Question 100

How many parts are there in the Lords Prayer?

Three, the Preface, the Petitions, and the Conclusion.

Which is the Preface of the Lords Prayer?

Our Father which art in Heaven.

How must we draw near to God in Prayer?

As Children to a Father.

How is that?

With reverence,^a and confidence.^b

Must we come to God with all holy reverence and confidence, because he is our heavenly Father?

Yes.

What encouragement have we so to do?

Because he is able and ready to help us, as a Father his Children.

In what words are his readiness and ability implied?

His readiness in these words [Our Father] his ability in these [which art in Heaven.]

Why do you say, Our Father, and not my Father?

Because we ought not only to pray by our selves, and for our selves; but with and for others.

Must we pray for all?

Yes,^c excepting those that have sinned the sin unto death.^d

Must we pray for our enemies?

Yes.^e

Whom must we pray for especially?

For the^f Church of God.

And whom must we pray for more particularly?

For Magistrates and Ministers. 1 Tim. 2. 1. 2 Thes. 3. 1. Heb. 13. 18. Col. 4. 3. Ephes. 6. 18, 19.

May we not pray for those who are yet unborn?

Yes.^g

But may we pray for those that are dead and departed out of this life?

No.

Why so?

1. Because we find not any command or example in the Scripture, that Prayers are to be made for souls departed; but have the example of David (that man after Gods own heart) against it. 2. The souls of the righteous in Heaven stand in no need of our Prayers, and the souls of the wicked in Hell can receive no good by them, or by the pretended sacrifice of the Mass.

But where are those souls pretended to be, that are thought, by the Papists, to be profited by their Prayers, and their sacrifice of the Mass?

In Purgatory.

If then there be no Purgatory, do not the Papists themselves grant it us, that there are no Prayers to be made for the Dead?

Yes.

What souls do the Papists tell us must go to Purgatory?

They tell us that the souls of the impenitent do not go to Purgatory, but to Hell, nor the souls of all Believers, but of some only, viz. of those that did not fully satisfie for their sins in this life.

What kind of place do they imagine Purgatory to be?

A place of great pain, where the fore-mentioned souls are tormented till they satisfie Gods Justice, and then being purged fully from sin, they are to be received up into Heaven.

What difference do they make betwixt Hell and Purgatory?

They say in Purgatory, the fore-mentioned souls suffer the vengeance of a temporary fire, but in Hell impenitent Unbelievers suffer the vengeance of eternal fire.

The Papists profess to believe with us, That the blood of Iesus Christ purgeth and cleanseth us from all our sins: Why then have they invented the fire of Purgatory? If all sins are washed away, and purged by the blood of Christ, what then remains to be purged in this imaginary fire?

They mock the world in calling it Purgatory, for (according to the Romish Doctrine) it serves not to purge, but to punish souls, and to satisfie Gods Justice; so that it is not a purging, but a pain and a punishment.

But can the sufferings of the fore-mentioned Believers in Purgatory, satisfie Gods offended Iustice, so that by the help of the Prayers of the living▪ and the sacrifice of the Mass, they shall be delivered thence, and accounted worthy to be received up into Heaven?

’Tis impossible that the sufferings of finite and mutable Creatures, which are but of yesterday, should satisfie the offended Justice of the infinite, eternal and unchangeable God: And that their temporary torments, though never so exquisite, should merit for them that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, which all shall be partakers of, that are received up into Heaven.

How may it be proved that we are delivered from the whole punishment of sin, temporal and Eternal, by the death of Christ: So that we shall not need to fear their fear, who through fear of Purgatory-fire, are all their life-time subject to bondage; or be affrighted with their big words, who are so hot for this invented fire, as to say, Whosoever believeth not Purgatory shall be tormented in Hell?

1. Punishment is inflicted because of sin, Iob 4. 8. Prov. 22. 8. and 28. 18. Hos. 10. 13. and 14. 1. Being freed from sin, we are not liable to Judgement, 2 Sam. 12. 13. Ier. 4. 14. Ezek. 18. 32. 2. It stands not with the Justice of God, being once fully satisfied, to require a second payment at our hand. Gen. 18. 25. Isa. 53. 10, 11. Mat. 3. 17. 3. Neither will it stand with his glorious Mercy. Luke 1. 77, 78. 2 Cor. 1. 3. Rom. 9. 23. Ephes. 2. 4, 5, 6. 1 Pet. 1. 3. Iude 21. 2 Tim. 1. 18. 4. Nor with the honour of Christ, who is a perfect Redeemer. Tit. 2. 14. Heb. 1. 3. 1 Ioh. 1. 7, 9. and 2. 1, 2. 5. Nor with the price of his Blood. 1. Cor. 6. 20. 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19. Mat. 20. 28. 1 Tim. 2. 6. 6. Nor with our Faith in praying for full pardon of all our debts. Matth. 6. 12. 7. Nor with our peace with God. Rom. 5. 1. 8. Nor yet with right reason, that the guilt of sin should be removed, and yet punishment for sin inflicted.

