A =*' .1 t!:7 11-6 I THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, | * Princeton, N. J. 9— Q>% I -fit I" Shelf, SectiGrn..^.Vf.^ — ?. .i. y ^^^^. No 7^^i^ i /^ l/^:^/j^/iy ^ ID? OrSPRING BLACIvALL I ] PRACTICAL ' DISCOURSES ^^ UPON THE Lord's Prayer. B Y OFSTJ^ING BL^CK^LL, D D UtcLordBifhopof£-^,,,^. ' J^ o N D o ^r■ The CONTENTS. DISCOURSE I The Defign, Matter and Form, of the Lord's Prayer. Matth. vi. ^, After this manner therefore pray ye : Our Father, which art in Heaven, &c. p. 7^ DISCOURSE The Preface of the Lord's plained. II. Pray er ex- Text Ibid. p. 5 1, 6 DIS- The Contents. DISCOURSE Hi. Hallowed be thy Name, explained. Matth. vi. 9. latter part. Hallowed be thy Name, p.pr. DISCOURSE IV. Thy Kingdom come, explained. Matth. vi. 10. Thy Kingdom come ; thy Will be done^ in Earth as it is in Heaven, p. 1x3. DISCOURSE V. Thy Will be done, S^r. explained. Matth. vi. 10. Thy Will be done, in Earth as it is in Heaven, p. 159. DIS- The Contents, DISCOURSE VI. Give us this Day our daily Bread , ex- plained. Matth. vi. II. Give us this T>ay our daily Bread. P- ^9h DISCOURSE VII. Forgive us our Debts, ^c. explained. Matth. vi. ix, 14, 15-. jind forgive us our TJebts, as we forgive our "Debtors. For if ye forgive Men their Trefpajfes, your heavenly Father will alfo forgive you. But if ye forgive not Men their Tre fpaf fesy neither will your Father forgive your Trefpajfes, p. 2.31. Bz DIS^ The Contents. DISCOURSE VIII. Lead us not into Temptation, but, &c. explain^. Matth. vi. 13. jind lead us not into Temptation y but deliver us from Evil. p. ^$9, DISCOURSE IX. For thine is the Kingdom, ^c, expIainU Matth. vi. 13. •— — For thine is the Kingdom , and the Tower\ and the Glory ^ for ever. Amen. p. 289; THE THE DESIGN, Matter, and Form O F T H E L o R DS Prayer. ^^^^^mm^i^mmmt^.^i^ B3 DISCOURSE I. The Defign, Matter and Form, of the Lojd's Prayer. !^•S• •:••!>•» »;»-%%-»«S>-K-K%-K$$-fi»'-8!rK-KK*'6e$$»''9'^ Matth. vi. 9. ^fter this Manner therefore pray ye : Our Father which art in Hea- ven^ &c. ^^|UR Lord having in rhe fore- |li going Vcrfes caurion'd us a- ^1 gainft feeking Glory to our S^^^^Mi ielves in our Addrefles to God, and agaiiift ekeing out our Prayers to God B 4 with 8 The Deftgn^ Mattery and with vain Repetitions and much Speaking, as if we thought either that God was pleas'd with a Multitude of Words, or that he did not, nor could, underftand our Needs, unlefs we were very copious and particular in declaring them; continues his Dilcourfe concerning Prayer ftill far- ther in the Text and following Verfes, by prefcribing a Form of Words very proper to be ufed as a Prayer to God; and to which alio, as to a Pattern, we ought to have Regard in all the other Prayers which we make to him. And this is what we commonly call The Lord's Grayer. Our Father which art in Heaven ; hallowed be thy Name^ &c. But before I come to treat of the Pray- er itfelf, I think it may be proper to pre- mife fome Things. Here therefore I lliall difcourfe fome- what, I. Concerning the Occajion of out J^ord's didlating this Prayer to his Difcj- ples. II, Con- Form of the Lord's Prajer. II. Concerning the general T>ejlgn of it^ III. Concerning the Matter of ir. And, IV. Concerning the Frame and Corn^o- Jure of it. I. Concerning the Occajion of our Lord's didtating and prefcribing this Prayer to his Difciples. And here we may obferve, that this very fame Prayer, with only fome fmall Variation, is recorded by two of the Evan- gelifis^ St. Matthew and St. Luke ; by St. Matthew here, and by St. Luke in the xi'^ Chapter of his Gofpel, at the -l^ and following Verfes. And, according to the Account which thefe Evangelifls give of it, it feems to have been didtated by our Lord upon two very different Occafions. For here, in St. Matthew^ this Prayer is brought in as a Part of that one conti- nued Difcourfe of our Lord, called his Sermon upon the Mounts which takes up three whole Chapters, and feems to be deliver 'd at once, without any Break or Interruption ; and in which our Saviour has compriz'd the whole Sum and Sub- ftance jq The De/ig^y Matter^ and ftance of the pradical Part of the Chri- ftian Religion. And what feems here to have given Occafion to his prefcribing this Form or Pattern of Prayer, was the Cau- tion which he had juft before given his Difciples to avoid that affeded ProUxity in Prayer, which the Heathens were re- markable for, who feem to have thought that they Jhould be heard for their much fp caking. The Vanity whereof^ when he had fhewed at the 8'^ Verfe, by the Con- fideration of the Goodnefs and Knowledge of God; your Father kno'X'eth what things ye have need of before ye ask htm ; he then, as a farther Provifion and Secu- rity againft chat Fault, didlates to them this ihort, bu^t comprehenfive Prayer, as a Pattern, according to which, if they were but always careful to form their own Prayers, they would be lure not to fall into it. For this Connexion of thefe Words with the foregoing is imply'd in the Word therefore : be not ye like unto the Hea- thensy who ufe vain Repetitions in their Prayers, and think they fhall be heard for their much freaking : For your Fa- ther Form of the Lord's Prater, 1 1 ther knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him. After this Manner therefore pray ye ; Our Father which art in Heaven^ &c. /. e. be your Prayers fliort, full and concife, as this is. But in the xi'^ Chapter of St. Lttke^ where we meet again with this Prayer, it is not brought in as a Part of the Sermon iipon-the Mount \ (for that^ if it be any where at all recorded by St. Luke^ is in the vi^^' Chapter of his Golpel; where, indeed, we meet with many Paflages, a- greeing not only in Senfe, but in Words and Expreffions too, with feveral PafTages in this Sermon ; but neither is there any Mention made there of this Prayer) nor is it any where elle recorded by St. Luke as a Part of any other fet and continued Difcourfe of our Saviour. But the Occa- fion of our Lord's then didating this Prayer to his Difciples, is at the i^' Vei fe of that xi'^ Chapter of St. Luke^ expreffly noted CO have been this: It came to fafs^ that as he was praying in a certain Tlace^ when he ceafed^ one of his T>ifciples faid nnto him ; Lord teach us to pray^ as John 1 2 The Deftgn^ Matter^ and John alfo taught his T}'tfc'iples. And then it follows, i^, z. And he faid unto them ; when ye pray^ fay^ Our Father which art in Heaven^ 8cc. Here then are two clearly different Oc- cafions., noted by thefe two Evangeiijis^ of our Lord's dictating this Prayer. Once he did it of his own Motion ; and the o- ther time he did it at the Requeft 'tfci- pies. In Anfwer to which, therefore, our Lord there prefcribes to them, to ufe as a Prayer thofe very Words, which he had, onccatleafl, before didated to them as a Pattern of Prayer. IVhen ye pray^ fay , Our Father which art in Hea- ven^ 8cc. /'. e. this, which I have former- ly fet before you as a Pattern, I now pre- fcribe to you as a Form of Prayer, both very proper to be us'd by it felf, and like- wife to be added by you to your other Prayers, to fupply the Defects thereof. Not that I mean hereby to reftrain you to J 6 TheDeftgriy Matter^ and to this Form only, or to forbid you x^ put up other Prayers to God, ^syou fliall have Occafion, and as your Needs ihall require ; but what I mean, is, that you fliould , fometimes at lead , put up your Petitions to God in thofe very Words, which , having formerly did:ated to you as a Pattern , I do now again repeat to you as a good Form of Prayer. When ye fray, fay^ Our Father which arP'tn He a. ven^ &c. And what we may very naturally, and very ftrongly too, infer from hence, is this ; that it is not unlawful to pray to God by a fet Form. I might infer more 'viz,, that it is ordinarily beji that we Ihould do fb. This, I fay, is what might fairly be argu'd from oui^ Saviour's fo rea- dily anfwering the Requeft of his Difci- ples, by reaching them a Form of Prayer, and not rather giving them fome Check for making fuch a Requeft. But that it is not unlawful to ufe a Form of Prayer is all that I mean at prefent to contend for ; and that moft evidently follows from what has been faid. For our Lord, who knew Form of the Lord's Prmer, knew beft what Petitions were moft pro- per to be put up to God, knew alio id what manner they were mod proper to be offered up ; and if he had known that a fet torm of Words in Prayer was nor plea- iing to God, he would not certainly have prefcrib'd any fet Form of Prayer to be ufed by his own Difciples: which yet is what he plainly does in that Place of St. Luke^ when ye pray^ fay^ Our Father "which art in Heaven^ &c. .And this alone (if there were nothing elfe ro be faidj is abundantly fiifficient to juftify our Church, in ordering a fet Forrii of Prayer to be uftd at our publick Wor- lliip in the Church ; and to fiiew ho\V^un- realonable and unwarrantable the Separa- tion of the DifTcnters from the Church is upon this Account. They will not join with us in Prayer, Sccaufe we ufe a Form of Prayer ; becauie we pray by a fet Form : but would they then have join'd with the Apoftles of our Lord himfelf, in their Prayers, if they had lived in thole times? No ; they who now feparate from us up- on this Account only (i. e. not for any C juifl 1 8 The Defign^ Matter^ and jufl: Exception which they have to make againft either the Matter or the Compo- liire of our Prayers, but only becaufe we ufe a fet Form of Prayer : they , I fay^ who leparate from us now only upon this Account,) mud alfo, if they had lived in the primitive Times of Chriftianity, have feparated from the Apofiles themfelves up- on the fame Account ; for they alfo ufed a fet Form of Prayer ; they prayed by a Form, as we do. And if it be asked bow I prove this ? I prove it, I think, very plainly from that Paflage in St. Luke before-cited, Luke xi. I, X. One of his T^ifciples faid unto him J Lordy teach us to fray^ as John al- fo taught his T)ifciples. The thing which this Difciple here defired of Chrift plainly was, that he would teach them a Form of ^rayer^ for that was yK\\i\.John had done for his Difciples. And this their Defire he immediately comply'd with ; he taught them a Prayer, 2iS John had done; he faid^ when ye pray ^ fay^ OurFather^&Cc. Now, therefore, if the Apofiles of our Lord did not afterwards ufe this Prayer, Form of the Lord's Prayer, 1 9 or pray in thefe Words , as he had com- manded them, rhey difobeyed his Com- laand, which I prefume our DifTenters will not affirm ; (tho', by the way, if indeed they were thus difobedient, that would not ferve to juftify us in the like Difbbe- dience ; be ye Followers of me^ lays St. Taul^ even as I alfo am of Chrift, The Example of another , even tho' ix. be of an Apoftle, is no farther to be followed than it is agreeable to this Rule. But that the Pradiice of the Apoftles in this Cafe was not according to our Saviour's Di- recStion, is not to be luppos'd;) and if they did r.bey ehis Command of our Savi- our, and did lomctimes pray in thefe Words which our Lord had prefcribcd to them ; whenever they did fo, rhey pravcd by a Form. And therefore our Difienters, if they had lived then, muft for iihis Rea- fon have refuted to join in Prayer with them ; they muft then have fet up fepa- rate Congregations, diftind: from thofe re- ligious AfTemblies which were held by the Apoftles ; they muft have faid that it was C % neceflary 20 The Defign^ Matter^ and necefTary to pray to God after a better manner than the Apoflles did. Judge you then, I pray, for your felves ; but fo judge, as confidering that you mud: hereafter give a flrid Account to God the Judge of all ; (judge you, I fay,) whether that can be a good Ground of feparating from the Church, or making a Schifm and Divifion in it , which was , and if you had Hved then muft have been to you , as good a Ground of forfaking the Fellowfl:iip of the holy Apoftles, as it is now of withdrawing your felves from the Communion of the eftabliili'd Church„ I know not what new^ Light our Di/Ten- ters pretend to, when they declaim againft Forms of Prayer, as dull, and formal, and unacceptable to God ; but fure I am, it is not a true Light which dired:s them to a- Dother way than our Saviour directed Men to take ; for he (as the Affile St. John tells us, John i. 9. he) was the true Light which lighteth every Man that Cometh into the World \ and he dii- reded Men, when they prayed y to ule this Form of Words, to fay, Ottr Father ^ which Form of the Lord's Prater. 21 which art in Heaven^ &c. Are they then wifer than the Apoftles, who ufed a Form of Prayer ? Nay , are they wifer than our Lord himfelf (the Wifdom of God the Father ) who prefcribed a Form of Prayer to his Difciples ? If they are not , then a Form of Prayer is, at lead, lawful; and then to feparate from the e- ftabhfli'd Church, only becaufe flie ufes a Form in her publick. Worfhip , is a finful and fchifmatical Separation. But if they fhould fay, that in this refped: they do underftand more than the Apoftles did, and that they know better what will pleafe God than our Saviour himfelf did : and indeed fome of them (unlefs they are grie- vouflybely'd,) have not fcrupled to fpeak to this Effed: ; I mean , to fay that this Prayer, tho' dictated by our Lord himfelf is yet nothing near fo good an one as are the Prayers which they make every Day : and that, tho* it might be of fome Ufe to thofe for whom it was made , who were then but young Difciples of Chriji^ and, as themfelves own'd, wanted to be taught how to pray ; yet 'tis not fit tQ be now C 3 ufed 21 fhe Deftgm^ Matter^ and uieu as a Prayer by Perfons of fuch exalt- ed Underftandings, and fo full of the Spi- rit as they are. I hope the notorious Blafptiemy of fuch Expreffions will be a fufBcient Caution to you to give no Heed or Credit to them who utter them : for to all fuch conceited Perfons, Fm fure, we may truly apply thefe Words of the Apo- jlkj Rom, i. 2x. TrofeJJJng themfelves ta be wife-, chcy became Fools. But what is there, after all, that thefe Men do objed: againft a fet Form of Pray- er ? What Reafonsdo they give why they may not join in it? Why, i. They fay, that a Form of Prayer carft be ftitted to all Occajions. x. That the Ule of a Form is a Stinting oithe Spirit. And, 3 . That *tis contrary to that prayiiTig by the Spirit \vhich is moft pleafing to God. I fliall therefore now briefly confider ^he Weight of rheie Objedions againft the Uft of a fet Form of Prayer ; tho' indeed I think, that after what has been already faid to juftify the Ufe of it from om Sa^ viour'^s prefcribing this Form of Prayer to bis Difciples, more Words upon this Oc- cafion Form of the Lord's Prater. 1 3 cafion muft be needlefs. I will not there- fore ufe many. I . Then, they (ay that a Form of Prayer can't be luited to all Occafions. Very true ; but what then ? Is it there- fore unlawful, upon any Occafion, to ufe a Form of Prayer that is well-fuited to that particular Occafion? Mayn't I, for In- ftance, in a Time of Peftilence, ufe a Form of Prayer which is well-fuited to a Time of Peftilence, becaufe the fame Form will not fuit fo well a Time of Famine ? Or becaufe, perhaps, the Church, which pro- vided a proper Form for one of thcfe Oc- cafions, did not do the fame for both of them ? Again ; fiippofing that neither our Li- turgy, nor any other Form of Prayer which is already made, is fuiced to all the Occa- fions which may be hereafter; yet what does this prove ? Docs this prove in ge- neral the Unlawfulnefs of praying by a Form ? No ; all that it proves is, that that particular Form, being not fo perfed: as it C 4 might The Defigny Matter^ a>:d might be, is capable of Amendments and Improvements. Nay, foppofing it not poflible that any Liturgy fliould be fo contrived by the Wit of Man, as to provide for all Occa- fions beforehand ; yet what hinders, but that when any fuch new, and Jbefore un- provided for, Occafion happens, a new Form of Prayer may be made which may be fuited to that ? So that, as this does not at all afiedt the main Queftion, tiz. whe- ther it be lawful to pray by a Form ; fo neither is it any Objection againft Litur- gies, or Forms of Prayer in general : for there is no Occafion which can ever hap- pen, but what may be iuired as well by a Form of Prayer to be made upon that Occafion, as by a Prayer fpoken extem- pore-^ becaufe, whatever may be fpoken once, may be fpoken a fecond, or a third time ; and whatever may be fpoken, may be written down and read ; dnd when it is fpoken a fecond or a third time, or when "tis written down and read, then they call it a Form. But be it fo; yet, if it fuitei the Occafion the firfl time it was Ipoken, it Form of the Lord's Prayer. 2 j it will iiiit the fame Occafion as well when it has been fpoken or read an hundred times. So that this Objediion againft a Form of Prayer in general, is nianifeftly nothing but a mere Cavil. But if what they mean by it, \s only in particular, that the Prayers of the Church, now contained and prefcrib'd in the Li- turgy, do not adually extend to all the Occafions which we may poflibly have. This may be granted without any Incon- venience, the Anlwer to it being very cafy, viz. That fo neithcf can any Prayer that is fpoken by any Man extempore^ extend ro all Occafions, and expreis all the Re- quefts which every Perfon in the Congrega- tion may have to put up to God. In this Refped:, therefore, any Prayer which can be made is plainly as deficient as the pub- lick Prayers of the Church are. But the Truth is, that the Prayers of the Church are not (nor indeed are any publick Prayers) to be thought deficient upon this Account ; elpecially confidering, that tho' the Church prefcribes a Form to be 26 TheDeftgn^ Matter^ and be ordinarily ufed in our publick Devo- tions, (and which is indeed as well fiiited to all the common Occafions of the Church, and of all the Members of it, as any pub- lick Form can be ;) yet flie does not there- by abridge her own Power to compofe and enjoin occafional Forms of Devotion upon Ipecial Emergencies. And again, tho' ihe enjoins the Ufe of the Liturgy in the Church, and forbids any other common Prayers ; (that being indeed as well luited to all the common Occafions of the Church, and of all the Members of it, as 'tis fit any Office of publick Prayer fliould be ;) yet ihe does not thereby mean to forbid her Children, when they have, any of them, any particular Sins to confefs, any particular Blefiings to give Thanks for, oi- any particular Requefts to make known to God ; to ule any other Prayers of their own, or another's compofing, which may be better adapted to liich Ipecial Occafi- ons than the publick Players are, or in- deed than a publick Liturgy fliould be. But then the proper Time and Place for liich Form of the Lord's Prater. 17 fuch Devotions is, when we are alone and in lecret. But, ^. Another thing objeded againft a fet Form of Prayer, \s>^ that 'tis a ftinting of the Spirit. But here it muft be noted, that, when we fpeak of fet Forms , we mean only Forms of Prayer for pubhck Worfhip ; it being before granted, that in our private Devotions every Perfon is at his Liberty to pray, either by a Form or nor, as fhall leem to himfelf moft expedient. How then, I fay, is a pubhck Form of Prayer, to be ufed in the Church, a ftint- ing of the Spirit ? Or whofe Spirit does it ftint ? The Spirit of the Speaker ? Or the Spirit of the Hearers ? Or the Spirit ofG^^? (i.) Does it ftint the Spirit of the Spa- ker ? That indeed muft be granted. But then, I lay, that there is no Harm in this; nay, I fay more, there's a great deal of Good in it. For this was indeed the ve- ry Defign of the Church , in compofing and 2 8 The Deftgn^ Mattery and prefcribing a Form of Prayer for the pub- lick Worlhip, that the Spirit of thofewho pray in publick, and who are the Mouth of the Congregation to God, might be re- ftrain^d and Hmited: that is^ that in the publick Worlhip, which ought always to be grave, folemn, and ferious, the Spea- ker might not run out in vain Repetiti- ons, and idle Tautologies ; that he might not utter any Expreflions which are inde- cent or extravagant, and more hkely to excite Laughter in the Hearers, than to ftir up true Devotion ; which they who allcAv themfelves the Liberty of praying extemfore^ in the pubhck Congregation, are very apt to do. So that if this be in- deed a ftinting of the Spirit, 'tis not how- ever a good and devout Spirit which is thereby {tinted ; for there is nothing more apt to excite and keep up true Devotion m the Minds of the Congregation, than a Prayer which is wifely compofed, and gravely exprefs'd ; (and fuch are. the Pray- ers of the Church ; liich indeed any ftu- dy'd and compofed Form of Prayer is more likely to be, than a Prayer which is utter'd Form of the Lord's Prayer. 29 ucter'd extempore^ without Thinking or Premeditation.) So that all the Spirit which is dinted, by a good Form of Prayer, is only a Spirit of Folly and Va- nity, of Garelelhefs and Irreverence ; nay, perhaps of Fadtion and Blalphemy: and Tm fure it is not fit there fliould ever be any luch Spirit in our publick Prayers and Devotions. But, (i.) Is it then the Spirit of tlie Hea- rers^ that is, of thofe who are to join with the Minifter in Prayer, which is (tint- ed by his ufing of a fet Form ? This likewife may be granted ; but then, in Anfwer to it, it may truly be faid, that this is nothing more than what is, and muft be, whether the Minifter u- {t^ a Form of Prayer, or whether he prays extempore \ and whether he prays by a Form prefcribed by the Church , or by a Form of his own compofing. The Spirit of the Hearers is as much ftinted in one of thefe Cafes , as in another ; and not more in any one of them than in any o- ther. For in whatibever manner the Mi- nifter 30 The DefigHj Matter^ and nifter prays , by a Form or without, the Bufinefs of the People is to join with him in his "[Prayer ; they are to mind what he fays, and their Heart is to go along with his Words \ they are not, at that time, to have any Thoughts in their Minds, but fiich as the Words which the Minifter ut- ters do fuggeft to them. And if the Spi- rit of the Hearers be not thus dint- ed, i. e. if while the Minifter fpeaks one thing, they take the Liberty to think of another thing, they ceafe to pray in com- mon; and the Liberty which they then take of thinking what they pleafe , is in truth neither better nor worfe than wan« dring in Prayer, and leaving the Bufi- nefs which they ought to be then about. But, (3 .) Laftly ; is it then the Spirit of God which is ftinted by the Ufe of a fet Form of Prayer ? How can that be ? For the Spirit of God is not given us to teach us what Words to utter in Prayer to God ; thofe the Senfe of our own Needs and Occafi- J ons Form of the Lord's Prayer. 3 1 ons do readily enough fupply us with ; and there is no more need of an extraor-, dinary Alliftance of the Spirit to enable us to exprefs the Thoughts and Defires of our Minds in proper Words, when we put up a Prayer to God , than there is when we put up a Petition to a Man ; or indeed than there is to enable us to ex- prels our Thoughts at any other Time, or apon any other Occafion. But the Spirit of God is given us in Prayer, to excite in us pious and devout AfFecStions towards God, and to enabk us to accompany thofe Words, which we utter in Prayer, with hearty and devout Affediions. So we are taught by the Afojlle^ Rom. viii. i6. Like- wife the Spirit aljb helpeth our Infirmi- ties ; for we know not what to fray for as we ought ^ but the Spirit it felfma- keth Inter cefiion for us^ with Groanings which cannot be ttttefd. Here you fee how the Spirit of God helpeth our Infir- mities ; it is not, at leaft not ordinarily, by fupplying us with Words ; but by ex- citing in us devout AfFedions and fervent Defires ; it maketh Inter cejfion for us^ with ^i The Deftgn^ Matter^, and with Groanings which cannot be uttcr\d. Or if the Spirit of God be indeed affillanf to any at all in the forming of their Prayers, is there not very good Reafon to think that it is thus aflifting to the Guides and Paftors of the Church, in their compofing proper Forms of Prayer for the Ufe of the Church, as well as, or indeed much rather than, to any fingle Man who takes upon him to utter a Prayer extern- fore ? And if the pubhck Prayers of the Church are drawn up by the Help and Af fiftance of the holy Spirit, (which, Vm lure, there is as much Reafon to believe, as that any private Man's Prayers are fo liiggefted to him ; ) it can be no dinting of the Spirit to pray to God by a Form of Prayer , which was drawn up by wife and good Men, with the Affiftance of the holy Spirit. But, 3. It was farther objedied againft the Ufe of a fet Form of Prayer ; that to pray by a Form, is contrary to that praying by the Sprite which is moft pleafing to God. jiut Form of the Lord's Prayer, But how can char be ? when (as 1 have jufl: now fliewn) we may pray by the S^i- rit^ as well when we ufe a Form, as when we pray extempore \ in Cafe the publick Form which we make ufe of was drawn up by the AfTiftance of the Spirit : which, as I faid, there is at leaft as much Reafon to beheve, as that any extern- fore Prayer is {o drawn up. But the Truth is, they miftake the Scri* pture, who think that it is our Djty to pray by the Spirit ; for this is no where commanded or required. We are com- manded indeed to worlhip God in Spirit \ and our Saviour fays, that none elfe are true Worihippers of God, but fuch as wor* jhip him in Spirit and in Truth, John iv. 2,3, 14. And we are alfo diredted by the Apoftles, to pray in the Spirit ^ and to pray iz'ith the Spirit ; but to pray in the Spirit ^ and 'with the Spirit ^ is a quite difFerent thing from praying by the Spi- rit ^ as that Phraie is commonly under- flood. For what is commonly meant by praying by the Spirit , i? , to have our Prayers, both Matter and Words, di(3:a- 3 D ted 34 7^6* Defi^n^ Matter^ and ted and /uggefted to us by the holy Spirit of God ; 'ir^ to pray by Inlpiration, as the Prophets and A^ojUes fpake and wrote, as they were moved by the Holy Ghojt ; 'tis to pray, as the holy Tfalmijl did, in thofe Tfalms which we now read in the Bible, and are granted to have been of divine Infpiration. But thus to pray to God is not laid upon us as a Duty ; for it is no where in Scripture required of us, that we fliould pray by Rifpiration : and when any Man tells you that he prays by the Spirit, if what he tells you be indeed true, /. e, if the Matter and Words which he utters in Prayer are really fuggefted to him by the holy Spirit, as he would have you believe; you ought to take every Word which fuch a Man ipeaks in his Prayer, not as the Words of a Man, but as the Words of God. You ought there- fore carefully to write them down from his Mouth, and to give Copies thereof a- bout to the Chrijiian Church. For the Spirit of God is always the fame ; and if there be any Prayer which is now didbated to any Man by the holy Spirit, that Prayer^ A Form of the Lord's t^rayer. 3 j" Prayer, if ic were written down, would be as much Scripture, and as good Scri- pture, as the Tfalms of T>avid^ or any other part of the holy Bible, For that which makes what we call the Scripture to be truly the Word of God, tho' fpoken Or written by Men, is becaufe it was fpo- ken and written by Infpiration of the Ho- ly Ghoji ; by the lame Reafon therefore any other Prayer , any other Words of a Man, fpoken by Infpiration of the fame Spirit , is no lefe the fVord of God thaii that \s. And yet, 1 believe, that if they who are us*d to hear the extempore EfFufions of thofe who pretend to pray by the Spi- rit, would take the Pains to write them down from their Mouths, and would af- terwards carefully perufe and examine them, they would cafily be convinced of theFaifity of that Pretence; they would foon fee the Difference between thofe Prayers and Scripture, But be that as it will; yet, as I faid before, 10 i^xiy by the Sfirit^ i.e. to pray by Infpiration, however it may be luppo- D X fed A. 3<5 7he De/ign^ Matter ^ and fed to be the Privilege and Advantage of forae Men, that they do fo, yet is no where commanded to any Man, as a jD//- ty. All that is ever required of us, is, to pray /;/ the Sftrit^ and to pray with the Sftrlt ; and that, as I faid> is a quite dif- ferent thing from praying by Injpiration, For to pray m the Spirit^ or with the Spirit J is nothing elfe but only to mind what we fay, to give good Attention to our Prayers, and to accompany the Words of our Mouth with fiiitable Affe<3:ions and Defires of the Heart. And thus we may pr^y in the Sprite or with the Spirit^ as well when we pray by a Form , as- when we pray extempore. Nay, I be- lieve it is much eafier fo to pray /;/ the Spirit , or with the Spirit , i. e. to at- tend to what is laid, and to go along with it in our Minds and Dcfires, when the Minifter prays by a Form which we have been us'd to , and are well acquainted with , than it would be if he every time us'd a new Prayer. And that this is the true fcriptural meaning of praying /;/, or with the Spi- rit^ Form of the Lord's Prayer. 3 7 rit^ and that it was not thereby intended to be laid upon us as a Duty, that we fhould pray by Infpiration of the holy Spi- rit, is, Ithink, very evident from i Cor. xiv. 15. fVhat is it then ? / "jijill J?ray with the Spirit^ and I "will pray with the 'Vnderjianding alfo ; 1 will fing with the Spirit^ and I will fing with the Un- derjianding alfo. It is evident, I fay, from hence, that we are no otherwifc o- bliged to fray with the Spirit^ than we are w/ing with the Spirit. If therefore we do Jlng with the Spirit^ when our Hearts go along with our Voices in Ting- ing any Tfalm^ or Hymn^ which was compofed and written down before; (and I prefumc no fobcr Pcrfon has any other Notion of Jinging with the Spirit^ but this ;) then fo hkev\ifc may we fray^ fo al- fo we do pray with the Spirit^ when our Hearts and Minds go along with the Words which are uttcr'd in Prayer, whether the Prayer be fpoken by our felves, or ano- ther ; and whether it be utter*d extempore^ or be a Form which was compofed long before. D 3 And 38 The OeCvrvi^ Matter, and Aiid mod certainly, it o\xx Saviour ^ who has commanded us to worjhip God in Spirit , and to pray with the Spirit ^ had not known that God might be wor- fliipp'd and prayed to, in Spirit ai lead, as well by a ft Form of Prayer, as by an extempore Effufion; when the Requeft was put to him by his Difciples, to teach them xo pray% he would have taken that Occafion to tell them, that there was no jieed of their ever troubling themfelves a- bout that Matter, forafmuch as no Prayers would be acceptable to God, but fuch on- ly as were immediately didated or inlpi- led by the Holy Ghojt : fq that confe. quently their bed way would be never to pray at all, but only when they were mc». yed to it by the Spirit, and then to pray as the Spirit gave them Utterance. He would not certainly, had he known that praying by a Form was unpleafing to God, (he would nor, I fay, then) have pre- fcrib'd a Form of Prayer for them to ufe, as he did ; Avhen, in Anfwer to that their Requeft , he faid unto thenf , when ye Form of the Lord's Prayer. 39 fray^ fay-, Our Father ^Uohkh art hi Hea^ vefij &c. in. The next thing I was to fpeak foraevvhat q{^ was the Matter of this Prayer. And concerning this, I Ihall ob- ferve only two things. I. That it is a very full and comprc- henfive Form of Prayer ; there being no Petition which we can at any time have Occafion to put up to God, either for our Souls, or for our Bodies ; for our felves, or for others; which is not included in , and may nor be reduced to, fbme or other of the Petitions of this (liort Prayer. And this is a very good Reafon, (befides the exprefs Command of our Lord for the Ule of it) why w« fliould very frequently put up our Requefts to God, in thofe ve- ry Words which are here taught us. Be- caufe tho' it may be expedient , that ac- cording as thofe Needs are which are moft preffing upon us, or we are moft fenfible of, we Ihould be ibmetimes more large and particular than we can be in the D 4 Uls k 40 The Defign^ Matter ^ and Ufe of any general Form, fuited, as this is, to the Condition of all Chriftians ; yet it is not fit that our Thoughts and Defires fliouid ever be fo wholly bent upon thofe Subjedjs wherewith at prefent we are moft affeded, as to forget or overlook others, every whit as necefTary to employ our Meditations about. And then we maybe fure that we have omitted nothing proper to be requefled of God , when we have fupply'd the DefecSs of our own imperfe6t Prayers by the Super-addition of this moft excellent, and moft comprehenfive Form of Prayer, which our Lord himfelf, who knew all our Needs, hath, in Companion to our Weaknefs, taught us to make ufe of, 2. The other thing which I fliall ob- ferve, concerning the Matter of this Pray- er, is this ; that tho' it v/as prefcrib'd and given by our Lord himfelf, who being the W'tfdom of the Father, and having not received the Spirit by Me a fur e^ had no need to copy or learn any thing from o- thers, yet (as has been obferved and made out Form of the Lord's Prayer. 41 out by rhofe verfed in the Jewijh Learn- tng\ [Grot. Cappel.]) there is nothing in this whole Prayer which could even then be accounted new, either in the Matter, or in the Expreflion of it ; but that it is taken, every part of it, with very fmall Variation, out of thofe Forms of Prayer which were cuftomarily ufed by the Jews in our Saviour^ Time ; {Comber,'] It appears therefore from hence, that our Saviour was no AfFedter of Novelty in Devotion, no more than in other things. He was not one of thofe who diflixked a good thing only becaufe ic was old. He was not of the Mind of fbme later Refor- mers, ofgreater Zeal than Difcretion, who in their hafte to root up the Tares ^ have had no regard to the Wheat which was mix'd with them; and in their Zeal to extirpate throughly all Superftirion', have well-nigh deftroy'd all Face of Religion. But our Saviour wifely diftinguilhed be- tween good and bad; and tho' he could, doubtlefs , have taught his Difciples a Prayer which was entirely new, yet chole rather to take the chief Materials of his Prayer 4i TheDefign^ Matter^ and Prayer out of the Jewifh Devotions, then in common Ufe ; that fo it might appear, that in the other Reformations which he made in Worfhip or Religion, he was not govern'd by Fancy, or guided by a Spirit of Faction or Schifm, but acSted wholly according to the Truth and Reafon of things. It is therefore no jufl: Objedion againft the Liturgy of our Church , (if it were true, as it is not,) that it is taken out of what they call the Mafs-Book ; a Book in which it mufl: be granted, and '\% readi- ly own'd, there was a great Mixture of fuch Devotions, as mud be allovv'd to be not only fiiperftitious, but idolatrous. For that's not the Queftion , what the Book was before it was reform'd, but what xi is now that it is reform'd; not whether there were any Errors in it formerly, but whether there be any Errors left in it now. For if there be not, then it mufl: be grant- ed that ir is well and fufficienrly reform- ed; and the wife Compilers of our now mod excellent Liturgy, in continuing in it iome Prayers or Collects , x^'bich had been torr^t' of tfoe Lord s Prayer, 43 been indeed inUfe in the time of Popery ,but which were alfo in Ufe in the Church long before the firft beginning of Popery ; be- ing Portions of the moft ancient Liturgies in the firft and pureft Times of Chriftia- nity, (in continuing, 1 fay, fome liich good Prayers and Colledls in our prefent Liturgy, the wife Compilers of it) did no more than our Saviour himfelf did in the compofing of his own Prayer, the whole Matter whereof was taken by him out of former Books of Devotion then in Ufe a- mong the JeiJi's. And for this we may well admire the Wifdom, Temper , and Judgment of our firft Reformers ; but we can fee nothing in what they did, which is in the leaft liable to blame. And with- out confidering from whence they took any of the Materials of that Liturgy which they have left to us , we may truly fay, that it is a moft excellent Compofition ; every whit as good as it would have been had it been entirely nevVj and in fome Re- fpeds better. From hence alfo it farther appears , ( I mean from our Saviour's taking into his own 44 The Defign^ Matter^ and own Prayer thofe Words, ExpreiTions, and Forms of Speech, which had been formerly in \Jk ; it appears, I fay, from hence,) that God would not be better pleas'd with our Prayers, if they were of- fered up every Day in a new Style and Drefs, than he is when they are offered up in the fame Words ; provided the Mat- ter of them be good , and the Words of our Mouth be accompanied with the fer- vent Defires of our Heart. For moft cer- tainly, if new Phrafes and ExprefTions had been more pleafmg to God than old ones, our Saviour would never have prefcrib'd any Form of Prayer to his Difciples; and much lefs would he have taken into this Form, thofe Petitions, and thofe Expref^ fions thereof, which had been in Ule in the Jewijh Church long before. IV. Laftly ; another thing which I pro- pos'd to confider in general, concerning the Lord's Trayer^ was, the Fra7?ie and Compfure of ir. And concerning this we may obferve, likewife, two things. I, That Form of the Lord's Prayer. 