The Power of Godliness, Book 6 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. The Things that we bewail, the Evils that we pray against, the special Things for which we are to give thanks, with the severall usefull Inferences that may be drawn from this Petition.
Question. WHat are the things that we bewail in this Petition?
A. 1. We are to bewail the corruption of our hearts, that we are so prone not to regard, will, or do the Commandement of God, but to rebell or disobey. Put a match to an heap of Gunpowder, on a suddain it will be all on a flame; and as long as we adde matter to the fire, it burnes: so by nature we are most ready to sin, so soon as the least occasion is given; This sinfull disposition of heart, with all the corrupt motions, desires and lusts that issue from it, are to be bewailed with grief. 2. We are to be displeased with our selves for our slack and imperfect obedience to God,Psal. 119.18. Isa. 29.…3. & 48.1. Ier. 5.2. Mat. 15.7, 8. 2 Tim. 3.5. and for our hypocrisie, privy pride, ignorance, infidelity, unwillingness, presumption, deadness of spirit, coldness, inconstancy, murmuring, rebellion, disobedience, and many other wants which break out when we are in doing Gods will. There is no servant of God, but hath wants in his best works, which are matter of mourning unto him. 3. We must bewail the errours of our life, who forgetting the Word of God, which should have been our counsellour and guid, have often stepped aside after the imaginations and lusts of our evil and deceitfull hearts. In many things we offend all. 4. It is to be lamented, that many times when we pray with the lips, or slightly with the heart, Thy will be done, in deed and truth we lean to our affections and lusts, that oppose themselves to the Law of God.Est. 3.5, 6. 1 Reg. 21.4. Psal. 43.5. Jon. 4.8, 9. Luk. 15 28. Mat 6.24. & 13.22. Rom. 12.2. 1 Tim. 6.9, 10. 2 Tim. 4.10. 2 Chro. 33.10. D ut. 9.24. & 31.27. 1 Sam. 15.23. 2 Pet. 2.7. Gal. 6.9. Mal. 1.13. Ezek. 9.4. Jer. 9 1, 2. Act. 7.51. Rev. 16.9. Gen. 4.13. Exo. 16.23. Numb. 21.5. Deut. 1.27. Iob 1.22. 1 Cor. 10.10. Iude 16. 1 Sam. 28.7. 1 Sam. 31.4. 2 Sam. 17.23. Act. 16.27. 5. We must humble our selves for our unquietness of mind, dejectedness, discontent and impatience, when God laies any cross on us, either immediately by his own hand, or by his instruments, as disobedient Children, unkind neighbours, tart or soure companions of life. It is Gods will that we should suffer affliction, and withall humble our selves under his mighty hand. 6 We must here bewail the sinne of the world, as ignorance, pride, hypocrisie, worldliness, ambition, schismes, contempt of Gods Word, oppression, irreligiousness, prophaness, weariness in well-doing, open rebellion, worldliness, murmuring, plasphemy, seeking to Wizards for help, &c. Lot was vexed with the unclean conversation of the Sodomites from day to day: so ought our souls to be vexed and grieved continually at the wickedness of our time.
Q. What are the Evils that we pray against?
A. First, We pray against spiritual desertions, that we be not given up to blindness of mind, the spirit of slumber or giddiness, hardness of heart, unbelief, inordinate lusts, the carnall desires of the flesh, and the assaults of Satan,Rom. 13.13, 14. Psal. 119.36, 37, 133, vers. to be inticed, or drawn aside by them, to do what is displeasing unto God. Incline my heart unto thy Testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity. Secondly, The particular evils that must be bewailed,Zach. 3.1. 1 Ioh. 3.4. 2 Pet. 1.4. are to be prayed against, as being contrary to the will of God, which is to be done of us in faith, according to knowledg, with sincerity, integrity, cheerfulness, speed, humility, diligence and constancy, viz. the will and power of Satan, the dominion of sinne, &c. ignorance,Rom. 8.7. Hos. 4.6. Heb. 5.12. 1 Tim. 1.13. Deut. 10.16. Psal. 95.8. Prov. 23.35. Isa. 56.12. Ier. 44.16, 17. Rom. 2 4, 5. 2 Tim. 3.13. Hos. 6.4. Ioh. 5.35. Gen. 30.1. Eccl. 7.12. Iud. vers. 16. a purpose and resolution to continue in sin, hypocrisie, prophaness, inconstancy, murmuring, or complaining against Gods providence.