And is not this new invented doctrine of Purgatory contrary to the intendment and design of the Gospel?

Yes, for the design of the Gospel is to comfort Believers against all their sufferings in this life, with the hope of heavenly glory and happiness, to be enjoyed immediately after their death; see Rom. 15. 4. Ioh. 5. 24. 2 Cor. 5. 1, 2. 1 Thes. 4. 17. Rom. 8. 17. Phil. 1. 23. Rev. 14. 13. Luke 23. 43. and 16. 22, 23. with Mat. 8. 11, 12. Heb. 11. 13, 16. But this new invented Doctrine speaks terrour to all Believers, as being so far from making God full satisfaction for their sins in this life (as some of them are supposed to do by the Papists) that they were never able to make God any satisfaction for them. And therefore must we certainly be all doomed alike to go to Purgatory, that place of so great pain, that the most torturing wheels, and the most ardent fires are nothing in comparison of it, if it be true (which those of that party say) that it is ten times hotter than our fire, and that it differs from Hell-fire, in respect of duration only.

And will not such Doctrine as this be a great scandal, and a Rock of offence to weak Believers, for whom Christ died?

Yes.

But is it not the duty of every one that nameth the name of Christ, to comfort the feeble-minded, and to support the weak?

Yes.

And do not they blaspheme that worthy name, by the which they are called, that break a bruised Reed, and quench the smoaking Flax?

Yes.

And whoever shall offend one of these little ones which believe in Christ; were it not better for him that a Millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea?

Yes.

Now therefore, seeing we know these things before, should we not beware lest we also being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from our own stedfastness?

Yes.

But that we may not as Children be tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; ’Twill highly concern us to be much in reading the Scriptures, and to use all possible means to help us to understand the reading, because there are some things in them hard to be understood, which our Adversaries, the learned of them especially, do wrest for their confirmation of the doctrine of Purgatory, as of their other inventions?

Object. 1. The Papists glory much in 1 Cor. 3. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Read it; Doth this place rightly understood confirm their Doctrine of Purgatory fire? A. No, for if the design of the Apostle be attended unto in this place, we may with more reason call the unlevened bread eaten in the Land of Promise by the Israelites, the very identical bread of affliction really eaten by their Fathers in Egypt, as it was a sign of it; than the fire here mentioned by the Apostle, their material Purgatory fire, which is no sign of any such fond invention.

What therefore is the true sense and meaning of this place?

If the scope of the place be observed, we shall easily see the meaning of the place to be nothing but this, viz. That the Faith of Christ being the Foundation which our Apostle had laid, and indeed the only one which could possibly be laid: That that which was regularly to be built thereon was constant confession of Christ in despire of afflictions, which like Gold and Silver, &c. would be refined and purified▪ not consumed in the 〈◊〉; but for any doctrine of worldly wisdom, vers. 18. of prudential compliances with the Persecutors, Jews or Gentiles, If any such earthly material were brought in the stead of the formentioned constancy, it should be brought suddenly to the trial; And proving combustible matter, it will not bear that trial (such are the Doctrines of denying Christ when persecuted) and it shall be so far from helping this Gnostick complier to any advantage as the hopes it will, that it shall bring the greatest danger upon him; and if upon timely Repentance, or by his not having actually denyed Christ (for all his superstructing of some erroneous doctrines) he be more mercifully dealt with by Christ, and freed from having his portion with Unbelievers, yet it shall go hard with him, as with one that is involved in a common fire, and hardly escapes out of it. Object. 2. They urge also, 1 Pet. 3. 19. By which also he went and Preached unto the Spirits in Prison; Do you think when this Scripture is rightly considered it will justifie their Opinion of Purgatory fire? A. No▪ 1. Because the Apostle saith that these Spirits that be in Prison, were disobedient in the daies of Noah, vers. 20. And the Papists themselves hold, that disobedient and impenitent persons go to Hell, but the Souls of Believers only to Purgatory; so that this place is nothing at all for Purgatory. 2. Because Christ is not said to Preach in the Prison to the Spirits, but to the Spirits in Prison: The difference betwixt these two expressions is very great; He preached to them in the daies of Noah, who were in Prison in the daies of the Apostles: He Preached to them out of Prison, that are now in Prison; which is nothing to their purpose. Object. 3. Mat. 12. 32. Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come; Hence they argue that some sins shall be forgiven in the world to come. A. Not to be forgiven in this world, nor in the world to come, is as much as, shall never be forgiven; so Matthew explains himself, Mat. 12. 31. And so Mark doth express it, Mark 3. 29. Read the places. Object. 4. They urge Mat. 5. 25, 26. read the place. This Prison, saith Bellarmine, is Purgatory, out of which, after the Debt is paid, the Debtor shall go forth? A. 1. Some understand the place literally, and if it be so understood, it is altogether impertinent to the matter in hand. 2. If the place be taken in a spiritual sense, by the Prison must necessarily be understood Hell (and not Purgatory) whence the Debtor shall never come forth, because no meer man by his suffering can in a finite time satisfie the infinite offended Justice of God. 3. And that which may be an argument to them, they interpret other Scriptures where they meet with the like phrases in the same sense we understand this very place; see Mat. 1. 25. Gen. 8. 7. Deut. 34. 6. 1 Sam. 15. 35. and 2 Sam. 6. 23. So that in brief, in the literal sense, it is impertinent, and in the spiritual sense it must needs be understood of Hell, whence there is no Redemption.