45: I. That the Thiral Number is ufed throughout the whole Prayer. For 'tis noi^dx^ my Father^ but, our Father % not give me my daily Bread, but give tts ; not forgive me^ but forgive us our TrelpafTes ; and lb on. 'Tis plain therefore, from hence, that this Prayer was defign'd by our Savioury chiefly to be ufed in Company with others, that it was meant for a puMick Prayer. And from this it farther appears, that the' our Saviour^ at the 6'^' f. of this Chapter^ (in Oppofition to the Practice of the "Fha- rifees^ who, even in their fingle Devoti- ons, always prayed openly, that they might be feen of Men ;) had diredcd his Diiciples to retire to a Cloiet, or fome fe- crct Place, where they might be liire not to be over-look'd or over-heard by any, and there to put up their Prayers in fecret, to their Father who faw in fccrct; yet did not thereby defign to forbid pubHck Prayer, at proper Scafons and Opportuni- ties. What he meant to enjoin, was, that our private Prayers lhould;> to avoid Often- ^6 'The Dejign^ Matter^ and Oftenration, be as private as they could well be contrived ; but then , that we might not mifunderftand him, when he comes here to teach us how to pray , he puts into our Mouths fuch Words as were moft proper to be ufed in Company : clear- ly intimating thereby, that private Devo- tions are not to exclude the publick ; but that we ought alfo, at proper Seafons and Opportunities, to pray in Company with others. Not but that we may, even when we are alone, ufe this Form of Prayer, and lay, Otir Father^ &c. But then when f we do {oy the very Form of Speech which we ufe, iliews, that tho' we are alone by our felves, we do extend our good Wilhes to others befidcs our felves. For it would be very improper for a Man to fay, give its our daily Bread, and forgive tis our Trel- pafTcs, and the like, if he meant to beg thelc Bleffings of God to and for himfelf only. From this Form of Speech, therefore, which our Saviour himfelf here teaches us to ule in our Prayers to God, Our Fa- ther, Form of the Lord's Prayer. 47 ■■■ ther, give us^ forgive us^ and the like; we plainly learn, that it is our Duty to. pray with others^ and to pray/^r others^ as well as alone, and for our felves. X. Another thing which may be ob- ferv'd in the general Frame andCompofure of this Prayer, is this ; that the three former Petitions of it regard the Honour and Glo- ry of God ; hallowed he thy Name ; thy Kingdom come : and thy Will be done : and 'tis after this only which we are taught or allow'd to put up Petitions for our felves ; give us our daily Bread \ forgive us our Trejpajfes ; deliver us from E- vil. Sec. And what we Ihould learn from hence, is; that it is our Duty to make the Glory of God our chief Aim and Dcfign, and ta defire nothing elfe, not even for our lelves,. but in Subordination to that. According to that exprefs Dire<3:ion given us by our Sa- viour at the 33'^ f. of this Chapter; Seek ye fir ft the Kingdom of God^ and his Right eoufnefs^ and all thefe things jhall be added unto you ; and that Precept of the 48 The Deftgn^ Matter^ &c. tht Jpojile^ I Cor. X. 31. Whether ye eat or drink ^ or whatsoever ye do ; do all to the Glory of God. Tohimtherefore^{\X\vci. i.17.) the King eternal., immortal^ invtjihle^ the only wife God^ be Honour and Glory^ for ever and ever. Amen. THE THE PRE FAC E O F T H E Lord's Prayer EXPLAINED. JI DISCOURSE 11. The Preface of the Lord's Prayer explained. Matth. vi. 9. After this Manner therefore pray ye : Our Father which art in Hea^ ven^ &c. ^^^11 UR Lord having in the fore- Wm^'mA eoins Verfcs caution'd us a ^,Jp| gainft fteking Glory to our 1^^^^ lelves in our Addreflesto God, and againft ekeing out our Prayers to God E ^ with 5 1 The Preface of the vain Repetitions^ and much [peaking ; as if, like the Heathens^ we thought God could not well underftand our Needs, un- lefs we were very copious and particular in declaring therj, or that he was pleas'd with a Multitude of Words ; proceeds in the Text, and following Verfes, to inftrud: ps farther in the Duty of Prayer, by pre- fcribing a Form of Words very proper to be ufed therein, which is what we com- monly call 77:?^ Lord's Trayer. Our Fa- ther which art in Heaven ; hallowed be thy Name J &c. In which there are three principal Parts ; thtTrefacCj the Bodj of the Trajer, and the Conclujion. The Treface is a folemn Invocation of God, to whom we dired: our Prayer. Oar Father which art in Heaven, The Body of the Trayer confifts of fix feveral Petitions which We put up to him. And the Conchijion contains a Doxolo- gy, or a folemn Recognition of the Power gnd Majeily of that God to whom we have oifer'd up our Requeds; thine is the Lord's Prayer explamed, 5 3 the Kingdom^ the Tower ^ and the Glory ^ for ever and ever. In ferious Confideration whereof, we are taught , in the laft place , to add our Amen to the whole. By which Word we fignify not only our full and hearty Con- fent to all and every the Claufes of the foregoing Prayer , but alfo our Faith and Hope in God, that he will beftow Upon us thofe things which we have ask'd of him. In fpeaking of all which Particulars, I fliall, L Explain the Meaning of each Claufe, and Ihew what it is which we are there- in and thereby taught to acknowledge to, or to beg of God ; or what Senfe we ought to have in our Minds, when We ut« ter thefe Words. And, II. I fliall mention the Duties, which, from the feveral Claufes and Petitions of this Prayer, we are inftruded in, and ob- lig'd to, E 3 II 54 ^^^ Preface of the I. I naw begin with the firft part of the Prayer, viz^. the "Preface^ which is^ as I faid, a folemn Invocation of God, to whom we diredl our Prayer. Our Fa- ther which art in Heaven^ 8cc. And here we may confider, i. The Ob- jed of Prayer in general, i/i'Z. God, cal- led here, Our Father in Heaven : and, 2. What things we do, in this Compcilation or Invocation of God, afcribe to him 5^ and profefs and declare our BeHef of, I. The Object ofPrayer in general, viz. God called here, Our Father in Heaven. To him we are to diredb onr religious Prayers, and to none other, as our Saviour himfelf teacheth us moft expreffly. Mat. iv. 10. Thou Jhalt worjhip the Lord thy Gody and him only Jhalt thou ferve. There is neither Precept nor Prefident for Creature-Worlhip in the whole Bible 5 not of the moft glorious Angel in Heaven ; much lefs of the Souls of departed Saints, fuppos'd to be now advanced thither. On Lords Prayer explained. j y Ofl the contrary, we are expreffly fot- bidden in the firft Comman.ment, to have any other God hut Jehovah, i.e. to pay divine Worfliip to any other Being; snd God hadi faid that he will, by no means, give his Honour to another. And particularly, as to the Woiihip of Angels, which feems the mod warranta* ble of any Creature- W orlhip, becaufe they are the moft excellent of all Creatures ; that is not only expreflly forbidden by the Afojile, Colofr.ii.i8. but whenSt.>/j/?, in fome Aftonifliment at the glorious Ap- parition of an Angel, and thinking him, perhaps, to be the Deity afluming a vifi- ble Shape , fell down to worfliip before him; we find him twice reprov'd tor xn by the Angel himfelf, i?^i;. xix lo andxcxii.9» in thele Words, fee thou do it not ; for I nm thy Fellow- Servant ; worjhip God. And how much i-he holy Apoftles, who of all Men, who ut all Creatures, next to the Aiigels, /f*em the mod proper Objedls of religious Worihiu, did abominate luch Worihip, w€ learn from two Examples, tand thole too of the two moft eminent A- E 4 poftles ? J 6 The Preface of the poftles; firft of St. Teter, Adis x. ^6. who, when Cornelius was fallen down at his Feet to worfliip him, took him uf, fay. ing^ ft and uf^ I my felf alfo am a Man : and then of St. Taul^ with St. Barnabas, who, when the People at Lyftra took them for Gods, and would thereupon have done Sacrifice to them, rent their Cloathsy and ran in among the Teo^le, faying^ SirSy why do you thefe things'^ IVe alfo are Men of like ^ajjions with you ; and f reach unto you that ye floould turn from thefe Vanities unto the living Gody which made Heaven and Earthy and the Sea , and all things that are therein-^ as you may fee, ABsy.\y. 15-. And yet in both thefe Cafes the Ob- jeds, viz. the Angel, and thefe Apoftles, were vifibly prefent with thofe who would have worihipped them. It mufl therefore be worie ftill to give fuch Worlhip to a- ny Creatures not vifibly prefent, and who may, likel)^, not know any thing of what we are doing. For tho' the Angels are in- deed in Heaven, in the Prefence of God, yet their Knowledge of things is bounded and Lord's Prayer explained. 57 and confin'd ; and 'tis likely they may know nothing more of what is done upon Earth , than God is pleafed to reveal to them. And as to the Saints departed, they as little know what we are doing, as we know where they are. Abraham is ignorant ofus^ and Ifrael acknowledgeth ns not\ fo we are told, Ifaiah Ixiii. 16. And whether, if they do know any thing 1 of us , they are in a Condition to do any Kindnefs for us , we know not; nor in- deed whither to dired our Prayers to them for that Purpofe. For all which we know of the State of the Souls of good Men de- parted, is, that they reft from their La- hours^ and that they are in Teace ; but where their Abode is, God has not told us. All that I think we have ground from Scripture to believe concerning them, is, that tho' they are at prefcnt very hap- py, and are therefore faid to be in 'Para- dife^ and in Abraham's Bofm ; they are not however, as yet, in that exalted and glorify ed State, which they will be put into after the Refurredion, and final Judg- ment.- Till then, therefore, (tho' indeed not 58 The Preface of the not then laekher; but, I fay, till then i«t: kaft;) they can't be proper Obje<9:$ ©f Worfhip; nor (as appears from Scripture,) were they ever thought io by any Perfon among the Jews or Chriftians in ancient times ; iinlefs we take the Parable of the rich Man and Lazarus^ {Luk.xwi:) for a true Hiftory. For there indeed we have j one Inflanee of Prayer made to a Saint ; departed, even to Father Abraham ; but • then , when it fliall be confidered who it was who put up that Prayer , mz>. the rich Glutton ; and where , and in what fiate he was when he put it up , even in Hell , or Hades , tormented in thoft Flames ; I prefume that Example vi^ill not be thought fufficient to warrant Chrijti- ans upon Earth, in putting up Prayers to the Saints departed, as to a fort of Petty- / ; Gods in Heaven. This then being fettled, that God, and God only , is the Objed of a religious Prayer ; whom we are here taught to call Our Father in Heaven, Let us now confider, %. What Lord's Prayer explained. 59 i. What things they are which, in this Compellation or Invocation of God, (com- pofing the Preface of the Lord's Trayer^) we afcribe to him, and profefs and declare our Belief of ; and they are chiefly thele three. (1.) The Goodnefs of God, and his Readinefi to help us , and do us Good- This we own, by calling him Father, (2.) The ^niverfality of his Goodnefs^ that it is not limited or confined to our felvcs only, or to a few, but is extended to all Mankind, to whom he is a common Father ; and to all whom he bears the lame fatherly Affedtion which he does to us. And our BeHef of this we profefs by call- ing him Our Father^ not vry Father, (3.) Laftly; welikewife, in this Preface, declare our Belief of his infinite Tower ; that he is as able as he is willing to do us Good. And this we declare, by calling him 6o The Preface of the him our heavenly Father, or our Father which is in Heaven. And our Belief of thefe three thing:s is a juft ground of Faith and Confidence in God, and of AlTurance that our Prayer will be regarded by him. For, (i.) Being permitted to call him Fa- ther^ and thereby aflur'd that he bears us the Tendernefs and Compaffion of a Fa- ther, we may be confident that he is rea- dy and willing to grant all the reafonable Defires and Requefts of thofe to whom he is fo related; according to that of the Tfalmijij Pfal. ciii. 13. Like as a Father fitieth his Children^ fo the Lord fitieth them that fear him. And fo our Savi- £?//r argues, Matth. \\\. 11. If ye, being evil^ know how to give good Gifts unto your Children-^ how much more Jhall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them (i.e. to his Children,) that ask him ? Butj (2.) If he was only a Father to fbme, and not to others of us, we might flill be afraid r^^ Lord's T^ra^er explained. 6\ afraid whether our own Petitions in parti- cular would be anfwered or not ; becaufe, whatever he \^ to others, we might doubt whether he was a Father to. us or no; and there is no Man who could with good Confidence and AfTurance fay to him, my Father^ if he could nor alfo call him our Father. But now being taught by our Saviour in this Prayer, which was defign'd by him for the Ufe of every Member of his Church, to cM him Our Father; extend- ing, by that Expreilion, his fatherly Rela- tion to the whole Race of Mankind ; c- very Perfon, warranted or commanded to ufe this Prayer, is afTured that God is a Father to him in particular, becaufe he is fo to us all. And if he be the common Father of us all , and fo alike related to every one of us, this gives us Affurance that he is no RefpeBer ofTerfons^ but that in every Nation^ he that feareth God^ and wprk- eth Right eotijhefs, of what State or Con- dition foever he be in this World, is ac- cepted 6i The Preface of the cepted with him^ Ads x. 345 35'- B^^ then, (3.) Tho* he be our Father, and {o has, we may be afTured, a true Love and Kind- nefs to us, and a good Will to help us, and to fupply our Needs ; yet he might poffibly want Power to do us the Good which he would do. For this, we know, is the Cafe of many Fathers upon Earth ; they do truly love, and moll heartily wifli well to their Children ; and would, with all their Souls, give them Bread when they want it, and cry to them for it ; but alas f they have it not to give, they thenifelves being many times as indigent and impo- tent as their Children ; and lb all which they can do for them , is to compaffie- nate thofe their Wants, which they are not able to relieve. They have a ready Will enough to bellow all Good upon their Children, but they want Power to do them any Good at all. But now God, our heavenly Father^ is as powerful as be is good ; he is as rich as he is bountiful % be is as able, as he \^ willing Lord's Prajer explained. 63 willing to help us. And this we are taught to believe, and to acknowledge our Belief of, in this Preface to the Lord's Prayer, by calling him our Father which is in Heaven. For being in Heaven he is above all ; he is the fiipreme Lord and Go^ vernor of the whole World ; he doth ac* cording to his Will in the Army ofHea^ ven^ and among the Inhabitants of the Earth ; and none can Jiay his Handy or fay unto htm^ what doe ft thou ? Dan. iv. 35*- Andj as for our God^ fays the Tfdlmift^ he ^ is in Heaven ; he hath done whatfoever ^leafed him^ Pfal. cxv. 3. In a word ; our God being in Heaven, i, e, being the great God of Heaven and Earth, he can do w^harever he will; and being a Father^ he has the Love and Ten- dernei's of a Father to all his Childrai; and being Our Father^ and we, confc- quenrly, every one of us , his Children, w^e may reafbnably hope and exped: from him all the good things which we can e- ver want or defire. And more than this needs not to be believed by us, to excite ^n us a firm Faiths and a good AlTurance^ i that ^4 Tf^^ Preface of the that all thofe Petitions which in the fol- lowing Prayer we put up to him, (which, being taught us by our Saviour himfelf, we are fiire are fuch as are agreeable to the Will of God ; ) will be gracioufly heard and anfwered by him. And all thefe things we db own and acknowledge, in this Preface to the Lord's Prayer, when we fay, Our Father which art in Heaven. *Tis as if we had laid in more Words, " O good God, who, as the common " Creator of ns all^ art very kind and ^' gracious to all Men ; who, as a Father.^ " art willing ; and , as being in Heaven " moft high, art able to give us all that " we want;" hallowed he thy Name ^ &c. And fo much for Explication of the firft part of the Prayer, the Preface, or the Invocation. But before I proceed farther, in the Ex- plication of this Prayer, I fliall (accord- ing to the Method before laid down) briefly mention the Duties, which, from this Preface to the following Pctirions, we are inftrucaed in, and oblig'd to. And Lord's Prayer explained, 65 And there are feveral Points of Duty which we may learn from hence. For, I. If \Ve confider only the relative Ap- pellation which we are here taught to give to God, by calling him Father ; and thereby owning him to be the Author of our Being, the Giver of all good things, and very kindly affedfed towards us : this alone may ferve to iailrud; us in feveral Duties. For, (i.) If he be a Father to us, if he be the Author of our Being, and if it be he on whom we depend tor the Supply of all our Wants ; then we ought to refpedt and honour him, as a Son docs his Father ; giving him all poffible Reverence, both in our Hearts and in our Adlions. For even natural Rcaion tcache 68 The Preface of the Father. Whenever therefore we come in- to his Prefence, elpecially if it be to put up any Petition to him, it highly becomes us to fhew all poflible Signs of the pro- foundeft Reverence, and moft lowly Sub- miffion to him. And as we iliould ap- proach him with the deeped Humility of Mind, fo lliould we alio ule the moft hum- ble Proftrations of Body ; ftanding bare in his Prefence, and falling low on our Knees before his Footftool. And if we do not demean our felves thus towards him, our Behaviour is manifeftly not fuch, as the Behaviour of Children towards their Father ought to be. For let me ask any Man, who is a Fa- ther, whether if his Son, (tho', as I faid before, of the fame Nature with himfelf, and, bating the Relation, as good in all Relpeds as himfelf ;) when he came to him to beg a Favour of him, fliould be- fore he began, or at anytime while he was making his Addrefi, take a Chair, and fit down (as we fay) Cheek by J oil with him ; he would not think fuch difrelpec^t- ful and unmannerly Carriage a juft barr to Lord's Prayer explained. 6^ to his granting the thing which was re- quefted of him ; if not rather a juft Pro- vocation to the calling him wholly out of Favour, and of forbidding him his Pre- fence for ever ? What then can you think of thofe (what can you think of your (elves ? if this be your own Practice ; as it evidently is of too many even at the Church, in the publick AfTemblies ;) who ufe the fame irreverent and unmannerly Pofture, when they are offering up their Petitions, nay, when they are uttering this very Prayer to God ? What mean they by calling him Father , when , by their Behaviour towards him , one would think they hardly thought him io good as their Equal? Or if indeed they do believe his fatherly Relation, and his infinite Supe- riority to themfelves , how can they be- have thecofelves with greater Unmanner- linefs to him, while they are imploring his Mercy and Goodnefs, than they would do to any Man, tho' much their Inferior, while they were requeuing any Favour or Kindnefs from him ? How can they but fear that fuch their unmannerly and irre- F 3 verent po The Preface of the verent Behaviour ihould provoke God, not only to deny and rejed their prefent Petitions, but to forbid them from ever more appearing in his Prefence, or ex= peding any Favour from him? And let it not here be faid, that the Lord feeth not as Man feeth ; for Man looker h on the outward Afpearance^ hut the Lord looketh on the Heart. For tho' this indeed be true, (for they are the Words of God himfelf, concerning him- felf, in I Sam. xvi. 7.) 'tis yet no Exculej much lefs is it a Realbn for the Irreve- rence of cur Worfliip. For what can thele Words mean, the Lord feeth not as Man feeth% Can they mp'an, that God does not fee io much as Man ? No iurely ; but that he fees a great deal more than Man, does ; he fees all which Man fees ; and he fees alio what Men does not fee. And ip it follows, for Man looketh on the out- ward Appearance^ i. e. he fees that, and he fees nothing elie; he can but only guefs at the Heart, by that outward Ap- pearance which he lees: hut God looketh.. on the Heart ; i. e. God looks directly in- to Lord's Prayer explained. 71 to that ; that's as plain before his Sight, as a vifible Objed: is before the Sight of a Man. But tho' he fees things which are invifible to us , it does not therefore fol- Jow, that he does not fee the things which are vifible even to our Eyes. He there- fore fees, at lead as well as we do, whe- ther a Man's Behaviour in the time of Worlhip be decent or indecent , reverent or irreverent ; the Difference is , thac whereas if a Man behaves himfelf decent- ly and reverently in the Worfliip of God, we have no Reafon but to think that he is a devout and religious Worfliipper ; God, who fees diredly into his Hearty may know infallibly that he is not fo : but if a Man's Behaviour be indecent and ir- reverent, even in our Sight, it is doubt- kfs fo in God's Sight too, and confequent- ly infinitely more offenfive to him than it is to us. For as God requires the Wor- fliip of the Heart, (b he requires the Worfliip of the Body too. O come let as worjhip^ and fall dc^n^ let ns kneel be- fore the Lord our Maker: that's what ays, chafined us after their owm Tleafure ; but he, for our Troft-, that we might be Lord's Prater explained. 8 1 he Tartakers of his Holinefs. Now no chaftning^ for the frefentj feemeth to be joyous^ but grievous ; neverthelefs^ af- terward^ it yeildeth the peaceable Fruit of Right eoujhefs unto them which are ex- ercifed thereby ; Heb, xii. 5- — 11. But, X. As God is a Father, fo he is alfo Our Father. We are taught to call him fo in this Prayer ; Our Father ; that is , a Father not to our felves only, but to all the reft of our Rice. And the Confi- deration of this may likewile remind us of, and ftrongly enforce upon us, fundry Duties. For, (i.) If God be a common Father to us all^ then all we are Brethren. His com- mon Relation, as a Father^ to us, unites us in a very near Relation to one another. And if all Men are our Brethren , wc are all fo far in a State of Equality with each other. We ought not therefore to defpife, reproach, or vilify any Perfon whatfoever ; becaufe how much foever he may be our Inferior in fome little worldly ' G Refped?, 8 2 The Preface of the Refpedis, he ftands in the fame Relation to God that we do. We ought not there- fore, I fay, to bear our felves high over others, as if they were our Slaves and Vaflals; feeing that, in truth, they are our Brethren, and in all confiderable Re^ fpeds equal to our felves. Moreover, God being our common Fa- ther , and all we , as his Children, Bre- thren to each other ; we ought all, as the Apojile exhorts, to love as Brethren^ to be ptiftil^ and to be courteous to each other. For that Brethren fliould love one another, is fb clear a Law of Nature, and lb deeply engraven in all our Hearts, that none can be ignorant of it. And indeed^ as there was no Need of an exprefi Reve- lation to enjoin a Duty lb eafy to be dif^ cernd, and fb well known; fo I do not remember that there is any where, either in the Old or New Tejtament , in the Law or in the Goipel , any pofitive Pre- cept diredtly commanding it. It '\s rather, all along fiippos'd and taken for granted, as a Duty which could not but be known and allow'd by all ; that Brethren ought to love one another. There Lord's Prayer explained. 83 There is indeed mention fbmetimes made in Scripture, of brotherly Love\ but it is not , I think , any where ex- preflly commanded to be exercifed by and between thole who (as being born of the lame common Parents, according to the Flefh ; ) are moft properly called Bre^ thren ; becauie, as it feems, there w^as no Need of a pofitive Command to oblige us to a Duty which Nature {o clearly didates, and lo (irongly urges upon our PracSlice; but the Defign of all thofe Texts, which require the Exercife, or the Continuance oi brotherly Love^ is only to propole that Love which Brothers do naturally bear to each other, as the Pattern and Mealure of that Love which all Men ought to bear to one another, even altho* they are not quite fo nearly related together, as Bro- thers according to the Flelh are. (i.) If God be our Father^ and all we are Brethren ; feeing confequently , he bears the fame good Will to all of us? and we have all the fame Needs and Wants , and the fame common Requefts 3 G X to 84 ^he Preface of the to make to God ; it hence becomes our Duty, and a very reafonable Duty too, to join together, as we have Opportunities, in great Numbers , to offer up our com- mon Petitions to him. This is plainly mod glorious to God; the Multitude of his Wordiippers, owning their Depen- dence upon him, bcfi: fets forth the Large- nefs of his Dominion, and the Extent of his Power. And this is alfo bed for our felves ; becaufe the greater the Number is of thofe who join together in Prayer, the better AfTurance may they realbnably entertain of the good Succefs of their Prayer. For if it may well be prefumed that a good Father will not deny the rea- fonable Requeft of any one of his Chil- dren , much more may it be trufted to, and depended upon, that he will not de- ny the like reafonable Requeft of all his Children ; or of a great many of them , when they join together in putting up the fame common Petition to him. (3.) li Godiht our Fathers the Father, not of one, two, or a few Men, but of the Lord's Prayer explained. 8j the whole Race of Mankind ; then it plainly follows, that whether we pray with others, or by our felves, we ought always, even in our Prayers by our felves, and principally for our felves, to be mind- ful alfo of others, and to beg the fame things of God for them , which we beg for our felves. Indeed we can't ever, ei- ther in publick or in private, put up this moft excellent Prayer, taught us by our Lord himfelf, without doing fo. For by ftyling God oar Father^ we extend his fatherly Relation to others befides our felves ; and by faying give tis our daily Bread, and forgive us our Trcfpafles, and the like, we beg the fame things for all thofc to whom he is a Father, which we do for our felves. And that thus we ought to do, and are taught to do in this Prayer, our Church likewiie inftruds us, in that fliort Expli- cation of it which Ihe has given in her Catechiun, when in anfwer to that Que- ftion, What dejirejl thou of God in this Traycr? The Scholar is taught to anfwer, / dc/ire niy Lord God^ cur heavenly Fa- G 3 ther. %6 The Preface of the therj who is the Giver of all Goodnefsj to fend his Grace unto me^ and to all Teo;ple. Bur, 3. Laftly; z.s.Godis, a Father^ ^nA our Father^ fo he is likewife our heavenly Father^ or Our Father which is in Hea- ven, as we are here taught to call him ; ^by which Phrafe, which art in Heaven^ we acknowledge (as has been already fhewed ) the Greatnefs of God's Power, and the Extent of his Dominion. And the Duties which we learn from hence are chiefly thefe two. (i.) To rely upon his Power, who be- ing in Heaven over all, can do what he pleafes ; to believe firmly that nothing is too hard for him, that he is able to do whatever v/e defire ; and confequently to trufl: that all our Petitions fliall be grant- ed, if they be fuch as are fit to be grant- ed. And, (i.) In Confideration of the Greatnefs of his Majcfty, to lay our felves low be- fore Lord's Prayer explained. 87 fore him, to approach him with the pro- foundeft Reverence, to demean our felves in his Prefence with the deepeft Humihty both of Body and Mind, and to belpeak him in the moft fubmiffive and relpedful Expreffions. This Duty I inferr'd before, from the Confideration of his being our Father ; but that he is alfo infinitely advanc'd a- bove us in Heaven^ is a farther Enforce- ment of it. And for this Purpofe, the fe- rious Confideration of this Point is very well urg'd by the wife Man^ Ecclef v. i, x. Kee^ thy Foot^ /. e. ihew all pofiTible Re- verence, of Body as well as Mind, when thou goeft to the Houfe of God. Be not rajh with thy Mouthy and let not thine Heart be hajiy to titter any thing before God\ for God is in Heaven, and thou u^on Earth. To him therefore, God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoji, three Terfons and one God, be given always, as is moft due, all Honour and Glory, now and for evermore. Amen. G 4 HAL» HALLOWED B E Thy NAME, EXPLAINED. mMMMm^MM^MM^^mmm^mi 91 DISCOURSE III. Hallowed he thy Name, explained, Matth. vi. p. latter part. Hallowed be thy Name. HE Prayer here taught by our Saviour Cbriji to his Difciples, commonly call- ed the Lord's Trayer^ con- fifts (as I have formerly ob- ferved) of three principal parts ; I. The Preface, which is a folemn Compellation or Invocation of God ; Our Father pi Hallowed be th'^ Name ^ explained. Father which art in Heaven: II. The Body of the Prayer, which confifls of fix Petitions : and. III. The Conclufion, which contains i. A Doxology, or folemn Re- cognition or Acknowledgment of the Pow- er and Majefty of that God to whom we offer up our Petitions , for thine is the Kingdom^ the Tower and the Glory ^ for ever and ever : and, z. An Expreffion of our hearty Concurrence and Agreement with every Claule of the foregoing Prayer, and of our Aflurance of God's Power and Willingneis to grant our Petitions, in the Word, Amen. And the Method wherein I have alrea- dy proposed to treat of all thefe Particu- lars, is this ; I. I propounded, as I go along, to ex- plain the Meaning of each Claufe in this Prayer; to iliew what it is, that therein, ^nd thereby we are taught to acknow- ledge to , or to beg of God ; or what Senfe we ought to have in our Minds, when we utter the Words of this Prayer. And, II. To Hallowed he th^j Name ^ explain' d. 95 IL To mention the Duties, which, from the leveral Claufes and Petitions of this Prayer, we are inftrudted in, and obli- ged to. And in this Method I have already dif- courfed of the firft part of this Prayer , I'lz,, of the Preface ; which \^ a folemn Compellation or Invocation of Almighty God, a Diredion of our Speech to him, in thefe Words ; Our Father which art in Heaven. I proceed now in the next Place, 11. To difcourfe of the fecond part of this Prayer , w^hich I cali'd the Body of it ; and that (as I have before obferved) cofififts of fix Petitions ; whereof the three firft chiefly refpedt God's Glory, hallo'w- ed be thy Name^ thy Kingdom come^ and thy Will be done ; and the three laft, our own Good ; give ns this T)ay our daily Breads &c. From which Order of thefe Petitions we may very well be reminded of that Duty which is taught us at the 33^ il. of this p4 Hallowed be thy Name^ explained, this Chapter , feek firft the Kingdom of God^ and his Right eoufnefs^ andallthefe things Jhall be added unto you ; and by tht A^ojtle^ in i Cor. x. 33. tVhether ye eat or drink^ or whatfoever ye do^ do all to the Glory of God, la treating of thefe Petitions of the Lord's Prayer, I begin with the firft of them ; hallowed be thy Name. And here (according to the Method be- fore laid down,) I lliall fliew, I. What Meaning we ought to have in our Minds, when we utter thefe Words in the Lord's Pray er ; hallowed be thy Name. And, II. What Duties we are inftruded m from hence. I, What Senfe we ought to have in our Minds, when we utter thefe Words in the Lord's Prayer ; hallowed be thy Name, And indeed this Petition leems to me the hardeft to be underftood of any in the Lord's Prayer , and the moft like to be repeated fallowed be thy Name^ explain' d. p y repeated by fome of thofe who ufe ir, without underftanding what they fay ; but neverrhclefir, the Meaning of it may, I fuppofe, in a very few Words, be made plain even to the meaneft Capacities. In oi dcr to which it is to be noted, I. That the Name of God is moft com- monly, if not always, in holy Scripture, ftt to llgnify God himfelf Thus, when 'tis faid in the third Commandment, Thou /halt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain ; the Meaning is , that we fhould not invoke or call upon God to be aWitnefsto a Vanity, oraFalfliood; and fb when in i Kings xviii. 14. Elijah y (peaking to the Priefts of Baal, fays, Call ye on the Name of your Gods^ and I will call on the Name of the Lord. What he meant is plainly this , that they fliould pray to their Gods to anfwer them by Fire , and that he would do the fame to Jehovah , in order to fatisfy the People, by the Saccefs of their Prayers, which was the true God ; the God that anfwer- eth by Fire^ let him be God. And fb when 9^ Hallowed be thy Name ^ explatn^d. when in Tfalm xxi. i. 'tis faid. The Lord hear thee in the T) ay of Trouble^ the Name of the God of Jacob defend thee ; 'tis evident that both thefe Claufes mean the fame thing ; fp that, the Name of the God of Jacob defend thee^ is all one as if it had been laid, may the God of Jacob defend thee. And thns, (to name no more Inftances of this,) in Exod. xxxiii. 19. when Mofes had defired to fee the Glory and Majefty of God, that is, to fee God himfelf; he is told by God, that it was impoflible for him to be feen by mortal Eyes; but, fays God, this I will do for thee ; / will make all my Goodnefs pafs before thee , and 1 will proclaim the Name of the Lord before thee ; i. e. I will declare to thee in Words, what are the glorious Excellencies and Perfedions of my Nature; for fo 'tis faid in Exod, xxxiv. 5-, 6, 7. where this Proraife was made good to Mofes ; the Lord defend- ed in a Cloudy and food with him there ^ and proclaimed the Name of the Lord% and the Lord faffed by before him , and proclaimed^ The Lord:, the Lord God, fnerciftil Hallovjed he thy Name^ explatyCd, 97 merciful and gracious^ lo?ig fuferin^y and abundant in Goodnejs and Truths 8cc, And this way of ipe^king, viz. that by the Name of God ihould be meant God himfelf, is not much different from our common way of fpeaking, in which, by the mention of fome A'^tribute or Pro- perty of a Man, we often mean his Per- fon; or when we fay^ tht King's Maje- fyj we mean the King; tho'yer, inftriciJ:-. nefs, the Perfon of the King, and his Dig- nity or Majefty, are not the fame; and fo when we fay , his Worjhip , his Ho^ nour^ his Highnefs^ his Excellence , or the hke, what we mean by theft Expref- fions, is, that Perfon who is worfnipful, or honourable, or high, or excellent. When therefore we pray that God's Name may be hallowed, the Meaning is^ that God himfelf may be hallowed. But hallo^jved\ what is that? What is it to hallow God, or to hallow the Name of God ? This Word does not lels need to be explained than the other, H X, There- 9 8 Halloived be thy NamCy explairid. ^. Therefore 'tis to be noted, that to hallow a xhmi fi-- nifies either to make it holy by a Coniecration of it to rehgious Ules, or elfe to uJe it as a holy thing af- ter it is fo confecrated. (i.) To hallow a thing, fignifies, prima- rily, to leparate it, or to let it apart for facred Ufes. Thus we hallow a Church, when we folemnly appropriate any Edifice or Building to the Worfliip of God. Thus a Day is hallowed, when it is deflin'd and appointed to the Exercife of Religion ; and a Perlbn is hallowed, when (in the Scripture Phrafe,) he is given to the Lord, ^s Samuel \v2iS^ {i Sa?n.