Q. What are the special things for which we are to give thanks?
A. We give thanks to God, that he hath begun to enlighten our minds with the knowledg of his truth, hath begotten us unto a lively faith, and hath been pleased to renew, incline, govern, and effectually move our will, that things spiritual and Divine do delight, content and please it: when as by nature of our selves we can savour nothing but what is carnall. Who am I, Rom. 7.25. 1 Chro. 29.14.and what is my people, saith David, that we should obtain strength to offer so willingly after this sort? This is a most glorious, mercifull work of God, farre more excellent then the naturall fashioning of us in our Mothers Womb, as spiritual life is to be preferred to temporall, and the joyes of Heaven exceed the pleasures of this world.
Q. What Conclusions may be gathered from this Petition?
A. 1. Every Christians desire, Prayer and endeavour in this life must be, that Gods will be obeyed in all things. Teach me to do thy will, Psal. 143.10. Ioh. 5.30. Gen. 26.5.for thou art my God. Our Saviour saith, I seek not mine own will, but the will of my Father which hath sent me. For God is an absolute Sovereign, good reason therefore that his will should be the Law of his creature. The will of the Lord alone is good in it self and perfect in every point, as being the will of our most excellent and heavenly Father, who commandeth us nothing but that which is good,Rom. 7.12. Rom. 12.2. and layeth upon us nothing but profitable to our salvation. And if the heavenly Angels do refuse to do no Commandement, but most willingly execute whatsoever is required of them, it were a shamefull and foule thing for us, who by nature are lost, and yet redeemed by the Sonne of God, and adopted to be his Brethren, to resist the will of God, or draw back from his holy Precepts. How can we for shame weary, grieve, and dishonour him by our disobedience,Isa. 7.13. Heb. 3.10. Rom. 2.23, 24. 1 Tim. 6.1. Ioh. 17.4. who hath in his unspeakable mercy honoured and advanced us, above all we are able to comprehend? Rather it is our duty to glorifie our heavenly Father by a cheerfull, mild and filiall submission of our selves to his will in doing whatsoever shall be commanded. I have glorified thee on earth, (saith Christ) I have finished the work which thou hast given me to do. The Apostle in all his sufferings comforted himself in this, that he knew Christ should be magnified in his body, Phil. 1.20.whether it were by life or by death. For this end Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law, the bondage of Satan, and sinne-revenging justice of God, that we should live no longer according to the lusts or will of men, Luk. 1.74, 75. 1 Pet. 4.2. Phil 2.13. Isa. 48.17.but according to the will of God. 2. It is God that giveth us both will and deed, maketh us persevere in every good Word and work, teacheth us to profit in obedience. Not being able of our selves to do what is truly acceptable unto God, we sue unto him for grace: nor being able to go forward, we intreat him to uphold, incite and strengthen us. This necessity of Divine grace we confess in this Petition.2 Cor. 3.5. 1 Cor. 15.10. Cant 1.4. Ier. 31.18. Psal. 119.5, 18, 36. …sal. 239.24. Hos. 14.8. Merc. in h. l. Ioh. 15.5. 1 Cor. 15.10. We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves. We cannot move till God breath into us the life of grace: and when he ceaseth to stirre and carry us forward, we cease to move. Draw me, we will runne after thee. In thoughts and words we are like eccho's, we cannot speak inwardly or outwardly till God hath spoken first to us. In the deeds we do, he prepareth them and worketh them first, we after him in nature, as a Boy writing under one who leadeth his hand in that he writeth. Of me is your fruit found: without me ye can do nothing. I laboured more abundantly then they all, yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 3. No mans obedience is perfect: for that we pray for, is not yet attained. In many things we offend all; in the good things we do,Gal. 5.17. we cannot perfect them. The flesh lusteth against the spirit. Concupiscence and lust doth still warre in our members, not for a time, but as long as we live in this world, and diffuses its poyson into our best actions. Not that our best deeds are sinnes, but that they are sinfull by reason of the corruption that cleaveth unto them: As Wine having some water mingled with it, yet is called Wine: for the best part giveth denomination to the whole. The work of the Spirit in respect of that order and degree which God hath instituted, is perfect: but it is his pleasure only to begin our perfection in this life, and to consummate it in the life to come. But we must remember, that good works are so: of God, that they are wrought by us, they are the works of God, but in and by us as his instruments, from whom their imperfection ariseth, and not from him, who is the principall Agent never deficient. 