3. The Wants Which Are to Be Bewailed

1. The graces to be desired, and to be prayed for at God's hand, are three. The first is the knowledge of God, that is, that we might know him as he has revealed himself in his word, works and creatures. For how shall any glorify God before he know him? Our knowledge in this life is imperfect. Exodus 23: Moses may not see God's face, but his hinder parts. 1 Corinthians 13:12: We may see God as men do, through spectacles in his word, sacraments, and creatures. And therefore as Paul prayed for the Colossians (Colossians 1:10), that they might increase in the knowledge of God: so are we taught to pray for ourselves in this petition.

2. We desire that a zeal of God's glory may be kindled in our hearts, and that we may be kept from profaning and abusing of his name. Psalm 69:9: The zeal of your house has eaten me up. Psalm 45:1: My heart shall utter, or cast up a good matter. I will speak in my works of the king. Here the Spirit of God borrows a comparison from men, thus: as he which has somewhat lying heavy in his stomach, is never quiet till he have cast it up — even so the care and desire to glorify God's name must lie upon a man's heart as a heavy burden: and he is not to be at ease and quiet with himself till he be disburdened, in sounding forth God's praise. Luther says well, that this is Sancta crapula: that is, an holy surfeit: and it is no hurt continually to have our hearts overcharged thus.

3. A desire to lead a godly and upright life before God and men. We see men that in some great calling under honorable personages, will so order and behave themselves, as they may please and honor their masters: even so must our lives be well ordered, and we are to labor to walk worthy of the Lord (as Paul speaks) that we may honor our heavenly father.