\,ii.) i.e. when he is confecrated , and folemnly devoted to God's Woriliip and Service. And in this Senfe the Word is plainly ufed in the fourth Commandment, where "'tis faid, in fix "Days the Lord made Hea- ven and Earthy the Sea, and all that in them is , and refied the feventh T>ay , wherefore the Lord blejfed the Sabbath 2)^, and hallowed it , Exod. xx. ii. I God Hallowed he thy Name^ explam'd. 9^' God hallowed it, i. e. for the Reafon be- fore mentioned ; he made a Difference be- tween that ^nd other Days, and appoint- ed that Day, on which he himfelf had reftedj to be kept by Men as an holy Day, in a Reft from the common Labours of Life, ^nd in the Exercifes of Rehgion, God hallowed the feventhDay, by appro- priating it to facred Ufes, and command- ing Men to keep it holy. (x.) A lecondary Ufe of the Word, hal- ioWy is to ufe as holy, a thing, which by luch fblemn Confecration or Dedication* hath been feparated from common Ufes, and appropriated to God or Religion : and therefore, as God himfelf is faid to have hallowed the Sabbath Day , fo he did likewife command Men to hallow it, as you may fee in Jer. xvii. ^^. Hallow ye the Sabbath T)ay , as I commanded your Fathers. ' But the way wherein God did hallow it, and that wherein Men are to hallow; it, are clearly different; God hallowed the Sabbath, when he fet it apart, and lOO Hallowed be th'^ Name ^ explained. appropriated it to religious Ufes ; when he commanded ix. to be kept as an holy Day to himfelf : and Men do hallow it , when they ufe \x. in fuch manner as they are commanded to do, when they fpend it m Religion, when they keep it as an holy Day ought to be kept, If^ fays God by the Prophet Jeremy , ( in the i^^ f. of the Chapter before cited,) ye diligent- ly hearken unto me , to bring in no Bur- den thro' the Gates of this City on the Sabbath TDay^ bttt hallow the Sabbath ^ay^ to do no Work therein ; then /hall there enter into the Gates of this City Kings^ 8cc, The Queftion therefore is, in which of thefe two Senfes the Word hallow is ufed, in this Petition of the Lord's Prayer ; hal- lowed be thy Name % whether we mean thereby to wifli or defire that God's Name, i. e. (as was laid before,) that God him- felf may be holy, or elfe that he may be treated as holy ; and 'tis plain that it can- well be underftood in the firft Senfe. For what is already, and can never be other- wife than It is, cannot be a proper Subjed: of Hallowed be thy Name^ explain' d, i o i of a Wiih or Petition. But God himfelf is holy, his Name is holy, and his Attri- butes are holy , and all things relating to him are holy ; God is fo eiTentially holy, that he cannot pofTibly be prophaned or polluted by Men or Devils , fo as to lofe any thing of his infinite and efllntiai Pu- rity ; and therefore 'tis needlefs for us to pray that God may be , or that he may continue holy in himfelf, for he can't be othervviie ; he can no more ever ceale to be holy, than he can ceafe to be God. All therefore which we can mean, when we pray that the Name of God (i. e. that God) may be hallowed, is, that he may be uied and treated by Men according to his Nature; that as he is really in himfelf holy, fo he may be efleemed and wor- Ihipped, and reverenced by Men as fuch. In fliort, when we pray that God's Name may be hallowed or lancStificd, we exprefs our hearty Defire that G->d may be worfliipped, honoured, and glorified by us, and by all his Creatures, as he ojght to be ;' that he may ever be (as indeed he defer ves to be) moil highly eftecmed and H 3 refpcded iQi Hallowed be tky Namey explain' d. refpedled by us ; that he may receive from us, and from all Men, the Praife and Glo- ry which is due to him. This is the meaning of this Claufe in the Lord's Prayer, hallowed be thy Name^ if we underftand it as a Prayer or Pe- tition. But this Sentence may be underftoodj as expreffing our Acknow^ledgment of what is, as well as our Defire of what may be ; we, in ufmg this Form of Speech, hallow- ed be thy Name^ may well be underilood, as thereby adually giving that Praife and Honour to God which is his Due, ^qcj which, at the fame time, we defire may be given him by all others. For thus , when in the Contemplation of any Mercy , or good thing received from God, we fay, God be thanked r ox fraifed be God , or blejfed be the Name of Godj or the IxkQ ; tho' thefe Phrafes are expreffed in the Form of a Wifli or Peti- tion, (for to lay, let fiich a thing be fb, or fo, is all one as to fay, we wilh or de- fire that it may be fo, or fb ; ) yet what \?ye mean by thefe Phrafes, is, to acknow- • ledge Hallowed he thy Name^ explain' d. 103 ledge the good thing received to be the Gift of God, and to give him Thanks for the fame. He who fays, thanks be to God, means, I do give him Thanks ; or if he fays , praifed be God , he means , I do praife him ; or if he fays, blefled be the Name of God, he means, I do blefs his Name. And fo I fay here ; when we ufe this Sentence in the Lord's Prayer, hallowed be thy Name^ it may as well be underftood by us as a Thankfgiving to God for Mercies received, as a Prayer that God may be honoured and glorified by us. And when the Sentence is fo plainly ca- pable of thefe two Senfes, I fee no Rea- ion why we iliould not, but rather, I think there is great Reafon that we fiiould, have them both in our Minds ; and that when, ever we repeat thefe Words, we fliould do that our felves, Vi^hich we feem to defire may be done both by our felves and others ; that is, that we fliould then with a grate- ful Heart for the Mercies which we have received from God , adually render him that Praife, which (as being fenfible it is H 4 his I04 J-f^dl ived'p th'^^ Name^ explatrfd, ^ ■-■ — - - 1-..-^- his Due,) we pray may be given him by us, and by all Men. When therefore we ufe this Claufc in the Lord's Prayer, hallowed be thy Name^ this we fnould mean to fay, this Senfe we fliould have in our Minds ; " We are fen- " fiblc, O Lord, how much we are enga- " ged to thee for all the ExprefTions of *' thy B' uncy ; for our Life it lelf, which ^^ we owe to thee our Father, from whom " we receiv'd our Being ; and for all the " Comforts of our Life, the Fruits of thy «' father!) Care and Proteftion : we there- " foie praife and blefs, and magnify thy *' Name for all thy Mercies ; but we know " we cannot praife thee fo much as we *^ ihould do ; thy glorious Name is exalt- ^' ed above all Blefilng and Praife ; we *' pray thee therefore to increafe out " Thankiuhiefs, that we may daily paife ^' thee more and more. Let our Mouth ^' Ihew forth thy Righteoufnefs and thy " Salvation all the Day, for we know not ^' the End thereof ; and mayeft thou alfo, ^' O God, our heavenly Father, who art ^^ the Author and Giver of aii good things^ " and Hallowed he thy Name^ expla'r/fd. i o j ^ ard vvhofe Mercies are over all thy " Works ; (mayeft thou) be known to all " the World , how great and how good " thou art; mayeft thou be efteemed and " loved, praifed and honoured, glorified " and worfliipped, by us and by all Men, *' as thou oughreft to be ; we know the * highcft Prailes are thy Due, and wc '' hearrily defire they may be given thee by " all.'* Haltoi^ed he thy Name. And now having explained the Mean- ing of thi> Claufc or Petition in the Lord's Prayer, and fhevvn what Senfe we ought to have in our Minds when we utter thefe Words, I p-^oceed in the fecond Place, (ac- cording to the Method before laid down,) 11. To iliew what Duties we are in- ftru6ted in, and may learn from it. And this is certain , that we ought at all times to endeavour that our felves, which we pray unto God for ; and if we do not, it is a certain Sign that our Defire of what we pray for is not fincere and hearty : for what a Man earneftly defires, he naturally and of Courfe feeks to procure all io(5 F! allowed he th^ Name ^ explam'd. all the ways he can. And in any Cafe wharfoever, if a Man plainly negledls the neceiTary Means of obtaining a thing, it noiay be certainly concluded from thence, that he is not very follicitous about it, that he is not much concerned whether he has it or no. When therefore we are taught to pray that God's Name may be hallowed, we are taught at the fame time to endeavour, all that lies in our Power, to procure to God , from our lelves and from all his Creatures, that Worlliip, Glo- ry, and Service, which, in this Petition of the Lord's Prayer, we defire may be given him by all. And, I. Our Care muft begin at home ; if therefore we do indeed defire that God may be honoured by all, with the Glory which is due unto him, we ought in the firft Place to take Care that we our lelves be not failing and deficient in this Duty ; and above all, that we do never, in Word or Deed, do any thing which is repugnant to our own Petition. As Hallowed he thy Name ^ explain' d. 107 As a part of the Duty, therefore, which we are iuftrudred in , and obh'g'd to , by our Ufe of thisClaufe of the Lord's Prayer ; hallo-jjed be thyKame\ it is, (i .) Firft of all our indifpenfable Duty to be very dih'gent and conftant in the Wor- ihip of God, by which he is moft direftly honoured by Men ; and efpecially in his pubhck Wortliip, by which he is more honoured than by our private Service. We ought therefore (and if we do in- deed wifh and defire, as we pray, that God's Name may be hallowed , we can't dootherwife; we ought, I fay,) to be very frequent in Thankfgivings to God for Mercies recciv'd, and in putting up our Requcds to him for the good things which we want ; for our fo!e and whole Dependence is upon him; he is indeed the Author of all that we have , and 'tis from him only that we can receive all that we ftand in need of: and therefore w^e our felves fiiall be deficient in giving him his due Honour, which in this Peti- tion of the Lord's Prayer we dcfire may be io8 Hallowed be th^ Name ^ explained. be given by all, unlels, as the Apojtle di- reds, I Thejf. v. 17, 1 8 . we do pray with, out ceajing , and in every thing give Thanks : unlefs (as he direwed he thy Name^ explained. 109 fliip him as a Spirit, and with our Spirits; we muil not entertain grofs Conceptions and Notions of God in our Minds, as the Heathens did, conceiving him to be hke unt o a Man, or unto any thing elfe which is vifible by corporeal Eyes, for this is to change the Glory of the uncorruptible God into an Image made like to corrup- tible Man^ and to Birds ^ and four-footed Beafisj and creeping things^ Rom. i. 23. Neither muft we think to pleafe him, who is a pure Spirit , and fees perfedly thro' us, with the Service of our Lips, without the Service of our Heart. And li we do not obierve thefe, and fuch other Diredli- ons as are given us in the holy Scripture, concerning God's Worfliip, our Worfliip it felf, by which we pretend, and would feem to honour him, will indeed be dillio- nourable to him, the Manner of our Pray- ers will deflroy the Matter of them ; and we lliall contradidl our own Petitions, when we fay, hallowed be thj Name, (3.) A farther Branch of this Duty of hallowing God, or hallowing the Name of God, iio Hallowed be thy Name^ explain' d. God, is to Ihew a due Refpect and Reve- rence to all things which are confecrated to God, to all things which have Relaciori to him, to all things upon which his ho- ly Name is called. Thus then we are to comply with our own Defire and Petition , that God may be hallowed or fancftified, rjl. By giving Reverence, for his Sake, to the 1^ laces confecrated to his Worfliipj according to that Precept in Lev. xix. 30. Te Jhall reverence my San^uary^ I am the Lord, And as a Token of our juft Reverence to the Sandluary, or Houfe of God, it is our Duty conftantly to frequent the Places appointed for his publick Wor- iliip, and to behave our felves reverently therein, according to the Diredion of the wife Man,, Eccief v. i. Keep thy Foot when thou goeji to the Hoiife of God. idly. The lame we are to do to the Times fet apart for Religion ; Te Jhall keep my Sabbaths^ and reverence my San- Eiuary ; fo 'tis commanded in the Law be- fore Hallowed be thy Name^ explained. Ill fore cited. And this wc do, when we forbear (as much as may be) our fecular Works and Employments upon the Days which are coniecrated and fet apart for God's Service , and fpeod the lame in Works of Piety and Charity. '^dly. The like Reverence and Relpedt we are likewife to fliew to the holy TVord of God, by dihgent Study of the holy- Scripture ; by taking Delight in the Law of the Lord, and meditating therein Day i, and Night, (TfaL i. 2.) by taking good Heed thereto, and receiving it as the O- racks of God ; by readily and heartily be- lieving all the Dodrines which it teaches, and diligently pradifmg all the good Lef^ fons which we learn from thence. ^thly. And laftly ; we do honour to God, when, for his Sake, we give Honour and Refpe<5t to his MiniJIers^ giving Heed to their good Inftrudtions, learning the Law from their Mouth, following their godly Admonitions, imitating their virtuous Ex- amples, and elteeming them very highly m Ill Hallowed be thy Name ^ explairid. in Love for their Works fake ; I. e, upoa the Account of the Relarion which they have to God, as his Meflenger§ and Em- baffadors, and for the Sake of thofe good Offices which they do to Men. But, (4.) And above all, that Branch of Du- ty, which our ufing this Claufe or Petition to God , hallowed be thy Name , doth moft ftrongly enforce upon our Pradlice , is to be nicely careful never to do or (peak any thing which is diflionourable to God. If we pray that God's Name may be hal- lowed, then we our felves, to be fure, ought not to prophane it ; by blaiphe- ming God; by denying any of his eflen- tial and glorious Attributes ; by carping at , and cenfuring the Adminiftrations of his Providence; by affirming any thing of him, or afcribing any thing to him, which is diflionourable, and apt to beget in the Minds, either of our felves or o- thers, mean and unworthy, and difrclped:- ful Thoughts of him ; by invoking him as a Witnefs, either to a Falfliood or a trifling Matter; i.e. byfalfe, rafli, orvainSwear- ? ing, Hallowed be thy Name^ explained. 113 ing, or the like ; for while we do by any of thefe, or the like Pradices, difhonour God in our own Perfbns, we cannot ufe* this Claufe of the Lord*s Prayer, and fay, hallowed be thy Name^ without the vilefl: Hypocrify, and fuch as will render both our Perfbns and our Prayers odious and abominable to God ; becaufe our own Practice does mod flatly contradi6t our Petition, which is a certain Argument that our Petition is not ferious ; for if we did defire heartily what we pray for, it is impofTible that we fliould freely allow our ftlves to ad or Ipeak contrary to our own Defires. But, X. Tho' our Care of hallowing God's Name mud begin at home, it muft not end there ; for when we pray in the Lord's Prayer that God's Name may be hallowed, we pray that it may be hallowed not by our felves only , but by all Men ; and whatever we pray for, we ought alfo our lelves to endeavour after. Now indeed we have not fuch Power o- ver other Men, as to make them fpeak or I do i I 4 Hallowed be thy Name, explained. do as we would have them ; their Tongues are their own, and their Hands are their own, and they will fay and do with them what they pleafe themfelves, and it is not in us to controul or retrain them. But neverthelefs, tho' we can't of our felves, by our own Powder, fully accomplifli our own Defires in this Petition, wx may con- tribute fomewhat towards it; and tho' af- ter all our Endeavours, and the utmoft Expreflions of our Zeal for God's Glory, it is to be feared that God will not be fo much honoured and relpedted by alt as he ought to be; he may yet, by means of our Endeavours to advance his Honour in the World, be more honoured and refpe(3:- ed than otherwife he would be. Whether our Zeal for God will have the good Sue- cefs we dertre, we cannot tell, but how- ever, the probable Hope that it will have fome good Succcfs, is a lufficienc Encou- ragement to excite us to do all w^e cart toward the fulfilling of our own Petition, that the Name of God may be hallowed ; i. e. that God may be worfliipped and le- l^erenc'd as he ought to be, not by ou? Iclvcs Hallowed he thy Name^ explain' d. 1 1 J felves only, but by the whole Race of Mankind, and by all other Creatures \yhich are capable of knowing, loving, aid ferving him. And the proper Means to procure the Gl^ry of God , or the pari:icular Duties, which in Camphance with our own Peti- tion, when we fay, hallo^^jued be thy Name^ we are obliged to, in order to pro- cure to God that Worfliip and Reverence from other Men, which is due to him, are fuch as thefe, (i.J In order to this, 'tis our Duty ro declare to others, upon all Occafions; the glorious Attributes, and the wonder- ful Works of God; according to the Di- redioh and Example of the holy ^fal- mijl^ PfaLxcvi. 3"9(. ^eclaj^e his Glory a- mofig the Heathen^ his JVonders among dll Teo^le ; for the Lord is great y and, greatly to be prai/ed-, he is to be feared above all Gods ; for all the Gods of the Nations are Idols ; hilt the Lord made the Heavens ; Honour and Majejiy aire before him. Strength and Beaiity are in \ % his 1 1 (5 Hallowed he thy Name^ explained. his SanBuary. Give unto the Lord , P ye Kindreds of the Teople^ give unto the Lord Glory and Strength ; give unto the Lord the Glory due unto his Name ; bring an Offering , and come into his Courts : O iji;orjhip the Lord in the Beauty ofHolinefs ; fear before him^ all the Earth, (i.) In Order to this, it is likewife our Duty to {land up in Defence of God and Religion, againft a loofe, ungodly, and atheiftical Generation of Men, by aflert- ing the Righteoufnels and Equity of his Laws, and vindicating the Juftice and Wifdom of his Providence. And I beheve the Pradtice of this Du- ty was never more feaibnable and .necef- fary than in this Age in which 'tis our Lot to be cad ; for we live amongfl: thofe, who tho' baptized into the Chri- flian Faith, and profeffing themfclvcs Dif ciplcs of Chrift^ are yet bold enough to qucfiion not oniy fome of the fundamen- ta! Articles of the Chrifflan Bchef, but the Foundation it felf, the Authority and Credi' Hallowed be thy Name ^ explained, wy Credibility of all divine Revelation, and who would fain reduce the World to that State of Darknefs and Ignorance which it was in before the preaching of * Chriftianity. This therefore is a proper Time for us to contend earnejlly for the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints^ as St. Jude exhorts in the i^f.oi his Epiftle ; there being ( as he adds in the next Words,) certain Men crept in unawares^ who were before of old ordained to this Condemnation ; ungodly Men^ turning the Grace of our God into Lafcivioufnefs ^ and denying the only Lord God^ and our Lord J ejus Chriji. In Order therefore to be able to make Oppofition to thefe Enemies of our Re- ligion, it is our Duty to be diligent in the Reading and Study of the holy Scri- pture, which is able to make us wife unto Salvation-, which is profitable for "DoBrine, for Reproof for CorreEiion^ and for InjlruEiion in Righteoufnefs ^ that the Man of God may be perfeEl^ fhroughly ftirnijhed unto all good PFor^s, I 3 And y X 8 Hallowed he thy Name.^ explahfd. And we fliould do well befides , as we have Opportunity and Ability, to Itudy and to fix well in our Minds thofe Pre- cepts and Arguments whereby the Truth of Chriftianity, and the divine Authority of the holy Scripture, have with good Succefs been maintained and afferted, in all Ages, by the Champions of Chriftia- pity, againfl: all Oppofers ; that fo being well rooted in Religion our felves, we iDay be tjie better able to convince Gainf- fayers; and, as the ^^///^ exhorts , 1 'Pet. iii. 15. may ^^ ready always to give an Anfwer to every Man that .asketb us a Reafon of the Ho.^e that is in us. '^ ■:■} '' ' But this is not in every Man's Power ; all have not Xeifure or Parts to quali- fy themfelves thus to affert and main- rain the Honour of God, and the Truth of Religion , againfl Gainfayers. I add rherefgrej in the third and laft Place, -' (3.) Another Means of gaining Glory to God from others, which all Perfon?^ even thofe of the meaneft Capacities, ^••v- . ; ; . , may_ Hallowed be thy Name^ explain' cL 119 may and ought to ufe for this Purpofe ; and that is, the glorious Light of a good Example ; by which we may at once both inftrucSt others in their Duty, and make them in Love with the Beauties of Virtue and Rehgion ; and fo procure Glory to God by the Converfion and Sal- vation of Men ; according to that Precept and Dirediion of our Saviour^ in ^atth, V. 1(5. Let your Light fo Jlmie before MeUy that they may fee your good JVorks^ and glorify your Father "which is in Heaven. For then God is bell glorifyed , his Name is then mod hallowed by Men, when they confeft his Power, and Great- nefs, and Dominion, by fubmitting to his Laws, and fetting themfelves to pleafe him in all things; according to that of our Saviour^ John xv. 8. Herein is my Father glorifyed-, that ye bear much Fruit ; to the fame Purpofe is that of the Apoflle^ Phil. i. ir. being filled with the Fruits of Right eou fiefs ^ which are- — - unto the Glory and Traife of God. I 4 Thus I20 Hallowed be thy Name^ explained. Thus have I fhevvn what it is to hal- low the Name of God\ what we defire when we repeat this Petition, hallowed be thy Name-^ and in what manner we our felves ought to endeavour the Accom- plifliment of our own Defires. And to the King eternal^ immortal^ in. vifible^ the only wife God^ be given by us and by all Men^ not only with our Lips^ but in our Lives ^ all Ho- nour and Glory^ now and for ever- more. Amen. THY THY Kingdom Come, EXPLAINED. mm^^mmmimm^mmmmm^m IX^ DISCOURSE IV. Th'^ Kingdom conie^ explained. Matth. vi. lo. Thy Kwgdow come ; thy Will bj ' done^ m Earth as ti is in Heaven. HT Khizdorne come. In the Lord's Prayer, as I have ahea- dy dbferved, there are three principal Parrs ; the Preface, or Invocation; the Body of the Prayer; and the Conclufion. ' And the Body of the Prayer confifts of fix Petitions; the three firft of which rc- fpect chiefly God's Glory, and the three !^f]- our own Goodo 124 '^'^ly Kingdom come^ explam'd. The three firfl: , which refped chiefly God's Glory, are thefe, hallowed be thy Name^ thy Kingdom come^ and thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven. Of the firft of which I difcourfed the lafl: time; I proceed now to the fecond, thy Kingdom come. In fpeaking of which I fliall obferve the fame Method as before ; that is, I. I fliall explain the Meaning of it, or fliew what Senfe we ought to have in our Minds when we utter thefe Words in Pray- er to God ; what it is which we dcfire of God when we lay , thy Kingdom come. And, II. I fnall flicw what Duties we may learn, and are inftriidted in, by our Ufe of this Petition. T. I fliall explain the Meaning of it, or flicw what Senic we ought to have in our ?4inds when we utter thefe Words in Prayer to God ; what ic is which we dcfire of God when we lay, thy Kingdom come. ^ Now Thy Kingdom, come^ explained. 1 1 jr Now the Kingdom of God may be un- derftood generally, or fpecially. Under- ftanding ic generally, by the Kingdom of God, is meant that fovereign Power and Dominion, which he, as the great Crea- tor of all things , hath over all his Crea- tures; upholding all things by the Word of his Power, and directing and ordering, by his wife Providence, all the AfFairs of the World, according to his own Pleafure ; as 'tis faid, Tfal, ciii. 19. The Lord bath prepared his Throne in the Heavens^ and his Kingdom ruleth over all. Bur, underftanding the Phrafe thus, it cannot be a proper Subjed of Petition to , God, to pray that his Kingdom may come, becaufe it is come already; for he doth now according to his Will in the Army of Heaven^ and among the Inhabitants of the Earth , and none can flay his Handy or fay tinto him^ what doefl thou ? as 'tis faid, T>an. iv. 35-. And this Kingdom of God is not lately begun, but was from all Eternity, and it will continue for ever; for as 'tis faid in the f. juft before, his "dominion is an everlafltng Hominionj and Iz6 Thy Kingdom come^ explcimd. and his Kingdom is from Generation to Generation, Pfal. cxiv. 1 3 . And the Tfal- mifl, fpeaking of this Kingdom of God, whereby with undoubted Right, and an infinite and uncoritroulable Power, he go- verns and difpofes all things according to his own Will, fays, that the Lord is King for ever and ever, Pfal. x. 16. and xk\^x.the Lord Jh all reign for ever, Pfal. cxlvi. 10. For this Kingdom of God being founded in his own infinite and eternaf Perfections, as it never had beginning, fo it never can have an end ;' neither is it capable of any Increstie or Diminution, To pray therefore that this Kingdom of God may come, would not be good Senfe, for 'tis abfurd to wifn that a thing may be, which i$alread3% and can never be other» wife than it is, Befides, our very putting up our Petiti- ons to him, as God, fuppofes that he is. the Sovereign Lord of all ; fo that if this were the Senfe of this Petition, the Ground of our Petition, and the Matter of it would be inconfiftent ; for if we pray that the Kingdom of God (taking it in this Senie,)^ Thy Kingdom come^ explained. 117 may come , we feem to fuppofe that ic is hoc come already ; i. e. that he is not as yet lb great a King as we wifli he may be; and yet, by the very putting up this, or indeed any other Requeft to him, as God , we muft be Inppoled to beheve that he is God ; /. e, that he is already the Sovereign Lord of the whole World, of infinite Fulnefs, Power and Perfecftion, able to grant us whatever we defire of him. And laftly, when we put up this Prayer to God, Called the Lord's Prayer, ic is a thing which not only we muft be fuppos'd to believe, that his Kingdom is come, but which we alfo exprcffly own and profefs our Belief of, both in the Preface of the Prayer, and in the Conclufion of it; in the Preface, when we ftyle him, our Father "■iSjhich is m Heaven \ and in the Conclu-" fion, when we fay, for thine is the King- dom j the ^Tcj^er and the Glory^ for ever. and ever. It is plain therefore that The coming, or the Exiftence of God's Kingdom, taken in this Senfe, is not a proper Subjed: of Petition, but rather of Rejoicing and Gratuiation^ and Thankfgi- ViDg f iz8 Th^ Kingdom come^ explain' d. ving ; according to thofe Paflages which we meet with in the Tfalms. The Lord retgneth\ let the Earth rejoice \ let the Multitude of the IJles be glad thereof^ ^fal. xcvii. I. And again, O come let us fing unto the Lordj let us make a joyful Noife to the Rock of our Salvation ; let us come before his TPre fence with Thankf- giving^ a7id make ajoiful Noife unto him with Tfalms ; for the Lord is a great God^ and a great King above all Gods , "Ffal, xcv. I, X, 3. And again. The Lord is greats and greatly to be praifed-, he is to be feared above all Gods^ Pfal. xcvi. 4, / know that the Lord is greats and that our Lord is above all Gods. Whatfoever the Lord J) leafed^ that did he , in Hea- ven and Earthy in the Seas, and all deep Tlacesj Pfal. cxxxv. 5", 6. This Kingdom of God therefore being already come, or rather, having always been, and being what will be for ever; we are (till to feek , what that Kingdom of God is> which we pray may come, and which confeqiienrly wemuft fuppofe to be not come already, or at leaft not to be yet Th"^ Kingdom come^ expta'm^d. 129 yet fettled and eftabliflied in that FuUnefi and Perfedion which we hope it will have. And i obferved before, that the King- dom of God is fbmetimes taken fpecially ; i. e, not for that Power and Sovereignty which he by Right has over all , but for that free and voluntary Subjedtion w^hich ought to be paid him by us, and all his o- ther Creatures which he hath endued with Reafon, and a Capacity to acknowledge bis Sovereignty and Dominion. And this Kingdom of God is twofold ; his Kingdom of Grace, and his Kingdom of Glory : the coming of both which we may well enough be underflood to mean , when we put up this Petition of the Lord's Prayer, and fay, tJjy Kingdom come. I. By the Kingdom of God, inScripturei is oftentimes meant his Kingdom of Grace ; or the ProfefTion of the true Religion, and the Gofpel of C/:^?^//?, and a Practice cor- refpondent thereto ; or, in other Words, by the Kingdom of God is meant the State of the Gofpel, that Kingdom which God exercifes peculiarly in his Church, itiftrud- K ing 130 7J'7 Khiodom come^ explaw'd. iiig it by his Word, guiding and governing it by his Spirit, and preferving and proted:- ing it by his Power and Providence ; which is therefore hy TDivines called GoA's King- dcm of Grace ^ bccaure it v founded, not ivi God's abfclute Power, but in a Cove- nant of G'ace confented to by both Par- ties, by which the Subjed:s of this King- dom cn.:23^e to take him for their God, and he engages to take them for his People -^ and which is therefore called a Covenant of Grace, partly becaufe it it mere Grace and Favour in God, that he is plcas'd to liiake any Engagement orPromife to Men ; and partly, becaufe the Conditions of this Covenant, on God's part, are very graci- ous, they are more advantagious to us than we could reafonably expedt or defire : and becaufe alfo the Conditions thereof on our Part are likewife very gracious, they are much eafier and gentler than God might have required of us ; and therefore the Apojtle^ fpeaking of Chriflians^ the fpccial Subjects of this Ipiritual Kingdona of God, fays , Rom vi. 14. Te are not under the La-oL\ (which required flrid and -♦ unfinning Th^ Kingdom come^ explained. 131 unfinning Obedience,) but under Grace \ i. e. under fuch a Covenant as is gracious, and exads lefs from you than God might have done, and makes Allowances for hu- mane Weaknefs, and diipenfes Pardon to repenting Sinners ; and therefore Sr. 'jchn fays, Ch. i. f. 17. The La^uj "was green hy Mofesy but Grace and Truth came by Jefus Chrtji. And by the Kingdom of God, when it is taken in this Senle, may be meant cither his external or his internal Kingdom, Or indeed I do not fee why we may not at the fame time underftand both of them, when there is no PvCafon to reftrain it on- ly to one, as I think there is not in this iPetition of the Lord's Prayer. (i.) The external Kingdom of God is the outw^ard Profeffion of the true Religion ; in which Senfe the State of the Je'X'Sj to whom the Law was given by Mofes, and who for a time were the peculiar People of God, might then not improperly be called the Kingvlom of God ; the reft of the World being then overspread with K X Darknefs 132.. Th"^ Kingdom comey explained Darkncfs and Ignorance, and ferving De- vils inftead of God. But now fmce the Abolition of that Law 5 and the Revelation of the Gofpel, the Chrifcian Rehgion, or the Preaching and Profeffion of the Gofpel, is the King- dom of God, or the Kingdom of Heaven; for both thefe Phrafes are ufcd in Scripture promifcuoufly : in this Senfe this Phrafe is ukAhy St. John Baptiji, Matth^iii.x. In thofc T>ays came John the Baftijtj preach- ing in the Wilder nefs ofjudea^ and fay -^ ing^ Repent ye^ for the Kingdom of Hea- ven is at Hand. The Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand'., i. e, the Kingdom or Reiga of the Mejfiah is now approaching ; that Kingdom which God will exercife among Men, by the Preaching and Mediation of Iiis Son. And thus likewife our Saviour ufes the Phrafe, in Matth. xxi. 43, where, having reproved the Incredulity of the Jewsy for not receiving the Golpel which he preached, (under the Parable of an Houfliolder, who fent his Servants one af- ter another, andlaft of all his Son, to the Husbandmen; to whom he had let out his Vineyard:^ Th^ Kingdom come^ explained, 13 3 Vineyard, to receive the Fruits thereof, and they, as fall as they came, perfecuted and flew them, not Iparing even the Son hirafelf; ) our Saviour there threatens them, that as a Punilhment of their bafe and barbarous Ufage of the fe veral Meilen- gers which God had fent unto them ; the Kingdom of God Jhould be taken from them. Therefore^ I fay unto you^ the Kingdom of God Jhall be taken from you^ and jhall be given to a Nation bringing forth the Fruits thereof The Kingdom of God jhall be taken from you ; /. e, fince you have been fo unfruitful under the Means of Grace, you Ihall now enjoy them no longer; God hath hitherto had his vifible Church among you; he hath jh ewe d his Word unto Jacob , his Statutes and his Judgments unto Ifrael% he hath not dealt fo with any Nation^ and as for his Judg- ments they have not known them^ Pfal. Gxlvii. 19. But now he will remove his Kingdom, i. e, his vifible Church, elle- where ; he will call thofe his ^Pecfle that were not his Teofle^ and thofe beloved that were not beloved \ and you who K 3 were 134 ^}' Kingdom come^ explain' d. were once his cholen and peculiar People he will rejed and caft off! This is plain- ly our Saviotir's Meaning in that Paflage, the Kingdom of God Jhall be taken from you^ and fhall be given to another Nati- on : 'tis as if he had faid. You fliall no lon- ger enjoy the Profeiflion of the true Reli- gion, as you have hitherto done ; but he will make known his Will and his Law to other People, who have been hitherto ig- norant of him , and eftabliih his Church among them. Now if by the Kingdom of God, here in the Lord's Prayer, we underftand this external Kingdom, or the vifible Church of Chrijt^ then our Meaning in this Peti- tion, when we pray that God*s Kingdom may come, is this; we defire of God that he would be pleafcd to enlarge the Bounds of his Church, that he would caufe his Go- (pel to be preached, and the glorious Light thereof to fhine among all Nations; we pray that all the dark Corners of the World may fee the Salvation of God, that all the Kingdoms of this World may become the Kingdoms of our Lord, (Rev, ii. if.) and of Thy Kingdom come^ explained, 135- of his Chrijt\ and that all the People of the World, hoxk\ J e^jjs -^xxdi Gentiles^ may be united in one Sheep-fold, under one Shepherd, the Lord Jefus Chrijl, Bur, (2.) By the Kingdom of God, when we mean thereby the Kingdom of Grace, we may underftand the internal and fJ3irirnal x Kingdom of Chriji ; /. e. when Chrlfi does not only rule in the World, by Mens outwardly pro feffing his Religion, and call- ing themlelves the Subjeds of his King- dom ; but when he alfo reigns and rules in their Hearts; when all who confefshis Name do fincerely give up theo-^^felvcs to obey his Laws, and do heartily endeavour to live as becomes the Golpcl of Chr'rfl ; when they are his Subjects, not only in Shew and Profcflion, but in Deed and in Truth ; when they arc Chr'tjlians in Heart, as well as in Name, and fincerely pradtiie the Religion which they profefs- And in this Senfe our Saviour himfelf ufes, or rather interprets this Phrafc, the Kingdom of God\ (Luke xvii. xo, xr) when being demanded by the Tbarifees K 4 vvhea 17^6 Tl)y Kingdom come^ explaw'd, when the Kingdom of God Ihouid come ? (which they underftood in a carnal Senfe, meaning, by the Kingdom of God, a tem- poral Kingdom upon Earth, which they thought God did intend in a fhort time to eftablifii ; making the Jews^ under their King the MeJJiah^ the Head of an univer- fal Monarchy ;) he anfwered them, and faid , the Kingdom of God cometh not with Obfervation ; neither Jhall they fay^ lo here^ or lo there ; for behold the Kingdom of God is within you \ i. e. that is truly the Kingdom of God, when God reigns and rules in the Hearts of Men, and the}?