How many sorts of Prayers are there?

Three, viz. Closet, Family and Publick.

What do you mean by Closet-Prayer?

Entring into our Closet alone, and praying unto our Father in secret.

Why is Closet-Prayer necessary?

Because those that pray after the manner of Hypocrites, to be seen of men, have their reward: But if, we pray to the Father in secret, our Father which seeth in secret, shall reward us openly^h

And must we in our Closet-Prayers pray both for our selves and others?

Yes.ⁱ

When you say you are to pray for others, what do you mean by it?

That we ought to pray for all in the Land of the living (which is the only Land of hope) yea, though they be the greatest sinners, and such Prisoners as are bound with the bands and setters of their sins; they are Prisoners of hope, if they have not sinned the sin unto death; and we ought to pray for them.

What do you mean by Family-Prayer?

Praying in and with our Families for our selves and others.

Why ought we to pray in our Families?

Because God will pour out his fury upon the Families that call not on his Name, as having on them the mark and brand of the accursed Heathens, Ier. 10. 25.

What mean you by Publick-Prayer?

Praying in and with the publick Assemblies for our selves and others.

Ought not publick prayer to be preferred above all Family-private-prayer?

Yes, because every particular Believer hath special interest and power with God, and doth prevail with him for all desireable blessings; and a multitude of Believers assembled together in publick, will have a greater interest and power with God in Prayer, than a few met together in a private Family: And therefore publick-prayer ought to be and will be preferred by all that regard their own interest, above any Family-private-prayer whatsoever.

Whom doth the Preface of the Lords Prayer teach us to pray unto?

To our Father who is in Heaven.

And do we by this appellation express our reverence to him, and our Faith in him, that his Goodness, Will, and his Power can grant our requests for our selves and others?

Yes.

But when mention is made of the Father, do you exclude the Son, or the Holy Ghost from being prayed unto?

No.

How and in what order are we to direct our Prayers to the persons of the blessed Trinity? And whether may we not single out any one of the Persons, to whom we may direct more immediately such or such a Prayer?

