Commandements. The little child is never well but when it is in the Fathers lap, or under the Mothers wing: and the Children of God are never in better case, than when in affection and spirit they can come into the presence of their heavenly Father, and by Prayer as it were to creep into his bosome. Ʋnto thee, O Lord, Psal. 25.1.do I lift up my soul. 6. Christians must not in heart or voice utter any thing rashly before the Lord, nor use any vain or idle repetitions: for God is in Heaven,Eccl. 5.2. and we are on earth. Rashness is a bad Counsellour, and no better Petitioner. Many words without zeal, and repetition without fervency, is an empty and odious sound. 7. God can speedily send help to his Children, and they can quickly dispatch their suits unto him. Holy thoughts ascend into Heaven,Psal. 102.19, 20. Psal. 57.2, 3 & 18.16. and heavenly graces, blessings, assistance descend from above. Intercourse betwixt Heaven and earth in this kind, admitteth least delay. 8. The practises of ungodly against the Church and Chlidren of God, are all in vain: for God, who sitteth in Heaven, will laugh them to scorn. Psal. 2.4. Psal. 11.4. Psal. 59.13.It were ridiculous for a Dwarf with speare of bulrush to threaten the Sonne in the Firmament: so is it for sinfull man that creepeth on the ground, to resist the living God that ruleth in the Heavens. For be they never so strong, and knit in firme combination, the Lord can soon destroy and fire them, as bushes of thornes that be platted together.