- do inwardly, and from the Heart, yield themfelves fmcerely obedi- ent to him. And the lame thing is plain- ly meant by the Kingdom of God, Rom, xiv. 17. The Kingdom of God is not Meat and Drinks but Right eoufnefs and Teace^ and Joy in the Holy Ghoji, Now if by the Kingdom of God, here in the Lord's Prayer, which we defire may come, we underftand this internal and Ipiritual Kingdom of Chrift^ whereby he rules in the Hearts of Men, fubduing their Thy Kingdom come^ explained. 137 their Wills to the Obedience of Faith; then what we defire of God, when we ut- ter the Words of this Petition , is this ; that he would be pleafed to grant luch a Meafure vi his Grace to all Men, and et pecially to all thofe who do profcfs his true Religion, that they may all hve an- fwerably to their Profeflion ; that all who are Members of the vifible Church or Kingdom oiChriJi^ maybe hkewife Mem- bers of his fpiritual Kingdom, may entire- ly fubmit themfelves to him in all things^ and obey from the Heart all the Laws of his holy Inftitution : or, in the Words fometime ufed in our Liturgy, that the whole Church of Chrijt may be fo guided and governed by his good Sprt^ that all who profefs and call themfelves Chrijti- ans^ may be led into the way of Truth ^ and hold the Faith inVnity of Spirit, in the Bond ofTeace, and in Right eoufnefs of Life. Thus we are to pray for the coming of God's Kingdom of Grace; i.e. that all the World may be brought both to the Profef- fion and Pta fhall " reign for ever with thee in thy everlaft- *' ing Glory." Thy Kingdom come. And now having fufficiently explained this Petition, and fliewn what Senfe we ought 142. Th'^ Kingdom come ^ explatrfd, ought ro have in our Minds, when we ut- ter thefe Words in Prayer to God ; I pro- ceed, (according to the Mochod before laid down,) II. To fliew what Duties we may learn, and be inftruilcd in, and are oblig'd to, by our Ule of this Petition ; thy Kingdom come\ and they are chiefly thefe which follow. I. As we pray that God's Kingdom may . come, i. e. that the Bounds of the Chri- Jiian Church may be enlarged ; we ought by all the ways we can, to endeavour the Accompliftiment of our own Petition ; for he who prays for that which he will be at no Pains to compafs, may well be prefu- med not to defire what he prays for. In Compliance therefore with our own Petition, when we lay, thy Kingdom come ^ we ought to ufe all the Means which are in our Power , to increafe and propagate the Chriftian Faith, and to makeProlelytes to it. It Thy Kingdom come^ explain' d. 143 It was therefore a Dury fpecially incum- bent on the Apoflles and immediate Difci- \ pies of our Lord, to whom the Ufe of this Prayer was firft commanded^ to be faith- ful and dihii,cnt in the Execution of that CommifTicn which was given them by our Lord, juft beiore his Alcenfion, ^o go in- to all the Worlds and to preach the Go- fpel to every Creature^ Mark xvi. 15'. and to dijciple all Nations^ baptizing them in the Name of the Father^ and of the Son-, and of the Holy Ghof^ teaching them to obferve all things "jjhatfoever he had co7n' manded them^Mdtth.yiXYni.j^yXO. And, 'Tis dill, in order to the fame End, the Duty of all Minifters of the Gcfpel , ac- cording to thcDiredtion given by St.^aul to Timothy^ to preach the Word^ to be infant in Seafm and out of Seafon^ to. reprove^ rebuke^ and exhort , ^ujith all Long'fiijfering andUo^irine^ xTim. iv. x. And laftly, it was always, and ever wilt be the Duty of all Chrifians^ in order to enlarge this Kingdom of God and of Chrif^ to let their Light fo f?me before Men^ that others feeing their good JVorks^ may glorify 44 T'^'j Kingdom come^ explain' d. glorify their Father which is in Heaven^ according to the Diredlion of our Savi- our^ in Matth, v. i6. 'Tis indeed a thing utterly inconfiftent with Sincerity, in putting up this Petition to God, that his Kingdom may come^ for any of us, who make this a part of our Prayer, to allow our felves in any fcanda- lous PVadices, whereby the Minds of thofe who are Aliens to our holy Religion may be juftly prejudiced againfl: it, whereby the Enemies of God may be made to bla(pheme, and by Reafon whereof our excellent Re- h'gion will be in Danger to be evil fpoken of among the Heathens. And on the other fide, it is Our indif- penfable Duty to endeavour to recom- mend our moft holy Profeilion to the Judg- ment and Efteem of Mankind, by a Con- verfation becoming the Gofpel of Chriji^ by a blamelefs and an exemplary Life; and by this Argument, Perfons of all Or- ders and Degrees are frequently in holy Scripture exhorted to great Stridtnefs and Regularity in their Behaviour. The aged Women are to be in Behaviour as becom- . etti Th^ Kingdom come^ explain' d. 145 ' ^— ~"~ ' ' " II I I ' 1 eth Ho line fs^ that they may teach the younger Women to be fiber ^ to love their Husbands , to love their Children % to be difcreet^ chajle^ keepers at home^ good y obedient to their oison Husbands ; and all this to the End that the Word of God be not blafjphemed^ Tit, ii. 3, ©r. Nay, tvtn Servants (Pcdonsofthe mean- eft Rank , whofe Converlation may be thought to be leaft regarded, whofe Mit behaviour may be thought the leaft fcan- dalous ; even Servants^ I fay,) are to be- have themlelves orderly and honeftly in their Stations ^ to count their own Ma- fiers worthy of all Honour ^ and that to this End, that the Name of God and his ^o£irine be not blajfhemcd^ i Tim. vi. i, they are to be obedient unto their own Mafters^ and to pleafe them well /// all things ; not anfwering again^ not fur- loiningy but fl?ewing all good Fidelity ; and that to this Purpofe, that they may adorn the T>o6lrine of God our Saviour in all things. Tit. ii. 9, ^c. And 'tis the Duty of all Chrijiians wharfoever, as we aic tau;^ht by St. Teter, i Epift. iii. 15, 16. L to 1^6 Thy Kmgdom come y explatv'd. to fandt'ify the Lord God in their Hearts^ ' — and to ketp a good Confcience ; that they that fpeak Evil of them as Evil-- T)oers^ may be ajhamed^ when it Ihall ap- pear that they do falfely accufe their good Converfation in Chrifl : 'tis the Duty of ail Chrifiians^ to have their Converjati- on honcfi among the Gentiles ^ that even thole who f^eak againjt them as Evil- 'Doers J may^ by their good Works which they Jh all behold^ glorify God% as we are taught by the fame Apojile^ in the fecond Chapter of that Epijile^ at the ix'^ f. It was this, I mean the holy and blame- , lefs, and exemplary Lives of the Apoftles, and firft Converts to Chriflianity, which was in great Meafure the Caufe of its fpreadibg fo faft as it did at firft ; and with- out this, ail the Zeal of the Afojlles m preaching theGolpel, and all the Miracles whereby their Preaching and Teftimony was confirmed would have avail'd but little. For Men may be zealous in a bad Caufe as well as in a good one ; for thus the ^h^^- rifees did compajs Sea and Land to mak^ me Trofelytey only to mfake him two fold more Th'Sj Kingdom come, explain' d, 147 the Child of Hell than rhcmfelves ; as our Saviour o\i{txv^% Matth,Y.yX\\.\^, And Miracles may be, and have been wrought for the Confirmation of a falle Worlliip, as is intimated both by Mofes^ T)eut. xiii. i,x. and by our Saviour j Matth. xxiv. 24. So that whether any Rehgion be from God, cannot be certainly known by the Zeal of Men to promote it, or by the feeming Wonders which are wrought to confirm the Truth of it : but if fhe Caufe which Men are zealous for, be apparently good, and the Dodrine for the Confirmation whereof Miracles are wrought, be iiich as plainly tends to purify Men's Hearts, and to reform their Lives ; and if it be evi- dent that all who embrace it are render'd better Men by it; there can then be no reafonable Sufpicion of any worldly De- fign in the Promoters of fuch a Religion, or of any diabolical lUufion in the work- ing of fuch Miracles : but as the Miracles do bear Wirnefs to the Truth of the Do- iftrine, fo the Purity of the Religion does no lefs bear Witnels to the Truth of the Miracles ; and both together are fuch an • L 2, Attefta- 148 Thy Kingdom come^ explained. Atteftation ro the Truth and Divinity of the Reh'gion, as cannot reafonably be ex- cepted againft. And by the fame Means by which this Kingdom of God in his Church was at firft fet up, by the fame (fo far as they are in our Power,) muft it be upheld and main- tained; I fay, fo far as they are in our Pow- er ; and therefore it having feemed good to the divine Wifdom, after that the Chri- Jiian Rehgion had been once well proved by Miracles, and the Hiftory thereof had been once publiflied, and generally received in the World, to withdraw the extraordi- nary Power of Miracles, as being no Ion* ger needful ; the only Means whereby wc can now contribute towards the uphold- ing and eftablifliing this Kingdom of God in the World, is by Zeal in maintaining the Truth of our Religion, againft vain Dilpu- ters ; and efpecially by a remarkable Stri(3:- nefi and Sandiity of Life. And this moft certainly will be an efled:ual Means to make our Religion be Ipread and propagated in the World, if by the Holinefs and Exem- plarinefs of our Lives, we can make it appear Th^ Kingdom come^ explained. 149 that the Religion which we profefs is more excellent than any other. Thus, as we pray that the Kingdom of God may come, i. e. that his true Worlhip and Re- ligion maybe propagated in the World, and that all Nations of the Earth may come into the Bofom of the Church, we are to endeavour the fame by Jhining as Lights in the JVorld\ and by proving to all, the Excellency of our holy Religion, by the Purity and Excellency of our own Lives, led exadtly according to the ftrid: and per- fed Precepts thereof. But, 2. As we pray that God's Kingdom may come, viz, that Kingdom of God which is within us ; i. e. that God may rule in the Hearts of all thofe who do confefs him with their Mouths ; it is our Duty , and what in CompHance and Conformity to our own Petition we ought to do, to give him our own Hearts, to yield our felves, without any Referve, to believe whatever he has revealed, and to do whatfoever he has enjoined. L 3 For 1 5 o Th'j Kingdom come^ explained. For the chief Enemies to this Kingdom of God within us, and which hinder it from being eftabhflied ; I lay , the chief Enemies to this Kingdom of God are like- wife within us ; they are the naughty De- fires and IncHnations of our own Hearts ; the natural Man receiveth not the things i. of the Spirit of God^ becaufe they are fpiritually difcerned\ the car- nal Alindj is Enmity againft God^ for it is not fubjedi to the Law ofGod^ net- ther indeed can be. Thefe Enemies, there- fore, of God's Kingdom, it is our part to fight again!!:, thereby to promote, as much as in us Hes, the Accomphihment of our own Petition. And 'tis not enough for us, in this Cafe, to pray that God's King- dom may come, to implore his Grace to fanctify us , and redeem us from our Sins and Corruptions ; but we muft work toge- ther with it, and fet our felves as ftrenu- oufly to mortify all our carnal Aifed:ions> and corrupt Inclinations, as if we had no Help but from our felves : and then thus praying, and thus endeavouring, thuspro^ curing by our Prayer God's Grace to work in Thy Kingdom come^ explatnd. in us, and thus working our fclves toge- ther with the divine Grace, both our En- deavours will be fuccefsful, and our Prayers alio availing, and the Kingdom of God will come; xx. will be fet up and eftablifli- ed within our Hearts : for, as the Apojile fays, -h Cor. x. 4, 5. The Weapons of our Warfare are not carnal^ but mighty thro' God, to the fulling down of Strong-holds^ cafltng down Imaginations ^ and every high thing that exalt eth it felf againjl the Knowledge ofGod^ and bringing into- Captivity every Thought to the Obedience of Qhrlfi, J. Laflly ; when we fay thy Kingdom come^ we mean thereby not only God's Kingdom of Grace, but likewife his King- dom of Glory ; we pray not only that the Bounds of his Church may be enlarged, that he may have the Heathen for his In- heritance^ and the utmojl Tarts of the Earth for his To jfejjion, and that he may reign and rule in the Hearts of all thofe who profefs Subjedion to him; but we pray likewife, (as 'tis exprefs'd in one of L 4 the 1 5' 1 'T^^T Kingdom come^ explained, ■ the Colleds of our Church, appointed to be uled at the Burial of the Dead ; we pray, I f\y.) th^Lthiying, accompli/hed the Mumber of his EleEi^ he would alfo ha- Jien his Kingdom ; that fo we^ with all thoje that are departed tiuthe true Faith of his holy Name , may have our perfeB Cojtfummation and Blifs\, both in Body md Souly in his eternal and everlajling Glory. And when we pray that God's Kingdom of Glory may come, the Duty which the Eetition, taken in this Scnfe, inftrudts us in, and enforces upon our Practice, is to be diligent in preparing our felves for this Kingdom of God; thatfo, when our Lord comes to take upon him this Kingdom, we rriay be provided to receive him, and in a fit Condition to enter with him into it. Seeing that ye look for ftich things^ (faith St. Teter^ a Tet, ili. 14. when he had been fpeaking of the coming of this great 'Day of God, wherein the Heavens Jhall pafs away with a great Noife^ and the Elements Jhall melt with fervent Heat ; the Earth alfoj and the Works ^ that Th^ Kingdom come^ explain' d. 153 that are therein^ /ball be burnt up^ and we^ according to his Tromife^ look for a new Heaven and a new Earthy wherein dwelleth Right eon fnefs^ feeing^ fays he, that ye look for fuch things % and I think it may be faid much rather, feeing that ye fray for fuch things^ and are endeavour- ing by your own Petitions to haften the coming of this great Day of God ;) be di- ligent , that when he comes , ye may be found of him in Teace^ without Spot^ and blamelefs. They who hve here without any Senfe of Reh'gion, may plead, when that Day lliall come upon them, that they were lurprized by a Judgment which they looked not for; but we who pray, every Day , that God's Kingdom may come , Ihall not be able fo much as to pretend that we were not aware of its coming; and fo fliall be of all others the mofl: inex- cufablc, if we are not prepared for it. Let then our Loins be always girded about ^ and our Lights always burnings and we our fe Ives like unto Men that wait for their Lord^ that when he comet h and knocketh^ we may open unto him immedi- 3 ately^ IJ4 Thj Kingdom come ^ explained, atilj^ Luke xiii. 3?) ^^- This is the good Leflon we are reminded of, every time we repeat this Petition ; and hlejfed ax^e thofe S^^rvants^ whom the Lord^ wbm he comet h^ jhaU find watching^ f.^j. If we are always in this Pofture, wc roay fay this part of our Lard's Prayer with true Devotion, and with an earnefl: Longing and Defire of the Accomphili- menc of our own Wiflies ; and then, when we fee this Day a coming, we may lift nf our Heads wtthjoy,^ knowing that our Redemttton draweth nighy Lukexxi. %%, But CO them who Hve in Wickednefe and Uncleo^nneis, or in Riot and Excefe, beat- ing their Fellow- Servants, aod eating and drinking wirh the Drunken ; the Day of the. Loid, without their wifliing, will. come too foon ; the Lord of fuch Servants ikjill come in a "Day when they look not for hifH , and in an Hour that they are not. aware f, and will cut them afun- der^ and af^oint them their Tort ion with Hypocrites ; tSere fhall be weeding and gnafningofTeethy Matth. xxiv. 5-0. And to lUvh as thefe, who live without a true and Thy Kingdom come^ explatyid. 155 and ferious Senfe of God and Religion, and yet, for Form and Cuftom-fake, pray with the Church, and fay every Day, thy Kingdom come^ the Prophet ^;way of the Lord ts T>arknefsy and not Light ', as if a Man did flee from a Lyon , and a Bear met him ; or went into the Houfe^ and leaned his Hand on the JV a 11^ and a Serpent bit him. Shall not the T>ay of the Lord be T)arknefsy and not Light ? Even very dark^ and no Brightnefs in it ? I conclude all therefore with thefe Words of the Apoftle^ Rom. xiii. II, ^c. The Night is far Jpent^ the ^ay is at Hand^ (that great Day of the Lord, when we muft give an Account of all our Works, it is at hand, it is very near approaching ;) let us therefore cafi off the Works of T>arknefs^ and let us pit on the Armour of Light. Let us walk honeftly^ as in the T^ay^ not in Rioting and T>runkennejsy not in Cham- bering ij6 'Th'y Kingdom come^ explain' d. bering and Wantonnefsj not in Strife and Envying ; but put ye an the Lord J e fits Chrijt ^ and make not Trovi- fan for the Flejh , to fulfil the Lujis thereof THY THY Will be done, &c. EXPLAINED/ 5K):5»);5G^3SK2aSQ^ liT.. ,11- r^^TTiy.t 1 I 1, 159 DISCOURSE V. Thy fV'ill be donCy &c. explained. Matth. Vi. 10. -Thy Wtll he done^ m Earth as It is in Heaven. H E Prayer taught here by our Saviour to his Difciples, con- fifls (as I have formerly no- ted) of three principal Parts; I. A Preface, containing a folemn Invoca- tion of Ahnighty God, Our Father which art in Heaven : II. The Body of the Pray- er, confifting of fix diftin6l Petitions: and III. The Conclufion of it ; containing, I. A Doxology, or loleraa Precognition 5 of i6o Thy fFill i?e done^ See. explained. of the Greatnefs andMajefty of God, thine is the Kingdom^ the Tower and the G lo- ry ^ for ever and ever-, and, x. A Profef^ fion of our hearty Aflent to every Claufe of the foregoing Prayer, and of our Faith and Truft in God, in the Word, Amen. And the firft part of this Prayer, viz, the Preface, containing (as I faid,) a fb- lemn Invocation of Almighty God, whom we are taught to call. Our Father which is in Heaven,, I have formerly difcourfed of; Ihewing the Meaning thereof, and what Duties it inftruds us in, and obliges us to. I have likewife already entred upon the fecond Part, viz, theBody of the Prayer, confiding (as I told you,) of fix feveral Petitions, three of them chiefly regarding God's Glory, and the other three of them chiefly reipe61:ing our own Good. And the two firft of thefe, hallowed be thy Name ^ ^ndthy Kingdom come ^ I have likewife already difcouried of. hi fpeak- ing of both which, I have Ihewcd you, firft, what we ought to have in cwr Minds when we utter thele Wordi in Prayer to Gcd; Th^ Will he done^ 8cc. explain' d. \6\ God; and fecondly, what Duties we may learn, and are inftrucfted in, by our Ufe of thefe Petitions. I proceed now to difcourfe of the third Petition, in the lame Method ; thy Will be done in Earthy as it is in Heaven. I. Then , I am to declare the Meaning of thefe Words, or to flievv what Senfe we ought to have in our Minds, when we re- peat this Claule or Petition of the Lord's Prayer; thy Will be done in Earthy as it is in Heaven. Now the Will of God \s tw^o-fold ; the Will of^his Counjel or Trovidence^ and ^ the Will of his Tree efts or Commands ; both w^hich we pray, in this Petition, may be done. I. By that /^/// of God, which we pray may be done, wc may underftand the Will of his Cotmfel or Trovidenee ; /. e. that Will of God, by which he orders and dii^ pofes every thing in the World, as it plea- fes him, working all things according to the Counfel of his own Will^ Eph. i. ir. M And i6i Thy PVtll he done^ &c. explcnvid. And thus, whatever falls out in the World is the Will of God, and there is no Event which comes to pafs, no Accident which happens , but what is agreeable to God's Will, and is brought to pafs by the Order- ing and Difpofition, by the Operation or Permiffion of his Providence; for be doth according to his JVill in the Army of Hea- ven^ and among the Inhabitants of the Earthy and none can fay his Hand^ or fay unto him-, -what doef thou? as 'tis faid, 'Dan. iv. 30. And whatfoever the Lord f leafed^ that did he in Heaven^ and in Earthy and in the Seas ^ and in all deep T laces ^ fays the Tfalmif^ Pfal. cxxxv. 6. But now, if it be fo, that God does al- ways order every thing according to his own Pleaiure ; if, as the 'vvife Man fays, Trov. xix. XI. Whatever "Devices there are in the Heart of Man ^ the Counfel of the Lor d^ that jhallftand. If, whatever Oppofition be made to him, he will yet bring to pafs whatever he purpofes, what need we then make this the Siibjed of our Petition ? We need not fureiy pray for that, which will certainly be whether we pray Thj IV ill he done^ &c. explained, 163 pray for it or no ; if therefore whatGod wills be always done, what need we pray that bts JV'tll may be done ? For who hath re- fifted his JV'tll, as the Apoftle ipeaks? Rom. ix. 19. And, the Lord of Floffs hath pttrpofed, fiich the Prophet, and 'who Jhall dtfanniil it ? And his Hand is fir etched out, and who Jhall turn it back ? Jfaiah xiv. X/. I anfwer; if wc underfland this by the Will of God, in this Petition of the Lord's Prayer, viz,, the Execution of his Piirpofe and Counfel, then when we pray, that his Will may be done, we do not mean that it may be done by himfelf, but that ix. may be done us; i. e. we do not pray that God may do what he pleafes, but that what pleafes God , and what he does ac- cording to his own Pleafiire , may pleafe us too. When we pray that God's Will may be done, (meaning thereby the Will of his Counfel, or Providence;) our Willi and Defire is, that we our lelves, and all Men may perfectly acquiefce in, and be fully fatisfyed with w^hatfoever God fliall pleafe to order for us ; for then we do this M X Will 1 6^ T/oy IVtll be done^ &c. explained. Will of God, when we patiently fufFer it, and in all the Accidents which befall us , whether they be pleafing or ungrateful, profperous or adverle, can heartily join in that Saying of good old ^'/i, iSam. iii. i8. h It is the Lord\ let him do what feemeth him zood. Or elfe, raking the Will of God (till in this Senfe, for the Will of his Couufel or Trovidence\ I think this Claufe in the Lord's Prayer, thy Will be done^ may be yet better underflood, as an A5i of Sitb- miffioji "SivAReJignation to the Will of God^ rather, I fay, than as a Wilh or Petition. Thus the Phrafe is ufed in A^s xxi. 14. where, after the Chriftians who were with St. Taul had in vain endeavour'd to per- fuade him not to go up to Jerufdlem^ be- caufe that there (as it had been foretold by Agabtis^) Bojids and AffliEiions dida- bide him^ it is faid by St.Luke^ and when he would not be perjitadedj we ceafed^ ^ fayingj the Will of the Lord be done ; i. e. " If it muft be fo, if it be the Will of " God that thou fliould'ft go up to Jent' " falem , and fufFer there thofe things ** which Th"^ Will be done^ 8cc. explained. 1 6 " have been foretold, fo be it^ we are " contented^ we fiibmit to this JV'ill of " God^ we acquiefce in his good Tlea- " fare 5 we are fatisfyed that it jhotild " be as it fleafes him!' And in the fame Senfe our Saviour himfelf ufed this very fame Phrafe, in Prayer to God, when he was in his Agony in the Garden , the Even- ing before his Crucifixion, Matth. xxvi. 4i. He prayed^ faying^ O my Father^ if this Clip 7nay not fafs away from me^ except I drink it^ thy Will be done ; i, e. I fubmit ; I am content to do it; I refign my felf wholly to thy Pleafure, to fuffer whatever thou Ihalt think fit to lay upon me. For that this was our Savmir\ Meaning in thofe Words, thy Will be done^ appears plainly from the 39'^' f, of that Chapter, where the fame Prayer of our Lord is thus related ; O my Father^ if it bepojjible^ let this Cup pafs from me \ neverthelefsj not as I will^ but as thou wilt\ where theft laft Words, neverthelefs not as I will^ but as thou wilt^ are manifeftly an Act^ or an Exprejfion of his Rejignation of him- felf to God's Will and Pleafure, and is thus M 3 expreffcd i66 Thy Wdl he done^ 8cc. explain' d. expreffed by St. Luke^ Neverthelefs not mylVtll, but thine be done ^ Lukexxii.4x. When therefore we fay the fame Words in the Lord's Prayer, thy Will be done^ it is very proper for us at all times, but then eipecially when we are under any Afflidti- on, or have a Profpcit of fome fore Evil like to befall us, to ule them in the fame Senfe in which our Lord then did ; i. e, to compoie our felves thereby to a patient Suffering of the Will of God, to mean them as an Ad; of Refignation of our felves to his good Pleafare. But, 2, There is another Branch of God's Will, which I called before the Will of his Precepts or Commands ; that \%j that Will of his which he has declared to us, which he has given us as a Rule to walk by ; for what God has enjoined us, that is his Will we ihould do. Thus our Sa- viotir fays of himfelf, Job. vi. 38. Him that Cometh to me I will in no wife cafi put ; for I came down from Heaven^ not to do ?ny own Willj but the Will of him that fent me ; and this is the Father -s Will Th^j Will be done^ .&c. txplam'd. 167 IV ill which hath fent mCj that of all "which he hath given me^ I Jhould lofe no- thing. And this (we are told by rhc A- fojile^j is the Will of God. even our San- Bification ^ i Thcd iv. 3. And 'tis this Will of God which 1 take to be chiefly meant in this Petition, and which we pray may be done. A^nd underftanding the /F/V/ofGod, in this Senfe, there are two things which we pray for in this Petition, both in the Be- half our felves, and vn the Behalf of o- thers. (i.) We pray that God would be plea- fed to make hw-jvu his Will to us and to all Men;» that we may not be uwjinfe^ but iinderjianding what the Will of the Lord isy 3.sthc^}'o/ile ipcakSy Ej^b.v.iy. That we mav ^rove what is that good and ac- ceptable, and perfect Will of God^ as 'tis faid, Rom. xii. x. Becaufc unlefs we know what the Will of God is, and what things he would have us do, we fliall not know how to fet our felves to the Per- formance thereof M 4 (^^) We 1 68 th'^ WtU he done^ &c. explain' d. (x.) We pray alfo , that having made known his Laws to us, he would be plea- fed to give us his Grace obediently to keep the fame ; for then this Will of God is done by us, when we do what he com- mands us ; when we obey all his Precepts, and when we order all our Converfation aright, and according to the Rules and Diredions which he has prefcribed. And therefore, that we our felves, and all o- ther Men, may always do thus , is what we are to be underftood to mean , when we pray that his JVill may be done in Earth, \ But it follows in the Prayer, as it is in Heaven ; thy Will be done in Earthy as it is in Heaven ; i. e. May thy Will be done and performed by us Men, who live now here upon the Earth, as it is by thy holy Angels which are in Heaven ; of whom the holy TfalmiFt fays, Tfal. ciii. io, X I . that they do his Commands ^ heark- ning unto the Voice of his Wordy and that they are the Minifiers of God, that do his Tleafure. But Th^ Wtll he done^ &c. explained. 169 But there are Ibme fpecial Conditions, or Qualifications, of the Obedience of the holy Angels to theW ill of God, which help to render it more grateful to him, and better accepted by him, than otherwife it would be : thefe therefore we pray , in this Petition, may be imitated by Men on Earth, in their doing the Will of God, when we pray that his Will may be done in Earth, as it is in Heaven. And this I take to be the Meaning of the Word as\ as it is in Heaven. This^ as denotes a Likenefs only, not ^sx Equa- lity ; for we can't be fuppos'd to pray that the Will of God may be done as perfectly by Men as it is by Angels; that the Obe- dience of Men, in this mortal and fmfiil State, Ihoald be as fpotlefs and untainted as that of the holy Spirits in Heaven is : for fuch Obedience as they yield to the Will of God, is fo much beyond what we are able to yield, while we are here in the Body ; that we can hardly pray with Faith, that ours may be exaftly fuch, that it may be in no Refped: inferior to theirs : but ours may be as good as it can be in this frail I70 Th'\iWdlbe clone. Sec. explained. frail and degenerare Srate ; our Obedience may be l/ke theirs 5 tho' not equal ro it ; ours may be, tho' nor /o perf'eR^ yet fo qualified and conditioned as theirs is ; and that fuch, it may be, we defire of God in this Petition. Parti cukrly, i/?. As in Heaven thefe'ai*e no rebelli- ous Spirits mixt with the holy Angels, (for the Angels 'which kept not their fir ft Eftate^ have alfio left their own Habita- tion 5 and are rcferved in evcrlafting Chains, underT)arknefs, unto the Judg- ment of the great T>ay, as St. Jude tells us, in the 6'^' #. of his Epiftle; fo that there are now none in Heaven, who gain- fay or oppole the divine Pkaiure;) fo we pray that it may be on Eart h ; i. c. that the whole Race of Men may be a willing and obedient People; that all Vice and Wickedncfs may be aboliflied, and rooted out of the Earth ; that< thofe Days may comx w^hich have been foretold long ago by the ProphetSj when they jhall not teach every Man his Neighbour^ and every Man his Brotherjaying^ know the Lord, for all Jhall 7^7 ^^^^^ ^^ done^ &c. explained, Jhall know me ^ from the leaFl unto the great eH^ Jer. xxxi. 34. For the Earth jhall be full of the Knowledge of the Lordy as the Waters cover the Sea^ Ifaiah xi. 9. xdly. Whatever the holy Angels do, in Obedience to the Commands of God, they do it with a good lVill\ they not only do what they are commanded , but they are pleafed with the Command ; they obey cheerfully, and from the Heart, without any Reludtancy , without any Spice of Unwillingnefs, or the lead Degree of A- verfion to the Bufinefs they are employed about ; they not only do the Will of God, but they delight to do it ; they undertake their Work, not as a Task, but as a Plea- fare: and therefore that we, and all the Inhabitants of the Earth may do {o too , is another thing which we defire of God in this Petition. ^dly. As a Fruit of this Heartinefs in their Obedience, whatever they are com- manded they undertake readily ; they need not be often urged , or frequently called upon 171 172 Thy Will be done^ &c. explain' d. upon to do this Work ; but the lead Inti- mation of God's Pleafiire prefently fets them to it. That we therefore may do fo too, that we may obey readily, and without Delay take in Hand the Work which God has given us to do, is another thing which we beg of God iij this Pe- tition. ^thly. As they readily undertake, fo they like wife fpeedily execute whatever they are commanded ; they are the wing- ed MefTengers of God, and when they are lent they run ; when they are bid to go, they fly ; they kx. about their Work fo quickly, and difparch it fo nimbly, that the Space of Time between God's giving his Command, and their executing it, is hardly perceptible. Thus when Cornelius prayed, and an Angel was fent unto him by God, to tell him that his Prayers were heard, and his Alms accepted, and to or- der him to fend for St. Teter to be inftrucS- ed by him in the ChriOian Religion ; all this was done, the McfTag-e was both fent from God, and delivered to him by the Angel, Th^ Will be done J &c. explain' d. 173 Angel, before he had ended his Prayer ; as you may fee, A^s x. 30. That we therefore may fo run the Way of God's Commandments^ and with the hke Speed and Diligence finilh the Work which is gi- ven us to do, is what we farther defire of God in this Petition, when we fay, thy Will be done in Earthy as it is in Heaven, ^thly^ And laftly ; as the Obedience of the holy Angels is hearty and chearful, prompt and fpeedy , fo it is likewife uni- verlal. They never decline any Work which they are let to ; whatever it is that they are forbidden to do, it is all alike to them; they make no Difference, but as readily undertake one thing as another ; they have no Will of their own, diftind: from, and much lefs oppofiteto, the Will of God; butwhat God wills, they will too; and immediately fet themfelves to execute his Commands. Thus is God's Will done in Heaven by the holy Angels, and thus we pray that it may be done in Earth by our felves, and by all Men, when we ufe this Pa/Tage of the 174 Thy JVtll be done^ &c. explain' cL the Lord's Prayer. So that the full Senfe of this Petition, (underftanding by the Will of God , both the Will of his Tro- vidence^ and the Will of his Treceps ; ) and the Meaning which we ought to have in our Minds, w^hen we utter thefe Words, is this ; " Righteous art thou , O Lordj " and upright are all thy Judgments^ and " the Tejiimonies that thou haH command- " ed are alfo righteous^ and very faithful \ *^ may we, therefore, and all Men, always " meekly fubmit our felves to thy Difpofal ; " may we always be well content and fa- " tisfyed with that Lot and Portion w^hich " thou aiTigneft to us ; and whatever Com- " mands thou art at any time pleafed to " lay upon us, may they univerfally be " liibmitted to, by all ; and grant that we *' may perform them, with fuch Hearti- " neis and good Will, with fuch Readinefi " and Cheerfulnefs, with fuch Speed and " Impartiality, as the holy Angels in Hea- "-' ven do." And now, having explain'd the Mean- ing of this Petition, Pproceed, as I pro- pos'd in the fecond Place, II. Ta TbyWtll he done, &c. explain d, 175 II. To fhew what good LefTons we are taughr, what Daries we are inftrudlcd in, and engaged to, by our Uie of this Peti- tion, thy Will be dme in Earth, as it is in Heaven. And, T. Taking the Will of God, in the firft Senfe, for the Will of hisCounfcl or Pro- vidence; the Duty we are inftruded in, and reminded of by our Ufe of this Peti- tion, is to fubmit our felves entirely to God's Will; to be contented with our Lot ; to like well that Place and Station which the Providence of God adigns us; and to be eafy and patient under all the Calamities and Aillidions which befall us in this Life; whatfocverplcafesGod, Ihould pleafe us too ; and we ihould always reft fatisfycd, that what he orders for us is beft. And we contradid: our felves, and ad inconfiftentiy with our own Petition, if, while we pray that God's Will may be done, we fret and murmur at any of he Difpeufations of his Providence towa ds us, or cavil at, and find Fault with , h\s ordering 176 Th^ Will he donCy Sec. explained. ordering and Adminiftration of things ; for he worketh all things according to the Cotmfel of his own JVill-^ as the A^oftle fays ; and what is according to God's Will, is likevvife according to our own Defire ; for we pray that his Will may be done ; what Reafbn then can we have to com- plain , when things fall out according to our own Willies ? And unlefi the Event of things 5 which is always according to the Will of God, be likewife pleafing to us, we are guilty of foul Diffimulation and Hypocrify with God, when we pray that his Will may be done. And there isRealbngood, that we fliou'd be of this quiet, compofed, and content- ed Spirit ; there is fufficient Reafon impli- ed even in the Petition it felf, to oblige us to be always thus eafy and fatisfyed with the divine Adminiftrations ; for the Will which we defire may be done, or which we declare our Acquiefcence in, is God's> ; thy Will be done. And he is a Being of infinite Wildom % he knows before-hand what will be the If^ ftie and Event of all his Adminiftrations ; and Th^ Will be done^ &c. explain' d. 177 and he underftands exadly what is beft for the World, and for every particular Man in it ; and is able fo to contrive and order things, that what feems evil and ad- verle, fliall work for good at the lad: whereas on the contrary , we underftand very Httle of the Nature and Tendency oft}iings, or indeed even of our own Tem- pers and Conftitutions. We neither know what is beft in it felf, nor what is beft for us ; we oftentimes wilh for our felves thole things , which if we had them would be our Ruin ; and are fometimes fenfible af^ terwards of the Kindnefs , as well as of the Wifdom of God, in denying us thofe things which we (perhaps with too much Urgency and Importunity;) did requeft of him. And we as little know what is bad for us ; we are apt to fret and com- plain when ever any thing crofs or adverle happens to us, and yet afterwards we oftea fee Reafon to fay with the T/almiJi^ It is good for us that we have been in Trouble. Seeing therefore that God knows always both what is beft, and how beft to bring N M 178 Thy IV til he done, &c. explahfd. it about, it is very reafonable for us td fubmit to his Will; efpecially, Seeing he is as good and gracious as he is wile ; all his Thoughts towards us are kind, and he defigns our Good by all the Difpenfations of his Providence : con- fidering which , we may be always well aiTured , that whatever he chufes and or- ders for us, tho' it be not to our prefent liking, is more for our Good than any thing we could have chofen for our felves. So that we may with good Reafbn live more at Eafe, freer from Care and Fear, under the Care and Protecftion of his good Providence , than we could do , if w^e might have our own Willies and Defires in every thing ; and we do indeed wiih the beft which we can for our felves, when we fay, not our JVill^ but thine be done. But, X. Taking the Will of God in the other Senfe, for the Will of his Precepts or Com- mands, there are likewife feveral thhigs which we may learn and be inftruded in , Thy Will he donCy &c. explain" d. 179 by our Ufe of this Petition ; thy Will be done. For, (i.) Being here taught by our Saviour to make it a Matter of Prayer to God, that his Will may be done; that is, that he would pleafe to give us his Grace to do thofc things which he requires of us. We may hence be admoniihed, that we can't of ourfelves do the Will of God as we ought to do, nor perform acceptable Obedience to him, without the divine Grace and Af- fiftance: '' for we need not be beholden to another for that which is in our own Pow- er; we need not ask that of another, which we our felves can do without his Help, Being therefore here taught to pray every D ly for the divine G'ace, to enable us to do the Will of God , we are hereby re- minded of our own Weakncfs and Impo- tence ; that we can neither begin a good Work without the Motion of the a Quid flultiu^ qiuim orare ut facias, quod in pote- ftate haoeas^ Aug, de Hat, or Gratia, Cap. i8. in Brug, in he. 1 8o Th^ Wtll he done^ &c. explain' d. holy Spirit, nor make any Progrels in Ho- linefs and Virtue , without frefli SuppHes of the divine Grace, according to that of the Apoftle, Thil. ii. 13. It is God that "worketh tnyou^ both to will and to do of his good Tleafure, Our Behef of this Truth, that we can do nothing well of our felves, without the Help of God, is plainly the Ground of this Petition ; and this we do tacitly , and by Implication , acknowledge to God every time we repeat it. When we pray to God to give us his Grace, to do his Will, we own and con- fefs that we are not fufficient of our felves to do any thing as of our felves^ but that our Sufficiency is of God ^ as the A^oflle fays, X Cor. iii. f . And the Confideration of the NecefTity of the divine Grace , to enable us to do the Will of God, ought in Reafon to make us diligent and conftant in imploring it ; according to that Dired:ion which is given us by our Saviour^ Luke xi. 9, \Sc. Ask^ and it Jhall be given you ; feek^ and ye jh all find \ knocks audit Jhall be opened unto you:-- — forifye^ being evil, know how Th'y JVtll be done^ &c. explain' ch 1 8 1 how to give good Gifts unto your Chil- dren^ how much more Jh all your heaven- ly Father give the holy Sprit to them, that ask him ? (x.) Being here taught by our Saviour ^ to implore the AfTiftance of the divine Grace, to enable us to do the Will of God, we may hence conclude that God requires nothing more of us, in order to render our fclves accepted to him, than we are able, by the AfTiftance of the divine Grace, to perform. For certainly our Saviour would not teach us to pray for a thing which can't be ; nay, he himielf has told us that one of the Conditions of a prevaihng Prayer to God, is to beheve that our Re- quefl: will be granted ; iV/^r. xi.24. What- foever things ye defire when ye pray^ be- lieve that ye receive them^ and ye Jhall have them : but if the Matter of our Re- queft be impoffible, we can't believe that it will be granted. Being therefore here taught by our Saviour ^ to pray that God's Will may be performed by us, it is certain- ly poflible that it may be performed, tho' N 3 not j8 2 Th^ Will he clone ^ &c. explain' d. not perfed:!)