4. Christians must detest the works of the flesh, and take care that they be not misled or over-ruled with corrupt and carnal lusts, though they carry a shew of piety and godly zeal. If any one will be my Disciple, he must deny himself. The Disciples were urged with zeal, when they desir'd fire to come from Heaven, and consume the Samaritans, Luk. 9.54.who refused to give entertainment unto our Saviour.Mat. 16.21. Rom. 13.14. Peter was carried with love when he perswaded his Master to spare himself, but he heard from him, Get thee behind me Satan. Take no care for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof. It is the greatest slavery to be a bond-man to his desires, and to be carried headlong with lust and longing to obtain what we covet. Again, it is much better to wish and desire that which is just and right, then to obtain what is contrary to the Law of God, vertue and sound reason. And he is in worse case, whosoever doth compass that, which rashly, and by impulsion of carnall lust or appetite he desired, though in it self not unlawfull, then he that doth not obtain, what he hath well desired. And if we look into the Scripture, we shall find, that the godly did never follow their own pleasures, or grow indulgent to their affections, but it was much to their hurt or damage. 5. True Christians must be as carefull to have good lives,Rom. 6.13. 1 Pet. 2.15. words, works, as good hearts. We say not only Thy Kingdom come, but Thy will be done. Every man will hope he hath grace in his heart, and yet no man careth for obedience in his life:Iam. 1.21. Mat. 7.21. but the not doers of Gods will deceive themselves. Not every one that saith Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven. God hath made the whole man, and requireth obedience of soul and body. Each man shall be judged according to his works, Rom. 12.1, 2.and receive according to that he hath done in this life, be it good or evil. The Law of God bindeth the whole man to his good behaviour, and not the heart alone: if it reach to the inclination and thought, much more to our words and actions. What, that it is incredible to think that the heart should be right and honest, when the tongue is perverse, or the conversation dissolute? And because nothing is more excellent, honourable, sweet and comfortable, than to serve God, and to lead our life according to his Law and Precepts, what can a Christian wish or desire more, than to walk in the waies of God, than to conceive nothing in mind, to undertake nothing in action, which is repugnant to the Law of God? It ever went well with the Saints, whiles they walked in their uprightness: it ever went evil with them, if they turned aside into any by-path. 6. Prayer must be made, and care had that Gods will be done in an holy manner. The heavenly manner, as well as the lawfull matter of doing Gods will must be observed.Eph. 6.6. Rom. 1.9. Mat. 22.37. Servants are exhorted to do the will of God from the heart. Paul served God in spirit. The tenour of the Commandement is, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy thought. The same externall act may be done by the righteous and by the wicked;Isa. 58.3. both may come to Church, hear a Sermon, receive the Sacrament, give an Almes: it is the manner of doing that makes the difference. This is the heart, life and very soul of every good action. Actions which are good in the matter thereof, yet do stinke, and are very iniquity in Gods account,Isa. 1.13. if they be not done aright. Jehu was commanded to execute judgment upon the House of Ahab, and rewarded for it: but his heart was not upright,Hos. 1.4. 1 Cor. 7.10. and that fact is censured as murther. 7. Every Believer must abide in that Calling, wherein he was called, and submit his proper judgment to the will of God, who doth provide better for us, then we can wish or desire. Every man must keep his order, and with cheerfulness faithfully execute the charge that is committed unto him, and do those things that be proper to his Calling. All Christians have a double Calling; one general, another special: and it is the Lords will that every one of us in all the actions of our life should look to our own Calling, which is as it were a standing appointeed to every one of God, that we should not runne at random in the whole course of our life: to which, whosoever desireth to hold a right course in doing his duty, must needs apply himself. This is the direct means to obtain good success in the things we go about: for God of his infinite mercy and grace hath promised to direct our actions, studies, counsels and endeavours, that none other events shall follow them, then which he knoweth to serve for his glory and our salvation. 