Your Will Be Done

1 Coherence.

In the second petition, we desired that God would let his kingdom come, namely, that he would rule in our hearts. If he then must reign we must be his subjects: and therefore, here we crave, that being his subjects, we may obey him, and do his will. Malachi 1:6. If I be a Father, where is mine honor? If I be a master, where is my fear?

2. The meaning.

Will] Will here signifies God's word, written in the old and new Testament. For in his word his will is revealed. Of the whole will of God, there be three special points, which are in this place meant. 1. To believe in Christ (John 6:40). This is the will of him that sent me, that every one that sees the Son, and believes in him, should have life everlasting. 2. Sanctification of body and soul (1 Thessalonians 4:3). This is the will of God, even your sanctification, &c. 3. The bearing of affliction in this life (Romans 8:29). Those which he knew before, he did predestinate, to be made like to the image of his own Son. Philippians 3:10. That I might know him and the virtue of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his afflictions, and be made conformable to his death.

[Your will] not mine: For man's own will is wicked and corrupt; yes, it is flat enmity to God (Romans 8:5).

[Done] That is, obeyed and accomplished of men. Then, the effect of the prayer is this; As we would have you our king: so Lord, teach us to obey your holy will.

3 The wants to be prayed against.

1 Here first, we are to bewail this, that our hearts are so prone to ungodliness, and disobedience to God's commandments. Put a match to a heap of gunpowder, on a sudden it will be all on a flame, and as long as we add matter to the fire, it burns: So by nature, we are most ready to sin so soon as the least occasion is given. David had experience of this, when he prayed, Knit my heart to you, O Lord, &c. (Psalm 86:11), and incline mine heart to your commandments (Psalm 119:37). Those which find not this want in themselves, and the like affection to bewail it, are in a miserable and dangerous case: even as a man that has a great disease upon him, and knows not of it.

2 Again, we must here bewail the sins of the world, as ignorance, heresies, schisms, hypocrisy, pride, ambition, contempt of God's word, covetousness, oppression, want of love of God and his word, &c. 2 Peter 2:7. Lot was vexed, and his righteous heart was grieved, with the unclean conversation of the Sodomites from day to day: so ought our souls to be vexed and grieved continually, at the wickedness of our time: and further, in this grief we are to send up our prayers to God for them, that they may be brought to the obedience of God's will. Ezekiel 9:4. In a common judgment upon Jerusalem, they are marked in the forehead that mourn and cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst of it.

3 Here also we must humble ourselves for our unquietness of mind, and great impatience, when God lays any cross upon us. It is God's will, that we should suffer affliction. Our Savior prayed, that the cup might be taken away, but with submission to his Father's will (Luke 22:42). And this David had learned, when he said, But if he thus say, Behold, I have no delight in you, behold, here I am, let him do to me, as seems good in his eyes (2 Samuel 15:26).

4 Graces to be desired.

1 The first thing which we are here to desire, is, that we may have grace to deny ourselves, wills, and affections: because herein we are unlike to God, and like the Devil. This is the first lesson that our Savior does give his Disciples, that they must deny themselves, and follow him.

2 The second thing, is the knowledge of God's will: for otherwise, how shall we do it? How shall that servant please his master, which cannot tell what he would have done of him? Most men will have books of statutes in their houses, and if they be to deal in any great matter, they will do nothing until they have looked on the Statute. In like manner, men must have the Bible, that is, the book of God's statutes in their houses; the laws of God must be the men of our counsel: Before every action, we are to search what is the will of God, and then to do it. Here then we are taught to use the means, and to pray for knowledge.

3 Again, we are here taught to have a desire in our hearts, and an endeavor in our lives in all things to do obedience to God's word.

4 Lastly, we desire patience and strength, when it shall please God at any time to exercise us with the cross, as Paul prays for the Colossians, that God would strengthen them by the power of his might, to all patience and long suffering with joyfulness.

5. Error confuted.

The Church of Rome teaches, that men by nature have free-will to good: and that men, being stirred up by the Holy Ghost, can of themselves will that which is good. But if this were so, why might we not pray, Let my will be done? So far forth as the will of man shall agree with God's will: but this cannot be, as we see in the tenor of this petition.