^, tho' not without much Mix- ture of humane Frailty and Imperfection ; yet at leaft with Sincerity, and in fuch manner, as God, confidering our Infirmity^ will for Chrift's Sake gracioufly accept. And the Confideration of this, that God requires nothing of us , but what by the Affiftance of his Grace he will enable us to perform, is a good Encouragement to us to let about our Work with Cheerful- nefs and Vigour, and to keep us from ever being daunted or difcouraged, by any Dif- ficulty or Oppofition v/hich we may meet with in the doing of it ; confidering how mii^hrilv we are adiftedbv the divine Grace, we may fay with the ApQJlls^ that we can do all things th.rd' Chriji that Jlrengthneth us ; and fctcingto our Work with Courage, and good hope of Succefs, wc fiiall find the Difficulty thereof much lefs than wc feared. '^ ' = '■ ■ (3.) As we pray, fo we ought hkewife to pradiie. If therefore wc do earneftly de- fire that the Will of God may be done, we fliall alio earneilly endeavour the Acccm- • ■ pliihment Th'^ J Fill he done J &c. explahfd. 183 plilliment of our own Petition; and in or- der to this, we fliall ufe all Diligence to acquaint our fclves with the Will of God ; by condant reading in the holy Scripture, in which the whole Will of God is plainly revealed, and which is able to make us wife unto Salvation. Being defirous to walk in the way of God's Commandments, we fliall be careful to guide our felves by theDiredion of hisholy//^(?r^5 which, as the Tfalmiji fays, is a Lamp unto our Feet J and a Light unto our Tatb, Pfal. cxix. lof. And then when we know what the Will of our Lord is, it is our Duty, (a Duty in- deed comprehending all other Duties;) which we are not only reminded of, but ftridly obliged to by our Ufe of this Peti- tion, to fet our felves with all Diligence, to the doing of all thofe things which are required of us. For we contradid our own Petition, and are inconfiftent with our felves, if ever we oppofe in our ow^n Practice , that good and perfed Will of God, which we pray may be done, N 4 (4O And I 8 4 77^7 IVdl he done^ &c. explain' d. (4.) And laftly ; by our Ufe of this Claufe of the Lord's Prayer, we are not only taught theNeceflity of Obedience to the Will and Command of God , but we are likewife inftrucStcd in the Nature and necelTary Qualifications of an acceptable Obedience; for we pray not only that God's Will may be done in Earth by us Men, but that it may be fo done by us on Earth, as it is in Heaven ; i. e. as it is done by the holy Angels ; and how that is, I have already fliewed. As therefore we defire in this Petition, that the Will of God may be done by all the Tnhabitans of the Earth, as it is by all the holy Angels in Heaven ; we ought to endeavour this, as much as lies in our Power, by teaching, intruding, and ad- monifliing one another; we ought, accord- ing to the Apodle's Precept, to confider pne another^ to provoke unto Love^ and to good Works^ Heb. x. X4. But efpeci- ally, our Zeal to reform the World, fnould be chiefly exercifed in our own Families, which we fliould take Care to have well inftruded Thy Wtll he done^ See. explain' d. 1 8 y inftruded in their Duties, and by prudent Dilcipline held to theExercife andPradice thereof; according to the good Example given us by Abraham^ the Father of the Faithful^ concerning whom we have this Teftimony given by God himfelf, Gen> xviii. 19. / know h'lm^ that he will com- mand his Children^ and his Honjhold af- ter him J and they jhall keep the Way of the Lordj to do Jttjiice and Judgment, Again ; as we pray that we our felves, and all Men upon Earth , may obey the Will of God with JVillingnefs and Cbeer- fulnefs^ as the Angels in Heaven do ; we ought, in Compliance with our own Peti- tion, to be cheerful in our own Obedience, to delight our felves in the Law of God ; to love the thing which he commands, and to do the Will of God from the Heart ; according to the Example given us by our blefTed Saviour^ in J oh. iv. 34. My Meat is to do the IV ill of him that fent me ^ and to finijh his Work. And thus like- wife did the F^falmift ; feveral Teflimo- nies of which we have in Tfal. cxix. / have rejoiced in the way of thy Tejiimo- niesy 86 Thy f/f^Hl be done^ &c. explain' d. niesj as much as in all Riches^, 3^. 14. / love thy Commands above Gold^ yea^ a- hove fine Goldy f. 127. The Law of thy Mouth is better unto me^ than thoufands of Gold and Silver^ f. 71. I rejoice at thy Word^ as one ' that findeth great Spoils f. i6z. My Soul hath kept thy Tejlimonies^ and I love them exceedingly. f^ 167. Again ; the holy Angels in Heaven, as they obey heartily^ fo they undertake rea- dily^ the Work they are fet to ; and thus we pray in this Petition, that we may do likevviie ; and as we pray, fo we ought to praftife. It is our Duty therefore which we are reminded of, and engaged to , by our Ufe of this Petition, to undertake rea- dily the Work and Bufinels God has given us to do , to take the firfl Intimation of his Pleafure, and to comply with his Will upon the firfl: Knowledge which we have of it ; according to the Example of the fame holy TfalmiJI, Pfal. cxix. 59, 60. / thought on my Ways^ and turned my Feet unto thy Tejtimonies-, I made hajte^ and delayed not to keep thy Commandments. Again; Z&7 Will be done^ &c. explained. 187 Again ; what the holy Angels under- take, at the Command of God, xhty/peedi- ly execute ; they do their Work dihgent- ly, they lofe no Time from it, 'till it be ac- compliflied. And in this likewife we pray, in this Petition, that our Obedience may be \\^t theirs. In order to which there- fore it is our Duty, according to the Dire- ctions given us in Scripture, not to be Jloth- ful in Bufinefs , but fervent in Spirit y ferving the Lord^ Rom. xii. 11. And whatfiever our Hand findeth to do^ to do it with all our Mighty Ecclef ix. 10. Laftly ; the holy Angels (as I obferved before ) make no Difference in the Com- mands of God ; they do not prefer one be- fore another ; they never decline any Work ^hich they are fet to : and fuch likewife our Obedience to the Commands of God Ought to be; fiich we pray it may be, when we fay, thy Will be done in Earth j as it is in Heaven. In Comply ance there- fore with our own Prayer, our Obedience ought to hz conjtant ^ and uniform ^ and impartial'^ and unlefs it be fo, according to the utmoft of our Power, it will be nei- ;:..,..,. .... ther 1 88 Tb^ Will be done J &c. explain' d. ther accepted by God, nor profitable to our felves ; for then^ fays the Tfalmijl^ i. e. then only, jhall I not be ajhamedy when I have refpeEi unto all thy Com- mandments \ Tfal. cxix. (). And we are told by Sc. James^ Ch. -l. f. lo. that whofoever Jhall keep the whole Law^ and yet offend in one Tolnt^ he is guilty of all. Thus the Will of God is done in Hea- ven, by the Angels, and thus we pray it may be done on Earth by us Men; in this manner therefore we ought to endea- vour our felves to do \x.. And indeed, after all which w^e can do^ we fiiall be but unprofitable Servants; when we Ihall have done the bell: we can, we Ihall have only done what was our ^uty to do ; fo that the only thing which can let any Value even upon our befl Ser- vices, is when we thus do the Will of God from the Heart : when out of a true Love to God, we likewife have a Love to his Commandments, and take Delight therein, and perform them with a ready and wil- ling Mind, and a cheerful Heart, as the Angels Th'j Wtll be done, &c, explained. 189 Angels in Heaven do. And this, if we do, while we continue upon Earth , our Reward will be great in Heaven ; and li- ving now here, as the Angels do in Hea- ven, we our felves ihall be made equal to the Angels, when we come thiLher. The God of Teace therefore , who brought again from the T>ead our Lord Jefus , that great Shepherd of the Sheep^ thro" the Blood of the e- verlaftng Covenant^ make you per- feB in every good Work , to do his Will in all things while on Earth , even as the Angels in Heaven doj working in you that which is well- f leafing in his Sight , thro' Jefus Chrift our Lord\ to whom^ &c. be Glory for ever and ever. Amen. Give Give us, this Bay, our DAILY BREAD, EXPLAINED. jy% ^'^ \v/y N«/z ;sy« sy^xy^ \«/^ ^. 93 DISCOURSE VL Give us this Day our daily Bread ^ explained. Matth. vi. II. Give us this Day our daily Bread. N the Lord's Prayer, of which I am now difcoui fing , there are, bcfides the Preface and the Conclufion, fix Petitions; the three firft refpeding chiefly God's Glory^ the three laft our own Good. And of the three former 1 have already Ipoken ; I Come now to fpeak of the latter. And here we very reafonably begin firft With begsin^ of God that Good which is the ^^ O firft 194 Gtve us this Day our firft in Nature, and without which we can- not be capable of enj oy ing any other Good, viz. the Prefervation of our Being: and this we beg of God in the fourth Petition of the Lord's Prayer, of which I am now to difcourfe ; give us this "Day our daily Bread. Which Petition (according to the Method formerly propofed,) I Ihall firft explain, Ihewing what Senfe we ought to have in our Minds, when we utter thefe Words in Prayer to God : and II. I fliall Ihew what good LefTons we may learn from our Ufe of this Petition ; what Du- ties it inftrudts us in. I. I fliall explain the Petition, and fliew^ what Senfe we ought to have in our » Minds, when we utter thefe Words in Pray- er to God ; give us this T>ay our daily Bread. And for the Explication of it ; I fliall , I. Shew w^hat is meant by Bread: z. What is meant by daily Bread: and, 3. Why we are taught to ask only for the Bread of the prefent Day ; give us, this "Day, our daily Bread. I. What datl'y Bread^ explain' d. ip^ I. What is meant by Bread. Now Bread is the StafFof Life, as 'tis cal- led in Scripture, Lev. xxvi. 2(5. 'Tis the main Prop and Support of our frail and mortal Bodies, Tfal.cw. 16. 'Tis what we can't well live without, and with which alone we may live well enough, Ifamhiii.i. And therefore Bread is oftentimes in Scri- pture fet to fignify whatfbever is necefla- ry for the Support, Convenience, or Comfort of Life. £;s^^.iv.i6.v.i6.xiv.i3. And in this large Senfe, without doubt, it ought to be taken here ; for this Being the only Petition of the Lord's Prayer which relates to Temporals, it muft beun- derftood as comprehending all the tempo- ral things which we have need of; fo that in asking for Bread, we ask alfo for Drink and for Cloaths, and for Shelter from the Weather, and for Protedion from Dangers, and for every thing elfe which is needful for us. For what we mean in this Petition, is, to beg the Prefervation of this Life, and confequently by Bread, which is the only thing that we name in particular, we O z muft 1^6 Give us this Day our muft be underflood ro mean, whatfoever is necefTary for the Prefervation of Life, e- very thing which we cannot hve without. And this, IJbelieve, was ail which our Saviour defign'd we fliould mean to pray for in this Petition, that is, only for all worldly Neceffaries. Not but that when we utter thefe Words , we may alfo very pioufly enlarge our Defires; and at the lame time that we beg Neceflaries for our Bodies, beg NecefTaries for our Souls too ; and particularly for theWord of God, which is the Bread of Life, and as necefTary for the w^ ell-being of our Souls, as Bread is for the Suftenance of our Bodies, according to that of our Saviour^ Matth. iv. 4. Man Jh alt not live by Bread alone , but by every Word that proceedetb out of the Mouth of God. V/e may therefore, I fey, under- (land this Petition in this large Senfe, as praying to God for all manner of NecefTa- ries, for our Souls, as well as for our Bodies j and for the next Life, as well as for this Life. And fo we are taught in that brief Ex- plication of the Lord's Prayer which is in the Church Catechifm where the Scholar being daily Bread J explain' d. 197 being asked, \JVbat defireji thou of God in this Trayer?'\ is taught, in that part of the Anfwer which relates to this Petition, to fay, I pray unto God that he will fend us all things that be needful , both for our Souls and Bodies. But that other more retrained Senfe, which I mentioned before of the Word Breads underftanding thereby only Necef- faries for the Support of this Life, being the principal, if not the only Senfe, in which I fiippofe our Saviour meant it in this Pe- tition, is the only Senfe of it which I Ihall at prefent infift upon ; efpecially becaufe the fpiritual Senfe of this Petition, accord- ing to which we are hereby fuppofed to beg NecelTaries for our Souls, may, I think, be better reduced to the two following Pe- titions, forgive us our Trefpajfes j and, lead us not into Temptation^ but deliver us from Evil; for thofe two, things which we are taught to beg there, viz. Pardon and Grace, do comprehend as fully all things needful for our Souls, as this Peti- tion, taken in its prime and natural Senfe, does all things needful for our Bodies. O3 x.The 1^8 Give us this Day our X. The lecond thing which, in order to the ExpUcation of this Petition, I was to Ihew, is, what is meant by daily Bread ; give us our daily Bread ; in the Greek 'tis a^Tdv iTn^a-kov. And concerning the flricSb and proper Meaning of this Word, s^*^'- o-i@-, there is a great Difpute among the Criticks ; but I think the moft eafy and natural Senfe of the Word, as well as the moft agreeable to this Place, is that of St. Chryfoftom^ who fays, that is exi^Vi©^ which is neceflary Wi r ^ViW ; i. e. which is neceffary for our Subfiftence. So that what we mean, when in the Lords Prayer we beg of God our daily Bready a^-nv iwiiu-my is fo much Provifion as is neceflary for the Body, and no more than is neceffary. We are not here taught , to beg of God Riches and Honours, Dain- ties and Delicacies, but only Bread; and that not to plcafe our Palates, and delight our Senfes, but only to preferve our Bo- dies in Health and Strength ; we defire not a full Barn, or a rich Wardrobe, or a fump- tuous Palace, becaufe without all thefe we may datl^ Breads e x plain' d. 199 may live , and we may live well enough too : bur all that we beg for, is what we can't live without ; or at moft, only what we can't live well without ; i. e, only the convenient Supports, Recruits, and Re- frefliments of Nature. So that the iiibjed Matter of this Petition, the c^^7^ Shicn,®^, the daily Bread which we here beg for, is the fame which the Prophet Agttr prays for in Trov. xxx. 8. and calls Food con- venient for him : give me , fays he, nei- r ther Toverty nor Riches ; feed me with Food convenient for me, 3. I proceed now in the third Place, in order to the farther Explication of this Pe- tition, to fliew what is the Meaning of our faying, ^stwsthisT>ay\ why we are taught to pray for the neceflary Provifion only of the prefent Day. Now the Word (n^f/^e^ov, this T>ay^ give us this T>ay^ is a farther Reftridion or Li- mitation of our Defires of temporal good things, which had been very much hmit- ed and reftrained before. For when we were taught to ask only for Breads our O 4 Defires 20O, Gtve us this Day our Defires were limited only to the Necefla- tks of Life ; and when we were taught to ask only for daily Bread ^ or fujflcient Bready our Defircs were again reftrained only to NecefTaries, only to fuch things as are requifite for our Being and Subfift- euce here. And when we are here taught to ask for a Supply of thef e Neceflaries of Life, only for the prefent T)ay^ give us this T>ay ; this reftrains our Defires ftill more ; for by faying, give us this T>ay^ we exclude all anxious Care and Thought- fuinefs, even about Neceflaries, for the future time ; according to thofe Precepts of our Saviour \s\\\(^ follow after, at the end of this Chapter ; take no Thought for your Life^ what ye jhall eat^ or what ye Jh all drink -i nor yet for your Body^ what ye, jhall put on^ f. 25-, ^c. And again; therefore take no Thought j faying^ what Jhall we eat^ or what Jhall we drinky or wherewithal Jhall we he cloathedl And again ; take no Thought for to Mor- rowy for the Morrow fljall take Thought for the things of it felf Thus we are Taught our Duty by exprcfs Precept ; ancj this daily Bready explain" d. 201 this Duty we do in part pradlife, when we fay this Petition of the Lord's Prayer, give us^ this T>ay^ our daily Bread, We defire not Store of Provifion before-hand, but only neceflary Provifion , when we want it, and as we have Occafion to ufe it : not a full Granary, but a Meals Meat ; not Goods laid up for many Years, but only fuch as we fliall have Ufe and Occa- fion for this Day , which we are already entred upon. We do not defire to have an Eftate fettled upon us for Life, that fo after that we may live of our felves, upon our own Income, without being farther beholden to any body ; but we are con- tented to live every Day upon the frelh Supplies of Providence : and by putting up this Petition, by faying, give us this day our daily Bread j wc do, in Effedt, declare that we fhall be well pleafed if we do not want , altho' we fliould have nothing before-hand. And there was good Reafon why we fliould be taught to put up our Requefts to God for temporal things, with this Re- ftridlion and Limitation ; viz,. (I.) Be. loz Gwe us this Day our (i.) Becaule we are really dependent Creatures, and muft live upon Providence whether we will or no ; for we can ne- ver be fo rich , and fb well furniflVd and provided for, as not to (land in continual Need of the BiciTing of Providence, to preferve our Store, and to make it ulefui ro u^ So that the rich Man has no left Reajfen to put up this Petition than the poor Man ; for as rich as he is, he may, even in one Day's Time, by a Blaft of Providence, become as poor as the poor- eft, be reduced fo low as to want even a Meals-Meat. Befides, there is good Reafon that we Ihould beg but only for the Neceffaries of the prefent Day, becaufc this \'^ all which we are allowed to be concerned or thought- ful aboi:r ; take no Thought for to Mor- row^ fays our Saviour: and \^ we may not be thoughtful about to Morrow, then we ought to be content if we have now {o much as will ferve our prefent Needs, and not to be earncfl: in our Defires to have any thing, till we need \i. More- daily Breads explained. 203 Moreover ; there is great Reafon in this Petition, give us this TDay our daily Bread ; becaufc the Bread of this Day is all which 7 we can need ; nay, indeed, 'tis all which we can ufe at prefent ; for if we had ne- ver fo much Provifion in Store, we could not eat or drink for a Week or a Month hence; and therefore, if we have 4>nt e- very Day as much as we have Occafion to ufe that Day, it is as well for us as if we had had it a Week or a Month before ; for even then we could not have uled it, we muft have kept it by us till we had wanted it, and all that time it would have done us no good : fo that if we have it but when we need it , we have as much of it as we can in Reafon defire. And fo much may ferve for the Expli- cation of this Petition; giveus^ thisT>ay^ our daily Bread. By what has been laid we may fee what Senfe we ought to have in our Minds, when we utter theft Words in Prayer to God ; namely this, " We are " fenfible, O Father, that our whole De- « pendence is upon thee ; that we have *' nothing, and can have nothing, but " from u 204 Give us this Day our '- from thy Bounty ; and this Bounty and " Goodnefs of thine we ftand in need of ^' every Day, for the Support of our Life ^' it felf, on the Continuance whereof de- ^' pends our Enjoyment of a!I thy other " Mercies. We befeech thee, therefore, *' that thou would'ft be pleafed to pre- ** lerve that Life which thou hafl given *^ us, and in order to that, that thou *^ would'ft continually, as we have Need, *' beflow upon us all things neceflary for the Support of Life ; Food convenient, wholfome Lodging, warm Cloathing, *^ Health and Strength of Body, and *' whatever elfe thou feeft needful for us, *' when we need xx.-, and according as we *^ need it. We defire that thou w^ould'fl: " fo long preferve us in this Life, as is " expedient either for thy Glory, or our ** own Good; and fo order things, that *' while we continue here our Life may be " comfortable to us." This is the Sum of what we beg of God in this Petition. I proceed now, according to the Me- tliod at firft laid down, and which has bee>i dat^ Bready explained. 20 j been already obferved, in all the forego- ing Petitions, II. To fliew, in the fecond Place, what good LefTons we may learn from this Pe- tition ; what Duties it inftrudts us in. And, I. Being here taught by our Saviour himfelf, to make our daily Bread, i. e, fuch things as are necelTary for the Support and Comfort of this Life , a Matter of our conftant and daily Prayer to God ; and that too in this very fliort Prayer, con- lifting but of fix Petitions in all : One thing which we may obferve , and learn* from hence, is this ; that provided we da but feek firft the Kingdom of God and his Right eoufnefs^ we are allowed by God to feek for other things ; i. e. for the Ne- cefTaries and Comforts of this Life, with a fecondary and fubordinare Care. For what we may pray to God for , that we liiay certainly defire ; nay, indeed, our Prayers are hypocritical if we do not de- fire it ; a»d what we may defire, that we may io6 Gwe us thts Day otir may feek and endeavour to obtain : from whence therefore it is plain that thofe e- vangeHcal Precepts, whereby we are com- manded to be careful for nothings and to take no Thought what we Jhall eat , or drink^ or put on , are not to be under- ftood abloliitely, but comparatively ; not as forbidding all Care for this Life, but only an excefTive and prepofterous Care, or an anxious Thoughtfulnefs and Concern about it. And this Moderation in our Care, for the things of this Life, we are taught even in this Petition ; wherein (as I ob- ferv'd before) we beg only NecefTaries, and thofe too only for the prefent Time, the Bread of this Day. And that our Care for thefe things ought to be lubordinate to our Care for better things, is likewife clearly enough intimated by that Place which this Petition hath in our Prayer; for we pray not even for the NecefTaries of Life, till we have firft prayed for the Advancement of God's Honour , for the Enlargement of his Kingdom, and for the Performance and Accomphlliment of his Will. X, Ano- datl^ Bread ^ explain' d. 207 a. Another good Leflbn which we are taught by our Uft of this Petition of the Lord's Prayer, give us this "Day our daily Breads is this ; that God is the Giver of all good things to us, temporal as well aslpiri- tual, and of our Life it felf, and of the Con- tinuance thereof For it would be needlefs to beg our Bread of another, if we had it of our own, or could give it to our felves ; and it would be fruitlels, and to no Pur- pofe, to beg it of God, if it were not his to give. But alas! we our felves cannot fubfifl a Moment, much lefs a Day without him; 'tis in him that we live^ move^ and have our Beings Adts xvii. 28. By him all things confijl^ ColoflT. i. 17. He upholds all things by the IVord of his Tower ^ Heb. i. 3. 'Tis his good Providence which delivers us from Dangers, fbme perhaps ktw or foreknown by us, and a great many others which we are delivered from , before we fo much as difcerned our felves to be in any Danger. 'Tis he who provides Food for our Hunger, and Raiment for our Cloathing 2o8 Gwe us this Day our Cloathing ; who makes the Grafs and the Gorn to grow for our Ufe, who gives to the Earth a frudtiferous Nature, who wa- ters it with the Dew and Rain from Hea- ven , and with the Springs which run a- mong the Hills : 'tis he who refrellies it with his Sun, who gives fruitful Seafons, who grants us Power to gather in the Fruits of the Earth, and gives us Ability to ufe them for our own Suftenance : 'tis he who makes them yield kind and whol- fome Nutriment to the Body , and gives us an Appetite to take, a Palate to relifli^ and a Stomach to digeft them : 'tis he who make the Beafts of the Field to increafe and multiply, to ferve for our Ufe both of Nourifhment and Cloathing; and who gives us Skill to make Ufe of what they afford, for the Purpofes it was de- ilgned. We are poor, lorry, helplefs Creatures of our felves; we could do none of all thefe things for our felves, neither could any thing elfe be ufeful and lerviceable to us without God. We fay indeed oftentimes, in common Difcourfe, that fuch a thing comes to pafs da'ihj Bread y explained, 209 pais by Accident, or that fuch a thing is the Work and Effed: of Nature ; but when we fay fo, we fpeak fooliflily and ignorant- ly ; for there is in truth no fuch thing as Chance or Accident ; for not Jo much as a Sparrow falls to the Ground rsjithoiit God^ as our Saviour fays, and even the very Hairs cf our Head are all num~ bred. And when the Lot is caH into the Lap J the whole difPoJing thereof is of the Lord. Neither is there any fiich thing as Nature working bUndfold , and by it felf, without the Concurrence of the firft Spring or Mo/er. For, as our Savi~ ^^rlikcvvifc teaches us, 'tis God who /;"ay our daily Br pad ; if we mind what we fay, and are affcdred with it, it can't but remind us that we receive our Bread Yefterday from the fame Hand from which we do now beg it , and that the Bread of Yefterday was then as necef- iary, and as feafonable a Supply, as the Bread of this Day will be now ; and con- fequently that we ought in Reafon to be as heartily thankful for the Good we have received, as we are now earnefHy defirous to receive more, 4. Another good LefTon which we are inftrudcd in, by our Ufe of this Petition, give us this T>ay oar daily Breads is this ; that we ought to moderate our De- fires of all worldly good things, and par- ticularly that we fliould not extend them to a time very long hence to corac : by our Ufe of this Petition we are plainly P 3 taught 2 14 Gwe us this Day our taught that there is no Reafon why we fliould do fo. For fmce 'tis the fame God who gave us our Being, and who preferves us in it ; fince 'tis the fame God, of vvhofe Bounty we have already receiv'd all things need- ful 5 who muft Hkewife fupply all our fu- ture Needs, we have no Reafon to diftruft his Goodnefs or his Power ; but may fafe^ ly caft all our Cares for the future upon him^ who has hitherto cared for us^ and upon whom we have hitherto lived ever fince we were born. For, as our Saviour argues, at the 25-^^^ 3^. of this Chapter, the Life is more than Meat , and the Body than Raiment ; why then fhould we fear that he who has given us Life , will not give us wherewithal to fupport this Life ? Or why fliould we think that he who has given us a Body, either cannot or will not give us Raiment to cloath the Body ? For he who has done that which is more^ is certainly able to do that which is lefs; and he who has done us a great Kindnefs already, will not certainly deny us a Imaller. Befides, datl^ Breads explained. 2 1 j Befides, we are Creatures but of a Day ; our Life here is as nothing ; we may be paft ufing any thing of this World, in a very ihort time; why then fliould our Care for Life extend farther than our Life it felf ? To Day indeed we want many things, and therefore we may reafonably defire them ; w^e may well pray, as we are here taught by our Savmtr^ give us this 'Day our daily Breads i e. all things which are needful for this Day ; but to Morrow we may be paft ufing any of thefe things ; we may confequentiy then have no Need of them; and if not, we fliall be as well > without them. However, if we Hve till to Morrow, the Morrow will take Thought for the things of it felf \ for we prayed Yefter- day for our daily Bread, and we had it ; and we did put up the fame Petition to Day, and it is granted to us : and there- fore if we live till to Morrow , let us but only put up the fame Requeft again ; and there is no Caufe to doubt, but that God, our heavenly Father, who is the fame Te- P 4 ferday. zi6 Give us thh Da^ our Jierdayy to T)ay^ and for ever^ will be as v^nlliug and as able to grant our Requeft then, as he is to Day, and as he was Ye- fterday, and indeed has been every Day of our Life which is already pad. If therefore he thinks fit to prolong our ]Life to another Day, there is no doubt but thar, upon our Petition, he will grant to us the neceflary Means of preferving it : and, pa the other fide, if it be his PJeafure that this fliall be our lad Day, we ihall need to be concerned for nq more, 5-. From this Petition of the Lord's Prayer we are likewife inftruded in the Nature of Contentment. We hence leam what Portion or Quantity it is, which we ought to be fatisfyed and contented with ; for we are taught here to defire and requeft of God, only daily Breads i. e. only the NeceiTaries, or the great Conveniencies of Life : and therefore certainly , if we have all which we our felyes dp defire, arid all which we ask for, we have great panfe to be fatisfyed with our Portion. And daily Bread^ explar/id, 217 And thus we are plainly direfted by the Apoftle^ i Tim. vi. 7, 8. JVe brought nothing into this Worlds and it is cer- tain we can carry nothing out ; and ha- ving Food and Raiment^ let tis be there- with content. JVe brought nothing in- to this World \ wc came into it naked and helplefs, not knowing in the leaft how we iliould do to live in it fo much as one Day ; and yet by God's Blefilng we have hitherto lived in it, and have had all things needful fupplied to us by the divine Bounty ; and it is certain that we can carry nothing out ; /. e. whe- ther we have much or little in this World, when we go from hence we mufl leave all we have here behind us. And there- fore, fays the Apoftle^ feeing we had no- thing of our own when we came hither , and feeing we can have nothing of our own, nor any Ufe of any thing which v/as our own, when we go from hence; if we have but enough to carry us thro* this World, this is all which wc can have need of, this is all which we Ihall be the better for; and therefore if we have but thus 2 1 8 Gtve us this Day our thus much, we have good Reafon to be fatisfy'd with what we have ; we have no Reafon to murmur and complain againft Providence, that we have no more. Ha- ving Food and Raiment , fays he, (by which he means only the Neccflaries of Life, and under which Words he compre- hends all things that are neceflary ; ha- ving Food and Raiment ^J let m be there- with content. 6. Another thing which we are inftrud:- ed in, by this Petition, is our Obligation t© Frequency and Conftancy in Prayer; for here we are taught to pray only for the Bread of this prefent Day ; give us this T)ay our daily Bread. Now iuppofe our Requeft granted; fuppofe that God does give us, this Day, the Bread of this Day , i e. all NecefTaries which we have prefent Occafion for , yet what fliall we do for the Bread of to Morrow ? To Mor- row, if we live till then , we fliall have the fame Needs which we have to Day ; how ihall we get them fupplied? How do we think, but the fame way by which our datl^ Breads explam'd, 219 our prefent Wants are fupplied ; i. e. by- Prayer to God ? But we do not pray to Day for the Bread of to Morrow, and therefore it plainly follows that we mud pray for that to Morrow ; and the next Day , for the Bread of the next Day ; and fo again and again, every Day while we live. And every Day of our Lives, which we pafs over without Prayer to God, we are in Danger of wanting even the NecelTaries of Nature; for God has promifed even thefe NecefTaries only upon the Condition of cur asking for them ; and we are not taught, we are not warranted to ask for the NecefTaries of any Day, till the Day it felf be come. Thus it appears that God defign'd we fliould live in a conftant Dependence up^ on him, and that we fliould pray to him continually ; and if at any time we omit, or negled this Duty, we have no Claim, by Promife , to his Protedtion and Blef^ fing. He may indeed , of his abundant Goodnels, give us what we want without our asking ; and he is oftentimes very kind even to the unthankful and to the evil. But 2 20 Gwe tis this Day our But from whac God may do if he plealeSj we can't argue that he will do it ; io that we can have no good AfTurance of the Continuance of his Kindnefs and Goodnefs to us, but upon the Condition of our own continual and incelTant Prayers. 