8. Christians must not content themselves in any thing they have attained, but must strive to perfection.Heb. 6.1. & 13.20, 21. 2 Cor. 7.1. Let us go on unto perfection Natural things in their manner long after the perfection of themselves. Light bodies are not well and quiet, if they be not above, and in their place. An Infant is still growing in the womb till all parts be perfected; and when it is come into the world, it resteth not till it come to perfect stature. So that it may justly be doubted, there is not truth of Christianity, if there be not a desire and longing after the perfection of Christianity. Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect: in every thing,Mat. 5.48. and every way perfect. If the beginnings of grace be sweet, what shall the consummation be? If the first recovery out of sickness be welcome and delightsome, who doth not long for perfect health? Can any man take pleasure in his defects? I count not my self perfect, saith the Apostle,Phil. 3.12.13, 14. but I forget that which is b…hind, and strive hard forward towards the marke. We must shoot at the highest Mark, though we take up our Arrows short enough daily. When we call men still on, they think we know not what we would have, do they not thus and thus, &c.? But he that laboureth not to be better, will grow worse and worse: for who gathereth not, scattereth. Neither is there cause why any man should object, as if Christ might seem contrary to himself, when he teacheth us to strive to attain that perfection of Angels, which we cannot come unto but only in Heaven.Calv. in har. Evang. in Mat. 6.10. For it is not needfull when we pray that the earth may be obediently framed to the beck of God, to examine and sift every man, but it is sufficient by this Prayer to testifie, that we hate and are sorry for every thing that we see contrary to the will of God, and desire that it were taken out of the way: not only that it may be the Ruler of all our affections, but that with such cheerfulness as becometh us, we may give our selves wholly to fulfill the same. More plainly, Albeit it be confessed that we cannot in this world perform perfect obedience to the will of God, yet notwithstanding it is required of us to take in hand to do it as well as we can, and to pray God in the Name of Christ, that by sending his holy Spirit, he would bend our minds thereunto, and mercifully pardon whatsoever weakness remaineth. For even then the Lord heareth his Children, when according to his will they ask those things which here they cannot have, and which he hath decreed not to make perfect in them in this life: to wit, when he doth increase in them the gift of sanctification, so that they profit every day more and more in the knowledg and performance of his will, and as for the want of their obedience he doth not lay it to their charge. Besides, the Lord doth require perfection of us in the Covenant of grace, though he be pleased to accept of sincerity: Now what God doth require of us, we must beg of him. St Pauls Prayer for the Church of Corinth was that they might not do any evil,2 Cor. 7.13. although he knew that no man liveth which sinneth not, although he knew that in this life we must alwaies pray, Forgive us our sinnes. It is our frailty, that in many things we all do amiss, but a vertue, that we would do amiss in nothing, and a testimony of that vertue when we pray that what occasion of sinne soever doth offer it self, we may be strengthened from above to withstand it. They pray in vain to have sinne pardoned which seek not also to prevent sinne by Prayer, even every particular sinne by Prayer against all sinne, except men can name some transgression wherewith we ought to have truce. But things impossible must not be asked; as it is for us in this life to do the will of God, as the Angels do. First, This Particle [As] signifieth not the degree, but the kind of obedience, sc: sincerity and uprightness. But to ask and obtain this of God, is not contrary to this Decree. Secondly, Things simply and in themselves impossible are not to be asked: but things in some sense impossible, if we have respect to the