The case hath so much difficulty in it, that a short answer must not be expected to so great questions, as are couched in it; yet we will endeavour to give an answer thereunto, as briefly as we can in these following Conclusions: Some of which will be of use to us as rules of direction to lead us into the sound knowledge of these and other mysteries of the Gospel. 1. That in all parts of divine worship, and so in this of Prayer, the Trinity in Unity, and Unity in Trinity is to be worshipped and respected. Or, That we ought so to think of God in Prayer as one in Essence, yet three in Persons: and so as three in Persons, that he is but one in Essence. 2. That we ought so to think in Prayer of some one Person in the Trinity, as thereby to be led to the other two: The Father being in the Son, and the Son in the Father, and the Holy Ghost in them both.^j 3. That in order, we are first to direct our Prayers to the blessed Father; yet not as first, or chief in honour and dignity above the other two, but as first in order of subsisting: according as the Scripture in two places, where the order of the blessed Persons is set down, the Father is first set down in order of witnessing, 1 Ioh. 5. 7. and invocation and worship, Mat. 28. 19. 4. In singling out any one Person in the blessed Trinity, we are to pitch most usually on the Father, as he to whom we direct our Prayers through the mediation of Christ, and by the help of the Holy Ghost: That is the Rule and method prescribed by Christ, to ask the Father in his Name, Ioh. 16. 23. and suitable is and hath been the usual practice of the Saints: And yet in such directings of Prayers most what as to the Father in the general intention of their Spirits, do the Saints mind and eye the other two Persons, and include them as joyntly worshipped; and therefore in their Prefaces of Prayer they do oftimes mention expresly, that blessed God one in Essence, yet three in Persons, as he to whom they speak; and in the close they subscribe glory to the blessed Father, Son and Spirit, three Persons yet one God, &c. 5. We may single out the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, as he to whom we occasionally present some special request, either by way of Apostrophe, whilst we are directing our Prayers to the Father, or in way of Ejaculation: as did Stephen, Acts 7. 59. Lord Iesus receive my Spirit. And so in the instance of that short prayer of the Converted Thief, Luke 23. 42. Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom; and so in that short Prayer of Iacob’s, The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the Lads, Gen. 48. 16. this Angel was Christ: And in more continued and solemn manner did Abraham pray to that Angel, Gen. 18. To him did Iacob pray again, and make supplication, by the space almost of the whole night, and had power over him, Gen. 32. from Verse 24. to the end, compared with Hos. 12. 3, 4. And the Reasons hereof are evident, 1. Because Prayer is a divine worship of God as God;^k and therefore due to the Son, and so to the Holy Ghost as well as to the Father. Rom. 10. 13, 14. 2. We are Baptized into the Name of the Son, and the Holy Ghost, as well as into the Name of the Father: and therefore both the Son and the Holy Ghost may be particularly and personally invocated, and worshipped as well as the Father.^l 3. We are to believe in the Son, and so in the Holy Ghost as well as in the Father, and that personally and particularly: and therefore so are to pray to either. That which the Apostle expoundeth of the Gentiles trusting in Christ, Rom. 15. 12. the Prophet expressed of their seeking to him, Isa. 11. 10. So that they are inseparably due to one and the same Christ, upon one and the same ground; see Rom. 10. 13, 14. before mentioned. It is supposed that he on whom men call, he must be believed on, or else he cannot be called upon by any; and when the Apostle in the 13. Verse, mentions the Name of the Lord, as that which is called upon, he in Verse 14. expounds it to be meant of the Lord himself: to call upon the Lords Name, is to call upon himself. 4. The Lord Jesus promiseth that he will do what we ask, Ioh. 16. 23, 24. and therefore he may be sought to do the same; and indeed he proveth himself to be equal with the Father by this argument, because Petitions shall not only be granted in his Name, but by him: Neither doth he make account that this is any disparagement to the Father, but a glorifying of him, and therefore when he saith, Iob. 17. 1. Father glorifie thy Son, he immediately adds, that thy Son also may glorifie thee. What is said to prove that in our Prayers we may single out the Son of God, may serve to prove the same may be done to the Holy Ghost. Obj. Against this which hath been said, it may be objected, we are to ask all we do ask in the Name of Christ; and therefore how can we be said to ask him, or Pray to him? A. 1. The Lord Jesus Christ is asked or prayed unto in that prayer that is put up to the Father in his Name, Iob. 16 23. Christ speaking of the time after his Resurrection and Ascension, saith, In that day ye shall ask me nothing: or (which is all one) Verily, ye shall ask the Father nothing in my Name, but be will give it you. He is glorified as God, in that all is done with God in his Name, and for his Father. For albeit it be sometimes said, For Abraham and David’s sake God will do this or that; yet this is meant in reference to Gods Covenant of Grace with them, and so to Christ properly, in whom that Covenant is ratified, Gal. 3. 17. They called on the Name of the Lord Iesus Christ in every place, 1 Cor. 1. 2. Yet surely they brake not that Rule, Iob. 16. 23. They called on the Father in Christs Name, even in their calling upon God in his Name: and Christ as God is also called upon, in that his Father as God is called upon. 2. In all external worship of God, one Person of the Trinity being Named, the other are understood, and are not to be excluded: the Trinity being undivided in worship. 3. If Christ be considered as the Son of God in Essence with the Father, He is he to whom we come, &c. Coming in Prayer to the Father: If considered as Mediator, God incarnate, God and Man, He is he by whom we come to the Father, Heb. 7. 25. and 1 Tim. 2. 5. As the Son of God, He may be, he must be prayed to, which is God and Man in one Person; but is not prayed to as Man, but as God.

What are those Petitions which you offer up to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost?

They are Six: In the three first we more immediately respect Gods glory; in the three last our own good.