7. What we pray for, we ought alfo to labour for ; and if we do not, 'tis a Sign our Defires of it are not hearty , and fo we may reafonably fear our Prayers for it will not be fuccefsful. This is generally true in all our Petiti- ons to God, whatever the Subjed: Matter of them is. For even when we pray for Spirituals, as for any Grace or Virtue, un- lels we likewiie endeavour after it, and ufe the Means of obtaining it, there is no Promife of God, nor any good Realbn to hope, that he will work it in us, or be- ftovv it upon us. And there is the fame Reafon for Temporals : and therefore ano- ther thing, which we are inftruded in from this Petition of the Lord's Prayer, give us this "Day our daily Breads is, that 'tis our Duty alfo to feek honeftly to get datl^ Bread^ explam'd. 111 gee our own Living, by Diligence and In- duftry, in that lawful Trade, or Calling, or Profeffion, which we have been brought up to, or are placed in. For there is no Reafon ever to exped any thing by a Mi- racle, which may be obtained by the Ufe of natural Means ; and therefore we may obferve, (and it is a Cafe which fuits well the Subjecl: we are now fpeaking of;) that while the Ifraelttes were in a barren Wildernefs , wherein was no Water, and nothing growing that was fit for Food, at lead not fufficient for fo great a Multi- tude ; God was pleafed to work Miracles for their Support : for he clave the Rocks in the JVildernefs^ and gave them- ^7 ink asotitofthegreat'Dcpths^ Pfal.lxxviii.i^. He brought Streams alfo out of the Rocky and catifed Waters to run down like Ri- versy ij. 16. and made the Streams flow- ing from this Founrain to follow them all the way as they went; whence the Apo- file fays, they drank of that Rock that followed them ^ [i Cor. x. 4. vid. Ham. Annot. in loc.~\ He Ihewed his miraculous Power alio in farnifliing a Table for them m 222 Give m thts Day otir in the V/ildernels 5 for he commanded the Clouds from above ^ and opened the 'Doors ' of Heaven^ and rained down Manna upon them to eat^ and gave them of the Corn of //6'^'Z/T;^,Pfal.lxxviii.^3,^4. Thus didGod then, when there was no other Supply to be had, give them every Day their daily Bread, as it were immediately with his own Hand. But when the Pveafon of this Mi- racle ceafed, the Miracle ceafed too ; when they might be fupplicd the ordinary way^ God thought not fit to fupply them any longer in this extraordinary manner ; and fo 'tis noted in Jofl?. v. 12. that when they were parted on tx Jordan^ and encamped in Gilgal., they did eat of the old Corn of the Land\ and that the Manna ceafed on the Morrow^ after they had eaten of the old Corn of the Land\ neither had the Children of Ifrael Manna any more. They were then come to a Land inhabited, wherein the Corn of the lad Year's Har- veft had been laid up by the Canaanites againft their Coming , and wherein they themfelves, for the future, were to plant, and to fow, and to reap; and therefore God, datl'j Bread^ explain' d. 112 God, by putting a Stop then to the fall- ing of Manna, ihevved them, that now in a fruitful Land Labour and Indufiry would be the Means of obtaining their Bread from God. And 'tis generally fo ; honeft Labour is the natural Means of procuring fuch things as are needful for the Body ; and there is nothing more than that, with the Ble/Ting of God upon it, which is ordinarily need- ful for this Purpofe. So that thefe being in our own Power, (for if God has given us Strength to labour, wx may make Ule of it ; and if we beg his Blefling upon our Labour, he has promifed to give it. I fay, thefe being both in our own Power,) if we do not honeflly work for our Living, as well as pray for it, we may be in want even of NecefTaries, and yet there may be no Failure at all in God's Care and Pro- vidence; we may have none to blame for it, but our lelves. 8. Being taught here to beg our Bread of God, we are hereby warned not to re- ceive it but from him ; not to receive it from 214 Give t4S this Day our from the Devil, tho' it be oifered co it's by him. Now then, we receive our Bread frorn God 5 not only when we receive it by a Miracle, as the I/raelites did their Mafi- na in the Wildernefs; or 2iS Elijah did the Bread and Flejh^ which were brought him every Morning and Evening; by the Ravens ; but likewife when it is the Fruit of our honeft Induftry, in fbme lawful Calling , or when it comes to us by Gift or Inheritance from thofe who were law- fully poficfTed thereof And then, on the other fide, we do re- ceive our Bread not from God but from the Devil, when we procure it by any fin- ful Means, by the Exercile of any unlaw- ful Trade, by any Fraud or Injuftice in ourDcaHngs, by committing any Sin, and making Shipwrack of a good Confcience^ in order either to get or keep a Place of Profit. For to beg our Bread of God, and at the fame time to take any unlawful Courfe 4 to procure it, is not only an Argument of our Diftrufl: of God, and that we da noE think dally Bread y explained. izj think him able to grant our Requefts, but 'tis likewife a great Indignity and Affront offered to him ; for when we ufe any in- diredt or forbidden Means to obtain that which we leem to beg of God as his Gift, we thereby make it plainly appear , that all our Prayer to him is nothing elfe but Infinuation and Flattery; and that tho' we make our Court to him in Words, our inward Worfhip and Devotion is paid to the Devil. 9. Laftly; when we ufe this Petition of the Lord's Prayer, we do not (ay, give me J but give ms our daily Bread ; i. e. we beg for a Supply of other's Wants, as well as of our own ; we pray that neither we our felves, nor any elfe, may want the NecefTaries for the Support of Life. Now (as was faid before,) what we pray for, we ought alfo to endeavour : fo that ano- ther Duty, which we are likewife plainly inftruded in, by our Ufe of this Petition, is the great Duty of Charity and Bounty to the Poor and Needy. For ii6 Gwe us thts Day our For we pray to God that none may wanr, but we know there are a great ma- ny, who, either thro' Age or Sicknefs, are not able to work for their Living ; and that there are a great many working and induftrious Poor, who either cannot get fafficient Employment ; or who, by a full' Employment, by rifmg early, fitting up late, and working hard all the Day, can- not get a iufficient Maintenance for their numerous Family of Children ; and that there are likevvife a great many others, who having once had enough both for their own Needs, and to contribute to- wards the Maintenance of the helplefs Poor, are by fome k.Qi of Providence, as bp/ Fire, Robbery, Inundation, or the like, reduced to great Extremities, and for the prelent rendred uncapable to fol- low their former Employments, for want of Stock to work upon. When therefore we pray that even rhefe alfo, as well as others, may have their Wants fupplied, u^e ought our felves freely to contribute towards their Support. And in cafe God has fo blelTed our lududry, that we have more datl^ Bread^ explam'd. iz7 more than we need for our felves, it is our Duty to affign the Overplus, or at lead a confiderable Portion thereof, to the Ule of thole who have nothing, or not enough to maintain them ; and by our very put- ting up of this Petition, we engage our felves to do fo. And k St. James argues. Jam. ii. 15-, 16. If a Brother or a Sifter he ndkedy and be deftiiutc of daily Food^ and one of you fay unto them^ T>efa?^t in '\Peace^ be ye warmed^ and be ye filled % fiotwitbftanding ye give them not thofe things "ji'hich be needful for the Body, 'ji'hat doth it profit ? Indeed, when wc have nothing to give to a Brother or a Sifter tliat is needy, but good Willies only; when they are all which we can give, they will be accept- ed; but when God has put ic into our Powet to do them good, as well as to Willi them well, and we only pray that their Wants may be nappiied, but will not give any thing of our own towards \i\ it is a certain Sign that our Prayers are not hearty, and that our Defires are not fin- cere; it's a certain Argument, that the Q^ X Love 2X8 Give m this Da^^ 8cc. Love which we profefs towards them is only in Word and in Tongue, not as it fliouldbe, mT>eed, and in Truth, ijoh. iii. 1 8. For whatever a Man earneftly de- iires Ihould be done, he, of Courle, en- deavours to do, if it be in his Power. Now he that admintftreth Seed to the Sower, both mmifter Bread for your Food, and multiply your Seed fown, and increafe the Fruits of your Right eoufnefs^ x Cor. ix. lo. Forgive Forgive us our DEBTS, As we forgive our DEBTORS, EXPLAINED. aMM AMA, jLXA. 4JIA. A«A ■■ *■■- *■* *«A AWM AJLk -»■* ^ma AMA. AMM. AMM. AMM. AM^ Q-3 ^31 DISCOURSE VIL Forgive us our. Debts ^ &c. cxplain'd. sv<{ -^1/ yf/A vv. jv" V \-// vy/x ^"/x s*// N«"x \.«/^ vy/^ ^."/^ v'/y ^w-v \v'/y vy/^ sw \y/^ vy^ Mattii. vi. 12, 14, I J. And for^nve us our Debts ^ as we forgive our Debtors. For if ye forgive Men their Tref- pciffes^ "jour heaven^ Father will alfo forgive you. But if ye forgive not Men their Tref- CL 4 p'^JF^^^ 1-^1 Forgive us ourDeks, &c. explained. pcijfesy neither wtU jour Father forgive your Trefpajfes. H E firft of thefe three Verfes, that I have chofen for my Text, contains the fifth Peti- tion of the Lord's Prayer, the four former I have already difcourfed of; forgive us our T)ebts^ as we forgive our "Debtors. In which Petition there is firft a Requeft put up to God , that he would forgive us our TrelpafTes ; and fecondly there is a Reafbn added to enforce the Re- queft, or rather a Reafon offered to God to induce him to grant our Requeft ; as we forgive our ^Debtors ; or as St. Luke exprelTes it, Luke xi. 4. for we alfo for- give every one that is indebted to us. And the two other Verfes of the Text, viz the 14''' and 15^^ give an Account of the Reafon of the Addition ofthatlaft Claufe in the Petition , as we forgive our T>ibtors'^ which (as our Saviour fays) was this, bccaufe our Sins will not be forgiven to us only upon our Petiti- Forgive us ourDebts^ Sec. explained, 133 on, unlefs we our felves do Ihew fuch Mercy to Men, as we here requeft of God ; but that if we forgive Men their TreipafTes againft us, then ( upon our Repentance and Confeflion, and begging Pardon of God) he alfo will forgive our Sins and TrelpafTes againft him. For if ye, &c. Now, tho' it was very proper that this Account ihould be given of the Reafon of the Addition of that Claule in the Pe- tition 5 as we forgive our T)ebtors^ or, for we forgive our T)ebtors\ yet it was not fit, that when our Saviour was teaching his Difciples a Pattern or Form of Prayer, he Ihould break ofT in the middle of the Prayer it felf, to give this Account of that particular Claufe ; but it was more proper that he fliould firft recite the whole Prayer throughout, and then afterwards, in a Difcourfe addrefled to his Difciples, give the Reafon of any Claufe in it which might be liable to be mifunderftood, or excepted againft ; this therefore he does ; for after be had taught them the fifth Pe- tition, 3 4 Forgive us ourDehts^ &c. explain' d, tition, at the ii'" i\ in the Words before read to you; forgive us our 'Debts ^ as we forgive our Debtors ; he immediate- ly adds, in the 13"- f^ the fixth Petition, and the Conclufion of the Prayer ; and then 5 when he had quite finiflied the whole Prayer, he adds rhofe Words be- fore read, in the 14^^' and 15-'^' Verfes, to give a Reafon of that Claufe in the fifth Petition, which he thought might not be. well underflood, or might be excepted a- gainft; and this Method of Dilcourle was proper and natural. But my prefent Defign being to treat of every Claufe or Petition of this Prayer by itfelf^ to give the Meaning thereof, and to ground a practical Diicourfe thereup- on ; I thought it would be more proper for me, now that I am treating of this fifth Petition, forgive us our Debts j as we forgive our Debtors^ to treat alfb at the fame time of that Reafon which our Saviour himfelf gives of this Petition, in rhofe two Verfes which are added by the Evangelifi j after he had recited the whole Forgive tis our Debts y &c. explain' d. i7,j whole Prayer. And this was the Reafon why, when I named my Text, I named the ii'^, i4'\ and 15-''' Verfes ; which three Verfes do all belong to the fame Subject; omitting, for the prefent, the J 3^^ ff which belongs to another Sub- jed;, and contains the fixth Petition of this Prayer, and the Conclufion of it, and referving that to be difcourfed of at another time. Forgive us our T)ebts^ as we forgive our Debtors ; that's the Peti. tion I am now to treat of; and then fol- lows the Reafon of the laft Claufe of the Petition ; for ifye^ &c. In difcourfing of this fifth Petition of the Lord's Prayer, I fliall obferve the fame Method which I have done in dif- courfing of the foregoing ones ; /. e. I. I fliall explain the Meaning of it , and fliew what Senfe we ought to have in our Minds, when we utter thefe Words in Prayer to God. And, JL I fliall fliew what good Leflbns we are 1^6 Forgive us our Debts ^ &c. explam'd. are taught, what Duties we are inftru<3:ed in , and oblig'd to , by our Ule of this Petition. And, in fpeating to thefe two Heads, I (liall have Occafion to difcourfe as much as I fuppofe fliall be needful, concerning tiiofe Words which are added by our Sa- viour^ ill the 14'^ and 15''^ Verfes, to give an Account of the Reafon of his making our Forgivenefs of others, the Condition of our asking Forgivenefs of God. For if ye forgive^ Sec. I. I fiiall explain the Meaning of this Petition, and Ihew what Senfe we ought to have in our Minds, when we utter thefe Words in Prayer to God, forgive us our T>ebts^ as we^ &c. Forgive us our "Debts ; the Word, in the Greek of St. Matthew^ Gofpel, \Sy C'pei^rifA^oLJct ; which IS truly and rightly here tranflated, Debts ; but in the Greek of St. Luke's Gofpel, 'tis dfA^ct^rUg^ i. e. Sins'^ and fo 'tis there tranflated, forgive MS our Sins: and in the Form which we do Forgive us ourDehis^ 8cc. explained. 237 do commonly ule, we fay, Trejpajfes - forgive us our Treffajfes, By which Word, Treffafs^ we ufually underftand a lels Fault than we do by the Word Sin : and this Word, I mean the Greek Word, '^xroL^TTJcofjtot, which is ufually tranflated a Trelpals, is the fame Word which is thrice ufed in the 14'^ and 15-'^ Verfes, where ©ur Saviour ftiews the Neceflity of our forgiving Men their Trelpafles againft us, in order to our obtaining of God the For- givenefs of our Sins or TrefpafTes againft him. For if ye forgive Men their Tref fajfes^ your J &c. But it is all one which of thefe Words we u{e, "Debts J or Sins^ or Trefpajfes ; becaufe in this Place they muft all have the lame Meaning: for what \% 2iTrefpafs againft God, but only the doing ibmething which he has forbidden? And this is like- wife a Sin ; for Sin (as the Apoftle fays,) is the Tranfgrefjlon of the Law ; and this fame may alio be well called 2iT>eht\ for by tranlgreffing the Law of God in any Point, we become obnoxious to him, we ^ owe 238 For give us ourDehts^ &c. explained, owe him Satistadbion for the Injury, ei- ther by making Reparation , or , ( fmce that can't be done by us,) by fuffering the Puniftiment due to our TranlgrefTion. I Ihall therefore, for the ExpHcation of this Petition, do thefe two things: i. I ihall explain the Matter of the Petition ; I fhall fliew what it is which we here beg of God, what it is to have our ^\w%forgi- ve7t us. And, 2. I fliall ihew what it is which we do here declare we have done, and do ; or do engage and promife that we will do , as a Condition on our Part, on which only we beg Forgivenefs of God, Forgive us, as iz'e forgive our "Debtors ; or, as we forgive them that treffafs a- gainjl us. I. I (hall explain the Matter of the Pe- tition ; I fliail ihcw what it is which we do here beg of God ; forgive us our Tref- fajfes\ what it v^ to have our S'ms forgi- ven us. Now by every Sin againft God, by e- very Tranfgrefiion of his Laws, we affront th^ Fornve us our Debts, Sec, explaw'd. 239 the divine Majerty, we refill and oppofe his Authority, we do Wrong and Injury to him, to whom all our Service is due ; but now every Injury done to another, naturally obliges tq SacisfacSion, and we continue unjufl till we repair the Damage vvc have done. This therefore is w^hat, by our Sins a- gainft God, we have made neceiTary to our lelves, we mud: repair the Injury we have done him, we mud pay the Debt which we owe him. But alas! this is impofTible for us to do ; for all the Good we can do, extends not to him; and tho' we Ihould fpend all the remaining Part of our Lives in his faithful Service, and never again at any time tranfgrels his Commandments, this would be no Satisfadtion or Amends to him. By this indeed we fliould avoid running deeper in his Debt ; but our bare- ly forbearing to contradt a new Debt , cannot be accounted a Payment of the Debt we have already contracted : no Man is ever thought to pay what he has bor- row'd-, 240 Forgtve us ourDebts^ 8cc. explain^ d, row'd, only by forbearing to borrow more. But this is all which we can poflibly do, we can only forbear adding new Trelpaf- fes to our former, but we can by no Means ever recompenfe, or make him Sa- tisfaction, for thofe which we have alrea- dy done. It remains therefore that for thefe, we are, and always fhall be liable to the Lafh of the Law ; i. e. obnoxious to fiiffer the Punilhment threatned by the Law, to the Tranlgreflbrs of it ; for cur- fed IS every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Law to do them. And this Punidiment com- prehends all thofe Evils which God hath any where threatned to Sin , all manner of Evils, fpiritual and temporal, and e- fpecially Death ; the Wages of Sin is ^eath , fays the Apftle , i. e, eternal Death; this appears by the Oppoficion whiich is there made by the A^oftle be- tween Death and Life; the Wages of Sin is ^Death^ but the Gift of God is eternal Life\ now that T)eath which is oppo- fite to eternal Life, is eternal T> eat h \ i. e. the Forgive m our Debts ^ &c. explairfd,, 241 i. e. the eternal Torment both of Body and Soul in Hell : this is the Wages of Sin, this is the Punilliment due to every Tranlgreffion of the Law of God; and this is what, being Sinners, we are liable to be fentenced to, and to have inflided upon us, w^henever God pleafes. This therefore is what we pray for in this Petition, when we fay, forgive us cur Trefpaffes. We pray that God would be pleafed not to exad: this Punilliment of US; we pray, that fince we can make him no true Satisfaction for the Injury we have done him, he, of his great Good- nefs and Clemency , would be pleafed to pals it by, and not exad any Satisfadion from us ; /. e. that he would not inflid: upon us any of thofe Evils which he has threatned to the Tranlgreflbrs of his Laws ; and above all , not that which is the proper Wages of Sin, the eternal Tor- ments of Hell. This is what we ask in this Petition, that God would not impute our Sins to us, to our Condemnation. Forgive us our Trejpajfes. R But 2 4 2 Forgive us ourDebts^ & c. explained. But when we fay, forgive us our Tref^ pafTes, it is fuppos'd that we have tref- pafTed; by the very asking Forgivenefs of our Sins, we own that we have fin- ned : for if we had no Need of Pardon, (as we fliould not have if we were inno- cent,) there would be no Reafon to ask Pardon. Nay indeed, to put up this Peti- tion to God, to fay, forgive us our Tref pajfes^ when at the {ame time we are not confcious to our felves that we have fin- ned , and that we do greatly ftand in Need of Pardon, is no better than mock- ing or trifling with God. And therefore we may well underftand this Petition, for Pardon of Sin, as in- cluding in it a Confeflion of our Sins to God , as well as a Prayer for Forgive- nefs. I proceed now, in the fecond Place, 2. To ilievv what it is which we here declare we have done , and do ; or do engage and promile that we will do, as a Condition on our Part, on which only we Forgive us ourDehts^ & c . explain' d, 243 we beg Forgivenefs of God; forgive us our T>ebts^ as we forgive our debtors ; or, as we forgive them that tre/pafs a- gainji us. And what we here declare and pro- mife, is, that we have fliewn , and that we do and will fliew the fame Kindnefs to our Brother who has injured us, which we beg God would fliew to us who have trefpafied againfl: him. Now , (as was faid before,) what we beg of God, is, that fmce we cannot make him true Satisfadtion for our Sins, he would not exadl of us the Puniili- ment of them; this therefore is what wc here declare and engage, on our Part, viz. that we will not exad of our Bro- ther a Debt which he owes us, if he be not able to pay it ; or if he cannot re- compenfe us for any other Injury, that we will not defire that Satisfaction which the Law , if we fliould go to the StricSt- nefs of ir, would allow ; i. e. to keep his Body in Prifbn, or to put him to Pain and Mifery ; by w^hich we ihould only do R z him 2 44 Forgive iis ourDebts^ See, explained. him Evil, but do our felves no Good, re- ceive no real Amends. In a Word ; this is what we here en- gage and promife , that \v\ Cafe of any injury or Wrong done to us, by any I Neighbour, we will be content with fuch '' Satisfadlion as he can make us; that if he be not well able to make us perfedt Amends , we will be fatisfied with a fmaller Recompence; and that if he can make us no Amends at all, we will freely forgive the Injury ; neither doing him our felves, any Injury like to that which he has done us , nor fo much as defiring that any fiich Evil may befal him ; but that we will as truly defire, and as hear- tily endeavour to procure his Eafe , and promote his Welfare , as if he had never done us any Wrong at all. But whenever we made Profeffion of any thing which is good concerning our felves, we ought to do it with Modefty and HumiUty, and a kind of Diftruft of our felves ; it becomes us to have fome Fear upon our felves, left our natural Self love lliould Forgive us ourDebts^ &c. explain' d, 245 fliould make us think of our (elves more highly than we ought to think, accord- ing to the Example of the Afoftle^ i Cor, iv. 4. / know fiothiJig by my felf^ yet am I not hereby jujlified^ but he that judgeth me is the Lord\, for we may fee no Fault in our felves, our own Heart may ab- folve us, and yet God^ who (as the^- poftle fays, i Joh, iii. 20.) is greater than our Hearts^ i. e. who knows what is within us, much better than we our felves do, may fee that we are not lb blamelefs as we think our felves ; and therefore, I fay, 'tis very reafonabie, whenever we declare any thing concern- ing our lelves, that is good, (as we do in this Claufc of the Lord's Prayer, when we lay that we do forgive thofe that trejpafs againji us -J that we fliould do it with Modefty and Diffidence of our felves, and accompany our Profeilion of our own Sincerity, with a fecret Wifli or Petition, that God would be pleafed to make us fuch , ( if we are not perfedly fuch already,) as we do R 3 declare 2 4^ Forgwe us our Debts ^ &c. explam'd, declare and believe our felves to be. An excellent Example of this Humi- lity, and modeft Diftruft of our felves, we have in Mark ix. 24. in the Man who brought his Son to our Saviour for Cure, who was poffefTed with a dumb Spirit; I ffake^ fays he, to thy T>ifci- fles^ that they Jhould caft hirn out^ and they could not ^ :)^. 18. But if thou canft do any things have CompaJJion on us ^ and help ns ^ f. ix. Je/lis faid unto hirn , If thou canft believe , all things are fojfible to him that believeth^ ij-'^l. and then it follows, ^".14. And fir eight - ijvay the Father of the Child cry ed out ^ and faid with Tears^ Lord^ I believe ; /. e, if this be the Condition of my Son's Cure, that I fhould beheve that thou art able to cure him, I have performed this Con- dition ah'eady ; for I do firmly believe that thou art able to do it. And, in this, he doubtlefs fpake the true Senfe of his Mind. But then , knowing how deceit- ful the Heart of Man is, and that 'twas pofTible his Faith might not be fo good as Forgive m ourDebts^ 8c c. explain' d. 1 47 as he himfelf took it to be, he immedi- ately adds the following Word, he/p thou mine Unbelief, Lord^ I believe^ help thou mine Unbelief. 'Tis as if he hadfaid, I am not confcious to my feif of any Weaknefi in my Faith, of any Mixtute of Diftruft or Doubtfulnefs in my Belief of thy Power to cure my Son, but there may be Faults in me which I my felf can- not difcern, and my Faith, perhaps, may not be fo good as I take it to be ; there- fore , be thou pleafed to help my Unbe- lief; /. e. if there be any Fault or Defi- ciency in my Faith , which I my felf do not difcern, be thou pleafed of thy great Goodnefs to forgive it, and by the Help of thy Grace to fupply it. And with fuch Modefty and Humili- ty, and Diftruft of our felves, we ought always to utter thefe Words in Prayer to God , forgive us our Trejpafes , as 4 -^ we forgive them that trefpafs againft us: when we fay, as we forgive them that trefpafs againft us ; we declare that wc do , wc promife that we will f^r- R 4 giv^ 248 Forgive us ourDebts^ 8cc. explam'J^ give thofe who do us Wrong; and we can't fay thefe Words with Sincerity , and in Truth, unlefs we do forgive them. Nay, indeed we not only mock God? but we Hkewife curfe our felves, every time that we repeat this Petition of the Lord's Prayer, if at the fame time we are conlcious to our felves , that we bear Hatred and Mahce in our Hearts , that we defign or wilh Evil to any Perfon who has done us Injury. But tho' we are in Charity with all the World , 'tis pofTible we may not be in fuch perfed: Charity as we Ihould be ; 'tispoffible there may be a Defed: in our Charity, tho' we our felves do not difcern it ; 'tis pofTible that our Forgiveneft of others may not be fo full and hearty as it ought to be; and therefore 'tis very reafonable that we ihould always accompany this ProfefTion or Declaration of our Charity to, and Forgivenefs of others, with earned Prayer to God, to fupply the Defeds of it by his Grace, and to make us grow and ia- creafe in it, every Day more and more. This Forgive us ourDebts^ &c. explain' d, 249 This then is the foil Meanins: of this Petition; 'tis a Confefiion of our Sins, joined with a Prayer for the Pardon of them; and 'tis a fincere Declaration of our own Charity to others, joined with earneil: Prayer to God for the Increafe and Perfedion of it. So that this is the Senip which we ought to have in our Minds y when we utter thefe Words in Prayer to God, Forgive its our Tref- ;paffes^ as we forgive them that treffafs againji its ; 'tis as if we iliould fay. "We are fenfible, O God, we are vc- " ry fenfible, that we have in many " things tranfgrefs'd thy holy and righ- " teous Laws. Our own Confciences " witnefs againft us, that we have left " undone thofe things which we ought t' to have done, and that we have done " thoie things which we ought not to " have done ; but we cannot call back " our mif Ipent time ; and to undo our " former Works, we are not able : and " how to make thee any Recompence *' for our manifold Trefpafles, we know " not ; J o Forgive us ourDebts^ &c. explained. " not; and therefore we earneftly de- " fire, and we alfo hope in thy Good- *' nefs, that thy Debt, which we are not " able to pay , thou wilt freely forgive " US; for this is what thou haft com- " manded us to do, to thofe who tref " pals againft us. Thou haft made our " Forgivenefs of others the Condition of " our obtaining Forgivenefs from thee ; " and this Condition, as being indeed very ^' equal and reafonable, we approve of, and " do fulfil. We here declare that we have '' dealt, and will deal fo by others who *' offend or injure us , as we defire to " be dealt with by thee. We here de- " dare that we have not , and will not " demand, what we know they are not " able to pay ; that we do not, and will " not avenge their Wrongs, but heartily " and fully forgive them, even as we de- " fire to be forgiven by thee. And this *• Declaration we make before thee , in " the Sincerity of our Hearts, and we " hope there is nothing wanting on our " Part, in our Forgiveneis of others, to " make Forgive us ourDebts^ Sec, explatrfd. 251 " make us capable of thy Pardon : but *^ {^ there be, and we cannot be fure " there is not , then we humbly befeech " thee. to fupply this Want, andtogiveus " thy Grace, that we may never forfeit " our Title to thy Pardon upon our Re- " pentance, by denying Pardon, by bear- " ing Hatred or Malice , or a Spirit of " Revenge to any who trefpafs againft " us. And fo much may lerve for the Expli- cation of this Petition. But as all the former Petitions of the Lord's Prayer did inftrud us in fome Du- ties, fo likewife does this. And this was the fecond thing I propounded to do, in difcourfing upon thefe Words, viz. ir. To fliew what good LefTons we are taught , what Duties we are inftrud- ed in , and oblig'd to , by our Ufe of this Petition ; forgive us our TrefpaffeSj as we forgive them that trefpafs a- gainjt us. And 2 5 z Forgive us ourDebts^ &c. explained. And there are chiefly three things which we may learn from hence, i. In general; that there is Ibme Condition nc« cefTary on our Part, to quahfy us to ob- tain Pardon of our Sins. 2. And more par- -f ticularly that our forgiving others their TrefpafTes againfl: us, is a nece/Tary Con- dition of obtaining our own Pardon. And, 3. Laftly; we are hence likewife inftru<9:ed in the Nature of that Forgive- nefs, which ix. is our Duty to grant to thofe who trelpafs againfl us. I. I lay, we may hence learn in gene- ral, that there is fome Condition necelTa- ty on our Part , to quahfy us to obtain Pardon of our Sins ; forgive us our Tref- ^pajfes^ as we forgive ; or y if we for- give ; or, (as 'tis exprefs'd in St, Litke^J for we forgive them that treffafs a- gainjt us. Here is a Condition plainly liippos'd to be done and performed by us, at the time when we put up this Pe- tition for Pardon. And Forgive 74S ourDehts^ &c. explairfd. 253 And the Truth is , God has no where promifed that he will pardon our Sins ab- folutely, without any Condition, or only ^' upon the Condition of our asking Pardon ; and what God has not promifed to grant, we cannot ask with any AfTurance of ha- ving it granted. For the only jufl: Ground of a good AfTurance, that our Prayers will be anfwered, is a Perfuafion that the Matter of them is fuch as is agreeable to the Goodnefs and Promifes of God ; ac- cording to that of the Apojile^ 1 Job. V. 14. This is the Confidence that we ., have in him^ that if we ask any things according to his Will-i he heareth us. Nay, indeed, to ask any thing of God which he has promifed only upon Condi- tion, without performing, fo far as we are able , the Condition upon which he has promifed it, argues a mean Opinion of God , and offers a dired AfFront to him. For, by putting up luch a Petition, we do as good as fay, that tho' indeed God feems refolv'd not to grant us the thing which we ask, but upon certain Terms 54 Forgive m ourDebts^ &c. explained. Terras and Conditions, yet we hope to cheat him out of his Kindnefs by Flattery and fair Speeches, without performing the Conditions required by him. Seeing then that Forgivenefs of Sins will not be granted to us , but upon cer- tain Terms and Conditions to be per- formed on our Part, it is our Duty to in- form our felves what they are, and to en- deavour, before we prefume to put up this Petition, to quaUfy our felves to re- ceive the Pardon which we pray for. Now the Conditions upon which only God has promifed to pardon our Sins, are theie three : (i.) Repentance ; (i.) Prayer ; and, (3.) Forgivenefs of others. And the fecond of thefe Conditions we do adually perform, when we ufe the Lord's Prayer, or when we put up this fame Petition in any other Form of Con- feifion and SuppUcation ; and the third of them, viz,, our Forgivenefs of others, is, as I faid, a particular Duty which we are cfpecially taught in this Petition, and of which I fliall difcourfe fomev/hat by and Forgive us ourDebts^ Sec. explairfd. 255 and by. So that the only thing now to be done, is to fliew that Repentance is a neceflary Condition of obtaining Pardon without which all our Prayers for it will be unavailable. And for the Proof of this, it may be fufRcicnt to cite two or three plain Teftimonies of holy Scripture, fuch as that oi Ifaiah^ Ch. i. f. 16. @r. where after the Trophet had declared at large the Unacceptablenefs of the Prayer and Sacrifices of the Jews^ he propoles this as the only Method to make them better accepted for the future, and avail- able for their Pardon ; wajh you , fays he, make you cleaUj pit away the Evil of your T>oings from before mine Eyes ; ,, ceafe to do Evil^ learn to do well\ feek Judgment^ relieve the ofprejfed^ j^^dge the father lefs , plead for the fVidow. Come nowy and let us reafon together ^ faith the Lord-, tho' your Sins be as Scarlet , they Jhall be as white as Snow ; tho' they be red^ like Crimfotiy they jhall be as Wool And fuch ano- ther Place, to this Purpole, is that in ^ EzeL 1^6 Forgive us ourPebts^ &c. explain' d. Ezek. xviii. 21, xx. If the wicked will turn from all his Sins that he hath committed^ a7id keep all my Statutes ^ a7td do that which is lawful and right j he Jloall furely live^ he /hall not die ; all his Tranfgreffions that he hath com- mit tedy they Jh all not be mentioned un- to him ; in his Righteoufnefs that he hath done^ he /hall live. And fuch a- nother is that in Trov. xxviii. 13. He that covereth his Sins /hall not prof- fer^ but whofo confe/feth and forfaketh them , /hall have Mercy. Upon thefe Terms Pardon was promifed by God to Sinners in the Old Teftament ; and up- on the fame, and no other, it is promi- fed in the New, as may be feen (to name no other Places,) in A6is iii. 19. Repent ye , therefore , and be con- averted ^ that your Sins may be blot- ted out. Seeing therefore we can obtain Par- don upon no other Terms than our Re- pentance, 'tis to no Purpofe to pray for it, io long as we negled: to perform th?s Forgive us ourDebts^ &c. explained. 