Decree of God, may lawfully be desired. Now perfection is not simply impossible, but in respect of Divine dispensation; not absolutely, but during this life. For God will give grace to them that ask it, to do his will in respect of inchoation in this life, in respect of consummation in the life to come.Non enim angustis huju… vitae spatijs circumscrebitur hujus Petitionis effectus. Til. Synt. p. 2. de orat. Dom. 19. Therefore consummation is to be desired, and the impossibility in this life patiently to be born. Consummation is to be desired in this life, that we might obtain it hereafter: for he that doth not pray for it now, shall never possesse it at any time. But it is one thing that we cannot obtain perfection, another, not to desire it. For God will have us to desire it every moment, though he will not give it in this life. It nothing pertains to us to search the Decree of God, and what he hath determined to do: when we have this Rule prescribed, that we should ask according to the will of God. Therefore we ought to subject our selves to the will of God, and to ask those things that God willeth us to ask, whether he hath decreed it or not. In brief, We must desire, strive after, and hope for continuance, increase, perfection of grace, which in full measure we shall obtain in the life to come. 9. In all sufferings that God shall lay upon us, we must be patient, cheerfull and constant. The Lord hath ordained, that by afflictions his servants should be made conformable unto his Son Jesus Christ.Rom. 8.29. It is set down as a Canon, that by many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Act. 14.21.And this is a very principall use of this Petition, thereby to comfort our selves against the offences of afflictions, and of this present world. For when being spent with long sickness we pine away, are contemned of most men, suffer injuries and persecutions, finally are tryed with a continuall cross, then do we find how hard and difficult it is to say this from the heart. If any man will be the Disciple of Christ, Luk. 9.23. 2 Tim. 2, 3. Heb. 12.6, 7.he must deny himself, and take up the cross. We are by profession Souldiers, who must endure hardness The will of God is good and holy, when he doth afflict, as well as when he doth command or bless.1 Sam. 3.18. Isa. 39.8. 1 Pet. 4.13, 14. It is the Lord, saith Eli, let him do what seemeth him good. Good is the Word that thou hast spoken, saith Hezekiah. It is a singular honour, that God should call us forth to suffer any thing for his Name sake: and by our patient suffering his Name is glorified. There want not manifold Examples to encourage us in suffering for the truth. When the Brethren besought Paul not to go to Jerusalem, because he was there like to be delievered into the hands of the Gentiles: What mean you (saith he) thus to weep and to break mine heart: Act. 21.13.14.for I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem, for the Name of the Lord Jesus, which the brethren at Caesarea hearing, held themselves quiet, and said, The will of the Lord be done. 10. In proposing examples for imitation, we must set before us the best, and such as we know to be good, perfect and heavenly. In following such examples,1 Cor. 11.1. we shall alwaies find matter of humiliation, when we see in them how short we come of what we should do, how much we are wanting in our best services. Also looking upon them we shall alwaies have cause to proceed on, and grow better and better: for as yet we have not attained the Mark. Heaven is the hope and Inheritance of the Saints, unto which they are born anew and adopted; into which they are admitted by grace, and which they shall possess in glory hereafter: good reason therefore that they should strive for perfection, and accustome themselves to walk according to the policies of the New Jerusalem. What though they cannot be as perfect as their copy, yet the better the copy is, the nearer they may learn, the more eagerly will they strive to come to perfection. Once man could have obeyed perfectly, and again shall possess sanctification perfect and compleat in every degree. 11. In Heaven is all perfect obedience. There is neither defect nor failing there in the least circumstance.1 Cor. 13.12. 2 Per. 3.13. No unclean thing can enter into it. When the Angels, who abode not in the truth, had sinned, they were cast out of Heaven, never to be admitted into that Mansion again. Heaven is the Throne of God, the Habitation of the holy Angels,Heb. 12.23. and of the Souls of just and perfect men: so that in it there is no place for sinne or temptation.