241 this Condition. And therefore from this Petition in the Lord's Prayer, wherein we are taught to pray for Pardon , we are likewile plainly inftruded , that it is our indifpenfable Duty, by a hearty Repentance for all our Sins, to qualify our feives to receive that Pardon which we pray for. And the leaft that can be accounted Repentance, for any Sins, of any kind, which we have been guilty of, is an hearty Sorrow for what we have done amifs, and a fincere Refblution and En- deavour not to commit them again ; this is the only Notion of true Repentance which the Scripture teaches ; and there- fore, unlefs we do thus truly repent us of our Sins , 'tis to no manner of pur- pofe to put up this Petition of the Lord's Prayer , forgive us our Trefpajpes ; for, till then, it will not be heard and an- fwered. But yet even theft, I mean a Sorrow for our part Sins , and the forbearing to repeat them , are not a fufEcient Repen- [R] tance 14^1 horgroe us ourDehts^ 8c c. explained. ranee for all Sins; for where it can be done, we mufl: do more than this, I mean, w^e muft undo our former Works, we muft fet to right what we have put out of Order; and this is what may be done in moft of the Sins of Injuftice to- wards Men. The Damage we have done to our Neighbour, we may repair; the Goods we have wrongfully taken or de- taia'd from him, we may reftore ; and for any other Injury which wo. have done him, we may make him Satisfa- ction. And this is w'hat mud be done, if we can do it, before we can fay this Petition of the Lord^s Prayer; i. e. be- fore we may prefurae to beg Pardon of God for any fuch Sins. And fo we are plainly taught by our Saviour himfelf, in Mutth. V. 23. If thou bring thy Gift to the Altar ^ and there remembrefi that thy Brother hath ought againfl thee ^ leave there thy Gift before the Altar ^ and go thy way ; jirfl be reconciled to thy Brother^ and then come and offer thy Gift, But, Forgive us ourDebts, &c. explain' d. 243 X. As from this Petition of the Lord's Prayer, wherein we are taught to beg Pardon of our Sins, not abfolutely, but conditionally, as wc forgive others ; we Jearn in general that there is fomewhac to be done on our Part, to qualify us for God's Pardon ; fo we hence learn more particularly, that it is our necefla- ry Condition to qualify us to pray for the Pardon of our own Sins againft God, that we Ihould exercife the fame Mercy and CompalTion towards Men who have trefpafTed againft us, which we our felves do beg of God. This is plainly implied in the Petiti- on it fclf; forgive us our TrefpalTes, as 12)6 forgive them that trejpafs a- gainfl us ; but is more clearly and ex- preffly taught in the two laft Verfes of the Text, where our Saviour himfelf gives the Reafon of his adding that Claufe to the Petition , as we forgive them that trefpafs againji m. For ^ fays he, if ye forgive Men their Tref [R 2] pafes. 2 44 Forgwe us om Debts ^ &c. explahfd. / P^jf^^-i your heavenly Father will aljb forgive you ; but if ye forgive not Men their Trefpaffes^ neither will your Fa- ther forgive your Trefpaffes. By the laft of thefe Verfes it plainly appears, that our Forgivenefs of others, is a necefTary Condition of obtaining For- givenefs of our own Sins; If ye for- give not^ &c. And by the firft Verfe it Ihould feem that this is the only Condi- tion required of us; fb that if we do but perform this, we need not be concerned about any thing elle ; for fo our Saviour ^7^5 V y^ forgive^ Sec. But for the right underflanding of this, it is to be confider'd, that it is very u- fual, in holy Scripture, to attribute one thing as an Effed:, to another thing as its Caufe; which yet has not in it felf fufficient Power to produce the Ef- fed which is attributed to it, and fb is only a partial Caufe of it , which could not produce the EfFed without the Con- currence of other Caufes ; and yet is fo much a Caufe too, that the other Caufes without Forgive us oiirDebts^ &c. explain' d. 2 4 j without that would be as inlufficient, as that would be without the oihers. We have feveral Inftances of this in the beginning of this Sermon upon the Mount, wherein our Saviottr^ in thofe Sentences commonly called the Beatitudes , pro- nounces a BlefTednefs, and promifts the Reward of Heaven , firft to the pocr in Spirit^ then to the Mourners for Sin, then to the Meek^ then to thole wh(f hunger after Right eoufnefs, then to the Merciful J then to the pure in Hearty then to the Teace-makers^ and at laft to thole who are ferfecuted for Rigbteouf- nefs fake ; and yet 'tis certain that the Promifes of the Gofpel are not made to any one fingle Grace or Virtue, but to all in ConjuncStion. And fo 'tis here ; Forgivenefs of In- juries done to us, tho' it be a neceflary Condition of our own obtaining Pardon from God, is not the only one. And this , I fuppofe , might be the Reafon why , when our Saviour had fpoken thofe Words in the 14'^ f. If ye forgive [R 3] Men 1^6 forgive us our Deifts^ &c, txplatn'd. Men their Tre/pajfes , your heavenly Father will alfo forgive you. By which we might have beea led into ^ Miftake, and have been induced to think, that Mercifulnefs was the only QuaHfi- cation requifite to intitle us to the di- vine Mercy. He immediately adds thofe other Words, in the 15-'^' f^ to prevent that Miftake ; wherein he explains the foregoing Words, and plainly declare^ his Meaning to be, not, that if we for- give others, our Sins, without any o- ther Condition or Qualification, will be forgiven us; but only that all other Conditions and Qualifications will be in- fuilicjent without this; that this is at leaft las neceflary a Condition as any o- ther. If ye forgive not Men their Tref fajfesy neither will your Father forgive your Trefpajfes, And as this is a neceflary Condition of pur obtaiping Pardon, (b it is plain- ly a very equal Condition; for it is but reafonable that we fliould do as we would be done unto ; that when we ask Forgtve m ourDebts^ Sec. explcnricL 2J.7 ask for Pardon our felves , we ihould freely grant ic to thofe who ask ic of us. And the Reafbnablenefs of this Con- dition is moil excellently ll:iewed by our Lord himfelf, in Matth. xviii. 13, ^c, particularly upon thefe two Accounts. (r.) Becaufe God, whom we have fin- ned againft, and whofe Pardon we ask, is our Sovereign Lord , infinitely fupe- rior to us, and we arc his Creatures, his Slaves , his Vaflals ; but Men are all (in a manner) upon equal Terms with one another, for they are all Fel- low-Servants of the fame Lord ; and therefore their TrefpafTcs againft one a- nother, (tho', as to the Matter of them, they were the fame with our TrefpafTes againft God ; yet) being committed on- ly againft Equals, would not be fb hei- nous and unpardonable as our Sins are againft him : for it \s plainly a much greater Fault in a Subjed , to affiont or ftiike his Kinc;, than it is to affront [Pv 4] or 4 8 Forgive us ourDebts^ Sec. explained, or flrike his Fellow- Subjedt. And, (x.) Becaufe our Offences againft God are really greater in themfelves, than any Man's Offences are or can be a- gainft us : fo that altho' we flood up- on the fame Terms, and on the fame Level with Almighty God, which we do with one another, yet it would not be reafonable in us, to defire of him to pardon us our great TranlgreflTions , unleis we alfo can find in our Hearts to pardon others their lighter TrefpafTes a- gainfl us. Both thefe Reafons, I fay, Ihewing how very fit and equitable it is, that we fliould Ihevv to others the like Mer- cy which we defire of God , are excel- lently fet forth by our Saviour ^ in that Place, in the Parable of a certain great King, who reckoning with his Servants, found one who owed him ten thotifand Talents % ^ i. e. almofl: two Millions of 3 Vid. Marg. of gr. Bible. A Talent is 750 Ounces of Silver; icccc Talents, st 5/. ^d. per Ounce, is 1937 500/. our Forgive us ourDebtSy &c. explained. 249 our Money; which great Debt never- thelefs, forafmuch as the poor Man was not able to pay it, the King frank- ly forgave. But mark what follows, at 3^. 28. This fame Man goes forth, and meets with one of his Fellow-Servants , who owed him but an hundred Pence \ i. e. little more than 3 /. of our Mo- ney; a very Trifle, in Comparifon with the great Debt which had been juft be- fore forgiven him ; ( for an hundred Pence is not fo much in Proportion to / ten thoufand Talents % as one Peny of "^ our Money is to two thoufand Pound ;) and as fbon as ever he fees him, he takes him by the Throat, laying. Pay me what thou oweft ; upon which the other fell down at his Feet, befeech- ing him but only to have a little Pa- b A Penny is the eighth Part of an Ounce, ergo 100 Pence, ii O. -|-- i- ^- at s^.zd. per Ounce, a- mounts to 3 /. 4^. 6^. c 100 Pence is to loooo Talents, as one Penny to 2508/. 12 5. 3^. loooo Talents is 601067 times as much as 100 Pence. tiencc 250 Forgwe us ourDebts^ &c. explained, tiencc with him , and he would pay him : but he would not, but went im- mediately , and call him into Prifon. And fee what Judgment the King paf- ftd upon him for it , at the 1%^^ ®r, Verfes; Then his Lord^ after he had called him , faid unto him , O thou wicked Servant^ /, i. e. I who am thy Lord and Mafter, who had more Pow- er over thee , than thou hadft over him, 1 forgave thee all that T>ebt , that great Debt of ten rhoufand Talents , becatife thou dcflredji me ^ and fhould'ft not thou alfo have had CompaJ/ion on thy Fellow-Servant , even as I had Vity on thee ? i. e. was there not good Reafon then, that when thy Fellow- Servant owed thee only fuch a fmall . Sum as an hundred Pence, (not the fix hundredth thoufandth part of the Sum which I forgave thee;) and when he only defircd time, and would, 'tis like , have been able to pay thee , if thou hadft given him time; (was there not good Reafon, I fay,) that thou fliould'ft Forgive us our Debts ^ &c. explain'' d, i j i fhould'fl: Ihew the like Compaflioa to him , ( for the fame it would not have been, but infinitely beneath it,) which I had fliewed thee. And then it fol- lows, Sf. 34. Ajid his Lord was wroth^ and delivered him to the Tormentors \ and fo likewije^ fays our Saviour^ at the 35"'^' ii, (applying the Parable to this very Cafe ; ) fo likewife Jhall my heavenly Father do alfo unto you , // ye from your Hearts forgive not eve- ry one his Brother their Treffajfes. And this fame Argument is very well urged by the Son of Syr achy \_Ecclus, xxviii. I, ©^.] in thefe Words, He that revengethy jhall find Vengeance from the Lord\ and he will furely keep his Sins in Remembrance. Forgive thy Neighbour the Hurt that he hath done ttnto thee^ fo Jhall thy Sins alfo be forgiven when thou prayeji. One Man heareth Hatred againft another Man , and doth he feek Tardon from the Lordi He Jheweth no Mercy to a Man which is like himfelfy and doth he 2^2 Forgive m ourDebts^ Sec. explained. he ask Forgivenefs of his own Sins? But, 3. Laftly; from this Petition we not only learn the Neceffity of Forgivenefs of Injuries, but we are alfo in good Meafure inftruded in the Nature of that Forgivenefs which it is our Duty to grant to thofe who trefpafs againft us ; for we pray to God to forgive us, as we forgive them. But now, (i.) What we here defire of God, is, that he would forgive us all our Sins, the great as well as the fmall; or indeed thofe rather than thefe : for tbo' no Sins are indeed fmall , yet fome are more heinous than others; and it is for our great and crying Sins, which we are moft in fear of the divine Vengeance , and for which we are mofl earneft in asking Forgivenefs. We therefore, if we hope or exped to have thefe greateft Sins forgiven us, ought likewife to forgive the greateft Injuries which are done to us by others. (x.) We Forgwe lis ourDebts^ &c. explain' d. 2^3 (x.) We pray for the Forgivenefs of our Sins, the' they are many; and we pray, or at lead we (liould pray every Day for the Forgivenefs of them ; and we hope that tho' our Iniquities (as the Tfalmiji fays, Tfal. xl. 12.) are more than the Hairs of our Heady we ihall yet obtain Remiffion of them. The Mercy, therefore, which we hope and expe(3: from God, fhould be a Pattern to us in fliewing Mercy to others. Our Patience lliould never be tyred out, we Ihould never be weary of forgiving. And fo we are taught by our Savmir himfelf, Luke xvii. 4. If thy Brother treffafs a- gainfi thee feven times in aT)ayy and fe- ven times in a T>ay turn again to tbee^ faying^ I repent-^ thou /halt forgive him -^ and that by feven times our Saviour meant not a fmall, not any limited Number of times, appears plainly by his own An- fvver to St. Teter^ Matth. xviii. 2x. For when St. Teter had put the Qtieftion to him, how often it was his Duty to for- give 2 54 Forgive us ourDebts^ Sec. explain' cL give his Brother, whether until feven times; our Lord anfvvered him, I fdy not Unto thee^ until feven times ^ but until feventy times feven. (3.) Laftly; the Pardon which wc defire of God is full and effedual; we pray that he would clearly blot out all our Iniquities, and free us from all the Pu- niihment thereof Such therefore fliould our Pardon be , of thofe TrefpafTes which are committed againfl us ; it fliould be a full and perfedi Pardon ; we illouid forgive not only but- w^ardly, but from the Heart ; we fliould not bear the leaft Degree of Grudge or Malice in our Minds, towards thofe whom we forgive, but fliould be as per- fedly reconciled to them, as if they had never offended us. I conclude all, therefore, with thofe Words of the Apoflle, ColofT. iii. ix, 13. Tut on , as the EleEi of God ^ holy and beloved^ Bowels of Mercies^ Kindnefsy Humble- Jorgtve us our Debts, Scc^ expkim'd. 25^ Humblenefs of Mind, Meeknefs, Long. Jufertng; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any Man have a ^tarrel or Complaint againft any e- -ven as Chrift forgave you, fo alfo do ye. Lead SC^MlMM^S^i^aOIMg^Ml Lead us not into TEMPTATION,c>r. E X P L A I N'D. 2 5P DISCOURSE VIII. Lead us not into Temptation^ but^ C^f. Explain^. M AT T H. VL 13. And lead ns not into Temptation^ but deliver ns from Ei^il. N the Lord's Prajer (as I have formerly obferved ) are Three principal Parts, The Preface, The Body of the Prayer, and The Conclufion. / S 2 The a6o Lead us not into Temptation^ The Preface confifls of a Solemn Invo- cation of Almighty God, whom we are taught to Stile, Our Father which is in Heaven, The Body of the Pifayer confifts of Six diftind: Petitions. And the Conclufion contains a Doxo- logy, or a Solemn giving Glory to God ; Thine is the Kingdom^ the Power ^ and the Glory ^ for ever. And of the Preface, and of Five of the Petitions I have already fpoken; the Sixth Petition is what I am now to Dif- courfe of; Lead us not into Temptation^ hut deliver lis from Evil, In Difcourfing on which, I /hal] ob- ferve the fame Method that I have be- fore done in Difcourfing on the other Five, i. ^. I. I Ihall explain the Meaning of the Petition, or ihew what Senfe we ought to have in our Minds , when we utter thefe Words in Prayer to God, Lead m not in- tOj &c. And, n. I Explained. ^6i II. I fliall ihew what good Leflbns we may learn, what Duties w^e are taught and inftruded in, by our Ufe of this Petition. I. I fhall explain the Meaning of the Petition, and ihew what Senfe we ought to have in our Minds, when we utter thefe Words in Prayer to God, Lead us not ifito Temptatioriy but deliver its from Evil. And this Petition confifts of Two Parts, not exadly the fame, and yet not much differing in Senfe from each other. 1, Lead iis not into Temptation; and, 2. Deliver its from Evil, I. Lead its not into Temptation. For the underflanding of which we muft en- quire, (i.) What is meant by Tempta- tion; and, (x.) How God may be faid to lead us into iti (i.) What is meant by Temptatioju And, S3 I. The 0,62 Lead lis not: into Temptation^ I. The Word Temptation moft proper- ly fignifies nothing elfe but only a Trial or Experiment made of any Perfon, to fee of what Temper and Difpofition he is, and how he is morally qualified. And thus God tempted Abraham^ when he laid upon him that hard Command of Sa- crificing his only Son Jfaac ; by w^hich God made a full Trial of his Faith and Obedience, and declared himfelf fully fa- tisfied therewith ; as the Angel fpeaking in the Name of God, and of God after the manner of Men, teftifies, Gen. xxii. 12. l^ow I hiow that thou fear eft God^ feeing thou haft not withheld thy Son^ thine only Son^ from me. And thus all Afflidions and Adverfities that befal the Body are Temptations : i. e. They are Trials of our Faith and Pa- Jam, i. 2.] tience. My Brethren, fays St. James, count it all Joy when ye fall into divers Temptations ; i. e. when ye are perfecu- ted and afflided. And thus, hkewife, Profperity is al(b a Temptation ; for 'tis a Trial of our So- Explained. ^263 Sobriety, and Humility, and Truft in God. Thus indeed all the different States and Circumftances that any of us are in , are Temptations ; i. e. They are (iich Trials as God ^^t'^ good to make of our Faith and Virtue ; not to fatisfy himfelf (for he knows before-hand what we will do) but to fatisfy our felves and others , how we ftand affeded towards him, and to make the Righteoufnefs of that Judgment which he will pafs upon us, either to Sal- vation or Damnation, evident to all the World. Now againfl: thefe and all fuch Tem- ptations as thefe in general, we ought not to pray ; for they are the necefiary Con- dition of our Living here in this World ; our whole Life here being nothing elfe but a State of Trial, and confequently of Temptation ; fuch as it was necefiary we Ihould be put into , in order to make us capable of either Reward or Punifhment. For there would be no Virtue if there were no Trial of Virtue, and no Vice S 4 if at54 Lead ns not into Temptation^ if there were no Temptation or Induce- ment to it ; it being hardly to be fuppo- fed that any Man that beheves a future State, or has any Senfe of Religion, would chufe to commit Wickednefs, only for its own Sake, without any Profped of Pro- fit or Pleafure, or fome other worldly Ad- vantage. And if we manfully refift thefe Temptations that we are aflaulted with, our Reward in Heaven will be great, pro- portionally to the Power and Strength of thofe Temptations that w^e meet withal and overcome. And therefore St. James (as I obferved before) in the firft Chapter of his Epiftle, at the xd Verfe, bids us to coujit it all Joy whejt we fall into divers Temptations; knoTvi?ig this^ that the Trying of our Faith worketh Patience. And ver. ix. Bleffed, fays he, is the Man that endureth Temptation ; for when he is tried he fiall receive the Crown of Life^ which the Lord hath promifed to them that love him. 2. Therefore , becaufe fometimes we do not abide thofe Trials which God makes Explained. a6«5 >i II ■ ■ ' ' makes of us, but fink under them, and are overcome by them, (therefore, I fay) the word Temptation is fometimes, and indeed moft commonly, us'd in a bad Senfe, for (iich an Allurement and Induce- ment to Sin, as does adually prevail with us to commit the Sin ; or for fuch a Trial of us, as is made with a Defign that we fliould commit the Sin which we are tem- pted to. And thus the T>evil tempts us ; that is, he allures and invites us to commit Sin ; he lays Baits for us of a delicious Tafte, or finely gilded over, wliich he hopes we ^^ill catch at, and take in, and with them Iwallow down alfo the Hook that was co- vered over therewith. And thus to pray that we may not fall into Temptation, or be led into Temptation^ is the lame Thing ; in Effed, as to pray that we may not fall by the Temptation, or that we may not fall into the Sin that we are tempted to, or that we may not be enfnar'd and taken Captive by the Devil. But 266 Lead us not into Temptation^ But taking the word Temptation in this Senfe , God does never tempt us ; we we can't confequently, taking the Word in this Senfe, pray that God would 7iot lead lis into Temptation ; for he never de- figns our Sin or Fall by any Trial that he makes of us , but only our Improvement in Grace and Virtue. And thus we are taught by St. James ^ Jam. i. 13. Let no Man fay ^ when he is tempted ^ i, e. when he adually falls into any Sin, (let him not fay) / am tempted of God ; i. e. I was fe- duc'd and betray 'd thereinto by God ; for God cannot be tempted with Evil^ neither tempteth he any Man. But now, if it be fo, that the firft Sort of the Temptations before fpoken of; i. e. the Trials of our Faith and Obedience, are fuch as we ought not to pray againft, but rather to rejoice at, as has been fliewn already : And if the lall Sort of Tem- ptations, thofe which are defign'd to en- fnare us, are fuch as God doth not ufe up- on us, for he never de/igns to allure or in- _ vite us to commit Sin ; He tempteth no Man. Explained. 'iS-f Many as St. James fays ; How is it that we are taught in this Petition to pray to God that He would not lead us i?ito Tem- ptation ^^ For all God's Temptations are defign'd for our Good, for the Exercife of our Virtue, and the Increafe of our Re- ward : And the other Temptations, thofe which are defign'd for our Hurt, are the Devil's Temptations , and not God s. This therefore was the next Thing I was to give an Account of ,• Viz. (z.) How God may be faid to lead us into Temptation. And the Cafe is this ,• Tho' it be the Devil that tempts us to Sin , he could do nothing without God's Permiflion : And fuch is his Subtilty and Power, and fuch is our Eafinefs and Weaknefs , that his Temptations muft needs prevail againfi: us, unlefs God be pleas'd by his Grace to aflift and enable us to overcome them. So that whenever God fuffers the Devil to tempt us above our Strength, or by fuch a ftrong Temptation as can hardly I but a 6 8 Lead us not into Temptation ^ but prevail ; or when he does not furniflt us with fiipernatural Strength to refifl fiich Temptations ; In any of all thefe Cafes, God may , in fome Senfe , be faid to lead m (becaufe he, who if he pleafed could eafily hinder it, fuffers us to be led) into Temptation. This therefore is what, in this Petiti- on, we pray that God would not do, that he would not fo lead us into Temptation ; ?. e. that He would never fuffer us to be tried above our Strength ; or that if the Temptation that he fuffers us to be aflault- ed with, be fuch as would prevail againfl: our Weaknefs, he would be pleas'd fb to ftrengthen us by his Grace, that we may be able to refifl: it. And this is a Petition which we have good Warrant to put up to God, becaufe it is no more than God, who is Faithful, has promised, i C<9r.x. 13. God is faith- ful^ who will not fuffer yoii to he tempted above what ye are able ; but will with the Temptation alfo make a way to efcape-, that ye may he able to bear it. But EXPLAIK^D. 2 6p But now if this be God's Promife, and he, being faithful, will certainly make it good, not to fuffer us to be tempted above what we are able \ here rifes another Dif- ficulty ,• viz. what Need there is of our Praying for that whicli God will certainly do, whether we pray for it or no. But this Difficulty will be eafily re- moved, by confidering thefe Two Things. I. That this Promlfe of God, that he will not fuffer us to be tempted above what we are able, or that he will grant us fufficient Grace to withfland and 'over- come the Temptations we are aflaulted with, is, like all the other Promifes of the Gofpel, a Conditional Promife, to en- title us to which there is fomething to be done by us : And particularly, that Pray- er to God is the Condition to be performed on our Part, to give us a Right and Title to this Promife of God; that Prayer to God is the Condition of our obtaining fufficient Grace, according to that of our Saviour , Matth. vii. 7. Afk, and it jhaU he i^o Leadm not into Temptation^ be given you ; by which he plainly inti- p mates, that unlefs we do ask we may go without it: And fo St. James fays exprefsly. Jam. iv. x. Te have not^ be- catife ye ask not. , And yet in this Cafe our Sin and Deftrudion may be of our felves, becaufe we might, for the asking, have had fufficient Grace to avoid them. But then it may be confider d further, 2. That if there were no Condition Pre-requifite for the obtaining of fufficient Grace ; if we might be fure of it without our asking, by virtue of this Promife ; yet this, as well as any other Right or Privilege which we once had a Title to^ may be forfeited by our Misbehaviour. And this may be, and without Doubt oftentimes is, the Cafe here. God at firft fuffers us not to be tempted above our Strength, and this he does of his meer Goodnefs, without any Condition on our Part : And fo long as we make good Ufe of that Grace which is afforded us, {o long our Title to a fufficient Meafure of it Explained. . 27 it holds good. But if we at any Time, wilfliJIy and deliberately chufe the Com- miflion of a Sin, while we had fufficient Strength to rcfift the Temptation, we thereby forfeit all our Right and Claim for the future. And the fame Goodnefs which gave us fufficient Grace at firft, and which would ftill have continued to do the fame, if we had been careful to co-operate with it, may not give us fuf- ficient Grace every Time afterwards that we are tempted ,• but rather, our finning wilfully, when we had fufficient Grace given us to keep us from finning, may jufl:ly provoke God to leflen or withdraw that Grace which we have fo much a- bus'd; according to that Threatning of our SaviouTj From htm that hath not^ fhall be taken away^ eve?i that which he hath. And indeed befides ; If God fliould con- tinue to us the fame Mealiire of Grace af« terwards that he had communicated to us before, (which yet is more than can rea- fonably be hopd) 'tis to be confider'd never- a 72 Lead us not into Tempt at ioUy neverdielefs, that fiich a Meafure of Grace as was before fufficient, may not be fufficient afterwards; becaufe that Grace that was before given, might be proportion'd only to our natural Weak- nefi ; and by every wilful Sin we render Our felves weaker and weaker, and con- fequently needing a greater Meafure of Grace to keep us from falling ; and tho' God may be thought to be ( if we may be allow'd fo to fpeak ) under fome fort of Obligation in Equity, fo to afTill our weak Nature as that we lliould not at firft neceflarily fall into a Sin, he can t be thought oblig d upon the fame Account to increafe his Grace when we come to have Need of a greater Meafure of it than we had at firft; becaufe that we have now need of more Grace than we had then, is our own Fault only, who have weakened our Nature by Evil Cuftom: And there is no Rcafon to exped:, that God's Grace Ihould abound according as our Sin does abounds Now Exp l a I n "* d. ^73 Now this is in Truth the Cafe ; we had lufficient Strength once, either by Nature or by Grace, (and 'tis no Matter now by which) to have withftood thofe Temp- rations to Sin which God did then fuffer us to be a/Iaulted with ,• it was our own Fault, therefore, that we then fell, when we had Strength to Hand ; and ever fince that firft Fall, we have fallen very fre- quently; (this we ownd in the former Petition, when we prayed for Forgivenefs of our Trefpafles ; ) And therefore ha- ving by our own Sin forfeited all Claim to the Divine Grace, there is great Rea- (bn that we fliould now beg it as a Fa- vour, fince we can t claim it as a Due, that God would not lead us into Tem- ptation 5 i. e. That either he would not differ us to be tempted above our Strength, that is, not above thofe Remains of the Strength of Nature that are ftill left to us ; or elfe, in Cafe he fees fit to permit us to be afi^ulted by more violent Temp- tations, that he would be pleas'd to give us fuch a Supply of his Grace, as may T be a 74 Lead m not into Temptation^ -r be fufficient to ftrcngthen our Weaknefs, and to enable us to refift and conquer them. Thus we pray that God would not lead us into Temptation, i. e. that in this State of Trial and Temptation, which we are now put into by the Divine Pro- vidence, he would be pleas'd to have ConfiderationofourWeaknefs; vii^, both of the Weaknefs of our frail Nature, and alfo of that greater Weaknefi which we have contrad:ed by our former Sins, and never fuffer us to be tempted above what we are able. Lead us not into Tempta- tion, But it follows in this fame Petition, 2. But deliver ii^s frotn EvHj the Mean- ing of which Words I am now to fliew. And there are Three Significations of the Word Evil^ all which are confillent together, and agreeable to the Scope and Defign of the Place, and therefore how- ever we may approve any one of them more than another, I do not fee why we fhould exclude any of them. For, I- By Explained. i-j^ 1. By the Evil that \^ e here pray to be delivered from, we may underftaad the Bvil of Sin^ which is fometimes in Scrip- ture called Evil\ as in HahaL i. 13. Thou art of purer Eyes than to behold Evil, And taking the Word in this Senie, this Claufe of the Petition, Deliver us from Evily will be the fame in Senfe w ith the former, Leed ti^s not hito Tempt at?o?i ; For then, what we here pray for will be^ that God would fo afTift us by his Grace, that we may not fall by any Tempta- tions that we are allaulted with. Or, 2. By Evily we may under (land the Evil of Ptmiflmtent ; which is likewife in Scripture fometimes exprefs'd by that Word, as in Jer. xviii. 8. In ' hich Verfe w^e have an Inftance of the Word Evily ufed both in this Senfe, and in the former Senfe of it. If fays God, that Isfation agaiJift whom I have fpoken, turn fro?n their Evil^ ( /. e, from the Evil of their Ways) / ipil/ repent of the Evil., ( i, e. of tlie Evil of Puniihment ) which T z I had 1^6 Lead us not into Temptationy I had thought and threatned to do unto them. And fo it is likewife faid in Jonah iii. lo. That God repented of the Evil that he faid he would do unto Niniveh, and he did it not ; i, e. He did not bring that Deflrudion upon them which he had fent Joiiah to denounce againft them. And taking the Word Evil in this Senfe, this Claufe of the Lord's Prayer will be much the fame in Senfe with the Fifth Petition, Forgive us our Trefpaffes ; For then our Sins are forgi- ven us by God, when the juft Punifliment of them is remitted, when we are deli- vcr'd from that Evil which we had de- ferv'd to fufTer. Or, 3. Lajlly 5 By Evil we may underftand the Ev'd One, i. e. the Devil, who is fometimes in Scripture fo called ; as par- ticularly in I John iii. ix. Not as Caifi, ^ who was of that wicked One, Ik t3 irovY^pij the fame Word that is ufed here, Deliver vs from Evil, d'Tro tS TPoprpS, from the Evil One. And he may well be called, the Explain' D. '^11 the Evil One^ becaufe he was the firft Author of all the Sin that has been in the World, and of all the Mifery that has been, or ever will be caufed thereby. Now thefe Three Senfes of the Word Ev'il^ are (as I faid before) all confi- ftent with, and fubordinate one to the other, fo that I think they may ^^be well enough xmderftood to be defign'd in this Place, when we are taught to fay, Deliver ii^ from Evil; For by the Evil of Si7tj WQ render our felves obnoxious to the Evil of Ptmifhmentj and particularly to that greatefl of all Punifliments, to be led Captive by the Devil here, and to be eternally tormented by him hereafter. The Senfe then that we ought to have in our Minds, when we utter the Words of this Petition, is this, as if we fliould fay ; " We know, O Lord, that we are " fet in the midft of many and great Dangers, by reafon of the various Temptations that we are (iabjedt to in this Mortal Life, which we can't refift " but by thy Help; and therefore we T } pray a 7^ Lead lis not into Temptation^ " pray thee, without whofe Appoint- " ment or PermifTion, nothing can hap- " pen to us, that either thou would'fl: " not fuffer us to be tempted ftrongly*, ^^ or elfe that thou would'fl: be pleas'd " to grant us fuch a large Supply of thy " Grace, that we may not fall by any " Temptation, how fl:rong foever it be ; " but that being by thy Help preferv'd " from all Sin, we may alfo clearly " efcape the Punifliment thereof, both in " this World and in the next. Lead us " ?wt into Temptationy hut deliver its from « Evil. And now, having explain'd the Mean- ing of this Petition, I proceed in the Se- cond Place, according to the Method before laid down, II. To fliew what good Leflbns we may learn, what Duties we are taught and inllruded in by our Ufe of this Pe- tition. Andj I. J^ X P L A I N ^ D. a 79 I. Js we prajy fo we ought to pr a- Sjfe; This is a general Rule of Dutyj we fhould never pray for any Thing, but we fhould at the fame Time endeavour, by the Ufe of all lawful Means that are in our Power, to procure the fame to our felves; For God is no Friend to Sloth and Lazineft ; he has no where promised to help thofe who will do nothing for themfelves. Befides, Help is but Help^ It enables thole that work to perform the Work that they fet themfelves to, but it does not do their Work for them; It afTilts them that endeavour to do their Work, but it would be more than Help and Af- fiftance if it did all the Work by it felf, without their Concurrence and Co-ope- ration. Being therefore here taught to pray to God, that we may not be led in- to Temptation, it is plainly our Duty not to run our felves into Temptation, but on the contrary, to ufe all the pru- dent Means we can to avoid the fame. T 4 And 280 Lead us not into Temptation^ And this Duty we are taught by our Saviour himfelf, at the 29th and 30th Verfes of the foregoing Chapter. If thy Right Eye offend thee pluck it outy and cafl it from thee, — and if thy Right Hand offend thee cut it off^ and cajl it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy Members fheuld periJJj, and not that thy whole Body jhould be caff into Hell. 'Tis in vain, 'tis indeed too late, to pray that we may not be led into Tem- ptation, or that we may not fall by the Temptation, when we our felves have chofen it ; for by wilfully running into Temptation, we confent to our own Fall ; by chufing what we forefee will be the Occafion of our finning, we give Con- fent to the Sin that is occafion'd thereby^ and fully contradl the Guilt of the Sin- ful Adiion, even before the Action it felfisdone. Nay, by chufing the Tem- ptation we contrad the Guilt of the Sin, although by fome other Reftraint or Im- pediment accidentally coming in our Way, Explained, ^281 we fliould be hindred from doing the Ad: it felf ; fo that whenever we give our Confent to that which will probably be the Caufe or Occafion of our committing a Sin, we do then fall into Temptation, and we do then fall by the Temptation ; and when we our felves are our own Tempters, 'tis no better than trifling with God, or mocking of him, to pray, that he would not lead us into Temptation, but deliver its from Evil. 2. From our Ufe of this Petition in the Lord s Prayer, we are further taught, that 'tis not only our Duty to avoid Tem- ptations as much as we can, but likewife to fore-arm our felves as well as we can againft thofe Temptations which we arc liable to in this mortal State, and which by all our Care and Caution we cannot wholly avoid. For 'tis a vain Thing to pray to God for any Good, either Spi- ritual or Temporal, which we our felves will be at no Pains to procure to our felvQs. And therefore we are taught by our §2 Lead us not into fcmptatwi^ our Saviour not only to pray^ but like- wife to watch againft Temptation, Mattb. XXVi. 4t. Watch and pray^ that ye enter not into Temptation. And Mark xiii. 35* Take ye Heedj Watch and Pray, and Kerfe 37. What T fay unto you-, I fay itnto aHy Watch. And to this fame Pur- pofe we are alfo exhorted by the Apo- flles; by St. James, Jam. iv. 7. Refifl the Devil; by St. Peter, i Pet. v. 9. Be fober, he vigilant, hecaiife your Adverfary the Devil, as a roaring Lion, vpalketh about feeking whom he may devour ; whom re- fifl, fledfafl in the Faith. And by St. Paul, Eph. vi. II. Put on the whole Armour of God, that ye may be able to fland againjl the Wiles of the Devil. And indeed, if we fct our felves with all our Strength to refift Temptations, we may then reafonably hope for fuch an Af- fiflance of the Divine Grace as will ena- ble us to overcome them ; but if we our felves give Ground, wliile we are able to Hand, there is great Reafon to fear that God will withdraw his Grace from us, I when Explained. 283 when he {qqs we do not ufe it and improve it as we ought to do ,• according to that fevere, and yet mofl jufl Threatning of out Saviour J before-cited, Matth. xiii. 12. WhofoeVer hathj to him Jloall be given^ and he Jhall have more Abundance \ but whosoever hath noty ( i, e. makes not ufe of what he has ) from him Jljall be taken away-i even that which he hath. 3. Laftly, From the Place which this Petition has , from tlie Order in which it lies in the Lord's Prayer ; from its fuc- ceeding the foregoing Petition, wherein we had begg d Forgiveneft of our Sins, and from its being immediately fubjoin'd thereunto, w^e may learn, That there is no Ground to hope for Forgivenefs of our pad Sins, without a firm Refolution and a fincere Endeavour to reform our Lives. For unlefs this were necefTary to obtain a full RemifTion of our paft Sins , we might have put an End to our Prayer with that Petition ; becaufe having our Sins forgiven, we fhould by that alone, be capable ^§4 Lead us not into Temptation ^ capable of, and entitled to , all the Pro- mifes of the Gofpel, and fo fliould not need to be concern'd for any Thing fur- ther. According to that of the Pfalmijfj P faint xxxii. i, x. Blejffed is he whofe Tin- righteoufnefs is forgiven^ and whofe Sin is covered, Blejfed is the Man unto whom the Lord impnteth not hiiquity. Being t:herefore here taught, after we had begg'd Pardon of our former Sins , flill to conti- nue our Petition ; and to beg yet farther for Divine Grace and Help to enable us to refifl: and overcome Temptations for the Time to come, it hereby plainly appears, that we are not capable of this Blellednefs that the Pfalmift fpeaks of, without a Re- formation of our Lives ; and confequent- ly, that Remiffion of Sins , wherein that Bleflednefs does confift, will not be granted to us on any other Terms. And this is agreeable to the whole Tenor of the Bi- ble; Repent and be converted^ that your Sins may he blotted out ; fo the Apoftles prcach'd, A&s iii. 19. And repent of this thy Wickednefsy and pray Gody if perhaps the- Explained. 28*; the Thought of thine Heart may be for- given thee^ was the good Advice of St. Veter to Simon the Magician ,• AUs viii. XX. jirjl he was to repent , and then he was to pray for far don ; for a Prayer for Pardon before, or without Repentance, the Apojlle knew would be ineffed:ual : And to them who obferve the Method there prefcrib'd by the Apojile ; i. e. who both repent, and alfo pray for Pardon, a moft fure Promife of Forgivenefs is made; Jfaiah i. 16, 17, 18. Wajh you^ make you clean^ put away the Evil of your Doings from before mine Eyes^ ceafe to do Evil^ learn to do wellj feek Judgment^ relieve the opprejfed^ jttdge the Fatherlefs^ plead for the Widow. Come noWy and let us reafon together^ faith the Lordj tho your Sins be as Scarlet j they f) all be white ^ Snow , tho they be red like Crimfon^ theyjhal/ be as Wool. And to the fame Senfe is that of the Wife Man , Prov. xxviii. 1]. He that cover eth his Sins Jhall not profper , but whofo confejfeth and for- faketh them Jhall have Mercy. And a 86 Lead us not into Temptation^ See. And now I have done with the Second Part of the Lord's Prayer, which confifts of Petition to God. The Third and lafl Part of it is the Conclufion, contain'd in the latter Part of the i3thVerre: For thine is the King- dom^ the Power^ and the Glory ^ for ever^ Amen. But I think it will be beft to defer dif- courfing on that to fome other Time. for < For thine is the KINGDOM, &c. E X P L A I N ' D. -*' ^c^ ^^^^'^9<> ^ -^ P A^ ^ ltt$ 28p DISCOURSE IX. For thine is the Kingdom^ ^c. ExplainM, ^;4 i>\>t. •??* v*^;* ^A s"^i •??* ^"A ^le. vi;*. ■:''a ^'a a** s*'';* vr* ^a -^a o;* >?i'^ om. vN* M A T T H. VI. I 3. »— - F(9r t^^me 2> the Kmgdomy and the Potver^ and the Clory^ for e^er. Amen. N theLord'sPrayer there are,(as I have formerly noted) Three Principal Parts ; i. The Pre- face; 2. The Body of the Prayer, :md 3. The Conclufion ; and of U the 2po For thine is the Kingdom., &c. the Two firft of thefe I have already fpoken. The Third Part of the Prayer, or the Conchifion, of which I am now to dif- courfe, contains Firjl a Doxology, or So-. lemn giving Glory to God, Thine is the KingJonij and the Power^ and the Glorj^ for ever ; And Secondly y An Expreffion of our full Approbation of, and hearty Con- fent to, the whole foregoing Prayer, in the Word, Amen. I Ihall now fpeak fomewhat of each of thefe, in the fame Method which I have hitherto obferv'd in Difcourfing of all the foregoing Claufes of this Prayer; i. e, 1. 1 Ihall explain their Meaning, and fhew what Senfe we ought to have in our Minds w hen we utter thefe Words : And, 2. I fliall fliew what good Leflbns we are taught, what Duties w^e are inftrudledin by the life thereof. And in this Method I iliall firfl: dif- eourfe of the Doxology, or giving Glory to God ; For thine is the Kingdom^ and the towery and the Glory ^ for ever. Wliich Explained. 2pi Which Words may be underftood either, Firjly as a Recognition or Acknowledg- ment of the Gr^atnefs and Majefty of God; Or, Secondly^ afligning fome fpe- cial Reafons inducing us to ask, and which we hope will likewife induce God to grant the feveral Requefts which had been before put up to him. I. I fay, Thefe Words may be un- derftood as a fimple Doxology ; i, e. On- ly as a Recognition or Acknowledgment of the Greatnefs and Majefty of Godj Thus; Thine is the Kingdom ; f . e. " Wc *' heartily acknowledge thy Supreme Do- " minion over us, and the whole World; " we adore and worftiip thee, as the '^ Great King, the Sovereign Lord of. « all." And, thine is the Power; i. e. " We " own likewife, and humbly adore that " infinite Power whereby thou art able ^' to govern the World, and to order all " the Affairs of it according to thine own U z Pleafiire, op 2 For thine is the Kingdom^ &c. " Pleafure, notwithftanding any Oppo- " fition that is made to thy Will, by " Evil Men, or Devils, or any other " Created Being. " And thhie is the Glory ; i, e. " We give " thee the Glory of thy Greatnefs and " Power, and of all the Things that " thou doft, and of all the Good that " thou workeft in us, or beftoweft upon '' us. And hajlly ; We hereby acknowledge tliat God always w^as, and ever will be, the fame that he is at prefent,- that he changeth not, but ever was, and ever will be, as Great, as Powerful, and as Glorious as now ; that he is infinitely and eternally fuch, the fa?ne Tejlerdaj^ to Day J and for ever. Thine is the Kifig- dom^ the Power^ and the Glory^ for ever. And, thus underftood, this Doxology at the Conclufion of the Lord's Prayer, is the fame in Senfe with that larger Form of Praife and Thankfgiving that was us'd by Bavid^ and is recorded in I Chrofh Explained. a^3 I Chron.xxiX. lo. &c. Arid David f aid ; Blejfed he thoit^ Lord God of Ifraely our Father J for ever and ever; Thine ^ Lordy is the Greatnefs^ and the Vower^ and the Glory ^ and the ViUory^ and the Majejlj ; For all that is in the Heaven and in the Earthy is thine ; Thine is the Kingdorn^ Lord^ and thou art exalted as Head above all. Both Riches and Ho- nour come of thee , and thou reignejl ever ally and in thine Hand is Power and ^Mighty and in thine Hand it is to make great^ and to give Strength unto all ; Nov^ therefore^ Our Gody we thank thee^ and fraife thy glorious Name. Thine is the Kingdom^ the Tower y and the Glory for ever ; i, e, " We humbly acknowledge, " and reverently adore the Greatnefs of " thy Kingdom, the Mightinefs of thy " Power, and the Glorioufnefs of thy '^ Majefly, and the Eternity of thefe and '^ all other thy Infinite and Glorious Per- 't fedions." Bur, U 3 2. We a 94 f^^ ^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ Kingdom^ &€. X. We may alfo, as I faid, underftand thefe Words, as afligning fome fpecial Reafons inducing us to ask, and which we hope will likewife induce God to grant the feveral Requefts that we had before put up to him. And the Con- nexion that is made between thefe W^ords, and the foregoing Petitions by the Word, Foy\ For thi?ie ic the Kingdom^ and the Power^ and the Glory^ feems to favour this Interpretation. And thus underftood, the Senfe of them will be this. For thine u the Kingdom ; f. e. " We *^ therefore beg thefe Things of thee, be- " caufe thou art our King ; for thou art " the Sovereign Lord of the whole World ; " and we are thy Subjects, who have our '' whole Dependence upon thee, and " muft receive all that we want from thy ^' Riches and Fulnefs. Upon which Ac- " counts it is befitting us to ask of thee, , ^^ and it is fuitable to thy Prerogative to J' grant our Requefts. Jtid thine alfo is the Power ; i. e. ^' W6 "-^ therefore put up our Prayers to thee, ^^ becaufe E X p L Ai n'd. ^95 « bccaufe we know that Thou, being of " infinite Power, art able to grant all ^^ that we defire; And we alfo hope that ^' thou wilt do it, becaufe the granting " thefe our Requefts will be an Expref- '' fion and Manifeftation of the Greatnefs l^ of thy Power." And thine alfo is the Glory ; I e. " By ^'making known our Wants to thee, and '' humbly craving a Supply thereof from " thy Bounty, we give thee the Glory " that is due unto thy Name. And this " alfo is a farther Ground of Hope to us, " that thou wilt grant our Requefts, be- " caufe to thee of Right will belong f' the Glory and Praife of all that we " have, and of all that we do; feeing <' we have nothing but from thy « Bounty, and can do nothing but by " thy Help.'' And thme is the Kingdom^ and the Power, and the Glory for ever; I e, "As " it V now is, fo it ever was, and ever " will be; Thy Kingdom is an everlaft- " ini Kinzdom, and thy Dominion en- ^' ^ . U 4 't d^reth 29<5 For thine is the Kingdom^ &c. " dureth throughout all Ages; And thy- " Power is unalterable, not capable of " Increafe, becaufe infinite; nor poflible to be leilen d, becaufe fuperior to all other Power; And thj Glory alfo is Eternal; And becaufe thou changeft not, we have an entire Confidence, " and a lure Truft in thee, that thou both '^ canil: and wilt, both now, and at all " Times, hear the Prayers that we put up '^ to thee". But tliefe Two Senfes of this Claufe of the Lord's Prayer, though they are fbmewhat different, yet are not at all dis- agreeing to each other; fo that they may both be well enough meant by us when we utter thefe Words. And then the full Senfe that we ought to have in our Minds, when we fay this Conclufion of the Lord's Prayer, will be, as if we fliould fay. — ^^ And now that we have put up our ^^ Petitions to thee for what we want, ^^ it is but fit that w^e Ihould alfo render ^^ thee the Praife and Thanks that are " thy Due. We acknowledge therefore that Exp lain'd. 297 " that thou art a great King, whom we " ought to Worfliip with the lowlieft " Reverence,- and we own that thy " Power is infinite, and are therefore " fiire that thou can'fl: grant what we " have defired; And we confeft that " thy Glory is above all, and we there- " fore defire that thou may'ft be glorified ^' in all the good Things that thou be- " ftowell upon us; And iaftly, we ac- " knowledge that thy Kingdom and " Power and Glory are for ever, that " they are Eternal, and inlmutable; and " therefore we do, and fliall at all times, ^' put our whole Truft in thee, becaufe " we acknowledge that thou can'ft never " fail us." And this Conclufion of the Lords Prayer is fruitful of good Inftrudion, as well as were all the foregoing Claufes of it; And what Inftrudions they are that we receive from thence, was the next Thing I was to ihew. And, I. In 2^8 For thine is the Kingdom^ &c, I. In general; from this Doxology's or Form's of Praife being added by our Lord himfelf to that Form of Prayer which he has taught us to ufe, and according to which as a Pattern, we are to compofe all our own Prayers, we may learn, that It is our Duty always to accompany our Petitions to God for the Mercies we want, with Praifes and Thankfgivings to him for the Mercies we have received, and with joyful Acknowledgments of his. Ma- jefty, Greatnefs and Bounty. According to thofe Directions given by the Apofile, t Thef.v. 17 J 18. Vray without Ceajing-, and in every Thing give Thanks; and VhiL iv. 6. hi every Things by Prayer and Supplication with Thankfgivings let your ^equejls be made known unto God, z. And more particularly. From the Firji Claufe of this'Doxology ; For thine is the Kingdom^ we are put in Mind that it is our Duty in all Things to fubmit our felves to the Will of God, and Explained. 299 and to refign our felves to his Dlfpofal, whom we here acknowledge to have the Sovereign Dominion over all. From the Second Claufe of it. Thine is the Power^ we are farther taught, that it is our Duty in all our Straits and Dif- ficulties, to feek for his Grace and Suc- cour to dired: and fupport us, and in aH our Dangers and Wants, to rely upon his All-fufficiency to deliver and relieve us ; according to that of the Apoftle^ in the Place jufl before cited. Be careful fon" nothings hut in every Thing by Prayer and Supplicationj - — Let your Requejls be wade knorpn unto God, And from the Third Claufe of it, Thine is the Glory : We are further taught to di- redl all our AciJions to his Glory, to whom we here acknowledge that all Glory is due ; according to that of the fame Jpoffle, in I Cor. X. 31. Whether therefore ye eat or drinky or whatfoever ye do^ do all to the Glory of God. And laftly, From that Eternity which we here acknowledge in all the Divine Attri- 300 For thine is the Kingdom^ &c. Attributes and Perfections , when we fay that his Kingdom, and Powder, and Glory- are for ever J we are taught to worfliip him continually, to praife him evermore, and to give Divine Honours to none be- fides him ,• becaufe He is God from Ever- lafting to Everlafting, and befides Him there is no other God, and his Glory he will not give to another. There is only one Word of the Lord's- Prayer, that now remains to be fpoken of, viz. Amen. And this is an Hebrew Word, fignify- ing. Truly , verily^ or the like : And it is a Phrafe often us'd by our Saviour at the Beginning of his Speech, to engage the Attention and Credit of his Hearers to what he was about to fay, 'A//-^\ h^yoo vfjuivj which we tranflate. Verily I fay unto you : And in the Gofpel of St. Johyi the Word is always doubled, 'kimvy 'A/^^;r, Verily^ verily^ Ifay unto you; i.e. of a Truth I fay unto you, or, in good Truth it is fb as I fay. And that this is the true Mean- ing of the Word , appears from feveral Places Explained. 301 Places in St. Lukes Gofpel , parallel to fome others in St. Matthew^ or the other Evangelifts, where he ufes the Greek Word d\r\^c^ the proper Signification of which is, Indeed^ Truly ^ or Of a Truths where the other Evangelifts had ufed the Hebrew Word, Amen. Thus in Luke ix. 27. we read thofe Words of our Saviour ; / tell you J a AKfSw^ 5 of a truth , that there he fome flanding here^ which fjall 7iot t a fie of Deaths till they fee the Kifigdom of God ; but in Matth. xvi. x8. and Mar, ix. i. where this fame Paflage is related, the He- brew Word, 'AfMv^ is retain'd ; 'Afj^h ?^iyo vfjAVy Verilyj I fay unto you. So again, in Luke xii. 44. 'tis faid, 'AA/icSw-:, Of a truth I fay unto you ^ he ivill make him Ruler 0- ver all that he hath ,• but in Matth, xxiv. 47. 'tis, 'A^Jir, Verily^ I fay unto you^ ha will make him Ruler over all his Goods, And the fame may be obferv'd again, in Luke xxi. 3. where our Lord, giving his Judgment of the poor Widow, that had cafl her Two Mites into the Treafury, fays, "^A^MrSw^, OfaTrtithy I fay unto you-, that ^ this 302 For thine is the Kingdom^ See. this poor Widow hath cajl in more than they all : But in Mar. xii. 43. the He- brew is retain d, 'A^^r, Verily I fay unto youj this poor Widow hath caft in more than they all. This therefore being the proper Mean- ing of the Word, A?nen , it being an Ad- verb of Affirming, the Defign of Adding it at the Conclufion of any Difcourfe, is to affirm all that had been faid before ,• we thereby declare and teftify our Approbation thereof, and Confent thereto : And it de- notes fuch a Sort of Approbation and Con- fent, as, confidering theNature of the foregoing Difcourfe, was proper to be given to it. And therefore when we repeat the Creed^ we fay Amen^ at the End of that; by faying which Word there, we grant the Truth of all the Articles before re- hears'd, and declare our Belief thereof; There, Amen^ fignifies. So it isy this is the true Faith; or. All this I Jledfajilj believe. •And fo, when at the End of every one of thoie Curfes , which were ordered 3 . t^ Explained, 303 to be pronounced upon Mount Ebaly Deut. xxvii. the People were taught to fay, Ameny the Defign was, that by fay- ing that Word they fliould teftify, that thofe Curfes, upon fuch as did the Things there fpoken of, were jufl: and deferved, and fuch as all thofe wicked Doers might reafonably exped: fliould befal them. And of the Uke Ufe is the Word, Amen^ in the Comnimation appointed in our Li- turgy to be read upon the Firfl Day of Lent ; the Defign of it ( as the Church her felf teaches in the Exhortation at the Beginning of that Office) is, that the Congregation l?ein^ admonijlod cf the great Indignation of God againfi Sinners^ may he warned to flee from thofe Vices for whichy by their faying, Amen^ at the End of every Sentence, they affirm with their own Months the Curfe of God to be due. And fo St. Faiilj Rom. i. 25-. after he had faid of the Heathens, that they worjljipped and ferved the Creature more than the Creator ^ who is blejfedfor cvety adds, Amen^ meaning thereby fur- ther 304 f^'' f^f^i^^ i^ the Kingdom^ &c. ther to confirm that lafl Claufe, who is blejfed for ever ; Amen, i. e. he is Blef- fed for ever ; And he adds the fame Word again upon a like Occafion, to almoft the fame Form of Speech, in the ixth Chap- ter of that Epiftle, at the 5th Verfey only that as in the Words before cited, he had fpoken of God the Father, or the Firfl: Perfon in the ever Blefled Trinity, he here affirms the fame of the Second Per- fon, our Lord Jefits Chrift^ of whom he here fays, that he is over aU^ God blejfed for ever ; whofe are the Fathers^ ( u e. they were Jews ) and of whom as con- cerning the Fleflj^ Chrift came., who., i. e. which Chrijij is over all., God blejfed for ever ; and then he immediately adds the Word, Amen., in further Affirmation of that laft Claufe, wherein he had aflerted the Eternal Divinity of the Son ; that it might not feem to have been written ca- fually, or without good Thinking ,- Chrljl is over all., God blejfed for ever ^ Amtn; i.e. fo indeed it isj Chri/lisindeedGod blejfed for ever. In both thefe Texts, theWordjAmeny b;is theForce of a Repetition in one Word, of z ^ what Exp l a I n "^ d. 30s uiiat had been faid juft before in more Words. And of the like Ufe and Force is the Word Ame7i^ when 'tis added at the End of the Creed^ or of a Prayer, When we fay Amen at the End of the Creed^ or whenever elfe we make Profef- fion of our Belief of any divine Truth, we mean by adding that Word to repeat over again in fliort, all that Profeffion of our Faith or Belief, which we had before made in feveral Words, or in feveral Sen- tences. The faying -^^w^w there 5 is equi- valent to the faying over again all that had been faid before ; it is a freili Declaration of our Confent thereto, and our Belief thereof. But when the Word Afnen is joined to a Vrayer^ or is added at the End of a Prayer, as it is here, it then ferves to ex- prefs our Wifli or Defire, that the whole Matter of the Requeft to which it is fub- join'd, may be granted, or our good Hope that the fame will be granted. Thus in I Kings i. 36. when David had declared his Intention that Solomon fliould fucceed X liim 3o5 For thine if the Kingdom^ bcc. him in the Kingdom , Benaiah the Son of Jehoiada anfwer'd the King, and faid, A- men , the Lord God of my hard the King fayfo too. Where by this Word Amen he plainly meant to exprefs his Defire that it might be fo as the King had faid. And thus alfo in Jerem. xxviii. 6. when the Prophet Hananiah had prophefy'd falfly, that the VefTels which Nebuchad- nezzar had carntd from Jentfalem to Ba- byloji^ fliould in a fliort Time be brought back again, the Prophet Jeremiah faid, Ajnen ; and yet he knew at the fame Time that the Prophecy was falfe ,• he could not therefore be thought by faying that Word to give his Aflent to the Truth of it ^ but neverthelefs becaufe tlie Matter of the Prophecy was good, and what the Prophet Jeremiah would have been as glad as any of them all might be fufilled, he faid, A- men to it ; i. e, he declared his own Wifli and Defire that it might be fo as Hanani- ah had faid, altho' he knew that it would not be fo. And fo he himfelf explains theWord ,• Jeremiah faid , Amen^ The Lord dofo^ theLord perform thyWords which thou 2 . hajl E X P L A I N ' D. 307 haflprophefiecL And fo in Rev eh xxii. 20. when our Lord had faid , Surely I come qukklj, the Apoftle St. Johuj for himfelf, or in the Name of the whole Chriftian Church, immediately adds , 4men^ Even foj Come Lord Jefiis ; z, e. May it be fo as thou haft promifed. And of the like Ufe is this Word Jmen^ when it is added at the End of thofe Be- nedidions wherewith moft of the Epi- Jlks in the New Tejlatnent are conclu- ded. If therefore the Prayer at the Conclu- fion of which, Anie?i is added, be ipoken by one, and the Amen be fpoken by ano- ther, as it is commonly in our PubUck Prayers, when the Minifter only fpeaks the whole Prayer, and all the People at the End of it (ay Amen ; then they by faying Amen^ fignify their Cdnfent to, and their Concurrence with, the whole Prayer that had been utter'd before by the Minifter ; arjd their Meaning is the fame as when they fay in the Litany, We be- feech to hear its n-ood Lord : But if the Amen be faid by the fame Perfon that X % fpeaks 508 For thine is the Kingdom^ &c. fpeaks the Prayer ; as when we fay Jfnen to our own Clofet and Private Prayers, the Jme?j is then a Repetition in one Word of all that had been faid before in all the Ciaufes of the foregoing Prayer : 'Tis a frefli Breathing forth of all thofe pious Defires or AfFedions of the Mind , that had been before more largely exprefled. When therefore we fay A?ne7i at the End of the Lord's-? r oyer , whether the Prayer be fpoken by our felves or ano- ther 5 the Senfe w^e fliould have in our Minds is this. If we refer it to the Invocation^ Our Father nvhich art in Heaven^ we fliould mean, " So it is , 'tis our Father in Hea- " ven, whom we put up our Prayers to,^ " and no other. If we refer it to the Petitions , we ihould mean, " So be it, the Lord fulfil " all our Petitions. Or if we refer it to the Doxology im- mediately preceeding, ThtJie is the King- dom , and the Power , and the Glory , for ever , we Ihould mean , as before in the Invocation, "So it is, thine indeed is the '1 King-: Explained. 309 " Kingdom5 and the Power, and the Glo- ^' ry for ever. But when this Word, 'Jmeti^ is added at the End of a Prayer , the Matter whereof w^e are fure is good and a- greeable to God's Will, ( as moft certain- ly the Matter of this Prayer is, which was taught us by our Lord himfelf ) then both the foregoing Senfes of the Word may well be join'd together, So h isy and fo he it ; then by the Word , Ameii^ we iliould not only fignify the Concurrence of our own Wiflies, but likewife our aflu- red Hope that the fame will be granted to us. And this is the Explication that is gi- ven of this Word in the Church Catechifm^ w here, after the Scholar had briefly gi- ven the Meaning of the foregoing Clau- fes and Petitions of the Prayer ; This and this, I defire of God in this Prayer,- he is taught to fay. And this I truft he will do of his Mercy and Goodnefs , thro our Lord Je fits Chrijl; and therefore I fay Amen^ fo be it. And fo much for the Meaning of the Word, Amen. X 3 But 3 : o for thine is the Kingdom^ &c. But from the Ufe of this Word, as well as of all the foregoing Claufes in this Prayer , we are alfo infirud"ed in our Du- ty. Two Things efpecially there are, which we may learn from hence. I. Being here taught by our Lord him- felf to fay, Amen at the End of Prayer, to teftify thereby our Confent thereunto, it plainly appears from hence, that the Prayers which are at any Tim.e put up to God in Publick, ought to be exprefs'd in fuch a Language, and in fuch a Stile, as may be eafily underftood by all thofe that are to join therein. For if they do not under ftand what is fa id , they can't ap- prove of it , they can't give a rational Confent thereto , they can't fay Amen to it. It is highly expedient therefore, nay, it is abfolutely neceflary for the Edificati- on of the Church, that the Publick Pray- ef^, which are defigned for the Ufe of all, fhould be liiited to the Capacities of all ; 2. e. fhould be as plain, as eafy , as fami- liar as is pofllble ; that not only all high Flights, Explained. ^h Flights, and Rhetorical Figures and Flou- riihes fhould be therein carefully avoided, but likewife all Words that are not of ve- ry eafy Meaning and of common Ufe. In a word, the Publick Prayers fliould be fuch as the Prayers of our Church aje, the Words common, the Stile eafy, the Sentences Ihort , and the whole Phrafe and Compofure fuited to the Capacities of the Meaneft. And this is not only a Commendation of our Liturgy in particular , that it is fo form'd and contriv'd, that the Meaneil: of the Congregation may underftand our Prayers, and fay Amen to them ; but it is in general an Advantage of premeditated or fet Forms of Prayer , above thofe which are conceived Extempore , that he that pens a Prayer for Publick Ufe, may take Time to Itudy Plainnefs and Perfpe- cuity , which he that prays Extempore cannot do. And indeed I am apt to think that one Reafon why fome Perfons , who are not of the quickeft Apprehenfions, do more admire tliefe extempore Vrayers of others than they do the ftated Prayers X 4 of ^ 1 2 For thine is the Kingdom^ &c. of the Church, is becaufe they do lefs underiland them ; for People are gene- rally mofl apt to admire that which they do leaft underiland. But above all , it is manifeftly mofl abfurd and ridiculous, that the Publick Prayers, in which all are to join, fliould be put up , as they are in the Church of Rome j in an unknown Tongue, in a Language not underftood, perhaps, by One in Twenty , it may be , not by One in an Hundred of the whole Congregation. The Folly and Ridiculout nefs of which Pradice is moft evidently fliewed in the xivth Chapter of the i ft Epifile to the Corhithtansj by feveral Arguments, and among others by this , that no Man can wifely and rationally fay A?nen , to a Prayer utter'd by another in an unknown Tongue, at the 1 5'th and following Ver- ks. What is it then., I will pray with the Spirit J and I will pray with the Under- fianding aJfo : I will fmg with the Spirit j And I willfiiig with the Under [landing aU fo. Elfe when thou Jljalt blefs with th» Spirit , how fljall he that occiipieth the room of the Unlearned fay Amen^ at thy giving Explain'^d. 313 giving of Thanks^ f^^i'^g he under flandeth not what thou fayejl ^ For thou verily^ Q. e, thou thy felf, who underftandeft the Language which thou fpeakefl in, thou) give ft Thanks well ; but the other ( f . e. He who underflads it not ) is not edified. But, 2. When we fay Afnen at the End of any Prayer, or other Addrefs to God, it is fuppofed, not only that we underflood what went before, but that we minded it, and gave good Attention to it ,• for when w^e fay Amen to any Thing , we thereby give our Confent to it, and declare our Approbation of it : And how can we ap- prove of, how can we confent to a Prayer that is fpoken, if we do not attend to what is faid ? This therefore is another Duty that we are plainly inflrucSed in by this Word, Amen ; vii^, when we are at Prayer, to keep our Mind to our Bufmefs, to attend diligently to what we are about, to avoid as much as is poflible all wandring Thoughts in Prayer, to be duly affecSled with 314 P^^ thine is the Kingdom^ &c. with every Claufe and Sentence of that Prayer which we either fpeak our felves, or which is fpoken by the Minifter in the Congregation in our Names, and to have fuch Thoughts and Defires in our Minds throughout the whole Office, as the Words we are then fpeaking feem to import we have. For unleft we do thus attend to, and are thus affeded by what we fay, our Service will be nothing elfe but Lip-Wor- fliip, and will be neither acceptable to God, nor profitable to our felves. For of all thofe that Jra^v near to God with their Months 5 and honour him with their Lips^ ^.. . 7z>hile their Heart is removed far from it. XXIX. "' "^ 15. comp. /rJ/V^, we are told by the Vrophet j that March. XV. ^^^^.^ Worll'ip of God is vain. But if, as every Claufe and Sentence of the Prayer is uttered, we go along with it in our Minds, and give fuch a Confent cither of Approbation or Defire, as is pro- per to be given thereto, then the fingle Word, Amen^ at the End of all, being utter'd with Fervency and true Devotion, will folly comprehend in it all the Senfe of the whole foregoing Prayer, and we fliall X P L A I N ' D. 3"5 fhall pray over again in one devout Breath, as much as we prayed before in the whole Office. And fuch an effectual fervent Prajer^ ( as St. James calls it ) wx may be fure will avail much w ith God. For this (as St. John fays) is the confidence i Job. v. that we have in htm^ that if we ask any ^^' ^^' thing according to h'u Will he heareth us ; And if we know that he hear us what- foever we ask^ we know that we have the Petitions that we defired of him. And now^ having gone through every Part of the Lord's Prayer by its felf, ex- plaining the Meaning thereof, and de- claring the Duties that W'C are thereby infl:rud"ed in and oblig'd to, I fliall only obferve Two Things to you concerning the Fulnefs, Perfection, and Excellency of this Prayer, and fo conclude. And, I. From W'hat has h(tQ,n faid it is eafy to obferve that the Lord's Prayer is a compieat Pattern of Prayer, there being in this fiiort Prayer every Thing that can be reckon'd a Part of Prayer. For, (i.)In g 1 6 For thine is the Kingdom^ &c. (i.) In Prayer we are to acknowledge and adore the Divine Excellencies and Ver- feBions; and this we do here: Firft^ In the Preface to the Prayer, wJien invoking God,we ftiie him our tieavenly Father, Owr Father which art in Heaven^ and then in the Conclufion of it, when we acknow- ledge that his is the Kingdom^ the Power^ and the Glory for ever, (2.) In Prayer we are humbly to thank our Heavenly Father for all the Expref- fions of his Goodnefs to us ,• C.?itzmte in Prajer^ fays the Apoftle^ and watch in the fame with Thankfgiving. And this Part of Prayer, Thankfgiving^ is included likewife in the Preface, when we acknow- ledge that God is am Father^ f. e. that he bears us a Fatherly Affedion, and that we have experienced his Fatherly Kind- nefs to us ; and this fame is likewife again exercis'd and exprefs'd in the Firft Peti- tion, Hallowed be thy Name; that Phrafe being, (as I have formerly noted ) like thofe commonly in Ufc among us, God he Explained. 3*7 be praifed, Blejfed he God, and the like ; by which, though they are exprefs'd in the Form of a Wifli or Petition, yet what we mean is, adually to give Thanks and Praife to God : and fo it may be under- flood there, Hallowed be thy Name; L e. we do hallow thy Name, we praife and bJefs thee for thy Goodnefs. (3.) In Prayer we are humbly to re^ quejl of God the good Things that we want ; this is the chief Subjed: of Prayer, this is what it has its Name from; for Prayer and Pethioji, are Words of the fame Signification ,• and this is plainly the chief Subjed: of the Lord's Prayer; the w^hole Body of it, all but the Preface and Conclufion, being in its primary Mean- ing, Petition to God for fuch Things as we have need of (and indeed for all Things that we have need of) both for our Souls and Bodies. But then, (4.) Lafily ; It is not fit that vile and polluted Sinners, as we all are, Ihould dare to approach the Prefence of God, or pi cfume o I S For thine is the Kingdom, &c, prefume to offer up any Requeft to him, without an humble Acknowledgment of our nienefs and Unworthinefs ; It becomes not Sinners to ask any Thing of God without confeffing their Faults, and for- rowfaUy ownmg that they are unworthy to receive the good Things that they ask'd: And this is Confeffion, which therefore ought to make a Part in all our AddrefTes to God ; and fo it does here : For when we ask God Forgivenefs (as we are taught to do in the Fifth Petition, Forgive lis our Trefpajfes^ as we forgive them that trefpafs againft m^ fuch a Requeft contains, by plain Implication, an Acknowledgment that we are Sinners ,• for if we had no Sin, we lliould need no Pardon, and if we did not think our felves Sinners, we fliould not think it needful to beg Pardon. From all which therefore it plainly ap- pears, that this is a moft compleat Form or Pattern of Prayer, that there is no- thing eflential to Prayer wanting in it. z. What Explained. 319 2. What may be further obferv'd and inferr'd from all the Difcourfes which I have made upon this Prayer, as to the admirable Excellency and Perfediion of it ; is, that it is fo fram'd and contriv'd, as to {erve both for an ExpreJJion of our Devotion towards God, and for an T.nftru- Uion to our felves^ that at the fame Time, ^ and by the fame Words, by wliich we are taught w hat to requeft of God, w^e are alfo inflruded in our own Duty, and ftrongly excited to it ; upon which Account the frequent Ufe of it muft needs be of fingular Benefit and Ad- vantage to us. You may, I fuppofe, have heard it faid, that no Perfon that is a Witch, can repeat the Words of the Lord's Prayer throughout \ that if luch a Perfon be put to repeat it, there will be always fome-- what miftaken in the Repeating it, or fomewhat omitted. I will not warrant the Truth of this Saying or Obfervation, becaufe, as I have had no Experience of it, fo neither can I fee any Reafon for it. But 32 o For thine is the Kingdom^ &c. But this I think I may fay with more Certainty of Truth, and with more Rea- fon; That no wicked Man whatfoever, continuing in his Wickednefs, can fay this Prayer, nor indeed any one Sentence or Claufe of it, with good Attention and fervent Devotion j and that every Good Man fo faying it, mufl: needs by natural Efficacy, as well as by the Divine Grace and Blefling be rendred better thereby. I. I fay, that a wicked Man, conti- nuing in his Wickednefs, can't fay this Prayer, nor indeed any one Sentence or Claufe of it, with good Attention, and fervent Devotion; he can't have fuch inward AfFedtions of Mind towards God, as the Words of this Prayer do exprefs^ nor an hearty Defire of thofe Things which he feems to requeft of God, be- caufe fuch devout Affections and holy Defires are diredly contradidJory to, and utterly inconfillent with the Love and Pradice of Sin. For how can he prefume fo much as to call upon God in Prayer, who in Works denies him ? Or how can he with Holy 3 , Devo- Explained. 321 Devotion call God his Father^ who has fold himfelf to the Devil to work Wick- ednels, and continually exercifes him- lelf therein? For whofoever is born of i johuv God finneth not ; but he that is begottefi '^* of God keepeth himfelf pure^ and that wicked one toucheth him not^ as the Apo- file fays. How can he fay to God, with true Devotion, Hallowed be thy Name^ who difhonours him in his whole Life > How can he be thought ferioufly and heartily to defire that the Holy Name of God may be fand:ified by all, who is himfelf by wicked Oaths, and horrid Blafphe- mies, continually prophaning and pollu- ting it? Again, How can he pray heartily that the Kingdom of God may come^ and be efta- blilh'd in the World, who will not give up himfelf to be rul'd and governed by him ? Muft not his Heart give his Tongue the Lye, while he fays with his Mouth, Thy Kingdom come^ and yet knows him- felf to be in his Heart with thofe wicked ones fpoken of by Joby who fay unto J°^ ^^^' y God 52 2 For thine is the Kingdom^ &c, God depart from m^ for we dejire not the Knowledge of thy Ways : What k the Al- mighty that we jhoiild ferve him, and what Profit jlooiild we have if we pray unto him i Again ; we are taught In this Prayer to fay, Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven I But how can a Man fay this with true and fervent Devotion, who continually oppofes and refifls the Divine Will, who will neither fubmit to the Pro- vidence of God, nor obey his Precepts ; who is abominable and difobedient^ and to every good Work reprobate *'t